FILLING UNIT FOR A ROTARY PRESS AND A METHOD FOR PROVIDING AN OPTIMIZED ROTARY PRESS

Abstract

A filling unit (10) for a rotary press (12) with a filling wheel (14), a dosing wheel (24), optionally a feed wheel (30) and a medium feed unit (36), wherein the blades (22, 28, 34) of the filling wheel (14), dosing wheel (24) and/or feed wheel (30) designed as an impeller wheel (20, 26, 32), are designed in such a way that a conveying surface (40) of the respective blades (22, 28, 34) can be varied in shape, and a method for providing an optimized rotary press is proposed.

Claims

1. A filling unit (10) for a rotary press (12), the filling unit (10) comprising: a filling wheel (14) configured to fill a medium to be dosed into die bores (16) of a die disk (18) of the rotary press (12); wherein the filling wheel (14) is an impeller wheel (20) configured to convey the medium to be dosed by a rotating movement of blades (22); a dosing wheel (24) configured to dose a quantity of medium to be dosed into the respective die bores (16) of the die disk (18), wherein the dosing wheel (24) is an impeller wheel (26) configured to dose the amount of medium to be dosed by sweeping over the die bores (16) of the die disk (18) with rotating movement of blades (28); at least one medium feed unit (36) configured to feed the medium to the filling wheel (14), wherein the blades (22, 28) of the filling wheel (14) and/or dosing wheel (24) each have a conveying surface (40) with which the respective impeller wheel (20, 26) conveys the medium wherein the blades (22, 28) of the filling wheel (14) and dosing wheel (24) are configured such that a conveying surface (40) of the respective blades (22, 28) can be varied in shape, wherein the blades (22, 28) of the filling wheel (14) and/or dosing wheel (24) have a triangular or an at least partially rounded cross-section, wherein the shape of the conveying surface (40) is variable by a rotation of the blades (22, 28) of the filling wheel (14) and/or dosing wheel (24) about a respective extension axis (38), or by a variable inclination of the blades (22, 28) of the filling wheel (14) and/or dosing wheel (24) with respect to a radial direction (45) extending from an axis of rotation (42) of the respective impeller wheel (20, 26), or by a variable curvature of the blades (22, 28) of the filling wheel (14) and/or dosing wheel (24).

2. (canceled)

3. The filling unit (10) according to claim 1, wherein the blades (22, 28) of the filling wheel (14) and/or dosing wheel (24) are configured to be displaceable parallel to the axis of rotation (42) of the respective impeller wheel (20, 26).

4. The filling unit (10) according to claim 1, wherein the blades (22, 28, 34) of the filling wheel (14) and/or dosing wheel (24) have a constant cross-section along at least one region of their respective extension axis (38).

5. The filling unit (10) according to claim 1, wherein the blades (22, 28, 34) of the filling wheel (14) and/or dosing wheel (24) are configured to be exchangeable.

6. The filling unit (10) according to claim 1, wherein the filling wheel (14) and/or dosing wheel (24) each have blades (22, 28) with a different cross-section along their respective extension axis (38).

7. The filling unit (10) according to claim 1, wherein the blades (22, 28) of the filling wheel (14) and/or dosing wheel (24) are arranged in such a way that an extension of the respective extension axis (38) runs at a distance from an axis of rotation (42) of the respective impeller wheel (20, 26).

8. The filling unit (10) according to claim 1, wherein the filling unit (10) is designed in such a way that a direction of rotation and/or a speed of rotation of the filling wheel (14) and/or dosing wheel (24) can be varied.

9. The filling unit (10) according to claim 17, wherein the filling unit (10) is configured such that the feed wheel (30) can be switched into or out of a conveying path of the medium to be dosed.

10. The filling unit (10) according to claim 1, wherein the medium feed unit (36) comprises a conveying switch by which the medium to be dosed can be fed selectively to the filling wheel (14).

