Device and method for dedusting tablets or capsules

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for dedusting tablets or capsules produced in a production machine, comprising a product inlet and a first surface receiving tablets or capsules fed via the product inlet and designed to convey fed tablets or capsules to a product outlet of the device. An ultrasonic device is coupled to the first surface, which excites the first surface to ultrasonic vibrations, and a separating device is provided, which feeds dust released from the tablets or capsules by the ultrasonic vibrations to a dust outlet of the device, which is separate from the product outlet. The invention also relates to a corresponding method.

Description

The invention relates to an apparatus for removing dust from tablets or capsules produced in a production machine, comprising a product inlet and a first surface which receives tablets or capsules supplied via the product inlet and is designed to convey supplied tablets or capsules to a product outlet of the apparatus. The invention also relates to a method for removing dust from tablets or capsules produced in a production machine.Tablets or capsules produced in production machines, such as rotary tablet presses or capsule filling machines, frequently have residues of product dust on their surface after their production. This product dust must be removed as completely as possible from the tablets or capsules before further processing, in particular packaging. For removing powder residues adhering to tablets or capsules, dust removers are known, for example (screen) drum dust removers, vibration dust removers or upward dust removers.The dust removers mentioned for removing dust from tablets or capsules can remove adhering dust to a certain extent according to their specific properties, their design and their functionality. However, this produces different secondary effects which can have a negative effect on the tablets or capsules, the method or the production machine including their interfaces and periphery.Examples which may be mentioned are undesired physical influence on the tablet or capsule (stress) in the case of a drum dust collector, a considerable space requirement or installation space in the process space in the case of an upward dust collector, a relatively low transport capacity and complexity of the cleaning owing to many individual parts, for example in the case of the upward dust collector, and a considerable outlay in terms of maintenance, costs and energy requirements. In addition, media required for the dust extraction process in the prior art and the processing thereof can cause further considerable costs.Starting from the state of the art explained, the object of the invention is therefore to provide a device and a method of the type mentioned at the beginning, with which an undesired physical influence on the tablets or capsules is avoided, and a high dust removal capacity and a high throughput are achieved with little effort.The invention achieves the object by the independent claims 1 and 18.For an apparatus of the type mentioned at the beginning, the invention achieves the object in that an ultrasonic device is coupled to the first surface, which device excites the first surface to ultrasonic oscillations, and in that a separating device is provided, which supplies dust, dissolved by the ultrasonic oscillations from the tablets or capsules, to a dust outlet of the apparatus, which dust outlet is separated from the product outlet.For a method of the type mentioned at the beginning, the invention achieves the object by the steps:• tablets or capsules produced in a production machine are supplied via a product inlet to a first surface which conveys the tablets or capsules to a product outlet,• While the tablets or capsules are conveyed via the first surface to the product outlet, the first surface is excited to ultrasonic oscillations, so that dust is released from the tablets or capsules by the ultrasonic oscillations,• The dust detached from the tablets or capsules is supplied to a dust outlet separated from the product outlet.According to the invention, the tablets or capsules to be dedusted are fed to a first surface via a product inlet. The product inlet can be directly or indirectly connectable to a machine outlet of the production machine. The tablets or capsules to be dedusted are conveyed via the first surface to a product outlet of the device. During this conveyance, the tablets or capsules are freed from dust particles adhering to their surface. For this purpose, an ultrasonic device coupled to the first surface is provided. The first surface is excited by the ultrasonic device to produce ultrasonic vibrations which are correspondingly transmitted to the tablets or capsules located on the first surface.By the ultrasonic vibrations transmitted to the tablets or capsules, dust particles adhering to the surfaces of the tablets or capsules are detached from the tablets or capsules. This makes use of the fact that the ultrasonic vibrations transmitted from the first surface to the tablets or capsules excite the tablets or capsules on the one hand and dust-like product residues on the other hand to differently oscillate and thereby separate from one another. In particular, the particles separated from the tablets or capsules due to their different geometric configuration and mass change their local position, rise up, for example, whereby the physical separation is further advanced. Naturally, in addition to the first surface, other components of the device, for example wall sections, frames, further surfaces or the like, can also be excited to produce ultrasonic oscillations, so