Abstract
A feeding system for feeding a powder material to a moving powder mass includes a moving device structured to move the powder mass along a movement direction and a feeding reservoir that is structured to provide the powder material to be fed to the moving mass. The feeding reservoir includes a plurality of feeding openings dimensioned for feeding the powder material to the moving powder mass. At least some of the plurality of feeding openings being arranged along the movement direction of the moving powder mass.
Claims
1-18. (canceled)
19. A feeding system for feeding a powder material to a moving powder mass comprising: a moving device configured to move the powder mass along a movement direction; and a feeding reservoir configured to provide the powder material to be fed to the moving mass, the feeding reservoir comprises, a plurality of feeding openings dimensioned for feeding the powder material to the moving powder mass, wherein at least some of the plurality of feeding openings are arranged along the movement direction of the moving powder mass.
20. The feeding system according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of feeding openings are arranged above at least one inlet of the moving device, and wherein the powder material is fed through the plurality of feeding openings into the moving powder mass.
21. The feeding system according to claim 19, wherein the feeding reservoir comprises more than two feeding openings arranged along a line following the direction of the movement of the moving powder mass.
22. The feeding system according to claim 19, wherein at least some of the plurality of the feeding openings are arranged along an axis that intersects the movement direction of the moving powder mass.
23. The feeding system according to claim 19, wherein the feeding reservoir further comprises a mechanical interaction device configured to mechanically interact with the powder material before feeding the powder material to the moving powder mass.
24. The feeding system according to claim 23, wherein the mechanical interaction device comprises a rotating element arranged in the feeding reservoir.
25. The feeding system according to claim 24, wherein the rotating element rotates in at least one of: (i) a single direction; (ii) an oscillating manner; (iii) a continuous manner; and (iv) an intermittent manner.
26. The feeding system according to claim 24, wherein a speed of the rotating element is configured to be adjusted in order to control a feeding rate of the powder material to the moving powder mass.
27. The feeding system according to claim 24, wherein the rotating element comprises a rotating brush.
28. The feeding system according to claim 27, wherein the rotating brush comprises flexible bristles, wherein during a rotation of the rotating brush, the flexible bristled contact an inner wall of the feeding reservoir that comprises the plurality of feeding openings, and wherein at least some of the flexible bristles enter and exit the plurality of feeding openings during the rotation of the rotating brush.
29. The feeding system according to claim 19, wherein the feeding reservoir further comprises a flow aid configured to aid a flow of the powder material to the plurality of feeding openings.
30. The feeding system according to claim 29, wherein the flow aid comprises: at least one movable paddle; and a drive configured to move the movable paddle in the powder material before feeding the powder material to the moving powder mass.
31. The feeding system according to claim 29, wherein the flow aid comprises a vibrating device configured to vibrate the feeding reservoir.
32. The feeding system according to claim 19, further comprising an ionizing device positioned downstream of the plurality of feeding openings and before the powder material is fed into the moving powder mass.
33. The feeding system according to claim 19, wherein the moving device comprises a blending device configured to blend the powder material with the moving powder mass.
34. The feeding system according to claim 19, further comprising a fluidizing device configured to fluidizing the moving powder mass.
35. The feeding system according to claim 19, wherein the feeding system is a continuous feeding system configured to continuously feed the powder material to the moving powder mass.
36. A system for continuous production of solid dosage forms in direct processing, comprising the feeding system according to claim 19, wherein the system comprises: an outlet for the moving powder mass including the powder material; a production machine comprising a production machine inlet connected with the outlet of the feeding system; and a production machine outlet configured to output solid dosage forms produced in the production machine.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0037] Embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.
[0038] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an embodiment of a system for continuous processing of solid dosage forms in direct processing.
[0039] FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view of a portion of the system shown in FIG. 1.
[0040] FIG. 3 illustrates an enlarged perspective view of an embodiment of a feeding system of embodiment of FIG. 2.
[0041] FIG. 4 illustrates another perspective view of the embodiment of the feeding system shown in FIG. 3.
[0042] FIG. 5 illustrates the embodiment of the feeding system shown in FIG. 3 with a front wall removed.
[0043] FIG. 6 illustrates a further embodiment of the feeding system shown FIG. 5.
[0044] FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a brush for the embodiment of the feeding system shown in FIG. 3.
