Carousel-type press machine

Abstract

We provide a carousel-type press that enables improved return of surplus press material with even less material loss. [Solution] The present invention relates to a carousel-type press machine including a rotor rotatable by a rotary drive unit, wherein the rotor has an upper punch guide 18 for an upper press punch, a lower punch guide 20 for a lower press punch, and a die plate 10 positioned between the respective punch guides, and a discharge device is provided downstream of the filling device when viewed in the rotational direction of the die plate, the discharge device discharges the press material on the upper surface of the die plate which rotates relative to the discharge device from the die plate, the discharge device is configured to discharge the press material on the die plate outward, and a return device is provided which is configured to receive the press material discharged by the discharge device and supply it back to the filling device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a carousel-type press comprising a rotor rotatable by a rotary drive unit, wherein the rotor has an upper punch guide portion for an upper press punch, a lower punch guide portion for a lower press punch, and a die plate disposed between the respective punch guide portions, the press punches cooperate with cavities of the die plate, the carousel-type press further comprises a filling device by which a pressing material to be pressed is filled into the cavities of the die plate, the carousel-type press comprises a pressing device having an upper pressing unit and a lower pressing unit that cooperate with the upper press punch and the lower press punch to press the pressing material in the cavities of the die plate into a pressed molded product during operation, the carousel-type press has an ejecting device for ejecting pressed molded products produced by the carousel-type press, and a discharge device is provided downstream of the filling device as viewed in the rotational direction of the die plate, and the discharge device discharges pressing material located on the upper surface of the die plate rotating relative to the discharge device from the die plate.

Background Art

[0002] A carousel-type press typically has multiple upper and lower press punches, which are paired and assigned to the cavities of the die plate. When the carousel-type press is in operation, the upper and lower press punches rotate with the die plate, their axial movement controlled by control cams and guided by upper and lower punch guides. As it rotates, the die plate passes through various devices of the carousel-type press, namely a filling device where the material to be pressed, especially powdered material, is filled into the cavity of the die plate, and a pressing device where the upper and lower press punches are usually pressed into the cavity by upper and lower pressing rollers to press the material into a press-formed product such as a tablet. Following the pressing device, the upper press punch is guided upward to exit the cavity, and the press-formed product made in the cavity is pushed up to the top surface of the die plate by the lower press punch. This type of carousel press further includes an ejector device for ejecting press-formed products manufactured by the carousel press. The ejector device guides the press-formed products to a first or second press-formed product ejector section. The first press-formed product ejector section may be, for example, an ejector section for press-formed products that have been identified as acceptable. The second press-formed product ejector section may be, for example, an ejector section for press-formed products that have been identified as unacceptable.

[0003] When the cavities of the die plate of a carousel-type press are filled, the lower press punch is first moved downward, for example by a corresponding cam, until slightly more press material than is needed to press the tablet is filled into each cavity. The lower press punch is then moved upward by a certain amount, also for example by a corresponding cam, so that just enough press material to press the desired tablet remains in the cavity. At this point, a small amount of excess press material is pushed upward from the cavity. This excess press material is usually scraped off from the top surface of the die plate by a scraper.

[0004] A pneumatic scraper is known, for example, from German Patent No. 102013006950. In one embodiment, this scraper can completely scrape excess press material outward from the die plate. In another embodiment, the excess tablet powder can be reused by resupplying it to a filling device. In this case, there is a groove radially inside the pitch circle formed by the cavity of the die plate, which can contain the press material scraped inward by the scraper and transport it back to the filling device for reuse. The scraping device described in German Patent No. 102013006950 includes a force generating device that presses the scraper against the upper surface of the die plate with a predetermined pressing force. For this purpose, the force generating device includes a fluid cushion filled with fluid.

