JP2008148923A - Tablet manufacturing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tablet manufacturing device capable of obtaining the tablets of high quality by preventing the dust of powder from sticking to tablets which are molded into a prescribed shape and discharged. <P>SOLUTION: The tablet manufacturing device is provided with a discharge means 7 for discharging the tablets from mold cavities of a table 2 after molding the tablets from wet powder filled in the mold cavities. The discharge means 7 is provided with an push-out pin 21 for pushing out the tablets inside the mold cavities to the lower part of the table 2, a moving means 27 for moving the push-out pin 21 to the outer side of the table 2, a cleaning belt 42 endlessly turned at the lower position of the push-out pin 21, an abutting means for abutting the distal end of the push-out pin 21 to the cleaning belt 42, and a washing tub 46 for washing the cleaning belt 42. The abutting means is provided with a rotating means 33 for rotating the push-out pin 21 in the state of being abutted to the cleaning belt 42. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a tablet manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing wet tablets by forming wet powder into a predetermined tablet shape.

  Conventionally, as a device for producing wet tablets by forming wet powder into a predetermined tablet shape, a filling means for filling wet powder into a mold cavity formed through the upper and lower sides of an intermittently rotating disk-like table And a molding means for pressing the wet powder filled in the mold cavity from above and below with the pressing pin to form a tablet of a predetermined shape, and the tablet in the mold cavity is pushed above the mold cavity by the extrusion pin. And a discharging means that pushes down and discharges from the bottom (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Wet powder is a medicinal ingredient with additives such as excipients and binders and wetting agents such as water and ethanol, and kneaded. Even if the top and bottom of the table are open and the top and bottom are open, the wet powder sticks to the inner peripheral surface of the mold cavity and is held in the mold cavity. The holding state in the hole is maintained.

By the way, since the tablet held in the mold cavity of the table is formed of wet powder, powder dust is generated when an extremely small amount of powder is peeled off from the tablet. If the discharge of the tablet is repeated over a long period of time with the dust of the powder adhering to the extruding pin of the discharging means, the dust of the powder adhering to the extruding pin will gradually increase and become a lump of powder. For example, the lump of powder may be detached from the extrusion pin and adhere to the tablet. And when the lump of powder adheres to a tablet, there exists a problem that a rough unevenness | corrugation arises on the surface of a tablet and the quality of a tablet falls.
JP-A-8-19589

  In order to eliminate such inconveniences, the present invention provides a tablet manufacturing apparatus capable of preventing powder dust from adhering to a tablet that is molded into a predetermined shape and discharged to obtain a high-quality tablet. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a plate-shaped table, a mold hole formed through the table in the vertical direction, a filling means for filling the mold hole with wet powder, and a mold hole. In the tablet manufacturing apparatus, comprising: a molding unit that presses the wet powder filled in the upper and lower directions to form a tablet having a predetermined shape; and a discharging unit that discharges the tablet in the mold cavity. An extrusion pin that is positioned facing the upper side of the mold hole, is inserted into the mold hole from above the mold hole, the tip is brought into contact with the upper surface of the tablet, and the tablet in the mold hole is pushed downward of the table. A moving means for moving to an outward retracted position, a cleaning belt provided below the push-out pin at the retracted position and rotating endlessly, a contact means for bringing the push-out pin into contact with the cleaning belt, and a cleaning base A cleaning tank that immerses a portion of the cleaning liquid in a cleaning solution, the extrusion pin is rotatably provided, and the contact means includes a rotation means that rotates the extrusion pin that contacts the cleaning belt. Features.

  According to the present invention, the powder adhering to the push pin is moved by moving the push pin from the table to the retracted position by the moving means and then bringing the push pin in the retracted position into contact with the cleaning belt by the contact means. Body dust can be removed. And since a tablet can be discharged | emitted with the extrusion pin without adhesion of powder dust, a high quality tablet can be obtained.

  Furthermore, when the push pin is in contact with the cleaning belt, the push pin is rotated by the rotating means, so that not only the dust of the powder adhered to the push pin can be surely removed, but also the push pin and cleaning. Since the contact time with the belt can be made relatively short, the extrusion pin can be efficiently cleaned.

