JP2001219908A - Filling apparatus and press-through-pack(ptp) packaging machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a filling apparatus for tablets or the like wherein a tablet or the like can be filled in a pocket portion 44 formed on a container film 41 in a predetermined filled posture to reduce a frequency that a failure is determined. SOLUTION: A vent hole 11 communicating with a suction device is formed on a bottom of a recessed storage pocket 10 formed on an outer peripheral surface of a rotary drum 8. The tablet 1 which is carried according to a rotation of the drum 8 is sucked through the vent hole 11 and is kept sucked in the pocket 10 while a part of it protrudes out of the pocket 10. The protraction of the table 1 is inserted into the pocket portion 44 of the container film 41 being carried below it while it is being sucked in the storage pocket 10. Then the tablet 1 is forced to separate from the pocket 10 by a release claw 20 and filled in the pocket portion 44 in the predetermined filled posture.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention belongs to a technical field including a filling device for filling tablets and the like into pockets formed in a sheet and a PTP packaging machine provided with the filling device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a PTP sheet comprises a container film having a pocket portion into which a tablet or the like is inserted, and a sealing film fixed to the container film so as to seal the opening side of the pocket portion to the container film. And a film. Before the container film and the sealing film are fixed to each other, the pocket portion is filled with a tablet or the like.

[0003] As a filling device for automatically filling a tablet or the like into a PTP sheet, for example, a filling device described in JP-A-2-127223 is known.

[0004] This filling device will be described with reference to FIG. On the outer peripheral surface of the rotating drum 71, a number of concave storage pockets 73 for transferring tablets 78 are formed. The storage pockets 73 are formed in accordance with the shape and size of the tablet 78, and each of the storage pockets 73.
Are arranged in accordance with the distance between the pockets 72 formed in the PTP sheet 77.

A tablet supply chute 74 is provided near the upper part of the rotary drum 71, and discharges the tablets 78 from the tablet supply chute 74 and stores them in the transfer pocket 73. Then, as the rotary drum 71 rotates in the direction of the arrow, the tablets 78 are transferred to the lower part of the rotary drum 71.

On the other hand, a half-moon guide member 75 is provided on one side of the rotating drum 71 along the outer peripheral surface of the rotating drum 71. The tablet 78 is guided by the half-moon guide member 75 to the lower portion of the rotary drum 71 without falling off, and is filled in the pocket portion 72.

At the time of filling, the tablet 78 is placed in the storage pocket 7
3 may not fall smoothly, or the posture may be lost when dropped, and may not fit in the pocket portion 72 firmly. Therefore, a scraper 76 is provided for dropping the tablet 78 or pressing the tablet 78 so as to fit inside the pocket portion 72 so as to smoothly fill the pocket portion 72 of the PTP sheet 77. The scraper 76
Are inserted into grooves (not shown) on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating drum 71, which divide the central portion of each of the storage pockets 73 in the circumferential direction.

[0008]

When the half-moon guide member 75 is used, the tip of the half-moon guide member 75 is
The tablet 78 cannot be accurately guided to the pocket 72 of the PTP sheet 77 unless it has reached a position immediately below the rotary drum 71. However, as shown in FIG. 7B, when the tip of the half-moon guide member 75 reaches a position immediately below the rotary drum 71, a large gap exists between the lower end of the rotary drum 71 and the PTP sheet 77. Is inevitable. Therefore, when the tablet 78 is filled, the falling distance of the tablet 78 increases. At this time, for example, when the tablet 78 is a flat circular tablet, the tablet 78 is
And fall into the pocket portion 72, and lose its posture, and enter the pocket portion 72 upright (poor posture).

At the stage when the tablet 78 has been transported to the vicinity of the tip of the half-moon guide member 75, the tablet 78 is completely placed on the half-moon guide member 75. Then, when the tablet 78 passes through the distal end portion of the half-moon guide member 75, its posture gradually changes in the vertical direction as shown in FIG. 7B. As a result, there arises a problem that the user enters the pocket portion 72 upright (poor posture).

Generally, after the tablet is filled, the PTP sheet 77 and the tablet 78 are inspected for defective products.
Is considered defective. In addition, tablet 1
Can not fit inside the pocket portion 72, and a part thereof protrudes outside the pocket portion 72, and when passing through the scraper 76, it is caught and crushed between the scraper 76 and the side surface of the pocket portion 72. There is also. As a result, the surface of the tablet 1 is scratched, and is regarded as defective during the inspection. Conventionally, many of these problems are determined as defective products, and there is a problem in productivity.

