Apparatus and Method for Dispensing Pharmaceuticals and Other Medications

• US 20170304153A1
• Filed: 04/20/2017
• Published: 10/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nosortmeds Incorporated
• Original Assignee: David R. Williamson, John R. Williamson
• Inventors: Williamson, John R., Williamson, David R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,940,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/74 for weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0418 with electronic history memory
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0427 with direct interaction with a dispensing or delivery system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A medication dispensing apparatus includes a housing for at storing at least one medication in bulk, a dispenser and a verification sensor. The at least one medication including a plurality of doses of the at least one medication. The dispenser separates a single dose from the at least one medication in bulk. The dispenser moves the single dose of the at least one medication from a position within the housing to a position outside the housing. The verification sensor verifies that the at least one medication is a correct medication.

Claims

1. A medication dispensing apparatus comprising:

a housing for at housing at least one medication in bulk, the at least one medication including a plurality of doses of the at least one medication;

a dispenser for separating a single dose from the at least one medication in bulk, the dispenser moving the single dose of the at least one medication from a position within the housing to a position outside the housing; and

a verification sensor for verifying the at least one medication is a correct medication.

2. The medication dispensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the verification sensor matches the contents in a prescription bottle to attributes of a medication provided by a manufacturer.

3. The medication dispensing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a dosage sensor that compares a single dose obtained by the dispenser to a single dose as prescribed.

4. The medication dispensing apparatus of claim 1 further including a timer that records a first time when a single dose is dispensed.

5. The medication dispensing apparatus of claim 4 wherein the timer records a second time when a single does is removed from the dispenser.

6. The medication dispensing apparatus of claim 5 further comprising an alarm system that produces an alarm when the time after the first time is over a threshold time.

7. The medication dispensing apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a report generator that produces a schedule of consumption and holds the schedule of consumption in a memory.

8. The medication dispensing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an alarm system that produces an alarm in response to attempts to remove the at least one bulk medication from a compartment within the medication dispensing system.

9. The medication dispensing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a network connection.

10. The medication dispensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the verification system included an RFID reader, the RFID reader reading RFIDs associated with individual doses of medication.

11. A medication dispensing method comprising:

housing at least one medication in bulk, the at least one medication in bulk including a plurality of doses of the at least one medication;

separating a single dose from the at least one medication in bulk,

moving the single dose of the at least one medication from a storage position within the housing to a dispensing position outside the housing.

12. The medication dispensing method of claim 11 further comprising verifying the at least one medication in bulk is a correct medication.

13. The medication dispensing method of claim 11 further comprising verifying the at least one medication listed on a container from a pharmacy matches the medication on the label.

14. The medication dispensing method of claim 11 further comprising verifying the at least one medication in bulk is a correct medication by obtaining information about the medication from a manufacturer of the medication and visually inspecting and weighing the medication of the at least one medication in bulk.

15. The medication dispensing method of claim 11 further comprising locking the medication in bulk in a housing.

16. The medication dispensing method of claim 11 further comprising locking the medication in bulk in a housing until a refill is received.

17. The medication dispensing method of claim 11 further comprising recording a time when a dose of the medication is dispensed and recording a time when the medication is removed from a dispensing position.

18. The medication dispensing method of claim 17 further comprising generating an alarm in response to the medication staying in the dispensing position for greater than a threshold time.

19. The medication dispensing method of claim 11 further comprising reporting on compliance of the patient.

20. The medication dispensing method of claim 11 further comprising reporting on conformance of the patient.