# US 5,348,062 A · Equipment for manufacturing of subcutaneous capsules

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- Number: US 5,348,062 A
- Document ID: US5348062A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/096,869
- Filed: 1993-07-26
- Granted: 1994-09-20
- Earliest claimed: 1991-07-03
- Assignees: Leiras Oy
- Inventors: Rolf Hartzell; Timo Helle; Pekka Lankinen; Pekka Nieminen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5348062A

## CPC

- A61J 3/07: into the form of capsules or similar small containers for oral use
- A61M 31/002: {Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time (artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50)}
- Y10S 53/90: Capsules
- A61J: CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

Apparatus for filling a plurality of capsules with a selected medicine, the capsules each having a closed lower end and an open top end and being mounted in the apparatus for filling the medicine into the capsules through the open top end, the apparatus comprising a dosing mechanism which separately measures a selected quantity of the medicine for input into each capsule; a capsule filling mechanism comprising a plurality of funnels each having an axis, the funnels each receiving a measured quantity of medicine and funneling the received medicine to an open delivery end of the funnels; the capsules being mounted such that the open top ends of the capsules are disposed at the open delivery ends of the funnels for receipt of the measured quantities of medicine; the filling mechanism further comprising a plurality of spiral spring mechanisms, the spiral spring mechanisms being insertable through the open top ends and removable from the capsules, the spiral spring mechanisms further being rotatable simultaneously with insertion into the capsules for filling the capsules with the measured quantities of medicine.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Apparatus for filling a plurality of capsules with a selected medicine, the capsules each having a closed lower end and an open top end and being mounted in the apparatus for filling the medicine into the capsules through the open top end, the apparatus comprising:
a dosing mechanism which separately measures a selected quantity of the medicine for input into each capsule;
a capsule filling mechanism comprising a plurality of funnels each having an axis, the funnels each receiving a measured quantity of medicine and funneling the received medicine to an open delivery end of the funnels;
the capsules being mounted such that the open top ends of the capsules are disposed at the open delivery ends of the funnels for receipt of the measured quantities of medicine;
the filling mechanism further comprising a plurality of spiral spring mechanisms, the spiral spring mechanisms being insertable through the open top ends and removable from the capsules, the spiral spring mechanisms further being rotatable simultaneously with insertion into the capsules for filling the capsules with the measured quantities of medicine.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the filling mechanism includes means for inserting the spiral springs first through the delivery ends of the funnels and then through the open top ends of the capsules into the capsules and means for rotating the spiral springs during insertion such that the measured quantities of medicines received by the funnels are filled within each capsule.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dosing mechanism comprises a disc mechanism including a plurality apertures into which the selected quantities of medicine for each capsule are deposited, the disc mechanism being slidably mounted on a support surface for slidable movement between an aperture filling position and a delivery position wherein the selected quantities of medicine deposited within each aperture are delivered to the funnels.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the dosing mechanism comprises a disc mechanism including a plurality apertures into which the selected quantities of medicine for each capsule are deposited, the disc mechanism being slidably mounted on a support surface for slidable movement between an aperture filling position and a delivery position wherein the selected quantities of medicine deposited within each aperture are delivered to the funnels.

### Claim 5

Apparatus for filling a plurality of capsules with a selected medicine, the capsules each having a closed lower end and an open top end, the apparatus comprising:
a disc mechanism having a plurality of apertures for receiving a selected quantity of medicine to be delivered to each capsule;
a plurality of funnels having open top ends and open delivery ends, the capsules being mounted such that the open top ends of the capsules mate with the open bottom ends of the funnels;
the disc mechanism being slidable between a first position wherein the apertures are filled with the selected quantities of medicine and a second position wherein the apertures deposit the selected quantities of medicine into the open top ends of the funnels; and
a capsule filling mechanism comprising a plurality of spiral spring mechanisms insertable into the open top ends of the capsules and rotatable such that the selected quantities of medicine deposited in the funnels are delivered into the capsules.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the disc mechanism is slidably mounted on a support surface, the support surface closing an open bottom end of the apertures in the first position of the disc mechanism such that the selected quantities of medicine are deposited through an open top end of the apertures and maintained within the apertures by the support surface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the open bottom ends of the apertures are slid off the support surface and disposed above the open top ends of the funnels when the disc mechanism is in the second position.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the filling mechanism includes means for inserting the spring mechanisms first through the open top ends of the funnels and then through the open top ends of the capsules and means for simultaneously rotating the spiral springs during insertion such that the selected quantities of medicine delivered to each funnel is filled within each capsule.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the filling mechanism includes means for inserting the spring mechanisms first through the open top ends of the funnels and then through the open top ends of the capsules and means for simultaneously rotating the spiral springs during insertion such that the selected quantities of medicine delivered to each funnel is filled within each capsule.