11. The filling unit (10) according to claim 1, wherein the filling unit (10) has at least one electric motor (50), wherein the filling wheel (14) and/or dosing wheel (24) is driven by the electric motor (50) directly or via at least one gear wheel (48), and/or wherein the rotational position of the blades (22, 28) and/or the inclination of the blades (22, 28) with respect to a radial direction (45) extending from an axis of rotation (42) of the respective impeller wheel (20, 26) is varied by the electric motor (50) directly or via at least one gear wheel (46).

12. The filling unit (10) according to claim 1, wherein the blades (22, 28) of the filling wheel (14) and/or dosing wheel (24) are designed to be rotatable by more than 180°.

13. The filling unit (10) according to claim 1, wherein the blades (22, 28) of the filling wheel (14) and/or dosing wheel (24) have a cross-section which has at least one corner and a rounded section.

14. A method of providing an optimized rotary press comprising the steps of: Providing a first rotary press (12) having an adjustable filling unit (10), the adjustable filling unit (10) having at least one element with at least one adjustable configuration parameter; Producing a plurality of tablets with the first rotary press (12) with different settings of the configuration parameter in each case; Analyzing the produced tablets for desired properties to identify a tablet with preferred properties among the produced tablets; Identifying the setting of the configuration parameter at which the tablet with preferred properties was produced; Providing at least a second rotary press having an optimized filling unit, the optimized filling unit having at least one element with a fixed predetermined configuration parameter at which the tablet with preferred properties was produced, wherein the adjustable filling unit is a filling unit (10) according to claim 1.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the adjustable configuration parameter is a direction of rotation or a speed of rotation of the filling wheel (14) and/or dosing wheel (24), or a shape of the conveying surfaces (40) of the blades (22, 28), a shape of the conveying surfaces (40) being varied by a rotation of the blades (22, 28) about their respective extension axis (38), or by an inclination of the blades (22, 28) with respect to a radial direction (45) extending from the axis of rotation (42) of the respective impeller wheel (20, 26), or by varying a curvature of the blades (22, 28).

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein in the step of Producing tablets with the first rotary press (12), the settings for several configuration parameters are changed simultaneously.

17. The filling unit (10) according to claim 1, further comprising a feed wheel (30) configured to feed the medium to be dosed to the filling wheel (14), wherein the feed wheel (30) is an impeller wheel (32) configured to convey the medium to be fed to the filling wheel (14) by a rotating movement of blades (34).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0067] Further features, details and advantages of the invention are apparent from the wording of the claims and from the following description of embodiments based on the drawings. Showing:

[0068] FIG. 1 a side view of a rotary press with a filling unit;

[0069] FIG. 2 a top view of the filling unit with a die disk according to FIG. 1;

[0070] FIG. 3 a perspective view of a further embodiment of the filling unit;

[0071] FIG. 4 a perspective view of a further embodiment of the filling unit;

[0072] FIG. 5 a perspective view of a further embodiment of the filling unit;

[0073] FIG. 6 a section of a perspective view of the filling unit according to FIG. 5 from another perspective;

[0074] FIG. 7 a perspective view of a filling wheel, dosing wheel and feed wheel designed as an impeller wheel together with gear wheels;

[0075] FIG. 8 a perspective view of an impeller wheel according to FIG. 7;

[0076] FIG. 9 a perspective view of a further embodiment of the impeller wheel;

[0077] FIG. 10 a perspective view of a further embodiment of the impeller wheel;

[0078] FIG. 11 a perspective view of a further embodiment of the impeller wheel, and

[0079] FIG. 12 a flow diagram of a method for providing an optimized rotary press.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0080] In the following description and in the figures, the corresponding components and elements have the same reference signs. For the sake of clarity, not all reference signs are shown in all figures.

[0081] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a rotary press 12 with a filling unit 10. The medium to be dosed, i.e. the powder to be pressed into the tablets, enters the rotary press 12 via a hopper 13. After the tablets have been pressed, they are conveyed out of the rotary press 12 via the discharge chute 15.

