Medicament dispenser

• US 20060196504A1
• Filed: 07/21/2004
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Glaxo Group Limited (Glaxosmithkline Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Glaxo Group Limited (Glaxosmithkline Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Palmer, Mark Gregory, Augustyn, Stephen, Crosby, Gary Thomas, Rand, Paul Kenneth, Harvey, Stephen James, Davies, Michael Birsha, Wilson, Alan Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,161,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0003 with means for dispensing more than one drug
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0025 with caps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0043 Non-destructive separation of the package, e.g. peeling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0045 using multiple prepacked dosages on a same carrier, e.g. blisters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0051 the dosages being arranged on a tape, e.g. strips
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0055 the used dosages being coiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0078 on a strip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/008 Electronic counters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0083 Timers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder

Abstract

There is provided a medicament dispenser for containing plural elongate form medicament carriers, each having multiple distinct medicament dose portions carried thereby, the dispenser having a housing of generally non-circular form, and within said housing a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the distinct medicament dose portions carried by each of said plural medicament carriers. The mechanism comprises at least one receiving station for receiving each of the plural medicament carriers; a release for releasing in combination a distinct medicament dose portion from each of the plural medicament carriers on receipt thereof by said receiving station; an outlet, positioned to be in communication with the distinct medicament dose portions releasable by said release; and at least one indexer for individually indexing the distinct medicament dose portions of each of the plural medicament carriers. The dispenser contains plural elongate form medicament carriers, each having multiple distinct dose portions carried thereby. At least one of said medicament carriers has the form of a continuous loop.

Claims

1. A medicament dispenser for containing plural elongate form medicament carriers, each having multiple distinct medicament dose portions carried thereby, said dispenser having a housing of generally non-circular form, and within said housing a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the distinct medicament dose portions carried by each of said plural medicament carriers, said mechanism comprising,

a) at least one receiving station for receiving each of the plural medicament carriers;

b) a release for releasing in combination a distinct medicament dose portion from each of the plural medicament carriers on receipt thereof by said receiving station;

c) an outlet, positioned to be in communication with the distinct medicament dose portions releasable by said release; and

d) at least one indexer for individually indexing the distinct medicament dose portions of each of the plural medicament carriers,

wherein said dispenser contains plural elongate form medicament carriers, each having multiple distinct dose portions carried thereby and at least one of said medicament carriers has the form of a continuous loop.

2. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, containing from two to four elongate form medicament carriers.

3. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein a common receiving station receives each of the plural medicament carriers.

4. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, comprising plural distinct receiving stations each for receiving a single medicament carrier.

5. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said release comprises means to access medicament carried by said medicament carrier by a rupturing, puncturing, tearing or peeling action.

6. A medicament dispenser to claim 5, wherein said release comprises a peeler for peeling apart a peelable blister strip form medicament carrier.

7. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said outlet is a single common outlet, which communicates with the distinct medicament dose portions on their release.

8. A medicament dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said common outlet is shaped to encourage mixing of said released medicament dose portions.

9. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein a single indexer indexes each of the plural medicament carriers.

10. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, comprising plural distinct indexers each for indexing a single medicament carrier.

11. A medicament dispenser according to claim 10, wherein said plural distinct indexers are mutually coupled.

12. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, for containing plural blister strip form medicament carriers, each having multiple distinct pockets for containing medicament dose portions, wherein said pockets are spaced along the length of and defined between two peelable sheets secured to each other, said dispenser having a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the medicament dose portions contained within said plural medicament carriers, said mechanism comprising,

a) an opening station for receiving a pocket of each of said medicament carriers;

b) at least one peeler positioned to engage a base sheet and a lid sheet of a pocket which has been received in said opening station for peeling apart such a base sheet and lid sheet, to open such a pocket;

c) an outlet, positioned to be in communication with an opened pocket through which a user can access a medicament dose portion from such an opened pocket; and

d) at least one indexer for individually indexing the distinct pockets of each of the plural medicament carriers,

wherein the dispenser contains plural blister strip form medicament carriers, each having multiple distinct dose portions carried thereby and at least one of said blister strip form medicament carriers has the form of a continuous loop.

13. A medicament dispenser according to claim 12, containing from two to four blister strips.

14. A medicament dispenser according to claim 12, wherein a common opening station receives each of the plural blister strips.