Also, with respect to the size of the pocket 72,
If you try to fill a relatively small tablet 78,
8 and the bottom of the pocket portion 72 were further increased, and the tablets 78 were erected in a large number of uprights. In order to solve such a problem, an appropriate PTP sheet 7 having a pocket 72 corresponding to the tablet 78 is formed.
7, the same PTP sheet 77 cannot be used for tablets 1 of different sizes, and there is a major problem in terms of production cost.

Further, in this type of filling device, the tablets 78
There is also a problem that it is necessary to prepare various kinds of rotary drums 71 engraved with storage pockets 73 of sizes corresponding to various shapes and sizes of the tablets 78, and replace the tablets 78 each time the shape and size of the tablets 78 are different. Was.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and fills pockets formed in a sheet in a predetermined filling posture with an object to be filled such as tablets to reduce the frequency of defective determination. Filling device and P capable of improving productivity
One of the main purposes is to provide a TP packaging machine.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a filling device and a PTP packaging machine which can use sheets having the same pocket size regardless of the shape and size of the material to be filled.

[0015]

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention Characteristic means for achieving the above object will be described below. In addition, a characteristic action and effect of each means will be described as necessary.

Means 1. In a filling device for sequentially filling a filling material at a predetermined transfer position with respect to a pocket portion of a sheet to be conveyed, a pocket portion of the filling material with a part of the filling material facing the pocket portion. A filling device characterized in that the filling device is delivered.

According to the above-mentioned means 1, when the object to be filled is delivered, the projecting portion of the object to be filled faces the pocket. For this reason, the drop between the filling object and the bottom of the pocket portion is reduced, and the empty space in the pocket portion where the posture of the filling object changes may be reduced. Therefore, the pocket portion can be filled without causing a change in the posture of the object to be filled.

Means 2. In a filling device for sequentially filling the filling material at a predetermined transfer position with respect to the pocket portion of the conveyed sheet, the filling device has substantially the same filling posture as an ideal filling posture in which the filling material is to be filled in the pocket portion. A filling device that transfers the filling material to the pocket portion in a state where the filling material is in a state where the filling material faces a pocket portion.

According to the means 2, the object to be filled is delivered to the pocket portion without changing the posture in the ideal filling posture. Therefore, it is easy to fill the object to be filled in a predetermined filling posture, and the object to be filled which has a poor posture is reduced.

Means 3. A filling device according to the first or second means, wherein the object to be filled is suction-held by a suction force before the delivery.

According to the means 3, since the material to be filled is sucked and held by the suction force, for example, a guide member or the like used for preventing the material from falling off, guiding the material to the pocket portion, or the like is used. No need to do. Therefore, the leading end of the guide member or the like enters between the rotating body and the sheet, and does not generate a gap between the filling object and the pocket portion. Can be made to face.

Means 4. The filling device according to claim 3, wherein the suction force is applied to a substantially central portion of the material to be filled.

According to the above-mentioned means 4, the material to be filled, which has been suctioned at a substantially central portion, is stabilized in a balanced state. Therefore, when the material to be filled faces the pocket,
It is easy to maintain the ideal filling posture.

Means 5. In the means (3) or (4), the material to be filled is free-falled into a pocket portion by mechanically forcibly scraping the material to be filled at the delivery position, and the material is delivered. apparatus.

According to the above means 5, the material to be filled facing the pocket portion is sucked and is in an ideal filling posture, and in this state, the material to be filled is forcibly scraped off. Here, by stopping the suction, it is conceivable to transfer the material to be filled.However, in that method, a time difference occurs between the time when the suction is stopped and the time when the material to be removed is removed, and the time difference becomes unstable. The transfer position is not stable. In this regard, the delivery position can be made accurate by mechanically forcibly scraping off the object, and the object to be filled, which is in an ideal filling posture by suction force, can be delivered while maintaining the filling posture.

Means 6 In a filling device that sequentially fills a material to be filled at a predetermined delivery position with respect to a pocket portion of a conveyed sheet, a rotating body that rotates in synchronization with the conveyance of the sheet is provided, and around the rotating body, A filling device, comprising: a holding portion for holding the object to be filled in a state where at least a part of the object is protruded, wherein the projecting portion of the object to be filled faces the pocket at the transfer position.

