JP2562811Y2 - Capsule weighing and sorting device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the prevention of trouble when a capsule shorter than a predetermined length (hereinafter referred to as short capsule) is mixed in a capsule weighing and sorting apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 shows a conventional capsule weighing and sorting apparatus disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 58-43987. FIG.
, Capsules C continuously supplied from the hopper 1 via the shot 2 are received one by one by a capsule guide portion 4 provided on the guide pusher 3. The guide pusher 3 is driven by the driving device 5 to move the table 1
The capsule agent C intermittently reciprocates in the horizontal direction on the top 2, and the capsule agent C received by the capsule guide section 4 is supplied to the measuring table 7 in accordance with the reciprocating movement of the guide pusher 3.
The weigh scale 6 measures the weight of the capsule C placed on the measuring table 7. After the completion of the weight measurement, compressed air is injected from the air nozzle 10 to blow the capsule C into the sorting shot 8. Here, the damper 9 is switched and controlled based on the measurement result of the weighing scale 6. For example, non-defective products within the specified weight range are sorted and collected in the container 14, and defective products outside the specified weight range are sorted and collected in the container 13. Collected. A notch 3a is provided in front of the bottom of the guide pusher 3 so as not to spatially interfere with the capsule C placed on the measuring table 7 when the guide pusher 3 retreats.

[0003]

During the capsule manufacturing process, the capsule body is cut off, and a capsule (short capsule) shorter than a predetermined length rarely occurs. In most cases, the weight of such a short capsule after filling is less than the specified weight range, and it is necessary to selectively remove the short capsule from the manufacturing process. Therefore, the weight of all capsules is measured using a capsule weighing and sorting apparatus, and those outside the specified weight range are removed. However, the conventional capsule weighing / sorting machine has the following problems for short capsules which are particularly short in length.

[0004] That is, in FIG. 6, to over preparative capsules C _S is assumed to have been supplied from the chute 2 into Gaidoputsushiya 3. Since the short capsule C _S is constantly pressed by another subsequent capsule C _N, it cannot be held by the capsule guide portion 4 of the guide pusher 3, and is held on the table 12 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Roll over. Then, the capsule guide portion 4 of Gaidoputsushiya 3 separate capsules C _N which follows is retained.
Next, the Gaidoputsushiya 3 as shown in FIG. 9 when starting the movement in the direction indicated by arrow A, to over preparative capsules C _S are overturned on the table 12 is pushed out by Gaidoputsushiya 3. To over preparative capsules C _S extruded by Gaidoputsushiya 3, jump over the measuring table 7 as shown in FIG. 10, directly enter the sorting chute in 8 as shown in FIG. 11. As a result, mixed in particular remains good length of short to over preparative capsules C _S weight untested, is likely to be shipped as it is.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. In particular, even for short capsules having a short overall length, all of them are placed on a measuring table and weighed. The purpose is to obtain a capsule weighing and sorting device.

The capsule weighing and sorting apparatus according to the present invention has a measuring device having an inclined guide portion for holding a capsule to be weighed and a compressed air jet for removing the capsule held on the inclined guide portion. A table, a weighing means provided at a lower portion of the measuring table, for measuring the weight of the capsule placed on the inclined guide portion of the measuring table, a hopper for holding a large amount of capsules, and a capsule from the hopper. And a guide pusher having a capsule guide portion that intermittently reciprocates in a horizontal direction on a table and holds one of the capsules fed from the shot. The capsule guide has a cylindrical shape having substantially the same angle of inclination as the angle of inclination of the inclination guide of the measuring table and an inner diameter of about 1.1 times the diameter of the capsule. A portion formed by a hole and continuous with the end face of the capsule guide portion facing the measurement table and facing the table is spatially separated from the capsule placed on the measurement table during the intermittent reciprocating motion of the guide pusher. The notch is formed so as not to interfere with the capsule, and the notch and the capsule guide portion are formed so as to be continuous at an angle, and the height of the surface of the notch facing the table from the upper surface of the table is equal to the capsule material. Is formed smaller than the diameter of the capsule pusher, so that the capsule agent that moves on the table based on the intermittent reciprocating motion of the guide pusher is held by the capsule guide portion and does not roll over on the table.

