JPH0392707A - Tablet measuring apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform continuous measurement by pushing a tablet which is supplied on a stage with a rotary body, guiding the tablet to a thickness measuring device, pushing the tablet again with the rotary body, mounting the tablet on a weight measuring device, further pushing the tablet with the rotary body, and sending the tablet to a hardness measuring device. CONSTITUTION:A tablet 1 which is directed toward an inspection position A with a dividing sheet 20 is supplied on a stage 18. The tablet 1 is pushed with a notch part 28 by the rotation of a sending disk 26. The tablet 1 is introduced into a thickness measuring device 30. The thickness of the tablet 1 is measured based on the amount of the stroke of a lowering rod. Thereafter, the sending disk 26 is rotated again, and the tablet 1 is mounted on a weight measuring stage 76 on a weight measuring device 32. After the weight of the tablet 1 is measured, the disk 26 is rotated, and the tablet 1 is sent on a supporting body 84 of a hardness measuring device. In the hardness measuring device, a pusher 92 is lowered by the forward rotation of a motor 102, and the hardness of the tablet 1 is operated based on the resistance load of the tablet 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The invention relates to a device for measuring the thickness, weight and hardness of tablets.

[Conventional technology] In the manufacturing process of tablets for pharmaceuticals, quasi-drugs, various industrial raw materials, etc., the thickness, weight, hardness, etc. of the manufactured tablets are measured to ensure quality so that tablet products that meet specifications can be shipped. is in charge of management.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Conventionally, in order to measure thickness, weight, and hardness, individual measuring devices have been installed separately, and the space for installation has become unnecessarily large. Also, for the same tablet, the thickness,
In order to measure weight and hardness, a mechanism is required to transfer the tablet between each measuring device, making the device complicated.

[i! l! Means for Solving the Problem The tablet measuring device according to claim (1) of the present invention includes a disk body having a smooth upper surface on which the tablet is moved, and a disk body that pushes the tablet along the upper surface to move the tablet in the circumferential direction. It is equipped with a tablet moving device having a rotating body, and a tablet thickness measuring device, a weighing device, and a tablet hardness measuring device, which are respectively installed in the middle of the tablet moving path.

The thickness measuring device includes a contact that is moved toward the tablet on the disk, and means for calculating the thickness from the stroke amount of the contact.

The weighing device has a tablet loading surface that is flush with the upper surface of the disk, and tablets are placed on the loading surface to measure the culm weight.

The hardness measuring device includes a tablet support having a tablet support surface that is the same as the top surface of the disk, a pressing piece that is moved from above toward the tablet on the support, and a hardness measuring device that measures the hardness based on the bending load of the tablet. It has q6 means for calculating.

The tablet measuring device according to claim (2) of the present invention is based on claim (1).
The tablet moving device of the tablet measuring device according to , a drive shaft passing through the shaft JtJ hole of the disk body, a feeding disk fixed to the shaft and rotating along the disk body, and the feeding disk. It has a tablet engaging part provided on the outer periphery of the disc.

The tablet measuring device according to claim (2) is provided with an exhaust device that sucks gas from the gap between the feeding disk and the upper surface of the disk through the shaft l and through hole of the disk.

[Function] In the tablet measuring device 45 of the present invention, tablets are fed onto the disc by a suitable conveyance means such as a chute. The tablet is pushed by a rotating body and moved on a disk, and is first introduced into a thickness measuring device. In this thickness measuring device, the contact element is lowered from above until it touches the tablet, and the thickness is calculated from the amount of this downward stroke.

Thereafter, the tablet is moved again by the rotating body, placed on the tablet loading surface of the weighing device, and its weight is measured.

Thereafter, the tablet is further moved by the rotating body and transferred onto the tablet support of the hardness measuring device. Here, the compression piece is moved toward the tablet to measure the maximum transverse rupture force when the tablet breaks, and the hardness is calculated from this measured value.

