Granular material moving device and granular material conveying device

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of reducing the number of components for rotating an inclined drum.SOLUTION: A tablet printer 1 comprises: an inclined drum 71; a suction pipe 51; and a rotary motor 71M. The inclined drum 71 has an outer side surface 710 being a conical surface with a center axis C1 as a center and having a suction hole 711 for suctioning a tablet 9. The suction pipe 51 connects the suction hole 711 to a negative pressure source. The rotary motor 71M rotates the inclined drum 71 with the center axis C1 as a center. The rotary motor 71M is a hollow motor having a through hole 61 with the center axis C1 as a center. The suction pipe 51 is arranged in the through hole 61 of the rotary motor 71M.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a granular material moving device and a granular material conveying device.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a printing device that prints an image by an inkjet method on the surface of granular materials such as tablets which are pharmaceuticals and tablet confections such as Ramune. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a printing device that prints on the front and back of a tablet by an inkjet method.

[0003] The printing device of Patent Document 1 includes an upstream conveying unit (3), a downstream conveying unit (4), a first printing unit (201), and a second printing unit (202). While the tablet (T) is being conveyed by the conveying unit (3), it is printed by the first printing unit (201). Then, the tablet (T) is transferred from the conveying unit (3) to the conveying unit (4) in a state where the front and back are reversed. And while the tablet (T) is being conveyed by the conveying unit (4), it is printed by the second printing unit (202). Thereby, printing is performed on the front and back surfaces of the tablet (T).

[0004] Also, Citation Document 2 discloses a granular material conveying device including a conveying mechanism for conveying granular materials and a reversing mechanism for reversing granular materials. The reversing mechanism has a conical first inclined drum and a second inclined drum. The first inclined drum rotates while adsorbing the granular material (9) conveyed at the first position (W1) in the width direction of the conveying mechanism to the first suction hole (711) connected to a negative pressure source, and transfers it to the second inclined drum (72). The second inclined drum (72) rotates while adsorbing the granular material (9) received from the first suction hole (711) to the second suction hole (721), and transfers it to the second position (W2) in the width direction of the conveying mechanism.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006] In Patent Document 2, a suction pipe is arranged inside the inclined drum to adsorb granular material into the adsorption holes of the inclined drum. Various components such as bearings and gears for transmitting motor power to the inclined drum were sometimes used to rotate the inclined drum relative to the suction pipe while connecting the adsorption holes to the suction pipe. When there are many components to rotate the inclined drum in this way, the amount of work required for assembling and maintaining the device increases. Also, when there are many components, the variation between devices due to the processing accuracy and assembly accuracy of the components increases. For this reason, it is desirable to reduce the number of components required to rotate the inclined drum.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a technology that can reduce the number of parts required to rotate an inclined drum. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the first embodiment is a granular material moving device for adsorbing and moving granular material, comprising: an inclined drum having a conical surface centered on a predetermined central axis and an outer surface having adsorption holes for adsorbing the granular material; a suction pipe connecting the adsorption holes to a negative pressure source; and a rotary motor for rotating the inclined drum about the central axis, wherein the rotary motor is a hollow motor having a through hole centered on the central axis, and the suction pipe is arranged within the through hole of the rotary motor.

[0009] The second embodiment is a granular material moving device according to the first embodiment, wherein the rotor of the rotary motor and the inclined drum rotate together about the central axis.

[0010] A third embodiment is a granular material transfer device according to the first or second embodiment, further comprising an air-cutting member having a closing portion that intermittently closes the adsorption holes on the suction piping side, which is rotated by the rotary motor, with respect to the adsorption holes, wherein as the inclined drum rotates, the adsorption holes move between a position that overlaps with the closing portion and a position that does not overlap with the closing portion, and when the adsorption holes do not overlap with the closing portion, the adsorption holes communicate with the suction piping.

[0011] The fourth embodiment is a granular material conveying device comprising: a conveying mechanism that conveys a plurality of granular materials in a predetermined conveying direction while holding them in an arrangement in the width direction; and a reversing mechanism that reverses the front and back sides of the granular materials and moves the position of the granular materials in the width direction at a reversal position on the conveying path of the conveying mechanism, wherein the reversing mechanism comprises a first granular material moving device of any one of the first to third embodiments and a second granular material moving device of any one of the first to third embodiments, and the inclined drum of the second granular material moving device is The second granular material moving device is adjacent to the inclined drum of the first granular material moving device in the width direction, and the first granular material moving device rotates the inclined drum to move the granular material to the transfer position while adsorbing the granular material at a first position on the transport path of the transport mechanism into the adsorption holes, and the second granular material moving device rotates the inclined drum to move the granular material to a second position on the transport path of the transport mechanism while adsorbing the granular material placed at the transfer position by the first granular material moving device into the adsorption holes. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the granular material transfer device of the first to third embodiments, a hollow motor is used as the power source for rotating the inclined drum, thus reducing the number of parts such as bearings and gears required to rotate the inclined drum relative to the suction pipe. Therefore, the number of parts required to rotate the inclined drum can be reduced.

[0013] According to the granular material transfer device of the third embodiment, the closure portion of the air-cutting member overlaps with the adsorption hole, thereby releasing the adsorption of granular material in the adsorption hole.

[0014] According to the granular material conveying device of the fourth aspect, the front and back inversion of the granular material can be performed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Figure 1] It is a schematic side view of a tablet printing device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a top view of the tablet printing device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a bottom view of the tablet printing device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a partial perspective view of the conveying mechanism. [Figure 5] It is a bottom view of the head. [Figure 6] It is a view showing the conveying mechanism and the inversion part as viewed from the direction of the white arrow VI in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] It is a top view of the inversion part. [Figure 8] It is a block diagram showing the connection between the control unit and each element in the tablet printing device. [Figure 9] It is a view showing the flow of the printing process in the tablet printing device. [Figure 10] It is a partial cross-sectional view when a pair of moving units are cut by a plane passing through each central axis. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view showing an air cutting member. [Figure 12] It is a top view of the air cutting member. [Figure 13] It is a bottom view of the air cutting member. [Figure 14] It is a view showing the cross-section of the air cutting member at the position along the line A-A shown in FIG. 12.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the components described in these embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to them alone. In the drawings, for ease of understanding, the dimensions and number of parts may be exaggerated or simplified as needed.

