Machine for filling capsules

Abstract

A filling machine (1) for filling capsules (100) with at least one product comprises a plurality of operating stations (3-8) for operating on the capsules (100) and a planar motor system (2) for transferring the capsules (100) through the operating stations (3-8); the planar motor comprises a driving surface (9) and a plurality of moving units (10) which can be electromagnetically coupled to the driving surface (9) to be moved contactless independently thereon; each moving unit (10) comprises an upper supporting element (11), having upper seats (17) for housing caps (102) of the capsules (100), and a lower supporting element (12), having lower seats (18) for housing bodies (101) of the capsules (100); the upper supporting element (11) and the lower supporting element (12) are mutually positionable in a first operating configuration (A), in which the upper seats (17) surmount and are vertically aligned with the lower seats (22), and in a second operating configuration (B), in which the upper seats (17) are spaced apart from the lower seats (18) to allow filling the bodies (101) with a product.

Description

[0001] Machine for filling capsules

[0002] The present invention relates to automatic machines for packaging pharmaceutical and / or food products and, in particular, relates to a machine for filling capsules, opercula or similar elements with one or more pharmaceutical or food products or another type of product.

[0003] Various types of filling machines are known, arranged to fill capsules of the bottom-cap type, typically made of hard gelatin, with liquid pharmaceutical or food products, in powder, granules, tablets, micro-tablets, delayed-action drugs, etc.

[0004] Generally, the known automatic filling machines for capsules comprise means for moving and transferring the capsules through the different operating stations consisting of a turret or transfer wheel, rotating with intermittent motion around a vertical axis and provided with housings or seats suitable for receiving the capsules. The operating stations are arranged angularly spaced apart around the transfer turret which, by rotating, moves the capsules through the different operating stations, which act on the capsules.

[0005] The operating stations comprise a capsule feeding station, one or more dosing stations, a capsule closing station and a capsule exit station.

[0006] The transfer turret is generally provided with a plurality of pairs of supporting elements, which are angularly spaced apart along a peripheral edge of the transfer turret. Each pair comprises a lower supporting element, provided with a plurality of lower seats suitable for housing the capsule bottoms, or bodies and a corresponding upper supporting element provided with a plurality of upper seats suitable for housing the capsule caps. The lower supporting element and the upper supporting element are mutually movable in a radial direction, between a superimposed position, in which the lower and upper seats are superimposed and aligned to receive the empty capsules in the feeding station or to allow them to be closed and then extracted after filling, and a spaced apart position, in which capsule bodies, separated from the relative caps, are able to be filled.

[0007] The feeding station comprises means for taking the capsules from a magazine, orienting them correctly (with the bodies facing downwards), inserting them into the seats of the supporting elements of the transfer turret.

[0008] Opening means open the capsules, separating and spacing the caps apart from the respective bodies, in particular inserting the bodies into the lower seats of the lower supporting elements and the caps into the upper seats of the upper supporting elements.

[0009] A certain amount of product is dispensed into the bodies of the capsules in the dosing station. In the closing station, the caps surmount and are coupled to the respective bodies so as to close and recompose the capsules filled with the product which are then conveyed out of the filling machine into the exit station.

[0010] Some filling machines can also comprise a weighing station in which the capsules filled with the product are weighed to verify the correctness of the dosage, and a reject station in which the non-compliant capsules are taken and conveyed outside. A further weighing station can be provided to weigh the empty capsules taken from the magazine.

[0011] In some filling machines the dosing station of products in powder form, in granules, tablets, micro-tablets, delayed action drugs, etc. comprises a dosing turret or wheel, also rotating with intermittent motion about a respective vertical axis and generally provided with two groups of volumetric dosing devices, angularly spaced 180° apart from one another with respect to the vertical axis and capable of picking up defined amounts or doses of product from a reservoir, in a picking position, and transferring and then releasing the doses into the capsule bodies, in a release position. The volumetric dosing devices of each group are angularly spaced apart and arranged so as to interact with a corresponding number of capsules housed in the seats of the transfer turret.

[0012] In operation, the volumetric dispensers of one group withdraw the product from the reservoir while the volumetric dispensers of the other group surmount and are adjacent to the capsule bodies to be filled, so as to transfer and yield the product doses to the latter.

[0013] The dosing station can also comprise a dosing arm which supports at an end thereof a group of volumetric dosing devices and is linearly movable both vertically and horizontally with intermittent motion between a lowered picking position in which the dosing devices are immersed in the product inside the reservoir to load and withdraw respective product doses, and a lowered dosing position in which the aforesaid dosing devices surmount and are substantially in contact with respective capsule bodies to dispense the product doses.

[0014] Filling machines are also known in which the transfer turret rotates continuously about the vertical axis and the dosing station is configured to dispense the product doses in the capsule bodies during the movement thereof.

[0015] The number of operating stations, and in particular the number and type of dosing stations, affects the dimensions of the moving means, typically the diameter of the transfer turret, and in general the dimensions of the entire filling machine, in particular its overall footprint. Even if the filling machine is modular and envisages a modular assembly of the operating stations, with different configurations depending on the user's needs, the dimensions of the transfer turret and the filling machine must still be the maximum, which allows the installation of all the operating stations in a complete version of the filling machine.

[0016] US 2023 / 0225945 discloses a filling machine for filling capsules according to prior art. An object of the present invention is to improve the known filling machines for filling capsules, opercula or similar elements with liquid products or products in gel, powder, granules, tablets, or the like, in particular pharmaceutical or food products.