In the tablet measuring device according to claim (2), gas is sucked from between the feeding disk and the upper surface of the disk by operating the exhaust device. As a result, dust generated as the tablet moves or breaks is quickly sucked and discharged from the vicinity of the measurement point.

[Example] Examples will be explained with reference to the following figures. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a tablet molding machine in which a tablet measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed in parallel, and Fig. 1 is a diagram of this tablet measuring device. Vertical cross-sectional view of the upper part,
Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line IllIII in Figure 1, Figures 4 and 5.
6 and 6 are configuration diagrams of main parts of the measuring device.

In FIG. 2, the tablet measuring device 10 according to the embodiment is placed near the tablet molding machine 12, and the tablets molded by the tablet molding machine 12 are placed in the vicinity of the tablet molding machine 12. -1-14, it is supplied to the linear feeder 16 of the tablet measuring device 10. This linear feeder 16 is for introducing tablets into the tablet measuring device 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, inside this tablet measuring device 10,
A disk 18 along which tablets are moved along its upper surface is horizontally installed with a slot 45, and tablets from the linear feeder 16 are fed onto the disk 18 via a distribution chute 20. As shown in FIG. 1, a sensor 22 is provided between the direct feeder 16 and the chute 20 to detect falling tablets. In addition, as shown in Figure 3, the distribution shoes 1 and 2
0 is the one that is subjected to oscillating motion by the rotary actuator 24, and the position on the inspection side indicated by the symbol A in FIG.
It is rotated 180 degrees so that it can take the product take-out position (not shown in B).

On the upper surface of the disk body 18, there is a rotating body (a rotating body (in this embodiment, it is disk-shaped and will be referred to as a feeding disk hereinafter) 26 for moving the fed tablet 1 in the circumferential direction. This feeding disk 26 has a total of four cut-out portions 28 every 90' on its outer circumferential portion, and the tablet 1 is engaged with the cut-out portions 28, and the feeding disk 26 is provided with As the plate 26 rotates (clockwise in FIG. 3), it is moved on the board 18.

After the thickness and weight of the tablet are measured by the thickness measuring device 30 and the culm weight device 32, the tablet is introduced into the hardness measuring device 34 and its hardness is measured.

As shown in FIG. 1, a shaft 36 is fixed to the center of the feed disk 26, and the shaft 36 extends downward through the disk body 18, and its lower end is connected to the drive unit. It is connected to 38.

The reference numeral 40 in FIG. 1 is a first intermediate plate, and the reference numeral 42 is a second intermediate plate, each of which is installed horizontally. The drive unit 1
・38 is fixed to the second intermediate plate 42 of the lower part 01.

A shaft 36 or an internally pushed guide column 44 is fixed to the first intermediate plate 40, and the ffiA guide column 4
4'2 QI. The shaft 36 is supported by a bearing 48 fixed to the hef ring 46 and the first intermediate plate 40.
is supported.

Note that a chamber 50 is fixed so as to span the upper part of the guide column 44 and the lower surface of the plate body 8. A slight gap 52 is formed between the feed disk 26 and the disk l8, and this gap 52 communicates with the inside of the damper 50. The inside of this chamber 50 is communicated with a dust collector and an IjF gas device (both not shown) via an exhaust pipe 54.

Reference numeral 56 in FIG. 3 is an electrical box, and a power distribution board 58 is installed inside the electrical box. Also, reference numeral 6 in Figures 1 and 3
0 is a cover, which is attached to the support column 62 +-1.

Reference numeral 64 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is a tablet chute, and tablets that are not subject to inspection among the tablets fed from the linear feeder 16 are dropped into this chute 64 via the sorting chute 20. , and sent to a product outlet (not shown).

Next, the configuration of the thickness measuring device 30 will be explained with reference to FIG. 4.

In FIG. 4, a thickness measuring pedestal wooden body 68 is mounted on the board 18 via a mounting base 66. The main body 68 is provided with a rod 70 that is moved up and down by a drive device, and the rod 70 is moved down until the lower end of the rod 70 comes into contact with the upper surface of the tablet 1, and the thickness is calculated from this downward stroke amount. A calculation means is installed in the main body 68, and the calculation results are displayed on an indicator 72 and outputted to an external recording device (not shown) via a wiring 74.

