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

• US 7,302,311 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Addoz Oy (LO Group Oy)
• Original Assignee: Addoz Oy (LO Group Oy)
• Inventors: Varis, Reijo
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WAGGONER, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US11/338,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20060144846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 221/2, 221/3, 221/7, 221/15, 700/236, 700/237, 700/242, 700/243
• US Class Current: 700/232
• 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. An intelligent dispensing device (35) for dispensing pill- or capsule-form medications in desired doses, said dispending device comprising

a housing or frame (10),

a cartridge (20), rotatably supported on the housing or frame (10), said cartridge comprising individual dosage compartments (27) 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) of the cartridge with desired doses of medication, a signalling 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 program electronics (19) and a dispensing program, the program electronics (19) being re-programmable by means of push buttons (56) or with a programming device (66, 101, 102), the dispensing being arranged to be effected by means of the users own action which is exerted onto the dispensing device (35),

means (18, 18a) for rotating the cartridge (20), the rotating means being activated to function upon pressing a push button (3), but only during a predetermined time window for taking the medication,

a cover (2) mountable around the frame (10), at least one cartridge (20) being encloseable within a space (5a, 5b) defined by the cover (2) and the cartridge (20).

2. A loading device for loading cartridges as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the cartridge is insertable into a separate closing or loading device (80) for filling the dosage compartments (27) of the cartridge with desired doses of medication and for furnishing the filled cartridge (20) with identification data (ID).

3. A loading device as set forth in claim 2, 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, to a computer (67) controlling operation of the loading device (80).

4. A loading device as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that the loading device (80) is adapted to provide the cartridge (20) with an optically readable label (ID) disclosing the identification data.

5. A loading device as set forth in claim 3, characterized in that the loading device (80) is adapted to provide the cartridge (20) with an optically readable label (ID) disclosing the identification data.

6. A loading device as set forth in claim 2, 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).

7. A dispensing device 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 a control file, which compiles a monitoring log of taking a medication, the prescribed times being short enough for practically real time monitoring of taking a medication.

8. A dispensing device 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.

9. A dispensing device 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.

10. A dispensing device as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that a motor (18) rotates the cartridge (20) in compliance with a program programmed in a programmable memory of the electronics unit (19, 55).

11. A dispensing device as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that a 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 units (19, 55).

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

13. A dispensing device as set forth in claim 12, characterized in that the external programming device (66, 101, 102) for a dispensing program comprises a programming device (101, 102) equipped with a wireless link (38, 138) for feeding the dispensing program, or modifications thereto to the electronics unit (19, 55).

14. A dispensing device as set forth in claim 12, characterized in that the external programming device (66, 101, 102) for a dispensing program comprises a computer (66), which has a link via the internet to a distant control file or which has a control file stored in its bulk memory.

15. A dispensing device 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 a control file (64a), which compiles a monitoring log of taking a medication.

16. A dispensing device as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the cartridge (20,40) is furnished with identification data (ID), on the basis of which the filled cartridge (20) can be certifiably returned to the proper dispensing device (35).

17. A dispensing device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a removable cover (28) for closing the dosage compartments when the filled cartridge is outside the dispensing device.