(19)
(11) EP 4 227 229 A1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
published in accordance with Art. 153(4) EPC

(43) Date of publication:
16.08.2023 Bulletin 2023/33

(21) Application number: 22850634.1

(22) Date of filing: 31.07.2022
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
B65B 11/52(2006.01)
B65B 35/38(2006.01)
B65B 35/44(2006.01)
B65B 35/56(2006.01)
(86) International application number:
PCT/CN2022/109316
(87) International publication number:
WO 2023/124067 (06.07.2023 Gazette 2023/27)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR
Designated Extension States:
BA ME
Designated Validation States:
KH MA MD TN

(30) Priority: 31.12.2021 CN 202111669179

(71) Applicant: ZHEJIANG HOPING MACHINERY CO., LTD.
Technology Industrial Zone Wenzhou Zhejiang 325200 (CN)

(72) Inventors:
  • LI, Wenlei
    Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325200 (CN)
  • LI, Junjie
    Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325200 (CN)
  • YANG, Yifu
    Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325200 (CN)
  • GUO, Fangting
    Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325200 (CN)
  • DONG, Fa
    Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325200 (CN)
  • CHEN, Wanwei
    Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325200 (CN)

(74) Representative: Bayramoglu et al. 
Mira Office Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Boulevard 5387 Street Beytepe, floor 12, no:50
06800 Cankaya, Ankara
06800 Cankaya, Ankara (TR)

   


(54) HIGH-SPEED DOUBLE-TRACK BLISTER PILLOW PACKING AND CARTONING PACKING INTEGRATED MACHINE


(57) The present disclosure provides a high-speed double-line blister and pillow bag cartoning integrated machine, which can directly carton the blister and can also package the blisters into the pillow bags for cartoning. The high-speed double-line blister and pillow bag cartoning integrated machine includes a blister packaging machine, a pillow-type packaging machine, and a cartoning machine. The blister packaging machine is connected to a discharging grid conveyor device for conveyance. A pillow bag conveyor chain device is provided side by side at one side of the discharging grid conveyor device. The pillow bag conveyor chain device is connected to the pillow-type packaging machine for conveyance. An output end of the pillow-type packaging machine is connected to a pillow bag grid conveyor device for conveyance. One side of the pillow bag grid conveyor device is provided with a cartoning conveyor chain device, and the other side of the discharging grid conveyor device is provided with a transiting grid conveyor device. The high-speed double-line blister and pillow bag cartoning integrated machine can realize packaging of cartoning the blisters and packaging of cartoning the blisters and the pillow bags in a small footprint and can be switched between two different packaging forms quickly and flexibly.




Description

TECHNICAL FIELD



[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of pharmaceutical card packaging machines, particularly to a machine for packaging blister cards.

BACKGROUND



[0002] In modern pharmaceutical packaging, a more flexible packaging solution for pharmaceutical blister cards is desired by pharmaceutical companies. Given the thermal sensitivity of some medicines, pharmaceutical blister cards (referred to as blisters or blister cards) not only are cartoned (e.g., the pharmaceutical blister cards are directly packaged into cartons), but also are packaged into pillow bags to be placed into cartons. In the prior art, different packaging devices are used to provide perform different packaging manners, or the pharmaceutical cards are preliminarily distributed to a rear packaging device by a conveyor belt. This increases the equipment purchasing cost of the pharmaceutical companies and requires larger equipment space, higher mounting costs, and higher equipment operation and maintenance costs. Therefore, the prior art can hardly meet the demand of modern pharmaceutical packaging for flexibility in the new era.

SUMMARY



[0003] Given shortages in the prior art, the present disclosure provides a high-speed double-line blister and pillow bag cartoning integrated machine, which not only can directly carton the blisters but can also package the blisters into the pillow bags for cartoning.

[0004] A high-speed double-line blister and pillow bag cartoning integrated machine includes a blister packaging machine, a pillow-type packaging machine, and a cartoning machine. The blister packaging machine is connected to a discharging grid conveyor device for conveyance. A pillow bag conveyor chain device is provided side by side at one side of the discharging grid conveyor device. The pillow bag conveyor chain device is connected to the pillow-type packaging machine for conveyance. An output end of the pillow-type packaging machine is connected to a pillow bag grid conveyor device for conveyance. One side of the pillow bag grid conveyor device is provided with a cartoning conveyor chain device, and the cartoning conveyor chain device is connected to the cartoning machine for conveyance. The other side of the discharging grid conveyor device is provided with a transiting grid conveyor device. The transiting grid conveyor device extends to one side of the cartoning conveyor chain device, and the cartoning conveyor chain device is located between the transiting grid conveyor device and the pillow bag grid conveyor device. A blister card transfer device for transferring blister cards on the discharging grid conveyor device to the pillow bag conveyor chain device or the transiting grid conveyor device is provided on the discharging grid conveyor device, and the blister card transfer device is provided with blister vacuum nozzles. A material transfer device for transferring the blister cards on the transiting grid conveyor device or pillow bags on the pillow bag grid conveyor device to the cartoning conveyor chain device is provided on the cartoning conveyor chain device, and the material transfer device is provided with material vacuum nozzles.

