JP6367597B2 - Edible body conveying apparatus and edible body processing apparatus equipped with the conveying apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an oral administration agent such as tablets and capsules, and a method and apparatus for conveying edible bodies such as food (that is, those that can be eaten by humans), and more specifically, while simplifying the structure of the entire apparatus. The present invention relates to an improvement in a method and a structure for enabling a food body to be stably conveyed on a conveyance surface.

  In International Publication No. 2009/025371, in a tablet printing apparatus that prints on a tablet being transported while transporting the tablet by a transport belt, the tablet being transported is prevented from being displaced on the transport belt. In addition, a slit is formed in the transport belt on the transport belt, the tablet is placed on the slit, and the tablet is sucked and held on the transport belt by suction from the slit (paragraph [0056]. ] To [0064] and FIGS. 2 and 3).

  In the apparatus described in the above publication, the tablets being transported can be sucked and held on the transport belt over the entire length of the transport path by sucking the tablets on the slits of the transport belt over the entire length of the transport path. Although tablets can be stably transported even at high speeds, the suction device must be provided over the entire length of the transport path of the transport belt, and there is a disadvantage that the structure of the entire device including the suction device becomes complicated.

  On the other hand, while simplifying the overall structure of the device as much as possible, we want to improve the printing accuracy for edible bodies by stably transporting orally administered drugs such as tablets and capsules and edible bodies such as food on the transport surface. There is a request from the industry.

  The present invention has been made in view of such conventional circumstances, and the problem to be solved by the present invention is to stably transport an edible body on a transport surface while simplifying the structure of the entire apparatus. An object of the present invention is to provide an edible body transport method, transport apparatus, and edible body processing apparatus.

In order to solve the above problems, the present onset Ming, the conveying device for conveying the edible body, conveying means for conveying in a state of being placed on the conveying surface of the edible material to be passed, edible body in the conveying means A suction means for sucking and holding the edible body from the back side of the transfer surface in the transfer portion during transfer by the transfer means, and a suction force by the suction means in the transfer portion. and a suction force reduction means for reducing gradually along the conveying direction during the conveyance of the edible material by the conveying means in the suction means comprises a chamber section which is provided on the back side of the conveying surface in the transfer portion, the chamber portion of the And a suction part that sucks air, and the suction force reducing means constitutes the chamber part so as to gradually increase the flow path resistance of the chamber part along the transport direction of the transport means.

According to the transport apparatus of the present onset bright, since the suction by the suction means against the edible body was carried out by passing the portion of the conveying means, there is no need to provide a suction means for conveying path entire length, thereby, the entire device Can be simplified. In addition, the suction force reducing means gradually increases the flow path resistance of the chamber portion along the transport direction of the transport means while the edible body is transported by the transport means, so that the suction force by the suction means is generated at the delivery portion. The edible body is stabilized on the transport surface without causing the edible body to violate or vibrate on the transport surface due to a sudden change in suction force. Can be transported.

In the present invention , the suction force reducing means constitutes the chamber part so that the cross-sectional area of the chamber part gradually decreases along the transport direction of the transport means.

Edible body processing apparatus according to the present invention, the edible material processing apparatus provided with a conveying device according to the present onset bright, composed of a plurality of processing units to which the edible material processing apparatus performs processing for edible body The suction means and the suction force reducing means are provided in the delivery part of the edible body from the processing unit upstream in the transport direction to the processing unit downstream in the transport direction.

According to edible material processing apparatus of the present invention, the suction means and the suction force lowering means of the transport apparatus according to the present onset bright, rather than being provided over the transport path the entire length of the conveying means of the conveying device, the conveying direction upstream side Since it is provided in the delivery part of the edible body from the processing unit to the processing unit downstream in the transport direction , the structure of the entire edible body processing apparatus including the transport device can be simplified. Moreover, the suction force reducing means gradually reduces the suction force by the suction means along the transport direction at the edible body delivery portion from the processing unit upstream in the transport direction to the processing unit downstream in the transport direction. The edible body can be stably conveyed at these delivery portions without causing the edible body to be violated or vibrated at these delivery portions, thereby improving the processing accuracy.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the suction to the edible body is performed at the delivery portion of the edible body to the transport means, it is not necessary to provide the suction means over the entire length of the transport path. The entire structure can be simplified. In addition, the suction force is gradually reduced along the transport direction during the transport of the edible body in the delivery portion , which may cause the edible body to rampage on the transport surface due to a sudden change in the suction force. The edible body can be stably conveyed on the conveying surface without vibrating.

