Abstract
The present invention relates to a medicine unit container for use in a medicine unit delivery device comprising a container body, divided into a number of storeys by means of separating planes; wherein each storey is provided with a rotatable compartment housing, the compartments of which each cover at least a position equidistant in radial direction from a centre of the compartment housing and wherein all compartment housings are rotatable about a central axis extending through their centres and each of the separating planes comprises at least one passage between adjacent storeys, which passage covers the same radial position as the compartments so that there is a rotation angle of a compartment housing in which a compartment is aligned with the passage.
Claims
1. Medicine unit container for use in a medicine unit delivery device comprising: A container body, divided into a number of storeys by means of separating planes; wherein Each storey is provided with a rotatable compartment housing, the compartments of which each cover at least a position equidistant in radial direction from a centre of the compartment housing; wherein All compartment housings are rotatable about a central axis extending through their centres; (can be a fixed part or formed from parts of houses); wherein Each of the separating planes comprises at least one passage between adjacent storeys, which passage covers the same radial position as the compartments so that there is a rotation angle of a compartment housing in which a compartment is aligned with the passage.
2. Container according to claim 1, wherein the passages in successive separating planes are located at different angular positions about the central axis in order to prevent forming of a continuous channel.
3. Container according to claim 2, wherein the passages in successive separating planes are shifted one compartment size from each other.
4. Container according to claim 1, wherein the compartment housings are connected to a central shaft so as to be rotatable together.
5. Container according to claim 4, wherein a drive engagement means for rotating the central shaft is directed outwardly.
6. Container according to claim 1, wherein the compartment housing comprises radially extending baffles.
7. Container according to claim 6, wherein pairs of adjacent baffles are at the same angle.
8. Container according to claim 1, wherein the compartment housing comprises at least one disc.
9.-13. (canceled)
14. Container according to claim 8, wherein the compartment size is configurable by stacking multiple discs, each provided with means for maintaining their mutual angular orientation, either by gripping onto each other or to a central shaft.
15. Container according to claim 8, wherein the at least one disc comprises at least part of an annular projection, coaxial with the disc circumference, for centring a separating plane with an at least partially form-fitting annular opening.
16. Container according to claim 8, wherein the compartment housing comprises multiple discs, wherein adjacent discs comprise identical interfaces for forming a smooth transition.
17. Container to claim 8, wherein a disc comprises a recess, form-fitting an annular projection of an identical disc, and arranged at an opposite side from its own at least part of an annular projection.
18. Container according to claim 1, wherein the separating planes and compartments abut one another.
19. Container according to claim 1, wherein the container body is provided with at least one: intake opening for the medicine units; and at least one dispensing opening for the medicine units; A lid for the receiving opening, which is movable between an open position for supplying medicine units and a closed position for closing the container, the lid being lockable with the container at least in the closed position.
20. Container according to claim 10, wherein the lid is irremovably connected to the container body, in particular such that the lid can be brought into the open position with the container body without detaching it from the container body, and more in particular wherein the lid is connected to the container body by means of a hinge.
21. Container according to claim 1, provided with a machine-readable identifier, such as a bar or QR code, an RFID tag, a chip or a magnetic code, in particular arranged in the lid.
22. Container according to claim 1, comprising a cantilever for engagement by a robot, which cantilever is adapted to receive two spaced pins or hooks and which container is connected in particular to the lid.
Description
[0026] The invention will now be elucidated into more detail with reference to the following figures, wherein:
[0027] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a container according to the invention;
[0028] FIG. 2 shows a separating plane according to the invention;
[0029] FIG. 3 shows a compartment housing according to the invention;
[0030] FIG. 4 shows a shaft according to the invention;
[0031] FIGS. 5a-d show orientations of a separating plane in a container; and
[0032] FIG. 5e shows an orientation of an alternative separating plane according to the invention.
[0033] FIG. 1 shows a medicine unit container 1 for use in a medicine unit delivery device comprising a container body 2, divided into a number of storeys 3, 4, 5, 6 (and more) by means of separating planes 7, 8, 9, 10, wherein each storey is provided with a rotatable compartment housing 11, 12, 13, 14, the compartments of which each cover at least a position equidistant in radial direction from a centre of the compartment housing (explained into more detail with reference to FIG. 3). All compartment housings 11, 12, 13, 14 are rotatable about a central axis 15 extending through their centres. In the embodiment shown, the central axis is formed by a shaft 16.
