(19)
(11) EP 1 591 360 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
12.04.2006 Bulletin 2006/15

(43) Date of publication A2:
02.11.2005 Bulletin 2005/44

(21) Application number: 04025128.2

(22) Date of filing: 09.03.1999
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
B65B 7/28(2006.01)
B65B 35/30(2006.01)
B65B 5/10(2006.01)
 B65B 23/00(2006.01)
B65B 51/14(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE

(30) Priority: 09.03.1998 US 77363 P

(62) Application number of the earlier application in accordance with Art. 76 EPC:
99914893.5 / 1107911

(71) Applicant: CIMA LABS INC.
Eden Prairie, MN 55344-9361 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Amborn, Jerry
    Spring Lake Park Minnesota 55432 (US)
  • Tiger, Vern
    Minneapolis Minnesota 55418 (US)

(74) Representative: Amery, Marcus James et al
Albihns GmbH Bayerstrasse 83
80335 München
80335 München (DE)

   


(54) Apparatus for handling and packaging friable tablets


(57) An assembly for handling and packaging pharmaceutical dosage forms includes an infeed structure (22), a laning structure (35), and a plenum structure (32) extending from the infeed structure to the laning structure. The infeed, laning and plenum structures guide dosage forms as they are carried in a downstream direction by a surface movable with downstream direction. A guide portion guides the dosage forms into the laning structure to avoid jamming of tablets. A form handling device (83) receives dosage forms and transports the dosage forms to a packaging device (90). A timed controller and dump gate operate so that debris is carried out of the assembly. The assembly is particularly useful for fragile dosage forms. A packaging device having a bottom plate with floatably supported blocks is provided for sealing dosage forms into packages.







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