KR20160007585A - Plant and method for packaging blisters - Google Patents

Abstract

The blister 13 packaging method includes a blistering device 11 and a packaging device 12. At least two transfer lines 36,37 of the blisters 13 are interposed between the blistering device 11 and the packaging device 12 and define respective working axes X and Z parallel to each other Cooperates with a transfer means (22) for feeding at least one first transfer region (23a) and at least one second transfer region (23b) downstream of two transfer lines (36, 37) The area is suitable for accommodating one blister 13 in each case. The first transfer region 23a is the only region configured to provide to the packaging apparatus 12 and the at least one second transfer region 23b is the first transfer region 23b from which the blisters 13 are transferred from the second transfer region 23b to the first transfer region 23b, Cooperates with a positioning device 32 suitable for transfer to the area 23a.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a blister packaging apparatus,

The present invention relates to blister packaging equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to packaging equipment which, in contrast to the state of the art, is even deployed in a straight line even when the devices are grouped and combined together. The present invention also relates to a corresponding blister packaging method.

Blister packaging equipment, i.e., casings for holding or protecting capsules, pills, etc. are known.

The packaging devices include a blister production device, or a boxing or packaging device disposed immediately downstream of the blistering device. The equipment can be achieved with either combined devices or integrated devices.

Between the packaging device and the blistering device in the combined devices, to meet the requirement to couple, control and position the blister to the packaging device, The direction of the detour has always changed. Typically, the blisters are delivered to a storage container and put into a number of boxes from these containers. An example of a connection between a packaging device and a blistering device is described in reference WO 2009/141283.

This detour is bulky as it not only complicates the structure and function of the device but also requires complicated settings and larger maintenance, increases energy consumption and takes up a lot of space in front of the bypass. Moreover, the configuration of such a device requires that there be intermediate warehouses to supplement any discarded blisters.

A packaging device comprising a blistering device and, in each case, a packaging device operating on a plurality of rows of blisters formed by the blistering device is also known from US-B-6,347,709. In this manner, the blistering device and the packaging device are designed to have the same number of blister work lines.

This requires the use of packaging devices that have too many work lines relative to their actual production capacity and that are tied to the number of work lines required of the blistering device. It is an object of the present invention to simplify the configuration steps and to reduce the maintenance intervention, energy consumption and the overall volume of the installation with the additional benefit of lowering operational and administrative costs.

Another object of the present invention is to simplify the control of the work cycle by the operator so that the facility can be intervened more quickly if it is in a closed state if it is arranged in a single front.

It is an object of the present invention to simplify the construction and management of packaging equipment.

Applicants have devised, tested and implemented the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the state of the art and to obtain these and other objects and advantages.

While the invention is characterized in the independent claims, the dependent claims describe modifications to other features or major creative ideas of the invention.

To this end, the blister packaging equipment includes blistering equipment configured to blister two or more rows positioned side by side.

According to the invention, rows are formed from a single strip or separate strips.

Hereinafter, for the sake of simplicity of explanation, it is exemplified that rows of blisters are obtained in a single strip; However, the present invention also includes the case where individual blister rows are formed from individual strips.

The packaging equipment also includes a packaging device disposed downstream of the blistering device, which allows the blisters to be placed in the packaging box for subsequent blistering of the blisters onto the market.

At least two blister transfer lines are disposed between the blistering device and the packaging device, the transfer lines defining respective working axes parallel to each other. Blister transport lines cooperate with the blister transport means to provide at least a first transport region and a second transport region located downstream of the two transport lines.

Both the first transfer area and the second transfer area are suitable for receiving one blister from the transfer means in each case.

The first transfer area cooperates with a positioning device which is suitable for transferring the blisters from the second transfer area to the first transfer area, while the second transfer area cooperates with the positioning device which is the only area cooperating with the packaging device.

In this way the packaging apparatus can be packaged, along one working axis, all the blisters are produced in the other row in the blistering apparatus and transported by the transfer line.

The present invention also relates to an embodiment of a facility that provides a blistering device capable of operating in three parallel blister rows and also includes a third transfer line for a third blister row.

