Title of Invention	A MACHINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS
Abstract	A machine (100) for the treatment of pharmaceutical products. (P) comprises-a span (2) that, revolves about an axis is of rotation (X) and a dispensing unit (3} designed to disperse a coating material inside the pan (2) over a mass (M) of the product (P) located in the pan (2). The pan (2) has an Opening (7) for feed- ing the prod ucts to be treated (P) into the pan (2) and an openiing (81) for feeding tbr products (PT) already treated with the coating material out of the pan (2), the separation and independent of each other. A portion (K) of the inside surface of the pan (2) is equipped with at least one helical flow regulating fin (4, 5,6) designed to fiacilitate inflow (F3) of the products to be treated (P) into the pan (2) during the feeding of the products (P) into the pan (2) through the infeed opening (7) when the pan (2) itself revolves in a first direction of rotation(FT) and to cause outflow (PA) of the treated producas (FT) from the pan (2) daring the Outfeed of the treated products (PT) from thu pan (21 through the outfeed opening (8) when the pan (2) itself revolves in a second direction of rotaiion (F2), opposite to the first direction of rotation (F1).

Title of Invention

A MACHINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS

Abstract

A machine (100) for the treatment of pharmaceutical products. (P) comprises-a span (2) that, revolves about an axis is of rotation (X) and a dispensing unit (3} designed to disperse a coating material inside the pan (2) over a mass (M) of the product (P) located in the pan (2). The pan (2) has an Opening (7) for feed- ing the prod ucts to be treated (P) into the pan (2) and an openiing (81) for feeding tbr products (PT) already treated with the coating material out of the pan (2), the separation and independent of each other. A portion (K) of the inside surface of the pan (2) is equipped with at least one helical flow regulating fin (4, 5,6) designed to fiacilitate inflow (F3) of the products to be treated (P) into the pan (2) during the feeding of the products (P) into the pan (2) through the infeed opening (7) when the pan (2) itself revolves in a first direction of rotation(FT) and to cause outflow (PA) of the treated producas (FT) from the pan (2) daring the Outfeed of the treated products (PT) from thu pan (21 through the outfeed opening (8) when the pan (2) itself revolves in a second direction of rotaiion (F2), opposite to the first direction of rotation (F1).

