Centrifugal feeding unit and tablet inspection equipment including it

Abstract

To provide a centrifugal feeder unit capable of rapidly supplying tablets at constant intervals and / or with a constant posture without damage to the tablets during a supply process, and a tablet inspection device including the same.SOLUTION: The centrifugal feeder unit comprises: an inner disk having tablets supplied thereto and rotating with a rotation axis thereof inclined relative to a vertical direction; an outer disk rotating while surrounding the inner disk and including a tablet-moving area in which the tablets received from the inner disk are moved; a fixed frame surrounding the outer disk; and a guide connected to the fixed frame, and including a guide surface at a position moved by a second angle from a top dead point of the inner disk in a direction opposite to a rotational direction of the outer disk when viewed from above, being a portion in which the inner disk and the outer disk come into contact in a radial direction, and protruding from a starting position of a height of the outer disk in the vertical direction to an area of the inner disk in the rotational direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a centrifugal feeding unit that aligns and feeds objects by centrifugal force, and to tablet inspection equipment including the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, tablets taken for medical purposes in the medical field are mass-produced through automated processes, and a process for inspecting defective products generated during such production processes is required.

[0003] For example, during the automated production process of tablets, tablets with external defects such as foreign matter or contamination, cracks or partial damage due to contact or impact between tablets, deformation, or poor printing are removed through a defective product inspection process.

[0004] The process of inspecting the appearance of capsules or tablets with oval or circular cross sections has been shifting from visual inspection by an operator to automatic inspection using tablet inspection equipment, and various types of tablet inspection equipment have been proposed for such automatic inspection.

[0005] When automatically inspecting tablets using a tablet inspection device, a commonly used method is to use a camera to photograph the tablet while it is being transported, obtain an image of one side of the tablet, and then use the camera to photograph the other side of the tablet as it is inverted and transported, and then process the images of the front side of one side and the back side of the tablet to inspect for defects.

[0006] As an example of such technology, Patent Document 1 discloses a centrifugal feeder in which tablets are fed from a tablet feed section into a supply unit and a rotating plate, and the tablets fed to the supply unit and rotating plate are moved in a line by the rotating plate to the upper side of the supply unit while being held in close contact with the side of the supply unit by centrifugal force, and are then fed to an appearance inspection device.

[0007] Conventional centrifugal feeders are provided with guide covers to guide tablets. However, because the inherent surface friction varies depending on the manufacturing characteristics of each product, there are no feeding problems when the friction is low. However, when the friction is high, problems occur, such as poor alignment due to the friction between the guide and the product, or a significant decrease in feeding speed. Furthermore, because tablets are transported at high speeds, they can become trapped in the guide cover and be broken. If a tablet is broken, fragments of the tablet will adhere to not only the broken tablet but also to surrounding tablets, damaging many tablets. In severe cases, the tablet supply will be cut off, and the user will have to remove the tablets trapped in the guide cover, resulting in reduced work efficiency.

[0008] On the other hand, in the case of a centrifugal feeder, tablets are fed quickly and at uneven intervals, which places a load on the subsequent inspection equipment, and therefore requires a high-level processor. Therefore, a technology has been developed in which grooves are formed in a conveying device and tablets are moved in the grooves, without using a centrifugal feeder, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, but this has limitations in that the drum of the feeder must be replaced for each tablet, which requires a huge amount of time and cost for drum replacement, and is not suitable for inspecting various types of tablets. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] KR 10-1689281 B [Patent Document 2] KR 10-2167067 B Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] The present invention is intended to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and aims to provide a centrifugal feeding unit and a tablet inspection device including the same that can quickly feed tablets at regular intervals and / or in a regular posture without damaging the tablets during the feeding process. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following centrifugal feeding unit and tablet inspection device.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, a centrifugal supply unit is provided that includes an inner disk to which tablets are supplied and which rotates with its rotation axis inclined relative to the vertical direction, an outer disk that rotates around the inner disk and includes a tablet movement area through which tablets passed from the inner disk move, and a pocket guide that is connected to the outer disk, covers part of the tablet movement surface, and includes a plurality of pockets into which tablets enter.

[0013] In one embodiment, the pocket guide may include a pocket cover portion that covers the outer surface of the outer disk, and a protrusion that is connected to the pocket cover portion and extends onto the tablet moving surface to form the plurality of pockets.

[0014] In one embodiment, the pocket guide may be configured to be replaceable from the outer disc.

[0015] In one embodiment, the pocket guide includes a protrusion that protrudes from one side connected to the cover portion toward the rotation center of the outer disk and separates adjacent pockets, and the protrusion may have a circumferential width that decreases toward the rotation center.

[0016] In one embodiment, the pitch from the apex of one protrusion to the apex of another protrusion may be less than or equal to twice the maximum width of a tablet fed into the centrifugal feeding unit.

[0017] In one embodiment, the protrusions may include a first curved surface connected to adjacent protrusions and having a first radius of curvature.

[0018] In one embodiment, the protrusion may include a flat surface extending obliquely from the first curved surface.

[0019] In one embodiment, the apex of the protrusion is formed by a second curved surface having a second radius of curvature, and the first radius of curvature may be greater than the second radius of curvature.

[0020] In one embodiment, the plane is inclined to have a first angle θ with respect to the radial direction of the pocket guide, the first angle being greater than 0° and less than or equal to 60°, and preferably the first angle being between 20° and 40°.

[0021] In one embodiment, the protrusion height of the protrusion may be less than or equal to twice the first radius of curvature, or greater than or equal to the first radius of curvature, and preferably, the protrusion height may be between 4 / 3 and 1.5 times the first radius of curvature.

[0022] In one embodiment, the cover portion may be folded to cover a portion of the underside as well as the outer surface of the outer disk.

[0023] In one embodiment, the centrifugal supply unit may further include a fixed frame surrounding the outer disc, and a guide connected to the fixed frame, the guide including a guide surface that is located at a position shifted by a second angle from the top dead center of the inner disc in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the outer disc when viewed from above, at a portion where the inner disc and the outer disc contact each other in a radial direction, and at a starting position of the height of the outer disc in a vertical direction and protrudes into a region of the inner disc along the rotation direction.

[0024] In one embodiment, at the starting position of the guide surface, the outer disc is positioned higher than the inner disc by a first distance, and the first distance may be between 1 / 2 and 9 / 10 of the width of the target tablet.

[0025] In one embodiment, the guide surface may have an angle that gradually decreases with respect to a horizontal plane along the rotation direction.

[0026] In one embodiment, the guide includes a first portion having a height that protrudes radially inward along the rotation direction that increases, and a second portion having a height that protrudes radially inward along the rotation direction that decreases, and the second portion can be located behind the first portion in the rotation direction.

[0027] In one embodiment, the first portion may include a first vertical surface connected to the guide surface and extending vertically.

[0028] In an embodiment, the end position of the guide surface in the rotation direction may be located at a top dead center position of the inner disc or spaced apart from the top dead center position of the inner disc in the opposite direction to the rotation direction.