A third transfer line is positioned adjacent to one of the two transfer lines and defines a respective third work axis parallel to the work axis and cooperates with the transfer means. Furthermore, downstream of the transfer line, the packaging equipment includes a third transfer zone cooperating with a respective positioning device adapted to transfer the blisters from the third transfer zone to the first transfer zone.

Are included in the scope of the present invention.

These and other features of the present invention are apparent from the following description of some forms of embodiments given as non-limiting examples with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus for paving blistering according to the present invention.
Figure 2a is a schematic view of the arrangement of Figure 1 taken along section line II-II in Figure 1;
Figure 2b is a schematic diagram of possible variations of Figure 2a.
Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a facility for paving blistering according to the variant of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a schematic view of the equipment of Fig. 3 taken on line IV-IV in Fig. 3. Fig.
Figure 5 is a schematic view of a possible transport means provided in a packaging machine according to the invention in a first operating condition;
Fig. 6 is a schematic view of the conveying means of Fig. 5 in a second operating condition.
Fig. 7 is a schematic view of the conveying means according to the modification of Figs. 5 and 6. Fig.
To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used wherever possible to identify the same common elements in the figures. Elements and features of one form of embodiment may be conveniently included in another form of embodiment without being otherwise clarified.

Referring to FIG. 1, the packaging equipment is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 and includes a blistering device 11 and a packaging device 12.

A work line 14 is formed in which the strip 16 is formed to be processed to form the blisters 13 between the blistering device 11 and the packaging device 12 and then proceed to the packaging device 12. [

The work line 14 includes two respective work axes, at least two transfer lines defining a first work axis X and a second work axis Z, respectively, a first transfer line 36 and a second transfer line 36, And a transfer line 37.

The first working axis X and the second working axis Z are located adjacent to each other and cooperate with the conveying means 22.

The first transfer line 36 and the second transfer line 37 comprise at least two blister rows 13, a first row 18 and a second row 19 of blisters 13, . ≪ / RTI >

In the form of the embodiment of Fig. 3, the work line 14 comprises the co-operating rows of three parallel blisters 13, namely the first row 18, the second row 19 and the other third row 20 ) At the same time. In the form of this embodiment, the work line 14 is adjacent to one of the two transfer lines 36 and 37, in this case a third transfer line 38 disposed adjacent to the first transfer line 36 .

In particular, the first transfer line 36 is intermediate between the second transfer line 37 and the third transfer line 38.

The third transfer line 38 defines a third working axis W which is positioned substantially parallel to the first working axis X and the second working axis Z. [

The first row 18, the second row 19 and the third row 20 comprise at least one separation zone 15 for separating the blister 13 from the strip 16, And a waste area in which the blisters 13 to be disposed are disposed.

Downstream of or in conjunction with the separation zone 15 the pick-up area 17 for picking up the blisters 13, advantageously the angle at which the blisters 13 are picked up to be conveyed successively to the packaging device 12 A pickup area for the rows 18, 19 and 20 is provided.

Referring to the form of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a known type of conveying means 22 is configured so that the first conveying region 23a and the second conveying region 23b are in contact with the first conveying line 36, When positioned downstream of the line 37, is suitable for moving the blisters 13 from the pick-up area 17 towards at least two transport zones. The first transfer region 23a and the second transfer region 23b are suitable for accommodating one blister 13 in each case.

According to one form of embodiment, the first transfer area 23a is the only area cooperating with the packaging device 12. [ That is, the only area configured to provide to the packaging apparatus 12.

 The second transfer region 23b cooperates with a positioning device 32 suitable for transporting the blisters 13 from the second transfer region 23b to the first transfer region 23a. In this way both the blisters 13 conveyed by the first conveyance line 36 and also the blisters conveyed by the second conveyance line 37 are all located in the first conveyance zone 23a, 12).

