Device and Method for the Monitored Loading of Tablets into Pockets in a Web of Plastic Sheet

• US 20140096490A1
• Filed: 10/07/2013
• Published: 04/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Uhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Uhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Regner, Markus, Bongers-Ambrosius, Hans-Werner
• Application Number:
  US14/047,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20140096490A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/473
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 2210/10 Means for removing bridges formed by the material or article, e.g. anti-clogging devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/06 Separating single articles from loose masses of articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/12 by gravity
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/10 responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of articles or materials to be packaged
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 9/045 for single articles, e.g. tablets

Abstract

The device for the monitored loading of tablets into pockets in a web of plastic sheet for the production of blister packs comprises a transport device for conveying the plastic sheet and a feed unit for feeding the tablets into the pockets in the plastic sheet. The feed unit comprises a plurality of filling channels. Downstream from the feed unit, an inspection device is provided to verify that each individual pocket in the plastic sheet has been filled. A control unit actuates a lighting or beam-emitting device on the basis of the results acquired by the inspection device to visually identify any blocked filling channel.

Claims

1. A device for monitored loading of tablets into pockets in a web of plastic sheet for a production of blister packs, the device comprising:

a transport device for conveying the plastic sheet in a transport direction;

a feed unit for feeding the tablets into the pockets in the plastic sheet, wherein the feed unit comprises a plurality of filling channels;

an inspection device downstream from the feed unit to check whether each individual pocket in the plastic sheet has been filled;

a control unit, which receives results acquired by the inspection device; and

a lighting or beam-emitting device, which is actuatable by the control unit on the basis of the results acquired by the inspection device and which visually identifies a blocked filling channel,

wherein the lighting or beam-emitting device comprises at least one laser pointer, which directs a laser pointer beam at a blocked filling channel, or comprises a plurality of lighting devices, each of which is assigned to a separate one of the filling channels.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the inspection device comprises an optical camera system.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein each filling channel is designed as a filling tube.

4. The device of claim 1 relating to the laser pointer wherein the at least one laser pointer is pivotable in several directions.

5. The device of claim 1 relating to the lighting devices wherein the lighting devices are designed as LEDs.

6. The device of claim 1 relating to the lighting devices wherein each filling channel is designed as a filling tube, and wherein the lighting devices are integrated into the filling tubes.

7. A method for monitored loading of tablets into pockets in a web of plastic sheet for a production of blister packs, comprising:

conveying the plastic sheet in a transport direction;

feeding the tablets into the pockets in the plastic sheet by means of a feed unit, which comprises a plurality of filling channels;

inspecting each individual pocket in the plastic sheet downstream from the feed unit by means of an inspection device to check whether the pocket is filled;

actuating a lighting or beam-emitting device on the basis of results acquired by the inspection device to visually identify a blocked filling channel, wherein the lighting or beam-emitting device comprises at least one laser pointer, which directs a laser pointer beam at a blocked filling channel, or comprises a plurality of lighting devices, each of which is assigned to a separate one of the filling channels.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the control unit detects regularly recurring defects in the pockets of the plastic sheet and assigns the defects to a specific filling channel.

9. The method of claim 7 relating to the laser pointer wherein, if several blocked filling channels are present, the laser pointer identifies the blocked filling channels in succession.

10. The method of claim 7 relating to the lighting devices wherein, if several blocked filling channels are present, the lighting devices light up the blocked filling channels simultaneously.