METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MANUFACTURING AN INHALER ARTICLE

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an inhaler article, the inhaler article comprising a body, a capsule cavity holding a capsule, a mouthpiece element and a deformable tubular element having an open distal end, the method comprising pre-treating the distal end of the deformable tubular element to obtain a pre-treated portion with reduced structural stability, and folding the pre-treated portion inwards by at least 90 degrees to at least partially close the distal end. The invention relates also to a device for manufacturing an inhaler article and to an inhaler article obtainable by the device.

Claims

1. Method for manufacturing an inhaler article, the inhaler article comprising a body, a capsule cavity holding a capsule, a mouthpiece element and a deformable tubular element having an open distal end, the method comprising: pre-treating the distal end of the deformable tubular element to obtain a pre-treated portion with reduced structural stability, and folding the pre-treated portion inwards by at least 90 degrees to at least partially close the distal end, wherein folding the distal end of the deformable tubular element comprises a pre-folding step and an end-folding step and, wherein the pre-folding step comprises folding the pre-treated portion of the deformable tubular element inwards by an angle that is smaller than 90 degree by means of concavely shaped folding head.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein pretreating the distal end of the deformable tubular element comprises cutting, scoring or crimping the edge of the distal end of the deformable tubular element.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein pretreating the distal end of the deformable tubular element comprises providing 8 to 10 cutting, scoring or crimping lines to the edge of the distal end of the deformable tubular element.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the end-folding step comprises folding the pre-folded portion of the deformable tubular element inwards by an angle of about 90 degrees by means of a flat folding head.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the end-folding step comprises folding the pre-folded portion of the deformable tubular element inwards by an angle of larger than 90 degrees by means of a convexly shaped folding head.

6. Device for manufacturing an inhaler article, the inhaler article comprising a body, a capsule cavity holding a capsule, a mouthpiece element and a deformable tubular element having an open distal end, the device comprising: a pre-treatment station in which the distal end of the deformable tubular element is pre-treated to obtain a pre-treated portion with reduced structural stability, and a folding station in which the pre-treated portion is folded inwards by at least 90 degrees to at least partially close the distal end of the deformable tubular element, wherein the folding station comprises a pre-folding station comprising a concavely shaped folding head for folding the pre-treated portion of the deformable tubular element inwards by an angle that is smaller than 90 degrees.

7. Device according to claim 6, wherein the pre-treatment station includes a pre-treatment head for cutting, scoring or crimping the distal end of the deformable tubular element.

8. Device according to claim 7, wherein the pre-treatment head comprises edges for providing 8 or 10 cutting, scoring or crimping lines to the distal end of the deformable tubular element.

9. Device according to claim 6, wherein the folding station comprises at least one folding head for folding the pre-treated portion of the deformable tubular element inwards by at least 90 degrees.

10. Device according to claim 6, wherein the folding station comprises an end-folding station comprising a flat folding head for folding the pre-treated portion of the deformable tubular element inwards by an angle of about 90 degrees.

11. Device according to claim 6, wherein the folding station comprises an end-folding station with a convexly shaped folding head for folding the pre-treated portion of the deformable tubular element inwards by an angle of larger than 90 degrees.

12. Device according to claim 6, wherein one or more of the pre-treatment station and the folding station comprise an advancement mechanism configured to move the respective processing head towards the deformable tubular element.

13. Device according to claim 6, wherein one or more of the pre-treatment station and the folding station comprise an end-stroke spacer to limit the axial movement of the drive elements of the advancement mechanism.

14. Device according to claim 13, wherein the one or more end-stroke spacers are tubular cylindrical elements that structurally support the deformable tubular element during processing.

Description

[0121] The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0122] FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler article;

[0123] FIG. 1B is a front perspective view of an inhaler article with a closed distal end;

[0124] FIG. 1C is a front perspective view of an inhaler article with an open distal end;

[0125] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a manufacturing device for an inhaler article;

[0126] FIG. 3 shows a pretreatment station and an inhaler article after pretreatment;

[0127] FIG. 4 shows a pre-folding station and an inhaler article after pre-folding;

[0128] FIG. 5 shows an end-folding station and an inhaler article after end-folding;

[0129] FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of an end-stroke spacer;

[0130] FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler article 10. The inhaler article 10 includes a body 12 extending along a longitudinal axis of the inhaler article 10 from a mouthpiece end 14 to a distal end 16, a capsule cavity 18 and a capsule 20 retained within the capsule cavity 18. The body 12 comprises a paper material wrapped around a mouthpiece element 22 forming a deformable tubular element 24. The deformable tubular element 24 defines the capsule cavity 18, which is bounded downstream by mouthpiece element 22 and which is bounded upstream by the at least partially closed distal end 16 of the deformable tubular element 24.

[0131] In the embodiment of FIG. 1 the deformable tubular element 24 is formed of paper having a thickness of about 125 micrometers and a basis weight of about 100 grams per square meter. The illustrated inhaler article 10 has a mouthpiece element length of about 20 mm and the deformable tubular element 24 has a length of about 45 mm with an outer uniform diameter of about 7.2 mm.

[0132] FIG. 1B is a front perspective view of the illustrative inhaler article 10 wherein the distal end 16 of the deformable tubular element 24 is closed. The deformable tubular element 24 is folded back onto itself forming overlapping pie shaped sections closing the distal end 16 of the capsule cavity 18.