 1, 2A and 2B, the first transfer region 23a coincides with the first work axis X and the second transfer region 23b coincides with the side of the first transfer region 23a In this case, aligned with the second working axis Z. In this case,

3 and 4, as well as the first transfer zone 23a and the second transfer zone 23b adjacent to the first transfer zone 23a, in this case the third working axis W and the second transfer zone 23b, An aligned third transfer area 23c is provided.

In the form of the embodiment shown in Figures 1-4, the first transfer zone 23a cooperates with the store 21 in which the transfer means 22 is placed directly on the blister 13. [ Store 21 is configured to at least temporarily contain a plurality of blisters 13 from transfer lines 36, 37 and, if any, third transfer line 38.

The store 21 is configured to prepare the configured files 33 of the defined number of blisters 13 to be put into each box one after the other.

The store 21 also has the function of replenishing the waste blisters 13 that may occur after the operation in the blistering device 11.

2A, the store 21 includes a counter device 39 configured to count the number of blisters 13 contained in the store 21 in each case, and a packaging device 12 And a transfer device (40) configured to transfer a predetermined number of blisters (13).

The counter device 39 is also configured to count the number of blisters 13 transferred to the packaging device 12 in each case.

The counter device 39 may also be configured to support the blisters 13 positioned in the store 21 in each case and configured to release one or more blisters 13 towards the transfer device 40 in a programmable manner. .

According to other possible arrangements, the first transfer zone 23a may cooperate with the container containing the blisters 13 temporarily before being placed in the case. In some aspects of embodiments of the present invention not shown in the drawings, the container may directly include the case where the blisters 13 are equipped for subsequent distribution on the market. For example, referring to FIG. 2B, the first transfer region 23a may be positioned coincident with the packaging apparatus 12 and the blisters 13 in the store 21 may be positioned separately, .

Referring to Figures 1-6, a possible transport means 22 is provided for transporting the blister 13 from the pickup area 17 to the transport areas 23a, 23b, and / or 23c.

The transfer means 22 simultaneously picks up the blisters 13 from each of the pickup areas 17 as shown in Figures 2 and 4 and transfers them to the corresponding transfer areas 23a, And / or 23c.

According to the present invention, the conveying means 22 is of a known type and may be a rotary, linear, closed chain, pantograph type or the like, not because of the geometrically constructed manner of the conveying means 22, .

In order to simplify the explanation, the conveying means 22 is designed so as to pick up and convey one blister 13 at a time in each row 18, 19 and 20, do.

5 and 6) comprise two gripping and holding devices 24a and 24b, respectively, for gripping and holding blisters 13, each of which is supported by a support arm 25, Lt; / RTI >

The conveying means 22 also includes a handle 26 selectively rotatable about the first end 27. The second end 28 of the handle 26 opposite the first end 27 is pivoted at the pin 29 attached to the centerline of the support arm 25. [

The transfer means 22 is provided with a blister location specifying unit 30 or an intermediate buffer interposed between the pick-up area 17 and the first transfer area 23a and the second and third transfer areas 23b and 23c. In particular, the temporary location specification 30 is connected to the device 41 for controlling and selecting the blisters 13 described above. In particular, the control and selection device 41 is configured to control and possibly discard any blisters 13 that are empty or incomplete.

The rotation of the handle 26 in one rotation direction causes the first transfer of the blisters 13 to the temporary position specification part 30 executed by the gripping and holding device 24a in the pickup area 17, The simultaneous second transfer of the blisters 13 to the first transfer region 23a and the second and third transfer regions 23b and 23c executed by the gripping and holding device 24b is determined from the wafer 30 . Rotation of the handle 26 in the opposite direction returns the transfer means 22 to the initial condition to pick up more blisters 13 in the pick-up area 17.

For example, another form of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 may define that the transfer means 22 includes one gripping and holding device 124.

The transfer means 22 includes a rotatable handle 126 provided at one end with a support arm 125 to which the holding and holding device 124 of the blister 13 is connected.

The transfer means 22 described above with reference to Figures 1 to 7 is such that the blisters 13 taken in the first row 18 are placed directly on the store 21 while the second row 19 and / The blisters 13 taken in row 20 are instead configured to be positioned next to the store 21 on each of the support surfaces 31 so as to be continuously inserted into the store 21 as shown in Figures 2 and 4 do.