  The powder dust that comes into contact with the extrusion pin and adheres to the cleaning belt from the extrusion pin is cleaned by the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank, so that the powder dust from the cleaning belt to the extrusion pin is reliably prevented from reattaching. can do.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the said extrusion pin is formed in the cylinder shape by which the front-end | tip was open | released at least. As a result, when the tablet is pushed out from the mold cavity by bringing the tip of the extrusion pin into contact with the upper surface of the tablet, the contact area between the extrusion pin and the tablet can be made small to prevent the tablet from being broken or the powder from peeling from the tablet. The generation of dust in the powder can be suppressed and the dust can be prevented from adhering to the extrusion pin.

  Further, in the present invention, the table includes a plurality of mold holes arranged in a vertical and horizontal direction in plan view, and the discharge means includes a plurality of the extrusion pins arranged corresponding to the mold holes of the table, The rotating means rotates a pulley provided at the base end portion of each push pin and rotating integrally, an endless belt hung so as to be in contact with each pulley, and a pulley provided on at least one push pin. Rotation drive means for simultaneously rotating pulleys provided on other extrusion pins via an endless belt by driving.

  According to the present invention, since each push pin rotates simultaneously via the pulley, when each push pin is in contact with the cleaning belt, at least any one push pin is only rotationally driven by the rotational drive means. Thus, powder dust adhering to the plurality of extrusion pins can be removed at once. Therefore, even if a large number of extrusion pins are provided, the extrusion pins can be reliably cleaned without reducing the efficiency.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory plan view showing a schematic configuration of the tablet manufacturing apparatus of the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is an explanatory side view of the discharging means, FIG. 3 is an explanatory plan view showing the main part of the rotating means, and FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view schematically showing the operation of the extrusion pin, FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the extrusion pin, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing the state during cleaning of the extrusion pin.

  The tablet manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment manufactures a tablet from a wet powder obtained by adding an additive such as an excipient or a binder and a wetting agent such as water or ethanol to a medicinal component and kneading. As shown in FIG. 1, the tablet manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a plurality of (two in this embodiment) tables 2 connected in a circumferential manner, and a conveying means 3 that intermittently rotates each table 2 in the conveying direction. Filling means 5 for filling the plurality of mold cavities 4 formed in each table 2 of the transport means 3 with wet powder, and tablets of a predetermined shape from the wet powder filled in the respective mold cavities 4 of each table 2 A molding means 6 for molding and a discharge means 7 for discharging a tablet molded from the wet powder from each mold cavity 4 are provided.

  The filling means 5 includes a plurality of powder holding cylinders 8 arranged in the vertical and horizontal directions in plan view. Each powder holding cylinder 8 is integrally supported by a holding cylinder support 9. A plurality (four in this embodiment) of holding cylinder supports 9 are connected to the outer periphery of the rotating strut 10 that rotates intermittently. Each holding cylinder support 9 is individually attached to the rotating strut 10 by lifting means (not shown). It is raised and lowered along the axis. Each powder holding cylinder 8 is opened at the lower end portion and holds wet powder packed therein. A filling rod 11 (see FIG. 4) is slidably inserted in each powder holding cylinder 8. Although not shown in detail, the filling rod 11 is urged upward by a spring or the like, and the pressing means presses against the urging, so that the wet powder held inside the powder holding cylinder 8 is lowered. To be pushed out.

  Each holding cylinder support 9 rotates around a rotary column 10, one of which overlaps the table 2 of the transport means 3 and the other overlaps the supply tray 12. The supply tray 12 is formed in a circular shape and supported by the tray rotating shaft 13. The tray rotating shaft 13 is rotationally driven by driving means (not shown). An input port 14 for supplying wet powder is provided in a part of the supply tray 12, and the wet powder input from the input port 14 is sent below the powder holding cylinder 8 by the rotation of the supply tray 12. . Further, the wet powder is leveled in the supply tray 12 by a comb-like leveling member (not shown). Although not shown, the supply tray 12 is open at a position facing each powder holding cylinder 8.