[0005] At this time, the press material in the groove of the die plate, which is to be transported back to the filling device, moves approximately 360° along the direction of the die plate's movement before being returned to the filling device. In this process, particularly in high-performance carousel-type presses, the significant centrifugal force can cause the press material to be lost from the groove and dispersed into the internal space of the press in an undesirable manner. Moreover, the groove only allows for the return of one piece of press material at a time. For example, if two different press materials are pressed to form a two-layer tablet, only the press material from one layer, for example, the first layer, can be returned to the filling device, while the excess press material from the second layer is lost as waste. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Building upon the prior art described above, the object of the present invention is to provide the carousel-type press machine of the type described at the beginning, which enables improved return of excess press material with even less material loss. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention solves this problem with respect to the object of independent claim 1. Preferred embodiments are described in the dependent claims, the detailed description of the invention, and the drawings.

[0008] Regarding the carousel-type press machine of the type described at the beginning, the present invention solves the problem by providing a discharge device configured to discharge the press material on the die plate outward from the die plate, and a return device configured to receive the press material discharged by the discharge device and supply it again to the filling device.

[0009] The basic structure of the carousel-type press machine to which the present invention pertains is as described at the beginning. As described, upper and lower punch guides guide the press punch during axial motion. The punch heads cooperate with control cams, which move each press punch axially, particularly toward and toward each other, as it rotates with the rotor. These control cams are usually composed of multiple control cam members. These can house the punch heads in corresponding guide housings, or they may only contact the mirror surface of the punch heads. The pressing device usually includes an upper pressing roller and a lower pressing roller, which cooperate with the punch heads of the upper or lower press punches. Multiple pressing devices of this type may be provided, for example, a pre-pressing device and a main pressing device may be provided. The ejector cam, as part of the control cam, moves the lower press punch upward after the press-formed part has been produced in each cavity, thereby allowing the press-formed part to reach the top surface of the die plate, from which it can be transferred to the first or second press-formed part ejection section. The press material is particularly in powder form. The press-formed part may be a tablet. The carousel-type press machine may be a carousel-type tablet press machine accordingly. The tablet may be, for example, a pharmaceutical tablet.

[0010] The carousel-type press according to the present invention has a discharge device, in a manner well known, located downstream of the filling device and particularly upstream of the pressing device in the direction of rotation of the die plate, which discharges excess press material from the top surface of the die plate before pressing by the pressing device. According to the present invention, the discharge device discharges the press material on the die plate outward in the radial and / or tangential directions with respect to the axis of rotation of the die plate. For example, the press material can be discharged at an angle of less than, for example, 10° or less with respect to the radial direction, for example, about 5°. According to the present invention, a return device is provided to receive the press material discharged outward from the die plate by the discharge device and to supply it again to the filling device. The discharge device is located between the filling device and the pressing device, the press material is guided outward to the return device, and the return device further supplies the press material to the filling device, which is fixedly located outside the rotating die plate, so that the excess press material is supplied back to the filling device in a direct path. Unlike the prior art, the press material does not need to complete a nearly full rotation with the die plate before being resupplied to the filling device. Consequently, material loss due to centrifugal force and potential contamination within the internal space of the carousel press, as seen in the prior art, are avoided. Unlike the return of the product via the inside of the die plate as intended in the prior art, the present invention has the advantage that the centrifugal force generated during operation is used to assist in the outward discharge of the press material. This improves the efficiency of discharge to the filling device and product return. Furthermore, in a carousel press for continuously pressing different press materials layer by layer to manufacture multilayer tablets, the present invention enables the separate return of different press materials to each filling device of the carousel press.

[0011] Sensors may be provided to monitor the proper functioning of the discharge and / or return devices. In this way, it is possible to ensure that when the discharge and / or return devices malfunction, undesirable retention of press material, or undesirable intrusion and retention of press material into or within the press space, cannot occur. In this way, significant product loss can be avoided.

