Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6435370
-
Patent Number
6,435,370
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, September 6, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, August 20, 200222 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 221 251
- 221 268
- 221 270
- 414 7979
- 414 7981
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
The ejection mechanism includes an elongated housing for storing medication packages of uniform configuration. An eject member moves between two positions, including a first, rest position and a second, eject position. An actuator moves the eject member between its two positions. A clamping member which forms part of one wall of the housing near the lower end thereof is spring biased so as to clamp the medication packages in place, except for the lowermost package, during the time that the lowermost package is begin ejected from the housing assembly. A cam member portion of the clamping member interacts physically with the eject member in such a manner that as the eject member moves from its rest position to its eject position, the clamping member is allowed to move inwardly, clamping those packages above the lowermost package. When the eject member is in its rest position, the clamping member is held away from the packages, permitting them to move downwardly in the housing assembly.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to medication-dispensing apparatus, and more particularly concerns an automatic medication dispensing apparatus which includes a magazine member for medication-containing packages, the packages typically being uniform in size.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In automatic medication dispensing systems in general, reliability and speed are primary concerns. Many systems are either too slow, particularly where a large number of medications are needed for a particular patient, or do not provide consistent, reliable results (reliable ejection of a desired medication) at high speed, which is important for automatic operation.
Many of the current medication dispensing systems are complex and/or sophisticated structurally and as such are expensive to manufacture and maintain, as well as being susceptible to failure. The expense of a complete system is a primary concern where a large number of individual medication dispensing devices are necessary to implement a particular medication-dispensing system. Such a system desirably has the capability of dispensing a large number of different medications to a single collection point, such as the system shown and described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/085,968, owned by the assignee of the present invention. In that system, however, the individual dispensing devices result in the overall system becoming relatively expensive, complex, and somewhat cumbersome to operate and maintain.
Hence, it is desirable that a medication-dispensing device used in medication dispensing systems be not only reliable and fast, but also relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.
Still further, in large, complex dispensing systems involving many medications, it is often important that the individual medication-dispensing devices have a relatively small footprint, so that a large number of such devices can be arranged closely together within a given space.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is a dispensing mechanism for medication packages, comprising: a housing assembly which is arranged to store medical element-containing packages, wherein the packages move downwardly within the housing when they are unclamped; a clamping assembly for maintaining the packages in place within the housing assembly, except for a lowermost package during a selected time when the lowermost package is being ejected from the housing assembly, the clamping assembly including a clamping member having two positions, wherein in one position said packages are clamped except for the lowermost package and in the other position the packages are released, permitting the packages to move downwardly within the housing assembly; an eject member which moves between a first, rest position and a second, eject position, wherein the eject member moves the lowermost package out of the housing assembly as the eject member moves from its first to its second position; and an actuator member for moving the eject member between its first and second positions, wherein the clamping member is configured and arranged such that when the eject member is in its first position, the clamping member clamps those packages in the housing above the lowermost package, preventing them from moving downwardly in the housing while permitting the lowermost package to be ejected from the housing by the eject member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is an isometric, partially exploded view of the medication dispensing mechanism of the present invention, including a magazine for storage of medications to be ejected.
FIG. 2
is an isometric view of a portion of the system of FIG.
1
.
FIG. 3
is an isometric view of a portion of the system of FIG.
2
.
FIGS. 4A and 4B
show two operating positions of the ejector assembly mechanism of the system of FIG.
1
.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The individual medication-ejection device/mechanism of the present invention will typically be used as part of a larger medication-dispensing system. One such system, shown in the co-pending application referenced above, uses a plurality of groupings of medication-ejection devices, with each grouping containing 55-70 individual ejection devices, with each ejection device containing a plurality of the same medication. Typically, regardless of the size of the overall medication dispensing system, each individual medication-ejection apparatus will contain the same medication. The medication typically, although not necessarily, is contained in individual uniform-sized packages, with each package containing a single unit of use.