The support surface 31 (Figs. 2 and 4) of the second transfer region 23b and the third transfer region 23c may be disposed above or substantially parallel to the opening through which the blisters 13 are inserted into the store 21 It is the same plane.

The second transfer region 23b and the third transfer region 23c move the blisters 13 on the support surface 31 in the transverse direction to the first work axis X and transfer them to the first transfer region 23a, And each positioning device 32 configured to fit into the store 21 provided in the housing 21.

In this case, the positioning device 32 is configured to move the blisters 13 in a direction perpendicular to the first working axis X.

Positioning device 32 in accordance with the present invention may include a linear actuator, a rotating actuator, an exercise device, a thruster member, or any combination thereof.

1-4, the positioning device 32 includes an actuator with a distal end adapted to push the blisters 13 disposed on the support surface 31 into the store 21. In the embodiment shown in Figs.

After the blisters 13 have been placed in the store 21, the store places the files 33 of the blisters 13 configured for subsequent boxing or packaging.

Some forms of the embodiments shown in Figures 1, 3, 5, 6, and 7, for example, may also be used for the predefined number of blisters 13, In the tray 35, which is configured to contain the toner.

To this end, the blisters 13, which are positioned in the feed axis T of the blisters 13 and in the first transfer zone 23a between the first transfer zone 23a and the packaging device 12, (Figures 1, 2a, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).

The supply axis T is arranged side by side on the work axis X, Z, W.

According to one approach, the feed axis T is aligned with one of the work axes, in this case the work axis X. [

The feeding means 34 may include conveying belts or similar files suitable for conveying individual files or blisters 13 in the packaging device 12. [ The tray 35 may be connected to the feeding means 34 provided to convey the blisters 13 contained in the tray 35 inside the packaging device 12. [

The present invention is also directed to a method of manufacturing a blistering device comprising the steps of creating at least two rows of blisters in a blistering device and packaging the blisters into a packaging device, And transferring the blisters 13 from the device 11 to the packaging device 12. The method of packaging the blisters 13 of the present invention comprises the following steps:

According to one possible approach, the conveying step is carried out by conveying the blisters 13 along at least the two conveying lines 36, 37 of the blisters 13 and between the two conveying lines 36, And conveying means 22 for conveying the blisters 13 to the first conveying region 23a and the second conveying region 23b.

The first transfer area 23a is the only area cooperating with the packaging device 12 and the transfer of the blister 13 from the second transfer area 23b to the first transfer area 23a is provided.

According to one possible implementation, the method is characterized in that during the operation of transferring the blisters 13 to the transfer means 22, the temporary location of the blisters 13 is also provided to the temporary location specification 30, Is ultimately transferred to the first transfer region 23a and the second transfer region 23b.

According to one possible approach, the method may define that during the generation step the generation is provided in a third row 20 of blisters 13 adjacent to the other two rows 18,19.

In this manner, the third row 20 is conveyed along the third conveyance line 38 and the third row 20 of blisters 13 is conveyed from the third conveyance line 38 to the third conveyance zone 23c And the blisters 13 in the third transfer region 23c are located in the first transfer region 23a.

It will be apparent that certain changes and / or additions can be made to the packaging equipment 10 and method as described above without departing from the scope and breadth of the present invention.

While the present invention has been described with reference to certain specific examples, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many other equivalent forms of packing equipment 10 and methods having both features as shown in the claims and within the defined scope of protection It is clear that it will be possible.

