JP3171975B2 - Capsule body support - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a capsule in which a capsule body and a cap are combined, and when filling a powdered drug, food or the like into the capsule body in which the cap is separated, the capsule body is filled. The invention relates to a capsule body support used for supporting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to facilitate swallowing of powdered pharmaceuticals, pharmaceuticals are filled in hard capsules made of gelatin. Such a hard gelatin capsule has a cylindrical capsule body (hereinafter referred to as a body) having an opening at one end and a closed part at the other end, and has a slightly larger diameter than the body. A cap having the same shape as the body. Before filling powder such as pharmaceuticals, the capsule is in a so-called pre-lock state in which the body and the cap are loosely coupled, and after filling the powder into the body with the cap separated from the body. The same cap is connected to the body.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 1-232962 discloses a capsule filling machine in which such a series of operations is automated. This capsule filling machine has an annular cap support table that supports a cap separated from a body and moves in a horizontal direction, and an annular cap support table that supports a separated body and is integrated with the cap support table in a horizontal state. And a body support that moves around. As shown in FIG. 10, a pocket 132 for supporting the cap 92 is provided on the cap support table 131, and a pocket 136 for supporting the body 91 in a vertical state is also provided on the body support stand 135. . The capsule is supplied to the cap support table 131 in a state where the cap 92 and the body 91 are loosely coupled, and the pocket 132 of the cap support table 131 is provided.
With the cap 92 housed therein, the body 91 is separated from the cap and inserted into the pocket 136 of the body support 135. The powder is filled into the body 91 supported in the pocket 136 of the body support 135 while the body support 135 moves around.

A pocket 136 provided on a body support stand 135
Has an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the body 91 so as to be constant throughout the entire axial direction.
The axial length of the body 91 is slightly longer than the axial length. Therefore, the end opening of the body 91 is located in the pocket 136.

In each body 91 supported in each pocket 136 of the body support stand 135, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-1
The powder is filled by the method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 76452. In the method disclosed in the publication, the powder is filled in a through hole provided in the filling plate and compressed, and the compressed powder is filled in the body 91 supported in the pocket 136 of the body support base 135. It has become.

[0006]

In such a capsule filling machine, when the compressed powder is filled into the pocket 136, there is a possibility that powder scattered from the filling plate or the compressed powder adheres to the outer peripheral surface of the body 91. is there. When the body 91 is coupled to the cap 92, since the bottom of the body 91 is pressed by the pressing rod or the like toward the cap 92, the end opening of the body 91 is in an expanded state in which the body 91 is expanded outward. Become. The powder attached to the outer peripheral surface of the body 91 is pressed against the inner peripheral surface near the end opening of the pocket 136 when the body 91 is connected to the cap 92, and the powder adheres to the inner peripheral surface. When the powder is repeatedly attached to the inner peripheral surface of the pocket 136, the powder accumulates and solidifies on the inner peripheral surface of the pocket 136. Usually, when the body 91 filled with the powder is coupled to the cap 92 and discharged from the body support 135 and the cap support table 131, the body support 135 is air-cleaned by vacuum suction. However, the powder solidified on the inner peripheral surface of the pocket 136 cannot be removed by such air cleaning. Because of this, pocket 136
In order to remove the powder adhering to the inner peripheral surface, the body support
Each pocket 136 at 135 must be cleaned using a brush. Since such brush cleaning is performed manually, it is very time-consuming and may damage the bottom of the pocket.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to solve such a problem. It is an object of the present invention to reliably carry out the operation of filling a capsule body with a powder of a drug or the like, the operation of discharging the capsule body, and the operation of connecting the capsule body and the cap. It is another object of the present invention to provide a capsule body support that can perform the above-described operations smoothly and further reduce the number of times of cleaning operations for powder adhering to the inner peripheral surface of the pocket.

[0008]

According to the capsule body support of the present invention, there is provided a capsule body in which a cap is separated and a capsule is housed from the bottom of the capsule body opposite to the open end thereof. What is claimed is: 1. A capsule body support for supporting a capsule body such that powder is filled in a contained capsule body, wherein said pocket has an inner diameter substantially equal to an outer diameter of said capsule body. Part, a body accommodating part for accommodating the whole capsule body, and a large-diameter part continuously provided between the inlet part and the body accommodating part and having a larger inner diameter than the inlet part and the body accommodating part. And the above-mentioned object is achieved.

