Automated blend reclaim system for pharmaceutical tablet compression machine
AssigneeGlaxo Wellcome Inc.
InventorsBrian C. Bullock, Steven R. Nowicki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In combination an automated blend waste reclaim apparatus and a pharmaceutical tablet compression machine to facilitate reintroduction of blend into the tablet compression machine and comprising a filter operatively connected to the bulk material container of the tablet compression machine which serves to collect excess blend being pneumatically removed from the tablet compression machine. A blast of compressed air serves to periodically remove blend from the filter, and the blend is then caused to be reintroduced into the bulk material container of the pharmaceutical tablet compression machine.
Claims28
In combination with a pharmaceutical tablet compression machine having a bulk material container for the tablet blend mounted thereon, an automated blend waste reclaim apparatus for reintroducing blend waste into the tablet compression machine comprising:
- (a) a housing operatively connected to said bulk material container of said tablet compression machine and defining an aperture in the bottom portion thereof;
- (b) filter means mounted in said housing and over said aperture;
- (c) vacuum blower means located remote from said housing;
- (d) first conduit means extending from said tablet compression machine to said filter means;
- (e) second conduit means extending from said filter means to said vacuum blower means;
- (f) compressed air source means fluidly connected to said second conduit means proximate to said filter means;
- (g) a plurality of valve means including valve means provided between said filter means and said housing aperture, in said first conduit, in said second conduit, and operatively associated with said compressed air source means;
- (h) control means adapted to cycle said automated blend reclaim apparatus through (1) an accumulation step wherein said vacuum blower means is actuated and said plurality of valve means are selectively actuated so as to collect blend on said filter means;
- (2) a purge step wherein said plurality of valve means are selectively actuated so that said compressed air source means is actuated and compressed air from said compressed air source means will remove blend from said filter means;
- and (3) a dump step wherein said plurality of valve means are selectively actuated so that the removed blend waste will be caused to drop from said filter means and through said housing aperture and into said bulk material container of said table compression machine.
In combination with a pharmaceutical tablet compression machine having a bulk material container for the tablet blend mounted thereon, an automated blend reclaim apparatus for reintroducing blend into the tablet compression machine comprising:
- (a) a housing mounted in the top portion of said bulk material container of said tablet compression machine and defining an aperture in the bottom portion thereof;
- (b) filter means mounted in said housing and over said aperture;
- (c) vacuum blower means located remote from said housing;
- (d) first conduit means extending from said tablet compression machine to said filter means;
- (e) second conduit means extending from said filter means to said vacuum blower means;
- (f) compressed air source means fluidly connected to said second conduit means proximate to said filter means;
- (g) a plurality of valve means including valve means provided between said filter means and said housing aperture, in said first conduit, in said second conduit, and operatively associated with said compressed air source means;
- (h) control means adapted to cycle said automated blend waste reclaim apparatus through (1) an accumulation step wherein said vacuum blower means is actuated and said valve means in said first and second conduits are open and said other valve means are closed so as to collect blend waste on said filter means;
- (2) a purge step wherein said compressed air source means is activated and said valve means in said first and second conduits and associated with said compressed air source means are closed so that a blast of compressed air from said compressed air source means will remove blend from said filter means;
- and (3) a dump step wherein said valve means associated with said filter means are open and said other valve means are closed so that the removed blend waste will be transported from said filter means into said bulk material container of said table compression machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.