JP4440818B2 - Seamless capsule forming nozzle and seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a seamless capsule forming nozzle and a seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus.

  The content liquid and the coating liquid are discharged from multiple nozzles such as a double nozzle and a triple nozzle to form a multi-layer droplet consisting of an inner layer of the content liquid and an outer layer of the coating liquid, and the outer layer of the multi-layer droplet is brought into contact with the curable liquid. A method and a manufacturing apparatus for obtaining a seamless capsule (seamless capsule) in which a content liquid is coated with a coating film by forming a coating film by curing is known.

  As the seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus, for example, an extrusion container for extruding the coating liquid, an extrusion pipe whose tip faces the extrusion side from the inside of the extrusion container and extrudes the content liquid, and a large diameter provided on the extrusion side of the extrusion container There is known an apparatus including a composite nozzle in which a small-diameter nozzle provided at the tip of an extrusion pipe is inserted substantially concentrically through a predetermined gap (Patent Document 1). In the composite nozzle, the small diameter nozzle is concentrically arranged in the large diameter nozzle so that a uniform film is formed, that is, the gap between the large diameter nozzle and the small diameter nozzle is kept constant. Is required. Particularly recently, in order to improve the solubility of seamless capsules, the coating tends to be thinner, and it is necessary to accurately arrange the small diameter nozzles in the large diameter nozzles.

  However, in this apparatus, since the large diameter nozzle is provided on the extrusion side of the extrusion container and the small diameter nozzle is provided at the tip of the extrusion pipe, the accuracy of the gap between the large diameter nozzle and the small diameter nozzle is It depends on the installation accuracy of the extrusion pipe. Therefore, in order to arrange the small diameter nozzle concentrically in the large diameter nozzle, it is necessary to install the extrusion container and the extrusion pipe in the apparatus with high accuracy. When installed, the small diameter nozzle cannot be concentrically arranged in the large diameter nozzle.

Further, in order to finely adjust the gap between the large diameter nozzle and the small diameter nozzle, it is necessary to finely adjust the installation positions of the extrusion container and the extrusion pipe. For this reason, it is difficult to finely adjust the gap between the large diameter nozzle and the small diameter nozzle. Furthermore, since the extrusion pipe also vibrates due to the vibration when extruding the coating liquid and the content liquid, it is difficult to keep the gap between the large diameter nozzle and the small diameter nozzle constant during the extrusion.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-73629

  Therefore, the object of the present invention is that the outer nozzle and the inner nozzle can be arranged substantially concentrically regardless of the accuracy of the device to be attached, and the gap between the outer nozzle and the inner nozzle can be made substantially constant even when liquid is discharged. It is an object of the present invention to provide a seamless capsule forming nozzle that can be maintained, and a seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus that can stably manufacture a seamless capsule having a thin and substantially uniform film.

The seamless capsule forming nozzle of the present invention is a multiple nozzle having an outer nozzle, an inner nozzle, an outer nozzle base to which the outer nozzle is attached, and an inner nozzle base to which the inner nozzle is attached. A large-diameter portion is formed in the portion, the large-diameter portion has the same outer diameter as the inner diameter of the corresponding outer nozzle, and the large-diameter portion has a liquid flowing through the gap between the outer nozzle and the inner nozzle. A flow path is formed, and the inner nozzle base has a fitting recess that fits with a terminal portion of the inner nozzle, and the inner diameter of the fitting recess is larger than the outer diameter of the terminal portion of the inner nozzle . It is characterized by that.

  The seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus of the present invention includes a seamless capsule forming nozzle of the present invention, a content liquid supply means for supplying a content liquid into an inner nozzle of the seamless capsule forming nozzle, an outer nozzle and an inner side of the seamless capsule forming nozzle. A coating liquid supply means for supplying the coating liquid to the gap between the nozzle and a curing means for curing the outer layer of the multi-layer liquid droplets formed from the inner layer of the content liquid and the outer layer of the coating liquid discharged from the nozzle for seamless capsule formation. It is characterized by having.

