Rotary tablet press and method for lubricating press dies using a rotary tablet press
The rotary tablet press addresses uneven lubrication issues by using a stationary lubrication device with controlled valves and sensors to apply lubricant individually to press plungers, enhancing lubrication efficiency and reducing wear.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- DE102024112540
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-05-03
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-30
- Estimated Expiration
- 2044-05-03
AI Technical Summary
Conventional rotary tablet press lubrication systems require excessive lubricant, often leading to uneven distribution, contamination, and wear of press dies due to inadequate lubrication of individual press punches and channels that can become clogged, failing to adjust to varying lubrication requirements during production.
A rotary tablet press with a stationary lubrication device and control unit that applies lubricant directly to press plungers, allowing individual control of lubricant amount based on specific press ram needs, reducing lubricant consumption and ensuring even distribution by using valves and sensors to adjust lubrication frequency and quantity.
Achieves targeted and economical lubrication, minimizing lubricant waste, preventing contamination, and effectively reducing wear of press dies by ensuring consistent lubrication, even at high rotor speeds.
Smart Images

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Abstract
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a rotary tablet press comprising a rotor rotatable by means of a rotary drive, wherein the rotor has an upper punch guide for upper press punches and a lower punch guide for lower press punches, as well as a die disc arranged between the punch guides, wherein the press punches interact with cavities of the die disc, wherein the rotary tablet press further comprises a filling device by which powder material to be compressed is filled into the cavities of the die disc, wherein the rotary tablet press comprises a pressure device with an upper pressure unit and a lower pressure unit which, in operation, interact with the upper press punches and with the lower press punches to compress the powder material in the cavities of the die disc into tablets, and wherein the rotary tablet press has an ejection device for ejecting the tablets.and wherein the rotary tablet press further comprises a lubrication device for lubricating the upper and / or lower press dies with a lubricant. The invention also relates to a method for lubricating upper and / or lower press dies using a rotary tablet press.
[0002] Rotary tablet presses typically incorporate a multitude of upper and lower press rams, each pair assigned to a cavity of a die disc. During operation, the upper and lower press rams rotate together with the die disc, their axial movement controlled by cams and guided by upper and lower ram guides. As the die disc rotates, it passes through various components of the rotary tablet press: a filling unit, where powder material to be compressed is filled into the cavities of the die disc, and a compression unit, where the upper and lower press rams are pressed into the cavities by upper and lower pressure units, such as pressure rollers, to compress the powder material into tablets.Following the pressing mechanism, the upper press rams are moved upwards out of the cavities, and the tablets produced in the cavities are pushed by the lower press rams onto the top of the die plate. The tablets are then stripped from the die plate into an outlet of the rotary tablet press, for example by a scraper, from where they are fed into further processing.
[0003] The press rams of such rotary tablet presses must be regularly lubricated to prevent stiffness, particularly in the ram guides. Typically, a metering element and a lubrication pump apply the lubricant to the press rams. A lubricating felt can also be used. Introducing dry lubricant into the cavities of the die disc is also known, especially to ensure smooth insertion of the press rams into the cavities and to prevent powder from adhering.
[0004] From DE 201 07 072 U1, a lower punch spray device for die lubrication in tablet machines is known. A spray device is directed at the die of the die disc such that a quick-release valve, via its nozzle opening, is aligned with the side wall of the lower punch in its lowest position. As the lower punch enters the die, only the side wall is coated with lubricant in a precisely metered and pulsed manner. The quick-release valve is connected via electrical lines to a control unit for setting the pulse frequency and lubricant metering as a function of the rotor speed. The amount of oil per pulse can be specified by electrically adjusting the valve via a valve input. This results in the lubrication of the dies of the die disc. The aim is to optimize the release of product from the die walls in this way.The tablets produced in the matrices should be easily removable due to the lubrication and should not stick.
