TABLET COLLECTION DEVICE

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The subject disclosure relates in general to pharmaceutical tablet production systems and, in particular, to automatic tablet collection devices.

BACKGROUND

In order to associate the mechanical properties of pharmaceutical tablets with their unique compaction conditions, tablets are segregated with their unique identity retained. In the absence of an automatic tablet collector, a user must manually collect tablets after each compaction event, leading to tedious workflows with significant repetitive motions which can have ergonomic impacts. This is especially so for equipment located inside glovebox isolators or similar small environments.

Conventional automated tablet collection devices are electromechanical systems driven by belts and/or magnets. Such devices require additional components for integration with the tablet compaction simulator located within the glovebox isolator and requires significant changes to software and/or electrical and mechanical setup provided by the equipment vendor, thereby preventing their ubiquitous use across multiple pieces of equipment or various tablet compaction devices. Additionally, existing automated tablet collection devices have a large physical footprint which precludes their use in small, confined spaces, such as glovebox isolators. A need therefore still exits for an automated, mechanical tablet collection device having a small footprint sufficient for glovebox isolators that would allow for easy implementation across a variety of tablet compaction devices.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

According to an exemplary embodiment, the subject disclosure relates to a pneumatic tablet collection device including a tablet collector, a pneumatic rotary actuator, and a rotatable base operatively connected to the tablet collector and the pneumatic rotary actuator. The rotatable base includes a housing having an outer shell that includes ratchet teeth, and a central shaft having a pawl. The rotatable base further includes an annular shaft housed within the housing between the outer shell and the central shaft, wherein the annular shaft includes ratchet teeth operatively engaging the housing.

According to an aspect, the housing is a unitary housing. According to another aspect, the ratchet teeth of the outer shell forms a ratchet wheel. According to another aspect, the central shaft includes a plurality of pawls. According to another aspect, the pawl is a substantially V-shaped pawl. According to another aspect, the pawl operatively engages the ratchet teeth of the annular shaft.

According to an aspect, the annular shaft is an oscillating shaft. According to another aspect, the pneumatic rotary actuator drives rotation of the rotatable base. According to another aspect, the device further comprises a supplementary pawl configured to operatively engage the housing. According to another aspect, the device further comprises a supplementary pawl configured to operatively engage the ratchet teeth of the outer shell. According to another aspect, the device further comprises a biasing member biasing the supplementary pawl.

According to an aspect, the ratchet teeth of the outer shell are arranged in a first direction and the ratchet teeth of the annular shaft are arranged in a second direction opposite the first direction. According to another aspect, the tablet collector, the pneumatic rotary actuator, and the rotatable base are sized sufficiently for use within a glovebox isolator.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the subject disclosure provides a pneumatic tablet collection device including a tablet collector, a pneumatic rotary actuator, and a rotatable base releasably connected to the tablet collector and operatively connectable to the pneumatic rotary actuator for driving rotation of the rotatable base. The rotatable base includes a housing having an outer shell that includes ratchet teeth forming a first ratchet wheel, and a central shaft having a plurality of pawls. The rotatable base further includes an oscillating annular shaft housed within the housing between the outer shell and the central shaft, wherein the oscillating annular shaft includes ratchet teeth arranged in a direction opposite the ratchet teeth of the outer shell forming a second ratchet wheel operatively engageable with the plurality of pawls. The device further includes a supplementary pawl configured to operatively engage the first ratchet wheel.

Other features and advantages of the subject disclosure will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the exemplary embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the subject disclosure, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the present disclosure, there are shown in the drawings exemplary embodiments. It should be understood, however, that the subject application is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pneumatic tablet collection device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the subject disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a tablet collector of the pneumatic tablet collection device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the tablet collector of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a pneumatic rotary actuator and a rotatable base of the pneumatic tablet collection device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is perspective view of a pneumatic rotary actuator and a rotatable base of the pneumatic tablet collection device of FIG. 1 but with a housing of the rotatable base omitted for purposes of illustration;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a pneumatic rotary actuator of the pneumatic tablet collection device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional top plan view of the rotatable base of the pneumatic tablet collection device of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is an elevational cross-sectional view of the pneumatic tablet collection device of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the various exemplary embodiments of the subject disclosure illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same or like reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like features. It should be noted that the drawings are in simplified form and are not drawn to precise scale. Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. Directional terms such as top, bottom, left, right, above, below and diagonal, are used with respect to the accompanying drawings. The term “distal” shall mean away from the center of a body. The term “proximal” shall mean closer towards the center of a body and/or away from the “distal” end. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the identified element and designated parts thereof. Such directional terms used in conjunction with the following description of the drawings should not be construed to limit the scope of the subject disclosure in any manner not explicitly set forth. Additionally, the term “a,” as used in the specification, means “at least one.” The terminology includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.

