# US 7,744,922 B2 · Capsule with fast content solubilization and release > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,744,922 B2 - Document ID: US7744922B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/467,925 - Filed: 2002-11-25 - Published: 2004-11-25 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2001-11-26 - Assignees: V. Mane Fils - Inventors: Jean Mane; Pierre Grimault; Jean-Michel Hannetel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7744922B2 ## CPC - A23G 3/54: Composite products, e.g. layered, coated, filled - A23F 5/36: Further treatment of dried coffee extract; Preparations produced thereby, e.g. instant coffee ({A23F5/246 takes precedence; } removing unwanted substances A23F5/18; flavouring A23F5/46) - A23F 5/46: Coffee flavour; Coffee oil; Flavouring of coffee or coffee extract (synthetic coffee flavours A23L27/28) - A23L 2/56: Flavouring or bittering agents (sweeteners A23L2/60) - A23L 23/10: Soup concentrates, e.g. powders or cakes - A23L 27/72: {Encapsulation} - A23G: COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF - A23F: COFFEE; TEA; THEIR SUBSTITUTES; MANUFACTURE, PREPARATION, OR INFUSION THEREOF - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) ## Abstract The present invention relates to a capsule comprising a core and at least one envelope comprising at least one film-forming polymer, characterized in that it exhibits a total solubilization time for its envelope of less than or equal to 85 s, according to a test A, preferably less than or equal to 80 s, more preferably less than or equal to 70 s. The invention also relates to the method of producing said capsule, and also to the products comprising said capsule, such as the food, pharmaceutical, oral hygiene or cosmetic products. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of preparing a rapidly water-soluble hard capsule having a core comprising one or more core components, and a water-soluble envelope comprising 6.5 to 15% by weight of a film-forming polymer of gelatin, 0.8 to 1.5% by weight sorbitol, and either 0.01 to 0.2% by weight fumaric acid or about 0.5% by weight citric acid, wherein the capsule has a hardness of 1 to 5 Kg/cm2 and the envelope of the capsule exhibits a total solubilization time of less than or equal to 85 seconds, using a dissolving device wherein the capsule is crossed by an aqueous flow maintained at 37±0.5° C., pH 6.5, 50 ml/min, said method comprising the steps of: providing a liquid mixture of core components, providing a liquid mixture of envelope components comprising a film forming polymer, a plasticizer, and an acid, co-extruding the liquid mixture of core components and liquid mixture of envelope components into an oily organic solvent to form the capsule having an envelope and a core therein, centrifuging the capsules to remove said oily organic solvent, immersing the capsule in an anhydrous organic solvent wherein the temperature of said anhydrous organic solvent is 0° C. to 25° C., and drying the capsule, provided that the method does not include a step of immersing the capsule in an organic liquid or an emulsion that contains a crosslinking agent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature of said anhydrous organic solvent is between 10° C. to 20° C. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the anhydrous organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, ethyl acetate and isopropanol. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein the anhydrous organic solvent is ethanol, wherein the temperature of said ethanol is between 10° C. to 20° C. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the drying step includes drying the capsule in a current of air having a relative humidity between 20 and 60% and a temperature between 15 and 60° C. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein the relative humidity is between 30 and 50% and the temperature is between 35 and 45° C. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the core components are lipophilic and the envelope components are hydrophilic. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the capsule comprises an envelope formed from the envelope components and the envelope exhibits a total solubilization time of less than or equal to 85 seconds, using a dissolving device wherein the capsule is crossed by an aqueous flow maintained at 37±0.5° C., pH 6.5, 50 ml/min, said method. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the envelope exhibits a total solubilization time of less than or equal to 70 seconds, using a dissolving device wherein the capsule is crossed by an aqueous flow maintained at 37±0.5° C., pH 6.5, 50 ml/min, said method. ### Claim 10 A method of preparing a rapidly water-soluble hard capsule having a core comprising one or more core components, and a water-soluble envelope comprising 6.5 to 15% by weight of a film-forming polymer of gelatin, 0.8 to 1.5% by weight sorbitol, and either 0.01 to 0.2% by weight fumaric acid or about 0.5% by weight citric acid, wherein the capsule has a hardness of 1 to 5 Kg/cm2 and the envelope of the capsule exhibits a total solubilization time of less than or equal to 85 seconds, using a dissolving device wherein the capsule is crossed by an aqueous flow maintained at 37±0.5° C., pH 6.5, 50 ml/min, said method comprising the steps of: providing a liquid mixture of core components, providing a liquid mixture of envelope components comprising a film forming polymer and a plasticizer, co-extruding the liquid mixture of core components and liquid mixture of envelope components into a first oily organic solvent to form the capsule having an envelope and a core therein, centrifuging the capsules to remove said oily organic solvent, immersing the capsule in a second organic solvent having a temperature selected from the range of 0° C. to 25° C., wherein said second solvent is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, ethyl acetate and isopropanol, and drying the capsule in a current of air having a relative humidity between 20 and 60% and a temperature between 35° C. and 45° C. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the temperature of said second organic solvent is between 10° C. to 20° C. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the second organic solvent is ethanol, wherein the temperature of said ethanol is between 10° C. to 20° C. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the capsule comprises an envelope formed from the envelope components and the envelope exhibits a total solubilization time of less than or equal to 85 seconds, using a dissolving device wherein the capsule is crossed by an aqueous flow maintained at 37±0.5° C., pH 6.5, 50 ml/min, said method.