WO2016162134A1

WO2016162134A1 - Apparatus for metering pulverulent filling material

Info

Publication number: WO2016162134A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/052754
Authority: WO
Inventors: Werner Runft; Walter Boehringer; Jonas AUST
Original assignee: Robert Bosch Gmbh
Priority date: 2015-04-10
Filing date: 2016-02-10
Publication date: 2016-10-13
Also published as: DE102015206407A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for metering, preferably, powdery filling material (21,63), said device comprising at least one filling material container (42,62), at least one transfer means (44,64,65) which transfers the metered filling material (21, 61, 63) into a container lower part (23), wherein at least one vibration generator (50) which vibrates the transfer means (44,64,65) in order to detach filling material (21, 61, 63) still located on the transfer means (44,64,65), is provided.

Description

description

title

Device for dosing powdered product state of the art

The invention relates to a device for metering powdered product according to the preamble of the independent claim. A generic device is already known from DE 10 2007 031 856 AI. This is characterized in that in addition to the movement system, a drive unit is provided for applying a force to the transfer punch to support the transfer of the filling material into the container. As a result, the adhesion of the filling material to the transfer stamp is already significantly reduced. Nevertheless, further optimization is desirable.

This object is achieved by the features of independent claim. Advantages of the invention

The device according to the invention for metering powdered filling material according to the features of the independent claim has the advantage that, in comparison to other known devices, a guaranteed shaking off of the powder compacts and powder adhesions can be achieved as an example of a possible filling material. This is possible according to the invention in that at least one vibration generator is provided which sets the transfer means, for example a transfer stamp, in vibration. In an expedient development it is provided that the vibration generator generates ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic waves are preferably in a frequency range between 20 kHz to 70 kHz, more preferably in the range 35 kHz. In this case, the vibration structure expands 35,000 times a second and then contracts again. In a particularly expedient development, longitudinal waves are generated. The adhesion forces between the transfer means and the contents are overcome by the spontaneous accelerations in the opposite direction associated with this kind of sound wave as well as the inertia of the medium. This is inventively achieved in that the Füllgut- particles are offset by the sound in natural vibrations. These are put into such a movement that they literally break themselves off. The detached powder compacts, so compressed contents, continue unhindered their further way down into the container base. Since the vibrator has no contact with the dosing or a lower segment, they can not stick together.

In an expedient refinement, it is provided that the transfer means is constructed as a resonant component. Here, a frequency of 35 kHz with an amplitude of 40 μηη has proven to be particularly useful. However, other areas may be appropriate.

Further expedient developments emerge from further dependent claims and from the description.

drawing

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Show it:

1 shows a schematic plan view of an apparatus for filling, for example, powdered filling material according to a first embodiment, a schematic three-dimensional overall view with product container and segment circulation, FIG. 3 shows an overall perspective view according to FIG. 2, but without a product container and segment circulation,

FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view through a filling device according to FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows a diagrammatic sectional view of the filling device rotated by 90 ° with respect to FIG. 4;

Figure 6 is a representation of the vibrator with a schematic

Amplitude and vibration course,

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the transfer stamp in the

end position,

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the intermediate-stroke transfer dies in which the vibrator is excited;

FIG. 9 shows a schematic sequence of a dosing station with metering disk,

FIG. 10 a representation of an alternative dosing variant by means of a jig or metering device.

A device 20 for metering powdery product 21 is shown schematically in FIG. The device 20 comprises a spur gear 26 on which a plurality of container carriers 39 are arranged. These serve to receive containers 22, which consist of container bottom part 23 and container top part 24. In the container base 23, filling material 21 is metered and subsequently closed by the container upper part 24. By way of example, twelve stations 1-12 are shown, in which different processing steps take place. Each container carrier 39 has a plurality of receptacles 54 for receiving the containers 22. The receptacles 54 are arranged in each container carrier 39 in a row, for example in two rows with five receptacles 54. At a station 1 empty, closed containers 22nd consisting of container base 23 and container top 24, supplied from a supply. The Containers 22 are individually in each case in the receptacles 54 of the

Container carrier 39 introduced.

At station 2, the containers 22 are opened, i. the container upper part 24 is removed from the lower container part 23, so that the lower container part 23 remains in the receptacle 54. Alternatively, the feeding and opening of the containers 22 could also take place at the same station. Station 3 is not occupied in the embodiment of Figure 1. At station 4 not cleanly opened containers 22 are sorted out via a rake, which moves a little way into the container upper part 24. If the container 22 is not separated cleanly and the lower container part 23 is still on the container upper part 24, then the entire container 22 is pushed out.