[0017] Another object is to make a modular filling machine which allows a plurality of operating stations to be assembled according to different configurations.

[0018] A further object is to provide a filling machine having particularly compact dimensions.

[0019] Still another object is to make a high-performance filling machine with a simple and robust structure and reliable and safe operation.

[0020] Such objects and others are achieved by a filling machine according to one of the claims set forth below.

[0021] The invention can be understood more fully and implemented with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate exemplary and non-limiting versions of the implementation thereof, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view from above of the capsule filling machine according to the invention;

[0023] Figure 2 is a front view of a capsule to be filled in a closed or assembled configuration and in an open or detached configuration;

[0024] Figure 3 is a perspective view of three capsule moving units of the filling machine of Figure 1 provided with respective upper and lower supporting elements suitable for housing capsule caps and bodies and arranged respectively in a first operating configuration, in a second operating configuration and in a third operating configuration; Figure 4 is a cross-section of the moving unit of Figure 3 with the upper supporting element and the lower supporting element in the first operating configuration;

[0025] Figure 5 is a cross-section of the moving unit of Figure 3 with the upper supporting element and the lower supporting element arranged in the second operating configuration of opening;

[0026] Figure 6 is a cross-section of the moving unit of Figure 3 with the upper supporting element and the lower supporting element arranged in the third operating configuration; Figure 7 is a cross-section of a variant of the moving unit, in which the upper supporting element and the lower supporting element are arranged in the first operating configuration;

[0027] Figure 8 is a cross-section of the variant of the moving unit of Figure 7 in which the upper supporting element and the lower supporting element are arranged in the second operating configuration of opening; Figures 9 to 11 are side views, partially in section, of moving units of another embodiment of the filling machine 1, said moving units arranged respectively in a first, a second and a third operating configuration.

[0028] Referring to Figure 1, the filling machine 1 according to the invention arranged to fill capsules 100, opercula or similar containers with one or more liquid, gel, powder, granular, tablet, micro-tablet, delayed-action drugs or similar products, in particular pharmaceutical or food or other products, comprises a plurality of operating stations 3-8 arranged to act on the capsules 100 and a planar motor system or planar motor 2 for transferring and / or moving the capsules 100 through the aforesaid plurality of operating stations.

[0029] The capsules 100 are, for example, made of hard gelatin and each formed by a cap 102 and a respective bottom, or body 101 initially mutually associated to allow the opening of the capsule 100 for filling with the product and thus mutually lockable for the subsequent closure of the capsule 100 (Fig. 2)

[0030] With particular reference to Figure 1, the plurality of operating stations comprises, for example, a feeding station 3, an opening station 4, a dosing station 6, a closing station 7 and a removing station 8.

[0031] In the feeding station 3, empty capsules 100 are taken from a magazine 60 and transferred to the seats 17, 18 of the supporting elements 11, 12 of the moving units 10. In the opening station 4, the caps 102 and the bodies 101 of the empty capsules 100 are separated and spaced apart and inserted respectively into the upper seats 17 and into the lower seats 18, by opening means of known type, not illustrated and disclosed in detail.

[0032] In the illustrated embodiment, the feeding station 3 and the opening station 4 coincide and the filling machine further comprises a selection and rejection station 5 in which the capsules 100 which remain closed or the capsules which are open but have a double cap or double body are ejected from the filling machine 1.

[0033] In the dosing station 6 a product, liquid, powder, granules, tablets, micro-tablets, delayed- action drug, or the like, is dispensed into the bodies 102 of the capsules 100.

[0034] In the closing station 7 the capsules 100 are closed, coupling the caps 102 to the respective bodies 101, filled with the product, by closing means of known type, not illustrated and disclosed in detail.

[0035] In the removing station 8, the capsules 100 filled with product and closed are extracted from the moving unit 10 and sent out of the filling machine 1.

[0036] The operating stations are for example arranged adjacent to and aligned along a linear advancement direction M. The filling machine 1 further comprises a control unit 50 suitable for controlling the operating stations 3-8 and the moving system 2 during operation.

[0037] A weighing station can be included after the dosing station for measuring the actual amount of product dosed into the capsules 100. A further weighing station can be included after the feeding station for measuring the weight of the empty capsules 100 taken from the magazine 60 (tare).

[0038] The filling machine 1 of the invention can also comprise one or more further dosing stations configured to dispense a respective product into the bodies 102 of the capsules 100 and a further selection and rejection station in which the defective or non-compliant capsules 100, for example because they contain excessive or insufficient amounts of product, are taken from the moving system 2 and rejected. The further selection and rejection station can be placed downstream of the dosing station 6 with reference to the advancement direction B. The planar motor 2 comprises a driving surface 9 and a plurality of moving units 10 provided with seats 17, 18 for housing the capsules 100 and can be electromagnetically coupled to the driving surface 9 to be moved contactless independently, i.e., in a floating manner, on the driving surface 9 with at least three degrees of freedom.

[0039] In particular, the driving surface 9 of the planar motor 2 includes a planar stator 19 provided with a plurality of electric windings suitable for generating respective electromagnetic fields. Each moving unit 10 comprises at least one permanent magnet and / or an element made of electrical / magnetic conductive material suitable for interacting with the electromagnetic fields generated by the planar stator 19. More precisely, each moving unit 10 comprises a plate or slide, called mover or carrier, which includes the permanent magnet and / or the element made of electrical / magnetic conductive material. By interacting with the magnetic fields generated by the planar stator 19, each moving unit 10 is linearly movable and contactless in rotation on the driving surface 9, parallel and transversally to the latter.