[0029] In one embodiment, the guide may be positioned 5 to 10 degrees in front of the top dead center of the inner disc.

[0030] In one embodiment, the rotor further includes a gate connected to the fixed frame and positioned in the rotation direction of the outer disk, starting before the top dead center of the inner disk and passing through the top dead center, and the gate may include a first gate portion extending along the circumferential direction and outer than the inner surface of the outer disk in the radial direction, and a second gate portion connected to the first portion and protruding inwardly from the inner surface of the outer disk in the radial direction along the rotation direction.

[0031] In one embodiment, the first gate portion is located at the top of the tablet movement area, and the distance from the lower end of the first gate portion to the upper surface of the outer disk may be shorter than the shortest distance among the height, width, and length of the tablet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0032] With the above-described configuration, the present invention can provide a centrifugal feeding unit and a tablet inspection device including the same that can quickly feed various tablets in a consistent posture and / or position without damaging the tablets. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic front view of a tablet inspection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic plan view of a tablet inspection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a centrifugal feeding unit included in a tablet inspection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is another schematic perspective view of a centrifugal feeding unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a plan view of a pocket guide of a centrifugal feeding unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pocket guide of a centrifugal feeding unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 4 is a partially enlarged view of a pocket guide of a centrifugal supply unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 8] 4 is a partially enlarged view of a pocket guide of a centrifugal supply unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 9] 4 is a partially enlarged view of a pocket guide of a centrifugal supply unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of a pocket guide of a centrifugal supply unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of a pocket guide of a centrifugal supply unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of a pocket guide of a centrifugal supply unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of a pocket guide of a centrifugal supply unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of a pocket guide of a centrifugal supply unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of a pocket guide of a centrifugal supply unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a centrifugal supply unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] 1 is a partial perspective view of a centrifugal feed unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 18] 1 is a schematic diagram of a tablet used in the present invention. [Figure 19] 1 is a schematic diagram of a tablet used in the present invention. [Figure 20] FIG. 18 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line AA' in FIG. [Figure 21] FIG. 18 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line BB' in FIG. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of a modified centrifugal supply unit of the present invention. [Figure 23] FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of a modified centrifugal supply unit of the present invention. [Figure 24] 1 is a partial perspective view of a centrifugal feed unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 25] FIG. 25 is a front view of the inner plate of the gate of FIG. 24. [Figure 26] FIG. 14 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along CC' in FIG. [Figure 27] FIG. 14 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line D-D' in FIG. [Figure 28] FIG. 14 is a partial cross-sectional view of E-E' in FIG. [Figure 29] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a vibrating screw feeding unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 30] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a vibrating screw feeding unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 31] 31 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line FF' in FIG. 30. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a semiconductor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a semiconductor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a semiconductor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those having average knowledge in the art.

[0036] The shapes and sizes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity.

[0037] When describing embodiments of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of the prior art related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted. Furthermore, the terms used below are defined in consideration of the functions of the present invention and may vary depending on the intentions or practices of users or operators. Therefore, the definitions should be based on the contents of the entire specification. The terms used in the detailed description are intended to merely describe embodiments of the present invention and should not be limiting in any way. Unless clearly different, singular terms include plural terms.

[0038] In this disclosure, the terms "comprise" or "comprises" and the like are intended to refer to certain features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts thereof, or combinations thereof, and should not be interpreted as excluding the presence or possibility of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts thereof, or combinations other than those stated.

[0039] In the present specification, unless otherwise specified, the unit of % means % by weight.

[0040] In this specification, terms such as "top," "upper," "top surface," "bottom," "lower," "bottom surface," and "side" are used based on the drawings, and may actually vary depending on the direction in which elements or components are arranged.

[0041] Throughout this specification, when a part is said to be "connected" to another part, this includes not only "directly connected" but also "indirectly connected" via another element in between.

[0042] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to each embodiment or example of the present invention. It should be noted that each embodiment or example described in this specification is merely a single embodiment or example and may be combined with other embodiments or examples. Therefore, the reference to a claim in the claims corresponds to an example of an embodiment, and the technical idea of ​​the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the combination with the cited claim, and the combination with various claims is also included within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention.

[0043] 1 and 2 show a schematic front view and a plan view of a tablet inspection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tablet inspection device 1 is connected to a hopper provided inside or outside the device, and is supplied with tablets from a hopper connecting pipe 20 that supplies tablets to the inside of the device. The tablet inspection device 1 comprises a vibrating screw supply unit 100 that supplies the tablets at a predetermined speed, a centrifugal supply unit 200 that aligns the tablets transferred from the vibrating screw supply unit 100 via a rotating inner disk 220 and an outer disk 230 and supplies them to a moving unit 300, a first moving unit 310 that sucks and moves the tablets that are aligned and supplied by the centrifugal supply unit 200, and a second moving unit 310 that inverts the tablets from the first moving unit 310. the moving unit 300 including the second moving unit 320 which transfers the tablets to the moving unit 300; an inspection unit 400 which inspects the tablets as they move through the moving unit 300 and includes a first inspection unit 410 which inspects the tablets moving through the first moving unit 310 and a second inspection unit 420 which inspects the tablets moving through the second moving unit; a control unit 600 which is connected to the vibration screw supply unit 100, the centrifugal supply unit 200, the moving unit 300 and the inspection unit 400 and determines whether there are defects or whether the printing is good or bad according to the result of the inspection unit 400, and a sorting unit 500 which sorts and discharges the tablets according to the result determined by the control unit 600. Although not shown, the tablet inspection device 1 may include a tablet printing unit which prints on the tablets using a laser as they move through the moving unit 300, and may also include a pre-inspection unit which determines the position / posture, etc. of the tablets before printing in the tablet printing unit.

[0045] In the tablet inspection device 1, tablets move in the upper part around the device frame 10, and various equipment such as a vacuum forming unit, a driving motor, and a control unit can be arranged in the lower part of the device frame 10.

[0046] Tablets may be crushed by impact, and if crushed, the crushed powder may adhere to other tablets, resulting in changes in the dosage of the medicine or in printing or inspection defects. Furthermore, when tablets are fed through the centrifugal feed unit 200, their posture and position may change due to centrifugal force, which may make it difficult for the subsequent inspection unit 400, printing unit, and control unit 600 to inspect / print / assess the tablets. While it is possible to take an image and analyze it to print or inspect in the correct position, the complex process may result in accuracy issues, take a long time to make an assessment, and impose high system requirements.

[0047] Therefore, in addition to a software-assisted method, there is a demand for a device that can mechanically control the posture and position of tablets as they are fed and prevent them from being damaged, and the present invention can meet such a demand.

[0048] The vibrating screw supply unit 100 supplies tablets supplied from a hopper to the centrifugal supply unit 200 by vibration, and includes a screw together with a vibrating structure, which not only transports the tablets but also serves to remove debris and dust generated by broken tablets from being supplied to the centrifugal supply unit 200.

