Method and apparatus for manufacturing filled linkers

• US 20090108492A1
• Filed: 10/15/2008
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Capsugel Belgium NV (Lonza Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Capsugel Belgium NV (Lonza Group AG)
• Inventors: McAllister, Stephen Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,293,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/241
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/005 Coating of tablets or the like coating of sweetmeats or confectionery A23G3/20; coating of granules in general B01J2/006
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/077 Manufacturing capsule shells

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a linker of the type having an injection molded jacket radially confining a preformed tablet. The method includes grasping the tablet about the outer surface with a plurality of pincers and positioning the grasped tablet and the pincers with respect to a molding apparatus. The method also includes supporting the tablet via the pincers and injecting jacket material to cover the outer tablet surface and the pincers. The method further includes extracting the jacketed tablet from the molding apparatus and removing the pincers from the jacketed tablet. The method may also include supporting and longitudinally positioning the tablet within the mold via a plurality of additional pincers.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a linker including a jacket radially confining a preformed tablet having an outer surface, the method comprising:

a) grasping the tablet with a plurality of first pincers;

b) positioning the grasped tablet and first pincers with respect to a molding apparatus;

c) injecting jacket material to substantially cover the outer tablet surface and at least a portion of the plurality of first pincers to form the jacket;

d) extracting the jacketed tablet and the plurality of first pincers from the molding apparatus; and

e) removing the first pincers from the jacketed tablet.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the molding apparatus includes a plurality of second pincers for at least partially supporting the tablet.

3. The method as in claim 1, further including exposing a plurality of voids when removing the first pincers from the jacketed tablet.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein grasping the tablet with a plurality of first pincers includes grasping the tablet about the outer tablet surface.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the grasping, positioning, injecting, extracting, and removing steps are accomplished automatically.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the positioning step includes spacing an end of the tablet away from a mold end, whereby a jacket is formed with a closed axial end wall.

7. The method as in claim 1, wherein the preformed tablet includes recessed lands surrounding axial end faces, and wherein the injecting step includes flowing jacket material into the recessed lands.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein the molding apparatus includes an inside surface having contours for forming one or more snap-fit elements on the outside of the jacket, and wherein the injecting step includes flowing jacket material around the contours to provide integral snap-fit elements.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein the molding apparatus includes an inside surface having a circumferential relief for forming a raised band on the linker jacket, and wherein the injecting step includes flowing jacket material into the relief to form an integral band.

10. The method as in claim 9, wherein the injecting step includes flowing the injector material into a mold interior through the relief.

11. The method as in claim 1, further including positioning the grasped tablet with respect to the mold apparatus via the plurality of first pincers and a plurality of second pincers.

12. The method as in claim 1, further including positioning the tablet includes cooperatively supporting the tablet via the plurality of first pincers and a via a plurality of second pincers.

13. The method as in claim 1, wherein the jacket is injection molded of a material selected from hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate, polyvinyl alcohol, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, and acrylic or methacrylic acid-based polymers.

14. A molding apparatus for forming a linker having a preformed tablet and an injection molded jacket, comprising:

an inner surface defining a mold interior; and

a plurality of pincers movable between a first position wherein the plurality of pincers are disposed within the mold interior and a second position wherein the plurality of pincers are not disposed within the mold interior.

15. The apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the inner surface includes a contour configured to produce snap-fit elements within the injection molded shell.

16. The apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the plurality of pincers are a plurality of first pincers configured to engage a first end of the tablet and the apparatus further includes a plurality of second pincers extending into the mold interior and configured to engage a second end of the tablet.

17. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein the plurality of second pincers are configured to at least partially support the tablet within the mold interior.

18. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein the plurality of first pincers and the plurality of second pincers cooperate to support the tablet within the mold interior.

19. The apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the plurality of pincers are configured to radially center the tablet with respect to the mold interior.

20. The apparatus as in claim 14, wherein:

the tablet includes an outer wall; and

each of the plurality of pincers is configured to engage the outer wall.

21. The apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the plurality of pincers are radially spaced about an axis.

22. The apparatus as in claim 21, wherein the plurality of pincers are substantially equally spaced about the axis.

23. The apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the plurality of pincers includes at least four pincers.

24. The apparatus as in claim 14, wherein:

the preformed tablet includes a longitudinal axis; and

wherein the plurality of pincers are radially spaced about a first axis and configured to align the longitudinal axis of the preformed tablet to be substantially coincident with the first axis of the plurality of pincers.

25. The apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the plurality of pincers are configured to support the tablet within the mold interior during an injection molding process.

26. The apparatus as in claim 25, wherein the injection molding process produces the injection molded jacket.