US20050095099A1 - Culling system for blister-pack production line - Google Patents

Culling system for blister-pack production line Download PDF

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Publication number
US20050095099A1
US20050095099A1 US10/975,924 US97592404A US2005095099A1 US 20050095099 A1 US20050095099 A1 US 20050095099A1 US 97592404 A US97592404 A US 97592404A US 2005095099 A1 US2005095099 A1 US 2005095099A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
blisters
strip
station
path
downstream
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US10/975,924
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Detlev Gertitschke
Wolfgang Rodi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Uhlmann Pac Systeme GmbH and Co KG
Original Assignee
Uhlmann Pac Systeme GmbH and Co KG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Uhlmann Pac Systeme GmbH and Co KG filed Critical Uhlmann Pac Systeme GmbH and Co KG
Publication of US20050095099A1 publication Critical patent/US20050095099A1/en
Priority to US12/072,233 priority Critical patent/US20080202070A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B57/00—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices
    • B65B57/02—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of binding or wrapping material, containers, or packages
    • B65B57/04—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of binding or wrapping material, containers, or packages and operating to control, or to stop, the feed of such material, containers, or packages
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
    • B26D5/00—Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
    • B26D5/20—Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting with interrelated action between the cutting member and work feed
    • B26D5/26—Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting with interrelated action between the cutting member and work feed wherein control means on the work feed means renders the cutting member operative
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
    • B65B61/04—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for severing webs, or for separating joined packages
    • B65B61/06—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for severing webs, or for separating joined packages by cutting
    • B65B61/065—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for severing webs, or for separating joined packages by cutting by punching out
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
    • B26D7/00—Details of apparatus for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
    • B26D7/18—Means for removing cut-out material or waste
    • B26D7/1845—Means for removing cut-out material or waste by non mechanical means
    • B26D7/1863—Means for removing cut-out material or waste by non mechanical means by suction
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26F—PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING
    • B26F1/00—Perforating; Punching; Cutting-out; Stamping-out; Apparatus therefor
    • B26F1/38—Cutting-out; Stamping-out
    • B26F1/40—Cutting-out; Stamping-out using a press, e.g. of the ram type

