EP3741689A1 - Equipment for blister packaging machine for products requiring absorption of volatile compounds - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to equipment (10) for a machine (1) for blistering products requiring absorption of volatile compounds, such as water or oxygen, in particular pharmaceutical, food or cosmetic products such as tablets, capsules or even pods, in cells (2) belonging to a blister strip (3) moving along a mobile device for dispensing products, characterized in that it comprises means (20; 30; 40 ) for forming desiccant tablets (23), means (50) for transferring each desiccant tablet (23) against a sealing film (65) of cellular strip (3) in longitudinal displacement, said transfer means (50 ) comprising at least one head (51) movable between at least a first receiving position, on an active face of said head (51), of the desiccant tablet (23), and a second position in which of said tablet (23 ) of desiccant is sandwiched between said film of sealing (65) and said active face of the head (51), and sealing means (60) for securing said tablet (23) of desiccant to said sealing film (65).

Description

Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to equipment for a blistering machine for pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic or medical products requiring absorption of volatile compounds. It applies in particular to the placement of an absorbent film (for example a desiccant tablet) in cells belonging to a blister strip moving along a device and containing one or more products and in particular tablets. , capsules, soft capsules, pods, medical devices, cosmetic or food products.

Prior art

It is common practice to put in a blister pack (strip of cells) pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic or medical products in particular in the form of tablets, capsules, mole capsules, pods, medical devices, cosmetic or food products. .

Typically these products are placed in cells of a cellular strip which is then sealed, generally hot, by a sealing film coated with an adhesive on its surface.

Problems related to costs and to the conservation over time of these products are commonly encountered, in particular their premature aging caused by the presence of volatile compounds (water, gas, such as oxygen) in the sealed cells.

An attempt has already been made to solve this problem by proposing, for example, to place a desiccant in the bags or in the cells, but the methods used were not fast and reliable enough and consumed too much desiccant product. In another solution, a specific alveolus is created in the blisters to receive a piece of desiccant, this alveolus communicating with the main cell containing the product. In this case, the blister pack is bulky and too bulky.

Presentation of the invention

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks with a completely innovative approach. allow conservation, without creating additional volumes or spaces, the blister pack keeps the same size.

• des moyens pour former des pastilles de dessicant,
• des moyens pour transférer chaque pastille de dessicant contre un film d'obturation de bande alvéolée en déplacement longitudinal, lesdits moyens de transfert comportant au moins une tête mobile entre au moins une première position de réception, sur une face active de ladite tête, de la pastille de dessicant, et une seconde position de prise en sandwich de ladite pastille de dessicant entre ledit film d'obturation et ladite face active de la tête, et
• des moyens pour solidariser ladite pastille de dessicant audit film d'obturation.

To this end, according to a first aspect, the present invention relates to equipment for a blistering machine for products requiring absorption of volatile compounds, such as water or oxygen, in particular of pharmaceutical, food or cosmetic products. such as tablets, capsules or even pods, in cells belonging to a blister strip moving along a mobile device for dispensing products, characterized in that it comprises:

• means for forming desiccant tablets,
• means for transferring each tablet of desiccant against a film for sealing the cellular strip in longitudinal movement, said transfer means comprising at least one movable head between at least a first receiving position, on an active face of said head, of the desiccant tablet, and a second position for sandwiching said desiccant tablet between said sealing film and said active face of the head, and
• means for securing said desiccant tablet to said sealing film.

The invention is implemented according to the embodiments and the variants set out below, which are to be considered individually or according to any technically operative combination.

Advantageously, the transfer head is mounted on a mobile drum in rotation about an axis perpendicular to the direction of movement of the sealing film.

Preferably, the drum is provided with n transfer heads, n being an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the heads are angularly spaced from each other by 360 ° / n.

According to one particular characteristic, the drum carrying the head (s) is movable in an oscillating manner between the two positions, which are extreme positions.

Preferably, the drum oscillates through an angular range of about 180 °, and preferably 90 °.

More precisely, the transfer head oscillates between a first position in which the active face of the head is substantially horizontal, oriented towards means for cutting desiccant tablets, and a second position in which the active face of the head is substantially vertical , facing the shutter film.

According to a particular embodiment, the transfer head comprises, on its active face, a zone for receiving the desiccant tablet.

More specifically, the reception zone of the transfer head is materialized by a hollow housing whose perimeter is identical or slightly greater than that of the desiccant tablet.

