Overlapping Half-Shell Capsule Aperture for Controlled Mucosal Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing capsule devices for pharmaceutical dosage forms are inefficient to produce and lack mechanical stability, particularly for applications involving mucous membranes, such as the buccal and gastrointestinal tract, and do not effectively facilitate the controlled release of active pharmaceutical ingredients.
Innovation Solution
A capsule device composed of two halve-capsule shells that overlap to form an aperture, providing mechanical stability and efficient production, allowing for the controlled release of pharmaceutical preparations, such as strip-like or string-like forms, through a slit-like aperture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a capsule device is formed by joining two halve-capsule shells with an opening, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the mechanical stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The first halve-capsule shell is inserted into the second halve-capsule shell, creating a nested structure where one component is placed inside another. This nesting approach simplifies the joining process while maintaining structural integrity through the overlapping arrangement of the two halves.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening in the first halve-capsule shell is covered by overlapping the second halve-capsule shell in a different spatial dimension, forming an aperture. This dimensional approach allows the capsule to be manufactured from separate halves that are easily assembled while creating a stable three-dimensional structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If the capsule device uses a simple opening structure, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the reliability of controlled release deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule device is divided into two separate halve-capsule shells that are joined together. This segmentation allows for simple manufacturing of individual halves while the assembled structure provides a reliable aperture for controlled release. The aperture is formed by the overlap of the two segments, combining manufacturing simplicity with functional reliability.
3Productivity
If the capsule device is designed with an aperture formed by overlapping shells, then the productivity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The function of forming the aperture is merged into the joining process of the two halve-capsule shells. Instead of creating a separate aperture component, the aperture is formed by the overlap of the two shells when they are joined together. This merging reduces the number of separate parts and manufacturing steps, improving productivity while keeping the device structure relatively simple.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2a~2e
Figure 3a~3e
AI summary
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical dosage form for application to a mucous membrane, in particular to a buccal, intestinal, rectal or vaginal mucous membrane, comprising at least one string-like or strip-like preparation comprising the active pharmaceutical ingredient, the dosage from consisting a first and a second halve-capsule shell, which jointly define the size of an aperture for releasing the preparation. The invention also relates to a method of producing the pharmaceutical dosage form.