Full Text	A machina for the treatment of pharmaceutical products Technical field The present invention relates to a machine for the treatment at products., in particular pharmaceutical products , In particular, the invention relates to a coating machine used to apply a coating to pharmaceutical products, such as tablets or dapaules, to which the present specification refers but without thereby restricting the scope of the invention- Background Art At present, a conventional machine for coating pharmaceutical products comprises a hollow pan that revolves about a. horizontal axis and- is known in the txade by the term. "Pellegrini coating pan", which will herein be referred to simply as "coating pan". At the front of it, the coating pan has a central, circular opening through which the pharmaceutical products are fed into the pan from a reservoir, and a plurality of nozzles, mounted on an arm extending in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the pan and designed to spray a coating, liquid towards and over a mass of pharmaceutical products to be treated, lying centrally inside the pan and. coming from, the reservoir through the central opening. At present, the inside walls of the coating pan are preferably equipped with a plurality, of inclined baffles protruding radially from, the walls theins elves. These baffles facilitate uniform distribution of the mass of products not only while the coating pan rotates clockwise about its axis as the products to be treated are fed into it but also while the coating pan rotaes in the apposite direction as the treated product is fed out of the coating pan into a container placed at the central opening beforehand. A major drawback in a coating machine of this kind is that the pan has a single opening for infeed of the untreated product WO 2004/069130 PCT/TB2004/000296 2 still to be treated, ae "well as for out feed of the treated product. This creates a potential risk of contamination between incoming and outgoing products, especially when there is a change to a different type of coating material, The present invention has for an object to provide a machine for treating pharmaceutical products that overcomes the above mentioned drawback- Another object of the present invention ia to provide a costing machine that mases the treatment of the pharmaceutical priducts as safe and rational as possible and that also permits zrapid cleaning and sterilising of the coating pan. Disclosure. of the invention The invention accordingly provides a machine for the treatment of pharmaceutical products, comprising- a pan that revolves- about an axis of rotation and a dispensing unit designed to disperse a coating material inside the pan ovet a mass of the products lopated in the pan-; the machine being characterised in that the pan has an opening for feeding the products to be treated into the pan, and an opening- for feeding the products already txestad with, the coating- nssterial out of ths pan, the infeed opening and the out feed opening being separate and independent of each other; a portion 6f the inside surface of the pan being equipped, with at least one helical flow regulating; fie designed to facilitate inflow of the products to be treated into the pan during the feeding of the products into the pan thirough the in feed opening when the pan itself revolves ia a first direction of rotation, and to cause outflow of -the treated products from the pan during the out feed, of the t rented products from the pan through the outfeed opening when tile pan itself revolves in a second direction of rotation,, opposite to the first direction of rotation. Description of the drawings The technical characteristics of the invention are clearly described in. the claims below and its advantages ate apparent from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the WO 2004/069130 PCT/TB2004/000296 accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention. provided Merely by way of example without restricting the scope of the inventive concept, and in which: Figure 1 is a side view, partly in croas section and with some parts cut sway for clarity, of a preferred embodiment of the machine according to the invention for the treatment of products; Figure 2 is a schematic front view of a detail from the mgehine of Figure 1;. and Figure 3 is a plane vertical section of the detail of Figure 2. Detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention With reference to Figure 1, the numeral 100 denotes in its entirety a machine for coating pharmaceutical products P, such as, for example, tablets or capsules. The machine 100 comprises a supporting frame 1, a pan 2 mounted on the supporting frame 1 in such a way that it can be rotationally driven about an axis X by a customary motor, which is not illustrated, and a dispensing unit 3 which, during use, is positioned inside the pan 2 in order to dispense and disperse, preferably by spraying, a coating liquid over a mass M of products P located in a substantially central zone Z inside the pan 2. As illustrated in. Figures 1, 2 and 3, a substantially truncated cone shaped front portion X of the inside surface of the pan 2 is equipped with first, second, and third flow regulating fins 4, 5, and 6, which are preferably equally spaced and defined by cuspate profiles with triangular cross sections- whose base is joined smoothly to the inside surface of the fan 2, and which extend ia segusence along the truncated cone shaped portion of the inside surface in -a - substantially helical direction. During use, the first second and third flow regulating fins 4, 5 and 6 are designed to facilitate inflow towards the zone Z of the pan 2 (in the direction indicated by the arrow F3 in Figures 2 and 3) of the untreated product P fed through a first infeed opening or inlet 7 of the pan 2 while the pan 2 revolves abont the aids X in a first direction of rotation Fl (clockwise in Figure 2), and to cause outflow (in the direction indicated by the arrow WO 2004/069130 PCT/TB2004/000296 4 F4 in Figures 2 and 3) of the treated or coated product PT towards the outside of the pan 2, through an outreed opening or outlet B, located below the infeed opening 7 in. a position separate and. independent of the latter, while the pan 2 Itself revolves about the exis X in a- second direction of rotation F2 (anti-clockwise in Figure 2), opposite to the £irst direction of rotation Fl. As shown in Figuce 1, the dispensing device 3 comprises a plurality of nozzlee 3u appropriately directed inside the pan 2 to cover the zone 2, The nozzles 3u are mounted on a horizontal arm 3b, substantially parallel to the axis of rotation x of the pan 2 and. protruding- from the pan 2- Inside the arm 3b there are conduits for supplying the coating liquid, these conduits being connected to a feed tank (of customary type and therefore not illustrated) located outside the pan 2. As illustrated in mare detail ill Figures 2 and 3, the outfeed opening 8 has the shape of a ring made on a circumferential area of the pan Z and being, larger in diameter. than the circumferential area on whieh the infsied opening 7, also having the shape of a ring, is made, so that the infeed opening 7 is. positioned above and to one side of the out feed opening 8. The out feed opening a is connected to a conduit 9, made Under the infeed opening 1 with respect to a horizontal plane of the coating machine 10D, on a protrusion 12 of the frame 1, and defines a tubular- channel through which the products PT from the outfeed opening 8 are conveyed to the outside. The tubular conduit 3 is equipped with a shutoff valve 14 that seals the outside end of the conduit 9 itself. Similarly, the infeed opening 7 comprises art access conduit 11 made on the protrusion 12 and positioned above the