[0005] The conventional lubrication systems described earlier require a large quantity of lubricant. This lubricant often does not fully reach the punches. Some of it bypasses the punches and spreads within the rotary tablet press or, in the worst case, onto a manufactured tablet. If lubricating felts are used, they can become contaminated and their function impaired. Furthermore, prior art designs incorporate long channels within the rotor for supplying the lubricant, through which the lubricant must distribute itself to reach the punches. These channels can become clogged, leading to lubrication failure. Cleaning the channels is very time-consuming. Additionally, the lubricant distribution between the channels can be uneven, resulting in inconsistent lubrication of the punches.At the start of tablet production, the channels must first be filled with lubricant before the lubricant can reach the press plungers.
[0006] The device described in DE 201 07 072 U1 also does not allow for adjustments to the varying lubrication requirements of individual press punches in the rotary tablet press. While the amount of oil dispensed via the valve can be adjusted between different manufacturing processes in the tableting machine or with a different configuration of the tableting machine, changes in lubrication requirements occurring within a manufacturing process, particularly for individual press punches, cannot be detected or addressed. Furthermore, lubrication is limited to the dies to optimize product release. Lubrication of the punch shaft or punch head is not provided. Instead, the press punches are only lubricated at their necks below the pressing surface. This does not prevent increased wear of the punches, especially on the punch shaft.
[0007] From US 2020 / 0307139 A1 a rotary press is known with a lubrication device for spraying a lubricant on the inner surfaces of die bores and punch tips of upper and lower punches.
[0008] JP 2013094843 A describes another rotary press with a lubricant supply device, comprising a spray device for spraying a lubricant onto at least one upper punch holder and punch.
[0009] JP 2006334515 A also describes a lubricant spraying device for a rotary press.
[0010] DE 102015105936 A1 describes a rotor for a rotary press, wherein contact parts for applying lubricant to the upper and lower punches are provided on the upper and lower control cams of the rotor. As the upper and lower punches pass through the control cams, they come into contact with the upper and lower contact parts, respectively, so that lubricant is applied to the contacted area of the upper and lower punches by the contact part.
[0011] Based on the prior art described above, the invention therefore aims to provide a rotary tablet press and a method of the type mentioned at the outset, with which a targeted and economical application of lubricant is achieved and which can also respond to different lubricant requirements of individual press dies, so that in particular wear of the press dies can be effectively counteracted.
[0012] The invention solves the problem through independent claims 1 and 14. Advantageous embodiments can be found in the dependent claims, the description and the figures.
[0013] For a rotary tablet press of the type mentioned above, the invention solves the problem in that the lubrication device has a lubricant reservoir and a stationary applicator connected to the lubricant reservoir for applying lubricant to upper and / or lower press plungers rotating past the applicator with the rotor, and that the lubrication device includes a control device designed to individually control the amount of lubricant applied by the applicator to the upper and / or lower press plungers for different upper and / or lower press plungers.
[0014] The basic design of the rotary tablet press, as described in the present invention, was explained at the outset. Reference is made to this explanation. The tablets produced in the rotary tablet press can be pharmaceutical tablets. However, other types of tablets are also conceivable, for example, dishwasher tablets or similar products. According to the invention, the lubrication device of the rotary tablet press comprises a lubricant reservoir and a stationary applicator connected to the lubricant reservoir for applying lubricant to the press plungers, which rotate past the applicator with the rotor. The applicator is stationary and therefore does not rotate with the rotor of the rotary tablet press. The lubricant reservoir is also preferably stationary and, like the applicator, does not rotate with the rotor of the rotary tablet press.The lubrication device further includes a control unit designed to control the applicator in such a way that the amount of lubricant applied by the applicator to the upper and / or lower press rams is individually controlled for different upper and / or lower press rams.
[0015] The invention thus provides for the targeted application of lubricant directly onto the press dies, in particular the die shaft and / or the die head. This reduces the required amount of lubricant and ensures that the components to be lubricated are reliably supplied with lubricant, particularly to effectively counteract wear of the press dies during their movement within the die guide. The control unit of the lubrication device can simultaneously be the control unit for controlling the operation of the rotary tablet press, i.e., the machine control, or it can be a separate control unit. The rotary tablet press typically has a pressing chamber in which the rotor is located. This pressing chamber is usually enclosed by a housing. The lubrication device can also be located within the pressing chamber.The applicator is arranged within the housing. The lubricant is applied intermittently to the press ram as it moves past the applicator. The applicator can simultaneously apply lubricant to several press rams rotating past it. Multiple applicators can also be arranged along the partial circle formed by the press rams, applying lubricant to the moving press rams simultaneously or sequentially. It is also possible to apply lubricant sequentially to several rams rotating past the applicator. Within the framework of the individual control of the dispensed lubricant quantity according to the invention, it is also possible that no lubricant is applied to individual press rams, particularly if they do not require lubrication.
