Coated Tablets with Debossed Patterns for Rapid Disintegration
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need in the pharmaceutical industry for over-the-counter coated dosage forms that simulate the appearance of capsules, providing easy identification of the medication type and active ingredients, while also achieving faster onset of disintegration and dissolution compared to commercially available products.
Innovation Solution
A dosage form comprising a core with debossed patterns having a wall angle of 25 degrees or less and a coating with intentionally heterogeneous regions, allowing for enhanced water penetration and disintegration, achieved through conventional tablet compression and coating techniques without additional processing steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a uniform coating is applied over the entire tablet surface to maintain appearance and swallowability, then the coating provides smooth glossy surface and elegant appearance, but the disintegration and dissolution are delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating heterogeneous coating regions with different thicknesses on different parts of the tablet surface. Specifically, certain areas have thinner coating that allows faster water penetration and disintegration, while other areas maintain thicker coating for appearance and swallowability. This is achieved through controlled coating application methods that create intentional thickness variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating is segmented into regions of different thickness rather than being uniform. The tablet surface is divided into areas with thin coating (for rapid disintegration) and areas with thick coating (for appearance and swallowability), creating a functionally segmented coating structure that simultaneously achieves conflicting goals.
2Loss of time
If additional processing steps are added to create heterogeneous coating regions, then water penetration and disintegration are enhanced, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heterogeneous coating structure is created during the primary coating process itself, rather than requiring subsequent post-processing steps. The coating application is designed in advance to produce thickness variations that will later enable rapid disintegration, eliminating the need for additional processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating process self-generates the heterogeneous structure needed for rapid disintegration through controlled application parameters. The system uses its own coating mechanism to create the functional variation, rather than requiring a separate process to modify the coating afterward.
3Shape
If the coating thickness is uniformly increased to improve appearance and protect the tablet, then the glossy elegant appearance is enhanced, but the onset of disintegration is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the tablet coating have different thicknesses optimized for different functions. Some regions have sufficient thickness for appearance and protection, while other regions have reduced thickness to enable rapid water penetration and disintegration initiation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The described dosage form achieves faster disintegration and dissolution, while maintaining swallowability and appearance, by creating visually identifiable areas with decreased coating thickness, which initiates tablet disintegration more rapidly than conventional tablets.
Implementation Method 1
The debossed pattern preferably contains a depth of more than about 0.20 mm... allowing for enhanced water penetration and disintegration
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2D(ii)
Figure 3A~3D(ii)
AI summary
Coated dosage forms comprising a tablet core, preferably in compressed form, that has a coating over its exterior surface and one or more patterns debossed in the tablet surface are disclosed. Methods for manufacturing such dosage forms are also disclosed.