conduit 9.. the conduit 12 leads onto an inclined, surface 13 (Figure 3) that extends to an area cloee to the inside of the pan 2 and. partially covers the outfeed opening 8. The conduit 11 is also equipped with a shutoff valve 15 that seals the outside end of the conduit 11 itself. WO 2004/069130 PCT/TB2004/000296 5 Further, the two conduits II and 9 are connected to separate reservoirs 16- and 17 (shown schematically by the dashed lines in Figure l) for feeding "the- product to be treated F and collecting the treated product PT, respectively. As shown in more detail in Figure 2, close to the outfeed opening B there is a guide element 10 that is joined smoothly to the profile of each fin 4, 5 and 6, for feeding out the treated product PT. Preferably, there are- at least three guide elements ID separated- from each other by equal angular intervals. a and each consisting :ofa chute facing the outfeed opening B. More specifically, the three guide elements 10 are Separated from each other by ecual angular intervals  of apprximately 1200. As- illustrated in Figure 3, the area adjacent to the treated product PT outfeed opening 8, close to the product P infeed area, is partly covered -by the inclined surface 13: this architecture keeps the openings 7 and 8 well isolated from each other during the steps of feeding in the product to he treated P and of feeding out the treated product PT, thus eliminating the risk of contamination between the incoming products F and the coated products PT feeding out of the pan 2 of the machine 100. The machine constructed as described above therefore achieves the aforementioned aims thanks to its ertxemely sinple structure, with a rapid production cycle made possible by two independent reservoirs, one for feeding the product in- and the other for collecting the treated product fed out, Moreover, the machine 100 can advantageously perform cyclee for cleaning or sterilising the inside surface of the pan while the pan itself continues to revolve- This is made possible by the fact that the conduits leading into and out of the pan can be sealed off and are totally independent of and separate from each othet. This saves considerable time between one production cycle and the next. Other advantages are derived from the constructional architecture of the fins, which have triangular cuspats profiles with smooth, counded edges which facilitate product flow and WO 2004/069130 PCT/TB2004/000296 6 prevent product accumulations or "shadow areas", that is to say, parts o£ the inside surface ot the pan where the coating liquid is not properly dispersed. It will he understood that the coating machine described, can be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover all the details of the machine may be substituted by technically equivalent elements. WO 2004/069130 PCT/TB2004/000296 1 1. A machine (100} far the treatment of pharmaceutical products (P) comprising a pan (2) that reyolves about an axie of rotation (X) and a dispensing unit (3) designed to disperse a coating matecial inside the pan (2) over- a mass (M) of the products (E) located in the pan (2), the machine (100) being characterised in that the pan, (2) has an opening (7) for feeding the products to be treated (p) into the pan (2) , and an opening (B) for feeding the products (PT) already treated with the coating, material out of the pan, the infeed opening (7) and the outfeed opening (B) being separate and independent of each other; a portion (K) of the inside surface of the pan (2) being equipped with at least one helical flow regulating fin(4, 5, 6) designed to facilitate inflow- (F3) of the products to be treated (P) into the pan (2) during the feeding of the products (P) into the pan (2) through the infeed-opening (7) when the pan (2) itself revolves in a first direction of rotation (Fl), and to cause outflow (F4) of the treated products (PT) from the pan (2) during the out feed of the treated, products (PT) from the pan (2) through the outfeed opening (8) when the pap (2) itself revolves in a second direction of rotation (F2), opposite to the first direction of rotation (F1) - 2. The machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the infeed opening. (7) in the pan (2) is located in a position above and to one sida of the outfeed opening (8). 3. The machine according to claim 1 or 2,. characterised in that the flow regulating fin (4, 5, 6) has a substantially cuspate profile with a triangular cross section whose base is joined smoothly to the inside surface of the pan (2) . 4. The machine according to any of the foregoing claims from 1 to 3, characterised in that at the outfeed opening (8) there is at least one chute-like guide element (10) that is joined smoothly to the profile of the fin (4, 5, 6) . WO 2004/069130 PCT/TB2004/000296 8 5, The machine according to any of the £oregoing claims from 1 to 4, characterised In that the flow regulating fine {4, 5, 6) on the portion (k) are equally spaced from each other. 6. The machine according to claims 4 and 5, characterised in that it comprises three, chute-like guide elements (10) separated from each other oy egual defined angular intervals () , each element (10) being joined smoothly to the profile of a respective flow regulating fin (4; 5; 6) . % The machine according to claim 6, characterised in that the three guide elements (10) are separated from each other by angular intervals (a) of approximately 120°, 8, The machine according to any of the foregoing claims from 1 to 7, Characterised in that the infeed opening (7) comprises a conduit (11) for access front the outside, made on a protrusion (12) on the pan (2) and leading onto an inclined surface (l3); that extends to an area close to the inside of the pan (2) and partially covers the outfeed opening (8). 9, The machine according to any of the foregoing claims from 1 to 0, characterised in that the outfeed opening (8) conftrises a tubulac conduit (9) leading to the outside and made on a protrusion (12) of the pan (2), 10, The machine according to claim 9, characterised in that the conduit (S) is equipped with a sealed shutoff valve (14). 11- The machine according to any -of the foregoing claims from 8 to l0, characterised in that the access conduit (11) is equipped with a sealed shutoff valve (15). 12- The machine according to any of the foregoing claims from 1 to 11, characterised in that the infeed opening (7) and the outfeed opening (8) are connected to separate reservoirs (16, 17) WO 2004/069130 PCT/TB2004/000296 9 for feeding the product to be created (P) and. coilecting the treated product (PT), respectively. A machine (100) for the treatment of pharmaceutical products. (P) comprises-a span (2) that, revolves about an axis is of rotation (X) and a dispensing unit (3} designed to disperse a coating material inside the pan (2) over a mass (M) of the product (P) located in the pan (2). The pan (2) has an Opening (7) for feed- ing the prod ucts to be treated (P) into the pan (2) and an openiing (81) for feeding tbr products (PT) already treated with the coating material out of the pan (2), the separation and independent of each other. A portion (K) of the inside surface of the pan (2) is equipped with at least one helical flow regulating fin (4, 5,6) designed to fiacilitate inflow (F3) of the products to be treated (P) into the pan (2) during the feeding of the products (P) into the pan (2) through the infeed opening (7) when the pan (2) itself revolves in a first direction of rotation(FT) and to cause outflow (PA) of the treated producas (FT) from the pan (2) daring the Outfeed of the treated products (PT) from thu pan (21 through the outfeed opening (8) when the pan (2) itself revolves in a second direction of rotaiion (F2), opposite to the first direction of rotation (F1).

