Dosing disk, filling device and method for dosing material

Abstract

The invention relates to a dosing disk (10) for dosing material (12) according to the preamble of claim 1, a filling device (32) having such a dosing disk (10), and a method for dosing material (12).

Description

[0001] Applicant:

[0002] Syntegon Technology GmbH

[0003] Mercedesstrasse 41 70372 Stuttgart

[0004] General Power of Attorney: 701780.9

[0005] 60010381WO 23.10.2025

[0006] WIK / TTR

[0007] Title: Metering disc, filling device and method for

[0008] Dosing of material

[0009] Description

[0010] The invention relates to a metering disc for metering material according to the preamble of claim 1, a filling device for metering material with features of claim 8 and a method for metering material with features of claim 13.

[0011] To fill powdered material into a hard capsule, a method using a metering disc can be employed.

[0012] Such a method or metering disc is known, for example, from DE 10 2006 031 250 Al. In this process, the powdered material is pressed into a metering volume of the metering disc, thus generating a dose of the material within that volume. This then determines the metering quantity for filling the hard capsule.

[0013] The material to be filled can vary in particle size, moisture content, particle shape, true density, etc. This can lead to clumping and an uneven distribution of the material on the dosing disc.

[0014] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a metering disc for metering material, a filling device for metering material and a method for metering material, wherein the material to be metered or filled is distributed uniformly, in particular fluidized.

[0015] The above problem is solved by a metering disc for dispensing material, particularly powdered material, preferably in capsules, with the features of claim 1. The capsules can be designed as hard capsules or hard gelatin capsules. The hard capsules can consist, for example, of cellulose (HPMC) or other polymers.

[0016] The material in question may be a medicinal substance or a material with a medicinal effect. It may be a powder from the food industry (e.g., milk proteins, wheat, cornstarch, etc.) and / or a dietary supplement.

[0017] The metering disc comprises a top surface, the top surface of which is designed, at least in part, for depositing (or receiving) the material. The material can be arranged as a powder bed on the top surface of the metering disc. The top surface can be designed, at least in part, and in particular completely, as a flat or planar surface.

[0018] The metering disc includes a bottom surface. The bottom surface is positioned opposite the top surface. The bottom surface can be flat or planar, at least partially, and in particular completely.

[0019] The dosing disc comprises at least one dosing opening. The dosing disc may have multiple dosing openings. The dosing opening serves to dispense a dose of the material. In other words, a dose of the material, particularly to be filled into a capsule (e.g., a hard capsule or hard gelatin capsule), can be determined by the size or shape of the dosing opening and the associated dosing volume (before dispensing). The dosing opening may extend from the top to the bottom. The dosing opening may be sleeve-shaped. The dosing opening (especially its outer surface) may be surrounded by a wall. The dosing opening may be a bore. It is also conceivable that, for example, the depth of the dosing opening can be adjusted via a sliding base, thus allowing the dose to be preset (before the dosing process).

[0020] The top surface includes at least one blowing section. The blowing section is designed to blow gas, in particular air or compressed air, into the material (or material bed, powder bed) arranged on the top surface. The material can be arranged horizontally on the top surface.

[0021] The metering disc can be circular. It is also conceivable that the metering disc could have a different shape, e.g., polygonal, square, triangular, oval, etc. The gas can be an inert gas and / or noble gas (e.g., nitrogen, argon, etc.). The gas can be oil-free compressed air. The blowing section can be a perforated section or area of ​​the top surface.

[0022] This allows for the fluidization or liquefaction of the material using simple means. The gas can surround the material particles (or powder particles), thereby eliminating or at least reducing the friction between them, and thus fluidizing or liquefying the material (or powder).

[0023] In this context, "fluidized" or "liquefied" means that the material (or powder) then behaves like a kind of liquid, resulting in a liquid-like material distribution on the metering disc.

[0024] The injected gas can directly influence the material properties and density. This allows the material to be made free-flowing for the moment of gassing or injection, which in particular enables a uniform distribution on the metering disc.

