Medication compliance capping system, assembly, and method

• US 9,600,636 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Linzhi Fang, Tao Xu, Xiaojun Zhang
• Original Assignee: Linzhi Fang, Tao Xu, Xiaojun Zhang
• Inventors: Xu, Tao, Zhang, Xiaojun, Fang, Linzhi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi
• Application Number:
  US14/633,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20160253477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/309.16, 340/540, 340/321, 340/531, 340/309.7, 221/2, 368/10, 368/107, 368/204
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1412 Containers with closing means, e.g. caps
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• 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 7/04 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: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A medication compliance cap system, cap assembly, and associated methodology enhance compliance of a user'"'"'s prescribed or scheduled medication regimen. Central to these specifications is a “smart” or intelligent medication cap assembly that basically functions to communicate wirelessly with a remote medication compliance application or software executable via a personal computing device. A power source and signal-generating circuitry are housed within an inner cap housing and an outer cap housing, which circuitry is selectively switched on and/or off via engagement with an upper container rim of a medication container. The medication compliance application schedules medication-taking events and alerts the user when a medication-taking event is due. The user may stop the alert by removing the medication cap assembly from a medication container, at which time an alert cessation signal is transmitted to the medication compliance application.

Claims

1. A medication compliance system, the medication compliance system for enhancing compliance of a user'"'"'s medication regimen, the medication compliance system comprising in combination:

a medication compliance application, the medication compliance application being operable via a computing device; and

a medication cap assembly, the medication cap assembly comprising an outer cap housing, an inner cap housing movable relative to the outer cap housing, and a circuit assembly for wirelessly communicating with the medication compliance application when the medication cap assembly is selectively interacted with a medication container;

the inner cap housing comprising lower housing surfacing and upper housing surfacing, the upper housing surfacing comprising at least one pocket construction, the circuit assembly comprising assembly components, the assembly components being located intermediate the inner cap housing and the outer cap housing, the at least one pocket construction for pocket-receiving select assembly components of the circuit assembly.

2. The medication compliance system of claim 1 wherein the medication compliance application alerts the user when medication is to be retrieved from a medication container via an alert, the alert being provided until the medication cap assembly signals the medication compliance application.

3. The medication compliance system of claim 1 wherein the inner cap housing and the outer cap housing are cooperable to position the circuit assembly relative to the medication container.

4. The medication compliance system of claim 3 wherein a button of the circuit assembly physically engages the medication container when the medication cap assembly is attached to the medication container.

5. The medication compliance system of claim 4 wherein the button of the circuit assembly engages the medication container via the inner cap housing when the medication cap assembly is attached to the medication container.

6. The medication compliance system of claim 2 wherein the circuit assembly transmits an alert cessation signal to the medication compliance application when the medication cap assembly is removed from the medication container.

7. The medication compliance system of claim 4 comprising in combination, the medication container, the medication container comprising an upper container rim, the upper container rim being engageable with the spring-biased button of the circuit assembly for signaling the medication compliance application.

13. The medication compliance system of claim 3 wherein the inner cap housing comprises a button-letting aperture, a button of the circuit assembly physically being extendable through the button-letting aperture for engaging the medication container via the inner cap housing when the medication cap assembly is attached to the medication container.

8. A cap assembly, the cap assembly for enhancing compliance of a user'"'"'s medication regimen, the cap assembly comprising:

an outer cap housing and an inner cap housing movable relative to the outer cap housing, the inner cap housing comprising lower housing surfacing and upper housing surfacing, the upper housing surfacing comprising at least one pocket construction; and

a circuit assembly for wirelessly communicating with a medication compliance application and for signaling the medication compliance application when selectively interacted with a medication container, the circuit assembly comprising assembly components, select assembly components of the circuit assembly being configured intermediate the inner cap housing and the outer cap housing, the at least one pocket construction for pocket-receiving select assembly components of the circuit assembly.

9. The cap assembly of claim 8 wherein the upper housing surfacing comprises a series of post constructions, the series of post constructions being matable with a series of post-receiving structures cooperably associated with the circuit assembly for preventing movement of the circuit assembly relative to the inner cap housing.

10. The cap assembly of claim 9 wherein each post construction of the series of post constructions comprises an upper post portion and a lower spacer portion, the spacer portions for engaging the circuit assembly and spacing said circuit assembly from a planar portion of the upper housing surfacing.

11. The cap assembly of claim 9 comprising four post constructions, the four post constructions being equally spaced from each other at 90 degree intervals at a periphery of the upper housing surfacing.

12. The cap assembly of claim 11 wherein the upper housing surfacing comprises at least two pocket constructions, the at least two pocket constructions being respectively spaced intermediate a select three of the four post constructions.

14. A medication compliance method, the medication compliance method for enhancing compliance of a user'"'"'s medication regimen, the medication compliance method comprising the steps of:

providing a medication compliance application, the medication compliance application being operable via a computing device; and

providing a medication cap assembly, the medication cap assembly comprising an outer cap housing, an inner cap housing movable relative to the outer cap housing, and a circuit assembly for wirelessly communicating with the medication compliance application, the inner cap housing comprising lower housing surfacing and upper housing surfacing, the upper housing surfacing comprising at least one pocket construction, the circuit assembly comprising assembly components, select assembly components of the circuit assembly being configured intermediate the inner cap housing and the outer cap housing and received in the at least one pocket construction.

15. The medication compliance method of claim 14 comprising the steps of:

a. outfitting a medication container with the medication cap assembly; and

b. programming the medication compliance application with prescription medication regimen information.

16. The medication compliance method of claim 15 wherein the step of outfitting the medication container with the medication cap assembly comprises the step of depressing a switch button of the circuit assembly via the medication container.

17. The medication compliance method of claim 15 comprising the step of alerting the user to a scheduled medication event according to a medication schedule programmed into the medication compliance application.

18. The medication compliance method of claim 17 comprising the step of transmitting an alert cessation signal to the medication compliance application.

19. The medication compliance method of claim 18 wherein the step of transmitting an alert cessation signal to the medication compliance application comprises the step of axially displacing an upper container rim of the medication container away from a select component of the circuit assembly.