Dispensing systems with supplemental functions

• US 9,463,412 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hero Health, Inc. (Hero Health IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Makefield LLC
• Inventors: Akdogan, Kutadgu, Vepuri, Kalyan C., Von Heifner, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): WAGGONER, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US14/215,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• 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 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 7/02 Pill counting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0454 Controlling adsorption controlling temperature swing adsorption B01D53/0462, controlling pressure swing adsorption B01D53/047
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/261 by adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/268 the absorber being enclosed in a small pack, e.g. bag, included in the package
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0409 the dispensing means being adapted for delivering one article, or a single dose, upon each actuation B65D83/0445 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/32 in combination with an identity check
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A dispensing device provides improved security and risk management through the inclusion of a security lock. The security lock may require authentication of a user as a condition for dispensing a dispensable included in a container of the dispensing device. The dispensable may include a consumable unit.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a container configured to hold a plurality of consumable units;

a mechanism to dispense individual doses of the plurality of consumable units from the container;

a user input to manually activate the mechanism;

a machine input separate from the user input actuatable by a machine coupled to the device to activate the mechanism to dispense one of the plurality of consumable units;

a clip removably and replaceably coupled to the device, the clip sized and shaped to hold the container and to mechanically couple the device into the machine; and

a mechanical interface on the clip including one or more mechanical registration features to removably and replaceably insert the device into the machine.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the device includes two or more independent dispensing reservoirs commonly controlled by the machine to provide a mixed consumable in response to a single dispense instruction from the machine.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising a radio frequency identification tag storing information about the plurality of consumable units.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising a memory configured to store a schedule for delivery of the consumable units to a user.

5. The device of claim 4 further comprising an output device to notify the user of a time to take one of the consumable units according to the schedule.

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising a memory configured to store a numeric amount of the consumable units in the container.

7. The device of claim 6 further comprising one or more sensors configured to detect the numeric amount.

8. The device of claim 6 further comprising processing circuitry to update the numeric amount when one of the consumable units is dispensed from the container.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising a mechanical counter to indicate a numeric amount of the consumable units in the container.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising a memory storing a machine-readable identifier for the device.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the machine-readable identifier uniquely identifies the device.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein the machine-readable identifier encodes information about the device.

13. The device of claim 10 wherein the machine-readable identifier encodes information about contents of the container of the device.

14. The device of claim 1 further comprising a base configured to receive a plurality of dispensers including the device.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the base includes a printer.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the base further includes a processor configured to print a label identifying one or more consumable units dispensed from the plurality of dispensers.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein the base further includes a processor configured to print a dosing schedule for one or more consumable units dispensed from the plurality of dispensers.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the clip includes a processor configured to control operation of the device.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein the clip electrically couples the device to the machine in a communicating relationship.

20. The device of claim 1 wherein the clip includes a second mechanical interface to removably and replaceably couple the clip to the container.

21. The device of claim 1 wherein the clip includes a memory storing a schedule for delivery of the consumable units to a user.

22. The device of claim 1 wherein the clip includes a memory storing a numeric amount of the consumable units in the container.