FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970 (39 OF 1970)
As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005
& The Patents Rules, 2003
As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2006
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (See section 10 and rule 13)
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
A method and machine for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing them
APPLICANTS
Sci-tech Centre, Plot No 7 Prabhat Nagar, Jogeshwari West, Mumbai 400 102, Maharashtra, India and Pam Pharmaceuticals and Allied Machinery Company Pvt Ltd, 127, Kandivli Industrial Estate, Kandivli (West), Mumbai 400 067, Maharashtra, India, both Indian Companies
INVENTORS
Singh Jasjit, 2B Swapnalok, 47, L J Marg, Nepean Sea Road, Mumbai 400 006, Maharashtra, India, a British national and Deshmukh Prakash, 305, Sundaram Vasant Housing Complex, Mahavir Nagar, Kandivli (West), Mumbai 400 067, Maharashtra, India and Lad Bhupesh, E-619, Raj Arcade, Mahavir Nagar, Dahanukar Wadi, Kandivli (West), Mumbai 400 067, Maharashtra, India, both Indian nationals.
PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed :

FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a method and machine for filling capsules with a liquid and
sealing them.
Methods and machines for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing them are in general known and in use. Both the filling and sealing operations are carried out in two separate and independent machines, namely filling machine and sealing machine or in the same machine.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
US 3078629 teaches the use of a capsule sealing apparatus in operable association with a capsule filling machine. Applicators comprising power cylinders are employed to introduce sealing material at the inner surface of the capsule caps. The sealing material is sprayed onto the inner surface of the capsule caps through discharge passageways provided in the cylinders by operating the pistons reciprocating in the cylinders. The spray is difficult to be controlled and will be invariably in excess, which will not only cause wastage of the sealing material but also dripping of the sealing material leaving the surroundings messy. The applicators are also complicated in construction and operation.
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The capsule filling machine is also complicated and complex in construction and configuration. GB 2025270A describes a machine for applying a sealing fluid on the interior of capsule caps. Application of the sealing fluid is by spraying. Spring biased plungers are used to spray the sealing fluid into the capsule caps. This machine also suffers from disadvantages associated with spray as described above. Besides, the springs will over a period of time start malfunctioning due to fatigue and will require replacement. It also includes heating means to heat the sealing liquid. Heating may degrade the capsule contents susceptible to heat.
EP 0110603 describes a method and apparatus for sealing filled and joined capsules. The sealing is carried out externally of the capsules at the overlapping regions of the capsule caps and capsule bodies by depositing droplets of a sealing fluid at high frequency from a jet. This patent also suffers from disadvantages associated with application of the sealant as spray. The sealed capsules are also to be dried by applying hot air in evaporation chambers. US 4543138 describes a capsule sealing apparatus for use in conjunction with a capsule filling machine. The sealing apparatus includes a chamber provided with nozzles for dispensing hot, moist air into the capsule caps so as to soften the inner surface of the caps and form a bond between the filled capsule bodies received in the capsule
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caps. It is difficult to control the hot, moist air being blown into the capsule caps and it may deform and damage the capsule caps.
US 4466844 relates to a gripping and alignment assembly for use in the spin welding of capsules. The capsule bodies are tackified and softened generally by applying a jet of steam and the capsule caps are closed over the capsule bodies by spinning. The spinning of the capsule caps onto the tackified surface of the capsule bodies results in a fusion between the capsule portions. It is difficult to control the jet of steam impinging on the capsule bodies and it may deform and damage the capsule caps. US 4656066 relates to method and apparatus for the sealing of closed capsules. Denaturation melting point depression mixture is applied on the exposed outside surfaces of preclosed capsules followed by drying of the exposed outside surfaces of the capsules portions and sealing of the overlapping sections of the capsule caps and capsule bodies by applying thermal energy. Besides requiring excess quantity of the denaturation melt point depression mixture, it also requires thermal energy for both drying and sealing. Heat sealing may also degrade the liquid content of the capsules.
