Pill carrier for the intermediate transport of pills in a blister packaging process, filling device for a pill carrier and method for filling a pill carrier

Abstract

A pill carrier for the intermediate transport of pills in a blister packaging process, wherein the pill carrier has a base body and a plurality of recesses, wherein the respective recess is limited by limiting walls and exhibits a bottom opening, wherein a receiving body is provided in the respective recess, the receiving body exhibiting a receiving space for receiving one or a small number of pills, the receiving space exhibiting an opening on one side which allows the pill to be introduced into the receiving space, and the receiving body being arranged in the recess so as to be pivotable about a pivot pivotally mounted in the recess, wherein the receiving body can be pivoted from a closed position, in which the opening is located opposite a limiting wall and is thereby closed, into an open position, in which the opening is at least partially aligned with the bottom opening.

Claims

1. A pill carrier for the intermediate transport of pills in a blister packaging process, wherein the pill carrier exhibits a base body; and a plurality of recesses, wherein the respective recess is defined by limiting walls and exhibits a bottom opening; wherein a receiving body is provided in the respective recess; wherein the receiving body exhibits a receiving space for receiving one or a small number of pills, wherein the receiving space exhibits an opening on one side which allows the pill to be inserted into the receiving space, and the receiving body is arranged in the recess such that it can be pivoted about a pivot axis, wherein the receiving body can be pivoted from a closed position, in which the opening is arranged opposite a limiting wall and is thereby closed, into an open position, in which the opening is at least partially aligned with the bottom opening or no receiving body is provided in the respective recess, but the base opening is closed with a layer of closure material, wherein a slit is provided in the layer in the region of the base opening, through which a pill could be pushed under pressure onto the pill, and an upper surface opposite the bottom surface is provided, in which upper openings of the recesses are provided, so that the respective recess extends from its respective upper opening through the base body to the bottom opening and the respective upper opening is closed by a layer of sealing material, the sealing material being flexible in such a way that it can be pressed into the recess by a plunger under pressure and can push a pill located there through the slit.

2. The pill carrier of claim 1, wherein the receiving body is designed in a wedge-shaped manner and exhibits a tip through which the pivot axis passes, and exhibits a basis lying opposite the tip, in which basis the opening of the receiving space is arranged, and the receiving space is arranged in the wedge-shaped receiving body between the basis and the tip; or is designed in a trough-shaped manner and exhibits a trough floor, through which the pivot axis leads, and exhibits a basis lying opposite the trough floor, in which the opening of the receiving space is arranged, and the receiving space is arranged in the trough-shaped receiving body between the basis and the tip.

3. The pill carrier of claim 1, wherein a limiting wall of the recess exhibits a surface section that has the shape of a section of the circumferential surface of a cylinder, and a side wall of the receiving body is provided, which ends in an edge of the receiving body, wherein the edge being moved along the surface section when the receiving body is pivoted about the pivot axis.

4. The pill carrier of claim 1, further comprising a spring element which, when a receiving body is pivoted out of the closed position, exerts a restoring force on the receiving body in the direction of the closed position.

5. The pill carrier of claim 1, wherein the base body exhibits a bottom surface in which the bottom openings of the recesses are provided, and an upper surface opposite the bottom surface, and exhibits an upper surface opposite the bottom surface, in which upper openings of the recesses are provided, so that the respective recess extends from its respective upper opening through the base body to the bottom opening.

6. The pill carrier of claim 1, wherein a status signal light, for example an LED, is provided in the base body besides a recess.

7. A filling device for a pill carrier according to claim 1, comprising a receptacle for the pill carrier and a plunger, wherein the plunger can be moved in a direction towards the receptacle by a movement in a pushing direction and/or the receptacle can be moved in a direction towards the plunger by a movement against the pushing direction.

8. The filling device of claim 7, further comprising a circulating belt, a nub being provided on the belt, which can be moved by the belt into a position relative to the plunger in which the nub lifts the plunger.

9. The filling device of claim 7, further comprising a plunger carrier in which the plunger is mounted, wherein the plunger carrier can be moved relative to the receptacle in a direction that is at an angle to the pushing direction, and/or a receiving frame in which the receptacle for the pill carrier is designed, wherein the receiving frame can be moved relative to the plunger in a direction that is at an angle to the pushing direction.

