Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Structurally defined web or sheet – Including components having same physical characteristic in...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-26
2001-02-06
Hen, Bruce (Department: 1774)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Structurally defined web or sheet
Including components having same physical characteristic in...
C428S478200, C428S476900, C428S474700, C428S172000, C424S456000, C424S472000, C424S478000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06183845
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a multiple, adjustable gate spreader box and to softgels having multiple gelatin layers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Apparatus for extruding sheets of material are known in the art. For example, Chiverton U.S. Pat. No. 2,052,695 discloses a device for producing films or foils from cellulose acetate. Wickham U.S. Pat. No. 1,924,010 discloses a device for casting double films of materials such as cellulose acetate. Hayward, U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,357 discloses an apparatus for forming non-gelatin, polymeric films of two or more layers. The films are formed by a die having fixed, non-adjustable extrusion slots.
Apparatus for extruding gelatin sheets are also known in the art. Ericson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,815,533 discloses a gelatin encapsulating spreader box which uses a single adjustable doctor blade to vary the thickness of a gelatin layer. Scherer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,339,114 discloses a spreader box for forming a gelatin layer which uses a single adjustable doctor blade to vary the thickness of a gelatin layer.
Capsules of more than one layer are also known. Scherer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,379,831 discloses a gelatin capsule which can include multiple layers. However, the substance forming the additional layer is disclosed as being other than gelatin, because a fill material in the capsule is incompatible with gelatin. Also, the capsules are formed by nozzle extrusion. Kikuchi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,835 and Suzuki, U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,564 also disclose a gelatin capsule which can include multiple layers. The substance forming the additional layer is disclosed as being other than gelatin, because a fill material in the capsule is incompatible with gelatin. Also, the capsules are formed by nozzle extrusion. Mizuno, U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,679 discloses a gelatin capsule coated with a wax, such as carnauba wax. The use of wax instead of an additional gelatin layer is taught as preventing problems associated with having an external gelatin layer.
It would be desirable to have softgel capsules which can exhibit different properties such as the degree of permeability, rate of dissolution, mouth feel, taste, and color. These different properties can be provided by producing capsules having more than one layer of gelatin. It also would be desirable to produce a softgel capsule of more than one color, for example, a light color such as yellow and a dark color such as blue, in which the dark color did not rub off on the light color when a number of softgels are in contact with each. Application of a clear gelatin layer over the colored gelatin layer can eliminate such color transfer problems.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a gelatin spreader box that allows for the extrusion of two separate gelatin layers which can vary in thickness and in other properties such as the degree of permeability, rate of dissolution, mouth feel, taste and color, and to provide multiple layer softgels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for forming a gelatin sheet having at least two gelatin layers. Each gelatin layer has a thickness. The device comprises a gelatin spreader box having at least one opening for extruding a gelatin sheet. The device includes first and second height adjustable gates disposed at least partially across the opening; and first and second height adjustment controls. Adjustment of the first height adjustment control varies the height of the first gate and adjustment of the second height adjustment control varies the height of the second gate, thereby controlling the thickness of the at least two gelatin layers.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a softgel capsule which includes a first gelatin layer having a thickness and a second gelatin layer having a thickness. The second gelatin layer at least partially surrounds the first gelatin layer.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for forming softgel capsules comprising two of the devices as described above and two rotary dies adapted to receive two gelatin sheets.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for making a softgel comprising a first gelatin sheet and a second gelatin sheet. The method includes the steps of: extruding first and second gelatin layers from a first device as described above to form a first gelatin sheet; Extruding third and fourth gelatin layers from a second device of claim
1
to form a second gelatin sheet; injecting a fill between the first and second gelatin sheets; and sealing the first and second gelatin sheets together to form the softgel.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, various features of preferred embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1924010 (1933-08-01), Wickham
patent: 2052695 (1936-09-01), Chiverton
patent: 2339114 (1944-01-01), Scherer
patent: 2379831 (1945-04-01), Scherer
patent: 2387747 (1945-10-01), Cowley
patent: 2815533 (1957-12-01), Ericson
patent: 3656997 (1972-04-01), Cordes
patent: 3959540 (1976-05-01), Leiberich et al.
patent: 4350679 (1982-09-01), Mizuno et al.
patent: 4817367 (1989-04-01), Ishikawa et al.
patent: 5256347 (1993-10-01), Hayward
patent: 5330835 (1994-07-01), Kikuchi et al.
patent: 5362564 (1994-11-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 5422160 (1995-06-01), Ratko et al.
patent: 5672300 (1997-09-01), Schurig et al.
patent: 5814338 (1998-09-01), Veronesi
patent: 572942 B1 (1997-04-01), None
patent: 645357 (1950-11-01), None
patent: 96/01612 A1 (1996-01-01), None
Banner Pharmacaps Inc.
Hen Bruce
Rhodes & Mason P.L.L.C.
Shewareged B.
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