What is claimed is:
1. A dosage form for delivering an antiepileptic drug to a gastrointestinal tract, comprising:
a compartment containing a drug formulation layer, the drug formulation layer comprising an antiepileptic drug;
a semipermeable wall surrounding the compartment, the semipermeable wall having a passageway that allows communication between the compartment and an exterior of the dosage form;
an internal lamina formed on an inner surface of the semipermeable wall, the internal lamina being substantially soluble in water;
wherein the internal lamina in a hydrated state forms a gelatinous layer that lubricates the semipermeable wall, thereby substantially preventing crack formation in the semipermeable wall while the dosage form is dispensing the drug.
2. The dosage form of claim 1, wherein the internal lamina comprises one or more water-soluble polymers.
3. The dosage form of claim 2, wherein the one or more water-soluble polymers are present in the internal lamina in an amount of at least 80% by weight.
4. The dosage form of claim 2, wherein the water-soluble polymers are selected from the group consisting of hydroxy alkylcellulose, hydroxypropyl alkylcellulose, carboxy alkylcellulose, and polyalkylene oxide.
5. The dosage form of claim 1, wherein the semipermeable material is selected from the group consisting of cellulose acylate, cellulose diacylate, and cellulose triacylate, and blends thereof.
6. The dosage form of claim 1, further comprising an expandable layer disposed in the compartment, the expandable layer assisting in delivery of the antiepileptic drug through the passageway.
7. The dosage form of claim 6, wherein the internal lamina forms a permeable interface between the semipermeable wall and the antiepileptic drug formulation layer.
8. The dosage form of claim 7, wherein the internal lamina forms a permeable interface between the semipermeable wall and the expandable layer.
9. The dosage form of claim 1, further comprising an external lamina formed on an external surface of the semipermeable wall.
10. The dosage form of claim 8, wherein the external lamina comprises an antiepileptic drug and is configured to immediately deliver the antiepileptic drug in the gastrointestinal tract.
11. A process for maintaining the integrity and performance of a dosage form having a semipermeable wall enclosing an antiepileptic drug formulation, comprising:
laminating an inner surface of the semipermeable wall with a lamina that is substantially soluble in water;
wherein the lamina when hydrated forms a gelatinous layer that lubricates the semipermeable wall, thereby substantially preventing crack formation in the semipermeable wall as the dosage form dispenses the drug.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A receiver for a tire status monitoring apparatus that monitors statuses of a plurality of tires provided on a vehicle and includes a plurality of transmitters, provided on the tires respectively, for transmitting data indicating statuses of the respective tires, the data including an identification code to identify each tire, the receiver being supplied with an activation signal to activate a drive source of the vehicle, the receiver comprising:
a reception unit which receives the data from the transmitters; and
a control circuit connected to the reception unit, wherein upon detection of the activation signal, the control circuit collates the identification code included in the data and specifies, based on the identification code, each transmitter which has transmitted the data, wherein the control circuit has an identification code registered beforehand, determines whether or not the identification code included in the data matches with the registered identification code, and determines whether or not those identification codes included in the data received by a first predetermined number of times match with one another a second predetermined number of times less than the first predetermined number of times or more when it is determined that those two identification codes do not match with each other, and determines that that tire which is associated with the identification code included in the data has been changed when it is decided that there have been such matches.
2. The receiver according to claim 1, wherein the reception unit transmits a request signal to each individual transmitter and receives the data in response to the request signal from each transmitter.
3. The receiver according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined that a tire has been changed, the control circuit updates the registered identification code with the identification code included in the received data.
4. The receiver according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle has a key cylinder including a key switch which generates the activation signal, and the control circuit receives the activation signal from the key cylinder when the key switch is set to on.
5. A tire status monitoring apparatus for monitoring statuses of a plurality of tires provided on a vehicle, the tire status monitoring apparatus comprising:
a plurality of transmitters provided on the tires respectively, which detect statuses of the associated tires and transmit data indicating the detected statuses of the tires, the data including an identification code to identify each tire; and
a receiver provided on the vehicle, which receives the data from the plurality of transmitters and is supplied with an activation signal for activating a drive source of the vehicle,
wherein the receiver includes a control circuit, which, upon detection of the activation signal, collates the identification code included in the data and specifies, based on the identification code, each transmitter which has transmitted the data, wherein the control circuit has an identification code registered beforehand, determines whether or not the identification code included in the data matches with the registered identification code, determines whether or not those identification codes included in the data received by a first predetermined number of times match with one another a second predetermined number of times less than the first predetermined number of times or more when it is determined that those two identification codes do not match with each other, and determines that that tire which is associated with the identification code included in the data has been changed when it is decided that there have been such matches.
6. The tire status monitoring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the receiver transmits a request signal to each transmitter and receives the data in response to the request signal from each transmitter.
7. The tire status monitoring apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of transmitters generate power induced by the request signal and transmit the data using the generated power.
8. The tire status monitoring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein when it is determined tat a tire has been changed, the control circuit updates the registered identification code with the identification code included in the received data.
9. The tire status monitoring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle has a key cylinder including a key switch which generates the activation signal, and the control circuit receives the activation signal from the key cylinder when the key switch is set to on.
10. A method of monitoring statuses of a plurality of tires provided on a vehicle and including a plurality of transmitters which generate data indicating statuses of the respective tires, the vehicle including a receiver which receives the data from the transmitters, the data including an identification code to identify each tire, the method comprising the steps of:
detecting an activation signal for activating a drive source of the vehicle;
transmitting a request signal for generating the data and transmitting the data to the receiver to the plurality of transmitters, when the activation signal is detected;
receiving the data from the plurality of transmitters;
collating the identification code included in the data; and
specifying each transmitter which has transmitted the data, based on the identification code, wherein the receiver has an identification code registered beforehand, and the collation step includes the steps of:
determining whether the identification code included in the data matches with the registered identification code or not;
receiving the data by a first predetermined number of times when it is determined that the two identification codes do not match with each other;
determining whether or not those identification codes which are included in the data received by the first predetermined number of times do not match with one another a second predetermined number of times less than the first predetermined number of times or more; and
determining that that tire which is associated with the identification code has been changed when it is determined that the identification codes match with one another the second predetermined number of times or more.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the collation step further includes the step of updating the registered identification code with the identification code included in the received data when it is determined that a tire has been changed.
12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle has a key cylinder including a key switch which generates the activation signal, and the step of detecting the activation signal detects the activation signal when the key switch is set to on.