[0012] In particularly practical embodiments, the discharge device may be a scraping device including a scraper, which is positioned above the die plate such that the scraper scrapes the press material on the die plate outward from the die plate. The scraper may be positioned immediately above the die plate or in contact with its upper surface, and the die plate rotates and passes beneath the scraper. The scraper may also be pressed against the upper surface of the die plate by a force generating device, in particular by a pneumatic force generating device, such as the one described in German Patent No. 102013006950.

[0013] The return device may include a container that holds the press material discharged from the die plate, for example, scraped off, from which the press material is again supplied to the filling device. Alternatively, the discharged press material may be supplied to the filling device directly, or without a container acting as an intermediate container.

[0014] The return device may further include a return passage through which the press material is supplied again to the filling device. The return passage may be connected to a container. The return passage may be configured to be closed or open. The return passage may be configured as, for example, a return groove. Furthermore, the return passage may be rigid or flexible. This may be, for example, a return hose.

[0015] In another embodiment, the return device may include conveying means for transporting the press material to the filling device and / or to the filling chamber of the filling device within the filling device. The conveying means may include, for example, pneumatic conveying means. In particular, the conveying means may include a venturi nozzle. Negative or vacuum conveying of the press material is also possible using a negative pressure conveying device. The press material discharged from the die plate by the discharge device can be smoothly guided to the filling device under control by the conveying means. For example, a pneumatic conveying means including a venturi nozzle can accelerate the press material toward the filling device. This enables particularly reliable and secure return of the press material to the filling device in a design-simple manner.

[0016] In another embodiment, the conveying means may include a conveying screw. For example, the conveying means, such as a conveying screw, may be located, for example, inside a centrifuge or cyclone separator and / or inside a filling tube leading to the filling chamber of the filling device. The conveying means may also include a suction device that conveys the press material to the filling device and / or into the filling chamber inside the filling device by negative pressure. In particular, when the product return is performed by a suction device, especially by only one suction device, especially using a cyclone separator, a conveying screw may be additionally used to prevent the press material from being accidentally sucked out of the filling chamber, especially from the metering chamber. In that case, the conveying screw serves as an airlock.

[0017] The conveying mechanism ensures reliable transport of filling materials, even at the high rotational speeds of the carousel-type press.

[0018] The return device may further include a separation device for separating the press material from the conveying fluid. The separation device may also induce deceleration of the press material, which has been accelerated beforehand, for example, by a pneumatic conveying means. The conveying fluid may be a conveying gas, such as conveying air.

[0019] In particularly practical embodiments, the separation apparatus may include a centrifuge and / or a cyclone separator. By a centrifuge, also called an inertial separator, or especially by a cyclone separator including a cyclone funnel, the press material to be returned to the filling apparatus can be separated again from the conveying gas that carries the press material with particularly high reliability, for example, before being supplied to the filling chamber of the filling apparatus.

[0020] In another embodiment, the filling apparatus may have a filling reservoir and a filling chamber located below the filling reservoir, in which a filling wheel is driven, and a return device may be intended to supply press material below the filling reservoir to a connecting area leading to the filling chamber and / or directly to the filling chamber of the filling apparatus. The filling chamber may form a metering chamber of the filling apparatus. The filling wheel may be a metering wheel accordingly.

[0021] In this case, the return device supplies the press material, particularly near the rotation axis of the filling wheel. The rotation axis may be formed by the hub of the filling wheel. The return device can supply the press material immediately adjacent to the hub of the filling wheel that forms the rotation axis. By returning the press material as close as possible to the rotation axis of the filling wheel, it is utilized that the back pressure of the press material already circulating in the filling chamber is at its lowest point there. This back pressure increases from the rotation axis to the outer diameter of the filling chamber based on the centrifugal force generated by circulation. The relatively low back pressure allows for the return of the press material to the filling chamber, particularly to the metering chamber located behind the first filling chamber in the direction of rotation of the die plate, without product stagnation. Otherwise, such product stagnation would hinder the efficient return of the press material to the filling chamber. Furthermore, it is utilized that the press material already in the filling chamber tends to accumulate in the outer region of the filling chamber due to centrifugal force, resulting in a region with less press material in the central region of the filling chamber in the rotation axis region, which facilitates the return of press material to this region.

