Abstract:
A device feeds a blister band, moved in a forward direction, with articles, supplied by gravity through a plurality of channels situated above the band. Each channel has a radial unit with radial needles entering the channel to hold a lowermost article. Rotation of the radial unit makes the lowermost article to go resting on a rotating element situated below and provided with arms also entering the channel to receive the article released and drop it into a blister of the blister band.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to blistering machines, with particular reference to devices for introducing articles, such as pills, capsules, tablets into the blisters of a blister band.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART  
       [0002]     In some types of blistering machines the articles are released in a gravity-induced controlled way through a plurality of channels, into corresponding blisters of a blister band moved by conveying means.  
         [0003]     The blister band usually has identical rows of blisters, arranged one beside another, crosswise with respect to the longitudinal direction, and is driven toward an article filling station, which includes a plurality of inclined channels, whose number is at least equal to the number of blisters of one row. The channels are situated above the passing band so that the articles fed by falling through the channels, are guided by the shape of the latter along a given section into corresponding blisters.  
         [0004]     A shutter device for each channel interacts with the articles contained therein so as to release only one article at a time into a corresponding blister while the other articles are held, when a row of blisters passes therebelow.  
         [0005]     A device of this type includes for example two elements, a lower one and an upper one, operated alternately to act inside the associated channel at a reciprocal distance at least equal to the longitudinal dimension of an article.  
         [0006]     Each of the above elements moves between an active configuration, in which they cause an interference within the channel, so that an article goes in abutment against the element and consequently holds all the articles thereabove, and a rest configuration in which no interference is caused and the article is released.  
         [0007]     In this sense, holding of a first article as well as all the ones thereabove (respectively second article, third article, etc.) by the lower abutment element set in active configuration, is followed by deactivation of the latter and activation of the upper abutment element to allow the first article to be released into a corresponding blister below and the second and further articles to be held by the upper abutment element.  
         [0008]     However, the just described cycle is a source of such a quantity of stresses for a single article that sometimes they cause damages to the article and consequently the rejection of the corresponding package (unitary portion of the blister band known as “blister pack”) by control means.  
         [0009]     Such stresses occur in every step of the cycle and can be attributed in particular to: the fall path executed by the article released by the lower element up to the corresponding blister; the motion of the articles within the associated channel, characterized by continuous leaps of the articles caused by the alternate movement of the lower and upper elements; the activation of the upper element, which fits in between two articles and thus can jeopardize their integrity.  
         [0010]     The above disadvantages result extremely inconvenient for such articles as tablets, which are more friable with respect to the most widespread ones, because they are produced in a way as to facilitate their melting in the mouth.  
         [0011]     Obviously, in this application the shutter devices are strongly unadvisable.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     In the light of what above, the object of the present invention is to propose a device for feeding a blister band with various articles, such as tablets, capsules, pills, which is compatible also with the tablet products, made more friable to facilitate their oral taking.  
         [0013]     In this sense, the above object is fulfilled by proposing a device which allows to release articles into blisters of the blister band in a controlled way, such as not to jeopardize the articles physical integrity, which is thus reliable, efficient, functional and suitable for any type of tablet being used, from the most compact to the most friable.  
         [0014]     Moreover, a further object of the present invention is to propose a device for feeding a blister band with various articles, such as tablets, capsules, pills, whose cost is adequate to the desired results.  
         [0015]     The above mentioned objects are obtained, in accordance with the contents of the claims, by a device for feeding a blister band with various articles, such as tablets, capsules, pills, the blister band being driven in a prefixed feeding direction and with said articles supplied by gravity through a plurality of channels situated above the band, said device including: 
    holding means for each channel of said channels, for holding a first article and supporting articles situated above said first article, said means being operated to release said first article and to hold a second article, situated above the first article;     receiving and releasing means for each channel of said channels, situated between said blister band and said holding means and operated in step relation with said holding means as well as with the motion of said blister band in said feeding direction, for receiving an article released by said holding means and drop said received article into a blister of said blister band.   
 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]     The characteristic features of the invention, not resulting from what has been just said, will be better pointed out in the following, in accordance with the claims and with the help of the enclosed figures, in which:  
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a schematic, lateral view of a significant part of a blistering machine, including the device proposed by the invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of the device of  FIG. 1 , in a first significant work configuration;  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a section view taken along the line III-III of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged, section view taken along the line IV-IV of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is a section view taken along the line V-V of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0024]      FIGS. 6, 7 ,  8 ,  10  are enlarged views of the device of  FIG. 1 , in as many significant work configurations;  
         [0025]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged, section view taken along the line IX-IX of  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged view of the device of  FIG. 1 , in a significant work configuration and according to an embodiment;  
         [0027]      FIG. 12  is a section view taken along the line XII-XII of  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]     With reference to the enclosed Figures, a blistering machine  1  is shown ( FIG. 1 ), which includes the feeding device  2 , proposed by the invention.  
         [0029]     The machine  1  has been shown only partially, in those parts considered the most relevant to the invention.  
