Device for applying a banding liquid to capsules

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10) for applying a banding liquid to capsules, comprising a trough for storing the banding liquid, a roller which is driven by a rotary drive and which is partially immersed in the banding liquid, and a conveying device (26) for conveying capsules to be banded, wherein the conveying device has a boundary facing the trough, wherein the trough and the roller are arranged on a common support, and the common support is movable by means of a drive device controlled by a control device along an axis of movement of the support between a position of use in which the roller transfers the banding liquid from the roller to the capsules to be banded, and a position deviating from the position of use in which the roller is spaced further away from the capsules to be banded,that no banding fluid can be transferred from the roller to the capsules to be banded.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for applying a banding liquid to capsules, comprising a tank for storing the banding liquid, a roller driven by a rotary drive and partially immersed in the banding liquid, and a conveyor device for conveying capsules to be banded, wherein the conveyor device has a boundary facing the tank. Such a device is known, for example, from EP 0 154 966 A2.

[0002] Capsule banding involves rotating rollers immersed in a bath of banding fluid. The banding fluid typically has a high viscosity and adheres to the rotating rollers, allowing the banding fluid to be transferred from the tank to the capsules via the rollers and applied there.

[0003] The contents of the capsules can be, in particular, medicines or dietary supplements, with the capsules being provided, for example, as gelatin capsules or as hard capsules made of gelatin and cellulose. The banding fluid serves to seal the capsules to protect the contents from external influences and – in the case of liquid contents – from leakage. Furthermore, the seal serves as protection against tampering through unauthorized opening of a capsule.

[0004] It is possible that the banding fluid contains a solvent that serves to create a bond between the outer surface of a capsule and the banding fluid. Since capsule production and banding typically takes place in very high volumes and at very high speeds, reliable banding of capsules is of utmost importance.

[0005] Due to the large number of capsules that have to be banded in the shortest possible time, it is common practice to handle and convey the capsules automatically and at high speed. Unsealed capsules are fed to a conveying device, such as a conveyor belt, and provided with banding liquid during transport. In the downward direction of transport, the freshly banded capsules are dried along a drying section. Even with very careful adjustment and maintenance of a device for applying banding liquid, it is possible that malfunctions may occur during the handling and conveying of the capsules. If the capsules come to a standstill along their transport path, the problem may arise that individual capsules are exposed to too high a quantity of banding liquid and / or that banded capsules are not fed to a drying section quickly enough.These potential problems mean that in the event of an interruption in operation, it may be necessary to discard an entire production batch of capsules and then restart the device with fresh capsules.

[0006] Based on this, the present invention is based on the object of providing a device which enables a simple interruption and resumption of a banding process.

[0007] This object is achieved according to the invention in a device of the type mentioned at the outset in that the trough and the roller are arranged on a common carrier and the common carrier is movable along a movement axis of the carrier by means of a drive device controlled by a control device between a use position in which the roller transfers the banding liquid from the roller to capsules to be banded, and a position deviating from the use position in which the roller is spaced so far from the capsules to be banded that no banding liquid can be transferred from the roller to capsules to be banded.

[0008] The device according to the invention comprises a carrier on which both the tank containing banding fluid and the roller are arranged, wherein the carrier is automated and movable along a movement axis of the carrier with the aid of a control device and a drive device. The carrier is movable at least into one use position in which the roller transfers the banding fluid from the roller to a capsule to be banded, whereby an upper section of the roller in the use position and relative to the direction of gravity contacts a capsule to be banded with banding fluid. Furthermore, the carrier is movable into a position deviating from the use position in which the roller is spaced so far from the capsules to be banded that no banding fluid can be transferred from the roller to a capsule to be banded.

[0009] The state in which the carrier assumes a position deviating from the use position can be brought about in a very short time by means of the control device and the drive device, in particular without manual handling of the carrier by personnel. However, it is possible for the movement of the carrier from the use position to the deviating position to be triggered manually, for example, by pressing an emergency button. It is also conceivable to trigger the movement of the carrier with the assistance of sensors that detect an operating state of the device, in particular a disruption in the transport of the capsules to be banded.

[0010] The device according to the invention makes it possible, in particular, to avoid excessive contact time between a capsule and a banding fluid. This prevents damage and potential softening of the capsule. This also prevents unwanted leakage of the contents of a capsule, resulting in contamination of parts of the device and the spread of banding fluid.