[0025] By using inert gases, such as nitrogen, the material can also be filled in a protective atmosphere, which increases the shelf life of the products. In particular, oxygen-sensitive materials can be dosed in this way.

[0026] According to a further development of the metering disc, the blowing section can comprise at least one fabric element. The fabric element can be gas-permeable. The fabric element can be configured for blowing gas, in particular air or compressed air, into the material arranged on the top surface. The fabric element can be impermeable to the material. The fabric element can be flat. The fabric element can be plate-like. The fabric element can extend over a plane. The fabric element can be designed as a fine mesh grid. The fabric element can have a shape corresponding to the top surface of the metering disc (e.g., circular). The fabric element can comprise or be made of fluidizing fabric. The fabric element can be made of textile, plastic, and / or metal.It is also conceivable that the fabric element could be designed as a sintered plate.

[0027] This allows the blowing section to be implemented using simple means. In particular, the penetration of material through the blowing section into the metering disc can be prevented using simple means.

[0028] According to a further development of the metering disc, the blowing section can comprise at least one blowing opening. The blowing opening can be configured for blowing gas, in particular air or compressed air, into the material arranged on the upper surface. The blowing opening can be gas-permeable. The blowing opening can be impermeable to the material. The blowing opening can be configured as a bore. The blowing section can comprise a plurality of such blowing openings. The blowing section can be perforated by a plurality of blowing openings.

[0029] This allows the blowing section to be implemented using simple means. In particular, the penetration of material from the blowing section into the metering disc can be prevented using simple means.

[0030] According to a further development of the metering disc, the blast opening can be designed as a through-opening oriented perpendicular to the top of the metering disc. In this context, the orientation of the through-opening refers to the orientation of the central longitudinal axis of the blast opening. The blast opening can be sleeve-like, for example, in the form of a cylinder, whereby a lateral surface or a side wall of the blast opening can be oriented perpendicular to the top of the metering disc. The blast opening can be oriented parallel to the direction of gravity. In this context, the direction of gravity refers to the direction of gravitation (downwards towards the Earth).

[0031] This allows the blowing opening and thus the blowing section to be implemented using simple means.

[0032] According to a further development of the metering disc, the blowing opening can be designed as a through-opening oriented towards the top of the metering disc.

[0033] The central longitudinal axis of the blowing opening and the upper surface of the metering opening can form an angle of inclination less than 90°. The central longitudinal axis of the blowing opening and the direction of gravity can also form an angle of inclination less than 90°. With multiple blowing openings, it is conceivable that at least two blowing openings, in particular a predominant portion of the blowing openings, and furthermore, in particular all blowing openings, have a different orientation or a different angle of inclination.

[0034] This allows the gas injection to be precisely controlled. By varying the angle of the blow-off opening, the inlet direction can be influenced with simple means.

[0035] According to a further development of the metering disc, the blow opening can have a cross-section that tapers towards the material arranged on the top surface, e.g., a conical cross-section. The blow opening can have a cross-section that tapers against the direction of gravity, in particular a conical cross-section. The blow opening can, in particular, be designed as a nozzle.

[0036] This allows for a higher injection velocity of the injected gas using simple means.

[0037] According to a further development of the metering disc, at least one cavity, and in particular several cavities, can be arranged between the upper and lower surfaces. The cavity, the fabric element, and / or the blowing opening can be fluidically connected to each other. The metering disc can be configured such that gas, in particular air, or...

[0038] Compressed air is first passed through the cavity and then through the fabric element and / or through the blow opening. The cavity can be designed as a chamber within the metering disc. The cavity can be defined or limited, in particular, by the top and bottom surfaces of the metering disc.

[0039] The fabric element can be attached to the blowing section or the top of the metering disc by means of clamps, adhesive bonding, and / or screws. The fabric element can also be attached to the blowing section or the top of the metering disc in a reversibly detachable manner.

[0040] This makes it possible to blow in gas, especially air or compressed air, using simple means.

