DEVICE FOR SEALING CAPSULES

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (22) for sealing capsules (10). Each capsule has a capsule shell which is made of a first shell part and a second shell part, said shell parts being provided with a banding liquid in a connection region. The device has a heat source (30) for drying the banding liquid, and the device has at least one diaphragm (32) which is arranged in a radiation region of the heat source between the heat source and the capsules, wherein the diaphragm has at least one passage region for the passage of radiation of the heat source and for irradiating the connection regions of the capsules, and the diaphragm has at least one shielding region which shields sub-regions of the capsules which are offset to the connection region against radiation of the heat source.

Claims

1. An apparatus (22) for sealing capsules (10), wherein the capsules (10) have a respective capsule shell, which is formed by a first shell part (12) and a second shell part (14), wherein the shell parts (12, 14) are provided or have been provided with a banding liquid (20) in a connecting region (16), wherein the apparatus (22) comprises a heat source (30) for drying the banding liquid (20), wherein in that the apparatus (22) has at least one screen (32), which is arranged in a radiation region of the heat source (30) between the heat source (30) and the capsules (10), wherein the screen (32) has at least one passage region (34) for the passage of radiation from the heat source (30) and irradiation of the connecting regions (16) of the capsules (10), and wherein the screen (32) has at least one shielding region (36), which shields these-partial regions of the capsules (10) that are arranged offset relative to the connecting region (16) against radiation from the heat source (30).

2. The apparatus (22) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus (22) comprises a capsule transporting device (24), and wherein the at least one passage region (34) has a main axis which extends parallel to a transporting direction (26) of the capsules (10).

3. The apparatus (22) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat source (30) comprises at least one infrared radiator.

4. The apparatus (22) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat source (30) comprises at least two infrared radiators, the radiation from which differs in terms of frequency ranges and/or intensities.

5. The apparatus (22) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus (22) comprises a cooling device for cooling the screen (32).

6. The apparatus (22) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus (22) comprises at least one fan device (44), which applies an air stream to a surrounding area of the capsules (10) and/or a surrounding area of the screen (32).

7. The apparatus (22) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the air stream has a flow direction which extends counter to a transporting direction (26) of the capsules (10).

8. The apparatus (22) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one fan device (44) comprises a flow divider (48), which divides the air stream into a first portion (47) for cooling the screen (32) and a second portion (49) for transporting away solvent which has evaporated out of the banding liquid (20).

9. The apparatus (22) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first portion (47) of the air stream flows in a first partial space (52) delimited by the heat source (30) and the screen (32), and wherein the second portion (49) of the air stream flows in a second partial space (54) delimited by the screen (32) and the capsules (10).

10. The apparatus (22) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the apparatus (22) comprises at least one suction extracting device (46) for extracting the air stream or at least one portion (47, 49) of the air stream by suction.

11. The apparatus (22) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus (22) comprises at least one filter (50), which is arranged between the heat source (30) and the screen (32).

12. The apparatus (22) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus (22) comprises an additional screen (60), which is arranged in the radiation region of the heat source (30) and is upstream of the screen (32) in a radiation direction of the heat source (30).

13. The apparatus (22) as claimed in claim 12, wherein a passage region (62) of the additional screen (60) is in line with the at least one passage region (34) of the screen (32) as seen in the radiation direction of the heat source (30).

14. The apparatus (22) as claimed in claim 13, wherein the passage region (62) of the additional screen (60) is smaller or larger than the at least one passage region (34) of the screen (32).

15. The apparatus (22) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one fan device (44) comprises a flow divider (48), which divides the air stream into a first portion (47) for cooling the screen (32) and a second portion (49) for transporting away solvent which has evaporated out of the banding liquid (20).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The following description and the diagrammatic illustration of embodiments of the apparatus relate to further features and advantages of the invention.

[0024] In the drawing:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an individual capsule, comprising a first shell part and a second shell part with an applied banding;

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a side view of one embodiment of an apparatus for sealing capsules;

[0027] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a screen of the apparatus according to FIG. 1;

[0028] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a capsule transporting device of the apparatus according to FIG. 1 with capsules;

[0029] FIG. 5 shows a side view of a further embodiment of an apparatus for sealing capsules;

[0030] FIG. 6 shows a side view of a further embodiment of an apparatus for sealing capsules; and

[0031] FIG. 7 shows a plan view of a screen and an additional screen of the apparatus according to FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] FIG. 1 shows, by way of example, a capsule 10, which comprises a first capsule shell 12 and a second capsule shell 14. In a manner known per se, the capsule shells 12, 14 are inserted telescopically one into the other by way of mutually facing edge portions in an overlapping or connecting region 16 of the capsule 10. The capsule 10 extends along a central capsule axis 18.

[0033] A banding liquid 20, which extends along a closed circumference around the capsule axis 18, is applied to an outer side of the connecting region 16. The banding liquid 20 may, for example, be an aqueous gelatin solution. After the banding liquid 20 has dried, a solid band that seals the capsule 10 and can serve as integrity protection is produced.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows an apparatus, denoted overall by the reference sign 22, for sealing the capsules 10 with banding liquid 20. After the banding liquid 20 has been applied, the capsules 10 are conveyed on a capsule transporting device 24, for example a conveyor belt 25.

