Multi-cored molded article, method of producing the same, and device for producing the same

• US 20050013960A1
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Company Limited (Suzuken Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Company Limited (Suzuken Company Limited)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Yukinao, Kondo, Yoshiya, Ozeki, Yuichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,132,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/43
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/06 into the form of pills, lozenges or dragees
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/10 into the form of compressed tablets tablet presses B30B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/2072 characterised by shape, structure or size; Tablets with holes, special break lines or identification marks; Partially coated tablets; Disintegrating flat shaped forms A61K9/0004, A61K9/0056, A61K9/0065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 11/08 co-operating with moulds carried by a turntable
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 11/34 for coating articles, e.g. tablets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/15 Sheet, web, or layer weakened to permit separation through thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/239 Complete cover or casing

Abstract

To manufacture a multi-core press-coated molded product efficiently and in a single step from molding materials, namely, powder or granular particles, a punch has been devised that is characterized in that the punch, consists of a center punch whose tip portion is split into two or more parts, and an outer punch enclosing the outer perimeter of the center punch, and whose tip portion fills the gap at the tip portion of the center punch, with both the center and outer punches being slidable and manipulatable for compression operation. the method of manufacturing a multi-core press-coated molded product using the punch of the invention as compression molding means for at least the upper punch and preferably for both the upper and lower punches, and a rotary compression molding machine therefore is also discribed. This has led to the successful manufacture of a multi-core press-coated molded product in which a plurality of cores are arranged horizontally relative to the pressure applied surface of the molded product and further located at specific positions. When provided with a score line, the multi-core press-coated molded product can be made into a dividable molded product.

Claims

1-17. -17. (Canceled).

18. A multi-core press-coated molded product comprising an outer layer and a plurality of cores therein, wherein the plurality of cores are arranged horizontally relative to a pressure applied surface of the molded product and the outer layer and the plurality of cores are integrally molded from a powder or granular particles.

19. The multi-core press-coated molded product according to claim 18, further comprising a score line on the outer layer surface so as to be dividable.

20. The multi-core press-coated molded product according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of cores are arranged at a specific position.

21. A method of manufacturing a multi-core press-coated molded product having an outer layer and a plurality of cores, comprising using compression molding means having an upper punch above a die and a lower punch below the die, wherein at least the upper punch further comprises a center punch having a tip portion split into at least two parts that are separated by a gap and an outer punch that encloses an outer perimeter of the center punch and further has a tip portion that fills the gap at the tip portion of the center punch, with both the center punch and the outer punch being slidable and manipulatable for compression operation.

22. The method of manufacturing a multi-core press-coated molded product according to claim 21, wherein the lower punch further comprises a center punch having a tip portion split into at least two parts that are separated by a gap, and an outer punch that encloses an outer perimeter of the center punch and further has a tip portion that fills the gap at the tip portion of the center punch, with both the center punch and the outer punch being slidable and manipulatable for compression operation.

23. The method of manufacturing a multi-core press-coated molded product according to claim 22, further comprising supplying a powder or granular particles for a plurality of cores and/or for the outer layer, compression molding the powder or granular particles for the plurality of cores and/or the outer layer, and molding an entire molded product containing the plurality of cores.

24. The method of manufacturing a multi-core press-coated molded product according to claim 22, comprising

supplying a powder or granular particles for the outer layer into spaces defined by the lower outer punch and the lower center punch;

supplying a powder or granular particles for the plurality of cores into spaces defined by the lower outer punch and the powder or granular particles for the outer layer supplied in the previous step;

compression molding the powder or granular particles for the outer layer and the powder or granular particles for the plurality of cores to form a molded portion of the outer layer; and

the plurality of cores;

supplying the powder or granular particles for the outer layer into a space in the die above and around the molded portion of the outer layer and the cores molded in the previous step; and

compression molding wholly the molded portion of the outer layer and the cores and the powder or granular particles for the outer layer.

25. The method of manufacturing a multi-core press-coated molded product according to claim 24, wherein compression molding the powder or granular particles for the outer layer to form a molded portion of the outer layer precedes supplying the powder or granular particles for the plurality of cores.

