Sensor equipped medicinal container

• US 10,179,091 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2018
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nant Holdings IP, LLC (NantWorks, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nant Holdings IP, LLC (NantWorks, LLC)
• Inventors: Chaturvedi, Rahul, Soon-Shiong, Patrick, Brewer, Emerico Alberto, Lee, Jin Hyup
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US15/904,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20180185246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/314 Flexible bags or pouches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/30 Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/10 Bag-type containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1412 Containers with closing means, e.g. caps
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/18 Arrangements for indicating condition of container contents, e.g. sterile condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/20 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/70 Audible labels, e.g. for pre-recorded info or messages
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/02 Pill counting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0418 with electronic history memory
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0436 resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/2508 using slide fasteners with interlocking members having a substantially uniform section throughout the length of the fastener; Sliders therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/255 being provided with special visual, audible or tactile indicating means, e.g. indicating proper engagement B65D33/2516 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/28 Strings or strip-like closures , i.e. draw closures
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Medicinal container bags are presented. Bags can include openers capable of sealing an opening of the bag. Disclosed bags further comprise electronic assemblies configured to detect opening or closing events as the openers move along the rims of the bag opening. The assemblies can compile usage data based on opener movement, and then provide the data to remote monitoring systems.

Claims

1. A sensor equipped container comprising:

a main body having one or more flexible walls defining a main body opening;

a flexible assembly comprising rims attached to the main body adjacent the main body opening, the rims being configured to be selectively coupled to each other to define a closed configuration of the main body opening, and decoupled from each other to define an open configuration of the main body opening;

an opener moveably coupled to the flexible assembly and configured to effectuate selective coupling of the rims and decoupling of the rims;

a trigger element connected to one of the main body and the flexible assembly; and

an electronic assembly comprising a sensor circuit and sensor, said electronic assembly detachably connectable to the opener wherein said sensor is capable of detecting the trigger element and wherein said sensor circuit, in communication with the sensor, processes sensor information to determine at least one of an open configuration and closed configuration of the main body opening;

the electronic assembly being connectable to the opener such that the electronic assembly moves with the opener as the opener is moved relative to the flexible assembly when the electronic assembly is connected to the opener.

2. The sensor equipped container of claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly is sized and structured to clip onto the opener.

3. The sensor equipped container of claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly includes a void which receives the opener when the electronic assembly is connected to the opener.

4. The sensor equipped container of claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly includes an electronic connector.

5. The sensor equipped container of claim 4, wherein the connector is a multi-pin connector.

6. The sensor equipped container of claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly includes a battery.

7. The sensor equipped container of claim 6, wherein the electronic assembly further includes a battery tray, the battery being engageable with the battery tray.

8. The sensor equipped container of claim 1, wherein the trigger element is a passive trigger element.

9. The sensor equipped container of claim 8, wherein the trigger element is magnet.

10. The sensor equipped container of claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly is positioned outside of the main body opening when the electronic assembly is connected to the opener.

11. The sensor equipped container of claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly further comprises a transceiver capable of communicating with a computer network.

12. The sensor equipped container of claim 1, wherein the rims comprise a mechanical seal.

13. The sensor equipped container of claim 12, wherein the mechanical seal comprises at least one of the following:

a zipper, a zip-lock, and a draw string.

14. The sensor equipped container of claim 1, wherein the rims comprise a magnetic seal.

15. The sensor equipped container of claim 1, wherein the rims are attached to an edge portion of the main body.

16. The sensor equipped container of claim 1, further comprising an electronic indicator coupled with the electronic assembly to provide feedback to a user.

17. The sensor equipped container of claim 16, wherein the electronic indicator comprises a visual display.

18. The sensor equipped container of claim 1, wherein the sensor circuit determines a transition of the main body opening between the closed configuration and the open configuration based on proximity of the trigger element to the sensor.

19. The sensor equipped container of claim 18, wherein the trigger element is an RFID chip.

20. The sensor equipped container of claim 19, wherein the electronic assembly further comprises an RFID reader.

21. The sensor equipped container of claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly further comprises identity access control, comprising at least one of the following:

a QR code reader, a bar code reader, an optical reader, an RFID reader and a magnetic strip reader.

22. The sensor equipped container of claim 1, wherein the opener is adapted to translate relative to the flexible assembly to effectuate selective coupling of the rims and decoupling of the rims.

23. The sensor equipped container of claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly is capable of being selectively locked to the opener.

24. A sensor equipped container comprising:

a main body having one or more flexible walls defining a main body opening;

a flexible assembly comprising rims attached to the main body adjacent the main body opening, the rims being configured to be selectively coupled to each other to define a closed configuration of the main body opening, and decoupled from each other to define an open configuration of the main body opening;

an opener coupled to the flexible assembly and configured to effectuate selective coupling of the rims and decoupling of the rims;

a trigger element connected to one of the main body and the flexible assembly; and

an electronic assembly comprising a sensor circuit and sensor, said electronic assembly detachably connectable to the opener wherein said sensor is capable of detecting the trigger element and wherein said sensor circuit, in communication with the sensor, processes sensor information to determine at least one of an open configuration and closed configuration of the main body opening;

wherein the sensor circuit determines a transition of the main body opening between the closed configuration and the open configuration based on proximity of the trigger element to the sensor;

wherein the trigger element is an RFID chip.

25. The sensor equipped container of claim 24, wherein the electronic assembly further comprises an RFID reader.