Capsule orientation control method and apparatus

摘要

A capsule orientation control method and an apparatus for effecting the method are disclosed. The method includes the steps of receiving and holding the capsules from a supply hopper in such a manner that the axes of the capsules are aligned with the radial direction of a rotary drum and that it can be visually and spatially identified whether the capsules are stably held in capsule accommodating pockets with the caps thereof radially outwardly orientated in an erect posture or radially inwardly orientated in an inverted posture through action of rotary brush means rotatably provided in a position adjacent to a portion of the rotary drum where the capsules are received onto the rotary drum from the supply hopper, and causing the capsules in the inverted posture to fall down within the capsule accommodating pockets in a predetermined direction so as to align positions of the caps thereof with positions of the caps of the capsules in the erect posture before removing the capsules.