[0022] In another embodiment, the return device may have a return area communicating with the filling chamber, and a barrier may be positioned above the filling wheel, in front of the return area as viewed in the direction of rotation of the filling wheel, and below the communication to the return area, forming a free space that is not filled by the press material. That is, the barrier is inserted in the upper region of the filling chamber, particularly the metering chamber, just in front of the communication to the return area as viewed in the direction of rotation of the filling wheel or the metering wheel. This barrier results in the filling chamber not being completely filled in height in the region of the communication to the return area. In this way, a free space is formed that allows for the additional flow of press material through the return area.

[0023] A filling reservoir, which may be configured as a filling funnel, contains the material to be pressed by a carousel-type press. From the filling reservoir, the material reaches a filling chamber located below the filling reservoir, particularly under the influence of gravity. Inside the filling chamber is a filling wheel, which is usually rotated when the filling device is in operation. The filling wheel may have, for example, multiple filling wheel blades. The filling wheel serves to loosen and disperse the material, particularly to avoid product buildup and bridging. The filling wheel can also equalize and improve the filling of the cavity. The filling device may have multiple filling chambers, each containing a rotating filling wheel. At least one filling chamber may be a metering chamber in which a metering wheel is rotated. In this case, a return device can supply the material near the axis of rotation of the metering wheel. By supplying press material directly from the filling reservoir to the connection area leading to the filling chamber, and / or directly to the filling chamber of the filling device, particularly near the axis of rotation of the filling wheel which is rotationally driven within the filling chamber, additional suction of press material can be generated by the effect of centrifugal force, thereby enabling the return of press material to the filling device and the discharge of press material through the return device at even higher rotational speeds of the rotor or die plate of the carousel-type press machine, higher than 60 revolutions per minute, preferably higher than 80 revolutions per minute, for example, up to 120 revolutions per minute.

[0024] In another embodiment, the carousel press further includes a second filling device, by which a second press material to be pressed is filled into the cavity of the die plate, and the carousel press may include a second pressing device having a second upper pressing unit and a second lower pressing unit that cooperate with an upper and lower press punch to press the second press material, or the first and second press materials, in the cavity of the die plate when in operation to form a press-formed product.

[0025] Like the first press material, the second press material is also configured in a powder form. A carousel-type press having two filling devices and two pressing devices can be used to produce two-layer tablets by pressing different press materials in succession, layer by layer. Simultaneous production of single-layer tablets in a dual carousel operation is also possible, provided the carousel-type press has two ejector devices. In this case, only half of the rotor is used for the production of each tablet. However, the present invention—as described at the beginning—offers special advantages when different press materials are filled into the cavity by the first and second filling devices, respectively, and then pressed by the first or second pressing device.

[0026] In particular, in yet another embodiment, it may be contemplated that a second discharge device is provided downstream of the second filling device as viewed in the rotational direction of the die plate, for discharging the second pressing material located on the upper surface of the die plate, which rotates relative to the discharge device, from the die plate; the second discharge device is configured to discharge the second pressing material located on the die plate outward from the die plate, and a second returning device arranged to receive the second pressing material discharged by the second discharge device and supply it back to the second filling device is provided. In this way, in the two-layer operation of a carousel press, the pressing material of both layers can be separately returned to the respective filling devices. In this case, the second discharge device and the second returning device may in principle be configured in the same manner as the first discharge device and the first returning device.