[0017] <1. Embodiment> <1.1. Overall Configuration of the Tablet Printing Machine> Figure 1 is a schematic side view of the tablet printing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. Figure 2 is a top view of the tablet printing apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a bottom view of the tablet printing apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1.

[0018] The tablet printing device 1 is a device that transports multiple tablets 9, which are granular materials, and prints images such as the product name, product code, company name, and logo on both sides of each tablet 9. The tablets 9 may be uncoated tablets, coated tablets such as sugar-coated tablets or film-coated tablets (FC tablets), or capsules. Furthermore, the tablets 9 may be pharmaceuticals or health foods. In addition, the object to be printed by the tablet printing device 1 is not limited to tablets 9, but may also be candy tablets such as ramune.

[0019] In the following description, the direction in which the tablets 9 are transported in the tablet printing apparatus 1 is referred to as the "transport direction." The direction perpendicular to the transport direction and along the holding surface 220 of the transport belt 22 is referred to as the "width direction."

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the tablet printing apparatus 1 includes a loading mechanism 10, a transport mechanism 20, a printing unit 30, a first camera 40, a second camera 50, a drying mechanism 60, a reversing unit 70, an unloading mechanism 80, and a control unit 90.

[0021] The loading mechanism 10 is a mechanism for transporting multiple tablets 9 that have been fed into the tablet printing device 1 to the transport mechanism 20. The loading mechanism 10 includes an alignment mechanism (not shown) consisting of a vibrating feeder, a rotary feeder, a chute, etc., and a loading drum 11. Multiple tablets 9 are aligned into multiple rows (3 rows in this embodiment) by the alignment mechanism and supplied to the outer surface of the loading drum 11. The loading drum 11 rotates while adsorbing and holding each aligned tablet 9 individually on its outer surface. As a result, the tablets 9 in each row are aligned at equal intervals in the transport direction. The tablets 9 held in the loading drum 11 are transported in an arc shape by the rotation of the loading drum 11 and handed over to the transport mechanism 20.

[0022] The conveying mechanism 20 holds multiple tablets 9 and conveys them along an annular conveying path. The conveying mechanism 20 has a pair of pulleys 21 and a conveying belt 22 stretched between the pair of pulleys 21. One of the pair of pulleys 21 rotates due to power obtained from a conveying motor 23. This causes the conveying belt 22 to rotate in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1. At this time, the other of the pair of pulleys 21 rotates in association with the rotation of the conveying belt 22.

[0023] Figure 4 is a partial perspective view of the conveying mechanism 20. As shown in Figure 4, the holding surface 220, which is the outer circumferential surface of the conveying belt 22, is provided with a plurality of suction holes 221. The plurality of suction holes 221 are arranged at equal intervals in the conveying direction and the width direction. Also, as shown in Figure 1, the conveying mechanism 20 has a suction mechanism 24 that draws gas from the space inside the conveying belt 22. When the suction mechanism 24 is operated, the space inside the conveying belt 22 becomes a negative pressure lower than atmospheric pressure. The plurality of tablets 9 are adsorbed and held in the suction holes 221 by this negative pressure.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the conveying mechanism 20 has three first blow mechanisms B1 and one second blow mechanism B2. The first blow mechanisms B1 are located inside the conveying belt 22. The first blow mechanisms B1 face the inclined drums 71, 73, and 75, respectively, via the conveying belt 22. The three first blow mechanisms B1 blow gas only into the adsorption holes 221 of the conveying belt 22 that face the inclined drums 71, 73, and 75, respectively. This causes the adsorption holes 221 to be under positive pressure, higher than atmospheric pressure. This gas blowing releases the adsorption of the tablets 9 in the adsorption holes 221, and the tablets 9 are transferred from the conveying belt 22 to the inclined drums 71, 73, and 75, respectively.

[0025] The second blow mechanism B2 is located inside the conveyor belt 22. The second blow mechanism B2 faces the discharge chute 81, which will be described later, via the conveyor belt 22. The second blow mechanism B2 blows gas only onto the suction holes 221 of the multiple suction holes 221 of the conveyor belt 22 that face the discharge chute 81. This blowing of gas creates a positive pressure in the suction holes 221 that is higher than atmospheric pressure. As a result, the suction of the tablets 9 by the suction holes 221 is released, and the tablets 9 fall from the conveyor belt 22 into the discharge chute 81.

[0026] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the holding surface 220 of the conveyor belt 22 has a first region A1 for holding the tablets 9 before they are turned over by the reversal unit 70 (described later), and a second region A2 for holding the tablets 9 after they are turned over. The first region A1 and the second region A2 are adjacent in the width direction. Multiple suction holes 221 are provided in three rows each in the width direction in the first region A1 and the second region A2. The tablets 9 that are transported by the transport mechanism 10 described above are held by suction in the suction holes 221 of the first region A1. Multiple tablets 9 that are printed on both sides are transferred to the discharge mechanism 80 from the suction holes 221 of the second region A2.

[0027] The printing unit 30 is a processing unit that performs inkjet printing on the surface of the tablets 9, which are transported by the transport belt 22. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the printing unit 30 has four heads 31. The four heads 31 are located above the transport belt 22 and are arranged in a line along the transport direction of the tablets 9. Each head 31 extends in the width direction, straddling both the first region A1 and the second region A2 of the transport belt 22. The four heads 31 eject ink droplets of different colors (for example, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) toward the surface of the tablets 9. Then, by superimposing the monochrome images formed by these colors, a multicolor image is recorded on the surface of the tablets 9. The ink ejected from each head 31 is edible ink manufactured from raw materials approved under the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, the Food Sanitation Law, etc. Below the four heads 31, the tablets 9 are transported horizontally by the transport mechanism 20.