15. A medicament dispenser according to claim 12, comprising plural distinct opening stations each for receiving a single blister strip.

16. A medicament dispenser according to claim 12, wherein said opening station is movable within the dispenser.

17. A medicament dispenser according to claim 16, wherein said movable opening station comprises a chamber that in use, moves to locate adjacent said opened pocket of each said plural blister strips.

18. A medicament dispenser according to claim 17, wherein said chamber is provided to a carrier that is movably mountable along a sprung axis.

19. A medicament dispenser according to claim 12, wherein each blister strip is acted on by common peeler.

20. A medicament dispenser according to claim 12, wherein each blister strip is acted on by a distinct peeler.

21. A medicament dispenser according to claim 12, wherein said peeler includes a lid driver for pulling apart said lid sheet and said base sheet of a pocket that has been received at the opening station.

22. A medicament dispenser according to claim 21, wherein the lid driver comprises a wheel on which the lid sheet is wound up, said wheel being arranged to progressively collapse as the lid sheet becomes wound around it to provide an overall approximately constant effective winding diameter.

23. A medicament dispenser according to claim 21, additionally comprising control means to control the movement of said lid driver, in order to control the length of blister strip peeled thereby.

24. A medicament dispenser according to claim 23, wherein said control means comprises a clutch.

25. A medicament dispenser according to claim 21, additionally comprising compensating means to compensate for any variation in the pulling tension of the lid driver.

26. A medicament dispenser according to claim 25, wherein said compensating means has the form of a flexible member positioned between said opening station and said lid driver.

27. A medicament dispenser according to claim 26, wherein said flexible member comprises a variable length spring.

28. A medicament dispenser according to claim 25, wherein the compensating means comprises a torsion spring mountable at the lid driver.

29. A medicament dispenser according to claim 12, additionally comprising a guide for guiding the lid sheet and base sheet along separate paths subsequent to their peeling apart.

30. A medicament dispenser according to claim 12, wherein said indexer comprises a rotatable index wheel having plural blister pocket-engaging recesses provided thereto.

31. A medicament dispenser according to claim 12, additionally comprising chambers for housing said plural medicament carriers prior to opening, and the lid sheet and base sheet components thereof subsequent to opening.

32. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein any or all components of the dispensing mechanism are drivable by an electronic drive system.

33. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, additionally comprising an electronic data management system.

34. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the housing has an elongate form.

35. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the housing defines a generally ovoid profile.

36. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the housing is arranged to be foldable about an axis.

37. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plural elongate form medicament carriers adopts a C-shaped profile.

38. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plural elongate form medicament carriers adopts an S-shaped profile.

39. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plural elongate form medicament carriers adopts a caterpillar track profile.

40. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, in reloadable form.

41. A medicament dispenser according to claim 40, comprising a body;

a holder, shaped to fit within said body and movable relative to said body; and

receivable by said holder, a reload cassette containing plural elongate form medicament carriers.

42. A medicament dispenser according to claim 40 in kit of parts form.

43. A medicament dispenser according to claim 42, wherein said multiple distinct dose portions are arranged in series progression on the carrier such that each dose portion is separately accessible.

44. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein each of the elongate form medicament carriers is in the form of a peelable blister strip, said strip comprising a base sheet in which blisters are formed to define pockets therein for containing distinct medicament dose portions and a lid sheet that is hermetically sealable to the base sheet except in the region of the blisters in such a manner that the lid sheet and the base sheet can be peeled apart.

45. A medicament dispenser according to claim 44, wherein said lid sheet comprises at least the following successive layers:

(a) paper;

adhesively bonded to (b) polyester;

adhesively bonded to (c) aluminium foil;

that is coated with a heat seal lacquer for bonding to the base sheet.

46. A medicament dispenser according to claim 44, wherein the base sheet comprises at least the following successive layers:

(a) oriented polyamide (OPA);

adhesively bonded to (b) aluminium foil;

adhesively bonded to (c) a third layer comprising a polymeric material.

47. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein each medicament carrier is sized and shaped to carry equivalent dose portions.

48. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein each medicament carrier is sized and shaped to carry non-equivalent dose portions.

49. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the multiple distinct dose portions of each medicament carrier are uniformly spaced.

50. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the multiple distinct dose portions of each medicament carrier are arranged such that the spacing between each dose portion progressively increases.

51. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the spacing of the multiple distinct dose portions is equivalent for each medicament carrier.

52. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the spacing of the multiple distinct dose portions is non-equivalent for each medicament carrier.

53. A medicament dispenser according to claim 52, comprising two medicament carriers wherein the spacing between distinct dose portions of a first medicament carrier is double that of the spacing between distinct dose portions of a second medicament carrier.

54. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the medicament carriers are arranged in the dispenser in ‘

side-by-side’

configuration.

55. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the medicament carriers are arranged in the dispenser in ‘

double-decker’

configuration.

56. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the medicament carriers are arranged in the dispenser in ‘

back-to-back configuration.

57. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the medicament carriers is in the form of a peelable strip comprising a base sheet and a lid sheet peelably secureable thereto, and the base sheet is formed as a continuous loop.

58. A medicament dispenser according to claim 57, wherein the lid sheet is in the form of a continuous loop.

59. A medicament dispenser according to claim 58, wherein the lid sheet is in the form of a strip.

60. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein each medicament carrier carries distinct medicament dose portions in powdered or solid form.

61. A medicament dispenser according to claim 60, wherein each medicament dose portion of each medicament carrier comprises a single active medicament component.

62. A medicament dispenser according to claim 61, wherein said single active medicament component is selected from the group consisting of albuterol, salmeterol, fluticasone propionate, formoterol, budesonide, beclomethasone dipropionate, salts thereof, and solvates thereof.

63. A medicament dispenser according to claim 61, comprising two medicament carriers wherein each medicament dose portion of a first medicament carrier comprises a bronchodilator as the active medicament component and each medicament dose portion of a second medicament carrier comprises an anti-inflammatory as the active medicament component.

64. A medicament dispenser according to claim 63, wherein said bronchodilator is a beta-agonist and said anti-inflammatory is a steroid.

65. A medicament dispenser according to claim 60, wherein each medicament dose portion of at least one medicament carrier comprises plural active medicament components.

66. A medicament dispenser according to claim 65, comprising two medicament carriers wherein each medicament dose portion of a first medicament carrier comprises a single active medicament component and each medicament dose portion of a second medicament carrier comprises plural active medicament components.

67. A medicament dispenser according to claim 66, wherein said plural active medicaments comprise a bronchodilator and an anti-inflammatory.

68. A medicament dispenser according to claim 67, wherein said bronchodilator is a beta-agonist and said anti-inflammatory is a steroid.

69. (canceled)

70. A medicament dispenser for containing plural elongate form medicament carriers, each having multiple distinct medicament dose portions carried thereby, said dispenser having a housing, and within said housing a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the distinct medicament dose portions carried by each of said plural medicament carriers, said mechanism comprising,

a) at least one receiving station for receiving each of the plural medicament carriers;

b) a release for releasing in combination a distinct medicament dose portion from each of the plural medicament carriers on receipt thereof by said receiving station;

c) an outlet, positioned to be in communication with the distinct medicament dose portions releasable by said release; and

d) at least one indexer for individually indexing the distinct medicament dose portions of each of the plural medicament carriers,

wherein said dispenser further comprises a movable cover that couples to the dispensing mechanism such that movement of said cover actuates one or more components of the dispensing mechanism.

71. A medicament dispenser according to claim 70, wherein the movable cover couples to said release and said at least one indexer for actuation thereof.

72. A medicament dispenser according to claim 70, for containing plural blister strip form medicament carriers, each having multiple distinct pockets for containing medicament dose portions, wherein said pockets are spaced along the length of and defined between two peelable sheets secured to each other, said dispenser having a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the medicament dose portions contained within said plural medicament carriers, said mechanism comprising,

a) an opening station for receiving a pocket of each of said medicament carriers;

b) at least one peeler positioned to engage a base sheet and a lid sheet of a pocket which has been received in said opening station for peeling apart such a base sheet and lid sheet, to open such a pocket;

c) an outlet, positioned to be in communication with an opened pocket through which a user can access a medicament dose portion from such an opened pocket; and

d) at least one indexer for individually indexing the distinct pockets of each of the plural medicament carriers,

wherein said dispenser further comprises a movable cover that couples to the dispensing mechanism such that movement of said cover acts to drivably actuate one or more components of the dispensing mechanism.