Device and method for determining a closing force during the closure of a capsule

• US 10,641,669 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Syntegon Technology GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schlipf, Jens, Braito, Andreas, Boehringer, Walter, Runft, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Plumb, Nigel H
• Application Number:
  US16/099,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20190154529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/074 Filling capsules; Related operations
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/04 and operating to control, or to stop, the feed of such material, containers, or packages
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/00 Measuring force or stress, in general measuring force due to impact G01L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0038 applying a pushing force
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0076 Force sensors associated with manufacturing machines G01L5/0066, G01L5/0071 and B23Q17/09 take precedence; for the specific machine or operation involved see relevant class, e.g. B21 - B42
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A device and a method for determining a closing force, the device including at least a lower part segment (45) for receiving at least one capsule lower part (15), at least one upper part segment (44) for receiving at least one capsule upper part (13), at least one closing means (47) that acts upon the capsule lower part (15) and/or the capsule upper part (13) for closure, wherein at least one force sensor (42, 46) is provided for absorbing a force (F) that acts upon the capsule (12) during closure.

Claims

1. A device for determining a closing force (F) during closure of a capsule in order to detect a defective or damaged capsule (16), the device comprising at least one bottom part segment (45) for receiving at least one capsule bottom part (15), at least one top part segment (44) for receiving at least one capsule top part (13), at least one closing means (47), which, for the closure, exerts the closing force (F) on at least one of the capsule bottom part (15) and the capsule top part (13) to close the capsule (12), and at least one force sensor (42, 46) configured to register the closing force (F).

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one evaluating unit (50), which detects a progression of the closing force (F).

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one evaluating unit (50), which compares the closing force (F) with at least one limit value (Fg1, Fg2, Fgo).

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the at least one limit value (Fg1, Fg2, Fgo) is a function of a path length (s) which is covered by the closing means (47).

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the force sensor (42, 46) is arranged in at least one of a brace (41) and in the closing means (47).

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the force sensor (42) is arranged such that the force sensor comes into contact with the capsule top part (13) indirectly or directly.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the device infers a properly formed capsule (12) if the closing force (F), in a lower path length range (su), does not exceed at least one of a first limit value (Fg1), and the closing force (F), in an upper path length range (so), exceeds a further limit value (Fg2).

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that an upper limit value (Fgo) is chosen such that, if the closing force (F) exceeds the upper limit value, a defective or damaged capsule(16) is inferred.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, as a function of the closing force (F), at least one ejection station is actuated for the ejection of at least one defective or damaged capsule (16).

10. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one overload protection (71), which protects the force sensor (42).

11. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one evaluating unit (50), which detects a progression of the closing force (F) as a function of a path length (s) which is covered by the closing means (47).

12. The device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising at least one displacement transducer (48) configured to detect the path length (s).

13. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one evaluating unit (50), which compares the closing force (F) with at least one limit value (Fg1, Fg2, Fgo) for the recognition of a defective or damaged capsule (16).

14. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the force sensor (42) is arranged such that the force sensor comes into contact with a tip of the capsule top part (13), indirectly, via a pressure pin (58), or directly.

15. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the device infers a properly formed capsule (12) if the closing force (F), in a lower path length range (su) at the beginning of the closing operation, does not exceed at least one of a first limit value (Fg1), and the closing force (F), in an upper path length range (so) at the end of the closing operation, exceeds a further limit value (Fg2).

16. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one overload protection (71), which protects the force sensor (42) in conjunction with a spring element (56).

17. A method for determining a closing force (F) of a capsule (12) in order to detect a defective or damaged capsule (16), wherein at least one bottom part segment (45) is registered, wherein at least one top part segment (44) is registered, wherein, for the closure, the closing force (F) is exerted on at least one of a capsule bottom part (15) and a capsule top part (13) to close the capsule (12), and wherein the closing force (F) is determined.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that the determined closing force (F) is compared with at least one limit value (Fg1, Fg2, Fgo).

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that at least one limit value (Fg1, Fg2, Fgo) is a function of a path length (s) by which a closing means (47) is transported during the closure of the capsules (12).

20. The method as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that at least one overload protection (71) enables a movement of the force sensor (42) in the event of an overload.

21. The method as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that the determined force (F) is compared with at least one limit value (Fg1, Fg2, Fgo) for the recognition of a defective or damaged capsule (16).