US5543162A — Polymeric capsules, method of making the same, an…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 59 words

An insoluble polymeric capsule comprising at least two polymeric components, wherein one of said components is a hydrophilic colloid, and another of said components comprises an enzymatically degraded product of a cellulose derivative, the degraded product consisting essentially of a mixture of oligomers, a majority of said oligomers having a degree of polymerization between about 5 and about 50.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 59 words

An insoluble polymeric capsule comprising at least two polymeric components, wherein one of said components is a hydrophilic colloid, and another of said components comprises an enzymatically degraded product of a cellulose derivative, the degraded product consisting essentially of a mixture of oligomers, a majority of said oligomers having a degree of polymerization between about 5 and about 50.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 14 words

The capsule of claim 1, further comprising a selected substance encapsulated within the capsule.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 28 words

The capsule of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic colloid is a gellable material selected from the group consisting of gelatin, albumin, gum arabic, alginates, casein, agar, and pectins.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 26 words

The capsule of claim 1 wherein the mixture of oligomers have molecular weights such that the polydispersity index of the mixture is less than about two.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 22 words

The capsule of claim 1 wherein the degraded product contains less than about 25% by weight of monosaccharides, disaccharides or mixtures thereof.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 22 words

The capsule of claim 5 wherein the degraded product contains less than about 10% by weight of monosaccharides, disaccharides or mixtures thereof.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 12 words

The capsule of claim 1 wherein the cellulose derivative is carboxymethyl cellulose.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 21 words

The capsule of claim 1 wherein the mixture of oligomers has an average molecular weight of less than about 15,000 daltons.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 86 words

An insoluble polymeric capsule comprising at least two polymeric components, wherein one of said components is a hydrophilic colloid, and another of said components comprises an enzymatically degraded product of a cellulose derivative, the degraded product consisting essentially of a mixture of oligomers, a majority of said oligomers having a Mark-Houwink exponent of at least 1.2 at an NaCl concentration of 0.005N to 0.5N, wherein said cellulose derivative has at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl, methyl, hydroxyethyl, hydroxymethylethyl, hydroxypropylmethyl and hydroxypropylethyl.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 86 words

An insoluble polymeric capsule comprising at least two polymeric components, wherein one of said components is a hydrophilic colloid, and another of said components comprises an enzymatically degraded product of a cellulose derivative, the degraded product consisting essentially of a mixture of oligomers, a majority of said oligomers having a Mark-Houwink exponent of at least 1.2 at an NaCl concentration of 0.005N to 0.5N, wherein said cellulose derivative has at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl, methyl, hydroxyethyl, hydroxymethylethyl, hydroxypropylmethyl and hydroxypropylethyl.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 16 words

The capsule of claim 9 wherein the degraded product consists essentially of the mixture of polymers.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 14 words

The capsule of claim 9, further comprising a selected substance encapsulated within the capsule.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 28 words

The capsule of claim 9 wherein the hydrophilic colloid is a gellable material selected from the group consisting of gelatin, albumin, gum arabic, alginates, casein, agar, and pectins.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 26 words

The capsule of claim 9 wherein the mixture of oligomers have molecular weights such that the polydispersity index of the mixture is less than about two.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 22 words

The capsule of claim 9 wherein the degraded product contains less than about 25% by weight of monosaccharides, disaccharides or mixtures thereof.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 22 words

The capsule of claim 14 wherein the degraded product contains less than about 10% by weight of monosaccharides, disaccharides or mixtures thereof.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 12 words

The capsule of claim 9 wherein the cellulose derivative is carboxymethyl cellulose.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 20 words

The capsule of claim 1 wherein the mixture oligomers has an average molecular weight of less than about 15,000 daltons.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 79 words

A method for making polymeric capsules comprising: (a) selecting a derivative of cellulose for degradation into a mixture of oligomers, (b) enzymatically degrading the selected cellulose derivative into a mixture of oligomers, a majority of which have a degree of polymerization between about 5 and about 50; (c) combining the mixture of oligomers and a polymeric hydrophilic colloid in aqueous solutions; (d) subjecting the combination to conditions such that the colloid and the oligomers interact to form polymeric capsules.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 79 words

