Smart tray for dispensing medicaments

• US 7,909,207 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helene Laliberte, Michael Handfield
• Original Assignee: Helene Laliberte, Michael Handfield
• Inventors: Handfield, Michael, Laliberte, Helene
• Primary Examiner(s): Waggoner; Timothy R
• Application Number:
  US11/841,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20080173711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 700/236, 700/240, 221/64, 221/65, 221/197, 221/198, 221/278, 221/279, 221/287
• US Class Current: 221/198
• 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 2205/30 Printed labels
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0076 Medicament distribution means with pill counting devices A61J7/02; with time indication A61J7/04; containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/24 Rotary or oscillatory members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/38 in which the magazines are horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• 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

The invention relates to a method of determining a status condition of a medicament container having a memory contained therein for storing medicament effect data, such as, for example, drug interaction, side effect, and other information for determining the status condition of the container.

Claims

1. A medicament tray comprising:

a casing comprising a compartment adapted to store a plurality of medicaments and a valve adapted to provide an inlet for a fluid, wherein inlet of the fluid is adapted to expand a compressible medium and force medicaments towards a dispenser mechanism;

a dispenser mechanism comprising at least one chamber, wherein said at least one chamber is adapted to receive a medicament stored within the compartment, wherein the dispenser mechanism is adapted to transport the medicament received within said at least one chamber to an outlet formed within the casing; and

an interface module adapted to connect to a medicament dispensing apparatus, wherein the dispenser mechanism is adapted to transport the medicament received within said at least one chamber to the outlet formed within the housing only if the interface module is connected to the medicament dispensing apparatus.

2. The medicament tray of claim 1, wherein the casing comprises a material adapted to filter ultraviolet radiation.

3. The medicament tray of claim 1, wherein the casing comprises a flame-retardant material.

4. The medicament tray of claim 1, wherein the casing comprises a material with anti-static properties.

5. The medicament tray of claim 1, wherein the casing comprises a material that does not produce toxic gases if burned.

6. The medicament tray of claim 1, wherein the casing comprises a bottom portion and a top portion, wherein the bottom portion is adapted to hermetically seal to the top portion.

7. The medicament tray of claim 6, wherein a plurality of casing walls associated with the casing are adapted to be reinforced with embossments in order to provide structural support for the bottom portion and the top portion of the casing.

8. The medicament tray of claim 1, wherein a plurality of casing walls associated with the casing comprise a thickness that is greater than or equal to 0.005 of an inch but less than or equal to 0.040 of an inch.

9. The medicament tray of claim 1, wherein the diameter of the medicament tray is about seven inches.

10. The medicament tray of claim 1, wherein the height of the medicament tray is about three-quarters of an inch.

11. A medicament container comprising:

a housing comprising a compartment adapted to store medicaments, wherein the housing comprises a valve adapted to provide an inlet for a fluid, wherein inlet of the fluid is adapted to expand a compressible medium and force medicaments towards an outlet formed within the housing;

a rotational member disposed within the housing and adapted to receive medicaments stored within the compartment and transfer the medicament to the outlet when actuated by an external drive gear; and

the outlet formed within the housing, wherein the outlet is adapted to dispense medicaments received from the rotational member.

12. A medicament tray comprising:

a casing comprising a compartment adapted to store a plurality of medicaments, wherein the casing comprises a bottom portion and a top portion, wherein the top portion is adapted to hermetically seal to the bottom portion, wherein the bottom portion comprises a one-way valve adapted to provide an inlet for a fluid, wherein inlet of the fluid is adapted to expand a compressible medium and force medicaments towards the dispenser mechanism;

an interface module attached to the casing and adapted to connect the medicament tray to a medicament dispensing apparatus; and

a dispenser mechanism disposed within the casing and adapted to dispense medicaments from the compartment upon being actuated by an external engagement element.

13. The medicament tray of claim 12, wherein the bottom portion comprises an indented region adapted to function as a loading ramp for medicaments situated on an inner portion of the casing.

14. The medicament tray of claim 12, wherein the compressible medium comprises an air bag.

15. The medicament tray of claim 12, wherein the compressible medium comprises bellows.

16. The medicament tray of claim 12, wherein the casing further comprises a spring-loaded mechanism adapted to exert a force on medicaments, wherein the force is adapted to force medicaments toward the dispenser mechanism.