Method and Related Capsule Filling Machine For Producing Sealed Capsules

Abstract

In a method and related capsule filling machine for producing sealed capsules (C), each defined by a body ( 1 ) coupled with a lid ( 2 ), the capsule body ( 1 ) is filled with a quantity or dose ( 3 ) of material, especially pharmaceutical material in liquid or powder form, and the capsule (C) is closed by placing the lid ( 2 ) over the body ( 1 ) so that their respective annular ends ( 1 a, 2 a ) overlap. A sealing substance is applied to at least one of the overlapped ends ( 1 a, 2 a ) of the capsule body ( 1 ) and lid ( 2 ) before the capsule (C) is closed.

1 . A method for producing sealed capsules (C), each capsule defined by a body ( 1 ) coupled with a lid ( 2 ), the method comprising the following steps of:
 filling the capsule body ( 1 ) with a quantity or dose ( 3 ) of material;   closing the capsule (C) by placing the lid ( 2 ) over the body ( 1 ) so that the respective annular ends ( 1   a ,  2   a ) of the body and lid overlap; and   applying a sealing substance to at least one of the overlapped ends ( 1   a ,  2   a ) of the capsule body ( 1 ) and lid ( 2 ), wherein said sealing step is performed before the capsule (C) is closed.   
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of applying the sealing substance is performed at substantially the same time as when the end of the lid ( 2 ) overlaps the end of the corresponding body ( 1 ). 
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of applying the sealing substance is performed immediately after the end of the lid ( 2 ) partially overlaps the end of the corresponding body ( 1 ). 
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of applying the sealing substance is performed during a step of rotating at least the capsule body ( 1 ) about a longitudinal axis (Z) wherein the sealing substance is applied to the annular end ( 1   a ) of the body ( 1 ). 
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of applying the sealing substance is performed while rotating both the body ( 1 ) and lid ( 2 ) about a longitudinal axis (Z) wherein the sealing substance is applied to both annular ends ( 1   a ,  2   a ) of the body ( 1 ) and lid ( 2 ). 
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of applying the sealing substance is accomplished by spraying. 
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealing substance includes an aqueous mixture comprising water and ethanol. 
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealing substance comprises a cellulose based liquid substance. 
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealing substance comprises a gelatin based liquid substance. 
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of closing the capsule (C) is followed by a step of drying the capsule (C) while the capsule (C) is held in a stable position. 
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the drying step is performed while the capsule (C) is transferred towards capsule collection containers. 
   
   
       12 . A capsule filling machine ( 4 ) for the production of sealed capsules (C) having a lid ( 2 ) and a body ( 1 ) containing pharmaceutical material therein, the machine ( 4 ) comprising:
 a station ( 5 ) for feeding the capsule bodies ( 1 ) and lids ( 2 );   a dosing station ( 6 ) for filling a dose of the material into each capsule body ( 1 );   a station ( 7 ) for closing the capsules (C) by placing each lid ( 2 ) over a corresponding body ( 1 ) wherein respective annular ends ( 2   a ,  1   a ) of the lid and the body overlap; and   at least one intermediate operating station ( 8 ) disposed between the dosing station ( 6 ) and the closing station ( 7 ), wherein the at least one intermediate operating station ( 8 ) is used for applying a sealing substance in a vicinity of the ends ( 1   a ,  2   a ) of the body and the lid.   
   
   
       13 . The machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the intermediate operating station ( 8 ) comprises, in a sequential order of a substation ( 9 ) for precoupling the body ( 1 ) and lid ( 2 ) to each other, and a substation ( 10 ) for applying the sealing substance. 
   
   
       14 . The machine according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a first turret ( 11 ) for moving the capsules (C) along a circular path (P) extending at least through the feed and dosing stations ( 5 ,  6 ), wherein the intermediate station ( 8 ) comprises a second, independent turret ( 12 ) that rotates about an axis (Z′) in order to position the capsule (C) at the precoupling substation ( 9 ), at the substation ( 10 ) for applying the sealing substance and at the closing station ( 7 );   wherein the second turret ( 12 ) is equipped with a plurality of retaining means ( 13 ) for retaining the capsules (C), mounted radially on the second turret ( 12 ) and acting in conjunction with handling means ( 14 ) for handling the body ( 1 ) and lid ( 2 ).   
   
