Capsule Filling Machine Dosing Piston Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing capsule filling machines are inflexible, difficult to adjust, and struggle with accurately measuring and compacting products like granules, micro-tablets, and delayed-action drugs, leading to inconsistent dosing and maintenance challenges due to complex and expensive rotating manifolds and electric motors.
Innovation Solution
A filling machine with a dosing turret equipped with electrical linear actuators that adjust the position of dosing pistons within dosing cylinders, allowing precise control over dosing chamber volume and product ejection, and featuring a dosing system that uses air suction to retain products during rotation, enabling reliable and accurate filling of capsules with difficult-to-compact materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional volumetric dispensers with sliding pistons are used, then the machine can fill capsules with powder and granules, but the dosing precision is insufficient for difficult-to-compact products like granules and micro-tablets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical sliding piston system with an electrical linear actuator that drives a plunger through a dosing needle. This electrical-mechanical substitution enables precise control of the plunger position and dosing chamber volume, achieving accurate dosing for difficult-to-compact products while eliminating the reliability issues of mechanical wear in traditional systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements adjustable dosing parameters through the electrical linear actuator, which can precisely control the plunger position to vary the dosing chamber volume. This allows adaptation to different product types (powder, granules, micro-tablets) and dosing requirements, achieving both precision and reliability across various materials.
2Productivity
If the dosing turret rotates continuously to transfer capsules through operating stations, then productivity is improved, but complex rotating manifolds and electric motors are required, increasing device complexity and maintenance needs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the dosing mechanism from the rotating dosing turret, placing it on a stationary carriage instead. The dosing needle is mounted on the stationary carriage and can engage with the rotating turret without requiring complex rotating manifolds or motors. This separation maintains high productivity through continuous rotation while dramatically reducing device complexity and maintenance requirements.
3Measurement precision
If the piston is positioned to form a dosing chamber for product retention, then dosing accuracy is improved, but the machine becomes difficult to adjust for different dosing volumes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic dosing system where the electrical linear actuator can adjust the plunger position to change the dosing chamber volume. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the machine to adapt to different dosing volumes and product types while maintaining dosing accuracy through precise electrical control of the plunger position.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The machine provides reliable, accurate, and repeated filling of capsules with products that are hard to compact, offering a simple, robust, and cost-effective solution with reduced maintenance needs and improved operational safety.
Implementation Method 1
An air intake system is generally associated with the dispensers to assist in retaining the product within the dosing chambers, particularly while the dispensers are being rotated with the dosing turret from the collection position to the release position.
Implementation Method 2
The dosing units are provided with electrical linear actuators mounted on the dosing turret and connected to the respective pistons so as to move said respective pistons independently of each other along a direction parallel to the axis of rotation X
Implementation Method 3
A rotary electric motor is provided for moving the dosing turret along its axis of rotation X and for rotating the dosing turret around the rotation axis X between two working positions W1, W2 at an angle of about 180°
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A capsule (100) filling machine (1) comprising a transfer turret (2) arranged to transfer the capsules (100) through successive operating stations, including at least one dosing station (3) arranged to fill capsule bodies (101) of the capsules (100) with a product (P) and comprising a dosing turret (5) and a first dosing unit (10) mounted on the dosing turret (5); the first dosing unit (10) comprises a dosing cylinder (12) and a piston (13) movable within the dosing cylinder (12) at least between a first internal position (D), wherein it forms within the dosing cylinder (12), a dosing chamber (15) for holding a product dose (P1), and an ejection position (E) to push the product dose (P1) out of the dosing cylinder (12) to a respective capsule body (101); the machine (1) includes a first electrical linear actuator (6) associated with the dosing turret (5) and suitable for moving the piston (13) of the first dosing unit (10) between said first internal position (D) and said ejection position (E).