US2004957A - Capsule - Google Patents

Description

June 18, 1935. A. J. MEssNER 2,004,957

CAPSULE Filed April 25, 1954 (jm/verdict:

Patented June 18, 1935 CAPSULE Arthur J. Messner, Rochester, N. Y., assigner of one-half to Elmer L. Schumacher, Southbridge,

Mass.

Application April 25, 1934, No. 722,301

2 Claims.

This invention relates to Capsules and more particularly to a Chewable Capsule made of a composition having a paraiiln base, the capsule containing a mouth medicament.

There are numbers of mouth medicaments upon the market; these are of three general types (1) those having-little or no` antiseptic or cleansing value but which contain considerable perfume and are adapted chiefly to refresh the mouth and perfume the breath, (2) those which are largely deodorants 4for the mouth and breath,

and (3) those Ithe antiseptic and cleansing power of which is their chief value. These are usually sold in liquid form4 in glass bottles *whichy are heavy and cumbersome (and sometimes expensive) and are applied to the teeth by varied means, such as by pouring alittle into the mouth and slushing it through they teeth.

While there are a number of obvious objections to this method, an important one is that it is somewhat unsanitary. Another objection is that it requires the large sized bottlewhich the customer may feel unable to buy except infrequently. Furthermore in Case oi' travel, a person usually does not wish to load his traveling bag with heavy toilet arf ticles, such as a bottle of mouth medicament, and may dispense entirely with the use of the mouth medicament during such travel, withthe consequent loss of sales thereof to the manufacturer.

It is an object of my invention, therefore, to

provide mouthmedicaments in a form which can be marketed. in small individual packages or quantities without much weight in addition to the weight of the mouth medicament itself.` in 'a form which can be used effectively, which` is sanitary and not susceptible of contamination, is'in the proper quantity fora single treatment 40 of the mouth and in a form in `which the mouth medicament is contained in a Chewable capsule having a parafnbase which acts to assist the cleansing of the teeth and actually gives some pleasure and zest to the process of so doing.

In its broader concept, my invention comprises a closed parafiln-composition capsule of Aany desired form containing a suitable Charge of mouth medicament, such as sufficient for onecleansing, deodorizing and/or perfuming treatment of the`mouth. y

Obviously the mouth medicament need not necessarily be in liquid form (although more' ygenerally so) but may be in the form of a paste ,or easily soluble powder. My invention is intended to include, therefore, all three forms of purchase of a relatively` the mouth medicament, i. e. liquid, paste and powder.

The capsule is, of Course, hollow and may be of any desired form, such as in the form of a short cylinder with closed ends,"a sphere, a Cube, l a fruit, flower, or in fact any form desired.A For a form (such asy a cylinder, sphere or "the like) requiring an inside diameter of approximately 1A of an inch, the walls of the capsule shouldv be approximately 11; to 1A; of an inch in thickness, 10 ,y

more or less, depending upon the rigidity of the parailin composition. A capsule 11,5 inches long has about the right volume'to contain a suiicient Charge of mouth medicament for one treatment.