It is a schematic block diagram of the oral administration agent printing apparatus as an edible body processing apparatus by which the conveying apparatus by one Example of this invention was employ | adopted. It is the plane schematic diagram of the conveyance direction upstream part of the said conveying apparatus (FIG. 1). It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the conveyance direction upstream part of the said conveying apparatus (FIG. 1). FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 2, showing a cross section of the upstream portion in the transport direction of the transport device (FIG. 1).

  1 to 4 are views for explaining a transport apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, an oral administration agent such as a tablet (in the example shown in the figure, a disk having a circular shape) is taken as an example of an edible body, and an oral administration printing device is taken as an example of an edible body processing apparatus. . FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an oral administration printing apparatus including the present conveying device, and FIGS. 2 to 4 show details of the present conveying device.

  As shown in FIG. 1, this printing apparatus 1 is an apparatus for performing a printing process on an oral administration agent W such as a tablet or a capsule, and a hopper (FIG. 1) in which a large number of oral administration agents W to be processed are accommodated. The supply unit 2 that sequentially supplies the oral administration agent W introduced from the supply unit 2 and the first conveyance conveyor that conveys each oral administration agent W supplied from the supply unit 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow (right side in the figure). 3 and each of the orally-administered drugs W which are arranged below the first conveyor 3 and are transferred from the first conveyor 3 and whose front and back are reversed are conveyed in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure (left side in the figure). The second transport conveyor 4 and each of the orally-administered drugs W, which are disposed above the second transport conveyor 4 at the downstream end of the second transport conveyor 4 and transferred from the second transport conveyor 4, Equipped with a discharge conveyor 5 that separates into defective products such as printing defects and discharges them outside the system There.

  The first conveyor 3 is wound around the pulley 30 and the reverse roller 31, the second conveyor 4 is wound around the pulleys 40 and 41, and the discharge conveyor 5 is wound around the pulleys 50 and 51. Yes. Each conveyor is driven by, for example, a servo motor, and the position of each conveyor is detected by, for example, an encoder. The reversing roller 31 is provided with a chamber portion 31A for adsorbing and holding each oral administration agent W being inverted, and inside the discharge conveyor 5, each oral administration agent W being conveyed is adsorbed and held. A chamber portion 5A is provided. Although not shown, the chamber portion 31A inside the reversing roller 31 is composed of a plurality of chambers arranged along the circumferential direction, so that a positive pressure can be ejected for each chamber. .

The first conveyor 3 is arranged on the upstream side of the first conveyor 3 in the conveying direction, and includes a detection sensor S ₁ for detecting each oral administration agent W before the printing process, and the first conveyor 3. A print head P ₁ is provided on _one side of each orally-administered agent W for printing characters, figures, patterns and the like during transportation. Similarly, the second transport conveyor 4 is arranged upstream of the second transport conveyor 4 in the transport direction, and a detection sensor S ₁ ′ for detecting each oral administration agent W before the printing process, and a second sensor A print head P ₁ ′ that prints characters, figures, patterns, etc. on the other surface of each oral administration agent W during conveyance by the conveyance conveyor 4, and an inspection sensor S ₂ that inspects the oral administration agent W after the printing process. 'And are provided. Ejected to the discharge conveyor 5 is arranged in the conveying direction upstream side of the discharge conveyor 5, a test sensor S ₂ for inspecting the oral dosage W, a defective product discharge chute 55, 56 and non-defective discharge chute 57, the air By doing so, nozzles N ₁ , N ₂ , N ₃ for discharging each orally administered agent W to the corresponding chute, and sensors S ₃ , S ₄ for confirming whether or not each orally administered agent W is discharged, Is provided.