Full Text

A machina for the treatment of pharmaceutical products
Technical field
The present invention relates to a machine for the treatment
at products., in particular pharmaceutical products ,
In particular, the invention relates to a coating machine
used to apply a coating to pharmaceutical products, such as
tablets or dapaules, to which the present specification refers but
without thereby restricting the scope of the invention-
Background Art
At present, a conventional machine for coating
pharmaceutical products comprises a hollow pan that revolves about
a. horizontal axis and- is known in the txade by the term.
"Pellegrini coating pan", which will herein be referred to simply
as "coating pan".
At the front of it, the coating pan has a central, circular
opening through which the pharmaceutical products are fed into the
pan from a reservoir, and a plurality of nozzles, mounted on an
arm extending in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of
rotation of the pan and designed to spray a coating, liquid towards
and over a mass of pharmaceutical products to be treated, lying
centrally inside the pan and. coming from, the reservoir through the
central opening.
At present, the inside walls of the coating pan are
preferably equipped with a plurality, of inclined baffles
protruding radially from, the walls theins elves. These baffles
facilitate uniform distribution of the mass of products not only
while the coating pan rotates clockwise about its axis as the
products to be treated are fed into it but also while the coating
pan rotaes in the apposite direction as the treated product is
fed out of the coating pan into a container placed at the central
opening beforehand.
A major drawback in a coating machine of this kind is that
the pan has a single opening for infeed of the untreated product

