Filling machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11376196-B2
Application number	US-201816760614-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2018
Priority date	Oct 31, 2017
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

A filling machine for filling capsules a product comprises a plurality of operative stations for carrying out operations on the capsules, a movement device provided with seats for housing and moving the capsules through the operative stations; and a weighing station to weigh of the capsules and comprising a weighing unit and a transfer system to transfer the capsules from the movement device to the weighing unit and vice versa. The weighing unit comprises a gripping element coupled with a weighing cell and provided with a housing for receiving and holding the capsule to be weighed. The transfer system include a first transfer element to remove the capsule from the seat of the movement device and insert it in the housing to measure its weight, and a second transfer element to remove the body from the housing and insert it in the seat of the movement device, after the measurement.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A filling machine for filling capsules with at least one product, each capsule having a body and a cap, the filling machine comprising:
a plurality of operative stations for carrying out operations on said capsules;
a movement device provided with a plurality of supports with respective seats for housing and moving said capsules in sequence through said operative stations; and
at least one weighing station to weigh at least bodies of said capsules, said at least one weighing station comprising a weighing unit and a transfer system to transfer at least said bodies from said movement device to said weighing unit and vice versa,
wherein said weighing unit comprises at least one gripping element connected to a respective weighing cell of said weighing unit and provided with a housing configured for receiving and holding by force coupling at least one body to be weighed, and
wherein said transfer system is moveable along a direction of extraction and includes a first transfer element arranged to remove said at least one body from a respective first seat of said movement device and insert the body into said housing to allow said weighing cell to measure the weight of said body, and a second transfer element to remove said at least one body from said housing and insert said at least one body into the respective first seat of said movement device, after the weight of said body is measured.

2. The filling machine according to claim 1 , wherein said first transfer element and said second transfer element are moveable along said direction of extraction between a first operative position, wherein said transfer elements are disengaged and spaced apart from said at least one body and said at least one body is housed in the respective first seat of said movement device such as not to interfere with the movement of said movement device, a second operative position, wherein said first transfer element has completely extracted said at least one body from said first seat and has inserted said at least one body inside said housing of the gripping element, a third operative position, wherein said transfer elements are disengaged and spaced apart from said at least one body housed and hold by force or interference in said housing so that said weighing cell can measure the weight of said at least one body, and a fourth operative position, wherein said second transfer element has completely extracted said at least one body from said housing and has inserted said at least one body inside the respective first seat of said movement device.

3. The filling machine according to claim 1 , wherein said weighing unit with said at least one gripping element is arranged above said movement device, and said housing has a lower opening that enables said transfer system to insert in, or extract from, said housing said at least one body along said direction of extraction.

4. The filling machine according to claim 1 , wherein said first transfer element has an elongated shape and is arranged to be inserted, when moved along said direction of extraction, inside a respective first seat of said movement device to abut onto a lower portion of at least one body and push said at least one body outside said first seat and inside said housing.

5. The filling machine according to claim 1 , wherein said second transfer element has an elongated shape and has at least one terminal end adapted to abut onto an upper portion of said at least one body in order to push said at least one body outside said housing and inside said first seat.

6. The filling machine according to claim 5 , wherein said gripping element has at least one lateral opening for inserting and sliding said terminal end of said second transfer element inside said housing and along said direction of extraction.

7. The filling machine according to claim 1 , wherein said housing extends longitudinally, and is convergent starting from a lower opening arranged for the insertion and extraction of said at least one body, and towards said weighing cell, an internal cross-section of said housing progressively funneling from said lower opening to a smaller dimension of an external transverse dimension of said at least one body so as to receive and hold said at least one body by force or interference coupling.

8. The filling machine according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of operative stations comprises at least one filling station arranged to dispense a product into the bodies of said capsules, and said weighing station is placed downstream of said filling station, with reference to a movement direction of said capsules in said filling machine, to measure the weight of said bodies containing said product.

9. The filling machine according to claim 8 , comprising a station of initial weighing provided with a respective weighing unit and with respective transfer system and placed upstream of said filling station, with reference to said movement direction, to measure the weight of said empty bodies.

10. The filling machine according to claim 9 , comprising a processing unit connected to said weighing station and to said station of initial weighing and configured to receive data about the measured weights, calculate an effective weight of the product dosed in each capsule and generate a warning signal in case of a non-compliant capsule.

11. The filling machine according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of operative stations comprises a plurality of filling stations arranged to supply respective products in the bodies of said capsules, a plurality of weighing stations placed downstream of the respective filling stations, with reference to said movement direction, and configured to measure the weight of said bodies filled with said products, and a station of initial weighing placed upstream of said filling stations to measure the weight of said empty bodies.

12. The filling machine according to claim 1 , wherein said movement device comprises a carousel rotating about a vertical rotation axis and provided with said plurality of supports, placed angularly spaced apart along a circumferential rim of said carousel.

Assignees

• Ima Spa

Inventors

• Ribani Massimo
• Bedetti Maurizio
• Masotti Alessandro
• Maldina Lorenzo

Classifications

• A61J3/074 Primary

  Filling capsules; Related operations · CPC title

• B65B1/32

  by weighing (check-weighing of filled containers or receptacles B65B1/46) · CPC title

• A61J2200/74

  for weight · CPC title

• B65B1/06

  by gravity flow · CPC title

• B65B3/003

  Filling medical containers such as ampoules, vials, syringes or the like · CPC title