EP 0271627 Al describes a bander machine for sealing filled and closed capsules. A gelatin seal is applied at the overlapping portions of the capsule caps and capsule bodies
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and the sealed capsules are dried in a ventilation chamber. It requires a gelatin bath and thermal energy for drying. It is difficult to control the seal thickness and there is invariably wastage of the sealing material. GB 2187703 describes a process and apparatus for filling capsules and sealing the filled capsules. The mating area of the capsule part, for example, closure part is applied with a sealing liquid by pressing it against a felt which is impregnated with a sealing liquid. The sealing liquid is drawn into the felt by capillarity from a container containing the liquid. The capsule parts are united after application of the sealing liquid to form the seal. While pressing against the felt there are chances of the capsule part getting damaged. As the felt is getting wet by capillary action there is invariably excess sealing liquid in the felt and there is the possibility of the contact surface of the capsule part getting excessively wet. Due to excessive wetting with the sealing liquid, the capsule part may deform and the capsules may also reopen after closing and sealing leading to leakage of the contents.
In order to obviate the above disadvantages, WO 95/34269 describes a process and apparatus for producing closed and sealed capsules. The capsule parts are provided with contact zones and binding means is applied to at least one of the contact zones. The capsule parts are joined together with the contact zones in contact via the binding means. The joined parts of the capsules are pressed together with a predetermined force for a
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predetermined time to effect sealing thereof. The pressing is carried out in a separate pressing device. Felt or spray is employed to apply the sealant at the contact zones of the capsule parts, both of which have disadvantages as discussed above. The capsules may get damaged while keeping them pressed for a predetermined time after closing. The above publication also describes suction means to remove excess sealant and heating at 25 to 50°C to improve the sealing. Suction means and heating means increase the cost. Use of thermal energy also increases the cost. Heating also may render the capsule brittle and degrade the contents of the capsules.
WO 02/060372 Al relates to a method for coating filled and closed capsules by spraying them with a sealing substance and simultaneously drying them with air in a rotary drum. According to this method the entire capsule is coated with the sealing substance externally and there is no precise control on the sealing substance sprayed onto the capsules. Therefore, the sealing substance is required in excess resulting in wastage thereof. WO 2005/084609 relates to a method and machine for making sealed capsules. The machine is complicated and complex in construction. The sealing substance is applied externally of the filled capsules after they are precoupled or partly closed. The capsules are fully closed after application of the sealing substance at the overlapping ends thereof. Application of the sealing substance is by spraying and the sealed capsules are
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dried to eliminate or minimize the risk of dripping or leakage of the sealing substance. Spraying is associated with excess use of the sealing substance and wastage of material. Besides, it also requires heat energy to dry the sealed capsules.
Also in use is a machine for filling capsules with a liquid essentially comprising a horizontally disposed disc rotatable on a vertical shaft and carrying a plurality of superimposed capsules holders around the periphery thereof in spaced apart relationship. The capsules holders each comprises an upper body fixed to the disc and provided with capsule cap seatings and a lower body provided with capsule body seatings in the same layout as the capsule cap seatings in the upper body. The lower bodies are connected to the disc by radial slides whereby they can be moved away from the upper bodies and moved in and aligned with the upper bodies. The disc is configured to describe intermittent cyclic rotational movement around a plurality of stations comprising capsule orienting and loading and separating stations, capsule body presence sensing station, capsule bodies filling stations, unopen capsule ejection station, filled capsule body closing station, closed capsule ejection station and seating cleaning station. The unopen capsule ejection station, filled capsule body closing station, closed capsule ejection station and seating cleaning station are associated with an interrupted circular pin plate up and down movably disposed below the capsule holders at the respective
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stations. A plurality of upright pins are provided on the pin plate at the respective stations in the same layout as the seatings in the capsule holders and adapted to reciprocate in the seatings in the capsule holders. The pins corresponding to the seating cleaning station are hollow and are mounted on a compressed air manifold, which in turn is fitted on the pin plate. The hollow pins are connected to the compressed air manifold, which in turn is connected to a compressed air supply. The pin plate is moved up and down by a drive arrangement connected to it. During the upward movement of the pin plate, the pins corresponding to the non-separated capsule ejection station push out non-separated capsules, if any, from respective the seatings; the pins corresponding to the filled capsule body closing station push up the capsule bodies in the lower body filled with the liquid into the respective capsule caps and close the capsules; and the pins corresponding to the closed capsule ejection station push out the closed capsules from the respective seatings. Simultaneously, compressed air supplied through the upright pins corresponding to the seating cleaning station blow off particulates, if any, in the capsule seatings and vacuum applied from the top of the seating cleaning station sucks out the particles thereby cleaning the seatings. The closed capsules are taken for sealing in a sealing machine. While being taken for sealing, there is a possibility of leakage of the liquid content of the capsules, especially in the case of low viscosity liquids.
