Unit for orienting and supplying bottom shells of medicinal capsules

• US 6,168,045 B1
• Filed: 05/04/1999
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: M G 2 Incorporated
• Original Assignee: M G 2 Incorporated
• Inventors: Ansaloni, Angelo
• Primary Examiner(s): Noland, Kenneth W.
• Application Number:
  US09/304,340
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 221/2, 221/7, 221/9, 221/15, 221/76, 221/79, 221/132, 221/277
• US Class Current: 221/79
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/074 Filling capsules; Related operations
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/1457 Rotating movement in the plane of the rotating part
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

A unit for orienting and supplying bottom shells, the unit having a drum rotating about a vertical axis and in turn having a number of seats, each for housing one bottom shell at a time; the unit also having a hopper for successively feeding a bottom shell into each seat on the drum; and an ejecting pin for successively ejecting each bottom shell from the respective seat so that the bottom shell drops inside an unloading conduit connected to the seat; the bottom shell being positioned indifferently, inside each seat, with the concavity facing inwards or outwards of the seat; and each seat being so formed that the bottom shell transferred into the unloading conduit is always oriented the same way; a pocket conveyor also being provided to pick up the succession of equioriented bottom shells issuing from the unloading conduits.

Claims

1. A unit (1) for orienting and supplying bottom shells (2) of medicinal capsules;

the unit comprising an orienting assembly (4) for receiving the bottom shells (2) in bulk at the input and supplying a succession of equioriented bottom shells (2) at the output; and

the unit being characterized by said orienting assembly (4) comprising a drum (9), which is mounted for rotation about a first axis (X), has a number of seats (13), each for housing a bottom shell (2), and has a number of unloading conduits (35), each communicating with a respective seat (13) and by which the bottom shell (2) housed in the seat is conveyed outwards of the seat (13);

the orienting assembly (4) also comprising supply means (10) for successively feeding into each seat (13) on the drum (9) a bottom shell (2) coaxial with a second axis (A); and

extracting means (40) for successively ejecting each bottom shell (2) from the respective seat (13) and into the respective unloading conduit (35);

said seats (13) on the drum (9) being so formed as to equiorient the bottom shells (2) ejected from the seats (13).

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each seat (13) comprises a dead hole (33) formed in the drum (9);

and an orienting pin (34) extending coaxially with said second axis (A) from the bottom of the dead hole (33), and of a diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the bottom shell (2);

each unloading conduit (35) having, at its own inlet (37) communicating with said seat (13), a constriction (38) against which the bottom shell (2) rests.

3. A unit as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the distance (D), measured along said second axis (A), between said constriction (38) and said orienting pin (34) is less than the length of the bottom shell (2) measured along said second axis (A);

said extracting means (40), when transferring the bottom shell (2) from the seat to the unloading conduit (35), turning the bottom shell (2) over in the event the bottom shell is fitted over the orienting pin (34) inside said seat (13), or for forcing the bottom shell (2) through the constriction (38) in the event the bottom shell is positioned, inside said seat (13), with the concavity facing away from the orienting pin (34), so that the bottom shells (2) issuing from the unloading conduits (35) are equioriented.

4. A unit as claimed in claim 3, characterized by comprising a pocket conveyor (3) for conveying said succession of equioriented bottom shells (2) issuing from said unit (1) for orienting and supplying bottom shells (2);

said pocket conveyor (3) having a number of pockets (6) which are temporarily aligned with respective outlets of said unloading conduits (35) so as each to receive a respective bottom shell (2) of said succession of equioriented bottom shells (2).

5. A unit as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said pocket conveyor (3) comprises a belt (5);

and a number of bushes (6) equally spaced along the belt (5); and

said drum (9) comprises, on its own lateral surface (9a), a first annular groove (12) defining a pulley about which said belt (5) is wound;

each bush (6) defining a respective pocket (6) of the pocket conveyor (3), and being located, on the drum (9), aligned with a respective unloading conduit (35).

6. A unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said seats are formed on a top surface (9b) of said drum (9);

and said supply means (10) comprise a hopper (10) facing said top surface (9b) of the drum (9);

said hopper (10) being carried by said drum (9) and angularly integral with the drum (9).

7. A unit as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said hopper (10) comprises a tank (14) facing said top surface (9b) of the drum (9);

and a number of sleeves (16), each extending from the bottom of the tank (14) towards a respective seat (13) on said drum (9);

each sleeve (16) forming internally a said succession of bottom shells (2) oriented coaxially with said second axis (A) and for supply to the corresponding seat (13) on the drum (9).

8. A unit as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that each said sleeve (16) extends coaxially with a respective said second axis (A), has an inlet (18) communicating with the inside of said tank (14), and an outlet (19) facing the corresponding seat (13), and has, at its own outlet (19), a closing device (20) for selectively closing said outlet (19) to prevent the bottom shells 82) from coming out.

9. A unit as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said hopper (10) comprises an actuating device (26) for moving each sleeve (16) axially between a lowered position wherein the outlet (19) of the sleeve (16) rests on the top surface (9b) of the drum (9) at the respective seat (13), and a raised position wherein the outlet (19) of the sleeve (16) is detached a given distance from the top surface (9b) of the drum (9).

10. A unit as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said actuating device (26) is a cam actuating device.

11. A unit as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that a second annular groove (41) is formed on the top surface (9b) of said drum (9), and intersects the seats (13) on the drum (9);

and said extracting means (40) comprise an ejecting pin (40) engaging in sliding manner said second annular groove (41) to successively eject the bottom shells (2) housed inside said seats (13).

12. A unit as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that said orienting assembly (4) comprises a suction inlet (42) facing the bushes (6) aligned with the unloading conduits (35) communicating with the seats (13) immediately downstream from the ejecting pin (40);

said suction inlet (42) accelerating the travel of the bottom shell (2) along the unloading conduit (35) to the bush (6) at the outlet of the unloading conduit (35).

13. A unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each unloading conduit (35) comprises a cylindrical end portion (35b) of a diameter approximately equal to but no smaller than the outside diameter of the bottom shells (2), and extending inside the drum (9), alongside the respective seat (13), and coaxially with a third axis (B) parallel to said second axis (A).

14. A unit as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that each unloading conduit (35) comprises a flared initial portion (35a) connecting said end portion (35b) to the corresponding seat (13);

said initial portion (35a) being substantially funnel-shaped.

15. A machine for producing medicinal capsules and comprising a unit (1) for orienting and supplying bottom shells as claimed in claim 1.