EP3363421A1 - Device and method for filling receptacles, especially hard gelatine capsules - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for filling a container (32.2) with a powder, in particular for filling two-part capsules. The device has at least one metering chamber, at least one punch (20) and a receiving unit (34.2) for the container (32.2). The punch (20) can be moved by at least one first motor drive (22) in a vertical lifting movement; the receiving unit (34.2) for the container (32.2) can be moved by a second motor drive (36). The first motor drive (22) for the punch (20) and the second motor drive (36) for the receiving unit (34.2) are formed separately from each other, so that the punch (20) are moved independently of the movement of the receiving unit (34.2) can.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a device with which hard gelatin capsules or other containers can be filled with solid or powdery contents. The filling should be done in particular dosed.

STATE OF THE ART

It is known to fill hard gelatin capsules by means of a so-called stuffing device. In this case, the powder to be filled is filled into a metering chamber, for example into the bores of a metering disk. The powder is then compacted by means of a punch in the metering chamber. For this purpose, the stamp performs at least one stroke, so that a compact arises. The finished compact is then expelled from the metering chamber by opening the metering chamber and ejecting the compact by means of a punch.

When expressing the compact from the metering chamber, it may happen that the compact stuck to the stamp and does not fall into the hard gelatin capsule. The compact is in this case withdrawn with the punch. This leads to a poor dosing accuracy and consequently to a larger reject. To prevent this, it is known to strip the compact from the stamp. This is usually done by the lower part of the hard gelatin capsule or by the capsule base bushings. For this purpose, the movement of the capsule bases or the capsule base bushings already starts when the punch is at the dead center. The movement of the stamp and the movement of the capsule parts is synchronized so that when retracting the punch stripping of the compact can be done. The synchronization between the Stopfstempelbewegung and the further clock movement of the filled capsule lower parts is mechanically fixed coupled.

However, this method only works reliably if the diameter of the compact is only slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the capsule lower parts to be filled. If, on the other hand, a compact with a relatively small diameter is metered into a lower part of the capsule with a significantly larger diameter, the wiping effect deteriorates significantly. Since the edge of the lower part of the capsule must first pass over the diameter offset before it can actually come to a stripping of the compact from the stamp, the stamp with the compact is usually back so far back that effective stripping is no longer possible.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

Based on this prior art, the present invention seeks to provide an improved apparatus for filling a container with a powder, in which an effective stripping of the compact is possible regardless of the size of the compact.

The inventive device for filling a container with a powder is given by the features of the main claim 1. The inventive method is given by the features of the independent claim 8. Useful developments of the invention are the subject of further claims that follow these claims.

The device according to the invention for filling a container with a powder has at least one metering chamber, into which the powder can be filled, and at least one stamp, by means of in which the powder located in the at least one metering chamber can be ejected and optionally also compacted. As a rule, a separate punch is available for each metering chamber. The at least one punch can be driven via at least one first motor drive, so that the punch can perform a linear stroke movement. Through this linear lifting movement, the ejection and possibly also the compacting of the powder can take place. In addition, a receiving unit for the container, in particular for the capsule base, available, which can be moved via a second motor drive. This second motor drive leads the stuffing station to the empty containers to be filled and removes the filled containers in order to be able to feed these other work stations. This can be done in particular by a rotary movement. According to the invention, the first motor drive for the movement of the at least one punch and the second motor drive for the movement of the receiving unit for the containers are formed separately from each other.

Through the use of two separate motor drives, the movement of the receiving unit for the containers can be independent of the movement of the stamp. As a result, the receiving units for the containers can already be moved, while the punch is still in its dead center and remains there. This allows a precise and effective stripping of the compact from the stamp, regardless of the selected diameter ratios of compact and container.

The first and the second motor drive can preferably be synchronized, so that the movement of the containers and the movement of the stamp always runs the same. In this way, a reproducible stripping of the compact is possible, so that optimum results can be achieved.

