1. Field
This description relates to the field of pill packaging and delivery systems. More particularly, this description relates to a pill assembly, an apparatus for storing pills, and a method for dispensing pills.
2. Description of Related Art
One of the major problems in the taking of prescribed daily medications emanates from the fact that, in many instances the patient has to take more than one medication in the form of tablets or pills. The concern is based on determining whether all medications have been taken in compliance with the prescribed daily regimen. Many times this concern is compounded by the requirement that portions of the various medications must be taken at different times during the day.
The fear of taking improper dosages of prescribed medication can be particularly acute in the elderly, many of whom have some degree of mental dementia and can easily be confused as to whether they have taken all of their medications at the correct time. Some patients, with curtailed mental capabilities, have difficulty just in sorting out the medications preparatory to taking them, let alone taking the medication in a timely manner. Providing medications to disabled and/or incapacitated individuals can also be a problem for care givers, particularly those in hospitals and assisted living facilities where one caregiver may oversee the medication of many patients.
Thus, there is a need for a positive delivery system and pill package assembly for the delivery of multi-prescription dosages. A pill packaging and delivery system which could decrease the possibility of human error and provide an easy to use set-up for the correct selection and delivery of multi-tablet/multi-time medications would be welcomed by the pharmaceutical and medical communities.
There is also a need for a pill delivery system that could provide evidence that the prescriptions were actually taken or administered as prescribed. Such a system would be an efficient way for any patient to take such multi-dosages but it would be especially beneficial for a patient of limited mental capacity as well as to caregivers in the hospital setting.
There is also a need for a pill assembly and delivery system for vitamin supplements. Vitamin supplements are also often used in the same manner as many prescribed drug regiments with many of the same problems and inconveniences. Therefore a delivery system that addresses the needs of multi-prescription administration also contains many benefits for, and can be applied to, the vitamin and herbal supplement market.
A pill assembly configured to receive the correct selection of medications in the correct dosages for a particular patient. The pill assembly comprises containers wherein at least one of the containers is configured to receive a first pill associated with a first medication and a second pill with a second medication. The containers are adjacent to one another and have a top surface with a flange thereon. The pill assembly also comprises a plurality of lids that are configured to interface with the flange of the container. Each of the lids is configured to seal a corresponding container. The containers have a top surface with a flange that is configured to receive the corresponding lid. Each lid has a surface that is configured to receive a printable indicia with patient and prescription specific information.
The pill assembly may also comprise a sleeve that is configured to slidably interface with the containers. The sleeve may also be configured to receive a folded label with information about each pill in the containers. Each individual container of the pill assembly may be sequentially identified by the specific date and time at which the medication is to be taken by the patient. Additionally, the sleeve may be configured to provide “child proofing” of the finished package, and additional space for compliance labeling.
The pill assembly is configured to allow dispensing of pills into the individual containers by an automated system which is connected to a computer data system that contains the patient's medical prescription information. The pill assembly is labeled with patient information and prescription data automatically.
Additionally, a method for dispensing pills is described. The method comprises providing containers that are adjacent to one another and have a top surface with a flange. The method to fill at least one of the containers with a first pill associated with a first medication and a second pill associated with a second medication. The first medication and second medication are associated with a particular individual. The method then seals the containers with lids that are configured to interface with the flange of the corresponding container. The method then proceeds to write on each of the plurality of lids information related to the particular individual. Additionally, a sleeve may be provided to interface with the plurality of containers, to provide a child safety tab (to create a child resistant package), to provide a means for compliant dispensing, to provide space to receive a folded label with compliant labeling, and to interface with other sleeves.
These and other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent to those persons skilled in the art upon reading the details of the pill assembly for multiple pill packaging and delivery systems as more fully described below.
The present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings which are for illustrative, not limiting, purposes.
Before the present assembly, apparatus and methods are described, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to particular embodiments described, as such may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting, since the scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims.
