Patent Application
20100115892
1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to packaging machines and, more particularly, to an automated packaging machine for filling containers with pills, and associated method.
2. Description of Related Art
Pharmaceutical medicines and associated packaging apparatus are typically subject to relatively strict consumer protection guidelines. For example, pills, capsules, and the like, must be produced and packaged in such a way as to at least meet the minimum sterility requirements mandated by federal regulations. In addition, the pills should be delivered into the packaging such that the contents accurately meet the claimed labeling “count”, i.e., each package includes exactly the predetermined number of pills. Notwithstanding the above, it is also desired to package the product in a mass production operation to offset costs typically attributed to a labor intensive operation in order to provide an economic product.
In the past, pill filling machines have been proposed that provide automated bottle counts by filling a hopper with pills and causing a plurality of the pills to be caught by a pill capturing device, such as an array of rotary slats. The rotary slats drop the captured pills into a plurality of bottles disposed in alignment with the dropping pills. The bottles are distributed along an endless conveyor belt that is timed to advance and stop the bottles according to the filling operation.
Conventional pill capturing devices more particularly include a series of rotary slats each configured to receive, hold, and move a plurality of capsules or pills along a closed path. The rotary slats are typically discs fixed on a rotatable shaft and have a plurality of openings in the outer peripheral edge portion thereof for capturing individual pills. Accordingly, the closed path is arcuate and generally disposed between a pill hopper and discharge area above the conveyor belt. By the rotary action of the slat, the pills move in a direction normal to the conveyor belt. The pill capturing device then generally discharges the pills by rotating the slats, which move corresponding to the closed path, such that the pills fall out of the respective openings at the filling station. The pills are often funneled through a chute that empties into a corresponding bottle.
The “count,” or number of pills in the bottle, is determined by positioning the bottles in the pill dropping zone for a predetermined time. The duration of the filling operation for each bottle corresponds to the number of openings in each slat that the machine is capable of delivering to the bottles per unit of time. The duration of the filling operation, speed of the rotary slats, and configuration of the pill capturing device are used to calculate the count.
Unfortunately, if the pill capturing device fails to capture a pill in each and every cavity or receptacle, or if a pill should mistakenly be diverted, at least one of the bottles can be improperly filled. The conventional solution to this problem is to situate an operator adjacent to the slats to ensure that each receptacle is filled with a pill. If a pill is missing, the operator manually places a pill in the receptacle. Such an approach involves labor costs and can be unsatisfactory for sterility purposes. In addition, the accuracy of the count of each bottle is largely determined by the operator and, as such, a fully and consistently accurate count cannot be guaranteed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,901 to Aylward, which is incorporated herein by reference, provides an exemplary solution to this problem by way of a machine with independently driven rotary slats. The pills are allowed to fall into an exterior receptacle of a rotary slat and, in one embodiment, passed under a rotary brush in an attempt to prevent two pills from being disposed in the same receptacle. A separate counting device is associated with each rotary slat for counting each pill as it falls from the slat into the container. A positive count is provided for each container and improperly filled slats will not affect the total count for that container. If a particular container has a low count, the respective slat can be further rotated to fill the container. Because the slats are independently driven, the other slats can remain stationary to prevent overfilling. Thus, the machine permits an accurate filling of each bottle.
One alternative apparatus is a rotatable drum, as provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,439 to List. The rotatable drum includes a plurality of parallel rows of throughgoing holes that constitute receptacles for dragees. The dragees enter the receptacles in the drum from the interior of the drum at an inner input location, exit to the exterior of the drum at an outer retrieval location, and are filled into bottles. An ordering device facilitates the entry of the dragees into the receptacles, and feeler blades engage the receptacles. If any of the receptacles in an axially extending row do not contain a dragee, one of the feeler blades actuates a bolt pusher, which prevents any of the dragees in the row from being filled into the bottles. Instead, a solenoid and knockout bar empty the receptacles of the row. By preventing the bottles to be filled from partially filled rows of receptacles, the apparatus prevents the different bottles from being filled at different rates.
