Medicament container

• US 8,027,748 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• 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
• Application Number:
  US11/841,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20080035661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• Field of Search: 221/151, 221/152, 221/154, 700/241, 700/242, 700/243, 700/244
• US Class Current: 700/242
• 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 and system that utilizes one or more cassettes or trays that hold medicaments for dispensing. In one embodiment, a method for dispensing includes receiving a signal at a medicament container authorizing the medicament container to dispense a medicament unit contained therein; unlocking an outlet port of the medicament container in response to the signal; dispensing the medicament unit through the outlet port in response to the signal; and locking the outlet port after the medicament unit is dispensed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining at a medicaments container whether the medicament container is authorized for operation with an apparatus;

if it is determined that the medicament container is authorized for operation with the apparatus, receiving a signal at a medicament container authorizing the medicament container to dispense a medicament unit contained therein;

unlocking an outlet port of the medicament container in response to the signal;

dispensing the medicament unit through the outlet port in response to the signal; and

locking the outlet port after the medicament unit is dispensed.

2. The medicament container of claim 1, wherein the medicament container is configured to be inserted into a dispensing machine.

3. The medicament container of claim 1, wherein the medicament container is configured to be inserted into the apparatus that is configured to accept a plurality of medicament containers.

4. The medicament container of claim 1, wherein the medicament container is a portable dispensing container.

5. The medicament container of claim 1, wherein the signal is received wired or wirelessly from a dispensing machine or a server.

6. The medicament container of claim 1, wherein the signal is generated when a dosing interval is reached.

7. The medicament container of claim 1, wherein the signal is generated by a health care professional.

8. The medicament container of claim 1, wherein the signal is generated upon insertion of the medicament container into a dispensing machine.

9. A method comprising:

inserting a medicament container containing a plurality of medicament units into an apparatus;

wherein the apparatus is configured to accept a plurality of medicament containers for dispensing operations;

determining at the medicaments container whether the medicament container is authorized for operation with the apparatus;

if it is determined that the medicament container is authorized for operation with the apparatus, unlocking an outlet port of the medicament container in response to operations with the apparatus into which the container is inserted; and

dispensing the medicament unit through the outlet port.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising locking the outlet port after a medicament unit is dispensed.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein outlet port is unlocked upon insertion of the medicament container into the apparatus.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein outlet port is unlocked upon engagement of an external drive mechanism from the dispensing machine.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein outlet port is unlocked in response to a signal from the dispensing machine.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the apparatus comprises a dispensing machine.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the dispensing is performed by an active dispensing mechanism in the medicament container.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein further comprising locking the outlet port in response to an error code, during a maintenance check of the medicament container, or when the medicament container is being returned for credit.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein outlet port is unlocked at predetermined times.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined time comprises a dosing time, or dosing interval.

19. The method of claim 9, further comprising automatically returning the outlet port to a locked state after a medicament unit is dispensed.

20. The method of claim 9, further comprising automatically returning the outlet port to a locked state upon extraction of the medicament container from a dispensing machine.

21. A method comprising:

determining at a medicaments container whether the medicament container is authorized for operation with an apparatus;

if it is determined that the medicament container is authorized for operation with the apparatus, dispensing a medicament unit through an outlet port of the medicament container;

closing the outlet port after the medicament unit is dispensed; and

locking the outlet port in the closed position to prevent unauthorized dispensing of a medicament unit.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising unlocking the outlet port prior to dispensing a medicament unit.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein outlet port is unlocked upon insertion of the medicament container into the apparatus.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein outlet port is unlocked upon engagement of an external drive mechanism from a dispensing machine.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein outlet port is unlocked in response to a signal from a dispensing machine.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein outlet port is unlocked upon insertion of the medicament container into a dispensing machine.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the dispensing is performed by an active dispensing mechanism in the medicament container.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the outlet port is locked in response to an error code, during a maintenance check of the medicament container, or when the medicament container is being returned for credit.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the outlet port is locked after a dispensing operation.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein outlet port is unlocked at predetermined times.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the predetermined time comprises a dosing time, or dosing interval.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the outlet port is locked automatically after a medicament unit is dispensed.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein the outlet port is locked automatically upon extraction of the medicament container from a dispensing machine.