Patent Application
20180055737
This application does not claim the benefit of provisional patent.
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The vast majority of prescribed and over the counter medicines require the consumer to take the medicine according to a doctor's prescription or manufacturer's recommended protocol. The average person is familiar with instructions to take a predetermined amount of medicine at some regular interval of hours. The reason for this is that the efficacy of the treatment may be affected greatly by the adherence to that dosing schedule. Beyond efficacy, however there is also danger in the improper consumption of medicines which require a scheduled dosing. Though simple in theory, there are many possible factors that may contribute to errors or failures to adhere to the dosing schedule. For example, a person may find it more difficult to remember to self-administer a particular medicine when they are on a complex combination of multiple medicines. Those medicines may have unique doses and intervals that are difficult to keep track of simultaneously. Other people may be taking medicines for illnesses that affect mental acuity or awareness. Other factors include daily distractions such as work or familial responsibilities. Another common scenario is the parent caring for multiple children. Multiple children with illness can cause a scheduling complication because children's medicine dosages are often based on age and weight which are likely to be different among siblings. In those situations, it would again be difficult to maintain the correct schedule. Poison Control, a national capital poison center with website www.poison.org, using US national data reported that for 2014, an incredible 12.6% of poison exposures across all age groups resulted from Therapeutic Error.
Prior patents have been granted for inventions seeking to solve this problem by attaching a basic timing device to a medicine bottle. These represent a particular type of solution, though an imperfect one. Despite the numerous granted patents, the lack of availability to purchase such devices in the common marketplaces where one would expect to find such items—for example at a local pharmacy and convenience store—is telling of their perceived failure by the market.
Others have taken a strategy whereby a box with compartments is fitted with timing devices. Some even automate the dispensing of medicine by unlocking or opening the appropriate box according to the dosing schedule. These too have not met great commercial success. One particular shortcoming is that these are designed for pills, ignoring the substantial percentage of medicines that are dispensed in liquid form via syringes.
The present invention seeks to overcome the shortcomings mentioned above by providing a novel device for aiding a user to keep up with the dosing schedule for liquid medicines. This device seeks to reduce instances of overdosing, dose-skipping, and medicine confusion. The invention unexpectedly combines a programmable timing device, with an alarm, and a medicine dispensing syringe.
The invention transforms the simple syringe into a smart device that is more useful and safer to use.
A basic syringe is composed of a plunger having a top end, an elongated member, and a plunger tip positioned opposite the top end. The plunger is positioned inside a barrel so that the plunger tip engages the inner wall of the barrel to form a seal. The barrel has a flange at the end positioned closest to the plunger top end. The barrel has a tip located opposite the flange. The barrel tip tapers down to a smaller diameter compared to the barrel. To use the syringe, the plunger tip is first pushed into the barrel so that it is adjacent to the interior of the barrel tip. The barrel tip is then submerged into the target liquid, such as a medicine. The plunger top end is pulled, moving the plunger tip away from the barrel tip. This draws the liquid into a cavity created between the barrel interior, the barrel tip, and the plunger tip. Syringes typically feature convenient unit markings on the outside of the barrel so that the user knows how much liquid has been drawn into the syringe for a given plunger tip position. To dispense the liquid, the plunger top is pushed toward the barrel flange, forcing the liquid out through the barrel tip.
The following descriptions are structured to focus on several preferred embodiments. As is commonly understood, the details of these particular descriptions are intended to be illustrative and should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that there are many other possible embodiments based on the disclosures made here which are not expressly discussed in detail.
With respect to
Still referring to
In the embodiment shown in
In another embodiment, there may be only a first button for controlling the timing unit 110. In another embodiment there is no visual alarm indicator, such as a light. In that embodiment, the display may be used for visual alarms.
On another side of the outer casing 111 that is opposite the side containing the display 112 there is a battery cover 119. The battery cover 119 is reversibly attached to the outer casing 111. In
In
The
Still referring to syringe 100, timing unit 110 is further comprised of a microprocessor 128, a memory unit 129, and a power sensor 130. For reference see
Again referring to syringe 100, timing unit 110 is operated according to the scheme laid out in the flow chart of
The battery 126 status is checked via power sensor 130. If the status is good, then the unit remains in the ready state; if the status is not good, then a protest is triggered and the display 112 shows a low battery warning, such as “Lo Bat.”
From the ready state, set button 118 can be pressed by the user to enter a program mode. In the program mode, the time value on the display 112 flashes. The user can then use the up arrow button 115 and the down arrow button 116 to adjust the time value. If no adjustment is made for ten seconds, or if the user presses the set button 118, the time value is stored in the memory and the display 112 stops flashing. The microprocessor 128 checks the memory unit 129 for an audio alarm on/off status, and the display 112 shows the current value of that status. The user can use the up arrow button 115 and the down arrow button 116 to toggle the status, and the display 112 shows the changed status. If no change is made for ten seconds, or if the user presses the set button 118, the audio alarm on/off status value is stored in the memory. The microprocessor 128 checks the memory unit 129 for a visual alarm on/off status, and the display 112 shows the current value of that status. The user can use the up arrow button 115 and the down arrow button 116 to toggle the status, and the display 112 shows the changed status. If no change is made for ten seconds, or if the user presses the set button 118, the visual alarm on/off status value is stored in the memory. The timing unit 110 automatically returns to the ready state.
