Capsule mass measuring device

Abstract

The present application provides a capsule quality measuring device (1) including a conveying roller (10) and a metering device (20) having a metering tray (30), the conveying roller (10) including: a plurality of protruding portions (12) protruding radially outward from a cylindrical main body portion (11) having a horizontal rotation axis (11a); and a plurality of receiving portions (13) formed between adjacent protruding portions (12) and receiving capsules in a length direction along the rotation axis (11a), the metering tray (30) being formed with a groove portion (32) having a V-shaped cross section for holding both width direction sides of the capsule, the metering tray (30) being configured such that the capsule received in the receiving portion (13) is fed to the groove portion (32) during a period from the lowest point to 45 degrees of rotation due to rotation of the conveying roller (10), and the capsule after quality measurement is discharged from the metering tray (30) by contacting the protruding portion (12) due to rotation of the conveying roller (10).

Description

[0001] This case is a divisional application of the patent application filed on March 11, 2021, with application number 202180022246.7, entitled "Capsule Mass Measurement Device". Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to a device for measuring the mass of capsules. Background Technology

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a structure for quality inspection of capsules, comprising: a receiving roller that collects and conveys a preparation such as capsules supplied from a conveying roller in a concave cavity; and a metering device that measures the mass of the capsules conveyed by the receiving roller. The metering device includes: a measuring dish that receives the capsules collected in the concave cavity of the receiving roller; and a spraying device that sprays compressed gas onto the measuring dish, wherein the capsules placed on the measuring dish are discharged to the outside by the gas spraying of the spraying device after weight measurement.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-135714 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] In the aforementioned metering device, a spraying device is required to discharge the capsules from the metering dish, which may lead to a complex structure. From the viewpoint of measuring the mass of the capsules at high speed, there is room for further improvement.

[0009] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a capsule quality inspection device that can quickly and reliably measure the quality of capsules using a simple structure.

[0010] Technical means to solve the problem

[0011] The above-mentioned objective of the present invention can be achieved by a capsule mass measuring device comprising: a conveying roller for conveying capsules; and a measuring device for measuring the mass of capsules supplied to a measuring dish (also called a measuring container) by intermittent drive of the conveying roller, the conveying roller comprising: a plurality of protrusions extending radially outward from a cylindrical body having a horizontal axis of rotation; and a plurality of receiving portions formed between adjacent protrusions for receiving capsules in a longitudinal direction along the axis of rotation, wherein the measuring dish has grooves with V-shaped cross-sections for holding the capsules on both sides in the width direction, the measuring dish being configured such that capsules received in the receiving portions are supplied to the grooves during a period from passing the lowest point to rotating 45 degrees due to the rotation of the conveying roller, and the capsules after mass measurement are discharged from the measuring dish by contacting the protrusions due to the rotation of the conveying roller.

[0012] In this capsule mass measuring device, it is preferable that the measuring dish has a notch formed on at least one side of the groove in the width direction for the front end of the protrusion to pass through. Preferably, the protrusion is formed such that its width is less than the length of the capsule in the length direction.

[0013] Preferably, the V-shape of the groove has an angle of 70 to 110 degrees.

[0014] Preferably, the measuring dish includes a pair of holding portions erected on both sides of the length direction of the groove.

[0015] Invention Effects

[0016] The capsule quality measuring device of the present invention enables rapid and reliable measurement of capsule quality using a simple structure. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a capsule mass measuring device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 It means Figure 1 A plan view of the main parts of the capsule mass measuring device shown.

[0019] Figure 3 It means Figure 1 Enlarged view of the other main parts of the capsule's mass measuring device shown.

[0020] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 AA section diagram. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a capsule mass measuring device (hereinafter referred to only as "mass measuring device") according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 As shown, the mass measuring device 1 includes a conveyor roller 10 that intermittently conveys capsules 100 supplied from the supply device 50, and a measuring device 20 that measures the mass of the capsules 100 conveyed by the conveyor roller 10. The capsule 100 is a hard capsule comprising a capsule body and a capsule cap, capable of containing powdered or liquid pharmaceuticals, food, etc., by inserting the capsule cap externally into the capsule body. The capsule 100 can be in a state containing contents or in an empty state without containing contents.

