WO2007023538A1

WO2007023538A1 - Device for removing tablet or capsule from extruded blister package

Info

Publication number: WO2007023538A1
Application number: PCT/JP2005/015352
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kazumi Maruoka
Original assignee: Eisai R & D Management Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2005-08-24
Filing date: 2005-08-24
Publication date: 2007-03-01

Abstract

A cut is formed in a thin film sheet of an extruded blister package (10), along a pocket (16) for receiving a tablet. The cut is formed by lifting and lowering a punch (32) provided corresponding to the pocket. Because the cut is formed in a substantially C shape, only forming the cut does not release the tablet from the package. After the cut is formed, the pocket is squeezed by a pressing roller (48) to push out the tablet in the pocket. Since the thin film sheet has the cut, the tablet is not subjected to large force. Also, since the cut is formed in the substantially C shape, the package is less likely to be torn off and separated.

Description

Specification

Device for taking out tablets or capsules from extruded blister packaging

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for taking out tablets or capsules in an extruded blister package from the package.

Background art

[0002] This application refers to Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-64136.

[0003] The distribution form of tablets today may be distributed in so-called blister packaging, in which a plurality of tablets are divided and packaged in plural. In some blister packs, tablets are stored in a pocket portion of a storage sheet, and a thin film sheet is bonded to the storage sheet to store the tablets. In order to take out the tablet in this packaging, the pocket portion of the containing sheet is pressed, and the tablet is pushed out by breaking the thin film sheet with the contained tablet. In this specification and claims, this type of packaging is referred to as extruded blister packaging. This extruded blister packaging is sometimes called PTP (press through pack) packaging. In addition, capsules containing drugs in capsules that dissolve in the body, like tablets, are distributed in PTP packaging and can be said to be handled in the same way. Hereinafter, a tablet will be described as an example, but it is naturally possible to apply it to a capsule. The capsule includes a hard capsule, a soft capsule, and the like.

[0004] In the tablet packaging process, sampling inspection is performed at various stages, and after being extracted and inspected, the packaging and the tablet are separated and discarded, or reused in some cases. In order to separate the tablet from the package, it is necessary to remove the tablet from the package, and this is done by a tablet collection device. Such an apparatus is shown in the following patent document.

[0005] The devices described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 48-16239 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 49 10976 are related to packaging in which a tablet is sandwiched between two sheets, with a blade provided on a stick. The sheet is pierced, and the stick is advanced to push out the tablet. The device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1124539 is a device corresponding to the above-described extruded blister packaging. The pocket portion is cut off, the tablet is taken out, and the pocket portion cut off is Separated from tablets with wind.

Disclosure of the invention

[0006] When taking out and collecting a tablet extracted by inspection, if it is chipped or broken, it may be difficult to separate, and it is required to avoid breakage of the tablet. In recent years, an increasing number of tablets, which are called fast-disintegrating tablets, can be quickly melted when they lose their shape. This quick-disintegrating tablet has a high possibility of breaking its required characteristic force and breaking when it is immediately taken out of the package.

[0007] The present invention provides an apparatus that is advantageous for preventing breakage such as breakage of tablets when taking out an extruded blister packaging tablet.

[0008] The present invention cuts the thin film sheet before pushing the pocket portion of the containing sheet of the extruded blister package to push out the tablet, and reduces the force that forms on the tablet when it is pushed out. This is advantageous in preventing tablet breakage and the like. In order to prevent the tablet from being damaged, a punch with a blade is brought into contact with the thin film sheet side of the extruded blister package, and the cut is made only on the thin film sheet or to the extent that force is not applied to the tablet. It is preferable. In addition, it is preferable to make the cuts along the circumference of the pockets so that the blade does not hit the tablet! /.

[0009] Further, in order to align the extruded blister package with respect to the punch, the pocket portion of the extruded blister package itself to be cut can be used. Thereby, it is possible to make a cut surely at a position along the circumference of the pocket portion, and it is possible to reduce the damage to the tablet caused by the punch blade hitting the tablet during the cutting.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of extruded blister packaging, that is, PTP.

[Fig. Lb] A cross-sectional view showing an outline of extruded blister packaging, ie, PTP.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a tablet recovery apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a pressing roller 48 for extruding a tablet with a packaging force and the surroundings.