[0041] In this context, a fluidic connection means that a gas, in particular air or compressed air, can flow between two elements in fluidic connection.

[0042] The metering disc may have an opening, in particular a centrally arranged one. The opening may be designed to receive a shaft by means of which the metering disc can be rotated about an axis of rotation. The shaft may be a component of the metering disc or a component of a filling device described below.

[0043] The above problem is further solved by a filling device for dosing, in particular powdered, material, preferably in capsules (e.g. hard capsules or hard gelatin capsules), with the features of claim 8.

[0044] The filling device comprises at least one metering disc as described above. The filling device includes a cone, which is conically shaped and designed to distribute the material on the surface of the metering disc. The filling device includes a shaft. The metering disc and the cone are rotationally fixed to the shaft, in particular, connected to it. The metering disc and the cone are rotatably arranged or mounted about an axis of rotation in the filling device by means of the shaft.

[0045] The shaft, or rather its central longitudinal axis, can be oriented along the axis of rotation. The central longitudinal axis of the shaft and the axis of rotation can be identical. The metering disc and the cone can each be arranged on the shaft. The cone can be arranged above the top surface of the metering disc with respect to the direction of gravity. The metering disc can have an opening, particularly a centrally arranged one, for receiving the shaft. The cone can have a conical opening, particularly a centrally arranged one, for receiving the shaft.

[0046] Regarding the advantages achievable with the filling device, reference is made to the corresponding explanations concerning the metering disc. The measures described in connection with the metering disc and / or those explained below can be used to further develop the filling device. The homogenization of the material can be further optimized by using the cone. According to a further development of the filling device, the cone can include a conical top surface. The conical top surface can be designed, at least in part, for depositing and / or contacting the material. The cone can have a conical bottom surface opposite the conical top surface. The conical top surface can include at least one conical blowing section. The conical blowing section can be designed to blow gas, in particular air or compressed air, into the material arranged on the conical top surface.

[0047] This allows the homogenization of the material to be further optimized.

[0048] The upper and / or lower cone surface can each be designed according to the above specifications to form the upper and / or lower surface of the metering disc. The upper cone surface can be designed analogously, and in particular identically, to the upper surface of the metering disc. The lower cone surface can be designed analogously, and in particular identically, to the lower surface of the metering disc. The cone blowing section of the cone can be designed according to the above specifications to form the blowing section of the metering disc. The cone blowing section of the cone can be designed analogously, and in particular identically, to the blowing section of the metering disc.

[0049] At least one conical cavity, and in particular several conical cavities, can be arranged between the upper and lower surfaces of the cone. The conical cavity can be designed according to the above descriptions to correspond to the cavity of the metering disc. The conical cavity of the cone can be designed analogously, and in particular identically, to the cavity of the metering disc. According to a further development of the filling device, the

[0050] The filling device may be configured to direct gas, in particular air or compressed air, through the shaft to the metering disc, in particular the blowing section. Alternatively or additionally, the filling device may be configured to direct gas, in particular air or compressed air, through the shaft to the cone, in particular the cone blowing section. For this purpose, the shaft may be at least partially hollow internally. The shaft may be designed as a hollow shaft. The shaft may have at least one channel for directing gas, in particular air or compressed air. Gas, in particular air or compressed air, may be introduced through the shaft from above with respect to gravity. Alternatively or additionally, it is conceivable that gas, in particular air or compressed air, may be introduced through the shaft from below with respect to gravity.

[0051] This allows for the simple implementation of gas routing through the shaft. In particular, it enables easy access to a gas or compressed air connection (using simple means). For example, a simple compressed air connection can be attached to the shaft.

[0052] According to a further development of the filling device, the filling device can comprise at least one, and in particular several, tamping plungers. The tamping plunger can be designed such that the material, which is arranged in particular on the upper side of the metering disc, can be metered into the metering opening by means of the tamping plunger. For this purpose, the tamping plunger can be designed to be movable along a direction of extension of the metering opening and / or along the direction of gravity.