[0011] The arrangement of both the tank containing banding fluid and the roller on the common carrier makes it possible to maintain the depth to which the roller is immersed in the banding fluid, regardless of the position of the carrier along the carrier's movement axis. This makes it possible to interrupt a production process only briefly, if necessary, and then return the carrier to its use position, allowing processing of an ongoing batch of capsules to be banded to resume.

[0012] It is particularly preferred if the control device and the drive device are configured to move the carrier into a service position in which a free space is formed between the boundary of the conveyor device and the roller. This makes it possible—while maintaining the immersion depth of the roller in the banding liquid—to provide a space that allows access to the rollers from above and the conveyor device from below, for example, for a longer downtime during maintenance of the roller, the tank, and / or the conveyor device.

[0013] Maintenance work that needs to be performed in the carrier's service position can be carried out even more easily if the carrier can be moved along a service axis that runs perpendicular to the carrier's movement axis. For example, such a service axis runs horizontally. This can be provided, for example, by a horizontal carriage guide on the carrier, so that the carrier, including the tray and roller, can be arranged laterally offset relative to the conveyor system.

[0014] It is particularly preferred if the control device and the drive device are configured to move the carrier into an intermediate position, in which the carrier is arranged between the use position and the service position, as seen along the carrier's movement axis. This intermediate position allows the roller to be arranged at a short distance from the capsules to be banded without transferring banding fluid to the capsules to be banded.

[0015] In particular, it is preferred that the intermediate position be accompanied by the roller projecting beyond the edge of the conveyor device, as seen along the movement axis in the direction of the capsules to be banded. Thus, the roller with the banding fluid remains in close proximity to the capsules to be banded, but without any banding fluid being applied. From this intermediate position, the carrier can be very quickly returned to the use position, so that an interrupted banding process can be quickly resumed.

[0016] A further preferred embodiment provides that the control device also serves to control the rotary drive of the roller. This makes it possible to control the rotary drive of the roller depending on the position of the carrier along the movement axis of the carrier.

[0017] In particular, it is preferred if the control device is configured to activate the rotary drive of the roller in the use position of the carrier and in one or the intermediate position of the carrier. In this way, a rotary drive of the roller can be maintained even when the carrier is in a position deviating from the use position, namely in particular when the carrier is in an intermediate position as explained above, in which the roller is arranged adjacent to the capsules to be banded, but no transfer of banding fluid occurs.

[0018] It is further preferred if the control device is configured to deactivate the rotary drive of the roller in one or the service position of the carrier. Such deactivation is advantageous in the event of a deliberate, extended interruption of a banding process, particularly for maintenance or cleaning of the tank or roller.

[0019] The drive device preferably comprises an actuator for generating a drive movement. Such an actuator can be actuated, in particular, electrically, pneumatically, or hydraulically.

[0020] It is possible to detect the movement of the carrier along the carrier's movement axis, for example, using position sensors, which are preferably assigned to at least one of the following positions: use position, position deviating from the use position, intermediate position, or service position. This makes it possible to superimpose a closed-loop control on the controlled movement of the carrier, enabling particularly reliable positioning of the carrier.

[0021] It is also possible for the drive movement of an actuator to be directly converted into a movement of the support. For example, the use of a double-sided lifting cylinder that raises and lowers the support along the movement axis is conceivable. However, it is also possible for the drive movement to be translated into a movement of the support along the support's movement axis by means of a gear.

[0022] A particularly preferred gear mechanism is a link gear mechanism. This type of mechanism allows the use of a simple actuator and reliably and accurately translates the movement of the carrier.

[0023] A further advantage of a link gear is the ability to variably translate the drive movement of an actuator into a movement of the carrier. It is particularly preferred that the gear has gear sections with different gear ratios.

[0024] For example, the transmission has a first transmission section which is associated with a movement of the carrier between the use position and one or the intermediate position.

[0025] It is also possible for the transmission to have a second transmission section which is associated with a movement of the carrier between one or the service position and one or the intermediate position.

[0026] It is particularly preferred that a uniform drive movement of an actuator is translated into a slower movement of the carrier via the first drive section and into a faster movement of the carrier via the second drive section. The slower movement serves to be able to control the movement of the carrier so precisely that the carrier can be moved reliably and accurately between the use position and an intermediate position slightly spaced from the use position. The faster movement of the carrier towards a service position and out of the service position serves to be able to provide a comparatively large stroke of the carrier with an otherwise uniform drive movement of the actuator, in particular to provide a sufficiently large intermediate gap.

