US 7,766,637 B2 · Method and apparatus for the preparation of capsules

Abstract

An apparatus for a continuous encapsulation process is provided. The apparatus is a vibrating tubing used alone, in series, or in combination with an encapsulation apparatus, which is used alone or in series. The vibrating tubing is a flat coil, a standing spiral, or a flume. The encapsulation apparatus includes a winding having coils disposed in an aqueous gelling solution. The winding is rotatable about its longitudinal center axis. The winding has adjacently spaced coils forming a plurality of chambers. Objects to be encapsulated are added to the apparatus such that when the winding is rotated, the chambers transport a volume of objects through the length winding in the aqueous gelling solution in a predetermined time.

Claims22

Dependent claims

An encapsulation apparatus comprising:

a winding comprising coils, the winding rotatable about a longitudinal center axis;
and
a plurality of chambers, each chamber having sides defined by adjacent coils of the winding and a floor defined by a support plate;
wherein the winding comprises a first coil defining walls of a first chamber and the first chamber comprises a means for dampening the impact of the objects to be encapsulated when the objects to be encapsulated are added to the first chamber;
in which the plate and the plurality of chambers contain a volume of aqueous gelling solution whereby objects to be encapsulated are added to the gel bath apparatus, and are transported through the gel bath apparatus by the windings in a predetermined time.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

11/713,176Filed 2 Mar 2007 · us provisional application

Priority

3 Mar 2006

Published

US 2007/0259097 A18 Nov 2007

Granted

3 Aug 2010

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

A61J 3/07
Devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms: into the form of…
A23L 17/35
Fish eggs, e.g. caviar; Fish-egg substitutes: fish-egg substitutes
A61K 9/4816
Preparations in capsules, e.g. of gelatin, of chocolate: wall or shell material
B01J 13/04
Making microcapsules or microballoons: by physical processes, e.g. drying, spraying

Method and apparatus for the preparation of capsules

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for the preparation of capsules

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22