Where a range of values is provided, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limits of that range is also specifically disclosed. Each smaller range between any stated value or intervening value in a stated range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range is encompassed within the invention. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included or excluded in the range, and each range where either, neither or both limits are included in the smaller ranges is also encompassed within the invention, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the invention.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are now described. All publications mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference to disclose and describe the methods and/or materials in connection with which the publications are cited.
Referring to
The lid 130 shown in
The individual container 110 of the pill assembly is preferably manufactured from clear or tinted plastic to allow viewing of the pills within. The individual container(s) may be made by thermoforming or injection molding techniques. Exemplary plastics utilized for the individual container comprise but are not limited to polyphenysulphone, polystyrene, polypropylene, as well as polyethylene.
Referring now to
Referring now to
The lid 130 of each container 110 comprises a printing surface 170 in which unique prescription-specific information is displayed for each container in the pill assembly. The information displayed on printing surface 170 may include but not be limited to, the patient's name, the date and the day of the week the contained mixed dosage medications (pills) are to be taken, as well as the time of day that the pills are to be taken. The net effect of the pill assembly 200 shown in
Referring now to
The secondary sleeve 220 is configured to comprise several features which are necessary for a device utilized for dispensing pharmaceuticals. In the embodiment shown in
The secondary sleeve 220 of the pill assembly embodiment shown in
The dispensing sleeve 220 may be injection molded or manufactured from plastics such as polypropylene and ABS. The dispensing sleeve 220 shown in
Referring to
Other embodiments of the release tab(s) on the sleeve of a pill assembly are a molded-in pinch release tab and a push-down release tab different from the embodiment shown in
Referring to
For example,
In some embodiments, the pill assembly comprises a plurality of secondary sleeves joined together to assist the patients and/or caregivers in the administration of prescriptions that need to be taken at different times during the same day (e.g. 6:00 am, 1:00 pm, 9:00 pm, etc.). The sleeves comprise a lock and key feature which allows a plurality of sleeves to be interlocked together.
Referring now to
Referring now to
In the above embodiments as well as others, the individual containers in container strips contain some additional special design features that enhance their handling characteristics in storage and on the packaging system and equipment utilized for producing the pill assembly. Some dosages of medications will contain significantly more tablets than others. In the interests of efficient container material usage, and to prevent the smaller tablet dosages from excessively rattling around within the container, the containers are supplied in a plurality of sizes; however, the sizes only vary in their depth dimensions. The length and width dimensions of all sizes, along with the shape and size of the top flanged surface, remain constant for all sizes of container. This is to facilitate efficient operation of the equipment for producing the pill assemblies by minimizing the need for size changeovers. Also, the bodies of the containers are designed with tapered outer surfaces such that they will closely nest within each other when empty. Therefore, they can be supplied in vertical stacks that take up significantly less room while being stored as well as enabling efficient magazine feeding when they are being processed within the pill assembly packaging equipment.
Referring now to
The pill assembly for the medications in this embodiment is a multi-cavity unit that can be either thermoformed or injection molded (the illustrated unit is injection molded). In the illustrative embodiment shown in
The correct mixed dosage of tablets for each successive application of the drugs is placed into each cavity in sequential order, either manually or by an automatic pill dispensing system. A strip of laminated film lid stock 540, containing seven successive lids or panels 550, each panel 550 separated by perforations 560, is heat sealed to the top surface 520 and the side support 530 of each cavity 510 in such a manner that each lid stock panel 550 seals a separate cavity. Therefore, each cavity contains a sealed-in dosage of tablets, in sequential order, that is specific to the time that it is to be taken. The lid stock panel for each cavity is labeled, in the same corresponding successive and sequential order. By way of example and not of limitation, the lid stock panel comprise the name of the patient, the date, the day of the week, and time, relating to the dosage within the cavity that the lid covers.