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OBJECTS OF INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a method for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing the capsules, which method gently applies a thin layer of a mist of a liquid sealant at the overlapping contact areas of the filled capsule bodies or capsule caps prior to closing the capsules and ensures effective sealing of the capsules at the overlapping contact areas thereof without damage to the capsules so as to prevent opening of the capsules after the sealing and leakage of the contents even in the case of a low viscosity liquid filled in the capsules.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing the capsules, which method is simple and convenient to carry out, reduces production time and labour and increases productivity.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing the capsules, which method avoids excess use of the sealant material and wastage thereof.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing the capsules, which method eliminates heating of the sealant to fix it to the
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capsules and also drying and pressing of the sealed capsules portions to ensure sealing thereof.
Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing the capsules, which machine gently applies a thin layer of a mist of a liquid sealant at the overlapping contact areas of the filled capsule bodies or capsule caps prior to closing the capsules and ensures effective sealing of the capsules at the overlapping contact areas thereof without damage to the capsules so as to prevent opening of the capsules after the sealing and leakage of the contents even in the case of a low viscosity liquid filled in the capsules.
Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing the capsules, which machine is simple in construction and convenient to operate, reduces production time and labour and increases productivity.
Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing the capsules, which machine avoids excess use of the sealant material and wastage thereof.
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Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing the capsules, which machine eliminates heating of the sealant to fix it to the capsules and also drying and pressing of the sealed capsules portions to ensure sealing thereof.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a method for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing them, the method comprising precoating the overlapping contact area of the filled capsule bodies or capsule caps gently with a thin layer of a mist of a liquid sealant and sealing the capsule bodies and capsule caps together by telescopically introducing the capsule bodies into the capsule caps and securing the capsule bodies to the capsule caps at the overlapping contact areas thereof with the sealant coating.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the method comprises precoating the overlapping contact area of the filled capsule bodies or capsule caps gently with a thin layer of a mist of the liquid sealant by contacting the overlapping contact area of the filled capsule bodies or capsule caps with a sponge moistened with the mist of the liquid sealant and sealing the capsule bodies and capsule caps together by telescopically introducing the capsule bodies into the capsule caps and securing the capsule bodies to the capsule caps at the overlapping areas thereof with the sealant coating.
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According to the invention there is also provided a machine for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing them, the machine comprising a horizontally disposed disc rotatable on a vertical shaft and carrying a plurality of superimposed capsules holders around the periphery thereof in spaced apart relationship, the capsule holders each comprising an upper body fixed to the disc and provided with capsule cap seatings and a lower body provided with capsule body seatings in the same layout as the capsule cap seatings, the lower bodies being connected to the disc by radial slides whereby the lower bodies are moved away from the upper bodies and moved in and aligned with the upper bodies, the disc being configured to describe intermittent cyclic rotational movement around a plurality of stations comprising capsule orienting and loading and separating stations, capsule body presence sensing station, at least one capsule bodies filling station, unopen capsule ejection station, sealant coating station, capsule sealing station, sealed capsule ejection station and seating cleaning station, the unopen capsule ejection station, capsule sealing station, sealed capsule ejection station and seating cleaning station comprising an interrupted circular pin plate up and down movably disposed below the capsule holders at the respective stations and provided with upright pins fitted on it in the same layout as the seatings in the capsule holders and adapted to reciprocate in the seatings in the capsule holders, the upright pins corresponding to the unopen capsule ejection station, capsule sealing station and sealed capsule ejection station being solid pins and the upright pins corresponding to the seating cleaning station being hollow and mounted on a compressed air manifold which in turn is fitted on the pin plate, the hollow pins being connected to the compressed air manifold which in turn is connected to a compressed air supply and the sealant coating station comprising a sealant mist applicator for precoating
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the overlapping contact area of the capsule bodies or capsule caps gently with a thin layer of a mist of a liquid sealant.