This synchronization of the movements of the two motor drives can preferably be variably adjustable. This is one Adaptation of the two movements to different proportions of compact and container possible. The synchronization can be mechanically adjustable. This can be done for example via a coupling. Alternatively, the synchronization can be set via software parameters. The adjustment should be made by operators, so that a simple and rapid adaptation to other containers or other compacts is possible. At the same time, the setting should not be accidentally changed, as this would result in increased rejects.

The at least one metering chamber can be formed in a structurally particularly simple embodiment as a metering disk with a plurality of bores. In this way, several containers can be filled at the same time, so that a higher output of products is possible. The opening of the individual metering chambers for ejecting the compacts can be done in this case, for example, by removing a corresponding lower plate, which can be pivoted or moved in particular. Alternatively, the metering disk can also move away from a stationary closure element in order to open the individual metering chambers

After a separate stamp is usually provided for each metering chamber and the stamp must be moved in the same cycle, preferably a common motor drive for all stamp can be provided. This reduces the number of required drives and thus ensures a lower maintenance susceptibility of the device. In addition, the device can be produced economically cheaper in this way.

Further advantages and features of the invention can be found in the claims further specified features and the following embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Fig. 1

eine erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung zum Befüllen einer Hartgelatinekapsel mit einem Pulver-Pressling, bei der sich der Stempel in seiner unteren Totstellung befindet,

Fig. 2

die erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 1 mit geringfügiger Bewegung der Aufnahmeeinheit für die Hartgelatinekapsel,

Fig. 3

eine erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 1 mit einer Hartgelatinekapsel mit einem größeren Innendurchmesser und

Fig. 4

die erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 3 nach Beginn der Bewegung der Aufnahmeeinheit für die Hartgelatinekapsel.

The invention will be described and explained in more detail below with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a device according to the invention for filling a hard gelatin capsule with a powder compact in which the punch is in its lower dead position,

Fig. 2

the device according to the invention Fig. 1 with slight movement of the housing for the hard gelatin capsule,

Fig. 3

a device according to the invention Fig. 1 with a hard gelatin capsule having a larger inner diameter and

Fig. 4

the device according to the invention Fig. 3 after the beginning of the movement of the hard gelatin capsule-holding unit.

WAYS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The inventive device 10 for filling a hard gelatin capsule is in the Fig. 1 and 2 represented with a first form of hard gelatin capsule. The device 10 has a punch 20 which can be displaced by means of a first motor drive 22 in a vertical lifting movement (arrow 24). The punch 20 moves through the lifting movement 24 in the bore 26 of a metering disk 28. Each bore 26 of the metering disk 28 forms a metering chamber.

The punch 20 can be used by the lifting movement 24 initially to compact a powder in the still closed dosing, so that a compact 30 is formed. After opening the metering chamber, the existing in the metering chamber compact 30 can be ejected by means of the punch 20 from the metering chamber. The compact 30 thereby falls into the capsule lower part 32 of a hard gelatin capsule.

The capsule base 32 is positioned below the metering chamber by means of a receiving unit 34. After filling the capsule lower part 32 with the compact 30, the capsule lower part 32 can be laterally removed by the receiving unit 34, so that a new capsule lower part can be positioned below the dosing chamber. The receiving unit 34 has its own motor drive 36. The motor drive 36 of the receiving unit 34 is formed separately from the motor drive 22 of the punch 20. Thereby, the receiving unit 34 can be moved independently of the punch 20.

The filled capsule base 32 can then be provided in other processing stations with a second compact or another product or even directly closed. The feeding and removing the capsule bases can be done in particular by a rotary indexing table, as he, for example, from the EP 1415 637 A1 or the EP 2 135 810 A1 is known.

Especially with stickier powders, it may happen that the compact 30 - as in Fig. 1 shown - does not solve independently of the punch 20 and falls into the capsule base 32. The compact 30 would be pulled back in this case from the punch 20 upwards. The capsule base 32 would not be filled and would have to be sorted out as broke. At the same time, due to the still sticking to the punch 20 compact 30 in the course of dosing inaccuracies come, which must be avoided at all costs.