According to the above-mentioned means 6, the rotating body holds the material to be filled in a holding portion provided therearound in a state where at least a part of the material is protruded, and rotates in synchronization with the conveyance of the sheet. That is, at the transfer position of the filling material to the pocket portion, the projecting portion of the filling material faces the pocket portion. For this reason, the drop between the filling object and the bottom of the pocket portion is reduced, and the empty space in the pocket portion where the posture change of the filling object occurs can be reduced,
The pocket portion can be filled without causing a change in the posture of the object to be filled.

Means 7. In the means 6, the outer shape of the rotating body is formed in a columnar shape, the holding portion is constituted by a concave portion in which the object to be filled is accommodated, and the depth of the concave portion is smaller than the thickness of the object to be filled. Filling equipment.

According to the means 7, at least a part of the material to be filled is in a state of protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body. Therefore, it is easy to make the projecting portion of the filling material face the pocket portion when the filling material is delivered.

Means 8 The filling device according to claim 7, wherein the depth of the concave portion is set to approximately half the thickness of the object to be filled.

According to the above-mentioned means 8, substantially half of the material to be filled is in a state of protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body. Therefore, at the time of delivery of the filling material, the projecting portion of the filling material tends to face the pocket portion, and the filling material can be stably held.

Means 9 The filling device according to any one of the means 7 and 8, wherein the sheet is disposed so that a position immediately below the rotating body and the sheet are close to each other, and the close position is the transfer position.

According to the above-mentioned means 9, when the object to be filled is delivered, the distance between the object to be filled and the pocket portion is reduced, and a state in which half or more of the object to be filled is inserted into the pocket portion. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the empty space of the pocket portion in which the posture of the filling object changes.

Means 10. In any one of the means 7 to 9, a suction hole is opened at the bottom of the concave portion, and the material to be filled is sucked and held in the concave portion by suctioning the air through the suction hole by the suction means. Filling device.

According to the means 10, since the material to be filled is sucked by the suction hole and held by suction in the concave portion, for example,
The filling material can be stably held without using a guide member or the like used for preventing the filling material from falling off, guiding to the pocket portion, or the like.

Means 11 The filling device according to the means 10, wherein the suction hole is opened at one position substantially at the center of the bottom of the concave portion, and sucks only the substantially center position of the material to be filled.

According to the means 11, at the bottom of the recess,
The suction hole sucks a substantially central position of the material to be filled, so that the material to be filled can be suctioned into the concave portion with good balance. Therefore, it is easy to maintain the ideal filling posture when the object to be filled faces the pocket portion.

Means 12. In any one of the means 6 to 11, there is provided a detaching means for detaching the material to be filled held by the holding portion from the holding portion corresponding to the delivery position, and the detaching means is provided when the material to be filled is at the delivery position. A filling device for directly interfering with the material to be filled and forcibly scraping the material to drop the material into a pocket portion for delivery.

According to the above means 12, when the rotating body is rotating at a high speed, the method of stopping the suction to release the material from the holding portion is inevitably performed when the suction is stopped and when the material is removed. And a time difference occurs, and the time difference becomes unstable. For this reason, it is extremely difficult to drop and transfer the material to be transferred to the pocket portion while maintaining its posture. On the other hand, if the separating means is used, the filling material can be separated from the holding portion and transferred to the pocket portion when the filling material reaches the delivery position.

Means 13. In the means 11, there is provided a releasing means for releasing the material to be sucked and held in the concave portion from the concave portion corresponding to the transfer position, and the releasing means has a pair of releasing claws on both sides of the suction hole. Then, when the filling material reaches the delivery position, the two detaching claws directly and simultaneously interfere with the both sides of the filling material and forcibly scrape them, thereby allowing the filling material to drop freely into the pocket portion. A filling device characterized in that it is delivered by hand.

According to the above means 13, the material to be filled is in a state where it is sucked substantially at the center position and pulled upward, and the two releasing claws come into contact with both ends of the material to be filled. Is scraped off. In other words, both ends of the material to be filled are evenly applied by the two detaching claws while the substantially central position is being sucked, and the material is detached. For this reason,
By using the detaching means, the object to be filled can be detached from the holding portion without disturbing the posture of the object to be delivered to the pocket portion. Here, the object to be filled is suitable when it has a flat shape such that it cannot be filled in the pocket portion when its posture changes. For example, when the cross-sectional shape is a substantially elliptical shape having a major axis and a minor axis and the major axis is in the horizontal direction, the pocket portion can be filled.

Means 14. A PTP packaging machine comprising the filling device according to any one of means 1 to 13.

If the filling device specified by each of the above means is provided in the PTP packaging machine as in the means 14, the generation of the PTP sheet containing the filling material having a poor posture can be reduced. The number of PTP sheets eliminated as a result can be reduced.

