Capsule closure device for closing two-piece capsules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11857503-B2
Application number	US-201916523672-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2019
Priority date	Aug 7, 2018
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

A capsule closure device is for closing two-piece capsules each having a capsule upper portion and a capsule lower portion. The capsule closure device includes a capsule upper portion receiving member and a capsule lower portion receiving member. The capsule upper portion receiving member has a receiving hole and an introduction hole which is arranged coaxially relative to the receiving hole. The capsule upper portion receiving member has at the inner side thereof between the receiving hole and the introduction hole a support shoulder for supporting the capsule upper portion. The capsule upper portion receiving member has at the inner side thereof at the introduction hole at least one ventilation hole.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A capsule closure device for separating and closing two-piece capsules each having a capsule upper portion and a capsule lower portion, wherein the capsule lower portion is pulled out of the upper capsule portion when separating an individual one of the capsules, and the capsule lower portion is inserted into the capsule upper portion when closing the individual one of the capsules, the capsule closure device comprising:
a capsule upper portion receiving member having an inner side and defining an inner space; and,
a capsule lower portion receiving member;
said capsule upper portion receiving member defining a receiving hole and an introduction hole arranged coaxially relative to said receiving hole;
said capsule upper portion receiving member having a support shoulder at said inner side between said receiving hole and said introduction hole;
said support shoulder being configured to support the capsule upper portion;
said capsule upper portion receiving member defining at least one ventilation hole for a pressure compensation when pulling out and when inserting the capsule lower portion at said inner side at said introduction hole;
said at least one ventilation hole extending from an outer side of said capsule upper portion receiving member to said inner side of said capsule upper portion receiving member and opening in said introduction hole so as to provide the pressure compensation between said inner space of said capsule upper portion receiving member and an ambient outside of said capsule upper portion;
said support shoulder having a peripheral, radially inward inner edge;
said capsule upper portion receiving member defining a longitudinal axis;
said capsule upper portion receiving member having a smallest transverse section area on said inner edge of said support shoulder measured perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said capsule upper portion receiving member; and,
said at least one ventilation hole forming an interruption of said peripheral, radially inward inner edge.

2. The capsule closure device of claim 1 , wherein said capsule upper portion receiving member defines at least two ventilation holes at said inner side at said introduction hole.

3. The capsule closure device of claim 1 , wherein said capsule upper portion receiving member defines three ventilation holes at said inner side thereof at said introduction hole.

4. The capsule closure device of claim 1 , wherein:
said capsule upper portion receiving member has an outer side; and,
said at least one ventilation hole extends from said outer side of said capsule upper portion receiving member to said inner side of said capsule upper portion receiving member and opens in said introduction hole.

5. The capsule closure device of claim 1 further comprising a suction device connected to said at least one ventilation hole in order to extract dust particles on the capsule.

6. The capsule closure device of claim 1 , wherein said capsule upper portion receiving member has a smallest diameter at said inward inner edge of said support shoulder.

7. The capsule closure device of claim 1 , wherein said capsule upper portion has a capsule edge formed thereon; said support shoulder defines a support surface whereon said capsule upper portion comes into contact with said capsule edge thereof.

8. The capsule closure device of claim 7 , wherein said inner edge of said support shoulder is configured to delimit said support surface toward said longitudinal axis of said capsule upper portion receiving member.

9. The capsule closure device of claim 7 , wherein said support surface lies in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said capsule upper portion receiving member.

10. The capsule closure device of claim 7 , wherein:
said introduction hole defines an inner side;
said at least one ventilation hole opens at said inner side of said introduction hole and at said support surface of said support shoulder in said inner space of said capsule upper portion receiving member; and,
said at least one ventilation hole interrupts said inward inner edge of said support surface of said support shoulder.

11. The capsule closure device of claim 1 , wherein said ventilation hole is configured as a throughpass bore.

12. The capsule closure device of claim 1 , wherein said ventilation hole defines a flow connection between said inner space of said capsule upper portion receiving member and the ambient external of said capsule upper portion receiving member.

Assignees

• Hoefliger Harro Verpackung

Inventors

• Weigel Marco

Classifications

• A61J3/074 Primary

  Filling capsules; Related operations · CPC title

• A61J3/072 Primary

  Sealing capsules, e.g. rendering them tamper-proof · CPC title

• A61K9/4833

  Encapsulating processes; Filling of capsules (mechanical aspects A61J3/07) · CPC title