[0027] Further features and advantages of the invention are the subject of the following description and the drawing of an embodiment.

[0028] The drawing shows Fig. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of a device for applying a banding liquid to capsules; Fig. 2 one in Fig. 1 section marked II in an enlarged view, in a service position of a carrier for a tub and a roller; Fig. 3 one of the Fig. 2 corresponding representation, in a use position of the wearer; and Fig. 4 one of the Fig. 2 corresponding representation, in an intermediate position of the carrier.

[0029] A device for applying a banding liquid to capsules is described in Fig. 1 is designated overall by the reference numeral 10. The device 10 comprises a housing 12, which serves to accommodate a feed unit 14 for capsules to be banded, a banding unit 16, and a drying unit 18. Supplied, banded, and dried capsules can be removed from a dispensing opening 20.

[0030] The feed device 14 comprises a chute 22 for storing capsules to be banded. These are transported via transport wheels 24 to a conveyor device 26, in particular a belt-shaped conveyor device. The conveyor device 26 is also shown in detail in the Fig. 2 to 4 and comprises, in a manner known per se, a plurality of capsule carriers 29 movable along a support 27 of the conveyor device 26 (only in Fig. 2), so that the capsules are arranged individually and evenly distributed on the support 27 and can roll off the support 27.

[0031] Following banding, capsules are transferred to the drying section 18 in the form of a conveyor system, in which banded capsules to be dried are guided along a plurality of transport carriers 28. The transport carriers 28 move parallel to a chain drive, which has known deflection rollers 30.

[0032] The banding unit 16 is in the Fig. 2 to 4 are shown in more detail. Banding unit 16 has a drive device 32 which generates a drive movement along a particularly horizontal drive axis 34. The movement along the drive axis 34 is translated by means of a gear 36 into a movement of a carrier 38 along a movement axis 40. In this way, the carrier 38 can be moved between a service position (see Fig. 2), a usage position (compare Fig. 3) and an intermediate position (compare Fig. 4) be moved.

[0033] The carrier comprises a carrier plate 42, which serves to accommodate at least one tray 44 in which banding fluid 46 is stored. Optionally, a second tray 48 is arranged on the carrier 38, which is also filled with a banding fluid 50.

[0034] The banding unit 16 further comprises at least one roller 52, 54, which is driven for rotation about a respective rotational axis 56, 58. The at least one rotational axis 56, 58 is stationary relative to the support 38. A rotary drive, known per se and therefore not shown in the drawing, is also attached to the support 38.

[0035] The at least one roller 52, 54 is preferably an arrangement with a plurality of mutually parallel discs, which are immersed with a lower section relative to the direction of gravity into the respective banding liquid 46, 50. By rotating these discs of the rollers 52, 54, the banding liquid 46, 50 is carried upwards relative to the direction of gravity and provided to capsules 60 to be banded, see Fig. 3.

[0036] The conveyor device 26 conveys the capsules 60 to be banded along a transport direction 62, wherein the capsules 60 to be banded roll on the support 27 and rotate in a capsule rotation direction 64. The capsule rotation direction 64 is determined such that the capsules 60 to be banded have a rotation direction on their side facing away from the banding unit 16 (i.e., the upper side) that is parallel to the transport direction 62. In a region of the capsules facing the rotating rollers 52, 54, the capsule rotation direction 64 and an application rotation direction 65 of the rollers 52 and 54 run in the same direction, i.e., opposite to the transport direction 62.

[0037] The conveyor device 26 has a boundary 66 facing the banding unit. This boundary is formed, for example, by a lower boundary of the support 27. In the service position (see Fig. 2) A gap 68 is formed between the rollers 52 and 54 and the boundary 66 of the conveyor device 26, which gap allows maintenance of the banding unit 16 from above and maintenance of the conveyor device 26 from below. Such maintenance can be supported by the banding unit 16 being movable along a preferably horizontal service axis 70, for example by providing a corresponding slide guide or drawer.

[0038] In the use position of the carrier 38, it is arranged so high that the rollers 52, 54 with the banding liquid 46, 50 taken from the tub 44, 48 touch the capsules 60 to be banded and transfer the banding liquid 46, 50 to the capsules 60 to be banded.