This “senior friendly” embodiment of the pill assembly comprises a larger lid stock 540 and a larger pull tab 570 than the other pill assembly embodiments previously described. The geometry of the perforations 560 in relation to the sealed lid stock panels 550, are such that the perforation line 560 is located over a narrow, unsealable indented linear line (not shown in
The basic unit 500 of the pill assembly comprises features which enhance the storage and equipment handling properties of the unit. The side support(s) and end surfaces of the basic unit 500 are tapered in such a way that the units can be nested within each other and stacked to preserve space both in storage and within the packaging machinery. Anti-lock nesting ledge or tab features may also be included for ease of handling. To accommodate different quantities of tablet dosages, the units are supplied in different sizes, where only the depth dimensions vary. The shape and size of the top surface and the length and width dimensions for the unit remain constant for all sizes.
Like the embodiments shown in
In this illustrative embodiment, the patient is supplied with a complete set of strips (one complete set of strips per week) containing all of the proper medications for that week for a specific time of day. Each individual package and/or container 610 within each container strip is to be taken at the correct, prescheduled time each day as marked on the individual package. The pill assembly 600 may be issued to the patient or caregiver as three separate strips of containers enclosed in three separate secondary containers 650. The patient or caregiver can interlock the three separate secondary sleeves 650 in a specified order (i.e. earliest medication time to last medication time) as described above by locking the hooks 660 of one secondary sleeve to the corresponding opening or grooves 670 of an adjacent sleeve.
An illustrative method for the dispensing of medications utilizing the embodiments of the pill assembly is described in the flowchart in
Referring to
The method comprises sealing the plurality of containers with the corresponding plurality of lids 730. The quantity of the containers in the pill assembly is variable, depending on the prescription of the patient. The number of lids will correspond to the number of containers utilized in the pill assembly. A printable surface is provided on each of the plurality of lids 740 in which specific printing indicia or information is placed 750 relating to the administration of the pills held in the container sealed by the corresponding lid.
This method may also comprise providing a sleeve or secondary package for receiving the plurality of sealed containers 760 and placing the group or strip of the plurality of containers sealed with the plurality of lids into the sleeve 770. The patient completes the process of dispensing the pills by expelling or manually moving one of the plurality of sealed containers out of the sleeve at the time printed on the corresponding lid 780. Once the container has been slid out from the secondary package, the container is removed from the strip of containers as well as the secondary package and/or sleeve by tearing the frangible connection between the lid of the expelled container and the adjacent lid remaining in the sleeve 790. The patient can then gain access to the pills in the expelled container by removing the lid for the container 795. In some alternative embodiments, the method comprises providing extended tabs on the lids, break-away tabs and/or providing chamfered edges on the container to make removing the lid off of the container more convenient.
In yet another embodiment, the method further comprises providing a child safety release tab on a secondary sleeve as seen on the pill assembly embodiment shown in
Other embodiments of the methods of dispensing pills comprise, providing a “senior friendly” pill assembly instead of an assembly with a child safety tab for the convenience of patients with limited dexterity.
While the present invention has been described with reference to the specific embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that it is to be understood that the foregoing is a detailed description of illustrative embodiments. The scope of the claims is not limited to these specific embodiments or examples. Various elements, details, execution of any methods, and uses can differ from those just described, or be expanded on or implemented using technologies not yet commercially viable, and yet still be within the inventive concepts of the present disclosure. The scope of the invention is determined by the following claims and their legal equivalents.