[0016] The invention thus allows for a reduction in lubricant consumption compared to the prior art and prevents the distribution of lubricant within the pressing chamber of the rotary tablet press. This minimizes the risk of lubricant contamination on the manufactured tablets. Simultaneously, the invention enables individual lubrication of press dies, in particular the die shaft guided in the respective die guide and / or the die head interacting with control cams and, for example, pressure rollers, so that during a production process, individual press dies can be lubricated more or less than others. This allows for a flexible and targeted response to varying lubricant requirements, even during a single production process.Excessive lubrication of press dies that are already well supplied with lubricant can be avoided, while at the same time reliably preventing individual press dies from having too little lubricant, which can, for example, impair the smooth operation of the press dies within the die guides and / or in the cavities of the die disc and increase wear. Long supply channels within the pressing chamber, especially within the rotor of the rotary tablet press, which can become clogged, are difficult to clean, and can lead to an uneven distribution of the lubricant, can be avoided according to the invention, in particular by arranging the applicator in a fixed position relative to the rotor and connecting it to a lubricant reservoir located, for example, close to the applicator.It is particularly possible, for example, to lubricate all the lower press rams with just one applicator. The same applies, if applicable, to the upper press rams. Of course, multiple applicators can also be provided for lubricating the lower and / or upper rams. As explained, the lubricant reservoir can be located close to the applicator. For example, the lubricant reservoir can be located in the drive compartment of the rotary press.
[0017] In a particularly practical embodiment, the applicator can comprise at least one valve that applies lubricant from the lubricant reservoir to an outer surface of the upper and / or lower press rams, in particular the ram shaft and / or the ram head. Several valves can also be used in one applicator, simultaneously supplying one or more press rams with lubricant from the outside. Such valves enable, on the one hand, a sufficiently precise, preferably droplet-shaped, application of the lubricant, particularly across a gap between the valve and the respective press ram. On the other hand, particularly fast-actuating valves can be used, which, even at high rotor speeds, allow, for example, the lubrication of each upper and / or lower press ram during exactly one rotor revolution.
[0018] The at least one valve can be arranged in an interior space, particularly within the rotor, radially defined by a partial circle formed by the upper and / or lower press rams. This allows the at least one valve to apply the lubricant from the inside out onto the upper and / or lower press rams. In this way, the lubricant can flow outwards around the press ram by centrifugal force, lubricating the entire ram. Furthermore, the use of an applicator with at least one valve enables a sufficiently compact design to accommodate at least the one valve within an interior space of the rotor. The lubricant reservoir can also be located within this interior space. This allows for particularly short connections between the at least one valve and the lubricant reservoir.The lubricant reservoir can also be arranged separately. It is also possible to arrange the at least one valve outside a partial circle described by the upper and / or lower press rams, so that the at least one valve applies the lubricant from the outside inwards onto the upper and / or lower press rams.
[0019] In a further embodiment, the at least one valve can be arranged such that the lubricant is applied to the upper and / or lower press rams from above, below, and / or from the side. This is particularly relevant when using multiple valves. Individual valves can also be controlled independently, for example, to selectively lubricate only the ram shaft or the ram head. These configurations allow for particularly comprehensive lubrication of the press rams.
[0020] The at least one valve can, according to a further embodiment, be configured to apply the lubricant intermittently at a frequency of more than 30 Hz, preferably more than 100 Hz, more preferably more than 200 Hz, and more preferably not more than 250 Hz. By using such a high-frequency actuated valve, it is possible, as explained, to supply all upper and / or lower press rams with lubricant within a single rotor rotation. This also applies to the rotor speeds typical of modern rotary tablet presses. For example, with 115 press ram pairs and a rotor speed of 120 rpm, this would correspond to a valve actuation frequency of 230 Hz. However, as already explained, it is also possible to apply lubricant to each press ram within several rotor rotations, for example, using a lower actuation frequency.