Preferably, the hollow housing of the transfer head has a depth less than or equal to one third of the thickness of the desiccant tablet, and preferably between zero mm and one third of said thickness.

According to one embodiment, the transfer head is connected to means for plating by suction of the desiccant tablet against the reception zone.

By way of example, the plating means comprise at least one suction orifice formed at the level of the reception zone of the transfer head and connected to an external vacuum system, for example of the venturi type.

Advantageously, the transfer head comprises means for pressing the pellet against the sealing film.

More precisely, the transfer head comprising at least one body and a movable front plate provided with the active face, the plating means comprise at least one pneumatic or electric actuator of the cylinder type mounted in the body and acting on said movable front plate.

In particular, the body of the transfer head contains at least three independent actuators each resting on the rear of the movable front plate, opposite the active face.

According to one embodiment, each actuator is provided, at at least one end, with an elastic ball joint.

According to one particular characteristic, the means for supplying the desiccant tablets comprise, on the one hand, a support for a thin strip of desiccant and, on the other hand, means for cutting the perforation of said strip to produce said tablets.

More precisely, the perforation cutting means comprise a punch movable in translation in an alternating manner in front of a through orifice belonging to a fixed die, said orifice being disposed, in the first position for receiving the transfer head, opposite the face. active of the latter.

Advantageously, the perforation punch comprises suction means for maintaining the desiccant tablet in position before its recovery by the transfer head.

According to a particular embodiment, the means for supplying the desiccant tablets also comprise a clamp for pulling the tape in order to bring the latter from the support to the means for cutting by perforation.

The equipment further comprises at least one sensor for verifying the presence and / or the desiccant ribbon, a sensor for verifying the presence and / or correct positioning of the desiccant tablet on the transfer head, and a sensor for checking the presence and / or correct positioning of the desiccant tablet against the sealing film.

Furthermore, the equipment comprises means for heating the sealing film at least when the transfer head is positioned with its active face facing said sealing film so as to secure the desiccant tablet to said film by melting d a layer of glue / adhesive covering said sealing film.

Preferably, the heating means also constitute means for preheating the sealing film.

Brief description of the figures

• La figure 1 est une première vue en perspective droite d'une machine de conditionnement de produits sous blister comportant un équipement conforme à la présente invention,
• la figure 2 est seconde vue en perspective gauche de la figure 1,
• la figure 3 est une vue de face des figures 1 et 2,
• la figure 4 est une vue de détail d'un organe de tirage d'un ruban de dessicant,
• la figure 5 est une vue de face d'un détail des figures 1 à 3, à savoir un dispositif de découpage du ruban de dessicant,
• la figure 6 est une vue de dessous du dispositif de découpage du ruban pour former une pastille de dessicant,
• la figure 7 est une vue partielle en perspective du dispositif de découpage,
• la figure 8 est une vue de côté en perspective du dispositif de découpage et d'une partie d'une tête de transfert de la pastille de dessicant,
• la figure 9 est une vue de face en perspective de la tête de transfert
• la figure 10 est une vue de face en perspective de l'organe de tirage, du dispositif de découpage et de la tête de transfert, laquelle se trouve dans une première position extrême,
• la figure 11 est une vue de face en perspective de l'organe de tirage, du dispositif de découpage et de la tête de transfert, laquelle se trouve dans une seconde position extrême, et
• la figure 12 est une vue en coupe de la tête de transfert.

Other advantages, aims and characteristics of the present invention emerge from the description which follows given, for the purpose of explanation and in no way limiting, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• The figure 1 is a first right perspective view of a blister pack packaging machine comprising equipment according to the present invention,
• the figure 2 is second left perspective view of the figure 1 ,
• the figure 3 is a front view of figures 1 and 2 ,
• the figure 4 is a detail view of a desiccant ribbon puller,
• the figure 5 is a front view of a detail of the figures 1 to 3 , namely a device for cutting the desiccant ribbon,
• the figure 6 is a bottom view of the device for cutting the tape to form a desiccant tablet,
• the figure 7 is a partial perspective view of the cutting device,
• the figure 8 is a side perspective view of the cutter and part of a desiccant tablet transfer head,
• the figure 9 is a front perspective view of the transfer head
• the figure 10 is a front perspective view of the pulling member, of the cutting device and of the transfer head, which is in a first extreme position,
• the figure 11 is a front perspective view of the pulling member, the cutting device and the transfer head, which is in a second extreme position, and
• the figure 12 is a sectional view of the transfer head.