[0082] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the filling unit 10 with a die disk 18 according to FIG. 1. The die disk 18 has several die bores 16 arranged on a circular path, into which the medium to be compressed into the tablets is dosed by means of the filling unit 10.

[0083] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of the filling unit 10. The medium to be dosed is supplied to a filling wheel 14 via the medium feed unit 36. In the present case, the medium feed unit 36 is designed as a straight pipe.

[0084] The filling wheel 14 is designed as an impeller wheel 20 with blades 22. The filling wheel 14 conveys the medium to be dosed into the die bores 16 of the metering disk 18. This is done by rotating the filling wheel 14 about its axis of rotation 42 (indicated by a dashed line).

[0085] The amount of medium to be dosed in the die bores 16 of the die disk 18 is precisely dosed by means of a dosing wheel 24. The dosing wheel is designed as an impeller wheel 26 with blades 28. This is done by rotating the dosing wheel 24 about its axis of rotation 42 (indicated by a dashed line). In the process, the die bores 16 are swept by the blades 28 of the dosing wheel 24 so that excess medium is removed and a precisely defined quantity of medium remains in the die bores 16.

[0086] The amount of medium remaining in a die bore 16 is then compressed into a tablet. This can be realized, for example, by means of a lower and/or upper stamps which are moved relative to each other (not shown).

[0087] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of the filling unit 10. Analogous to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the filling unit 10 shown has a filling wheel 14 and a dosing wheel 24. In the present embodiment, the die disk 18 with the die bores 16 is not shown. In this embodiment, the filling unit 10 also has a feed wheel 30.

[0088] The medium feed unit 36 feeds the medium to be dosed to the feed wheel 30. The feed wheel 30 is designed as an impeller wheel 32 with blades 34. The medium to be dosed is fed to a filling wheel 14 by means of the feed wheel 30. This is done by rotating the feed wheel 30 around its axis of rotation 42 (indicated by a dashed line).

[0089] The feed wheel 30 is arranged on a pivoting device 33. The pivoting device 33 and thus also the feed wheel 30 can be pivoted about the pivot axis 35. In the present case, the pivot axis 35 and the axis of rotation 42 of the dosing wheel 24 are identical. Thus, the feed wheel 30 can be pivoted out of the conveying path of the medium or pivoted into the conveying path of the medium.

[0090] The medium conveying path shown is via the medium feed unit 36, which feeds the medium to the feed wheel 30. This conveys the medium to the filling wheel 14 by rotating about its axis of rotation 42. The filling wheel 14 fills the die bores 16 (not shown) by rotating about its axis of rotation 42 (not shown). Subsequently, the medium filled in the die bores 16 is precisely dosed in by sweeping over it with the blades 28 of the dosing wheel 24. This is also accomplished by rotating the dosing wheel 24 about its axis of rotation 42.

[0091] If the feed wheel 30 is pivoted out of the conveying path about the pivot axis 35, the conveying path of the medium then runs over the medium feed unit 36, which feeds the medium directly to the filling wheel 14. The medium is then filled into the die bores by the filling wheel and then precisely dosed in by the dosing wheel 24 (see above).

[0092] Alternatively or in addition to the pivoting device 33, the medium feed unit 36 can have a conveying switch (not shown) which optionally feeds the medium either directly to the feed wheel 30 or to the filling wheel 14. In this way, it is possible to select between a conveying path with the feed wheel 30 and a conveying path without the feed wheel 30, without the feed wheel 30 having to be pivoted out of the conveying path for this purpose.

[0093] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of the filling unit 10. In this case, the filling wheel 14, the feed wheel 30 and the dosing wheel 24 are not shown covered by a cover 51.

[0094] Six electric motors 50, which are in the form of servomotors 52, are shown here. In each case, two servomotors 52 are arranged opposite each other. Whereby each servo motor 52 can be controlled or operated individually and independently of the remaining servo motors 52. The servo motors 52 may be formed as a servo motor group which is formed as an interchangeable element. For example, the three upper servomotors 52 in FIG. 5 may form one replacement element and the three lower servomotors 52 in FIG. 5 may form another replacement element. For example, in the event of a defect, the servomotors 52 can be quickly and easily replaced.