[0053] This allows the material to be dosed into the dosing opening using simple means, thus providing a dose of the material.

[0054] According to a further development, the filling device can have at least one capsule holder for receiving at least one capsule half, and in particular several capsule holders for receiving capsule halves. The capsule holder can be arranged below the metering opening with respect to the direction of gravity. Alternatively or additionally, the metering opening can be arranged above the capsule holder with respect to the direction of gravity. For this purpose, the capsule holder and / or the metering disc (and thus the metering opening) can be movable or rotatable.

[0055] This allows the dose of material arranged in the dosing opening to be transferred to the capsule half located below the dosing opening using simple means. The dose of material arranged in the dosing opening can be ejected from the dosing opening by means of the tamping plunger and / or by means of an ejection plunger. The ejection plunger can be designed analogously to the tamping plunger.

[0056] The above problem is further solved by a method for dispensing, in particular powdered, material, preferably in capsules (e.g., hard capsules or hard gelatin capsules), by means of a dispensing disc according to the above embodiments or by means of a filling device according to the above embodiments with the features of claim 13. The method comprises the steps:

[0057] Arrange the material on the top of the metering disc and / or the top of the cone.

[0058] Injecting gas, in particular air or compressed air, into the material located on the top of the metering disc and / or on the cone's upper surface. The gas, in particular air or compressed air, is injected through the blowing section and / or the cone blowing section.

[0059] Regarding the advantages achievable with this method, reference is made to the relevant explanations concerning the metering disc or the filling device. The measures described in connection with the metering disc or the filling device and / or those explained below can be used to further develop the method.

[0060] According to a further development of the procedure, the procedure can include the following step:

[0061] Varying and / or adjusting the pressure, volume flow, humidity and / or temperature of the injected gas, especially air or compressed air.

[0062] This allows the fluidization level of the material to be adjusted or varied as desired using simple means. In particular, the residual moisture of the material to be dosed can be varied by adjusting the humidity level of the injected gas (e.g., by using a drying unit upstream). The material to be dosed can be cooled by adjusting the temperature of the injected gas, especially air or compressed air. This can be desirable if heat is generated by friction during the filling process. This heat can negatively affect the product (e.g., melting of particles) or filling accuracy (e.g., increased adhesion of material to surfaces). In these cases, the filling process often needs to be stopped and the filling equipment cleaned.

[0063] In this context, "adjusting" can refer to, for example, a one-time or repeated change (of pressure, volume flow, humidity, and / or temperature) before or after gassing or filling. "Variing" in this context can refer to, for example, a continuous or incremental change (of pressure, volume flow, humidity, and / or temperature) during gassing or filling.

[0064] According to a further development of the procedure, the procedure can include the following step:

[0065] Continuous injection of gas, especially air or compressed air, into the material that is located on the top of the metering disc and / or on the top of the cone.

[0066] Alternatively, gas, especially air or compressed air, can be injected into the material located on the top of the metering disc and / or on the cone's upper surface at time intervals. These time intervals can be varied and / or adjusted. This allows the fluidization level of the material to be easily adjusted or varied as desired.

[0067] Further features, details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the wording of the claims and from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. The drawings show, each schematically:

[0068] Fig. 1 a perspective view of a metering disc ,

[0069] Fig. 2 shows a section of a sectional view of the metering disc according to Figure 1 with a blowing section according to a first embodiment;

[0070] Fig. 3 shows a section of a sectional view of the metering disc according to Figure 1 with the blowing section according to a second embodiment;

[0071] Fig. 4 shows a perspective exploded view of a filling device and

[0072] Fig. 5 shows a section of a sectional view of the filling device according to Figure 4.

[0073] In the following description and in the figures, corresponding components and elements are represented as follows:

[0074] Reference symbols. For the sake of clarity, not all reference symbols are shown in all figures. Figure 1 schematically shows a perspective view of a metering disc 10. The metering disc 10 is designed for metering material 12, particularly powdered material. The material 12 can be dispensed into capsules by means of the metering disc 10.