  The transport means 3 includes a transport rotation shaft 15 that is intermittently rotated by a rotation drive means (not shown), and a disk portion 16 that is rotated by the transport rotation shaft 15, and each table 2 is integrally formed on the outer periphery of the disk portion 16. It is connected to. Each table 2 overlaps below each powder holding cylinder 8 supported by one holding cylinder support 9 at a part of its rotation trajectory, and each table 2 is temporarily stopped at this overlapping position. The arrangement of the mold cavities 4 formed in the table 2 and the arrangement of the powder holding cylinders 8 supported by the holding cylinder support 9 correspond to each other. When the table 2 is temporarily stopped, each mold The hole 4 and each powder holding cylinder 8 face each other. As shown in FIG. 4B, each mold cavity 4 has the same diameter as the inner diameter of the powder holding cylinder 8 and is formed so as to penetrate the table 2. A closing plate 17 is provided at a position where the table 2 overlaps below the powder holding cylinder 8 to slidably contact the lower surface of the table 2 and close the open end on the lower side of the mold cavity 4. .

  The molding means 6 presses the wet powder in each mold cavity 4 of the table 2 rotated to the downstream side of the filling means 5 from above and below to form a tablet having a predetermined shape. As shown in FIG. 4 (d), the forming means 6 includes pressing pins 18 and 19 that are opposed to each other vertically through the mold holes 4 of the table 2. Further, a sticking prevention film 20 is supplied between each pressing pin 18, 19 and each mold hole 4.

  The discharge means 7 discharges the tablets held in the mold holes 4 of the table 2 rotated downstream of the forming means 6. As shown in FIG. 1, the discharging means 7 includes a pair of pin units 22 integrally including a plurality of push pins 21 corresponding to the arrangement of the mold holes 4 of the table 2, and the table 2 on which one pin unit 22 faces. A discharge conveyor 23 extending in the discharge direction so that the upstream side is positioned below (the tablet drop position), and a cleaning means 24 disposed below the other pin unit 22.

  The pair of pin units 22 are integrally connected to the left and right symmetrical positions by a pin unit connecting plate 25. As shown in FIG. 2, the pin unit connecting plate 25 is connected to a rotating shaft 28 of a first rotary actuator 27 (moving means) supported on the lower surface side of the support frame 26. Both the pin units 22 are rotated between an upper position (discharge position) of the table 2 and an upper position (retracted position) of the cleaning means 24 by driving of the first rotary actuator 27 to exchange positions with each other.

  The support frame 26 that supports the first rotary actuator 27 is connected to an upper beam of an apparatus frame (not shown) via a connecting member 29. The support frame 26 also supports a cylinder unit 31 that supports a plurality of pin cylinders 30 and a rotary drive unit 33 (rotating means) that can be moved up and down via a lift cylinder 32. The elevating cylinder 32 and the rotary drive unit 33 constitute the contact means of the present invention.

