US 12,233,031 B2
Closing station, capsule filling machine and method thereof
Karan Singh, Mumbai (IN); Roy Cook, Mumbai (IN); and James D'Silva, Mumbai (IN)
Appl. No. 17/918,315
Filed by Scitect Centet, Mumbai (IN); and ACG Pam Pharm Technologies Pvt. LTD, Mumbai (IN)
PCT Filed Apr. 8, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IN2021/050352
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 11, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/210011, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 21, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 202021015979 (IN), filed on Apr. 13, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0135053 A1, May 4, 2023
Int. Cl. A61J 3/07 (2006.01)
CPC A61J 3/072 (2013.01) [A61J 2200/70 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A closing station (100) for a capsule filling machine, said station (100) comprising:
a bottom closing unit (110) positioned underneath a body holder (B) of the capsule filling machine having a plurality of capsule body sections (114) therein, said bottom closing unit having a bottom pin (112) for each capsule body section (114) axially aligned with a corresponding vertical through-hole (O) of said body holder (B);
a top closing unit (120) positioned overhead a cap holder (C) having a capsule cap section (124) therein for each capsule body section (114), said top closing unit having a top pin (122) for each cap section (124) axially aligned with a corresponding vertical through-hole (O) of said cap holder (C); and
a control unit to:
initiate vertical displacement of said bottom (110) and top (120) closing units towards each other;
urge each said bottom pin (112) into said through-holes (O) of said body holder (B) to contact and slide closed ends of each capsule body sections (114) into said open ends of each capsule cap sections (124);
close cap (124) and body sections (114) of each capsule partially against an exerting pre-compressive force of said top pins (122); and
close cap (124) and body sections (114) of each said partially closed capsule telescopingly and completely against an exerting biasing force of a biasing means (130) positioned within said top pins (122), wherein the control unit is in communication with a first sensing means (150) and a second sensing means (160) equidistantly spaced apart and positioned adjacent to said top pins (122) within said top closing unit (120), said control unit is to:
receive a positive feedback signal generated only by said first sensing means (150) on sensing biasing of said top pins (122) to only a first predetermined threshold position, indicative of complete telescopic closure of good capsule (170) having both said body section (114) and cap section (124);
receive a positive feedback signal generated by said first sensing means (150) and said second sensing means (160) on sensing biasing of said top pins (122) to first and a second predetermined threshold position, indicative of incomplete telescopic closure of capsule (190) having a dent either in said body section (114) or cap section (124); and
receive negative feedback signal generated by said first sensing means (150) and/or said second sensing means (160) indicative of non-biasing of said top pins (122) to said first and/or second predetermined threshold position, and non-telescoped capsule (180) with either only said body section (114) or cap section (124).