Abstract: A process for the preparation of microcapsules having a wall membrane made of a polyurethane urea resin, which includes steps of mixing an oily solution and an aqueous solution, passing the resulting mixed solution through a clearance between an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder which are rotated relative to each other to form an oil-in-water type emulsion, and then forming a wall membrane on droplets of the resulting emulsion. In a preferred embodiment, the clearance between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder is preferably in the range of 0.05 to 5 mm, more preferably 0.1 to 2 mm. The retention time of the emulsion in the clearance portion is in the range of 0.02 seconds or more, preferably 0.2 seconds or more. The inner and outer cylinders are in the form of column, optionally conical in part thereof.

Abstract: A method of extruding liposomes from liposomal material comprising extruding the liposomal material through a frit, and apparatus for extrusion.

Abstract: The present application features methods and apparatus for making liposomes with critical, supercritical or near critical fluids. The methods and apparatus combine a phospholipid and an aqueous phase, or multilamellar vesicles, with a critical, supercritical or near critical fluid. Upon a reduction in pressure, liposomes are formed.

Abstract: A method for encapsulating a biological substance is biocompatible microcapsules is disclosed, said method comprising:a) maintaining a coating-forming liquid film sheet comprising a solution of a soluble organic polymer in an organic solvent,b) causing droplets comprising biological substance is an aqueous medium to pass through said sheet to form microcapsules comprising cores of said droplets coated by said liquid film, andc) permitting said microcapsules to pass through said sheet so that a portion of said polymer precipitates in the presence of water in said droplets while evaporating a portion of said solvent to form a continuous permeable polymer coating of sufficient structural that said microcapsules are self-supporting.

Abstract: An electric battery comprises: a nuclear source of relatively high energy radiation fluence; a semiconductor junction characterized by a curve for this fluence relating minority carrier diffusion length and a damage constant and; an enclosure having a sufficiently low thermal impedance for dissipation of sufficient heat from the nuclear source to permit predetermined degradation of the minority carrier diffusion length initially and predetermined maintenance of the minority carrier diffusion length thereafter; the nuclear source being a radionuclide selected from the class consisting of alpha, gamma and beta emitters; and the curve being substantially logarithmic.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing microcapsules which prevents capsule particles from adhering to the inner wall surfaces of a wall-film-forming reactor device, thereby to eliminate the possibility that qualities of the microcapsule, such as the heat resisting, solvent resisting and other properties thereof, are deteriorated, and to eliminate the need for an operation to clean substances adhered to the inner wall surfaces of the wall-film-forming reactor device, and therefore, which is able to manufacture microcapsules at a high production efficiency. An emulsified solution is injected into a wall-film-forming reactor device from the lower portion thereof by an emulsified solution feed pump. After completion of a given time of a wall-film-forming reaction in the wall-film-forming reactor device, the emulsified solution is discharged from an overflow outlet formed in the upper portion of the device, and is then cooled by a heat exchanger.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing seamless capsules is provided with a multiple nozzle which blows multilayer liquid drops into a hardening liquid. The hardening liquid flows through a main flow path and an auxiliary flow path. The flow of hardening liquid through the main flow path is biased in a direction intersecting the main flow path by a flow of hardening liquid into the main flow path from the auxiliary flow path or a discharge of the hardening liquid from the main flow path into the auxiliary flow path.

Abstract: An abrupt pressure change applied to a dispersion of core and shell material in a liquid carrier medium encapsulates the core material within the shell material. The method and apparatus of this invention permit a wider range of core and shell materials to be utilized than was possible with prior art methods including materials which previously have not been usable as shell materials. Materials in solid, liquid, gas or multiphase form may be encapsulated. Additionally, capsules are produced in a small fraction of the time required by prior art methods. The total time to perform the encapsulation may range from a few seconds to only a few minutes. The abrupt pressure change may be applied to the dispersion by either a piston or ultrasonic apparatus in both batch, semi-continuous, and continuous processes. Recycling of the capsules through the apparatuses permits adjustment of the capsules' characteristics as well as formation of multiple core capsules.

Abstract: An electric battery comprises a semiconductor junction incorporating an inorganic crystalline compound of Group III and Group V elements of the Periodic Table characterized by a predetermined annealing temperature for defects therein; a nuclear source of relatively high energy radiation and concomitant heat, which radiation causes generation of such defects in the semiconductor junction; and a thermal impedance enclosure for the nuclear source and the semiconductor-junction for retaining therewithin a sufficient quantity of heat to maintain a functional relationship between the generation of defects and the predetermined annealing temperature during operation.

