SK286182B6 - Powder filling apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides methods, systems and apparatus for the metered transport of fine powders into receptacles. According to one exemplary embodiment, an apparatus is provided which comprises a hopper (12) having an opening. The hopper is adapted to receive a bed of fine powder (20). At least one chamber (24), which is moveable to allow the chamber to be placed in close proximity to the opening, is also provided. An element (28) having a proximal end and a distal end is positioned within the hopper such that the distal end is near the opening. A vibrator motor is provided to vibrate the element when within the fine powder.

Description

The invention relates generally to the field of fine powder processing and in particular to the metered transport of fine powders. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems, devices and methods for filling unit dose containers of non-flowing but dispersible finely-powdered medicaments, in particular for subsequent inhalation by patients.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Effective administration to a patient is a critical aspect of any successful drug therapy. There are different routes of administration and each has its advantages and disadvantages. Oral administration of the drug in tablets, capsules, elixirs, and the like is probably the most common method, but many drugs have an unpleasant odor and the size of the tablets makes them difficult to swallow. In addition, such drugs often break down in the digestive tract before they are absorbed. Such degradation is a special problem for modern protein drugs that are rapidly degraded by proteolytic enzymes in the digestive tract. Subcutaneous injection is often an effective route for systemic drug delivery, including protein delivery, but patients do not like it and create waste items such as needles that are difficult to dispose of. Since the need to inject frequently drugs such as insulin, one or more times daily may be a source of patient discomfort, various alternative routes of administration have been developed including transdermal, intranasal, intrarectal, intravaginal and pulmonary administration.

Of particular interest to the present invention are methods of administering the drug to the lung, which consists of inhaling a dispersion or aerosol of the drug to a patient such that the active drug in the dispersion can reach the distal (alveolar) areas of the lungs. It has been found that certain drugs are readily absorbed through the alveolar region directly into the bloodstream. Pulmonary administration is particularly promising in the administration of proteins and polypeptides that are difficult to deliver by other routes of administration. Such pulmonary administration may be effective for both systemic administration and topical administration for the treatment of lung diseases.

Pulmonary delivery of drugs (including systemic and topical) alone can be achieved by a variety of approaches, including liquid nebulizers, metered-dose inhalers (MDI) and dry powder dispersers. Dry powder dispersion devices are particularly promising for the delivery of protein and polypeptide drugs that can be easily formulated as dry powders. Many otherwise labile proteins and polypeptides can be stably stored as lyophilized or spray-dried powders alone or in combination with suitable powder carriers. Another advantage is that the dry powders have a much higher concentration than the medicaments in liquid form.

However, the ability to administer proteins and polypeptides as dry powders is problematic in some respects. The dosage of many protein and polypeptide drugs is often critical, so it is essential that the dry powder delivery system is capable of accurately, correctly and repeatedly delivering the intended amount of drug. In addition, many proteins and polypeptides are very expensive, typically many times more expensive than conventional drugs, calculated per dose. Thus, the ability to efficiently deliver dry powders to the target lung area with minimal drug loss is critical.

For some applications, finely powdered medicaments are delivered to dry powder dispensers in small unit dose containers that often have a pierceable cap or other access surface (generally referred to as blister packs). For example, the dispersion devices described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,785,049 and 5,740,794, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, are designed to accommodate such a container. When inserting the canister into the device, the multiple ejector assembly with the lance penetrates the can lid of the canister to provide access to the powdered medicament therein. The multiple ejector assembly also creates vent holes in the cap to allow air to flow through the medicament entrainment and evacuation container. The driving force of this process is a high velocity air flow that flows past a portion of the tube, such as an outlet end, to pull powder out of the container, through the tube and into the air flow to form an aerosol for inhalation by the patient. The high airflow velocity delivers the powder from the container in a partially deagglomerated form, and complete deagglomeration occurs in the mixing volume immediately downstream of the high velocity air intakes.

Of particular interest for the present invention are the physical properties of poor flowing powders. Poorly flowing powders are those powders that have physical characteristics, such as flowability, which are dominated by the cohesive forces between the individual units or particles (hereinafter the Individual particles'), which form the powder. In such cases, the powder does not flow well because the individual particles cannot easily move independently of each other, but instead move like clusters of many particles. When such powders are exposed to small forces, the powders will tend not to flow at all. However, when the forces acting on the powder are increased to exceed the cohesive forces, the powder will move in the large agglomerated "lumps" of the individual particles. When this powder is brought to rest, large agglomerations remain, resulting in uneven powder density due to voids and low density areas between large agglomerates and local compression areas.

This type of behavior tends to increase as the particle size decreases. This is most likely because, as the particles shrink, cohesive forces such as the Van der Waals, electrostatic, friction and other forces become greater compared to the gravitational and inertia forces that can act on individual particles due to their low weight. This is important for the present invention because the gravitational and inertia forces induced by acceleration as well as other acting stimuli are generally used for processing, conveying and dosing powders.

For example, when dispensing fine powders prior to placing them in a unit dose container, the powders often agglomerate irregularly, creating cavities and excessive density changes, thereby diminishing the accuracy of the bulk dispensing processes commonly used for dispensing in high throughput manufacturing. Such an irregular agglomeration is further undesirable in that powder aggregates must break into individual particles, i. j. they must be made dispersible for delivery to the lungs. Such deagglomeration often occurs in scattering devices by shear forces generated by the air flow used to withdraw the medicament from the unit dose container or other container, or by other mechanical energy transfer mechanisms (e.g., ultrasound, fan / impeller, and the like). However, if the small powder aggregates are too compacted, the shear forces generated by the air flow or other dispersion mechanisms will not be sufficient to effectively disperse the medicament into individual particles.

To prevent agglomeration of individual particles, attempts have been made to form mixtures of multiphase powders (typically a carrier or diluent), where larger particles (sometimes in multiple size ranges), for example about 50 µm, are combined with smaller drug particles, for example 1 µm to 5 µm. In this case, the small particles are attached to the larger particles so that during processing and filling the powder will have the characteristics of 50 µm powder. Such a powder is able to flow more easily and is easier to dispense. One disadvantage of such a powder, however, is that it is difficult to remove smaller particles from larger particles and the resulting powder formulation consists largely of a bulk component of a flowing agent that may end up in the device or in the throat of the patient.

Current methods of filling unit dose containers with powdered medicaments include a direct casting method where the granulated powder is poured directly by gravity (sometimes in combination with mixing or "bulk" mixing) into a metering chamber. When the chamber is filled to the desired level, the medicament is pushed out of the chamber into said container. In such a direct casting process, the density in the metering chamber may change, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the metering chamber in accurately measuring the amount of unit dose of the drug. In addition, the powder is in a granular state which is undesirable for many applications.

