US2687367A - Medicinal tablet containing identification fragments - Google Patents

Medicinal tablet containing identification fragments Download PDF

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Publication number
US2687367A
US2687367A US286157A US28615752A US2687367A US 2687367 A US2687367 A US 2687367A US 286157 A US286157 A US 286157A US 28615752 A US28615752 A US 28615752A US 2687367 A US2687367 A US 2687367A
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Prior art keywords
tablet
fragments
coating
medicinal
colored
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US286157A
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Philo L Burrin
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Eli Lilly and Co
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Eli Lilly and Co
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Priority to US286157A priority Critical patent/US2687367A/en
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    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61KPREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K9/00Medicinal preparations characterised by special physical form
    • A61K9/20Pills, tablets, discs, rods
    • A61K9/2072Pills, tablets, discs, rods characterised by shape, structure or size; Tablets with holes, special break lines or identification marks; Partially coated tablets; Disintegrating flat shaped forms
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61KPREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K9/00Medicinal preparations characterised by special physical form
    • A61K9/20Pills, tablets, discs, rods
    • A61K9/28Dragees; Coated pills or tablets, e.g. with film or compression coating

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a protective identification of ethical drugs such ,asy tablets, capsules and the like and to a method of producing such medications having such protective identification.
  • an ethical drug product such as a, pill, tablet, capsule lor lthe like which is secretively marked so as to be easily identifiable by the ethical drug manufacturer, his agent or representative, the druggist or physician, and yet which is not readily observable and remains relatively secret from the patient.
  • a further object of this invention is to provide anethical drug i-dentication means of the above character, which is simple, effective, easily accomplished oonformably to present day mass production methods and with but little additional expense.
  • Fig. l is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of an uncoated medicinal base tablet of the character in which the invention may be embodied, and
  • Fig. 2 is a View similar the base tablet With the thereover.
  • the tablet I shown in Fig. 1 is of the usual ellipsoidal shape and of the customary form used generally by the pharmaceutical industry. It will be understood that the representation of a tablet for the embodiment of the invention is for illustrative purposes only and that the invention can as well nd us-e in the secretive identification of to Fig. 1 but showing usual coating applied Indianapolis, Ind., a
  • the granulations (indicated by cross section lines .at I I in Figs. 1 and 2) composingr medicinal tablets are of a size ranging from 2000 to 3000 microns.
  • Th-e invention comprises the thorough mixing of innocuous, inert, colored, fragments I 2 of gelatin, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, sucrose or the like and of a size of the order of 250 to 840 microns into the granulation II constituting the tablet compound in such a manner as to yuniformly but randomly disperse the fragments completely and thoroughly throughout the compound.
  • methyl and/or ethyl cellulose fragments may 'be used, gelatin or sucrose fragments are preferred because the latter are assimilable or metabolizible in the human system. added in relatively small proportions to the total composition, i. e., the quantity of fragments ladded is from one to ten percent of the total composition.
  • the compound, with the colored fragments -thoroughly mixed therein is compressed in the usual manner into the tablet form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 wherein it is observed that theV colored fragments are clearly visible over all surfaces of the base tablet I0 as well as the sectioned portion thereof.
  • Fragments I2 are shown in the illustration as being the primary colors, red, blue and yellow. It will 'be course that any single color or combination of colors may be used and that the above selection is arbitrary and set forth merely for illustrative purposes.
  • the base tablet I 0 has one or more coatings such applied completely thereover in the usual wornd.
  • the fragments I2 are vision of the -colored gelatin fragments
  • the pharmaceutical manufacturer or his field representative may readily ascertain whether a substitution or palming ofi of a possibly inferior or unwanted or unprescribed product for the particular manufacturers product has been or is being attempted to be effected as by simply removing a sufficient portion of the coating materials i5, i4, and I3 to expose at least a moderate sized surface portion of the base sectioning or breaking the tablet open to expose its interior. This will expose .the colored fragments to view and their particular size and color combination will readily identify the manufacturers product, Whereas upon applying the same test to a substitute product such fragments will be either entirely absent or not within the proper color combination to identify the product as being supplied by the particular manufacturer.
  • my invention a simple, inexpensive and secretive means of positively giving identification to ethical drugs in ⁇ tablet or like form and a method of making such tablets or the like which is simply, efficiently and economically adaptable to the customary manufacturing methods and techniques employed by the pharmaceutical industry in the manufacture of such items.
  • my invention retains the product completely free of any suggestion to the ultimate consumer of the nature and/ or character of the medicament prescribed for any specific illness which is being ltreated thereby meeting the demands of the medical practitioner.
  • a medicinal base tablet having a coating exteriorly thereover and interiorly of said coating having its medicinal granulations uniformly flecked throughout with a dispersion of multi-colored, inert, harmless,
  • a medicinal base tablet compressed of medicinal granules of a size of the order of from 2000 to 3000 microns, said tablet having a 1 to 10 percent proportion of its total composition of colored, inert, innocuous, contrasting colored, metabolizible, gelatin fragments of a size of the order of 250 to 840 microns thoroughly admixed with and uniformly dispersed at random -throughout said medicinal granules before their compression into tablet form, said fragments being visible on all exterior surfaces of the base tablet land on any surface thereof exposed by reason of sectionalizing said tablet, and a coating completely covering said base tablet and said contrasting colored fragments.
  • a medicinal tablet comprising an inner base having a coating applied completely thereover, said base having its medicinal granules thoroughly admixed with a portion of multi-colored, inert, metabolizible, gelatin particles in sufficient proportion With respect to said granule mass that following thorough admixing with said mass and upon being compressed therewith intoA said inner base, said particles are thoroughly and uniformly distributed surf acewise of and interiorly throughout said base, said dispersed, colored particles being completely covered by said coating and becoming readily visible upon breaking said tablet open or upon removal of a portion of said coating suicient to expose a relatively small area of the surface of the said base tablet.