Undesirably, the additional mechanical components that are required for emptying the partially filled rows of apertures increase the complexity, cost, and likelihood of failure of the apparatus. Additionally, emptying the partially filled rows slows the process of filling the bottles because no pills are dispensed from those rows.
Accordingly, there is a great need for a packaging apparatus which provides an accurate count for each container and operates at a high speed. The apparatus should require a minimum of operator intervention. Additionally, the apparatus should be cost effective, both in initial cost and maintenance costs.
The above and other needs are met by aspects of the present invention which, according to one aspect, provides an automated packaging apparatus for depositing a predetermined amount of pills into each of a series of containers. Such an apparatus comprises at least one rotary slat, wherein each rotary slat is configured as a cylinder independently rotatable in a rotational direction about a first axis extending longitudinally therethrough and comprises a radially inward portion and a radially outward portion. The radially outward portion defines a plurality of pill apertures therein, wherein each pill aperture is adapted to receive a pill from a plurality of pills disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the respective cylinder. The pills are received by the pill apertures at a first angular position of the at least one rotary slat. A negative pressure system is operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the at least one rotary slat and is configured to be in fluid communication with the pill apertures thereof. The negative pressure system is configured to apply a negative pressure to the pill apertures so as to retain the pills therein, as the at least one rotary slat rotates about the first axis. An ejection device is operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the at least one rotary slat and is configured to be in communication with the pill apertures thereof at a second angular position. The second angular position is angularly spaced apart from the first angular position in the rotational direction, so as to eject the respective pills from the pill apertures outwardly of the radially outward portion. A collection mechanism is disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the at least one rotary slat about the second angular position, wherein the collection mechanism is configured to collect the pills ejected from the pill apertures of the at least one rotary slat and to direct the pills toward the series of containers for deposition therein.
Another aspect provides an automated packaging apparatus for depositing a predetermined amount of pills into each of a series of containers. Such an apparatus comprises a rotary drum configured as a cylinder rotatable in a rotational direction about a first axis extending longitudinally therethrough and comprising a radially inward portion and a radially outward portion. The radially outward portion defines a plurality of pill apertures therein, wherein each pill aperture is adapted to receive a pill from a plurality of pills disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the rotary drum, and wherein the pills are received by the pill apertures at a first angular position of the rotary drum. A negative pressure system is operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the rotary drum and is configured to be in fluid communication with the pill apertures thereof. The negative pressure system is configured to apply a negative pressure to the pill apertures so as to retain the pills therein, as the rotary drum rotates about the first axis. An ejection device is operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the rotary drum and is configured to be in communication with the pill apertures thereof at a second angular position. The second angular position is angularly spaced apart from the first angular position in the rotational direction, so as to eject the respective pills from the pill apertures outwardly of the radially outward portion. A collection mechanism is disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the rotary drum about the second angular position, wherein the collection mechanism is configured to collect the pills ejected from the pill apertures of the rotary drum and to direct the pills toward the series of containers for deposition therein.
Yet another aspect comprises a method for depositing a predetermined amount of pills into each of a series of containers. Such a method comprises receiving a pill in each of a plurality of pill apertures defined by a radially outward portion of at least one rotary slat, about a first angular position thereof, wherein each rotary slat is configured as a cylinder independently rotatable in a rotational direction about a first axis extending longitudinally therethrough, from a plurality of pills disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the respective cylinder. A negative pressure is applied to the plurality of pill apertures with a negative pressure system operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the at least one rotary slat and configured to be in fluid communication with the pill apertures, so as to retain the pills within the pill apertures, as the at least one rotary slat rotates about the first axis. The pills are ejected from the pill apertures at a second angular position of the at least one rotary slat, wherein the second angular position is angularly spaced apart from the first angular position in the rotational direction, and the pills ejected outwardly of the radially outward portion, with an ejection mechanism operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the at least one rotary slat and configured to be in communication with the pill apertures at the second angular position. The pills ejected from the pill apertures of the at least one rotary slat are collected, and directed toward the series of containers for deposition therein, with a collection mechanism disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the at least one rotary slat about the second angular position.