[0040] More precisely, each moving unit 10 preferably has six degrees of freedom and can thus be moved in a floating manner without friction on the driving surface 9 at high speed and precision in translation and rotation along and about three orthogonal axes X, Y, Z, according to a predefined movement path through the various operating stations 3-8. In particular, each moving unit 10 is positionable with respect to the driving surface 9 (i.e., it is movable along a third axis Z orthogonal to the driving surface 9) selectively at a first height hl, in particular comprised between 0.3 and 1.5 mm, more in particular comprised between 0.7 and 1.0 mm, and at a second height h2, in particular comprised between 0 and 0.5 mm, more in particular comprised between 0 and 0.3 mm. The planar stator 19 is, for example, of modular type and comprises a plurality of flat stator elements 19a, the number and arrangement of which depend on the shape and size of the driving surface 9, i.e., of the filling machine 1.

[0041] Each moving unit 10 comprises an upper supporting element 11 provided with a plurality of upper seats 17 suitable for housing the caps 102 of the capsules 100 and a lower supporting element 12 provided with a plurality of lower seats 18 suitable for housing the bodies 101 of the capsules 100. The upper supporting element 11 and / or the lower supporting element 12 are positionable, mutually movable, selectively at least in a first operating configuration A, in which the upper seats 17 surmount and are vertically aligned with, in particular slightly detached from, the lower seats 22, and in a second operating configuration B, in which the upper seats 17 are spaced apart from the lower seats 18 to allow access to the latter and to fill the bodies 101 with at least one product.

[0042] The upper supporting element 11 and / or the lower supporting element 12 of each moving unit are also positionable, mutually movable selectively in an engagement position C and in a disengagement position. In the engagement position C, the upper seats 17 are aligned with and abut the lower seats 18 to allow the capsules 100 to be inserted into the seats 17, 18 and to couple the caps 102 to the respective bodies 101 to close the capsules 100. In the disengagement position, the upper seats 17 are spaced apart from the lower seats 18.

[0043] With particular reference to Figures 4 to 6, each moving unit 10 comprises a base 13 suitable for interacting with the driving surface 9 and a supporting body 14 fixed to the base 13 and slidably supporting the upper supporting element 11, in particular along a first movement direction T substantially parallel to the driving plane 9, and the lower supporting element 12, in particular along a second movement direction V substantially orthogonal to the driving plane 9.

[0044] In the illustrated embodiment, the seats 17, 18 of the plurality of upper seats 17 and the plurality of lower seats 18 are arranged on one or more parallel rows (a single respective row in the illustrated embodiment).

[0045] The moving unit 10 further comprises respective driving means 30 for moving the upper supporting element 11 along the first movement direction T so as to selectively arrange it in an extended position E or in a retracted position F. In the extended position E, the upper and lower supporting elements 11, 12 are in the first operating configuration A (Fig. 4), while in the retracted position F, the upper and lower supporting elements 11, 12 are in the second operating configuration B (Fig. 5).

[0046] The driving means 30 comprise at least a first fixed stem 31, in particular fixed to and contained inside the supporting body 14, a corresponding second stem 32 slidably supported by the first stem 31 and coupled to and / or supporting the upper supporting element 11 and elastic locking / releasing means 33 associated with and / or cooperating with the first and second stems 31, 32. The elastic locking / releasing means 33, of known type and not illustrated in detail, are configured to lock the upper supporting element 11 in the retracted position F, when it is pushed against the elastic locking / releasing means 33 and to release it from the retracted position F, allowing it to be pushed by the elastic locking / releasing means 33 until it reaches the extended position E.

[0047] More precisely, the elastic locking / releasing means 33 allow the second stem 32 to retract - when pushed from the outside towards the inside of the supporting body 14, for example abutting an external pusher element - in the retracted position F of the upper supporting element 11 and then lock it in this retracted position F. The elastic locking / releasing means are also configured to allow the second stem 32 to retract and release, when pushed from the outside towards the inside of the supporting body 14 (for example by abutting an external pusher element) and then move it and lock it in the extended position E of the upper supporting element 11.

[0048] In particular, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 4 to 6, the driving means 30 of each moving unit 10 comprise a pair of first stems 31 and corresponding second stems 32, spaced apart and parallel to the movement direction T. The free ends of the second stems 32 are fixed to the upper supporting element 11 having an elongated shape and arranged almost parallel to the driving plane 9 and orthogonal to the first movement direction T.

[0049] Alternatively, as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, the driving means 40 of each moving unit 10 can comprise one or more linear actuators, for example of the electrical type, for example two fixed to the supporting body 14, acting on the upper supporting element 11 to move it along the first movement direction T between the extended position E and the retracted position F.

[0050] In particular, the driving means 40 comprise a pair of electric linear actuators, of known type and not disclosed in detail, arranged parallel to the first movement direction T and spaced apart from each other.

[0051] Each moving unit 10 in this case comprises electrical power supply means 41 configured to electrically power the electric linear actuators 40.

