Capsule filling machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12102602-B2
Application number	US-202318322390-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2023
Priority date	May 23, 2022
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

A capsule filling machine has a frame and a rotary plate. A processing station includes a weighing device for capsules. The frame has a table and feet for setting down on a floor. The weighing device has a weighing frame provided with dedicated weighing-frame feet. The table has a cutout with a peripheral edge, the weighing device being positioned in the cutout at a distance from its edge on all sides. The machine includes a flange having two ends that lie one on top of the other and a lining encircling its longitudinal axis. The flange in the region of one of its ends encloses the cutout in the machine table and is connected sealingly to the table in the region of the peripheral edge. The flange in the region of its other end encloses the weighing frame and is sealingly connected to the weighing frame.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A capsule filling machine comprising:
a machine frame;
a rotary plate for transporting capsules that are to be filled to various processing stations;
said rotary plate being rotatably mounted on said machine frame and having an axis of rotation running in a vertical direction;
at least one of said various processing stations including a weighing device for capsules;
said machine frame having a machine table and a plurality of machine-frame feet for setting down on a floor;
said weighing device having a weighing frame including a plurality of dedicated weighing-frame feet for independently setting down on the floor;
said machine table having a cutout with a peripheral edge, said weighing device being positioned in the cutout at a distance from said peripheral edge on all sides;
a sealing flange extending along a longitudinal axis running at least primarily in a vertical direction;
said sealing flange having two ends that lie one on top of the other with respect to the longitudinal axis;
a lining encircling the longitudinal axis;
said sealing flange in a region of a first of said two ends enclosing said cutout in said machine table and being connected sealingly to said machine table in a region of said peripheral edge; and,
said sealing flange in a region of a second of said two ends enclosing said weighing frame and being sealingly connected to said weighing frame.

2. The capsule filling machine of claim 1 , wherein said lining of said sealing flange runs at an opening angle α in relation to the longitudinal axis; and, said opening angle α lies in a range from 0° to 30° inclusive.

3. The capsule filling machine of claim 1 , wherein said lining of said sealing flange runs at an opening angle α in relation to the longitudinal axis; and, said opening angle α lies in a range from 0° to 15° inclusive.

4. The capsule filling machine of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal axis of said sealing flange runs at an angle between axes β in relation to the vertical direction; and, said angle between axes β lies in a range from 0° to 30° inclusive.

5. The capsule filling machine of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal axis of said sealing flange runs at an angle between axes β in relation to the vertical direction; and, said angle between axes β lies in a range from 0° to 15° inclusive.

6. The capsule filling machine of claim 1 , wherein said lining is made from an elastically flexible material.

7. The capsule filling machine of claim 1 , wherein said lining is made from silicone or rubber.

8. The capsule filling machine of claim 1 , wherein said lining consists of a thin-walled material.

9. The capsule filling machine of claim 1 , wherein said sealing flange establishes a sole mechanical connection between said machine frame and said weighing frame.

Assignees

• Hoefliger Harro Verpackung

Inventors

• Wurst Reiner
• Huhnen Florian
• Gall Steffen
• Cocks Jonathan

Classifications

• A61J3/074 Primary

  Filling capsules; Related operations · CPC title