[0049] Tablets are made by solidifying powder and are therefore vulnerable to impact, regardless of whether they are coated or not. Tablets may break due to collisions with other tablets or with other tablets while being poured into the hopper or while being transferred to the vibrating screw feeding unit 100 via the hopper connecting pipe 20. The vibrating screw feeding unit 100 removes broken tablets and dust before feeding the tablets to the centrifugal feeding unit 200, while still feeding a predetermined amount of tablets to the centrifugal feeding unit 200. The vibrating screw feeding unit 100 will be described again later with reference to the drawings.

[0050] The centrifugal supply unit 200 rotates the inner disc 220 to transfer the tablets supplied from the vibration screw supply unit 100 to the outer disc 230 by centrifugal force of the tablets, and then supplies the tablets to the moving part 300 as the outer disc 230 rotates. In the present invention, the centrifugal supply unit 200 includes at least one of a pocket guide 240, a guide 260, and a gate 270 in addition to the inner disc 220 and the outer disc 230, thereby supplying the tablets supplied from the centrifugal supply unit 200 at a predetermined position and / or posture and preventing damage to the tablets that may occur during the rotation or alignment process in the centrifugal supply unit 200, thereby providing a centrifugal supply unit 200 that is easy to manage and improves work efficiency. The centrifugal supply unit 200 will also be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0051] The moving unit 300 has a rotating disk-shaped structure, and its interior is connected to the vacuum forming unit. The disk rotates with grooves formed on the attachment surface, which corresponds to the outer periphery of the disk, communicating with the vacuum forming unit. The moving unit 300 has a structure that rotates the disk while adsorbing tablets that are close to the attachment surface.

[0052] In the tablet inspection device 1 of the present invention, the centrifugal supply unit 200 is arranged on a plane and is configured to transfer tablets to the moving section 300 in a state inclined at an inclination angle α outward from the centrifugal supply unit 200 to facilitate alignment of the tablets. Therefore, the first moving section 310 of the moving section 300 is configured in a disk shape, and the tablets are arranged inclined by the inclination angle α with respect to the vertical direction so that the tablets are transferred in an inclined state with an attachment surface parallel to the rotation axis.

[0053] The second moving part 320 is configured in a disk shape, has a vertical rotation axis, and is configured so that the attachment surface is inclined at the above-mentioned inclination angle α with respect to the vertical direction, and transfers tablets moving in a state inclined with respect to the vertical direction from the first moving part 310. The tablets are turned over while moving from the first moving part 310 to the second moving part 320.

[0054] In the present invention, the first moving unit 310 is inclined relative to the vertical direction, and the second moving unit 320 is arranged horizontally, so that the height of the tablet inspection device 1 is not increased and space can be secured to accommodate the inspection unit 400 and the printing unit. The tablet inspection device 1 requires constant management by the user, and if the height of the tablet inspection device 1 increases, management becomes difficult and the time required for management increases. However, the arrangement of the first and second moving units 310, 320 makes management convenient while also making it possible to secure space.

[0055] The inspection unit 400 includes multiple cameras, and includes a first inspection unit 410 that inspects tablets moving on the first movement unit 310, and a second inspection unit 420 that inspects tablets moving on the second movement unit 320. If the tablet inspection device 1 includes a printing unit, the inspection unit 400 can further include a first pre-inspection unit that inspects tablets upstream of the printing unit in the first movement unit 310, and the first pre-inspection unit photographs the tablets before printing and provides the photographs to the control unit 600, thereby enabling correction of printing in the printing unit. Similarly, the inspection unit 400 can further include a second pre-inspection unit that inspects tablets upstream of the printing unit in the second movement unit 320. The inspection unit 400 can usually be configured with a combination of a 3D camera and a 2D camera.

[0056] The sorting unit 500 includes first to third sorting units 510, 520, and 530 that determine whether the tablets are good or bad using the image captured by the inspection unit 400 and collect the good, bad, and unsorted tablets using the control unit 600. The sorting unit 500 may include air nozzles corresponding to the first to third sorting units 510, 520, and 530, and the air nozzles blow air onto the tablets attached to the attachment surface of the second moving unit 320, causing the tablets to drop into one of the first to third sorting units 510, 520, and 530.

[0057] Figure 3 shows a schematic perspective view of a centrifugal feeding unit included in a tablet inspection device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 4 shows another schematic perspective view of a centrifugal feeding unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] 3 and 4, the centrifugal supply unit 200 is installed on the device frame 10, and includes a fixed frame 210 that surrounds the inner and outer discs 220, 230 and is connected to the device frame 10; an inner disc 220 that is arranged inside the fixed frame 210 and rotates around a rotation axis inclined relative to the vertical direction; an outer disc 230 that surrounds the inner disc 220 and rotates around a rotation axis parallel to the vertical direction as a center CoD; a pocket guide 240 attached to the outer periphery of the outer disc 230; a cover part 250 that is connected to the fixed frame 210 and covers the upper surface of the rotating outer disc 230; a guide 260 that includes a guide surface 262 that protrudes from the outer disc 230 toward the inner disc 220 and is connected to the cover part 250 or the fixed frame 210; and a gate 270 that is arranged downstream of the guide 260 in the rotation direction of the outer disc and drops tablets on the outer disc 230 back onto the inner disc 220 unless they are in a predetermined position. The centrifugal feeding unit 200 may also include an air nozzle downstream of the gate 270 that sprays air onto tablets protruding from the outer disc 230 .

[0059] The fixed frame 210 is connected to the device frame 10 and forms the outer shape of the centrifugal supply unit 200. The fixed frame 210 has a cylindrical shape, and a rotating inner frame 220 and an outer frame 230 are rotatably supported on the fixed frame 210, and other non-rotating components can be fixedly mounted on the fixed frame 210.

[0060] The inner disc 220 has a rotation axis inclined with respect to the vertical direction, is connected to an inner disc drive unit 225, and is connected to the inner disc drive unit 225 via a connection unit 224. The inner disc 220 may be configured to have one upper surface, or may be configured to have multiple surfaces, and in this embodiment, has first to third surfaces 221, 222, and 223. The third surface 223 can be inclined so as to correspond to the tablet movement surface 231 of the outer disc 230 at the top dead center TDP of the inner disc 220. Preferably, the first to third surfaces 221 to 223 are configured so that the inclination angles with respect to the rotation axis of the inner disc 220 become gradually gentler.

[0061] The outer disc 230 has a rotation axis parallel to the vertical direction and is connected to the outer disc drive unit 235. As shown in FIG. 4, the outer disc drive unit 235 has a structure that rotates the outer disc 230 via a gear located below the outer disc 230, but is not limited to this. The outer disc 230 has a ring-shaped upper surface that surrounds the inner disc 220. The upper surface includes a tablet moving surface 231 that is inclined so that the height increases toward the center of the rotation axis, i.e., the height decreases toward the outside from the radial direction. The tablet moving surface 231 is inclined at an inclination angle α with respect to the horizontal plane. A vertical surface 232 extending vertically is included inside the tablet moving surface 231. The vertical surface 232 and the inner disc 220 cooperate to provide a space in which tablets supplied to the centrifugal supply unit 200 remain.