[0052] The electrical power supply means 41 can comprise a rechargeable electric battery and / or a device suitable for generating electric current by interacting with electromagnetic fields generated by the planar stator 19 of the driving plane 9. The electric battery 41 can also be charged by charging means included in a special charging station of the filling machine, which the moving units 10 can access when necessary. The charging means, of known type, can be for example of the wireless type.

[0053] Each moving unit 10 further comprises at least one supporting arm 16, in particular fixed to the supporting body 14, which slidably supports the lower supporting element 12 by means of coupling means 34, 35.

[0054] The supporting arm 16 extends for example along the first movement direction T and the lower supporting element 12 is slidable along the second movement direction V.

[0055] More precisely, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 4 to 6, the supporting body 14 comprises two parallel and spaced apart supporting arms 16, which extend along the first movement direction T and slidably support the lower supporting element 12. The latter is similar to the upper supporting element 11 and has an elongated shape and is arranged almost parallel to the driving plane 9 and orthogonal to the first movement direction T.

[0056] The coupling means 34, 35 of each supporting arm 16 comprise, for example, a connecting pin 34 fixed to the lower supporting element 12 and a relative connecting seat 35 made on the supporting arm 16 and suitable for slidably receiving the connecting pin 34, so as to allow a relative displacement of the upper supporting element 11 with respect to the supporting arm 16 along the second movement direction V. Elastic means 36 are interposed between a head of the connecting pin 34 and the bottom of the connecting seat 35 to elastically maintain the lower supporting element 12 resting and abutting the supporting arm 16.

[0057] The filling machine 1 of the invention comprises at least one abutment element 15 fixed to the driving surface 9, in particular at a respective operating station 4, 7, and arranged and sized to be surmounted by the connecting pin 34 downwardly protruding from the lower supporting element 12 so that when the respective moving unit 10 is lowered on the driving surface 9, in particular positioned at the second height h2 from the driving surface 9, the connecting pin 34 abuts the abutment element 15, causing the connecting pin 34 and consequently the lower supporting element 12 to rise along the second movement direction V which is vertical until the lower seats 18 contact the respective upper seats 17, when the upper supporting element 11 is arranged in the extended position E.

[0058] Thereby, the abutment element 15 locks and prevents a displacement of the lower supporting element 12 along the second movement direction V to allow the upper seats 17 of the upper supporting element 11, arranged in the extended position E, to abut the lower seats 18 of the lower supporting element 12, in the engagement position C of the supporting elements 11, 12, in particular to allow the insertion of the capsules 100 in the seats 17, 18, in the feeding station 3, and the closure of the capsules 100 by coupling the caps 102 to the respective bodies 101, in the closing station 7.

[0059] To this end, the filling machine 1 comprises a pair of abutment elements 15 fixed to the driving surface 9 at the feeding station 3 and the closing station 7, respectively.

[0060] More precisely, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 6, when the moving unit 10 is lowered from the first height hl to the second height h2, the abutment element 15 is abutted by the head of the connecting pin 34, which is fixed to the lower supporting element 12, thus preventing the lowering along the second movement direction V of the lower supporting element 12 which is spaced from the two supporting arms 16 and approaches the upper supporting element 11 above.

[0061] When the moving unit 10 is lowered to the second height h2, the supporting arms 16 compress the elastic means 36 associated with the coupling means 34, 35. The same elastic means 36 return the lower supporting element 12 to abut the supporting arms 16 when the moving unit 10 is lifted to the first height hl, wherein the abutment element 15 does not abut the lower supporting element 12.

[0062] It should be noted that when a moving unit 10 is positioned in the feeding station 3 or in the closing station 7, at the respective abutment element 15, and is arranged at the second height hl from the driving surface 9, the abutment element 15 is spaced apart from the lower supporting element 12, more precisely from the head of the connecting pin 34, by a third height h3, less than the first height hl and in particular comprised between 0.1 and 0.5 mm (Fig. 4).

[0063] In operation, when the moving element 10 is positioned with respect to the driving surface 9 at the first height hl, the supporting arms 16 abut and lift the lower supporting element 11 keeping it detached from the stop element 15 so as to allow a contactless or floating sliding of the moving element 10. When the moving element 10 is instead positioned with respect to the driving surface 9 at the second height h2 at an abutment element 15 in the feeding station 3 or in the closing station 7, the supporting arms 16 do not abut and lift the lower supporting element 11 which is instead supported by the connecting pin 34 from the stop element 15.

[0064] The operation of the filling machine 1 of the invention envisages the movement of the moving units 10 through the various operating stations 3-8 autonomously and independently to perform the different operations on the capsules 100. In particular, the control unit 50 of the filling machine 1 is configured to separately and independently control the various moving units 10 which are autonomously moved, in a floating manner without friction, on the driving surface 9 at high speed and precision in translation and rotation along and about three orthogonal axes X, Y, Z, according to a predefined movement path through the various operating stations 3-8.

[0065] In operation, each moving unit 10 is positioned at the feeding station 3 with the upper supporting element 11 and the lower supporting element 12 arranged in the engagement position C, in which the upper seats 17 surmount, are aligned with and abut the lower seats 18 to receive the empty capsules 100 taken from the magazine 60. In particular, once positioned at the feeding station 3, the moving unit 10 is lowered to the second height h2 from the driving surface 9.

[0066] In the same station, which also acts as an opening station 4, after the insertion of the capsules in the seats 17, 18, appropriate opening means separate and space apart the caps 102 from the bodies 101 of the capsules 100 and in particular for inserting them respectively into the upper seats 17 and into the lower seats 18.