Therefore, the upper edge of the receiving unit 34 may be used to strip the compact 30 from the punch 20. By the two independent motor drives 22, 36, the lifting movement 24 of the punch 20 no longer has to be coupled to the movement of the receiving unit 34 so that upon movement of the receiving unit mandatory also the return of the punch 20 begins. Rather, the receiving unit 34 for the capsule lower parts 32 can already be moved when the punch 20 is still in its lower dead position.

In such capsule parts 32, the corresponding Fig. 1 and 2 have an inner diameter 40 which is only slightly larger than the outer diameter 42 of the compact 30, the stripping of the compact 30 could even in an already onset of retraction of the punch 20 from his in Fig. 1 and 2 shown lower dead position 44 done. The pellet 30 would then still be within reach of the upper edge 46 of the receiving unit 34, so that stripping is still possible.

If the capsule part 32.2, however, accordingly 3 and 4 has a significantly larger inner diameter 40.2, the punch 20 must still be a certain time after the start of movement of the receiving unit 34.2 in its lower dead position 44. Only when the punch 20 remains in the lower dead position 44, the compact 30 can still be achieved by the upper edge 46.2 of the receiving unit 34.2 (see Fig. 4 ). On the other hand, if the movement of the stamp 20 were to begin with the movement of the receiving unit 34.2, the compact 30 would have already been withdrawn from the reach of the upper edge 46.2 of the receiving unit 34.2, so that no stripping of the compact 30 would be possible.

Depending on the ratio of the inner diameter of the capsule lower part to the outer diameter of the compact therefore different starting times for the movement of the punch or receiving unit are required. Such an adjustment is only possible if the two motor drives 22, 36 are formed separately from each other.

In the embodiment illustrated here, in each case the upper edge 46, 46.2 of the receiving unit 34, 34.2 is used to strip the compact 30 from the punch 20. This is because the capsule lower part 32, 32.2 does not project beyond this upper edge 46, 46.2 of the receiving unit 34, 34.2. If the capsule lower parts 32, 32.2 are made higher and / or the receiving units 34, 34.2 flatter, it may happen that the capsule lower parts, 32, 32.2 project beyond the upper edge 46, 46.2 of the receiving unit 34, 34.2. In this case, the upper edge of the capsule bottoms 32, 32.2 may also be used to strip the compact 30 from the punch 20.

Claims (9)

Device (10) for filling a container (32, 32.2) with a powder, in particular for filling two-part capsules, with at least one metering chamber (26), with at least one stamp (20), - With at least a first motor drive (22) for the at least one punch (20) through which the punch (20) in a vertical lifting movement (24) is movable, - With a receiving unit (34, 34.2) for the container (32, 32.2), - With a second motor drive (36) for the receiving unit (34, 34.2) for the container (32, 32.2), - characterized in that - The first motor drive (22) for the punch (20) and the second motor drive (36) for the receiving unit (34, 34.2) are formed separately from each other. Device according to claim 1, - characterized in that - The first motor drive (22) and the second motor drive (36) are synchronized. Device according to claim 2, - characterized in that - The synchronization is changeable adjustable. Device according to claim 2 or 3, - characterized in that - The synchronization is mechanically adjustable, in particular via a clutch is adjustable. Device according to one of claims 2 to 4, - characterized in that - The synchronization via software parameters is adjustable. Device according to one of the preceding claims, - characterized in that - The at least one metering chamber is designed as metering disk (28) with a plurality of bores (26). Device according to one of the preceding claims, - characterized in that - Several stamp (20) by a common first motor drive (22) are driven. Method for filling a container with a powder, in particular for filling two-part capsules, with the following method steps, a defined amount of the powdery filling material is separated from a product container and transferred into a metering chamber, the powder in the dosing chamber is compacted to a compact by means of a punch, the compact is ejected from the metering chamber by means of the punch and transferred into a container located below the metering chamber, - characterized in that - The stamp remains in its bottom dead center until the compact has been stripped by the receptacle for the container or by the container itself from the stamp. Method according to claim 8, - characterized in that - The movement of the receiving unit for the container begins in time before the retraction of the punch from the bottom dead center.

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