Article dispenser for monitoring dispensing times
First Claim
1. A dispensing device for dispensing articles from an article package that includes an array of article retention areas each being designed to hold at least one article therein and each being accessible for article removal, said device comprising a housing for receiving said article package;
- a separate sensing array having a plurality of sensing regions wherein there is at least one corresponding sensing region for at least one said article retention area, such that the removal of an article will cause a change in a sensing parameter in said corresponding sensing region, said sensing array being positionable on the housing adjacent the article package; and
detection means for determining said sensing parameters in said sensing regions of said sensing array the detection means being electrically connected to the sensing array by an elastomeric electrical connector.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable medication dispenser aids and monitors regimen-conforming use of medications provided in standard as-marketed blister packages. A standard blister package and a separate, disposable sensor sheet are simply and easily loaded into a compact housing containing supervisory electronics, visual indicators, and an audible alarm. The sensor sheet consists of electrical or optical sensing regions corresponding to each individual compartment of the blister package. A compliant, electrically conductive or optical connector in the dispenser housing allows periodic scanning of the sensor sheet circuitry by the control circuitry in the dispenser housing without adding connector components to the low cost, disposable sensor sheet. When a medication is ejected through the backing layer of the standard blister package, an electrical or optical parameter associated with a corresponding region of the sensor sheet is altered, thereby permitting the control circuitry to monitor the dispensing event. Stored patient compliance data may then be reported remotely through an optical or electrical interface between the dispenser and an external system for review by the pharmacist/physician.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A dispensing device for dispensing articles from an article package that includes an array of article retention areas each being designed to hold at least one article therein and each being accessible for article removal, said device comprising a housing for receiving said article package;
- a separate sensing array having a plurality of sensing regions wherein there is at least one corresponding sensing region for at least one said article retention area, such that the removal of an article will cause a change in a sensing parameter in said corresponding sensing region, said sensing array being positionable on the housing adjacent the article package; and
detection means for determining said sensing parameters in said sensing regions of said sensing array the detection means being electrically connected to the sensing array by an elastomeric electrical connector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
- a separate sensing array having a plurality of sensing regions wherein there is at least one corresponding sensing region for at least one said article retention area, such that the removal of an article will cause a change in a sensing parameter in said corresponding sensing region, said sensing array being positionable on the housing adjacent the article package; and
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19. A dispensing device for dispensing articles from an article package that includes an array of article retention areas each being designed to hold at least one article therein and each being accessible for article removal, said device comprising a housing for receiving said article package;
- a separate sensing array having a plurality of sensing regions wherein there is at least one corresponding sensing region for at least one said article retention area, such that the removal of an article will cause a change in a sensing parameter in said corresponding sensing region, said sensing array being positionable on the housing adjacent the article package;
detection means for determining said sensing parameters in said sensing regions of said sensing array, the sensing array being connected to the detection means by a flexible metallic connector.
- a separate sensing array having a plurality of sensing regions wherein there is at least one corresponding sensing region for at least one said article retention area, such that the removal of an article will cause a change in a sensing parameter in said corresponding sensing region, said sensing array being positionable on the housing adjacent the article package;
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26. A dispensing device for dispensing articles from an article package that includes an array of article retention areas each being designed to hold at least one article therein and each being accessible for article removal, said device comprising a housing for receiving said article package;
- a separate sensing array having a plurality of sensing regions wherein there is at least one corresponding sensing region for at least one said article retention area, and wherein said sensing array includes at least one optical circuit such that the removal of an article will cause a change in a sensing parameter in said corresponding sensing region, said sensing array being positionable on the housing adjacent the article package; and
detection means for determining said sensing parameters in said sensing regions of said sensing array. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
- a separate sensing array having a plurality of sensing regions wherein there is at least one corresponding sensing region for at least one said article retention area, and wherein said sensing array includes at least one optical circuit such that the removal of an article will cause a change in a sensing parameter in said corresponding sensing region, said sensing array being positionable on the housing adjacent the article package; and
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32. A dispensing device for dispensing articles, comprising a housing;
- an array of article retention areas within said housing each being designed to hold at least one article therein and each being accessible for article removal;
a sensing array having a plurality of sensing regions wherein there is at least one corresponding sensing region for at least one said article retention area, such that the removal of an article will cause a change in a sensing parameter in said corresponding sensing region, said sensing array being positionable on the housing adjacent the article retention areas; and
detection means for determining said sensing parameters in said sensing regions of said sensing array, the detection means being electrically connected to the sensing array by an elastomeric electrical connector. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
- an array of article retention areas within said housing each being designed to hold at least one article therein and each being accessible for article removal;
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46. A dispensing device for dispensing articles from an article package that includes an array of article retention areas each being designed to hold at least one article therein and each being accessible for article removal, said device comprising a housing for receiving said article package;
- a separate sensing array having a plurality of sensing regions and at least one electrical circuit, including conductive foil current paths in each sensing region whereby the foil current path is broken by the dispensing of an article through the sensing region, the conductive foil including an overlapping portion in the sensing region wherein the current path is from a first foil to a second foil which overlaps the first foil so that the overlap is discontinued and the current path is broken by the dispensing of an article through the sensing region, said sensing array being positionable on the housing adjacent the article package; and
detection means for determining that said current path is broken. - View Dependent Claims (47)
- a separate sensing array having a plurality of sensing regions and at least one electrical circuit, including conductive foil current paths in each sensing region whereby the foil current path is broken by the dispensing of an article through the sensing region, the conductive foil including an overlapping portion in the sensing region wherein the current path is from a first foil to a second foil which overlaps the first foil so that the overlap is discontinued and the current path is broken by the dispensing of an article through the sensing region, said sensing array being positionable on the housing adjacent the article package; and
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48. A dispensing device for dispensing articles from an article package that includes an array of article retention areas, each being designed to hold at least one article therein and each being accessible for article removal, said device comprising a housing for receiving said article package;
- a separate sensing array having a plurality of sensing regions wherein there is at least one corresponding sensing region for at least one said article retention area, such that the removal of an article will cause a change in a sensing parameter in said corresponding sensing region, said sensing array being positionable on the housing adjacent the article package;
detection means for determining said sensing parameters in said sensing regions of said sensing array; and
retainer means engaged with the housing for removably retaining the article package in the housing, the retainer means including associated sensing means for sensing whether the article package is retained by the retainer means. - View Dependent Claims (49)
- a separate sensing array having a plurality of sensing regions wherein there is at least one corresponding sensing region for at least one said article retention area, such that the removal of an article will cause a change in a sensing parameter in said corresponding sensing region, said sensing array being positionable on the housing adjacent the article package;
Specification