[0067] The upper supporting element 11 and the lower supporting element 12 are then arranged in the first operating configuration A, which corresponds to the disengagement position in which the upper seats 17 are spaced apart from the lower seats 18, in particular by lifting the moving unit 10 to the first height hl from the driving surface 9. Then the moving unit 10 is moved to the selection and rejection station 5, in which the capsules 100 which have remained closed or the capsules which are open but have a double cap or a double body are ejected from the filling machine 1.

[0068] To this end, the upper supporting element 11 and the lower supporting element 12 are arranged in the second operating configuration B, in which the upper seats 17 are spaced apart from the lower seats 18, along the first movement direction T, so as to leave free, i.e., allow access to, the lower seats 18 and the bodies 101. More precisely, the second stems 32 of the driving means 30 are pushed from the outside to the inside of the supporting body 14 in the retracted position F of the upper supporting element 11 and locked in this retracted position F by the elastic locking / releasing means 33. To this end, external pusher elements, not illustrated in the figures, are provided in the selection and rejection station 5, against which the second stems 32 of the driving means 30 are pushed by the same moving unit 10. The moving unit 10 is then moved into the dosing station 6 always with the upper supporting element 11 and the lower supporting element 12 arranged in the second operating configuration B. In particular, the moving unit 10 is kept stationary at the dosing station 6 to allow filling the capsule bodies 101 with the product, liquid, powder, granules, tablets, micro-tablets, delayed-action drugs or the like.

[0069] After filling, the upper supporting element 11 and the lower supporting element 12 are returned to the first operating configuration A. To this end, the second stems 32 of the driving means 30 are pushed from the outside towards the inside of the supporting body 14 so as to activate the elastic locking / releasing means 33 which release the second stems 32 and elastically push them outwards in the extended position E of the upper supporting element 11. More precisely, the second stems 32 are pushed inside thanks to the movement of the same moving unit 10 against the external pusher elements provided in the dosing station 6. Alternatively, further provided external pusher elements can be provided in the subsequent closing station 7.

[0070] The moving unit 10 is moved into the closing station 7 and then lowered to the second height h2 by the driving surface 9 to arrange the upper supporting element 11 and the lower supporting element 12 in the engagement position C, in which the upper seats 17 surmount, are aligned with and abut the lower seats 18 to allow the closing means to close the capsules 100 by coupling the caps 102 to the respective bodies 101 filled with the product.

[0071] Once the capsules 100 have been closed, the upper supporting element 11 and the lower supporting element 12 are again arranged in the disengagement position and in the first operating configuration A, lifting the moving unit 10 to the first height hl from the driving surface 9 and then the moving unit 10 is moved to the subsequent removing station 8 in which the capsules 100, filled with product and closed, are extracted from the seats 17, 18 of the supporting elements 11, 12 by special extraction means, of known type, not illustrated and disclosed in detail, to be sent out of the filling machine 1.

[0072] Thanks to the planar motor system 2 of the filling machine 1 of the invention, comprising a driving surface 9, provided with a planar stator 19, and a plurality of moving units 10 provided with permanent magnets and / or elements made of electrical / magnetic conductive material and which can be electromagnetically coupled to the driving surface 9, it is possible to separately and independently operate the individual moving units 10 and, in particular, it is possible to move the moving units 10 in a floating manner on the driving surface 9 through the various operating stations 3-8, arranged, for example, along a linear advancement direction M.

[0073] The moving units 10, in addition to moving autonomously, without contact and friction on the driving surface 9, are provided with respective upper 11 and lower 12 supporting elements, respectively provided with upper seats 17 and lower seats 18 for housing caps 102 and bodies 101 of the capsules 100, and mutually positionable between the first operating configuration A, in which the upper seats 17 surmount and are vertically aligned with the lower seats 22, and the second operating configuration B, in which the upper seats 17 are spaced apart from the lower seats 18, in particular along the first movement direction T, to allow access to the bodies 101 housed in the lower seats 18 for filling with a product. The upper 11 and lower 12 supporting elements can also be positioned in the engagement position C, in which the upper and lower seats 17, 18 are superimposed, aligned with and abut to allow the capsules 100 to be inserted into the seats 17, 18 and to close the capsules 100 by coupling the caps 102 to the respective bodies 101.

[0074] The upper 11 and lower 12 supporting elements are moved by driving means 30, 40 present on the moving units 10.

[0075] It should be noted that the filling machine 1 of the invention is of a modular type since the position, number and type of operating stations can be selected and varied according to the needs of the user by making limited changes to the planar motor 2, in particular by configuring the movement paths of the moving units 10 through the various operating stations 3-8.

[0076] The driving surface 9 of the planar motor 2 further comprises a stator 19 of modular type, which includes a plurality of flat stator elements 19a whose number and arrangement can be selected based on the position, number and type of the operating stations.

[0077] It should be noted that thanks to the planar motor 2 it is possible to vary and select the laws of motion (displacement, speed, acceleration) with which to move the moving units 10 along the respective movement paths and, in particular, in the different sections comprised between two adjacent operating stations: This also makes it possible to significantly reduce the number of moving units 10 necessary to transfer the capsules 100 and / or reduce the duration of the capsule transfer steps between the various operating stations 3-8 so as to increase the productivity of the filling machine 1 of the invention.