[0039] The carrier 38 is movable along the movement axis 40 into at least one position in which the carrier has at least one position corresponding to the use position according to Fig. 3 takes a different position. This may be - only to maintain the service position according to Fig. 2, or - only an intermediate position according to Fig. 4, or - both the service position according to Fig. 2 and the intermediate position according to Fig. 4act.

[0040] In the intermediate position according to Fig. 4, the rollers 52, 54 are spaced so far from the capsules 60 to be banded that a transfer of banding fluid 46, 50 is no longer possible. The rollers 52, 54 are arranged directly adjacent to the capsules 60 to be banded, preferably such that the uppermost sections 71, 72 of the rollers 52, 54, as seen along the movement axis 40, are still located above the boundary 66 of the conveyor device 26.

[0041] The drive device 32 has, for example, an electrical actuator 74 which is controlled by a control device 76.

[0042] The gear 36 is designed, for example, as a slotted gear, which has a slotted guide 78 with preferably several gear sections. A first gear section 80 has a low pitch; a second gear section 82 following the first gear section has a higher pitch. A slotted gear 84 is guided in the slotted guide 78 and is rotatably mounted on a holder 86. The holder 86 is connected to the carrier 38.

[0043] The first gear section 80 is associated with a movement of the carrier 38 between the use position and the intermediate position; the second gear section 82 is associated with a movement of the carrier 38 between the intermediate position and the service position. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] EP 0 154 966 A2

[0001]

Claims

[1] Device (10) for applying a banding liquid (46) to capsules (60), comprising: - a tray (44) for storing the banding liquid (46), - a roller (52) which is driven by a rotary drive and which is partially immersed in the banding liquid (46) and - a conveyor device (26) for conveying capsules (60) to be banded, wherein the conveyor device (26) has a boundary (66) facing the trough (44), characterized by , that - the trough (44) and the roller (52) are arranged on a common support (38) and - the common carrier (38) is movable by means of a drive device (32) controlled by a control device (76) along a movement axis (40) of the carrier (38) between a use position in which the roller (52) transfers the banding liquid (46) from the roller (52) to capsules (60) to be banded, and a position deviating from the use position in which the roller (52) is spaced so far from the capsules (60) to be banded that no banding liquid (46) can be transferred from the roller (52) to capsules (60) to be banded. [2] Device (10) according to claim 1, characterized by that the control device (76) and the drive device (32) are arranged to move the carrier (38) into a service position in which a free space (68) is formed between the boundary (66) of the conveyor device (26) and the roller (52). [3] Device (10) according to claim 2, characterized bythat the control device (76) and the drive device (32) are arranged to move the carrier (38) into an intermediate position in which the carrier (38) is arranged between the use position and the service position, viewed along the movement axis (40) of the carrier (38). [4] Device (10) according to claim 3, characterized by that the intermediate position of the carrier (38) is accompanied by the roller (52) projecting beyond the boundary (66) of the conveyor device (26) along the movement axis (40) in the direction of the capsules (60) to be banded. [5] Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the control device (76) also serves to control the rotary drive of the roller (52). [6] Device (10) according to claim 5, characterized bythat the control device (76) is designed to activate the rotary drive of the roller (52) in the use position of the carrier (38) and in one or the intermediate position of the carrier (38). [7] Device (10) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized by that the control device (76) is designed to deactivate the rotary drive of the roller (52) in one or the service position of the carrier (38). [8] Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the drive device (32) comprises an actuator (74) for generating a drive movement. [9] Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the drive movement is translated by means of a gear (36) to a movement of the carrier (38) along the movement axis (40) of the carrier (38). [10] Device (10) according to claim 9, characterized by that the gear (36) is a link gear. [11] Device (10) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized by that the transmission (36) has transmission sections (80, 82) with different gear ratios. [12] Device (10) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized by that the transmission (36) has a first transmission section (80) which is associated with a movement of the carrier (38) between the use position and one or the intermediate position. [13] Device (10) according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized by that the transmission has a second transmission section (82) which is associated with a movement of the carrier (38) between one or the service position and one or the intermediate position. [14] Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the carrier (38) is movable along a service axis (70) which runs perpendicular to the movement axis (40) of the carrier (36).

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