[0009]

According to the capsule body support of the present invention, the capsule body is accurately inserted into the body accommodating portion while being positioned by the entrance. Further, since the large diameter portion is provided immediately below the inlet portion, there is a margin for the powder adhering to the inner peripheral surface of the pocket at the time of filling.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. As shown in FIG. 2, the body support which is the capsule body support of the present invention includes a loosely coupled capsule 90 and a cap 92.
And into the body 91 and fill the body 91 with powder,
It is equipped with a capsule filling machine that reconnects the cap 92 to the body 91 filled with powder. Capsule filling machine
As shown in FIG. 3, a capsule moving mechanism 30 is provided at a central portion on the base 10, and as shown in FIG. 4, a capsule 90 in which a cap 92 and a body 91 are loosely coupled is formed into a capsule 90. The cap 92 and the body 91 are separated by the separating mechanism 40 into the cap 92 and the body 91, and as shown in FIG. Each body 91
After filling the inside with the predetermined filling material, the recombination mechanism 60
(See FIG. 3) so that the body 91 and the cap 92 are reconnected. The reassembled capsule 90
It is discharged from the capsule moving mechanism 30 by the discharging mechanism 70.

As shown in FIG. 5, an annular cap support table 31 which intermittently moves in a direction indicated by an arrow A is arranged in the capsule moving mechanism 30 in a horizontal state. The cap support table 31 has a plurality (4 × 7 = 28 in the illustrated example) of pockets 32 for accommodating caps.
Are provided at, for example, 12 locations at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Each pocket group 33
Has 28 pockets 32 arranged in, for example, 4 rows × 7 columns.

Below the pocket groups 33 in the cap support table 31, as shown in FIG. 6, flat plate-shaped body supports 35 for supporting the separated bodies are arranged in a horizontal state. Capsules on the support 35
32 pockets 36 each containing 90 bodies 91, 4 rows x 7
Arranged in columns. Each body support 35 moves horizontally in the horizontal direction at a speed equal to the speed of rotation of the cap support table 31.
The cam mechanism provided on the upper part 10 extends outward from the cap support table 31 at a predetermined position,
Further, it descends at a position extending outward. The details of the orbiting and elevating mechanism of each body support base 35 are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-232962.

Each pocket 36 provided on the body support 35
As shown in FIG. 1, a large-diameter portion connected to the insertion-side end portion 36a into which each body 91 of the capsule 90 is inserted, and a large-diameter portion provided inside the insertion-side end portion 36a so as to have a large inner diameter. 36b, a body accommodating portion 36c continuously provided inside the large diameter portion 36b, and further connected to the body accommodating portion 36c at an end opposite to the end into which the body 91 is inserted. 36d. Insertion side end 36a, large diameter portion 36b, body housing portion 36c,
And the through portion 36d are arranged coaxially, and the body housing portion 36c has a larger inner diameter of about 0.1 to 0.2 mm than the outer diameter of the body 91 of the capsule 90,
The length is substantially the same as the axial length of the body 91.
The bottom of the body accommodating portion 36c has a substantially hemispherical shape similar to the bottom of the body 91 and protrudes downward.

The insertion end 36a into which the body 91 is inserted is
It is equal to the inner diameter of the body housing portion 36c and has a length of about 1.3 mm in the axial direction. The insertion side end 36a and the body housing portion 36c
The large-diameter portion 36b provided therebetween has an inner diameter slightly larger than the body accommodating portion 36c, and the boundary with the body accommodating portion 36c is in a state of protruding inward in an arc shape. I have.
The insertion side end 36a side portion of the large diameter portion 36b is the open end
The tapered shape gradually decreases in diameter toward the 36a side, and the tapered portion is connected to the insertion-side end 36a. The tapered portion is formed over a length of about 1 mm in the axial direction, and the large diameter portion 36b has an axial length of about 3.5 mm except for the tapered portion.

Above the outer region of one pocket group 33 (corresponding to the position I of the body support 35 in FIG. 6) of the cap support table 31, a predetermined number of loosely coupled bodies 91 and caps 92 are provided. A capsule alignment mechanism 20 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) for sequentially aligning the capsules 90 in a vertical state with the body 91 facing down is arranged.

As shown in FIG. 4, the capsule aligning mechanism 20 has a reversing roller 24 at its lowermost part for radially supporting the capsule, and a capsule separating mechanism 40 below the reversing roller 24. Is provided. The capsule separating mechanism 40 has a flat pallet 41 provided in a horizontal state below the capsule aligning mechanism 20 positioned outside the annular cap support table 31. The pallet 41 is attached to the tip of a horizontal support rod 42, and the support rod 42 is reciprocated in the horizontal direction by a cam mechanism 44 disposed below the support rod 42. ing. When the support rod 42 is driven in the horizontal direction, the capsules are sequentially transferred to the four pallets 41 into the four through-holes 41a in one row and four through-holes 41a provided in the pallet 41. Thereafter, it is moved to a position above the cap support table 31.