[0078] In addition to ensuring high performance, the planar motor 2 also has a particularly simple, economical and robust structure and reliable and safe operation.

[0079] With reference to Figures 9 to 11, another embodiment of the filling machine 1 is illustrated, which differs from the embodiment disclosed above and illustrated in figures 1 to 6 only for the planar motor system 2 comprising a plurality of pairs 20 of moving units 21, 22, each of which is formed by a first moving unit 21 and a corresponding second moving unit 22. The first moving unit 21 is provided with a plurality of upper seats 17 suitable for housing the caps 102 of the capsules 100, while the second moving unit 22 is provided with a plurality of lower seats 18 suitable for housing the bodies 101 of the capsules 100. The first moving unit 21 and the second moving unit 22 of each pair 20 can be electromagnetically coupled to the driving surface 9 and are thus movable contactless thereon separately and independently.

[0080] The first moving unit 21 and the second moving unit 22 of each pair 20 can also be selectively mutually positioned at least in a first operating configuration A and in a second operating configuration B. In the first operating configuration A, the first moving unit 21 and the second moving unit 22 are adjacent, in particular abutting, and the upper seats 17 surmount and are vertically aligned with, in particular detached from, the lower seats 18.

[0081] In the second operating configuration B, the first moving unit 21 and the second moving unit 22 are instead separated, in particular along the first movement direction T, and the upper seats 17 and the lower seats 18 are spaced apart to allow access to the second seats 18 and the bodies 101 to fill the latter with a product.

[0082] More precisely, the first moving unit 21 and the second moving unit 22 of each pair 20 are movable contactless on the driving surface 9 in a coordinated manner, maintaining the first operating configuration A or the second operating configuration B. In particular, the control unit 50 of the filling machine 1 is configured to separately and independently drive each pair 20 of first and second moving units 21, 22 positioned with respect to each other in the first operating configuration A or in the second operating configuration B.

[0083] The first moving unit 21 and the second moving unit 22 of each pair 20 of moving units can be further mutually positioned in an engagement position C in which the aforesaid moving units 21, 22 abut each other, and the upper seats 17 surmount, are aligned with and abut the lower seats 18, in particular to allow inserting the capsules 100 in the seats 17, 18 and closing the capsules 100 by coupling the caps 102 to the respective bodies 101.

[0084] Each moving unit 21, 22 is movable linearly and in contactless rotation on the driving surface 9 parallel and orthogonally to the latter.

[0085] More precisely, the first moving units 21 and the second moving units 22 each comprise at least one permanent magnet and / or an element made of electric al / magnetic conductive material suitable for interacting with the electromagnetic fields generated by the electric windings of the planar stator 19 of the driving plane 9. More precisely, each moving unit 21, 22 comprises a plate or slide, called mover or carrier, which includes the permanent magnet and / or the element made of electrical / magnetic conductive material. Interacting with the magnetic fields generated by the planar stator 19, each moving unit 21, 22 has at least three degrees of freedom and preferably six degrees of freedom and can be moved in a floating manner without friction on the driving surface 9 at high speed and precision in translation and rotation along and about three orthogonal axes X, Y, Z.

[0086] In particular, each moving unit 21, 22 can be selectively positioned with respect to the driving surface 9 at a first height hl, in particular comprised between 0.3 and 1.5 mm, more in particular comprised between 0.7 and 1.0 mm, and at a second height h2, in particular comprised between 0 and 0.5 mm, more in particular comprised between 0 and 0.3 mm.

[0087] Each first moving unit 21 comprises an upper supporting element 23 provided with the plurality of upper seats 17 and each second moving unit 22 comprises a lower supporting element 24 provided with the plurality of lower seats 18. The seats 17, 18 of the plurality of upper seats 17 and the plurality of lower seats 18 are arranged aligned on one or more parallel rows

[0088] Each first moving unit 21 further comprises a first base 25 suitable for interacting with the driving surface 9 and supporting a first supporting body 27 to which the upper supporting element 23 is fixed, for example by means of a pair of first arms 29. Each second moving unit 22 comprises a second base 26 suitable for interacting with the driving surface 9 and supporting a second supporting body 28 to which the lower supporting element 24 is fixed, for example by means of a pair of second arms 31.

[0089] The operation of this variant of the filling machine 1 differs from that of the filling machine of Figures 1-6 in that it moves the pairs 20 of first and second moving units 21, 22 in a coordinated manner on the driving surface 9.

[0090] The moving units 21, 22 are initially moved in the first operating configuration A (Fig. 9) in the feeding station 3, in which they are subsequently mutually positioned in the engagement position C (Fig. 11), in which the upper seats 17 surmount, are aligned with and abut the lower seats 18 to allow the insertion of the capsules 100 in the seats 17, 18 taken from the magazine 60. In particular, in the feeding station 3 the first moving unit 21 is lowered with respect to the driving surface 9, for example from a first height hl, in particular comprised between 0.7 and 1 mm, to a second height h2, in particular comprised between 0 and 0.3 mm, while the first moving unit 21 is maintained at the same first height hl from the driving plane 9 (Fig. 11). Thereby, the upper seats 17 of the upper supporting element 23 surmount, are aligned with and abut the lower seats 18 of the lower supporting element 22.