[0027] Alternatively, a second discharge device is provided downstream of the second filling device as viewed in the rotational direction of the die plate, for discharging the second pressing material located on the upper surface of the die plate, which rotates relative to the discharge device, from the die plate, and the second discharge device may be configured to discharge the second pressing material located on the die plate inward into a return passage formed radially inside the cavity of the die plate. That is, in this case, only one of the pressing materials is directly supplied to the filling device in the manner according to the present invention, and the second pressing material, which is normally to be filled subsequently in the rotational direction of the die plate, is supplied back to the second filling device via a return passage formed radially inside the pitch circle of the die plate cavity, for example via a return groove, as described above with respect to the prior art. The second pressing material supplied inward in the radial direction and / or tangential direction with respect to the rotational axis of the die plate by the second discharge device into the return passage or return groove can be rotated together with the die plate in the return passage back to the second filling device, and received again by the second filling device. In this case, the second discharge device may also be configured as a scraping device including a scraper that scrapes excess pressing material inward.

[0028] Of course, it is also possible, for example, that the second pressing material is discharged outward from the die plate by the second discharging device without being resupplied to the second filling device. That is, in this embodiment, excess pressing material can be carried out of the carousel press.

[0029] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The drawings schematically show the following: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] [Figure 1] A developed view of a rotor of a carousel press according to the present invention is shown. [Figure 2] A perspective view shows a part of the carousel press shown in Figure 1, comprising a discharging device according to the present invention and a returning device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] The drawing of Figure 2 is shown with the returning device partially exposed. [Figure 4] A perspective view shows a part of the carousel press shown in Figure 1, comprising a discharging device according to the present invention and a returning device according to another embodiment. [Figure 5] A partial cross-sectional view along line A-A in Figure 4 is shown. [Figure 6] A partial cross-sectional view along line B-B in Figure 4 is shown. [Figure 7] A side view shows a filling device, a discharging device and a returning device according to another embodiment. [Figure 8] A cross-sectional view along line C-C in Figure 7 is shown.

[0031] Unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals represent the same objects in the drawings.

[0032] The carousel-type press machine according to the present invention, shown in Figure 1, is a carousel-type press machine for tablet manufacturing, in which powdered press material is pressed into tablets. The rotor of the carousel-type press machine is rotationally driven by a rotary drive unit and includes a die plate 10 having a plurality of cavities 12. The cavities 12 may be formed, for example, by holes in the die plate 10. Furthermore, the rotor includes a plurality of upper press punches 14 and lower press punches 16 that rotate synchronously with the die plate 10. The upper press punches 14 are axially guided in an upper punch guide 18, and the lower press punches 16 are axially guided in a lower punch guide 20. The axial motion of the upper press punches 14 and lower press punches 16 during the rotation of the rotor is controlled by an upper control cam member 22 and a lower control cam member 24. The control cam members 22 and 24 are held in the cam support of the carousel-type press machine. Furthermore, Figure 1 shows a filling device 26, which is only schematically represented, and has a supply funnel 28 and a first filling chamber 30 and a second filling chamber 31, with the supply funnel 28 connected to a filling pipe 32. The second filling chamber 31 can form a metering chamber. In this way, in this example, the press material enters the filling chambers 30 and 31 from the supply funnel 28 through the filling pipe 32, for example by gravity, and from there, through outlets provided on the lower surface of the filling chambers 30 and 31, also for example by gravity, into the cavity 12 of the die plate 10.

[0033] The carousel-type press machine further includes a pressing device 34. The pressing device 34 includes a pre-pressing device having an upper pre-pressing roller 36 held by an upper holding part 35 and a lower pre-pressing roller 38 held by a lower holding part 37, and also includes a main pressing device having an upper pressing roller 40 held by an upper holding part 39 and a lower pressing roller 42 held by a lower holding part 41. In addition, the carousel-type press machine includes an ejector device 44 having an ejector member 46. The ejector member 46 scrapes off the tablet 48 that has been carried to the upper surface of the die plate 10 by the lower press punch 16 and transports the tablet 48 to the first press-formed product discharge section 50. Furthermore, the carousel-type press machine includes a control device 52 for controlling the operation of the carousel-type press machine. The carousel-type press machine further includes a second press-formed product discharge section, not shown in detail in Figure 1, which may be positioned in front of the first press-formed product discharge section 50, for example, and parallel to it, when viewed in the direction of rotation of the die plate 10. A sorting device, such as a sorting nozzle, can accurately transport the tablets to the second press-formed product discharge section. The first press-formed product discharge section 50 may be a discharge section for tablets recognized as acceptable, and the second press-formed product discharge section may be a discharge section for tablets recognized as unacceptable.