[0075] (not shown), e.g., hard capsules or hard gelatin capsules, are dosed.

[0076] The metering disc 10 comprises a top surface 14. The top surface 14 serves, at least in part, to deposit the material 12. The material 12 can be arranged on the top surface 14 of the metering disc 10 in the form of a material bed (or powder bed) (see, for example, Figure 2). The top surface 14 can be flat. The metering disc 10 can be circular. For clarity, the metering disc 10 in Figure 1 is shown without material 12.

[0077] The metering disc 10 comprises a bottom surface 16 opposite the top surface 14. The bottom surface 16 can be flat.

[0078] The metering disc 10 comprises at least one metering opening 18 for metering a dose of the material 12. The metering opening 18 can, in particular, extend from the top 14 to the bottom 16. The metering opening 18 can be sleeve-shaped.

[0079] The metering disc 10 comprises 108 metering openings 18 for dispensing a single dose of material 12. The metering openings 18 are arranged in six groups of 18, evenly distributed around the axis of rotation 28 of the metering disc 10. Within each group, nine metering openings 18 are arranged equidistantly along a line. Two such lines of metering openings 18 are present in each group. The metering openings 18 are each designed as a sleeve, i.e., as bores.

[0080] The upper surface 14 includes at least one blowing section 20.

[0081] The blowing section 20 is designed to blow gas, in particular air or compressed air, into the material 12 arranged on the upper surface 14. The blowing section 20 is marked by wavy lines in Figure 1.

[0082] The metering disc 10 can have an opening 15, in particular one arranged centrally. The opening 15 can be configured to receive a shaft 26. The metering disc 10 can be rotated about a rotation axis 28 by means of the shaft 26.

[0083] Figure 2 schematically shows a section of a sectional view of the metering disc 10 according to Figure 1 with a blowing section 20 according to a first embodiment. The sectional view shown is a section through the shaft 26 or the axis of rotation 28 (i.e., along the diameter of the metering disc 10). For the sake of clarity, only one metering opening 18 (and not two metering openings 18 according to Figure 1) is shown in the sectional view.

[0084] The blowing section 20 can comprise at least one fabric element 22. The fabric element 22 can be gas-permeable. The fabric element 22 can be configured for blowing gas, in particular air or compressed air, into the material 12 arranged on the upper surface 14. The fabric element 22 can be designed as a fluidizing fabric.

[0085] Fabric element 22 can be made of textile, plastic and / or metal. Fabric element 22 can be plate-like. Fabric element 22 can be a sintered plate. Fabric element 22 can be circular or ring-shaped with recesses for the metering openings 18.

[0086] At least one cavity 30 can be arranged between the upper surface 14 and the lower surface 16. The cavity 30, the blowing section 20, and / or the fabric element 22 can be fluidically connected to one another. The metering disc 10 can be configured such that gas, in particular air or compressed air, is first passed through the cavity 30 and then through the fabric element 22 and / or the blowing section 20. Thus, by introducing a gas or by applying overpressure to the cavity 30, gas, in particular air or compressed air, can be blown into the material 12 arranged on the upper surface 14.

[0087] Figure 3 schematically shows a section of a sectional view of the metering disc according to Figure 1 with the blowing section 20 according to a second embodiment. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment shown in Figure 1 in the following ways:

[0088] The blowing section 20 can (alternatively or additionally to the fabric element 22) comprise at least one blowing opening 24. The blowing opening 24 can be configured for blowing gas, in particular air or compressed air, into the material 12 arranged on the upper surface 14. In the present case, the blowing section 20 has a plurality of blowing openings 24. In the second embodiment, analogous to the first,

[0089] In this embodiment, at least one cavity 30 is arranged between the upper surface 14 and the lower surface 16. The cavity 30, the blowing section 20, and / or the blowing opening 24(s) can be fluidically connected to one another. The metering disc 10 can be configured such that gas, in particular air or compressed air, is first passed through the cavity 30 and then through the blowing opening 24(s) and / or the blowing section 20. Thus, by introducing a gas or by applying overpressure to the cavity 30, gas, in particular air or compressed air, can be injected into the material 12 arranged on the upper surface 14.

