Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
Process for preparing unilamellar lipid vesicles having an average diameter of at least 1,000 Å, each of these vesicles consisting of a spheroidal lipid lamella containing a substance to be encapsulated, which process comprises dissolving one or more lipids intended to form the lamella of the vesicles in at least one water-insoluble solvent, conditioning the resulting lipid solution at a pressure P 1 and at a temperature θ 1 , dissolving the substance to be encapsulated in water to obtain an aqueous phase, conditioning said aqueous phase at a pressure P 2 and a temperature θ 2 , injecting the lipid solution into the aqueous phase at a low flow rate so as initially to form droplets and so that solvent of the lipid solution vaporises on coming into contact with the said aqueous phase, the pressure P 2 being less than P 1 and less than the vapour pressure of the solvent in the said droplets at the temperature θ 2 .
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
Process for preparing unilamellar lipid vesicles having an average diameter of at least 1,000 Å, each of these vesicles consisting of a spheroidal lipid lamella containing a substance to be encapsulated, which process comprises dissolving one or more lipids intended to form the lamella of the vesicles in at least one water-insoluble solvent, conditioning the resulting lipid solution at a pressure P 1 and at a temperature θ 1 , dissolving the substance to be encapsulated in water to obtain an aqueous phase, conditioning said aqueous phase at a pressure P 2 and a temperature θ 2 , injecting the lipid solution into the aqueous phase at a low flow rate so as initially to form droplets and so that solvent of the lipid solution vaporises on coming into contact with the said aqueous phase, the pressure P 2 being less than P 1 and less than the vapour pressure of the solvent in the said droplets at the temperature θ 2 .
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
Process according to claim 1, in which the temperatures θ 1 and θ 2 are substantially equal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
Process according to claim 2 in which the lipid solution contains from 0.01 to 10 g per 100 ml of solvent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
Process according to claim 1 in which the lipid solution is conditioned in a receptacle of the "aerosol container" type which contains a propellant agent and the pressure P 2 is below atmospheric pressure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
Process according to claim 4 in which the pressure P 1 is from 1 to 8 bars absolute.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
Process according to claim 4 in which a compressed gas which is soluble in the liquid phase contained in the aerosol container is the propellant agent.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
Process according to claim 4 in which a liquefied gas which is miscible with the lipid solution contained in the aerosol container is the propellant agent.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
Process according to claim 7 in which a hydrocarbon which is or is not halogenated is the propellant agent.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
Process according to claim 4 in which a compressed gas which is insoluble in the liquid phase contained in the aerosol container is the propellant agent.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
Process according to claim 1 in which the solvent for the lipid has a boiling point below 25° C., and the temperature θ 1 and θ 2 are substantially equal to ambient temperature.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
Process according to claim 10 in which the said solvent is a halocarbon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
Process according to claim 1 in which a microvalve is employed to provide the reduced flow rate of the lipid solution into the aqueous phase to be encapsulated and the microvalve is regulated to provide a flow rate of 5 ml per hour to 10 ml per minute.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
Process according to claim 1 in which the pressure P 2 is from 0.1 mbar to 15 mbars.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
Process according to claim 1 in which the vesicles are produced continuously.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
Process according to claim 14 in which the lipid solution is injected into a channel in which the aqueous phase to be encapsulated is circulated.