Next, the configuration of the weighing device will be explained with reference to FIG.

This weighing device 32 is installed on the first intermediate plate 40, and a weighing platform 76 is provided protruding from the top surface thereof. This weighing platform 76 faces an opening 78 formed in the disk body 18, and is installed so that the top surface (tablet loading surface) of the weighing platform 76 is flush with the top surface of the disk body 18. There is.

Next, the configuration of the hardness measuring device 34 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
This will be explained with reference to the figure (a sectional view taken along the line Vl--Vl in Fig. 5).

A rotor cell 82 is installed on the first intermediate plate 40 via a base 79 and a rotor cell mounting plate 80 . A tablet support 84 is installed on the second side of the load cell 82. This support 84 is installed so that its upper surface is flush with the upper surface of the board 18, and the support 84
An opening 86 is formed in the opening 86, which is large enough for the tablet 1 to straddle.

A frame 88 extends from the base 79 on the first intermediate plate 40.
The machine case 90 was installed on top of the 3-frame frame 88. The machine case 9
0 is provided with a mechanism for moving the busher 92 up and down. The vertical movement mechanism includes a rod 94 connected to the lower end of the busher 92, a torque limiter gear 96 that engages with a rack 94a formed on the side surface of the rod 94, and a torque limiter gear 96 that is connected to the shaft via a torque limiter 98. The torque limiter shaft 100 supported by the rotor shaft 1 is attached to the torque limiter shaft I-100.
02a is connected to the motor 102, the micro switch tog 104 provided on the upper part of the rod 94, and the micro switch dog +04 turns the contact ON. A microswitch 106 and the like are installed to determine the lower stroke range (ascending limit and descending limit) of the rod 94. Reference numeral 108 in FIG. 6 indicates a bellows that covers the lower part of the lot 94. Further, 110 indicates a hair ring for guiding the rod 94. In addition, the support stand 84
A chute 112 is installed on the lower side (see Fig. 5).

Next, the operation of the tablet measuring device configured as described above will be explained.

Straight feeder from tablet forming device 12 via chute 14! The tablet 1 sent to the dispensing shoe 6 is subjected to an oscillating motion by the operation of the rotary actuator 24.
According to the direction of 0, the distribution ζ is distributed to the inspection position i+A or the product take-out position B. Removal A': t The tablets directed to fθB are taken out as a product from a product ejection port (not shown). The tablets directed to inspection position 8 are fed onto the disk 18, and are pushed by the notch 28 as the feed disk 26 rotates. , (as shown in Figure 3)
1' Sent in the 31 direction. First, the thickness measuring device r
r! ! ．． Sent to part 30. Note that the feeding disk 26 is controlled by a drive unit 38 so as to rotate in steps of 90', but after feeding the tablet l to each measuring device 30, 32, 34, the feeding disk 26 returns slightly. (in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3), and is retracted from the tack 1 to a non-contact position.

The lot 70 is lowered toward the tablet 1 introduced into the thickness measuring device 30, and when the lower end of the lot F70 comes into contact with the tablet 1, the lot 70 is stopped, and the thickness of the tablet 1 is determined from the stroke amount during this time. is measured. After the thickness measurement is completed, the roller 7011 is raised again to its upper limit, and the feed disk 26 is rotated. As a result, the tablet is loaded onto the top surface of the weighing table 76 of the weighing device 32. Then, its weight is measured here. (As mentioned above, during this weighing, the feeding disk 26 is slightly rotated in the return direction, and the tablet 1 and the feeding disk 26 are in contact with each other, so the tablet 1
Only IIfEi of is measured accurately. ) After this weight measurement is completed, the feeding disk 26 is rotated again, and the tablet 1 is fed onto the support 84 of the hardness measuring device 34. Therefore, in the hardness measuring device 34, the motor 1
02, the busher 92 is lowered. When the busher 92 is sufficiently lowered, the busher 92 comes into contact with the tablet 1, but roughly due to the drive of the motor 102, the busher 92
is pressed onto tablet 1. Note that the torque during this pressing is a constant value due to the action of the torque limiter 98. The support body 84 is also pressed downward by the pressure from above on the busher 92, and this pressing force is detected by the load cell 82. Then, the maximum load immediately before tablet 1 breaks 12 is detected, and from this transverse rupture force, tablet 1
The hardness of is calculated. Note that the broken tablet 1 is dropped from the opening 86 onto the chute 112 and collected. after that,
The bush w92 is raised to its upper limit by reversing the rotation of the motor 102. Also, the feed disk 26 is rotated 90', and the third
Return to the tablet receiving position indicated by A in the figure.