Although the present invention is described in terms of a medication-ejection device, other medical elements, such as, for instance, syringes, etc., can be packaged and dispensed by the present device. One particular package embodiment is a blister-style package. The dimensions of a typical package are 2 inches by 3 inches by 0.18 inches. The lower side is flat, while the opposing upper side has raised blistered surfaces which provide space between adjacent packages when the packages are stacked vertically in the dispensing apparatus. It should be understood, however, that other package configurations and arrangements can be used in the apparatus of the present invention.
In the overall dispensing system, each individual medication-dispensing device is activated by a central computer-program based controller. Typically, each patient will have several prescribed medications as well as possibly other medical elements appropriate for his/her particular treatment. The controller will provide appropriate drive signals to activate the appropriate medication dispensing devices, which will each dispense a single medication package (or as many as is prescribed) for a particular time interval.
The medications will fall into a collection assembly, which in the co-pending patent application is a funnel, along which the dispensed medication package moves to a central collection point, where the various medications for a selected patient are gathered and directed to a medication bin or device associated with a particular patient. The filled medication bin can then be provided to the individual patient or to a nursing station where the medications in the bin are administered at the appropriate time to the patient.
The present invention is directed toward the individual medication dispensing device. Referring now to
FIG. 1
, the dispensing apparatus includes an upper magazine, cassette or cartridge member
12
. In the embodiment shown, cartridge member
12
is rectangular in cross-section, having internal dimensions to accommodate a selected medication package. In the embodiment shown, cartridge
12
is approximately 48 inches high and 2.5×3.5 inches square. The cartridge has four walls, made from a plastic material, such as acrylic, with each wall being approximately ¼ inch thick; the walls are joined together along their respective longitudinal edges to form the cartridge.
In the embodiment shown, cartridge
12
fits into a connecting member
14
, which has two opposing open ends and is dimensioned to conveniently receive cartridge
12
at one end
15
. This arrangement permits a cartridge
12
with a load of medication packages therein to be conveniently inserted and then removed (when empty) from the medication-dispensing apparatus. However, it should be understood that such an arrangement is not necessary to the present invention.
In the embodiment shown, connector member
14
is approximately 3.5 inches long and is rectangular in cross-section, like cartridge
12
, and has internal dimensions substantially identical to the external dimensions of the cartridge. Extending from the opposing end
18
of connector
14
is a package housing
20
. Housing
20
is also rectangular in cross section. As seen in
FIG. 2
, one wall
21
has an opening
22
at free end
23
of the housing, to permit a medication package to be ejected from the housing. Typically, the top end of housing
20
and the lower end of cartridge
12
will abut each other within connector
14
, so that packages move freely from cartridge
12
into housing member
20
. The top end of cartridge
12
is typically open, permitting additional packages
19
to be conveniently placed into the cartridge when needed, thereby maintaining a constant supply of packaged medications. Alternatively, an empty cartridge can be removed and replaced with a full one.
At the other end of housing
20
, away from connector
14
, is the ejector assembly, shown generally at
24
. Ejector assembly includes a base member
30
. Base member
30
is generally rectangular in shape, with one surface
32
generally abutting the free end
23
of housing
20
. Positioned within base member
30
is a conventional air cylinder
40
. Air cylinder
40
includes a piston rod
41
which extends from the other end
42
of base member
30
. Attached to rear surface
44
of base member
30
is an air valve
46
to receive compressed air. The source of compressed air is not shown. The compressed air activates the air cylinder
40
, forcing the piston rod to move.
The piston rod
41
from air cylinder
40
is connected to a slider element
50
. Slider element
50
is a thin elongated metal element which includes a central portion and two tab portions
54
and
56
at the ends of the central portion. End tab portions
54
and
56
extend in opposing directions, with end tab ortion
54
extending downwardly from the free end
23
of the housing, alongside end
42
of base member
30
. The piston rod
41
of the air cylinder extends through an opening in end tab
54
.