10. A system comprising: a pill carrier for the intermediate transport of pills in a blister packaging process; a filling device having a receptacle for the pill carrier and a plunger; wherein the pill carrier exhibits: a base body; and a plurality of recesses, wherein the respective recess is defined by limiting walls and exhibits a bottom opening: wherein a receiving body is provided in the respective recess; wherein the receiving body exhibits a receiving space for receiving one or a small number of pills, wherein the receiving space exhibits an opening on one side which allows the pill to be inserted into the receiving space, and the receiving body is arranged in the recess such that it can be pivoted about a pivot axis (A), wherein the receiving body can be pivoted from a closed position, in which the opening is arranged opposite a limiting wall and is thereby closed, into an open position, in which the opening is at least partially aligned with the bottom opening; wherein the plunger can be moved in a direction towards the receptacle by a movement in a pushing direction and/or the receptacle can be moved in a direction towards the plunger by a movement against the pushing direction; and wherein the plunger can be brought into contact with the receiving body by a movement in a pushing direction and can pivot the receiving body out of a closed position into an open position.

11. A method for filling a pill carrier, the pill carrier comprising: a base body; and a plurality of recesses, wherein the respective recess is defined by limiting walls and exhibits a bottom opening; wherein a receiving body is provided in the respective recess; wherein the receiving body exhibits a receiving space for receiving one or a small number of pills, wherein the receiving space exhibits an opening on one side which allows the pill to be inserted into the receiving space, and the receiving body is arranged in the recess such that it can be pivoted about a pivot axis (A), wherein the receiving body can be pivoted from a closed position, in which the opening is arranged opposite a limiting wall and is thereby closed, into an open position, in which the opening is at least partially aligned with the bottom opening: the method comprising: providing a receptacle for the pill carrier and a plunger; locating the pill carrier in the receptacle; and providing a plunger movable in a direction towards the receptacle by a movement in a pushing direction and/or the receptacle movable in a direction towards the plunger by a movement against the pushing direction; moving the plunger in the pushing direction so as to bring into contact with the receiving body and by further moving the plunger in the pushing direction, the receiving body is pivoted out of the closed position into the open position, whereby the opening of the receiving body is at least partially aligned with the bottom opening of the pill carrier, and whereby, when the opening of the receiving body is at least partially aligned with the bottom opening, a pill is introduced through the bottom opening and the opening of the receiving body into the receiving space.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0078] The invention is explained in more detail below, with reference to only one example of the invention shown in the accompanying figures. These show:

[0079] FIG. 1 a schematic, perspective view from above on the bottom surface of a pill carrier according to the invention;

[0080] FIG. 2 a schematic, perspective view from above on the upper surface of a pill carrier according to the invention;

[0081] FIG. 3 a sectional view through three recesses of a pill carrier according to the invention in a first operating situation;

[0082] FIG. 4 a sectional view through three recesses of a pill carrier according to the invention in a second operating situation;

[0083] FIG. 5 a sectional view through a pill carrier according to the invention in a second embodiment,

[0084] FIG. 6 a schematic view of a filling station according to the invention in a first embodiment,

[0085] FIG. 7 a schematic view of a filling station according to the invention in a second embodiment with pill carriers inserted into the filling station,

[0086] FIG. 8 a schematic view of the filling station according to the invention according to FIG. 7 with a pill carrier arranged next to the filling station,

[0087] FIG. 9 a schematic view of a filling station according to the invention in a third embodiment

[0088] FIG. 10 a schematic view of a filling station according to the invention in a first embodiment,

[0089] FIG. 11 a representation of an illuminated receiving space of a pill carrier according to the invention with the outlines of a pill located in the receiving space and

[0090] FIG. 12 a schematic view of a possible image detail for a receptacle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0091] The pill carrier 1 according to the invention is suitable for the intermediate transport of pills in a blister packaging process. The pill carrier 1 exhibits a base body 2 and a plurality (in FIGS. 1 to 3: three) of recesses 3. Each recess 3 is limited by boundary surfaces 4 and exhibits a bottom opening 5 in each case.

[0092] A receiving body 6 is provided in each recess 3. The respective receiving body 6 exhibits a receiving space 7. The receiving space 7 is suitable for receiving a pill 8. The receiving space 7 exhibits an opening 9 on one side, which allows the pill to be inserted into the receiving space 7. The receiving body 6 is arranged in the recess 3 so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis A, wherein the receiving body 6 can be pivoted from a closed position, shown in FIG. 3, in which the opening is arranged opposite a limiting wall 4 and is closed by the limiting wall 4, can be pivoted into an open position (shown in FIG. 4), in which the opening 9 is at least partially aligned with the bottom opening 5.

[0093] The receiving body 6 is wedge-shaped and exhibits a tip 10, through which the pivot axis A passes. A basis 11, which is located opposite the tip 10 and can also be referred to as a closing leg, is provided, in which the opening 9 of the receiving space 7 is arranged.