Each sensor S ₁ , S ₁ ′ and S ₂ , S ₂ ′ for detecting or examining the orally administered agent W is composed of, for example, an area sensor camera or a line sensor camera. The print heads P ₁ and P ₁ ′ are composed of, for example, an ink jet print head or a laser print head.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the first conveyor 3 is composed of a plurality (eight in this example) of conveyor belts 32. Each transport belt 32 is disposed with a predetermined gap 32c in a direction orthogonal to the respective transport direction (arrow direction in the figure), and each oral administration agent W is disposed on these gaps 32c. . Each oral administration agent W is arranged in the conveyance direction along each linearly extending gap 32c. Therefore, the first conveyance conveyor 3 has seven lanes for oral administration agent conveyance. doing. Each orally administered agent W is formed on the transport surface of the first transport conveyor 3 constituted by the respective transport surfaces of the respective transport belts 32, and the direction orthogonal to the transport direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 2) (the same figure). (Vertical direction) and distributed over the entire conveyance surface.

  In addition, although illustration here is abbreviate | omitted, the 2nd conveyance conveyor 4 and the discharge | emission conveyor 5 are also the same as the 1st conveyance conveyor 3, and the plurality (here, 8) arrange | positioned at intervals. Each of the oral administration agents W is disposed on each corresponding gap. Each oral administration agent W is arranged on the conveyor conveyance surface constituted by the respective conveyance surfaces of these conveyance belts in the conveyance direction and in a direction orthogonal thereto, and is distributed over the entire conveyor conveyance surface.

The supply unit 2 is inclined downward toward the first transport conveyor 3 (see FIG. 1), and the rear end portion (the right end portion in FIGS. 1 and 2) overlaps the first transport conveyor 3. Are arranged. Supply unit 2, as shown in FIG. 2, (in this example seven) a plurality of oral dosage W may pass has a groove 20 of each groove 20, each of the conveyor belts 3 2 It extends along the transport direction on the gap 3 2 c. In the rear end portion of the supply unit 2, on the downstream side in the transport direction of the grooves 20, openings 21 having the same width as the grooves 20 and opening in the vertical direction (perpendicular to FIG. 2) are formed. are, extends along the conveying direction in each gap 3 on 2 c of each opening 21 is also the conveyor belt 3 2.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a contact base 35 that contacts each transport belt 32 from below is disposed below the first transport conveyor 3. The contact base 35 is a member that extends in the transport direction of the first transport conveyor 3 and the direction orthogonal thereto.

In the contact base 35, a region corresponding to the overlap portion between the supply unit 2 and the first transport conveyor 3 and a part of the downstream region in the transport direction subsequent thereto are vertically penetrated through the contact base 35. A large number of through holes 35a are formed. Each through hole 35a is aligned along each gap 3 2 c of the conveyor belt 32 and is open to the gap 3 2 c (see FIG. 2). That is, each through-hole 35a is opened on the transport surface side of the first transport conveyor 3.

  Below the contact base 35 (that is, the back side of the transport surface of the first transport conveyor 3), a chamber unit 10 is provided as an internal space communicating with each through hole 35a. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the chamber portion 10 is disposed on the upstream side of the contact base 35 in the transport direction and has an internal space having the same rectangular cross-sectional shape (that is, a cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the transport direction). The vertical side walls 10A, 10B, and 10C and the horizontal bottom wall 10D that are defined, and the rectangular shape that is disposed on the downstream side in the transport direction and gradually flattened as the cross-sectional shape moves toward the downstream side in the transport direction. (I.e., the cross-sectional area is gradually reduced) and the vertical side walls 10B and 10C defining the internal space and the bottom wall 10E inclined obliquely upward. Although not shown, the chamber unit 10 is connected to an external blower, a vacuum pump, or the like, and the air inside the chamber unit 10 is sucked by driving these blower or vacuum pump. .

  As described above, each of the oral administration agents W on the transport surface of the first transport conveyor 3 is allowed to pass between the adjacent transport belts 32 by sucking air from the respective through holes 35a communicating with the chamber unit 10. It is sucked downward from the gap 32c and sucked and held on the transport surface. And the bottom wall part 10E which is one of the walls that define the chamber part 10 is inclined obliquely upward toward the downstream side in the transport direction, and the cross-sectional area of the internal space on the downstream side in the transport direction is downstream in the transport direction Since the flow rate gradually decreases toward the side, the flow path resistance of the internal space gradually increases toward the downstream side in the transport direction. Therefore, the suction force from each through-hole 35a with respect to the orally-administered agent W decreases in the inner space as the through-hole 35a is located downstream in the transport direction (see the arrow in FIG. 3).