Means 15. A filling device according to any one of the means 1 to 13, and an inspection device for inspecting the filling material filled in the pocket portion after the filling device fills the pocket material with the filling device. A PTP packaging machine, characterized in that:

According to the means (15), after the filling of the pocket portion with the material to be filled, when inspecting the material to be filled into the pocket portion, the filling device according to the means (1) to (13) uses the filling device described in the means (1) to (13). Is reduced. For this reason, the chance of making a defect determination in the inspection is reduced, and as a result, the production efficiency is improved.

Means 16. PTP according to means 14 or 15
A PTP packaging machine, characterized in that the packaging machine is provided with a fixing means for fixing a sealing film for sealing the opening side of the pocket portion to the sheet after filling the material to be filled.

According to the means 16, the means 14 or 15
When the fixing means is provided in the PTP packaging machine described above and the sealing film is fixed, the filling device having the posture is reduced by the filling device according to the means 1 to 13. For this reason, the fixing means can fix the sealing film in a state where there is almost no defective posture of the filled object, and can reduce generation of defective sheets. As a result, the number of PTP sheets excluded as defective products can be reduced.

[0048]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
By equipping the PTP packing machine 30 with the tablet filling device, the tablets are filled in the pockets provided in the PTP sheet in the PTP packing machine 30. In this embodiment, description will be made based on a case where a flat tablet is used as a tablet.

The PTP wrapping machine 30 automatically wraps tablets 1 (see FIG. 1) as a material to be filled into PTP sheets. Specifically, a film 40 such as polypropylene or PVC is fed into the heating plate 50 and the forming plate 51 by the film feed roll 33 and the tension rolls 31 and 32, and the pocket portion 44 (see FIG. 1) in which the tablet 1 is filled is formed. It is formed into a film 40. Then, when the container film 41 in which the pockets 44 are formed in the film 40 is sent below the tablet filling device 52 which is a means for filling the tablets 1, the tablet filling devices 52
Fill automatically.

After the tablet 1 is filled, each pocket 44
Inspection is performed to find out the presence or absence of the tablet 1, the defect of the filled tablet 1 and the contamination of foreign matter. The inspection is performed by an inspection device including a CCD camera 54 as an imaging device, a light 55 as a lighting device, and the like.

Further, an aluminum sealing film 42 is fed via tension rolls 34 and 35 onto a container film 41 in which each pocket 44 is filled with the tablet 1, and a pair of seal rolls 36 and Fix at 36. Thus, a film-like PTP sheet 43 in which the tablet 1 is filled in each pocket portion 44 is manufactured. After the film-shaped PTP sheet 43 is cut into a sheet shape, a not-shown defective sheet discharging mechanism or a PT
The sheets are sequentially sent to a P sheet stacking mechanism or the like.

FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 show a tablet filling device 52 applied to the PTP packaging machine 30 in the present embodiment. The tablet filling device 52 includes a base (not shown). A substantially cylindrical support member 2 is fixed to the base so as to extend in the horizontal direction. The support member 2 includes a large-diameter cylindrical portion 2a on the base end side and a small-diameter cylindrical portion 2b on the distal end side. An annular center valve 3 is inserted into the small-diameter cylindrical portion 2b from the distal end side. Center valve 3
Is supported so as to be non-rotatable with respect to the small diameter cylindrical portion 2b and slidable in the axial direction.

A shaft hole 4 penetrating in the axial direction is formed in the inside of the support member 2, and a rotation shaft 5 is formed in the shaft hole 4.
Is inserted. Here, the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 5 and the shaft hole 4
Between the inner peripheral surface of the supporting member 2 and the spacer 6
A ball bearing 7 is fitted as a rotating bearing means. The rotating shaft 5 has a base end directly or indirectly connected to a drive motor (not shown), and is driven to rotate by the drive motor. Here, the drive motor rotates in one direction.

Further, the rotating shaft 5 is provided at the tip end side of the rotating shaft 5.
Cylindrical rotary drum 8 as a rotary body having a central axis
Is inlaid. At the tip of the rotating shaft 5, the fixing ring 9 is fitted to prevent the rotating drum 8 from falling off. Further, the rotating drum 8 rotates integrally with the rotation of the rotating shaft 5.

On the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum 8, a large number of storage pockets 10 are formed as holding portions for storing and holding the tablets 1. In addition, each accommodation pocket 1
Zeros are regularly arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction and the axial direction of the rotating drum 8.