Several attempts have been made to minimize density changes by compacting the powder inside or before inserting it into the metering chamber. However, such compaction is undesirable, especially for powders consisting only of fine particles by reducing the dispersibility of the powder, i. j. reduces the possibility that the compacted powder breaks into individual particles during delivery to the lung by a dispersing device.

Therefore, it would be desirable to provide fine powder processing systems and methods that eliminate or substantially reduce these and other problems. Such systems and methods should allow accurate and correct dosing of the fine powder when it is subdivided into unit doses for placement in unit dose containers, especially lightweight cartridges. These systems and methods should further ensure that the fine powder remains sufficiently dispersible during processing, so that the fine powder can be used with existing inhalation devices that require the powder to be broken up into discrete particles before administration to the lungs. In addition, these systems and methods should ensure rapid processing of fine powders so that large numbers of unit dose containers can be filled quickly with unit doses of fine powdered medicaments to reduce costs.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,607 discloses a product dispensing machine for containers and includes a metering unit for supplying the product into containers.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,322 describes a machine that uses vacuum through a filter to pull material directly from the hopper and laterally into a non-rotatable chamber.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,560 discloses an apparatus for processing granular material using a rotating blade for mixing the granular material.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,540,059 discloses a powder filling device having a rotating wire loop stirrer for mixing powder in a hopper before the powder is directly poured into the metering chamber by gravity.

German patent DE 3607187 describes a mechanism for metering fine particles.

The product brochure “E-1300 powder filler” describes a powder filler available from Perry Industries, Corona, CA.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,431 discloses a machine for filling capsules with powder. This machine uses coring tubes that are held on the rotating hopper.

British patent no. 1 420 364 discloses a membrane assembly for use in a metering cavity used to measure the amount of dry powders.

British patent no. No. 1,309,424 discloses a powder filling device having a metering chamber with a piston head used to generate a negative pressure in the chamber.

Canadian patent no. No. 949,786 discloses a powder filling machine having metering chambers immersed in the powder. Vacuum is then used to fill the chamber with powder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method for conveying a fine powder comprising:

placing the fine powder in a hopper with an opening therein;

vibrating the vibrating member in a fine powder around said opening; and collecting at least a portion of the fine powder protruding through the opening into the chamber where the trapped powder is sufficiently compacted so that it can be dispersed when removed from the chamber.

In one embodiment of the method, such fine powders are conveyed by first mixing the fine powders with a vibration element and then collecting at least a portion of the fine powder. The collected fine powder is then transferred to the container, the transferred powder being sufficiently compacted so that it can be largely dispersed when removed from the container. These fine powders will usually contain a particulate drug having a median size of less than about 100 microns, usually less than about 10 microns, and most often in the range of about 1 microns to 5 microns.

The fine powder is preferably placed in a hopper having an opening at the bottom. This element vibrates to mix the fine powder. Vibration of the powder near the aperture aids in the transfer of a portion of the fine powder through the aperture where it can become trapped in the chamber. The vibration of the element also helps to deagglomerate the powder within the metering chamber so that the metering chamber can be filled more evenly.

The vibratable member preferably vibrates up and down, i. j. vertically relative to the powder in the hopper. In one embodiment, an ultrasonic funnel antenna is used to vibrate the member vertically. Alternatively, said member may be in the form of a bar that vibrates back and forth, i. j. lateral inside the powder. In another alternative, the vibratable member vibrates in an orbital manner. In one embodiment, the rod is operatively coupled to a piezoelectric motor that vibrates the rod. Preferably, the member vibrates vertically with a frequency ranging from about 1000 Hz to about 180,000 Hz, more preferably from about 10,000 Hz to about 40,000 Hz, and most preferably from about 15,000 Hz to about 25,000 Hz. The bar preferably vibrates laterally with a frequency in the range of about 50 Hz to about 50,000 Hz, more preferably in the range of about 50 Hz to about 5,000 Hz, and most preferably in the range of about 50 Hz to about 1000 Hz.

In another embodiment, said vibratable member has a distal end that is located near the opening. Further, the distal end has an end member that vibrates above the chamber to assist transfer of the fine powder from the hopper to the chamber. The end member preferably projects laterally outward from the vibratable member. In another embodiment, the end member comprises a cylinder when the member vibrates vertically. Further, the end member may comprise a cross member when the bar vibrates laterally. The end member is preferably spaced from the chamber by a distance in the range of about 0.01 mm to about 10 mm, more preferably from about 0.5 mm to about 3.0 mm. Such a distance helps to keep the powder uncompacted when it is transferred to the chamber.

In another embodiment, the vibratable member is preferably moved transversely to the aperture when vibrating. For example, the member may slide along the opening at a speed that is preferably less than about 100 cm / sec. But the particular rate of displacement will typically depend on the vibration frequency of the member. In this way, the vibrating member deflects laterally on the chamber when vibrating.

Movement of the vibratable member along the aperture is particularly advantageous when multiple chambers are set against the aperture. In this way, the member can be used to assist in the transfer of the fine powder to each of said chambers. Optionally, multiple members or bars may vibrate in the hopper near the openings. The rods will preferably be parallel to each other and, when vibrated, will slide along the opening, although in some cases the rods or members may remain stationary above each chamber.

To help trap fine powder into the chamber, air is preferably drawn through the bottom of the chamber to draw the fine powder into the chamber. After entrapping the fine powder, the powder is preferably transferred to a container. The transfer of the fine powder is preferably performed by introducing compressed gas into the chamber to expel the trapped powder into the container.

In another embodiment of the method, the powder is periodically leveled in the hopper. As an example, the powder can be leveled by placing the projecting member above the distal end of the vibratable member. In this way, the projecting member vibrates together with the vibratable member. When the element is moved along the hopper, the projecting member tends to level the powder in the hopper. In one embodiment, powder transfer is performed in a controlled humidity environment.

In yet another embodiment, the amount of powder retained in the chamber is adjusted to be a unit dose amount. This can be done by placing a thin plate (or repair film) between the hopper and the chamber. The plate has an opening that allows powder transfer from the hopper to the chamber. The chamber is then moved with respect to the plate, whereby the plate accumulates excess powder from the chamber. Alternatively, a repair blade may be used to collect excess powder from the chamber as the chamber rotates.

In one further embodiment, the powder is transferred to the hopper from the secondary hopper. Preferably, the secondary hopper vibrates to transfer powder to the chute as it passes into the primary hopper. In another embodiment, the chamber is periodically removed and replaced with a chamber of different size to adjust the volume of the chamber. In this way, various unit doses can be produced according to the invention.