that corresponding product residues can also be released from such further components.A separating device is provided which supplies dust particles detached from the tablets or capsules by the ultrasonic vibrations to a dust outlet separated from the product outlet. As a result, the tablets or capsules freed of dust pass into the product outlet, while the detached dust is fed to the separate dust outlet and can be disposed of via the latter. The tablets or capsules removed through the product outlet are effectively dedusted and can be supplied to their further processing, for example inspection, coating and / or packaging.The invention realizes a number of advantages over the prior art. Firstly, the apparatus or method according to the invention exerts a significantly lower physical influence (stress) on the tablets or capsules to be dedusted. At the same time, the excitation according to the invention to ultrasonic oscillations and the separation of the dust particles from the tablets or capsules effected as a result, considerably increased dust removal performance is achieved, it also being possible for very small dust particles to be released from the tablets or capsules. At the same time, the space requirement of the device according to the invention is small and the device can be positioned flexibly on or in the vicinity of a production machine or else completely separately therefrom. A flexible adjustment and expansion of the apparatus or of the method is also possible in order to meet different dust removal requirements. Compared to the prior art, a higher throughput or a higher transport capacity can be achieved. Undesirable interaction with the overall system comprising a production machine including its periphery is small. The dust removal on a surface ensures simple cleaning and a low outlay on assembly and dismantling. At the same time, the manufacturing costs are low and the energy and maintenance effort are reduced.The first surface can be a partially or completely closed surface. The first surface can be a planar surface or a curved surface, for example a cylinder jacket surface. Steels, preferably stainless steels, are suitable as the material for the first surface, in particular with regard to cleanability and food compliance. Plastics are also suitable as material for the first surface.The first surface can be surrounded by at least one frame so that the tablets or capsules cannot fall off the first surface and thus the targeted delivery to the product outlet is ensured. The product outlet may be arranged opposite the product inlet, in particular at opposite ends of the first surface. The first surface and optionally further provided surfaces can be rigidly installed or replaceable on the device in order to increase flexibility with regard to different applications, in particular different tablet or capsule sizes, dust loading, product properties (tacky products, statically charged products). The first surface and optionally further surfaces, and also basically all components of the device, can be enclosed by at least one housing, in particular in order to prevent an undesired escape of dust particles into the environment.The device can be designed as a "stand-alone" device. It can also be designed to be partially integrated or fully integrated into the production machine, for example by the product inlet being connected directly to a tablet or capsule outlet of the production machine or even the tablet or capsule outlet being used as product inlet of the device. The tablets or capsules to be dedusted can thus be supplied directly or indirectly, for example via peripheral devices such as vacuum conveyors, compressed air conveyors or the like, to the product inlet of the apparatus. If at least one further surface is provided next to the first surface, the tablets or capsules conveyed over the first surface can be transferred to the at least one further surface at a transfer point. During the conveying over the first surface and, if appropriate, over further surfaces, the dust removal takes place by the excited ultrasonic oscillations.According to a particularly practical embodiment, the ultrasonic device can comprise an ultrasonic generator and an ultrasonic transducer connected to the ultrasonic generator, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is coupled directly or indirectly to the first surface via an ultrasonic conductor. In this embodiment, at least one ultrasonic transducer is thus coupled to the first surface. This can be done directly or indirectly, via an ultrasonic conductor, such as a surface acoustic conductor. A surface acoustic conductor is particularly suitable if the first surface is formed in the shape of a screen or with holes, as will be explained in the following. The surface acoustic conductor is then connected at different positions to the sieve-shaped or holed first surface. The ultrasonic transducer transmits the ultrasonic vibrations, if appropriate, via the ultrasonic conductor to the first surface and via the first surface to the tablets or capsules to be cleaned located thereon. If the first surface is bounded by a frame or a housing, the frame and / or the housing can be vibration-decoupled from the ultrasonic transducer in order to avoid undesired ultrasonic influencing. The ultrasonic transducer is connected in the usual manner to the ultrasonic generator, for example via corresponding lines.As already explained, the first surface can be formed at least in sections in a screen-like manner or with a plurality of holes. Dust detached from the tablets or capsules by the ultrasonic vibrations then falls through screen openings or the holes of the first