4 is a schematic perspective view of a region shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the extruded blister package 10 and the punch 32. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a punch 32 and a punch holder 34. FIG.

FIG. 7a is a perspective view showing an example of a detailed shape of a punch.

FIG. 7b is a side view showing an example of the detailed shape of the punch.

FIG. 8a is a perspective view showing another example of the detailed shape of the punch.

FIG. 8b is a side view showing another example of the detailed shape of the punch.

FIG. 9 is a view showing a state where cuts are made in the extruded blister package 10.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. La and Fig. Lb show the outline of the extruded pre-packer 10. Figure la is a perspective view and Figure lb is a partial cross-sectional view. The extruded blister package 10 is formed by adhering a storage sheet 12 in which a sheet made of a resin such as salt bulb or polypropylene is expanded on one surface and a thin film sheet 14 such as aluminum. The tablet 18 is accommodated inside the bulged portion of the storage sheet 12 (hereinafter referred to as pocket portion 16), and the storage space inside the pocket portion 16 is sealed by attaching the thin film sheet 14 to the storage sheet 12. Tablet 18 is packaged. When the patient or the like takes out the medicine, the pocket portion 16 is pushed and the thin film sheet 14 is pierced by the tablet 18 and taken out.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of a drug recovery device 20 that takes out and recovers a drug from an extruded blister package. The extruded blister package 10 is stacked in the supply hopper 22 with the pockets 16 facing up. Below the supply hopper 22, left and right guides 24 that form a movement path of the extruded blister package 10 are arranged. The positional relationship between the supply hopper 22 and the left and right guides 24 is such that the lowermost one of the stacked extruded blister packages 10 is placed on the guide 24 and has a gap that allows only this to be extracted. In addition, a feed head 26 is arranged at the right end of the moving path in the drawing to extract the lowermost extruded blister package 10 in the supply hopper 22 and move it on the guide 24 to the left in the drawing. The feed head 26 is moved in the left-right direction in the figure by driving means (not shown). The feed head 26 is provided with a base plate 28 with a contact portion 30 that contacts the pocket portion 16 at the rear end of the extruded blister package 10 and a blade for cutting into the thin film sheet 14 of the extruded blister package 10. A punch holder 34 that holds the punch 32 is included. The punch holder 34 is supported by a support base 36 fixed to the base plate 28 via a lifting guide 38. The lifting guide 38 is The rudder 34 is supported to allow movement in the vertical direction in the figure, and movement in other directions is restricted. Further, a cam follower 40 is fixed to the punch holder 34, and comes into contact with the cam 42 to raise and lower the punch holder 34.

At the left end of the guide 24 in the figure, feed rollers 44 and 46 for sending the extruded blister package 10 moved by the feed head 26 further downstream (leftward in the figure) are arranged. The feed rollers 44, 4 6 are each composed of a pair of roller forces arranged in a direction penetrating the paper surface of the figure, and sandwiching a flat portion outside the pocket portion of the extruded blister package 10, Is sent downstream. That is, these feed rollers 44 and 46 are disposed at positions where they do not hit the pocket portion 16 and do not deform it. A pressure roller 48, a receiving roller 50, and a packaging support member 52 are disposed downstream of the feed rollers 44 and 46. The receiving roller 50 is composed of two rollers arranged at an interval in the depth direction in the figure, and a packaging support member 52 is arranged between the two rollers 50. As shown in FIG. 3, the left and right flat portions of the extruded pre-packer package 10 are sandwiched between the pressing roller 48 and the receiving roller 50, and the packaging support member 52 is located below the flat portion between the pocket portions 16. Is located. Therefore, the lower portion of the pocket portion 16 is open, and when the pocket portion is pressed by the pressing roller 48 with the upward force, the tablet 18 is discharged downward.

[0014] Further downstream of the pressing roller 48, a packaging receiving hopper 54 for receiving the extruded blister package 10 from which the tablets 18 have been taken out is disposed. A tablet receiving hopper 56 is arranged to receive. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the packaging support member 52 described above includes a central rod 58 corresponding to a portion between the pocket portions 16 of the extruded blister packaging 10, and a left arranged on the left and right sides with a distance from the central rod 58. Includes pad 60 and right pad 62. The left and right pads 60, 62 are arranged so as to be substantially aligned with the position of the receiving roller 50, and the distance from the central rod 58 is the clearance of the broken thin film sheet 14 after the tablet 18 is pushed out. Function as. This prevents the thin film sheet 14 from being broken and falling into the tablet receiving hopper 56.