[0034] FIG. 2 shows a separating plane 7 (which may be identical to the plane 8, 9, or 10. As visible in FIG. 1, the length L and width W of the separating planes corresponds to the internal length and width inside the container walls and the separating plane 7 comprises one opening 17 that may serve as a passage between adjacent storeys that are directly above and below the separating plane 17. As will become clear when comparing with FIG. 3, the passage 17 covers the same radial position R as the compartments of a compartment housing 11, so that there is a rotation angle of a compartment housing in which a compartment 20 is aligned with the passage 17. The separating plane also has a central opening 18, through which the shaft 16 may extend, and in which a protruding part of a compartment housing 11 (see FIG. 3) can be received. The outer contour 19 of the separating plane 7 may essentially or fully correspond with the inner contour of the container body 2 of the container 1 in which it is positioned. The separating plane 7 comprises a central annular opening 43 for form-fittingly matching a projecting annular shape 42 from a compartment housing, such as compartment housing 11 shown in FIG. 3.
[0035] FIG. 3 shows a compartment housing 11, formed as a disc with radially extending baffles 28-35. The baffles 28-35 define compartments 20-27, in which medicine units can be housed. The compartments 20-27 each extend to the same radial position R as the opening 17 in the separating plane 7, so that there is an angular position around the central axis 36 for every compartment 20-27 wherein its projection on the plane 7 overlaps or falls within the area of the passage 17, so that a medicine unit can fall through. Disc 11 comprises an annular projection 42, coaxial with the disc circumference, for centring an adjacent separating plane such as plane 7 from FIG. 2, with an at least partially form-fitting annular opening 43. The height of the projection 42 corresponds to the thickness of a separating plane. For this embodiment, but also in general, it goes that when compartment housings are formed by a stack of discs, such annular projection 42 does not need to be present in the interface between two adjacent discs.
[0036] FIG. 4 shows a central shaft 16, on which the compartment housings and the separating planes can be alternatively placed, before the thus obtained assembly is placed in a container 1, as shown in FIG. 1. The shaft 16 can then be rotatably driven in order to rotate the compartment bodies. The separating planes are held in their position as they are blocked in their rotation by the walls of the container body 2.
[0037] FIGS. 5a-d show top views of separating planes 7-10 positioned in container housing 2 of container 1. When comparing the orientation of the separating plane 10 in FIG. 5d, separating plane 9 in FIG. 5c, separating plane 8 in FIG. 5b with separating plane 7 in FIG. 5a it is noted that planes 10, 9 and 8 are rotated over respective angles gamma, beta and alpha with respect to separating plane 7 in FIG. 5a. their respective passages 39, 38, and 37 are therefore also rotated with respect to passage 17 of separating plane 7. This is done to prevent a straight channel from the top of the container to the top. By rotating the separating planes 7-10 (and any subsequent ones) a register through which a medicine unit can be transferred along a helix shaped path is created. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 5a-5d make use of one and the same separating plane, which makes the design simple. The container may be optimally used when the passages are mutually rotated over the same distance as the compartments of a compartment housing. This can be done by alternatively using a separating plane as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 5a-d, and separating planes 40 according to FIG. 5e, wherein the passage 41 is rotated over an angle delta compared to the passage 17 from FIG. 5a. In the embodiments given, the angle alpha is two times the angle delta and the angle delta correspond with the angle between two baffles 28, 28 (but also any other adjacent pair) of the disc in FIG. 4.
[0038] Referring once more to FIG. 1, it is visible that the container body 2 is provided with an intake opening 42 for the medicine units and a dispensing opening 43 for the medicine units and a lid 44 for the receiving opening, which is movable between an open position (not shown) for supplying medicine units and a closed position (shown) for closing the container, the lid 44 being lockable with the container 2 at least in the closed position. The lid 44 is irremovably connected to the container body, by means of a hinge 45, and provided with a machine-readable identifier 46, such as a bar or QR code, an RFID tag, a chip or a magnetic code, in particular arranged in the lid.
[0039] The above examples are for explanatory purposes only and in no way limit the scope of protection as defined by the following claims.