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a blister-pack production line. More particularly this invention concerns a system for culling out defective packages from such a line.
  • a standard blister-pack production line horizontally advances a lower foil formed with upwardly open pockets or blisters arrayed in transversely extending rows separated by tranversely extending spaces.
  • Each blister is loaded with one or a predetermined number of the objects being packed, then another foil is applied to the top face of the lower foil and the two foils are bonded together all around the blisters. Subsequently the two bonded foils, which normally move either continuously or in steps, pass through a stamping station where sections normally including a predetermined number of the blisters are punched out and passed on for further packaging.
  • one or both of the foils is transparent and means such as described in German 42 43 206 of J. Oehlmann or 195 05 256 of U. Zietmann is used to verify that each blister is properly filled. It is extremely important that packages not be sent out with overloaded, underloaded, or empty blisters, especially as these blister packs are often used to ensure regular consumption of critical medications.
  • German 199 17 436 of A. Weinert et al describes such an arrangement in which immediately upstream of the stamping station where the continuous strip is subdivided into sections there is a monitoring station that scans the passing filled and bonded strip and that can distinguish between properly filled blisters and improperly filled ones.
  • a section is detected that is only partially filled, it is stamped out of the strip like the good sections but is subsequently routed off.
  • a section is detected that is completely empty, it is not stamped out but is left hanging on the strip for later chopping and use as regrind.
  • Another object is the provision of such an improved culling system for blister-pack production line that overcomes the above-given disadvantages, in particular that is simple, and that accurately separates filled usable strip sections, partially filled sections, and empty sections from one another.
  • a continuous and elongated blister-pack strip having transverse rows of blisters of which some are empty and most are full is transported through a stamping station.
  • An upstream sensor along the path upstream of the station determines whether the blisters entering the station are full.
  • a device in the station stamps out of the strip sections each including a plurality of blisters.
  • a controller connected between the upstream sensor and the stamper for inhibits action of the stamper and thereby leaves unfilled blisters on the strip when any blisters in the station are not full.
  • a conveyor transports the stamped-out sections away from the path at the station.
  • a downstream sensor along the path downstream of the station detects spaces in the strip between any blisters left on the strip, and a cutter along the path downstream of and connected to the downstream sensor severs the strip between the rows of blisters into pieces each including at least one row of intact blisters.
  • the stamper only separates out perfect sections of the strip, that is sections all of whose blisters have the desired number of objects. If one blister is empty or overfilled, or even if it is improperly glued or has some other defect, the respective section is left on the strip. Then according to the invention the strip is cut into pieces between the rows of blisters so that the contents of any full blisters are not damaged. Since the strip remains continuous, with at worst holes where good sections have been punched out, it is extremely easy to handle.
  • the downstream sensor also detects whether the blisters passing it are full or empty.
  • the system further has according to the invention a deflector downstream of the cutter for separating the pieces all of whose blisters are empty from the pieces some of whose blisters are filled.
  • the cut-off pieces that are completely empty can be chopped up and reused, for example, as regrind, or discarded.
  • the more difficult to dispose of pieces holding product can be handled differently, for example the contents can be recovered or they can be treated as dangerous waste.
  • the cutter according to the invention includes a fixed blade to one side of the path and a rotating blade to an opposite side of the path.
  • the rotating blade turns about an axis transverse to a direction of movement of the strip along the path. Its rotation is synchronized with the advance of the strip, something that is fairly easy as the strip is left continuous and quite easy to handle.
  • the upstream sensor in accordance with the invention includes a camera.
  • the downstream sensor is normally a more simple light curtain that can also be set up to detect, when the foils making up the strip are transparent, whether any blisters of a given row are full.
  • the conveyor includes a suction lifter for picking the stamped-out sections out of the stamping station and a conveyor belt adapted to receive the stamped-out sections from the suction lifter and transport them from the station.
  • Another sensor can be juxtaposed with the conveyor belt for detecting the stamped-out sections thereon.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 are partly schematic side views illustrating the system of this invention
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the system
  • FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the package strip.
  • a strip 4 is moved in a transport direction D along a path through a stamping station 1 and comprises a lower foil formed with blisters 8 most of which are filled and an upper foil bonded over the lower foil.
  • the blisters 8 are arrayed in six-abreast rows extending perpendicular to the direction D with gaps between adjacent rows where there is nothing but the thickness of the two foils forming the strip 4 .
  • the stamping station 1 is provided with a device 5 that is capable of cutting from between the edges the strip 4 a section 2 (see FIG. 4 ) here shown to have four rows of blisters 8 , for a total of 24 blisters 8 .
  • a suction-type gripper 9 can pick up the stamped out sections 2 and deliver them to a conveyor belt 6 that carries them off, with the sections 2 hanging from the lower reach of this conveyor 6 , for example held thereon by vacuum or an unillustrated pair of lower belts, past a sensor station 10 that verifies the passage of the sections 2 .
  • a camera-type sensor 7 upstream of the stamping station 1 is connected via a controller 17 that only operates the device 5 when all of the blisters 8 in the section 2 to be stamped out are properly filled, that is each blister 8 has the desired number—normally one—of objects.
  • a section 3 FIG. 4
  • the strip 4 is left as two continuous edge bands where the sections 2 have been punched out, so that it remains extremely easy to handle and guide.
  • the strip 4 Downstream of the station 1 the strip 4 passes between a pair of belts 18 that feed it past a light-curtain sensor 15 formed as a simple photocell and lamp directed transversely across the path of the strip 4 and serving to distinguish between regions of the strip 4 with blisters 8 and those without.
  • This sensor 15 is connected via the controller 17 with a cutter 12 comprised of a stationary blade 14 and a rotary blade 13 .
  • the blade 13 is spun by a motor 19 operated by the controller 17 so as to cut the strip 4 between rows of blisters 8 .
  • the cutter 12 will not indiscriminately chop up the strip with its full and empty blisters 8 , but will chop it into transverse strips each one or more rows blisters 8 .
  • a blister 8 be cut.
  • the senor 15 is also capable of determining whether any of the blisters 8 in a given row or in a passing cull section 3 is full and a deflector 16 downstream of the cutter 12 is operated by the controller 17 to deflect the chopped-off rows of blisters 8 from the strip 4 into either a passage 20 for completely empty blisters, or a passage 21 for rows having at least one full blister.
  • the completely empty blisters can be simply chopped up and recycled as regrind.
  • the partially full blisters can be emptied of their contents and then comminuted, or otherwise handled.
US10/975,924 2003-10-29 2004-10-28 Culling system for blister-pack production line Abandoned US20050095099A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US12/072,233 US20080202070A1 (en) 2003-10-29 2008-02-25 Culling method for blister-pack production line