FIG. 5 shows a cross section of the movement path near the upper portion of the cam 42. The left and right guides 24 guide the movement of the extruded blister package 10 so as to surround the left and right flat portions. Also, between the left and right guides 24, the extruded blister packs 10 passing through the rows of the pockets 16 A central guide 64 is disposed at a position corresponding to the intermediate portion. The center guide 64 holds down the punch 32 when the punch 32 comes into contact with the extruded blister package 10 so that the blade 32 of the punch 32 can be surely cut.

FIG. 6 shows a punch 32 and a punch holder 34 that holds the punch 32. The nonchi 32 is arranged in accordance with the position of the pocket portion 16 of one extruded blister package 10. As shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b, the punch 32 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and a blade 66 is formed at the top. As shown in FIG. 7b, the blade 66 is formed at an angle Θ with respect to the direction perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder. The angle Θ can be cut more easily than when 5-10 ° does not give the desired inclination. Further, the punch 32 has a cut-out portion 68 obtained by cutting the cylinder obliquely. The cut-off portion 68 also cuts off part of the blade 66, so that the blade 66 is substantially C-shaped with a part missing from the circumference when viewed from above. It is also possible to form a substantially C-shaped cut by adjusting the stroke of the blade 66 without providing the cut-off portion 68 only by giving the angle Θ to the blade 66. In addition, it is possible to form a substantially C-shaped cut by providing only the cut-off portion 68 without giving the angle Θ. Further, it is preferable that the shape of the blade and the notch formed by the blade is appropriately changed according to the shape of the blister portion. For example, if the blister part is oval, the blade shape should be U-shaped accordingly.

8A and 8B are diagrams showing another example of the punch. The punch 72 has a blade 74 formed by grinding the outside of the cylinder. Also, the tip of the blade 74 is not given an angle Θ, unlike the example of FIGS. 7a and 7b. Then, by providing the cut-out portion 76, the cut-out for the blister package is made into a substantially C shape.

Next, the operation of the medicine collection device 20 will be described. The extruded blister pack 10 that has been subjected to the sampling inspection is loaded into the supply hopper 22 so that the direction in which the pocket portion 16 bulges upward. The feed force 26 moves to the left in FIG. 2 as well, and its abutment 30 is located at the rearmost end of the extrusion blister pack 10 at the bottom of the supply hopper 22 in the rightmost direction, that is, in the feed direction. It contacts the side of the pocket 16. The feed head 26 continues to move and pushes the bottom extruded blister pack 10 out of the supply hopper 22. At this time, the extruded blister package 10 remaining in the supply hopper 22 is placed on the base plate 28. The extruded blister package 10 pushed out by the feed head 26 is guided by the left and right guides 24 and fed to the position where the central guide 64 is disposed. The center guide 64 is positioned between the rows of the pocket portions 16 of the extruded blister package 10 and abuts against the side surfaces of the pocket portions 16 on both sides, so that the central guide 64 extends in the left-right direction with respect to the feed direction of the extruded blister package 10. Perform positioning. When the cam 42 is disposed substantially below the position where the central guide 64 is disposed, and the extruded blister package 10 is fed to the position of the central guide 64, the cam follower 40 contacts the cam 42. The cam follower 40 moves upward along the shape of the cam 42, and the punch holder 34 is raised by this movement. The punch 32 held by the punch holder 34 is also raised, abuts against the thin film sheet 14 of the extruded blister package 10, and further cuts. As described above, the central guide 64 regulates the left and right direction of the feed direction, and the feed direction is regulated by the abutting portion 30 that moves integrally with the punch holder 34 in the feed direction. Since the center guide 64 and the abutting portion 30 are both in contact with the side surface of the pocket portion 16 for positioning, the position of the pocket portion 16 and the position of the punch 32 are more reliably aligned.

