Modular pocket medication dispenser

• US 6,119,892 A
• Filed: 03/12/1998
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Biostat SA
• Original Assignee: Biostat SA
• Inventors: Oriol, Valerie, Laurent, Herve
• Primary Examiner(s): Noland, Kenneth W.
• Application Number:
  US09/041,448
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 221/2, 221/3, 221/7, 221/9, 221/15, 221/92, 221/129, 221/124, 221/131, 221/206
• US Class Current: 221/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/70 Audible labels, e.g. for pre-recorded info or messages
• 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: A61J 7/0454 for dispensing of multiple drugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis

Abstract

A modulart medication-dispenser (1) adapted to be held in a pocket and being composed of a main module (2) itself comprising two compartments (2a, 2b) containing electronics sufficient for memory, calculation and data-retrieval relating to medication-dispensing by a compartment. The main module (2) also comprises visual data displays (3) and alarms (6). The dispenser is characterized in that at least one detachable additional compartment (5), comprising locking means (501, 502) and fasteners (503, 504) and forming a storage space for a given type of tablets, is detachably attached to the main module (2). The locking means (501) and the fasteners (503) of the preceding compartment cooperate with respectively the fasteners (504) and locking means (502) of the next additional compartment. Each compartment comprises a drive means (516) for a unit-dispensing component (515; FIG. 2b) adaptable to different sizes of pharmaceutical medications.

Claims

1. A modular medication dispenser comprising:

A. a main module comprising;

(i). at least one compartment; and

(ii). electronics for memory, calculation and data retrieval relating to dispensing medication from each compartment,

(iii). a visual data display, and

(iv). at least one alarm; and

B. at least one detachable, additional compartment comprising;

locking means and fasteners adapted to attach a each additional compartment to a preceding and succeeding compartment and to said main module;

wherein each compartment comprises a storage space for one type of tablets; and

wherein each compartment contains a drive means for a unit-dispensing a tablet of different size or shape.

2. A medication dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first additional compartment is attached to the main module, and succeeding compartments are attached to each other laterally, and wherein the (n+1)^th additional compartment is detachable attached to the n^th additional compartment.

3. A medication dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein each successive compartment comprises electronics that are connected to the electronics of the preceding compartment.

4. A medication dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein each detachable compartment comprises a case that is open at two adjacent sides, a complementary hood and a detachable sealing cover that cooperates with the case to enclose the compartment);

wherein each compartment comprises;

a storage space for a plurality of solid form medication;

means for biasing the plurality of solid form medications toward one end of the storage space, that is defined as the base of the storage space;

a substantially cylindrical well in effective contact with an outlet orifice in a lower surface of the compartment;

a substantially cylindrical pinion-enclosure in said well; and

means for rotationally driving said cylindrical pinion enclosure about its axis in the well.

5. A medication dispenser as claimed in claim 4 further comprising an adaptable dispensing components that comprises a channel in the cylindrical enclosure, wherein said channel is fitted with means for housing at least one detachable gauges having shape(s) complementing the channel shape;

wherein said gauge contains at least one cavity and each cavity is sized and shaped to accept a predetermined size and shape of solid medication in such a position that a portion thereof slightly projects out of the cylinder subtended by the enclosure.

6. A medication dispenser as claimed in claim 4, further comprising;

a drive button disposed in a housing in a lateral side of said compartment;

wherein said drive button is displaceable toward the inside of the compartment and by said displacement is adapted to drive, in translation, at least one gear rack guided within a well at an end of said housing, wherein each gear rack cooperates with pinion means mounted at ends of the enclosure, wherein said gear rack is adapted to rotate said pinion, and

a return spring adapted to cause said button to return to its rest position when said inward displacement is released.

7. A medication dispenser as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one compartment contains selection means disposed proximate to a base of the storage space and upstream of said well.

8. A medication dispenser as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

a selection means comprising a selector having two surfaces that slope toward each other in the direction of the base of said container in a truncated V-form; and

a selector slider that is displaceable between two strips;

wherein said selection means is adapted to guide tablets toward a channel at about the center of the selector; and

wherein the slider is adapted to guide the tablet toward a passage in said selector having a size and shape matching that of the tablet.

9. A medication dispenser as claimed in claim 8, further comprising at least one gauge and means to adjust the sliders of the selectors from a nomogram defining the types of gauges and the positions of the selectors to be used for different types of medications.

10. A medication dispenser (1) as claimed in claim 9, wherein said detachable locking means comprises a substantially U-shaped strip, wherein the feet of the U are affixed to an upper end of a lateral side of a compartment that contacts a surface of an adjacent compartment, wherein the base of the U is thicker than its feet, and wherein at least one claw is located proximate to a crest that is common to a lower surface and to a lateral contacting side of said container that is opposite and parallel to the surface bearing the strip, and wherein complementary fasteners comprise holes fitted with hookup rods, wherein said holes are located on the common crest of the lower surface and of the lateral contacting side bearing the strip on a crest opposite to the crest bearing the claws, and of an aperture in an upper surface of the compartment near the crest with the lateral contacting side bearing the claws, wherein the claws of the additional compartment hook up with the hookup rods in the holes of the preceding compartment, and wherein a base of the strip of the preceding compartment is elliptical and is snapped into the aperture of the additional compartment while entering through an opening that is substantially perpendicular to the aperture and is located at an upper end of the lateral side bearing the claws.

11. A medication dispenser as claimed in claim 4 wherein the means pressing the tablets toward the base of the storage space comprises:

a biasing pallet affixed to a slider moving in a vertical channel located in a back lateral side of the compartment, and

elastic means biasing the pallet toward the dispensing components located proximate to a base of the storage space of the compartment.

12. A medication dispenser as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one tablet transit sensing detector in at least one of said compartments.

13. A medication dispenser as claimed in claim 5, wherein each compartment comprises at least one tablet-transit detector comprising a mechanical microswitch located proximate to a peripheral surface of the cylindrical enclosure;

wherein said microswitch is activated by contact with the projection of the tablet outside the enclosure during its rotation.

14. A medication dispenser as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a detector adapted to sense pressure on drive means in at least one of said compartments.

15. A medication dispenser as claimed in claim 14, wherein said detector adapted to sense pressure on the drive means comprises at least one microswitch actuated by a stud that is substantially rigidly joined to the button.

16. A medication dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main module comprises two compartments, the additional compartment attached to the main module comprises a slot located in a lateral contact side between two adjacent compartments, the slot is adapted to accept a data medium by insertion thereof in a position straddling the main module and the first additional compartment.

17. A medication dispenser as claimed in any of claim 16, wherein the visual means comprises a liquid crystal display screen.

18. A medication dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alarm comprises at least one of an LED and an acoustic means.

19. A medication dispenser as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one compartment comprises an access hatch to the enclosure adapted to permit the installation of at least one gauges and wherein said hatch is adapted to be closed by an enclosure-mask affixed by studs.