Feeding assembly to fill capsules with granules, in particular microgranules
First Claim
1. A feeding assembly to fill capsules (3) with granules (2), each capsule (3) comprising a respective bottom (4) and a lid to close the bottom (4), the feeding assembly comprising a filling drum (5), which is mounted so as to continuously rotate around a rotation axis (6), and is provided with a plurality of fillers (8) distributed around the rotation axis (6);
- and a hopper (20;
26) containing the granules (2);
each filler (8) comprising a suction pipe (9), which can be connected to a pneumatic sucking device, is coupled to the filling drum (5) so as to carry out, relative to the filling drum (5), straight movements parallel to the rotation axis (6), and has a lower end (12) to pick up/release the granules (2); and
being characterized in that the lower end (12) of each suction pipe (9) is closed by a closing element (13) provided with a plurality of openings (14), each designed so as to prevent the granules (2) from getting into the suction pipe (9);
wherein the hopper (20;
26) has a longitudinal axis (21;
27), which is parallel to and distinct from said rotation axis (6); and
wherein the hopper (20) comprises a vibrating distribution plate provided with a feeding track (23), which is wound in a helical shape around and along said longitudinal axis (21), so as to feed the granules (2), in succession, to a transfer station (24) to transfer the granules (2) to the fillers (8).
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A feeding assembly to fill capsules with granules, in particular microgranules, has a filling drum, which is provided with a plurality of fillers, each defined by a respective suction pipe, which can be connected to a pneumatic sucking device and has a lower end to pick up/release the granules; the lower end of each suction pipe being closed by a closing element provided with a plurality of openings, each designed so as to prevent the granules from getting into the suction pipe.
6 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A feeding assembly to fill capsules (3) with granules (2), each capsule (3) comprising a respective bottom (4) and a lid to close the bottom (4), the feeding assembly comprising a filling drum (5), which is mounted so as to continuously rotate around a rotation axis (6), and is provided with a plurality of fillers (8) distributed around the rotation axis (6);
- and a hopper (20;
26) containing the granules (2);
each filler (8) comprising a suction pipe (9), which can be connected to a pneumatic sucking device, is coupled to the filling drum (5) so as to carry out, relative to the filling drum (5), straight movements parallel to the rotation axis (6), and has a lower end (12) to pick up/release the granules (2); and
being characterized in that the lower end (12) of each suction pipe (9) is closed by a closing element (13) provided with a plurality of openings (14), each designed so as to prevent the granules (2) from getting into the suction pipe (9);wherein the hopper (20;
26) has a longitudinal axis (21;
27), which is parallel to and distinct from said rotation axis (6); andwherein the hopper (20) comprises a vibrating distribution plate provided with a feeding track (23), which is wound in a helical shape around and along said longitudinal axis (21), so as to feed the granules (2), in succession, to a transfer station (24) to transfer the granules (2) to the fillers (8). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- and a hopper (20;
-
10. A feeding assembly to fill capsules (3) with granules (2), each capsule (3) comprising a respective bottom (4) and a lid to close the bottom (4), the feeding assembly comprising a filling drum (5), which is mounted so as to continuously rotate around a rotation axis (6), and is provided with a plurality of fillers (8) distributed around the rotation axis (6);
- and a hopper (20;
26) containing the granules (2);
each filler (8) comprising a single suction pipe (9), which can be connected to a pneumatic sucking device and is coupled to the filling drum (5) so as to carry out, relative to the filling drum (5), straight movements parallel to the rotation axis (6), and has a lower end (12) to pick up/release the granules (2); and
being characterized in that the lower end (12) of each suction pipe (9) is closed by a closing element (13) provided with a plurality of openings (14), each designed so as to prevent the granules (2) from getting into the suction pipe (9),comprising, for each filler (8), a respective pocket mounted under the filler (8) so as to receive and hold a bottom (4);
the pocket being provided with a measuring device to measure both the weight of the bottom (4) and the weight of the bottom (4) and of the granules (2) contained in the bottom (4),and further comprising a conveyor device (17) to feed each bottom (4) around said rotation axis (6) in phase with a relative filler (8). - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- and a hopper (20;
-
18. A feeding assembly to fill capsules (3) with granules (2), each capsule (3) comprising a respective bottom (4) and a lid to close the bottom (4), the feeding assembly comprising a filling drum (5), which is mounted so as to continuously rotate around a rotation axis (6), and is provided with a plurality of fillers (8) distributed around the rotation axis (6);
- and a hopper (20;
26) containing the granules (2);
each filler (8) comprising a single suction pipe (9), which can be connected to a pneumatic sucking device and is coupled to the filling drum (5) so as to carry out, relative to the filling drum (5), straight movements parallel to the rotation axis (6), and has a lower end (12) to pick up/release the granules (2); and
being characterized in that the lower end (12) of each suction pipe (9) is closed by a closing element (13) provided with a plurality of openings (14), each designed so as to prevent the granules (2) from getting into the suction pipe (9),wherein the fillers (8) are movable along a feeding path (P), which is closed in a ring shape around the rotation axis (6) and only partly extends above the hopper (20;
26);wherein the lower end (12) of each suction pipe (9) is axially delimited by an end face (11), to which the relative closing element (13) is fixed; and wherein each filler (8) is movable parallel to the rotation axis (6) and is lowered firstly on the hopper (20;
26) so as to pick up the granules (2) from the hopper (20;
26) and finally on the relative bottom (4) so as to release the granules (2) into the bottom (4). - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
- and a hopper (20;
Specification