WO 2004/069130 PCT/TB2004/000296
2
still to be treated, ae "well as for out feed of the treated
product. This creates a potential risk of contamination between
incoming and outgoing products, especially when there is a change
to a different type of coating material,
The present invention has for an object to provide a machine
for treating pharmaceutical products that overcomes the above
mentioned drawback-
Another object of the present invention ia to provide a
costing machine that mases the treatment of the pharmaceutical
priducts as safe and rational as possible and that also permits
zrapid cleaning and sterilising of the coating pan.
Disclosure. of the invention
The invention accordingly provides a machine for the
treatment of pharmaceutical products, comprising- a pan that
revolves- about an axis of rotation and a dispensing unit designed
to disperse a coating material inside the pan ovet a mass of the
products lopated in the pan-; the machine being characterised in
that the pan has an opening for feeding the products to be treated
into the pan, and an opening- for feeding the products already
txestad with, the coating- nssterial out of ths pan, the infeed
opening and the out feed opening being separate and independent of
each other; a portion 6f the inside surface of the pan being
equipped, with at least one helical flow regulating; fie designed to
facilitate inflow of the products to be treated into the pan
during the feeding of the products into the pan thirough the in feed
opening when the pan itself revolves ia a first direction of
rotation, and to cause outflow of -the treated products from the
pan during the out feed, of the t rented products from the pan
through the outfeed opening when tile pan itself revolves in a
second direction of rotation,, opposite to the first direction of
rotation.
Description of the drawings
The technical characteristics of the invention are clearly
described in. the claims below and its advantages ate apparent from
the detailed description which follows, with reference to the

WO 2004/069130 PCT/TB2004/000296
accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of
the invention. provided Merely by way of example without
restricting the scope of the inventive concept, and in which:
Figure 1 is a side view, partly in croas section and with
some parts cut sway for clarity, of a preferred embodiment of the
machine according to the invention for the treatment of products;
Figure 2 is a schematic front view of a detail from the
mgehine of Figure 1;. and
Figure 3 is a plane vertical section of the detail of Figure
2.
Detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention
With reference to Figure 1, the numeral 100 denotes in its
entirety a machine for coating pharmaceutical products P, such as,
for example, tablets or capsules.
The machine 100 comprises a supporting frame 1, a pan 2
mounted on the supporting frame 1 in such a way that it can be
rotationally driven about an axis X by a customary motor, which is
not illustrated, and a dispensing unit 3 which, during use, is
positioned inside the pan 2 in order to dispense and disperse,
preferably by spraying, a coating liquid over a mass M of products
P located in a substantially central zone Z inside the pan 2.
As illustrated in. Figures 1, 2 and 3, a substantially
truncated cone shaped front portion X of the inside surface of the
pan 2 is equipped with first, second, and third flow regulating
fins 4, 5, and 6, which are preferably equally spaced and defined
by cuspate profiles with triangular cross sections- whose base is
joined smoothly to the inside surface of the fan 2, and which
extend ia segusence along the truncated cone shaped portion of the
inside surface in -a - substantially helical direction.
During use, the first second and third flow regulating fins
4, 5 and 6 are designed to facilitate inflow towards the zone Z of
the pan 2 (in the direction indicated by the arrow F3 in Figures 2
and 3) of the untreated product P fed through a first infeed
opening or inlet 7 of the pan 2 while the pan 2 revolves abont the
aids X in a first direction of rotation Fl (clockwise in Figure
2), and to cause outflow (in the direction indicated by the arrow

WO 2004/069130 PCT/TB2004/000296
4
F4 in Figures 2 and 3) of the treated or coated product PT towards
the outside of the pan 2, through an outreed opening or outlet B,
located below the infeed opening 7 in. a position separate and.
independent of the latter, while the pan 2 Itself revolves about
the exis X in a- second direction of rotation F2 (anti-clockwise in
Figure 2), opposite to the £irst direction of rotation Fl.
As shown in Figuce 1, the dispensing device 3 comprises a
plurality of nozzlee 3u appropriately directed inside the pan 2 to
cover the zone 2,
The nozzles 3u are mounted on a horizontal arm 3b,
substantially parallel to the axis of rotation x of the pan 2 and.
protruding- from the pan 2-
Inside the arm 3b there are conduits for supplying the
coating liquid, these conduits being connected to a feed tank (of
customary type and therefore not illustrated) located outside the
pan 2.
As illustrated in mare detail ill Figures 2 and 3, the
outfeed opening 8 has the shape of a ring made on a
circumferential area of the pan Z and being, larger in diameter.
than the circumferential area on whieh the infsied opening 7, also
having the shape of a ring, is made, so that the infeed opening 7
is. positioned above and to one side of the out feed opening 8.
The out feed opening a is connected to a conduit 9, made
Under the infeed opening 1 with respect to a horizontal plane of
the coating machine 10D, on a protrusion 12 of the frame 1, and
defines a tubular- channel through which the products PT from the
outfeed opening 8 are conveyed to the outside.
The tubular conduit 3 is equipped with a shutoff valve 14
that seals the outside end of the conduit 9 itself.
Similarly, the infeed opening 7 comprises art access conduit
11 made on the protrusion 12 and positioned above the conduit 9..
the conduit 12 leads onto an inclined, surface 13 (Figure 3)
that extends to an area cloee to the inside of the pan 2 and.
partially covers the outfeed opening 8.
The conduit 11 is also equipped with a shutoff valve 15 that
seals the outside end of the conduit 11 itself.