The following is a detailed description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :
Fig 1 is a schematic plan view of a machine for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing them according to an embodiment of the invention;
Fig 2 is schematic view of part of the machine of Fig 1 for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing them according to an embodiment of the invention;
Fig 3 is schematic view of the remaining part of the machine of Fig 2 for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing them;
Fig 4 is a scrap section at X in Fig 2 without the sponge blocks;
Figs 5 is a schematic view of the compressed air manifold and associated hollow pins of the machine of Fig 3;
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Fig 6 is a schematic view of the vacuum manifold and associated hollow pins of the machine of Fig 3;
Fig 7 is schematic view of the mist manifold and associated sealant mist entry tubes of the machine of Fig 2;
Fig 8 is a schematic cross-section of part of the sealant coating station of the machine of Figs 2 and 3;
Fig 9 is a schematic cross-section of part of the capsule sealing station of the machine of Fig 1;
Fig 10 is schematic view of part of the machine of Fig 1 for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing them according to another embodiment of the invention;
Fig 11 is schematic view of the remaining part of the machine of Fig 10 for filling capsules with a liquid sealant and sealing them;
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Fig 12 is a schematic cross-section of part of the sealant coating station of the machine of Figs 10 and 11;
Fig 13 is a schematic view of the mist manifold and associated upright hollow pins of the sealant coating station of the machine of Figs 10 and 11; and
Fig 14 is a schematic exploded view of the drive arrangement of the pin plate of the machine of Figs 1 to 9 and Figs 10 to 13.
The machine 1 as illustrated in Figs 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings comprises a horizontally disposed disc 2 rotatable on a vertical shaft 3 and carrying a plurality of superimposed capsule holders 4 around the periphery thereof in spaced apart relationship. The capsule holders each comprises an upper body 5 fixed to the disc and provided with two rows of capsule cap seatings marked 5a and a lower body 6 provided with two rows of capsule body seatings marked 6a in the same layout as the capsule cap seatings (Figl). The upper bodies are fixed to the disc by arms 7 and the lower bodies are fixed to the disc by radial slides 8 whereby the lower bodies can be moved away from the upper bodies and moved in and aligned with the upper bodies. The disc is configured to describe intermittent cyclic rotational movement around a plurality of stations comprising capsule
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orienting and loading and separating stations 9 and 10, capsule body presence sensing station 11, inner row of capsule bodies filling station 12, unopen capsule ejection station 13, outer row of capsule bodies filing station 14, sealant coating station 15, capsule sealing station 16, sealed capsule ejection station 17 and seating cleaning station 18. The unopen capsule ejection station 13, capsule sealing station 16, sealed capsule ejection station 17 and seating cleaning station 18 comprise an interrupted circular pin plate 19 up and down movably disposed below the capsule holders at the respective stations and provided with upright pins marked 20a, 21a, 22a and 23a, respectively in the same layout as the seatings in the capsule holders and adapted to reciprocate in the seatings in the capsule holders. The pins 20a, 21a and 22a corresponding to the unopen capsule ejection station, capsule sealing station and sealed capsule ejection station are solid pins. The pins 23a corresponding to the seating cleaning station are hollow and are mounted on a compressed air manifold 24a with in turn is fixed to the pin plate. The pins 23a are connected to the compressed air manifold 24a, which in turn is connected to a compressed air distributor 45a through inlet line 25 (Figs 2, 3 and 5). The sealant coating station 15 comprises a vacuum manifold 26 mounted to the pin plate and a plurality of hollow upright pins 30 mounted on the vacuum manifold in the same layout as the seatings in the capsule holders (Figs 3 and 8). The hollow pins 30 are connected to the vacuum manifold, which in turn is connected to a vacuum pump 31 via vacuum
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inlet line 29. 32 is mist holder plate disposed above the capsule holders and supported on the top plate 33 of the machine by support structure 32a (Figs 2 and 4). The mist holder plate comprises a plurality of open bottomed sockets 34 in the same layout as the seatings in the capsule holders and having sealant applying sponge blocks 35 located therein. The sponge blocks each is formed with a cutout 35a corresponding to the outer profile of the upper portion of the capsule bodies at the lower end thereof. A plurality of sealant mist entry tubes 36 are connected to the sockets 34 at their one ends and to a mist manifold 37 at their other ends. 38 is a cover for the mist entry tubes 36 supported on the plate 32. The mist manifold 37 is connected to an air compressor 41 via inlet line 39 provided with a flow controlled valve 42, Programmable Logic Control (PLC) 43 operated one way 2-position solenoid valve 44, compressed air distributor 45a, pressure gauge 46 and pressure regulator 47. The mist manifold 37 is also connected to the sealant outlet 48 of a liquid sealant reservoir 49 via inlet line 40 . The liquid sealant reservoir comprises a mouth 49a provided with a closure 50, recirculation inlet opening 51 and a recirculation outlet opening 52 below the recirculation inlet opening. 53 is a recirculation pump and 54 is a liquid sealant sump located below the liquid sealant reservoir and provided with a liquid sealant inlet line 55 and a liquid sealant outlet line 56. The liquid sealant inlet line is connected to the recirculation outlet opening 52 of the sealant reservoir and the liquid sealant outlet line is connection to the suction end 57 of