The invention further provides an apparatus for conveying fine powder. The apparatus includes a hopper for holding the fine powder. The apparatus further comprises at least one chamber which can be moved to allow it to be placed in close proximity to the opening in the hopper. A vibratable member is also provided having a proximal end and a distal end, which is located within the hopper such that the distal end is near the opening. A vibrator is formed to vibrate the members when in fine powder. In this way, the vibratable member can vibrate to mix the fine powder to facilitate its transfer from the hopper to the chamber. Preferably, the vibrator comprises an ultrasonic funnel antenna which vibrates the vibratable member by moving it up and down, i.e. vertical. Alternatively, a piezoelectric motor may be used for lateral vibration.

In one embodiment, the device further comprises a mechanism for moving the vibratable member or rod above the chamber as they vibrate. Such a mechanism is particularly advantageous when a plurality of chambers are formed in a rotatable member that rotates to align the chambers against the opening. The sliding mechanism may then be used to move the vibratable member over the rotatable member such that the vibrant member passes over each chamber to assist in filling each of them with powder. Preferably, the sliding mechanism comprises a linear drive mechanism that moves the bar along the opening at a speed that is less than about 100 cm / sec.

In another embodiment, the vibrator is arranged to vibrate the vibratable members by moving them up and down with a frequency in the range of about 1000 Hz to about 180,000 Hz, more preferably in the range of about 10,000 Hz to about 40,000 Hz, and most preferably in the range of about 15 Hz. 000 Hz to about 25,000 Hz. When vibrating up and down, the vibratable member preferably comprises a cylindrical shaft with a diameter ranging from about 1.0 mm to about 10 mm. When vibrating laterally, the vibrating member is preferably in the form of a rod or wire having a diameter in the range of about 0.01 inch to about 0.04 inch.

An end member is operatively attached to the distal end of the vibratable member to assist in mixing the fine powder. The end member is preferably spaced from the chamber by a distance in the range of about 0.01 mm to about 10 mm, more preferably from about 0.5 mm to about 3.0 mm. In one alternative, the device is provided with a plurality of vibratable members so that multiple such members can vibrate in the fine powder.

In yet another embodiment, the chamber is located within a rotatable member that is positioned in a first position with the chamber facing the opening in the hopper, and in a second position with the chamber facing the container. In this way, the chamber can be filled with powder when in the first position. The pivot member is then rotated to a second position to allow the powder to be dispensed from the chamber into the container. Preferably, the chamber comprises an opening that communicates with the vacuum source to assist in drawing the fine powder from the hopper into the chamber. A filter is preferably placed transversely through the opening to aid in powder entrapment. Preferably, the pressurized gas source is also connected to an aperture to expel the trapped powder from the chamber into the container. A control unit may be provided to control the gas source, vacuum source and vibrator operation in a controlled manner.

The apparatus may also include a mechanism for adjusting the amount of powder retained in the chamber by the chamber volume. In this way, the amount will be captured by the amount of unit dose. Such an adjustment mechanism may include an edge for removing fine powder that projects above the chamber. In one embodiment, the adjusting mechanism comprises a thin plate with an opening that can be adjusted against the chamber during filling. As the pivot member is rotated, the opening edge sweeps excess powder from the chamber.

In one embodiment, the vibratable member includes a protruding member that is spaced above the distal end. The protruding member serves as a straightener for leveling the powder in the hopper as the vibrating member slides along the hopper.

In another embodiment, a secondary hopper is provided to store the powder until it is delivered to the primary hopper. A shaking mechanism is provided to vibrate the secondary hopper when the powder is to be transferred to the primary hopper. The powder preferably passes down the chute so that the powder can be transferred without disturbing the movement of the vibration-capable member along the primary hopper.

In yet another embodiment, the chamber is formed in the exchange tool. In this way, the size of the chamber can be varied simply by attaching the interchangeable tool with chambers of different sizes to the rotatable member.

The invention further provides a system for conveying fine powders. The system comprises a plurality of rotatable members each including a plurality of chambers. A hopper is provided above each pivot member and has an opening to allow powder to be transferred to the chambers. A vibratable member is disposed in each hopper, and vibrators are formed to vibrate these vibratable members up and down. Further, a sliding mechanism is provided to move the vibratable members along the hoppers to assist in the transfer of powder from the hoppers to the chambers. Suitably, a control unit may be provided to control the operation of the rotatable members, the vibrators and the slide mechanism.

The invention provides methods, systems, and apparatus for metered delivery of fine powders to containers. The fine powders are very fine, usually having a medium size in the range of less than about 20 µm, usually less than about 10 µm, and more often from about 1 µm to 5 µm, although the invention may in some cases be useful with larger particles, for example up to 50 µm or more. The fine powder may consist of several components and preferably will include a drug such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, buffer salts, peptides, other small biomolecules, and the like. The containers intended to contain the fine powder are preferably unit dose containers. These containers are used to hold a unit dose of the drug until it is needed for delivery to the lungs. An inhalation device, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,785,049 and 5,740,794, previously incorporated herein by reference. However, the methods of the invention are also useful for preparing powders to be used with other inhalation devices based on dispersing the fine powder.

Each of the containers is preferably filled with an accurate amount of fine powder to ensure that the patient receives the correct dose. When the fine powders are metered and shipped, they are handled gently and not compressed so that the amount of unit dose delivered to the container is sufficiently dispersible to be useful when used with existing inhalation devices. Fine powders prepared according to the present invention will be particularly useful with, although not limited to, "low energy" inhalation devices that are based on manual control or only on inhalation to disperse the powder. With such inhalation devices, the powder will preferably be dispersible or extractable into the airflow in an amount of at least 20% (w / w), more preferably dispersible in an amount of at least 60%, and most preferably dispersible in an amount of at least 90% as defined in US Patent No. 5,160,049. No. 5,785,049, which was incorporated herein by reference. Since the cost of producing finely powdered medicaments is usually very high, the medicament will preferably be metered and transported into containers with minimal loss. The containers are preferably rapidly filled with a plurality of unit doses so that large numbers of containers containing the metered medicament can be produced economically.

According to the present invention, the fine particles are collected in a metering chamber (which preferably has a size that defines the volume of the unit dose). A preferred method of entrapping is to draw air through the chamber, so that the pulling force of the air will act on small agglomerates or individual particles as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,320, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In this way, the fluidized fine powder fills the chamber without substantial compaction and without substantial cavity formation. Further, capture in this manner allows the fine powder to be accurately and repeatedly metered without unduly reducing the dispersibility of the fine powder. The air flow through the chamber may be varied to control the density of the trapped powder.