The station 5 is a filling device 60 of the metering device 20 in which the container bottom parts 23 located in the container carrier 39 are filled. The filling device 60 is shown in detail in FIGS. 2-10. Optionally, a further filling device may be provided at the station 6, so that, for example, the first filling device 60 performs a partial filling at the station 5 and the second filling device carries out a final final filling and more accurate metering of the filling quantity. At the station 7, a weighing device may be provided to check the filled containers 22. Station 8 is an ejection station where damaged or improperly filled containers 22 can be discarded. At station 9, the

Container tops 24 are again positioned over the now filled container bottom parts 23 and closed in the station 10. This can be done, for example, by lowering the container upper parts 24 onto the container bottom parts 23. Station 11 returns the filled containers 22 again. At station 12 will be the

Container holder 39 is cleaned in order to avoid incorrect filling or picking up of the containers 22 in the container carrier 39.

A movement system 47 can, moved over two columns 46, perform a lifting movement relative to a machine 41 as indicated by the double arrow. The movement system 47 is via two bolts 48, preferably

Hexagon bolt, connected to the machine 41. The movement system 47 moves stuffing die 45 for pressing the medium 21 as well as at least one transfer means, such as a transfer punch 44, which serves to transfer the filling material compact 61. The movement system 47 forms the basis for receiving a transfer station and a stuffing station. For this purpose, the movement system 47 comprises a plate-shaped cross member extending along the columns

46 moves relative to the machine 41. At this cross member, the stuffing die 45 and / or the transfer stamp 44 are attached. As a result, a relative movement of the stuffing dies 45 and the transfer stamps 44 relative to the metering disk 40 and / or the container carrier 39 is made possible. The

Transfer station comprises at least the transfer stamp 44. The stuffing station comprises at least the stuffing die 45. In addition to the movement system 46,47, the transfer punch 44, which are part of a vibration generator 50, are stimulated to self-oscillation. Component of the oscillator 50 is a converter 30, which via a coupling means 54, preferably a coupling screw, with a Trägerersonotrode or

Sonotrode 35 is connected, see also for example Figure 4. Die

Sonotrode 35 is with the transfer stamp 44 and with several

Transfer stamps 44 connected in series or arranged. The sonotrode 35 is connected to the transfer punch 44 either via the coupling means 54 or via a thread rotated on the transfer punch 44. The generator is connected to the converter 30 via a cable and an RF plug. The converter 30 is held and supported via a converter holder 33, 34, which consists of a cover plate 33 and a bridge 34. This bridge 34 surrounds the sonotrode 35 laterally without touching it and serves to receive the converter 30 above the sonotrode 35. The required clamping of the converter 30 through the cover plate 36 and bridge 34 is produced by four screws 31. The bridge 34 is arranged on the cross member of the movement system 47. The bridge 34 is connected by two bolts 32 with the movement system

47 connected. The layer can be secured by pins 56, as shown for example in FIG.

The product container 42 is covered by a plate 36 for protection against external influences. At this cover plate 36, a further optional guide 37 of the transfer punch 44 can be attached. This guide 37 facilitates the insertion of the transfer punch 44 in the metering disk 40. The material of this Guide 37 should be a non-weldable plastic or similar material. It should not be made of metal or ceramics.

FIG. 3 also shows a deflector element 53, which is connected to the cover plate 36 via a deflector 51. The deflector 53 is part-circular in shape and serves to supply the product 21 located in the product container 42 to the metering openings 52. The transfer stamps 44 can be guided through the deflector 51 and the deflector 53 in order to transfer the pellets 61 from the metering openings 52 into the container bases 23 as can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The filling device 60 comprises a product container 42 for the product 21, which has an outer, vertically encircling boundary wall. The product container 42 rests on a substantially disc-shaped bottom, the metering disk 40. In the metering disk 40 are each at equal angular intervals

Dosing openings 52 and Dosieröffnungsgruppen 55 formed, which cooperate with at least one transfer stamp 44 of the vibrator 50. The transfer stamps 44 are part of the oscillator 50. The transfer stamps 44 are connected to at least one carrier probe 35, which in turn is connected or screwed in at least one converter 30 to a coupling means 58, for example a coupling screw. The vibration generator 50 is part of the movement system 47, which generates a transfer stroke for the transfer stamps 44 by means of columns 46. The columns 46 are correspondingly movable up and down. In the transfer position are located below the metering openings 52 of the dosing

40 in the container carrier 39, the waiting container bottom parts 23 for receiving the product 21 to be dosed. FIG. 4 shows a section through part of the filling device 60 in the front view. It can be seen that the vibration generator 50 the

