Abstract: Under the granulating section 10a for performing fluidized-bed granulation coating of powder grains, a drying section 20a for drying powder grains granulated is provided. A drying section 30a for drying the powder grains that are not sufficiently dried is provided under the drying section 20a. A product discharging section 40a for discharging a dried product is provided under the drying section 30a. A fluidized-bed forming-gas is supplied downward to upward, and granulation and dryness are continuously performed by the fluidized-bed forming-gas, and the powder grains moved from the granulating section to the drying section located immediately thereunder are pneumatic classified.

Abstract: This invention relates to a composition comprising ubiquinone having superior dispersion-stability in an aqueous solution and high bioavailability. The ubiquinone(s) is dispersed and emulsified in an aqueous solution of a water-soluble material in the presence of an organic acid(s) to form a protective colloid, the average particle size of the suspended particles being not more than 5 ?m. The liquid composition can be adsorbed in or carried on an excipient, or dried.

Abstract: A centrifugal tumbling granulating apparatus 1 comprises a fixed wall 7 having a grain contact portion 7a which is in contact with powder grains 2 and of which a horizontal section is formed in a circular shape, and a rotating disk 5 provided a clearance 12 away from an inner side of the fixed wall 7 and rotating in a horizontal direction by a motor 13, wherein an air supply device 21 for supplying drying air 22 to an upper surface side of the rotating disk 5 is provided above the rotating disk 5. The air supply device 21 has a cylindrical straight tube portion 25, and an air supply port 23 formed in a cone shape, and is disposed in a centrifugal tumbling chamber 6 to be movable in an up-and-down direction. During a granulating step, the air supply device 21 stops to supply the dry air 22 and waits at an upper position H. After the granulation processing, the air supply device is lowered at a lower position L and supplies the dry air 22 onto the rotating disk 5 to dry granulated substances.

Abstract: There are provided an aqueous shellac coating agent comprising shellac, a basic amino acid and/or a basic phosphate, as well as a production process therefor; a coated food and a coated drug that have been coated with such a coating agent; a glazing composition for oil-based confectionary which is in a liquid form and comprises an aqueous shellac solution (A) containing shellac, a basic amino acid and/or a basic phosphate dissolved in water, a thickener (B), and/or a sugar (C); a process for glazing oil-based confectionary in which this glazing composition is applied to oil-based confectionary to be glazed, thereby generating a glaze; and glazed oil-based confectionary produced using this process for glazing oil-based confectionary.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for oral quick-dissolving capsules, includes the steps of: preparing a core liquid that contains a filler material; preparing a shell liquid by having dissolved therein a shell material that includes one or more plasticizer and a shell forming agent; supplying to a multiple nozzle having an inner nozzle and an outer nozzle, and forming multilayer liquid drops by extruding the multilayer liquid drops from the multiple nozzle; hardening the shell liquid by bringing the multilayer liquid drops into contact with a hardening liquid; separating the seamless capsules from the hardening liquid; and drying their surface to form seamless capsules. The seamless capsules have a particle diameter of 1 to 10 mm, a mass ratio of shell material to filler material of 5:95 to 70:30, and the amount of added plasticizer is 20 to 70% by mass with respect to the total amount of the shell material, excluding water.

Abstract: An upper processing section 10 is provided by evenly spacing out functional stations 13 having respective functions of steps constituting a fluidized bed granulation coating process, on circumferential points. An intermediate storing section 20 is provided under the upper processing section 10 by evenly spacing out powder grain storing vessels 22 corresponding to the plurality of functional stations 13, on circumferential points. A lower gas supply section 30 is provided under the intermediate storing section 20 by evenly spacing out gas supply stations 31 corresponding to the plurality of powder grain storing vessels 22. The powder grain storing vessels 22 storing powder grains sequentially proceed to the respective functional stations 13 to execute respective processes to the powder grains, and thereby granulation coating of the powder grains is performed in a batch type and a continuous type.

