System and method for dusting soft capsules

A capsule dusting system (50) for coating a plurality of capsules (10) with a dusting agent (20), comprising:

• (A) a tumbling basket (100) having a proximal side (110), a distal side (120), and at least one sidewall (130) that connects the proximal side (110) to the distal side (120) such that together the proximal side (110), the distal side (120), and the sidewall (130) form a basket interior surface (140) and a basket exterior surface (150), wherein
• (i) the proximal side (110) has a proximal side port (112) extending from the basket interior surface (140) to the basket exterior surface (150), whereby the capsules (10) enter into the tumbling basket (100) through the proximal port (112);
• (ii) the distal side (120) has a distal side port (122) extending from the basket interior surface (140) to the basket exterior surface (150), whereby the capsules (10) are discharged from the tumbling basket (100) through the distal side port (122);
• (iii) the sidewall (130) of the tumbling basket (100) is continuous;
• (iv) the basket interior surface (140) has at least one baffle (142) projecting from the basket interior surface (140) so that the baffle (142) contacts a portion of the capsules (10) as the tumbling basket (100) rotates;
• and
• (v) the proximal side (110), the distal side (120), and the sidewall (130) are electrically conductive;
• (B) at least one drive shaft (200) rotationally coupled to the tumbling basket (100) whereby the tumbling basket (100) rotates in relation to the drive shaft (200) causing the capsules (10) to tumble along the basket interior surface (140);
• (C) an enclosure (300) having a partition wall (310) and a containment lid (320), wherein
• (i) the partition wall (310) and the containment lid (320) cooperate to form an enclosure containment surface (330) and an external surface (340), wherein
• (a) a dust injector port (350) extends from the enclosure containment surface (330) to the external surface (340), and
• (b) an exhaust port (360) extends from the enclosure containment surface (330) to the external surface (340) and the exhaust port (360) is in fluid communication with a vacuum system (500) whereby the vacuum system (500) removes excess dusting agent (20) that does not adhere to the capsules (10), and
• (ii) the tumbling basket (100) is located within the enclosure (300);
• and
• (D) a dust injection system (400) having a dusting injector (410) and a powder supply system (470), wherein the dusting injector (410) has a pocket (420), a gas passageway (430), a powder loading position (450), and an injection position (460), wherein
• (i) the pocket (420) holds the dusting agent (20) loaded by the powder supply system (470),
• (ii) the gas passageway (430) is in fluid communication with the pocket (420) and a gas supply (30) such that on demand a gas (35) travels from the gas supply (30) through the gas passageway (430) into the pocket (420),
• (iii) the dusting injector (410) is located at the powder loading position (450) when the pocket (420) is positioned to accept dusting agent (20) from the powder supply system (470), and
• (iv) the dusting injector (420) is located at the injection position (460) when the pocket (420) is in the tumbling basket (100), whereby the dusting injector (420) translates between the powder loading position (450) and the injection position (460) by traveling through the dust injector portion (350).

A method of dusting capsules with a dusting agent (20), comprising the steps of:

• (A) loading the capsules (10) into a tumbling basket (100) having a proximal side (110), a distal side (120), and at least one sidewall (130) that connects the proximal side (110) to the distal side (120), thereby forming a basket interior surface (140) and a basket exterior surface (150), wherein
• (i) the capsules (10) are loaded into the tumbling basket (100) through a proximal side port (112) that extends from the basket exterior surface (150) to the basket interior surface (140), and
• (ii) the tumbling basket (100) is located within an enclosure (300) having a partition wall (310) and a containment lid (320) such that the partition wall (310) and the containment lid (320) cooperate to form an enclosure containment surface (330) and an external surface (340);
• (B) rotating the tumbling basket (100) with at least one drive shaft (200) that is rotationally coupled to the tumbling basket (100) whereby the tumbling basket (100) rotates in relation to the drive shaft (200) causing the capsules (10) to tumble along the basket interior surface (140);
• and
• (C) injecting the dusting agent (20) into the tumbling basket (100) with a dust injection system (400) having a dusting injector (410), while continuing to rotate the tumbling basket (100), whereby the dusting agent (20) contacts the capsules (10) and the dusting agent (20) is substantially contained within the enclosure (300) by the enclosure containment surface (330).