  The cylinder unit 31 is provided at an upper position of the table 2, and each pin cylinder 30 is provided so as to oppose each push pin 21 of the pin unit 22 facing the table 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the pin unit 22 integrally supports a plurality of push pins 21 by a pin support plate 34. The pin support plate 34 supports each push pin 21 so as to be slidable and rotatable in the vertical direction, and each push pin 21 is urged upward by a spring 35. Moreover, as shown to Fig.5 (a), the front-end | tip of each extrusion pin 21 is open | released at the cylinder shape.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the rotation drive unit 33 is provided at a position above the cleaning unit 24, and a plurality of spline rotations disposed corresponding to the push pins 21 of the pin unit 22 facing the cleaning unit 24. A shaft 36 is provided. Each spline rotating shaft 36 is rotatably supported by a shaft support plate 37 of the rotation drive unit 33, and a pulley 38 is integrally provided at the upper end thereof through the shaft support plate 37. A rotation shaft 40 of a second rotary actuator 39 (rotation drive means) is connected to one of the pulleys 38 of each spline rotation shaft 36. As shown in FIG. 3, a single endless belt 41 is hung on the pulley 38 of each spline rotary shaft 36, and the pulley 38 </ b> A connected to the rotary shaft 40 of the second rotary actuator 39 drives the other pulley 38 </ b> A. All the pulleys 38 are driven to rotate. As shown in FIG. 6, the spline rotary shaft 36 is engaged with the upper end portion of each push pin 21 by the lowering of the rotary drive unit 33 by the lift cylinder 32, and each push pin 21 is driven by the second rotary actuator 39. Is rotated. When the rotary drive unit 33 is lowered by the elevating cylinder 32, each push pin 21 is lowered while maintaining the engagement with the spline rotation shaft 36.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning means 24 includes a cleaning belt 42 formed endlessly by felt or the like. The cleaning belt 42 is rotationally guided in a horizontal direction along the tip of each push pin 21 positioned above the pair of upper pulleys 43. One upper pulley 43 is connected to a motor (not shown) and is driven to rotate. Further, the cleaning belt 42 is guided into the cleaning tank 46 by the lower pulley 45 via the tension pulley 44. A cleaning liquid 47 such as ethanol is accommodated in the cleaning tank 46.

  Next, each process of tablet manufacture by the tablet manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment will be described together with the operation of each part. First, in the filling means 5, the powder holding cylinder 8 is positioned on the supply tray 12 and descends into the supply tray 12. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4A, the powder holding cylinder 8 pierces the wet powder W stored in the supply tray 12, and at this time, inside the tip (lower end) of the powder holding cylinder 8. The wet powder W is packed. Then, the powder holding cylinder 8 rises, and the powder holding cylinder 8 rotates and moves above the table 2 while holding the wet powder W.

  Next, when the mold cavity 4 of the table 2 faces the lower side of the powder holding cylinder 8, the movement of the powder holding cylinder 8 and the movement of the table 2 are stopped, and the powder holding cylinder 8 is lowered. As a result, the tip of the powder holding cylinder 8 comes into contact with the table 2 and the inside of the powder holding cylinder 8 and the mold cavity 4 are in communication. Subsequently, the filling rod 11 of the powder holding cylinder 8 pushes the wet powder W in the powder holding cylinder 8 toward the mold cavity 4. As a result, the wet powder W is filled in the mold cavity 4 as shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 4C, the table 2 moves in the transport direction, and the wet powder W in the mold cavity 4 is scraped off by the tip of the powder holding cylinder 8.

  Thereafter, the wet powder W filled in the mold cavity 4 is conveyed to the position of the molding means 6 by the rotational movement of the table 2. As shown in FIG. 4D, the molding means 6 presses the wet powder W filled in the mold cavity 4 with a pair of pressing pins 18 and 19 from above and below to form a predetermined tablet shape. At this time, the sticking prevention film 20 is supplied between the pressing pins 18 and 19 and the wet powder W, and pressing by the pressing pins 18 and 19 is performed via the sticking prevention film 20. Then, by releasing the pressing of the pressing pins 18 and 19, the wet powder W becomes a tablet X held in the mold cavity 4 as shown in FIG. 4 (e).

  Subsequently, the table 2 rotates and the tablet X held in the mold cavity 4 is conveyed to the position of the discharge means 7. As shown in FIG. 5A, the discharge means 7 presses the push pin 21 downward by the pin cylinder 30 when the mold cavity 4 holding the tablet X therein faces the push pin 21. As a result, the tablet X is pushed downward from the mold cavity 4 and falls onto the discharge conveyor 23. At this time, since the tip of the extrusion pin 21 is cylindrical, the contact area with the tablet X is relatively small, and only the peripheral edge of the tablet X in contact with the mold cavity 4 is pressed. It can be extruded smoothly and reliably without damage. And the tablet X on the discharge conveyor 23 is conveyed in a discharge direction.

  Thereafter, the push pin 21 from which the tablet X is extruded is released from being pressed by the pin cylinder 30 and is separated upward from the mold cavity 4 by the bias of the spring 35. Then, the first rotary actuator 27 shown in FIG. At the same time, the push pin 21 located above the cleaning means 24 is rotated onto the table 2.