The opposing end tab portion
56
extends upwardly of the housing, positioned in a small slot
56
a in one wall
25
of housing
20
when slider
50
is in a first (nontranslated) position, i.e. when air cylinder
40
is not activated. End tab portion
56
is configured and positioned to abut against a rear edge of the lowermost medication package in housing
20
.
When air cylinder
40
is actuated, piston rod
41
moves outwardly from end base member
30
, moving slider
50
laterally across the lower end of housing
20
. End tab portion
56
of slider
50
begins to move the lowermost package laterally out of the housing. The full reach of piston rod
41
, and hence the movement of slider
50
, is approximately 1.5 inches, sufficient to move the lowermost medication package out of housing
20
through opening
22
.
Slider
50
in operation moves between two positions. Referring to
FIGS. 3
,
4
A and
4
B, in slider
50
's first position (non-actuated), one edge
59
of central portion
57
of slider
50
interacts with an end edge
58
of a cam element
60
, which is in turn connected to one end of a clamp
62
which is an elongated member forming part of one wall
64
of housing
20
. In the embodiment shown, clamp
62
extends approximately the full length of housing
20
and is approximately 1⅛ inches wide. Clamp
62
is fixed at one end
66
thereof. Clamp
62
is furthermore biased inwardly by a spring member
68
which extends between the free end
69
of clamp
62
and a pin in a block member
70
, which is secured to one surface
71
of base member
30
.
Block member
70
includes a longitudinal slot
72
therein through which end tab portion
56
moves when it translates by the action of piston rod
41
. End tab portion
56
extends sufficiently above upper surfaces
74
of block
70
that it can hook the rear edge surface of the lowermost package in housing
20
. The lowermost package in the housing rests on upper surfaces
74
of block
70
.
As indicated briefly above, slider
50
physically interacts with cam element
60
to clamp and unclamp the medication packages positioned above the lowermost one within the housing. When slider
50
is in a first (non-translated) position, with the air cylinder not activated, as shown in
FIGS. 1
,
2
and
4
A, the free edge
58
of cam
60
abuts a particular section
61
of edge
59
of central portion
57
of the slider to force it outwardly, such that clamp
62
is flush with the adjacent portions of wall
64
of the housing (FIG.
1
).
In this position, clamp
62
is relatively away from the medication packages, against the action of spring
68
. The medication packages are all unclamped and thus free to move downwardly so that the lowermost package is directly against upper surfaces
74
of block
70
, with the remaining packages stacked above it. When slider
50
is in its first position and air cylinder
40
is not activated, the packages in the housing are not clamped.
When air cylinder
40
is activated in order to eject the lowermost package in the housing, slider
50
begins to translate, as discussed above, which results in the lowermost package beginning to move laterally out of the housing, through opening
22
. As slider
50
moves, a cutout portion
78
in edge
59
of slider
50
comes into registry with the free end
58
of cam element
60
, permitting cam
60
and clamp
62
to move inwardly under the action of spring
68
. This is shown in FIG.
4
B.
At its innermost position, because of the bias of spring
68
, clamp
62
clamps the medication packages in place against the internal surface of opposing wall
65
of housing
20
, specifically those packages above the lowermost package, which is free to move. The lower end of clamp
62
extends only to the next lowermost package in the housing. A notch
69
prevents the lowermost package from being clamped. As slider
50
translates, the lowermost package is moved out of housing
20
through opening
22
therein. Cutout portion
78
in edge
59
is sufficiently long to allow the packages remaining in the housing to be clamped during the entire time that the lowermost package is being ejected from the housing.
When the ejection of the lowermost package is complete, slider
50
is moved back to its first position by air cylinder
40
. As slider
50
moves back into its first position, the free end
58
of cam
60
loses contact with cutout portion
78
of edge
59
of slider
50
, encountering again section
61
of edge
59
. This results in cam
60
and clamp
62
being moved outwardly, against the action of spring
68
. This releases the clamped medication packages, allowing them to move downwardly in the housing, such that the new lowermost package abuts against upper surfaces
74
of block
72
.