[0062] The pocket guide 240 will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 15. Figures 5 to 6 show plan views and perspective views of the pocket guide of a centrifugal supply unit according to one embodiment of the present invention, Figures 7 to 9 show partially enlarged views of the pocket guide of a centrifugal supply unit according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Figures 10 to 15 show modified examples of the pocket guide of a centrifugal supply unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0063] 5 and 6, the pocket guide 240 includes a part of the tablet moving surface 231 of the outer disk 230 and a pocket cover portion 241 that covers the outer peripheral surface of the outer disk 230, and the pocket guide 240 is configured to be coupled to the outer disk 230 and rotate therewith. The pocket guide 240 includes protrusions 242 that protrude from the pocket cover portion 241 so as to form a plurality of pockets 243 that hold tablets in predetermined positions when the tablets move from the inner disk 220 to the tablet moving surface 231 of the outer disk 230. The pocket guide 240 is configured to have a predetermined thickness, and preferably has a thickness of at least half the thickness of the tablets so as to prevent the tablets from passing over the pocket guide 240 and slipping outward.

[0064] A plurality of pockets 243 are formed at regular intervals along the circumferential direction. That is, the protrusions 242 forming the pockets 243 protrude from the pocket cover portion 241 at regular intervals. In the present invention, by forming such pockets 243, tablets are stored only inside the pockets 243, and the position at which the tablets are placed on the tablet moving surface 231 can be restricted, and the orientation of the tablets can also be restricted. Therefore, even in the moving portion 300 that transfers the tablets from the outer disk 230, the tablets are supplied in a predetermined position and orientation, and the burden on the inspection portion 400 can be reduced.

[0065] The pocket guide 240 rotates together with the outer disc 230, but is configured to be replaceable from the outer disc 230. For example, after the inner surface of the pocket guide 240 is fitted into the outer disc 230 to rotate together, if a change is required, the pocket guide 240 can be separated from the outer disc 230 and another pocket guide 240 can be fitted and used.

[0066] The pocket cover part 241 includes a first part 241a that covers the outer surface of the outer disc 230 and allows the pocket guide 240 to be fitted to the outer disc 230, and a second part 241b that is bent and extended from the first part 241a, is disposed on the tablet moving surface 231, and is connected to the protrusion 242. In addition, the pocket guide 240 may include a third part 241c (see FIG. 6) that is bent from the bottom of the first part 241a and is bent onto the lower surface of the outer disc 230.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 7 , the protrusions 242 form pockets 243 together with adjacent protrusions 242. The protrusions 242 are configured so that their width in the circumferential direction decreases toward the center of rotation to facilitate the flow of tablets T into the pockets 243. The protrusions 242 include a first curved surface 242a having a first curvature radius R1, and a flat surface 242b extending linearly from the first curved surface 242a toward the apex of the protrusion, inclined at a first angle θ with respect to the radial direction RD of the outer disc 230. It is preferable that the first curvature radius R1 corresponds to the radius of the tablet T. However, the pocket guide 240 can be used to accommodate tablets T having a certain range of radii, and the first curvature radius R1 can be approximately an intermediate value within the radius range of the tablets T used.

[0068] As a result of the protrusion 242 being formed to have the first curved surface 242a and the flat surface 242b in this manner, the center TC of the tablet T can be positioned a distance corresponding to the radius of the tablet T from the inner surface of the pocket cover portion 241. That is, since the pocket guide 240 rotates together with the outer disk 230 and the tablet moving surface 231 of the outer disk 230 is configured to be inclined outward, the tablet that has risen to the tablet moving surface 231 is pushed outward within the pocket 243 by the flat surface 242b and the first curved surface 242a, and as a result, the position of the tablet T can always be kept constant.

[0069] However, both the first curved surface 242a and the flat surface 242b are not essential, and the protrusion 242 may be formed with only the first curved surface 242a, or may be formed with only the flat surface 242b without the first curved surface 242a. In other words, the protrusion 242 may have various structures as long as it can form the pocket 243.

[0070] To form a pocket 243 for accommodating a polygonal tablet, the protrusion 242 may protrude along a first curved surface 242a corresponding to a circle or ellipse passing through the vertices of the polygon, or may protrude so as to have a flat surface 242b corresponding to the sides of the polygon rather than a curved surface.

[0071] The protrusions 242 have a pitch P, which is the distance between the vertices, and the pitch P may be constant, and is preferably four times the radius of the tablet T, i.e., not more than twice the diameter (maximum width) of the tablet T. The pitch P must be at least twice the radius of the tablet T, i.e., greater than the diameter of the tablet T, so that the tablet T can be inserted. As described above, when the pocket guide 240 is used for a certain range of tablet T radii, the pitch P can be determined based on the maximum radius.

[0072] Furthermore, the protruding height L of the protruding portion 242 is preferably greater than or equal to the first radius of curvature R1 of the first curved surface 242a corresponding to the radius of the tablet T, but less than twice the first radius of curvature R1, and more preferably greater than or equal to 4 / 3 and less than 1.5 times the first radius of curvature R1. The protruding height L of the protruding portion 242 is related to the first angle θ and pitch P. If the protruding height L is low, the tablet T may move to an adjacent pocket 243 as the outer disc 230 rotates. However, if the tablet T is attracted to the moving unit 300 during the movement, the tablet T may not be supplied to the designated position despite the existence of the pocket 243. Conversely, if the protruding height L exceeds twice the first radius of curvature R1, the pitch P increases, and the number of tablets T supplied by the pocket guide 240 decreases at the same rotation speed. However, the higher the protruding height L, the more difficult it is for tablets to enter the pocket 243, which may reduce the number of tablets T supplied and reduce overall supply efficiency.

[0073] As shown in Figure 7, when a circular tablet is placed in the pocket 243 formed by the protrusion 242, the center TC of the tablet T is always located at a constant distance from the center of rotation of the outer disk 230, and therefore the position at which it is handed over from the moving part 300 can also be constant.

[0074] FIG. 8 shows the center position of the triangular tablet TT when it is positioned in the pocket 243, and FIG. 9 shows the center position of the triangular tablet TT when the pocket 243 formed by the protrusion 242 is not present.

[0075] In the case of circular tablets, even without the protrusion 242, the pocket cover 241 can keep the center of the conveying line constant. However, as shown in FIG. 9, when the protrusion 242 is absent and the pocket cover 241 aligns the triangular tablet TT, a large difference CG2 is formed between the centers TTC1 and TTC2 when the tablet's sides abut the pocket cover 241 (TT1) and when its apex abuts the pocket cover 241 (TT2). This difference CG2 is approximately 1 / 4 of the radius of the circle passing through the apex of the triangular tablet. However, as shown in FIG. 8, when the pocket 243 is formed by the protrusion 242, the apex of the triangular tablet TT can be positioned further outward than the sides. Therefore, the difference CG1 between the centers TTC1 and TTC2 when the corners abut the pocket cover 241 (TT2) can be reduced compared to the difference CG2 in FIG. 9. This difference CG1 is approximately 1 / 60 of the radius of the circle passing through the apex of the triangular tablet. Therefore, by forming the pocket 243 via the protrusion 242, the centrifugal supply unit 200 can provide the tablet TT to the moving part 300 with a small deviation from the center.

