Receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills

Abstract

A receptacle (100) for containing and dispensing a solid medicinal pill (108), directly into the mouth of the user, comprising a container with a storage chamber (104) leading to a spout outlet (106) sized to be comfortably inserted between the lips of a user, said spout outlet being further provided with a displaceable sealing closure (112) having a normally closed position, and wherein displacement of said closure from said closed position, to enable the dispensing of at least one pill from said chamber, is actuated by the mouth of the user interacting with said spout outlet.

Claims

1. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills, directly into the mouth of the user, comprising a container with a storage chamber leading to an outlet sized to be comfortably inserted between the lips of a user, said outlet being further provided with a displaceable sealing closure having a normally closed position, wherein actuation by the mouth of the user interacting with said outlet causes displacement of said displaceable sealing closure from said closed position, to enable the dispensing of at least one pill from said chamber, wherein displacement of said closure from said closed position, to enable the dispensing of at least one pill from said chamber, is actuated by suction applied to said spout and said closure by the mouth of the user or is actuated by exhalation applied to said outlet and said closure by the mouth of the user.

2. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills according to claim 1, wherein displacement of said closure from said closed position, to enable the dispensing of at least one pill from said chamber, is actuated by suction applied to said outlet and said closure by the mouth of the user.

3. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills according to claim 1, wherein the inner cross-section of the opening of said outlet is less than 4 cm.

4. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills according to claim 1, additionally comprising an inlet for introducing at least one solid medicinal pill into said chamber to be dispensed via said outlet.

5. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills according to claim 4, wherein said inlet is hingedly attached to an opening provided in a surface of said container, or wherein said inlet comprises an opening covered by a semi-flexible material having a resealably openable slit, or wherein said inlet comprises a one-way valve.

6. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills according to claim 4, configured for use with an automated, controlled, solid pill medication dispenser.

7. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills according to claim 1, wherein said receptacle is provided with a handle for bringing and positioning the outlet of the receptacle in dispensing relation vis-a-vis the mouth of the user.

8. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills according to claim 1, wherein said sealing closure is hingedly attached to an at least partially flexible frame means provided inside said outlet and said sealing closure is maintained in its closed position by interengagement with said flexible frame.

9. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills according to claim 8, wherein said at least partially flexible frame is provided with an opening sealable by said sealing closure, said sealing closure is displaceable through said opening in response to an air pressure differential between the two sides of said frame.

10. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills according to claim 8, wherein said sealing closure is inwardly displaceable through said opening toward said chamber for insertion of pills therein and outwardly displaceable toward said outlet for dispensing of pills to the mouth of the user.

11. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills according to claim 1, whenever used for dispensing at least one pill from said chamber any one linear measurement of said at least one pill being between 3 mm and 30 mm.

12. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills according to claim 1, wherein said displaceable sealing closure is formed from a plurality of flexible flaps, or wherein said displaceable sealing closure is formed from a plurality of flexible filaments.

13. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills according to claim 12, wherein said flexible flaps are at least partially overlapping.

14. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills according to claim 1, wherein said outlet is releasably connected to said receptacle.

15. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills according to claim 14, wherein said releasable outlet is disposable and replaceable.

16. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills according to claim 1, wherein said outlet is provided with a stop surface positioned in spaced apart relationship, relative to and outwardly in front of said displaceable sealing closure, said stop surface being provided with air holes enabling air displacement between the mouth of the user and said sealing closure, to open the same, said surface being adapted to deflect a pill exiting said sealing closure and encountering said surface, said outlet being further provided with an opening, positioned to dispense, under the effect of gravity, a pill exiting said sealing closure.

17. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills according to claim 1, wherein said sealing closure is maintained in its closed position by interengagement with a frame provided inside said outlet.

18. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills, directly into the mouth of the user, comprising a container with a storage chamber leading to an outlet sized to be comfortably inserted between the lips of a user, said outlet being further provided with a displaceable sealing closure having a normally closed position, wherein actuation by the mouth of the user interacting with said outlet causes displacement of said displaceable sealing closure from said closed position, to enable the dispensing of at least one pill from said chamber, wherein displacement of said closure from said closed position, to enable the dispensing of at least one pill from said chamber, is actuated by an air pressure differential.