[0095] FIG. 6 shows a section of a perspective view of the filling unit 10 according to FIG. 5 from another perspective. Here, the cover 51 is not shown, so that the filling wheel 14, the feed wheel 30 and the dosing wheel 24, which are hidden in FIG. 5, can be seen.

[0096] The filling wheel 14, the feed wheel 30 and the dosing wheel 24 are coupled to the servomotors 52 by means of gear wheels 46, 48. A torque can be transmitted from the respective servomotor 52 to the filling wheel 14, feed wheel 30 or dosing wheel 24 by means of the gear wheels 46, 48. The transmitted torque can then be used to rotate the filling wheel 14, the feed wheel 30 and/or the dosing wheel 24 designed as an impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 and/or can be used to adjust the rotational position, the inclination and/or the curvature of the blades 22, 28, 34 of the corresponding impeller wheel 20, 26, 32.

[0097] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a filling wheel 14, dosing wheel 24 and feed wheel 30 together with gear wheels 46, 48. Six servomotors 52 are indicated by dashed lines. Here, the torque of three servomotors 52 arranged at the top in FIG. 7 is transmitted in each case to a first gear wheel 46. This meshes with a second gear wheel 46 and the second gear wheel 46 meshes with a third gear wheel 46, which is arranged on the filling wheel 14, dosing wheel 24 or feed wheel 30. Correspondingly, the torque from the three remaining servo motors 52 (servo motors 52 arranged at the bottom in FIG. 7) is each transmitted to a first gear wheel 48. This meshes with a second gear wheel 48 and the second gear wheel 48 meshes with a third gear wheel 48, which is arranged on the filling wheel 14, dosing wheel 24 and feed wheel 30, respectively. Thus, the torque of the respective servo motor 52 is transmitted to the filling wheel 14, the dosing wheel 24, and the feed wheel 30, respectively.

[0098] FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of an impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 according to FIG. 7. The impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 shown can be a filling wheel 14, feed wheel 30 or a dosing wheel 24.

[0099] The impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 has an axis of rotation 42 about which the filling wheel 20, 26, 32 can be rotated. The impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 has ten blades 22, 28, 34. Presently, the blades 22, 28, 34 extend along a radial direction 45 extending radially outwardly from the axis of rotation 42 and perpendicular to the axis of rotation 42. The blades 22, 28, 34 have an extension axis 38 that corresponds to the longitudinal axis of the blades 22, 28, 34.

[0100] In the present case, the blades 22, 28, 34 have a triangular cross-section, with one corner of the triangle representing the lower edge of the respective blade 22, 28,34 in the position shown.

[0101] The impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 has an upper gear wheel 46 and a lower gear wheel 48, wherein the impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 and the two gear wheels 46, 48 each have the same axis of rotation 42, i.e. are arranged coaxially to one another. The impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 is designed to be rotatable via the lower gear wheel 48. This can be realized, for example, by coupling the lower gear wheel 48 and the impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 in a rotationally fixed manner.

[0102] When the impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 is rotated, it rotates about the axis of rotation 42 and conveys the medium located between the individual blades 22, 28,34 with a respective conveying surface 40.

[0103] Via the upper gear wheel 46, the blades 22, 28,34 can be rotated about their respective extension axis 38. It is also conceivable that the height (displacement parallel to the axis of rotation 42), the inclination and/or the curvature of the blades 22, 28,34 can be changed via the gear wheel 46. The elements required for this, for example in the form of corresponding mechanics and/or electrics, can be arranged in a body 49 of the impeller wheel 20, 26, 32.