[0045] FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of a brush for the embodiment of the feeding system shown in FIG. 3.
[0046] FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of a brush for the embodiment of the feeding system shown in FIG. 3.
[0047] FIG. 10 illustrates a perspective view of a further embodiment of a brush for the embodiment of the feeding system shown in FIG. 3.
[0048] In the drawings the same reference numerals shall denote the same components.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0049] An embodiment of a system for continuous production of solid dosage forms in direct processing is shown in FIG. 1 and comprises a feeding and blending system 10 and a production machine 12, for example a tablet press, such as a rotary tablet press, or a capsule filling machine. The production machine 12 comprises an inlet 14 which is connected with a duct 16 of a product conveying device conveying a product mixture from the feeding and blending system 10 to the inlet 14 of the production machine 12, where the product mixture is continuously processed to solid dosage forms, such as tablets or capsules. The produced solid dosage forms are discharged via an outlet 18 of the production machine 12. The production machine 12 comprises a housing 20 with a window 22. The feeding and blending system 10 comprise a system housing 24 with two doors 26 which may be opened to access the internal components. The system shown in FIG. 1 is a one floor arrangement where the feeding and blending system 10 and the production machine 12 are provided on the same level, in particular the same floor level.
[0050] The system shown in FIG. 1 comprises a plurality of inlets at the top of the system housing 24 of the feeding and blending system 10. Referring to FIG. 2, the inlets are connected with a plurality of feeders 28 which are connected with inlets 30 of a funnel 32, said funnel 32 with its lower side opening being connected with an inlet 34 of a blending tube 36 of a blending device 38, said blending device 38 being a moving device 38 for moving the powder mass fed by the feeders 28 via funnel 32 along the longitudinal direction of the blending tube 36 while at the same time blending the powder mass. To this end, at least one blending screw can be arranged in the blending tube 36, said blending screw being rotated by at least one drive 39. The blending tube 36 in the example shown is arranged along a horizontal line and comprises further inlets 40, 42 at its upper side. Venting tubes 44, 46 are connected with the blending tube 36 and the funnel 32, respectively. The feeders 28 may feed different powder materials to the funnel 32 and thus to the blending tube 36, for example different excipients and/or lubricants and/or API's. The funnel 32 also comprises a vibrating device 48, in particular an ultrasonic vibrating device 48 to improve flowability of the powder materials inside the funnel 32 and to avoid accumulation of product on walls of the funnel 32. An outlet 50 of the blending tube 36 is connected with the duct 16 of the product conveying device for conveying a product mixture provided at the outlet 50 of the blending tube 36 to the production machine 12 for further processing, as explained above.
[0051] In FIG. 2, an inventive feeding system 52 for feeding powder material to the moving powder mass inside the blending tube 36 is connected with the further blender inlet 40. Through this feeding system for example an API can be fed to the moving powder mass inside the blending tube 36.
[0052] The feeding system 52 will be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6. The feeding system 52 comprises a feeding reservoir 54 containing the powder material to be fed to the blending device 38 via inlet 40. The upper side of the feeding reservoir 54 can be connected with for example a hopper or feeder for feeding further powder material to the feeding reservoir 54 as required. As can be seen in FIG. 4 the underside of the feeding reservoir 54 is provided with a plurality of feeding openings 56 arranged along a horizontal line which is arranged along the movement direction of the moving powder mass, which again corresponds to the longitudinal axis of the blending tube 36. The powder material contained in the feeding reservoir 54 thereby falls mainly via gravity through the feeding openings 56 and the inlet 40 into the blending tube 36 and onto the moving powder bed inside the blending tube 36. In the further process the powder material is blended with the moving powder mass inside the blending tube 36 through the blending screw or the like. The feeding system 52 also comprises a vibrating device 58, for example an ultrasonic vibrating device 58, for vibrating the feeding reservoir 54 and thus to improve flowability of the powder material. As can be seen in the view of FIG. 5, where a front wall of the feeding reservoir 54 is omitted for better understanding, inside the feeding reservoir 54 a deflecting shield 60 is provided and underneath the deflecting shield 60 a rotating brush 62 with a plurality of bristles 64 is arranged inside the feeding reservoir 54 such that during rotation of the brush 62 at least some of the bristles 64 are in contact with the underside of the feeding reservoir 54 comprising the feeding openings 56, and in fact some of the bristles 64 enter and leave the feeding holes 56 during rotation. The rotating brush 62 is arranged between two side plates 66 of the feeding reservoir 54. A drive 68 is provided for rotating the brush 62 in operation. The rotating brush 62 forms a mechanical interaction device 62 for mechanically interacting with the powder material before feeding it to the moving powder mass through the feeding openings 56. To this end, the bristles 64 are flexible.