[0090] The blowing opening 24 or blowing openings 24 can each be configured as a through-opening oriented perpendicular to the top 14 of the metering disc 10 (as shown in Figure 3). The blowing opening 24 or blowing openings 24 can each be oriented along the direction of gravity 46. The blowing opening 24 or blowing openings 24 can be oriented parallel to the metering openings 18.

[0091] It is also conceivable that the blowing opening 24 or blowing openings 24 can each be designed as a through-opening inclined towards the upper surface 14 of the metering disc 10. The blowing opening 24 or blowing openings 24 can each be inclined towards the direction of gravity 46 and / or towards the metering openings 18. The blowing opening 24 or blowing openings 24 can each have a cross-section that tapers towards the material 12 arranged on the upper surface 14.

[0092] The cross-section of the blowing opening 24 or blowing openings 24 can each be conically tapered (especially against the direction of gravity 46). The blowing opening 24 or blowing openings 24 can each be configured as a nozzle.

[0093] Figure 4 schematically shows a perspective exploded view of a filling device 32. The filling device 32 is designed for dispensing material 12, particularly in powder form. The material 12 can be dispensed into capsules (not shown), e.g., hard capsules or hard gelatin capsules, using the filling device 32. For clarity, the filling device 32 in Figure 4 is shown without material 12.

[0094] The filling device 32 comprises at least one metering disc 10 as described above. The metering disc 10 can be the one shown in Figure 1.

[0095] The filling device 32 comprises at least one cone 34. The cone 34 is conical in shape. The cone 34 is designed to distribute the material 12 onto the surface 14 of the metering disc 10.

[0096] The filling device 32 comprises at least one shaft 26. The metering disc 10 and the cone 34 are rotationally fixed to the shaft 26, in particular connected to it. The metering disc 10 and the cone 34 are rotatably arranged or mounted in the filling device 32 about the axis of rotation 28 by means of the shaft 26. The cone 34 may have a conical opening 17, in particular a centrally arranged one. The conical opening 17 may be configured to receive the shaft 26. The cone 34 can be rotated about the axis of rotation 28 by means of the shaft 26.

[0097] The cone 34 can comprise a conical top surface 36. The conical top surface 36 can be designed, at least in part, for depositing and / or contacting the material 12. The conical top surface 36 of the cone 34 can be designed analogously, and in particular identically, to the top surface 14 of the metering disc 10. The conical top surface 36 can have a conical shape. The cone 34 can be designed without metering openings 18.

[0098] The cone 34 can include a cone underside opposite the cone top 36. The cone underside of the cone 34 can be designed analogously, in particular identically, to the underside 16 of the metering disc 10.

[0099] The cone top 36 can comprise at least one cone blowing section 40. The cone blowing section 40 can be configured to introduce gas, in particular air or compressed air, into the material 12 arranged on the cone top 36. The cone blowing section 40 of the cone 34 can be configured analogously, in particular identically, to the blowing section 20 of the metering disc 10.

[0100] In Figure 4, the blowing section 20 of the metering disc 10 and the conical blowing section 40 of the cone 34j are each marked with wavy lines. The filling device 32 can be configured to direct gas, in particular air or compressed air, through the shaft 26 to the metering disc 10, in particular the blowing section 20. Alternatively or additionally, the filling device 32 can be configured to direct gas, in particular air or compressed air, through the shaft 26 to the cone 34, in particular the conical blowing section 40. The shaft 26 can be designed as a hollow shaft for this purpose. The shaft 26 can have at least one channel for directing gas, in particular air or compressed air. The introduction of gas, in particular air or compressed air, into the shaft 26 can be implemented from below and / or from above the shaft 26, as shown in Figure 4.