19. A receptacle for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills, comprising a container with a storage chamber leading to an outlet sized to be comfortably inserted between the lips of the user, said outlet being further provided with a displaceable sealing closure having a normally closed position, and wherein actuation by the mouth of the user interacting with said outlet causes displacement of said displaceable sealing closure from said closed position, to enable the dispensing of at least one pill having a major dimension, the cross-section of which is at least 0.3 cm, from said chamber, wherein displacement of said closure from said closed position, to enable the dispensing of at least one pill from said chamber, is actuated by an air pressure differential.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows the receptacle of the present invention, for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills, in a cross-sectional side view, having a pill within the storage chamber;

(2) FIGS. 2a and 2b show outlet closure pivoted outward toward the opening of the receptacle

(3) (FIG. 2a), and the closure pivoted inward toward the storage chamber of the receptacle (FIG. 2b);

(4) FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the receptacle, wherein the storage chamber comprises an inlet through which one or more pills are insertable and a handle for enabling the user to grasp the container to bring the receptacle close to the user's mouth and position the spout outlet within the mouth of the user;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the embodiment of the receptacle of FIG. 3, further comprising a integral housing, which is lockable to an automated, controlled solid pill medication dispenser;

(6) FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a medication dispenser according to Israel Specification No: 220,794 with the receptacle of the present invention incorporated therein;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a receptacle of the present invention, for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills, in a cross-sectional side view, having a pill within the storage chamber wherein the displaceable sealing closure is formed from a plurality of flexible flaps which are at least partially overlapping as shown in FIG. 6a;

(8) FIG. 6b shows a sealing closure formed from a plurality of flexible filaments;

(9) FIG. 7 shows a receptacle of the present invention, for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills, in a cross-sectional side view, having a pill within the storage chamber and

(10) FIGS. 7a and 7b are partial views of the receptacle of FIG. 7 in which the spout outlet is respectively, releasably connected to and disconnected from said receptacle, said spout outlet being provided with a stop surface and with air holes enabling air displacement between the mouth of the user and the closure of the receptacle, said spout outlet being further provided with an opening, positioned to dispense, under the effect of gravity, a pill exiting said closure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(11) A preferred embodiment of the receptacle of the present invention, for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills, is shown in a cross-sectional side view in FIG. 1, and generally designated by numeral (100). Receptacle (100) comprises a container (102) with a storage chamber (104) leading to a spout outlet (106). Pill (108) is shown positioned in storage chamber (104).

(12) Spout outlet (106) is shaped and sized in a manner such that it is comfortable to dispose spout outlet (106) between the lips of a user (not shown). To that end the inner diameter (d) of the opening (110) of spout outlet (106) is less than 4, preferably less than 3 cm, which also assures ready passage of the pill (108) through opening (110) of spout outlet (106) and prevents easy manual removal of the pill from the chamber.

(13) A preferred embodiment of a displaceable sealing closure (112) is shown in FIG. 1, having a normally dosed position. The displacement of closure (112) from the normally closed position to an open position that enables the dispensing of a pill from storage chamber (104) is preferably actuated by the mouth of the user when interacting with spout outlet (106), as described further herein below.

(14) According to a preferred embodiment, closure (112) is maintained in its normally closed position by interengagement with a frame (114), provided inside spout outlet (106), and which surrounds closure (112). One end (113) of closure (112) is preferably hingedly attached to one end (116) of frame (114) for enabling closure (112) to selectively pivot inward toward storage chamber (104) and outward toward opening (110).

(15) The displacement (i.e. pivoting) of closure (112) via the mouth of the user as mentioned above is actuated by an air pressure differential, wherein the differential may be produced by one or more of the suction, inhalation and exhalation created by the mouth of the user. When the user creates a suction or inhalation with his mouth closure (112) pivots outward toward opening (110) (see FIG. 2a), and when the user creates an exhalation with his mouth, closure (112) pivots inward toward storage chamber (104) (see FIG. 2b).

(16) Additionally, the inward displacement of closure (112) may be actuated by a pusher device (not shown) which is inserted through opening (110) for providing a force on closure (112) similar to that provided by the exhale pressure created by the mouth of the user in order to initially insert one or more pills into chamber (104) for later mouth actuated dispensing. The pusher device may be a narrow elongated object that is held by a hand and thrust toward closure (112). The mouth of the user is typically used to actuate the displacement of closure (112) when the user desires to ingest a pill (108) contained in storage chamber (104). The pusher device is typically used to actuate the displacement of closure (112) when the user or medication distributor desires to insert a pill (108) into storage chamber (104).