After measuring the fine powder, the fine powder is dispensed into the container in an amount per unit dose, wherein the extruded fine powder is sufficiently dispersible so that it can be entrained and aerosolized in a turbulent air stream created by an inhalation or dispersing device. Such an extrusion process is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,320, previously incorporated herein by reference.

The mixing of the fine powders is preferably performed by vibrating the vibratable member in the fine powder near just above the collection chamber. Preferably, the vibratable member vibrates up and down, i. j. vertically. Alternatively, the vibratable member may vibrate laterally. Various mechanisms can be used to vibrate the vibratable member, including an ultrasonic funnel antenna, a piezoelectric motor, a cam or crankshaft motor, an electric solenoid, or the like. Alternatively, the wire loop may be rotated in fine powder to fluidize it. Although mixing is preferably performed by vibrating the vibratable member within the fine powder, in some cases it may be desirable for the vibratable member to vibrate just above the powder to fluidize it.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of an exemplary fine powder conveying device according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the device of FIG. First

Fig. 3 is a more detailed view of the chamber of the device of FIG. 1 illustrating how the vibrating rod is moved over the chamber of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a front left perspective view of an exemplary powder delivery system of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a front right perspective view of the system of FIG. 4th

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the system of FIG. 4th

Fig. 7 is a schematic view of an alternative fine powder conveying device according to the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a schematic view of yet another alternative fine powder conveying device according to the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a schematic view of yet another alternative fine powder conveying device according to the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the fine powder conveying apparatus of the present invention.

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 10 along line 11-11.

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 10 along line 12-12.

Fig. 13 is an exploded view of the rotatable member of the device of FIG. 10th

Fig. 14A is a schematic view of a sweep mechanism for sweeping excess powder from a rotary member chamber.

Fig. 14B is an end view of the scraper mechanism of FIG. 14A as mounted above the rotatable member.

Fig. 14C is a perspective view of an alternative mechanism for sweeping excess powder from a rotary member chamber of the present invention.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a particularly preferred powder delivery system of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1 and 2, an exemplary embodiment of a device 10 for measuring and delivering unit doses of fine powdered medicament will be described. The device 10 comprises a chute or hopper 12 having an upper end 14 and a lower end 16. At the lower end 16 is an opening 18. Inside the hopper 12 a bed 20 of fine powder is held. Underneath the hopper 12 is a rotatable member 22 with a plurality of chambers 24 around its periphery. The pivot member 22 can be rotated to align the chambers 24 against the opening 18 to allow powder 20 from the hopper 12 to be transferred to the chambers 24.

Above the hopper 12 is a piezoelectric bending motor 26 having a rod-like vibratable member 28 attached thereto. The piezoelectric motor 26 is positioned above the hopper 12 such that the distal end 29 of the bar is disposed in the fine powder bed 20 and spaced from the pivot member 22. The lower end 16 of the hopper is positioned just above the pivot member 22 so that the powder held in the hopper 12 will not escape between the lower end 16 and the pivot member 22. At the distal end 29 of the rod, a transverse member 30, which is generally a perpendicular vibrating member 28 in the form of a rod. The transverse member 30 will preferably be at least as long as the upper diameters of the chambers 24 to facilitate mixing of the fine powder into the chambers, as described in more detail below.

As best illustrated in FIG. 3, when the piezoelectric bending motor 26 is actuated, the bar begins to vibrate back and forth as indicated by the arrows 32. Further, as illustrated by the arrow 34, the piezoelectric bending motor 26 is slidable along the length of the rotary member 22 to allow the transverse member 30 vibrate above each of the chambers 24.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the transfer of powder from the hopper 12 (see FIG. 1) to the chamber 24 will be described in more detail. In the chamber 24 the upper filter 36 and the return filter 38 are located. The upper filter 36 is positioned in the rotatable member 22 so that the top of the chamber 24. The conduit 40 is connected to the chamber 24 to induce suction during filling and to inject compressed gas while expelling the powder from the chamber 24 in a manner similar to that described in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 08 / 638,515, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

When everything is ready for filling, a vacuum 40 is created in the conduit 40 to draw air through the chamber 24. Further, the vibratable rod-like member 28 vibrates as shown by Arrows 32 when placed above the chamber 24 to facilitate mixing of the powdered powder. Such a process promotes the transfer of powder from the bed 20 to the chamber 24. While vibrating, the bar moves over the chamber 24 as indicated by the arrow 34. In this way, mixing of the powder bed 20 will take place substantially over the entire opening of the chamber 24. Further , shifting the bar will also move the bar over the other chambers so that they can be filled in a similar manner.

As illustrated by the arrows 42, the vibratable rod-shaped member 28 will preferably be spaced vertically from the rotatable member 22 by a distance in the range of about 0.01 mm to about 10 mm, more preferably from about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm. Such a vertical distance is advantageous to ensure that the powder just above this cavity is fluidized and can be drawn into the chamber 24. Referring now to FIG. 4 to 6, an exemplary embodiment of a powder transfer and metering system 44 will be described. The system 44 is based on the principles previously mentioned in connection with the apparatus 10 of FIG. The system 44 comprises a base 46 and a frame 48 for pivotally holding the rotatable member 50. The rotatable member 50 comprises a plurality of chambers 52 (see FIG. 6). The pivot member 50, including the chambers 52, will preferably be provided with vacuum and pressure lines similar to those previously described in the dependent US patent application no. 08/638 515, previously incorporated herein by reference. Briefly, a vacuum is created to promote the drawing of powder into the chambers 52. After the chambers 52 are filled, the rotatable member 50 is rotated until the chambers 52 face downward. At this point, the pressurized gas is forced through the chambers 52 to expel the entrapped powder into containers such as blister packs commonly used in the art.

Above the rotatable member 50 is a hopper 54 having a longitudinal bore 56 (see FIG. 6). A plurality of piezoelectric bending motors 58 are operatively mounted to frame 48. A rod 60 is attached to each piezoelectric bending motor 58. An exemplary piezoelectric bending motor is commercially available from Piezo.

Systems, Inc., Cambridge, Mass., Massachusetts. Such bending motors comprise two layers of piezoceramic, each having an external electrode. An electric field is applied between two outer electrodes to cause one layer to expand while the other is contracted.