Description of embodiments

The figures 1 to 12 represent an equipment 10 for a machine 1 for blistering (also called "blister machine") of products requiring absorption of volatile compounds in cells 2 belonging to a cell strip 3 moving along a mobile distribution device (not shown) of a type known per se.

In particular, the products concerned by the present invention are pharmaceutical, food or cosmetic products such as tablets, capsules or even pods, and the volatile compounds are, for example, water (humidity) or oxygen.

This equipment 10, adaptable to different types of commercial alternating or continuous advance blistering machines 1, comprises a frame 11 supporting a technical cabinet 12 and on which are mounted, "from upstream to downstream" when the machine 1 and its associated equipment 10 are in operation, a support 20 movable in rotation to deliver a strip 21 of desiccant material, a member 30 for linear pulling of the strip 21 to cause its unwinding, a device 40 for cutting said strip 21 by perforation to form pellets 23 of desiccant, and a means 50 for transferring each cut-out tablet 23 of desiccant towards means 60 for sealing by heating a sealing film 65 of aluminum.

All these elements will be described below in more detail in relation to the various figures relating to them.

As shown on figures 1 to 3 , the movable support 20 comprises in the present case a flat reel 22 pivoting on an axis of rotation 24 connected to a motor 26 and around which the strip 21 of desiccant is wound.

On leaving the flat reel 22, the desiccant strip 21 then passes alternately around various guiding and tensioning means 26 (tubes parallel to each other drawn up on the frame 12) before being received by the pulling member. 30.

This pulling member 30 is in the present case in the form of two parallel jaws 31 which can move away from and come closer to one another and move together using jacks (pneumatic or electric) 32 according to a reciprocating linear movement (back and forth according to arrow V) to go up along the strip 21 (the rods of the jacks 32 enter a housing 33), jaws 31 open, to close its jaws 31 in order to tighten said strip 21 between these (the inside of the jaws 31 is provided for this purpose with a soft and adherent coating 34 to prevent the tape 21 from tearing or slipping), then to retract its jaws 31 by pulling the tape 21 in the direction of the cutting device 40 (the rods of the jacks 32 come out box 33).

As an alternative, the jaws 31 can already be opened in the raised position (rods of the cylinders 32 retracted into the housing 33), so that the alternating cycle (arrow V of the linear reciprocating movement) of the pulling member 30 comprises the steps of clamping the jaw 31 on either side of the tape 21, pulling the tape 21 (the rods of the jacks 32 come out of the housing 33), jaws 31 closed, in the direction of the cutting device 40, then the ascent of the jaws 31 open along the tape 21 to start the next cycle (the cylinder rods 32 enter the housing 33).

As a variant, the cylinder rods 32 are replaced by a motorized linear carriage.

In both cases, the linear pulling member 30 of the step-by-step type makes it possible to bring the tape 21 in increments towards the cutting device 40 in order to evenly distribute the perforations.

A curved guide provided with two guide plates 35 and 36 then allows the tape 21 to be perfectly guided in the direction of said device 40 for cutting by perforation described below in relation to the figures 5 to 8 .

The strip 21 of desiccant thus unwound from the reel 22 then passes through the device 40 for cutting by perforation which typically comprises at least one punch 41 moving alternately in line (vertically in the present case) using a jack 42 between a first position remote from the tape 21 and a second position in which it perforates the latter by passing through an opening 43 made in a plate 44 forming a fixed die. Once the pellet 23 has been cut, it remains in place on the end surface of the punch 41, for example using integrated suction means, in order to prevent it from moving and falling for example. by gravity.

Once the tablet 23 of desiccant has been cut, the latter is recovered by transfer means 50 comprising a head 51 mounted on a drum 52 connected to a motor housed in the technical cabinet 12 and movable alternately (arrow R) in rotation about an axis XX 'perpendicular to the direction of movement F of the sealing film 65. In parallel, a tape recovery tank 21 perforated can be provided at the outlet of the cutting means 40.

The head 51, shown in more detail on the figures 8 and 12 , has for this purpose a movable front plate 53 provided with an active face 54 provided with a reception area 55 of the pellet 23 materialized by a hollow housing. This hollow housing 55 has the same section / perimeter as that of the pellet 23 (and of the opening 42 of the cutting device 40) and a depth P measuring between 0 mm and one third of the thickness E of said pellet 23 ( see figure 9 ) so that the patch 23 is still projecting from the receiving housing 55 and from the active face 54.

