US 6,884,060 B2 · Apparatus for manufacturing encapsulated products

Abstract

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming soft capsules and provides novel processing flexibility. The apparatus includes extrusion dies as an alternative to spreader boxes and the use of melt-on-demand technology to enhance the long term stability of the film-forming materials. Preferred embodiments provide a positive displacement pump to transport the molten film-forming material from the melt-on-demand device to the extrusion device and preferably a reservoir means disposed between said extrusion device and said means to melt said film-forming material. The encapsulation apparatus may also include a valved injection wedge.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A film preparation apparatus comprising:

a) at least one casting drum;
b) means for melting solid film-forming material on demand;
c) pump means;
and
d) an extrusion device;
wherein said apparatus prepares encapsulation films from a solid film-forming material.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/016,352Filed 2 Nov 2001

Published

US 2003/0085487 A18 May 2003

Granted

26 Apr 2005

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

A61K 9/4833
Preparations in capsules, e.g. of gelatin, of chocolate: encapsulating processes; Filling of capsules
A61K 9/4816
Preparations in capsules, e.g. of gelatin, of chocolate: wall or shell material
B29C 48/08
Flat, e.g. panels: flexible, e.g. films
B29C 48/305
Extrusion nozzles or dies: having a wide opening, e.g. for forming sheets

Apparatus for manufacturing encapsulated products

Life of this patent

Apparatus for manufacturing encapsulated products

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18