A further aspect comprises a method for depositing a predetermined amount of pills into each of a series of containers. Such a method comprises receiving a pill in each of a plurality of pill apertures defined by a radially outward portion of a rotary drum, about a first angular position thereof, wherein the rotary drum is configured as a cylinder rotatable in a rotational direction about a first axis extending longitudinally therethrough, from a plurality of pills disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the rotary drum. A negative pressure is applied to the plurality of pill apertures with a negative pressure system operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the rotary drum and configured to be in fluid communication with the pill apertures, so as to retain the pills within the pill apertures, as the rotary drum rotates about the first axis. The pills are ejected from the pill apertures at a second angular position of the rotary drum, wherein the second angular position is angularly spaced apart from the first angular position in the rotational direction, outwardly of the radially outward portion, with an ejection mechanism operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the rotary drum and configured to be in communication with the pill apertures at the second angular position. The pills ejected from the pill apertures of the rotary drum are collected, and directed toward the series of containers for deposition therein, with a collection mechanism disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the rotary drum about the second angular position.
Thus, embodiments of the present invention include a packaging apparatus and associated method providing an accurate count of pills dispensed to each container. Such an apparatus requires a minimum of operator intervention, and can operate at a high speed. Additionally, such an apparatus is cost effective, both in initial cost and maintenance cost.
Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, wherein:
The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
The present invention is generally directed to a pill handling apparatus 10, such as an automated packaging machine. Such a pill handling apparatus can be used for dispensing pills into containers, as discussed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,901 to Aylward, and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,429 to Aylward, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In other embodiments, such a pill handling apparatus can be used for other handling operations, besides pill packaging, such as transporting pills during manufacture, inspection, or the like. As illustrated in
As shown in
In one particular aspect, as shown in
As shown in
In some instances, a controller or controller device (not shown) may also be in communication with a level sensor (not shown) within the containment area 75, and a reservoir gate switch (not shown) controlling a reservoir gate (not shown) disposed between the reservoir 14 and the containment area 75 (i.e., along the chute 14a). The level sensor may be configured to detect the quantity of pills 12 in the containment area 75 and to communicate a corresponding value or signal to the controller so as to appropriately control the feed of the pills from the reservoir 14 via the reservoir gate/reservoir gate switch. For example, the level sensor can detect the level of pills 12 in the containment area 75 associated with the rotary drum 18A and, when the controller detects that the level of pills 12 is below the desired level, the controller signals the reservoir gate switch to open the reservoir gate to release more pills from the reservoir 14 toward the containment area 75. By opening and closing the reservoir gate, the controller maintains a desired number of pills 12 within the containment area 75. The desired level of pills 12 may thus be adjusted, for example, to optimize the seating of pills 12 in the pill apertures 22 and/or to prevent loss, wear or breaking of the pills 12 caused by overfilling of the containment area 75.
As shown in
In some embodiments, a negative pressure or vacuum assembly 90 (see, e.g.,
Thus, pills 12 deposited into the containment area 75 are urged toward receipt and capture by the apertures 22 because of the air currents and pressure differentials present at the apertures 22 due to the suction imparted by the vacuum assembly 90 via the interior portion 95. In some cases, the pills, once seated in the receptacles, partially or entirely block the air passages 22A. Thus, these descriptions relate to configurations wherein each seated pill completely seals the receiving receptacle to prevent further air flow, configurations wherein each seated pill partially seals the receiving receptacle to limit further air flow, and configurations wherein air flow is permitted without significant reduction by a pill seated in a receptacle.