[0094] The receiving body 6 exhibits an initial side wall 12. In the closed position shown in FIG. 3, this faces the bottom opening. Furthermore, the wedge-shaped receiving body 6 exhibits a second side wall 13, which can also be designated as a pressure-side surface, which, in the closed position shown in FIG. 3, faces an upper opening 14 of the recess 6 and closes it (see FIG. 2).

[0095] If the receiving body 6 is moved from the closed position shown in FIG. 3 to the open position shown in FIG. 4, the pill 8, which was still held in the receiving space 7 when the receiving body 6 was in the closed position, can fall out of the pill carrier 1 through the opening 9 and the bottom opening 5.

[0096] To fill the pill carrier 1 according to the invention, it can be held at 180 degrees to the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, i.e. with the bottom opening 5 facing upwards and the upper opening 14 facing downwards. When the pill carrier 1 is in this position and the receiving body 6 is swung from the closed position to the open position, a pill 8 can be thrown from above through the bottom opening 5 and the opening 9 into the receiving space 7. If the receiving body 6 is moved from this open position into the closed position, the opening 9 is closed by the opposing limiting wall 4 (comparable to the position of the opening 9 to the limiting wall 4 in FIG. 2). If the pill carrier according to the invention is then turned back from the layer rotated 180 degrees for filling into the layer shown in FIG. 3, the pill 8 remains in the receiving space 7 due to the closure of the opening 9 by the limiting wall 4 opposite the opening 9.

[0097] A receiving body 6 is held in the closed position shown in FIG. 3 by a spring element that is not shown in more detail. This prevents the receiving body 6 from pivoting downwards and opening the opening 9, even when the base body 2 is aligned as shown in FIG. 3. The pills 8 are held securely in the receiving space 7 by the spring element and the resulting preload of the receiving body 6 in the closed position, even in this position of the base body 2. Only when the receiving body 6 is moved from the closed position (FIG. 3) to the open position (FIG. 4) by interaction with a plunger acting on the second side face 13, does the pill 8 drop through the opening 9 and the bottom opening 5 downwards out of the pill carrier 1.

[0098] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, no receiving body is provided in the respective recess 3, but the bottom openings 5 are closed with a layer 30 of sealing material, wherein a slit 31 is provided in the layer 30 in the area of the bottom opening 5, through which a pill could be pressed under the effect of pressure, and an upper surface opposite the bottom surface is protruded, in which upper openings 14 of the recesses 3 are provided, so that the respective recess 3 extends from its respective upper opening 14 through the base body 2 to the bottom opening 5 and the respective upper opening 14 is closed with a layer 32 of sealing material, wherein the sealing material is flexible in such a way that it can be pressed into the recess by a plunger under pressure and can push a pill located there through the slit. In FIG. 5, the pressed-in layer 32 is shown as a dashed line.

[0099] FIG. 6 shows a filling device 20 in a first embodiment. A pill carrier 1 according to the invention is arranged on a table of the filling device 20. Plungers 24 are arranged movably in the table. A belt 22 is provided, which circulates between two parallel rollers 21, with at least one nub 23 being provided on the belt 22, which can be moved by the belt 22 into a position relative to the plungers 24, in which the nub 23 lifts the respective plunger 24.

[0100] FIGS. 7 and 8 show a filling device 20 in a second embodiment. Here, the filling device exhibits several plungers 24 that can be moved simultaneously. The plungers are arranged on a board and can be lifted by moving the board, namely by means of a lever 25, for example by means of a cam connected to the lever.

[0101] FIG. 9 shows a filling device 20 in a third embodiment. The pill carrier 1 is arranged on a receiving frame 26 designed as a biaxial slide. The receiving frame 26 is moved back and forth in such a way that the respective receiving body 6 to be pivoted is guided over a stationary plunger, above which there is a throw-in. The stationary plunger pivots the receiving body from the closed position to the open position.

[0102] FIG. 10 shows a filling device 20 in a fourth embodiment. Here, a plunger carrier 28 designed as a biaxial slide is moved under a receiving body 6 of a pill carrier 1, wherein, for example, receiving bodies arranged next to one another can also be approached in sequence and can each be pivoted from the closed position into the open position.

[0103] FIG. 11 shows a schematic view of an image that would be obtained by shining a light through a receiving space with a pill. It can be seen that a characteristic shape of the pill can be made out in this way.

[0104] FIG. 12 shows, as frame 29, the image detail of a camera in use in a filling device of the type shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, as with lever 25, whereby the filling device 20 of FIG. 12 has been modified so that it exhibits two places where it can receive pill carriers according to the invention. In the illustration of FIG. 12, the left-hand place is occupied.