         [0030]     A blister band  3  is moved continuously by conveying means, not shown, with a given forward speed and in a forward direction AV; the band is horizontal and with its axis parallel to the forward direction.  
         [0031]     In the shown example, the band has identical rows  3   h  of blisters  4 , arranged crosswise to the forward direction (see  FIG. 3  as an indication).  
         [0032]     A plurality of inclined channels  6 , carried by a stationary framework  24 , integral with the machine  1  structure, is situated in a station R and above the band  3  for filling the blister band  3  with various articles  5 ,  5 A,  5 B,  5 C, for example tablets.  
         [0033]     The articles  5 ,  5 A,  5 B,  5 C in a row are fed by gravity one after another through the channels  6 , where they slide in a direction parallel to their longitudinal axis, and are handled by the feeding device  2  of the blister band  3 , interposed between the band  3  and the channels  6 .  
         [0034]     The device  2  includes, for each channel  6 , a radial unit  21 , having a plurality of radially extending needle-like elements  21   h ,  21 A,  21 B, each of which has a pair of spaced apart needles ( FIGS. 4, 5 ,  9 ) and has axis perpendicular to the axis of the associated channel  6 . The radial unit is operated e.g. stepwise by operating means (not shown) and is aimed at acting, as it will result clear from the following treatment, on the articles  5 ,  5 A,  5 B,  5 C fed through the associated channel  6 , so as to hold a given article  5 ,  5 A,  5 B,  5 C and support those disposed thereabove.  
         [0035]     A rotating element  22  is functionally interposed between the band  3  and each radial unit  21  and rotates about an axis parallel to the axis of the unit.  
         [0036]     The radial unit  21  has for example two identical arms, a first arm  22   j  and a second arm  22   k , perpendicular to the rotation axis and angularly equidistant, and are operated continuously by operating means, likewise not shown, as they are known.  
         [0037]     The rotating element  22  and the radial unit  21  are driven in opposite rotation with respect to each other, i.e. in a first direction R 1  and a second direction R 2 .  
         [0038]     Moreover, the terminal portions of each arm  22   j ,  22   k  of each rotating element  22  form means  22   h , capable of receiving an article  5 ,  5 A,  5 B,  5 C released by the radial unit  21  and accompanying it, simultaneously with the rotation in the first direction R 1 , into a corresponding blister  4  of the blister band  3 , in the way described later.  
         [0039]     It is specified that each channel  6  extends up to the blister band  3  and has a longitudinal slit  30 , which is wide less narrow than the articles  5 ,  5 A,  5 B,  5 C.  
         [0040]     The slit  30  faces the rotating element  22  so as to allow partial introduction of the arms  22   j ,  22   k  of the latter during the operation.  
         [0041]     According to a preferred embodiment and in accordance with the enclosed Figures, all the rotating elements  22  are keyed onto a single shaft  23  rotated by the activating means.  
         [0042]     The device  2  for feeding the blister band  3  with various articles  5 ,  5 A,  5 B,  5 C, proposed by the invention, performs identical work cycles, each of which concludes filling of a series  3   h  of blisters  4  with articles  5 ,  5 A,  5 B,  5 C.  
         [0043]     Moreover, the way of filling the blisters  4  is the same for each group including a channel  6  and the associated radial unit  21  and the rotating element  22 , therefore later the working description will be referred to only a general cycle and group, in accordance with what has been shown in FIGS. from  2  to  10 : actually, if the work step schematized in  FIG. 2  is taken as the beginning of a work cycle,  FIGS. 6, 7 ,  8 ,  10  show the subsequent steps, until the end.  
         [0044]     The radial unit  21  is operated stepwise in the rotation direction R 2 , in time relation with the operation of the rotating element  22  and at the end of the work cycle ( FIGS. 8, 10 ).  
         [0045]     In particular in the work configuration shown in  FIG. 2 , it is kept motionless and one of its needle-like elements  21 A is situated below a first article  5 A to hold it and to support the other ones above (respectively second article, third article, and so on) contained inside the associated channel  6 .  
         [0046]     Another article  5  is released by the radial unit  21  onto the support means  22   h , for example of the first arm  22   j , in the cycle preceding the one being considered, after relative rotation of the radial unit  21  by a prefixed angular step.  
         [0047]     As it has been said, the rotating element  22  is keyed onto the shaft  23  and is operated continuously by actuating means, in step relation with the motion of the blister band  3 .  
         [0048]     The rotating element  22  receives, on the means  22   h , the article  5  released by the radial unit  21  and accompanies it, simultaneously with its own rotation in the direction R 1  into a corresponding blister  4  ( FIGS. 2, 6 ,  7 ) of the passing band  3 , without falls or pushes.  
         [0049]     The release step for the first article  5 A is shown in  FIGS. 8, 10 , and corresponds to the end of the operation cycle being considered.  
         [0050]     The radial unit  21  is rotated by an angular step in the second rotation direction R 2  to cause the insertion of a second needle-like element  21 B, adjacent to the first needle-like element  21 A, below the second article  5 B, and the release of the first article  5 A directly onto the support means  22   h  of the second arm  22   k , which involve the channel  6  during their rotary movement.  
