Method and apparatus for dispensing medication

• US 7,543,766 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liquitab Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Liquitab Systems Limited
• Inventors: Dobson, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, BENA B
• Application Number:
  US10/344,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20030168538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,853 Days
• Field of Search: 241/1, 241/301, 241/DIG.27
• US Class Current: 241/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/002 Compounding apparatus specially for enteral or parenteral nutritive solutions bottling liquids B67C
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0007 Pill breaking or crushing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 19/18 Use of auxiliary physical effects, e.g. ultrasonics, irradiation, for disintegrating
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 23/04 Safety devices in general F16P ; for rotary mills B02C13/31
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/065 for drink preparation
• 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: Y10S 241/27 Pill or tablet crushers

Abstract

A method for converting a tablet containing medication into a palatable fluid includes the steps of adding a palatable fluid to a container, placing the tablet containing the medication and then disintegrating the tablet/fluid combination until the table is disintegrating the tablet/fluid combination until the tablet is disintegrated and dispersed throughout the palatable fluid for forming a palatable mixture in the container for ingestion by a patient. An apparatus for carrying out the method uses either an ultrasonic device, such as a ultrasonic probe, or a crushing device for disintegrating and dispersing the tablet throughout the palatable fluid.

Claims

1. An apparatus for converting tablet material into a palatable fluid, comprising:

a removable and disposable container into which tablet material for medication and a palatable fluid are placeable; and

,

processing means for automatically disintegrating the tablet material and concurrently dispersing the tablet material into the palatable fluid in said removable and disposable container, said processing means being located remotely from, and entirely outside of, said removable and disposable container for rendering the tablet material ingestible in a fluidized form, and with said processing means for automatically disintegrating the tablet material including means for ultrasonically disintegrating the tablet material that includes an ultrasonic probe having a sound with a frequency greater than 20 kHz.

2. The apparatus for converting tablet material into a palatable fluid according to claim 1, wherein said removable and disposable container has a flat base.

3. The apparatus for converting tablet material into a palatable fluid according to claim 1, further comprising a cup guide for supporting said removable and disposable container.

4. The apparatus for converting tablet material into a palatable fluid according to claim 3, further comprising a plurality of fiber optic sensors with said cup guide having apertures for permitting said plurality of fiber optic sensors to view contents contained within said removable and disposable container.

5. The apparatus for converting tablet material into a palatable fluid according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of fiber optic sensors is two fiber optic sensors for detecting a presence of said removable and disposable container and a level of liquid in said removable and disposable container.

6. The apparatus for converting tablet material into a palatable fluid according to claim 3, further comprising an infra-red temperature transducer with said cup guide having apertures for permitting said infra-red temperature transducer to view contents within said removable and disposable container.

7. The apparatus for converting tablet material into a palatable fluid according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature transducer for determining temperature of the tablet material ingestible in a fluidized form and whether the fluidized form is becoming overheated during ultrasonic disintegration.

8. A method for converting medication formed as a tablet into a palatable fluid, comprising the steps of:

adding a palatable fluid to a container;

placing a tablet containing medication into said container for forming a tablet/fluid combination; and

,

disintegrating said tablet/fluid combination via means remote from, and entirely outside of, said container until said tablet is disintegrated and dispersed throughout said palatable fluid, said disintegrating step being carried out by ultrasonically disintegrating said tablet using an ultrasonic probe having a sound frequency greater than 20 kHz and simultaneously mixing said tablet with said palatable fluid, thereby forming a palatable mixture in said container for ingestion by a patient.

9. The method for converting medication formed as a tablet into a palatable fluid according to claim 8, wherein said container has a flat base.

10. The method for converting medication formed as a tablet into a palatable fluid according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

determining temperature of the palatable fluid and whether the palatable fluid is becoming overheated during ultrasonic disintegration.

11. The method for converting medication formed as a tablet into a palatable fluid according to claim 10, wherein said step of determining temperature of the palatable fluid is performed using an infra-red temperature transducer.