Method and apparatus for filling cavities
AssigneeGlaxo Group Limited
InventorsAlan A. Wilson, Peter J. Brand, David R. Judd, Stanley G. Bonney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are described for filling a blind cavity, for example a blister of a blister pack, with a quantity of powder. The cavity, with its open side downwards, is urged into a reservoir (30) of powder, and withdrawn from the reservoir with the quantity of powder therein. An elongate sheet (12) with a plurality of blisters disposed along the length thereof preferably passes around, and travels with, a wheel (38) partially immersed in the reservoir (30) of powder.
Claims36
A method of filling a blind cavity with a quantity of powder, which comprises urging the cavity, with its open side facing at least partially downwards, into a reservoir of powder, withdrawing therefrom the cavity having the quantity of powder therein while the open side continues to face at least partially downwards, and subsequently applying a lid to cover the cavity having the powder therein.
A method of filling blind cavities with a quantity of powder, said method comprising urging the cavity with its open side facing at least partially downwards, into a reservoir of powder, withdrawing therefrom the cavities having the quantity of powder therein, and applying an elongate lid sheet to said base sheet to cover the cavities having the powder therein, wherein the cavities are provided by a plurality of blisters formed in an elongate base sheet and disposed along the length thereof, wherein the base sheet with blisters formed therein passes around, and travels with, a wheel partially immersed in the reservoir of powder and wherein the reservoir is rotatable about a vertical axis, and the wheel is rotatable about a horizontal axis at a velocity which at its circumference, is substantially the same as the velocity of the powder in the reservoir in the region where immersion occurs.
A method of filling blind cavities with a quantity of powder, said method comprising urging the cavity with its open side facing at least partially downwards, into a reservoir of powder, withdrawing therefrom the cavities having the quantity of powder therein, and applying an elongate lid sheet to said base sheet to cover the cavities having the powder therein, wherein the cavities are provided by a plurality of blisters formed in an elongate base sheet and disposed along the length thereof, wherein the volume of the blisters is altered after they have been formed of powder in blisters already filled deviates significantly from a desired value.
An apparatus for filling a blind cavity with a quantity of powder, which comprises a reservoir for containing powder, means for urging the cavity, with its open side facing at least partially downwards, into the reservoir of powder and for withdrawing therefrom the cavity having the quantity of powder therein while the open side continues to face at least partially downwards, and means for applying a lid to cover the cavity having the powder therein.
An apparatus for filling blind cavities with a quantity of powder, wherein the cavities are provided by a plurality of blisters formed in an elongate base sheet and disposed along the length thereof, said apparatus comprising a reservoir for containing powder;
- a filling station at which the base sheet with the blisters is urged into the reservoir;
- a wheel at the filling station, the wheel being partially immersed in the reservoir of powder;
- means for urging the cavity, with its open side facing at least partially downwards into the reservoir of powder and for withdrawing therefrom the cavities having the quantity of powder therein;
- and a sealing station means for applying and securing an elongate lid sheet to the base sheet to cover the cavities having the powder therein;
- wherein the base sheet with the blisters formed therein passes around and travels with the wheel, wherein said reservoir is rotatable about a vertical axis;
- and wherein said wheel is rotatable about a horizontal axis at a velocity which, at its circumference, is substantially the same as the velocity of the powder in the reservoir where immersion occurs.
An apparatus for filling blind cavities with a quantity of powder, wherein the cavities are provided by a plurality of blisters formed in an elongate base sheet and disposed along the length thereof, said apparatus comprising a reservoir for containing powder;
- a filling station at which the base sheet with the blisters is urged into the reservoir;
- means for urging the cavity with its open side facing at least partially downwards into the reservoir of powder and for withdrawing therefrom the cavity having the quantity of powder therein;
- a sealing station means for applying and securing the elongate lid sheet to the base sheet to cover the cavities having the powder therein;
- and means for cleaning the surface of the base sheet in which the blisters are open, before the lid sheet is secured thereto, wherein the cleaning means comprises a cleaning member rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the base sheet the cleaning member carrying a plurality of teeth each having a radial width substantially equal to the gap between adjacent blisters, rotation of the cleaning member being synchronized with movement of the base sheet so that successive teeth wipe successive ones of the gaps as the base sheet passes through the cleaning station.
An apparatus for filling blind cavities with a quantity of powder, wherein the cavities are provided by a plurality of blisters formed in an elongate base sheet and disposed along the length thereof, said apparatus comprising a reservoir for containing powder;
- a filling station at which the base sheet with the blisters is urged into the reservoir;
- means for urging the cavity with its open side facing at least partially downward into the reservoir of powder and for withdrawing therefrom the cavity having the quantity of powder therein;
- a sealing portion means for applying and securing an elongate lid to the base sheet to cover the cavities having the powder therein;
- means for applying a protecting member to the surface of the base sheet on which the blisters are open, except at the surface of the blisters themselves, and means for removing the protecting member after the blisters have been filled and before the lid is secured to the base sheet.
An apparatus for filling blind cavities with a quantity of powder, wherein the cavities are provided by a plurality of blisters formed in an elongate base sheet and disposed along the length thereof, said apparatus comprising a reservoir for containing powder;
- a filling station at which the base sheet with the blisters is urged into the reservoir;
- means for urging the cavity with its open side facing at least partially downwards into the reservoir of powder and for withdrawing therefrom the cavity having the quantity of powder therein;
- and a sealing station means for applying and securing an elongate lid to the base sheet to cover the cavities having the powder therein;
- wherein the sealing station means for applying the lid sheet comprises a pair of sealing rollers mounted in cantilever fashion, at least one of the rollers being mounted on a self-aligning bearing to maintain the surfaces of the rollers substantially parallel to one another.
An apparatus for filling blind cavities with a quantity of powder, wherein the cavities are provided by a plurality of blisters formed in an elongate base sheet and disposed along the length thereof, said apparatus comprising a reservoir for containing powder;
- a filling station at which the base sheet with the blisters is urged into the reservoir;
- means for urging the cavity with its open side facing at least partially downward into the reservoir of powder and for withdrawing therefrom the cavity having the quantity of powder therein;
- a sealing station means for applying an securing an elongate lid to the base sheet to cover the cavities having the powder therein;
- and means for measuring the weight of powder from a predetermined number of blisters, before the lid is secured to the base sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.