Abstract: In a dropping procedure for the formation of soft gelatin capsules in which, suitably, a pasty, fluid or sol/gel forming filling material is encapsulated with a soft gelatin mass, the solidification of the soft gelatin mass in a cooling bath of a chemically inert, exceedingly cold fluid which has no negative biological impact nor leaves harmful residue on the soft gelatin capsule. As cooling bath, there is most suitably utilized liquid nitrogen.

Abstract: A process for forming microcapsules wherein the core material in the form of substantially uniform particles is projected through at least one descending curtain of encapsulating wallforming material in the form of an atomized mist of droplets so as to coat said particles with said droplets to form a substantially uniform thickness of encapsulating material and apparatus for carrying out such process.

Abstract: A softgel having a texture on at least a portion of its surface and a process and apparatus for the manufacture thereof.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing seamless capsules, wherein multi-layer liquid flow is blown out of a multiple nozzle to form multi-layer droplets which are brought into contact with hardening liquid to be solidified to thereby manufacture the seamless capsules SC and an apparatus therefor. A groove having U-shaped section for supplying the hardening liquid and the multi-layer droplets is orientated in a direction tangent to a circular section of a hardening vessel in the hardening vessel and a helical flow is formed in the hardening liquid in the hardening vessel, whereby the multi-layer droplets are fallen, moving helically in the hardening vessel.

Abstract: A soft capsule composed of a plurality of cells coalesced to each other and filling substances encapsulated in the individual cells, the wall of at least one of the cells being formed of a material different from a material forming the wall of at least one of the other cells, and said capsule being seamless.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing seamless capsules having satisfactory multilayer liquid drops without deformation, wherein a multilayer liquid flow is blown out of a multiple nozzle to form multilayer liquid drops which are brought into contact with hardening liquid for manufacturing seamless capsules, and a nozzle moving device is connected to the multiple nozzle, whereby the multiple nozzle is movably adjustable by this nozzle moving device in a direction intersecting or preferably perpendicular to the flow of the hardening liquid in a flow path of the hardening liquid.

Abstract: In the fabrication of wood material panels, processed wood particles are coated with a binder free of a hardener and then are spread in a fleece on a support surface. The fleece is then compacted and pressed to form the panel. Before the compacting step, microcapsules are introduced into the fleece. The microcapsules have enclosing walls that do not react with the binder and contain a hardener in the gaseous phase or in the binary phase with a gaseous carrier agent. When the fleece is compacted, the capsule walls are destroyed and the hardener is released into the fleece. The microcapsules containing the hardener are produced in a device located adjacent to the inlet end of the press so that there is only a short distance between the device and a mixing station where the microcapsules and the bonded processed wood particles are mixed. The mixing station is located just ahead of or at the spreading station where the mixed wood particles and microcapsules are formed into the fleece.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for forming stable, uniform unilamellar or oligolamellar liposomes which encapsulate a macromolecule. However, unlike prior processes, the present method maintains a temperature below the phase transition temperature of the lipid used to make the liposome both during the hydration of the lipid and, if used, during an extrusion step. In addition, the liposome is formed and the macromolecule encapsulated in a low ionic strength solution, then they are dialyzed against a high ionic strength solution.

Abstract: An apparatus for the production of encapsulated bodies employing a dropping tank for a fluid to form the cores of the encapsulated bodies and a reaction tank containing a solution capable of forming gel skins upon contact with the core material in communication therewith. Double-walled cylindrical nozzles are arranged in a lower part of the drop tank, the inner and outer walls of the double-walled cylindrical nozzles being coaxial. A pressurized air feed pipe is in communication with an upper part of the dropping tank. The peripheral walls of the reaction tank are in the form of a double-walled cylinder whose upper peripheral portion of its inner wall contains a screen. A liquid feed pipe and a capsule discharge port are provided in communication with the interior of the reaction tank through lower parts of the double-walled cylinder. A liquid discharge port also is provided in communication with an annular spacing of the double-walled cylinder through its outer wall.

Abstract: Monodisperse, polymeric microspheres are formed by injecting uniformly shaped droplets of radiation polymerizable monomers, preferably a biocompatible monomer, having covalent binding sites such as hydroxyethylmethacrylate, into a zone, impressing a like charge on the droplet so that they mutually repel each other, spheroidizing the droplets within the zone and collecting the droplets in a pool of cryogenic liquid. As the droplets enter the liquid, they freeze into solid, glassy microspheres, which vaporizes a portion of the cryogenic liquid to form a layer. The like-charged microspheres, suspended within the layer, move to the edge of the vessel holding the pool, are discharged, fall and are collected. The collected microspheres are irradiated while frozen in the cryogenic liquid to form latent free radicals. The frozen microspheres are then slowly thawed to activate the free radicals which polymerize the monomer to form evenly-sized, evenly-shaped, monodisperse polymeric microspheres.