surface to the dust outlet, in particular into the dust outlet. The first surface can thus have a specific permeability, so that dust dissolved by the tablets or capsules can fall through the first surface or be suctioned off. If the first surface is formed in the shape of a screen or with holes, different mesh widths or different hole sizes or hole spacings are possible depending on the product to be dedusted, i.e. the tablets or capsules, in particular their size. Merely by way of example, mesh widths or hole sizes of less than 5 mm, in particular less than 2 mm, further in particular less than 1 mm, may be mentioned.According to a further embodiment, the separating device can have a dust outlet opening provided upstream of the product outlet in the conveying direction of the tablets or capsules, through which dust released from the tablets or capsules by the ultrasonic oscillations falls to the dust outlet, in particular into the dust outlet. In this way, physical separation of the dust from the tablets or capsules takes place in a particularly simple manner.To assist the removal of the dust to the dust outlet, a suction device can be provided which sucks dust released from the tablets or capsules to the dust outlet by the ultrasonic vibrations, in particular suctions it into the dust outlet. As already explained, the suction can take place in particular through screen openings or holes of the first surface. The suction can be arranged or act both below or above the first surface and optionally further surfaces and laterally between a plurality of surfaces.According to a further embodiment, the first surface can be structured at least in sections and / or can have at least one depression and / or elevation. Structuring can be, for example, corrugation, roughening or patterning. As elevations or depressions, geometric irregularities, such as a step or channel, are possible. For example, if the first surface has a step, it can have a plurality of surface sections arranged offset vertically with respect to one another by a step. While structures can improve the dust removal on the one hand and promote deburring of tablets on the other hand, geometric irregularities can be used to change tablets or capsules in their orientation, for example to rotate them, in order in this way to remove dust as completely as possible from the surface of the tablets or capsules. For example, one stage causes a mechanical disruption in the delivery of tablets or capsules. This can improve detachment of dust particles from the surface of the tablets or capsules. For a particularly effective disruption, the step can have a height which is greater than the diameter of circular tablets or, in the case of another tablet shape, greater than the greatest length of tablets, for example of elongate tablets (oblong tablets). Merely by way of example, a height of the step of at least 5 mm, in particular more than 10 mm, may be mentioned.The first surface can be arranged at a non-zero angle to the horizontal, so that the tablets or capsules are at least partially conveyed by gravity to the product outlet, in particular into the product outlet, for example completely by gravity. By obliquely arranging the first surface, both the tablets or capsules and the detached dust particles are conveyed in a desired manner over the first surface and to their respective outlet. To achieve the desired gravitational effect, even small angles of inclination of approximately 5° or less than 5° are possible. Of course, larger angles of inclination are also conceivable. In principle, however, the angle of inclination should not be too large in order to avoid too rapid a conveying and thus incomplete dust removal of the tablets or capsules. For example, it is possible that the inclination angle is not greater than 15°.According to a further embodiment, a second surface arranged downstream of the first surface in the conveying direction of the tablets or capsules can be provided, to which the tablets or capsules are supplied during their conveying from the first surface, and from which the tablets or capsules are conveyed further to the product outlet of the device. In this case, the tablets or capsules pass to a transfer point from the first surface to a second surface. In this embodiment, the product outlet is arranged in particular at the end of the conveying path of the second surface or optionally further surfaces. The second surface can be arranged, for example, below the first surface or at a lower vertical level than the first surface. The tablets or capsules can then fall from the first surface to the second surface at the transfer point. The second surface may be variably alignable, as may the first surface. In this way, different directions of the flow of tablets or capsules can be realized with respect to the first surface, for example as an extension, rotated in the opposite direction by an angle, for example 90°, etc. The second surface can directly adjoin the first surface. However, it is also possible for a further component, for example a further surface or a feed component, such as a chute, or the like, to be provided between the first surface and the second surface.In principle, the second surface can be configured in the same way as the first surface or else differently. All possible configurations described with respect to the first surface can also be provided for the second surface or optionally further provided surfaces. Accordingly, the ultrasonic device can also be coupled to the second surface and also excite the second surface to produce ultrasonic oscillations. In this case, during the conveying over the second surface, a further dust removal of