Abstract: A pair of compression rollers 38a and 38b parallel with each other are provided and powder grains are supplied to a powder grain introduction/compression part 50 formed between the rollers 38a and 38b and, thereby, compression moldings of the powder grains are formed. A powder grain press/feed means 20 is provided in a front stage of the rollers 38a and 38b. The press/feed means 20 has a deaerating barrel 24 and previously presses the powder grains supplied between the rollers 38a and 38b. In side surfaces of the rollers 38a and 38b, side seals 37 are arranged with clearances 72 maintained from the rollers 38a and 38b. During pressing the powder moldings, the powder grains enter into the clearances so that closer layers are formed between the side surfaces of the compression rollers 38a and 38b and the side seals 37, thereby sealing the powder grain introduction/compression part 50.

Abstract: The present inventors have made studies for the purpose of establishing a process for preparing controlled-release preparations which can rapidly release 99% or more of a slightly soluble medicament (which has by itself shows a slow dissolution rate) in the upper part of the small intestine. As a result, the inventors have succeeded in establishing a process comprising carrying a slightly soluble medicament which has a slow intestinal dissolution rate on aggregates of the spherical microparticles of a multivalent metal alginate, in which each of the secondary particles (i.e., the aggregates) has a specific surface area ranging from 1 to 280 m2/g. This success leads to the accomplishment of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a spherical particle comprising an aggregate of particles containing at least 95% of a water-soluble single substance having a viscosity of 10 mPa.

Abstract: The invention relates to spherical granules having a uniform grain size and a uniform density which are suitable for a controlled-release preparation, a process for producing the same, and a spherical granule preparation using the same. Specifically, the invention relates to a process for producing spherical granules comprising the steps of: wetting powder materials comprising one or more kinds of pharmaceutical substances and have a mean particle size of from 1 to 100 &mgr;m; charging the wet powder materials into a centrifugal fluidized granulating apparatus; spraying a liquid to the wet powder materials at a rate of less than 3% based on the plastic limit of the powder materials per min.

Abstract: In a particle measurement device 1 for a powder or granular material processing apparatus, powder or granular material is introduced into a drawing tube 3, which is formed to be projected from the inside of the granulating vessel 2, by injecting high pressure gas from the inside of the granulating vessel 2, so as to capture it with adhesive film 6. The captured powder or granular material is photographed, and, based on the obtained image information, information on the powder or granular material within the granulating vessel 2 is obtained. An air inlet 4, which is communicated with the drawing tube 3, is provided in the drawing tube 3 in the neighborhood of its end portion 3b on the side of the outside of the granulating vessel 2. Through this air inlet 4, gas having higher pressure than the inside of the granulating vessel 2 is introduced into the drawing tube 3.

Abstract: A coated product in the form of solid particles of a food or pharmaceutical wherein the particles are each coated with a water-soluble hemicellulose. The water-soluble hemicellulose has a viscosity in the range of from 50 to 1,000 mPa.multidot.s at 25.degree. C. when dissolved in water in an amount of 10% by weight and has a reducing sugar content of 5% by weight or less and an amino acid content, as measured by assay with 2,4,6-trinitrobenezene sulfonic acid, of 1.0% by weight or less.

Abstract: In a food-like medicine comprising a seamless capsule enclosing effective ingredients and at least one of a gel and a high viscous liquid, the seamless capsule has: a diameter (d) within a range of 0.5-5 mm, a relation of a membrane thickness (.theta.) of the seamless capsule to the diameter (d) being 0.01 d.ltoreq..theta..ltoreq.0.05 d, and a ratio (.rho.) of a major axis to a minor axis of the seamless capsule not more than 1.3.

Abstract: A centrifugal tumbling granulating-coating apparatus for spherically granulating and coating pharmaceuticals, foods and the like. The apparatus is constructed such that an annular outer portion 5b of a rotary disc 5 is formed to provide an inclined portion which is inclined downwardly toward the center, the size (P) of the outer portion 5b in the horizontal direction is within the range of P.gtoreq.0.25D to the diameter (D) and preferably 0.4D.gtoreq.P.gtoreq.0.25D, and the height (H) is within the range of 0.1D.ltoreq.H.ltoreq.0.33D and preferably 0.1D.ltoreq.H.ltoreq.0.25D.