  On the upstream side in the transport direction of the second transport conveyor 4, a chamber section 11 similar to the chamber section 10 is provided on the back side of the transport surface of the second transport conveyor 4 (see FIG. 1). That is, the cross-sectional area of the internal space of the chamber portion 11 also gradually decreases toward the downstream side in the transport direction, and the bottom wall portion that is one of the wall portions that define the chamber portion 11 is in the transport direction. As it goes downstream, it is inclined linearly upward (that is, toward the conveyance surface). The chamber unit 11 is connected to an external blower, a vacuum pump, or the like, and the air in the chamber unit 11 is aspirated by driving the blower or the vacuum pump, whereby the oral administration agent W is second. It is adsorbed and held on the transport surface of the transport conveyor 4.

Next, the function and effect of this embodiment will be described.
During the operation of the printing apparatus 1 configured as described above, a large number of oral administration agents W supplied from the supply unit 2 pass through the grooves 20 of the supply unit 2 and the first transfer conveyor 3 on the downstream side in the transfer direction. (Refer to FIGS. 1 and 2). Then, when each oral administration agent W moves to the position of the opening 21 at the downstream end in the conveyance direction of the supply unit 2, each oral administration agent W is provided between the corresponding conveyance belts 32 of the first conveyance conveyor 3. It arrange | positions on the gap | interval 32c. At this time, the air in the chamber portion 10 provided on the back surface side of the first conveyor 3 is sucked, so that the air is sucked from each through-hole 35a, and is therefore disposed on each gap 32c. Each oral administration agent W is adsorbed and held on each conveyance surface of each corresponding conveyance belt 32 by a suction force acting on the gap 32c from each through hole 35a.

The oral administration agent W arranged on each conveyance surface of each corresponding conveyance belt 32 is adsorbed and held on each conveyance surface, and the conveyance direction downstream side (the right side in FIG. 2) along with the traveling of each conveyance belt 32. Move towards. When the orally administered agent W reaches the position of each through-hole 35a located above the bottom wall portion 10E of the chamber portion 10 (see FIG. 3), the suction force from these through-holes 35a is downstream in the transport direction. It gradually decreases as you go. Thereby, since the suction force with respect to the oral administration agent W on each conveyance belt 32 does not change abruptly, the oral administration agent W violates or vibrates on the conveyance surface due to the rapid change of the suction force. Therefore, the oral administration agent W can be stably conveyed on the conveyance surface of the conveyance belt 32. As a result, in the first conveyor on 3, it is possible to improve the printing accuracy of the orally administered agent W by the detecting accuracy, and the print head P ₁ oral dosage W by detection sensor S _1.

  When the oral administration agent W moves to the position of the reverse roller 31, the air in the chamber portion 31 </ b> A inside the reverse roller 31 is sucked, so that the oral administration agent W arranged on each gap 32 c of each conveyance belt 32. Are attracted and held on the respective conveying surfaces of the corresponding conveying belts 32 by the suction force acting on the respective gaps 32c, and rotate around the reversing rollers 31 with the traveling of the respective conveying belts 32 in this state. It moves toward the second conveyor 4.

  When the orally administered agent W on the reversing roller 31 moves to a position facing the second conveyor 4, positive pressure is ejected from the chamber inside the reversing roller corresponding to the orally administered agent W, so that the orally administered agent W is transferred to the second conveyor 4.

  The oral administration agent W delivered from the reversing roller 31 to the second conveyance conveyor 4 is placed on each gap between the conveyance belts constituting the second conveyance conveyor 4. At this time, since the air in the chamber portion 11 provided on the back surface side of the second conveyor 4 is sucked, each oral administration agent W arranged on each gap of each conveyor belt is in each gap. The attracting force acting is attracted and held on each transport surface of each corresponding transport belt, and in this state, moves toward the downstream side in the transport direction (left side in FIG. 1) as the second transport conveyor 4 travels.