[0021] In a further embodiment, the control device for actuating the applicator can take into account the rotational position of the rotor and / or the delay time of the applicator or a valve of the applicator and / or the flight time of the lubricant from the applicator or a valve of the applicator to an upper and / or lower press ram. The aforementioned parameters are crucial for determining the point in time at which the applicator or the valve must be opened to dispense the lubricant in order to adequately wet the desired press ram. In particular, the flight time of the lubricant from the outlet of the valve or applicator to the press ram, especially due to the air gap between them, as well as any delay time after actuation of the valve, must be considered.The rotary encoder typically used in rotary tablet presses precisely determines the rotor's position and, consequently, the position of the press ram at all times. Based on the rotor's known rotational speed and the total delay time (comprising flight time and valve delay), the necessary rotor position can be determined at which the applicator or valve must open to supply the desired amount of lubricant to each press ram. This allows for the precise lubrication of individually identified press rams. The control unit then activates the applicator or valve, delivering the required amount of lubricant to each individually identified press ram.
[0022] In a further embodiment, the control device for determining the lubricant's flight time can take into account lubricant pressure, lubricant temperature, lubricant viscosity, the opening time of the applicator or a valve of the applicator, the outlet geometry of the applicator or a valve of the applicator, and / or the distance between the applicator or a valve of the applicator and an upper and / or lower press ram. The lubricant's flight time from the applicator or valve to the press ram depends on various parameters, in particular the lubricant pressure, the opening time of the applicator or valve, the temperature and viscosity of the lubricant, the outlet geometry of the applicator or valve, and the distance between the applicator or valve and the press ram.Preliminary tests can be conducted using the aforementioned parameters to determine the exit velocity of the lubricant, for example, a lubricant droplet. When changing the press dies in a rotary tablet press between different production processes, the distances between the applicator and the press die can change. These differences can be taken into account when calculating the flight time.
[0023] The lubricant reservoir can also include a pressure device that maintains the lubricant at a predetermined pressure within the reservoir. The lubricant pressure should be kept as constant as possible to ensure reliable lubrication of the respective press ram, based on the calculations and parameters explained above. The pressure device can, for example, consist of a lubricant pump or a cartridge with a pressure regulator. However, pressureless solutions are also possible, eliminating the need for a pressure device.
[0024] In a further embodiment, the control device can be designed to individually control the amount of lubricant applied by the applicator to the upper and / or lower press rams, in particular a droplet size, a number of drops, or a time interval between lubricant applications, for different upper and / or lower press rams. This is achieved by adjusting the droplet size of the lubricant applied by the applicator or valve, and / or by adjusting the opening time of the applicator or valve, and / or by adjusting the number of lubricant applications applied by the applicator or valve to individual upper and / or lower press rams. Using the parameters described above, the individually applied amount of lubricant can be reliably and precisely controlled.
[0025] In a further embodiment, the control unit can receive measured values from at least one sensor of the rotary tablet press. The control unit is designed to individually control the amount of lubricant applied by the applicator to the upper and / or lower press punches for different upper and / or lower press punches based on the received measured values. The at least one sensor can include at least one stiffness sensor, which individually measures the stiffness of the upper and / or lower press punches, particularly in the upper or lower punch guide. Such stiffness measurement can determine whether, and if so, which press punches are stiffer compared to other press punches, especially during their movement through the upper or lower punch guide and / or in the cavities.If increased stiffness is detected in individual press dies, these dies can be supplied with more lubricant than others. For particularly smooth-running press dies, the lubricant supply can even be stopped. This allows for further lubricant savings. A force sensor, for example, can be used as a stiffness sensor. This sensor measures the stiffness of the press dies during their axial movement, specifically the force required to move the dies within their respective die guides. Multiple stiffness sensors can also be used. These sensors can measure the stiffness individually for each press die.