  The push pin 21 rotated above the cleaning means 24 is then connected to the rotary drive unit 33 lowered by the elevating cylinder 32. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the spline rotating shaft 36 is engaged with the upper end portion of the push pin 21, and the push pin 21 slides downward against the bias of the spring 35, and the tip thereof is cleaned. It contacts the belt 42. In this state, each pulley 38 is rotated by the second rotary actuator 39, and each push pin 21 engaged with each spline rotation shaft 36 is rotated. As a result, the tip of the push pin 21 contacts the cleaning belt 42 while rotating, and at the same time, the cleaning belt 42 rotates to reliably remove the dust of the powder adhering to the tip of the push pin 21. Then, after the extrusion pin 21 is cleaned in this way, as shown in FIG. 2, the elevating cylinder 32 raises the rotary drive unit 33 to engage the spline rotary shaft 36 with the extrusion pin 21. To release.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the first rotary actuator 27 moves the push pin 21 from the table 2 to the cleaning means 24, and then the push pin 21 is rotated by the lift cylinder 32 and the rotary drive unit 33. The dust and dirt on the powder adhering to the extruding pin 21 can be surely and quickly removed by bringing the cleaning belt 42 into contact with the cleaning belt 42. And since the tablet X can be discharged | emitted with the extrusion pin 21 without adhesion of powder dust and dirt, the high quality tablet X can be obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Explanatory top view which shows schematic structure of the tablet manufacturing apparatus of one Embodiment of this invention. Explanatory side view of the discharging means. Explanatory top view which shows the principal part of a rotation means. Explanatory drawing which shows typically the action | operation of a filling means and a shaping | molding means. Explanatory drawing which shows the action | operation of an extrusion pin. Explanatory drawing which shows the state at the time of cleaning of an extrusion pin.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Tablet manufacturing apparatus, 2 ... Table, 4 ... Mold hole, 5 ... Filling means, 6 ... Molding means, 7 ... Discharge means, 21 ... Extrusion pin, 27 ... 1st rotary actuator (moving means), 33 ... Rotation drive Unit (rotating means), 38, 38A ... pulley, 39 ... second rotary actuator (rotating drive means), 41 ... endless belt, 42 ... cleaning belt, 46 ... cleaning tank, 47 ... cleaning liquid, W ... wet powder, X …tablet.

Claims (3)

A plate-shaped table, a mold hole formed through the table in the vertical direction, filling means for filling the mold hole with wet powder, and pressing the wet powder filled in the mold hole from the vertical direction In a tablet manufacturing apparatus comprising a molding means for molding a tablet having a predetermined shape and a discharge means for discharging the tablet in the mold cavity,
The discharge means is located above the mold cavity of the table, is inserted into the mold cavity from above the mold cavity, and the tip is brought into contact with the upper surface of the tablet so that the tablet in the mold cavity is directed downward of the table. An extruding pin to be pushed out, a moving means for moving the extruding pin to a retreating position outside the table, a cleaning belt provided at a position below the extruding pin at the retreating position and rotating endlessly, and at least a tip of the extruding pin on the cleaning belt And a cleaning tank for cleaning by immersing a part of the cleaning belt in a cleaning solution,
The tablet manufacturing apparatus, wherein the push pin is rotatably provided, and the abutting means includes a rotating means for rotating the push pin that abuts the cleaning belt.   The tablet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the extrusion pin is formed in a cylindrical shape having at least a tip opened. The table includes a plurality of mold cavities arranged in a vertical and horizontal direction in plan view,
The discharge means includes a plurality of the extrusion pins arranged corresponding to the respective mold holes of the table,
The rotating means rotates a pulley provided at the base end portion of each push pin and rotating integrally, an endless belt hung so as to be in contact with each pulley, and a pulley provided on at least one push pin. The tablet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a rotation driving unit configured to simultaneously rotate a pulley provided on another extruding pin through an endless belt by driving.

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