Transfer stamp 44 offset in mechanical vibrations by these each with coupling means 58 with the sonotrode 35 for transmitting the

Vibrations are connected. The sonotrode 35 in turn is connected via the coupling means 54 to the converter 30. In Figure 6 is shown at which point the converter 30 is attached. The attachment is namely at a Flange, which is arranged in a vibration node K. In this oscillation node K, the amplitude A of the oscillation is equal to zero. The length of the sonotrode 35 is approximately lambda / 2, where lambda represents the wavelength of the oscillation. The length of the transfer stamp 44 is selected so that their ends oscillate with the largest possible amplitude A, ie are not located in a node K. The length of the transfer stamp 44 is, for example, approximately lambda, the wavelength of the oscillation. In the arrangement according to FIG. 6, particularly fast longitudinal waves can be generated, as a result of which filling material 21 adhering to the transfer stamp 44 is removed. However, the structure is otherwise possible if it can be ensured that a sufficient oscillation can take place, in particular at the end of the transfer stamp 44.

The filling device 60 is used to meter the filling material 21 into the container bottom parts 23 which are ready for it. For this purpose, the product container 42 is rotated stepwise. The angle of rotation is dependent on the angular intervals of the metering openings 52 or metering opening groups 55 in the metering disk 40. During the

Standstill phase of the product container 42 in the region of the metering orifices 52 located filling material 21, for example powder or pellets, by a downward movement of at least one stuffing die 45, which is suspended in a stuffing die holder 49, formed into a compact 61. The compact 61 is constructed in five steps by pressing five times as shown in FIG. In the sixth bar, in the area of the transfer, in which the

Dosing disc 40 with those in the container carrier 39 located

Container bottom parts 23 and transfer stamp 44 are aligned, the compact 61 is pushed by the transfer punch 44 from the metering disk 40 into the respective container base 23, see Figure 9. Especially with sticky contents 21 or by static charging the pellets 61 could still adhere to the transfer punches 44 , This is now prevented by the vibrator 50.

At the end of the described transfer stroke, the movement system 46, 47, including the oscillator 50, moves to an intermediate position, as shown in FIG. The transfer stamps 44 are now just above the Dosing disc 40, so that a possible contact of the system is excluded with this.

Now, the vibrator 50 is activated. The vibration generator 50 consists for example of the converter 30, the Trägersonotrode 35 and a transfer punch 44. A generator, not shown, generates an alternating electrical voltage, which is converted by means of the converter 30 into a mechanical vibration. As a result of the transformed alternating voltage, the oscillation generator 50 expands, for example, 35,000 times in the second and then contracts again. The converter 30 transfers this ultrasonic oscillation to the coupled sonotrode 35. The sonotrode 35 for generating the ultrasonic vibration transmits the ultrasonic oscillation to the transfer stamp 44. The compact 61 or the product residues sticking to the transfer stamp 44 are likewise converted into ultrasonic oscillations. Due to the rapid longitudinal movements and the associated spontaneous accelerations in the opposite direction and the inertia of the compact 61, the adhesion forces of the am

Handover stamp 44 sticky compact 61 or adhering Füllgutrückstände overcome. Alone by the vibration takes place a spin-off of Füllgut- particles, which then continue unhindered by gravity their further path in free fall in the container bottom 23 ready in the receptacle carrier 39. In the case of moist product 21, the effect of dissolving is even more intense than with completely dry product 21. The reason for this is the fourfold speed of sound in water compared to air.

In particular, a frequency range of 20 kHz to 70 kHz is suitable. The smaller the frequency, the larger the amplitude A, but also the size of the tool. With a view to adequate amplitude A and small space, a frequency of 35 kHz is particularly suitable. However, the skilled person will choose the frequency range suitable depending on the application.

As an alternative to the variant with metering disk 40, a filling of the containers 22 is also possible via a so-called screw-jack or metering device. The structure of such a variant is shown in FIG. In this case, there is a Füllgutbehält-- 62, in which in previous steps, which is located therein Contents 63 has already been compressed. In the next step, a tube 64 dips into the filling material 63 in the product container 62 and encloses a certain amount of contents 63 with the bottom of the container 62. Excess filling 63 is displaced to the side and leads to a homogenization of the still in the metering tube 64 filling 63. A guided in the tube 64 piston 65 determines the metered volume. After the contents 63 are now enclosed in the tube 64, a compressor block 66 drives abruptly on the piston 65 and thus compresses the contents 63 even more. This leads to the filling material 63 not falling out of the tube 64 during the subsequent movements. The tube 64 then moves back together with the piston 65 and the compact 61 from the filling material 63 and the product container 62 out. Tube 64, contents 63 and piston 65 now move in the direction of the prepared, open container base 23 until the arrangement is directly above it. In the example shown in FIG. 10, a T-shaped support 67 rotates by 180 °. After a downward movement is the

