METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRINTING PERSONALIZED MEDICATION

• US 20140134320A1
• Filed: 11/14/2012
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Chang, Shu, Pawlak, John L., Grande, Michael L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,702,453 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/2.14
• 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 3/007 Marking tablets or the like apparatus for printing on tablets or the like B41F17/36
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 17/36 for printing on tablets, pills, or like small articles
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/6585 by using non-standard toners, e.g. transparent toner, gloss adding devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08 with toner particles
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/0821 characterised by physical parameters magnetic parameters G03G9/083
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/0926 characterised by physical or chemical properties

Abstract

An exemplary method of printing medications on digestible substrates is described. Single component nonmagnetic toners with active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) embedded or “dissolved” in the toner are used. The binders for the toner are digestible. The “printing” process includes loading the single component non-magnetic toners from a sump to a donor roll and developing them either directly onto the substrate or through the use of an intermediate member. Traditional xerographic charge and exposure can be used to make the tablet “imprints”. Dosage is controlled through “solid area” or halftone development (when charge and exposure are used). The “printed” first layer may undergo cold or warm pressure fusing. This medicament layer is then subjected to another station to “print” a second layer of medical “tablet”. Multiple stations may be used to build up a complete personalized tablet. Optionally, a final station prints protective overcoat materials to finalize the “tablet”.

Claims

1. A method of printing personalized medication with a printing system, the method comprising:

compounding an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in binder, to create at least one triboelectrically chargeable medicament toner;

transferring the charged toner to a selectively exposed intermediate member;

transferring the toner from the intermediate member to an edible substrate; and

fusing the transferred toner via cold pressure, warm pressure, or radiant fusing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more pharmaceutically inert ingredients are compounded in the binder in addition to the API.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate member comprises a donor roll or a web.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the toner comprises a single component toner.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the toner comprises a two-component toner and includes a carrier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the toner comprises a single component, non-magnetic toner.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

compounding another active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in binder, to create a second triboelectrically chargeable medicament toner;

transferring the second charged toner to a selectively exposed intermediate member;

transferring the second toner from the intermediate member to form a second layer on the edible substrate; and

fusing the second transferred toner via cold pressure, warm pressure, or radiant fusing.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the printing system includes multiple transfer stations to deliver either increased doses or tablets with more than one API.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the printing system includes multiple transfer stations to deliver either increased doses or tablets with more than one API.

9. A method of printing personalized medication with a printing system, the method comprising:

compounding an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in binder, to create at least one triboelectrically chargeable medicament toner;

directly depositing the medicament toner onto an edible substrate; and

fusing the transferred toner via cold pressure, warm pressure, or radiant fusing.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein one or more pharmaceutically inert ingredients are compounded in the binder in addition to the API.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the toner comprises a single component toner.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the toner comprises a two-component toner and includes a carrier.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the toner comprises a single component, non-magnetic toner.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

compounding another active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in binder, to create a second triboelectrically chargeable medicament toner;

directly depositing the second medicament toner onto the edible substrate to form a second layer on the edible substrate; and

fusing the second transferred toner via cold pressure, warm pressure, or radiant fusing.

16. A method of printing personalized medication, the method comprising:

loading a first single component, non-magnetic toner from a first sump onto a first donor roll, wherein the first toner comprises a first active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) embedded or dissolved in at least one toner binder;

transferring the first toner from the first donor roll to an edible substrate to form a first layer on the edible substrate;

loading a second single component, non-magnetic toner from a second sump onto a second donor roll, wherein the second toner comprises a second API embedded or dissolved in at least one toner binder;

transferring the second toner from the second donor roll to the edible substrate to form a second layer on the edible substrate;

developing the layers of toner; and

depositing one or more protective overcoat materials over the layers of toner to finalize the personalized medication.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each printed layer undergoes cold pressure fusing, warm pressure fusing, or radiant fusing.

18. A system for printing personalized medication, the system comprising:

a first sump that is configured to load a first single component, non-magnetic toner onto a first donor roll, wherein the first toner comprises a first active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) embedded or dissolved in the first toner and the first donor roll is configured to transfer the first toner to an edible substrate to form a first layer on the edible substrate;

a second sump that is configured to load a second single component, non-magnetic toner onto a second donor roll, wherein the second toner comprises a second active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) embedded or dissolved in the second toner and the second donor roll is configured to transfer the second toner to an edible substrate to form a second layer on the edible substrate;

a developer that is configured to develop the layers of toner;

a fuser that is configured to fuse the transferred toner; and

a depositor that is configured to deposit one or more protective overcoat materials on the layers of toner to finalize the personalized medication.