Press-fit rapid release medicament and method and apparatus of manufacturing
OwnerRonald L. Perryinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A caplet having press-fit gelatin capsule shell halves includes one or more dimples formed in one or both ends of the caplet shells, which significantly reduces the thickness of the gelatin which thereby dissolves more quickly, allowing the medicament to be rapidly released into the body's digestive system. In one embodiment of the invention, the closing pins used to press the conventional capsule shell halves onto a core include a raised projection for debossing the dimples. As holding blocks of a press-fit machine move to encapsulate a caplet, closing pins form compressed dimples in at least one or preferably both ends of the gelatin capsule shell as the shells are applied to the core.
Claims20
A gelatin covered core comprising:
- a dissolvable core;
- and
- a pair of gelatin shells press-fitted onto said core, wherein at least one of said shells includes an indentation formed therein to reduce the thickness of said gelatin in the area of said indentation to allow rapid release of the contents of said dissolvable core.
A closure pin design for a press-fit caplet encapsulating machine comprising:
- a cylindrical body having an end for engaging a capsule shell, said end including a concave surface and further including a convex projection extending from said concave surface to engage a capsule for forming a dimple therein.
An apparatus for assembling gelatin shell halves onto a caplet-shaped core comprising:
- at least one processing station for sequentially inserting a gelatin shell half in a holding block, a caplet-shaped core in said holding block, and a second gelatin shell half onto said caplet-shaped core;
- and
- first and second closure pins movable in opposite directions in alignment with said holding block for compressing said gelatin shell halves onto said caplet-shaped core wherein each of said closure pins include a cylindrical body having an end for engaging a capsule shell, said end including a concave surface and further including a convex projection extending from said concave surface to engage a capsule shell for forming a dimple therein.
A method of assembling gelatin shell halves onto a caplet-shaped core comprising the steps of:
- inserting a gelatin shell half in a holding block;
- inserting a caplet-shaped core into said holding block;
- inserting a second gelatin shell half onto said caplet-shaped core on an end opposite said first named gelatin shell half;
- and
- moving first and second closure pins in opposite directions for compressing said gelatin shell halves onto said caplet-shaped core wherein each of said closure pins include a cylindrical body having an end for engaging a capsule shell, said end including a concave surface and further including a convex projection extending from said concave surface to engage an end of said capsule shells for forming a dimple therein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.