At this time, the cross-sectional area of the internal space of the chamber portion 11 gradually decreases as it goes downstream in the transport direction. Therefore, the suction force for the oral administration agent W on the second transport conveyor 4 is downstream in the transport direction. Decreases gradually as you go to the side. Thereby, since the suction force with respect to the oral administration agent W on each conveyance belt does not change abruptly, the oral administration agent W violates or vibrates on the conveyance surface due to the rapid change of the suction force. In addition, the oral administration agent W can be stably conveyed on the conveyance surface of the second conveyance conveyor 4. As a result, on the second conveyor 4, the detection accuracy of the oral administration agent W by the detection sensor S ₁ ′, the printing accuracy of the oral administration agent W by the print head P ₁ ′, and the oral administration by the inspection sensor S ₂ ′ The inspection accuracy of the administration agent W can be improved.

  Next, when each oral dosage W transported toward the downstream side in the transport direction of the second transport conveyor 4 moves to a position facing the transport surface of the discharge conveyor 5, a chamber portion on the back surface side of the discharge conveyor 5. Since the air in 5 </ b> A is sucked, it is transferred from the second transport conveyor 4 to the transport surface of the discharge conveyor 5 and is sucked and held on the transport surface of the discharge conveyor 5. In this state, as the discharge conveyor 5 travels, it moves toward the downstream side in the transport direction (left side in FIG. 1).

Each oral dosage W conveyed by the discharge conveyor 5, in the transport direction upstream side of the discharge conveyor 5, the test sensor S _2, the printing conditions and oral by the print head P ₁ being transported on the first conveyor 3 The state of one surface on the printing side of the administration agent W is inspected. On the other hand, the printing state by the print head P ₁ ′ being conveyed on the second conveyor 4 is inspected by the inspection sensor S ₂ ′. The oral administration agent W determined to be a defective product such as a printing defect based on the inspection result of the inspection sensor S ₂ or S ₂ ′ is ejected from the nozzle N ₁ during the conveyance by the discharge conveyor 5 due to the air ejection from the nozzle N ₁ . To be discharged. Whether the discharge of the defective products is detected by the sensor S ₃ on the downstream side. When the defective discharging by the nozzle N ₁ fails, the defective are discharged into a defective product discharge chute 56 by the air jet from the nozzle N _2. Whether the discharge of the defective products is detected by the downstream sensor S _4. In the unlikely event that the discharge of the defective product further fails, the device will stop urgently. Further, the non-defective product is discharged to the non-defective product discharge chute 57 by the air ejection from the nozzle N ₃ on the downstream side in the transport direction of the discharge conveyor 5.

  According to such a present Example, each chamber part 10 and 11 is respectively a part of the conveyance path | route of the conveyor to which each respond | corresponds (specifically, the oral delivery agent delivery part from the supply part 2 to the 1st conveyance conveyor 3) , And the reversing roller 31 from the reversing roller 31 to the second delivery conveyor 4) and the suction to the oral administration agent W is performed only in a part of the transport path of each conveyor. It is not necessary to provide a chamber portion over the entire area, whereby the structure of the entire apparatus can be simplified and the entire apparatus can be reduced in size.

  In addition, since the cross-sectional area of each internal space of each of the chambers 10 and 11 is gradually decreased as it goes downstream in the transport direction, the suction force for each oral administration agent W becomes downstream in the transport direction. Each oral administration agent W can be gradually reduced without causing each oral administration agent W to violate or vibrate on the conveyor transport surface due to a sudden change in suction force. The oral administration agent W can be stably conveyed on the conveyor conveyance surface of each of the oral administration agent delivery portions, thereby improving the detection accuracy, inspection accuracy, and printing accuracy of the oral administration agent. Furthermore, each conveyor conveys a large number of oral administration agents W while being arranged on the conveyance surface in the conveyance direction and in a direction perpendicular thereto, so that a large amount of oral administration agent W can be conveyed at a time, and processing including printing processing speed is possible. Speed can be improved.

  As mentioned above, although the suitable example for the present invention was described, application of the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications are included in the present invention. Some examples of modifications are given below.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example of an oral administration agent such as a tablet has been described as an edible body. However, the present invention can also be applied to foods such as confectionery and other edible bodies, and performs processing such as printing. It is applicable to a processing device.

