Glatt Air Techniques, Inc.

Richard Andrew Smith

Bernhard Luy

David M Jones

Frank Maurer

John Patrick Kennedy

Matthias Georg Tondar

Markus J Baettig

Kenneth W Olsen

A fluidized bed apparatus for applying a coating liquid onto the surface of particles includes a vertically disposed cylindrical product container having a peripheral wall, at least one cylindrical partition defining a centrally located up bed region and a peripherally located down bed region. The product container further includes an upper end connected to an expansion chamber and a lower end including an orifice plate having a plurality of openings for passage of fluidized air or gas. A nozzle is centrally located through the orifice plate and is adapted to generate a spray of coating liquid upwardly into the up bed. Particles located within the product container circulate upwardly through the partition and the coating liquid spray, between the up bed and the down bed. A central discharge assembly is provided at the lower end of the product containers for emptying particles from the machine. Air is preferably discharged from the manifold during the emptying process to help direct particles towards the discharge assembly.

Product discharge and cleaning assembly for an apparatus for coating tablets

A fluidized bed apparatus for applying a coating liquid onto the surface of particles includes a vertically disposed cylindrical product container having a peripheral wall, at least one cylindrical partition defining a centrally located up bed region and a peripherally located down bed region. A nozzle is centrally located through the orifice plate and is adapted to generate a spray of coating liquid upwardly into the up bed. A nozzle ramp is provided around the nozzle. The nozzle ramp is generally cusp shaped and includes nozzle-ramp surface. The nozzle ramp is centrally positioned around the nozzle and is directed upwardly towards the partition so that the nozzle-ramp surface directs particles moving generally horizontally across the orifice plate from the down bed upwardly into the partition and the up bed. The nozzle ramp may further include air passages for passing fluidized air upwardly to the nozzle-ramp surface.

Ramp surface for an apparatus for coating tablets

A fluidized bed apparatus for applying a coating liquid onto the surface of particles includes a vertically disposed cylindrical product container having a peripheral wall, at least one cylindrical partition defining a centrally located up bed region and a peripherally located down bed region. The product container further includes an upper end connected to an expansion chamber and a lower end including an orifice plate having a plurality of openings for passage of fluidized air or gas. The fluidized apparatus further includes a central first plenum located below the orifice plate and being aligned with the up-bed and the partition, the first plenum being sized and shaped to direct gas upwardly through the orifice plate and into the up-bed; and a second plenum located below the orifice plate positioned around the first plenum for directing gas upwardly through the orifice plate and into contact with particles located on the orifice plate.

Split plenum arrangement for an apparatus for coating tablets

A fluidized bed apparatus for applying a coating liquid onto the surface of particles includes a vertically disposed cylindrical product container having a peripheral wall, at least one cylindrical partition defining a centrally located up bed region and a peripherally located down bed region. The product container further includes an upper end connected to an expansion chamber and a lower end including an orifice plate having a plurality of openings for passage of fluidized air or gas. A nozzle is centrally located through the orifice plate and is adapted to generate a spray of coating liquid upwardly into the up bed. Particles located within the product container circulate upwardly through the partition and the coating liquid spray, between the up bed and the down bed. A plurality of inwardly directed discharge jets are positioned along the periphery of the product container and generally adjacent to the orifice plate. A source of pressurized air or gas is connected to the plurality of discharge jets and provide a radially inwardly directed flow of air or gas through the particles of the down bed so that the particles located adjacent to the peripheral wall of the product container are displaced radially inwardly along the orifice plate towards the nozzle and the up bed.

Apparatus for coating tablets

A fluidized bed apparatus having a downwardly opening filter housing and including multiple processing gas outlets and a partition structure dividing the interior of the filter housing into individual downwardly-opening open-bottom compartments equal in number to the gas outlets. The partition structure extends into an expansion chamber below the filter housing. The partition structure that divides the housing not only extends the full height of the filter housing portion, but projects appreciably downwardly therefrom into the upper portion of the expansion chamber disposed below the filter housing. Each gas outlet is associated with a filter cartridge mounted on a tubular fitting. The gas filter cartridge is tubular and filters the gas passing through each of the divided filter housing compartments. Each gas outlet has an exhaust fitting operatively associated therewith on the exterior of the casing and the exhaust fittings open into multiple arms of a connection fitting through gas flow on/off valves which may be selectively opened and closed. The connection fitting discharges into a discharge duct having a gas flow modulating valve operatively associated therewith. Additionally, each gas outlet and tubular air filter cartridge has a compressed gas supply structure operatively associated therewith whereby appreciable quantities of gas under pressure may be supplied to the interiors of the filter cartridges for cleaning the same when the gas flow on/off valves operatively associated with the corresponding exhaust fittings are closed.

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Goshen, NY, United States of America

Richard Andrew Smith