GB1478759A — Process for forming outlet passageways in pills using a laser

USPTO Abstract

1478759 Forming outlet passageways in pills ALZA CORP 30 Oct 1975 [18 Nov 1974] 45037/75 Heading B2E Outlet passageways 13 4-2000 Á in diameter are formed in pills 10 by charging the pills to hopper 33 from which they drop by gravity into slots 32 of rotating feed wheel 28. Wheel 28 carries the pills along a circular path at a velocity predetermined by motor 25 to passageway forming station 37. Optical tracking mechanism 17 sweeps repeatedly 1‹ of the arc of the circular path along which the pills are moved and tracking is accomplished by rotational oscillation of mount 57 and tracking mirror 55. Tracking mechanism 17 and wheel 28 are synchronised in velocity because both are driven by motor 25. During tracking a magnetic sensor triggers firing of laser 16. Laser beam 16 is directed on to the moving pills. The energy of beam 47 is absorbed by wall 12 thus forming passageway 13. Core 13 may comprise an active agent e.g. a drug and comprises an osmotically effective solute, e.g. an organic salt or a sugar. Wall 12 may be of cellulose acetate, plasticised cellulose triacetate, agar acetate, amylose triacetate, #-glucan triacetate, acetaldehyde trimethylacetate, cellulose acetate ethyl carbonate, cellulose acetate phthalate, cellulose acetate succinate, cellulose acetate dimethylaminoacetate, cellulose acetate ethyl carbonate, cellulose acetate, chloroacetate, cellulose acetate ethyl oxalate, cellulose acetate methyl sulphonate, cellulose ethers, poly(vinyl methyl) ether copolymers, cellulose acetate octoate, methyl cellulose, polyurethanes, hydrolysed polyvinylacetate and hydroxylated ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.