Method for Filing a Cavity with a Quantity of Particulate Material

Abstract

A method for filling a cavity with a quantity of particulate material, comprising the steps of filling a chamber with its open side facing upwards with the quantity of particulate material, positioning the opening of the cavity opposite the opening of the filled chamber, and thereafter rotating the chamber and the cavity so that the cavity is positioned with its open side facing upwards and the chamber with its open side facing downwards, whereby the quantity of particulate material is emptied into the cavity. A corresponding device comprising a chamber, filling means for filling the chamber with the quantity of particulate material, operating means for positioning the opening of the cavity opposite the opening of the chamber, and conveyor belt for rotating the chamber and the cavity so that the cavity is positioned with its open side facing upwards and the chamber is positioned with its open side facing downwards.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
   
   
       25 . A medicament filling station for filling a medicament pack that defines a plurality of medicament cavities, each cavity defining an opening at an outer surface of the pack, the medicament filling station comprising:
 a transfer device with an upper surface defining a plurality of chambers each having an opening at the upper surface;   a dosing device operable to deposit a portion of powdered medicament on the upper surface of the transfer device; and   a scraping element that scrapes the deposited portion of powdered medicament across the upper surface of the transfer device and into the plurality of chambers to fill each chamber with a respective dose of the deposited portion of powdered medicament;   wherein the filling station is operable to place the medicament pack over the transfer device with the cavities of the medicament pack aligned with the chambers of the transfer device and the outer surface of the medicament pack against the upper surface of the transfer device and to, while the transfer device and medicament pack are held together, flip the medicament pack and transfer device over to position the transfer device over the medicament pack, such that the dose of powdered medicament in each of the chambers of the transfer device is transferred to a respective one of the cavities in the medicament pack.   
   
   
       26 . The medicament filling station of  claim 25 , further comprising
 a conveyor belt to which the transfer device is attached and that moves and guides the transfer device between multiple process steps and that flips the transfer device.   
   
   
       27 . The medicament filling station of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a holding device connected to the transfer device and configured to hold the medicament pack against the transfer device.   
   
   
       28 . The medicament filling station of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a first monitor that scans the transfer device to confirm filling prior to flipping of the transfer device;   a cleaner that cleans residual medicament from the transfer device after the medicament is transferred to the medicament pack; and   a second monitor that scans the cleaned transfer device and confirms that the transfer device has been cleaned.   
   
   
       29 . The medicament filling station of  claim 25 , wherein each chamber of the transfer device is of a smaller volume than a respective cavity of the medicament pack. 
   
   
       30 . The medicament filling station of  claim 25  further comprising an additional transfer device of a different chamber pattern, the transfer devices being selectable for use with correspondingly differing medicament pack cavity patterns. 
   
   
       31 . A method of filling a medicament pack defining a plurality of cavities in an outer surface of the pack, the method comprising:
 depositing a portion of powdered medicament on a top surface of a transfer device defining a plurality of chambers;   filling the chambers by dragging the deposited portion of powdered medicament across the top surface of the transfer device;   positioning the medicament pack upside down on the transfer device, such that the outer surface of the medicament pack is adjacent the top surface of the transfer device and each cavity is aligned with a respective chamber;   flipping the transfer device together with the medicament pack to place the medicament pack under the transfer device, whereby the powdered medicament in the chambers is simultaneously emptied into the respective cavities.   
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising:
 holding the medicament pack against the transfer device prior to and after flipping the transfer device; and then   releasing the medicament pack from the transfer device after the medicament is transferred to the medicament pack.   
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 scanning the chambers of the transfer device to confirm that the chambers are filled prior to positioning the medicament pack upside down on the transfer device;   cleaning the residual medicament from the transfer device after the medicament is transferred to the medicament pack; and then   scanning the cleaned transfer device to confirm that the transfer device has been cleaned.   
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 selecting the transfer device to have a chamber pattern corresponding to a cavity pattern of the medicament pack to be filled; and then   attaching the selected transfer device to a conveyor belt that moves and guides the transfer device between multiple process steps.   
   
   
       35 . A method of producing a medicament pack defining a plurality of cavities at an outer surface of the pack, the method comprising:
 depositing a portion of powdered medicament on a top surface of a transfer device defining a plurality of chambers;   filling the chambers by dragging the deposited portion of powdered medicament across the top surface of the transfer device;   disposing of the excess powder on the surface of the transfer device;   positioning the medicament pack upside down on the transfer device such that the outer surface of the medicament pack is adjacent the top surface of the transfer device and each cavity is aligned with a respective chamber;   flipping the transfer device together with the medicament pack to place the medicament pack under the transfer device, whereby the powdered medicament in the chambers is emptied into the respective cavities; and then   sealing the cavities with a sealing sheet.   
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 holding the medicament pack against the transfer device prior to flipping the transfer device; and then   removing the medicament pack from the transfer device after the medicament is transferred to the medicament pack.   
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 confirming that the chambers of the transfer device are filled prior to positioning the medicament pack upside down on the transfer device;   cleaning, the residual medicament from the transfer device after the medicament is transferred to the medicament pack; and then   confirming that the transfer device has been cleaned.   
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 selecting the transfer device to have a chamber pattern corresponding to a cavity pattern of the medicament pack to be filled; and then   attaching the transfer device to a conveyor belt that moves and guides the transfer device between multiple process steps.   
   
   
       39 . An apparatus for producing a medicament pack that contains multiple discrete doses of medicament and defines a plurality of medicament cavities, each cavity defining an opening at an outer surface of the pack, the apparatus comprising:
 a transfer device with an upper surface defining a plurality of chambers each having an opening at the upper surface;   a dosing device operable to deposit a portion of powdered medicament on the upper surface of the transfer device;   a scraping element that scrapes the deposited portion of powdered medicament across the upper surface of the transfer device and into the plurality of chambers to fill each chamber with a respective dose of the deposited portion of powdered medicament; and   means for disposing of any excess powdered medicament remaining on the upper surface of the transfer device;   wherein the apparatus is operable to place the medicament pack over the transfer device with the cavities of the medicament pack aligned with the chambers of the transfer device and the outer surface of the medicament pack against the upper surface of the transfer device and to, while the transfer device and medicament pack are held together, flip the medicament pack and transfer device over to position the transfer device over the medicament pack, such that the dose of powdered medicament in each of the chambers of the transfer device is transferred to a respective one of the cavities in the medicament pack.   
   
   
       40 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein each chamber of the transfer device is of a smaller volume than a respective cavity of the medicament pack. 
   
   
       41 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , further comprising a conveyor belt to which the transfer device is attached and that moves and guides the transfer device between multiple process steps and that flips the transfer device. 
   
   
       42 . The apparatus of  claim 39  further comprising an additional transfer device of a different chamber pattern, the transfer devices being selectable for use with correspondingly differing medicament pack cavity patterns. 
   
   
       43 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , further comprising a holding device connected to the transfer device for holding the medicament pack against the transfer device prior to and after flipping the transfer device. 
   
   
       44 . The apparatus of  claim 43 , further comprising:
 a first monitor that scans the transfer device to confirm filling prior to flipping of the transfer device;   a cleaner that cleans residual medicament from the transfer device after the medicament is transferred to the medicament pack; and   a second monitor that scans the cleaned transfer device and confirms that the transfer device has been cleaned.