As the rotary drum 18A rotates in the rotational direction, one or more of the pill-containing apertures 22 arrives at the release or second angular position. However, the pills 12 remain retained in the apertures 22 due to the suction imparted thereto by the negative pressure system 90. As such, aspects of the present invention further comprise an ejection device/mechanism 100 configured to eject the pills 12 from the apertures 22 disposed at the second angular position. In one instance, the ejection mechanism 100 may comprise, for example, an air emission device operably engaged with the interior portion 95 of the rotary drum 18A at the second angular position (i.e., at the “six o'clock” position). The air emission device 100 may be configured to be capable of communicating with the apertures 22 at the second angular position via the respective channels 22A, wherein the air emitted thereby may be positively pressurized so as to at least negate the suction provided by the negative pressure system 90. In this manner, upon actuation of the air emission device 100, the suction is at least negated with respect to the selected aperture 22, wherein the pill 12 may thus be non-contactingly ejected therefrom. However, in some instances, it may be desirable to effect a more positive ejection of the pill 12 from the aperture 22, for example, such that the ejected pill is not pulled back into the aperture 22 by the suction, or such that a positive pill dispensation can be achieved, so as to increase the overall pill packaging rate. As such, the air emission device 100 may be configured, in some instances, to provide the air at a positive pressure sufficient to overcome the effect of the suction imparted to the apertures 22 (i.e., the positive pressure of the air supplied by the air emission device 100 is greater in magnitude than the suction imparted to the apertures 22) whereby the pill 12 is positively ejected from the respective aperture 22 at the second angular position. Such a configuration may also provide a positive pill count pill packaging apparatus 10 wherein a pill 12 is not released (and indeed must be individually and affirmatively selected or otherwise independently targeted for release) from the aperture 22 of the rotary drum 18A, unless that pill count is needed. Even then, the positive ejection of the pill can be expediently and simply achieved by actuation of the air emission device 100 (as compared, for example, to the multiple rotary slat configuration in which individual slats must be rotated in order to achieve the desired pill count). Thus, overfill and/or undercount situations with respect to the number of pills 12 dispensed into each container 16 can be reduced, minimized, or otherwise eliminated.
The air emission device 100 may be configured, for example, as a parallel collection of supply tubes (not shown) corresponding to the number of rows 21 of apertures 22 defined by the rotary drum 18A, wherein each supply tube would extend into the interior portion 95 of the rotary drum 18A to a position in which the respective supply tube is capable of communicating with a channel 22A leading to a pill-containing aperture 22 at the second angular position. A collection of valves, corresponding to the number of supply tubes, may be disposed outside of the rotary drum 18A and in communication with the respective supply tube, wherein selective control of the collection of valves may accomplish the selective pill dispensation from the apertures 22, as disclosed herein. In other instances, the air emission device 100 may comprise, for instance, a single manifold device extending into the interior portion 95 of the rotary drum 18A. In such instances, the collection of valves may be engaged with the manifold device within the interior portion 95, with the manifold device otherwise being capable of communicating with the channels 22A leading to a pill-containing apertures 22 at the second angular position, via the collection of valves. Selective control of the collection of valves engaged with the manifold may thus also accomplish the selective pill dispensation from the apertures 22, as disclosed herein. In either instance, the collection of supply tubes or the manifold device may be configured to be in communication with a positive pressure source (not shown) for receiving positively pressurized air therefrom.