In the seamless capsule forming nozzle of the present invention, the outer nozzle and the inner nozzle can be arranged substantially concentrically regardless of the accuracy of the device to which the nozzle is attached, and the gap between the outer nozzle and the inner nozzle is substantially reduced even when liquid is discharged. Can be kept constant.
According to the seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, a seamless capsule having a thin and substantially uniform film can be stably manufactured.

<Nozzle for seamless capsule formation>
FIG. 1 is a view showing an example of a seamless capsule forming nozzle of the present invention. The seamless capsule forming nozzle 1 is a multiple nozzle having an outer nozzle 10, an inner nozzle 20, an outer nozzle base 30 to which the outer nozzle 10 is attached, and an inner nozzle base 40 to which the inner nozzle 20 is attached.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the outer nozzle 10 is a substantially cylindrical member, and has a straight pipe portion 11 and a tip having an inner diameter and an outer diameter smaller than the straight pipe portion 11 and having an opening serving as a discharge port 12. Part 13, tapered part 14 whose inner and outer diameters are gradually reduced from straight pipe part 11 toward tip part 13, terminal part 15 in which a screw is threaded on the inner peripheral wall, straight pipe part 11 and terminal part It is roughly constituted by a diameter-enlarged portion 16 formed between the portion 15 and having an inner diameter larger than that of the straight pipe portion 11. A stepped portion 17 is formed at the boundary between the straight pipe portion 11 and the enlarged diameter portion 16 due to the difference between the inner diameters.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the inner nozzle 20 is a substantially cylindrical member, and has a large-diameter portion 21 and an opening that is smaller in outer diameter than the large-diameter portion 21 and serves as a discharge port 22. The distal end portion 23, the tapered portion 24 whose outer diameter gradually decreases from the large diameter portion 21 toward the distal end portion 23, the end portion 25 whose outer diameter is smaller than the large diameter portion 21, and the large diameter portion 21. And a ring-shaped convex portion 26 having an outer diameter larger than that of the large-diameter portion 21.

The large diameter portion 21 has the same outer diameter as the inner diameter of the straight pipe portion 11 of the outer nozzle 10 corresponding thereto. In addition, the large-diameter portion 21 and the ring-shaped convex portion 26 are formed with a plurality of grooves 27 that serve as a flow path for the coating liquid that flows through the gap between the outer nozzle 10 and the inner nozzle 20.
The outer diameter of the tip portion 23 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the tip portion 13 of the outer nozzle 10. The difference between the outer diameter of the distal end portion 23 and the inner diameter of the distal end portion 13 is appropriately determined according to the thickness of the formed seamless capsule film.
The outer diameter of the tapered portion 24 is made smaller than the inner diameter of the tapered portion 14 as a whole so that a flow path is formed between the outer peripheral wall of the tapered portion 24 and the inner peripheral wall of the tapered portion 14 of the outer nozzle 10. Yes.
The ring-shaped convex portion 26 has an outer diameter that is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the enlarged diameter portion 16 of the outer nozzle 10.

As shown in FIG. 5, the outer nozzle base 30 includes a cylindrical large-diameter portion 31, a small-diameter portion 32 provided coaxially with the large-diameter portion 31, and a tip portion in which a screw is threaded on the outer peripheral wall. 33.
The outer nozzle base 30 is formed with a through hole 34 that penetrates the large diameter part 31, the small diameter part 32, and the tip part 33.
The large-diameter portion 31 includes a plurality of coating liquid supply holes 35 extending from the outer peripheral wall of the large-diameter portion 31 toward the through-hole 34 and a bolt (not shown) that is integrated with the outer nozzle base 30 and the inner nozzle base 40. The bolt insertion hole 36 is formed.

As shown in FIG. 6, the inner nozzle base 40 includes a cylindrical large-diameter portion 41 and a small-diameter portion 42 provided coaxially with the large-diameter portion 41.
The inner nozzle base 40 is formed with a through hole 43 that penetrates the large diameter portion 41 and the small diameter portion 42.
The large-diameter portion 41 is screwed with a content liquid supply hole 44 that extends from the outer peripheral wall of the large-diameter portion 41 toward the through-hole 43 and a bolt (not shown) that integrates the outer nozzle base 30 and the inner nozzle base 40. A plurality of nut holes 45 are formed.