[0028] Figure 5 is a bottom view of the head 31. In Figure 5, the conveyor belt 22 and the multiple tablets 9 held on the conveyor belt 22 are shown by dashed lines. As shown in Figure 5, the head 31 has an ejection surface 310, which is its bottom surface. Multiple nozzles 311 capable of ejecting ink droplets are arranged on the ejection surface 310. Specifically, the multiple nozzles 311 are arranged two-dimensionally on the ejection surface 310 in the conveyor direction and the width direction. Each nozzle 311 is arranged with a staggered position in the width direction. By arranging the multiple nozzles 311 two-dimensionally in this way, the positions of each nozzle 311 in the width direction can be brought closer to each other. However, the multiple nozzles 311 may also be arranged in a single line along the width direction.

[0029] For the method of ejecting ink droplets from the nozzle 311, a so-called piezoelectric method is used, in which a voltage is applied to a piezoelectric element to deform it, thereby pressurizing and ejecting the ink inside the nozzle 311. However, the ink droplet ejection method may also be a so-called thermal method, in which the ink inside the nozzle 311 is heated and expanded by energizing a heater.

[0030] The first camera 40 photographs the surface of the tablets 9 before printing. The first camera 40 is positioned away from the input drum 11 on the downstream side of the transport path and away from the four heads 31 on the upstream side of the transport path. The first camera 40 extends in the width direction, spanning both the first region A1 and the second region A2. For example, the first camera 40 uses a line sensor in which image sensors such as CCD or CMOS are arranged in the width direction. The first camera 40 photographs multiple tablets 9 being transported by the transport belt 22. The images acquired by the photography are transmitted from the first camera 40 to the control unit 90, which will be described later. Based on the images obtained from the first camera 40, the control unit 90 detects the presence or absence of tablets 9 in each suction hole 221, the position of the tablets 9, and the orientation of the tablets 9. The control unit 90 also inspects each tablet 9 for defects such as chips based on the images obtained from the first camera 40.

[0031] The second camera 50 photographs the surface of the printed tablets 9. The second camera 50 is positioned away from the four heads 31 on the downstream side of the transport path and away from the drying mechanism 60 on the upstream side of the transport path. The second camera 50 extends in the width direction, spanning both the first region A1 and the second region A2. For example, the second camera 50 uses a line sensor in which image sensors such as CCD or CMOS are arranged in the width direction. The second camera 50 photographs multiple tablets 9 being transported by the transport belt 22. The images acquired by the photography are transmitted from the second camera 50 to the control unit 90, which will be described later. Based on the images obtained from the second camera 50, the control unit 90 inspects the quality of the image printed on the surface of the tablets 9.

[0032] The drying mechanism 60 is a mechanism for drying the ink adhering to the surface of the tablets 9. The drying mechanism 60 is located downstream of the second camera 50 in the transport path, and upstream of the reversal section 70 and the discharge chute 81, which will be described later. The drying mechanism 60 also extends in the width direction, spanning both the first region A1 and the second region A2. The drying mechanism 60 uses, for example, a hot air supply mechanism that blows heated gas (hot air) towards the tablets 9 being transported by the transport belt 22. The ink adhering to the surface of the tablets 9 is dried by the hot air and fixed to the surface of the tablets 9.

[0033] The tablet printing apparatus 1 has four processing units: a printing unit 30, a first camera 40, a second camera 50, and a drying mechanism 60. Each processing unit performs predetermined processing, namely printing, photography, and drying, on the surface of the tablet 9 at each processing position on the transport path in the transport mechanism 20.

[0034] The reversing unit 70 is a mechanism that reverses the front and back sides of the tablets 9 being transported by the transport belt 22 and moves the tablets 9 from the first area A1 to the second area A2. The reversing unit 70 is located downstream of the transport path relative to the discharge chute 81 (described later) and upstream of the transport path relative to the input drum 11.

[0035] Figure 6 shows the transport mechanism 20 and the reversing unit 70 as viewed from the direction of the white arrow VI in Figure 1. As shown in Figures 1, 3, and 6, the reversing unit 70 of this embodiment has six moving units M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, and M6. Each of the moving units M1 to M6 has an inclined drum 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, and 76, respectively.

[0036] In this embodiment, the moving unit M1 corresponds to the "first granular material moving device," and the moving unit M2 corresponds to the "second granular material moving device." Furthermore, the pair of moving units M1 and M2 correspond to a "reversal mechanism" that reverses the front and back sides of the tablet 9, which is a granular material.

[0037] The inclined drums 71 and 72 are arranged adjacent to each other in the width direction. The inclined drums 73 and 74 are arranged adjacent to each other in the width direction. The inclined drums 73 and 74 are arranged downstream of the inclined drums 71 and 72 in the conveying direction. The inclined drums 75 and 76 are arranged adjacent to each other in the width direction. The inclined drums 75 and 76 are arranged downstream of the inclined drums 73 and 74 in the conveying direction.

[0038] In the following description, the positions on the transport path of the transport mechanism 20 where the inclined drums 71 and 72 are installed will be referred to as the "first reversal position," the positions where the inclined drums 73 and 74 are installed will be referred to as the "second reversal position," and the positions where the inclined drums 75 and 76 are installed will be referred to as the "third reversal position."

[0039] The inclined drum 71 has an outer surface 710 which is a conical pyramidal surface centered on a central axis C1 that is inclined with respect to the width direction. A portion of the outer surface 710 faces the first region A1 of the conveyor belt 22 with a small gap between them. The inclined drum 71 is also fixed to the output shaft of the rotary motor 71M. When the rotary motor 71M is driven, the inclined drum 71 rotates around the central axis C1.

[0040] The inclined drum 72 has an outer surface 720 which is a conical pyramidal surface centered on a central axis C2 that is inclined with respect to the width direction. The inclined drums 71 and 72 are arranged adjacent to each other in the width direction so that their apexes face each other. A portion of the outer surface 720 faces the second region A2 of the conveyor belt 22 with a small gap between them. Another portion of the outer surface 720 faces the outer surface 710 with a small gap between them. The inclined drum 72 is also fixed to the output shaft of the rotary motor 72M. When the rotary motor 72M is driven, the inclined drum 72 rotates around the central axis C2.