[0026] In a further embodiment, the lubricant reservoir can contain a liquid lubricant, in particular a lubricating oil, and the applicator can apply the liquid lubricant as drops individually onto the upper and / or lower press rams, and / or the applicator can apply the liquid lubricant in a defined quantity as an atomizer onto the upper and / or lower press rams. In each case, the lubricant can be isolated and applied precisely to the respective press rams in this way. In particular, with atomization, defined quantities of atomized lubricant are applied in pulses to the upper and / or lower press rams.
[0027] In a further embodiment, the lubrication device can include a heating element for heating the applicator. This allows the desired viscosity of the lubricant for optimal lubrication to be precisely achieved.
[0028] The invention also solves the problem by a method for lubricating upper and / or lower press dies using a rotary tablet press according to the invention. The rotary tablet press is suitably designed and configured for carrying out the method. This applies in particular to the lubrication device and the control unit.
[0029] An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. They schematically show: Fig. 1 a rotary tablet press according to the invention in an unwound representation of the rotor, Fig. 2 a representation of the lubrication device of the rotary tablet press according to the invention using the example of an upper press plunger, and Fig. 3 a partial top view of a part of the rotary tablet press according to the invention.
[0030] Unless otherwise stated, the same reference symbols in the figures denote the same objects.
[0031] In the Fig. In the rotary tablet press shown in Figure 1, powdered material is compressed into tablets. The rotary tablet press comprises a rotor driven by a rotary drive within a compression chamber 11, with a die disk 10 having a plurality of cavities 12. The cavities 12 can, for example, be formed by bores in the die disk 10. The rotor further comprises a plurality of upper press rams 14 and lower press rams 16, which rotate synchronously with the die disk 10. The upper press rams 14 are axially guided in an upper ram guide 18, and the lower press rams 16 are axially guided in a lower ram guide 20. The axial movement of the upper press rams 14 and lower press rams 16 during the rotation of the rotor is controlled by upper cam elements 22 and lower cam elements 24.The rotary tablet press further comprises a filling device 26, 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, powder material flows from the filling reservoir 28 through the filling tube 32 into the filling chamber 30 by gravity and from there, via a filling opening provided on the underside of the filling chamber 30, again by gravity into the cavities 12 of the die disc 10.
[0032] The rotary tablet press also includes a printing unit 34. The printing unit 34 comprises a pre-printing unit with an upper pre-printing roller 36 and a lower pre-printing roller 38, as well as a main printing unit with an upper printing roller 40 and a lower printing roller 42. Furthermore, the rotary tablet press includes an ejection unit 44 and a stripping unit 46 with a stripping element that feeds the tablets 48 produced in the rotary tablet press to a discharge unit 50 for removal from the rotary tablet press. The stripping unit 46 can, for example, comprise a preferably crescent-shaped stripping element that strips tablets 48, conveyed by the lower press rams 16 onto the upper surface of the die 10 in the area of the ejection unit 44, from the die 10 and feeds them to the discharge unit 50.The rotary tablet press also includes a control device 52, in particular machine control 52, for controlling the operation of the rotary tablet press and for controlling the lubrication device according to the invention, as explained in more detail below.
