Capsule direction restricting mechanism

A capsule direction restricting mechanism comprising:

• a supply path through which a capsule is supplied to a predetermined position wherein the capsule comprises a cap and a body, the cap having a width greater than a width of the body and being externally fitted to the body;
• a restricting device that restricts a direction of the capsule supplied to the predetermined position;
• and
• a discharge path through which the capsule whose direction is restricted by the restricting device is discharged to outside, wherein
• the restricting device includes:
• a pressing member that presses the capsule at the predetermined position in a width direction of the capsule, and moves the capsule toward the discharge path;
• and
• a slit-like posture changing portion that is disposed between the predetermined position and the discharge path, and changes a posture of the capsule,
• the posture changing portion causes the cap to slide and generate a frictional force when the capsule passes through the posture changing portion, and thus causes the body to precede the cap,
• the pressing member includes:
• a protruding portion that presses an axially central portion of the capsule;
• and
• cap pressing portions that are provided on both sides of the protruding portion, and each of the cap pressing portions is configured to press the cap of the capsule whose posture has been changed by the posture changing portion,
• the supply path includes an upper opening, a supply vertical passage extending vertically downward from the upper opening, and a supply central portion connected to the vertical passage and curved in a side view, wherein the capsule introduced through the upper opening advances vertically downward through the vertical passage and moves to the supply central portion, from which the capsule is discharged to the posture changing portion of the restricting device in a tilted posture that is inclined with respect to a horizontal direction,
• the posture changing portion includes a slit defined by opposing side walls wherein the slit is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal direction, and a width of the slit is substantially equal to the width of the cap of the capsule, such that the capsule delivered to the posture changing portion is held in the tilted posture along the side walls of the slit,
• the pressing member is configured to reciprocate while being inclined downward at an angle of 30-60 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction, wherein the slit of the posture changing portion is arranged in a direction perpendicular to a reciprocating direction of the pressing member such that the capsule positioned on the slit is pressed at the axially central portion of the capsule by the protruding portion of the pressing member in a perpendicular direction,
• the discharge path includes a discharge central portion, a discharge vertical passage located below the discharge central portion and extending vertically downward, and a lower opening, wherein the capsule whose direction is regulated by the restricting portion such that the main body precedes the cap passes through the discharge central portion and moves into the discharge vertical passage, and is discharged vertically downward through the lower opening to the outside.