Tablet filling device

• US 8,099,928 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2007
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yuyama Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yuyama Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Yuyama, Shoji
• Primary Examiner(s): HARMON, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US12/302,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20090139189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,713 Days
• Field of Search: 532/81, 531/68, 532/37, 53/55, 531/315, 531/54, 531/71, 535/05, 532/38, 53/53, 535/06, 533/19, 532/845
• US Class Current: 53/237
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

A tablet filling device that allows the device to be smaller since a driving range of an arm for holding vials is greatly decreased includes: a tablet supply unit 16; a first vial delivery arm unit 17; and a second vial delivery arm unit 18. The tablet supply unit 16 supplies tablets accommodated in a tablet feeder 21 provided at an outer periphery of a drum 101 as prescribed. The first vial delivery arm unit 17 has an arm 202. The arm 202 is movably mounted in a horizontal direction and may even be lifted in a vertical direction. The first delivery arm unit 17 receives vials 4 at a horizontal first position, accommodates the tablets discharged from the tablet feeder 21 into the vials 4 at a second position and delivers the vials 4 at a third position. The second vial delivery arm unit 18 has an arm 302. The arm 302 is movably mounted in the horizontal direction and may be lifted in the vertical direction. The second vial delivery arm unit 18 receives the vials 4 from the first vial delivery arm unit 17 at the horizontal first position, delivers the vials 4 to a capping unit 20 at the second position and discharges the vials 4 at the third position.

Claims

1. A tablet filling device, comprising:

a tablet supply unit having a plurality of tablet feeders removably disposed at an outer periphery of a drum, the drum being rotatably supported at upper and lower ends of the tablet supply unit, each of the tablet feeders having a rotor configured to rotate to discharge tablets accommodated in the tablet feeder, the tablet supply unit being configured to supply the tablets accommodated in each of the tablet feeders as prescribed;

a first vial delivery arm unit having an arm for holding vials and a driving shaft configured to rotate the rotor, the arm being movable in horizontal and vertical directions, the first vial delivery arm unit being configured to receive the vials using the arm at a first position in the horizontal direction, accommodate the tablets discharged from each of the tablet feeders in the vials at a second position by coupling the driving shaft to the rotor and rotating the rotor and deliver the vials at a third position; and

a second vial delivery arm unit having an arm for holding the vials, the arm being movable in the horizontal and vertical directions, the second vial delivery arm unit being configured to receive the vials from the first vial delivery arm unit using the arm at a receiving position and discharge the vials at a discharging position.

2. The tablet filling device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of tablet supply units are disposed adjacent to each other and the first vial delivery arm unit is located among the tablet supply units, and wherein the tablets discharged from the tablet feeders are accommodated in the vials of the first vial delivery arm unit.

3. The tablet filling device of claim 2, wherein the second vial delivery arm unit is located among the tablet supply units.

4. The tablet filling device of claim 1, wherein the second vial delivery arm unit transfers the vials to a capping section at a capping position between the receiving position and the discharging position.

5. The tablet filling device of claim 4, wherein a plurality of tablet supply units are disposed adjacent to each other and the first vial delivery arm unit is located among the tablet supply units, and wherein the tablets discharged from the tablet feeders are accommodated in the vials of the first vial delivery arm unit.

6. The tablet filling device of claim 5, wherein the second vial delivery arm unit is located among the tablet supply units.