Ultrasonic Dedusting for Tablets and Capsules

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dust collectors for tablets and capsules in production machines cause undesirable physical stress, require significant space and installation, have low transport performance, are complex to clean, and incur high maintenance and energy costs, while not effectively removing all dust residues.

Innovation Solution

An ultrasonic device coupled to a conveying surface excites tablets or capsules to ultrasonic vibrations, separating dust particles, which are then directed to a separate outlet, while the cleaned products proceed to a product outlet.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-generated harmful factors

If conventional dust collectors (drum, vibrating, or upward dust collectors) are used to remove dust from tablets or capsules, then dust removal is achieved, but undesirable physical stress is applied to the tablets or capsules

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust removal effectivenessVSAvoidphysical stress on tablets or capsules
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies ultrasonic vibrations to the conveying surface at frequencies between 20-100 kHz, causing dust particles to detach from tablets or capsules through vibrational energy without applying direct mechanical stress to the products. The ultrasonic device generates high-frequency vibrations that selectively remove dust while leaving intact tablets or capsules undisturbed on the conveying surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #18Mechanical vibration

2Object-generated harmful factors

If upward dust collectors are used to remove dust from tablets or capsules, then dust removal is achieved, but considerable space and installation space is required in the process chamber

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust removal effectivenessVSAvoidspace requirement in process chamber
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the complex mechanical upward dust collector system with an ultrasonic vibration system coupled to the conveying surface. This substitution eliminates the need for large process chambers and complex mechanical dust collection mechanisms, reducing space requirements while maintaining dust removal effectiveness through ultrasonic energy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Object-generated harmful factors

If upward dust collectors with many individual parts are used to remove dust from tablets or capsules, then dust removal is achieved, but complexity of cleaning increases due to the large number of individual parts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust removal effectivenessVSAvoidcleaning complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the dust removal function from complex mechanical components and implements it through an ultrasonic vibration system integrated into the conveying surface. This eliminates numerous individual parts that would require cleaning, reducing maintenance complexity while preserving dust removal capability through the ultrasonic mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Object-generated harmful factors

If conventional dust collectors are used to remove dust from tablets or capsules, then dust removal is achieved, but transport performance is relatively low

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust removal effectivenessVSAvoidtransport performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous ultrasonic vibration along the entire conveying surface, enabling continuous dust removal as tablets or capsules move through the device. This continuous action maintains high transport performance without interruption for dust collection cycles, unlike batch-based conventional dust collectors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

5Object-generated harmful factors

If conventional dust collectors are used to remove dust from tablets or capsules, then dust removal is achieved, but maintenance effort, costs, and energy consumption increase considerably

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust removal effectivenessVSAvoidmaintenance effort and costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The ultrasonic vibration system is integrated into the conveying surface itself, which continuously moves tablets or capsules through the dust removal zone. The system serves itself by using the conveying motion to present products to the ultrasonic field, eliminating the need for separate dust collection mechanisms and reducing maintenance requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 method achieves high dedusting performance with minimal physical impact on the products, reduced space requirements, easy cleaning, and lower costs, while allowing flexible positioning and increased throughput.

Implementation Method 1

an ultrasonic device is coupled to the first surface, which excites the first surface to ultrasonic vibrations

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectUltrasonic vibration: Ultrasonic Vibration

Implementation Method 2

the ultrasonic vibrations transmitted from the first surface to the tablets or capsules cause the tablets or capsules, on the one hand, and dust-like product residues, on the other, to vibrate differently, thereby separating them

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDifferential vibration: Vibration

Data Source

PatentEP4574414A1Device and method for dedusting tablets or capsules
Publication Date: 2025.06.25 FETTE COMPACTING GMBH
  • EP4574414A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4574414A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4574414A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a device for dedusting tablets (48) or capsules produced in a production machine (100), comprising a product inlet (210) and a first surface (54) which receives tablets (48) or capsules fed in via the product inlet (210) and is designed to convey fed tablets (48) or capsules to a product outlet (60) of the device (200). An ultrasonic device which excites the first surface (54) to ultrasonic vibrations is coupled to the first surface (54). A separating device is provided which feeds dust released from the tablets (48) or capsules by the ultrasonic vibrations to a dust outlet (64) of the device (200), which is separate from the product outlet (220). The invention also relates to a corresponding method.