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the recirculation pump. The discharge end 58 of the recirculation pump is connected to the recirculation inlet opening 51 of the sealant reservoir. As illustrated in Fig 14 of the accompanying drawings, 59 is a camshaft horizontally rotatably held and driven by a timer pulley drive (not shown) connected to one end 59a thereof. 62 is a cam mounted on the camshaft 59. 61 is a bracket fixed to the top plate 33 of the machine from below. 64 is a horizontally disposed lever pivotally held in the bracket 61 by pivot pin 64a passing through holes 63 and 60 in the lever 64 and bracket 61 respectively. 65 is a cam follower fixed in a hole 66 at one end of the lever 64 and abutting against the cam. 67 is a tie rod one end of which is linked to the other end of the lever 64 by engaging a pin (not shown) through holes 68 and 69 provided at one of the tie rod and other end of the lever 64, respectively. 70 is a driver shaft whose upper end is fixed to the pin plate and lower end is reciprocally held in a shaft guide 71 which is fixed to the top plate of the machine and also linked to the other end of the tie rod by engaging a pin (not shown) in holes 73 and 74 provided at the lower end the shaft guide 71 and other end of the tie rod, respectively. 75a and 75b are shafts whose upper ends are fixed to the pin plate and which are guided in shaft guides 76a and 76b, respectively which are fixed to the top plate of the machine. 72, 77a and 77b are housings for the shaft guides 71, 76a and 76b, respectively fixed to the top plate of the machine. The camshaft is driven by the timer pulley drive and the camshaft drive is synchronized with the intermittent drive of the
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disc 2. As the camshaft rotates in the horizontal plane, the cam rotates with the camshaft in the horizontal plane and causes the cam follower to describe an angular displacement in the horizontal plane. The lever 64 in turn moves angularly in the horizontal plane and cause the driver shaft 70 to move up and down due to the angular displacement of the tie rod 67 in the vertical plane. As the driver shaft moves up and down the pin plate moves up and down along with the pins on the pin plate. During operation of the machine, the disc 2 with the capsule holders 4 rotate around the various stations intermittently. Empty capsules (not shown) fed into the machine are oriented and loaded and separated into capsule bodies and capsule caps at the capsule orienting and loading and separating stations 9 and 10 which are of known construction working in known manner. The capsule body presence sensing station 11, inner row of capsule bodies filling station 12 and outer row of capsule bodies filling station 14 are also of known construction working in known manner. The unopen capsule ejection station 13 is also of known construction, where the unopen capsules are ejected by the upright pins 20a reciprocating in the seatings of the capsule holders during the upward movement of the pin plate. At the sealant coating station 15, the liquid sealant in the reservoir 49 is continuously recirculated by operating the recirculation pump 53 so as to maintain a level difference i.e. head between the sealant in the sealant reservoir and the sump 54. Due to the level difference of liquid in the reservoir and the sump i.e. the head, the liquid sealant
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flows up into the mist manifold 37 via inlet line 40. Compressed air is also supplied into the mist manifold via inlet line 39 by opening the valve 44 intermittently by the PLC 43. The liquid sealant mixes with the compressed air in the mist manifold and forms into a mist of the liquid sealant i.e. extremely small or minute droplets of the sealant. The sealant droplets flow into the sponge blocks 35 in the respective sockets 34 of the moisture holder plate 32 and maintain the sponge blocks moistened or wet with the sealant droplets. As the capsule bodies 78a in the capsule body seatings 6a in the lower bodies 6 of the capsule holders filled with liquid 78b reach the sealant coating station, they are moved up into the cut outs 35a at the lower ends of the sponge blocks by the respective upright pins 30 during the upward movement of the pin plate. Vacuum being applied through the upright pins 30 exerts a gripping force against the capsule bodies thereby holding them in position. As the capsule bodies move up into the cut outs in the sponge blocks in close contact therewith, the upper surface of the capsule bodies i.e. the overlapping contact area of the capsule bodies are precoated with a thin layer of the sealant mist in the sponge blocks. As the pin plate moves down, the capsule bodies coated with the sealant mist also move down with the pusher pins as the capsule bodies are held onto the pusher pins under vacuum. At the capsule sealing station, as the pin plate moves up, the upright pins 21a push up the capsule bodies precoated with the sealant at the overlapping contact area thereof into the capsule caps 78c telescopically so