Each of the storage pockets 10 is formed such that a concave portion having a substantially arc-shaped cross section in the radial direction of the rotary drum 8 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum 8. The depth of the concave portion of the storage pocket 10 is formed such that a part of the tablet 1 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum 8. Specifically, the depth is set so that approximately half of the tablet 1 is accommodated. Thus, the tablet 1 can be sufficiently projected from the storage pocket 10 while being stably held.

At the center of the bottom of each storage pocket 10, a ventilation hole 11 is formed as a suction hole in the radial direction of the rotating drum 8. A plurality of air passages 12 are provided along the axial direction of the rotating drum 8 so as to surround the periphery of the rotating shaft 5, and each of the air passages 12 is provided in the same row provided along the axial direction of the rotating drum 8. It communicates with the air hole 11. Further, each ventilation path 12 is opened on a side surface facing the center valve 3.

On the other hand, inside the center valve 3, a ventilation adjusting path 13 is formed as a ventilation adjusting means. The ventilation control path 13 is opened on a side surface facing the rotating drum 8. The opening 13a is provided in the air passage 12 at a predetermined position by a change in the position of each air passage 12 due to the rotation of the rotary drum 8.
It is formed in a bow shape so that it can communicate with the. The opening range is such that when the rotating drum 8 rotates in one direction (in the direction of the arrow), each air passage 12 moves from a substantially top position of the rotating drum 8 to a substantially lowermost point while the air adjusting passage 13 It is the range that can be communicated with. A vent pipe 14 communicating with the ventilation control path 13 is attached to the outer peripheral side face of the center valve 3, and the other end is connected to a suction device (not shown) as suction means.

Accordingly, when the suction device is in the operating state, the air in the ventilation control passage 13 is sucked through the ventilation pipe 14 to be in a substantially vacuum state. Eventually, the ventilation path 12 at a predetermined position communicating with the ventilation control path 13 is also substantially in a vacuum state. For this reason, the series of ventilation holes 11 communicating with the ventilation path 12 can suck the tablets 1 stored in each of the storage pockets 10 whose openings face and adsorb the tablets 1 in the respective storage pockets 10.

An annular metal seal 15 for fixing the side surface of the rotary drum 8 to the side surface of the center valve 3 is fixed to the side surface of the base end portion of the rotary drum 8. The metal seal 15 is formed with a through hole 15a corresponding to the opening of each of the ventilation paths 12 of the rotary drum 8 so as not to cover the opening.

The center valve 3 has a large-diameter cylindrical portion 2.
An annular projecting portion 3a having an outer peripheral surface having the same diameter as the outer peripheral surface of a is formed along the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter cylindrical portion 2b. A spring 16 is fitted so as to surround the periphery of the protruding portion 3a and the periphery of the large-diameter cylindrical portion 2a of the support member 2. Here, the spring 16 is fitted in a contracted state, and the annular protrusion 3a serves as a spring receiver for holding the spring 16.

The center valve 3 is constantly pressed toward the rotating drum 8 by the extension elasticity of the contracted spring 16. Therefore, the inflow of air from outside into the space between the metal seal 15 and the center valve 3 in the suction state is prevented, and the loss of suction force is reduced.

A supply chute 17 for supplying the tablets 1 to the storage pockets 10 is provided above the rotary drum 8 by utilizing the natural fall due to gravity. The inside of the supply chute 17 is hollow, and is formed so that the tablets 1 can be stacked in a line in the vertical direction in a horizontal posture. Note that the upstream side of the supply chute 17 is connected to a supply section for the tablets 1 (not shown), and the downstream side thereof is open so that the loaded tablets 1 can be discharged.

At the opening of the supply chute 17, a flat shutter 18 which can be opened and closed to temporarily prevent the tablet 1 from dropping naturally is provided adjacent to the opening. The opening / closing operation is performed by a driving member (not shown) that receives a swing drive in synchronization with the rotation of the rotary drum 8. here,
The rotating drum 8 rotates in one direction (arrow direction) so as to transfer the tablet 1 supplied from the supply chute 17 to a lower portion.

The tablet 1 transferred to the lower part of the rotating drum 8
Is a pocket portion 44 of the container film 41 conveyed below the rotating drum 8 at the lowest point of the rotating drum 8.
It is constituted so that it may be filled in. At this time, the rotating drum 8 is close to the container film 41 at the lowest point.