[0076] Meanwhile, the apex of the protrusion 242 may be formed sharply by joining the flat surfaces 242b, or may be formed as a second curved surface 242c having a second radius of curvature, or as a top surface 242d (see FIG. 10) parallel to the circumferential direction. In this case, it is preferable that the second radius of curvature is smaller than the first radius of curvature R1.

[0077] 10 to 15 show a modified pocket guide 240 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0078] 10, a protrusion 242 is formed that forms a pocket 243 corresponding to a tablet so that the tablet T can be inserted. The protrusion 242 includes a first curved surface 242a having a first radius of curvature R1 that corresponds to the radius of the tablet T, a flat surface 242b that extends parallel to the radial direction RD, and a top surface 242d that is parallel to the circumferential direction CD between the flat surfaces 242b. In the case of this modification, it is difficult to insert the tablet T into the pocket 243, but the tablet T can always be positioned at the center of the pocket 243.

[0079] 11, the pocket guide 240 of the present invention can have protrusions 242 in which the flat surface 242b of the protrusions 242 is inclined with respect to the radial direction RD, the protrusion height L of the protrusions 242 is smaller than the diameter of the tablet T, and the pitch P is four times or less the radius of the tablet T. In this case, two tablets T cannot fit into one pocket 243 and will become caught on the top of the protrusions 242. The tablets caught on the protrusions 242 will protrude from the tablet moving surface 231 towards the inner disc 220 and fall. Therefore, by controlling the height of the protrusions 242, it is possible to prevent multiple tablets from entering one pocket 243 and being supplied to the moving unit 300.

[0080] 12, the pocket guide 240 can have protrusions 242 in which the flat surface 242b of the protrusion 242 is inclined with respect to the radial direction RD, the protrusion height L of the protrusion 242 is smaller than the diameter of the tablet T, and the pitch P is more than four times the radius of the tablet T. In this case, two tablets T are caught on the flat surface 242b of one pocket 243, and the tablets caught on the flat surface 242b of the protrusion 242 in this way either protrude a small amount from the tablet moving surface 231 toward the inner disc 220, or do not protrude at all, and therefore can be supplied to the moving part 300 without falling onto the inner disc 220.

[0081] When the tablet is oval, the first curved surface 242a can be formed to correspond to the oval tablet T, as shown in Fig. 13. In this case, the height L of the protrusion 242 can be from 1 / 2 or more of the length of the minor axis of the oval tablet T to the length of the minor axis.

[0082] 14 and 15 show the shape of the protruding portion 242 when the tablet is quadrangular, for example, a diamond-shaped tablet T. In the case of a diamond-shaped tablet T as in FIG. 14, the protruding portion 242 can be formed with a first curved surface 242a, a flat surface 242b, and a second curved surface 242c so as to correspond to the shape of the tablet T, but as shown in FIG. 15, it can also be composed of a first curved surface 242a and a second curved surface 242c, or a first curved surface 242a and a top surface 242d (see FIG. 10) corresponding to an ellipse surrounding the vertex of the diamond-shaped tablet T. In this case, the height of the protruding portion 242 can be determined in proportion to the length of the minor axis of the ellipse, as in the oval-shaped tablet of FIG. 13 above.

[0083] Table 1 records the diameter φ of the tablet T to be inspected, the height L of the protrusion 242 of the pocket guide 240, and the supply state at pitch P. The pocket cover portion 241 is formed so that the distance from the inside of the tablet moving surface 231 of the outer disk 230 to the bottom surface of the protrusion 242 of the pocket guide 240 is greater than the diameter φ of the tablet. "Good" means that the tablet T was inserted into each pocket and transported to the moving section 300 with the center of the tablet T constant; "insufficient supply" means that the tablet T was not inserted into some pockets; and "poor position" means that the tablet T was transported to the moving section 300 with the center not constant.

[0084] [Table 1]

[0085] Reference Example 1 and Examples 1 to 4 are test results for tablets of the same diameter while changing the height L and pitch P, while Reference Example 2 and Example 5 are test results for tablets T of a different diameter from Examples 1 to 4. Reference Examples 1 and 2 and Examples 1 to 5 have no top surface 242d and the flat surface 242b is configured to be inclined at a first angle θ with respect to the radial direction RD, but the pitch P increased by forming a larger first angle θ. In Reference Examples 1 and 2, multiple tablets T may be placed in one pocket 243, while in Example 4, as shown in FIG. 10, the flat surface 242b is configured parallel to the radial direction RD, and a protrusion 242 having a top surface 242d is applied. In this case, tablets T were not inserted into some pockets 243, resulting in a supply shortage, but the positioning was not faulty.

[0086] Considering the test results, it was found that the supply condition was good when the plane 242b was inclined, the first angle θ was 0° to 60°, and the protrusion height L was between 2 and 4 times the first curvature radius R1, and more preferably, the supply condition was good when the first angle θ was 20° to 40° and the protrusion height L was between 4 / 3 and 1.5 times the first curvature radius R1.

[0087] 3, the cover part 250 is fixed to the fixed frame 210 with bolts 251 and covers part of the tablet moving surface 231 of the outer disk 230. Specifically, the cover part 250 covers the outer disk 230 except for the open part 280 where the guide 260, gate 270, and moving part 300 suck the tablets on the tablet moving surface 231 of the outer disk 230.

[0088] FIG. 16 shows a plan view of a centrifugal supply unit 200 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 17 shows a partial perspective view of the centrifugal supply unit 200, focusing on a guide 260.

[0089] As shown in Figures 16 and 17, a guide 260 connected to the fixed frame 210 is disposed upstream of the top dead center TDP of the inner disc 220 in the rotation direction RoD, and a gate 270 is disposed on the guide 260 so as to pass through the top dead center TDP and cover a certain area.

[0090] The angle θG at which the guide 260 covers the upper surface of the outer disk 230 when the rotation center CoD of the outer disk 230 is the center is added to the angle θGE between the guide 260 and the top dead center TDP, which is called a second angle, and the guide 260 starts from a position that is the second angle away from the top dead center TDP in the opposite direction of the rotation direction. The guide 260 is fixed to the cover unit 250 or the fixed frame 210 with bolts 261, similar to the cover unit 250.

[0091] The guide 260 includes a guide surface 262 that protrudes from a start position SP that affects the tablet T. The start position SP is a position in the opposite direction of the rotation direction from the top dead center TDP by a second angle, is at the height of the tablet moving surface 231 of the outer disc 230 in the vertical direction, and is at the boundary between the inner disc 220 and the outer disc 230 in the radial direction, and the guide surface 262 is formed by a curved surface that protrudes from the start position SP toward the inner disc 220 along the rotation direction.