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as to close the filled capsules. Simultaneously, the sealant coating seals and secures the overlapping contact areas between the capsule bodies and capsule caps (Figs 3 and 9). The capsule caps retainer plate 81a disposed above the capsule holders 4 in close contact with the top surface of the capsule cap seatings 5a in the upper bodies 5 and fixed to the top plate 33 of the machine, will hold the capsule caps in position while the capsule bodies are pushed into the capsule caps and closed and sealed. The sealed capsules are ejected out of the capsule holders at the sealed capsule ejection station by the respective upright pins 22a at the sealed capsule ejection station during the upward movement of the pin plate. The sealed capsule ejection station is of known construction and works in known manner. The seating cleaning station is also of known construction and works in known manner.
In the case of the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figs 10 to 13 of the accompanying drawings, the sealant coating station 15 comprises a capsule caps retainer plate 81b disposed above the capsule holders 4 in close contact with the top surface of the capsule cap seatings 5 a in the upper bodies 5 and fixed to the top plate 33 of the machine (Fig 12). A plurality of hollow upright pins 79 are mounted on a mist manifold 79a in the same layout as the seatings in the capsule holders (Figs 11 and 12). The mist
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manifold is mounted on the pin plate and is connected to the air compression 41 via inlet line 39 and to the liquid sealant outlet 48 of the liquid sealant reservoir 49 via inlet line 40. 45b is an air distribution in Fig 10. The upright pins 79 are connected to the mist manifold and provided with sealant mist applying sponge blocks 80 at the upper ends thereof corresponding to the inner profile of the capsule caps. The sponge blocks are periodically moistened or wetted with a mist of the sealant supplied through the mist manifold by opening and closing the solenoid valve 44 at regular intervals by operation of the PLC 43. During the upward movement of the pin plate, the upright pins with the sponge blocks 80 moistened or wetted with the sealant mist enter the capsule caps in the capsule cap seatings in the upper bodies of the capsule holders thereby applying a thin layer coating of the sealant at the overlapping contact area of the capsule caps. The capsule cap retainer plate retains the capsule caps in the upper bodies of the capsule holders in position while the upright pins 79 with the sponge blocks 80 move up into the capsule caps.. During the downward movement of the pin plate, the upright pins move down along with the sponge blocks at the upper ends thereof. The closing and sealing of the capsules take place at the capsule sealing station as described earlier.
According to the invention both filling of the capsule bodies with the liquid and sealing of the capsules take place at one location and in the same machine. Therefore, the
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filling and sealing operations are simple and convenient to carry out. Production time and labour are reduced and productivity is increased. As the sealant is a mist of tiny droplets, it is very well dispersed in the sponge blocks. The quantity of the mist required for wetting or moistening the sponges is considerably reduced. It is just sufficient to apply a thin layer at the overlapping contact surface of the capsule body or capsule cap. Excess use and wastage of the sealant is thus eliminated. As the sponge blocks are very soft and elastic and flexible the capsule body or capsule cap surface does not get damaged while the coating is being applied over the capsule body or within the capsule cap gently. As the capsule body enters the capsule cap telescopically during sealing, the coating on the coated surface of one capsule portion also gets transferred onto the uncoated overlapping surface of the other capsule portion uniformly thereby securing the overlapping surfaces of the capsule portions and ensuring very effective sealing between the capsule body and capsule cap. Because of the effective sealing provided by the sealant between the overlapping contact surfaces of the capsule caps and capsule bodies, the capsules do not open up after sealing and leakage of the filled liquid does not take place even in the case of low viscosity liquid filling. As the sealant coating is very thin, sealing takes place very fast and very effectively. The invention avoids heating to fix the sealant or drying of the sealed capsules. Degradation of the liquid content due to thermal fixing of the sealant is thus avoided. It also does not require pressing of the
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capsule portions after application of the sealant thereby avoiding damage to the capsules during sealing. The capsules sealed according to the invention may be, however, further sealed, if required in a sealing machine. If at all further sealing is required, the initial sealing of the capsules, which is very effective, ensures that no leakage of the liquid content occurs even in the case of low viscosity liquid filling while the sealed capsules are taken for further sealing.