Description

P. l.. BURRIN 2,687,367
FICATION FRAGMENTS Aug. 24, 1954 MEDICINAL TABLET CONTAINING IDENTI Filed May 5, 1952 Patented Aug. 24, 1954 MEDICINAL TABL IDENTIFICATIO ET CONTAINING N FRAGMENTS Philo L. Burrin, Indianapolis, Ind., assigner to Eli Lilly and Company,
corporation of Indiana AApplication May 5, 1952, Serial No. 286,157
. 3 Claims.
This invention relates to a protective identification of ethical drugs such ,asy tablets, capsules and the like and to a method of producing such medications having such protective identification.
In the practice of medicine it is customary, in many instances and for various reasons, to conceal from the patient the name, nature and/or character of the medicament prescribed for the illness being treated. For this reason, the manufacturer of ethical drugs, cooperating with the medical profession, for the most part refrains from placing any mark or indicia on the medicine per se, i. e., upon the tablet, capsule, pill, or the like, the identification of the medicament and brand name being ahxed as by label to a bottle or other container in which such drug items are customarily packaged. This has sever-al disadvantages amongst which is the extreme disadvantage owing from an unscrupulous substitution or palming off of a possibly inferior substitute or unwanted or unprescribed tablet, pill or capsule for the particular ethical drug called for by the prescription.
It is an obj ect of the present invention to provide an ethical drug product such as a, pill, tablet, capsule lor lthe like which is secretively marked so as to be easily identifiable by the ethical drug manufacturer, his agent or representative, the druggist or physician, and yet which is not readily observable and remains relatively secret from the patient.
A further object of this invention is to provide anethical drug i-dentication means of the above character, which is simple, effective, easily accomplished oonformably to present day mass production methods and with but little additional expense.
Other objects of the invention will become apparent from -the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings wherein:
Fig. l is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of an uncoated medicinal base tablet of the character in which the invention may be embodied, and
Fig. 2 is a View similar the base tablet With the thereover.
The tablet I shown in Fig. 1 is of the usual ellipsoidal shape and of the customary form used generally by the pharmaceutical industry. It will be understood that the representation of a tablet for the embodiment of the invention is for illustrative purposes only and that the invention can as well nd us-e in the secretive identification of to Fig. 1 but showing usual coating applied Indianapolis, Ind., a
capsules, pills and other like items used in preparing medicaments for administration.
Generally speaking, the granulations (indicated by cross section lines .at I I in Figs. 1 and 2) composingr medicinal tablets are of a size ranging from 2000 to 3000 microns. Th-e invention comprises the thorough mixing of innocuous, inert, colored, fragments I 2 of gelatin, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, sucrose or the like and of a size of the order of 250 to 840 microns into the granulation II constituting the tablet compound in such a manner as to yuniformly but randomly disperse the fragments completely and thoroughly throughout the compound. While methyl and/or ethyl cellulose fragments may 'be used, gelatin or sucrose fragments are preferred because the latter are assimilable or metabolizible in the human system. added in relatively small proportions to the total composition, i. e., the quantity of fragments ladded is from one to ten percent of the total composition. Following this the compound, with the colored fragments -thoroughly mixed therein, is compressed in the usual manner into the tablet form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 wherein it is observed that theV colored fragments are clearly visible over all surfaces of the base tablet I0 as well as the sectioned portion thereof. Fragments I2 are shown in the illustration as being the primary colors, red, blue and yellow. It will 'be course that any single color or combination of colors may be used and that the above selection is arbitrary and set forth merely for illustrative purposes.
Following the compression of the medicinal compound into tablet form as above described the base tablet I 0 has one or more coatings such applied completely thereover in the usual pensed.
Consequently, the patient that The fragments I2 are vision of the -colored gelatin fragments the pharmaceutical manufacturer or his field representative may readily ascertain whether a substitution or palming ofi of a possibly inferior or unwanted or unprescribed product for the particular manufacturers product has been or is being attempted to be effected as by simply removing a sufficient portion of the coating materials i5, i4, and I3 to expose at least a moderate sized surface portion of the base sectioning or breaking the tablet open to expose its interior. This will expose .the colored fragments to view and their particular size and color combination will readily identify the manufacturers product, Whereas upon applying the same test to a substitute product such fragments will be either entirely absent or not within the proper color combination to identify the product as being supplied by the particular manufacturer.
Hence it will be seen that I have provided by my invention a simple, inexpensive and secretive means of positively giving identification to ethical drugs in `tablet or like form and a method of making such tablets or the like Which is simply, efficiently and economically adaptable to the customary manufacturing methods and techniques employed by the pharmaceutical industry in the manufacture of such items. At the same time, my invention retains the product completely free of any suggestion to the ultimate consumer of the nature and/ or character of the medicament prescribed for any specific illness which is being ltreated thereby meeting the demands of the medical practitioner.
I claim:
1. As an article of manufacture, a medicinal base tablet having a coating exteriorly thereover and interiorly of said coating having its medicinal granulations uniformly flecked throughout with a dispersion of multi-colored, inert, harmless,
metabolizible, gelatin fragments, said colored fragments having been previously admixed with said granulations and being completely hidden by said coating but becoming readily visible upon removal of a portion of said coating sufficient to Itablet l or by simply expose a relatively small area of the surface of said base tablet or upon breaking said tablet open.
2. As an article of manufacture, a medicinal base tablet compressed of medicinal granules of a size of the order of from 2000 to 3000 microns, said tablet having a 1 to 10 percent proportion of its total composition of colored, inert, innocuous, contrasting colored, metabolizible, gelatin fragments of a size of the order of 250 to 840 microns thoroughly admixed with and uniformly dispersed at random -throughout said medicinal granules before their compression into tablet form, said fragments being visible on all exterior surfaces of the base tablet land on any surface thereof exposed by reason of sectionalizing said tablet, and a coating completely covering said base tablet and said contrasting colored fragments.
3. A medicinal tablet comprising an inner base having a coating applied completely thereover, said base having its medicinal granules thoroughly admixed with a portion of multi-colored, inert, metabolizible, gelatin particles in sufficient proportion With respect to said granule mass that following thorough admixing with said mass and upon being compressed therewith intoA said inner base, said particles are thoroughly and uniformly distributed surf acewise of and interiorly throughout said base, said dispersed, colored particles being completely covered by said coating and becoming readily visible upon breaking said tablet open or upon removal of a portion of said coating suicient to expose a relatively small area of the surface of the said base tablet.
lgeferences Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PA'IENTS Number Name Date 1,134,156 Platen Apr. 6, 1915 1,148,621 Planten Aug. 3, 1915 2,410,110 Taylor Oct. 29, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 621,651 Great Britain Apr. 13, 1949