In summary, medication packages are either loaded into the apparatus at the top of cartridge
12
, or the entire cartridge is removed and a new one inserted, loaded with medication packages. Individual medication packages are then ejected one at a time under computer control, by the action of air cylinder
40
and slider
50
. A computer program controls the sequence and timing of all of the individual steps in the operation of medication-dispensing apparatus. A spring-biased clamp
62
is used to clamp those packages above the lowermost package in the housing during the time that the lowermost package is ejected. After the lowermost package is ejected, the clamped packages are allowed to move downwardly within housing
20
. The ejected package typically falls into a channel or trough beneath the dispensing structure, from which point it is moved to a location where it can be loaded along with other medications and elements into a patient bin.
Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein for illustration, it should be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated into such embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention, which is defined by the claims which follow.
Claims
- 1. A dispensing system for medication packages, comprising:a housing assembly for storage of medical element-containing packages, arranged such that said packages, when unclamped, can move downwardly within the housing member; a clamping member for maintaining said packages in place, within the housing assembly, except for a lowermost package, during a selected time when the lowermost package is being ejected from the housing assembly, the clamping assembly including a clamping member having two positions, wherein in one position said packages are clamped except for the lowermost package and in the other position the packages are released, permitting said packages to move downwardly within the housing assembly; an eject member which moves between a first rest position and a second eject position, wherein the eject member moves the lowermost package out of the housing assembly as the eject member moves from its first to its second position; and an actuator member for moving the eject member between its first and second positions, wherein the clamping member is configured and arranged and interacts with the eject member such that when the eject member is in its first position, said packages in the housing are not clamped, but as the eject member is moved from its first position into its second position, the clamping member clamps those packages in the housing above the lowermost package, preventing them from moving downwardly in the housing while permitting the lowermost package to be ejected from the housing by the eject member.
- 2. A system of claim 1, wherein the housing assembly includes an opening in one wall thereof near a lower end thereof through which the lowermost package is ejected from the housing assembly.
- 3. A system of claim 1, wherein the clamping member extends longitudinally of the housing assembly and forms part of one wall thereof, the clamping assembly including means for biasing the clamping member inwardly against said packages, wherein the eject member and the clamping member are so configured and positioned relative to each other that the clamping member is forced outwardly away from the packages into its first position where it is substantially flush with the housing assembly wall when the eject member is in its first position, and further such that as the eject member moves into its second position from its first position, the clamping member moves inwardly by said biasing means clamping said packages.
- 4. A system of claim 3, wherein the clamping member includes a cam member which extends inwardly of the housing, wherein the eject member includes an edge surface which includes a cutout portion and a jutting portion, arranged such that when the eject member is in its first position, the jutting portion of the edge surface of the eject member abuts against the cam member, forcing it and the clamping member outwardly away from the packages, while when the eject member is ejecting the lowermost package from the housing assembly, the cam member abuts the cutout portion, permitting the clamping member to move inwardly, clamping the packages except for the lowermost one, which is being ejected from the housing assembly.
- 5. A system of claim 4, including a base member mounted to a lower end of the housing assembly, the base member having mounted therein an air cylinder which includes a piston rod which is movable in response to air from a source thereof, the piston rod being connected to the eject member, wherein the system further includes a block member mounted to an upper surface of the base member such that the block member extends into the lower end of the housing assembly, the block member having an upper surface against which the lowermost medication package rests, wherein the eject member moves through a slot in the block member in operation, the eject member having a portion which extends sufficiently above the facing surface of the block member to hook against an edge of the lowermost medication package, so that the eject member moves the lowermost package out of the housing assembly as the eject member moves from its first position to its second position.
US Referenced Citations (4)