Method and apparatus for producing tablets

Abstract

A tablet production apparatus comprising a gas generator G, a lubricant powder discharge means 51 for discharging a lubricant powder into a gas generated from the gas generator G, depending on the supply of the gas from the gas generator G, and mixing the lubricant powder with the gas in dispersed state, a lubricant application means 91 for spraying the lubricant powder discharged from the lubricant powder discharge means 51 and mixed with the gas generated from the gas generation means G in dispersed state, onto each material contacting surface of a die, an upper punch and a lower punch, and an oxygen concentration measuring means 131 a for measuring the oxygen concentration of the gas existing near the lubricant application means 91 . The apparatus is designed such that the amount of the gas supplied into the lubricant application means is adjusted based on the oxygen concentration measured by the oxygen concentration measuring means 131 a.

1 . A tablet production method comprising the steps of: 
 gas generating step for generating a gas from a gas generation means;    lubricant dispersing step for supplying said gas generated from said gas generation means into a lubricant powder discharge means, said discharge means discharging said lubricant powder into said gas for mixing said lubricant powder with said gas in dispersed state, depending on the supply of said gas, thereby discharging said lubricant powder into said gas generated from said gas generation means from said lubricant powder discharge means to mix said lubricant powder with said gas in dispersed state;    pneumatic transporting step for pneumatically transporting said lubricant powder mixed with said gas in dispersed state at said lubricant dispersing step into a lubricant application means, said lubricant application means spraying said lubricant powder onto each material contacting surface of a die, an upper punch and a lower punch;    lubricant powder applying step for spraying said lubricant powder mixed with said gas in dispersed state onto each material contacting surface of said die, said upper punch and said lower punch by said lubricant application means; and    tabletting step for compressing a molding material with said die, said upper punch and said lower punch, on each material contacting surface of which said lubricant powder is applied,    wherein the oxygen concentration in the gas existing in transporting system and/or near said lubricant application means is set equal to or less than a lower explosion limit concentration, said system including said gas generation means and said lubricant application means as its initial and end instruments.    
     
     
         2 . The tablet production method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said oxygen concentration in said gas existing in said system and/or near said lubricant application means is set equal to or less than 14%, said system including said gas generation means and said lubricant application means as its initial and end instruments.  
     
     
         3 . The tablet production method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said oxygen concentration in said gas existing in said system and/or near said lubricant application means is set equal to or less than 8%, said system including said gas generation means and said lubricant application means as its initial and end instruments.  
     
     
         4 . A tablet production method comprising the steps of: 
 gas generating step for generating a gas from a gas generation means;    lubricant dispersing step for supplying said gas generated from said gas generation means into a lubricant powder discharge means, said discharge means discharging said lubricant powder into said gas for mixing said lubricant powder with said gas in dispersed state, depending on the supply of said gas, thereby discharging said lubricant powder into said gas generated from said gas generation means from said lubricant powder discharge means to mix said lubricant powder with said gas in dispersed state;    pneumatic transporting step for pneumatically transporting said lubricant powder mixed with said gas in dispersed state at said lubricant dispersing step into a lubricant application means, said lubricant application means spraying said lubricant powder onto each material contacting surface of a die, an upper punch and a lower punch;    lubricant powder applying step for spraying said lubricant powder mixed with said gas in dispersed state onto each material contacting surface of said die, said upper punch and said lower punch by said lubricant application means;    tabletting step for compressing a molding material with said die, said upper punch and said lower punch, on each material contacting surface of which said lubricant powder is applied; and    surplus lubricant powder suction step for sucking surplus lubricant powder by a suction means, said surplus lubricant powder being such lubricant powder that hasn't been applied on each material contacting surface of said die, said upper punch and said lower punch, of all the lubricant powders that have been sprayed thereonto at said lubricant powder applying step by said lubricant application means;    wherein the lubricant powder concentration in said suction means is set equal to or less than a lower explosion limit concentration.    
     
     
         5 . The tablet production method as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said lubricant powder concentration in said suction means is set equal to or less than 70 g/m 3 .  
     
     
         6 . The tablet production method as set forth in any one of claims  1 - 5  wherein a noninflammable gas is used as said gas supplied to said lubricant powder discharge means at said lubricant dispersing step.  
     
     
         7 . The tablet production method as set forth in any one of claims  1 - 6  wherein a pulsating vibration gas is used as said gas supplied to said lubricant powder discharge means at said lubricant dispersing step.  
     
     
         8 . The tablet production method as set forth in any one of claims  1 - 7  wherein an apparatus, by which the tablet production method as set forth in any one of claims  1 - 7  is carried out, is equipped with an antistatic means.  
     