Claims (1)

1. AS AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE, A MEDICINAL BASE TABLET HAVING A COATING EXTERIORLY THEREOVER AND INTERIORLY OF SAID COATING HAVING ITS MEDICINAL GRANULATIONS UNIFORMLY FLECKED THROUGHOUT WITH A DISPERSION OF MULTI-COLORED, INERT, HARMLESS, METABOLIZIBLE, GELATIN FRAGMENTS, SAID COLORED FRAGMENTS HAVING BEEN PREVIOUSLY ADMIXED WITH SAID GRANULATIONS AND BEING COMPLETELY HIDDEN BY SAID COATING BUT BECOMING READILY VISIBLE UPON REMOVAL OF A PORTION OF SAID COATING SUFFICIENT TO EXPOSE A RELATIVELY SMALL AREA OF THE SURFACE OF SAID BASE TABLET OR UPON BREAKING SAID TABLET OPEN.
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Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3044938A (en) * 1955-07-01 1962-07-17 Sandoz Chemical Works Inc Sustained action pharmaceutical tablets
US3125490A (en) * 1964-03-17 Tablet with contrasting indicia and method
US3177820A (en) * 1961-03-27 1965-04-13 American Cyanamid Co Tablet granulation apparatus
US4390452A (en) * 1979-08-20 1983-06-28 Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company Microparticles with visual identifying means
US4432966A (en) * 1979-12-10 1984-02-21 Roussel-Uclaf Compressed tablets for disintegration in the colon comprising an active ingredient containing nucleus coated with a first layer containing microcrystalline cellulose which is coated with an enteric organic polymer coating
US4457907A (en) * 1982-08-05 1984-07-03 Clear Lake Development Group Composition and method for protecting a therapeutic drug
US4661367A (en) * 1982-06-10 1987-04-28 Imperial Chemical Industries Plc Process for the manufacture of colored intagliated articles
US5002775A (en) * 1982-03-08 1991-03-26 Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited Tablets having clear impressed marks and method for making same
US5283065A (en) * 1989-09-21 1994-02-01 American Cyanamid Company Controlled release pharmaceutical compositions from spherical granules in tabletted oral dosage unit form
US5431918A (en) * 1992-10-30 1995-07-11 Soremartec S.A. Breath mint configuration
USD430285S (en) * 1999-04-16 2000-08-29 Merck & Co., Inc. Tablet
US20060037222A1 (en) * 2001-11-30 2006-02-23 Dan Hunt Taggants for products and method of taggant identification
US7720254B2 (en) 2006-03-13 2010-05-18 Smi Holdings, Inc. Automatic microparticle mark reader
US8888005B2 (en) 2013-04-12 2014-11-18 David Prokop Uniquely identifiable drug dosage form units