[0053] FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment which only differs from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 with regard to the mechanical interaction device. More specifically, instead of the rotating brush 62, in FIG. 6 a rotating device with fixed paddles 70 is provided as a mechanical interaction device. Again, the rotating device is rotated by drive 68 during rotation. During this rotation the fixed paddles 70 rotate past the feeding openings 56 and in close vicinity to the feeding openings 56. In this manner, also the rotating device of FIG. 6 deagglomerates the powder material before feeding it through the feeding openings 56.
[0054] In addition, for example an ionizing device, in particular an ionizing plate, may be provided and incorporated into an outlet 72 of the inventive feeding system 52, as shown in FIG. 2. Such an ionizing device may serve to neutralize a possible electric charge of the powder material downstream of the plurality of feeding openings 56 and before feeding it to the moving powder mass through inlet 40 of the blender tube 36, as explained above.
[0055] FIGS. 7 to 10 show different embodiments for brushes which can be used in the inventive feeding system. Each of the brushes has a cylindrical axis 74 with which the brush can be fixed to a rotating drive to rotate the brush during operation. Furthermore, each brush has bristles 76 fixed to a centre part. The brushes shown in FIGS. 7 to 10 differ with regard to the embodiment and arrangement of the bristles and the embodiment of the centre part, as will be explained in the following. Generally, the material of the bristles can be natural fibre, synthetic fibre, metal fibre or the like.
[0056] The brush 78 shown in FIG. 7 is a twined brush with a centre part formed by twisted metal wiring 80 to which the bristles 76 are fixed from which a twined arrangement of the bristles 76 results.
[0057] The brushes 82 and 84 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 have a solid centre part 86 with holes into which the bristles 76 are implanted. The centre part 86 has a larger diameter than the centre part of the brush 78 shown in FIG. 7. The bristles 76 of the brushes 82 and 84, on the other hand, are shorter than the bristles 76 of the brush 78. According to the arrangement of the holes in the centre part 86 different bristle patterns can be realised, for example a full staggered pattern, like in FIG. 8, or a less dense row pattern, like in FIG. 9.
[0058] The brush 88 shown in FIG. 10 has a centre part 86 corresponding to the centre part 86 of the brushes 82 and 84. Also the length of the bristles 76 is similar. However, compared to the brushes 82 and 84, the bristles 76 of brush 88 are provided in a higher density and in a randomized arrangement.
[0059] Depending on the embodiment and arrangement of the bristles and the centre parts it is possible to adjust the stiffness, antistatic properties and saturation of the brushes in the manner desired for the specific application. To this end, not only the design of the centre part and the length and arrangement of the bristles can be adapted, but also for example the type of bristle material (bristle fibre) and the diameter of the bristles, depending on the desired purpose.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0060] 10 feeding and blending system [0061] 12 production machine [0062] 14 inlet [0063] 16 duct [0064] 18 outlet [0065] 20 housing [0066] 22 window [0067] 24 system housing [0068] 26 doors [0069] 28 feeders [0070] 30 inlets [0071] 32 funnel [0072] 34 inlet [0073] 36 blending tube [0074] 38 blending device [0075] 39 drive [0076] 40 inlet [0077] 42 inlet [0078] 44 venting tube [0079] 46 venting tube [0080] 48 vibrating device [0081] 50 outlet [0082] 52 feeding system [0083] 54 feeding reservoir [0084] 56 feeding openings [0085] 58 vibrating device [0086] 60 deflecting shield [0087] 62 rotating brush [0088] 64 bristles [0089] 66 side plates [0090] 68 drive [0091] 70 fixed paddles [0092] 72 outlet [0093] 74 cylindrical axis [0094] 76 bristles [0095] 78 brush [0096] 80 centre part [0097] 82 brush [0098] 84 brush [0099] 86 centre part [0100] 88 brush