[0041] When viewed in the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism 20, the apex angle of the inclined drum 71 and the apex angle of the inclined drum 72 are both 90°. Also, the inclination angle of the central axis C1 with respect to the holding surface 220 is 45°. Also, the inclination angle of the central axis C2 with respect to the holding surface 220 is 45°. Therefore, the outer surfaces 710 and 720 face each other at a position of 90° with respect to the holding surface 220. Furthermore, the inclined drums 71 and 72 have the same shape, structure, and size. For this reason, the inclined drums 71 and 72 may be made common as parts. This can reduce the manufacturing cost of the tablet printing device 1.

[0042] The inclined drums 73 and 74 have the same structure as the inclined drums 71 and 72, and are arranged adjacent to each other, similar to the inclined drums 71 and 72. However, the inclined drums 73 and 74 are located at a second delivery position, which is downstream of the first delivery position where the inclined drums 71 and 72 are located, in the transport path. In addition, the inclined drums 73 and 74 are positioned at a widthwise offset of one tablet widthwise spacing relative to the inclined drums 71 and 72. The inclined drum 73 is fixed to the output shaft of the rotary motor 73M, and the inclined drum 74 is fixed to the output shaft of the rotary motor 74M.

[0043] The inclined drums 75 and 76 have the same structure as the inclined drums 71 and 72, and are arranged adjacent to each other, just like the inclined drums 71 and 72. However, the inclined drums 75 and 76 are located at a third delivery position, which is downstream of the second delivery position where the inclined drums 73 and 74 are located. In addition, the inclined drums 75 and 76 are positioned at a widthwise offset from the inclined drums 73 and 74 by the widthwise spacing of one tablet 9. The inclined drum 75 is fixed to the output shaft of the rotary motor 75M, and the inclined drum 76 is fixed to the output shaft of the sixth rotary motor 76M.

[0044] Figure 7 is a top view of the reversal unit 70. In Figure 7, the transport trajectory of the tablet 9 is indicated by a dashed arrow. After the tablet 9 is held in the suction hole 221 at the first position W1 in the width direction of the transport belt 22, it is transported to the first reversal position and then transferred from the transport belt 22 to the inclined drum 71. The inclined drum 71 rotates while holding the tablet 9 received from the transport belt 22 in the suction hole 711 on its outer surface 710, and then transfers it to the inclined drum 72. Subsequently, the inclined drum 72 rotates while holding the tablet 9 received from the inclined drum 71 in the suction hole 721 on its outer surface 720, and transfers it to the suction hole 221 at the second position W2 in the width direction of the transport belt 22. As a result, the tablet 9 moves in the width direction from the first position W1 in the first region A1 to the second position W2 in the second region A2, and the front and back sides of the tablet 9 are reversed.

[0045] The inclined drums 73 and 74, similar to the inclined drums 71 and 72, move the position of the tablet 9 in the width direction along the transport path from the third position W3 in the first region A1 to the fourth position W4 in the second region A2, and also invert the front and back sides of the tablet 9. The inclined drums 75 and 76, similar to the inclined drums 71 and 72, move the position of the tablet 9 in the width direction along the transport path from the fifth position W5 in the first region A1 to the sixth position W6 in the second region A2, and also invert the front and back sides of the tablet 9.

[0046] Returning to Figure 1, the discharge mechanism 80 is a mechanism for discharging multiple tablets 9 from the conveying mechanism 20 to the outside of the tablet printing device 1. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the discharge mechanism 80 has a discharge chute 81 and a discharge conveyor (not shown). The discharge chute 81 is located downstream of the conveying path relative to the drying mechanism 60 and upstream of the conveying path relative to the reversal section 70. The discharge chute 81 faces the second region A2 of the conveying belt 22. When the tablets 9 that have been adsorbed by the adsorption holes 221 of the second region A2 reach the position of the discharge chute 81, the second blow mechanism B2 releases the adsorption of the tablets 9. As a result, the tablets 9 fall from the second region A2 of the conveying belt 22 through the discharge chute 81 to the upper surface of the discharge conveyor. The fallen tablets 9 are then discharged to the outside of the tablet printing device 1 by the discharge conveyor.

[0047] The control unit 90 controls the operation of each element within the tablet printing device 1. Figure 8 is a block diagram showing the connections between the control unit 90 and each element within the tablet printing device 1. The control unit 90 is composed of a computer having a processor 91 such as a CPU, memory 92 such as RAM, and a storage unit 93 such as a hard disk drive. The storage unit 93 has a computer program CP installed for executing transport and printing processes in the tablet printing device 1.

[0048] As shown in Figure 8, the control unit 90 is communicatively connected to the loading mechanism 10 (including the alignment mechanism and loading drum 11), the transport mechanism 20 (including the transport motor 23, suction mechanism 24, first blow mechanism B1 and second blow mechanism B2), the printing unit 30 (including four heads 31), the first camera 40, the second camera 50, the drying mechanism 60, the reversing unit 70 (including the rotary motors 71M~76M and negative pressure source), and the unloading mechanism 80. The processor 91 temporarily reads the computer program CP and data stored in the storage unit 93 into the memory 92. Then, the processor 91 performs calculation processing based on the computer program CP. In this way, the control unit 90 controls the operation of each element in the tablet printing device 1. As a result, the transport and printing processes of multiple tablets 9 proceed in the tablet printing device 1.

[0049] <About the processing flow> Next, we will describe the processing performed on a single tablet 9 in the tablet printing device 1. The tablet printing device 1 processes multiple tablets 9 sequentially. Therefore, within the tablet printing device 1, each process for multiple tablets 9 is performed in parallel.