[0005] The transiting grid conveyor device is composed of a first grid conveyor device and a second grid conveyor device, and a connecting ramp is provided between the first grid conveyor device and the second grid conveyor device. The high point of the connecting ramp is connected to the first grid conveyor device, and the low point of the connecting ramp is connected to the second grid conveyor device. The first grid conveyor device and the second grid conveyor device each are driven by an independent motor, and the first grid conveyor device is provided side by side with the discharging grid conveyor device. The grid spacing of the first grid conveyor device is the same as the grid spacing of the pillow bag conveyor chain device. The second grid conveyor device is provided side by side with the cartoning conveyor chain device, and the grid spacing of the second grid conveyor device is the same as the grid spacing of the cartoning conveyor chain device.

[0006] The output end of the pillow-type packaging machine is connected to the pillow bag grid conveyor device through a rotary transfer manipulator for conveyance, and the rotary transfer manipulator may rotate pillow bags on the output end of the pillow-type packaging machine by 90° and transfer the pillow bags to the pillow bag grid conveyor device.

[0007] The material transfer device includes a manipulator and a suction mechanism. The suction mechanism includes a nozzle holder and a plurality of the material vacuum nozzles. The material vacuum nozzles are provided on the nozzle holder. The nozzle holder is connected to a connecting seat, a connecting groove is formed in the connecting seat, and the connecting seat is connected to a locating pin. The manipulator is connected to a connecting member, a pinhole is formed in the connecting member, the connecting member is provided in the connecting groove of the connecting seat, and the locating pin may be inserted into the pinhole of the connecting member.

[0008] A guideway is provided on the blister card transfer device. The blister card transfer device is slidably provided on the guideway through a sliding seat, and the blister card transfer device may move to an upward side between the discharging grid conveyor device and the transiting grid conveyor device or move to an upward side between the discharging grid conveyor device and the pillow bag conveyor chain device.

[0009] The high-speed double-line blister and pillow bag cartoning integrated machine provided by the present disclosure can realize packaging of cartoning the blisters and packaging of cartoning the blisters and the pillow bags in a small footprint and can be switched between two different packaging forms quickly and flexibly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS



[0010] 

FIG. 1 is a top view of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an operation view of a blister card transfer device;

FIG. 3 is an operation view of a material transfer device; and

FIG. 4 is a side view of a transiting grid conveyor device.


DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS



[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the high-speed double-line blister and pillow bag cartoning integrated machine includes blister packaging machine 1, pillow-type packaging machine 6, and cartoning machine 11. The blister packaging machine 1 is configured to form, package, and cut pharmaceutical blister cards. The pillow-type packaging machine 5 is configured to package the blister cards into packaging films to form pillow bags. The cartoning machine 11 is configured to package the pharmaceutical blister cards or pillow bags into cartons.

[0012] To link the blister packaging machine 1, the pillow-type packaging machine 6, and the cartoning machine 11 and realize a packaging manner of cartoning the blisters and a packaging manner of cartoning the blisters and the pillow bags, the present disclosure provides the following technical solutions.