WO 2004/069130 PCT/TB2004/000296
5
Further, the two conduits II and 9 are connected to separate
reservoirs 16- and 17 (shown schematically by the dashed lines in
Figure l) for feeding "the- product to be treated F and collecting
the treated product PT, respectively.
As shown in more detail in Figure 2, close to the outfeed
opening B there is a guide element 10 that is joined smoothly to
the profile of each fin 4, 5 and 6, for feeding out the treated
product PT.
Preferably, there are- at least three guide elements ID
separated- from each other by equal angular intervals. a and each
consisting :ofa chute facing the outfeed opening B.
More specifically, the three guide elements 10 are Separated
from each other by ecual angular intervals  of apprximately
1200.
As- illustrated in Figure 3, the area adjacent to the treated
product PT outfeed opening 8, close to the product P infeed area,
is partly covered -by the inclined surface 13: this architecture
keeps the openings 7 and 8 well isolated from each other during
the steps of feeding in the product to he treated P and of feeding
out the treated product PT, thus eliminating the risk of
contamination between the incoming products F and the coated
products PT feeding out of the pan 2 of the machine 100.
The machine constructed as described above therefore
achieves the aforementioned aims thanks to its ertxemely sinple
structure, with a rapid production cycle made possible by two
independent reservoirs, one for feeding the product in- and the
other for collecting the treated product fed out,
Moreover, the machine 100 can advantageously perform cyclee
for cleaning or sterilising the inside surface of the pan while
the pan itself continues to revolve- This is made possible by the
fact that the conduits leading into and out of the pan can be
sealed off and are totally independent of and separate from each
othet. This saves considerable time between one production cycle
and the next.
Other advantages are derived from the constructional
architecture of the fins, which have triangular cuspats profiles
with smooth, counded edges which facilitate product flow and

WO 2004/069130 PCT/TB2004/000296
6
prevent product accumulations or "shadow areas", that is to say,
parts o£ the inside surface ot the pan where the coating liquid is
not properly dispersed.
It will he understood that the coating machine described, can
be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing
from the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover all the details
of the machine may be substituted by technically equivalent
elements.

WO 2004/069130 PCT/TB2004/000296
1
1. A machine (100} far the treatment of pharmaceutical products
(P) comprising a pan (2) that reyolves about an axie of rotation
(X) and a dispensing unit (3) designed to disperse a coating
matecial inside the pan (2) over- a mass (M) of the products (E)
located in the pan (2), the machine (100) being characterised in
that the pan, (2) has an opening (7) for feeding the products to be
treated (p) into the pan (2) , and an opening (B) for feeding the
products (PT) already treated with the coating, material out of the
pan, the infeed opening (7) and the outfeed opening (B) being
separate and independent of each other; a portion (K) of the
inside surface of the pan (2) being equipped with at least one
helical flow regulating fin(4, 5, 6) designed to facilitate
inflow- (F3) of the products to be treated (P) into the pan (2)
during the feeding of the products (P) into the pan (2) through
the infeed-opening (7) when the pan (2) itself revolves in a first
direction of rotation (Fl), and to cause outflow (F4) of the
treated products (PT) from the pan (2) during the out feed of the
treated, products (PT) from the pan (2) through the outfeed opening
(8) when the pap (2) itself revolves in a second direction of
rotation (F2), opposite to the first direction of rotation (F1) -
2. The machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the
infeed opening. (7) in the pan (2) is located in a position above
and to one sida of the outfeed opening (8).
3. The machine according to claim 1 or 2,. characterised in that
the flow regulating fin (4, 5, 6) has a substantially cuspate
profile with a triangular cross section whose base is joined
smoothly to the inside surface of the pan (2) .
4. The machine according to any of the foregoing claims from 1 to
3, characterised in that at the outfeed opening (8) there is at
least one chute-like guide element (10) that is joined smoothly to
the profile of the fin (4, 5, 6) .