the tablets or capsules takes place. If both surfaces are excited to ultrasonic oscillations, the surfaces can be excited with the same or with different frequencies.Again, the second surface can be formed at least in sections in the form of a screen or with a plurality of holes, so that dust released from the tablets or capsules by the ultrasonic vibrations falls through screen openings or the holes of the second surface to the dust outlet, in particular into the dust outlet, again through the screen openings or holes of the second surface. The possible embodiments in this regard have been explained on the first surface. They may also be provided on the second surface.It is again possible for the second surface to be structured at least in sections and / or to have at least one depression and / or elevation. The possible embodiments and advantages in this respect have also been explained with respect to the first area. They can be used accordingly for the second surface.The second surface can also be arranged at an angle not equal to zero to the horizontal, so that the tablets or capsules are at least partially conveyed by gravity to the product outlet, in particular are conveyed into the product outlet, for example fully caused by gravity. Again, for possible configurations and the function of such an inclination of the second surface, reference is made to the above explanations relating to the first surface, which can also be used with the second surface.As already explained, the first surface and / or the second surface can have a step. It is also possible for a step to be provided between the first surface and the second surface. As explained above, such a step causes a mechanical disruption in the delivery of tablets or capsules. This can improve detachment of dust particles from the surface of the tablets or capsules. For a particularly effective disruption, the step can have a height which is greater than the diameter of circular tablets or, in the case of another tablet shape, greater than the greatest length of tablets, for example of elongate tablets (oblong tablets). A height of the step of at least 5 mm, in particular more than 10 mm, may be mentioned merely by way of example.The step can be designed such that the tablets or capsules are inverted during their conveyance over the step, so that they rest with a different surface, for example on the first surface or the second surface, after the step than before the step. According to a further embodiment, the second surface can be arranged in such a way that the tablets or capsules are inverted during their conveyance from the first surface to the second surface, so that they rest on the first surface with a different surface than on the second surface. For example, its underside of the tablets or capsules resting before the step or on the first surface can form its upper side after the step or on the second surface. At the step or transfer point from the first surface to the second surface, the tablets or capsules may fall to a lower vertical level. The aforementioned configuration can ensure that the tablets or capsules rotate in such a way that they subsequently rest with a different surface on the substrate than before. Thus, a particularly complete dust removal of the surface of the tablets or capsules can be achieved.The invention also relates to a system comprising a production machine, in particular a tablet press, such as a rotary tablet press, or a capsule filling machine, having a machine outlet for tablets or capsules produced in the production machine, and further comprising an apparatus according to the invention, the product inlet of which is connected directly or indirectly to the machine outlet of the production machine.The method according to the invention can be carried out with an apparatus according to the invention. Accordingly, the device according to the invention can be designed to carry out the method according to the invention.Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below. They show schematically: FIG. 1 shows a system according to the invention in a side view, FIG. 2 shows a rotary tablet press provided in the system according to the invention in an angled representation of the rotor, FIG. 3 shows a part of a device according to the invention in a sectional view, FIG. 4 shows a part of the device according to the invention partially illustrated in FIG. 3 in a plan view, FIG. 5 shows a device according to the invention in a sectional view according to a further exemplary embodiment, and FIG. 6 shows a device according to the invention in a sectional view according to a further exemplary embodiment.Unless otherwise indicated, like reference numerals designate like items throughout the figures.FIG. 1 shows a production machine 100, which can be, for example, a tablet press, in particular a rotary tablet press, or a capsule filling machine. The production machine 100 has a machine outlet 110 through which tablets or capsules produced in the production machine 100 are discharged therefrom. The machine outlet 110 is directly connected to a product inlet 210 of a device 200 according to the invention for removing dust from the tablets or capsules produced in the production machine 100. The device 200 further comprises a product outlet 220, via which the tablets or capsules dedusted in the device 200 can be dispensed and fed to further processing, for example inspection, coating and / or packaging.FIG. 2 shows, by way of example, a rotary tablet press as a possible production machine 100. The rotary press shown in FIG. 2 is a rotary press for tablet production, in which powdered material is pressed into tablets. The rotor of