[0007]

[Function] Since the depth of the notch provided at the bottom end of the guide pusher is smaller than the diameter of the capsule, even if the short capsule is mixed, the short capsule is rolled on the table. Without being held by the capsule guide portion of the guide pusher. The capsules held in the capsule guide portion are all placed on a measuring table regardless of the length of the capsules, and weighed and sorted. Therefore, defective capsules whose weight has not been measured are not mixed with non-defective products.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4. FIG. FIG. 1 is a partial side sectional view showing a configuration of a capsule weighing and sorting apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial side sectional view showing a difference between the conventional guide pusher 3 and the guide pusher 30 in this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a partial side sectional view showing a difference between the conventional measuring table 7 and the measuring table 70 in this embodiment. Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a case where attempt over preparative capsules C _S is mixed in this example.

In FIG. 1, capsules sent from the previous step are temporarily stored in a hopper 1 and then supplied one by one from a hopper 1 to a guide pusher 30 via a shot 2. Capsules C continuously sent from the shout 2 are held one by one by a capsule guide section 40 provided at an angle on the guide pusher 30. The guide pusher 30 is reciprocated in the horizontal direction intermittently on the table 12 by the driving device 5. The capsule agent C held by the capsule guide portion 40 of the guide pusher 30 is moved by the gravity when the guide pusher 30 moves to the rightmost direction in the drawing, and the inclined guide portion 7 of the measurement 70 is measured.
On the measuring table 70, the pieces are intermittently supplied one by one. The weigh scale 6 for measuring the minute weight is provided below the measuring table 70, and measures the weight of the capsule C supplied and placed on the measuring table 70. Table 1
The measuring table 70 is provided with an air nozzle 10 through the nozzle 2 and blows out the capsule agent C whose weight has been measured into the sorting shot by injecting compressed air. Here, the damper 9 is switched and controlled on the basis of the measurement result of the weighing scale 6. For example, non-defective products within a specified weight range are sorted and collected in a container 14, and defective products outside the specified weight range are detected in a
Sorted and collected in 3.

[0010] Next, using a No. 2 size capsule as an example, an experiment was conducted to confirm the state of generation of short capsules. First, the standard size of the No. 2 capsule is the outer diameter of the cap part 6.35 mm, the outer diameter of the body part 6.07 mm, and the standard total length after coupling the body part and the cap part is 17.8 mm.
It is. In addition, a product having a total length of 17.5 mm to 18.3 mm after joining the body portion and the cap portion is defined as a good product in principle.

<Relationship between Generation of Short Capsules and Weight> (1) When the overall length is 17.5 mm or less, it belongs to the range of defective products when judged based on the external dimensions. However, among these, those having a total length of 17.2 mm or more, when viewed as capsules containing a drug or the like therein, fall within the range of good products if judged based on their weight. Those which belong to the defective range on the basis of the external dimensions but fall within the range of good products on the basis of weight do not affect the medicinal effect, and thus may be judged as good products by the capsule weight sorter. (2) When the total length was 16.9 mm or less, the weight of all capsules was less than the standard weight range (standard value ± 4%). That is, these short capsules should be excluded as defective because they have a small net weight and may affect the medicinal effect. (3) No short capsule having a total length of 10 mm or less is generated. That is, if the total length is 10 mm or less, the body part and the cap part cannot be bonded, and the product is excluded from the mass production process as a defective product in a process (for example, a filling process or the like) before being applied to the capsule weighing and sorting apparatus as a poor connection.

<Behavior of Short Capsules> Next, short capsules having respective overall lengths (10.1 to 17.2 mm) are prepared, and the conventional guide pusher 3 shown in FIG. 2A is used. The behavior of the short capsule was actually confirmed. In FIG. 2A, the diameter of the hole of the capsule guide portion 4 of the conventional guide pusher 3 is 6.9 m.
m, the inclination angle is 75 °, the depth of the notch 3a at the lower front of the guide pusher 3 is 8.9 mm, and the thickness of the guide portion at the upper front is 5 mm. (1) All short capsules having a total length of 16.0 mm or more behaved similarly to non-defective capsules. That is, one by one was intermittently supplied to the measuring table 7 by the guide pusher 3, and the weighing and sorting was performed normally. (2) The short capsules having a total length in the range of 15.3 mm to 15.9 mm fall out of the capsule guide portion 4 of the guide pusher 3 at a rate of 2 to 3 times per 10 times and are placed on the table 12. Rollover was confirmed. (3) Short capsules with a total length of 15.2 mm or less,
The capsule pusher 3 of the guide pusher 3 cannot be held at all and falls down on the base by the operation of the guide pusher 3 (movement in the horizontal direction) or jumps over the measuring table 7 and is sorted without being inspected. It was confirmed that it jumped into the shot 8 (that is, it was mixed with a good product).

