Device for coating particles, particularly drugs in the form of particles, such as tablets

Apparatus for coating particles, particularly pharmaceuticals such as tablets, said apparatus comprising:

• a support;
• a drum positioned on said support for rotation about a rotation axis, said drum having a wall at least partly perforated and a withdrawal opening for the withdrawal of particles;
• a gas transmission shoe that, during operation, is held by said support and lies against said wall part, so as to make it possible for a gas to flow through said wall part, said transmission shoe being non-rotatable relative to said rotating axis;
• said withdrawal opening being located, at least partly, in said wall part and capable of being closed and re-opened with the aid of a shutter member, said shutter member being swingably connected with said drum, said shutter member rotatable around a swivel axis, said swivel axis running parallel to said axis of said drum;
• actuating means for rotating said shutter member, said actuating means not operated by hand;
• and
• holding means for movably connecting said shutter member with said drum in such a way that said shutter member may be moved between a closed position in which it closes the withdrawal opening to an open position in which exposes the withdrawal opening, said shutter member and said holding means secured to and rotatable with said drum such that when said drum is rotated and said shutter member is in said closed position, said shutter member and said holding means may pass by said transmission shoe to a position where said shutter member may be operated in its open position.

Apparatus for the coating of particles, particularly pharmaceuticals such as tablets, said apparatus comprising;

• a support;
• a drum resting on said support with the aid of bearing means in such a way that said drum may rotate around a horizontal axis, said drum having been provided with a perforated mantle part and first and second opposed faces;
• driving means for rotating said drum;
• a gas transmission shoe to enable a gas to flow through said perforated mantle part;
• said drum further comprising on at least one of its first and second faces an opening through which the interior of the drum is accessible and that, on one side of said perforated mantle part, a bearing exists, with two rings that encompass said axis and may be rotated in relation to one another, and one of which is connected rigidly with said support and the other of which is rigidly connected with said drum;
• said drum being supported exclusively on said one side of said perforated mantle part;
• said bearing being an antifriction bearing that, for driving the drum on one side of the perforated mantle part, is a toothed ring rigidly fastened to the drum, said toothed ring being operatively connected to a cogwheel that is mounted on the support in such a way that said cogwheel may be rotated in a projection that is parallel to said axis of the drum;
• and
• further comprising a housing that encloses and seals said drum on top and on all sides that comprises, in the area of the at least one drum opening in the face of the drum, a wall opening that may be closed and opened by means of a shutter member.

Apparatus for the coating of particles, particularly pharmaceuticals such as tablets, said apparatus comprising;

• a support;
• a drum with opposed faces, said drum resting on said support, with the aid of bearing means, in such a way that said drum may rotate around a horizontal axis, said drum having been provided with an opening in the central part of one of its faces and with a perforated mantle part;
• driving means for rotating said drum;
• a gas transmission shoe, secured to said support and non-rotatable relative to said horizontal axis, to enable a gas to flow through the perforated mantle part;
• heating means for heating the gas that flows into said drum;
• and
• gas conveying means for leading the gas through said opening and into said drum, said gas conveying means also for causing at least the major portion of the gas entering said drum to leave said drum by passing through that portion of the perforated mantle part that is momentarily covered by said gas transmission shoe.