[0101] Figure 5 schematically shows a section of a sectional view of the filling device 32 according to Figure 4. The sectional view shown is a section through the shaft 26 or the axis of rotation 28 (i.e., along the diameter of the metering disc 10). For clarity, only one metering opening 18 (and not two metering openings 18 as shown in Figure 1) is shown in the sectional view. Furthermore, the cone 34 is not shown.

[0102] The filling device 32 can comprise at least one tamping plunger 42. The tamping plunger 42 can be configured such that the material 12 can be metered into the metering opening 18 by means of the tamping plunger 42. For this purpose, the tamping plunger 42 can be movably arranged along the longitudinal extent or central longitudinal axis of the metering openings 18 and / or along the direction of gravity 46. The tamping plunger 42 is only schematically indicated in Figure 5. The filling device 32 can comprise at least one capsule receptacle 44 for receiving one capsule half of a capsule (e.g., a hard capsule or hard gelatin capsules). The capsule receptacle 44 can be arranged (with respect to the direction of gravity 46) below the metering opening 18. Alternatively or additionally, the metering opening 18 (in relation to the direction of gravity 46) can be arranged above the capsule receptacle 44.For this purpose, the capsule holder 44 and / or the metering disc 10 can be designed to be movable and / or rotatable. The capsule holder 44 is only shown schematically in Figure 5. For the sake of clarity, the tamping plunger 42 and the capsule holder 44 are not shown in Figure 4.

[0103] To eject the dose of material 12 from the metering opening 18 into the capsule half arranged below the metering opening 18 in the capsule receptacle 44, the filling device 32 can have an ejection plunger (not shown). The ejection plunger can be movable along the direction of gravity 46 or along the longitudinal extent of the metering opening 18. It is also conceivable that the ejection of the dose of material 12 from the metering opening 18 can be achieved by means of the tamping plunger 42.

[0104] The following describes a method for dispensing material, particularly powdered material, preferably in capsules (e.g., hard capsules or hard gelatin capsules), using a dispensing disc 10 as described above or a filling device 32 as described above, with reference to Figures 1 to 5. The dispensing disc 10 may be the one shown in Figure 1. The filling device 32 may be the one shown in Figure 4.

[0105] The procedure includes the following steps:

[0106] Arranging the material 12 on the top 14 of the metering disc 10 and / or the cone top 36 of the cone 34 .

[0107] The injection of gas, in particular air or compressed air, into the material 12, which is arranged on the upper surface 14 of the metering disc 10 and / or on the conical upper surface 36 of the cone 34. The injection of gas, in particular air or compressed air, takes place through the blowing section 20 of the metering disc 10 and / or through the conical blowing section 40 of the cone 34.

[0108] The procedure may include the following step:

[0109] Varying and / or adjusting the pressure, volume flow, humidity and / or temperature of the injected gas, especially air or compressed air.

[0110] The process may include the following steps:

[0111] Continuous injection of gas, in particular air or compressed air, into the material 12, which is arranged on the top 14 of the metering disc 10 and / or on the cone top 36 of the cone 34.

[0112] Alternatively, the injection of gas, in particular air or compressed air, into the material 12, which is arranged on the upper surface 14 of the metering disc 10 and / or on the upper surface 36 of the cone 34, can be implemented at time intervals. It is conceivable that the time intervals can be varied (during the filling operation) and / or set (before and / or after the filling operation).

Claims

Patent claims 1. Metering disc (10) for metering, in particular powdered, material (12), preferably in capsules, wherein the metering disc (10) comprises: a top surface (14), wherein the top surface (14) is designed at least in part for depositing the material (12), a bottom surface (16) opposite the top surface (14), and at least one metering opening (18) for metering a dose of the material (12), wherein the metering opening (18) extends in particular from the top surface (14) to the bottom surface (16), in particular in a sleeve-like manner, characterized in that the top surface (14) comprises at least one blowing section (20), wherein the blowing section (20) is designed to blow gas, in particular compressed air, into the material (12) arranged on the top surface (14).

