System for dispensing pill- or capsule-form medications in desired doses

• US 6,702,146 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2003
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Addoz Oy (LO Group Oy)
• Original Assignee: Addoz Oy (LO Group Oy)
• Inventors: Varis, Reijo
• Primary Examiner(s): Noland, Kenneth W.
• Application Number:
  US10/369,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20030127463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 221/2, 221/3, 221/7, 221/15, 221/9, 221/82, 221/83, 221/197, 221/266, 700/242, 700/243, 700/231, 700/237
• US Class Current: 221/3
• 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 7/0454 for dispensing of multiple drugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/50 the storage containers or supports being rotatably mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/10 with associated dispensing of containers, e.g. cups or other articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system for dispensing pill- or capsule-form medications (61) in desired doses (60). The system comprises a dispensing device (35), which includes a cartridge (20, 40) rotatable relative to a housing or frame (10) and provided with discrete dosage compartments (27, 47) for desired doses of medication. The cartridge (20, 40) is manipulated by elements (18, 18a, 18b; 14a, 14b, 15, 18, 19), whereby each separate dosage compartment (27, 47) is rotatable relative to the housing or frame (10) to a dispensing point (4, 12) for the dose of medication (60). A signalling device (75, 76) producing a sound and/or light signal activates at pre-programmed times. An electronics unit (19, 55) containing a dispensing program is reprogrammable by means of an external programming device (36, 66, 101, 102). The cartridge (20, 40) is adapted to be disengaged from the dispensing device (35) and to be transferred to a loading device (80), which fills the dosage compartments (27, 47) of the cartridge with desired doses of medication and furnishes the filled cartridge with identification data (ID), on the basis of which the filled cartridge (20, 40) can be certifiably returned to the proper dispensing device (35), which is arranged to upkeep a dispensing event log at a distant control file (64a).

Claims

1. A system for dispensing pill- or capsule-form medications (61) in desired doses (60), said system comprising a dispensing device (35) which includes

a housing or frame (10),

a cartridge (20, 40) rotatably supported on the housing or frame (10) and provided with individual dosage compartments (27, 47) for desired doses of medication, the cartridge (20, 40) being adapted to be disengageable and removable from the dispensing device (35) for filling the dosage compartments (27, 47) of the cartridge with desired doses of medication, the cartridge being furnished with identification data (ID), on the basis of which the filled cartridge (20, 40) can be certifiably returned to the proper dispensing device (35),

a signaling device (75, 76) giving a sound and/or light signal, which activates at pre-programmed points of time, and

an electronics unit (19, 55) containing a dispensing program,

the program electronics (19) being re-programmable with a programming device (55, 56;

36, 66, 101, 102) and that the dispensing is arranged to be effected by means of the users own action which is exerted onto the dispensing device (35), characterized in that the users own action for dispensing rotates or controls, rotation of the cartridge (20, 40) to bring an individual dosage compartment (27, 47) into a dispensing position, and that the said users own action for dispensing, or lack of such action within a prescribed time, is adapted to automatically transmit information regarding the dispensing event by way of a communication link (62, 63) to a distant control file (64a), which can be accessed and monitored by persons having a correct key code or password.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the cartridge (20) is furnished with a rotatable and removable cover (28) having an opening (28a) which can be rotated to coincide with any of the dosage compartments (27) for loading and/or dispensing of doses through the opening (28a), and that the cartridge is further provided by means (90, 91) for visual indication of dispensing schedule.

3. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the system includes a separate dosing or loading device (80, 80′

) for filling the dosage compartments (27, 47) of the cartridge with desired doses of medication and for furnishing the filled cartridge (20, 40) with identification data (ID).

4. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the programming device (36, 66, 101, 102) is an external portable device, which has a wireless communication link (37, 138) with the electronics unit (19, 55) of the dispensing device (35).

5. A system as set forth in claim 3, characterized in that the prescription controlling the loading device (80) in terms of its filling action is adapted to be delivered, along with a patient'"'"'s identification data, by way of a communication network, such as the internet or a chip card (68), to a computer (67) controlling operation of the loading device (80).

6. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the dispensing device (35) is provided with a transmitter, such as a GSM module (62), which is adapted to transmit automatically information regarding dispensing occurrences by way of a communication link (63) to a predetermined control file (64a) at a distant control terminal (64, 66), which is provided by a program for monitoring the dispensing events saved in the control file (64a).

7. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the control file (64a) is linked to the internet (65) in such a way that the control file (64a) can be monitored via the internet, as long as a password associated with the control file (64a) is known.

8. A system as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that the external programming device (36, 66, 101, 102) for a dispensing program comprises either a mobile telephone (36) or a programming device (101, 102) equipped with an IR link (37, 38, 138) for feeding the dispensing program, or modifications thereto to the electronics unit (19, 55).

9. A system as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that the external programming device (36, 66, 101, 102) for a dispensing program comprises a computer (66), which has a link via the internet (65) to the control file (64a) or which has the control file stored in its bulk memory.

10. A system as set forth in claim 3, characterized in that the loading device (80, 80′

) is adapted to provide the cartridge (20, 40) with an optically readable label (ID) disclosing the identification data.

11. A system as set forth in claim 3, characterized in that the cartridge (20) carries an electronic identification tag (39), which the loading device (80, 80′

) furnishes with identification data for a customer, and that the dispensing device (35) or a hospital dispensary is provided with elements (39a;

102/139) for reading the data disclosed in the identification tag (39).

12. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the means (18, 18a) for manipulating the cartridge (20) are activated to function upon pressing a push button (3), but only after the signalling device (75, 76) has activated under control of the program of the electronics unit (19, 55).

13. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that, upon every activation of the means (18, 18a) manipulating the cartridge (20), the information about a dispensing occurrence is transmitted to said control file (64a), which compiles a monitoring log of taking a medication.

14. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the electronics unit (19, 55) involves a memory which collects information regarding dispensing occurrences and transmits the same at prescribed times to said control file (64a), which compiles a monitoring log of taking a medication, the prescribed times being short enough for practically real time monitoring of taking a medication.

15. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the electronics unit (19, 55) containing a dispensing program is programmable by means of push buttons (56) included therein.

16. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that between the dosage compartments (27) of the cartridge (20) is a vacant recess or space (23) and the housing or frame (10) of the dispensing device is provided with a protrusion, which functions as a response and/or an indication for inserting the cartridge (20) in the housing or frame (10) of a dispensing device in a preset initial position.

17. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the cartridge (20, 30 and 40, 50) includes a substantially circular base disc (30, 50), having radially inbound elongated cuts or slits (34, 54) provide its outer periphery with sector-shaped flexible flaps (31, 51) which constitute a floor for the dosage compartment (27, 47), and that in the vicinity of the dispensing point (12) are provided manually operated bending means (3, 7, 8a, 9a) for deflecting the flap (31, 51) to extend obliquely downwards from the plane of the base disc (30, 50) and for releasing the dose of medication (60) from the dosage compartment (27, 47).

18. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that at least one cartridge (20, 40) is encloseable within a space (5) defined by a cover (2) mountable around the frame (10) and the cartridge (20, 30 and 40, 50).

19. A system as set forth in claim 18, characterized in that the cover (2) is lockable securely to the frame (10) by means of a common locking mechanism (16, 17;

69) between the cover (2) and the rim portion (13) of the frame (10).

20. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that a stepping motor (18) rotates the cartridge (20, 30 and 40, 50) in compliance with a program programmed in a programmable memory of the electronics unit (19, 55).

21. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that, with the base disc (30, 50) or the removable cover (28) set in its position, the dosage compartments (27, 47) are closed on all sides thereof.

22. A system as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that, the cartridges (20, 40) are made of transparent plastics and also the dispensing device is partially made of transparent plastics to allow visual inspection of the doses in the dosage compartments.

23. A system as set forth in claim 12, characterized in that a stepping motor (18) rotates the cartridge (20) through an angular distance equal to the dosage compartment (27) as the dispensing button (20) is pressed at the accepted medication time, which is programmed in the program of the electronics unit (19, 55).