[0034] A first embodiment of the discharge and return device according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. The discharge device is configured in the form of a scraping device, which in the illustrated example includes a scraper 54 that scrapes outward from the die plate 10 to the container 56 of the return device, removing excess powder material from the upper surface of the die plate 10. The return device includes a pneumatic conveying means 58, which in this example includes a venturi nozzle 58, and which conveys the press material in the container 56 through the return passage 60 of the return device to a separation device 62 for separating the press material from the conveying fluid, in particular from the conveying air. The press material separated from the conveying air by the separation device 62, which in this example is configured as a centrifuge 62, is again supplied to the filling device 26, in particular to the second filling chamber 31, and thus used in a carousel-type press for subsequent tablet production. Filling wheels, which are rotationally driven when in operation, may be arranged in the filling chambers 30 and 31, respectively. The press material can be supplied near the axis of rotation of the filling wheel, which is arranged to rotate within the second filling chamber 31, and in particular immediately adjacent to the hub of the second filling chamber 31 that forms the axis of rotation.

[0035] In Figure 3, for illustrative purposes, the cover of the separation device 62, which is configured as a centrifuge 62, has been removed. This allows us to see the separation passage 64 of the centrifuge 62, where the press material is separated from the conveying air using centrifugal force. In the illustrated example, the separation passage 64 branches into a conveying air passage 66 through which the conveying air from the centrifuge 62 is discharged, and a press material passage 68 through which the press material separated from the conveying air is supplied to the filling chamber 31.

[0036] Another embodiment of the discharge and return apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 6. This embodiment is substantially equivalent to the embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figures 4 to 6, excess press material is sent outward from the die plate 10 into the containment container 56 by the scraper 54 of the scraping device, and from there is supplied to the separation device 70 of the return device through the return passage 60 by the venturi nozzle 58, which in this example is configured in the form of a cyclone separator 70, and more particularly in the form of a cyclone funnel 70.

[0037] The function of the cyclone separator 70 will be explained in detail with reference to the cross-sectional views in Figures 5 and 6. In Figure 5, the inlet 72 of the cyclone separator 70, connected to the return passage 60, is visible, through which the press material is supplied to the cyclone separator 70 together with the conveying air. Within the framework of the cyclone separator 70's function, the conveying air, used as the transport medium, is discharged upward from the cyclone separator 70 via the air outlet 74, as shown by arrow 76 in Figure 5. A suction unit may be connected to the air outlet 74 to assist in separating the press material from the conveying air. The suction unit can also suck up any remaining dusty material. The press material separated from the conveying air enters the discharge passage 78 from the funnel-shaped upper section of the cyclone separator 70, as shown by arrows 80, 82, and 84 in Figure 5, and is guided through this to the filling device 26, particularly to the second filling chamber 31. The cross-sectional view in Figure 6 further shows the filling wheel 86 which is rotationally driven within the second filling chamber 31. The press material is supplied from the discharge passage 78 near the rotation axis 88 of the filling wheel 86, particularly immediately adjacent to the hub that forms the rotation axis of the filling wheel 86, thereby creating an attractive force on the press material being returned into the second filling chamber 31 by the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the filling wheel 86, which assists in the return of the press material and its discharge from the cyclone separator 70. Furthermore, the fact that the press material is drawn to the outer region of the filling chamber 31 by centrifugal force is utilized, thus facilitating the return of the press material in the region of the rotation axis.