Further, since the ejection device 100 may be configured to provide a positive count and selective ejection of the pills 12 from the apertures 22, particular schemes for filling the respective containers 16 may be implemented. In one instance, the pill handling apparatus 10 may be further configured to include a collection mechanism 62 disposed about the radially outward portion 20 of the rotary drum 18A about the second angular position. Such a collection mechanism may comprise, for example, a chute member 62 extending between the rotary drum 18A at the second angular position, and a container 16 to be filled with pills 12. According to one aspect, a single container 16 may be provided with pills 12 through one or more chute members 62 collecting pills 12 from one or more rows 21 of apertures 22. That is, a chute member 62 may extend across and collect pills 12 from more than one row 21 of apertures 22. In some instances, such “grouped” rows 21 of apertures 22 may communicate with a single container 16 through a single chute member 62 and thereby possibly increase machine throughput (i.e., by increasing the fill rate). For example, each container 16 aligned adjacent to the radially outward portion 20 of the rotary drum 18A at the second angular position can be provided with pills 12 (whether simultaneously between the containers 16 or not) by a single chute member 62 extending across a plurality of rows 21 of apertures 22 (i.e., four rows). In such an instance, the ejection device 100 may be configured so as to be selectively actuatable for each of the four rows (i.e., individual valves extending from a manifold or affecting individual supply lines).
However, in other instances, the ejection device 100 may be configured so as to be selectively actuatable for three of the four rows, simultaneously, and the separately selectively actuatable for the fourth row of apertures 22. For example, three of the four rows of apertures 22 may share a single actuatable valve, whereby actuation of the valve ejects three pills 12 simultaneously from an aperture 22 in each of those three rows. The fourth and last row may have a separately actuatable valve associated therewith for selectively ejecting pills 12 from the apertures 22 in that fourth row. In this manner, a “coarse fill” function could be provided by simultaneously actuating both valves for ejecting pills 12 from all four rows into the chute member 62 and toward the container 16. Once the pill count approaches the desired number of pills 12 dispensed into the container 16, or if an undercount situation is detected, the actuation of the valve associated with the three rows can be discontinued, and the valve associated with the single row can continue to be selectively actuated so as to provided one pill at a time (i.e., a “fine fill” function), until the desired full count of pills 12 in the container 16 is attained (i.e., prevent “overfilling” of the container 16).
As illustrated in
As further shown in
In order to position empty containers 16 for receiving the pills 12 from the rotary drum 18A, and moving the filled containers 16 away therefrom for further processing or packaging, the pill handling apparatus 10 may further include a conveyor system or conveying device 70 operably engaged therewith for handling the containers 16. For example, the containers 16 can be supported by a conveyor belt 70 (
Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. For example, one skilled in the art will appreciate that, while the illustrated vacuum assembly 90 is used to maintain the pills 12 in the apertures 22 between the first and second angular positions, a shroud or cover can be additionally provided about the radially outward portion 20 of the rotary drum 18A, extending at least between the first and second angular positions for preventing the release of the pills 12 from the apertures 22 therebetween.
In addition, for instance, the collection mechanism 62 may further comprise a selectively actuatable stop gate 110, in some embodiments, disposed within the chute member 62, following the chute member 62, or otherwise operably engaged with the chute member 62, after the pills 12 directed through the chute member 62 are counted by the pill-counting device(s) 64 and/or inspection device(s) 52 and before the pills 12 are deposited within the container 16. In this manner, when the desired pill count is reached for the container(s) 16 corresponding to the chute member 62, the stop gate 110 may be actuated to interrupt the delivery path to the container 16 and accumulate pills 12 dispensed from the rotary drum 18A and counted by the pill-counting device 64/inspection device 52, while the conveyor system/conveying device 70 moves another container 16 into registration with the chute member 62 for accepting pills 12. Once the next container 16 is in registration with the chute member 62, the stop gate 110 can then be de-actuated, to re-open the pill delivery path through the chute member 62 and to release the counted and accumulated pills 12 into the container 16. As such, the actuatable stop gate 110 associated with the chute member 62 for overlapping the pill counting and container indexing functions, may serve to increase the throughput of the pill handling apparatus 10 since the dispensing function of the rotary drum 18A/ejection device 100 may not have to be halted while the conveying device 70 moves a new container 16 or series of containers 16 into registration with the collection mechanism(s) 62. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