Below the pallet 41, a thin plate-like shutter 45 is provided slidably along the bottom surface of the pallet 41, and when the pallet 41 moves horizontally below the reversing roller 24. Moves integrally with the pallet 41. When the pallet 41 reaches the area above the cap support table 31, the shutter 45 slides slightly toward the center of the cap support table 31 with respect to the pallet 41.

The shutter 45 has 28 through-holes 45a corresponding to the respective through-holes 41a of the pallet 41 arranged in 4 rows × 7 columns. Each through hole 45a has a size such that it can pass through each capsule 90 in a vertical state, similarly to the through hole 41a of the pallet 41. In a state where the shutter 45 is not slid with respect to the pallet 41 in a region below the capsule alignment mechanism 20, each through-hole 45a is slightly shifted from each through-hole 41a of the pallet 41, The reversing roller 24 is sucked by the suction pipe 46 provided in the
Are transferred from the body 91 into the respective through holes 41a of the pallet 41. When the pallet 41 moves to an area above the cap support table 31 and the shutter 45 slides, the respective through holes 45a of the shutter 45 are aligned with the respective through holes 41a of the pallet 41. At this time, each of the through holes 41a of the pallet 41 is
32 and the respective pockets 36 of the body support base 35 arranged below the pocket group 33 are also opposed to each other in an aligned state.

In such a state, the body support 35
The suction line 47 located below the pallet is
The capsule 90 supported by each through hole 41a of 41 is moved downward, only the cap 92 is supported in each pocket 32 of the cap support table 31, and the body 91 is separated,
The separated body 91 is accommodated in each pocket 36 of the body support 35. At this time, each body 91 is
It is guided by the inner peripheral surface of the insertion side end 36a having a constant inner diameter in each of the pockets 36, and is reliably inserted into each of the pockets 36 without being inclined.

When the cap 92 and the body 91 are separated in this way, the cap support table 31 and each body support base 35 move around together as a unit, and the body 91 on which each body 91 is supported. The support 35 is circulated from the position I shown in FIG. 6 to the position IV. Then, at the position IV, the powder is filled in each body 91 supported by the body support base 35 by the powder filling mechanism 50 arranged on the body support base 35. As shown in FIG. 7 (a), the powder filling mechanism has a disk-shaped filling plate 51 which is in a horizontal state. The filling plate 51 is filled with powder and compressed. Holes 51a are provided in 4 rows × 7 columns corresponding to each pocket 36 in the body support base 35. Each filling hole 51a of the filling plate is filled with powder in a compressed state by a method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-176452. Then, when the powder is compression-filled into each filling hole 51a,
Each filling hole 51a is positioned in alignment with each pocket 36 of the body support 35 moved to the position IV. In this state, as shown in FIG. 7B, the push rod 52 disposed above each filling hole 51a is lowered, and the compressed powder filled in each filling hole 51a is released from the body support. It is filled in the body 91 supported in each pocket 36 of the platform 35.

The compressed powder partially extends upward from the body 91, and the pockets 36 in the body support 35 are removed.
Are located in the large diameter portion 36b and the insertion side end 36a. For this reason, the powder may be scattered from the compressed powder that has extended from the body 91, and the powder may be scattered from the filling plate 51. This scattered powder adheres to the outer peripheral surface of the body 91, and the pocket 36
Adhere to the inner peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion 36b.

When the compressed powder is filled in each body 91 supported by each pocket 36 of the body support 35,
The body support base 35 is revolved with the cap support table 31 to the positions VIII and IX shown in FIG.
At this time, as shown in FIG. 8A, the body support base 35 is raised to be in a state of being close to the cap support table 31, and is accommodated in each pocket 32 in a predetermined pocket group 33 of the cap support table 31. The cap 92 and the respective bodies 91 accommodated in the respective pockets 36 of the body support base 35 face each other. Then, positions VIII and IX shown in FIG.
Then, each cap 92 and the body 91 are reconnected by the reconnection mechanism 60.

As shown in FIG. 8B, the recombination mechanism 60 includes a pressing rod 61 for pressing each cap 92 in each pocket 32 of the cap support table 31 from above, and each pocket 36 of the body support base 35. And a push-up rod 62 that pushes up each body 91 housed in the body support base 35 and pushes up the cap 92 by the push rod 61 and pushes up from the through portion 36d in the pocket 36 of the body support base 35. The body 91 is pushed up by the rod 62.
As a result, the body 91 filled with the compressed powder is
Combined with 92. In this case, the end opening of the body 91 is guided by the tapered portion of the large-diameter portion 36b of the pocket 36 to be in a vertical state, and further raised by being guided by the inner peripheral surface of the insertion-side end 36a. . Thus, the body 91 is securely connected to the cap 92.

