Tamper resistant programmable medicine dispenser

• US 6,415,202 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2000
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Van Halfacre
• Original Assignee: Van Halfacre
• Inventors: Halfacre, Van
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAPIRO, JEFFREY ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/572,698
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 700/232, 700/231, 700/236, 700/242, 700/243, 221/8, 221/4, 221/5, 221/17, 221/15, 221/18, 221/19, 221/89, 221/82, 221/86, 221/185, 221/258, 221/119, 221/247, 221/248, 221/83, 221/102
• US Class Current: 700/232
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0427 with direct interaction with a dispensing or delivery system
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis

Abstract

A portable electrically operable and tamper resistant medication dispenser for supplying multiple daily medications to a patient on a predetermined schedule and which includes a programmable assembly for indexing a plurality of containers which are filled with the medications to a dispenser outlet.

Claims

1. A medication dispenser for dispensing doses of medication to a patient on a predetermined schedule, the dispenser including a carrying case having a dispenser outlet opening therein, a first wheel element mounted within said carrying case, a plurality of openings formed in said first wheel element in spaced relationship with respect to one another, indexing means mounted within said carrying case to rotate said first wheel element so as to incrementally align said plurality of openings relative to said dispenser outlet opening, a programmable controller mounted within said carrying case and electrically connected to said indexing means whereby said programmable controller controls an incremental movement of said first wheel element based upon a predetermined time schedule, means for connecting said programmable controller to a source of electrical power, a plurality of medication containers adapted to be selectively positioned within said plurality of openings of said first wheel element for receiving doses of medication to be supplied to a patient on a predetermined schedule, means for determining when one of said containers is aligned with said dispenser outlet opening, a closure member for normally closing said dispenser outlet opening when said closure member is in a first position, and means electrically connected to said programmable controller to move said closure member to a second position to open said dispenser outlet opening for a predetermined time when said one of said containers is aligned with said dispenser outlet opening and thereafter initiate movement of said closure member toward said first position.

2. The medication dispenser of claim 1 including means mounted within said carrying case for signaling an individual when one of said medication containers which is seated within said one of said plurality of openings in said first wheel element should be removed through said dispenser outlet opening from said carrying case.

3. The medication dispenser of claim 2 in which said means for signaling includes an audible element mounted within said carrying case, said means for determining including at least one first switch means mounted adjacent said dispenser outlet opening and electrically connected to said audible element, said at least one first switch means including means for engaging one of said medication containers as it moves into alignment with said dispenser outlet opening to thereby cause power to be applied to said audible element.

4. The medication dispenser of claim 3 in which said means for signaling includes a visual indicator mounted to said carrying case and electrically controlled in response to said at least one first switch means.

5. The medication dispenser of claim 4 in which said indexing means includes a second wheel element having a plurality of equally spaced recesses formed in a peripheral edge thereof, a plurality of openings provided in said second wheel element and aligned with said plurality of openings in said first wheel element, and said indexing means including a rotary driver driven by a motor for engaging in said recesses to incrementally rotate said first and second wheel elements within said carrying case.

6. The medication dispenser of claim 5 wherein said rotary driver includes at least two spaced vertically extending pins moveable about a rotational axis of said rotary driver and being of a size to be received within said recesses.

7. The medication dispenser of claim 6 including switch means mounted adjacent said rotary driver for controlling said motor to stop a rotational movement of said rotary driver.

8. The medication dispenser of claim 7 in which said indexing means includes a drive connection between said motor and said driver.

9. The medication dispenser of claim 1 including, resilient means for urging said closure member toward said first position closing said dispenser outlet opening.

10. The medication dispenser of claim 9 in which said means electrically connected to said programmable controller to move said closure member includes a second motor having a drive output, a crank member mounted to said drive output, a linkage member pivotally connected at one end thereof to said crank arm and pivotally connected to said closure member at an opposite end thereof.

11. The medication dispenser of claim 10 including an elongated slot in said linkage member, and a pivot pin extending through said slot and connecting said linkage member with said crank member.

12. The medication dispenser of claim 11 in which said drive output of said second motor is connected to a rotary cam, switch means for determining the position of said rotary cam to electrically deactive said second motor when said cam is sensed in a position to cause said closure member to be either in said first position or said second position thereof.

13. The medication dispenser of claim 1 including first and second circular series of said plurality of openings formed in said first wheel element, and first and second switch means mounted within said carrying case adjacent each of said series of openings for contact by a container carried in said openings when a container aligns with said outlet opening in said carrying case.

14. The medication dispenser of claim 1 wherein an upper surface of said first wheel element includes a plurality of differing codings thereon adjacent said plurality of openings therein, and said plurality of medication containers having codings thereon which match the differing codings on said upper surface of said first wheel element whereby said plurality of containers are placed in said plurality of openings in said first wheel element adjacent matching codings.

15. The medication dispenser of claim 1 in which a number of said plurality of openings in said first wheel element is sufficient to retain said plurality of said medication containers for each day of a week, and an additional plurality of openings in said first wheel means for supporting additional medication containers as a source of emergency supply.

16. The medication dispenser of claim 1 wherein said carrying case includes a lid and a lower section, and means for locking said lid to said lower section of said carrying case.

17. The medication dispenser of claim 1 in which said means for connecting said programmable timer to a source of electrical power includes a rechargeable battery mounted within said carrying case and means for connecting said battery to an AC power circuit.

18. A medication dispenser for dispensing doses of medication to a patient on a predetermined schedule, the dispenser including a carrying case having a dispenser outlet opening therein, a first wheel element mounted within said carrying case, a plurality of openings formed in said first wheel element in spaced relationship with respect to one another, indexing means mounted within said carrying case to rotate said first wheel element so as to incrementally align said plurality of openings relative to said dispenser outlet opening, a programmable controller mounted within said carrying case and electrically connected to said indexing means whereby said programmable controller controls an incremental movement of said first wheel element based upon a predetermined time schedule, means for connecting said programmable controller to a source of electrical power, a plurality of medication containers adapted to be selectively positioned within said plurality of openings of said first wheel element for receiving doses of medication to be supplied to a patient on a predetermined schedule, means for generating a signal to an individual when one of said containers is aligned with said dispenser outlet opening, a closure member for normally closing said outlet opening when in a first position, means for moving said closure member to a second position to open said outlet opening when one of said plurality of containers is aligned with said dispenser outlet opening such that said one of said plurality of containers can be removed from said carrying case, and means for moving said closure member toward said first position to thereby close said container outlet opening.

19. The medication dispenser of claim 18 in which said means for moving said closure member to said second position includes means for retaining said closure member in said second position for a predetermined time and for automatically initiating movement of said closure member toward said first position after the predetermined time has elapsed to thereby prevent further access to said one of said plurality of containers if not previously removed through said dispenser outlet opening.

20. The medication dispenser of claim 18 in which said means for moving said closure member includes a motor connected to said closure member by a mechanical linkage, said mechanical linkage providing lost motion between said motor and said closure member if said closure member encounters an obstruction while being moved toward said first position to thereby prevent said motor from providing a closure force to move said closure member to said first position.