   
       15 . The machine according to  claim 14 , wherein the handling means ( 14 ) are located in the vicinity of the retaining means ( 13 ), move vertically in both directions, and are equipped with first means ( 15 ) for creating a vacuum which enable the following steps to be carried out, respectively, along a rotational path (P 1 ) of the second turret ( 12 ):
 picking up and transferring the body ( 1 ) and the lid ( 2 ) to the second turret ( 12 ) positioned in such a way that the lid and the body partially overlap each other, wherein their respective ends ( 1   a ,  2   a ) contact each other while at the retaining means ( 13 );   rotating the body ( 1 ) and the lid ( 2 ) at the substation ( 10 ) for applying the sealing substance in such a way as to spread the sealing substance evenly thereon; and   closing the capsules (C) by moving the body ( 1 ) and the lid ( 2 ) closer together.   
   
   
       16 . The machine according to  claim 14 , wherein the retaining means ( 13 ) comprises:
 a concave end seat ( 13   a ), located on the second turret ( 12 ), for accommodating the body ( 1 ) and the lid ( 2 );   wherein the seat ( 13   a ) has a central cavity ( 13   b ) for separating two portions of the seat ( 13   a ) and leading into the two portions respective radial conduits ( 16 ,  17 ) connected to second means ( 18 ) for creating a vacuum which enable them to retain the portion of the body ( 1 ) and the lid ( 2 ) when the body ( 1 ) and the lid ( 2 ) move to the substations ( 9 ,  10 ) and to the closing station ( 7 ).   
   
   
       17 . The machine according to  claim 14 , wherein the handling means ( 14 ) comprises, at the precoupling substation ( 9 ), a pair of hollow cylindrical pins ( 19 ,  20 ) located on opposite sides of the second turret ( 12 ) and equipped with the first vacuum means ( 15 ); the cylindrical pins ( 19 ,  20 ) being equipped with handling means ( 21 ) for enabling stable contact, on both sides, with the body ( 1 ) and the lid ( 2 ) positioned on the first turret ( 11 ) so as to transfer the body and the lid to the second turret ( 12 ) in a vertical direction while partially overlapping the body ( 1 ) and lid ( 2 ). 
   
   
       18 . The machine according to  claim 14 , wherein the handling means ( 14 ) comprises, at the sealing substation ( 10 ), at least one cylindrical pin ( 22 ) for coming into contact with a bottom of a the body ( 1 ) through the first vacuum means ( 15 ) and rotating a partly overlapped bottom ( 1 ) and the lid ( 2 ) about the longitudinal axis (Z). 
   
   
       19 . The machine according to  claim 14 , wherein the sealing substation ( 10 ) comprises at least one spray nozzle ( 23 ) facing at least one of the body ( 1 ) and the lid ( 2 ) as the second turret ( 12 ) rotates the body and the lid; the nozzle ( 23 ) being positioned at the overlapping annular ends ( 1   a ,  2   a ) of the body ( 1 ) and the lid ( 2 ) in such a way as to uniformly spray the sealing substance on the overlapping ends ( 1   a ,  2   a ). 
   
   
       20 . The machine according to  claim 19 , wherein the nozzle ( 23 ) is configured to spray an aqueous mixture comprising water and ethanol. 
   
   
       21 . The machine according to  claim 19 , wherein the nozzle ( 23 ) is configured to spray a cellulose based liquid substance. 
   
   
       22 . The machine according to  claim 19 , wherein the nozzle ( 23 ) is configured to spray a gelatin based liquid substance. 
   
   
       23 . The machine according to  claim 14 , wherein the handling means ( 14 ) comprises, at the closing station ( 7 ), a pair of hollow cylindrical pins ( 24 ,  25 ) located on opposite sides of the second turret ( 12 ) and equipped with the first vacuum means ( 15 ) for holding the body ( 1 ) and the lid ( 2 ); the cylindrical pins ( 24 ,  25 ) being equipped with straight-line handling means ( 21 ) that enable stable contact with the body ( 1 ) and lid ( 2 ) on both sides and apply an opposite force on the body and the lid so as to fully close the capsule (C); wherein at least the pin ( 24 ) is equipped with rotational handling means ( 26 ) so as to impart a twisting movement to the capsule (C) while it the capsule (C) is being closed. 
   
   
       24 . The machine according to  claim 12 , further comprising a station ( 27 ) for drying the capsule (C), the drying station ( 27 ) being located downstream of the closing station ( 7 ) on a circular feed path (P 1 ) followed by the capsule (C). 
   
   
       25 . The machine according to  claim 24 , wherein the drying station ( 27 ) comprises a capsule (C) conveyor belt ( 28 ) located in the vicinity of and under the second turret ( 12 ) that seals and closes the capsule (C); the belt ( 28 ) having a surface thereof a plurality of seats ( 29 ), each seat designed to accommodate a single capsule (C) to be transferred by respective handling means ( 14 ) from the closing station ( 7 ) to one of the seats ( 29 ) in a vertical direction (V) in such a way as to keep the capsule (C) in a stable