Abstract: The invention is a process and apparatus for the manufacture of microcapsules. The microcapsules have a core which contains a liquid, gaseous, solid or multiple-phase material which is coated with an impermeable film. The microcapsules are formed by applying high pressure, for a short period of time, to a mixture of the core and shell material, and by gradually reducing the pressure, such as by passing the capsules through a baffled chamber. The invention also includes a method for adjusting the size of the microcapsules, and for adjusting the thickness of their shells. The microcapsules can be made with several shell layers, to increase their strength. They can also be made as multiple capsules, having two or more cores. The invention also includes a method and apparatus for making microcapsules in a continuous process. The present invention produces microcapsules in a small fraction of the time required by methods of the prior art.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for forming stable, uniform unilamellar or oligolamellar liposomes which encapsulate a macromolecule. However, unlike prior processes, the present method maintains a temperature below the phase transition temperature of the lipid used to make the liposome both during the hydration of the lipid and, if used, during an extrusion step. In addition, the liposome is formed and the macromolecule encapsulated in a low ionic strength solution, then they are dialyzed against a high ionic strength solution.

Abstract: Bead producing process and an apparatus in which sol having enzymes, plant tissues, etc. dispersed therein is dropped into a solidifying liquid through a perforated plate. The sol is fed from a sol supply tank to a position near of the outer periphery of the planet gear of a planetary gear mechanism which is disposed on the perforated plate. At this moment, the sol supply tank is raised at a given rate in proportion to a decrease in the liquid level thereof so that the liquid level of the sol in the sol supply tank may be kept constant with respect to the perforated plate.

Abstract: A nozzle assembly in a multi-element spherical shell generation system includes first and second side-by-side spaced apart nozzles and a web portion extending between and connecting the nozzles. The first nozzle has an inner orifice adapted to discharge a first filler material and an outer annular orifice separated from and defined in concentric relation about the inner orifice and adapted to discharge a first shell material. The second nozzle has an inner orifice adapted to discharge a second filler material and an outer annular orifice separated from and defined in concentric relation about the inner orifice and adapted to discharge a second shell material.

Abstract: Encapsulation apparatus for forming capsules by dropping a coagulatable mixture into a coagulation tank, including a dropping tank with a perforated bottom and a coagulation tank beneath the dropping tank. The dropping tank has a shallow mid-section and deeper portions at the inlet and discharge ends. Pumps provide circulation between the discharge and inlet ends of the coagulation tank.

Abstract: A process for collecting microcapsules containing a liquid fill formed by an encapsulation head comprising maintaining a rotating substantially uniform layer of a cushioning powder between a capsule forming zone and a capsule collecting zone, expelling capsules as formed from the capsule forming zone onto a uniform layer of cushioning powder, and moving the capsules radially along said layer and the capsule collecting zone. The invention also comprises the apparatus involved which comprises an encapsulation head for expelling capsules, a powder-coated platform located below the encapsulation head for receiving said expelled capsules, means for rotating said platform to cause said capsules to move radially and fall from said platform, and a moving surface located below said platform to collect said capsules falling from said platform.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming microcapsules from a fluid medium containing living culture material by the atomization of the medium and the treatment of the atomized droplets with a treatment fluid. A medium under pressure enters a chamber having a wall with a plurality of orifices formed therein. A vibrator vibrates the chamber. As the medium passes through the orifices the exit stream vibrates and forms small droplets. The droplets fall into a collection vessel on the other side of the wall, which contains treatment fluid for hardening the droplets into microcapsules. A flow of treatment fluid may be maintained through the collection vessel to prevent clumping of the droplets and to transport the hardened microcapsules for harvesting. Preferred operating pressures, orifice size and chamber configuration are shown.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for encapsulating solutions of reactants of color reaction systems by means of conventional encapsulation processes, the reactant initially being dissolved in a solvent with a good dissolving power and immediately prior to emulsification or encapsulation, a non-solvent, which only dissolves the reactant to an insignificant extent, is admixed with the fresh solution obtained in a quantity which adjusts a supersaturated system, the capsulates obtainable as a result thereof, as well as their use with an encapsulated solution of a basic color former, which supplies a color by the reaction with acid reactants, in non-carbon paper.

