US 11,944,707 B2
Dual release dosage form capsule and methods, devices and systems for making same
John Puckett, Custer, WA (US)
Assigned to Gel Cap Technologies, LLC, Ferndale, WA (US)
Filed by Gel Cap Technologies, LLC, Ferndale, WA (US)
Filed on Jun. 21, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/448,074.
Application 16/448,074 is a division of application No. 16/031,821, filed on Jul. 10, 2018, granted, now 10,376,471.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/530,658, filed on Jul. 10, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2019/0307699 A1, Oct. 10, 2019
Int. Cl. A61K 9/48 (2006.01); A61J 3/07 (2006.01); A61K 31/00 (2006.01); A61K 45/06 (2006.01)
CPC A61K 9/4808 (2013.01) [A61J 3/07 (2013.01); A61J 3/074 (2013.01); A61J 3/077 (2013.01); A61K 9/4833 (2013.01); A61K 9/4858 (2013.01); A61K 9/4891 (2013.01); A61K 31/00 (2013.01); A61K 45/06 (2013.01); A61K 9/4816 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A capsule forming machine comprising:
a first capsule body filling device comprising:
a rotating plate defining a plurality of voids for receiving a first shell body of a capsule, wherein the plurality of voids define a plurality of stations located adjacent to a perimeter of the rotating plate;
a first dispenser configured to position the first shell body of the capsule in each of the plurality of voids at a first of the plurality of stations;
a second dispenser configured to insert a fill material into the shell body in each of the plurality of voids at a second of the plurality of stations;
a third dispenser configured to position (i) a cap, (ii) a band comprising a cap, (iii) a first band portion comprising a cap, or (iv) a second band portion comprising a cap onto the shell body in each of the plurality of voids at a third of the plurality of stations;
a sealing device configured to seal the cap or band comprising a cap to a respective shell body to form a sealed capsule member with the filling material therein; and
a capsule forming device comprising:
superimposed upper and lower plates that are each rotatable about an axis of rotation, the axis of rotation extending through the center of each plate and being co-axially aligned with one another; wherein each of the upper and lower plates define a plurality of voids for receiving a shell body or a capsule member of a capsule that are positioned to define a plurality of stations located adjacent to a perimeter of the respective upper plate and lower plate;
wherein the lower plate comprises a first lower plate dispenser configured to position a sealed capsule member formed by the first capsule filling device in each of the plurality of voids a first of the plurality of lower stations;
wherein the upper plate comprises a first upper plate dispenser configured to position a sealed capsule member formed by the first capsule filling device in each of the plurality of voids at a first of a plurality of upper stations;
an actuator operatively connected to either of the upper or lower plates, wherein the actuator lifts and lowers the upper plate or the lower plate relative to the other plate and/or pivots the upper plate or the lower plate relative to the other plate transverse to the rotational axis to move a capsule assembly station of the plurality of stations thereof toward to the other plate and then away from the other plate at predetermined times, wherein the capsule assembly station is configured to mate the sealed capsule member in the upper plate and the sealed capsule member in the lower plate together to form a capsule having filling material in each sealed capsule member; and
a sealing device operatively positioned at either the capsule assembly station or a station subsequent to the capsule assembly station, wherein the sealing device comprises a heater configured to form a heat seal.