[0133] FIG. 1C is a front perspective view of the illustrative inhaler article with a deformable tubular element 24 wherein the distal end 16 is opened. The folded sections of the distal end 16 of the deformable tubular element 24 may be opened to expose the capsule cavity 18. For opening the distal end 16 the deformable tubular element 24 may be inserted into an appropriate holder, not described herein. After the folded sections of the distal end 16 of the deformable element 24 are opened, an aperture for receiving swirling or rotating inhalation airflow is formed.

[0134] FIG. 2 shows a device 30 for automatically processing an inhaler article to form a closed distal end 16. The device as depicted in FIG. 2 is configured for use of a double length inhaler article having a double length mouthpiece element 22 and a double length deformable tubular element 24.

[0135] The device 30 comprises a pre-treatment station 40, a pre-folding station 50 and an end-folding station 60. The double length deformable tubular element 24 that is already combined with the mouthpiece element is provided to pocket 32 that is movable in processing direction from the pre-treatment station 40 to the pre-folding station 50 and further to the end-folding station 60. In this embodiment pocket 32 is mounted on moveable support 34 and is manually movable.

[0136] Each of the pre-treatment station 40, pre-folding station 50 and end-folding station 60 comprise a processing head 42, 52, 62 at either side of the pocket. Each of the processing heads is equipped with an advancement mechanism 36 that comprises pneumatic drive elements 44, 54, 64. The pneumatic drive elements are provided with pressurized air via air ducts 46, 56, 66. The advancement mechanism 36 is controlled via a central control unit (not shown).

[0137] The individual processing stations are discussed in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 3 to 7.

[0138] In FIG. 3 an embodiment of a pre-treatment station 40 is depicted. In the centre of FIG. 3 pocket 32 holding of a double length inhaler article is shown. Pocket 32 is mounted on a movable support 34 via which pocket 32 can be positioned at the various processing stations. At either side of the pocket 32 a crimping head 42 is provided. Each crimping head 42 is movable by an advancement mechanism 36 (not visible in FIG. 3), comprising pneumatic drive elements 44.

[0139] Crimping head 42 is shown in more detail in FIG. 3B. The crimping head 42 defines a generally cylindrical body 43 with an open end 45 for insertion of the distal end 16 of the deformable tubular element 24 of the inhaler article 10. The crimping head 42 comprises eight crimping blades 48 that are mounted to the body 43 of the crimping head 42. The crimping blades 48 extend from the rim of the open end 45 into the interior volume of the crimping head 42. The treatment blades 48 are spaced equidistantly over the circumference of the rim of the open end 45 and extend funnel-shaped towards the inner volume of the crimping head 42.

[0140] Each of the crimping blades 48 has an engagement edge 49 that contacts the distal end of the deformable tubular element 24 during crimping. During the crimping process the crimping head is moved axially towards the pocket 32 holding the inhaler article 10. The crimping blades 48 contact the distal end 16 of the deformable tubular element 24. After the crimping process the distal end 16 of the deformable tubular element 24 looks as depicted in FIG. 3C. The ends of the deformable tubular element 24 are slightly bent inward and are provided with crimping lines having a length of about 3.5 millimeters.

[0141] In FIGS. 4A and 5A processing heads of the pre-folding station and the end-folding station are depicted. The processing head 52 of the pre-folding station 50 has also a generally cylindrical body 53 having a concavely shaped engagement surface 55.

[0142] During the pre-folding process the pre-folding head 52 is moved axially towards the pocket 32 holding the inhaler article 10. The concavely shaped engagement surface 55 contacts the pre-treated distal end 16 of the deformable tubular element 24. After the pre-folding process the distal end 16 of the deformable tubular element 24 looks as depicted in FIG. 4B. The ends of the deformable tubular element 24 are now bent inward along the crimping lines. The folding angle is well below 90 degrees.

[0143] After the pre-folding station the inhaler article is carried to the end-folding station 60. The processing head 62 of the end-folding station 60 has a generally cylindrical body 63 having a convexly shaped engagement surface 65.

[0144] During the end-folding process the end-folding head 62 is moved axially towards the pocket 32 holding the inhaler article 10. The convexly shaped engagement surface 64 contacts the pre-folded distal end 16 of the deformable tubular element 24. After the end-folding process the distal end 16 of the deformable tubular element 24 looks as depicted in FIG. 5B. The ends of the deformable tubular element 24 are now bent inward at a folding angle of about 90 degrees. In the centre of the folded distal end 16 a residual opening with a diameter of between 0.5 and 1 millimetre is obtained.

[0145] In order to structurally support the distal end 16 of the deformable tubular element 24 during pre-folding and end-folding the folding heads 52, 62 are provided with ring shaped end-stroke spacers 70 as depicted in FIG. 6. The end-stroke spacers 70 are mounted to the folding heads 52, 62 via screws that are inserted into threading 72 provided in the side walls 74 of the end-stroke spacers 70. The end-stroke spacers 70 are provided in vicinity to the crimped area and guide the folding movement of the distal end 16 of the deformable tubular element 24. The end-stroke spacers 70 can be provided around the crimped end or in the advancement mechanism 36, so as to limit the axial movement of the advancement mechanism.

[0146] After folding both its ends, the double length inhaler article 24 is cut in the middle, to obtain two inhaler articles with closed distal ends 16. Cutting can be performed with conventional cutting devices.