“About” as used herein when referring to a measurable value such as an amount, a temporal duration, and the like, is meant to encompass variations of ±20%, ±10%, ±5%, ±1%, or ±0.1% from the specified value, as such variations are appropriate.

“Substantially” as used herein shall mean considerable in extent, largely but not wholly that which is specified, or an appropriate variation therefrom as is acceptable within the field of art. “Exemplary” as used herein shall mean serving as an example.

Throughout this disclosure, various aspects of the subject disclosure can be presented in a range format. It should be understood that the description in range format is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be construed as an inflexible limitation on the scope of the subject disclosure. Accordingly, the description of a range should be considered to have specifically disclosed all the possible subranges as well as individual numerical values within that range. For example, description of a range such as from 1 to 6 should be considered to have specifically disclosed subranges such as from 1 to 3, from 1 to 4, from 1 to 5, from 2 to 4, from 2 to 6, from 3 to 6 etc., as well as individual numbers within that range, for example, 1, 2, 2.7, 3, 4, 5, 5.3, and 6. This applies regardless of the breadth of the range.

Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the exemplary embodiments of the subject disclosure may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, in light of the description herein, that the present disclosure can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular exemplary embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all exemplary embodiments of the subject disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure provides a pneumatic tablet collection device 100 for operatively connecting with or use with an unillustrated tablet compaction simulator for receiving tablets therefrom. The tablet collection device 100 comprises a tablet collector 102, a pneumatic rotary actuator 200, and a rotatable base 300 operatively connected to the tablet collector and the pneumatic rotary actuator.

The tablet collector 102 is configured as best shown in FIGS. 1-3. The tablet collector 102 comprises a circular base 104 having a plurality of pockets or receptacles 106 each spaced apart and arranged to circumscribe a central rotational axis of the tablet collector. The circular base 104 has a top side and a bottom side. The circular base can have an overall diameter of about 6.5 inches, less than 6.5 inches, less than 6 inches, or 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 inches. Alternatively, the circular base can be any size suitable for its intended purpose, such as greater than about 12 inches or less than 5 inches. Each receptacle 106 is sized sufficiently to receive a pharmaceutical tablet of conventional size, but may also be sized larger to receive multiple tablets therein. Each receptacle has an opening 108 facing upwardly or alternatively referred to as an open top end. In the present embodiment, the plurality of receptacles 106 is formed as recesses within the top side of the circular base, but can alternatively be configured as receptacles mounted to the top side of the circular base, or a single bin for bulk collection of tablets.

Referring to FIG. 3, the tablet collector includes a pair of pins or studs 110 downwardly projecting from a bottom surface of the bottom side of the tablet collector. Each of the pair of pins 110 is equidistantly spaced from the central rotational axis of the circular base 104 and generally configured or shaped as cylindrical pins, but can alternatively be configured or shaped as conical pins or having conical ends, tapered ends, or of a polygonal shaped longitudinal cross-section such as a square, rectangle, hexagon, octagon and the like. The pair of pins are adapted to or configured to be releasably received in a corresponding pair of apertures 312 (FIG. 4) provided on the rotatable base 300, as further described below. So constructed and arranged, the tablet collector 102 can be easily removed and replaced by another tablet collector having more or less receptables, differently shaped receptacles, a bowl or bin type collector for bulk tablet collection, etc.

The pneumatic rotary actuator 200 is configured as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4-6. An exemplary, but non-limitative, pneumatic rotary actuator applicable to the present exemplary embodiment of the pneumatic tablet collection device 100 can be the Adjustable-Angle Rotary Air Actuator (part number 1299K31) by McMaster-Carr Supply Company (https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/130/1264/1299K31).