The bar 60 will preferably include a stainless steel wire rod having a diameter in the range of about 0.005 inch to about 0.10 inch, more preferably from about 0.02 inch to about 0.04 inch. However, it will be understood that other materials and geometries may be used in the construction of the rod 60. For example, various solid materials can be used including other metals and alloys, steel string wire, carbon fibers, plastics or the like. Also, the shape of the rod 60 need not be circular and / or regular in cross section, an important feature being the ability to mix powder near the distal end of the rod to fluidize the powder. The perpendicular transverse member 62 (see FIG. 6) will preferably be connected to the distal end of the rod 60. One or more transverse members may optionally be positioned above the distal transverse member to assist in spilling of grooves formed in the powder bed during operation. When actuated, the bars 60 will preferably vibrate at a frequency in the range of about 5 Hz to about 50,000 Hz, more preferably in the range of about 50 Hz to about 5000 Hz, and most preferably in the range of about 50 Hz to about 1000 Hz.

The piezoelectric bending motors 58 are coupled to a sliding mechanism 64 that moves the bars 60 along the hopper 54. When sliding, the transverse member 62 will preferably be vertically spaced above the chambers 52 by a distance in the range of about 0.01 mm to about 10 mm, more preferably from about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm. The sliding mechanism 64 includes a rotating drive pulley 66 that rotates belt 68, which in turn is attached to platform 70. Piezoelectric bending motors 58 are mounted to platform 70 that slides along shaft 72 when pulley 66 is actuated. In this way, the rods 60 can be moved back and forth inside the hopper 54 so that the rods 60 will vibrate over each of the chambers 52. A sliding mechanism 64 can be used to allow the rod 60 to pass over the chambers 52 as many times as they need to fill. The rod 60 will preferably be moved at a speed that is less than about 200 cm / s, more preferably less than about 100 cm / s. The bar 60 preferably passes over each chamber at least once, two passes being preferred.

In operation, the hopper 54 is filled with fine powder to be transferred to the chambers 52. The vacuum is then passed through each of the chambers 52 when aligned against the aperture 56. At the same time, piezo bending motors 58 are actuated to vibrate the bars 60. The sliding mechanism 64 is actuated to move the bars 60 back and forth inside the hopper 54 while the bars 60 vibrate. The vibration of the bars 60 mixes the fine powder to promote its transfer to the chambers 52. When the chambers 52 are sufficiently filled, the rotary member 50 is rotated 180 ° to bring the chambers 52 down. When the rotary member 50 is rotated, the edge at the lower edge of the hopper 54 accumulates excess powder to ensure that each chamber contains only a quantity of unit dose of fine powder.

When the chambers are in the down position, compressed gas is forced through each of the chambers 52 to expel the fine powder into the containers (not shown). In this way, a suitable method for transferring the fine powder from the hopper to the containers in a measured amount is provided.

Referring now to FIG. 7, an alternative embodiment of the metered dose transfer device 74 will be described. The device 74 comprises a housing 76 and a piezoelectric pad 78 operatively connected to the housing 76. The piezoelectric pad 78 includes a plurality of apertures 80 (or a screen). A hopper 82 with a fine powder bed 84 is disposed above the mat 78. A pair of electrical leads 86 are connected to the mat 78 to actuate the pie mat 78. When the electrical current is applied alternately to the inlets 86, the pad 78 begins to expand and contract to induce a vibration movement, as illustrated by the arrow 88. The apertures 80 in turn begin to vibrate to promote mixing of the powder bed 84 to more effectively allow the powder to fall through the apertures. 80 into the chamber. The rotatable member having the chambers connected to the vacuum source and the pressure source as described in the previous embodiments may also be used in conjunction with the device 74 to promote the entrapment of the fine powder and the expulsion of the entrapped powder into the containers.

Another embodiment of the metered dose transfer device 100 is illustrated in FIG. 8. The apparatus 100 operates similarly to that previously described for the apparatus 10 except that the piezoelectric bending motor has been replaced by a crank motor 104 that drives the connecting rod 106. As the rod 106 moves back and forth, the rod 108 vibrates in the hopper. 110, which is filled with powder 112. The mixed powder is then captured in the chamber 114 in a manner similar to that previously described. Further, the rod 108 may be moved over the chamber 114 during vibration in a manner similar to that previously described for other embodiments.

Another embodiment of the metered dose transfer device 120 is illustrated in FIG. 9. The apparatus 120 includes a motor 122 that rotates the wire loop 124. As shown, the wire loop is positioned in the fine powder bed 126 just above chamber 128. When the wire loop 124 is rotated, in this way the powder is fluidized and drawn into the chamber 128 in a manner , similar to the foregoing embodiments. Further, the loop 124 may slide over the chamber 128 during its rotation in a manner similar to that previously described for other embodiments.

Referring now to FIG. 10, a further embodiment of the fine powder conveying apparatus 200 will be described. The apparatus 200 operates in a manner similar to the other embodiments as previously described, such that the powder is transferred from the hopper to the metering chambers of the rotatable member. From the rotary member, the powder is extruded into containers in unit dose amounts.

The apparatus 200 includes a frame 202 that holds the pivot member 204 so that the pivot member 204 can be rotated by an engine (not shown) held on the frame 202. The frame 202 also holds a trough or primary hopper 206 above the pivot member 204. A vibrator is positioned above the hopper 206. 208. As shown in FIG. 11 and 12, the vibratable member 210 is coupled to the vibrator 208. The vibrator 208 is connected to the arm 212 by a clamp 214. The arm 212 is in turn connected to a sliding platform 216. A helical motor 217 is used to move the platform 216 back and forth with respect to frame 202. In this way, the vibratable member 210 can slide back and forth within the hopper 206.

Referring now to FIG. 11 and 12, the apparatus 200 further includes a secondary hopper 218 disposed above the primary hopper 206. The hopper 218 suitably includes side portions 219 to allow it to releasably engage the frame 202 by inserting the side portions 219 into the slits 220. The hopper 218 includes a housing 222 and a tubular a powder storage section 224. The chute 226 extends from the housing 222 to the hopper 206 when the hopper 218 is attached to the frame 202. The tubular section 224 includes an opening 228 to allow powder to flow down from the tubular section 224 down the chute 226. A filter 230 is positioned above the opening 228. in the form of a screen to generally prevent the powder from flowing down the chute 226 until the cover 222 is shaken or vibrated.

A latch 232 is commonly used to attach the secondary hopper 218 to the frame 202. To remove the secondary hopper 218, the latch 232 is released from the hopper 218 and the hopper 218 is lifted from the notches 220. In this way, the hopper 218 can be conveniently removed for refilling, cleaning, replacement or something like that.