[0091] Subsequently, in the same feeding station 3 which also acts as an opening station 4, suitable opening means separate and space the caps 102 apart from the bodies 101 of the capsules 100 and in particular insert them respectively in the upper seats 17 and in the lower seats 18. After the opening of the capsules 100 and the separation of the caps 102 from the bodies 101, the first and second moving units 21, 22 of each pair 20 are arranged in the disengagement position, i.e., in the first operating configuration A, in particular by lifting the first moving unit 21 at the first height hl from the driving surface 9 and then moved together in the aforesaid first operating configuration A in the selection and rejection station 5, in which the remaining closed capsules 100 or the open capsules but with double cap or double body are ejected from the filling machine 1.

[0092] To this end, in the selection and rejection station 5 the first and second moving units 21, 22 are arranged in the second operating configuration B, in which the upper seats 17 are spaced apart from the lower seats 18 so as to allow access to the lower seats 18 and the bodies 101. The first and second moving units 21, 22, always arranged in the second operating configuration B, are then moved together in a coordinated manner in the dosing station 6 for filling the bodies 101 with the liquid, powder, granules, tablets, micro-tablets, delayed-action drug or similar product.

[0093] Once the filling is finished, the first and second moving units 21, 22 are mutually repositioned in the first operating configuration A and then moved together in a coordinated manner in the closing station 7.

[0094] In the closing station 7, the first and second moving units 21, 22 of each pair 29 are arranged in the engagement position C to allow the closing means to close the capsules 100, coupling the caps 102 to respective bodies 101 filled with the product. In particular, also in the closing station 7, the first moving unit 21 is lowered with respect to the driving surface 9 from the first height hl to the second height h2, while the first moving unit 21 is maintained at the same first height hl from the driving surface 9 (Fig. 11). Thereby, the upper seats 17 of the upper supporting element 23 surmount, are aligned with and practically abut the lower seats 18 of the lower supporting element 22.

[0095] Once the capsules 100 have been closed, coupling the caps 102 to the respective bodies 101, the moving units 21, 22 of each pair 20 are repositioned in the first operating configuration A, in particular by lifting the first moving unit 21 at the first height hl from the driving surface 9, and then moved in a coordinated manner in the aforesaid first operating configuration A in the subsequent removing station 8 in which the capsules 100 filled with product and closed are extracted from the seats 17, 18 of the supporting elements 21, 22 by special extraction means.

[0096] Thanks to the planar motor 2 of the filling machine 1 comprising a driving surface 9, provided with a planar stator 19, and a plurality of moving units 21, 22 provided with permanent magnets and / or elements made of electric / magnetic conductive material and which can be electromagnetically coupled to the driving surface 9, it is possible to separately and independently drive the pairs 20 of first and second moving units 21, 22, and in particular to move them in a floating manner on the driving surface 9 through the various operating stations 3-8, arranged for example along a linear advancement direction M.

[0097] In particular, the first and second moving units 21, 22 of each pair 20 of moving units can be moved in a coordinated, autonomous, contactless and friction-free manner on the driving surface 9, mutually positioned selectively in the first operating configuration A, in the second operating configuration B or in the engagement position C.

[0098] In the first operating configuration A the first and second moving units 21, 22 of each pair 20 are adjacent, so that the upper seats 17 of the first moving unit 21 surmount and are vertically aligned, and detached, to the lower seats 22 of the second moving unit 22.

[0099] In the second operating configuration B, the first and second moving units 21, 22 are instead spaced so that the upper seats 17 of the first moving unit 21 are spaced from the lower seats 18 of the second moving unit 22, in particular to allow access to the bodies 101 for filling with a product.

[0100] In the engagement position C, the first moving unit 21 and the second moving unit 22 of each pair 20 of moving units are adjacent so that the upper seats 17 surmount, are aligned with and abut the lower seats 18, in particular to allow the capsules 100 to be inserted into the seats 17, 18 and to close the capsules 100 by coupling the caps 102 to the respective bodies 101.

[0101] Thanks to the planar motor 2 it is possible to vary and select the laws of motion (displacement, speed, acceleration) with which to move the pairs 20 of moving units 21, 22 along the respective movement paths and, in particular, in the different sections between two adjacent operating stations: This also makes it possible to significantly reduce the number of pairs 20 of moving units 21, 22 necessary to transfer the capsules 100 and / or reduce the duration of the capsule transfer steps between the various operating stations 3-8 so as to increase the productivity of the filling machine 1.

[0102] The filling machine 1 is also of a modular type since the position, number and type of operating stations can be selected and varied according to the needs of the user by making limited changes to the planar motor 2, in particular by configuring the movement paths of the moving units 21, 22 through the various operating stations 3-8.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Filling machine (1) for filling capsules (100) having respective bodies (101) and caps (102) with at least one product such as liquid, gel, powder, granules, pellets or the like, said filling machine (1) comprising: a plurality of operating stations (3-8) for operating on said capsules (100); a planar motor system (2) for transferring said capsules (100) through said plurality of operating stations (3-8) and comprising a driving surface (9) and a plurality of moving units (10) which can be electromagnetically coupled to said driving surface (9) to be independently moved contactless on said driving surface (9) with at least three degrees of freedom; wherein each moving unit (10) comprises an upper supporting element (11), having a plurality of upper seats (17) suitable for housing caps (102) of said capsules (100), and a lower supporting element (12), having a plurality of lower seats (18) suitable for housing bodies (101) of said capsules (100), wherein said upper supporting element (11) and said lower supporting element (12) can be mutually arranged selectively at least in a first operating configuration (A), in which said upper seats (17) surmount and are vertically aligned with said lower seats (22), and in a second operating configuration (B), in which said upper seats (17) are spaced apart from said lower seats (18) to free the lower seats (18) allowing filling with the bodies (101) of the capsules (100) housed in said lower seats (18) with a product.