According to the invention, the sealant is used as a mist so as to form a thin layer of precoating at the overlapping contact areas of the capsule bodies or capsule caps so as to form an effective sealing between the overlapping contact surfaces of the capsules. The embodiments illustrated in the drawings for achieving this objective are by way of examples. There can be variations in the embodiments of the invention for applying a coating of the sealant as a mist. There can be one or more than two rows of capsule portions seatings in the upper and lower bodies of the capsule holders. There can be one or more than two capsule bodies filling stations. The number of capsule bodies filling stations will depend upon the number of rows capsule portions seatings. Such variations in the construction of the machine of the invention are obvious to those skilled in the art and are to be construed and understood to be within the scope of the invention.
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We claim :
1 A method for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing them, the method comprising precoating the overlapping contact area of the filled capsule bodies or capsule caps gently with a thin layer of a mist of a liquid sealant and sealing the capsule bodies and capsule caps together by telescopically introducing the capsule bodies into the capsule caps and securing the capsule bodies to the capsule caps at the overlapping contact areas thereof with the sealant coating.
2 A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising precoating the overlapping contact area of the filled capsule bodies or capsule caps gently with a thin layer of a mist of the liquid sealant by contacting the overlapping contact area of the filled capsule bodies or capsule caps with a sponge moistened with the mist of the liquid sealant and sealing the capsule bodies and capsule caps together by telescopically introducing the capsule bodies into the capsule caps and securing the capsule bodies to the capsule caps at the overlapping areas thereof with the sealant coating.
3. A machine for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing them, the machine comprising a horizontally disposed disc rotatable on a vertical shaft and carrying a plurality of superimposed capsules holders around the periphery thereof in spaced apart relationship, the capsule holders each comprising an upper body fixed to the disc and provided with capsule cap seatings and a lower body provided with capsule body seatings in the same layout as the capsule cap seatings, the lower bodies being connected to the disc by radial slides whereby the lower bodies are moved away from the upper
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bodies and moved in and aligned with the upper bodies, the disc being configured to describe intermittent cyclic rotational movement around a plurality of stations comprising capsule orienting and loading and separating stations, capsule body presence sensing station, atleast one capsule bodies filling station, unopen capsule ejection station, sealant coating station, capsule sealing station, sealed capsule ejection station and seating cleaning station, the unopen capsule ejection station, capsule sealing station, sealed capsule ejection station and seating cleaning station comprising an interrupted circular pin plate up and down movably disposed below the capsule holders at the respective stations and provided with upright pins fitted on it in the same layout as the seatings in the capsule holders and adapted to reciprocate in the seatings in the capsule holders, the upright pins corresponding to the unopen capsule ejection station, capsule sealing station and sealed capsule ejection station being solid pins and the upright pins corresponding to the seating cleaning station being hollow and mounted on a compressed air manifold which in turn is fitted on the pin plate, the hollow pins being connected to the compressed air manifold which in turn is connected to a compressed air supply and the sealant coating station comprising a sealant mist applicator for precoating the overlapping contact area of the capsule bodies or capsule caps gently with a thin layer of a mist of a liquid sealant.