On the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum 8, a pair of circumferentially symmetric pairs of ventilation holes 11 opened at the bottom of the storage pocket 10 are passed through the respective storage pockets 10 on the same row along the circumferential direction. Grooves 19 are provided in each of the same rows.
In each of the pair of circumferential grooves 19, at the lower part of the rotary drum 8, a release claw 20 for releasing the tablet 1 adsorbed in the storage pocket 10 is inserted from a direction opposite to the rotation of the rotary drum 8.

In order to stably release the tablet 1, the release claw 20 has a shape in which the distal end is branched into two portions along with a pair of circumferential grooves 19 on each of the storage pockets 10 (FIG. 5 ( a), (b)). Further, the tip has a pointed shape in which the height gradually narrows in the direction opposite to the rotation of the rotary drum 8 (see FIG. 1). The other end is fixed to a base (not shown).

The detaching claw 20 is positioned at the lowest point of the rotating drum 8 so that the tablet 1 is separated from the state of being sucked into the ventilation hole 11. Here, both ends of the detaching claw 20 inserted into the circumferential groove 19 are formed so as to abut the tablet 1 at a position symmetrically near the end of the tablet 1 with the ventilation hole 11 interposed therebetween. Therefore, the position where the tablet 1 comes into contact with both distal ends of the release claw 20 is the delivery position to the storage pocket 10.

Now, the case where the tablet 1 is filled in the pocket portion 44 of the conveyed container film 41 in the tablet filling device 52 will be described. First, the rotating drum 8 is rotated in one direction by operating the drive motor in synchronization with the transport operation of the container film 41. At the time of the synchronous rotation, the pocket portion 44 and the storage pocket 10 are set so as to coincide with each other immediately below the rotary drum 8.
At the same time, the suction device is operated to suck the air in the ventilation path 12 communicating with the ventilation control path 13 through the ventilation pipe 14 to make the inside of the ventilation path 12 substantially in a vacuum state. At this time, the series of ventilation holes 11 communicating with the ventilation path 12 is still open, and air flows into the ventilation path 12 from outside.

For this reason, the ventilation holes 11 which are previously opened
The tablet 1 is sucked into the storage pocket 10 even when the tablet 1 is sucked into only one vent hole 11 and the other vent holes 11 are all open in consideration of the inflow amount of outside air from the outside. In addition, a predetermined suction amount is always maintained. That is,
Even when the supply of the tablets 1 from the supply chute 17 is started, the adsorption of the tablets 1 is performed normally without any trouble.

The supply chute 17 is arranged so that the opening thereof is located closer to the top than the top in the rotation direction of the rotary drum 8, and the tablets 1 are individually dropped from the openings by opening and closing the shutter 18. And the dropped tablet 1
Is a storage pocket 1 that rotates with the rotation of the rotary drum 8.
0.

The tablet 1 stored in the storage pocket 10 is
As the rotary drum 8 rotates, it is transferred toward the top of the rotary drum 8. Before the tablet 1 reaches the top of the rotating drum 8, the ventilation path 12 communicating with the ventilation hole 11 provided in the storage pocket 10 is in a state of communicating with the ventilation control path 13. Then, the tablet 1 is sucked through the ventilation hole 11 and is sucked into the storage pocket 10. At this time, the center of the tablet 1 is sucked at the bottom of the storage pocket 10.

The ventilation path 12 corresponding to the storage pocket 10 in which the tablet 1 is stored is passing through the opening range of the opening 13 a of the ventilation control path 13, that is, the tablet 1 is moved from substantially near the top with the rotation of the rotary drum 8. While being transferred to near the bottom point,
The tablet 1 is held in a state of being sucked into the storage pocket 10 without falling off from the storage pocket 10.

The rotating drum 8 is rotated in synchronization with the container film 41 being conveyed in the horizontal direction, and the interval between the storage pockets 10 on the outer peripheral surface thereof is formed in accordance with the interval between the pocket portions 44. I have. For this reason, when the tablet 1 transported in a state of being sucked into the storage pocket 10 reaches the lowest point of the rotating drum 8, each pocket portion 44 is configured to be located directly below the tablet 1. Therefore, when the tablet 1 is delivered to the pocket portion 44, the protruding portion of the tablet 1 is inserted into the pocket portion 44 as shown in FIGS.

On the other hand, at the lowest point of the rotating drum 8, the tablet 1 is brought into contact with the release claw 20 and is forcibly removed from the storage pocket 10.

