Pill dispenser

• US 9,218,458 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2012
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baarman, David W., Eurich, Sean T., Mollema, Scott A., Dean, Cody D., Kuyvenhoven, Neil W., Runyon, Matthew K., Van Den Brink, Joseph C., Schamper, Ryan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): WAGGONER, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US13/455,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20130110283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 700/236, 700/237
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/74 for weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• 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: A61J 7/02 Pill counting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A pill dispensing system that includes pill packages that can be used to dispense pills manually or with a dispenser system to provide enhanced functionality. The packages can be provided with information relating to the packaged pills or to the use of the packaged pills. By reading the information from the package, the dispenser system can know what is in the package, when it is to be taken and can understand and track inventory. The dispenser system provides reminders of when the pills should be taken. The dispenser system may have the ability to key a specific electronic device, such as a cell phone, to a specific user and the dispenser system may require the electronic device to be within proximity of the dispenser system before dispensing pills for that user.

Claims

1. A pill dispensing system comprising:

a dispenser;

a plurality of pill packages; and

a control system configured to obtain proximity data regarding proximity of a plurality of electronic devices to said pill dispensing system using capabilities associated with a communication protocol, determine which of said plurality of electronic devices are closest to said pill dispensing system, and select one or more of said plurality of pill packages for pill dispensing based at least in part on which of said plurality of electronic devices is closest to said pill dispensing system.

2. The pill dispensing system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of pill packages are stackable in said dispenser to work in conjunction with said dispenser to dispense pills and each of said plurality of pill packages are configured to be manually operable to dispense pills without a dispenser.

3. The pill dispensing system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of pill packages are provided with information relating to at least one of packaged pills and use of packaged pills.

4. The pill dispensing system of claim 3 wherein said pill dispensing system periodically polls said plurality of pill packages to obtain information about said plurality of pill packages.

5. The pill dispensing system of claim 3 wherein said control system is configured to determine a dispensing schedule based on at least one of said information relating to at least one of packaged pills and use of packaged pills.

6. The pill dispensing system of claim 3 wherein said pill dispensing system reads information from at least one of said plurality of pill packages when that package is placed in said pill dispensing system.

7. The pill dispensing system of claim 1 wherein said control system is configured to illuminate at least one of said plurality of pill packages to assist a user in dispensing pills.

8. The pill dispensing system of claim 1 wherein said pill dispensing system provides reminders of when pills should be taken via a network.

9. The pill dispensing system of claim 1 wherein said pill dispensing system automatically dispenses appropriate pills at time for consumption for said user.

10. The pill dispensing system of claim 1 wherein said pill dispensing system maintains inventory of pills in said plurality of packaged pills installed in said dispenser.

11. The pill dispensing system of claim 1 wherein said pill dispensing system monitors user statistics of when pills are dispensed.

12. The pill dispensing system of claim 1 wherein said pill dispensing system limits the amount of pills dispensed at one time.

13. The pill dispensing system of claim 1 wherein said pill dispensing system limits the time between pill dispensings.

14. The pill dispensing system of claim 1 wherein said communication protocol includes at least one of Bluetooth, WiFi, and Near Field Communications.

15. The pill dispensing system of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of pill packages includes a visual indicator for indicating dispensing.

16. A pill dispensing system comprising:

a dispenser;

a plurality of pill packages each including a housing having an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner wall, and an outer, said housing having a pill reservoir disposed between said inner wall and said outer wall, said upper surface defines a hole disposed inwardly of said inner wall, said lower surface defines a hole disposed inwardly of said inner wall, said housing defines an internal through-hole disposed inwardly of said inner wall that extends between said hole defined by said upper surface and said hole defined by said lower surface;

each housing of said plurality of pill packages includes a dispensing channel for dispensing pills toward said internal through-hole;

said plurality of pill packages stackable on said dispenser such that said internal through-hole of each of said plurality of pill packages forms an internal common through-hole to work in conjunction with said dispenser to dispense pills through said internal common through-hole and each of said plurality of pill packages configured to be manually operable to dispense pills through said internal through-hole without said dispenser.