(17) With reference to FIG. 1, at least the end (118) of frame (114) opposite that of end (116) of frame (114) with which closure (112) is hingedly connected, is made of a flexible material, such as rubber or other sealing material, for providing a sealed relationship between frame (114) and closure (112). Preferably the entire inner periphery of frame (114) is made of a flexible, sealing material.

(18) In an alternative embodiment (not shown) at least one end of closure (112) comprises a flexible, sealing material for providing a sealed relationship directly with the inner wall (120) of spout outlet (106).

(19) When a pill (108) is disposed in storage chamber (104), following the inward or outward displacement of closure (112), pill (108) is discharged from receptacle (100) through opening (110) of spout outlet (106) directly into the user's mouth. Hence, the potential problems resulting from having an unsteady person handling the pill is avoided. Additionally, the chances of unauthorized transferring or selling of a narcotic pain killer after contamination via contact with the mouth of a user is greatly diminished.

(20) Once the user discontinues the suction, inhalation or exhalation with his mouth, closure (112) pivots in an opposite direction and returns to the normally closed position. Similarly, when the pusher device is removed from spout outlet (106) after being used to inwardly displace closure (112), closure (112) pivots in an opposite direction and returns to the normally closed position.

(21) According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the walls (122) of storage chamber (104) are sealed such that the only method of inserting a pill therein is through spout outlet (106).

(22) According to an alternative embodiment (200), as seen in FIG. 3, a wall (222a) of storage chamber (204) comprises a one-directional trap (224) through which one or more pills (108) are insertable. One-directional trap (224) enables pills to enter into storage chamber (204) while reducing the chances of the pills exiting therethrough. In an alternative aspect, the inlet comprises an opening (not shown) that is covered by, for instance, a semi-flexible material comprising a slit. Pills may enter into the storage chamber by the user providing a thrusting force for pushing the pills through the slit, but pills are unable to exit the storage chamber through the slit since a thrusting force large enough to pass the pills through the slit cannot be generated from within the storage chamber. In yet a further alternative aspect, the inlet comprises an opening (not shown) that is covered by a second closure, which is hingedly attached at one of its ends to an end of the opening.

(23) According to one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, receptacle (200) additionally comprises a handle (226) for enabling the user to grasp container (202) thereby, and for bringing receptacle (200) close to the user's mouth and positioning spout outlet (206) within the mouth of a user, in a dispensing relationship. However, in alternative embodiments, receptacle (200) does not comprise a handle (not shown). Thus, when a user desires to receive a pill from receptacle (200) he manually positions receptacle (200) as desired by directly grasping the container (202).

(24) In a preferred embodiment, receptacle (200) is used in conjunction with an automated, controlled solid pill medication dispenser, for instance, the medication dispenser described in Israeli patent application IL220794 by the same inventors as the present invention, the disclosure of which is fully incorporated by reference herein.

(25) With reference to FIG. 4, receptacle (200) is further provided in conjunction with an integral housing (228), which is lockable to the pill dispenser (230) described in Israeli patent application IL220794. Both receptacle (200) and housing (228) are disposable in order to enable sequential use of pill dispenser (230) by multiple sequential patients, wherein a new receptacle (200) and housing (228) is provided to pill dispenser (230) for each sequential patient.

(26) Thus, a preferred embodiment of the present invention further comprises a receptacle (200) for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills, one or more at a time, when used in conjunction with a medication dispenser (230) of the type described in Israeli patent application IL220794, which enables the controlled sequential delivery of a regimen of pills on an as-needed basis with a predetermined prescribed minimum time interval between delivery of each type of pill, from any standard commercial flat multiple pill-containing pack of the double arrayed blister package type having two columns and a plurality of rows of pills to be dispensed.

(27) The pill dispenser comprises an access portal sized to receive at least one of any such blister pack and to guide the blister pack to at least one pair of motor driven driving wheels which in turn sequentially advance the blister pack to a stationary depilling station. The depilling station comprises a pill detecting means; a blister pack support having two spaced-apart pill receiving apertures, each aperture being sized and positioned to receive pills of different sizes, shapes and spacing in the blister pack array; and, motor driven depilling press means positioned, upon activation, to force one pill at a time from its respective blister through the backing of the blister via one of the apertures, as the blister pack is advanced through the stationary depilling station within the dispenser.