As a result of the above experiment, the total length was 10.1 mm to 1 mm.
It is necessary to securely hold the short capsule within the range of 5.9 mm and supply it to the measuring table 70. FIG. 2B shows a configuration of the guide pusher 30 according to this embodiment improved for that purpose. In FIG. 2B, the depth of the notch 31 at the lower front of the guide pusher 30 is set to 5.2 mm with respect to the table 12, and the thickness at the upper front of the guide pusher 30 is set to 8.7 mm. It was confirmed that all of the smallest short capsules (total length 10.1 mm) could be held.

Since the thickness of the guide portion in front of the upper portion of the guide pusher 30 is increased by 3.7 mm, the guide pusher 30 returns to the left in the drawing when the position or the shape of the measuring table 7 remains unchanged. (a), the placed thereon capsule on the weighing platform 70 (in particular up good capsules (total length 18.3 mm)) to contact the top of _{C L.} In order to prevent this, as shown in FIG. 3B, in this embodiment, the position of the measuring table 70 is lower by 2.5 mm than in the conventional example. Incidentally, the gap (clearance) between the notches 31 of Gaidoputsushiya 30 to that effect the longest non-defective capsules C _L is smaller as compared with the prior art.

The total length of the short capsule is 13.2 mm
In the following cases, the attempt over preparative capsules but is securely held by the capsule guide portion 40 of the Gaidoputsushiya 30, for paddle total length of capsules short, the following capsule C _N as shown in FIG. 4 the guide The capsule guide section 40 of the pusher 30 is inserted into the capsule guide section 40 by about 5 to 7 mm. Here, even if a force to move in the direction indicated Gaidoputsushiya 30 by the arrow is a capsule C _N interfere between chute 2 and Gaidoputsushiya 30 Gaidoputsushiya 30
Cannot move. - How, when Repeat added several times a force for moving the Gaidoputsushiya 30 capsules C _N that interference may be damaged deformed. Therefore,
If weighing by the weighing scale 6 is not performed for a certain period of time (intermittent reciprocating time of the guide pusher 30 for a certain number of times), it is determined that the clogging of the capsule due to the mixing of the short capsule agent has occurred. Stop.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, even if a short capsule having a short overall length is generated, the guide pusher 30 having a notch having a depth smaller than the diameter of the short capsule is obtained.
, Is supplied to the measuring table 70, and is all sorted out by weighing. Therefore, there is an effect that short capsules which have not been weighed and sorted out are not mixed into non-defective capsules.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a capsule weighing and sorting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a guide pusher 30 and a conventional guide pusher 3 in the capsule weighing and sorting apparatus according to the present invention.
Sectional drawing which compares the difference with.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a positional relationship with a measuring table 70 when the guide pusher 30 shown in FIG. 2 is used.

FIG. 4 shows a guide pusher 30 holding a short capsule in the capsule weighing and sorting apparatus according to the present invention.
Sectional drawing which shows the state of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a conventional capsule weighing and sorting apparatus.

6 to 11 are views showing behavior of short capsules in a conventional capsule weighing and sorting apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Hotsupa 2 chute 5 driving device 6 wt eight sorting chute 9 damper 10 the air nozzles 30 Gaidoputsushiya 31 notch 40 capsule guide portion 70 measuring stand 70a inclined guide portion C _S to over preparative capsules C _N good capsules C _L up Good capsules

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A measuring table having an inclined guide portion for holding a capsule to be weighed and a compressed air ejection port for removing the capsule agent held on the inclined guide portion, provided at a lower portion of the measuring table. Weighing means for measuring the weight of capsules placed on the inclined guide portion of the measuring table; a hopper for holding a large amount of capsules; and continuously supplying capsules one by one from the hopper. The shuttle and the table intermittently reciprocate horizontally on the table.
Capsule holding one of the capsules delivered from
And a guide pusher having a guide portion , wherein the capsule guide portion has an inclination angle substantially equal to the inclination angle of the inclination guide portion of the measuring table and about the diameter of the capsule agent. 1.1 formed by a cylindrical hole with an inside diameter
And the end face of the capsule guide section facing the measuring table.
The part facing the table is connected to the guide pusher.
Caps placed on the measuring table during intermittent reciprocating motion
Cut out so as not to spatially interfere with the
The notch and the capsule guide part are continuous at an angle.
The notch is formed on a surface of the notch facing the table.
Height from table top is smaller than capsule diameter
Formed, thereby causing the guide pusher to intermittently
Capsule moving on the table based on backward movement
Is held by the capsule guide section and
A capsule weighing / sorting device characterized in that it does not rotate.