the rotary press is rotationally driven by a rotary drive and comprises a die plate 10 which has a plurality of receptacles 12. The receptacles 12 can be formed, for example, by holes of the die plate 10. The rotor further comprises a plurality of upper press rams 14 and lower press rams 16 which rotate synchronously with the die disc 10. The upper press rams 14 are guided axially in an upper ram guide 18 and the lower press rams 16 are guided axially in a lower ram guide 20. The axial movement of the upper punches 14 and lower punches 16 as the rotor rotates is controlled by upper cams 22 and lower cams 24. Furthermore, a filling device 26 is provided, which has a filling reservoir 28 and a filling chamber 30, which are connected via a filling tube 32. In this way, in the present example, powdery material passes from the filling reservoir 28 via the filling tube 32 into the filling chamber 30 due to gravity and from the latter via a filling opening provided on the underside of the filling chamber 30 again into the receptacles 12 of the die plate 10 due to gravity.The rotary press further comprises a printing device 34. the printing device 34 comprises in the example shown a preliminary printing device with an upper preliminary printing roller 36 held on an upper holder and a lower preliminary printing roller 38 held on a lower holder, as well as a main printing device with an upper main printing roller 40 held on an upper holder and a lower main printing roller 42 held on a lower holder. Furthermore, the rotary press comprises an ejection device 44 and a stripping device 46 with a stripping element which feeds the tablets 48 produced in the rotary press to a draining device 50 for discharge from the rotary press. The stripping device 46 can comprise, for example, a preferably sickle-shaped stripping element which strips tablets 48 conveyed by the lower press punches 16 onto the upper side of the die plate 10 from the die plate 10 in the region of the ejection device 44 and feeds them to the outlet device 50. The drain 50 leads to the machine outlet 110 of the production machine 100. The rotary press further comprises a control device 52 for controlling the operation of the rotary press.It should be noted that, as an alternative to a rotary tablet press, a capsule filling machine can be provided as production machine 100. Such a capsule filling machine serves for filling capsules composed of a capsule upper part and a capsule lower part and generally comprises a machine housing in which a machine table is arranged and a conveying wheel on the circumference of which a plurality of capsule holders is provided. The capsule holders can each have a plurality of capsule receptacles for one capsule in each case. Furthermore, a conveying wheel drive is provided, with which the conveying wheel can be rotated in cycles, so that the capsule holders move in cycles along a conveying path. A plurality of process stations arranged on or on the machine table is provided along the conveyor track, wherein the process stations comprise at least one feed station for feeding capsules to be filled into the capsule receptacles, at least one opening station for opening the capsules to be filled by separating the capsule upper parts from the capsule lower parts, at least one filling station for filling the capsule lower parts with material to be filled, at least one closing station for closing the filled capsules by connecting the capsule upper parts to the capsule lower parts, and at least one ejection station for ejecting the filled capsules. The ejection station may in turn be connected to the machine outlet 110 of the promoting machine 100.FIG. 3 partially illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3, the device comprises a first surface 54. The first surface 54 comprises, in the example shown, two surface sections 55 and 57 which are connected to one another via a step 53 and are each arranged at a non-zero angle, for example an angle of approximately 5°, with respect to the horizontal. The step 53 results in the second surface section 57 being at a vertically lower level than the first surface section 55. At the end of the second surface section 57 there is a product outlet 60, via which tablets 48 which have been dedusted in the example shown are discharged from the apparatus. In the example shown, the tablets 48 fall into the product outlet 60 due to gravity. Upstream of the product outlet 60 in the conveying direction of the tablets 48 is a dust outlet 64, via which dust detached from the tablets 48 is discharged separately from the tablets. The dust particles also fall into the dust outlet 64 due to gravity.By means of an ultrasonic device not shown in more detail in FIG. 3, the first surface 54 is excited to ultrasonic vibrations which are correspondingly transmitted to the tablets 48. In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, the surface sections 55, 57 can each be closed and planar surface sections. On the surface of the tablets 48 are dust particles which are released from the tablets 48 in the course of the ultrasonic vibrations transmitted to the tablets 48 and collect on the first surface 54. By the inclination of the first and second surface sections 55, 57 in connection with the ultrasonic excitation, the tablets 48 and the dust particles detached therefrom are conveyed via the first surface 54 in the direction of the dust outlet 64 and the product outlet 60. In the region of the step 53, the tablets 48 fall from the first surface section 55 onto the second surface section 57 by gravity, whereby dust particles are better detached both on the upper side and on the lower side of the tablets 48. In addition, the tablets 48 are deburred.FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of the ultrasound device possible in the apparatus shown in FIG. 3. It comprises an ultrasonic generator 66 connected to an ultrasonic transducer 68. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the ultrasonic transducer 68 is arranged on the first surface 54, for example on the first surface section 55, so that the ultrasonic vibration generated by the ultrasonic generator is transmitted via the ultrasonic transducer to the first surface 54, in particular the first surface section 55, and thus to the tablets 48. In a corresponding manner, an ultrasonic generator can be connected to the second surface section 57 via an ultrasonic transducer.FIG. 5 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention. In this exemplary embodiment, the first surface section 55 and the second surface section 57 are designed in the form of a screen, so that dust particles 62 detached from the tablets 48 supplied as a tablet stream 49 by the ultrasonic device fall down into a dust outlet 64 through the screen openings of the first and second surface sections 55, 57, respectively. In the embodiment according to FIG. 5, a suction device 70 is also provided, which sucks the dust detached from the tablets 48 along a suction device 71 to the dust outlet 64. Since the first surface 54 is formed in the shape of a screen in the example illustrated in FIG. 5, the ultrasonic transducer in this example is coupled to the first surface 54, in particular the first surface section 55, via a surface acoustic conductor 69. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 5, the step 53 between the first surface section 55 and the second surface section 57 is also formed so high that the tablets 48 are inverted during the course of dropping over the step 53 so that their underside resting on the first surface section 55 forms their upper side on the second surface section 57. The dust-removed and deburred tablets 48 are fed to the product outlet 60 along an outlet direction 51.In the embodiment of FIG. 5, a frame 72 of the first surface 54 is also provided, as well as a partially illustrated housing 74, in which all components of the device can be arranged.FIG. 6 shows a further exemplary embodiment which initially corresponds substantially to the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 5. In addition to the first surface 54, in the embodiment according to FIG. 6, a second surface 56 is provided, having a first surface section 59 and a second surface section 61, which in turn are connected to one another via a step 58. The second surface 56 is also arranged inclined with respect to the horizontal, for example at an angle of approximately 5°. Like the first surface 54, it is excited to produce ultrasonic oscillations by means of an ultrasonic generator 82, an ultrasonic transducer and a surface acoustic conductor 84. As can be seen in FIG. 6 at the arrow 86, tablets 48 fall from the end of the first surface 54 onto the second surface 56, in particular the first surface section 59, in the example illustrated, as a result of gravity, from which they are in turn conveyed further in the direction of the product outlet 60 via the step 58 and the second surface section 61. The second surface 56 can be identical to the first surface 54 except for its arrangement in space. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the conveying direction of the tablets 48 is reversed at the transfer point between the first surface 54 and the second surface 56. In addition, the tablets 48 at the end of the second surface section 57 of the first surface 54 fall on the first surface section 59 of the second surface 56 due to gravity.List of reference characters10 Die disc 12 Receptacles 14 Upper press punches 16 Lower press punches 18 Upper punch guide 20 Lower punch guide 22 Upper control cam elements 24 Lower control cam elements 26 Filling device 28 Filling reservoir 30 Filling chamber 32 Filling tube 34 Printer device 36 Upper pressure roller 38 Lower pressure roller 40 Upper pressure roller 42 Lower pressure roller 44 Ejection device 46 Stripping device 48 Tablets / capsules 49 Tablet stream 50 Outlet device 51 Outlet direction 52 Control device 53 Step 54 First surface 55 First surface section of the first surface 56 Second surface 57 Second surface section of the first surface 58 Step 59 First surface section of the second surface 60 Product outlet 61 Second surface section of the second surface 62 Dust particles 64 Dust outlet 66 Ultrasonic generator 68 Ultrasonic transducer 69 Surface acoustic conductor 70 Suction device 71 Suction direction 72 Frame 74 Housing 76 Third surface section of the second surface section of the second surface 60 Product outlet 61 Second surface section of the second surface 62 Dust particles 64 Dust outlet 66 Ultrasonic generator 68 Ultrasonic transducer 69 Surface acoustic conductor 70 Suction device 71 78 fourth surface 80 stage 82 ultrasonic generator 84 surface sonic conductor 86 arrow 100 production machine 110 machine outlet 210 product inlet 200 device 220 product outlet

Claims