2. Metering disc (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the blowing section (20) comprises at least one fabric element (22), wherein the fabric element (22) is gas-permeable and is designed to blow gas, in particular compressed air, into the material (12) arranged on the top (14).

3. Metering disc (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the blowing section (20) comprises at least one blowing opening (24), in particular several blowing openings (24), wherein the blowing opening (24) is for blowing gas, in particular compressed air, into the Material (12) is arranged on the top (14).

4. Metering disc (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the blowing opening (24) is designed as a through-opening oriented perpendicular to the top (14) of the metering disc (10).

5. Metering disc (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the blowing opening (24) is designed as a through-opening inclined towards the top (14) of the metering disc (10).

6. Metering disc (10) according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the blowing opening (24) has a cross-section that tapers towards the material (12) arranged on the top (14), in particular is designed as a nozzle.

7. Metering disc (10) according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that at least one cavity (30) is arranged between the top (14) and the bottom (16), wherein the cavity (30), the fabric element (22) and / or the blowing opening (24) are fluidically connected to each other, wherein the metering disc (10) is arranged such that gas, in particular compressed air, is first passed through the cavity (30) and then through the fabric element (22) and / or the blowing opening (24).

8. Filling device (32) for dispensing, in particular powdered, material (12), preferably in capsules, comprising: at least one dispensing disc (10) according to one of the as described in the preceding claims, a cone (34) which is conically shaped and designed to distribute the material (12) on the surface (14) of the metering disc (10), and a shaft (26) wherein the metering disc (10) and the cone (34) are rotationally fixed to the shaft (26), in particular connected, and are rotatably arranged in the filling device (32) by means of the shaft (26) about an axis of rotation (28).

9. Filling device (32) according to claim 8, characterized in that the cone (34) comprises: a cone top (36) wherein the cone top (36) is designed at least in part for depositing and / or contacting the material (12), a cone bottom opposite the cone top (36) wherein the cone top (36) comprises at least one cone blowing section (40) wherein the cone blowing section (40) is designed to blow gas, in particular compressed air, into the material (12) arranged on the cone top (36).

10. Filling device (32) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the filling device (32) is configured to direct gas, in particular compressed air, through the shaft (26) to the metering disc (10), in particular the blowing section (20), and / or the cone (34), in particular the cone blowing section (40).

11. Filling device (32) according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the filling device (32) comprising at least one tamping plunger (42), wherein the tamping plunger (42) is designed such that the material (12) can be dispensed into the metering opening (18) by means of the tamping plunger (42).

12. Filling device (32) according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the filling device (32) has at least one capsule receptacle (44) for receiving at least one capsule half, wherein the capsule receptacle (44) is designed to be arranged below the metering opening (18) with respect to the direction of gravity (46) and / or the metering opening (18) is designed to be arranged above the capsule receptacle (44) with respect to the direction of gravity (46).

13. Method for dispensing, in particular powdered, material (12), preferably in capsules, by means of a dispensing disc (10) according to one of claims 1 to 7 or a filling device (32) according to one of claims 8 to 12 comprising the steps: Arranging the material (12) on the top (14) of the metering disc (10) and / or the cone top (36) of the cone (34); Injecting gas, in particular compressed air, into the material (12) which is arranged on the top (14) of the metering disc (10) and / or on the cone top (36) of the cone (34), wherein the injection of gas, in particular compressed air, is carried out through the blowing section (20) and / or through the cone blowing section (40).

14. Method according to claim 13, characterized by the step: Varying and / or adjusting pressure, Volume flow rate, humidity level and / or temperature of the injected gas, especially compressed air.

15. Method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized by the steps: Continuous injection of gas, in particular compressed air, into the material (12) which is arranged on the top (14) of the metering disc (10) and / or on the cone top (36) of the cone (34), or Injecting gas, in particular compressed air, into the material (12) which is arranged on the top (14) of the metering disc (10) and / or on the cone top (36) of the cone (34), in particular variable and / or adjustable time intervals.

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