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE10350423A DE10350423A1 (de) 2003-10-29 2003-10-29 Stanzstation
DE10350423.0 2003-10-29

Related Child Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/072,233 Division US20080202070A1 (en) 2003-10-29 2008-02-25 Culling method for blister-pack production line

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20050095099A1 true US20050095099A1 (en) 2005-05-05

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ID=34399586

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/975,924 Abandoned US20050095099A1 (en) 2003-10-29 2004-10-28 Culling system for blister-pack production line
US12/072,233 Abandoned US20080202070A1 (en) 2003-10-29 2008-02-25 Culling method for blister-pack production line

Family Applications After (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/072,233 Abandoned US20080202070A1 (en) 2003-10-29 2008-02-25 Culling method for blister-pack production line

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (2) US20050095099A1 (es)
EP (1) EP1527858B1 (es)
JP (1) JP3983756B2 (es)
AT (1) ATE326318T1 (es)
DE (2) DE10350423A1 (es)
DK (1) DK1527858T3 (es)
ES (1) ES2260716T3 (es)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2005105574A1 (en) * 2004-04-29 2005-11-10 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. A method and a unit for producing blister packs by cutting a blister band
US20150266602A1 (en) * 2012-10-31 2015-09-24 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Apparatus and method for feeding empty capsules to a packaging machine
CN109436798A (zh) * 2018-12-31 2019-03-08 浙江希望机械有限公司 单板独立剔除旋转机械手
CN113955228A (zh) * 2021-11-25 2022-01-21 山东华致林医药科技有限公司 一种具备空盒剔除功能的药品热封包装生产线用送料设备

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102005009279A1 (de) * 2005-02-25 2006-09-07 Cfs Germany Gmbh Verpackungsmaschine mit einer verschieblich angeordneten Lochstanze
EP1800645A1 (de) * 2005-12-21 2007-06-27 Körber AG Verpackung für medizinische Produkte und dergleichen
US7946101B1 (en) 2007-05-30 2011-05-24 Walgreen Co. Method and system for verification of contents of a multi-cell, multi-product blister pack
ES2293855B1 (es) * 2007-08-07 2008-12-01 Grifols, S.A. Maquina de manipulacion de blisters.
DE102008039841A1 (de) * 2008-08-27 2010-03-04 Ulma Packaging Technological Center, S. Coop Verpackungsmaschine mit Abfallschneider
US7992364B2 (en) * 2009-03-25 2011-08-09 Rennco Llc Vertical bagging machine
CN110774116B (zh) * 2019-11-04 2021-07-23 深圳市普林司顿模具塑胶有限公司 一种模具镜面加工工艺及其加工设备

Citations (9)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4317399A (en) * 1979-12-14 1982-03-02 I.M.A. - Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Die cutter for stamping rectangular objects with rounded corners
US4472922A (en) * 1981-01-23 1984-09-25 Ima - Industria Macchine Automatiche-S.P.A. System for monitoring the operation of a machine for producing blister packages or the like
US5040353A (en) * 1990-07-26 1991-08-20 Glaxo Inc. System for inspecting and recycling goods from defective packages on a blister packaging machine
US5081816A (en) * 1990-06-07 1992-01-21 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Apparatus for receiving blister packs from a product packaging line and for inserting these blister packs into cartons
US5363968A (en) * 1991-08-23 1994-11-15 Pfizer Inc. Automatic blister inspection system
US5555707A (en) * 1994-02-18 1996-09-17 Schwenger; Hans O. Blister pack scanner device
US5568715A (en) * 1994-05-31 1996-10-29 Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc. Automated inspection system with transport and ejector conveyor
US5799468A (en) * 1996-04-27 1998-09-01 Uhlmann Pac-Systeme Gmbh & Co. Kg Filling blister-pack strips
US6640684B2 (en) * 2000-05-10 2003-11-04 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Device for cutting blister packs in a blister packing machine