2. Filling machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein said driving surface (9) comprises a planar stator (19) provided with a plurality of electrical windings suitable for generating respective electromagnetic fields and wherein each moving unit (10) includes at least one permanent magnet and / or an element made of electrical / magnetic conductive material capable of interacting with said electromagnetic fields.

3. Filling machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each moving unit (10) is contactless movable linearly and in rotation on said driving surface (9), parallel and transversally to the latter.

4. Filling machine (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein each moving unit (10) can be positioned with respect to said driving surface (9) selectively at a first height (hl), preferably comprised between 0.3 and 1.5 mm, more preferably comprised between 0.7 and 1.0 mm, and to a second height (h2), preferably comprised between 0 and 0.5 mm, more in particular comprised between 0 and 0.3 mm.

5. Filling machine (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the upper supportingelement (11) and the lower supporting element (12) of each moving unit (10) can be further mutually arranged, selectively, in an engagement position (C), in which said upper seats (17) are aligned with and abutting the lower seats (18) to allow capsules (100) to be inserted into the seats (17, 18) and to allow to couple the caps (102) to the respective bodies (101) in order to close the capsules (200), and in a disengagement position in which said upper seats (17) are spaced apart from said lower seats (18).

6. Filling machine (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein each moving unit (10) comprises a base (13) suitable for interacting with said driving surface (9) and a supporting body (14) fixed to said base (13) and slidably supporting said upper supporting element (11) and said lower supporting element (12).

7. Filling machine (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the seats (17, 18) of said plurality of upper seats (17) and of said plurality of lower seats (18) are arranged aligned according to one or more parallel rows.

8. Filling machine (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein each moving unit (10) comprises respective driving means (30; 40) suitable for moving said upper supporting element (11) along a first movement direction (T) substantially parallel to said driving surface (9) and selectively position said upper supporting element (11) in an extended position (E), in which said upper and lower supporting elements (11, 12) are arranged in said first operating configuration (A), and in a retracted position (F), in which said upper and lower supporting elements (11, 12) are arranged in said second operating configuration (B).

9. Filling machine (1) according to claim 8, wherein said driving means (30) comprise at least a first fixed stem (31), a second stem (32) slidably supported by said first stem (31) and coupled to said upper supporting element (11), and elastic locking / releasing means (33) cooperating with said first and second stems (31, 32) and configured to lock said upper supporting element (11) in said retracted position (F) when the upper supporting element (11) is pushed against the elastic locking / releasing means (33) and to release said upper supporting element (11) from said retracted position (F) allowing said upper supporting element (11) to be pushed by said elastic locking / releasing means (33) until it reaches said extended position (E).

10. Filling machine (1) according to claim 8, wherein said driving means (40) comprise at least one linear actuator acting on said upper supporting element (11) in order to move it along said first movement direction (T) between said extended position (E) and said retracted position (F).

11. Filling machine (1) according to claim 10, wherein each moving unit (10) comprises electrical power supply means (41) for electrically powering said linear actuator (40), said electrical power supply means (41) comprising a rechargeable electric battery and / or a device capable of generating electric current by interacting with electromagnetic fields generated by a planar stator (19) of said driving surface (9).

12. Filling machine (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein each moving unit (10) comprises at least one supporting arm (16) which slidably supports the lower supporting element (12) by means of coupling means (34, 35), said coupling means (34, 35) preferably comprising a connecting pin (34) fixed to said lower supporting element (12) and a connecting seat (35) made on said supporting arm (16) and suitable for slidably receiving said connecting pin (34).

13. Filling machine (1) according to claim 12, further comprising at least one abutment element (15) fixed to the driving surface (9) and arranged and sized to be surmounted by said connecting pin (34) downwardly protruding from the lower supporting element (12) so that, when the respective moving unit (10) is lowered on the driving surface (9), said connecting pin (34) abuts the abutment element (15) causing the connecting pin (34) and consequently the lower supporting element (12) to rise along a second movement direction (V), which is vertical, until the lower seats (18) contact the respective upper seats (17), when the upper supporting element (11) is arranged in the extended position (E).

14. Filling machine (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein said plurality of operating stations (3-8) comprises at least a feeding station (3), which is configured to take empty capsules (100) from a magazine (60) and transfer them to said upper and lower seats (17, 18) of said upper and lower supporting elements (11, 12) of said moving units (10), an opening station (4), which is configured to separate caps (102) and bodies (101) of each capsule (100) and insert the caps (102) into said upper seats (17) and the bodies (101) into said lower seats (18), a dosing station (6), which is configured to dispense at least one product into the bodies (102) of said capsules (100) housed in said lower seats (18), a closing station (7), which is configured to couple the caps (102) to respective bodies (101) filled with the product, thus closing the filled capsules (100), and a removing station (8), which is configured to extract the closed, filled capsules (100) from the moving units (10) and to send the capsules out of the filling machine (1).

15. Filling machine (1) according to any preceding claim, comprising a control unit (50) suitable for controlling said operating stations (3-8) and said planar motor system tooperate independently said moving units (10).

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