Abstract: There are provided a seamless capsule containing therein a large quantity of an active ingredient which is difficultly soluble in water and oil and a method of manufacturing the seamless capsule. Encapsulating liquid 1, in which the active ingredient is difficultly soluble in water and oil is suspended in oil as particles each having the mean particle diameter of less than 20 .mu.m, is enclosed in hydrophilic outer shells. This seamless capsule SC is manufactured in such a manner that from a multiple nozzle 7, suspension, in which the active ingredient which is difficultly soluble in water and oil is dispersed in oil and the active ingredient in thus obtained dispersion is pulverized to obtain particles each having the mean particle diameter of less than 20 .mu.m, as encapsulating liquid 1, and aqueous liquid of a shell forming substance, as outer shell forming liquid 3, are dropped into hardening liquid 10.

Abstract: To provide spherical particles made substantially from lactose and having high surface smoothness with low abrasiveness, and a process for their production.A process for producing spherical particles containing at least 95 wt % lactose, characterized by comprising a step of producing lactose spherical particles by charging crystalline lactose and/or lactose granules onto a rotary disk in the treatment vessel of a centrifugal tumbling apparatus, dispersing powdered lactose to the lactose granules and/or crystalline lactose as the rotary disk is rotated while providing slit air into the vessel, while also spraying water, an aqueous lactose solution or a dilute aqueous solution of a water-soluble polymer, and a fixation treatment step of drying the obtained spherical particles in a fluidized bed apparatus while spraying an aqueous lactose solution and/or a dilute solution of a water-soluble polymer.

Abstract: The spherical granules useful as a precipient for medicines and foods, and a production method thereof. A spherical granule comprises 95% by weight or more of lactose, and has a long diameter/short diameter ratio of 1.2 or less, and, when aggregated, a bulk density of 0.7 g/ml or more and an angle of repose of 35.degree. or less. The spherical granule is produced by feeding lactose particles into a granulating and coating apparatus equipped with a horizontal rotary disk having a smooth surface to contact with the granules, and by spraying lactose solution while the above-mentioned rotary disk is rotated.

Abstract: This is a granulating-coating apparatus comprising: a spraying means for spraying a binder liquid or a coating liquid onto articles to be processed, which are received in a rotary drum; a brush provided in a manner to be movable relatively to the spraying means in the rotary drum, for contacting a spray gun formed in the spraying means and removing adhered articles on the spray gun; and an adhered article sucking device provided in the vicinity of the brush, for receiving the removed adhered articles. With this arrangement, the adhered articles on spraying openings of the spraying means can be removed completely without contamination of the articles to be processed with the removed adhered articles.

Abstract: A centrifugal tumbling granulating-coating apparatus has a rotary disk rotated in the horizontal direction and a stator provided at an outer peripheral position of the rotary disk at a predetermined internal from the rotary disk. The rotary disk is formed therein with a peripheral edge portion having a circularly arcuate-shaped vertical cross-section erected from a flat bottom surface portion and curved upwardly. In the rotary disk, a height (H) from the bottom surface portion to an outer peripheral end is set at a value within a range of 0.30R.ltoreq.H.ltoreq.R to a radius of curvature (R) of the peripheral edge portion, a width (W) of the peripheral edge portion is set at a value within a range of 0.07D.ltoreq.W.ltoreq.0.25D to a diameter (D) of the rotary disk and the radius of curvature (R) of the peripheral edge portion is set at a value within a range of 0.10D.ltoreq.R.ltoreq.0.25D to the diameter (D). A powder contact portion of the stator is formed substantially vertically.

Abstract: The rotary drum has a cylindrical portion (tubular body portion) formed therein with vent holes. An annular duct is disposed at the outside of the cylindrical portion of the rotary drum in a manner to surround the cylindrical portion. This annular duct is provided with a gas supply duct and an exhaust duct. In the annular duct, partition walls define a vent path, in which the drying gas which has been supplied from the gas supply duct flows through an accumulated layer, and thereafter, flows to the exhaust duct. The direction of flow of the drying gas in the vent path is changed over by gas supply-exhaust changeover dampers.