[0013] For the packaging manner of cartoning the blisters and the pillow bags: As shown in FIG. 1, the blister packaging machine 1 is connected to discharging grid conveyor device 2 for conveyance (i.e., the blister packaging machine 1 conveys the blister cards to the discharging grid conveyor device 2). Pillow bag conveyor chain device 3 is provided side by side at one side of the discharging grid conveyor device 2 (e.g., the pillow bag conveyor chain device 3 is also a grid conveyor device but is only provided with one row of grids). Blister card transfer device 4 (as shown in FIG. 2, the blister card transfer device 4 is provided with blister vacuum nozzles 40 capable of sucking the blister cards, which is the prior art) is provided on the discharging grid conveyor device 2. The blister card transfer device 4 can transfer the blister cards on the discharging grid conveyor device 2 to the pillow bag conveyor chain device 3. The pillow bag conveyor chain device 3 is connected to the pillow-type packaging machine 6 for conveyance. The pillow bag conveyor chain device 3 conveys the blister cards to the pillow-type packaging machine 6. The pillow-type packaging machine 6 packages the blister cards into the packaging films to form the pillow bags. An output end of the pillow-type packaging machine 6 is connected to pillow bag grid conveyor device 8 for conveyance. The pillow bags from the output end of the pillow-type packaging machine 6 enter the pillow bag grid conveyor device 8 and are continuously conveyed by the pillow bag grid conveyor device 8. One side of the pillow bag grid conveyor device 8 is provided with cartoning conveyor chain device 10 (e.g., the cartoning conveyor chain device 10 is also a grid conveyor device but is only provided with one row of grids). Material transfer device 9 (as shown in FIG. 3, the material transfer device 9 is provided with material vacuum nozzles 90 capable of sucking the blister cards or the pillow bags, which is the prior art) is provided on the cartoning conveyor chain device 10. The material transfer device 9 can transfer the pillow bags on the pillow bag grid conveyor device 8 to the cartoning conveyor chain device 10 (which can realize tracking and multi-bag stacking). The cartoning conveyor chain device 10 is connected to the cartoning machine 11 for conveyance. The cartoning conveyor chain device 10 conveys the pillow bags to the cartoning machine 11. The cartoning machine 11 packages the pillow bags into the cartons. With the above structure, the packaging manner of cartoning the blisters and the pillow bags can be realized.

[0014] For the packaging manner of cartoning the blisters: As shown in FIG. 1, the other side of the discharging grid conveyor device 2 is provided with transiting grid conveyor device 5. The blister card transfer device 4 can transfer the blister cards on the discharging grid conveyor device 2 to the transiting grid conveyor device 5. The transiting grid conveyor device 5 extends to one side of the cartoning conveyor chain device 10. The cartoning conveyor chain device 10 is located between the transiting grid conveyor device 5 and the pillow bag grid conveyor device 8. The material transfer device 9 can transfer the blister cards on the transiting grid conveyor device 5 to the cartoning conveyor chain device 10 (which can realize tracking and multi-card stacking). The cartoning conveyor chain device 10 conveys the blister cards to the cartoning machine 11. The cartoning machine 11 packages the blister cards into the cartons. With the above structure, the packaging manner of cartoning the blisters can be realized.

[0015] The high-speed double-line blister and pillow bag cartoning integrated machine has a small footprint and can be switched between the packaging of cartoning the blisters and the packaging of cartoning the blisters and the pillow bags as required by the user, thereby being very convenient and flexible.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, since there are different requirements for the spacing between materials in the pillow-type packaging machine 6 and the spacing between materials in the cartoning machine 11, the grid spacing of the pillow bag conveyor chain device 3 is different from the grid spacing of the cartoning conveyor chain device 10. Since the transiting grid conveyor device 5 needs to transfer the blister cards to the cartoning conveyor chain device 10, the grid spacing of the transiting grid conveyor device 5 is the same as the grid spacing of the cartoning conveyor chain device 10. In other words, normally, the grid spacing of the pillow bag conveyor chain device 3 is different from the grid spacing of the transiting grid conveyor device 5. When different packaging manners are switched, it is essential to change the suction mechanism of the blister card transfer device 4, such that matched spacing is provided between the blister vacuum nozzles on the suction mechanism, which is inconvenient.

[0017] To solve the problem above, as shown in FIG. 4, the transiting grid conveyor device 5 is composed of first grid conveyor device 50 and second grid conveyor device 51 (both have different grid spacings). Connecting ramp 52 is provided between the first grid conveyor device 50 and the second grid conveyor device 51. The high point of the connecting ramp 52 is connected to the first grid conveyor device 50. The low point of the connecting ramp 52 is connected to the second grid conveyor device 51. In addition, the first grid conveyor device 50 and the second grid conveyor device 51 each are driven by an independent motor. The first grid conveyor device 50 and the second grid conveyor device 51 each work under the control of the corresponding independent motor. The time it takes for the first grid conveyor device 50 to move by one grid spacing is the same as the time it takes for the second grid conveyor device 51 to move by one grid spacing. In this case, the blister card in one grid of the first grid conveyor device 50 falls into one grid of the second grid conveyor device 51 through the connecting ramp 52. Certainly, the first grid conveyor device 50 is provided side by side with the discharging grid conveyor device 2. The grid spacing of the first grid conveyor device 50 is the same as the grid spacing of the pillow bag conveyor chain device 3. The second grid conveyor device 51 is provided side by side with the cartoning conveyor chain device 10. The grid spacing of the second grid conveyor device 51 is the same as the grid spacing of the cartoning conveyor chain device 10.