17. The pill dispensing system of claim 16 wherein said pill dispensing system is configured to identify a user based on presence of an electronic device.

18. The pill dispensing system of claim 16 wherein said pill dispensing system is configured to key an electronic device to a user and dispense pills from at least one of said plurality of pill packages for said user in response to said keyed electronic device being within proximity of said pill dispensing system.

19. The pill dispensing system of claim 16 wherein said plurality of pill packages are provided with information relating to packaged pills or use of packaged pills.

20. The pill dispensing system of claim 19 wherein said pill dispensing system periodically polls said plurality of pill packages to obtain information about said plurality of pill packages.

21. The pill dispensing system of claim 19 wherein said control system is configured to determine a dispensing schedule based on at least one of said information relating to at least one of packaged pills and use of packaged pills.

22. The pill dispensing system of claim 19 wherein said pill dispensing system reads information from at least one of said plurality of pill packages when that package is placed in said pill dispensing system.

23. The pill dispensing system of claim 16 wherein said control system is configured to illuminate at least one of said plurality of pill packages to assist a user in dispensing pills.

24. The pill dispensing system of claim 16 wherein said pill dispensing system provides reminders of when pills should be taken via a network.

25. The pill dispensing system of claim 16 wherein said pill dispensing system automatically dispenses appropriate pills at an appropriate time for consumption.

26. The pill dispensing system of claim 16 wherein said pill dispensing system maintains inventory of pills in said plurality of pill packages installed in said dispenser.

27. The pill dispensing system of claim 16 wherein said pill dispensing system monitors user statistics of when pills are dispensed.

28. The pill dispensing system of claim 16 wherein said pill dispensing system limits the amount of pills dispensed at one time.

29. The pill dispensing system of claim 16 wherein said pill dispensing system limits the time between pill dispensings.

30. The pill dispensing system of claim 16 wherein said pill dispensing system connects to a network and is configured to provide information via the network to at least one of a doctor, physician, pharmacist, and food supplement representative.

31. The pill dispensing system of claim 16 wherein each of said plurality of pill packages includes a visual indicator for indicating dispensing.

32. A pill package for manually dispensing pills or dispensing pills in conjunction with a pill dispensing system, said pill package comprising:

a housing having an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner wall, and an outer wall, said housing configured to hold pills in a pill reservoir disposed between said inner wall and said outer wall and said housing configured to allow one or more of said pill packages to be stacked in the dispenser;

said upper surface defining a hole disposed inwardly of said inner wall;

said lower surface defining a hole disposed inwardly of said inner wall;

said housing defining an internal through-hole disposed inwardly of said inner wall that extends between said hole defined by said upper surface and said hole defined by said lower surface; and

a dispensing channel in said inner wall for dispensing pills toward said internal through-hole; and

a dispensing element operable to dispense a pill from said pill package via said internal through-hole, said dispensing element configured to be operable to dispense a pill whether separate from the dispenser or stacked in the dispenser.

33. The pill package of claim 32 including ratchet teeth and wherein said dispensing element includes a ratchet dispensing element, said ratchet dispensing element including a ratchet and a friction element.

34. The pill package of claim 32 wherein said dispensing element includes a snap release dispensing element, said snap release dispensing element including a button, a spring, and a plunger.

35. The pill package of claim 32 wherein said dispensing element includes a slide and hole dispensing element, said slide and hole dispensing element including a slideable stop and a hole.

36. The pill package of claim 32 wherein said dispensing element includes a ratchet and ramp dispensing element, said ratchet and ramp dispensing element including a friction element, ratchet teeth along a side wall of said housing, and a ramp.

37. The pill package of claim 32 wherein said dispensing element includes rotating gear dispenser elements located within a pill path such that said gear dispenser elements force pills through a dispensing channel in operation.

38. The pill package of claim 32 wherein said dispensing element includes a pivot arm dispenser element that includes a pivot arm that engages a pill and urges it through said dispensing channel.

39. The pill package of claim 32 including a controller that monitors and recognizes when a pill is dispensed.