PACKAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20170014309A1
• Filed: 05/19/2016
• Published: 01/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ID-Con, LLC
• Original Assignee: ID-Con, LLC
• Inventors: Luoma, Roy S., Doyle, Mark C., Luoma, Linda S.
• Granted Patent: US 11,069,433 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 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/30 Printed labels
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0427 with direct interaction with a dispensing or delivery system
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0463 formed in a band or a blisterweb, inserted in a dispensing device or container
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for delivering single-dose packages sequentially from a substantially continuous strip having a first dispensing end and a second end, e.g., contained within a cassette or other dispenser. The strip includes a cover layer attached to a base layer to define a plurality of blisters therebetween that have one or more medications therein. The blisters are aligned in single file generally along the longitudinal axis between the first and second ends and/or otherwise arranged in single-dose packages adjacent one another, e.g., at least some of the single-dose packages including a plurality of blisters having different types of medications therein. A first single-dose package at the first dispensing end may be separable from a second adjacent single-dose package such that individual single-dose packages may be removed successively from the first dispensing end.

Claims

1. An apparatus for administering medications to a patient, the medications provided in a strip, the strip comprising a first dispensing end, a second end, and a plurality of blisters aligned in single file generally along a longitudinal axis between the first and second ends and arranged in single-dose packages adjacent one another, at least some of the single-dose packages including a plurality of blisters having different types of medications therein, the apparatus comprising:

a housing for receiving the strip therein such that the first dispensing end extends from an outlet of the housing;

a drive mechanism within the housing and coupled to the strip for selectively advancing the strip to dispense single-dose packages sequentially from the outlet;

a reader adjacent the outlet for reading one or more labels on each of the single-dose packages; and

a controller coupled to the reader and the drive mechanism for analyzing a label on a first single-dose package adjacent the outlet to determine a scheduled administration time for medications in the first single-dose package and for actuating the drive mechanism to dispense the first single-dose package from the outlet at or about the scheduled administration time, the controller further configured to extend the strip through the first dispensing end a variable distance according to the prescription and the scheduled administration time, the variable distance accommodating a plurality of blisters in a single dose package, at least some of the single-dose packages including different numbers of blisters as between adjacent packages.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a clock and wherein the controller compares the time on the clock to the scheduled administration time to determine when to dispense the first single-dose package from the outlet.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an indicator on the housing coupled to the controller, the controller activating the indicator when the time on the clock corresponds to the scheduled administration time to notify an administrator that the first single-dose package is due to be dispensed.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the indicator comprises at least one of a speaker, a warning light, and a display.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller automatically activates the drive mechanism to dispense the first single-dose package when the time on the clock corresponds to the scheduled administration time.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an access device coupled to the controller, the access device comprising a user interface that permits an administrator to input data confirming their authority to access the single-dose packages, the controller configured to an analyze input data from the access device to confirm the administrator'"'"'s authority before actuating the drive mechanism to dispense the first single-dose package.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the access device comprise at least one of a card reader and a keypad.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display on the housing coupled to the controller, the controller configured to obtain information from the one or more labels on the first single-dose package and present the information on the display.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the information comprises at least one of an identity of an intended patient for the medications in the first single-dose package, a scheduled administration time for the medications in the first single-dose package, and special administration instructions for the medications in the first single-dose package.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cutting element for separating the first single-dose package dispensed from the outlet from a second single-dose package.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a communication interface coupled to the controller for accessing a patient database or other information source, the controller analyzing information from the one or more labels using the reader to identify medications in the first single-dose package and acquire an intended patient identity for the identified medications, the controller comparing the medications in the first single-dose package with a schedule of medications for the intended patient stored in the patient database to confirm whether all of the medications are scheduled to be administered to the intended patient.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an acceptance sensor adjacent the outlet and coupled to the controller, the acceptance sensor detecting when the first single-dose package is removed by a user after the first single-dose package is dispensed from the outlet.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the strip is contained within a cassette, and wherein the housing comprises a cavity for receiving the cassette therein.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more labels comprise bar codes, and wherein the reader comprises a bar code reader.

12-17. -17. (canceled)

20-22. -22. (canceled)

24-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A method for administering medications to a patient using an automatic dispenser, the medications provided in a strip comprising first and second ends housed within the dispenser such that the first end extends from an outlet of the dispenser, the strip comprising a plurality of blisters aligned in single file generally along a longitudinal axis between the first and second ends and arranged in single-dose packages adjacent one another, at least some of the single-dose packages including a plurality of blisters having different types of medications therein, comprising:

analyzing one or more labels on a first single-dose package adjacent an outlet of a dispenser to acquire data identifying the first single-dose package;

identifying a scheduled administration time from the acquired data; and

dispensing the first single-dose package from the outlet at or about the scheduled administration time, wherein the dispensing extends the strip through the outlet a variable distance according to a prescription and the scheduled administration time, the variable distance accommodating a plurality of blisters in a single dose package, at least some of the single-dose packages including different numbers of blisters as between adjacent packages.

34. The method of claim 26, further comprising automatically dispensing the first single-dose package at the scheduled administration time.

35. The method of claim 26, further comprising activating an indicator at or near the scheduled administration time to notify an administrator that the first single-dose package is due to be dispensed.

36. The method of claim 26, further comprising entering access data into an access device to confirm authority to access the single-dose packages, whereupon the dispensing the first single-dose package from the dispenser is enabled.

54. The method of claim 26, further comprising communicating the data to a remote server via a network and receiving instructions from the remote server regarding a scheduled administration time for medications in the first single-dose package.

27-33. -33. (canceled)

37-53. -53. (canceled)

55. A strip for providing medications to a patient, the strip comprising:

a first dispensing end and a second end; and

a plurality of blisters aligned in single file generally along a longitudinal axis between the first and second ends and arranged in single-dose packages adjacent one another, adjacent single-dose packages separated by perforations, wherein at least one pair of adjacent single-dose packages has a different number of blisters contained within the adjacent single-dose packages, and wherein each blister has only one type of medication therein, such that the strip provides a customized sequence of single-dose packages according to a prescription of a user.