[0104] The lower gear wheel 48 is arranged between the upper gear wheel 46 and the impeller wheel 20, 26, 32. Of course, it is conceivable that the upper gear wheel 46 is arranged between the lower gear wheel 48 and the impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 or that the functions of the upper and lower gear wheel 46, 48 are interchanged.

[0105] FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of the impeller wheel 26, 32. In this case, the impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 has straight blades 22, 28, 34 with a foursquare (square) cross-section.

[0106] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of the impeller wheel 26, 32. An impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 with inclined blades 22, 28, 34 is shown here. The extension of the respective extension axis 38 of the blades 22, 28, 34 (indicated by dashed lines) does not intersect the center point of the impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 marked as “x” and designated by the reference number 47. The respective extension axis 38 or its extension is thus arranged at a distance from the center point 47.

[0107] In an impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 having a variable inclination, the blades 22, 28, 34 can be adjusted such that the angle between the extension axis 38 (or extension thereof) of the respective blade 22, 28, 34 and the radial direction 45 can be varied. For example, a blade 54 can be moved from its sketched first arrangement 56 to a second arrangement 58 indicated by a dashed line. As can be clearly seen, the angle between the blade 54 in the first arrangement 56 and the radial direction 45 is a different (greater) angle than that between the blade 54 in the second arrangement 58 and the radial direction 45. Varying the inclination is indicated here by a double arrow.

[0108] FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of the impeller wheel 26, 32. The present embodiment of the impeller wheel 20, 26,32 has blades 22, 28, 34 with a curvature. The blades 22, 28,34 each have a first section 60 in which the blades 22, 28,34 extend along the radial direction 45 (i.e., straight radially outward). Adjacent to the first section 60 is a second section 62 that is curved with respect to the radial direction 45. The second section 62 is followed by a third section 64, which is again straight (analogous to the first section 60).

[0109] A possible variable curvature of the blades 22, 28, 34 of the impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 is indicated (analogous to FIG. 10) by a double arrow and a first arrangement 66 and a second arrangement 68 (indicated by dashed lines) of the blade 70. In the present case, the outer diameter of the impeller wheel 20, 26, 32 is also changed by varying the curvature. A stronger curvature of the blades 22, 28, 34 with respect to the radial direction 45 causes a smaller outer diameter of the impeller wheel 20, 26, 32. A smaller curvature of the blades 22, 28, 34 with respect to the radial direction 45 causes a larger outer diameter of the impeller wheel 20, 26, 32.

[0110] FIG. 12 shows a flow diagram of a method for providing an optimized rotary press.

[0111] Here, the method step of providing a first rotary press 12 having an adjustable filling unit 10, wherein the adjustable filling unit 10 includes at least one element having at least one adjustable configuration parameter is denoted by reference numeral 72.

[0112] The subsequent method step of producing multiple tablets with the first rotary press 12, each with different settings of the configuration parameter, is denoted by the reference numeral 74.

[0113] This method step 74 can be performed any number of times with any number of different configuration parameters.

[0114] After the tablets have been produced, the method step of analyzing the produced tablets for desired properties, in particular quality characteristics, follows in order to identify a tablet with preferred properties among the produced tablets. This method step is designated by the reference number 76 in FIG. 12.

[0115] The method step of identifying the configuration parameter setting at which the tablet with preferred properties was produced is identified by reference numeral 78.

[0116] The final method step of providing at least a second rotary press with an optimized filling unit, wherein the optimized filling unit comprises at least one element with a fixed predetermined configuration parameter, in which the tablet with preferred properties has been produced, is marked with the reference number 80. It is also conceivable that, as an alternative or in addition to providing a second rotary press, the first rotary press can be converted into a rotary press with an optimized filling unit.

[0117] The flow diagram shown in FIG. 12 is intended in particular to illustrate the chronological sequence of the individual method steps 72, 74, 76, 78 and 80. The method steps 72, 74, 76, 78 and 80 are carried out one after the other in the sequence shown in the flow diagram.

[0118] However, it is also conceivable that a method step is repeated any number of times before a next method step is carried out.