[0038] Referring to Figures 7 and 8, another embodiment of the present invention, which is substantially equivalent to the embodiments shown in Figures 4 to 6, will be described. For example, in the embodiments shown in Figures 7 and 8, a return device in the form of a cyclone separator 70 is provided, but for the sake of simplification, the return passage 60 and the containment container 56 are not shown in detail. Naturally, the configuration of the embodiments shown in Figures 7 and 8, which will be described below, can be combined with the embodiments shown in Figures 2 and 3, and in particular with the separation device 62 provided therein.

[0039] The cross-sectional view from below in Figure 8 first shows the first filling chamber 30 and the filling wheel 90 rotating within it, with the axis of rotation of the filling wheel 90 formed by the hub 92 of the filling wheel 90. Adjacent to the first filling chamber 30, we can see the second filling chamber 31 and the filling wheel 86 arranged to rotate within it, similarly with the axis of rotation of the filling wheel 86 formed by the hub 94 of the filling wheel 86. The second filling chamber 31 can form a metering chamber, as described above. The filling wheel 86 arranged to rotate within the second filling chamber 31 may accordingly be a metering wheel 86. The direction of rotation of the filling wheel 86 arranged to rotate within the second filling chamber 31 is clockwise as seen in the drawing of Figure 8, as indicated by the arrow 96. Immediately adjacent to the hub 94 that forms the axis of rotation of the filling wheel 86, the return area 98 of the return device communicates with the second filling chamber 31 above the stirring blades of the filling wheel 86. Based on centrifugal force, the press material already in the second filling chamber 31 during operation is gathered in the area outside the second filling chamber 31, thereby facilitating the return of the press material by the return area 98 in the area immediately adjacent to the hub 94. In addition, a barrier 100 is positioned in the second filling chamber 31 above the filling wheel 86, particularly above the stirring blades of the filling wheel 86, and in front of the return area 98 when viewed in the direction of rotation of the filling wheel 86. This barrier creates a free space below the communication section of the return area 98 that is not filled with press material, and this free space further facilitates the return of the press material by the return area 98. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 10 die plates 12 Cavity 14 Upper press punch 16 Lower press punch 18 Upper punch guide section 20 Lower punch guide section 22 Upper control cam member 24 Lower control cam member 26 Filling equipment 28 Supply funnel 30 First filling chamber 31 Second filling chamber 32 Filling tube 34 Pressing device 35 Upper retaining part 36 Upper pre-pressing roller 37 Lower retaining part 38 Lower pre-pressing roller 39 Upper retaining part 40 Upper pressure roller 41 Lower retaining part 42 Lower pressure roller 44 Ejector 46 Scraper 48 tablets 50 Press-formed product unloading section 52 Control device 54 Scraper 56 Containment containers 58 Pneumatic conveying means / venturi nozzle 60 Return route 62 Separation equipment / centrifuge 64 Separation passage 66 Conveying fluid passage 68 Press material passage 70 Separation device / cyclone separator / cyclone funnel 72 Entrance 74 Air outlet 76 Arrows 78 Discharge passage 80 Arrows 82 Arrows 84 Arrows 86 Filling Wheel 88 Rotation axis 90 Filling Wheel 92 Hub 94 Hub 96 Arrow 98 Return Area 100 Barriers

Claims

1. A carousel-type press machine including a rotor rotatable by a rotary drive unit, wherein the rotor has an upper punch guide (18) for an upper press punch (14), a lower punch guide (20) for a lower press punch (16), and a die plate (10) positioned between the respective punch guides (18, 20), the press punches (14, 16) cooperating with the cavity (12) of the die plate (10), the carousel-type press machine further includes a filling device (26) to fill the cavity (12) of the die plate (10) with the press material to be pressed, and the carousel-type press machine cooperates with the upper press punch (14) and the lower press punch (16) to press the press material in the cavity (12) of the die plate (10) to form a press-formed product (48) when in operation. A carousel-type press machine comprising a pressing device (34) having an acting upper pressing unit (40) and a lower pressing unit (42), wherein the carousel-type press machine has an ejector device (44) for ejecting a press-formed product (48) manufactured by the carousel-type press machine, and a discharge device is provided downstream of the filling device (26) when viewed in the rotational direction of the die plate (10), the discharge device discharges the press material on the upper surface of the die plate (10) which rotates relative to the discharge device from the die plate (10), wherein the discharge device is configured to discharge the press material on the die plate (10) outward from the die plate (10), and a return device is provided which is configured to receive the press material discharged by the discharge device and supply it again to the filling device (26).

