Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
55~7
PR IOR AR T
C~apsules consisting of telescopic parts have been known
for a long time. U. S. Patent 525, 845 of 1894 describe~ a
telescopic capsule, comprising a cap, having an annular constriction
approximately in the middle and flares toward it3 open end. The
capsule body is designed to be embraced by the annular constrictioll -
when the parts of the cap~ule are fitted together. This allegedly
results in a good fit of the cap of the capsule on the body thereof.
In another capsule, 3uch ~8 i~ shown in U.S. Patent
2, 718, 980, the capsule cap ha~ on its inside an annular projection
and an annular groove. The cap~ule body is also provided a~djacent
to its opening with an annular projection and an annular groove. A
reliable ~eal between the cap and body of the capsule is allegedly
en~ured in that the projection and groove of one part of the capsule
lS snap into the groove and projection of the other cap~ule part when
these parts are pu~hed one into the other.
Both the capsule cap and the capsule body of the capsule
described in the German Patent Specification l, 536, 219 are formed
with an annular constriction. When the two part~ of the capsule are
fitted one into the other, the convex annular bead formod on the
inside of the cap~ule cap in conjunction ~vith the constriction enters
the annular constriction of the capsule body.,
Cap~ule~ for containing medicament~ are generally made
today from hard gelatin in a dipping proce~s. In thi~ process,
:,. ' ' '
~4~ :~
.~ . .
1139 P/2 CA -1-
,
~ 455~7
properly de~igned pinY are dipped into an atlueous solution of gelatin
and are subsequently ~ithdrawn from the gelatin solution. When
the gelatin ha~ dried on the pin, the gelatin body is stripped from
the pin and the resulting cap~ule part is cut to the desired length.
In thi~ practice it has been found that annular con~ex projections or
concave recesses on the pin render the stripping of the gelatin body
more difficult, Be~ides, it i8 almost impos~ible to obtain an
airtight seal between the capsule cap and the rim of the capsule body
when capsule parts aré fitted together. Thi~ is due to the length
tolerances of the capsule parts, particularly to the different
di~tances between the rim and the annular rece~ of the capsule
body. For a reliably fitting joint, the mating annular concave
reces~es or convex projection~ mu~t interengage although this does
not en~ure an airtight szal,
SUMMA.RY OF THE INVENTION
It i~ an object of the invention to provide a telescopi~ cap~ule
which can be manufactured from gelatin in ~uch a manner that the
above-mentioned difficulties are avoided. Beaide~, the capsule part~,
regardles~ cf length tolerance~ due to their manufacture, ~hould be
adapted to be fitted one into the other in conjunct~on with the filling
operation ~o that a reliable ~eal is obtained, which is not broken when
. .~. .
the cap0ule~ are packaged, tra~sported and sub~equently treated,
e. g., on sealing machine3, and ~rhiFh i~ airtight. Thia iB accompli~hed
., ,, - ,
'
j~ 1139 P/2 CA -2-
~6)4SS47
by providing toothlike projections on the inside overlapping 3urface ~ -
of either the body or cap which projection~ bear against the opposed
~urface of the body or cap, a~ the case may be.
When the toothlike projection engage the oppo~ite wall of the - -
capsule, the elasticity of the gelatin i~ utilized and the opposite part
of the capsule is slightly deformed. The compre~3sion of the toothlike
projections prevent~ a pulling apart of the parts of the capsule in the
longitudinal direction as well a3 rotation of said parts relative to each
other. The toothlike projections need be provided only over part of
the periphery of the capsule.
The construction of the invention facilitates, above all, the
s~ipping of the capsule parts from the dipping pin compared to cap~ule
parts which have a continuous annular recess because the ~tripper~
can better slide over the toothlike rece~es in the dipping pin~ than
over concave recessefl.
Another problem has al~o been ~olved by the invention. The
parts of previously known capsules tend to ~eparate when the capsules
are as~embled a~ter having been ~illed because the a~seinbling of the
part~ results in compres~ion of air, which tends to force the parts of
the capsules apart. For instance, German Patent Appli~:ation P 22 3Z 236
desc:ribe~ an attempt to prevent compre~sing air within the capsule. ~ -
ThiR obviously adver~ely affects the tightnes,~ of such cap~ules. In
the capsule~, according to the invention, no air can be compre~ed
~rhich would promote a separation of the parts of the cap~u~e becau~e
. .
