Encapsulation apparatus and process
AssigneeR. P. Scherer Corporation
InventorsNorman S. Stroud, David J. Walker, Kelvin R. Garnett, Arthur J. Burnett, Anthony J. Wood
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A continuous solvent free gelatin encapsulation apparatus and process includes an oil roll back assembly (20) for applying a controlled amount of a food-approved lubricant to a first side of the gelatin ribbon and an applicator guide bar assembly (40) for applying a controlled amount of food-approved lubricant to a second side of the gelatin ribbon. Two opposing food-approved lubricant coated gelatin ribbons are then united in a die assembly (50) to form gelatin capsules which are then dried and recovered.
Claims22
A gelatin encapsulation process comprising the steps of:
- a. casting a continuous first gelatin ribbon and a continuous second gelatin ribbon;
- b. applying food-approved lubricant to a first side of the first gelatin ribbon and to a first side of the second gelatin ribbon;
- c. applying food approved lubricant to a second side of the first gelatin ribbon and to a second side of the second gelatin ribbon to give a lubricated first gelatin ribbon and a lubricated second gelatin ribbon;
- d. uniting the lubricated first gelatin ribbon and the lubricated second gelatin ribbon to form gel pockets and injecting fill material into the gel pockets to give freshly formed gelatin capsules;
- e. cooling the freshly formed gelatin capsules to assist their separation from a net formed by the remainder of the gelatin ribbons;
- f. finishing the freshly formed gelatin capsules by drying them to give finished gelatin capsules;
- and
- g. recovering the finished gelatin capsules;
- wherein the steps of applying food-approved lubricant to the first and second gelatin ribbons comprise controlling the amount of food-approved lubricant applied to the first and second gelatin ribbons so that the finished gelatin capsules do not require a solvent wash step to remove lubricant, whereby the gelatin encapsulation process is a solvent-free process.
A soft gelatin encapsulation apparatus comprising:
- two opposing gelatin ribbon casting apparatuses for casting a first and second continuous ribbon of gelatin;
- a first pair of applicator means respectively for applying a food-approved lubricant to a first side of the first gelatin ribbon and a first side of the second gelatin ribbon;
- a second pair of applicator means respectively for applying a food-approved lubricant to a second side of the first gelatin ribbon and a second side of the second gelatin ribbon;
- a die assembly;
- cooling means for cooling the gelatin capsules when they are freshly formed by the die assembly, in order to assist separation of the gelatin capsules from a net formed by the remainder of the gelatin ribbons;
- and
- means for controlling the amount of food-approved lubricant applied to the first and second gelatin ribbons so that finished gelatin capsules do not require a solvent wash step to remove lubricant.
Soft gelatin encapsulation apparatus comprising:
- lubricant applying apparatus, said lubricant applying apparatus compromising first applicator means for applying a food-approved lubricant to a first side of a gelatin ribbon, second applicator means for applying a food-approved lubricant to a second side of the gelatin ribbon, and means for controlling the amount of food-approved lubricant applied to the gelatin ribbon so that finished gelatin capsules do not require a solvent wash step to remove lubricant;
- a die assembly for forming gelatin capsules using the gelatin ribbon;
- and
- cooling means for cooling freshly formed gelatin capsules to assist their separation from the remainder of the gelatin ribbon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.