[0033] In Fig. 2 is an example of the lubrication of the upper press dies 14 in a rotary tablet press according to Fig. Figure 1 shows a lubrication device. The lubrication device comprises a lubricant reservoir 54, which contains, for example, a liquid lubricant such as lubricating oil. By means of a pressure device (not shown in detail), the lubricant in the lubricant reservoir 54 can be maintained at a predetermined, in particular constant, pressure. In the illustrated example, an applicator of the lubrication device comprises three valves 56, 58, 60, each of which is connected to the lubricant reservoir 54 via short connecting lines 62, 64, 66. Both the lubricant reservoir 54 and the valves 56, 58, 60, including the connecting lines 62, 64, 66, can be arranged in an interior space 68, preferably located inside the rotor or rotary tablet press, and do not rotate with the rotor of the rotary tablet press.It is also possible, for example, to arrange the lubricant reservoir 54 outside the interior 68 and to convey the lubricant from the lubricant reservoir 54 into the interior 68 to the valves 56, 58, 60 via connecting lines. The valves 56, 58, 60 each have an outlet opening 70, 72, 74, in particular an outlet nozzle 70, 72, 74. In this case, the outlet openings 70, 72, 74 are directed towards different areas of the outer surface of the upper press ram 14. Specifically, the valve 56, with its outlet opening 70, is directed towards the top of the ram head, and the valves 58 and 60, with their outlet openings 72, 74, are directed at different heights towards the ram shaft of the upper press ram 14. The outlet openings 70, 72, 74 are each spaced apart from the upper press ram 14.During operation of the rotary tablet press, controlled by the control unit 52, lubricant from the lubricant reservoir 54 is applied to the outer surface of the upper press rams 14 via the outlet openings 70, 72, 74. It should be noted that in . Fig. Figure 2 shows, by way of example, three valves 56, 58, 60 arranged in the interior 68. It is possible that the lubrication device has, for example, only one or only two of the valves 56, 58, 60 shown. It is also possible that the lubrication device has, alternatively or additionally, further valves that can wet other areas of the outer surface of the upper press rams 14 with lubricant. As explained, the lubrication device is illustrated using the example of lubrication of the upper press rams 14. A lubrication device for the lower press rams 16 can be designed in the same way. During operation, the upper press rams 14 rotate past the stationary lubrication device with the rotation of the rotor. Fig. Figure 3 shows an example of this in a top view of the upper punch guide 18. The punch guide 18 has punch guide bores 76 in which the upper press punches 14 are axially guided with their punch shanks. Fig. Figure 3 shows, for illustrative purposes only, valve 58.
[0034] The rotary tablet press also includes several sensors that measure various parameters during operation, such as the pressing force and / or the stiffness of the press rams 14, 16 in the ram guides 18, 20. The sensor readings are transmitted to the control unit 52. Based on the readings from a stiffness sensor, for example, the control unit controls the applicator of the lubrication device, in particular the valves 56, 58, 60 for the individual lubrication of the upper press rams 14. If, for example, the stiffness sensor detects that individual upper press rams 14 are stiff, the valves 56, 58, 60, controlled by the control unit 52, selectively apply a larger quantity of lubricant to these upper press rams 14. For this purpose, the droplet size of the applied lubricant can be adjusted, as can the amount of atomized lubricant.Furthermore, the duration of lubricant application and / or the number of lubricant pulses applied can be adjusted. It is also conceivable that the control unit 52 can individually control the valves 56, 58, 60, for example, to selectively apply more or less lubricant to specific areas of the press ram 14.
[0035] The valves 56, 58, 60 can be configured to dispense lubricant intermittently at a frequency of more than 30 Hz, preferably more than 100 Hz, more preferably more than 200 Hz, and more preferably not more than 250 Hz. In this way, even with a large number of upper press rams 14 and a high rotor speed, it is possible to supply all upper press rams 14 with lubricant during a single rotor rotation.
[0036] In order to selectively supply certain upper press rams 14 with a predetermined amount of lubricant, the control device for controlling the applicator or the valves 56, 58, 60 takes into account a rotational position of the rotor and / or a delay time of the valves 56, 58, 60 and / or a flight time of the lubricant from the valves 56, 58, 60 to the upper press rams 14, as explained above. Reference sign 10 die disc 12 cavities 14 upper press dies 16 lower press dies 18 upper die guide 20 lower stamp guide 22 upper control curve elements 24 lower control curve elements 26 Filling device 28 Filling reservoir 30 Filling chamber 32 Filling tube 34 Printing device 36 upper pre-print roller 38 lower pre-print roller 40 upper pressure roller 42 lower pressure roller 44 Ejection device 46 Scraper device 48 tablets 50 Drainage device 52 Control unit 54 Lubricant reservoir 56, 58, 60 valves 62, 64, 66 Connecting lines 68 Interior 70, 72, 74 outlet openings 76 punch guide holes
Claims
