Hard capsule including multiple locking parts

Abstract

To provide a hard capsule whose upper part includes multiple locking parts, thereby allowing the manufacture of hard capsules with various specifications.SOLUTION: A hard capsule comprises a hard capsule upper part 200 and a hard capsule lower part 300. The hard capsule upper part 200 includes a first upper locking part 211 and a second upper locking part 212.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a hard capsule that enables the production of hard capsules of various specifications by including a plurality of connecting parts at the upper part of the hard capsule.

Background Art

[0002] People take drugs, health functional foods, etc. for the treatment of diseases, improvement of health, etc. As the dosage form of the drugs or health functional foods to be taken, the tablet form is the most common. Tablets are roughly divided into tablets and capsules, and capsules are divided into soft capsules and hard capsules.

[0003] A tablet is a form in which a solidified drug is coated so as to be dissolved and absorbed in the body. Soft capsules are generally manufactured using gelatin, and are manufactured by a method in which an active ingredient and additives are placed between two sheets made of a gelatin component and pressure is applied to the sheets for molding. Therefore, soft capsules are formed in an integral type without separation or cracks. Hard capsules have an outer skin whose upper and lower parts are joined, and are manufactured by a method in which an active ingredient and additives are placed inside. Generally, the production of hard capsules is easier and less costly than the production of soft capsules.

[0004] As methods for manufacturing hard capsules, there are a cooling gelation method and a thermal gelation method depending on gel characteristics. The thermal gelation method utilizes the fact that HPMC (hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose) gels at high temperatures. Specifically, it is a method that utilizes the fact that a hard capsule composition at normal temperature or higher is immersed in a high-temperature mold pin and the hard capsule composition gels and adheres to the heated mold pin. The cooling gelation method is a method that uses a gelling agent, and is a method in which a mold pin is immersed in a hard capsule composition at normal temperature or higher containing the gelling agent and then dried. Both the thermal gelation method and the cooling gelation method involve separating the upper and lower parts of the hard capsule from the mold pin after drying the immersed mold pin and then assembling them. The upper and lower parts of the manufactured hard capsule are separated by a filling machine, an active ingredient or the like is put inside, and the upper and lower parts of the hard capsule are joined to finally manufacture a product such as a medicine or a health functional food.

[0005] On the other hand, the sizes of hard capsules are standardized, and hard capsules of appropriate specifications are selected according to the amount, characteristics, etc. of the active ingredient or the like that must be put inside the hard capsule. However, only hard capsules of a specific specification can be manufactured by joining the upper and lower parts of hard capsules of a specific size, and hard capsules of various specifications cannot be manufactured. Therefore, there is a problem that in order to manufacture hard capsules of various specifications, it is necessary to have or manufacture hard capsules of various specifications.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] The present invention is for solving the above-mentioned problems, and can manufacture hard capsules of various specifications by joining the upper and lower parts of a hard capsule including a plurality of connecting parts.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, a plurality of connecting parts can be configured to manufacture hard capsules of various specifications.

Effects of the Invention

[0009] The upper and lower parts of the hard capsule according to the present invention can be joined to manufacture hard capsules of various specifications.

[0010] Where hard capsules of various specifications can be manufactured with the hard capsule according to the present invention, the production speed can be increased and the manufacturing process can be simplified.

[0011] Where hard capsules of various specifications can be manufactured with the hard capsule according to the present invention, inventory management can be made easier by manufacturing only the hard capsules through the present invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] The present invention can be fully achieved by the following description. The following description should be understood by describing specific examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. Also, it should be understood that the attached drawings are for the purpose of assisting understanding, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0014] The embodiments of the present disclosure can be modified in various ways and implemented in various forms. Therefore, it should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the scope where the identity of the idea and technical features of the present disclosure is recognized.

[0015] The specifications of the hard capsules are as shown in Table 1 below. Table 1 shows the lengths (Length) of the upper part (Cap) and the lower part (Body) of the hard capsule, the length (Length) in the temporarily joined state (Open L), the length (Length) in the joined state (Closed L), and the outside diameters (Outside Diameter) of the upper part (Cap) and the lower part (Body) of the hard capsule.

[0016]

Table 1

[0017] The hard capsule 100 is composed of an upper part 200 of the hard capsule and a lower part 300 of the hard capsule, and the diameter of the upper part 200 of the hard capsule is larger than the diameter of the lower part 300 of the hard capsule. Therefore, the lower part 300 of the hard capsule is inserted into the upper part 200 of the hard capsule to form the hard capsule 100. An upper coupling part 210 and a lower coupling part 310 are respectively formed on the upper part 200 and the lower part 300 of the hard capsule. Since the coupling parts 210 and 310 are concave, when the upper part 200 and the lower part 300 of the hard capsule are joined, they are prevented from separating.

[0018] The present disclosure will be described in more detail through the following examples. However, the present disclosure is not limited by such examples.

[0019] <Example 1> Two coupling parts were formed on the upper part 200 of the hard capsule, and a mold pin capable of manufacturing capsules of Size #00EL and Size #00 was produced. Then, the upper and lower parts of the transparent hard capsule were manufactured by the capsule manufacturing process (SUHEUNG's EMBO CAPS (registered trademark) VG PRO).

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, a first upper coupling part 211 and a second upper coupling part 212 are formed on the upper part 200 of the hard capsule of Example 1. A lower coupling part 310 is formed on the lower part 300 of the hard capsule of Example 1. The temporarily coupled state of the hard capsule of Example 1 is shown in FIG. 3.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 4, the state in which the first upper coupling part 211 of the upper part 200 of the hard capsule of Example 1 abuts on the lower coupling part 310 of the lower part 300 of the hard capsule is the first coupling state. The first coupling state corresponds to the size of Size #00.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 5, the state in which the second upper coupling part 212 of the upper part 200 of the hard capsule of Example 1 abuts on the lower coupling part 310 of the lower part 300 of the hard capsule is the second coupling state. The second coupling state corresponds to the size of Size #00EL.

[0023] <Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2> Hard capsules corresponding to only one size were manufactured by the capsule manufacturing process (SUHEUNG's EMBO CAPS VG PRO). Comparative Example 1 is the size corresponding to Size #00EL, and Comparative Example 2 is the size corresponding to Size #00.

[0024] <Filling property comparison experiment between Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2> The fillability of the Size #00EL and Size #00 capsules produced according to Example 1 was compared with that of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 (Size #00EL and Size #00). As a result, it was confirmed that the fillability of the method of Example 1 was the same as that of Comparative Examples 1 and 2.

[0025]

Table 2

Explanation of Signs

[0026] 100: Hard Capsule 200: Upper Part of Hard Capsule 210: Joint of Upper Part of Hard Capsule 211: First Upper Joint of Hard Capsule 212: Second Upper Joint of Hard Capsule 300: Lower Part of Hard Capsule 310: Joint of Lower Part of Hard Capsule

Claims

**Claim 1** A hard capsule composed of an upper part of a hard capsule and a lower part of a hard capsule, wherein the upper part of the hard capsule includes a first upper coupling part and a second upper coupling part. A hard capsule characterized by this. **Claim 2** The lower part of the hard capsule includes a lower coupling part, The hard capsule according to claim 1, characterized in that the first upper coupling part and the lower coupling part are in contact with each other and coupled. **Claim 3** The lower part of the hard capsule includes a lower coupling part, The hard capsule according to claim 1, characterized in that the second upper coupling part and the lower coupling part are in contact with each other and coupled.

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