[0022] The conveying roller 10 includes a cylindrical main body 11 with a horizontal rotation shaft 11a, a plurality of protrusions 12 that radiate radially outward from the main body 11, and a plurality of receiving portions 13 formed between adjacent protrusions 12 for receiving capsules 100. The spacing between adjacent protrusions 12 is approximately the same as the diameter of capsules 100, and the bottom of the receiving portion 13 is formed into an arc-shaped cross-section with a diameter approximately the same as that of capsules 100.

[0023] The supply device 50 includes a direction-limiting roller 300, which directionally limits the capsules 100 supplied from the supply hopper (not shown) in the direction of arrow X. Multiple cavities 310 are formed at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the direction-limiting roller 300. The capsules 100 are housed in each cavity 310 while remaining upright from the supply hopper (not shown), with a portion of the capsules 100 protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the direction-limiting roller 300. The capsules 100 housed in the cavities 310 are abutted against the direction-limiting member 320 by the intermittent driving action of the direction-limiting roller 300 in the direction of arrow, thus directionally limiting them and placing them in a lying position within the cavity 310, before being supplied to the receiving portion 13 of the conveying roller 10. If the capsules 100 can be made to lie flat when supplied from the supply hopper (not shown) to the conveying roller 40, a structure without the direction-limiting roller 300 may also be used.

[0024] The capsule 100 stored in the storage section 13 is conveyed along the arc-shaped guide member 40 in the direction of the arrow and supplied to the metering device 20. Figure 2 This is a plan view (top view) showing the vicinity of one end 41 of the guide component 40. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the guide member 40 is configured such that one end 41 is approximately horizontal at a height approximately the same as the center of the conveyor roller 10, and a notch-shaped conveying recess 42 is formed on its arc-shaped inner circumferential side. The conveying recess 42 guides the capsule 100 along the bottom wall 45 between a pair of sidewalls 43, 44. At the center of the bottom wall 45, a notch-shaped relief portion (also called a "relief portion") 46 is formed along the conveying direction of the capsule 100. The front end of the protrusion 12 of the conveyor roller 11, shown by a dashed line, moves along the relief portion 46, and the capsule 100 is pushed by the protrusion 12 and conveyed within the conveying recess 42.

[0025] The measuring device 20 includes a measuring dish 30 mounted on a dish mounting section of a built-in measuring mechanism, for measuring the mass of a capsule 100 placed on the measuring dish 30. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the measuring dish 30 is positioned near the other end 47 of the guide member 40, such that the capsule 100 housed in the receiving portion 13 of the conveyor roller 10, which rotates about the horizontal rotation axis 11a, can be supplied to the measuring dish 30 during the period from its lowest point to when it rotates 45 degrees about the rotation axis 11a. That is, the angle α formed by the straight line connecting the center of the conveyor roller 10 and the center of the capsule supplied to the measuring dish 30, and the vertical direction, is typically set to be greater than 0 degrees and less than 45 degrees. This angle α is preferably 10 to 30 degrees.

[0026] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 An enlarged view of the measuring dish 30 shown. Figure 4 yes Figure 3 AA section diagram. (See diagram below.) Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the measuring dish 30 has a V-shaped groove 32 formed on the upper part of the block-shaped dish body 31. The supplied capsule 100 is held in place by its two sides in the width direction abutting against the groove 32. A pair of holding parts 33 and 34 are erected on both sides of the groove 32 in the length direction. The ends of the capsule 100 in the length direction can abut against the holding parts 33 and 34, thereby reliably holding the capsule 100 in the groove 32.

[0027] like Figure 3 As shown, notches 35 and 36 are formed on both sides of the groove 32 of the measuring dish 30 in the width direction, respectively, for the front ends of the protrusions 12 that are intermittently driven in the direction of arrow B to pass through. The capsule 100, after mass measurement, contacts the protrusion 12 after passing through the notch 35 and is thus lifted up. In this way, the capsule 100 can be discharged from the groove 32 without excessive load, as shown by arrow C. Figure 4As shown, the width of the protrusion 12 along the length direction of the groove 32 is formed to be shorter than the length of the supplied capsule 100 in the length direction. The protrusion 12 contacts the center of the capsule 100 in the length direction, thereby enabling the capsule 100 to be reliably discharged from the groove 32.