[0050] Figure 9 shows the flow of the printing process in the tablet printing device 1. When a tablet 9 is loaded into the tablet printing device 1, first the loading mechanism 10 loads the tablet 9 into the transport mechanism 20 (step S1). The tablet 9 loaded into the transport mechanism 20 is held by adsorption to the adsorption holes 221 in the first region A1 of the transport belt 22. Then, as the transport belt 22 rotates, the tablet 9 is transported along the annular transport path.

[0051] In the following, when a tablet 9 is held in the adsorption pores 221 of the first region A1, the side facing outward will be referred to as the "first side," and the side of the tablet 9 that is adsorbed by the adsorption pores 221 will be referred to as the "second side." Note that the "first side" and "second side" are unrelated to the original front and back sides of the tablet 9. For example, if a tablet 9 has a score line on only one side, among the multiple tablets 9 held in the first region A1, there may be a mixture of tablets 9 where the side with the score line is the first side and tablets 9 where the side without the score line is the first side.

[0052] When the tablet 9 reaches below the first camera 40, the first camera 40 photographs the first surface of the tablet 9. This acquires image data of the first surface of the tablet 9. The acquired image data is transmitted from the first camera 40 to the control unit 90. The control unit 90 then performs a pre-print inspection of the first surface based on the image data received from the first camera 40 (step S2). Specifically, the presence or absence of the tablet 9 in the suction hole 221, the front and back sides of the tablet 9, the rotational orientation of the tablet 9 around the vertical axis, the positional misalignment of the tablet 9 relative to the suction hole 221, and the presence or absence of shape defects in the tablet 9 are inspected.

[0053] Next, when the tablet 9 reaches below the printing unit 30, the four heads 31 eject ink droplets toward the first surface of the tablet 9. This prints on the first surface of the tablet 9. As a result, an image is printed on the first surface of the tablet 9 (step S3). At this time, the control unit 90 adjusts the image to be printed on each tablet 9 based on the inspection result of step S2 described above. For example, it selects an appropriate image from the front image and the back image according to the front and back of each tablet 9, and rotates the selected image according to the rotational orientation of each tablet 9. Then, based on the adjusted image, it inputs a print signal to the heads 31. As a result, an image suitable for the first surface of each tablet 9 is printed in the appropriate orientation.

[0054] When the tablet 9 reaches below the second camera 50, the second camera 50 photographs the first surface of the tablet 9. This acquires image data of the first surface of the tablet 9. The acquired image data is transmitted from the second camera 50 to the control unit 90. The control unit 90 then performs a post-print inspection of the first surface based on the image data received from the second camera 50 (step S4). Specifically, the control unit 90 determines whether the image printed on the first surface of each tablet 9 is normal by comparing the image data received from the second camera 50 with pre-prepared normal image data.

[0055] When the tablet 9 reaches the position of the drying mechanism 60, the drying mechanism 60 blows hot air toward the first surface of the tablet 9. This dries the ink adhering to the first surface of the tablet 9, and the ink is fixed to the first surface (step S5).

[0056] Subsequently, when the tablets 9 reach the first to third inversion positions, the inversion unit 70 moves the position of the tablets 9 in the width direction and inverts the front and back sides of the tablets 9 (step S6). Specifically, tablets 9 being transported at the first position W1 in the width direction are moved to the second position W2 in the width direction by the inclined drums 71 and 72. Tablets 9 being transported at the third position W3 in the width direction are moved to the fourth position W4 in the width direction by the inclined drums 73 and 74. Tablets 9 being transported at the fifth position W5 in the width direction are moved to the sixth position W6 in the width direction by the inclined drums 75 and 76. As a result, multiple tablets 9 move from the suction holes 221 in the first region A1 of the transport mechanism 20 to the suction holes 221 in the second region A2. At this time, the tablets 9 are held by suction in the suction holes 221 of the second region A2 with their second surface facing outwards.

[0057] When the tablet 9 reaches below the first camera 40, the first camera 40 photographs the second surface of the tablet 9. This acquires image data of the second surface of the tablet 9. The acquired image data is transmitted from the first camera 40 to the control unit 90. The control unit 90 then performs a pre-print inspection of the second surface based on the image data received from the first camera 40 (step S7). Specifically, the presence or absence of the tablet 9 in the suction hole 221, the front and back sides of the tablet 9, the rotational orientation of the tablet 9 around the vertical axis, the positional misalignment of the tablet 9 relative to the suction hole 221, and the presence or absence of shape defects in the tablet 9 are inspected.

[0058] Next, when the tablet 9 reaches below the printing unit 30, the four heads 31 eject ink droplets toward the second surface of the tablet 9. This prints on the second surface of the tablet 9. As a result, an image is printed on the second surface of the tablet 9 (step S8). At this time, the control unit 90 adjusts the image to be printed on each tablet 9 based on the inspection result of step S7 described above. For example, it selects an appropriate image from the front image and the back image according to the front and back of each tablet 9, and rotates the selected image according to the rotational orientation of each tablet 9. Then, based on the adjusted image, it inputs a print signal to the heads 31. As a result, an image suitable for the second surface of each tablet 9 is printed in the appropriate orientation.

[0059] When the tablet 9 reaches below the second camera 50, the second camera 50 photographs the second surface of the tablet 9. This acquires image data of the second surface of the tablet 9. The acquired image data is transmitted from the second camera 50 to the control unit 90. The control unit 90 then performs a post-print inspection of the second surface based on the image data received from the second camera 50 (step S9). Specifically, the control unit 90 determines whether the image printed on the second surface of each tablet 9 is normal by comparing the image data received from the second camera 50 with pre-prepared normal image data.

[0060] When the tablet 9 reaches the position of the drying mechanism 60, the drying mechanism 60 blows hot air toward the second surface of the tablet 9. This dries the ink adhering to the second surface of the tablet 9, and the ink is fixed to the second surface (step S10).

[0061] When the tablet 9 reaches the position of the discharge chute 81, the tablet 9 falls from the conveyor belt 22 through the discharge chute 81 to the discharge conveyor. The tablet 9 is then discharged to the outside of the tablet printing device 1 by the discharge conveyor (step S11).

