Patent ID: 6018935
Filing Date: 2000-02-01
Classification: A61J,Y10S

Abstract:
An apparatus tor enrobing tablets in a gelatin layer, said apparatus comprising:a pair of cylindrical, rotary die assemblies, each die assembly including a substantially cylindrical, rotatable die support and a series of separable die blocks mounted on said die support for rotation about a central axis of the die support, each block having at least one recess formed in a top surface thereof and each recess of one die assembly being cooperable with a similar recess in the other die assembly to form a cavity at a nip formed by said die assemblies, each cavity being dimensioned to receive loosely therein one of the tablets;a drive system for rotating both die assemblies around their respective central axes so that the two series move in synchronism with each other;feed means for delivering a gelatin strip of selected thickness and composition respectively to each of said die assemblies, whereby during use of the apparatus, each gelatin strip is pulled by a respective one of said die assemblies into said nip and is laid on a section of the series of die blocks of the respective die assembly; anda timed tablet dispensing mechanism for dispensing individual whole tablets onto one of said gelatin strips at a feeding location that is upstream of said nip and horizontally spaced away from said nip,wherein each dispensed tablet moves with said one gelatin strip into said nip and portions of both gelatin strips are stretched about the dispensed tablet in a respective one of the cavities so that the tablet is enrobed by said portions of both strips.