[0028] Figure 3 While the angle β of the V-shape of the groove 32 shown does not need to be limited, it is preferably as small as possible within a range that will not place an excessive load on the capsule 100 during discharge. This shortens the time required for the capsule 100 supplied to the groove 32 to reach a stationary position, allowing for rapid mass measurement of the capsule 100. Specifically, if the angle β is too large, the time required for the capsule 100 supplied to the groove 32 to reach a stationary position and for measurement to be performed becomes longer; conversely, if it is too small, the capsule 100 and the measuring device 20 may be subjected to excessive load and damage during discharge. Therefore, a range of 70 to 110 degrees is preferred. The angle β can also be set based on the angle α described above. Specifically, it is preferable to set the angles α and β (in degrees) in such a way that they satisfy the relationship 130 > β > 130 - 2α. In this case, it is even more preferable that the angles α and β, in addition to satisfying the above relationship, further satisfy 30 > α > 10 and 110 > β > 70.

[0029] In this embodiment, notches 35 and 36 are formed on both sides of the groove 32 in the width direction. However, since the protrusion 12 moves obliquely upward in a manner that lifts up the capsule 100, it is also possible to form notches 35 only on the side upstream of the moving direction of the protrusion 12 in the width direction of the groove 32.

[0030] Alternatively, if there is no possibility of damage to the capsule 100 and the metering device 20, the notches 35 and 36 can be omitted, and the front end of the protrusion 12 can be made to contact the portion of the capsule 100 exposed above the groove 32 to discharge the capsule 100 from the groove 32. In this case, the shape and size of the protrusion 12 are not particularly limited; for example, the protrusion can also be a spacer between a plurality of receiving portions formed by cavities circumferentially formed on the outer peripheral surface of the conveying roller 10.

[0031] Figure 1 The structure of the supply device 50 shown is not particularly limited. For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 above, the capsules fed into the hopper can be vacuum-adsorbed onto the outer peripheral surface of the adsorption roller and supplied to the conveying roller 10. Alternatively, an appearance inspection device can be provided that uses a camera to photograph the capsules conveyed by the appearance inspection roller, and the appearance-inspected capsules can be supplied from the appearance inspection roller to the conveying roller 10 via the direction limiting roller 300.

[0032] After being weighed by the metering device 20, the capsule 100 is discharged to the outside along the discharge chute 60. The aforementioned appearance inspection device can also be installed downstream of the metering device 20 in the conveying direction, and can supply the capsules discharged from the metering dish 30 to the appearance inspection roller for appearance inspection.

[0033] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0034] 1. Capsule mass measuring device

[0035] 10 Conveyor Rollers

[0036] 11 Main Body

[0037] 12 Protrusions

[0038] 13 Storage Department

[0039] 20 Metering devices

[0040] 30 Measuring dishes

[0041] 32. Groove

[0042] 33, 34 Maintaining section

[0043] 35, 36. Notch section.

Claims

1. A capsule mass measuring device, characterized in that, include: Conveyor rollers used to transport capsules; And a measuring device for measuring the mass of capsules supplied to a measuring dish by the intermittent drive of the conveying rollers. The conveying roller includes a plurality of protrusions that radiate outward from a cylindrical body portion having a horizontal axis of rotation. and a plurality of storage portions formed between adjacent protrusions, which house the capsule in a manner that accommodates it along the axis of rotation in the longitudinal direction. The capsule housed in the receiving section is conveyed along an arc-shaped guide member and supplied to the metering device. The guide member has a notch-shaped conveying recess on its inner circumferential side. The conveying recess guides the capsule along the bottom wall between a pair of sidewalls. In the center of the bottom wall, a notch-shaped relief portion is formed along the conveying direction of the capsule. The front end of the protrusion of the conveying roller moves along the relief portion, and the capsule is pushed by the protrusion and conveyed within the conveying recess. The measuring dish has V-shaped grooves on both sides in the width direction to hold the capsules. The measuring dish is configured such that the capsules housed in the housing are fed into the grooves during the period from the lowest point to a 45-degree rotation as the conveyor roller rotates. In the measuring vessel, a notch is formed on at least one side of the groove in the width direction for the front end of the protrusion to pass through. The groove is formed such that its length direction is parallel to the rotation axis. After mass measurement, the capsule comes into contact with the protrusion after passing through the notch due to the rotation of the conveying roller, and is thus discharged from the measuring dish. The width of the protrusion along the length direction of the groove is shorter than the length of the capsule along the length direction, so that when the capsule is discharged from the groove, the protrusion contacts the center of the capsule along the length direction.

2. The capsule mass measuring device as described in claim 1, wherein, The V-shape of the groove has an angle of 70 to 110 degrees.

3. The capsule mass measuring device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The measuring dish includes a pair of holding portions erected on both sides of the length direction of the groove.

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