United States Patent:   6,113,945

Assignee:  L. Perrigo Company (Allegan, MI)

Filed:  February 26, 1996

The medicament of the present invention and its process of manufacturing employs a caplet or tablet core with a clear or single color uniform covering which can be applied either through an enrobing process, by spraying or by a single dip-coating step. The core itself can have a first color or be colorless, and its clear or single color covering has the outer surface of one end or one side colored by a suitable dye to provide a two-color appearance. The dye can be applied by dipping or spray painting with a suitable jet-spraying apparatus. In a preferred embodiment, the covering is of a clear gelatinous material.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The medicament of the present invention and its process of manufacturing overcomes the difficulty encountered with the somewhat costly machinery and processes required in the caplet and tablet manufacturing process of the prior art by providing a conventional caplet or tablet core with a clear or single colored covering which can be applied either through an enrobing process, by spraying, or a single dip-coating step to provide a uniform covering over the core. The core, which itself can have a first color and a clear covering then can have one end or side either dipped in or sprayed with a suitable dye to provide the desired two-color appearance. The resultant medicament is easy to swallow and has the desired functional multi-colored appearance.

Medicaments embodying the present invention, therefore, comprise a solid core having a clear covering of substantial uniform thickness and having one end and/or side colored with a color different than that of the core color. Methods of manufacturing the present invention include the steps of forming a medicament core, covering the core with a substantially uniform coating of clear or single colored material, coloring the outer surface of one end or side of the core and subsequently curing the coloring agent to complete the manufacturing process. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, clear or single colored gelatin is the preferred covering material.

In view of the existence of conventional tablet and caplet manufacturing machines and gelatin covering equipment, the medicament manufactured according to the present invention can be relatively inexpensively made and only requires the additional step of coloring one end or side of the medicament also utilizing existing equipment. As a result, either a multi-colored capsule-appearing solid dosage form or multi-colored tablet dosage form having the desired characteristics can be made at a reduced cost.

Claim 1 of 17 Claims

1. A multi-colored medicament comprising:

a core having a first color for presenting said first color to the medicament;

a seamless covering film enveloping the entire outer surface of said core and having an outer surface, said covering film allowing said first color of said core to be visible therethrough; and

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