From the ready state, the start/stop button 117 can be pressed by the user to begin the countdown, which is shown on display 112. If the countdown has not fully finished, the user can press the start/stop button 117 to suspend the countdown. The timing unit 110 returns to the ready state with the time value at the moment of suspension shown on display 112. Thus, start/stop button 117 can be pressed to resume the countdown. Alternatively, the user can press the set button 118 to adjust the time value or alarm settings.
If the countdown is started and reaches a “0” time value—in other words, the countdown is fully completed—then the timing unit 110 is in the trigger alarms state. The microprocessor 128 checks the memory unit 129 for the audio alarm on/off status value and proceeds to activate the audio alarm indicator 114 if the alarm status has an “on” status. The microprocessor 128 checks the memory unit 129 for the visual alarm on/off status value and proceeds to activate the visual alarm indicator 113 if the alarm status has an “on” status. If one minute has elapsed in the trigger alarms state—or if the user presses the start/stop button 117—then the timing unit 110 returns to the ready state.
If the timing unit 110 is idle at the ready state for more than 60 seconds—or if the user presses and holds the start/stop button 117 for more than 3 continuous seconds, the timing unit 110 will return to the off state.
The foregoing paragraphs illustrate one embodiment, though other control schemes could be substituted. In an alternative embodiment, the timing unit 110 only has one button, and that single button is used to control the device according to a similar method using short, long holds, and rapid taps.
In another embodiment, not shown in the drawings, while in the program mode the user can manually enter or select from a list the medicine that the syringe is intended to be used with. The entered or selected medicine is shown in the display to prevent confusion on subsequent doses.
Returning now to the method of attaching the timing unit to the syringe top end, now see
The assembly position of syringe 200 is shown in
In another embodiment not shown in the drawings, magnets could be used as the means for attachment instead of the threaded ring and retainer plate described above.
In another embodiment, shown in
The assembly position and additional features of syringe 300 are shown in
In another embodiment not shown in the drawings, the strap 336 is constructed of a material with some elasticity. In another embodiment, the strap 336 has a strap slit 340 that terminates prior to reaching the free end 338.
To assemble syringe 300 the strap 336 must be in the unattached or open position. Then, the plunger top end 103 is passed through strap slit 340 at a position along strap 336 that is between the pair of engagement wells 334. The plunger 101 does not need to be separated from barrel 105 to do this. The strap 336 free end 338 is tensioned and folded back to engage the fastener 339. In this position, the syringe top end 103 should be positioned between the strap 336 and the outer casing 311. Once assembled, the syringe 300 can be used.
In another embodiment, shown in
The stationary retaining lip 441 is defined by a wall rising perpendicular to the plane defining the side of timing unit 410 on which battery cover 119 is located. The wall of the stationary retaining lip 441 has at least one shoulder portion along the top edge that is wider than the wall, creating the lip. Stationary retaining lip 441 is positioned along one edge of the wall of timing unit 410 upon which it is located. The shape of stationary retaining lip 441 is further defined as an arc of the circle that would sit co-planar to the wall of timing unit 410 upon which it is located.
The tensioned retaining lip 442 has a shape largely defined by the mirror reflection of stationary retaining lip 441. However, tensioned retaining lip 442 differs from stationary lip 441 in that it is attached at its center to guide post 444 which extends perpendicular and away from the plane defining the arc of tensioned retaining lip 442. This guide post 444 is a short member positioned in guide well 443. Guide well 443 is a narrow channel formed into the outer casing 411. Inside the outer casing 411, there are springs 447 trapped under tension between the load backstop 446 and the load plate 445. The tension is created along a plane parallel to the wall of timing unit 410 upon which the guide well 443 is located, and directly beneath the guide well 443. The load plate 445 is positioned interior to and along the wall of outer casing 411 that connects the walls on which the display 112 and the battery cover 119 are located. In other words, the load backstop 446 is along the interior of the wall of outer casing 411 that is on the opposite side of timing unit 410 compared to the wall that forms the edge along which the stationary retaining lip 441 is located. The load plate 445 is attached to the guide post 444. Thus, the tensioned retaining lip 442 is able to slide back and forth along the length of the guide well 443, but due to the tension of the springs 447 is urged toward the end of the guide well 443 that is closest to stationary retaining lip 441.
To assemble syringe 400 the plunger top end 103 is pressed against the concave side of tensioned retaining lip 442 causing it to slide it back far enough to create a distance between the tensioned retaining lip 442 and the stationary retaining lip 441 that is larger than the width, or diameter, of the plunger top end 103. Then the plunger top end 103 is pushed flat against the side of outer casing 411 on which the battery cover 119 is located, maintaining the tension against the tensioned retaining lip 442. Finally, the tension is released causing the tensioned retaining lip 442 and the stationary retaining lip to clamp against the plunger top end 103. The plunger 101 does not need to be separated from barrel 105 to do this. Once assembled, the syringe 400 can be used.
In another embodiment seen in
In another embodiment not seen in the drawings, the plunger 101 is formed directly into the outer casing 111. In this embodiment, the plunger top end is permanently attached to the outer casing, and cannot be removed by the user.
In another embodiment not seen in the drawings, the timing unit 110 is connected to the barrel 105 rather than the plunger top end 103. In this embodiment, care is taken to not obstruct the movement of the plunger 101 relative to the barrel 105.
Although the invention has been described and illustrated with a certain degree of detail or with reference to one or more particular embodiments, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example. It should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Furthermore, the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms. Obvious variations and other various changes in the composition, combination, and arrangement of parts can be utilized to by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as herein disclosed and claimed.