  In the above embodiment, a plurality of belts spaced apart from each other are used as a conveyor for transporting the oral administration agent W, but instead of the plurality of belts, the belt extends in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. A single wide belt is used, and a large number of through holes are formed in the conveying surface of the belt, and air is sucked from these through holes, so that each oral dosage W is adsorbed and held on the conveying surface. You may make it do.

  In the said Example, although the wall which reduces the cross-sectional area of each chamber was shown, the example which used the bottom wall part extended linearly in the diagonal direction toward the conveyor conveyance surface as it went to the conveyance direction downstream of a conveyor was shown. Instead of the bottom wall portion, for example, a bottom wall portion extending in a stepped or corrugated shape in an oblique direction toward the conveyor may be used, or a wall having another cross-sectional shape (for example, a rib on the wall surface). Etc.) may be used. Further, in such a wall, in order to increase the friction loss on the wall surface, a surface treatment that increases the friction coefficient of the wall surface may be performed on the wall surface. For example, a number of irregularities are formed on the surface by applying texture processing or sandblasting.

  In the above embodiment, as a method for gradually increasing the flow path resistance in the chamber portion, the example in which the cross-sectional area of the internal space of the chamber portion is gradually decreased toward the downstream side in the transport direction has been shown. Other methods may be adopted. For example, on the contrary, the cross-sectional area of the internal space of the chamber portion may be gradually increased toward the downstream side in the transport direction. Alternatively, the diameter of each through hole is gradually reduced toward the downstream side in the transport direction, or the roughness of the inner surface of each through hole is gradually decreased toward the downstream side in the transport direction without changing the diameter of each through hole. Or may be roughened.

  In the said Example, although the printing apparatus 1 had the reversal roller 31, and the example which was made to print also on the oral administration agent W after inversion was shown, only the front or back of the oral administration agent W is shown. The reversing roller 31 can be omitted when printing should be performed.

  In the said Example, the chamber parts 10 and 11 which comprise a part of attraction | suction means are the oral administration agent delivery part from the supply part 2 to the 1st conveyance conveyor 3, and the reversing roller 31 to the 2nd conveyance conveyor 4 Although the example provided in both oral administration agent delivery parts was shown, when the reversing roller 31 can be omitted, the chamber part 12 is not necessary.

  As described above, the present invention is useful for a method and a device for transporting an orally-administered agent, and is particularly suitable for those requiring simplification of the structure of the entire device and stabilization of the transport of an orally-administered agent. .

1: Printing device for oral administration (edible processing equipment)

2: Supply section

3: First transport conveyor (transport means)
31: Reverse roller

4: Second transport conveyor (transport means)

10, 11: Chamber part (suction means)
10E: Bottom wall portion (suction force lowering means)

W: Oral administration (edible body)

International Publication No. 2009/025371 (see paragraphs [0056] to [0064] and FIGS. 2 and 3)

Claims (3)

In a transport device that transports edible bodies,
Conveying means for conveying in a state of being placed on the conveying surface of the edible material to be passed,
Suction provided at the delivery portion of the edible body to the transport means, and sucking and holding the edible body from the back side of the transport surface at the delivery portion during transport by the transport means Means,
A suction force reducing means for gradually reducing the suction force by the suction means along the transport direction during transport of the edible body by the transport means in the delivery portion ;
The suction means is composed of a chamber part provided on the back side of the transfer surface in the delivery part , and a suction part for sucking air in the chamber part,
The suction force reducing unit constitutes the chamber unit such that the flow path resistance of the chamber unit gradually increases along the transport direction of the transport unit.
An edible body conveying apparatus. In claim 1,
The suction force reducing means constitutes the chamber part so that a cross-sectional area of the chamber part gradually decreases along the transport direction of the transport means,
An edible body conveying apparatus. In the edible body processing apparatus comprising the transport device according to claim 1 and performing processing on the edible body,
The edible body processing apparatus is composed of a plurality of processing units,
The suction means and the suction force reducing means are provided in a delivery part of the edible body from the processing unit upstream in the transport direction to the processing unit downstream in the transport direction,
An edible body processing apparatus.