DOSAGE DISPENSING DEVICE

• US 20090198208A1
• Filed: 01/16/2009
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rescue Dose Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Rescue Dose Ltd.
• Inventors: STAVSKY, Mor, Einy, Gilad
• Granted Patent: US 8,763,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/06 Ampoules or carpules syringe ampoules or carpules A61M5/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2096 Combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/002 Compounding apparatus specially for enteral or parenteral nutritive solutions bottling liquids B67C
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/00 Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/008 Racks for supporting syringes or needles A61M5/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/003 Filling medical containers such as ampoules, vials, syringes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/30 Breaking or tearing apparatus

Abstract

A dosage dispenser according to the invention is intended to provide a solution for measuring and dilution of liquid medications and issuing marked and ready for use. The dosage dispenser device carries out actions required for the preparation of a required dose of medication, including identifying ampoules, breaking them, filling a syringe, diluting the medication in a solution, marking the syringe, disposing of waste and documenting the process, all at the patient bedside. The dosage dispenser is aimed at reducing the number of errors in the dosage, which is a problem, menacing medical services throughout the world. The problem is made acute by considerable pressure on the medical teams while carrying out many and complex procedures under pressure in a situation of uncertainty and with variable data.

Claims

1. An automated dosage dispensing device comprising:

a pumping station configured to pump medication into a syringe from both medication bottle and medication ampoule.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said pumping station is configured to pump medication into a syringe from a medication bottle while said syringe is positioned below said medication bottle.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said pumping station is configured to pump medication into a syringe from a medication ampoule while said syringe is positioned above said medication ampoule.

4. The device of claim 1, and further comprising:

a medication magazine holding plurality of medication bottles and medication ampoules; and

a medication gripper configured to remove at least one of medication bottle and medication ampoule from said medication magazine and load said at least one of medication bottle and medication ampoule into said pumping station.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said medication gripper is configured brake the neck of said medication ampoule.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said pumping station is configured to remove the cap of said medication bottle.

7. The device of claim 1, and further comprising:

a syringe magazine holding plurality of syringes; and

a syringe gripper configured to remove at least one syringe from said syringe magazine and load said at least syringe into said pumping station.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein each syringe in said syringe magazine is fitted with a hypodermic needle.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein each of said hypodermic needle is covered with a needle cover.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said syringe gripper is configured to:

a) remove said needle cover from said needle prior to loading said needle into said pumping station; and

b) to recap said needle with said needle cover after medication pumping is completed.

11. The device of claim 2, wherein said pumping station is configured to rotate about a horizontal axis to position said syringe below said medication bottle.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein said syringe magazine is configured to hold at least two different sizes of syringes.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein:

a) said syringes in said syringe magazine are arranged in a two dimensional array;

b) said syringe magazine is configured to move in a first direction; and

c) said syringe gripper is configured to move in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction for accessing said syringes arranged in said two dimensional array.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein medication pumping is performed directly through said hypodermic needle.

15. The device of claim 1, and further comprising a saline magazine configured to hold a saline bag.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein said saline bag is standard intravenous saline infusion bag.

17. The device of claim 4, wherein said plurality of medication bottles and medication ampoules are standard medication bottles and standard medication ampoules.

18. The device of claim 4, wherein said medication magazine is selected from a group of medication magazine types, wherein each type of said medication magazine types is loaded with medication needed for treating a different medical condition.

19. The device of claim 4, wherein each of said medication magazine is fitted with an RFID device.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein said medication magazine is replaced after each medical procedure.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is configured to be placed at patient bedside.

22. The device of claim 1, and further comprising at least one patient life-sign monitor.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein said at least one patient life-sign monitor is selected from the group comprising:

ECG monitor, EEG monitor;

blood oxygen monitor;

patient temperature monitor; and

blood pressure monitor.

24. The device of claim 22, and further comprising a computer analyzing signals from said at least one patient life-sign monitor and recommending medication based on said signal analysis.

25. The device of claim 1, and further comprising a computer recommending medication based on patient information and user input regarding patient medical condition.

26. The device of claim 24, wherein recommending medication based on said signal analysis is further based on patient information.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein patient information is selected from a group comprising:

patient weight;

patient age;

patient gender;

patient known allergies; and

other medications used by said patient.

28. The device of claim 7, wherein said syringe magazine is configured to hold said syringes in a predetermined orientation.

29. The device of claim 1, and further comprising a medication camera verifying at least one of:

medication type;

medication lot number;

medication expiration date; and

amount of medication in the medication container.

30. The device of claim 1, and further comprising a syringe camera verifying at least one of:

amount of medication pumped into said syringe;

absence of air bubbles in said syringe.

31. The device of claim 21, wherein said device is configured to be mobile and be moved to patient bedside.

32. The device of claim 31, and further comprising wheels to ease moving said device to patient bedside.

33. The device of claim 1, wherein time from ordering medication to dispensing a syringe with the required medication is less than 60 seconds.

34. The device of claim 1, wherein time from ordering medication to dispensing a syringe with the required medication is less than 30 seconds.

39. The device of claim 30, wherein verifying the amount of medication pumped into said syringe further comprises calibration of the measured medication volume.

35. A method of dispensing syringe with medication comprising the steps of:

a) loading a pumping station with any one of;

medication bottle or medication ampoule;

b) loading a syringe fitted with hypodermic needle into said pumping station;

c) pumping medication from said one of medication bottle or medication ampoule into said syringe through said hypodermic needle; and

d) dispensing said syringe.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said pumping medication into a syringe from a medication bottle is performed while said syringe is positioned below said medication bottle.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein said pumping medication into a syringe from a medication ampoule is performed while said syringe is positioned above said medication ampoule.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein said steps are powered by a battery power supply.