[1] Rotary tablet press comprising a rotor rotatable by means of a rotary drive, the rotor having an upper punch guide (18) for upper punches (14) and a lower punch guide (20) for lower punches (16) and a die disk (10) arranged between the punch guides, the punches (14, 16) interacting with cavities (12) of the die disk (10), the rotary tablet press further comprising a filling device (26) by which powder material to be compressed is filled into the cavities (12) of the die disk (10), the rotary tablet press comprising a pressure device (34) with an upper pressure unit (40) and a lower pressure unit (42) which, in operation, act with the upper punches (14) and with the lower punches (16) to compress the powder material in the cavities (12) of the die disk (10) into tablets (48). cooperatewherein the rotary tablet press has an ejection device (44) for ejecting the tablets (48), and wherein the rotary tablet press further has a lubrication device for lubricating the upper and / or lower press punches (14, 16) with a lubricant, characterized by , that the lubrication device has a lubricant reservoir (54) and a stationary applicator connected to the lubricant reservoir (54) for applying lubricant to upper and / or lower press rams (14, 16) rotating past the applicator with the rotor, and that the lubrication device includes a control device (52) configured to individually control the amount of lubricant applied by the applicator to the upper and / or lower press rams (14, 16) for different upper and / or lower press rams (14, 16). [2] Rotary tablet press according to claim 1, characterized by, that the applicator comprises at least one valve (56, 58, 60) which applies lubricant from the lubricant reservoir (54) to an outer surface of the upper and / or lower press rams (14, 16). [3] Rotary tablet press according to claim 2, characterized by , that the at least one valve (56, 58, 60) is arranged in an interior space (68) arranged radially within a partial circle described by the upper and / or lower press punches (14, 16), so that the at least one valve (58, 58, 60) applies the lubricant from the inside out to the upper and / or lower press punches (14, 16). [4] Rotary tablet press according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized by , that the at least one valve (56, 58 60) is arranged such that the lubricant is applied to the upper and / or lower press rams (14, 16) from above, from below and / or from the side. [5] Rotary tablet press according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized by , that the at least one valve (56, 58, 60) is designed to dispense lubricant intermittently at a frequency of more than 30 Hz, preferably more than 100 Hz, further preferably more than 200 Hz, further preferably not more than 250 Hz. [6] Rotary tablet press according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the control device (52) for controlling the applicator takes into account a rotational position of the rotor and / or a delay time of the applicator or a valve (56, 58, 60) of the applicator and / or a flight time of the lubricant from the applicator or a valve (56, 58, 60) of the applicator to an upper and / or lower press ram (14, 16). [7] Rotary tablet press according to claim 6, characterized by, that the control device (52) takes into account a lubricant pressure, a lubricant temperature, a lubricant viscosity, an opening time of the applicator or a valve (56, 58, 60) of the applicator, an outlet geometry of the applicator or a valve (56, 58, 60) of the applicator and / or a distance between the applicator or a valve (56, 58, 60) of the applicator and an upper and / or lower press ram (14, 16) for determining the flight time of the lubricant. [8] Rotary tablet press according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the lubricant reservoir (54) includes a pressure device (34) which maintains the lubricant under a predetermined pressure. [9] Rotary tablet press according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the control device (52) is designed to individually control the amount of lubricant applied by the applicator to the upper and / or lower press punches (14, 16) for different upper and / or lower press punches (14, 16) by adjusting a droplet size of the lubricant dispensed by the applicator and / or by adjusting an opening time of the applicator and / or by adjusting a number of lubricant applications dispensed by the applicator to individual upper and / or lower press punches (14, 16). [10] Rotary tablet press according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the control device (52) receives measured values from at least one sensor of the rotary tablet press, and that the control device (52) is designed to individually control the amount of lubricant applied by the applicator to the upper and / or lower press punches (14, 16) for different upper and / or lower press punches (14, 16) based on the received measured values. [11] Rotary tablet press according to claim 10, characterized by , that the at least one sensor includes at least one stiffness sensor that individually measures the stiffness of the upper and / or lower press rams (14, 16). [12] Rotary tablet press according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the lubricant reservoir (54) contains a liquid lubricant, in particular a lubricating oil, and that the applicator applies the liquid lubricant in drops individually onto the upper and / or lower press punches (14, 16) and / or that the applicator atomizes the liquid lubricant in a defined quantity onto the upper and / or lower press punches (14, 16). [13] Rotary tablet press according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the lubrication device has a heating device for heating the applicator. [14] Method for lubricating upper and / or lower press dies (14, 16) using a rotary tablet press according to one of the preceding claims.
Citation Information
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