The length of the small diameter portion 42 is substantially the same as the length of the through hole 34 of the outer nozzle base 30. Moreover, the outer diameter of the small diameter part 42 is made smaller than the through-hole 34 so that the flow path of a coating liquid may be formed.
At the tip of the small diameter portion 42, a fitting recess 46 that fits with the terminal end portion 25 of the inner nozzle 20 is formed. The inner diameter of the fitting recess 46 is larger than the outer diameter of the end portion 25.

In the seamless capsule forming nozzle 1, the outer nozzle base 30 and the inner nozzle base 40 are in a state where the small diameter portion 42 of the inner nozzle base 40 is inserted into the through hole 34 of the outer nozzle base 30 and the terminal O-ring 50. The bolt insertion hole 36 of the outer nozzle base 30 and the bolt passed through the nut hole 45 of the inner nozzle base 40 are integrated.
Further, the inner nozzle 20 is attached to the tip of the inner nozzle base 40 by fitting the terminal portion 25 of the inner nozzle 20 and the fitting recess 46 of the inner nozzle base 40 via the O-ring 51.

  Then, the ring-shaped convex portion 26 of the inner nozzle 20 that enters the enlarged diameter portion 16 of the outer nozzle 10 is sandwiched between the step portion 17 of the outer nozzle 10 and the tip portion 33 of the outer nozzle base 30, so that the outer nozzle 10 and the tip 33 of the outer nozzle base 30 are screwed together to fix the outer nozzle base 30 to the outer nozzle base 30 and simultaneously fix the inner nozzle 20 to the inner nozzle base 40. The

  In the seamless capsule forming nozzle 1 described above, a large-diameter portion 21 is formed in a part of the inner nozzle 20, and the large-diameter portion 21 corresponds to the inner diameter of the straight pipe portion 11 of the outer nozzle 10 corresponding thereto. Since they have the same outer diameter, the outer peripheral wall of the inner nozzle 20 and the inner peripheral wall of the outer nozzle 10 are in contact with each other except for the groove 27. As a result, even if the interval between the outer nozzle 10 and the inner nozzle 20 is reduced, the outer nozzle 10 and the inner nozzle 20 can be arranged substantially concentrically. Further, when the liquid is discharged, the inner nozzle 20 does not move due to vibration or the like, and the gap between the outer nozzle 10 and the inner nozzle 10 can be kept substantially constant. The arrangement accuracy of the outer nozzle 10 and the inner nozzle 20 depends only on the processing accuracy of the outer nozzle 10 and the inner nozzle 20 regardless of the accuracy of each nozzle base and apparatus to which the nozzle is attached.

  In addition, since a groove 27 is formed in the large-diameter portion 21 of the inner nozzle 20 so as to be a flow path for the coating liquid flowing through the gap between the outer nozzle 10 and the inner nozzle 20, the outer-diameter portion 21 of the inner nozzle 20 Even if the diameter and the inner diameter of the straight pipe portion 11 of the outer nozzle 10 are the same, the flow path of the coating liquid is not blocked.

  Further, since the inner diameter of the fitting recess 46 of the inner nozzle base 40 is larger than the outer diameter of the terminal portion 25 of the inner nozzle 20, a slight gap is formed between the terminal portion 25 and the fitting recess 46. Thus, the attachment position of the inner nozzle 20 can be finely adjusted. As a result, the outer nozzle 10 and the inner nozzle 20 can be reliably arranged concentrically even when the processing accuracy of each nozzle base is somewhat poor.

The seamless capsule forming nozzle of the present invention is not limited to the seamless capsule forming nozzle 1 in the illustrated example. For example, a triple nozzle further having nozzles in the inner nozzle may be used. Further, the nozzle base may be omitted, and the outer nozzle and the inner nozzle may be directly fixed to the apparatus.
Further, the outer nozzle 10 and the inner nozzle 20 may be arranged such that the end surfaces on the tip side thereof are on the same plane as in the illustrated example, and the end surface of the inner nozzle 20 is more than the end surface of the outer nozzle 10. You may arrange | position so that it may protrude.