Claims (18)

A blister (13) packaging machine having a blistering device (11) and a packaging device (12)
Wherein at least two transfer lines (36,37) of the blister (13) are arranged between the blistering device (11) and the packaging device (12) and each of the working axes (X, Z) In cooperation with the conveying means (22) which defines at least one first conveying area (23a) and at least one second conveying area (23b) downstream of the two conveying lines (36, 37) Each of which is adapted to receive one blister 13 in each case, the first transfer region 23a being the only area configured to supply to the packaging device 12 and at least one cooperating with the positioning device 32 The second transfer region 23b is adapted to transfer the blisters 13 from the second transfer region 23b to the first transfer region 23a. The method according to claim 1,
The transfer means 22 is configured to temporarily contain the blisters 13 prior to ultimately transferring the blisters to the first transfer region 23a and the at least one second transfer region 23b. And a provisional position designating part (30) for the torsion (13). 3. The method of claim 2,
Characterized in that the temporary location specification (30) is used by the control and selection devices (41) of the blisters (13). 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Characterized in that the first transfer zone (23a) is configured to supply one blister (13) at a time and directly to the packaging device (12). 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Wherein the first transfer zone cooperates with a store configured to at least temporarily contain a plurality of blisters from the transfer lines. 6. The method of claim 5,
The store 21 comprises in each case a counter device 39 configured to count the number of blisters 13 contained in the store 21 and a predetermined number of blisters 13. The blister packaging device of claim 1, 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
There is provided a supply means 34 between the first transfer region 23a and the packaging apparatus 12 having a supply axis T of the blisters 13 parallel to the work axis X and Z, (34) is configured to supply blisters (13) in the first transfer zone (23a) to the packaging device (12). 8. The method of claim 7,
Characterized in that the supply axis (T) is arranged in alignment with one of the working axes (X, Z). 9. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 8,
Characterized in that the supply means (34) is configured to receive the blisters (13) from the store (21). 10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
Wherein the first transfer region (23a) and the second transfer region (23b) are aligned along one of the working axes (X, Z), respectively. 11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
Wherein the positioning device (32) is configured to move the blister (13) transversely to the working axis (X, Z). 12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
Characterized in that it defines at least a third working axis (W) parallel to the working area (X, Z) and at least one working position which is adjacent to one of the two transfer lines (36, 37) cooperating with the transfer means And a third transfer line 38 downstream of the transfer lines 36 and 37 for transferring the blisters 13 from the third transfer zone 23c to the first transfer zone 23a. And a third transfer zone (23c) cooperating with each of the positioning devices (32). 12. The method of claim 11,
Wherein the first transfer zone (23a) is interposed between the second transfer zone (23b) and the third transfer zone (23c). Producing blisters (13) of at least two rows (18, 19) defining respective working axes (X, Z) parallel to one another in the blistering device (11);
Packaging the blisters (13) in a packaging device (12); And
And transferring the blisters (13) from the blistering device (11) to the packaging device (12)
The transferring step comprises transferring the blisters (13) along at least two transfer lines (36, 37) interposed between the blistering device (11) and the packaging device (12) The transfer means 22 is moved from the two transfer lines 36 and 37 to the first transfer region 23a and to at least one second transfer region 23b disposed downstream of the two transfer lines 36 and 37, And transferring the blisters (13)
The first transfer area 23a is the only area to be provided to the packaging device 12.
Wherein the transfer of blisters (13) is provided from said at least one second transfer region (23b) to said first transfer region (23a). 15. The method of claim 14,
The transfer operation using the transfer means 22 is performed by providing temporary positions of the blisters 13 to the temporary position specification unit 30 and then transferring the temporary positions of the blisters 13 to the first transfer region 23a and the second transfer region 23b ). ≪ / RTI > 16. The method of claim 15,
Characterized in that the provisional location specification (30) is provided with control and selection of at least a part of the blisters (13) during the provisional location designation. 17. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 16,
The blisters 13 in the first transfer zone 23a are supplied to the packaging device 12 by means of supply means 34 in which the supply axis T of the blisters is aligned with the working axis X, The blister packaging method comprising the steps of: 18. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 17,
The production step includes a third row 20 of blisters 13 adjacent to the two rows 18,19 and defining a respective third working axis W parallel to the working axis X, And transfers the third row 20 of the blisters from the third transfer line 38 to the third transfer zone 38 along a third transfer line 38, (23c) to position the blisters (13) in the third transfer zone (23c) in the first transfer zone (23a).

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