Tablet dispensing apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024239539-A1
Application number	US-202218291676-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 21, 2022
Priority date	Jul 26, 2021
Publication date	Jul 18, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A tablet dispensing apparatus for dispensing tablets into containers includes a cylindrical drum having an inner cavity and a cylindrical side wall provided with a row of seats adjacent to each other along a circumference arc, each seat for accommodating a respective tablet, and an ejection device to interact with the seats at angular ejection positions of the drum to eject the tablets from the seats out of the drum. The side wall is provided internally with a groove extending along the circumference arc and communicating with the seats. The ejection device has an ejection element movable during rotation of the drum, at an angular ejection position thereof, in an operating position. The ejection element is slidably inserted in a groove and at least partially in the seats to push outwardly and eject the respective tablets from the seats while the drum rotates.

First claim

1 - 15 . (canceled)

16 . A tablet dispensing apparatus for dispensing tablets into containers comprising:
a cylindrical drum rotatable about an axis of rotation and comprising an inner cavity and a cylindrical side wall which is provided with at least a row of seats, each seat being suitable to accommodate a respective tablet, said seats of at least a row of seats being arranged adjacent to each other along an arc of circumference which develops along a guiding circumference of said drum; an ejection device located in the inner cavity of the drum and configured to interact with said seats at an angular ejection positions of said drum so as to eject said tablets from said seats outwardly of said drum; wherein said side wall of said drum is provided inwardly with at least a groove extending along said arc of circumference and communicating with said at least one row of seats; wherein said ejection device comprises at least an ejection element movable during a rotation of said drum, at an angular ejection position thereof, in an operating position wherein said ejection element is slidably inserted in at least a groove and at least partially in the seats of at least a row, so as to push outwardly and thus eject from said seats the respective tablets while the drum rotates.

17 . The tablet dispensing apparatus according to claim 16 , comprising an actuating system located within said cavity and arranged to actuate said at least one ejection element between said operating position and a non-operating position in which said ejection element is spaced from said side wall.

18 . The tablet dispensing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said ejection element comprises a disc rotatably mounted about a respective axis of rotation, parallel to the axis of rotation of said drum, shaped and dimensioned so as to be insertable in said at least one groove.

19 . The tablet dispensing apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein said actuating system comprise an actuating cam provided with a guide channel fixed to the drum, and a transferring roller engaged in the channel and rotatably fixed to a support element which rotatably supports the ejection element.

20 . The tablet dispensing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one groove comprises a central portion arranged facing the seats of the corresponding row of seats, an inlet portion having increasing depth, arranged upstream of the central portion with reference to a direction of rotation of said drum and intended to be firstly engaged by said ejection element during rotation of said drum, and an outlet portion having decreasing depth, arranged downstream of the central portion with reference to said direction of rotation of said drum and intended to be lastly engaged by said ejection element during rotation of said drum.

21 . The tablet dispensing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said side wall is provided with a plurality of sets of rows, the rows of seats of each set being circumferentially arranged and angularly spaced along a respective guiding circumference of said drum and spaced from the rows of seats of adjacent sets of possible rows parallel to said axis of rotation.

22 . The tablet dispensing apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein said ejection device comprises a number of ejection elements equal to the number of sets of rows adjacent in a parallel way to said axis of rotation, each ejection element being capable of inserting at the operating position into the grooves of the rows of seats of the corresponding set of rows so as to push outwardly and thereby eject the respective tablets from the seats.

23 . The tablet dispensing apparatus according to claim 16 , comprising a reservoir suitable for containing a plurality of bulk tablets, said drum being partially rotatably inserted within said reservoir in such a way that a portion at a time of said side wall is externally in contact with said tablets allowing them to be inserted into said seats.

24 . The tablet dispensing apparatus according to claim 16 , comprising a suction device for generating a negative pressure in said internal cavity at least in a zone upstream of said angular ejection positions, so as to retain said tablets within their respective seats during rotation of said drum.

25 . The tablet dispensing apparatus according to claim 16 , comprising a conveyor system externally associated with said drum and suitable for receiving said tablets ejected from their respective seats by the ejection element and conveying them to an underlying container.

26 . The tablet dispensing apparatus according to claim 25 , wherein said conveyor system comprise at least one conduit having an access opening facing outwardly to said side wall at said angular ejection position, and an exit opening facing an underlying container to be filled.

27 . The tablet dispensing apparatus according to claim 26 , comprising a closing element associated with said conveyor system operable between a closed position, in which it engages and closes the at least one conduit in order to retain the tablets within the conveyor system, and an opening position in which said closing element is disengaged and open the at least one conduit allowing said tablets to be released from said exit opening.

28 . A method for dosing tablets into containers comprising the following phases:
to arrange a cylindrical drum rotatable about an axis of rotation, said drum comprising an inner cavity and a cylindrical side wall which is provided with at least a row of seats arranged adjacent to each other along an arc of circumference, said side wall of sad drum having internally at least a groove extended along said arc of circumference and communicating with said at least one row of seats; to arrange an ejection device within the inner cavity of the drum; to feed a plurality of tablets on a portion of the outward surface of the drum so as each tablet is arranged within a respective seat while the drum is put in rotation; to activate the ejection device in a defined angular ejection position of said drum so as to eject said tablets from the respective seats towards the outside of the drum; characterized in that said ejection device comprises at least an ejection element actuated to be moved in an operating position in which the ejection element slidably inserts itself in the at least one groove and at least partially in the seats in said angular ejection position during the rotation of the drums, so as the tablets are ejected from the respective seats outside the drum while the drum rotates.

29 . The method according to claim 28 , wherein said drum is rotated for an arc of circumference so as to allow the ejection of a predefined amount of tablets within a respective container to be then arrested and put again in rotation for a subsequent arc of circumference so as to allow the ejection of a subsequent predefined amount of tablets within a subsequent respective container.

30 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein said container is arranged below the conveyor system associated outwardly to said drum to convey the tablets ejected from the respective seats to the below container.

Assignees

• Ima Spa

Inventors

• Franci Marco
• Masotti Alessandro

Classifications

• B65B5/103 Primary

  for packaging pills or tablets · CPC title

• B65B35/08 Primary

  using pocketed conveyors · CPC title

• B65B37/08 Primary

  by rotary feeders · CPC title