Feeder Unit, a Feeder Module Comprising a plurality of Feeder Units, and Method for Discharging a Constant Mass Flow of One or More Powders Into a Receiving Container

• US 20150183531A1
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GEA Process Engineering NV (GEA Group AG)
• Original Assignee: GEA Process Engineering NV (GEA Group AG)
• Inventors: Schaepman, Alexander Clemens Henricus Josef, Verhoest, Bart Peter, Vugts, Johannes Adrianus Jozef Maria
• Application Number:
  US14/404,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20150183531A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 21/00 Dissolving separating by dissolving B01D; dissolving to effect cooling F25D5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/244 of several materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/28 for measuring, controlling or regulating, e.g. viscosity control B29B7/242 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/603 in measured doses, e.g. proportioning of several materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/72 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/78 by gravity, e.g. falling particle mixers
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 11/08 co-operating with moulds carried by a turntable
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 15/302 Feeding material in particulate or plastic state to moulding presses
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/04 Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/32 by weighing check-weighing of filled containers or receptacles B65B1/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 11/08 having means for controlling the rate of feed or discharge regulation of flow of fluent material G05D
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 13/006 Container supply or discharge mechanism means for automatic loading or discharging G01G13/02, G01G13/16, G01G13/24
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 17/00 Apparatus for or methods of weighing material of special form or property determining weight by measuring volume G01F
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/393 using two or more weighing units

Abstract

A feeder unit comprises a storage hopper, a weighing cell, a conveyer, and a discharge end. The storage hopper is to be connected to a refilling system and the discharge end to a receiving container. A working space is defined by the arithmetic product of the dead weight of the feeder unit and the refilling interval, such that the working space is below 0.2 kgh. Furthermore a method for discharging a constant mass flow of one or more powders into a receiving container is defined.

Claims

1. A feeder unit comprising;

a storage hopper shaped to connect to a refilling system;

a weighing cell;

a conveyer; and

a discharge end shaped to connect to a receiving container;

a working space being defined by an arithmetic product of a dead weight of the feeder unit and a refilling interval, the working space being below 0.2 kgh.

2. A feeder unit according to claim 1, wherein the working space is below 0.1 kgh.

3. A feeder unit according to claim 1, wherein the dead weight of the feeder unit lies in a range of one of:

1 to 8 kg;

1 to 6 kg; and

1 to 3 kg.

4. A feeder unit according to claim 1, wherein the storage hopper has a predefined volume to define a capacity of the storage hopper one of:

below 10 liters,

below 5 liters; and

below 3 liters.

5. A feeder unit according to claim 4, wherein:

a maximum net weight of powder in the storage hopper lies in the interval 50 g to 5000 g; and

the working space is one of;

below 0.2 kgh;

below 0.1 kgh; and

below 0.05 kgh.

6. A feeder unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a refilling valve connected to the storage hopper; and

a level or weight indicator above the refilling valve controlling predosing of a refill amount.

7. A feeder unit according to claim 1, further comprising a controller storing a conveying parameter together with one of a level or a weight.

8. A feeder unit according to claim 1, wherein the weighing cell is an Electro Magnetic Force Restoration (EMFR) weighing cell.

9. A feeder unit according to claim 1, wherein the storage hopper, the conveyer and the discharge end are releasably connected to the weighing cell.

10. A feeder unit according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor comprises a twin screw conveyor.

11. A feeder unit (2) according to claim 10, wherein:

the twin screw conveyor has screws underneath the storage hopper; and

at least one of;

at least one of the screws of the twin screw conveyor has a variable pitch along its length; and

at least one of the screws has a variable diameter along its length.

12. A feeder unit according to claim 1, which further comprises a controller processing weight signals and compensating for external forces.

13. A feeder unit (2) according to claim 1, which further comprises a sensor associated with the storage hopper and sensing material variations during refill.

14. A feeder unit (2) according to claim 1, wherein the storage hopper, the conveyer, and the discharge end are contained and isolated from the weighing cell.

15. A feeder module, comprising:

five to eight feeder units according to claim 1 disposed in a spokes-like configuration, each feeder unit extending radially outwards from an imaginary inner circle defined at the discharge end adapted to face a common receiving container to an imaginary outer circle defined by a radially opposite end of each feeder unit, the feeder units being positioned substantially on radii extending from the imaginary inner circle.

16. A feeder module according to claim 15, wherein one of:

the feeder module comprises 5 feeder units and the diameter of the imaginary inner circle is 42-100 mm;

the feeder module comprises six feeder units and the diameter of the imaginary inner circle is 50-120 mm; and

the feeder module comprises eight feeder units and the diameter of the imaginary inner circle is 65-150 mm.

17. A method for discharging a constant mass flow of one or more powders into a receiving container, said method being suitable for operation in a feeder unit according to claim 1, said method comprising the steps of:

providing the feeder unit (2) with the storage hopper (21), the weighing cell, the conveyer, and the discharge end;

connecting the storage hopper to a refilling system with a refilling valve;

connecting the refilling valve to a level or weight indicator, the level or weight indicator being above the refilling valve;

connecting the discharge end to the receiving container;

refilling the storage hopper intermittently at predefined intervals;

storing data during refilling;

wherein during refilling, the refilling valve dispenses the same amount of powder into the storage hopper; and

the conveyer is operated according to the data collected during previous refills.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a working space is defined by a ratio between dead weight of the feeder unit and the refilling interval, and wherein the working space is below 0.2 kgh.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the working space is below 0.1 kgh.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the storage hopper is refilled one of:

40 to 80 times per hour; and

50 to 70 times per hour.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein a stabilizing time after each refill is in the range 2 to 4 seconds.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the method comprises the further steps of:

detaching the storage hopper, the conveyer and the discharge end of each feeder unit from the weighing cell in a contained manner; and

cleaning the storage hopper, the conveyer and the discharge end of each feeder unit.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiving container is connected to a granulator and further comprises the step of granulating the mixture of the one or more powders.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiving container is connected to a tablet press and further comprises the step of tabletting the mixture of the one or more powders.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the method forms part of a process for processing pharmaceutical products.