Method and apparatus for dispensing medication

• US 20030168538A1
• Filed: 05/01/2003
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liquitab Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Liquitab Systems Limited
• Inventors: Dobson, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 7,543,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 241/21
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/002 Compounding apparatus specially for enteral or parenteral nutritive solutions bottling liquids B67C
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0007 Pill breaking or crushing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 19/18 Use of auxiliary physical effects, e.g. ultrasonics, irradiation, for disintegrating
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 23/04 Safety devices in general F16P ; for rotary mills B02C13/31
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/065 for drink preparation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/10 with associated dispensing of containers, e.g. cups or other articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 241/27 Pill or tablet crushers

Abstract

The invention in one aspect is a process and apparatus for converting tablet type material into a palatable fluid including the steps of placing the tablet type material into the apparatus, having a removable container, and applying automatic tablet disintegrating means to the table material then mixing the disintegrated tablet material with a palatable fluid and discarding or washing the container after the mixture has been ingested.

Claims

1. An apparatus for converting tablet type material into a palatable fluid which apparatus includes a removable and disposable container, into which container tablet type material for medication and a palatable fluid can be placed, and processing means for automatically disintegrating the tablet type material and concurrently dispersing it into the fluid in the container such that the tablet type material can be ingested in a fluidised form and the container subsequently discarded or cleaned.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tablet disintegration and mixing with the fluid is effected by ultrasonic breakdown of the tablet type material and concurrent mixing with the palatable fluid.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the processing means is an ultrasonic means located adjacent the container.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the ultrasonic processing means is located below the container.

5. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the ultrasonic breakdown of the tablet type material is effected using an ultrasonic probe which has a frequency which is above 20 kHz.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tablet disintegration is effected by crushing means.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 having means to clean the crushing means after the container is removed from the apparatus.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the cleaning means is automatic and is triggered by removal of the container.

9. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the automatic processing means is electrically operated and is controlled by a switch mechanism.

10. A process for converting medication of a tablet type material into a palatable fluid including the steps of:

placing the tablet type material in a container with a palatable fluid

applying tablet disintegrating means to the tablet/fluid combination until the tablet type material is dispersed throughout the liquid to form a palatable mixture; and

discarding or cleaning the container after the mixture has been ingested.

11. A process as claimed in claim 10 wherein the tablet disintegration and mixing is effected by ultrasonic breakdown of the tablet type material and concurrent mixing with the palatable fluid.

12. A process as claimed in claim 10 wherein the tablet disintegration is effected by crushing means.

13. A process as claimed in claim 12 wherein the crushing means is automatically cleaned after use.