Multilayer Tablet Compression with Excess Powder Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for manufacturing multilayer tablets with different surface areas or shapes face issues such as ingredient mixing, punch breakage, and irregular layer formation, which are not addressed by prior art processes.

Innovation Solution

A single compression process using a mould with recesses and a scraper to form layers of varying surface areas, followed by removal of excess material, ensuring homogeneous distribution and preventing punch breakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If layers with different surface areas are compressed without removing excess material, then the mould and upper punch are protected from breakage, but color seepage occurs into adjacent layers creating unattractive appearance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemould and punch durabilityVSAvoidcolor seepage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the excess particulate material from the compression chamber after filling the mould with material for layers of different surface areas. This extraction prevents the excess material from causing color seepage into adjacent layers while maintaining sufficient material for proper compression and layer formation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary removal of excess material before the compression step. By scraping off the excess particulate material after filling but before compression, the system prepares the compression chamber to avoid color seepage during the subsequent compression operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-generated harmful factors

If minimal amount of material is used to prevent color seepage, then ingredient mixing is avoided, but mould and upper punch breakage occurs causing machine stoppage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveingredient mixingVSAvoidmould and punch durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary filling of the mould with sufficient material to ensure proper compression, then removes the excess material that would cause color seepage. This preliminary action sequence ensures both adequate material for compression and prevention of color mixing between layers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different material quantities to different regions of the compression chamber based on the specific requirements of each layer. By filling the mould with material appropriate for the layer being created and removing excess, the system achieves local optimization of material distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Object-generated harmful factors

If repeated separate compression stages are used for multilayer tablets, then ingredient separation is maintained, but manufacturing complexity and production time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveingredient separationVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple compression operations into a single compression stage. By filling the mould with material for multiple layers and removing excess material before a single compression operation, the system achieves ingredient separation while reducing manufacturing steps and improving production efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary preparation of multiple layers within the mould before the single compression operation. By filling and preparing all layers in advance and removing excess material, the system enables a single compression operation to create multiple separated layers, reducing overall manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Enables the production of multilayer tablets with distinct surface areas and shapes, maintaining ingredient separation and achieving a uniform, attractive appearance without machine stoppages.

Implementation Method 1

removing the excess particulate material by scraping with a suitable device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical scraping:

Implementation Method 2

compressing and ejecting the tablet

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentEP4157200B1Process for manufacturing a compressed product
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 PERFETTI VAN MELLE SPA
  • EP4157200B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4157200B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP4157200B1 patent drawingFigure 7~8

AI summary

A process is disclosed for the manufacture of a compressed product consisting of a multilayer tablet formed in a single compression operation.