Abstract: Solid particles or viscous liquid droplets of core material are encapsulated in a coating material largely as single particles with a single coherent coating, by feeding a suspension of the two materials onto a rotating surface. The suspension is centrifugally dispersed by the rotating surface into relatively large coated particles and relatively small droplets of coating material. Only the size of the droplets of unused coating corresponds to the droplets formed from atomization of the liquid coating material. The size of the coated particles depends on the size of the uncoated particles and is much less dependent upon the atomization characteristics of the rotating surface. Upon being thrown from the rotating surface, or falling from that surface, the droplets and coated particles are solidified by exposure to air and are separated by sieving, or the like. The solidified droplets of pure coating material may be recycled into the suspension.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously producing microcapsules which comprises at least one inner pipe for extruding a material to be encapsulated, at least one outer pipe for extruding an encapsulating material, the outer pipe being coaxially arranged around the inner pipe, means for delivering the material to be encapsuled to the inner pipe, means for delivering the encapsulating material to the outer pipe, at least one capsule-forming cylinder through which a coaxial jet flow of the material to be encapsulated and encapsulating material flows downwardly and through which a coagulating agent is forced to flow downwardly, a closed chamber which contains the coagulating agent and in which the capsule-forming cylinder is arranged vertically and means for delivering the coagulating agent to the chamber, which produces up to about 50,000 microcapsules per second per a set of the inner and outer pipes and the capsule forming cylinder.

Abstract: A method for encapsulation of a liquid or meltable solid material, comprises the steps of forming a jet of a material to be encapsulated, simultaneously forming a coaxial jet of a capsule-forming material surrounding the jet of the material to be encapsulated, forming a coaxial jet of a heated circulating liquid surrounding the coaxial composite jet of the capsule-forming material and the material to be encapsulated, introducing the resultant coaxial triple jet into a flow of a cooling liquid to form capsules composed of a core of the material to be encapsulated and a capsule or coating film of the capsule-forming material. The heated circulating liquid has a temperature close to or higher than that of the capsule-forming material.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for producing capsules of the type which are formed by immersing liquid droplets in a gelling agent. The apparatus comprises a rotor disposed about a central axis of rotation which houses a reservoir for holding the liquid to be formed into capsules, and conduits which lead to ports spaced uniformly on the circumference of a circle. When the rotor is actuated, spheroidal droplets of the capsule-forming material take shape at the ports and are propelled radially outwardly into a gelling agent contained in a reservoir which comprises an annular surface spaced radially apart from the ports.

Abstract: Apparatus for making miniature capsules having a capsule-forming orifice defined by the open ends of two coaxial conduits. The inner conduit defines a central opening in the orifice and the outer conduit defines an annulus circumferentially of the central opening. Filter-content material for the individual capsules is extruded as a stream through the central opening and a settable coating liquid material is extruded as a thin film sleeve circumferentially of the filler-content material stream. The film sleeve and the stream of filler-content material pass through a cooling liquid which is flowed through a fixed nozzle downstream of the extruding orifice. The nozzle has an inlet section with converging inner surfaces and a uniform diameter downstream of the inlet section. The cooling fluid, the film sleeve and filler-content stream therein all pass through the nozzle.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for forming semiconductor tear-drop shaped bodies having minimal grain boundaries. Semiconductor material is melted in a capillary tube at the top of a tower, and forced under gas pressure through a nozzle. Separate semiconductor bodies are formed. They are passed through a free fall path over which a predetermined temperature gradient controls solidification of the bodies. The resultant bodies are tear-drop semiconductor bodies of near uniform size with minimal grain boundaries.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are disclosed for forming encapsulated material. Centrifugal force developed by a rotating nozzle having a plurality of radial orifices is used for extruding material to be encapsulated. The nozzle is mounted for rotation about a generally vertical axis and is provided with a circumferential outside surface near its bottom inclined upwardly away from the axis of the nozzle which, when partially submerged in a liquid during rotation, impels a sheet or spray of the liquid along the circumferential surface and shears off successive leading tips of extruded material to form capsules.

Abstract: Spherical particulates containing inorganic material are produced by forming a slurry of particles in an aqueous solution of a gellable organic binder, introducing droplets of the slurry into a two-phase liquid containing an upper hydrophobic phase for forming and maintaining the droplets in spherical form, and a lower ionic phase containing divalent or trivalent metal cations for promoting gellation of the organic binder, thereby converting the slurry droplets into substantially self-supporting spheres of particles dispersed in the gelled binder. Upon separation from the two-phase liquid and one or more optional heat treatments to remove the binder, to convert precursors into the desired final inorganic form, or to strengthen or densify the spheres, such spheres are useful, for example, as starting materials for single crystal growth from a melt.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing seamless material-filled capsules characterized by the fact that a capsule filler material, a sol solution and a water-insoluble solution in the form of a continuous jet are fed from a triple orifice of the same core into a stream of hardening solution, the spherical drops consisting of the above mentioned three layers are completed due to their interfacial surface tensions, then said water-soluble solution of said outermost layer is caused to strike several interrupting plates to have said water insoluble layer destroyed and separated from the sol solution as a second layer to react said sol solution with said hardening solution at this instant for forming a water-insoluble film and the diameter the wall thickness of said spherical drop can be changed easily by modifying the flow speed of the hardening solution and the diameter of said orifice.