WO 2004/069130 PCT/TB2004/000296
8
5, The machine according to any of the £oregoing claims from 1 to
4, characterised In that the flow regulating fine {4, 5, 6) on the
portion (k) are equally spaced from each other.
6. The machine according to claims 4 and 5, characterised in that
it comprises three, chute-like guide elements (10) separated from
each other oy egual defined angular intervals () , each element
(10) being joined smoothly to the profile of a respective flow
regulating fin (4; 5; 6) .
% The machine according to claim 6, characterised in that the
three guide elements (10) are separated from each other by angular
intervals (a) of approximately 120°,
8, The machine according to any of the foregoing claims from 1 to
7, Characterised in that the infeed opening (7) comprises a
conduit (11) for access front the outside, made on a protrusion
(12) on the pan (2) and leading onto an inclined surface (l3); that
extends to an area close to the inside of the pan (2) and
partially covers the outfeed opening (8).
9, The machine according to any of the foregoing claims from 1 to
0, characterised in that the outfeed opening (8) conftrises a
tubulac conduit (9) leading to the outside and made on a protrusion
(12) of the pan (2),
10, The machine according to claim 9, characterised in that the
conduit (S) is equipped with a sealed shutoff valve (14).
11- The machine according to any -of the foregoing claims from 8
to l0, characterised in that the access conduit (11) is equipped
with a sealed shutoff valve (15).
12- The machine according to any of the foregoing claims from 1
to 11, characterised in that the infeed opening (7) and the
outfeed opening (8) are connected to separate reservoirs (16, 17)

WO 2004/069130 PCT/TB2004/000296
9
for feeding the product to be created (P) and. coilecting the
treated product (PT), respectively.

A machine (100) for the treatment of
pharmaceutical products. (P) comprises-a span (2) that,
revolves about an axis is of rotation (X) and a dispensing
unit (3} designed to disperse a coating material inside
the pan (2) over a mass (M) of the product (P) located
in the pan (2). The pan (2) has an Opening (7) for feed-
ing the prod ucts to be treated (P) into the pan (2) and
an openiing (81) for feeding tbr products (PT) already
treated with the coating material out of the pan (2), the
separation and independent of each other. A portion (K)
of the inside surface of the pan (2) is equipped with at
least one helical flow regulating fin (4, 5,6) designed
to fiacilitate inflow (F3) of the products to be treated
(P) into the pan (2) during the feeding of the products
(P) into the pan (2) through the infeed opening (7)
when the pan (2) itself revolves in a first direction of
rotation(FT) and to cause outflow (PA) of the treated
producas (FT) from the pan (2) daring the Outfeed of
the treated products (PT) from thu pan (21 through the
outfeed opening (8) when the pan (2) itself revolves
in a second direction of rotaiion (F2), opposite to the
first direction of rotation (F1).

Documents:

« Previous Patent

Next Patent »

Patent Number

218683

Indian Patent Application Number

01355/KOLNP/2005

PG Journal Number

15/2008

Publication Date

11-Apr-2008

Grant Date

09-Apr-2008

Date of Filing

13-Jul-2005

Name of Patentee

I. M. A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A

Applicant Address

VIA EMILIA LEVANTE, 428-442, I-40064 OZZANO EMILIA ITALY

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	TREBBI, ROBERTO	VIA FORNO ROSSO, 2/3, I-40055 CASTENASO ITALY

PCT International Classification Number

A61J 3/00

PCT International Application Number

PCT/IB2004/000296

PCT International Filing date

2004-02-03

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	BO2003A000050	2003-02-06	Italy