The hollow zone 55 is also pierced with orifices 56, for example two in number, communicating with an external system of the venturi type mounted in the technical cabinet 12. Thus, the desiccant tablet 23 is always well held in place. during reciprocating movements of the transfer head 51.

Indeed, as soon as the pellet 23 has been cut, it is placed in the hollow housing 55 of the transfer head 51 and the suction means act to press it against the bottom of said hollow housing 55. Thus, when the head 51 performs its reciprocating rotational movement along the axis XX ', for example substantially at 90 ° to pass from a position in which the active face 54 is horizontal, facing the cutting device 40 ( figure 10 ), in a vertical position ( figure 11 ) in which the active face 54 is disposed facing the means 60 for sealing by heating (a heating plate), the suction means act continuously to prevent the pellet 23 from moving in the hollow housing 55 or from falling by gravity.

To facilitate the positioning of the tablet 23 of desiccant on the sealing film 65, the transfer head 51 comprises a body 57 as well as internal jacks 58 arranged in the body 57 and bearing against the rear of the front plate 53 , opposite the active face 54. Advantageously, each jack 58 is provided with an elastic ball joint (not shown) for allow the most precise possible positioning of the pellet 23 against the sealing film 65.

Once the head 51 is placed opposite the aluminum sealing film 65 (second extreme position of the figure 11 ), the internal jacks 58 of the transfer head 51 support the heating sealing means 60 in order to press the desiccant tablet 23 against said film 65 placed in front of said sealing means. The sealing film 65 is preheated with the aid of a resistor 62 integrated in the sealing means 60 by heating before the arrival of the pellet 23, then heated again using said resistor 62 once that. -ci in contact with the film 65 so as to very quickly melt a thin layer of adhesive / glue with which the sealing film 65 of aluminum is provided.

Thus, the pellet 23 is firmly secured to the operculating film 65. The latter continues its sequential movement of advance step-by-step (arrow F) to come into position facing the blister strip 3 (which also advances sequentially and perfectly synchronized with the aluminum foil 65) so as to place each tablet 23 of desiccant exactly above a cell 2 previously filled with the product (drug tablet for example).

A final heat-sealing operation of the operculant film 65 on the blister strip 3 is carried out in order to trap both the product and the tablet 23 of desiccant in the same compartment 2.

A sensor 80 for verifying the presence and / or strip 21 of desiccant is provided upstream of the gripper 31 to inform in particular that the reel 22 is empty.

Likewise, a sensor for verifying the presence and / or the correct positioning of the tablet 23 of desiccant on the transfer head 51 is provided, for example in front of the lower surface of the punch 41 or at the level of the active surface of the transfer head.

Finally, a sensor 84 for verifying the presence and / or the correct positioning of the tablet 23 of desiccant 21 against the sealing film 65 is placed downstream of the means 60 for sealing by heating.

It should be understood that the detailed description of the subject of the invention, given solely by way of illustration, does not in any way constitute a limitation, the technical equivalents also being included within the scope of the present invention.

Thus, the movements of the transfer head 51 may differ from those described.

The drum can also be provided with two heads in opposition to 180 ° and turn only in one direction (no alternating back and forth movement), so that at each half turn, a tablet 23 of desiccant is recovered then attached to the sealing film 65 on the next half turn, or four heads so that at each quarter turn a desiccant tablet is grasped before being attached to the sealing film.

The jacks 58 can be three in number to form an isostatic assembly for positioning the plate 53 during the bonding of the tablet 23 of desiccant on the sealing film 65.

The transfer head 51 may be provided with several hollow housings 55 to seal several tablets 23 of desiccant 1 simultaneously on the sealing film 65, and thus fill several cells 2 at the same time. In this case, the means 40 for cutting by perforation will be adapted accordingly and will include several punches / dies.

