MEDICAMENT DISPENSER

• US 20140158704A1
• Filed: 08/19/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Glaxo Group Limited (Glaxosmithkline Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Glaxo Group Limited (Glaxosmithkline Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Anderson, Gregor John McLennan, Bonney, Stanley George, Davies, Michael Birsha, Wilson, Alan Anthony, Lintell, Daniel Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,636,471 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/25
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/00 Inhalators drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0003 with means for dispensing more than one drug
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0021 Mouthpieces therefor
• 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 15/0068 Indicating or counting the number of dispensed doses or of remaining doses
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0078 on a strip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/008 Electronic counters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/08 Inhaling devices inserted into the nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder

Abstract

There is provided a medicament dispenser for use with plural elongate form medicament carriers, each having multiple distinct medicament dose portions carried thereby, the dispenser having a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the distinct medicament dose portions carried by each of the plural medicament carriers. The mechanism comprises a receiving station for receiving each of the plural medicament carriers; a release for releasing a distinct medicament dose portion from each of the plural medicament carriers on receipt thereof by the receiving station; an outlet, positioned to be in communication with the distinct medicament dose portions releasable by said a release; and an indexer for individually indexing the distinct medicament dose portions of each of the plural medicament carriers.

Claims

1. A medicament dispenser for use with plural elongate form medicament carriers, each having multiple distinct medicament dose portions carried thereby, said dispenser having a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the distinct medicament dose portions carried by each of said plural medicament carriers, said mechanism comprising,

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

b) a release for releasing 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) an indexer for individually indexing the distinct medicament dose portions of each of the plural medicament carriers.

2. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, for use with 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 use with 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) a 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) an indexer for individually indexing the distinct pockets of each of the plural medicament carriers.

13. A medicament dispenser according to claim 12, for use with 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.