The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 28, 2004
Filed:
Dec. 19, 2003
Roberto Trebbi, Castenaso, IT;
Salvatore Fabrizio Consoli, Bologna, IT;
I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A., Ozzano Emilia, IT;
Abstract
A capsule filling machine ( ) for the production of hard gelatine capsules (C) of the type with a capsule lid and a capsule body and containing a product, preferably a pharmaceutical product, comprises at least a first station ( ), rotating with a stepping motion, for supporting and moving at least one capsule body ( ) to a second station ( ) for feeding and dosing the product, the second station ( ) rotating with a stepping motion synchrozised with that of the first station ( ) and having at least one cylindrical hole ( ) containing a dose ( ) of the product; between the first station ( ) and the second station ( ) there being slide means ( ) for supporting and moving the capsule body ( ) between a first operating position, in which the capsule body ( ) is distanced from a lower end ( ) of the cylindrical hole ( ), and a second operating position, in which the capsule body ( ) is exactly below the lower end ( ) of the cylindrical hole ( ), allowing the dose of product ( ) to be released into the capsule body ( ); the slide means ( ) comprising a first and a second support ( ) operating in conjunction with one another, the first support ( ) being carried by the first station ( ), rotating and supporting a capsule body ( ); the second support ( ) being carried by the second station ( ), rotating and, in the first operating position, located below the end ( ) of the cylindrical hole ( ) to close the end ( ); there also being drive means ( ) acting on at least the first support ( ) to move the first support ( ) towards the second support ( ) with both radial and transversal motion until the first support ( ) gradually makes contact with the second support ( ), with a consequent thrust by the first support ( ) on the second support ( ) pushing the second support ( ) back away from the first operating position to the second operationg position, allowing the dose ( ) to be released into the capsule body ( ).