<Seamless capsule manufacturing equipment>
Next, the seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus of the present invention having the seamless capsule forming nozzle of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus of the present invention. The seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus 60 includes the above-described seamless capsule forming nozzle 1, the content liquid tank 62 for storing the content liquid 61, and the content liquid in the content liquid tank 62 in the inner nozzle 20 of the seamless capsule forming nozzle 1. Content liquid piping 63 and content liquid pump 64 (content liquid supply means) for supplying 61, a coating liquid tank 66 for storing the coating liquid 65, and a gap between the outer nozzle 10 and the inner nozzle 20 of the seamless capsule forming nozzle 1 A multilayer composed of an inner layer of the content liquid 61 and an outer layer of the coating liquid 65 discharged from the coating liquid pipe 67 and the coating liquid pump 68 (coating liquid supply means) for supplying the coating liquid 65 to the seamless capsule forming nozzle 1. A substantially S-shaped channel tube 73 (curing means) in which a curable liquid 71 for curing the outer layer of the droplet 70 flows from the curable liquid inflow portion 69 toward the curable liquid outflow portion 72 A curable liquid tank 74 for storing the curable liquid 71, a curable liquid pipe 75 and a curable liquid pump 76 for supplying the curable liquid 71 to the curable liquid inflow portion 69 of the flow path pipe 73, and a curable liquid outflow of the flow path pipe 73. A filter 78 for filtering the seamless capsule 77 flowing down from the section 72 together with the curable liquid 71, a recovery container 79 for receiving the seamless capsule 77 filtered by the filter 78, and a curable liquid recovery for receiving the curable liquid 71 that has passed through the filter 78 A tank 80, a return pipe 81 and a return pump 82 for returning the hardening liquid 71 of the hardening liquid recovery tank 80 to the hardening liquid tank 74, a cooling device 83 for cooling the hardening liquid 71 of the hardening liquid tank 74, and for seamless capsule formation It is a submerged nozzle type seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus having a vibration generator 84 that vibrates the nozzle 1.

  In the seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus 60, the seamless capsule forming nozzle 1 is arranged so that the tip of the seamless capsule forming nozzle 1 is immersed in the curable liquid 71 of the curable liquid inflow portion 69.

  The content liquid 61 includes a main component (active ingredient in the case of a medicine) selected according to the use of a seamless capsule such as food, health food, fragrance, spice, medicine, fragrance, etc .; Or containing various pharmaceutically acceptable additives (for example, solvents such as edible oils, sweeteners, acidulants, fragrances, dyes, thickeners (gelling agents), stabilizers, emulsifiers, etc.) It is. Examples of the form of the content liquid 61 include a transparent solution, a suspension, and an emulsion (cream).

  The coating liquid 65 is a food production or pharmaceutically acceptable film forming agent such as gelatin and agar; softens the film so that the cured film can be easily broken in the oral cavity, and reduces the film strength in the oral cavity. A plasticizer for; a solvent such as water; an additive (for example, sorbitol for increasing the hardness of the film after curing; a thickening polysaccharide, a gelling agent, a protein for improving the stability over time of the film) Decomposition products, etc .; flavorings, sweeteners, acidulants, etc.).

  The curable liquid 71 is a liquid that cools the multilayer droplet 70 and cures the outer layer coating liquid 65 to form a seamless capsule 77. Examples of the curable liquid 71 include edible oils such as medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides (MCT); and curable liquids in which a surfactant such as lecithin is added to the MCT to improve the adhesion preventing property of the multilayer droplet 70.

Hereinafter, the manufacturing method of the seamless capsule using the seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus 60 is demonstrated.
The curable liquid 71 in the curable liquid tank 74 cooled to about 0 ° C. to room temperature by the cooling device 83 is pressure-fed by the curable liquid pump 76 to the curable liquid inflow portion 69 of the flow path pipe 73. The content liquid 61 supplied from the content liquid tank 62 and the film liquid 65 supplied from the film liquid tank 66 are supplied while the curable liquid 71 flows from the curable liquid inflow part 69 of the flow path pipe 73 toward the curable liquid outflow part 72. Then, the liquid is discharged from the seamless capsule forming nozzle 1. The content liquid 61 and the coating liquid 65 discharged from the seamless capsule forming nozzle 1 form multilayer droplets 70 while being separated from the discharge port at the tip of the seamless capsule forming nozzle 1 by vibration from the vibration generator 84, The multilayer droplet 70 flows toward the curable liquid outflow portion 72 together with the curable liquid 71.