4. A machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sealant mist applicator comprises a vacuum manifold mounted to the pin plate and a plurality of hollow upright pins mounted on the vacuum manifold in the same layout as the seatings in the capsule holders, the hollow upright pins being connected to the vacuum manifold which in turn is connected
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to a vacuum pump, a sealant mist holder plate disposed above the capsule holders and supported at the top of the machine, the mist holder plate comprising a plurality of open bottomed sockets in the same layout as the seatings in the capsule holders and having sealant applying sponge blocks located therein, the sponge blocks each being formed with a cutout corresponding to the outer profile of the upper portion of the capsule bodies at the lower end thereof and a plurality of sealant mist entry tubes each connected to the top of each of the sockets at one end thereof, the other ends of the sealant mist entry tubes being connected to a sealant mist supply.
5. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the sealant mist supply comprises a mist manifold connected to the other end of each of the sealant mist entry tubes and to an air compressor through a flow control valve, Programmable Logic Control (PLC) operated one way 2-position solenoid valve, compressed air distributor, pressure gauge and pressure regulator, the mist manifold being further connected to the sealant outlet of a liquid sealant reservoir provided with a sealant recirculation means.
6. A machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sealant reservoir comprises a mouth provided with a closure, a recirculation inlet opening and a recirculation outlet opening below the recirculation inlet opening and the sealant recirculation means comprises a recirculation pump and a liquid sealant sump located below the liquid sealant reservoir and provided with a sealant inlet line and sealant outlet line, the sealant inlet being connected to the recirculation outlet opening of the sealant reservoir and the sealant outlet line being connected to the suction end of the recirculation pump, the discharge end of
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the recirculation pump being connected to the recirculation inlet opening of the sealant reservoir.
7. A machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sealant coating station is provided with a capsule caps retainer plate above the capsule holders and the sealant mist applicator comprises a mist manifold mounted on the pin plate and a plurality of hollow upright pins mounted on the mist manifold in the same layout as the seatings in the capsule holders, the upright pins being connected to the mist manifold which in turn is connected to a sealant mist supply, the upper ends of the upright pins being provided with sealant mist applying sponge blocks corresponding to the inner profile of the capsule caps.
8. A machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the sealant mist supply comprises a compressed air inlet line connected to an air compressor through a flow control valve, Programmable Logic Control (PLC) operated one way 2-position solenoid valve, compressed air distributor, pressure gauge and pressure regulator and to the sealant outlet of a liquid sealant reservoir provided with a sealant recirculation means.
9. A machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sealant reservoir comprises a mouth provided with a closure, a recirculation inlet opening and a recirculation outlet opening below the recirculation inlet opening and the sealant recirculation means comprises a recirculation pump and a liquid sealant sump located below the liquid sealant reservoir and provided with a sealant inlet line and sealant outlet line, the sealant inlet being
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connected to the recirculation outlet opening of the sealant reservoir and the sealant outlet line being connected to the suction end of the recirculation pump, the discharge end of the recirculation pump being connected to the recirculation inlet opening of the sealant reservoir.
10. A machine as claimed in anyone of claims 3 to 9, wherein the upper body and lower body of each of the capsule holders, each comprises two rows of capsule cap seatings and two rows of capsule body seatings, respectively.
Dated this 20th day of October 2006.
Sci-Tech Centre and Pam Pharmaceuticals and Allied Machinery Company Pvt Ltd

(Jose M A) of Khaitan & Co
By their Agent & Attorney
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Abstract
A method and machine for filling capsules with a liquid and sealing them. The method comprises precoating of the overlapping contact area of the filled capsule bodies or capsule caps gently with a thin layer of a mist of a liquid sealant and sealing of the capsule bodies and capsule caps together by telescopically introducing the capsule bodies into the capsule caps. The capsule bodies are secured to the capsule caps at the overlapping contact areas thereof with the sealant coating. The machine comprises a sealant coating station followed by a capsule sealing station. The sealant coating station comprises a sealant mist applicator comprising a vacuum manifold (26 and a plurality of hollow upright pins (30) mounted on the vacuum manifold and connected to it. A sealant mist holder plate (32) is disposed above the capsule holders (6, 6a) and supported on the top plate of the machine. The mist holder plate comprises a plurality of open bottomed sockets (34) having sealant applying sponge blocks (35) located therein. The sponge blocks each is formed with a cutout (35a) corresponding to the outer profile of the upper portion of the capsule bodies (78a) at the lower end thereof and a plurality of sealant mist entry tubes (36) each connected to the top of each of the sockets at one end thereof (Fig 8).