Therefore, at the lowest point of the rotating drum 8,
The tablet 1 that has been adsorbed in the storage pocket 10 is
With the tip portion projecting from the outer peripheral surface of the rotating drum 8 inserted into the pocket portion 44 below the horizontal position of the container film 41, the tip portion is detached by the detaching claw 20 and filled in the pocket portion 44.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, the rotating drum 8 is arranged such that the lowermost portion thereof is close to the container film 41. Thus, when the tablet 1 is delivered to the pocket 44, a part of the tablet 1 protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the rotating drum 8 is inserted into the pocket 44. That is, the distance X between the lowest point of the tablet 1 protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum 8 and the bottom of the pocket portion 44 is smaller than the case where the tablet 1 is filled from outside the pocket portion 44.
It is shorter by the protrusion of the tablet 1 inserted into the pocket 44. Therefore, while the tablet 1 falls the distance X, the free space in the pocket portion 44 where the posture of the tablet 1 changes and the tablet 1 goes upright is reduced, and the tablet 1 is less likely to go upright.

As is clear from the above description, according to the tablet filling apparatus of this embodiment, it is not necessary to use a half-moon guide member. Drum 8 and container film 4
1 can be eliminated, and the rotating drum 8 can be arranged closer to the container film 41. Therefore, the tablet 1 and the pocket portion 44 formed in the container film 41 at the time of tablet filling are formed.
Tablet 1 with a small drop from the bottom of the tablet and poor posture
Can be reduced.

Further, even if some trouble occurs on the rotating drum 8 while the rotating drum 8 is rotating, the operator has to remove the half-moon guide member and confirm it because there is no half-moon guide member. It is advantageous in that troubles can be saved and troubles that can occur can be quickly dealt with.

On the other hand, since the tablet 1 can be transported by adsorbing the tablet 1 on the rotary drum 8, the tablet 1 can be transported to the pocket 44 accurately until the tablet 1 is filled. Until the projecting portion of the tablet 1 is inserted into the pocket portion 44, the tablet 1 can be filled without falling off the storage pocket 10. In addition, when the tablet 1 is sucked and transferred, it is not necessary to consider friction or the like with the half-moon guide member, so that it is possible to transfer the tablet 1 with a greater degree of protrusion of the tablet 1 from the outer peripheral surface of the rotating drum 8. Become. Therefore, it is possible to further reduce the drop from the bottom portion of the pocket portion 44 and to fill the pocket portion 44, and it is possible to further reduce the number of tablets 1 in which poor orientation occurs.

Further, the rotary drum 8 for sucking and transferring the tablets 1 can be applied to tablets 1 of various shapes and sizes.
As described above, the tablet 1 and the bottom of the pocket portion 44 can be filled with a reduced head. Therefore, the same container film 41 can be used for tablets 1 of various shapes and sizes without using the container film 41 in which the pocket portions 44 corresponding to the shape and size of the tablet 1 are formed.
Further, the same rotary drum 8 can be transported without transferring the tablet 1 without replacing parts such as the rotary drum 8.
Since there is an advantage of reducing production costs.

Further, since the central portion of the tablet 1 held in the storage pocket 10 is sucked by the ventilation hole 11, the tablet 1 is uniformly sucked into the storage pocket 10 and is stably held. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the tablet 1 from falling off during the transfer and to prevent the posture of the tablet 1 from being collapsed.

Further, at the lowermost point of the rotary drum 8, the central portion of the tablet 1 is sucked by the air hole 11 and pulled upward, and the tablet 1 is detached near both ends. Since the two distal ends of the tablet 20 are brought into contact with each other and separated from the storage pocket 10 so as to be scraped off, the posture of the tablet 1 at the time of separation can be reduced.

In the embodiment described above, for example, a part of the configuration can be appropriately changed and implemented as follows. Of course, other modifications not illustrated below are naturally possible.

For example, as the holding portion of the tablet 1, the concave storage pocket 10 formed in the rotating drum 8 may be omitted, and only the ventilation hole 11 may be opened on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating drum 8. Correspondingly, the peripheral groove 19 formed in the rotary drum 8 may be omitted, and the tablet 1 may be filled instead of the detaching claw 20 having a flat shape.

Instead of the concave storage pocket 10, a convex holding portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum 8, and a vent hole 11 is provided at the center thereof to suck and transfer the tablet 1. Is also good.

In the above-described embodiment, the cylindrical rotating drum 8 is used as the rotating body. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a rotating body having a shape in which the tablet 1 can be more easily inserted into the pocket portion 44 may be used. For example, a ventilation path 12 is formed in the rotating shaft 5, and a large number of thin tubes provided with a ventilation hole 11 communicating therewith are provided so as to extend radially from the rotating shaft 5.
The tablet 1 may be adsorbed to the tip of each of the capillaries and transported.

