GB2051014A

GB2051014A - Apparatus for transferring tablet strip packages from a forming machine into a receiver

Info

Publication number: GB2051014A
Application number: GB8016733A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 1980-05-21
Filing date: 1980-05-21
Publication date: 1981-01-14
Also published as: GB2051014B

Abstract

Apparatus for transferring packages 4, preferably tablet strip comprises a conveyor belt (6) provided in known manner with flights (5) and arranged between a stamping device (S) of a thermoforming machine, and a folding box or bucket conveyor of a cartoning machine for the positive transport of the stamped out tablet strip packages (4). A device (7, 8, 9) for combining the individual tablet strip packages (4) into the particular desired number of tablet strip packages (4) to be pushed into folding boxes or the like is arranged beyond the conveyor belt (6). In addition to the possibility of arranging the thermo-forming region and the cartoning region in-line with the interposition of the said transfer apparatus, it is possible to reject tablet strip packages which are not filled in the proper manner before the insertion of the tablet strip packages into the folding boxes, or the like. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for transferring tablet strip packages A large number of arrangements are already known for transferring packages from one processing machine to another. Moreover, suckers, pushers, conveyors or the like generally serve for the transfer of the packages. With packages having a prismatic external shape, there are generally no difficulties since, in that case, the transfer can take place by pushing the packages on opposite sides and a change in position necessaryforthe further packing or processing can be carried out by lateral or vertical displacement with simple means. What is substantially more difficult is the transfer of tablet strip packages.In this case, it is a question of socalled force-through packages which have been produced by heat deformation of a thermoplastic foil strip, filling the thus formed cups with tablets or the like, closing the filled packages with a cover foil and finally stamping out individual packaging units from the foil assembly. A trouble-free further processing of these packaging strips having an external rim, whether it be the introduction of an individual packaging strip or a plurality of packaging strips into a folding box, is only guaranteed when these packaging strips are gripped after stamping out and in no phase are left to themselves until they are pushed into the folding box and pushing of the packaging strips from opposite sides is in any case avoided.

In one known device (German OS 2705 293) for producing arranged packing groups from a continuous strip of packaging, the arrangement is so designed that each stamped out package is pushed into a shaft provided above the stamping opening directly afterthe stamping out operation. With this method of operation, members for gripping the individual packages and conveying means and the like are indeed superfluous. However, as opposed to this advantage there is a substantial disadvantage which can be seen especially in the fact that with this device and method of operation, it is not possible to reject faulty packages, that is especially incompletely filled packages. Such packages arrive in the shaft together with the properly filled packages and later arrive in the folding boxes.In order to prevent the user from getting a folding box which includes packing strips with incompletely filled cups, which must not take place particularly in the field of medicament packaging, extensive checking methods are required which bear no relationship to the alleged advantage of the known device. An apparatus for transferring tablet strip packages would be-worth seeking in which a positive transport of the individual tablet strip packages from stamping out to the folding box is guaranteed wherein a rejection of defectively filled packages and if necessary replenishment by completely filled packages can be carried out.

Apart from a comparatively simple and reliable method of operation, the apparatus in accordance with the invention comprising the characterising features of the main claim has the advantage of rejecting tablet strip packages which have been recognised as faulty before the stamping out operation and either rejecting the adjacent tablet strip packages which would form the contents of a folding box together with the incompletely filled tablet strip package or to replace the incompletely filled tablet strip package by a completely filled package.

Advantageous further developments and improvements of the features set forth in the main claim are made possible by the measures set forth in the further sub-claims. Furthermore, it can be seen as an advantage that due to the design and arrangement of the gripping and delivering as well as combining members, the possibility exists of an in-line arrangement for the entire installation.

Beyond this, despite the introduction of the members set forth above and with it the achievement of a visible extension, a compact unit consisting of a thermo-forming machine and a cartoning machine is produced. With the construction and arrangement on which the apparatus in accordance with the invention is based the possibility also exists, with a "two-track" arrangement for example, to carton "single-track" in the region of the stamping out since a combining of the two tracks is possible with simple means.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the drawing with the aid of two figures and is described in detail in the following specification. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the entire installation consisting of a thermo-forming machine and a cartoning machine, Figure 2 shows the apparatus for transferring and combining the tablet strip packages.

As can be seen from Figure 1, it is a question in this case of a machine for packaging tablets and which consists of a thermo-forming machine referenced 1 and a cartoning machine referenced 2. An apparatus 3 for transferring and combining tablet strip packages 4 is inserted between these two machines 1 and 2. As Figure 2 shows in particular, this apparatus 3 consists substantially of a conveyor belt 6 provided with flights 5 beyond which is arranged a table 7 for receiving the tablet strip packages 4 leaving the conveyor belt 6. Two receiving chambers 8 and 9 arranged one above the other for the reception of the tablet strip packages 4 are located above the said table 7.

The method of operation of the apparatus is as follows: After the stamping operation in the puncher S, the tablet strip packages 4 are removed with the aid of the suction members 10 and are deposited on the conveyor belt 6. A positive further transport of the tablet strip packages 4 is guaranteed by the flights 5 of the conveyor belt 6. During this conveying, incompletely filled tablet strip packages 4' can be removed from the conveyor belt 6 and be replaced by completely filled tablet strip packages 4. However, there is also the possibility of likewise removing the completely filled tablet strip packages 4 adjacent to an incompletely filled tablet strip package 4' and which, together with the incompletely filled package, would form the contents of a folding box. At the end of the conveyor belt 6, the tablet strip packages 4 arrive on the table 7.The tablet strip packages 4 are then pushed into the receiving chamber 8 or into the receiving chamber 9 with the aid of the said table 7. Moreover, the drive for the table 7 is so designed that the table 7 can perform a normal stroke h and an extended stroke H. If the particular number of tablet strip packages 4 to be introduced into a folding box is called n, then the table 7 performs n-1 normal strokes h and then an extended stroke H. By using two receiving chambers 8 and 9 arranged one above the other, there is above all the advantage that sufficient time is available for rejection of the tablet strip packages 4 out of the receiving chamber9. In the meantime, furthertablet strip packages 4 can be accumulated in the chamber 8. The removal of the tablet strip packages 4from the chamber9 is produced by known (not shown) means. In so doing there are two possibilities: either an ejection stroke of the tablet strip packages 4 out of the receiving chamber 9 takes place transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt 6 directly into a folding box-cyclically operating cartoning machineor the ejection of the tablet strip packages 4 out of the receiving chamber 9 takes place in the direction of travel of the conveyor belt 6 into a bucket conveyor of a continuously operating cartoning machine.

Claims

1. Apparatus for transferring packages, preferably tablet strip packages, from a thermo-forming machine to a cartoning machine and for the individual or multi-layer insertion of the tablet strip packages into a folding box or into a receiver of a bucket conveyor, characterised in that, a conveyor belt provided in known manner with flights is provided between a stamping device of the thermo-forming machine and a folding box or bucket conveyor of the cartoning machine for the positive transport of the stamped out tablet strip packages, a device for combining the individual tablet strip packages into the particular desired number of tablet strip packages to be pushed into the folding boxes or the like is arranged beyond the conveyor belt.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the device for combining the individual tablet strip packages consists of an upwardly and downwardly movable table arranged beyond the conveyor belt and two receiving chambers arranged one above the other above the table for accumulating a plurality of tablet strip packages.

3. Apparatus according to claims 1 and 2 characterised in that the table is constructed and arranged for carrying out two different strokes - a normal stroke and an extended strokefor introducing the tablet strip packages into the two receiving cham bers.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 characterised in that the table is constructed for carrying out n-1 normal strokes and one extended stroke during the accumulation of n tablet strip packages.

5. Apparatus fortransferring tablet strip pack ages substantially as herein described with refer ence to Figures 1 and 2 or Figure 2 of the accom panying drawings.