MEDICATION DISPENSER

• US 20150191268A1
• Filed: 07/02/2013
• Published: 07/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: P.C.O.A. Devices Ltd.
• Original Assignee: P.C.O.A. Devices Ltd.
• Inventors: Paz, Ilan
• Granted Patent: US 10,399,725 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/035 Blister-type containers blisters in general B65D75/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0076 Medicament distribution means with pill counting devices A61J7/02; with time indication A61J7/04; containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0472 of the count-down type, i.e. counting down a predetermined interval after each reset
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 69/0058 Solid contents

Abstract

The present invention provides a medication dispenser enabling the controlled sequential delivery of a regimen of pills on an as-needed basis with a predetermined prescribed minimum time interval between delivery of each pill, from any flat multiple pill-containing pack of the blister package type having at least one column of pills to be dispensed, said dispenser comprising: a) an access portal sized to receive at least one any such blister pack and to guide said pack to at least one electromechanical blister pack advancing unit which in turn sequentially advances said pack to a stationary de-pilling station, said station comprising: i. pill detecting means; ii. a blister pack support having at least one pill receiving aperture, sized and positioned to receive pills of different sizes, shapes and spacing in said blister pack array; and, iii. an electromechanical depilling press means positioned, upon activation, to force at least one pill at a time from its respective blister through the backing of said blister via said aperture as said blister pack is advanced through said stationary

Claims

1. A medication dispenser enabling the controlled sequential delivery of a regimen of pills on an as-needed basis with a predetermined prescribed minimum time interval between delivery of each pill, from any flat multiple pill-containing pack of the blister package type having at least one column of pills to be dispensed, said dispenser comprising:

a) an access portal sized to receive at least one any such blister pack and to guide said pack to at least one electromechanical blister pack advancing unit which in turn sequentially advances said pack to a stationary depilling station, said station comprising;

i. pill detecting means;

ii. a blister pack support having at least one pill receiving aperture, sized and positioned to receive pills of different sizes, shapes and spacing in said blister pack array; and

,

iii. an electromechanical depilling press means positioned, upon activation, to force at least one pill at a time from its respective blister through the backing of said blister via said aperture as said blister pack is advanced through said stationary depilling station within said dispenser.

2. A medication dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising:

b) a channel into which said pill enters from said aperture; and

,

c) a dispensing receptacle for receiving said pill from said channel.

3. A medication dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said access portal is locked upon the complete insertion of said blister pack into said dispenser.

4. A medication dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said depilling station is provided with depilling press means for sequentially dispensing each of the pills into the aperture positioned therebelow, respectively, before said pack is advanced to position a further pill in alignment with said press means and said aperture.

5. A medication dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said dispenser is provided with guide means for aligning said blister pack as it is advanced by said electromechanical blister pack advancing unit to said depilling station.

6. A medication dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said dispenser is provided with at least two guide means for aligning said blister pack as it is advanced by said electromechanical blister pack advancing unit to said depilling station, said guide means including a first guide comprising wheels and spacers which use the column of pills itself for aligning said blister pack as it is advanced and a second guide which interacts with the longitudinal side edges of the blister pack for aligning said blister pack as it is advanced within said dispenser.

7. A medication dispenser according to claim 2, wherein said dispensing receptacle is locked to said dispenser and linked to said at least one electromechanical depilling press means, wherein said dispenser can only deliver one pill at a time to said receptacle.

8. A medication dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said receptacle is provided with means for detecting that a pill has been removed therefrom, said detecting means being linked to said at least one electromechanical depilling press means for enabling the further activation of said at least one electromechanical depilling press means only after a pill has been removed from said receptacle.

9. A medication dispenser according to claim 2 wherein said receptacle is connected to said channel via a one-way valve.

10. A medication dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said dispensing receptacle is provided in conjunction with an integral housing, which integral housing is lockable to said dispenser, and said integral housing and dispensing receptacle are together disposable, to enable sequential use of the dispenser by multiple sequential patients with a new integral housing and dispensing receptacle attached to said dispenser for each sequential patient.

11. A medication dispenser according to claim 10 wherein said integral housing is removable from said dispenser, after locking engagement therewith, by the breaking of said integral housing, thereby rendering said integral housing and dispensing receptacle unsuitable for reuse.

12. A medication dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said dispenser is sized to contain, and advance for depilling, more than one standard blister pack.

13. A medication dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said dispenser is sized to receive, contain and advance for depilling, a cassette containing a plurality of standard blister packs.

14. A medication dispenser according to claim 1, comprising an outer housing formed from a split housing having a first and second component wherein said components are provided with at least one mutually interengaging edge.

15. A medication dispenser enabling the controlled sequential delivery of a regimen of pills on an as-needed basis with a predetermined prescribed minimum time interval between delivery of each pill, from any standard flat multiple pill-containing pack of the double arrayed blister package type having two columns and a plurality of rows of pills to be dispensed, said dispenser comprising:

a) an access portal sized to receive at least one any such blister pack and to guide said pack to at least one pair of electromechanical driving wheels which in turn sequentially advance said pack to a stationary depilling station, said station comprising;

i. pill detecting means;

ii. a blister pack support having two spaced-apart pill receiving apertures, each aperture being sized and positioned to receive pills of different sizes, shapes and spacing in said blister pack array; and

,

iii. electromechanical depilling press means positioned, upon activation, to force at least one pill at a time from its respective blister through the backing of said blister via one of said apertures as said blister pack is advanced through said stationary depilling station within said dispenser.

16. A medication dispenser according to claim 15, further comprising:

b) a channel into which said pill enters from said apertures; and

,

c) a dispensing receptacle for receiving said pill from said channel.

17. A medication dispenser according to claim 15, wherein said depilling station is provided with a pair of spaced apart depilling press means for sequentially dispensing each of the pills in a given row into the aperture positioned therebelow, respectively, before said pack is advanced to position a further row of pills in alignment with said press means and said apertures.

18. A medication dispenser according to claim 17, wherein the pair of depilling press means are activated by a depilling motor operationally linked thereto such that said motor is programmed to rotate in one direction to activate a first of said press means to dispense one of the pills and said motor is programmed to rotate in the opposite direction to activate a second of said press means to dispense another of said pills in said row.

19. A medication dispenser according to claim 15 wherein said dispenser is provided with guide means for aligning said blister pack as it is advanced by said at least one pair of electromechanical driving wheels to said depilling station.

20. A medication dispenser according to claim 15 wherein said dispenser is provided with at least two guide means for aligning said blister pack as it is advanced by said at least one pair of electromechanical driving wheels to said depilling station, said guide means including a first guide comprising wheels and spacers which use the two columns of pills themselves for aligning said blister pack as it is advanced and a second guide which interacts with the longitudinal side edges of the blister pack for aligning said blister pack as it is advanced within said dispenser.

21. A medication dispenser according to claim 18 wherein said depilling motor operates in conjunction with a crankshaft apparatus which in turn directs separate up and down motion of each of said pair of depilling press means relative a positioned row of pills in said blister pack.

22. A medication dispenser according to claim 18 further comprising guide means to direct up and down motion of said pair of depilling press means relative a positioned row of pills in said blister pack.