(28) The dispenser further comprises a channel into which the pill enters from the apertures, and a dispensing receptacle for receiving the pill from the channel.

(29) Referring now to FIG. 5; there is seen a front perspective view of a medication dispenser 300, wherein the outer housing is removed to show the inner components of the dispenser, which dispenser incorporates receptacle 200 of the present invention as seen in FIG. 3 therein. More specifically, there is seen dispenser (300) which comprises an access portal (302) through which a blister pack (304) is inserted. Blister pack (304) is preferably a standard commercial flat multiple pill-containing pack of the double arrayed blister package type, having two columns and a plurality of rows of pills (306). An authorized medical person manually inserts blister pack (304) through access portal (302) until distal edge (305) of blister pack (304) is received by a pair of motor driven driving wheels (308a), (308b), which are preferably spur gears.

(30) In a preferred embodiment, a second pair of driving wheels (310a), (310b) is present, for advancing blister pack (304) toward the depilling station (312).

(31) Still referring to FIG. 5, driving wheels (308a), (308b) and (310a), (310b) are positioned lengthwise along the central longitudinal axis of a blister pack support means, preferably comprising a surface (314) along which blister pack (304) is conveyed. Upper wheels (308a), (310a) are situated above surface (314) and lower wheels (308b), (310b) are situated below surface (314). Surface (314) is shown in FIG. 5 partially cut out in order to view lower wheels (308b), (310b). Longitudinally spaced openings (316) in surface (314) enable gear teeth (309a), (309b) and (311a), (311b) to mesh.

(32) Referring to FIG. 3 in combination with FIG. 4, depilling station (112) and channels (132a), (132b) are shown in FIG. 3, and surface (114), blister pack (104), channels (132a), (132b) and one depilling means (126) are shown in FIG. 4, wherein the other components of the dispenser are removed for clarity.

(33) As blister pack (304) reaches depilling station (312) a pill detecting means (not shown), comprising a sensor system having, for instance, an IR, a laser source and a detector, or any other detection system situated on opposing longitudinal sides of blister pack (304) to determine whether at least one pill is present in the first row of pills. If at least one pill is present, at least one depilling press means (326) of depilling station (312) is activated, for forcing one pill at a time from its blister out of the flat backing of blister pack (304), through pill receiving apertures (not shown) of surface (314).

(34) In operation, once it is determined that, for instance, a depilling means (326) is positioned above a blister containing a pill (306), the depilling motor is actuated and depilling means (326) is lowered, thereby pushing pill (306) out of its blister through pill receiving aperture (not shown) into channel (332a), which channel opens into a pill dispensing receptacle (200) of the present invention via a one-way valve (not shown) that allows only one pill at a time to pass therethrough. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the receptacle 200 is preferably provided with a handle (226) for enabling the user to manipulate the receptacle therewith.

(35) Referring to FIGS. 6 and 6a there is shown a receptacle (400) of the present invention, for containing and dispensing solid medicinal pills, (408) from a storage chamber (404), wherein the displaceable sealing closure (412) shown in FIG. 6a is formed from a plurality of flexible flaps (413) which are at least partially overlapping;

(36) Referring to FIG. 6b there is shown an alternative embodiment in which the sealing closure (412) is formed from a plurality of flexible filaments (415).

(37) Referring now to FIGS. 7, 7a and 7b there are seen a cross-sectional view and two partial views, respectively, of a receptacle (500) of the present invention in which the spout outlet (506) is respectively, releasably connected to (as seen in FIG. 7a, and disconnected from, said receptacle (500) (as shown in FIG. 7b), In this embodiment said spout outlet (506) is provided with a stop surface (507) positioned in spaced apart relationship, relative to, and outwardly in front of, said displaceable sealing closure (512), said stop surface being provided with air holes (509) enabling air displacement between the mouth of the user and said closure, (512), to open the same, said surface (507) being adapted to deflect a pill (508) exiting said closure and encountering said surface (507), said spout outlet (506), being further provided with an opening (511), positioned to dispense, under the effect of gravity, a pill (508) exiting said closure, irrespective of whether said pill reaches said stop surface (507) and is deflected thereby or not.

(38) It is understood that the above description of the embodiments of the present invention are for illustrative purposes only, and is not meant to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form or forms disclosed, as many modifications and variations are possible. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the accompanying claims.