Pill Dispenser and Method

• US 20100318218A1
• Filed: 06/15/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: R.A.M.M., LLC
• Original Assignee: R.A.M.M., LLC
• Inventors: McEldowney, Anthony J., Henninger, John T., Muncy, Robert B. JR., Muse, Bonnie L., Muse, Richard R., Dieter, William R.
• Application Number:
  US12/815,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20100318218A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/220
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0409 the dispensing means being adapted for delivering one article, or a single dose, upon each actuation B65D83/0445 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

Disclosed is a pill dispenser. In one embodiment, the pill dispenser includes a housing defining an interior. The dispenser may also include a holder for receiving a plurality of pills, a movable barrier positioned at one end of the holder, and a retainer capable of moving at least one of the pills in the holder. At least a portion of the holder and barrier may be positioned within the interior of the housing. Related methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A pill dispenser, comprising:

a housing defining an interior;

a plurality of holders for receiving a plurality of pills;

a movable barrier positioned at one end of the holder; and

a retainer capable of moving at least one of the pills in the holder;

wherein at least a portion of the holder and barrier are positioned within the interior of the housing.

2. The pill dispenser of claim 1, wherein the retainer is connected to a spring and alignment of an aperture of the barrier enables the movement of a pill from the holder.

3. The pill dispenser of claim 1, wherein the retainer is self-leveling and includes at least one flexible arm.

4. The pill dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a gear wherein the barrier engages a portion of the gear.

5. The pill dispenser of claim 4, wherein rotation of the gear causes rotation of the barrier.

6. The pill dispenser of claim 5, further comprising a motor for moving the gear.

7. The pill dispenser of claim 2, wherein the barrier includes an angled surface for directing the movement of a pill after it exits the holder.

8. The pill dispenser of claim 1, wherein the barrier includes a disc with a plurality of detents and the holder includes a projection that interacts with at least one of the detents to control movement of the disc.

9. The pill dispenser of claim 4, further comprising a friction coupling between a lid and the gear to allow movement of the lid independent from the gear.

10. The pill dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a user interface with at least one input and one output.

11. The pill dispenser of claim 9, wherein at least one input is a button.

12. The pill dispenser of claim 9, wherein at least one output is a plurality of lights.

13. A pill dispenser, comprising:

a housing defining an interior;

a holder including at least one tube for receiving a plurality of pills;

a rotatable disc having at least one aperture positioned at one end of the holder; and

a pill compressor that is capable of moving at least one of the pills in the at least one tube;

wherein at least a portion of the holder and barrier are positioned within the interior of the housing and movement of the disc enables release of a pill from the at least one tube.

14. The pill dispenser of claim 13, further comprising a gear wherein the rotatable engages a portion of the gear.

15. The pill dispenser of claim 14, wherein the gear includes a plurality of teeth on an outer surface and the dispenser further includes a motor that engages at least a portion of the plurality of teeth.

16. The pill dispenser of claim 13, wherein the holder includes a plurality of symmetrically positioned tubes.

17. The pill dispenser of claim 16, wherein the pill compressor includes a plurality of arms to match the number of tubes.

18. The pill dispenser of claim 17, wherein the plurality of arms are flexible thereby self-leveling the pill compressor.

19. The pill dispenser of claim 17, wherein each of the arms includes a cylindrical member.

20. The pill dispenser of claim 13, wherein a spring retains the pill compressor to the holder.

21. The pill dispenser of claim 13, wherein the dispenser includes a lid having at least one aperture.

22. The pill dispenser of claim 21, wherein the rotatable disc includes an angled surface that is capable of directing a pill to the at least one aperture of the lid.

23. The pill dispenser of claim 13, wherein the rotatable disc includes a plurality of detents or projections.

24. The pill dispenser of claim 23, wherein the holder includes a projection that interacts with at least one of the detents or projections to control movement of the disc.

25. The pill dispenser of claim 14, further comprising a friction coupling between a lid and the gear to allow movement of lid independent from the gear.

26. The pill dispenser of claim 13, further comprising a user interface with at least one input and one output.

27. The pill dispenser of claim 25, wherein at least one input is a button.

28. The pill dispenser of claim 25, wherein the at least one output is a plurality of lights.

29. A method of filling a pill dispenser, comprising:

accessing a software program;

entering data relating to a prescription;

connecting the pill dispenser with the software;

programming the pill dispenser with data;

placing pills in the pill dispenser.

30. The method hod of claim 29, wherein the method of filling further comprises sealing the pill dispenser.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the accessing a software program requires user authentication to fully access the software program.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the programming the pill dispenser comprises storing a dispensing schedule.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the connecting comprises physically connecting the pill dispenser to a computer by a wire.

34. A method of dispensing pills, comprising:

determining if it is an appropriate time for dispensing a pill;

authenticating the user in possession of a pill dispenser;

dispensing a pill from the pill dispenser, if the user is authenticated and it is an appropriate time for dispensing the pill.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the authenticating requires the user to enter a PIN.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the pill dispenser further compares the entered PIN to a PIN stored in the memory of the pill dispenser.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the determining if it is an appropriate time for dispensing a pill comprises determining if a programmed amount of time has passed since a previous pill was dispensed.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the determining if it is an appropriate time for dispensing a pill comprises determining if a programmed amount of time has passed since the device was programmed.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein the determining if it is an appropriate time for dispensing a pill comprises determining if the device is undamaged.

40. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of detecting tampering with the pill dispenser.

41. A pill dispenser, comprising:

a housing, defining an interior;

a holder including a plurality of recesses for holding pills; and

a movable barrier having an aperture that enables a pill to be released from the holder.

42. The pill dispenser of claim 41, wherein the holder includes a plurality of rings of apertures.

43. The pill dispenser of claim 41, wherein the holder includes a channel and the moveable barrier includes a follower that engages the channel.

44. The pill dispenser of claim 41, wherein the housing includes a first portion and a second portion and one of the first and second portion include a user interface.

45. The pill dispenser of claim 41, wherein the housing includes a first portion and a second portion that may rotate in relation to each other.