[0020] The cam 32 raises the punch 32 and cuts the thin film sheet 14. FIG. 9 shows a state in which the surface force on the thin film sheet 14 side of the extruded blister package 10 with the cut is also seen. The thin film sheet 14 is provided with a substantially C-shaped cut 70. The notch 70 is inserted along the circumference of the pocket portion 16 shown by a broken line, and is not related to the tablet 18 accommodated in the pocket portion 16. The length of the arc of the cut 70 is such that the tablet 18 does not come out when the cut is made and is easily pushed out by pressing the pocket portion 16. Specifically, the arc length can be more than 50% and less than 90% of the circumference, more preferably about 70%. After making the cut, the punch holder 34 moves down along the shape of the cam 42.

The extruded blister package 10 with the cuts is further pushed by the feed head 26, and the leading ends thereof reach the feed rollers 44 and 46. Thereafter, the paper is fed by feed rollers 44 and 46. When the extruded blister pack 10 reaches the position of the pressing roller 48, the pressing roller 48 pushes the crushed portion 16 and crushes it. At this time, the tablet 18 accommodated in the pocket portion 16 is pushed, and the thin film sheet 14 with the cut is broken and pushed out. At this time, the receiving roller 50 and the packaging support member 52 support the extruded blister packaging 10 from below, and the pressing roller 48 Thus, the pocket portion 16 can be efficiently crushed. Further, since the receiving roller 50 and the packaging support member 52 are positioned so that the force directly below the pocket portion 16 is also released, the tablet 18 is not blocked.

The pushed tablet 18 falls on a tablet receiving hopper 56 disposed below the pressing roller 48 and is collected. Further, the extruded blister package 10 after the pocket portion 16 is crushed and the tablet 18 is extruded is sent by the pressing roller 48 and collected in the package receiving hopper 54. On the other hand, after the blister pack 10 is delivered to the feed rollers 44 and 46, the feed head 26 returns to the initial position, that is, the position shown in FIG. At this time, since the blister pack 10 in the supply hopper 22 is on the base plate 28 as described above, the return operation of the feed head 26 is not hindered. When the base plate 28 retreats the position force under the supply hopper 22, the blister package 10 in the supply hopper 22 falls onto the guide 24 and prepares for the next cycle.

Claims

The scope of the claims

[1] A storage sheet having a pocket portion for storing a tablet or a capsule, and a thin film sheet that is bonded to the storage sheet and seals the pocket portion in a state where the tablet or the capsule is stored. An apparatus for taking out tablets or capsules from an extruded blister package having

A punch that cuts in the thin film sheet from the thin film sheet side, leaving a part of the circumference along the circumference of the pocket portion;

After making a cut by the punch, pressing the pocket part from the containing sheet side, a pressing member that pushes out the tablet or capsule from the cut,

A tablet or capsule take-out device.

[2] The tablet or capsule taking-out device according to claim 1,

A feed head including a contact portion that contacts the side surface of the pocket portion and pushes and feeds the extruded blister package;

A guide that abuts against a side surface in the feed direction of the pocket portion of the extruded blister package to be fed, and performs left and right positioning with respect to the feed direction;

Have

The punch has a fixed positional relationship with the abutting portion in the mounting plane on which the extruded blister package is placed, and moves in a direction substantially perpendicular to the mounting plane to cut into the thin film sheet. Put

Tablet or capsule take-out device.

[3] The tablet or capsule taking-out device according to claim 2,

Furthermore, a moving path in which the extruded blister package is moved by being pushed by the abutting portion, a cam that is disposed in the vicinity of the moving path, and moves the punch in a direction substantially perpendicular to the placement plane;

A tablet or capsule take-out device that cuts a thin film sheet by moving the punch by the cam.

[4] The tablet or capsule taking-out device according to claim 3,

The extruded blister packaging has the pocket portions arranged in a plurality of rows and a movement path. It is loaded in the hopper provided above,

The feeding head pushes the lowermost extruded blister package in the hopper by the contact portion to move on the moving path,

The guide is positioned between the rows of the pocket portions and abuts against the side surfaces of the pocket portions. The punch cuts the thin film sheet downstream in the moving direction from the hot bar. The extruded blister package is fed to a feed roller provided further downstream than the position where the cut is made,

The pressing member is a roller, and is a tablet or capsule taking-out device that pushes out a tablet or capsule by sequentially pushing a pocket portion of an extruded blister package sent from the feed roller from the tip.