The pneumatic rotary actuator 200 comprises a sealed piston chamber with fluid inlet ports as well as a rack-and-pinion gearset. Air-tight pistons are affixed to either end of the gear rack positioned within the chamber, allowing fluid entry to either inlet port to drive linear motion of the rack in the corresponding direction. The pinion gear is then aligned with the rack such that linear motion of the piston and rack due to fluid entry results in rotary motion of the pinion. Fluid pressure through one port results in e.g., a clockwise rotation of a rotatable platform 202 (FIG. 6) of the pneumatic rotary actuator that is operatively connected to the pinion gear, while fluid entry through the other inlet port results in e.g., counterclockwise rotation of the rotatable platform. In other words, the pneumatic rotary actuator 200 drives rotation of the rotatable platform 202 which, in turn, drives operation of the rotatable base 300, as further described below. Adjustment screws (not shown) set the translation range in either direction of the piston and rack, determining the angle of sweep of the pinion in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

The rotatable base 300 is configured as best shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 7, and comprises the housing 302 and an annular shaft 304 housed within the housing. The housing can be a unitary housing (e.g., the housing 302 and annular shaft 304 being of unitary construction) or a non-unitary housing with portions thereof connected together. Referring to FIG. 4, the housing 302 has an outer shell 308 that includes a ratchet wheel 310. The ratchet wheel 310 is positioned about a bottom end or base of the housing forming a first ratchet wheel having ratchet teeth that extend radially outwardly. The ratchet wheel teeth extends radially outwardly beyond a lateral or side wall of the housing 302. More specifically, the ratchet wheel is configured such that teeth portions of the ratchet wheel extend beyond the outer surface of the outer shell 308 of the housing. The top side of the housing includes the corresponding pair of apertures or receptacles 312 for receiving the pair of pins 110 of the tablet collector therein. The pair of apertures 312 are configured to be correspondingly shaped to the shape of the pair of pins 110. Each of the corresponding pair of apertures 312 is equidistantly spaced from a central longitudinal rotational axis of the housing and correspondingly positioned to receive the pair of pins 110.

FIGS. 5 and 7 illustrate the internal structures of the rotatable base 300 and the housing 302. The housing 302 further comprises a central shaft 314 having a pawl 316. The central shaft 314 is connected to or integrally formed with the outer shell 308. The pawl 316 configured as best shown in FIG. 7, so as to be a resilient, substantially V-shaped pawl. The housing can be configured with a single pawl or multiple pawls, such as 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or more pawls extending from the central shaft. The pawl 316 is connected to the central shaft 314 and extends radially outwardly from the central shaft. When multiple pawls are present, each the plurality of pawls are circumferentially spaced apart.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the pawl is substantially V-shaped having one end of the V-shaped pawl connected to or extending from the central shaft 314. The opposing end of the pawl is a free end for operatively engaging a ratchet wheel of the annular shaft 304, as further discussed below. The pawl can also be sized to have a height that substantially matches a height of the central shaft or have a height that is only a portion of the height of the central shaft, such as about 25%, 50% or 75% of an overall height of the central shaft.

FIGS. 5 and 7 best illustrate the construction and configuration of the annular shaft 304. The annular shaft 304 comprises a circular bottom 318 bounded by an upstanding cylindrical wall 320. The cylindrical wall 320 includes ratchet teeth 322 forming a second ratchet wheel. The ratchet teeth 322 extend radially inwardly from the cylindrical wall and in a direction opposite from the direction of the ratchet teeth on the first ratchet wheel of the outer shell 308. In other words, ratchet teeth on the first ratchet wheel of the outer shell are arranged in a first direction and the ratchet teeth of the second ratchet wheel of the annular shaft are arranged in a second direction opposite the first direction. The annular shaft is an oscillating shaft, as further described below. The bottom of the annular shaft 304 is secured to the rotatable platform 202 by suitable fasteners 324 (FIG. 8), such as screws, bolts, or the like.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the second ratchet wheel includes the same number of teeth as the first ratchet wheel. For example, the first and second ratchet wheels can each have twenty (20) teeth, each corresponding in position to a respective receptacle of the tablet collector. Alternatively, the number of ratchet teeth can be more or less for matching the number of positions on the tablet collector, such as less or more than twenty.

