TABLET HAVING A TWO-DIMENSIONAL IDENTIFIER

Abstract

A solid dosage form for active ingredient release can be a preparation for medical, dental or cosmetic purposes, and is preferably a tablet. The solid dosage form comprises a three-dimensional base body which comprises an active ingredient. The solid dosage form further comprises a portion having a structure forming a two-dimensional identifier, such as, for instance, a QR code.

Claims

1. A solid dosage form for active ingredient release, in particular tablet, comprising: a three-dimensional base body, wherein the base body comprises an active ingredient, and a portion having a structure forming a two-dimensional identifier, wherein the portion is integral with the base body.

2. The dosage form according to claim 1, wherein the portion is produced by means of screen printing.

3. The dosage form according to claim 1, wherein the base body is produced by means of screen printing.

4. The dosage form according to claim 1, wherein the entire dosage form is produced by means of screen printing.

5. The dosage form according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional identifier is a barcode, a QR code or a haptic code.

6. The dosage form according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional identifier has a resolution of 50 to 500 dpi.

7. The dosage form according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional identifier has at least a point or a line with a thickness between 20 μm and 700 μm.

8. The dosage form according to claim 1, wherein also the portion contains the active ingredient.

9. The dosage form according to claim 8, in particular wherein an active ingredient distribution runs continuously through the dosage form over the base body and the portion.

10. The dosage form according to claim 1, wherein the portion contains a colouring agent.

11. The dosage form according to claim 1, wherein the structure has a three-dimensional extension, wherein the extension of the structure along the first and second dimension forms the two-dimensional identifier, and wherein the structure along the third dimension has a thickness of 2 μm to 1000 μm.

12. The dosage form according to claim 1, wherein the portion is present at the surface of the dosage form.

13. The dosage form according to claim 12, wherein an outwardly directed surface of the portion is planar with a surface of the base body.

14. The dosage form according to claim 12, wherein the surface of the dosage form is smooth and stepless in the region of the portion.

15. The dosage form according to claim 1, wherein the portion is not present at the surface of the dosage form.

16. The dosage form according to claim 15, wherein a distance of the portion to a surface of the base body is in the range of 2 μm to 1000 μm.

17. The dosage form according to claim 1, wherein the portion is not designed as haptically perceptible relief or counter-relief.

18. The dosage form according to claim 1, wherein the dosage form is designed as tablet, and wherein the active ingredient is a pharmaceutical active ingredient.

19. The dosage form according to claim 1, wherein the section comprises a marker which is detectable after administration of the dosage form, wherein the marker is preferably detectable by means of an imaging method.

20. A method for production by means of screen printing of a dosage form according to claim 1, comprising: providing a first printing paste comprising the active ingredient; applying the first printing paste by means of a first printing screen; providing a second printing paste, preferably comprising a colouring agent; applying the second printing paste by means of a second printing screen to form the portion, having the structure forming the two-dimensional identifier, wherein a pattern of the second printing screen defines the structure of the portion.

Description

4. EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0035] The invention is described in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, identical elements are provided with identical reference signs.

[0036] In the figures:

[0037] FIG. 1 a tablet having a two-dimensional identifier according to one exemplary embodiment;

[0038] FIG. 2 a tablet having a two-dimensional identifier according to a further exemplary embodiment;

[0039] FIG. 3 a tablet having a two-dimensional identifier according to a further exemplary embodiment;

[0040] FIG. 4 a tablet having a two-dimensional identifier according to a further exemplary embodiment;

[0041] FIG. 5 schematically a production method according to a further exemplary embodiment.

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a solid dosage form in the form of a tablet 1 according to an exemplary embodiment. The tablet 1 has a round basic shape with an exemplary diameter of 1.5 cm and an exemplary thickness of 0.3 cm. The person skilled in the art understands that the tablet can also have other shapes and sizes.

[0043] The tablet comprises a three-dimensional base body 3, which comprises a pharmaceutical active ingredient. Formed integrally with the base body 3 is a portion 2, the structure of which represents a two-dimensional identifier in the form of a QR code. The QR code has an exemplary size of 1×1 cm.sup.2 but can also be larger or smaller. A patient can read in the QR code with his smartphone and thereupon receives, for example, the information “acetylsalicylic acid, 500 mg per 1 tablet, chewable tablet”. In this way, the person skilled in the art can identify the active ingredient and the dose of the tablet, and receives information concerning the administration form.

[0044] FIGS. 2 to 4 each show a cross section through a dosage form according to further embodiments, for example the tablet 1 shown in FIG. 1. Each of these dosage forms can be described analogously to the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, and comprises a base body 3 and a portion 2. In this case, the portion 2 can have a structure which represents, for example, a two-dimensional identifier in the form of a QR code, as shown in FIG. 1. The portion 2 can in this case have an exemplary thickness or thickness of 20 μm, and, as described with reference to FIG. 1, an exemplary size of 1×1 cm.sup.2. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 differ in the arrangement of the portion 2.

[0045] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the portion 2 is present at the surface of the base body 3. The portion 2 protrudes in this case from the rest of the base body 3. The two-dimensional identifier predefined by the structure of the portion 2 can thus be haptically identified. In a further exemplary embodiment, the identifier can be formed here as a haptic code, for example in the form of braille.

[0046] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which the portion 2 is likewise present at the surface of the base body 3. In this example, the portion 2 is planar with the surface of the base body 3. Thus, no elements of the portion 2 protrude from the surface, so that no structure can be haptically detected. The identifier in the form of a QR code is optically identifiable and can be detected by means of a camera. The surface of the dosage form is smooth in this case, also in the region of the portion 2. The gaps in the portion 2 at the surface predefined on account of the shape of the QR code are filled in this case by material of the base body 3, so that ultimately no depressions or elevations are identifiable or tactile. The dosage form thus has no relief or counter-relief.

[0047] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment in which the portion 2 is not present at the surface of the base body 3. In this example, the portion 2 is completely surrounded by material of the further base body 3. The minimum distance between the portion 2 and the next surface of the base body 3 is 40 μm in this example.

[0048] FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram with which the sequence of a method for producing a solid dosage form is described. With this method, for example, a dosage form according to one of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 can be produced. Below, by way of example, the production of a dosage form as shown in FIG. 4, with a QR code as shown in FIG. 1, is described. The production method is carried out in this case by means of a screen printer. The person skilled in the art understands that, in addition to the steps stated below, further steps may be required, such as, for example, drying or curing steps.

[0049] In a first step S1, a first printing paste is provided, which comprises the active ingredient acetylsalicylic acid. In a second step S2, the first printing paste is applied by means of a first printing screen. In this case, the first printing paste can first be applied in a planar manner. By repeating steps S1 and S2, several layers can be formed from the first printing paste on top of one another.

[0050] In a third step S3, a second printing paste is provided, which contains a black food colouring agent. In a fourth step S4, the second printing paste is applied by means of a second printing screen. The second printing screen in this case predefines a specific structure, so that the second printing paste is printed in the form of a QR code, as shown in FIG. 1. Subsequently, the first printing paste is applied again, wherein the gaps of the existing layer are first filled by using a corresponding screen. Subsequently, the first printing paste is applied in a planar manner.