[0062] As described above, the tablet printing apparatus 1 transports tablets 9 along an annular transport path. It also includes a reversal unit 70 in a portion of the transport path that inverts the front and back surfaces of the tablets 9 and moves their position in the width direction. Therefore, the following processes—photography by the first camera 40, printing by the printing unit 30, photography by the second camera 50, and drying by the drying mechanism 60—can be performed on both sides of the tablet 9 at the same position in the transport direction. Consequently, the number of parts in the tablet printing apparatus 1 can be reduced compared to cases where these processes for the first surface and the second surface are performed at separate positions. Furthermore, the tablet printing apparatus 1 can be miniaturized.

[0063] Furthermore, a pair of inclined drums are used to reverse the front and back sides of the tablet 9 and to move it in the width direction. This mechanism allows for the reversal of the front and back sides of the tablet 9 and movement in the width direction without changing its position in the transport direction. Therefore, the length required in the transport direction for the reversal unit 70 can be reduced. This makes the tablet printing device 1 more compact.

[0064] <Configuration for achieving tablet adsorption and deadsorption> Next, the configuration for achieving the adsorption and release of the tablets 9 onto the inclined drums 71-76 will be explained with reference to Figures 10-14.

[0065] Figure 10 is a partial cross-sectional view of a pair of mobile units M1 and M2, cut by a plane passing through their respective central axes C1 and C2. Mobile unit M2 has almost the same configuration as mobile unit M1. Therefore, the following description will mainly focus on the configuration of mobile unit M1, and the description of the configuration of mobile unit M2 will be omitted as appropriate.

[0066] As shown in Figure 10, the mobile unit M1 includes an inclined drum 71, a rotary motor 71M, a suction pipe 51, an air-cutting member 53, and a pressing member 55. The mobile unit M1 also includes a housing 57 that accommodates the rotary motor 71M, the suction pipe 51, and the other components.

[0067] As shown in Figure 10, the rotary motor 71M is a hollow motor having a through hole 61 centered on a central axis C1. The rotary motor 71M has a rotor 63 that rotates around the central axis C1 and a stator 65 fixed to the housing 57. The rotor 63 is located on the inclined drum 71 side of the stator 65. The inclined drum 71 is fixed to the rotor 63. Therefore, the rotor 63 and the inclined drum 71 rotate together around the central axis C1. The rotor 63 also rotates around the suction pipe 51. The suction pipe 51 is located inside the through hole 61 of the rotary motor 71M. The suction pipe 51 is fixed to the housing 57 and is not rotatable.

[0068] Figure 11 is a perspective view showing the air-cutting member 53. Figure 12 is a top view of the air-cutting member 53. Figure 13 is a bottom view of the air-cutting member 53. Figure 14 is a cross-section of the air-cutting member 53 at a position along line AA shown in Figure 12.

[0069] The air-cutting member 53 is a component that switches between a state in which the suction holes 711 are drawing in air and a state in which the suction holes 711 are stopping drawing in air. As shown in Figure 10, the air-cutting member 53 is positioned on the suction pipe 51 side relative to the inclined drum 71. The air-cutting member 53 is also positioned on the inside of the inclined drum 71 (the side closer to the central axis C1).

[0070] As shown in Figures 10 to 14, the air-cutting member 53 consists of a base portion 531 and a contact portion 533 connected to each other along the central axis C1. The base portion 531 is located on the suction pipe 51 side, and the contact portion 533 is located on the inclined drum 71 side. The base portion 531 is cylindrical. The contact portion 533 is formed in a roughly frustoconical shape, with its outer diameter gradually decreasing toward the inclined drum 71 side.

[0071] As shown in Figure 10, the outer surface of the contact portion 533 forms a conical surface with a shape corresponding to the inner surface of the inclined drum 71 (the surface opposite to the outer surface 710). The outer surface of the contact portion 533 is inclined at the same angle as the inner surface of the inclined drum 71 with respect to the central axis C1. Therefore, as shown in Figure 10, the outer surface of the contact portion 533 can contact the inner surface of the inclined drum 71 without any gaps. The contact portion 533 has a closing portion 534. The closing portion 534 is the part that closes the suction hole 711 of the inclined drum 71.

[0072] The contact portion 533 has an opening 535 on its outer surface. The opening 535 forms one of the openings of the communication hole 537, which will be described later. As shown in Figure 12, the opening formed by the opening 535 is roughly arc-shaped with a central angle of approximately 180° in the circumferential direction (rotational direction around the central axis C1).

[0073] The air-cutting member 53 has a communication hole 537. The communication hole 537 is a through hole that penetrates the base portion 531 and the contact portion 533. One end of the communication hole 537 is connected to an opening 535 on the outer surface of the contact portion 533. The other end of the communication hole 537 is open at the end of the base portion 531 on the suction pipe 51 side. Thus, the air-cutting member 53 is a hollow member with a communication hole 537, which is a through hole, formed on its inside. When the suction hole 711 aligns with the opening 535 during the rotation of the inclined drum 71, the suction hole 711 communicates with the suction pipe 51 via the communication hole 537. That is, the suction hole 711 communicates with the suction pipe 51 when it does not align with the closing portion 534.

[0074] As shown in Figures 10 and 12, the closing portion 534 and the opening 535 are located on the same circumference centered on the central axis C1, but are positioned at different locations in the circumferential direction. In other words, the closing portion 534 and the opening of the communication hole 537 are positioned at different locations in the circumferential direction. When the rotary motor 71M rotates the inclined drum 71 around the central axis C1, the suction holes 711 of the inclined drum 71 alternately move between a position that overlaps with the closing portion 534 and a position that overlaps with the opening of the opening 535 (communication hole 537). In other words, the suction holes 711 alternately move between a position that overlaps with the closing portion 534 and a position that does not overlap with the closing portion 534.