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FR2499508B1 (fr) * 1981-02-07 1986-11-14 Illig Maschinenbau Adolf Dispositif de coupe pour machine d'emballage
DE4243206A1 (de) * 1992-12-19 1994-06-23 Hoefliger & Oehlmann Ges Zum B Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Überprüfen einer automatischen Abfüllanlage auf korrektes Befüllen
DE19505256A1 (de) * 1995-02-16 1996-08-22 Rose Verpackungsmasch Vorrichtung zum Vorschub einer Einwickelmaterialbahn und zum Abtrennen einzelner Einwickelmaterialabschnitte für eine Verpackungsmaschine sowie Verfahren zum Steuern derselben
JP2994638B1 (ja) * 1999-01-07 1999-12-27 旭マシナリー株式会社 平盤打抜き装置
DE19917436C2 (de) * 1999-04-17 2003-11-13 Uhlmann Pac Systeme Gmbh & Co Vorrichtung zum Übergeben einer Blisterpackung

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4317399A (en) * 1979-12-14 1982-03-02 I.M.A. - Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Die cutter for stamping rectangular objects with rounded corners
US4472922A (en) * 1981-01-23 1984-09-25 Ima - Industria Macchine Automatiche-S.P.A. System for monitoring the operation of a machine for producing blister packages or the like
US5081816A (en) * 1990-06-07 1992-01-21 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Apparatus for receiving blister packs from a product packaging line and for inserting these blister packs into cartons
US5040353A (en) * 1990-07-26 1991-08-20 Glaxo Inc. System for inspecting and recycling goods from defective packages on a blister packaging machine
US5363968A (en) * 1991-08-23 1994-11-15 Pfizer Inc. Automatic blister inspection system
US5555707A (en) * 1994-02-18 1996-09-17 Schwenger; Hans O. Blister pack scanner device
US5568715A (en) * 1994-05-31 1996-10-29 Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc. Automated inspection system with transport and ejector conveyor
US5799468A (en) * 1996-04-27 1998-09-01 Uhlmann Pac-Systeme Gmbh & Co. Kg Filling blister-pack strips
US6640684B2 (en) * 2000-05-10 2003-11-04 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Device for cutting blister packs in a blister packing machine

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2005105574A1 (en) * 2004-04-29 2005-11-10 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. A method and a unit for producing blister packs by cutting a blister band
US20080236109A1 (en) * 2004-04-29 2008-10-02 Paolo Marzocchi Method and a Unit for Producing Blister Packs by Cutting a Blister Band
US7685798B2 (en) 2004-04-29 2010-03-30 I.M.A. Industries Macchine Automatiche Method and a unit for producing blister packs by cutting a blister band
US20150266602A1 (en) * 2012-10-31 2015-09-24 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Apparatus and method for feeding empty capsules to a packaging machine
US9776752B2 (en) * 2012-10-31 2017-10-03 Gima S.P.A. Apparatus and method for feeding empty capsules to a packaging machine
CN109436798A (zh) * 2018-12-31 2019-03-08 浙江希望机械有限公司 单板独立剔除旋转机械手
CN113955228A (zh) * 2021-11-25 2022-01-21 山东华致林医药科技有限公司 一种具备空盒剔除功能的药品热封包装生产线用送料设备

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP3983756B2 (ja) 2007-09-26
DE502004000577D1 (de) 2006-06-22
US20080202070A1 (en) 2008-08-28
ATE326318T1 (de) 2006-06-15
EP1527858A3 (de) 2005-07-27
DK1527858T3 (da) 2006-06-12
EP1527858A2 (de) 2005-05-04
DE10350423A1 (de) 2005-06-16
JP2005132494A (ja) 2005-05-26
ES2260716T3 (es) 2006-11-01
EP1527858B1 (de) 2006-05-17

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