Method and apparatus for manufacturing filled linkers
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a linker including a jacket radially confining a preformed tablet, the tablet having a longitudinal axis, axial end faces intersecting the longitudinal axis, an outer surface extending between the axial end faces, and recessed lands surrounding the axial end faces, 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) closing mold walls with respect to the tablet such that the mold walls move from a first position to a second position, the second position being radially inward of the first position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tablet;
d) 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, wherein jacket material flows into the recessed lands;
e) extracting the jacketed tablet and the plurality of first pincers from the molding apparatus; and
f) a removing the first pincers from the jacketed tablet.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a linker including a jacket radially confining a preformed tablet, the tablet having a longitudinal axis, axial end faces intersecting the longitudinal axis, an outer surface extending between the axial end faces, and recessed lands surrounding the axial end faces, the method comprising:
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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) closing mold walls with respect to the tablet such that the mold walls move from a first position to a second position, the second position being radially inward of the first position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tablet; d) 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, wherein jacket material flows into the recessed lands; e) extracting the jacketed tablet and the plurality of first pincers from the molding apparatus; and f) a removing the first pincers from the jacketed tablet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 30)
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13. A method of manufacturing a linker including a jacket radially confining a preformed tablet, the tablet having a longitudinal axis, axial end faces intersecting the longitudinal axis, an outer surface extending between the axial end surfaces, and a recessed land surrounding one of the axial end faces, the method comprising:
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grasping the tablet with a plurality of first pincers about the recessed land; positioning the grasped tablet and the first pincers with respect to a molding apparatus; closing mold walls with respect to the tablet such that the mold walls move from a first position to a second position, the second position being radially inward of the first position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tablet; injecting jacket material into the molding apparatus such that the outer surface of the tablet is substantially surrounded by the injected jacket material; and extracting the jacketed tablet from the molding apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of manufacturing a dosage form including a jacket radially confining a preformed tablet, the tablet having a longitudinal axis, axial end faces intersecting the longitudinal axis, and a radial wall extending between the axial end faces, the method comprising:
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grasping the tablet with a plurality of first pincers; positioning the grasped tablet and the first pincers with respect to a molding apparatus; closing mold walls with respect to the tablet such that the mold walls move from a first position to a second position, the second position being radially inward of the first position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tablet; injecting jacket material into the molding apparatus such that the tablet radial wall is substantially surrounded by the injected jacket material and a first one of the axial end faces is at least partially exposed; and extracting the jacketed tablet from the molding apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of manufacturing a linker including a jacket radially confining a preformed tablet, the tablet having a longitudinal axis, axial end faces intersecting the longitudinal axis, an outer surface extending between the axial end faces, and a recessed land surrounding one of the axial end faces, the method comprising:
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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) closing mold walls with respect to the tablet such that the mold walls move from a first position to a second position, the second position being radially inward of the first position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tablet; d) 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, wherein jacket material flows into the recessed land; e) extracting the jacketed tablet and the plurality of first pincers from the molding apparatus; and f) removing the first pincers from the jacketed tablet.
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Specification