Note that by operating the JJI air device connected to the exhaust pipe 54, air is sucked from the gap 52 between the feed disk 26 and the disk body 18.

Therefore, all the dust that is generated when the tablet is moved or broken is sucked and discharged from the gap 52 through the chamber 50. Therefore, the atmosphere inside the cover 60 is always clean, and the measurement accuracy is extremely high.

In addition, a protruding strip is provided on the upper surface of the board 18, and the waiting number 28 in FIG.
, 30, 32, and 34, the air may be selectively sucked.

As is clear from the above description, the wooden embodiment device 1'llo can continuously measure the thickness, m amount, and hardness of tablets, and this measuring device 10 has all measurement functions compactly summarized. Because of the structure, only a small installation space is required. Since the tablet is moved along the disc 18 between the devices for measuring thickness, weight, and hardness, the mechanism for moving the tablet is simple.

In the above embodiment, the feeding disk 26 is used to feed the tablets, but in the present invention, an arm-shaped rotating body or the like may be used instead of the disk. Further, as the thickness measuring device, weighing bag holder, and hardness measuring device, various mechanisms other than those described above may be used.

[Effects] As is clear from the above description, the tablet measuring device of the present invention continuously measures the thickness, weight, and hardness of the tablet. In addition, these measuring instruments can be compactly housed in the device of the present invention.
-The device of the present invention requires only a small installation space. Furthermore, the device of the present invention is configured such that the tablet is moved along a disk between devices for measuring thickness, weight, and hardness, and the tablet feeding mechanism is simple. Furthermore, the overall configuration of the device is relatively simple, and the cost of the device configuration is low.

In particular, according to the tablet measuring device of claim (2), the atmosphere in the vicinity of the measuring point becomes clean, and highly accurate measured values can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper part of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Figure 1;
FIG. 4 is a side view of the thickness measuring device, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are longitudinal sectional views of the hardness measuring device. 0...Tablet measuring device, 8...Disc body, 0...Thickness measuring station, 4...Hardness measuring device, 6...Kapei 1 [stand, 02...Motor.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A tablet moving device having a disk body with a smooth upper surface on which the tablet is moved, a rotating body that pushes the tablet along the upper surface and moves it in the circumferential direction, and The thickness measuring device includes a tablet thickness measuring device, a weighing device, and a hardness measuring device provided, and the thickness measuring device includes a contact that is moved toward the tablet on the disk, and a movement stroke amount of the contact. means for calculating thickness, the weighing device has a tablet loading surface that is flush with the top surface of the disk, and the hardness measuring device has a tablet support surface that is flush with the top surface of the disk and the road surface. A tablet measuring device comprising: a pressing piece that presses and moves toward the tablet on the support from above; and means for calculating hardness from the bending load of the tablet. (2) In the tablet measuring device according to claim 1, the tablet moving device includes a drive shaft that passes through a shaft through hole of the disk, and is fixed to the shaft, and The tablet measuring device includes a feeding disk that rotates along the feed disk, and a tablet engaging portion provided on the outer periphery of the feeding disk. A tablet measuring device characterized by being provided with an exhaust device that sucks gas from a gap between the tablet measuring device and the top surface.