[0018] With the above structure, the blister cards in the two modes can be transferred through only one type of the blister card transfer device 4, and there is no need to change the suction mechanism of the blister card transfer device 4. The transiting grid conveyor device 5 is divided into two segments, such that the transmission chain on each segment is shorter (the grid plate is provided on the transmission chain), the transmission chain operates more stably, and the transportation on the machine is more convenient (the loading requirement cannot be met if the transiting grid conveyor device 5 is very long). Certainly, if the transiting grid conveyor device 5 is still too long after being divided into two segments, the second grid conveyor device 51 may be divided into two segments. In this case, the transiting grid conveyor device 5 is divided into one segment of the first grid conveyor device 50 and two segments of the second grid conveyor device 51 to meet the loading requirement. It is noted that any case where the transiting grid conveyor device 5 is segmented falls within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 3, the output end of the pillow-type packaging machine 6 is provided with conveyor belt 60. The pillow-type packaging machine 6 conveys the pillow bags through the conveyor belt 60. The pillow bags on the conveyor belt 60 can directly fall into the grids of the pillow bag grid conveyor device 8. However, the pillow bags from the pillow-type packaging machine 6 are horizontally arranged. According to longitudinal feeding of the cartoning machine 11, it is better to rotate the pillow bags on the conveyor belt 60 by 90° and then fall the pillow bags into the pillow bag grid conveyor device 8. In this case, the material transfer device 9 can directly transfer the materials on the pillow bag grid conveyor device 8 to the cartoning conveyor chain device 10. The output end of the pillow-type packaging machine 6 is connected to the pillow bag grid conveyor device 8 through rotary transfer manipulator 7 for conveyance. The rotary transfer manipulator 7 can rotate the pillow bags on the conveyor belt 60 of the pillow-type packaging machine 6 by 90° and transfer the pillow bags to the pillow bag grid conveyor device 8. The rotary transfer manipulator 7 is the prior art, and its structure is not described repeatedly herein. Certainly, the rotary transfer manipulator 7 may also not be used, but the material transfer device 9 sucks the pillow bags for rotation. In this case, the material transfer device 9 will be more complicated. Regardless of the manners used, all should fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3, the material transfer device 9 includes manipulator 91 and a suction mechanism. The suction mechanism includes nozzle holder 92 and a plurality of the material vacuum nozzles 90. The material vacuum nozzles 90 are provided on the nozzle holder 92. As mentioned above, the material transfer device 9 not only transfers the pillow bags from the pillow bag grid conveyor device 8 to the cartoning conveyor chain device 10 but also transfers the blister cards from the transiting grid conveyor device 5 to the cartoning conveyor chain device 10. The pillow bags are conveyed in one row, while the blister cards are conveyed in multiple rows. Hence, when the packaging manner is switched, the suction mechanism of the material transfer device 9 is changed. To quickly change the suction mechanism, the nozzle holder 92 is connected to a connecting seat. A connecting groove is formed in the connecting seat. The connecting seat is connected to a locating pin. The manipulator 91 is connected to a connecting member. A pinhole is formed in the connecting member. The connecting member is provided in the connecting groove of the connecting seat. The locating pin may be inserted into the pinhole of the connecting member. When the suction mechanism is changed, the connecting member on the manipulator 91 is clamped into the connecting groove of the connecting seat, and the locating pin is inserted into the pinhole of the connecting member, which is very convenient and quick.

[0021] Finally, it is worth noting that the blister card transfer device 4 can realize tracking and multi-card stacking when transferring the blister cards. Since the pillow bag conveyor chain device 3 and the transiting grid conveyor device 5 to be tracked are respectively located on two sides of the discharging grid conveyor device 2, there is a need to locate the blister card transfer device 4 at an appropriate position. When the pillow bag conveyor chain device 3 is to be tracked, the blister card transfer device 4 is located on an upward side between the discharging grid conveyor device 2 and the pillow bag conveyor chain device 3. When the transiting grid conveyor device 5 is to be tracked, the blister card transfer device 4 is located on an upward side between the discharging grid conveyor device 2 and the transiting grid conveyor device 5. A guideway 41 is provided on the blister card transfer device 4. The blister card transfer device 4 is slidably provided on the guideway 41 through a sliding seat. By sliding the sliding seat, the blister card transfer device 4 may move to the upward side between the discharging grid conveyor device 2 and the transiting grid conveyor device 5 or move to the upward side between the discharging grid conveyor device 2 and the pillow bag conveyor chain device 3, thereby transferring, tracking and stacking the blister cards in different packaging manners.