[0035] In this respect, the conveyor belt 25 may have multiple transport regions 28, which extend parallel to a transporting direction 26 and are each intended to receive a plurality of capsules 10; cf. FIG. 4. The capsules 10 are preferably arranged along the respective transporting regions 28 such that the capsule axes 18 of the capsules 10 arranged in a transport region 28 are oriented parallel to one another.

[0036] A heat source 30, in particular an infrared radiator, is arranged at a spacing from the conveyor belt 25. A screen 32 is located between the heat source 30 and the conveyor belt 25; cf. FIG. 2. The screen 32 is made, for example, of a stainless steel or a stainless steel alloy and has a plurality of passage regions 34 and shielding regions 36 (cf. FIG. 3). Here, the passage regions 34 are in the form of elongate openings, the respective main axes of which are oriented parallel to the transporting direction 26 of the capsules. The passage regions 34 are delimited by the shielding regions 36.

[0037] The heat radiation emitted by and propagating from the heat source 30 is incident on the screen 32. There, the heat radiation is absorbed in the shielding regions 36 of the screen 32 and/or reflected back from the shielding regions 36 in the direction of the heat source 30. The heat radiation can be incident on the conveyor belt 25 and the capsules 10 located thereon only through the passage regions 34. The heat radiation is thus focused onto a defined irradiation region 38 by means of the passage regions 34.

[0038] The capsules 10 are preferably arranged on the conveyor belt 25 with their capsule axis 18 perpendicular to the transporting direction 26. The connecting regions 16 of adjacent capsules 10 are also preferably oriented in line with one another (cf. FIG. 4).

[0039] The spacing between the screen 32 and the conveyor belt 25, and a width 40 of a passage region 36 (cf. FIG. 3), are preferably matched to a length of the connecting region 16 of a capsule 10 measured parallel to the capsule axis 18, with the result that a width 42 of the irradiation region 38 matches the length of the connecting region 16 of a capsule 10 (cf. FIGS. 1 and 4). In this way, it is possible to achieve an input of heat preferably exclusively onto the banding liquid 20, while at the same time the thermal loading of the capsule regions that are arranged offset relative to the connecting region 16 is reduced to a minimum.

[0040] The apparatus optionally comprises a fan device 44 and a suction extracting device 46, which are arranged at mutually opposite ends of the conveyor belt 25. The fan device 44 serves to generate an air stream, the flow direction of which preferably extends counter to the transporting direction 26 of the capsules 10.

[0041] The fan device 44 and the suction extracting device 46 map optionally comprise respective flow dividers 48, which serve to divide the air stream into two portions. A first portion 47 of the air stream (within a first partial space 52 of the apparatus 22) enables a selective action on the screen 32; a second portion 49 of the air stream (within a second partial space 54 of the apparatus 22) enables a selective action on the capsules 10. In this respect, the first portion 47 of the air stream can be used to cool the screen 32; the second portion 49 of the air stream can be used to transport away a sublimated solvent.

[0042] FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of an apparatus 22, wherein a filter 50 is arranged between the heat source 30 and the screen 32. The filter 50 may be in the form of an intensity filter and/or a wavelength-selective filter.

[0043] A first fan device 44 and a first suction extracting device 46 are arranged in a first partial space 52 of the apparatus 22, which extends between the heat source 30 and the screen 32.

[0044] A second fan device 56 and a second suction extracting device 58 are arranged in a second partial space 54 of the apparatus 22, which extends between the screen 32 and the conveyor belt 25.

[0045] The screen 32 extends from a side of the second fan device 56 that faces away from the conveyor belt 25 to a side of the second suction extracting device 58 that faces away from the conveyor belt 25. In this way, the screen 32 with the shielding regions 36 acts as a boundary between a first air stream, which is assigned to the first partial space 52 and serves to cool the screen, and a second air stream, which is assigned to the second partial space 54 and serves to transport away the sublimated solvent. The air streams mentioned preferably each flow counter to the transporting direction 26 of the capsules 10. The separation of the air streams mentioned allows precise control of the properties of the respective air used for an air stream. It is thus possible, in particular, to pre-dry the air of the second air stream assigned to the second partial region 54, as a result of which a greater quantity of sublimated solvent can be taken up by the air of this second air stream.

[0046] FIGS. 6 and 7 show a further embodiment of an apparatus 22, wherein an additional screen 60 is arranged between the heat source 30 and the screen 32 as seen in the emission direction of the heat source 30. The additional screen 60 has at least one passage region 62, which is delimited by at least one shielding region 64.

[0047] The number of passage regions 62 of the additional screen 60 is preferably matched to the number of passage regions 34 of the screen 32 (cf. FIG. 7). Due to the additional screen 60, a significant proportion of the heat radiation is blocked, as a result of which heating of the screen 32 is minimized. A width 66 of the passage regions 62 of the additional screen 60 is preferably less than the width 40 of the passage regions 34 of the screen 32, so that the heat radiation from the heat source 30 is oriented onto the passage regions 34 of the screen 32 by means of the additional screen 60.