DEVICE FOR PACKAGING MEDICATION PORTIONS

• US 20160332753A1
• Filed: 05/13/2015
• Published: 11/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CareFusion Germany 326 GmbH (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: CareFusion Germany 326 GmbH (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: HELLENBRAND, Christoph
• Granted Patent: US 10,490,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 2210/06 Sterilising or cleaning machinery or conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 65/06 coated or treated with anti-friction or anti-sticking materials, e.g. polytetrafluoroethylene
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/46 from movable storage containers or supports
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

A medication packaging device includes a frame structure on which a guide unit is removably fastened, the guide unit having multiple receptacle openings and a dispensing opening. The device also includes multiple storage and dispensing stations, each having a storage housing and a dispensing station having a medication dispensing channel, as well as a holding unit having a plurality of mounts. For each mount, a medication slide and a storage and dispensing station are arranged such that the receptacle openings of the medication slides are associated with the medication dispensing channels of the dispensing stations and the dispensing openings of the medication slides are associated with the receptacle openings of the guide unit. The holding unit and the frame structure are fastened on or in the device to be movable relative to one another so that the guide unit is accessible from outside the device when in an access position.

Claims

1. A device for packaging medication portions, comprising:

a frame structure;

at least one guide unit removably fastened to the frame structure, the at least one guide unit comprising a plurality of guide receptacle openings and at least one guide dispensing opening;

a plurality of storage and dispensing stations for dispensing individual medication portions, each storage and dispensing station comprising a storage housing for medication portions and a dispensing station having a medication dispensing channel for dispensing individual medication portions;

a plurality of medication slides, each medication slide having a slide receptacle opening and a slide dispensing opening;

at least one holding unit having a plurality of mounts, wherein for each mount a medication slide and a storage and dispensing station are arranged such that the slide receptacle openings are associated with the medication dispensing channels of the dispensing stations and the slide dispensing openings are associated with the guide receptacle openings of the at least one guide unit; and

at least one collecting device for receiving medication portions from the at least one guide unit and for relaying the received medication portions to a filling and sealing device to be packaged,

wherein the at least one holding unit and the frame structure are fastened on or in the device such that the holding unit and the frame structure are movable relative to one another and the at least one guide unit is accessible from outside the device in an access position.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one holding unit is mounted in the device by a pivot joint and configured to be pivotable.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one guide unit is configured so that a formfitting removable connection exists between the guide unit and the frame structure.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the medication slides are removably fastened to the mounts of the at least one holding unit.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the medication slides are configured so that a formfitting connection exists between the medication slides and the holding unit.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein projections are fastened to the mounts of the at least one holding unit.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the dispensing stations are fastened to the projections.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the collecting device comprises a plurality of collecting units configured to be used as temporary medication stores.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the medication slides and the guide units have an anti-stick coating on the inside.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensor units configured to detect a presence of the medication slides.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one guide unit comprises a first half having the guide receptacle openings and a second half having a guide channel.

12. A medication packaging device, comprising:

a frame structure;

a guide unit removably fastened to the frame structure, the guide unit having a plurality of guide receptacle openings and a guide dispensing opening;

a plurality of dispensing stations each having a medication dispensing channel;

a plurality of medication slides each having a slide receptacle opening and a slide dispensing opening;

a holding unit having a plurality of mounts each configured to receive one of the plurality of medication slides, wherein the slide receptacle openings are associated with the medication dispensing channels and the slide dispensing openings are associated with the guide receptacle openings;

a collection device; and

a filling and sealing device,

wherein the frame structure and the holding unit are configured to be movable relative to one another so that the guide unit is accessible from outside the device.

13. The medication packaging device of claim 12, wherein the holding unit is pivotably mounted with a pivot joint.

14. The medication packaging device of claim 12, wherein the holding unit is slideably mounted with a sliding mechanism.

15. The medication packaging device of claim 12, wherein the medication slides are removably fastened with formfitting connections to the plurality of mounts.

16. The medication packaging device of claim 12, wherein the guide unit comprises:

a first half comprising the guide receptacle openings; and

a second half comprising a guide channel having internal projections, wherein the internal projections are configured to slow the speed of medication portions.

17. A dispensing unit for a medication packaging device, comprising:

a frame structure;

a guide unit removably fastened to the frame structure, the guide unit having a plurality of guide receptacle openings and a guide dispensing opening;

a plurality of dispensing stations each having a medication dispensing channel;

a plurality of medication slides each having a slide receptacle opening and a slide dispensing opening;

a holding unit having a plurality of mounts each configured to receive one of the plurality of medication slides, wherein the slide receptacle openings are associated with the medication dispensing channels and the slide dispensing openings are associated with the guide receptacle openings; and

a mounting mechanism configured to provide movement of the frame structure and the holding unit relative to one another.

18. The dispensing unit of claim 17, the frame structure comprising a suspension member, wherein the guide unit is configured to be suspended from the suspension member.

19. The dispensing unit of claim 17, wherein the mounting mechanism comprises at least one pivot joint.

20. The dispensing unit of claim 17, wherein the receptacle openings are disposed on first and second sides of the guide unit and are configured to receive medication portions dispensed from first and second sides of the guide unit.