The annular shaft 304 is housed within the housing 302 between the outer shell 308 and the central shaft 314. The second ratchet wheel of the annular shaft operatively engages the housing. More specifically, the second ratchet wheel operatively engages the pawls 316 of the housing's central shaft.

The pneumatic tablet collection device 100 comprises a supplementary pawl 400, two of which are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5, that are pivotably secured to the pneumatic rotary actuator 200 and configured to operatively engage the housing 302. That is, the supplementary pawl(s) 400 is configured to operatively engage the ratchet wheel 310 of the housing 302. In addition, the pneumatic tablet collection device 100 further comprises a resilient biasing member 402 biasing the supplementary pawl 400 into engagement with ratchet wheel 310. In the present exemplary embodiment, the biasing member is a leaf spring-like biasing member, but can alternatively be any biasing member suitable for its intended purpose, e.g., a compression spring, an elastomer, a coil spring and the like.

In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, the housing's pawl can be configured as any other pawl suitable for its intended purpose e.g., configured as described above for the supplementary pawl, and the pneumatic tablet's supplementary pawl can be configured as any other pawl suitable for its intended purpose e.g., configured as described above for the housing's pawl.

The operation of the pneumatic tablet collection device 100 is primarily pneumatic or can alternatively be configured to be operated solely pneumatically. That is, the only requirement for operation can be a continuous supply of compressed air which alternately delivers pressurized air to the two inlet ports of the pneumatic rotary actuator 200. Then during operation, signals from the tablet compaction simulator (e.g., either electrical or pneumatic to drive a 2-way valve that alternately delivers pressurized air to the two inlet ports) initiate when tablet ejection begins and ends from the tablet compaction simulator for feeding the pneumatic tablet collection device.

As noted above, the annular shaft 124 is affixed to the rotatable platform 202 of the pneumatic rotary actuator 200 whereby the annular shaft is an oscillating shaft capable of rotating in clockwise direction or a first rotational direction and counterclockwise direction or a second rotational direction depending on which inlet port of the of the pneumatic rotary actuator is receiving pressurized air.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, in a first mode of operation of the pneumatic tablet collection device, pressurized air is delivered to one inlet port of the pneumatic rotary actuator and the annular shaft 304 is caused to rotate in a first direction, e.g., counterclockwise (when viewed as shown in FIG. 7), whereby the motion in the first direction is transferred to the pawl(s) 316 and thus the housing 302 and the tablet collector 102 carried thereby. Concurrently, a sloped surface of one of the ratchet 310 of the moving housing 302 passes along the supplementary pawl 400 thereby causing the supplementary pawl to pivot outwardly against the biasing member 402 until the supplementary pawl passes the sloped surface and is biased inwardly by the biasing member to contact a stop surface of the ratchet. In this way, the housing 302 is advanced by one ratchet teeth in a first direction, e.g., counterclockwise (when viewed as shown in FIG. 7), and is prevented from rotating in the opposite direction, e.g., clockwise (when viewed as shown in FIG. 7), by virtue of the contact of the supplementary pawl with the stop surface of the ratchet 310.

Thereafter, in a second mode of operation, pressurized air is delivered to the other inlet port of the pneumatic rotary actuator 200 and the annular shaft 304 is caused to rotate in a second direction, e.g., clockwise (when viewed as shown in FIG. 7), opposite the first direction. In this second mode, the housing 302 is prevented from rotating in the second direction by contact of the supplementary pawl 400 with the stop surface of the ratchet 310. As a result, a free leg of the resilient V-shaped pawl 316, which is connected to the now stationary central shaft 120 of the housing, is caused to flex inwardly under the influence of a sloped surface of ratchet teeth 322 of the moving annular shaft 304 until the sloped surface of the ratchet teeth 322 passes the free leg of the V-shaped pawl whereby the free leg of the V-shaped pawl flexes outwardly and comes into contact with a stop surface of the ratchet teeth 322.