[0092] Because the inner disc 220 and the outer disc 230 have the same height at the top dead center TDP, the outer disc 230 at the start position SP of the guide surface 262 is positioned higher than the inner disc by a first distance L1. The first distance L1 may be smaller than the width W of the tablet T, but is preferably equal to or greater than half the width W of the tablet T. If it is less than half, the bottom of the tablet T may come into contact with the guide surface 262, causing the tablet T to move to the opposite side rather than lying inside the inner disc 220. This may result in the tablet T being impacted and broken by the subsequent guide surface 262, which is opposite to the lying direction of the tablet T. Furthermore, the first distance L1 is preferably equal to or smaller than the width W of the tablet T. However, if it is greater than the width W of the tablet T, the guide surface 262 acts in a manner that presses on the tablet T as it rotates, and when multiple tablets T move together, the tablet T may be broken by the pressing force. In order to stably lay the tablet T via the guide surface 262, the first distance L1 is preferably 9 / 10 of the width W of the tablet T or less.

[0093] 18 and 19 show rectangular tablets T and circular tablets T. The width W of tablet T refers to the short side of tablet T when viewed from the direction of the printing surface in the case of rectangular tablets, and refers to the diameter φ in the case of circular tablets. In the present invention, the centrifugal supply unit 200 can print on the printing surface while passing through the moving part 300 only when the tablet is transferred to the moving part 300 with the printing surface or the surface opposite to the printing surface facing upward. Therefore, if the tablet T is standing upright with the printing surface not facing upward, it is necessary to lay the tablet T down, and the guide 260 plays a role in increasing the probability that the standing tablet T will lay down via the guide surface 262.

[0094] 17, the guide 260 includes first and second vertical surfaces 265, 266 connected to the guide surface 262 and extending vertically, and the first vertical surface 265 guides the stacked tablets T so that they are in a single layer. In the space above the inner disc 220, the tablets T can rotate in a state where they are stacked in multiple layers rather than in a single layer. When tablets T are transferred to the outer disc 230 in a stacked state and fall, they may be damaged by friction between the tablets. Therefore, the first vertical surface 265 of the guide 260 also serves to organize the tablets T that are moving in a stacked state so that only one layer remains.

[0095] Guide 260 starts from starting position SP and includes a guide surface 262 that forms a curved surface in the rotational direction, a first vertical surface 265 that extends vertically from guide surface 262 at a first portion 263 that is the front part of the guide, and a second vertical surface 266 that extends vertically from guide surface 262 at a second portion 264 that is the rear part of the guide, and a bolt 261 that fixes the guide.

[0096] At the first portion 263, the guide 260 protrudes in the direction of rotation toward the inner disc 220, and at the second portion 264, the protruding length decreases again, and at the end of the guide 260, the guide 260 no longer protrudes toward the inner disc 220. If necessary, the guide 260 can include a maintaining surface 267 that maintains the protruding length between the first vertical surface 265 and the second vertical surface 266.

[0097] 20 and 21 show cross-sectional views taken along lines AA' and BB' in FIG.

[0098] 20 and 21, the guide surface 262 is a curved surface, but when viewed in cross section, it is inclined at inclination angles θGS1 and θGS2 with respect to the horizontal plane. The inclination angles θGS1 and θGS2 of the curved surface of the guide surface 262 gradually decrease along the rotation direction RoD. That is, the inclination angle θGS1 formed between the horizontal plane and the guide surface 262 at the start position SP is larger than the inclination angle θGS2 formed between the horizontal plane and the guide surface 262 at the intermediate position (θGS1>θGS2).

[0099] In this way, the inclination angle that the guide surface 262 makes with the horizontal plane along the rotation direction becomes smaller, so that the guide surface 262 makes the upright tablet T lie down along the rotation direction.

[0100] The guide surface 262 initially guides the upright tablet T so that it falls from above the middle toward the inside of the inner disk 220, and then gradually lays the tablet T down along the rotation direction via the inclination angle of the guide surface 262. Therefore, no matter what state the tablet T passes through the guide 260 in, it will not be damaged and will exit in a stable lying state due to the guide surface 262.

[0101] The starting position of the guide 260 is important depending on the size of the tablet T, and since the size of the tablet T to be inspected may change, the guide 260 is replaceably mounted on the centrifugal supply unit 200 so that the starting position SP of the guide 260 can also be changed. The guide 260 is configured so that the length in the circumferential direction of the outer disk 230 varies so that the starting position SP can be changed according to the size of the tablet, and Figs. 22 and 23 show perspective views of the guide 260 that has been replaced when the size of the tablet T has changed.

[0102] 22, when the size of the tablet T increases, the circumferential length of the gate 270 is increased, and the angle θGE formed by the end position of the guide 260 at the top dead center TDP increases. Therefore, the length of the guide 260 remains unchanged, and the start position SP of the guide 260, which is located upstream of the gate 270 in the rotation direction RoD, can be moved.

[0103] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 23, the starting position SP of the guide 260 can be moved by increasing the length of the guide 260 without changing the gate 270, thereby increasing the angle θG that the guide 260 occupies with the outer disk 230.

[0104] Even if the tablet T changes, the first distance L1 is maintained at between 1 / 2 and 9 / 10 of the width W of the tablet T at the starting position SP of the guide 260, so that the tablet T can be guided so that it lies flat without being damaged as it passes through the guide 260.

[0105] On the other hand, it is preferable that the guide 260 ends 5 to 10 degrees before the top dead center TDP. This is because after the tablet T is laid down by the guide 260, it moves from the inner disc 220 to the outer disc 230 while passing the top dead center TDP. If the end point is less than 5 degrees, the posture of the tablet T that has passed through the guide 260 is not stable, and there is a high possibility that the posture of the tablet will change during the movement, and if it exceeds 10 degrees, there is a possibility that the posture of the laid-down tablet will be disturbed again by other tablets.

[0106] Fig. 24 shows a partial perspective view of a centrifugal supply unit according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 25 shows a front view of gate 270. Fig. 24 shows a partial perspective view focusing on gate 270. Figs. 26 to 28 show cross-sectional views taken along lines CC', DD', and EE' in Fig. 16.

[0107] The gate 270 is connected to the fixed frame 210 and is positioned downstream of the guide 260 in the rotation direction RoD, and includes a first gate portion 271 extending from outside the inner surface of the outer disk 230 along the circumferential direction CD in the radial direction RD of the outer disk 230, a second gate portion 272 connected to the first gate portion 271 and protruding inward from the inner surface of the outer disk 230 in the radial direction RD along the rotation direction RoD, and a bolt 278 connecting the gate 270 to the cover portion 250 or the fixed frame 210.

[0108] The first gate portion 271 is disposed above the tablet moving surface 231 of the outer disc 230 at a position following the guide 260 along the rotation direction RoD. The first gate portion 271 includes an inner plate 271a having a vertical surface and a lower surface 271b that is spaced from the tablet moving surface 231 by a distance G1 corresponding to the height H of the tablet T and is parallel to the tablet moving surface 231. The inner plate 271a is formed so that the distance Lgate from the lower end to the tablet moving surface 231 is shorter than the shortest distance among the height H, width W, and length Lt of the tablet.

