Gate for a tablet discharge of a tablet press, and method for actuating a gate

{
  "publication_number": "US11707435B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Gate for a tablet discharge of a tablet press, and method for actuating a gate",
  "abstract": "A tablet press comprises a gate and a control apparatus configured to generate a switching signal. A drive apparatus is configured to move the gate in response to the switching signal received from the control apparatus between a first switching position and at least a second switching position. At least one sensor is configured to generate a detection signal when the gate reaches one of the switching positions. The control apparatus receives the detection signal and is configured to output a switching signal to the drive apparatus to at least partially move the gate back into a home position when there is a switching signal to move the gate out of the home position and there is no detection signal received from the at least one sensor. The control apparatus subsequently outputs a switching signal to again move the gate out of the home position to a target position.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A tablet press with a tablet discharge, the tablet press comprising: a gate positioned in the tablet discharge and moveable between a first switching position and a second switching positon, the gate comprising, a first discharge channel connected to a first tablet outlet, and a second discharge channel connected to a second tablet outlet; a control apparatus configured to generate and output a plurality of switching signals; a drive apparatus configured receive the plurality of switching signals from the control apparatus and, in response, drive the gate between the first switching position in which tablets are fed to a first tablet outlet, and the second switching position in which tablets are fed to a second tablet outlet; and at least one sensor configured to, generate a first detection signal at the first switching position and transmit the first detection signal to the control apparatus, generate a second detection signal at the second switching position and transmit the second detection signal to the control apparatus, and detect a tablet clamped by the gate against the tablet discharge, wherein, in response to the detected tablet clamped by the gate, the control apparatus outputs a switching signal to the drive apparatus to at least partially drive the gate back into a home position to unclamp the tablet and inhibit a tablet jam and an interruption in tablet production, wherein the control apparatus subsequently outputs another switching signal to the drive apparatus to signal the drive apparatus to drive the gate into a target position, and wherein the home position is defined as the one of the first switching position and the second switching position that the gate is initially in, and wherein the target position is defined as the one of the first switching position and the second switching position that the gate is being moved to.",
    "2. The tablet press according to claim 1, further comprising at least a third discharge channel.",
    "3. The tablet press according to claim 2, wherein the gate comprises at least one gate flap pivotably mounted within the at least one of the first and second discharge channel of the tablet discharge and configured to sweep a region to direct tablets into the at least one of the first and second discharge channel.",
    "4. The tablet press according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the first, second and at least the third discharge channel comprises at least one section that expands along a tablet discharge direction.",
    "5. The tablet press according to claim 4, wherein the at least one section that expands is configured to expand in a stepwise fashion.",
    "6. The tablet press according to claim 4, wherein the at least one section that expands is located upstream from the region swept by the gate flap during its pivoting movement.",
    "7. The tablet press according to claim 4, wherein the at least one section that expands is positioned on opposing walls of the at least one of the first, second and at least the third discharge channel.",
    "8. The tablet press according to claim 4, wherein the at least one section that expands is configured to expand to a width of at least 10 mm.",
    "9. The tablet press according to claim 1, wherein the tablet clamped by the gate is detected by an absence of the second detection signal."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The invention relates to a gate for a tablet discharge of a tablet press, in particular a rotary tablet press, wherein a control apparatus is provided, and wherein a drive apparatus is provided that moves the gate, depending on a switching signal from the control apparatus, between a first switching position in which tablets are fed to a first tablet outlet, and at least one other switching position, such as a second switching position in which tablets are fed to at least one second tablet outlet, wherein at least one sensor is provided for detecting the reaching of the first switching position and the at least one second switching position by the gate.\n\nThe invention moreover relates to a method for actuating a gate for a tablet discharge of a tablet press, in particular a rotary tablet press, in which the gate is moved between a first switching position in which tablets are fed to a first tablet outlet, and at least a second switching position in which tablets are fed to at least one second tablet outlet, wherein the reaching of the first switching position and at least the second switching position by the gate is detected by means of at least one sensor.\n\nRotary tablet presses have a plurality of upper and lower punches which are always assigned in pairs to a cavity of a die plate of a rotor of the rotary tablet press. While the rotor is rotating, the cavities are filled with the filling material to be pressed. In at least one pressing apparatus, the upper and lower punches are pressed against each other in the cavities to press the filling material into tablets.",
  "cpc": [
    "A61K 9/20",
    "B07C 5/362",
    "B30B 11/005",
    "B30B 11/02",
    "B30B 11/08",
    "B30B 11/14",
    "B30B 15/26",
    "B30B 15/30",
    "B30B 15/304",
    "B30B 15/32",
    "B65G 43/08",
    "B65G 47/766"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A61K 9/20",
    "B30B 11/00",
    "B30B 11/02",
    "B30B 15/30",
    "B30B 15/32"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Fette Compacting GmbH"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Friedrich Meissner",
    "Stefan Luedemann"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-07-01",
  "publication_date": "2023-07-25",
  "grant_date": "2023-07-25",
  "priority_date": "2018-07-04",
  "application_number": "US-201916458686-A",
  "family_id": "67003268",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US4066173A",
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    "JP2001511708A",
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    "EP1974895A2",
    "US20080237097A1",
    "EP2368704A2",
    "JP2011235332A",
    "KR20140002859U",
    "CN205112500U",
    "WO2018032758A1"
  ]
}