Ramp surface for an apparatus for coating tablets

A fluidized bed apparatus for applying a coating liquid onto the surface of particles includes a vertically disposed cylindrical product container having a peripheral wall, at least one cylindrical partition defining a centrally located up bed region and a peripherally located down bed region. A nozzle is centrally located through the orifice plate and is adapted to generate a spray of coating liquid upwardly into the up bed. A nozzle ramp is provided around the nozzle. The nozzle ramp is generally cusp shaped and includes nozzle-ramp surface. The nozzle ramp is centrally positioned around the nozzle and is directed upwardly towards the partition so that the nozzle-ramp surface directs particles moving generally horizontally across the orifice plate from the down bed upwardly into the partition and the up bed. The nozzle ramp may further include air passages for passing fluidized air upwardly to the nozzle-ramp surface.