If substantially pure, i. 'e. commercial, parafiin Ylli is to be used in preparing the capsule, a paramn having a melting range of approximately 130 to 133 F. is-very suitablevforv the reason that-it will notsoften sufficiently (in capsule form) t lose its shape at a temperature of 112 F. A tem- 20 perature of 110 F. is about the highest temperature toA which a capsule wouldv be subjected in any climate or'ordinary condition of handling or storage. At the same time sucha parafiin is 'very Chewable and has sufilcient plasticity at the tem- '25 perature of the mouth (bodytemperature) to permit `gathering of the parailin into a coherent plastic mass within a few'seconds after it is fractured or Crushed in the mouth. Generally speaking, I have found it best not to employ a paramn `30 having a melting range higher than 133 to 136 F., as ysuch a paramn is'notas Chewable as is desired by most individuals. Paralns having a melting range higherthan 136 F. may,o't course, be employed if one is willing to sacrifice alittle 35 on chewability or'gatherlng, but it is not my intention to include paratlins which `have such a high melting point lthat they have no chewability or gathering properties in the. mouth.v Paraillns 'having a melting range of about v133 40 to 136"y F. are'defln'itely Chewable vand. have a softening point of about 112115 F. In general, in order to provide a capsule which will not lose i shapev at the highest temperature to which it is apt to be subjected in Commerce, and which will not stick to things with which it comes in Contact by reason of the flowingout of lower melting range paraiiins, e. g., by'sweating, it is preferable that the lower temperature of the melting range of the paraffin to be'employed be 50* not' too low. To this end, I have found that paraflinsl which are included inthe melting range of from approximately 122-133 `F. will resist undue softening and sweating at from -120 F. Capsules madeoi' parailin hydrocarbons with- 55 in this melting range will not lose shape under most of the conditions to which they may be subjected in commerce. The less the percentage of the lower melting paralns present, the better will the capsules withstand the eiIect of temperature, and the larger the percentage of the lower melting parafllns present, the more chewable will the capsule be. So, in preparing the preferred capsule of my invention, the paraflin to be used should be selected with these things in mind in order tov balance these properties advantageously.

Also, I may use a mixture of varying proportions of paramns of dierent melting points, as for instance, to 40 parts of 124-127 F. melting point parailln mixed with 50 to 60 or more parts oi' 133-136 F. melting point parailln will resist softening at 112 F. or even higher and has good chewability.

If distribution is to beI effected in an area in which climatic. and/or handling conditions `are not so severe (as to high temperatures) I lmay choosev a paraiiin or paramn composition hav-4 ing a softening point of, for instance, 105 F. or even as low as 100 F. The plasticity of such paraiin or parafiin composition would be correspondingly greater which is advantageous (rather than disadvantageous) to the chewability `of the capsule, as the gathering time for such a capsule is even less than where the paramn has a higher melting point. I

All paraflins which one obtains upon the market today are composed of a mixture of paramn hydrocarbons having a considerable range of melting points. For instance, it has been found that from commercial paraiiins `melting from 122 to 136 F. there may be sweated out at 120 a small percentage of parailin hydrocarbons Y asto rid it of these lower melting paramn hydro.

carbonsnand thereby make the paraifin more suitable for capsules from the standpoint of temperature resistance, vwithout appreciably affecting the chewability thereof.

For clarity, it is best to state that by gathering it is intended to mean the ability of the paraflin when crushed'in the mouth to be moldedagain into a single coherent mass. I'he facility with which the crushed parailin can be ,gathered in the mouth is somewhat of a measure of the chewability of the parafiln. Chewability may be defined as that property of the paramn whereby it can be masticated and still remain a single coherent mass; if the mass coheres strongly during mastication, it is regarded as having a high degree of chewability, whereas if the mass tends to separate into fragments, it may be regarded as having a low degree of chewability.

The capsule of my invention, containing a small charge of mouth medicament, is used by merely depositing it in the mouth and crushing it with the teeth, whereupon the mouth medicament ilows about the mouth and cleanses it, being assisted by slushing it through the teeth by means ofthe tongue andl cheeks. .At the g same time the crushed paramn is gathered into av coherent mass by means of the tongue. The mouth medicament isthenl expectorated and the paraiiin chewedbrieily to finish o the cleans- The chewed parafiln has the advantage over chewing gum or chicle in that it will not stick to anything if dropped or carelessly disposed of.

Parafiin in capsule form has the advantage that it is insoluble in all known mouth medicaments, does not deteriorate on standing, is unaffected by moisture or other of the elements and is insoluble in substantially all liquids or-gases with which it is liable to comeinto contact dur ing handling, storage or use.

The parafiln capsule may be colored by adding suitable harmless pigments or dyes thereto during the-compounding of the paraiiin prior to formation of the capsule, thus making itv more attractive to the prospective user. The paraiiln may also be avored `by adding sugar, essential oils and the like thereto during its preparation prior to formation of the capsule.

The single figure of the accompanying drawing is a sectional view of a capsule of my invention, in cylindrical form, showing how' the ends may be rounded or tapered oif in the formation thereof. The drawing is suitably labeled to indicate the capsule and the contents thereof.