Apparatus for removing dust from tablets (48) or capsules produced in a production machine (100), comprising a product inlet (210) and a first surface (54) which receives tablets (48) or capsules supplied via the product inlet (210) and is designed to convey supplied tablets (48) or capsules to a product outlet (60) of the apparatus (200), characterized in that an ultrasonic device which excites the first surface (54) to ultrasonic oscillations is coupled to the first surface (54), and in that a separating device is provided which supplies dust dissolved by the ultrasonic oscillations from the tablets (48) or capsules to a dust outlet (64) of the apparatus (200) separated from the product outlet (220).The apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the ultrasound device comprises an ultrasound generator (66) and an ultrasound transducer (68) connected to the ultrasound generator (66), wherein the ultrasound transducer (68) is coupled directly or indirectly to the first surface (54) via an ultrasound conductor (69).Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first surface (54) is formed at least in sections in the form of a screen or with a plurality of holes, so that dust released from the tablets (48) or capsules by the ultrasonic vibrations falls through screen openings or the holes of the first surface (54) to the dust outlet (64).Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separating device has a dust outlet opening (64) provided upstream of the product outlet (220) in the conveying direction of the tablets (48) or capsules, dust which is released from the tablets (48) or capsules by the ultrasonic oscillations falling through said dust outlet opening to the dust outlet (64).Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a suction device (70) is provided which sucks dust released from the tablets (48) or capsules to the dust outlet (64) as a result of the ultrasonic vibrations.Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first surface (54) is structured at least in sections and / or has at least one depression and / or elevation.Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first surface (54) is arranged at a non-zero angle to the horizontal, so that the tablets (48) or capsules are at least partially conveyed by gravity to the product outlet (60).Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a second surface (56) is provided which is arranged downstream of the first surface (54) in the conveying direction of the tablets (48) or capsules and to which the tablets (48) or capsules are supplied during their conveying from the first surface (54), and from which the tablets (48) or capsules are conveyed further to the product outlet (60) of the device (200).The apparatus of claim 8, characterized in that the ultrasound device is also coupled to the second surface (56) and also excites the second surface (56) to ultrasonic oscillations.Device according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterised in that the second surface (56) is at least in sections screen-shaped or is formed with a plurality of holes, so that dust released from the tablets (48) or capsules by the ultrasonic vibrations falls through screen openings or the holes of the second surface (56) to the dust outlet (64).Device according to one of Claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the second surface (56) is structured at least in sections and / or has at least one depression and / or elevation.Device according to one of Claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the second surface (56) is arranged at a non-zero angle with respect to the horizontal, such that the tablets (48) or capsules are conveyed at least partially by gravity to the product outlet (60).Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first surface (54) and / or the second surface (56) has a step (53) and / or in that a step (58) is provided between the first surface (54) and the second surface (56).Device according to claim 13, characterised in that the step (53, 58) has a height which is greater than the diameter of circular tablets (48) or capsules to be dedusted in the device (200) or greater than the greatest length of circular tablets (48) or capsules to be dedusted in the device (200).Device according to claim 14, characterised in that the step (53, 58) is designed such that the tablets (48) or capsules are turned over during their conveyance over the step (53, 58) so that they rest with a different surface after the step (58) than before the step (58).Device according to one of Claims 8 to 15, characterized in that the second surface (56) is arranged in such a way that the tablets (48) or capsules are inverted during their transport from the first surface (54) to the second surface (56), so that they rest on the first surface (54) with a different surface than on the second surface (56).System comprising a production machine (100), in particular a tablet press or capsule filling machine, having a machine outlet (110) for tablets (48) or capsules produced in the production machine (100), and further comprising an apparatus (200) according to one of the preceding claims, the product inlet (210) of which is connected to the machine outlet (110) of the production machine (100).Method for removing dust from tablets (48) or capsules produced in a production machine (100), comprising the steps: • tablets (48) or capsules produced in a production machine (100) are supplied via a product inlet (210) to a first surface (54) which conveys the tablets (48) or capsules to a product outlet (220), • while the tablets (48) or capsules are conveyed via the first surface (54) to the product outlet (220), the first surface (54) is excited to ultrasonic oscillations, so that dust is released from the tablets (48) or capsules by the ultrasonic oscillations, • the dust released from the tablets (48) or capsules is supplied to a dust outlet (64) separate from the product outlet (220).Method according to claim 18, characterised in that it is carried out with an apparatus (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 16 or with a production machine (100) according to claim 17.

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