[0109] 26, while the tablet T passes through the top dead center TDP and moves from the inner disc 220 to the outer disc 230, the tablet attempting to enter the pocket 243 is blocked by the inner plate 271a with a short separation distance Lgate, preventing the tablet from entering between the lower surface 271b of the outer first gate portion 271 and the tablet moving surface 231. After passing a certain distance in the rotation direction, the lower end of the inner plate 271a rises to the position of the lower surface 271b, and as a result, the tablet T that was blocked by the inner plate 271a enters between the lower surface 271b of the first gate portion 271 and the tablet moving surface 231.

[0110] The position where the tablet T that was blocked by the inner plate 271a enters, i.e., the position where the lower end of the inner plate 271a rises to the position of the lower surface 271b, may be a position where the tablet T can protrude from the tablet moving surface 231 of the outer disk 230 and fall if the posture of the tablet T is unfavorable due to the inner plate 271a. That is, when a height difference occurs between the outer disk 230 and the inner disk 220 and the position where the tablet on the inner disk 220 prevents the tablet on the outer disk 230 from falling is exceeded, for example, when the height difference between the inner disk 220 and the outer disk 230 is equal to or greater than half the height H or width W of the tablet T, there is a possibility that the tablet T on the outer disk 230 will not be supported even if the tablet T is on the outermost side of the inner disk 220 due to the height difference.

[0111] Since a large number of tablets T move from the top dead center TDP at once, even if the tablets T are laid down by the guide 260, the posture of the tablets T may change during the transfer process, and if an attempt is made to immediately enter between the lower surface 271b and the tablet transfer surface 231 in that state, there is a possibility that the tablets T will be damaged.

[0112] In the present invention, the first gate portion 271 includes an inner plate 271a, which prevents tablets moving from the top dead center TDP to the outer disc 230 from immediately entering under the gate's lower surface 271b, thereby preventing tablets T from being pinched between the lower surface 271b and the tablet moving surface 231 and being damaged. After the rapid movement ends, the lower end of the inner plate 271a rises to a predetermined distance, allowing tablets T lying flat to naturally enter the lower surface 271b and the tablet moving surface 231 due to the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the outer disc 230 and the inclination of the tablet moving surface 231. Furthermore, if the tablet T is not lying flat, it is blocked by the inner plate 271a and cannot enter the space between the lower surface 271b and the tablet moving surface 231.

[0113] The position where the inner plate 271a blocks the tablet T at the top dead center TDP, i.e., the distance between the inner plate 271a and the inner surface of the outer disk 230, can be about 1 / 2 of the width W of the tablet T when the tablet T is aligned so that its length L direction coincides with the circumferential direction. The distance between the inner plate 271a and the inner surface of the outer disk 230 varies depending on the size of the tablet, but if the distance exceeds 1 / 2 of the width, there is a possibility that the tablet T will not fall from the outer disk 230 under its own weight even if the length direction of the tablet T coincides with the radial direction.

[0114] The second gate portion 272 also includes an inner plate 272a and a lower surface 272b that is spaced apart from the tablet moving surface 231 by a distance G1 corresponding to the height H of the tablet T and is parallel to the tablet moving surface 231. The inner plate 272a is configured by extending the inner plate 271a of the first gate portion 271, and the lower surface 272b may also be an extension of the lower surface 271b of the first gate portion 271.

[0115] In the second gate portion 272, the inner plate 272a is formed to have a radius of curvature R2 from the radial center C2 when viewed in a plane (see FIG. 16). At this time, the radius of curvature R2 is smaller than the distance from the rotation center CoD of the outer disk 230 to the first gate portion 271, so the second gate portion 272 is configured to protrude from the outer disk 230 in the rotation direction.

[0116] 25, the lower end of the inner plate 272a rises in accordance with the inclined tablet moving surface 231. The second gate portion 272 serves to push out tablets T that do not enter the space between the lower surface 271b and the tablet moving surface 231 from the outer disk 230 via the inner plate 272a.

[0117] The gate 270 prevents the moving tablets T from immediately entering the space between the lower surface 271b of the gate 270 and the tablet moving surface 231, preventing them from being pinched and being damaged, and allows only lying tablets T to enter the space between the lower surface 271b of the gate 270 and the tablet moving surface 231, with the rest falling from the outer disk 230 to the top of the inner disk 220, thereby allowing the tablets T to be aligned in a predetermined position without being damaged.

[0118] In this embodiment, the gate 270 has been described as having a structure to which the inner plates 271a and 272a are attached. However, the inner plates 271a and 272a may be manufactured as an integrated structure with the gate 270, rather than as separate components.

[0119] Figures 29 to 31 show the vibrating screw supply unit 100. Specifically, Figure 29 shows a schematic perspective view of the vibrating screw supply unit 100, Figure 30 shows an exploded perspective view of the vibrating screw supply unit 100, and Figure 31 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line F-F' in Figure 30.

[0120] The vibration screw supply unit 100 includes a vibration section 170 connected to the hopper connecting pipe 20 to move the tablets supplied by vibration, a screw moving section 120 to receive the tablets supplied from the vibration section 170 and move them to the centrifugal supply unit, and a column section 110 connected to the device frame 10.

[0121] The vibration unit 170 is disposed at a position higher than the screw moving unit 120 and the pillar unit 110, and includes an inclined surface. The vibration unit 170 is connected to the vibration generating unit 180 via a vibration transmitting pillar 175 connected to the vibration generating unit 180 disposed at the bottom of the device frame 10, and moves the tablet T along the inclined surface to the screw moving unit 120 by the vibration transmitted by the vibration generating unit 180.

[0122] The vibration generating unit 180 is connected to the above-mentioned control unit 600, and the amount of vibration is adjusted according to the amount of tablets T stored on the top of the inner disk 220 of the centrifugal supply unit 200, thereby adjusting the amount of tablets T transmitted to the screw moving unit 120.

[0123] The screw moving section 120 includes a plurality of screws 141 extending in the tablet moving direction and having helical protrusions 142 formed thereon, screw gears 144 formed at the ends of the screws 141, a connecting bar 143 connecting the screw gears 144 and the screws 141, a drive motor 130 providing power to rotate the screws 141, and gears 131, 145 transmitting power between the drive motor 130 and the screw gears 144.

[0124] The screw 141 includes first to eighth screws (141a to h), and the first to eighth screws (141a to h) are each formed with a spiral protrusion 142. When the screw 141 rotates, the spiral protrusion 142 moves the tablet T placed on the top of the screw 141 in the extension direction of the screw, i.e., in the tablet movement direction.

[0125] The screw gears 144 arranged at the ends of the screws 141 mesh with each other, so that the first to eighth screws (141a to h) rotate in opposite directions to the adjacent screws 141, and accordingly, the spiral protrusions 142 are also formed to rotate in opposite directions to the adjacent screws 141. Because the protrusions 142 are formed on the screws 141, gaps g corresponding to at least the height of the protrusions 142 are formed between the screws 141.