[0075] As shown in Figure 10, when the suction hole 711 aligns with the communication hole 537 of the air-cutting member 53, the suction hole 711 communicates with the suction pipe 51 via the communication hole 537. This allows the suction hole 711 to adsorb the tablet 9. Furthermore, when the suction hole 711 of the inclined drum 71 aligns with the closing portion 534 of the air-cutting member 53, the connection between the suction hole 711 and the suction pipe 51 is blocked by the closing portion 534. In this way, the closing portion 534 intermittently aligns with the rotating suction hole 711, thereby intermittently closing the suction hole 711. When the suction hole 711 is closed by the closing portion 534, the adsorption of the tablet 9 in the suction hole 711 is released.

[0076] As shown in Figures 11 to 14, the air-cutting member 53 has an engagement recess 539. The engagement recess 539 forms a hole that is recessed toward the inclined drum 71 at the end face of the base portion 531 on the suction pipe 51 side. The engagement recess 539 is cylindrical in shape and extends along the central axis C1. A rotation-preventing pin 517, which will be described later, is inserted into the engagement recess 539. The rotation of the air-cutting member 53 is suppressed when the rotation-preventing pin 517 engages with the engagement recess 539. The engagement recess 539 is an example of an engagement portion.

[0077] <Suction piping> As shown in Figure 10, the suction pipe 51 has a pipe body 511, a flange portion 513, and a relay member 515. The pipe body 511 is cylindrical with a central axis C1. The end of the pipe body 511 opposite to the inclined drum 71 is connected to a negative pressure source (not shown), such as a vacuum pump. Because the pipe body 511 is connected to a negative pressure source, the pressure inside the pipe body 511 is maintained at a negative pressure lower than atmospheric pressure.

[0078] The flange portion 513 protrudes radially outward (away from the central axis C1) along its entire circumference from the peripheral edge of the end of the pipe body portion 511 on the inclined drum 71 side. The flange portion 513 has an annular shape.

[0079] The intermediate member 515 is attached to the flange portion 513. The intermediate member 515 has an annular plate portion 521 which is an annular plate shape centered on the central axis C1, an annular inner wall portion 522 which rises from the inner edge of the annular plate portion 521 toward the inclined drum 71 side, and an outer wall portion 523 which rises from the outer edge of the annular plate portion 521 toward the pipe body portion 511 side. The flange portion 513 is press-fitted into the inside of the outer wall portion 523 of the intermediate member 515. In addition, the inner wall portion 522 of the intermediate member 515 is inserted into the opening (communication hole 537) of the base portion 531 of the air cut-off member 53. For this reason, the air cut-off member 53 is connected to the end of the suction pipe 51 toward the inclined drum 71 side.

[0080] As shown in Figure 10, the intermediate member 515 has a rotation-retaining pin 517. The rotation-retaining pin 517 is fixed to the surface of the annular plate portion 521 facing the inclined drum 71. The rotation-retaining pin 517 extends linearly toward the inclined drum 71 along the central axis C1. As described above, the rotation-retaining pin 517 is inserted into the engagement recess 539 of the air-cutting member 53, thereby engaging the air-cutting member 53 with the suction pipe 51 in a non-rotatable state. This prevents the air-cutting member 53 from rotating together with the inclined drum 71. In other words, the rotary motor 71M can rotate the inclined drum 71 relative to the air-cutting member 53 around the central axis C1.

[0081] It is not essential that the locking pin 517 extends parallel to the central axis C1; it may extend in a direction intersecting the central axis C1. Furthermore, it is not essential that the locking pin 517 is fixed to the intermediate member 515 of the suction pipe 51; it may be directly fixed to a non-rotatable member other than the suction pipe 51 (for example, the housing 57). Additionally, the air-cutting member 52 may have a locking pin, and the suction pipe may have an engaging recess 539 (engaging portion).

[0082] <Pressing member> The pressing member 55 is a member that presses the air-cutting member 53 toward the inclined drum 71. Preferably, the pressing member 55 is an elastic member that can be elastically deformed in the axial direction of the central axis C1. In the example shown in Figure 10, the pressing member 55 is a leaf spring having an annular shape centered on the central axis C1, and is a wave washer that alternately forms smooth, wavy irregularities along the circumferential direction. As shown in Figure 10, the pressing member 55 is positioned between the suction pipe 51 and the air-cutting member 53. Specifically, the inner wall portion 522 of the intermediate member 515 is inserted inside the pressing member 55. The pressing member 55 is positioned between the annular plate portion 521 of the intermediate member 515 and the base portion 531 of the air-cutting member 53.

[0083] By configuring the pressing member 55 with an elastic member such as a leaf spring, the air-cutting member 53 can be pressed against the inclined drum 71 with an appropriate pressing force. The pressing member 55 may be a leaf spring with a different shape than a wave washer. Furthermore, the pressing member 55 is not limited to a leaf spring, but may be a coil spring, for example.

[0084] The pressing member 55 presses the air-cutting member 53 toward the inclined drum 71. As a result, the outer surface of the closing portion 534 of the air-cutting member 53 is pressed against the inner surface of the inclined drum 71. In other words, the outer surface of the air-cutting member 53 is always in contact with the inner surface of the inclined drum 71. This eliminates the gap (clearance) between the inner surface of the inclined drum 71 and the outer surface of the air-cutting member 53. Therefore, when the suction hole 711 overlaps with the outer surface of the closing portion 534, the suction of air in the suction hole 711 can be almost completely stopped. Consequently, the suction of the tablet 9 in the suction hole 711 can be appropriately released. In this way, the suction of the tablet 9 in the suction hole 711 can be effectively released, allowing for proper transfer of the tablet 9. In other words, the transport accuracy of the tablet 9 by the moving unit M1 can be improved.

[0085] For example, as shown in Figure 10, the closing portion 534 of the air-cutting member 53 in the moving unit M1 faces the opening 535 of the air-cutting member 53 in the moving unit M2. Therefore, when the tablet 9 moves to the transfer position P1 where it is transferred from the inclined drum 71 of the moving unit M1 to the inclined drum 72 of the moving unit M2, the suction of the tablet 9 in the suction hole 711 of the moving unit M1 is released, and the tablet 9 is suctioned into the suction hole 721 of the moving unit M2. At this time, in the moving unit M1, the suction can be properly released by pressing the air-cutting member 53 against the inclined drum 71. Thus, the transfer of the tablet 9 from the suction hole 711 of the inclined drum 71 to the suction hole 721 of the inclined drum 72 can be performed with high accuracy.

