Unit For Filling Containers With Products In Particular Pharmaceutical Products
First Claim
1. A unit (100) for filling containers (2) with products (1) comprising:
- a hopper (3, 3a) for containing a mass of products (1) in bulk;
conveying means (5, 6) for feeding said products (1) coming out of said hopper (3) along a predetermined path (P);
a filling station (SR), situated downstream of said conveying means (5, 6) for filling said containers (2) with the products (1);
transporting means (4, C) for delivering said container to said filling station (SR); and
a checking station (SC) for checking said products (1), situated along said path (P) upstream of said filling station (SR), said checking station (SC) including optical means (7) for checking each product (1), to determine if each said product is acceptable for packaging by identifying determined physical features of each said product (1) and for counting each product passing to said filling station (SR),a processing device (E), said optical means (7) sending reference signals to the processing device (E) connected to the optical means (7), the processing device using the reference signals to determine whether or not each said product is acceptable;
said conveying means (5, 6) including first vibrating conveying means (51, 52, 53) consisting of vibrating planes, and second conveying means (6) situated at said checking station (SC) between said first vibrating conveying means (51, 52, 53) and said filling station (SR),product holding means (65) associated with said second conveying means (6) for holding each single product so as to form on said second conveying means (6), a series of single spaced apart products (1), moving forward to said filling station (SR) along a part of said path (P), said second conveying means (6) including a drum (6) rotating continuously, which moves said series of single spaced apart products (1) to said filling station (SR) along a curved portion of said path (P), wherein a whole peripheral surface of said drum (6) has a plurality of grooves (64) forming a part of said curved portion of said path (P), each groove having lateral walls (64a, 64b) and a bottom and each groove being sized for receiving and transporting a series of single spaced apart products, the lateral walls (64a, 64b) of each groove converging toward the bottom of each groove in order to receive said single spaced apart products therein, said holding means (65) including a plurality of channels (66, 67, 68) communicating between holes in each of said grooves (64) and a suction source for holding said products (1) within said grooves (64) by aspiration, said checking station (SC) checking each said single spaced apart product held within said grooves (64).
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Accused Products
Abstract
A unit (100) for filling containers (2) with products (1), in particular pharmaceutical products (1), includes a hopper (3, 3a) containing a mass of products (1) in bulk, conveying means (5, 6) aimed at feeding the products (1) leaving the hopper (3) along a predetermined path (P) up to a station (SR), where the containers (2) are filled with the products (1). The containers (2) are fed to the filling station (SR) by transporting means (4, C). A checking station (SC) for checking the products (1) is situated along the path (P) upstream of the filling station (SR). The conveying means (5, 6) include first means (51, 52, 53) consisting of vibrating planes and second conveying means (6). The second conveying means (6) are situated at the checking station (SC) between the conveying/vibrating planes (51, 52, 53) and the filling station (SR). The second conveying means (6) are equipped with holders (65) for holding single products (1) thus forming, on the second conveying means (6), a series of single products (1), spaced apart and moving forward to the filling station (SR) along a portion of the path (P).
17 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A unit (100) for filling containers (2) with products (1) comprising:
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a hopper (3, 3a) for containing a mass of products (1) in bulk; conveying means (5, 6) for feeding said products (1) coming out of said hopper (3) along a predetermined path (P); a filling station (SR), situated downstream of said conveying means (5, 6) for filling said containers (2) with the products (1); transporting means (4, C) for delivering said container to said filling station (SR); and a checking station (SC) for checking said products (1), situated along said path (P) upstream of said filling station (SR), said checking station (SC) including optical means (7) for checking each product (1), to determine if each said product is acceptable for packaging by identifying determined physical features of each said product (1) and for counting each product passing to said filling station (SR), a processing device (E), said optical means (7) sending reference signals to the processing device (E) connected to the optical means (7), the processing device using the reference signals to determine whether or not each said product is acceptable; said conveying means (5, 6) including first vibrating conveying means (51, 52, 53) consisting of vibrating planes, and second conveying means (6) situated at said checking station (SC) between said first vibrating conveying means (51, 52, 53) and said filling station (SR), product holding means (65) associated with said second conveying means (6) for holding each single product so as to form on said second conveying means (6), a series of single spaced apart products (1), moving forward to said filling station (SR) along a part of said path (P), said second conveying means (6) including a drum (6) rotating continuously, which moves said series of single spaced apart products (1) to said filling station (SR) along a curved portion of said path (P), wherein a whole peripheral surface of said drum (6) has a plurality of grooves (64) forming a part of said curved portion of said path (P), each groove having lateral walls (64a, 64b) and a bottom and each groove being sized for receiving and transporting a series of single spaced apart products, the lateral walls (64a, 64b) of each groove converging toward the bottom of each groove in order to receive said single spaced apart products therein, said holding means (65) including a plurality of channels (66, 67, 68) communicating between holes in each of said grooves (64) and a suction source for holding said products (1) within said grooves (64) by aspiration, said checking station (SC) checking each said single spaced apart product held within said grooves (64). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification