Guide Rail for PTP Packaging Machine

Abstract

To provide a guide rail for a PTP wrapping machine that reduces the burden during replacement and can be stored compactly. 【Solution means】The guide rail 200 for the PTP wrapping machine 10 includes a first guide rail member having a first groove portion fixedly provided along a first direction, a second guide rail member detachably disposed in the first groove portion and having a plurality of second groove portions extending along the first direction, and a first guide portion provided between adjacent second groove portions. The guide rail 200 further includes a third guide rail member detachably connected to the second guide rail member in the first groove portion, having a plurality of third groove portions extending along the first direction and provided corresponding to the second groove portions, and a second guide portion provided between adjacent third groove portions. The width of the third groove portion is different from the width of the second groove portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a guide rail for a PTP packaging machine.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, a PTP (Press Through Packing) sheet is known as a blister sheet used in the field of pharmaceuticals and the like. The PTP sheet includes a container film having a pocket portion for accommodating tablets or capsules, and a lid material attached to the container film so as to seal the opening side of the pocket portion.

[0003] A PTP packaging machine for manufacturing a PTP sheet includes a pocket portion forming means for forming a pocket portion in a conveyed strip-shaped container film, a filling means for filling the pocket portion with tablets or capsules, an adhesion means for thermally welding a strip-shaped lid material to the container film so as to seal the opening side of the pocket portion, a cutting means for cutting a strip-shaped PTP film composed of the container film and the lid material into PTP sheet units, and the like. Patent Document 1 discloses the device configuration of a PTP packaging machine.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the case of a conventional PTP packaging machine, by using a mold adapted to the shape and size of tablets or capsules in each process, the molding of the container film, the filling of tablets or capsules, the adhesion of the lid material, and the cutting of the PTP sheet can all be performed without interruption, and the packaging of tablets and capsule agents of the same shape and the same size can be surely and accurately performed without excess or deficiency.

[0006] However, when packaging tablets and capsules of various varieties, it is necessary to prepare a mold that can form pockets of optimal size for each shape and size of the tablets and capsules and replace it each time. In the filling process of tablets and capsules, the tablets and capsules are filled into the container film with pockets formed, and a guide rail for transporting them to the adhesion process of heat-sealing the container film and the lid material needs to be replaced with one having a groove width appropriate for the shape and size of the tablets and capsules. The guide rail has the role of fixing the position in the direction perpendicular to the advancing direction of the container film and advancing the container film without displacement. If the groove width is not appropriate for the shape and size of the tablets and capsules, the container film will be displaced, and the pockets of the container film and the tablets and capsules will be crushed in the adhesion process, and they cannot be properly enclosed. The replacement work of the guide rail is very heavy because the guide rail is made of a metal material (iron, stainless steel, or aluminum), and it places a physical burden on the operator who replaces it. Also, in order to fill the tablets and capsules without excess or deficiency, the tablets and capsules must be supplied one by one (for capsules) to the pockets to be filled, and since it is necessary to align the tablets and capsules in a row in the grooves of the guide rail, the guide rail needs to be provided to a certain length. Therefore, when preparing a guide rail having a groove width suitable for the shape and size (diameter or minor axis) of the tablets and capsules, sufficient storage space must be secured.

[0007] One object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a guide rail for a PTP packaging machine that reduces the burden during replacement and can be stored compactly.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a guide rail for a PTP packaging machine, including: a first guide rail member having a first groove portion fixedly provided along a first direction; a second guide rail member detachably disposed in the first groove portion and having a plurality of second groove portions extending along the first direction, and a first guide portion provided between adjacent second groove portions; and a third guide rail member detachably connected to the second guide rail member in the first groove portion and having a plurality of third groove portions extending along the first direction and provided corresponding to the second groove portions, and a second guide portion provided between adjacent third groove portions, wherein a width of the third groove portion is different from a width of the second groove portion.

[0009] In the above guide rail for a PTP packaging machine, the width of the third groove portion may be smaller than the width of the second groove portion.

[0010] In the above guide rail for a PTP packaging machine, in a plan view, the second guide portion may have a tapered shape at an end portion.

[0011] In the above guide rail for a PTP packaging machine, in a plan view, a width of a portion of the second guide portion connected to the first guide portion may be substantially the same as a width of the first guide portion.

[0012] In the above guide rail for a PTP packaging machine, the guide rail for a PTP packaging machine may be formed of iron, stainless steel, or aluminum.

Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, by replacing only the third guide rail member, it is possible to cope with shapes and sizes (diameter or minor axis) of various types of tablets and capsules, reduce the burden during replacement, and provide a guide rail for a PTP packaging machine that can be stored compactly.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the invention disclosed in this application will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist thereof, and is not to be construed as being limited to the description content of the embodiments exemplified below.

[0016] In the drawings referred to in this embodiment, the same or similar parts having the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals or similar reference numerals (reference numerals with A, B, etc. appended after the numbers), and repeated descriptions thereof may be omitted. Also, the dimensional ratios in the drawings may differ from the actual ratios for convenience of explanation, or a part of the configuration may be omitted from the drawings.

[0017] <First Embodiment> In this embodiment, the PTP packaging machine and the guide rail for the PTP packaging machine (hereinafter referred to as the "guide rail") will be described in detail below.

[0018] (1. Configuration of PTP Packaging Machine) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a PTP packaging machine 10. The PTP packaging machine 10 is a device for manufacturing PTP sheets. The PTP packaging machine 10 includes a pocket portion forming section 100, a guide rail 200 (filling section), an adhesion section 300, and a cutting section 400. The pocket portion forming section 100 forms pocket portions in a belt-like film for containers to be conveyed. In the guide rail 200 (filling section), tablets or capsules are filled into the pocket portions of the container film being conveyed. The adhesion section 300 adheres a belt-like lid material to the container film so as to seal the opening side of the pocket portion. The cutting section 400 cuts the belt-like PTP film composed of the container film and the lid material into PTP sheet units.

[0019] (2. Configuration of Guide Rail for PTP Packaging Machine) FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of a guide rail 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the guide rail 200 includes a first guide rail member 210, a second guide rail member 220, and a third guide rail member 230. The first guide rail member 210, the second guide rail member 220, and the third guide rail member 230 are formed of iron, stainless steel, or aluminum from the viewpoint of ensuring rigidity. Note that the first guide rail member 210, the second guide rail member 220, and the third guide rail member 230 may each be subjected to an anti-corrosion treatment. In the present embodiment, the sum of the length of the second guide rail member 220 and the length of the third guide rail member 230 is the same as the length of the first guide rail member 210. Each guide rail member will be described below.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of the first guide rail member 210 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the first guide rail member 210 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first guide rail member 210 has a first groove portion 211 provided along the first direction D1. The thickness t210 of the first guide rail member 210 is adjusted as appropriate. In this example, the thickness t210 of the first guide rail member 210 is 20 mm. The depth t211 of the first groove portion 211 is adjusted according to the thicknesses of the second guide rail member 220 and the third guide rail member 230. In this example, the depth t211 of the first groove portion 211 is 14 mm. The first guide rail member 210 is fastened and fixed to a support member (not shown) provided below the guide rail 200 by a fastening member (for example, a screw).

[0021] FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of the second guide rail member 220 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the second guide rail member 220 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the second guide rail member 220 is disposed in the first groove portion 211. More specifically, the second guide rail member 220 is disposed on the side of the pocket portion forming portion 100 in the first groove portion 211. The second guide rail member 220 is fastened to the first guide rail member 210 by a fastening member (for example, a screw).

[0022] The second guide rail member 220 includes a plurality of second groove portions 221 and a plurality of first guide portions 223 provided between adjacent second groove portions 221. The second groove portions 221 extend along the first direction D1. The thickness t220 of the second guide rail member 220 is adjusted as appropriate. In this example, the thickness t220 of the second guide rail member 220 is 14 mm. The depth t221 of the second groove portion 221 is set to be larger than the height of a tablet or a capsule (pocket portion). In this example, the depth t221 of the second groove portion 221 is 8 mm. The width d221 of the second groove portion 221 of the second guide rail member 220 is larger than the diameter of the pocket portion.

[0023] FIG. 7 is a schematic top view of a third guide rail member 230 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the third guide rail member 230 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the third guide rail member 230 is disposed in the first groove portion 211. More specifically, the third guide rail member 230 is disposed on the adhesive portion 300 side of the first groove portion 211. The third guide rail member 230 is fastened to the first guide rail member 210 by a fastening member (for example, a screw).

[0024] The third guide rail member 230 includes a plurality of third groove portions 231 and a plurality of second guide portions 233 provided between adjacent third groove portions 231. The third groove portions 231 extend along the first direction D1. Each of the third groove portions 231 is disposed so as to correspond to each of the second groove portions 221.

[0025] The thickness t230 of the third guide rail member 230 is adjusted as appropriate. The thickness t230 of the third guide rail member 230 is substantially the same as the thickness t220 of the second guide rail member 220. In this example, the thickness t230 of the third guide rail member 230 is 14 mm. The depth t231 of the third groove portion 231 is set to be larger than the height of a tablet or a capsule (pocket portion). The depth t231 of the third groove portion 231 is substantially the same as the depth t221 of the second groove portion 221. In this example, the depth t231 of the third groove portion 231 is 8 mm. The width d231 of the third groove portion 231 of the third guide rail member 230 is different from the width d221 of the second groove portion 221 of the second guide rail member 220. Specifically, the width d231 of the third groove portion 231 of the third guide rail member 230 is smaller than the width d221 of the second groove portion 221 of the second guide rail member 220. At this time, the width d231 of the third groove portion 231 of the third guide rail member 230 is desirably sized to fit the size of a pocket portion capable of accommodating one tablet or capsule, allowing the film for the container to flow smoothly without resistance, and preventing the position of the pocket portion from shifting in a direction perpendicular to the first direction D1.

[0026] (Connection portion between the second guide rail member and the third guide rail member) FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a top surface schematic view of a connecting portion 240 between a second guide rail member 220 and a third guide rail member 230 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 9, the second guide rail member 220 and the third guide rail member 230 are connected at the connecting portion 240. At the connecting portion, at one end of the third guide rail member 230, the second guide portion 233 has a tapered shape. At this time, in a plan view, the width d233 of the portion of the second guide portion 233 that connects to the first guide portion 223 is substantially the same as the width d223 of the first guide portion 223 (in other words, at the connecting portion 240, the width d231 of the third groove portion 231 of the third guide rail member 230 is substantially the same as the width d221 of the second groove portion 221 of the second guide rail member 220). It should be noted that the tapered shape is preferably such that the film for the container is not caught during conveyance. As shown in FIG. 9, the angle θ formed by the side surface L233-1 of the second guide portion 233 of the tapered shape portion and the side surface L233-2 of the second guide portion 233 extending in the first direction D1 is preferably 150 to 177°. In this example, the angle θ formed is 175°. By adjusting the angle θ formed, the width d231 of the third groove portion 231 can be adjusted. It should be noted that in an embodiment of the present invention, the width d231 of the third groove portion 231 may be adjusted by keeping the angle θ of the tapered shape portion constant and adjusting the length of the tapered shape portion.

[0027] FIG. 10 is a photograph of the guide rail 200 for a PTP packaging machine using the present embodiment as viewed obliquely. FIG. 11 is an enlarged photograph of the second guide rail member 220 and the third guide rail member 230 of the guide rail 200 for a PTP packaging machine using the present embodiment. By using the present embodiment, without replacing the second guide rail member 220, the container film can be conveyed by replacing only the third guide rail member 230 having d231 corresponding to the widths of various tablets and capsules (the width of the pocket portion). That is, it is not necessary to replace all the guide rail members. It is only necessary to replace only the third guide rail member among the guide rail members with a third guide rail member corresponding to the width of the tablet or capsule (the width of the pocket portion) according to the tablet or capsule. Therefore, compared with the case of replacing the entire guide rail, the burden on the operator when replacing the guide rail members can be reduced. Further, by using an embodiment of the present invention, since only a part of the guide rail (the third guide rail member) needs to be prepared according to the tablets and capsules, the storage space can also be reduced.

[0028] (Modification example) Within the scope of the idea of the present invention, those skilled in the art can conceive of various modification examples and correction examples, and it is understood that those modification examples and correction examples also belong to the scope of the present invention. For example, with respect to each of the above-described embodiments, those obtained by appropriately adding, deleting, combining or designing changes of the components by those skilled in the art, or those obtained by adding, omitting or changing the conditions of the process also fall within the scope of the present invention as long as they have the gist of the present invention.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0029] 10... Packaging machine, 100... Pocket portion molding portion, 200... Guide rail, 210... First guide rail member, 211... First groove portion, 220... Second guide rail member, 221... Second groove portion, 223... First guide portion, 230... Third guide rail member, 231... Third groove portion, 233... Second guide portion, 240... Connecting portion, 300... Adhesive portion, 400... Cutting portion

Claims

1. a first guide rail member having a first groove portion fixed along a first direction; a second guide rail member having a plurality of second groove portions that are detachably disposed in the first groove portion and extend along the first direction, and a first guide portion that is provided between adjacent second groove portions; a third guide rail member that is detachably disposed in the first groove portion and connected to the second guide rail member, the third guide rail member having a plurality of third groove portions that extend along the first direction and are provided to correspond to the second groove portions, and a second guide portion that is provided between adjacent third groove portions; The width of the third groove portion is different from the width of the second groove portion. Guide rail for PTP packaging machine.

2. The width of the third groove portion is smaller than the width of the second groove portion. The guide rail for a PTP packaging machine according to claim 1.

3. In a plan view, the second guide portion has a tapered shape at an end portion. The guide rail for a PTP packaging machine according to claim 2.

4. In a plan view, a width of a portion of the second guide portion that is connected to the first guide portion is substantially the same as a width of the first guide portion. The guide rail for a PTP packaging machine according to claim 3.

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