     
         9 . A tablet production apparatus comprising: 
 a gas generator;    a lubricant powder discharge means for discharging a lubricant powder into a gas generated from said gas generator for mixing said lubricant powder with said gas in dispersed state, depending on the supply of said gas generated from said gas generator;    a lubricant application means for spraying said lubricant powder discharged from said lubricant powder discharge means and mixed with said gas from said gas generator in dispersed state onto each material contacting surface of a die, an upper punch and a lower punch; and    an oxygen concentration measuring means for measuring the oxygen concentration of the gas existing in transporting system and/or near said lubricant application means, said system including said gas generator and said lubricant application means as its initial and end instruments,    wherein the oxygen concentration in the gas existing in said system and/or near said lubricant application means is adjusted based on the oxygen concentration measured by said oxygen concentration measuring means, said system including said gas generation means and said lubricant application means as its initial and end instruments.    
     
     
         10 . The tablet production apparatus as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said oxygen concentration in the gas existing in said system or near said lubricant application means is set equal to or less than an oxygen concentration of an explosion limit, said system including said gas generation means and said lubricant application means as its initial and end instruments.  
     
     
         11 . The tablet production apparatus as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said oxygen concentration in the gas existing in said system and/or near said lubricant application means is set equal to or less than 14%, said system including said gas generation means and said lubricant application means as its initial and end instruments.  
     
     
         12 . The tablet production apparatus as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said oxygen concentration in the gas existing in said system and/or near said lubricant application means is set equal to or less than 8%, said system including said gas generation means and said lubricant application means as its initial and end instruments.  
     
     
         13 . A tablet production apparatus comprising: 
 a gas generator;    a lubricant powder discharge means for discharging a lubricant powder into a gas generated from said gas generator for mixing said lubricant powder with said gas in dispersed state, depending on the supply of said gas generated from said gas generator;    a lubricant application means for spraying said lubricant powder discharged from said lubricant powder discharge means and mixed with said gas generated from said gas generator in dispersed state onto each material contacting surface of a die, an upper punch and a lower punch;    a suction means for sucking thereinto said lubricant powder sprayed from said lubricant application means; and    a lubricant powder concentration measuring means provided in said suction means, for measuring a lubricant powder concentration sucked into said suction means,    whereby the concentration of the lubricant powder to be sucked into said suction means is adjusted based on the lubricant powder concentration measured by said lubricant powder concentration measuring means.    
     
     
         14 . The tablet production apparatus as set forth in  claim 13  wherein said lubricant powder concentration to be sucked into said suction means is equal to or less than a lower explosion limit concentration.  
     
     
         15 . The tablet production apparatus as set forth in  claim 13  wherein said lubricant powder concentration to be sucked into said suction means is equal to or less than 70 g/m 3 .  
     
     
         16 . The tablet production apparatus as set forth in any one of claims  9 - 15  wherein said gas generator generates a noninflammable gas therefrom.  
     
     
         17 . The tablet production apparatus as set forth in any one of claims  9 - 16  wherein said gas generator generates a pulsating vibration gas therefrom.  
     
     
         18 . A tablet production apparatus comprising: 
 a gas generator;    a lubricant powder discharge means for discharging a lubricant powder into a gas generated from said gas generator for mixing said lubricant powder with said gas in dispersed state, depending on the supply of said gas generated from said gas generator;    a lubricant application means for spraying said lubricant powder discharged from said lubricant powder discharge means and mixed with said gas generated from said gas generator in dispersed state onto each material contacting surface of a die, an upper punch and a lower punch;    a suction means for sucking thereinto said lubricant powder sprayed from said lubricant application means; and    a spray amount measuring means for measuring the lubricant powder concentration at an optional point from said lubricant powder discharge means to said lubricant application means,    whereby the flow amount to be sucked into said suction means is adjusted based on the lubricant powder concentration calculated from the amount of said lubricant powder measured by said spray amount measuring means and the flow amount sucked into said suction means and further the amount of the lubricant powder which is mixed with said gas generated from said gas generator in dispersed state is adjusted so as to make the concentration of said lubricant powder equal to or less than a lower explosion limit concentration, when said lubricant powder concentration reaches said lower explosion limit concentration.    
     
     
         19 . The tablet production apparatus as set forth in  claim 18  wherein the concentration of such lubricant powder as to be sucked into said suction means is equal to or less than a lower explosion limit.  
     
     
         20 . The tablet production apparatus as set forth in  claim 18  wherein the concentration of such lubricant powder as to be sucked into said suction means is equal to or less than 70 g/m 3 .  
     
     
         21 . The tablet production apparatus as set forth in  claim 18  or  19  wherein said gas generator generates a noninflammable gas therefrom.  
     
     
         22 . The tablet production apparatus as set forth in any one of claims  18 - 21  wherein said gas generator generates a pulsating vibration gas therefrom.  
     
     
         23 . The tablet production method as set forth in any one of claims  9 - 22  wherein an antistatic means is further equipped with.