Further, the shape of the ventilation passage 13 may be such that it communicates with all the ventilation passages 12 in the rotary drum 8. Furthermore, the ventilation control path 13 may be omitted, and all the ventilation paths 12 may be directly connected from the suction device.

In place of the tablet 1, a solid food or the like may be filled as the filling material.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view in the circumferential direction of a tablet filling device according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a PTP packaging machine.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main part of the filling device.

FIG. 4 is an axial sectional view of a main part of the filling device.

FIG. 5A is a partial plan view of the detaching claw, and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of a peripheral groove into which the detaching claw is inserted.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a state where a tablet is inserted into a pocket portion.

FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view in the circumferential direction of a tablet filling device according to the related art, and FIG. 7B is a diagram illustrating behavior of the tablet at the time of tablet filling in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: tablet as filling material, 3: center valve, 5:
Rotating shaft, 8 ... rotating drum as rotating body, 10 ... accommodation pocket as holding part, 11 ... ventilation hole as suction hole,
Reference numeral 12 denotes a ventilation path, 13: a ventilation control path, 13a: a ventilation control path opening, 14: a ventilation pipe, 17: a supply chute, 18: a shutter, 20: a release claw as a release means.

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. A pocket portion of a conveyed sheet,
In a filling device for sequentially filling the filling material at a predetermined delivery position, the delivery of the filling material to the pocket portion may be performed with a part of the filling material facing the pocket portion. Characteristic filling device. 2. A pocket portion of a conveyed sheet,
A filling device for sequentially filling the filling material at a predetermined transfer position, wherein the filling material is substantially in the same posture as an ideal filling posture to be filled in the pocket portion, and the filling material is A filling device for transferring the material to be charged to the pocket portion with a portion of the filling portion facing the pocket portion. 3. The filling device according to claim 1, wherein the material to be filled is sucked and held by suction before the delivery. 4. The filling device according to claim 3, wherein the suction force is applied to a substantially central portion of the material to be filled. 5. The delivery device according to claim 3, wherein the object is mechanically forcibly scraped off at the delivery position so that the object is freely dropped into the pocket portion and delivered. Or the filling device according to claim 4. 6. A pocket portion of a conveyed sheet,
A filling device for sequentially filling the filling material at a predetermined delivery position, comprising a rotating body that rotates in synchronization with the conveyance of the sheet, and at least a part of the filling material protrudes around the rotating body. A filling device, comprising: a holding portion for holding in a state, wherein the projecting portion of the material to be filled faces the pocket portion at the transfer position. 7. An outer shape of the rotating body is formed in a columnar shape, a holding portion is constituted by a concave portion in which an object to be filled is accommodated, and a depth of the concave portion is smaller than a thickness of the object to be filled. The filling device according to claim 6, wherein 8. The filling device according to claim 7, wherein the depth of the concave portion is set to approximately half of the thickness of the material to be filled. 9. The filling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a position immediately below the rotating body and the sheet are arranged close to each other, and the close position is set as the transfer position. 10. A suction hole is opened at the bottom of the concave portion, and the material to be filled is sucked and held in the concave portion by suctioning air through a suction means through the suction hole. Item 10. A filling device according to any one of Items 9. 11. The filling apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the suction hole is opened at one position substantially at the center of the bottom of the concave portion, and sucks only the substantially center position of the material to be filled. 12. A detaching means for detaching a material to be filled held by the holding portion from the holding portion corresponding to the delivery position, wherein the removing means is provided when the material to be filled reaches the delivery position. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein, by directly interfering with the material to be filled and forcibly scraping it off, the material to be filled is freely dropped into a pocket portion and delivered. A filling device as described. 13. A detaching means for detaching a substance to be suctioned and held in the concave portion from the concave portion corresponding to the transfer position, wherein the detaching means has a pair of detaching claws on both sides of the suction hole. When the object to be filled reaches the delivery position, the two detaching claws directly and simultaneously interfere with the both sides of the object to be forcibly scraped off, so that the object to be filled is freely dropped into the pocket portion. 12. The filling device according to claim 11, wherein the delivery is performed while being performed. 14. A PTP packaging machine comprising the filling device according to claim 1. Description: 15. The filling device according to claim 1, wherein after the filling device fills the pocket portion with the filling material, inspection of the filling material filled in the pocket portion is performed. P having an inspection device for performing
TP packaging machine.