Interactive medication delivery system for medication prepackaged in blister packs

• US 5,335,816 A
• Filed: 07/24/1992
• Issued: 08/09/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Healthtech Service Corporation
• Original Assignee: Healthtech Service Corporation
• Inventors: Bow, Clark F., DeVito, Ralph J., DiGianfilippo, Aleandro, Kaufman, Stephen B., Sager, Tamara L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bollinger, David H.
• Application Number:
  US07/919,625
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 221/2, 221/3, 221/13, 221/21, 221/123, 221/124, 221/, 221/129, 221/131, 221/133, 221/191, 221/192, 221/195, 221/197, 221/198, 221/232, 221/238, 221/268, 221/270, 221/274, 221/287 , 221/243, 221/281
• US Class Current: 221/13
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0445 for preventing drug dispensing during a predetermined time period
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0454 for dispensing of multiple drugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/10 two or more magazines having a common delivery chute
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/14 with means for raising the stack of articles to permit delivery of the topmost

Abstract

A dispensing device has a storage compartment for holding one or more of the medication containers. The compartment has an opening. A push member moves in a path aligned with the opening between a first position, spaced from the opening, and a second position, adjacent the opening. A first mechanism moves one container held within the compartment into the path as the push member is moved from its second position toward its first position. The push member, when subsequently moved from its first position toward its second position, ejects the one container in the path from the compartment through the opening. The first mechanism also serves to move another container held within the compartment into the path after the one container is ejected and the push member is moved from its second position back toward its first position.

Claims

1. A dispensing device for medication prepacked in sealed containers comprising

wall means defining a storage compartment for holding at least two of the medication containers in a vertically stacked orientation, one above the other, that includes an upper-most container and a lower-most container, the wall means including

an upper wall movable between a closed position covering the storage compartment and an opened position for loading medication containers into the storage compartment,

a lower wall for engaging the bottom-most container loaded within the storage compartment and being movable in a vertical path toward and away from the upper wall,

a side wall having a discharge opening adjacent the upper wall,

a push member movable in a horizontal path that is transverse the vertical path of the lower wall and that is aligned with the discharge opening, the push member being movable in its horizontal path between a first position spaced from the discharge opening and a second position adjacent the discharge opening,

spring means for continuously urging the lower movable wall toward the upper wall to thereby urge the stack of containers toward the upper wall and, when the upper wall is in its closed position, for holding the upper-most container against the upper wall in alignment with the discharge opening,

means for reciprocating the push member between its first and second positions, the push member being operative, when moved from its first position toward its second position, for ejecting the then upper-most container from the compartment through the discharge opening, and, when moved from its second position toward its first position, for allowing the next upper-most container to be urged against the upper wall into alignment with the discharge opening in response to the spring means, and

means for interrupting movement of the push member toward its second position when push member movement is impeded.

2. A dispensing system for medication prepacked in sealed containers comprising

a housing,

means in the housing for removably receiving at least one medication dispensing device as defined in claim 1, and

system control means associated with the received dispensing device for actuating the reciprocating means according a predetermined medication criteria.

3. A dispensing system for medication prepacked in sealed containers comprising

a housing,

means in the housing for removably receiving at least two medication dispensing devices, each medication dispensing device comprising

wall means defining a storage compartment for holding at least two of the medication containers in a vertically stacked orientation, one above the other, that includes an upper-most container and a lower-most container, the wall means including

an upper wall,

a side wall having a discharge opening adjacent the upper wall,

a push member movable in a horizontal path that is aligned with the discharge opening, the push member being movable in its horizontal path between a first position spaced from the discharge opening and a second position adjacent the discharge opening,

spring means for continuously urging the stack of containers toward the upper wall and for holding the upper-most container against the upper wall in alignment with the discharge opening, and

means for reciprocating the push member between its first and second positions, the push member being operative, when moved from its first position toward its second position, for electing the then upper-most container from the compartment through the discharge opening, and, when moved from its second position toward its first position, for allowing the next upper-most container to be urged against the upper wall into alignment with the discharge opening in response to the spring means, and

system control means associated with the first and second dispensing devices for actuating the reciprocating means associated with the first dispensing device in response to a first medication criteria and for actuating the reciprocating means associated with the second dispensing device in response to a second medication criteria different from the first medication criteria.

4. A system according to claim 3

wherein the upper wall is movable between a closed position covering the storage compartment and an opened position for loading medication containers into the storage compartment.

5. A system according to claim 3

and further including means for interrupting movement of the push member toward its second position when push member movement is impeded.

6. A dispensing device for medication prepacked in sealed containers comprising

wall means defining a storage compartment for holding at least two of the medication containers in a vertically stacked orientation, one above the other, that includes an upper-most container and a lower-most container, the wall means including

an upper wall,

a side wall having a discharge opening adjacent the upper wall,

a push member movable in a horizontal path that is aligned with the discharge opening, the push member being movable in its horizontal path between a first position spaced from the discharge opening and a second position adjacent the discharge opening,

spring means for continuously urging the stack of containers toward the upper wall and for holding the upper-most container against the upper wall in alignment with the discharge opening,

means for reciprocating the push member between its first and second positions, the push member being operative, when moved from its first position toward its second position, for ejecting the then upper-most container from the compartment through the discharge opening, and, when moved from its second position toward its first position, for allowing the next upper-most container to be urged against the upper wall into alignment with the discharge opening in response to the spring means, and

means for interrupting movement of the push member toward its second position when push member movement is impeded.

7. A device according to claim 6

wherein the upper wall is movable between a closed position covering the storage compartment and an opened position for loading medication containers into the storage compartment.