2. The discharge device is a scraping device including a scraper (46), and the scraper (46) is positioned above the die plate (10) such that the scraper (46) scrapes the press material on the die plate (10) outward, the carousel type press machine according to claim 1.

3. The carousel-type press machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the return device includes a storage container (56), the storage container contains the press material discharged from the die plate (10), and the press material is supplied again from there to the filling device (26).

4. The carousel-type press machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the return device includes a return passage (60), and press material is supplied again to the filling device (26) via the return passage.

5. The carousel-type press machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the return device includes a conveying means (58) for conveying the press material to the filling device (26) and / or to the filling chamber of the filling device (26) inside the filling device (26).

6. The carousel-type press machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the conveying means (58) includes a pneumatic conveying means (58).

7. The carousel-type press machine according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the conveying means (58) includes a venturi nozzle (58).

8. The carousel-type press machine according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the conveying means includes a conveying screw and / or a suction device.

9. The carousel-type press according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the return device includes a separation device (62, 70) for separating the press material from the conveying fluid, particularly from the conveying air, wherein the separation device (62, 70) preferably includes a centrifuge (62) and / or a cyclone separator (70).

10. The carousel-type press machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the filling device (26) has a filling reservoir (28) and filling chambers (30, 31) located below the filling reservoir (28) in which a filling wheel (86) is rotated, and the return device supplies press material below the filling reservoir (28) to a connection area (32) leading to the filling chambers (30, 31), and / or to the filling chambers (30, 31) of the filling device (26).

11. The carousel-type press machine according to claim 10, characterized in that the return device supplies the press material near the rotation axis (88) of the filling wheel (86), and in particular immediately adjacent to the hub (94) that forms the rotation axis of the filling wheel (86).

12. The carousel-type press machine according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the return device has a return area (98) communicating with the filling chambers (30, 31), and a barrier (100) is arranged in the filling chambers (30, 31) above the filling wheel (86) and in front of the return area (98) when viewed in the rotational direction of the filling wheel (86), forming a free space that is not filled by the press material below the communication portion to the return area (98).

13. The carousel-type press machine further includes a second filling device, the second press material to be pressed is filled into the cavity (12) of the die plate (10) by the second filling device, and the carousel-type press machine further includes a second pressing device having a second upper pressing unit and a second lower pressing unit that cooperate with the upper pressing punch (14) and the lower pressing punch (16) to press the second press material, or the first and second press materials, in the cavity (12) of the die plate (10) to form a press-formed product (48) when in operation, according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A carousel-type press machine according to claim 13, characterized in that a second discharge device is provided downstream of the second filling device when viewed in the rotational direction of the die plate (10) for discharging the second press material on the upper surface of the die plate (10) which rotates relative to the discharge device, the second discharge device is configured to discharge the second press material on the die plate (10) outward, and a second return device is provided which is arranged to receive the second press material discharged by the second discharge device and supply it again to the second filling device.

15. A carousel-type press machine according to claim 13, wherein a second discharge device is provided downstream of the second filling device when viewed in the rotational direction of the die plate (10) for discharging the second press material on the upper surface of the die plate (10) which rotates relative to the discharge device, and the second discharge device is configured to discharge the second press material on the die plate (10) inward into a return passage formed radially inside the cavity (12) of the die plate (10).

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