Tube 64 with the compact 61 located therein directly above the prepared opened container bottom part 23. The tube 64 and / or the piston 65 thus acts as a transfer means. The transfer block 68 exerts by a blow on the piston 65 a force on the compact 61, which leads to the solution of the compact 61 and subsequent transfer. Again, it is possible to make the piston 65 and / or the tube 64 (transfer means) as an ultrasonic vibration structure and to stimulate the piston 65 and / or the tube 34 after successful transfer of the compact 61 to still on the piston 65 and / or To solve tube 34 powder residues. The two steps, forming a compact 61 and transferring the compact 61 in the

Container base 23, take place simultaneously. However, this is not mandatory. Thus, pellets 61 are always formed in parallel and transferred to the container base 23 on the opposite side. However, a simultaneous sequence is not mandatory.

In a further embodiment of a transfer means 44, the piston 65 is replaced by a filter. In this case, the filling material 63, preferably powder or pellets or granules or the like, is sucked into the tube 64 via vacuum. The transfer of the filling material 21 or 63 takes place by means of compressed air. According to the invention, in this embodiment, the vibration generator ger be provided 50, he briefly put the filter during product transfer into vibration to better solve the contents of 21.63 from the filter element. In this embodiment, the filter acts as a transfer means.

It should be noted that this embodiment is not limited to a specific container sizes, but is applicable to any container sizes. As containers capsules are particularly preferred, but the use is not limited thereto.

The number and arrangement of the containers 22 within a segment is freely selectable and independent of the vibration generator 50. Furthermore, it is conceivable to base the construction on machines with multi-row

To accept container openings in the metering disk 40 and the container carrier 39. Also, the structure could be mounted on any filling machine.

The described device for dosing powdered filling material is particularly suitable for powder dosing devices in the pharmaceutical field. However, it is not limited thereto and can be used for dosing any powder types, without departing from the spirit.

In particular, the device is suitable for filling a sticky filling material. Often, these products are not medications but, for example, dietary supplements or the like. But other applications are possible.

Claims

claims

1. Device for dosing preferably powdery filling material (21,63), with at least one product container (42,62), with at least one

Transfer means (44,64,65), which delivers a metered filling material (21, 61, 63) into a lower container part (23), characterized in that at least one vibration generator (50) is provided, the transfer means (44,64,65 ) is vibrated to still on the transfer means (44,64,65) located filling material (21, 61,63) to solve.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the vibration generator (50) comprises at least one converter (30) and / or at least one sonotrode (35).

3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transfer means (44,64,65) with ultrasound in vibrations, in particular by means of longitudinal waves, is added.

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the length of the sonotrode (35) and / or the length of the transfer means (44,64,65) is a multiple of half the wavelength (Lambda / 2) of the oscillation, with which the transfer means (44,64,65) oscillates.

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sonotrode (35) and / or the converter (30) along an axis of the transfer means (44,64,65) are arranged, along which the transfer means (44,64, 65) is designed to be movable.

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sonotrode (35) with a plurality of transfer means (44,64,65) is vibrationally coupled.

7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transfer means (44,64,65) at least one

Transfer stamp (44) and / or at least one tube (64) and / or at least one piston (65) and / or at least one filter comprises.

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one movement system (46,47, 68) is provided which the transfer means (44,64,65) and / or the sonotrode (35) and / or the converter ( 30) in the direction of the container base (23) moves.

9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the converter (30) and / or the sonotrode (35) in a vibration node (K) is attached.

10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one converter holder (33,34) is provided which arranges the converter (30) above the sonotrode (35) without touching the sonotrode (35).

11. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in a metering disc (40) at least one metering opening (52) is provided, wherein the transfer means (44,64,65) for transferring the metered filling material (21, 61,63) at least partially in the metering opening (52) is designed to be movable.

12. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sonotrode (35) and / or the transfer means (44,64,65) from a vibration-technically suitable material such as

Aluminum or a suitable alloy such as a titanium alloy are made.

13. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sonotrode (35) with the converter (30) and / or with the transfer means (44,64,65) with at least one coupling means (54,58), preferably a coupling screw, and / or a pin and / or a thread in the transfer means (44,64,65) is connected.

Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vibrations are generated electrically, mechanically and / or piezoelectrically.

Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one container carrier (39) is provided for receiving at least one container (22), in particular one

Container lower parts (23).