The foregoing first and second modes of operation are repeated in sequence as many times as may be necessary to fill or partially fill the pneumatic tablet collection device 100 with tablets from the tablet compaction simulator. The effect is translation of the oscillatory rotation of the pneumatic rotary actuator into unidirectional motion of the tablet collector, whereby individual tablets may be sequentially collected in the receptacles of the tablet collector with their unique identity retained. However, if a user wishes to produce bulk, non-segregated tablets, the tablet collector is modular whereby a tablet collector with individual receptacles for segregating tablets can be replaced with an open, undivided bin allowing for bulk tablet collection.

The pneumatic tablet collection device of the various exemplary embodiments of the subject disclosure provides significant utility to automating the workflow associated with producing multiple individual tablets under different compaction conditions for assessment of the mechanical and compaction properties of pharmaceutical formulations. In addition, it does so with a device which is entirely mechanical in operation and driven by pneumatics, has potentially ubiquitous use across other equipment, and requires little to no software changes to the tablet compaction simulator.

Further, in accordance with another exemplary aspect of subject disclosure, the pneumatic tablet collection device 100 is configured to have a small footprint or small overall dimensions of size, e.g., less than about 6.5 inches by 5 inches by 3 inches, less than about 7×6×4 inches, less than about 10×10×10 inches, and less than about 12×12×12 inches, whereby it can be used in much smaller spaces than conventional automated tablet collection devices, such as glovebox isolators. The pneumatic tablet collection device is sized e.g., has an overall size, sufficiently to fit and for use within a glovebox isolator. In other words, the tablet collector, the pneumatic rotary actuator, and the rotatable base are sized sufficiently for use within a glovebox isolator.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the subject disclosure provides a pneumatic tablet collection device comprising: a tablet collector; a pneumatic rotary actuator; and a rotatable base operatively connected to the tablet collector and the pneumatic rotary actuator, the rotatable base including: a housing having: an outer shell that includes ratchet teeth, and a central shaft having a pawl, and an annular shaft housed within the housing between the outer shell and the central shaft, wherein the annular shaft includes ratchet teeth operatively engaging the housing. The pneumatic tablet collection device, wherein the housing is a unitary housing. The pneumatic tablet collection device, wherein the ratchet teeth of the outer shell forms a ratchet wheel. The pneumatic tablet collection device, wherein the central shaft includes a plurality of pawls. The pneumatic tablet collection device, wherein the pawl is a substantially V-shaped pawl. The pneumatic tablet collection device, wherein the pawl operatively engages the ratchet teeth of the annular shaft. The pneumatic tablet collection device, wherein the annular shaft is an oscillating shaft. The pneumatic tablet collection device, wherein the pneumatic rotary actuator drives rotation of the rotatable base. The pneumatic tablet collection device, further comprising a supplementary pawl configured to operatively engage the housing. The pneumatic tablet collection device, further comprising a supplementary pawl configured to operatively engage the ratchet teeth of the outer shell. The pneumatic tablet collection device, further comprising a biasing member biasing the supplementary pawl. The pneumatic tablet collection device, wherein the ratchet teeth of the outer shell are arranged in a first direction and the ratchet teeth of the annular shaft are arranged in a second direction opposite the first direction. The pneumatic tablet collection device, wherein the tablet collector, the pneumatic rotary actuator, and the rotatable base are sized sufficiently for use within a glovebox isolator.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the subject disclosure provides a pneumatic tablet collection device comprising: a tablet collector; a pneumatic rotary actuator; and a rotatable base releasably connected to the tablet collector and operatively connectable to the pneumatic rotary actuator for driving rotation of the rotatable base, the rotatable base including: a housing having: an outer shell that includes ratchet teeth forming a first ratchet wheel, and a central shaft having a plurality of pawls, and an oscillating annular shaft housed within the housing between the outer shell and the central shaft, wherein the oscillating annular shaft includes ratchet teeth arranged in a direction opposite the ratchet teeth of the outer shell forming a second ratchet wheel operatively engageable with the plurality of pawls; and a supplementary pawl configured to operatively engage the first ratchet wheel.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the various exemplary embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is to be understood, therefore, that the subject application is not limited to the particular aspects disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the subject application as defined by the appended claims.