[0126] A collecting section 150 is disposed below the screw moving section 120, covering the area where the screw 141 is disposed and inclined downward toward the column section 110. The collecting section 150 is connected to the vacuum forming section 190 on the column section 110 side.

[0127] The tablets T supplied through the hopper connecting pipe 20 are supplied to the screw moving section 120 by tilting and vibrating from the vibration section 170. In the screw moving section 120, the tablets T supplied from the vibration section 170 are moved by the rotation of the screw 141, and fall from the end onto the top of the inner disk 220 of the centrifugal supply unit 200.

[0128] During the process of supplying tablets T from the hopper connecting pipe 20, a large amount of tablets T are supplied at once, and therefore, the tablets T may be damaged due to collisions between the tablets T. In this manner, in the case of the vibration unit 170, since the tablets are moved by transmitting vibrations, it is not easy to remove any damaged tablets T, even if they are present. In one embodiment of the present invention, a screw moving unit 120 is further disposed in the vibration unit 170, and the gap g formed by the screw moving unit 120 allows the broken tablets T to fall into the collection unit 150, so that the broken tablets T can be removed and transmitted to the centrifugal supply unit 200.

[0129] In particular, in the screw moving part 120, since the spiral protrusion 142 rotates, it is easy to move the tablet T, and it is also easy to discharge debris mixed in the tablet T to the bottom. In addition, the collecting part 150 is connected to the vacuum forming part 190, so that fine powder can also be sucked into the vacuum forming part 190, and debris and fragments can also be discharged.

[0130] In addition, in the vibration screw supply unit 100, the supply amount is adjusted by the vibration amount of the vibration unit 170, and the screw moving unit 120 always rotates at a constant speed. The screw moving unit 120 serves to discharge debris as it moves, and since movement due to the rotation of the screw 141 is more difficult to transport stably than movement due to the vibration amount of the vibration unit 170, the supply amount is adjusted via the vibration unit 170, and the screw moving unit 120 is focused on moving at a constant speed and discharging debris, which has the advantage of making it possible to remove debris while adjusting the supply amount.

[0131] As described above, the present invention has been described mainly with reference to an embodiment thereof, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and only a part of the configuration of the embodiment may be applied or modified for use. [Explanation of symbols]

[0132] 1: Tablet inspection equipment 10: Device frame 20: Hopper connecting pipe 100: Vibration screw feeding unit 200: Centrifugal feeding unit 210: Fixed frame 220: Inner disc 221~3: 1st~3rd page 224:Joining part 225: Inner disc drive 230: Outer disc 235: Outer disc drive 232: Vertical plane 231: Tablet moving surface 240:Pocket Guide 241: Pocket cover part 242:Protrusion 242a: 1st curved surface 242b: Plane 242c: 2nd curved surface 242d: Top surface P: Pitch L: Projection height T: Tablet TC: tablet core TT1, 2: Triangular tablets TTC1, 2: Center of triangular tablet CG1, CG2: difference in center of gravity RD: Radial direction CD: Circumferential direction 250: Cover part 260: Guide 261: Bolt 262: Guide surface 263, 264: 1st and 2nd parts 265, 266: Vertical plane 267: Maintenance aspect SP:Start position 270: Gate 271: First Gate 272: Second Gate 278: Bolt 300: Mobile unit 310: First moving section 320: Second Mobile Unit 400: Inspection Department 410: First Inspection Department 420: Second Inspection Department 500: Classification department 510, 520, 530: 1st to 3rd classification section

Claims

1. an inner disk to which tablets are supplied and which rotates with its rotation axis inclined relative to the vertical; an outer disk that rotates around the inner disk and includes a tablet transfer area through which tablets transferred from the inner disk move; a stationary frame surrounding the outer disc; a guide connected to the fixed frame, the guide including a guide surface protruding into a region of the inner disc along the rotation direction at a position shifted by a second angle from a top dead center of the inner disc in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the outer disc when viewed from above, at a portion where the inner disc and the outer disc contact each other in a radial direction, and at a starting position of a height of the outer disc in a vertical direction.

2. At the start position of the guide surface, the outer disc is higher than the inner disc by a first distance; The centrifugal feeding unit of claim 1 , wherein the first distance is less than a width of a target tablet.

3. The centrifugal feeding unit of claim 2, wherein the first distance is between 1 / 2 and 9 / 10 of the width of the target tablet.

4. The centrifugal supply unit according to claim 3 , wherein the angle of the guide surface with respect to a horizontal plane gradually decreases along the rotation direction.

5. The centrifugal feed unit according to claim 1 , wherein the guide includes a first portion that protrudes radially inwardly along the rotation direction.

6. The centrifugal supply unit according to claim 5 , wherein the guide includes a second portion whose protruding length decreases radially inward along the rotation direction, and the second portion is located rearward of the first portion in the rotation direction.

7. The centrifugal feed unit of claim 6 , wherein the first portion includes a first vertical surface connected to the guide surface and extending vertically.

8. the second portion includes a second vertical surface extending vertically from the guide surface, The centrifugal supply unit according to claim 7 , wherein a maintaining surface for maintaining the protruding length is disposed between the first portion and the second portion.

9. 3. The centrifugal supply unit according to claim 2, wherein an end position of the guide surface along the rotation direction is located at a position of a top dead center of the inner disc or at a position spaced apart from the position of the top dead center of the inner disc in a direction opposite to the rotation direction.

10. 10. The centrifugal supply unit according to claim 9, wherein the end position of the guide surface is 5 to 10 degrees before the top dead center in the direction opposite to the rotation direction.

11. The centrifugal feeding unit of claim 10 , wherein the guide is replaceable in the stationary frame.

12. a gate connected to the fixed frame, disposed downstream of the guide, and disposed downstream of the top dead center in the rotation direction; 4. The centrifugal supply unit according to claim 3, wherein the gate includes a first gate portion extending circumferentially outwardly of the inner surface of the outer disk in the radial direction, and a second gate portion connected to the first gate portion and protruding inwardly of the inner surface of the outer disk in the radial direction along the rotation direction.

13. The centrifugal feeding unit of claim 12, wherein the first gate portion is located at the top of the tablet movement area, and the distance from the lower end of the first gate portion to the upper surface of the outer disk is shorter than the shortest distance among the height, width, and length of the tablet.

14. the outer disk includes a tablet moving surface on its upper surface that decreases in height as it moves away from the center of rotation; 3. The centrifugal feeding unit of claim 2, wherein the inner disk includes a plurality of surfaces that are inclined to different degrees relative to the rotation axis, and the outermost surface of the plurality of surfaces forms the same inclination angle as the tablet moving surface at the top dead center.

15. The centrifugal feed unit according to claim 1; a transfer unit that receives and transfers tablets from the centrifugal supply unit; an inspection unit that photographs the tablet while the tablet is being moved by the moving unit; A tablet inspection device comprising: a sorting unit that sorts tablets according to inspection results of the inspection unit.

Images