To transfer powder from the hopper 218, arm 234 is contacted with housing 222 and is shaken or vibrated to vibrate housing 222. An engine (not shown) is used to shake or vibrate arm 234. As shown in FIG. 12, the housing 222 may optionally include an internal aperture 236 including a block 238. When the housing 222 is shaking, the block 238 vibrates in the hole 236. As the block 238 engages the walls of the housing 222, it sends shock waves through the housing 222 to assist powder transfer. from the pipe section 224 through the opening 228 and through the screen. The powder then slips along the chute 226 until it reaches the hopper 206. The use of the chute 226 is also advantageous by allowing the tubular section 224 to be laterally extended from the vibrator 208 so that it will not interfere with the movement of the vibrator 208. of the opening 236 is that any coarse particles formed when the block 238 vibrates are held inside the opening 236 and do not contaminate the powder.

The vibrator 208 is arranged to vibrate the members 210 up and down, i.e. vertically. The vibrator 208 preferably includes any of a variety of commercially available ultrasonic funnel antennas, such as a Branson TWI ultrasonic funnel antenna. The vibratable member 210 vibrates preferably at a frequency in the range of about 1000 Hz to about 180,000 Hz, more preferably from about 10,000 Hz to about 40,000 Hz, and most preferably from about 15,000 Hz to about 25,000 Hz.

As best seen in FIG. 12, the vibratable member 210 includes an end member 240 that is suitably shaped to optimize mixing of the fine powder during vibration of the member 210. As shown, the end member 240 has an outer periphery that is larger than the periphery of the member 210. The member 210 preferably has a cylindrical geometry and preferably has a diameter in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 10 mm. As shown, the end member 240 also has a cylindrical geometry and preferably has a diameter in the range of about 1.0 mm to about 10 mm. It will be appreciated, however, that the vibratable member 210 and the end member 240 may be constructed in a variety of shapes and sizes. For example, the vibrating member 210 may be tapered. The end member 240 may also have a reduced profile to minimize lateral powder movement when the vibrator 208 is moved through the hopper 206. The end member 240 is preferably vertically spaced above the rotatable member 204 by a distance in the range of about 0.01 mm to about 10 mm. more preferably from about 0.5 mm to about 3.0 mm.

The vibrator 208 is used to assist the transfer of powder to the metering chambers 242 of the rotary member 204 in a manner similar to that described in the previous embodiments. More specifically, the motor 217 is used to move the platform 216 so that the vibrating member 210 can be moved laterally back and forth along the hopper 206. At the same time, the vibrating member 210 vibrates up and down, i. j. radially to the pivot member 204 as it passes over each of the metering chambers 242. The vibrator 208 is preferably laterally moved along the hopper 206 at a rate that is less than about 500 cm per second and more preferably less than about 100 cm per second.

When the vibrating member 210 moves laterally in the hopper 206, it may tend to push or sweep a portion of the powder towards the ends of the hopper 206. Such powder movement is mitigated by forming a diverging surface or projecting member 244 on the vibrating member 210 just above the average powder height. In this way, the accumulated powder, which is higher than the average height, is preferably set in motion and moved to areas in the hopper having a lower powder height. The protruding member 244 is spaced from the end member 240 by a distance in the range of from about 2 mm to about 25 mm, more preferably from about 5 mm to about 10 mm. As an alternative, different (or separately articulated) sweep mechanisms such as rakes may be attached to the vibrator 208 so that they will be pulled over the top of the powder to help level the powder as the vibrator 208 moves along the hopper. As an alternative, the elongate vibratory element, such as a sieve, may be disposed in the powder bed to aid in powder straightening.

As shown in FIG. 11 and 12, the rotary member 204 is in the filling position when the metering chambers 242 are aligned against the hopper 206. As with the other embodiments described herein, once the metering chambers 242 are filled, the rotary member 204 is rotated 180 ° where the powder is extruded from the metering chambers 242 into containers. A Klockner packaging machine is preferably used to supply the layers containing these containers to the apparatus 200.

Referring now to FIG. 13, the structure of the pivot member 204. The pivot member 204 includes a drum 246 having a front end 248 and a rear end 250. The bearings 252 and 254 are slidable at the ends 248 and 250 to allow the drum 246 to rotate when attached to the frame. 202. The pivot member 204 further includes a collar 256, a rear collector ring 258, and a front collector ring 259 that are flush with the gas tight seals. The air inlets 260 and 261 are formed on the sleeve 256. The air inlet 260 is in fluid communication with the metering chamber pair 242a, while the air inlet 261 is in fluid communication with the metering chamber pair 242b. In this way, compressed air or vacuum can be formed in any chamber pair 242a or 242b.

More specifically, the air from the inlet 260 passes through the collector ring 258, through the opening 264 in the gasket 270 to the opening 265 in the manifold 262. The air then passes through the manifold 262 and leaves the manifold 262 through a pair of openings 265a and 265b. The holes 265c and 265d in the bracket 270 then introduce air into the chambers 242a. Similarly, the air from the inlet 261 passes through the collector ring 259, through the opening 266 in the sealing insert 270 into the opening (not shown) in the manifold 262. The air is routed through the various openings in the manifold 262 and the sealing insert 270 in a manner similar to previously described with inlet 260 until it passes through chambers 242b. In this way, two separate air circuits are formed. Alternatively, it will be appreciated that one of the air inlets could be omitted so that vacuum or pressurized gas can be simultaneously fed to all metering chambers 242.

An exchange tool 274 is also positioned above the manifold 262. The metering tool 274 is provided with metering chambers 242 and filters 276 are positioned between the exchange tool 274 and the air console 272 to form the lower end of the metering chambers 242. Air may be drawn into the chambers 242 by connecting the vacuum to the air inlets 260 or 261. Similarly, the compressed gas may be forced through the metering chambers 242 by connecting the compressed gas source to the air inlets 260 or 261. As with the other embodiments described herein, the vacuum is passed through the metering chambers 242 to assist in drawing the powder into the metering chambers 242. After the drum 246 is rotated 180 °, the compressed gas is forced through the metering chambers 242, to expel the powder from the metering chambers 242.

The drum 246 includes an opening 278 into which a manifold 262, a sealing insert 270, an air console 272, and a replacement tool 274. are inserted. Also, a cam 280 is formed and can be inserted into the opening 278. The cam 280 rotates inside the opening 278 to provide various When it is released, it is possible to remove the tool 274 from the opening 278. In this way, the tool 274 can easily be replaced by another tool having different size metering chambers. In this way, the device 200 can be equipped with a wide range of interchangeable tools that allow the user to easily resize the metering chambers simply by inserting a new interchangeable tool 274.

