Apparatus for dispensing pills from a blister pack

• US 6,062,420 A
• Filed: 06/03/1998
• Issued: 05/16/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NPK Industrial Design BV
• Original Assignee: NPK Industrial Design BV
• Inventors: Van der Hout, Erik W., Witte, Johannes H., Krouwel, Peter J. W., Van Dullemen, Marlies
• Primary Examiner(s): SKAGGS JR, H GRANT
• Application Number:
  US09/029,019
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 221/74, 221/79, 221/81, 221/88, 221/25, 221/31, 221/5, 206/531, 206/532, 206/534, 206/534.2
• US Class Current: 221/5
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2583/0409 of dates or follow-numbers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2583/0459 Flat circular container with rotating parts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0463 formed in a band or a blisterweb, inserted in a dispensing device or container

Abstract

An apparatus for dispensing pills from a blister pack in which cavities containing pills are distributed, comprises a lower part for supporting the pack in a ring-shape and an upper part fitting onto the lower part and surrounding the blister pack together with the lower part. The lower part and/or upper part includes at least a passage opening with which a pill to be dispensed can be aligned. A push out element can be positioned in line with the various pills in the blister pack and the passage opening and is operable for pushing out the pill to be dispensed through the passage opening. The lower and upper parts are substantially ring-shaped and the push out element is positioned on the inner side of the ring and is moveable outwardly for the push out action.

Claims

1. A pocket dispenser for dispensing pills installed in a pill pack in which cavities containing pills are distributed, comprising:

a lower ring shaped part for supporting the pill pack in a ring shape, an upper ring shaped part fitting onto the lower part and surrounding the pill pack together with the lower part, said lower and upper parts interfitting with each other with relative rotational movement and forming a generally thin housing;

wherein at least one of said lower and upper parts have a passage opening through which a pill to be dispensed can be aligned, and push out means which can be positioned in radial alignment with the various pills in the pill pack and the passage opening for radially pushing out a pill to be dispensed through the passage opening;

a fixture having outwardly directed openings and containing a pre-mounted pill pack in a ring shaped position, with the openings in the fixture being in circumferential alignment with the cavities within the pill pack so as to enable an outward dispensing of pills held by the pill pack by the push out means.

2. The pocket dispenser for dispensing pills from a pill pack according to claim 1, wherein the push out means is positioned on a radially inner side of the ring shaped parts and is moveable along a radially outward direction for pushing out a pill through the passage opening.

3. A pocket dispenser for dispensing pills installed in a pill pack in which cavities containing pills are distributed, comprising:

a lower ring shaped part for supporting the pill pack in a ring shape, an upper ring shaped part fitting onto the lower part and surrounding the pill pack together with the lower part, said lower part and/or upper part having a passage opening through which a pill to be dispensed can be aligned, and push out means which can be positioned in radial alignment with the various pills in the pill pack and the passage opening for radially pushing out a pill to be dispensed through the passage opening;

a fixture having outwardly directed openings and containing a premounted pill pack in a ring shaped position, with the openings in the fixture being in circumferential alignment with the cavities within the pill pack so as to enable an outward dispensing of pills held by the pill pack by the push out means and wherein the fixture bears numbers respectively aligned with the cavities in the pill pack.

4. A pocket dispenser for dispensing pills installed in a pill pack in which cavities containing pills are distributed, comprising:

a lower ring shaped part for supporting the pill pack in a ring shape, an upper ring shaped part fitting onto the lower part and surrounding the pill pack together with the lower part, said lower part and/or upper part having a passage opening through which a pill to be dispensed can be aligned, and push out means which is positioned in radial alignment with the various pills in the pill pack and the passage opening for radially pushing out a pill to be dispensed through the passage opening;

a fixture having outwardly directed openings and containing a premounted pill pack in a ring shaped position, with the openings in the fixture being in circumferential alignment with the cavities within the pill pack so as to enable an outward dispensing of pills held by the pill pack by the push out means and wherein one of said parts bears a date indication and wherein the fixture is provided with positioning members to lock the fixture with its pill pack to the part of the dispensing apparatus bearing a date indication.

5. A pocket dispenser for dispensing pills installed in a pill pack in which cavities containing pills are distributed, comprising:

a lower ring shaped part for supporting the pill pack in a ring shape, an upper ring shaped part fitting onto the lower part and surrounding the pill pack together with the lower part, said lower part and/or upper part having a passage opening with which a pill to be dispensed can be aligned, and push out means which is positioned in radial alignment with the various pills in the pill pack and the passage opening for radially pushing out a pill to be dispensed through the passage opening;

a fixture having outwardly directed openings and containing a premounted pill pack in a ring shaped position, with the openings in the fixture being in circumferential alignment with the cavities within the pill pack so as to enable an outward dispensing of pills held by the pill pack by the push out means and wherein the push out means is connected to the upper part, and the lower part comprises means for locking the fixture with its pill pack in a rotationally fixed manner with respect to the lower part, and wherein the upper part is rotatably moveable relative to the lower part and has a passage opening for each pill to be simultaneously pushed out.

6. A portable pocket dispenser for dispensing pills from a pill pack having a row of cavities in which pills are distributed, comprising:

a fixture having a premounted pill pack,

a lower part for supporting the fixture with its pill pack in a ring shape,

an upper part fitting onto the lower part so as to form a relatively thin housing therewith and surrounding the pill pack and fixture together with the lower part,

one of said parts including a passage opening with which a pill to be dispensed can be aligned, and push out means which is positioned in radial alignment with the various pills in the pill pack and the passage opening for pushing out a pill to be dispensed through the passage opening;

wherein the lower and upper parts have a substantially ring shaped form and wherein the push out means is positioned on the inner side of the ring shaped pill pack and is moveable in a substantially radial direction relative to the parts for pushing out a said pill.

7. A portable pocket sized pill dispenser for dispensing pills from a pill pack in which pills in one row of cavities are distributed, comprising:

a fixture having a premounted pill pack,

a lower part for supporting the pill pack in a ring shape,

an upper part fitting onto the lower part and surrounding the pill pack together with the lower part and with rotational motion between said upper and lower parts around an axis and with the upper and lower parts forming a relatively thin housing as determined along the axis,

said lower part and/or upper part including at least a passage opening with which a pill to be dispensed can be aligned, and push out means which can be positioned in alignment with respective pills in the pill pack and the passage opening for pushing out a pill to be dispensed through the passage opening;

wherein the push out means is positioned on an inner side of the ring shaped pill pack and is moveable in a substantially radial direction relative to the parts for a radially outward pushing action.