Device for sealing capsules
The invention relates to a device ( 22 ) for sealing capsules ( 10 ). Each capsule has a capsule shell which is made of a first shell part and a second shell part, said shell parts being provided with a banding liquid in a connection region. The device has a heat source ( 30 ) for drying the banding liquid, and the device has at least one diaphragm ( 32 ) which is arranged in a radiation region of the heat source between the heat source and the capsules, wherein the diaphragm has at least one passage region for the passage of radiation of the heat source and for irradiating the connection regions of the capsules, and the diaphragm has at least one shielding region which shields sub-regions of the capsules which are offset to the connection region against radiation of the heat source.
1 . An apparatus ( 22 ) for sealing capsules ( 10 ), wherein the capsules ( 10 ) have a respective capsule shell, which is formed by a first shell part ( 12 ) and a second shell part ( 14 ), wherein the shell parts ( 12 , 14 ) are provided or have been provided with a banding liquid ( 20 ) in a connecting region ( 16 ), wherein the apparatus ( 22 ) comprises the capsules ( 10 ) and a heat source ( 30 ) for drying the banding liquid ( 20 ), wherein the apparatus ( 22 ) has at least one screen ( 32 ), which is arranged in a radiation region of the heat source ( 30 ) between the heat source ( 30 ) and the capsules ( 10 ), wherein the screen ( 32 ) has at least one elongate opening ( 34 ) having a length dimension that is longer than a width dimension ( 40 ) and being positioned such that radiation from the heat source ( 30 ) to the capsules ( 10 ) irradiates the connecting regions ( 16 ) of the capsules ( 10 ), wherein the screen ( 32 ) has at least one shielding region ( 36 ), and wherein the screen ( 32 ) is arranged such that the length dimension of the at least one elongate opening ( 34 ) extends parallel to a transport direction ( 26 ) of the capsules ( 10 ), and
wherein the capsules ( 10 ) are positioned such that the connecting region ( 16 ) of the capsules ( 10 ) passes under, relative to the heat source ( 30 ), the at least one elongate opening ( 34 ) while partial regions of the capsules ( 10 ) that are arranged offset from the connecting region ( 16 ) are shielded against radiation from the heat source ( 30 ) by the shielding region ( 36 ), the connecting region of the capsules having a length dimension measured parallel to a capsule axis, the width dimension of the at least one elongate opening matching the length dimension of the connecting region, and the screen and the capsules transported in the transport direction are spaced, such that, with respect to the capsule capsules ( 10 ), the radiation from the heat source ( 30 ) is input exclusively onto the banding liquid ( 20 ).
2 . The apparatus ( 22 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus ( 22 ) comprises a capsule transporting device ( 24 ).
3 . The apparatus ( 22 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the heat source ( 30 ) comprises at least one infrared radiator.
4 . The apparatus ( 22 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the heat source ( 30 ) comprises at least two infrared radiators, the radiation from which differs in terms of frequency ranges and/or intensities.
5 . The apparatus ( 22 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus ( 22 ) comprises a cooling device for cooling the screen ( 32 ).
6 . The apparatus ( 22 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus ( 22 ) comprises at least one fan device ( 44 ), which applies an air stream to a surrounding area of the capsules ( 10 ) and/or a surrounding area of the screen ( 32 ).
7 . The apparatus ( 22 ) as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the air stream has a flow direction which extends counter to the transport direction ( 26 ) of the capsules ( 10 ).
8 . The apparatus ( 22 ) as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the at least one fan device ( 44 ) comprises a flow divider ( 48 ), which divides the air stream into a first portion ( 47 ) for cooling the screen ( 32 ) and a second portion ( 49 ) for transporting away solvent which has evaporated out of the banding liquid ( 20 ).
9 . The apparatus ( 22 ) as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the at least one fan device ( 44 ) comprises a flow divider ( 48 ), which divides the air stream into a first portion ( 47 ) for cooling the screen ( 32 ) and a second portion ( 49 ) for transporting away solvent which has evaporated out of the banding liquid ( 20 ).
10 . The apparatus ( 22 ) as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first portion ( 47 ) of the air stream flows in a first partial space ( 52 ) delimited by the heat source ( 30 ) and the screen ( 32 ), and wherein the second portion ( 49 ) of the air stream flows in a second partial space ( 54 ) delimited by the screen ( 32 ) and the capsules ( 10 ).
11 . The apparatus ( 22 ) as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the apparatus ( 22 ) comprises at least one suction extracting device ( 46 ) for extracting the air stream or at least one portion ( 47 , 49 ) of the air stream by suction.
12 . The apparatus ( 22 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus ( 22 ) comprises at least one filter ( 50 ), which is arranged between the heat source ( 30 ) and the screen ( 32 ).
13 . The apparatus ( 22 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus ( 22 ) comprises an additional screen ( 60 ), which is arranged in the radiation region of the heat source ( 30 ) and is upstream of the screen ( 32 ) in a radiation direction of the heat source ( 30 ).
14 . The apparatus ( 22 ) as claimed in claim 13 , wherein at least one elongate opening ( 62 ) of the additional screen ( 60 ) is in line with the at least one elongate opening ( 34 ) of the screen ( 32 ) as seen in the radiation direction of the heat source ( 30 ).
15 . The apparatus ( 22 ) as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the at least one elongate opening ( 62 ) of the additional screen ( 60 ) is smaller or larger than the at least one elongate opening ( 34 ) of the screen ( 32 ).