The cylindrical type of capsule is convenient and economical to produce as it may-be formed by continuously extruding a tube of paraffin at about the plastic point of the paraflin (i. e. at about -l00 F.), cooling it somewhat, cutting the tube into suitable lengths, sealing one end of the length, lling or charging the capsule with mouth medicament through the other end and then sealing that end. The rounding or tapering of the capsule may be done by suitable forms maintained at a temperature slightly below the melting point ofthe paramn, aspfor instance, at about the softening point.l

If desired, the capsule maybe prepared by" casting it in halves in suitable molds and uniting .the halves, a suitable opening being left for charging thevcapsule, the opening then being sealed for instance with a hot iron. Or a cold tube (such as a small test tube) may be dipped in molten parailin, withdrawn, heated upon the inside with water and the capsule slipped off, charged and sealed at the open end. In using the foregoing methods where the vparailin is brought to a molten state, care should b'e taken not to heat the parafiln hot enough to cause pyrolysis andchange the properties of the paraiiin disadvantageously. Other ways of forming, charging and sealing the capsule than those described 'above are known or will occur to those skilled in the art and as the particular method of so doing forms no part of my invention it need not be described' further.

Ithas also been'found that the eiilciency of the paraiiln for cleansing the teeth may be improved by mixing with the paraflirr a mild abrasive, such for instance asilnely powdered or divided (100 to 400 mesh) dry chalk (calcium carbonate), talc, kaolin, asbestos, anhydrte, asbestine (talcous agalite), adsorbent carbon, and the like. As a matter of fact, nely divided llers of various kinds may be mixed with the paraffin in proportions of from a few per cent to 20 to 50 or even 60 per cent by weight and thereby raise the natural melting point of the paraflin and increase its resistance to softening or collapse at higher temperatures so as to give anv added factor of safety against collapse of the capsule under storage conditions where higher temperatures might be encountered. In collaborating with me upon this work, Charles W. Stillwell has indeed found that the addition of various percentages of nnely divided or precipitated chalk (calcium carbonate) to paraflin, for instance approximately 20 to 40 parts, and preferably 40 parts, of chalk to 60 parts of paraflin will not only increase the softening point of the parailin several degreesv (about 3 to 5 F.) over the natural softening point thereof but that thev chewability of the paraffin is thereby considerably increased. Thus while commercial paraffin having a melting range of approximately 130 133 F. is satisfactory, a mixture of \60 parts bf such paraflin and about 40 parts of powdered chalk has the advantage of having greater resistance to softening and greater chewability as well as furnishing a mild abrasive for the teeth to assist in removing tartar and stain therefrom. More specifically, 25 to 50 parts of powdered chalk with 75 to 50 parts of 124-127 F. melting range paraflin or 20 tov 40 parts of powdered chalk with to 60 parts of 127-133 F. melting range paraffin gives a composition which will resist softening at temperatures as high as 118 to 120 F. and have excellent chewability. Also, 40 to 50 parts of powdered chalk with 60 to 50 parts of 119-I22 F. melting point paran will resist softening atabout 112 F. See Stillwell application Ser. No. '722,361 of even date.'

The resistance of the paraffin to softening may also be increased by adding certain waxes or resins thereto which are compatible therewith, such as a fraction of one per cent to a few. per cent of carnauba wax, ozokerlte, candelilla wax or beeswax. From 1/2 per cent to 1 percent has been found satisfactory, although more may be added. For instance, 2-5 per cent of carnauba wax raises the softening point of 119-122 F. melting range paraffin to 114 F. and it is still chewy. Higher melting point parafllns tolerate less carnaubal wax (and still retain chewability) as, for instance, 1/2 to 1 per cent Vof carnauba wax may be added to 133 F. melting range parafiin and retain chewability. Carnauba wax also toughens the chewiness of the paraffin somewhat. Generally speaking, however, this is somewhat at the-expense of the chewability of the paramn composition unless this is offset by the addition of powdered chalk or its equivalent.