# 1139 P~2 CA _3_
- - . , . , . . :
SS47
when the parts of the capsule are fitted together the air can e~cape
between the toothlike projection~ until thP very end of the as~embling
operation, when airtightne~s is achieved.
In a preferred embodiment, the toothlike projection~ are
provided only on the inside surface of the cap of the capsule. In thi~
case only the dipping pins used to make the cap~ule caps mu~t be
provided with corre~ponding toothlike rece~ses and the cap parts can
easily be stripped from the dipping pins. If the cap3ule bodie~ were
also provided on the out~ide ~vith corre~ponding, outwardly directea,
toothlike projections, the dipping pins for the capsule bodies would
have to be provided ~1vith corresponding, outwardly directed toothlike
projections, Whereas thi~ design is also within the ~cope of the
invention, it i8 more difficult in this case to make the dipping pins and
to 3trip the capsule bodie~ proided with such teeth from the dipping
,
.
pins.
As stated above, many of the previously known capsule cap~
were provide~with an inwardly facing, annular convex p~ojection for
interengaging with the capsule body. Manufacturers po~sess large `
quantities of properly shaped dipping pins iEor use in the manufacture
of such capsule cap~ having concave reces3es. These dipping pins can
be u~ed to make the capsules according to the pre~ent invention if
toothlike reces~es are formed in the concave, recesses of the dipping
pins for the cap part~. According to a further feature of the invention,
the toothlike projections of the capsule caps are provided on the
z5 in ide of a oontinuous peripheral convex projection. ~ -
7~ 1139 P/2 CA 4_
S59~7
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
An embodiment o~ the invention will now be described more
~ully with reference to the drawings.
Fig. 1 shows a capsule ~itted together.
Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line
A-A in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged ~iew showing the toothllke pro~ec-
tions as seen from the inside Or the capsule cap.
Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views taken o~
lines B-B and C-C in Fig. 3.
Fig. 6 shows a modi~ication of the capsule ~ap, partly
broken away.
Fig. 1 shows a capsule 1, which c~mprises a capsule body ~:
2 and a capsule cap 3. At their open ends, the capsule cap
and the capsule body 2 terminate in rims 8 and 73 respectivelyO
The ¢losed ends Or the two parts are designated 9 and 11~ res~
pectively, and are spherically shaped. Other end shapes may also .
be used. The capsule cap has an inside sur~ace 5 and the capsule
body has an_outside sur~ace 6.
AdJacent to the body portion Bl which is overlapped by
the capsule cap ~, the latter has an annular portion ~2, which
is ~ormed with inwardly directed, toothlike proJecSions 10, the
longitudinal axes o~ which are substantially parallel to the
center line o~ the capsule cap 3.
When the capsule body 2 is ~ibted into the capsule cap 3,
the ~lm 7 Or the pla1n capsule body 2 slides past thc f~ P ~2.~h~ ~ ~
..
1139 P/2 CA _5_ . . .
.. . .. . .
~45~
capsule body 2 can be pushed into the capsule cap 3 until the rim 7
engages the inside ~urface of the closed end 9 of the capsule cap 3.
It is apparent that thi~ re ult~ in an airtight peripheral seal
at lZ between the rim 7 of the cap6ule body 2 and the in~ide surface 5
of the capsule cap 3. Because the capsule according to the invention
has no annular concave rece~sea or convex projection~ which mu3t
interengage to seal the capsule, the length tolerance~ which are
inevitable in the manufacture of any such capsule will not be significant.
The airtight seal 12 bétween the capsule body 2 and the capsule cap 3
0 i9 relatively independent of the distsnce between the annular portion B2
of the capsule cap 3 and the rim 7 of the capsule body.
A reliable joint between the cap3ule cap 3 and the capsule
body 2 is provided in that the toothlike projections lO on the inside
surface of the cap ule cap 3 engage the outside surface 6 of the capsule
body in the portion Bl. It has been found that the engaging force~ are
~ufficiently strong to prevent an opening of the cap~ule 1 when the same
i~ packaged and when the packaged cap3ules are handled. Fig. 2 show~
the toothlike projection~ lO on the irlside surface 5 of the capsule cap 3.