         [0051]     Thus, the first article  5 A is accompanied by the means  22   h  along the terminal portion of the channel  6 , likewise guided by the conformation of the latter, into a corresponding blister  4  of the blister band  3 , as described above.  
         [0052]     The radial unit  21  is operated in precise step relation with the rotation of the arms  22   j ,  22   k  so as to cause a smooth release of the first article  5 A onto the relative support means  22   h , without falls or pushes, which could jeopardize its integrity.  
         [0053]     The release without fall is possible due to the interaction of the pair of needles  21   j  of the first unit  21 A with the support means  22   h : actually, the reciprocal position of the needles  21   j  does not interfere with the support means  22   h and their rotation by an angular step makes the first article  5 A go to rest on the support means  22   h , thus leaving them free (see  FIG. 10 ).  
         [0054]     Moreover, the usual conformation of the tablets (see for example also  FIGS. 4, 9 ) allows a perfect insertion of the pair of needles  21   j  of the second needle-like element  21 B below the second article  5 B, without pushes, friction or any possible interference.  
         [0055]     The forward speed of the blister band  3  and the tangential speed of the rotating element  22  are not only connected functionally (due to the step relation between the operation of the rotating element  22  and of the band  3 ), but they are also comparable so as to allow the article  5  to be introduced into the blister  4  without damages.  
         [0056]     The operation of the radial unit  21  by one step causes the introduction of the second needle-like element  21 B below the second article  5 B and the release of the first article  5 A.  
         [0057]     Obviously, the beginning of the subsequent cycle (not shown) coincides with the situation shown qualitatively in  FIG. 2 ; in fact, the radial unit  21  is motionless and holds the second article  5 B supporting also the ones situated thereabove, contained inside the associated channel  6 .  
         [0058]     The rotation of the radial unit  21  by one angular step causes the gradual sliding, without leaps (as it happens in prior art) of the articles  5 ,  5 C contained inside the associated channel  6 , protecting their integrity also in this case.  
         [0059]     The advantageous technical-functional features of the device  2  proposed by the invention allow also the partial filling of the blister band  3 , according to the production needs (e.g. preparation of free or trial samples with a reduced number of tablets), after the deactivation of one or more radial units  21  for one or more work cycles.  
         [0060]     Thus, the blister packs leaving the blistering machine  1  can contain a number of articles  5 ,  5 A,  5 B,  5 C included between zero and the number of blisters  4  made therein.  
         [0061]     The above description refers to the working of one of the groups of the device  2  for feeding the blister band  3 , each of which includes a channel  6  and associated radial unit  21  and rotating element  22 .  
         [0062]     It results in a relative shift of the rotating elements  22  keyed onto the shaft  23  equal to or different from zero, depending respectively on the perfect alignment of the blisters  4  of each row  3   h , as shown in FIGS. from  2  to  10 , or otherwise as in  FIGS. 11, 12 .  
         [0063]     In the latter case, each blister  4 A of a generic row  3   h  is offset with respect to the corresponding blister  4 E of the adjacent row by a prefixed step and is situated upstream or downstream of the remaining blisters  4 B,  4 C,  4 D of the same row  3   h  by prefixed distance, even zero (for example, between the blisters  4 B,  4 C), with respect to the forward direction AV.  
         [0064]     In this sense, pairs of blisters  4 B,  4 C, belonging to the same row  3   h  of blisters  4 A,  4 B,  4 C,  4 D, aligned crosswise, correspond to associated rotating elements  22 , all aligned, whereas pairs of blisters  4 A,  4 B, belonging to the same row  3   h  of blisters  4 A,  4 B,  4 C,  4 D, situated upstream or downstream with respect to the forward direction AV, correspond to associated rotating elements  22 , angularly moved in relation to the prefixed step and by an angle corresponding to the mutual distance of the blisters  4 A,  4 B of the pair, considered along the longitudinal extension of the blister band.  
         [0065]     The main advantage of the present invention lies in the fact that it has defined a device for feeding a blister band with various articles, such as pills, capsules, tablets, which is wholly compatible with all existing types of tablet products, from the most compact to the most friable, intended for cases, in which taking of the tablet medicines is difficult, for example children, elderly persons or persons suffering from particular pathologies.  
         [0066]     Therefore, the so conceived technical solution resolves heavy technical drawbacks of the prior art devices, reported in the introductory note, working in optimal way with a wide range of articles, theoretically without rejected items and maintaining high production rate, functionality and reliability of the blistering machine, on which it is mounted.  
         [0067]     A further advantage of the invention lies in the fact that it has conceived a device, which is extremely versatile and can be adapted to many kinds of blister bands, as it has already appeared from the description, from the ones having aligned rows of blisters,  FIG. 3 , to the ones, which have offset blisters, as shown as an indication in  FIG. 12 .  
         [0068]     Another advantage of the invention lies in the fact that it has conceived a device for feeding a blister band with various articles, such as tablets, capsules, pills, whose cost is limited with respect to the obtained results.