Referring to
Referring to
The present patent application filed on Jan. 24, 2012 is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 11/241,783 entitled PILL ASSEMBLY FOR PILL PACKAGING AND DELIVERY SYSTEMS filed on Sep. 30, 2005, that claims the benefit of provisional patent application 60/615,267 having a filing date of Oct. 1, 2004, and this patent application is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 13/312,907 filed on Dec. 6, 2011, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MATRIX-BASED DOSAGE SCHEDULING and this patent application is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 13/312,888 filed on Dec. 6, 2011, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ONLINE MATRIX-BASED DOSAGE SCHEDULING and this patent application claims the benefit of provisional patent applications 61/486,427 and 61/486,436 both filed on May 16, 2011, and this patent application claims the benefit of provisional patent application 61/498,489 filed on Jun. 17, 2011, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/945,709 filed on Nov. 12, 2010 entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ONLINE INTEGRATED MULTIPLE TABLET ORDERING, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/896,284 filed on Oct. 1, 2010 entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING AN INTEGRATED LABEL FOR CONTAINER HOUSING MULTI-SCRIPT POUCHES that claims the benefit of provisional patent application 61/248,471 filed on Oct. 4, 2009, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/896,275 filed on Oct. 1, 2010 entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTEGRATED VERIFICATION AND ASSEMBLY OF MULTI-SCRIPT POUCHES INTO A HOUSING CONTAINER that claims the benefit of provisional patent application 61/248,471 filed on Oct. 4, 2009, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/896,134 filed on Oct. 1, 2010 entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMBING DIFFERENT TABLETS INTO A POUCH that claims the benefit of provisional patent application 61/248,471 filed on Oct. 4, 2009, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/891,042 filed on Sep. 27, 2010 entitled LOW VISION PATIENT COMPLIANT MEDICATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD that claims the benefit of provisional patent application 61/245,912 filed on Sep. 25, 2009, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/891,029 filed on Sep. 27, 2010 entitled DUAL DISPENSING TABLET CONTAINER that claims the benefit of provisional patent application 61/245,899 filed on Sep. 25, 2009, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/696,884 filed on Jan. 29, 2010 entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VERIFYING AND ASSEMBLING A MULTIPLE PRESCRIPTION PACKAGE that claims the benefit of provisional patent application 60/854,341 filed on Oct. 24, 2006, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/684,640 filed on Jan. 8, 2010 entitled USER SELECTABLE MULTIPLE TABLET PACKAGE, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/684,664 filed on Jan. 8, 2010 entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PLACING A MULTIPLE TABLET ORDER, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/684,060 filed on Jan. 7, 2010 entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY MANAGING INVENTORY IN A MULTIPLE TABLE PACKAGE which is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 11/796,123 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,690,173, filed on Apr. 25, 2007 entitled MULTIPLE PRESCRIPTION PRODUCTION FACILITY, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/631,586 filed on Dec. 4, 2009 entitled MULTIPLE PRESCRIPTION PRODUCTION FACILITY, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/424,483 filed on Apr. 15, 2009 entitled MANUFACTURING SEPARABLE POUCHES WITH A CENTER CUT BLADE, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/424,475 filed on Apr. 15, 2009 entitled TABLET DISPENSING CONTAINER that claims the benefit of provisional patent applications 61/045,160 filed Apr. 15, 2008, provisional patent application 61/045,166 filed Apr. 15, 2008, provisional patent application 61/045,171 filed Apr. 15, 2008, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/418,436 filed on Apr. 3, 2009 entitled CHILD PROOF MEDICATION PACKAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/418,418 filed on Apr. 3, 2009 entitled SPIRAL MEDICATION PACKAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 11/796,125 filed on Apr. 25, 2007 entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING A MULTIPLE PRESCRIPTION ORDER, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 12/418,422 filed on Apr. 3, 2009 entitled PATIENT COMPLIANT MEDICATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD that claims the benefit of provisional patent application 61/042,262 filed Apr. 3, 2008 and provisional patent application 61/042,263 filed on Apr. 3, 2008, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 11/923,321 filed on Oct. 24, 2007 entitled METHOD FOR VERIFYING AND ASSEMBLING A MULTIPLE PRESCRIPTION PACKAGE that claims the benefit of provisional patent application 60/854,341 having a filing date of Oct. 24, 2006, and is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 11/796,124 entitled MULTIPLE PRESCRIPTION PACKAGE AND METHOD FOR FILING THE PACKAGE that claims the benefit of provisional patent applications 60/795,370, 60/795,446, and 60/795,413 all having a filing date of Apr. 26, 2006, and all applications listed are hereby incorporated by reference.
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