26. The method of manufacturing a multi-core press-coated molded product according to claim 21, further comprising

supplying a powder or granular particles for the outer layer into a space defined by the die and the lower punch;

compression molding the supplied powder or granular particles for the outer layer to form a pot-shaped molded portion by the upper and lower punches, with the upper center punch projecting toward the lower punch;

supplying a powder or granular particles for the plurality of cores into spaces in the pot-shaped molded portion of the outer layer;

supplying a powder or granular particles for the outer layer into a space in the die defined by the pot-shaped molded portion and/or the powder or granular particles for the plurality of cores; and

compression molding wholly the pot-shaped molded portion with the powder or granular particles of the cores and the outer layer.

27. The method of manufacturing a multi-core press-coated molded product according to claim 26, wherein the pot-shaped molded product is compression molded with the powder or granular particles for the plurality of cores before supplying additional powder or granular particles for the outer layer.

28. The method of manufacturing a multi-core press-coated molded product having an outer layer and a plurality of cores according to claim 22, further comprising:

(a) molding a portion of the product that comprises a portion of the outer layer by supplying, with the lower center punch lowered, powder or granular particles for the outer layer into outer layer spaces defined by the lower outer punch and the lower center punch, removing excess powder or granular particles for the outer layer from the die as necessary, and compressing the powder or granular particle to form the first molded portion of the outer layer by engaging the upper and lower center punches;

(b) molding another portion of the product that comprises portion of the outer layer and plurality of cores by supplying, with the lower center punch lowered, powder or granular particles for the cores into core spaces defined by the lower outer punch and the first molded portion of the outer layer, removing excess powder or granular particles for the cores from the die as necessary, compressing the powder and granular particles of the plurality of cores and the first molded portion of the outer layer; and

(c) molding the outer layer and the plurality of cores wholly to form the product by supplying, with the lower punch lowered, the powder or granular particles for the outer layer into an outer layer space above and around the molded portion of the outer layer and the core in the die such that the previously molded portions of the product are covered by the powder or granular particles for the outer layer, removing the excess powder or granular particles for the outer layer from the die as necessary, and compressing the powder or granulated particles for the outer layer with the previously molded portion of the product.

29. The method of manufacturing a multi-core press-coated molded product according to claim 24, further comprising removing a residual powder or granular particles remaining on the lower outer punch and/or the molded product.

30. A punch comprising a center punch having a tip portion split into two or more parts that define a gap, and an outer punch enclosing the outer perimeter of the center punch having a tip portion that fills the gap, wherein both the center and outer punches are slidable and manipulatable for compression operation.

31. An apparatus for manufacturing a multi-core press-coated molded product having an outer layer and a plurality of cores, comprising

a rotary compression molding machine having a rotatable turntable provided with a die having a die hole, the rotary compression molding machine performing compression operation of powder or granular particles charged into the die by holding upper and lower punches above and below the die so as to be vertically slidable, engaging the upper and lower punches and pressing the powder or granular particles with the punch tips inserted in the die, wherein at least the upper punch consists of a center punch, having a tip portion split into two or more parts that define a gap, and an outer punch enclosing an outer perimeter of the center punch having a tip portion that fills the gap, with both the center and outer punches being slidable and manipulatable for compression operation;

and

means for moving the center and outer punches of the upper punch and means for allowing manipulation of the center and outer punches of the upper punch for compression operation, wherein, on the same turntable, are provided supply stations for powder or granular particles for the cores and the outer layer, compression molding stations for the powder or granular particles for the cores and/or the outer layer, and a compression molding station for the entire molded product containing the plurality of cores.

32. The apparatus for manufacturing a multi-core press-coated molded product according to claim 31, wherein the lower punch comprises a center punch having a tip portion split into two or more parts that define a gap, and an outer punch enclosing an outer perimeter of the center punch having a tip portion that fills the gap at the tip portion of the center punch, with both the center and outer punches being slidable and manipulatable for compression operation, with the apparatus further comprising means for moving the center and outer punches of the lower punch and means for allowing manipulation of the center and outer punches of the lower punch for compression operation.

33. The apparatus for manufacturing a multi-core press-coated molded product according to claim 31, further comprising a device for removing a residual powder or granular particles remaining on the lower outer punch and/or the molded product.