As described above, when the body 91 is pushed up by the push-up rod 62 and connected to the cap 92,
The body 91 is in a state where its diameter is expanded outward in the radial direction. However, the inner diameter of the large diameter portion 36b in the pocket 36 is
Since the inner diameter of the body accommodating portion 36c in which the body 91 is accommodated is larger, there is no possibility that the outer peripheral surface of the enlarged body 91 contacts the inner peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 36b. There is no risk that the powder adhered to the large diameter portion 36b will adhere to the inner peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 36b, and that the powder adhered to the large diameter portion 36b will be pressed against the large diameter portion by the outer peripheral surface of the body 91.

The recombination mechanism 60 is connected to the body support 35
However, when they are moved to the positions VIII and IX shown in FIG. 6, the same operation is repeated at each position, so that the body 91 and the cap 92 are securely connected.

The body 91 and the cap are moved by the reconnection mechanism 60.
When 92 is connected, the cap support table
The body 31 and the body support base 35 are orbited together and moved to a position X shown in FIG. 6 where the discharge mechanism 70 is disposed. As shown in FIG. 9, the discharge mechanism 70 has a discharge rod 71 that enters from the through portion 36d in each pocket 36 of the body support base 35 so that the discharge rod 71 enters the pocket 36. And the capsule passes through the pocket 36 and the pocket 32 of the cap support table 31 so that the body 91 and the cap 92 are combined.
90 is discharged from the cap support table 31.

When filling the body 91 with the compressed powder, even if the powder enters the pocket 36 of the body support base 35 from the filling plate or the powder scatters from the compressed powder extending from the body 91, these are not affected. The powder adheres to the inner peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 36b having an inner diameter larger than that of the body housing portion 36c. For this purpose, the pocket 36 in the body support 35
When the body 91 is inserted into the inside, there is no possibility that the powder adhered to the large-diameter portion 36b of the pocket 36 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the body 91, and thus the powder adhered to the inner peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion 36b may be hardened. Absent. As a result, the body 91 smoothly moves to the pocket 36.
When the compressed powder is inserted into the body 91 accommodated in the pocket 36, the compressed powder is also inserted into the large-diameter portion.
The compressed powder is smoothly inserted into and filled into the body 91 without any risk of contact with the powder attached to the inner peripheral surface of the 36b.

[0028]

As described above, the capsule body support of the present invention has a positioning inlet having an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the capsule body at the inlet of the pocket into which the capsule body is inserted. Therefore, the capsule body is accurately inserted into the body accommodating portion concentrically. Therefore, since the capsule body is not inserted into the body accommodating portion in an inclined posture, the filling operation of the powder of the pharmaceutical and the like can be surely performed, and the discharging operation of the capsule body and the capsule body performed thereafter are performed. There is an advantage that the work of joining the cap and the cap can be performed smoothly.

In addition, since a large diameter portion having a diameter larger than these is provided between the inlet portion and the body accommodating portion, the frequency of cleaning operation of powder adhering to the inner peripheral surface of the pocket can be reduced. That is, the provision of the large-diameter portion can increase the margin for the adverse effect caused by the growth of the powder attached to the inner peripheral surface of the pocket, and accordingly the number of cleaning operations can be reduced. Therefore, the production efficiency of the capsule can be remarkably improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing one pocket of a body support which is an example of the capsule body support of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a capsule.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a capsule filling machine equipped with the body support shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part of the capsule filling machine.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a cap support table of a capsule moving mechanism in the capsule filling machine.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a body support provided in the capsule moving mechanism.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are cross-sectional views of a filling plate and a body support, respectively, for explaining an operation of filling powder into a body supported by the body support.

FIGS. 8 (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views of a cap support table and a body support, respectively, for explaining a coupling operation between a powder-filled body and a cap.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the cap support table and the body support shown for explaining the discharging operation of the capsule in which the cap and the body are combined.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional cap support table and a body support base.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Base 20 Capsule alignment mechanism 30 Capsule moving mechanism 31 Cap support table 32 Pocket 35 Body support base 36 Pocket 36a Insertion end 36b Large diameter section 36c Body storage section 36d Penetration section 40 Capsule separation mechanism 90 Capsule 91 Capsule 91 Body 92 Cap

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A capsule body having a cap separated from a pocket which is received from a bottom portion of the capsule body opposite to an open end thereof, so that powder is filled in the capsule body received in the pocket. A capsule body supporting device for supporting the capsule body, wherein the pocket has an inner diameter that is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the capsule body; and a body for housing the entire capsule body inside. A capsule body support comprising: a housing portion; and a large-diameter portion connected between the inlet portion and the body housing portion and having a larger inner diameter than the inlet portion and the body housing portion.