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1134156A (en) * 1914-12-03 1915-04-06 Hermanus Rolff Planten Gelatin capsule.
US1148621A (en) * 1914-12-09 1915-08-03 Hermanus Rolff Planten Gelatin capsule.
US2410110A (en) * 1943-01-14 1946-10-29 Brewer & Company Inc Method of making tablets
GB621651A (en) * 1947-02-20 1949-04-13 Robert Henry Marriott Improvements in and relating to the manufacture of tablets having a gelatinous base

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1134156A (en) * 1914-12-03 1915-04-06 Hermanus Rolff Planten Gelatin capsule.
US1148621A (en) * 1914-12-09 1915-08-03 Hermanus Rolff Planten Gelatin capsule.
US2410110A (en) * 1943-01-14 1946-10-29 Brewer & Company Inc Method of making tablets
GB621651A (en) * 1947-02-20 1949-04-13 Robert Henry Marriott Improvements in and relating to the manufacture of tablets having a gelatinous base

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3125490A (en) * 1964-03-17 Tablet with contrasting indicia and method
US3044938A (en) * 1955-07-01 1962-07-17 Sandoz Chemical Works Inc Sustained action pharmaceutical tablets
US3177820A (en) * 1961-03-27 1965-04-13 American Cyanamid Co Tablet granulation apparatus
US4390452A (en) * 1979-08-20 1983-06-28 Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company Microparticles with visual identifying means
US4432966A (en) * 1979-12-10 1984-02-21 Roussel-Uclaf Compressed tablets for disintegration in the colon comprising an active ingredient containing nucleus coated with a first layer containing microcrystalline cellulose which is coated with an enteric organic polymer coating
US5002775A (en) * 1982-03-08 1991-03-26 Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited Tablets having clear impressed marks and method for making same
US4661367A (en) * 1982-06-10 1987-04-28 Imperial Chemical Industries Plc Process for the manufacture of colored intagliated articles
US4457907A (en) * 1982-08-05 1984-07-03 Clear Lake Development Group Composition and method for protecting a therapeutic drug
US5283065A (en) * 1989-09-21 1994-02-01 American Cyanamid Company Controlled release pharmaceutical compositions from spherical granules in tabletted oral dosage unit form
US5431918A (en) * 1992-10-30 1995-07-11 Soremartec S.A. Breath mint configuration
USD430285S (en) * 1999-04-16 2000-08-29 Merck & Co., Inc. Tablet
US20060037222A1 (en) * 2001-11-30 2006-02-23 Dan Hunt Taggants for products and method of taggant identification
US7720254B2 (en) 2006-03-13 2010-05-18 Smi Holdings, Inc. Automatic microparticle mark reader
US7831042B2 (en) 2006-03-13 2010-11-09 Smi Holdings, Inc. Three-dimensional authentication of microparticle mark
US7885428B2 (en) 2006-03-13 2011-02-08 Smi Holdings, Inc. Automatic microparticle mark reader
US8033450B2 (en) 2006-03-13 2011-10-11 Smi Holdings, Inc. Expression codes for microparticle marks based on signature strings
US8223964B2 (en) 2006-03-13 2012-07-17 Smi Holdings, Inc. Three-dimensional authentication of mircoparticle mark
US8888005B2 (en) 2013-04-12 2014-11-18 David Prokop Uniquely identifiable drug dosage form units

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