Claims

1. A high-speed double-line blister and pillow bag cartoning integrated machine, comprising a blister packaging machine (1), a pillow-type packaging machine (6), and a cartoning machine (11), wherein the blister packaging machine (1) is connected to a discharging grid conveyor device (2) for conveyance, a pillow bag conveyor chain device (3) is provided side by side at one side of the discharging grid conveyor device (2), the pillow bag conveyor chain device (3) is connected to the pillow-type packaging machine (6) for conveyance, an output end of the pillow-type packaging machine (6) is connected to a pillow bag grid conveyor device (8) for conveyance, one side of the pillow bag grid conveyor device (8) is provided with a cartoning conveyor chain device (10), and the cartoning conveyor chain device (10) is connected to the cartoning machine (11) for conveyance; the other side of the discharging grid conveyor device (2) is provided with a transiting grid conveyor device (5), the transiting grid conveyor device (5) extends to one side of the cartoning conveyor chain device (10), and the cartoning conveyor chain device (10) is located between the transiting grid conveyor device (5) and the pillow bag grid conveyor device (8); a blister card transfer device (4) for transferring blister cards on the discharging grid conveyor device (2) to the pillow bag conveyor chain device (3) or to the transiting grid conveyor device (5) is provided on the discharging grid conveyor device (2), and the blister card transfer device (4) is provided with blister vacuum nozzles (40); and a material transfer device (9) for transferring the blister cards on the transiting grid conveyor device (5) or pillow bags on the pillow bag grid conveyor device (8) to the cartoning conveyor chain device (10) is provided on the cartoning conveyor chain device (10), and the material transfer device (9) is provided with material vacuum nozzles (90).
 
2. The high-speed double-line blister and pillow bag cartoning integrated machine according to claim 1, wherein the transiting grid conveyor device (5) is composed of a first grid conveyor device (50) and a second grid conveyor device (51), a connecting ramp (52) is provided between the first grid conveyor device (50) and the second grid conveyor device (51), a high point of the connecting ramp (52) is connected to the first grid conveyor device (50), a low point of the connecting ramp (52) is connected to the second grid conveyor device (51), the first grid conveyor device (50) and the second grid conveyor device (51) each are driven by an independent motor, the first grid conveyor device (50) is provided side by side with the discharging grid conveyor device (2), a grid spacing of the first grid conveyor device (50) is the same as a grid spacing of the pillow bag conveyor chain device (3), the second grid conveyor device (51) is provided side by side with the cartoning conveyor chain device (10), and a grid spacing of the second grid conveyor device (51) is same as a grid spacing of the cartoning conveyor chain device (10).
 
3. The high-speed double-line blister and pillow bag cartoning integrated machine according to claim 1, wherein the output end of the pillow-type packaging machine (6) is connected to the pillow bag grid conveyor device (8) through a rotary transfer manipulator (7) for conveyance, and the rotary transfer manipulator (7) rotates the pillow bags on the output end of the pillow-type packaging machine (6) by 90° and transfers the pillow bags to the pillow bag grid conveyor device (8).
 
4. The high-speed double-line blister and pillow bag cartoning integrated machine according to claim 1, wherein the material transfer device (9) comprises a manipulator (91) and a suction mechanism, the suction mechanism comprises a nozzle holder (92) and a plurality of the material vacuum nozzles (90), the material vacuum nozzles (90) are provided on the nozzle holder (92), the nozzle holder (92) is connected to a connecting seat, a connecting groove is formed in the connecting seat, the connecting seat is connected to a locating pin, the manipulator (91) is connected to a connecting member, a pinhole is formed in the connecting member, the connecting member is provided in the connecting groove of the connecting seat, and the locating pin is inserted into the pinhole of the connecting member.
 
5. The high-speed double-line blister and pillow bag cartoning integrated machine according to claim 1, wherein a guideway (41) is provided on the blister card transfer device (4), the blister card transfer device (4) is slidably provided on the guideway (41) through a sliding seat, and the blister card transfer device (4) can moves to an upward side between the discharging grid conveyor device (2) and the transiting grid conveyor device (5) or moves to an upward side between the discharging grid conveyor device (2) and the pillow bag conveyor chain device (3).
 




Drawing
















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