1 2
or phosphorus pentoxide, an alcohol, a ketone, or an METHOD OF TREATING A WATER SOLUBLE acetone, for example.
CAPSULE An object of this invention is to harden a portion of a
water soluble capsule so that the hardened portion may This is a continuation of prior application Ser. No. 5 be inserted in a body orifice while leaving another por972,027 filed Dec. 12,1978 (now abandoned) which was tion thereof soft to enable deformation of the soft pora continuation of prior application Ser. No. 857,463, tion by an external pressure.
filed Dec. 5,1977 (now abandoned) which was a contin- Another object of this invention is to harden a poruation of prior application Ser. No. 627,027, filed Oct. tion of a water soluble capsule with a material that not 30, 1975 (now abandoned). 10 only hardens the portion of the capsule but also func
In the copending patent application of George S. tions as a lubricant when the hardened portion is inSperti et al for "Method For Treating Gelatin Capsules serted in a body orifice.
And Product Resulting Therefrom," Ser. No. 511,947, A further object of this invention is to harden a porfiled Oct. 4, 1974, refiled as now allowed continuation tion of a water soluble capsule with a material that not patent application Ser. No. 876,711 and assigned to the 15 only hardens the portion of the capsule but also funcsame assignee as the assignee of this application, there is tions as a lubricant and may contain an anesthetic when shown and described a method of hardening the elon- the hardened portion is inserted in a body orifice, gated portion of a gelatin capsule for supplying medi- Sti11 another obJef °f thls invention is to provide a cine to a selected area of the body through a body ori- water so?ublet capsule having a lubricant on a portion fice. The invention in the aforesaid Sperti et al applica- 20 lnsf"te^m a body orlflce; ,_. . tion uses a hard gelatin, for example, as the hardening A further object of this invention is to provide a asent or = water soluble capsule having a lubricant with an anes
r_,' .. ... . . ... , thetic on a portion inserted in a body orifice.
The present invention is an improvement of the afore- „lt , r , , , ,' .
•j e * i 1- ■ ^ 4. 4.- 4. • i • Other objects, uses, and advantages of this invention
said Sperti et al application in that a coating material is -V ',. ... 6 ...... ,.,
i * j r t. J ■ 4.1. i * J 4,1. * 4.u 25 are apparent upon reading this specification, which
selected for hardening the elongated portion so that the VK ... * c . °, . „ .
, r 4- i u • 4. c 4i. proceeds with reference to the drawing forming part
coating also can function as a lubricant. Furthermore, f, , , , ° ° r
4i. i if • 4 • 41. 4- T J J i. thereof and wherein:
the lubricant can contain an anesthetic, if needed such plG j {& a ... ... vi tly in secti of
as when dispensing a material for treating hemorrhoids, a watgr ... ... haymg R coa£ng of a polymer of
or examp e. 30 a „jycoj remaining thereon after hardening.
Whenever the polymer of a glycol is left on the elon- FIQ 2 is a side elevational view> tly in sectioil)
gated portion of the capsule until the capsulejs used showj the application of a polymer of a glycol to the
rather than being removed after hardening of the elon- elongated portion of the capsule t0 harden the elon.
gated portion, it is necessary to prevent the polymer of gated portion
a glycol from flowing to the bulb portion so that the 35 FIG 3 is a side eievationai view, partly in section, of
bulb portion does not become hard. This can be accom- a water soluble capsule after hardening with a coating
plished through selecting the viscosity of the polymer on jts soft portion.
of a glycol so that it does not flow at room temperature, FIG 4 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, show
for example. This also could be prevented by forming a mg the capsuie of FIG. 1 disposed within a package,
mechanical barrier between the bulb portion and the 40 FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing another method of
elongated portion of the capsule. The bulb portion also hardening a portion of the entire length of the capsule,
could be coated with a moisture barrier material such as Fig. 6 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of
paraffin, for example, to prevent the polymer of a glycol a water soiuble capsule after hardening with a coating
from flowing to the bulb portion when the polymer of on the hardened portion.
a glycol remains as a coating on the elongated portion. 45 Referring to the drawing and particularly FIG. 1,
Instead of hardening the entire elongated portion of there is shown a capsule 10, which is formed of a suit
the capsule, it should be understood that only a suffi- able water soluble material such as gelatin, for example,
cient portion of the periphery of the elongated portion The capsule 10 is of uniform thickness and hardness
along its entire length needs to be hardened as long as it throughout prior to being treated by the method of the
provides the desired rigidity to the elongated portion. 50 present invention.
Thus, for example, the polymer of a glycol could be The capsule 10 includes an elongated portion 11 and
applied to only one half of the periphery of the entire a bulb portion 12 integral therewith. The end of the
length of the elongated portion. Similarly, the bulb elongated portion 11 remote from the bulb portion 12
portion need only remain sufficiently soft or flexible to has opening means such as an aperture 14, for example,
enable deformation thereof by an external pressure so 55 to enable the material, which is disposed within the
that only a portion thereof need remain soft. Thus, one capsule 10, to be dispensed therefrom when an external
embodiment of the present invention contemplates ap- pressure is applied to the bulb portion 12 of the capsule
plying a polymer of a glycol to one half of the periphery 10. The quantity of material within the capsule 10 is
of the entire length of the capsule of half harden the selected to be the desired dose of medicine, for example,
capsule. 60 necessary to be applied to an area of the body by supply
While a polymer of a glycol is preferred because of its through a body orifice,
capability of being utilized as a lubricant, it should be The capsule 10 does not have sufficient rigidity for
understood that any hardening agent capable of with- insertion through a body orifice. Thus, the elongated
drawing water and/or glycerin from the elongated portion 11 must be hardened so that it will be suffi
portion of the capsule so as to cause the elongated por- 65 ciently rigid for insertion through a body orifice,
tion to have sufficient rigidity for insertion within the Accordingly, a suitably hardening agent such as a
body orifice can be employed. Thus, the hardening polymer of a glycol, which is preferably polyethylene
agent can be an inorganic drying agent such as silica gel glycol, is applied to the elongated portion 11 of the