  The multilayer droplet 70 is cooled by the curable liquid 71 while it flows toward the curable liquid outflow portion 72 together with the curable liquid 71, and the outer layer coating liquid 65 is cured, thereby forming a seamless capsule 77. The seamless capsule 77 is discharged together with the curable liquid 71 from the curable liquid outflow portion 72 of the flow path pipe 73, recovered by the filter 78, and sent to the recovery container 79. The curable liquid 71 that has passed through the filter 78 is recovered in the curable liquid recovery tank 80 and returned to the curable liquid tank 74.

  In the seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus 60 described above, the nozzle for seamless capsule formation in which the outer nozzle 10 and the inner nozzle 20 are arranged substantially concentrically even if the interval between the outer nozzle 10 and the inner nozzle 20 is narrowed. 1, the coating liquid 65 can be thinly and uniformly discharged. As a result, the seamless capsule 77 having a thin and substantially uniform film can be stably produced.

  The seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus 60 of the illustrated example, and the content liquid is supplied into the seamless capsule forming nozzle of the present invention and the inner nozzle of the seamless capsule forming nozzle. Content liquid supply means, film liquid supply means for supplying the film liquid to the gap between the outer nozzle and the inner nozzle of the seamless capsule forming nozzle, and the inner layer and the film liquid of the content liquid discharged from the seamless capsule forming nozzle Any seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus having curing means for curing the outer layer of the multi-layer droplets composed of the outer layer may be used.

  The seamless capsule forming nozzle and the seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus of the present invention are particularly useful for manufacturing a seamless capsule having a thin film for improving the solubility of the seamless capsule.

It is a sectional side view which shows an example of the nozzle for seamless capsule formation of this invention. It is a sectional side view which shows the outer side nozzle of FIG. It is a top view which shows the inner side nozzle of FIG. It is a sectional side view which shows the inner side nozzle of FIG. It is a sectional side view which shows the outer side nozzle base of FIG. It is a sectional side view which shows the inner side nozzle base of FIG. It is a schematic block diagram which shows an example of the seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Nozzle for seamless capsule formation 10 Outer nozzle 20 Inner nozzle 21 Large diameter part 25 Terminal part 27 Groove (flow path)
30 Outer nozzle base 40 Inner nozzle base 46 Fitting recess 63 Content liquid piping (content liquid supply means)
64 Content liquid pump (content liquid supply means)
67 Film liquid piping (film liquid supply means)
68 Film liquid pump (film liquid supply means)
73 Channel pipe (hardening means)

Claims (2)

A multi-nozzle having an outer nozzle, an inner nozzle, an outer nozzle base to which the outer nozzle is attached, and an inner nozzle base to which the inner nozzle is attached ;
A large-diameter portion is formed in a part of the inner nozzle, the large-diameter portion has the same outer diameter as the inner diameter of the corresponding outer nozzle, and a gap between the outer nozzle and the inner nozzle is formed in the large-diameter portion. the flow path of the liquid flowing through is formed,
The inner nozzle base has a fitting recess that fits with a terminal portion of the inner nozzle,
A seamless capsule forming nozzle characterized in that the inner diameter of the fitting recess is larger than the outer diameter of the terminal end of the inner nozzle. A nozzle for forming a seamless capsule according to claim 1 ;
Content liquid supply means for supplying the content liquid into the inner nozzle of the seamless capsule forming nozzle;
A coating solution supply means for supplying a coating solution to the gap between the outer nozzle and the inner nozzle of the seamless capsule forming nozzle;
A seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus, comprising: a curing unit that cures an outer layer of a multilayer liquid droplet that is discharged from a seamless capsule forming nozzle and includes an inner layer of a content liquid and an outer layer of a coating liquid.

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