A method for making polymeric capsules comprising: (a) selecting a derivative of cellulose for degradation into a mixture of oligomers, (b) enzymatically degrading the selected cellulose derivative into a mixture of oligomers, a majority of which have a degree of polymerization between about 5 and about 50; (c) combining the mixture of oligomers and a polymeric hydrophilic colloid in aqueous solutions; (d) subjecting the combination to conditions such that the colloid and the oligomers interact to form polymeric capsules.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 18 further comprising admixing the combination with a substance to be encapsulated thereby forming capsules containing the substance.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 18 wherein the cellulose derivative has at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl, methyl, hydroxypropyl, methylethyl, hydroxyethyl, hydroxyemethylethyl, and hydroxypropylmethyl.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 18 further comprising strengthening the insoluble polymeric capsules by cross linking the membrane with a cross-linking agent.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 19 wherein the substance is selected from the group consisting of oil, oil-phases, and bioactive substances.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 19 wherein the substance is selected from the group consisting of cosmetics, food compositions, feed compositions and pharmaceuticals.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 18 wherein the mixture of oligomers have molecular weights such that the polydispersity index of the mixture is less than about two.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 18 wherein the mixture of oligomers contains less than about 25% by weight of monosaccharides, disaccharides or mixtures thereof.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 18 wherein the mixture of oligomers contains less than about 10% by weight of monosaccharides, disaccharides or mixtures thereof.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 20 wherein the mixture of oligomers has an average molecular weight of less than about 15,000 daltons.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 18 wherein the mixture of oligomers has an average molecular weight of less than about 15,000.

Claim 32

Independent Claim 84 words

A method for making polymeric capsules comprising: (a) selecting a derivative of cellulose for degradation into a mixture of oligomers; (b) degrading the selected cellulose derivative into a mixture of oligomers, the majority of which have a Mark-Houwink exponent of at least about 1.2 at an NaCl concentration of 0.005N to 0.5N; (c) combining the mixture of oligomers and a polymeric hydrophilic colloid in aqueous solution; (d) subjecting the combination to conditions such that the oligomers and the colloid interact to form polymeric capsules.

Claim 33

Independent Claim 84 words

A method for making polymeric capsules comprising: (a) selecting a derivative of cellulose for degradation into a mixture of oligomers; (b) degrading the selected cellulose derivative into a mixture of oligomers, the majority of which have a Mark-Houwink exponent of at least about 1.2 at an NaCl concentration of 0.005N to 0.5N; (c) combining the mixture of oligomers and a polymeric hydrophilic colloid in aqueous solution; (d) subjecting the combination to conditions such that the oligomers and the colloid interact to form polymeric capsules.

Claim 34

Independent Claim 134 words

A method of making oil containing capsules comprising the steps of: (a) selecting an oil to be encapsulated; (b) selecting a derivative of cellulose for degradation into a mixture of oligomers; (c) degrading the selected cellulose derivative into a mixture of oligomers having a selected charge and a degree of polymerization such that a majority of the oligomers conforms to a rod-like configuration and have a degree of polymerization between about 5 and about 50; (d) selecting a polymeric hydrophilic colloid having a charge opposite to the charge of the oligomers; (e) admixing the oil, the mixture of oligomers and the hydrophilic colloid in aqueous solution; (f) adjusting the pH of the solution such that the oligomers and the hydrophilic colloid interact to form capsules, the oil being encapsulated upon formation of the capsules.

Claim 35

Independent Claim 134 words

A method of making oil containing capsules comprising the steps of: (a) selecting an oil to be encapsulated; (b) selecting a derivative of cellulose for degradation into a mixture of oligomers; (c) degrading the selected cellulose derivative into a mixture of oligomers having a selected charge and a degree of polymerization such that a majority of the oligomers conforms to a rod-like configuration and have a degree of polymerization between about 5 and about 50; (d) selecting a polymeric hydrophilic colloid having a charge opposite to the charge of the oligomers; (e) admixing the oil, the mixture of oligomers and the hydrophilic colloid in aqueous solution; (f) adjusting the pH of the solution such that the oligomers and the hydrophilic colloid interact to form capsules, the oil being encapsulated upon formation of the capsules.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 58 words

A method of preparing a foodstuff for consumption comprising: (a) selecting a foodstuff; (b) admixing with the selected foodstuff, capsules according to claim 2 or 11 which contain an edible oil as the encapsulated substance; (c) subjecting the mixture of the foodstuff and capsules to conditions such that the capsules release the encapsulated oil onto the selected foodstuff.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 37 words

A food composition comprising a selected foodstuff and a plurality of capsules according to claim 2 or 11 the capsules containing an edible oil as the encapsulated substance and being rupturable upon exposure to a selected temperature.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1999-08-06	2000-02-05	2000-08-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2003-08-06	2004-02-05	2004-08-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2007-08-06	2008-02-05	2008-08-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Polymeric capsules, method of making the same, and foodstuffs containing the same

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