Tablet dipping systems for apparatus for gelatin coating tablets
| Title: | Tablet dipping systems for apparatus for gelatin coating tablets |
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| Patent Number: | 5,679,406 |
| Publication Date: | October 21, 1997 |
| Appl. No: | 08/462,241 |
| Application Filed: | June 05, 1995 |
| Abstract: | An apparatus and method for dipping products, such as tablets, into coating material and for spreading and setting the coating immediately after dipping is provided. Carrier plates having a plurality of tablet holders are transported from a tablet loading station to a dipping station along a transport guide. At the dipping station, a carrier plate is mounted to a vacuum chamber. A set of vacuum tubes in the vacuum chamber are extended through the tablet holders to contact and lift the tablets off of the holders and secure the tablets to the tubes. In a preferred embodiment, the vacuum chamber is rotated 180.degree. and a second carrier plate is mounted onto the housing and a second set of tubes secure the tablets to the plate. The carrier plates are alternately dipped and returned to the guide means where new plates with uncoated tablets replace the plates with coated tablets. Immediately after dipping the carrier plates enter a rotating station where the plate is rotated 360.degree. and then replaced on the guide means for transportation to further processing stations. Preferably, the rotating station includes a similar vacuum chamber with vacuum tubes that are extended into the holder for securing the tablet during rotation. |
| Inventors: | Berta, Norbert I. (Devon, PA) |
| Assignees: | McNeil-PPC, Inc. (Skillman, NJ) |
| Claim: | What is claimed is |
| Claim: | 1. A method of applying a coating to a product comprising the steps of |
| Claim: | providing a plurality of plate means each having a plurality of product holding means; |
| Claim: | placing the product in said product holding means at a loading station; |
| Claim: | transporting said plate means form said loading station to a dipping station along a guide means; |
| Claim: | mounting at said dipping station a first of said plurality of plate means to a vacuum chamber means having first and second sets of extendible vacuum tubes therein; |
| Claim: | extending said first set of vacuum tubes into engagement with the product in said first plate means; |
| Claim: | rotating said vacuum chamber one-half revolution about a substantially horizontal axis; |
| Claim: | mounting at said dipping station a second of said plurality of plate means to said vacuum chamber means; |
| Claim: | extending said second set of vacuum tubes into engagement with the product in said second plate means; |
| Claim: | lowering said vacuum chamber means until at least a portion of the product in said first plate means is immersed in a quantity of coating material; |
| Claim: | withdrawing said first plate means from said coating material; |
| Claim: | rotating said vacuum chamber means one-half revolution about a substantially horizontal axis; |
| Claim: | disengaging said first set of vacuum tubes from said product; |
| Claim: | transferring said first plate means from said vacuum chamber means to said guide means; |
| Claim: | mounting a third of said plurality of plate means to said vacuum chamber means; |
| Claim: | extending said first set of vacuum tubes into engagement with said product in said third plate means; |
| Claim: | lowering said vacuum chamber until at least a portion of the product in said second plate means is immersed in said coating material; |
| Claim: | withdrawing said second plate means from said coating material; |
| Claim: | disengaging said second set of vacuum tubes from said product; |
| Claim: | transferring said second plate means from said vacuum chamber means to said guide means; and |
| Claim: | mounting a fourth of said plurality of plate means to said vacuum chamber means. |
| Current U.S. Class: | 427/289; 427/214; 427/294; 427/296; 4274/301 |
| Current International Class: | B05D 118; B05D 132; B05D 312 |
| Patent References Cited: | 499542 June 1893 Heineman 3453989 July 1969 Bippus 4510168 April 1985 Sakashita et al. 4526129 July 1985 Braden 4597931 July 1986 Watanabe et al. 4669416 June 1987 Delgado et al. 4684113 August 1987 Douglas et al. 4694776 September 1987 Sandbach et al. 4820524 April 1989 Berta 4867983 September 1989 Berta 4921108 May 1990 Berta 4940499 July 1990 Lebrun et al. 4965089 October 1990 Sauter et al. 4966771 October 1990 Berta 4990358 February 1991 Berta 5098749 March 1992 Gabriel et al. 5228916 July 1993 Berta 5234099 August 1993 Berta 5314537 May 1994 Berta 5436026 July 1995 Berta 5466290 November 1995 Berta 5498441 March 1996 Berta 5503673 April 1996 Berta |
| Primary Examiner: | Dudash, Diana |
| Accession Number: | edspgr.05679406 |
| Database: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| Language: | English |
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