Process for encapsulating multi-phase, multi-compartment capsules for therapeutic compositions

#1. The Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to delivery of active ingredients or medicaments and, more particularly, to novel capsular delivery apparatus and methods for delivering one or more active ingredients or medicaments having diverse physical states (e.g., solid, liquid, gas or dispersion) into a single dosage, multi-compartment capsule.

#2. Background of the Invention

#The foregoing and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating one presently preferred embodiment of a process of the present invention comprising the steps of introducing at least one active ingredient or medicament having a solid physical state into a secondary capsule and introducing the secondary capsule into a primary capsule further including at least one active ingredient or medicament having a liquid physical state;

#FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another presently preferred embodiment of a multi-compartment capsule of the present invention wherein a primary capsule houses a secondary capsule and a secondary capsule houses a tertiary capsule, wherein each of the capsules include one or more active ingredients or medicaments and the active ingredient(s) introduced into at least two of the capsules comprise different physical states;

#It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the Figures herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations and process steps. Those of ordinary skill in the art will, of course, appreciate that various modifications to the details herein may easily be made without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention, as described. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of apparatus and methods of the present invention, as represented in FIGS. 1 through 13, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but it is merely representative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention.

#The presently preferred embodiments of the invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout.

#One presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, designated generally at 10, is best illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown, a multi-compartment capsule 10 is illustrated comprising a primary capsule 11 and a secondary capsule 20 selectively introduced within at least a portion of an internal periphery of the primary capsule. The secondary capsule 20 includes a base 24, a corresponding cap 22 and a receiving chamber 28 formed between the base and cap. The receiving chamber 28 is configured having an internal periphery sufficient for receiving at least one active ingredient or medicament (e.g., pharmaceutical, biotechnical, nutraceutical, vitamin, dietary supplement, mineral or combination thereof) therein. In similar structural design, the primary capsule 11 may be formed having a base 14, a corresponding cap 12 and a receiving chamber 18 formed between the base and cap. The receiving chamber 18 of the primary capsule 11 is preferably formed having an internal periphery sufficient for receiving the secondary capsule 20, together with at least one active ingredient or medicament (e.g., pharmaceutical, biotechnical, nutraceutical, vitamin, dietary supplement, mineral or combination thereof) therein.