The above ratings of softening points are somewhat conservative and ordinarily may be regarded as one to three or fourdegrees higher, particularly since the smaller the capsule the better its resistance to softening. Also, when the capsule is lled with mouth medicament the softening point of the paraffin is increased a degree or two.

While my invention preferably employs parain or paraffin compositions therein, I may also use halogenated parafiins or similarly substituted parafiins so long as they have the same essential properties as paraffin, and the advantages above described.

Probably the more prominent of mouth medicaments sold today are those bearing the tradename tion may, however, be compounded as follows:

Sodium chloride, sodium borate andboric acid combined in solution with eucalyptol, menthol and methyl salicylate and diluted with two to three parts of water.

Example III Acetanilid 2 Grs. Boric acid 10 Grs. Sodium borate 21/2 Grs. Sodium benzoate; 21/2 Grs.

Formaldehyde solution 1 Min.

combined with eucalyptol, menthol, thymol,

methyl salicylate and baptisia and diluted withA from four to twenty parts of water.

Thus it will be apparent that my invention comprises two salient features, each contributing to and augmenting the advantages of the other. The paraffin capsule acts to contain the mouth medicament and convey it into the mouth Where the capsule is crushed. The mouth medicament there serves its purpose of cleansing, deodorizing, perfuming, and invigorating the mouth and/or breath. The capsule may then be chewed either in the presence of the mouth medicament or after the latter has been expectorated. Thus, the paraffin acts to iinishoff the mouth cleansing process and is discarded, or it may be retained as it constitutes an excellent chew.

'I'he capsule of my invention is light, may be made into any desired form or color and may be of any suitable size. `If the mouth medicament is desired merely to perfume the breath the capsule may be rather small-possibly containing only a few drops of the perfume, which may be of any desired odor. Such a capsule appeals to the lady who may break off the tip of the capsule, use a portion of the perfume on her khandkerchief or clothes and then chew the capsule with the remaining perfume, so that her breath will be perfumed the same as her clothes. The perfumefor such use-would, of course, be attractively flavored so as to be palatable as well as have a pleasing odor. Such capsules-are to be regarded as included in my invention and the claims hereto appended. If the mouth medicament is for the cleansing, deodorizing or antisepticizing of the mouth and/or breath, the capsule may be of a size calculated to hold from one to two teaspoonsful of mouth medicament. The paraffin may be perfumed or flavored to add to the attractiveness of the capsule from the consumers standpoint.

Not of least importance is the fact that by means of my invention mouth medicaments can be marketed in small attractive quantities which has not been practical heretofore with glass containers due to the expense thereof, paratlln being very cheap and available in unlimited quantities. Heneethe mouth medicament may be sold in capsules in lots of one half or one dozen to a package where only a small quantity of the mouth medicament is desired. c An entirely new outlet for distribution is thus offered the manufacturer because of this break-down into small and convenient units. Or the capsules may be sold in lots of one hundred or ve hundred where the customer is a regular user thereof. They are light and tough enough so that they will not break if accidentally dropped, such as on the bath'room oor. The capsules themselves do not deteriorate and as they are air tight, the mouth medicament itself does not deteriorate, evaporate or become contaminated.

In the claims appended hereto, it will be understood that when reference is made to a "paramn capsule, such is intended to include either a capsule made from substantially pure or commercial paraflin, or a capsule made from a composition in which paramn forms an essential constituent,

vand that when reference is made to a mouth medicament such is intended to include the liq-l uid, paste and solid forms as well as the antisepticizing, deodorizing, cleansing and perfuming types. In the specification, by the term softening point" of the paraffin is meant the collapsing point or the temperature at which a capsule of the size herein designated is soft enough to flow out of shape of its own volition. By softening is, of course, meant collapse and by resistance to softening is meant resistance to collapse.

What I claim as my invention and desire to be secured by Letters Patentk of the United States is:

l. A hollow and sealed chewable parailn capsule containing a liquid mouth medicament in the hollow portion thereof.

2. A hollow and sealed chewable parailin capsule containing a liquid `mouth medicament in the hollow portion thereof, the paramn having 20 a softening point above approximately 110 F.

ARTHUR J. MESSNER.

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