Claims (24)

Equipment (10) for a machine (1) for blistering products requiring absorption of volatile compounds, such as water or oxygen, in particular pharmaceutical, food or cosmetic products such as tablets, capsules or even pods, in cells (2) belonging to a honeycomb strip (3) moving along a mobile product distribution device, characterized in that it comprises: - means (20; 30; 40) for forming desiccant tablets (23), - Means (50) for transferring each tablet (23) of desiccant against a sealing film (65) of cellular strip (3) in longitudinal movement, said transfer means (50) comprising at least one mobile head (51) between at least a first receiving position, on an active face (54) of said head (51), of the desiccant tablet (23), and a second position in which of said desiccant tablet (23) is sandwiched between said sealing film (65) and said active face (54) of the head (51), and - Sealing means (60) for securing said tablet (23) of desiccant to said sealing film (65). Equipment (10) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the transfer head (51) is mounted on a drum (52) movable in rotation along an axis (XX ') perpendicular to the direction of movement F of the sealing film ( 65). Equipment (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the drum is provided with n transfer heads (51), n being an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the heads are angularly spaced from each other by 360 ° /not. Equipment (10) according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the drum (52) carrying the head (s) (51) is movable in an oscillating manner between the two positions, which are extreme positions. Equipment according to Claim 4, characterized in that the drum oscillates over an angular range of approximately 180 °, and preferably 90 °. Equipment (10) according to Claim 5, characterized in that the transfer head (51) oscillates between a first position in which the active face (54) of the head (51) is substantially horizontal, oriented towards means (40) cutting desiccant tablets (23), and a second position in which the active face (54) of the head (51) is substantially vertical, facing the sealing film (65). Equipment (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transfer head (51) comprises, on its active face (54), a zone (55) for receiving the desiccant tablet (23). Equipment (10) according to Claim 7, characterized in that the zone (55) for receiving the transfer head (51) is materialized by a hollow housing, the perimeter of which is identical or slightly greater than that of the pellet (23). desiccant. Equipment (10) according to Claim 8, characterized in that the hollow housing (55) of the transfer head (51) has a depth P less than or equal to one third of the thickness E of the desiccant tablet (23), and preferably between zero mm and one third of said thickness E. Equipment (10) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the transfer head (51) is connected to means (56) for plating by suction of the tablet (23) of desiccant against the zone of reception (55). Equipment (10) according to Claim 10, characterized in that the plating means (56) comprise at least one suction orifice (56) formed at the level of the reception area (55) of the transfer head (51) and connected to an external vacuum system, for example of the venturi type. Equipment (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transfer head (51) comprises means (58) for pressing the tablet (23) of desiccant against the sealing film (65). Equipment (10) according to Claim 12, characterized in that , the transfer head (51) comprising at least one body (57) and a movable front plate (53) provided with the active face (54), the plating means (58) comprise at least one pneumatic or electric actuator of the cylinder type mounted in the body (57) and acting on said movable front plate (53). Equipment (10) according to Claim 13, characterized in that the body (57) of the transfer head (51) contains at least three independent actuators (58) each bearing on the rear of the movable front plate (53) , opposite the active face (54). Equipment (10) according to any one of Claims 13 or 14, characterized in that each actuator (58) is provided, at at least one end, with an elastic ball joint. Equipment (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means (20; 30; 40) for supplying the desiccant tablets (23) comprise on the one hand a support (20) for a thin ribbon ( 21) of desiccant and on the other hand means (40) for cutting perforation of said tape (21) to produce said pellets (23). Equipment (10) according to Claim 16, characterized in that the means (40) for cutting by perforation comprise a punch (41) movable in translation in an alternating manner in front of a through orifice (43) belonging to a fixed die (44), said orifice (43) being arranged, in the first position of reception of the transfer head (51), opposite the active face (54) of the latter. Equipment (10) according to Claim 17, characterized in that the perforation punch (41) comprises suction means for maintaining the tablet (23) of desiccant in position before its recovery by the transfer head (51) Equipment (10) according to any one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that the means (20; 30; 40) for supplying the desiccant tablets (23) also comprise a clamp (31) for pulling the tape (21). ) to bring the latter from the support (20) to the perforation cutting means (40). Equipment (10) according to any one of claims 16 to 19, characterized in that it further comprises at least one sensor (80) for verifying the presence and / or the strip (21) of desiccant. Equipment (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it also comprises at least one sensor for verifying the presence and / or the correct positioning of the tablet (23) of desiccant (21) on the head transfer (51). Equipment (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it furthermore comprises means (62) for heating the sealing film (65) at least when the transfer head (51) is positioned with its active face (54) facing said sealing film (65) so as to secure the tablet (23) of desiccant on said film (65) by melting a layer of glue / adhesive covering said film of obturation (65). Equipment (10) according to Claim 22, characterized in that the heating means (62) also constitute means for preheating the sealing film (65). Equipment (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises a sensor (84) for verifying the presence and / or the correct positioning of the tablet (23) of desiccant against the film d. 'obturation (65).

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