The apparatus 200 further comprises a mechanism for removing any excess powder from the metering chambers 242. Such a repair mechanism 282 is shown in FIG. 14A and 14B and are also referred to as a repair plate. For clarity, the correction mechanism 282 of FIG. 10 to 12 omitted. In FIG. 14A and 14B, the pivot member 204 is shown in a schematic view. The correction mechanism 282 comprises a thin plate 284 with apertures 286 that are aligned against the metering chambers 242 when the pivot member 204 is in the filling position. The holes 286 preferably have a diameter that is slightly larger than the diameter of the metering chambers 242 In this way, the openings 286 will not interfere with the metering chambers 242. The plate 284 is preferably constructed of brass and has a diameter of approximately 0.003 inches. The plate 284 is springed against the pivot member 204 so that it is generally aligned with the outer periphery. In this way, the plate 284 is generally sealed against the rotatable member 204 to prevent excess powder from escaping between the plate 284 and the rotatable member 204. The plate 284 is secured to the frame 202 and remains stationary while the rotatable member 204 is rotated. In this way, after the powder has been transferred to the metering chambers 242, the rotary member 204 is rotated to the dispensing position. As they rotate the edges of the holes 286, they accumulate any excess powder from the metering chambers 242 so that only the amount of unit dose remains in the metering chambers 242. The arrangement of the correction mechanism 282 is advantageous in that it reduces the number of moving parts, thereby reducing the generation of static electricity. Further, the removed powder will remain in the hopper 206 where it will be available for transfer to the metering chambers 242 after they have been emptied.

In FIG. 14C shows an alternative mechanism for sweeping or removing excess powder from the metering chambers 242. This mechanism includes a pair of repair blades 290 and 292 that are connected to the hopper 206, and it is clear that only one blade may be needed depending on the rotational direction of the rotary The blades 290 and 292 are preferably constructed of a thin sheet material, such as 0.005 inch brass, and are easily springed against the rotatable member 204. The edges of the blades 290 and 292 approximately coincide with the opening edges in the hopper 206. After filling the metering chambers 242, the rotating member 204 rotates, wherein the blades 290 and 292 (depending on the direction of rotation) accumulate any excess powder from the metering chambers 242.

Referring again to FIG. 10 to 12, the operation of the container filling device 200 with unit doses of fine powder will be described. Initially, the fine powder is placed in the tubular section 224 of the secondary hopper 218. The hopper 218 may suitably be removed from the frame 202 during filling. The cover 222 is then allowed to shake or vibrate for a time sufficient to transfer the desired amount of powder through the aperture 228, through a sieve filter 230 and down the chute 226 where it falls into the primary hopper 206. The rotary member 204 is placed in the filling position. Then, a vacuum is applied to the air inlets 260 and 261 (see Fig. 13) to draw air through the metering chambers 242. Under the influence of gravity and under vacuum support, the powder falls into the metering chambers 242 and in the metering chambers 242. generally, the metering chambers 242. The vibrator 208 is then actuated to vibrate the member 210. At the same time, the motor 217 is started to move the vibratable member 210 back and forth in the chamber 242. When the member 210 vibrates, the end member 240 produces a typical air flow at bottom of the hopper 206 to mix the powder. As the end member 240 passes over each metering chamber 242, an aerosol cloud is formed which is drawn into the metering chamber 242 by vacuum and gravity. When the end member 240 passes over the metering chambers 242, the ultrasonic energy radiates downward into the metering chambers 242 to mix powder already within the metering chamber. This in turn allows flow in the cavity to compensate for the irregularities in density that may exist during the previous filling. Such a feature is particularly advantageous in that the agglomerates or agglomerates of powder which can form cavities in the metering chamber can be broken to more evenly fill the metering chamber.

After passing one or more times over each of the metering chambers 242, the rotary member 204 is rotated 180 ° to a dispensing position where the metering chambers 242 are aligned against the containers (not shown). When the rotary member 204 is rotated, any excess powder is gathered from the metering chambers 242 as described previously. When the rotatable member is in the metering position, the pressurized gas is supplied through the air inlets 260 and 261 to push the unit doses of powder from the metering chambers 242 into the containers.

The invention also provides a method of adjusting fill weights by modulating the ultrasonic power supplied to the vibrator 208 as it passes over the metering chambers 242. In this way, fill weights for various metering chambers can be adjusted to compensate for variations in powder weight that may periodically appear. As one example, if the fourth metering chamber regularly gave a dose amount that was too light, the power of the vibrator 208 could increase somewhat each time it passes over the fourth metering chamber. In conjunction with an automated (or manual) weighing system and a control unit, this arrangement can be used to create an automated (or manual) closed-loop weighing control system for adjusting the vibrator power level for each of the metering chambers to achieve more accurate fill weights.

Referring now to FIG. 15, an exemplary embodiment of the fine powder metering and delivery system 300 will be described. System 300 operates in a similar manner to device 200, but includes multiple vibrators and multiple hoppers to simultaneously fill multiple containers with unit doses of fine powder. The system 300 includes a frame 302 to which a plurality of rotatable members 304 are rotatably attached. The rotatable members 304 may be constructed similarly to the rotatable member 204 and include a plurality of metering chambers (not shown) for receiving powder. The number of rotatable members and metering chambers may vary according to the particular application. Above each rotary member 304 there is a primary hopper 306 that keeps the powder above the rotary members 304. The vibrator 308 is positioned above each hopper 306 and includes a vibratable powder mixing member 310 in the hopper 306 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the device. 200. Although not shown for clarity, a secondary hopper similar to the secondary hopper 218 of the apparatus 200 will be positioned above each primary powder hopper 306 to transfer the powder to the hoppers 306 in a manner similar to that described with respect to the apparatus 200.

The motor 312 (for clarity, only one is shown) is coupled to each of the rotary members 304 to rotate the rotary members 304 between the feed position and the metering position similar to the apparatus 200.

Each vibrator 308 is coupled to the arm 314 by a clamp 316. The arms 314 are in turn connected to a common platform 318 having sliders 319 that are slidable above the guide surfaces 321 by a screw 320 of the screw motor 322. In this way, the vibratable members 310 can simultaneously move here and there in the hoppers 306 by the operation of the helical motor 322. Alternatively, each of the vibrators could be coupled to a separate motor so that each vibrator can be moved independently.

The frame 302 is coupled to a base 324 that includes a plurality of longitudinal grooves 326. The grooves 326 are adapted to receive the lower ends of a plurality of containers 328 that are formed into the layer 330. The layer 330 is preferably supplied from a blister machine such as commercially available from Uhlmann

Packaging Machine, model no. Preferably, the rotatable members 304 comprise a plurality of metering chambers corresponding to the number of containers in each row of layers 330. In this way, four rows of containers may be filled during each cycle of operation. Once the four rows are filled, the metering chambers are refilled and the layer 330 is advanced to adjust the four new rows of containers against the hoppers 306.