[0086] Furthermore, by ensuring that the outer surface of the closing portion 534 of the air-cutting member 53 is always in contact with the inner surface of the inclined drum 71, variations in transport accuracy can be suppressed between the moving units M1 to M6. In addition, variations in the position of the air-cutting member 53 relative to the inclined drum 71 can be suppressed during assembly. Therefore, even if the moving unit M1 is disassembled and reassembled, the reproducibility of the position of the air-cutting member 53 relative to the inclined drum 71 can be increased. Moreover, by eliminating the need to adjust the position of the air-cutting member 53 relative to the inclined drum 71, the assembly speed of the moving unit M1 can be improved.

[0087] The air-cutting member 53 is preferably made of resin. By making the air-cutting member 53 of resin, dust generation can be suppressed even when the air-cutting member 53 slides against the inclined drum 71, thereby reducing the occurrence of printing defects. Furthermore, the air-cutting member 53 is more preferably made of polyoxymethylene (POM), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or polyetheretherketone (PEEK). By forming the air-cutting member 53 from such a material, the sliding of the air-cutting member 53 against the inclined drum 71 can be improved, thereby significantly reducing dust generation.

[0088] It is also possible to use a non-hollow motor instead of a hollow motor as the rotary motor 71M (power source) for rotating the inclined drum 71. If a non-hollow motor is used, a bearing for rotatably connecting the inclined drum 71 to the suction pipe 51 and a gear for transmitting the power of the non-hollow motor to the inclined drum 71 may be provided. It is also possible to use a non-hollow motor instead of a hollow motor as the rotary motor 71M (power source) for rotating the inclined drum 71. However, if a non-hollow motor is used, a bearing for rotatably connecting the inclined drum 71 to the suction pipe 51 and a gear for transmitting the power of the non-hollow motor to the inclined drum 71 will be necessary.

[0089] In contrast, as in this embodiment, by applying a hollow motor to the rotary motor 71M, the suction pipe 51 can be placed inside the through hole 61 of the rotary motor 71M. Therefore, the inclined drum 71 can be directly fixed to the rotor 63 of the rotary motor 71M. Consequently, the number of parts (bearings, gears, etc.) required for the rotation of the inclined drum 71 can be reduced compared to the case where a non-hollow motor is applied. This suppresses variations in the moving unit M1 due to part precision and assembly precision. Furthermore, the amount of work required for assembling and adjusting the moving unit M1 can be reduced. Therefore, the assembly speed and adjustment speed of the moving unit M1 can be improved.

[0090] <2. Variant Example> Although embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to those described above, and various modifications are possible.

[0091] For example, in the above embodiment, the inclined drums 71 to 76 have conical sides. However, the shape of the sides of the inclined drums 71 to 76 may be a polygonal pyramidal shape, such as a square pyramidal shape, a hexagonal pyramidal shape, or an octagonal pyramidal shape.

[0092] In the above embodiment, the case in which tablets 9 are transported along an annular transport path was described. However, the granular material transport device of the present invention may transport granular material along a non-annular transport path, and in a part of the transport path, it may invert the granular material and move its position in the width direction.

[0093] Although this invention has been described in detail, the above description is illustrative in all respects, and the invention is not limited thereto. It is understood that countless variations not illustrated can be conceived without falling outside the scope of this invention. The components described in each of the above embodiments and variations can be combined or omitted as appropriate, as long as they do not contradict each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 1. Tablet printing device 20 Conveying mechanism 51 Suction piping 53 Air cut-off member 534 Closing part 537 Communication hole 539 Engaging recess (engaging part) 55 Pressing member 61 Through hole 70 Reversal section 71, 72 Inclined drum 710,720 External surface 711,721 Adsorption hole 71M, 72M rotary motor 9 tablets C1,C2 center axis M1, M2 Mobile Unit (Granular Material Transfer Device)

Claims

1. A granular material moving device that moves granular material while adsorbing it, an inclined drum having a conical surface centered on a predetermined central axis and an outer surface having suction holes for suctioning the particulate matter; a suction pipe connecting the suction hole to a negative pressure source; a rotary motor that rotates the inclined drum about the central axis; Equipped with the rotary motor is a hollow motor having a through hole centered on the central axis, The granular material moving device, wherein the suction pipe is disposed within the through-hole of the rotary motor.

2. The granular material moving device according to claim 1, The rotor of the rotary motor and the inclined drum rotate together about the central axis.

3. The granular material moving device according to claim 1 or 2, an air breaker having a closing portion that is rotated by the rotary motor on the suction pipe side relative to the suction hole and intermittently closes the suction hole; Furthermore, By rotating the inclined drum, the suction holes move to a position where they overlap with the closing portion and a position where they do not overlap with the closing portion, The granular material moving device, wherein the suction hole communicates with the suction pipe when the suction hole does not overlap with the closing portion.

4. A granular material conveying device, a conveying mechanism that conveys a plurality of granular objects in a predetermined conveying direction while holding the granular objects in a state where they are aligned in the width direction; a reversing mechanism that turns over the granular object at a reversing position on the conveying path of the conveying mechanism and moves the position of the granular object in the width direction; Equipped with The inversion mechanism includes: A first granular material moving device according to any one of claims 1 to 3; A second granular material moving device according to any one of claims 1 to 3; and the inclined drum of the second granular material moving device is adjacent to the inclined drum of the first granular material moving device in the width direction, the first granular object moving device rotates the inclined drum while suctioning the granular object located at a first position on the conveying path of the conveying mechanism to the suction holes, and moves the granular object to a delivery position; The second granular material moving device is a granular material conveying device that rotates the inclined drum while adsorbing the granular material placed at the transfer position by the first granular material moving device into the suction holes, thereby moving the granular material to a second position on the conveying path of the conveying mechanism.

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