These projections are distributed around the periphery of the inside
Z0 surface S of the capsule cap 3 and engage the outside ~urface 6 of the
cap~ule body 2 80 that the surface 6 is ~lightly deformed, as is 3hown
in Fig. 2.
From Fig. 3, two oblique side ~all~ 13, 14 are apparent,
~vhich are connected by an intermediate portion 15. Alternatively, the
,
# 1139 P/2 CA -6-
,
- : ~,
-
~0~5547
side faces 13 and 14 could directly intersect 80 that there i~ no
portion 15. The angle ~7 between the lateral ~ide walls 13 and 14
should be at lea~t about 120 and preferably at lea~t 150.
Particularly desirable re~ults will be obtained if the angle
of elevation oC, a~ i9 shown in Fig. 5, i8 not in exce88 of about 4û~
preferably not in exces6 of 20.
The ~elected angles are ~o large (~5 ) or 80 ~mall (ot:~ )
becau~e the slope of the teeth should be as gentle as possible ~o that
.
the cap~ule caps can easily be stripped from the dipping pins.
Be~ide~, the u~e of ~uch gently-~loped teeth eliminate~ the f~rmation ~ ;
of air bubble~ between the dipping pin and the cap~ule cap during the
dipping operation. The air disposed between the gently-~loped teeth
can easily escape during the dipping operation,
For the ~ame reason, ~pace~ 16 are preferably provided
between peripherally adjacent toothlike projection~ l~ 5D that there
will be no sharp polnts between adjacent teeth. Sharp point~ render
stripping of tt~è capsule part~ from the dipping pin~ and the escape of
air more difficult. Be~ide~, when the cap~ule parts are fitted together
the wall material of said part~ can ea~ily deform an arch adjacent
to the Ypaces 16 ~o that the~e portions contribute to a firm engagement
of the toothlike proiections and the latter ensure a reliable retention
in spite of their flat ~hape.
# 1139 P/2 CA _7_
'
~5S~7
The toothlike projections 10 are pre~erably provlded in
a number that can be divided by eight and at lea~t by four. The
fewer teeth are used, the larger may be the width o~ sald teeth
in the peripheral direction. Fewer teeth ~Yill also reduce the
~ormation o~ air bubbles and will facilitS~te the penetration
o~ the liquid gelatin between the teeth o~ the dipping pins. The
use o~ teeth in a number which can be divLded by four or ei~ht :~
teeth is desirable because the teeth can be rormed on the dipping
pins ~ixed on pin bars in this case by special tools which can
laterally engage the dippin~ pins rrom opposite sides in two
successive steps the positlons Or which are o~fset 90.
Instead o~ providing the toothlike proJections 10
throughout the periphery Or the inside surrace 5 o~ the capsule
cap ~, only part o~ the perlphery could be pro~ided with tooth- .
like pro~ections 10.
It is appare~t rrom the above that the ln~entlon permi~s
the manuracture of a telesoopio capsule which has a rellable
~oink. It is also apparent that an airtight seal between the
capsule body and the capsule cap can be provided even ir the
dimensional stability Or the indivldual capsule parts does not
meet particularly close tolerances. This is an extraordinary
advantage Or this capsule because its manufacture is much simpli-
~ied and many less reJects must be discarded than in the pre~lous
practice. The Joint between the capsu}e body and the capsule cap
~s due to the engagement Or ~he tooth~like proJections rather than
to an lnterengagement o~ annular conca~e recesses and convex ~ -
pro~ectlons. For th~s reason the capsule body can always be
pushed lnto the capsule cap to such an extent that an
# 1139 P/2 CA -8-
~4559~7 :
airtight seal i8 established between the rim of ~the capsule body and the
inside surface of the cap. The toothlike projections hold the inter-
fitting capsule parta against being pulled apart in the longitudinal
direction and against relative rotation.
Within the scope of the invention the expression "toothlike
projection3" not only includes projections which are more or leY3
pointed or cornered like teeth but include~ alao projection~ which are
rounded projection~ of any ~hape whatever.
Fig. 6 shows a continuous peripheral inwardly ~acing
convex pro~ection 17. The toothlike pro~ectlons lO are provided
on the lnside of this conYex pro~ection 17.
.
~ ' ' .
- # 1139 P/2 CA _g
: ' ' ~ " '
, . ... ~ . . ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................. .