One particular advantage of system 300 is that it can be fully automated. For example, the control unit may be coupled to the packaging machine, vacuum and compressed gas sources, motors 312, motor 322, and vibrators 308. Using such a control unit, layer 330 may automatically advance to the correct position, actuating motors 312 to adjust The metering chambers against the hoppers 306. The vacuum source is then actuated to generate a vacuum through the metering chambers while the vibrators 308 are actuated and the motor 322 is used to move the vibrators 308. Once the metering chambers are filled, the control unit is used to actuating the motors 312 to rotate the rotary members 304 until they are aligned against the containers 328. The control unit then sends a signal to allow compressed gas to pass through the metering chambers to push the metered powder into the containers 328. Once the containers are filled, the control unit causes that the wrapping machine moves the layer 330 to repeat the cycle. If necessary, the control unit can be used to actuate motors (not shown) to vibrate the secondary hoppers to transfer the powder to the primary hoppers 306 as described previously.

Although these devices are shown with vibrators that include ultrasonic funnel antennas, it is understood that other types of vibrators and elements that are capable of vibrating can be used, including those described previously. It will further be appreciated that the number of vibrators and the size of the troughs may vary according to particular needs.

Although the invention has been described in detail by way of illustration and example for the sake of clarity and understanding, it will be understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (21)

PATENT CLAIMS A method of conveying a fine powder, comprising: placing the fine powder in a hopper with an opening therein; vibrating the vibrating member in a fine powder around said opening; and collecting at least a portion of the fine powder protruding through the opening into the chamber where the trapped powder is sufficiently compacted so that it can be dispersed when removed from the chamber. The method of claim 1, wherein the vibratable member vibrates up and down relative to the powder in the hopper, and wherein the fine powder comprises a medicament consisting of discrete particles having a mean size ranging from about 1 µm to 100 µm. . The method of claim 2, wherein the vibrating member is coupled to the ultrasonic funnel antenna, wherein the vibration step comprises actuating the ultrasonic funnel antenna and the vibrating member vibrates at a frequency ranging from 1000 Hz to 180,000 Hz. The method of claim 1, wherein the vibratable member has a distal end that is disposed adjacent the aperture, the distal end having an attached end member that vibrates above the chamber, and the end member is preferably vertically spaced from the opening. chambers with a distance in the range of 0,01 mm to 10 mm. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving said member transversely to the aperture, the member vibrating at a rate of less than 100 cm / s, and leveling the powder in the hopper using a projecting member that is spaced from the distal end of the vibratable member. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of chambers are aligned against the aperture, and further comprising moving the vibratable member along the aperture to pass over each chamber. The method of claim 1, wherein the entrapment step further comprises drawing air through the chamber which is located below the opening, wherein the drawn air helps to draw fine powder into the chamber, and further comprising transferring the trapped powder from the chamber to the container by introducing pressurized gas. into the chamber to expel the collected powder into the container. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the amount of entrapped powder to be a unit dose amount, the adjusting step comprising forming a thin plate under the hopper, the plate having an opening that is aligned against the chamber, and further comprising moving the chamber relative to the plate to collect excess powder from the chamber. The method of claim 1, wherein the hopper is a primary hopper and the positioning step comprises transferring powder from the secondary hopper to the primary hopper and further comprising vibrating the secondary hopper to transfer the powder to the primary hopper. 10. The method of claim 1, comprising dispensing powder from the chamber and resizing the chamber. An apparatus for conveying a fine powder, comprising: a hopper (12) with an opening (18), the hopper being adapted to receive the fine powder; at least one movable chamber (24), which is positioned in close proximity to the opening (18); a vibratable member (28) having a proximal end and a distal end, the vibratable member (28) being disposed in the hopper by a distal end adjacent the aperture (18); and a vibrator motor (26) for vibrating the vibrating member (28) when positioned in the fine powder. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a mechanism for moving the vibratable member (28) above the chamber (24), and the rotatable member (22) having a plurality of chambers along its periphery that are adjustable against said and that the sliding mechanism is arranged to move the vibratable member (28) along the opening to ensure passage over each chamber (24). The apparatus of claim 11, comprising a sliding mechanism comprising a linear drive mechanism for sliding the vibratable member (28) along the opening at a rate of less than 100 cm / s; and a vibrator motor for vibrating the vibratable member (28) at a frequency in the range of 1000 Hz to 180,000 Hz. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the vibrator (208) comprises an ultrasonic funnel antenna for vibrating said member (210) by moving up and down relative to the powder, wherein the vibrating member (210) has a cylindrical shape with a diameter ranging from 1 0 mm to 10 mm; and further comprising an end member (240) at the distal end of the vibratable member (210) projecting radially from the vibratable member (210), and a powder leveling element spaced above the end member (240). Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the chamber (242) is disposed in a rotatable member (204) which is locatable in a first position in which the chamber (242) is aligned against the opening (228) and in a second position wherein the chamber (242) is facing the container (328) and further comprises an opening in the bottom of the chamber (242), a filter (230) disposed transversely through the opening (228), and a vacuum source communicating with the opening, to assist in drawing the fine powder from the hopper (206) into the chamber (242). Apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that it comprises a pressurized gas source communicating with the aperture (228) for discharging the trapped powder from the chamber (242) into the container (328), and a control unit for controlling the triggering of the gas source and vacuum source. . The apparatus of claim 15, comprising a plurality of hoppers (206) disposed above the plurality of rotatable members (204) each including a plurality of chambers (242), and further comprising a plurality of vibratable members (210) and a plurality of vibrators. (208) for vibrating these members (210). Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises a plate (284) located below the hopper (206), the plate (284) having an opening (286) that is aligned against the chamber (242), the chamber being movable with respect to the plate (284) to allow the excess powder to be collected from the chamber (242), and wherein the chamber is formed in the exchange tool (274), and that the exchange tool (274) is releasably connected to the rotatable member (204). The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the hopper (206) is a primary hopper and further comprises a secondary hopper (218) located above the primary hopper (206) for transferring powder to the primary hopper (206), and a shaking mechanism. for vibrating the secondary hopper (218). A fine powder transport system, comprising: a plurality of rotatable members (304) each having a plurality of chambers along its periphery; a hopper (306) disposed above each rotatable member (304), each hopper (306) comprising an aperture; a vibratable member (310) disposable in each of the hoppers (306), each vibratable member (310) having a distal end near said opening; a vibrator (308) coupled to each vibratable member (310) to move up and down; and a mechanism for moving each vibratable member (310) along each of the hoppers (306) as the members vibrate. System according to claim 20, characterized in that it comprises a control unit for controlling the rotation of the vibrating members (310), the vibrators (308) and the sliding mechanism.