Device for filling a medicine-unit container for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, medicine-unit container, assembly of such device and a container and method for cleaning such device

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for filling a medicine-unit container for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, comprising a support for the container, adapted to fix the position of the container relative to the device and limit a movement of the container relative to the device and at least one movable push element, such as a rod or pin, operable relative to the support, for pushing an unlocking element of a container supported by the device.

Claims

1. Device for filling a medicine-unit container for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, comprising: A support for the container, adapted to fix the position of the container relative to the device and limit a movement of the container relative to the device; At least one movable push element, such as a rod or pin, operable relative to the support, for pushing an unlocking element of a container supported by the device.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the support comprises a support surface for placing the container thereon, and the at least one movable push element is movable at a distance in a direction perpendicular to the support surface with at least one directional component in a plane parallel to the support surface.

3. Device according to claim 1, comprising at least two displaceable pushing elements which can be displaced with at least one directional component towards each other.

4. Device according to claim 1, comprising a limiter for movement of the container relative to the support surface in a direction parallel to that of the support surface and/or a limiter for rotation of the container relative to the support surface.

5. Device according to claim 1, comprising a reader for a machine-readable identifier such as a barcode, a magnetic code, an RFID or a chip, in particular an identifier of a container or of a package with medicine-units.

6. Device according to claim 5, comprising a data processing unit for processing data read from an identifier of a container and data read from an identifier of a package with medicine-units, the data processing unit also being arranged for comparing the identifiers and disabling movement of the pusher if a first predetermined condition applies and enabling a movement of the pushing element if a second predetermined condition applies.

7. Device according to claim 1, comprising at least one supply device for supplying ionized air to a placed container.

8. Device according to claim 1, comprising an air discharge device, in particular an extraction device, for discharging air from a placed container.

9. Device according to claim 1, comprising a funnel movable between a position in which it enables opening of a lid of a container placed on the support and a position in which it disables opening of a lid of a container placed on the support.

10. Assembly of a device according to claim 1 and a container for medicine-units such as pills, tablets or parts thereof, which container is intended for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, and: A container body comprising a space surrounded by walls for holding a number of medicine-units, the container body provided with at least one: receiving opening for the medicine-units; and at least one dispensing opening for the medicine-units; and Comprising a valve for the receiving opening, which is movable between an open position for supplying medicine-units and a closed position for closing the container, the valve being lockable with the container at least in the closed position, wherein the container comprises an element to be pushed towards the inside of the container for unlocking the valve, and wherein the at least one pushing element of the device is adapted for forcing the element to be pushed towards the inside of the container to the inside of the container.

11. Assembly according to claim 10, wherein the container and the device comprise cooperating positioning elements for allowing the container to be received by the support only in a unique mutual manner relative to each other.

12. Method for cleaning a container for medicine units, comprising container body with a space surrounded by walls for holding a number of medicine-units, the container body provided with at least one receiving opening for the medicine-units; and at least one delivery port for the medicine-units, comprising the steps of: supplying ionized air to one of the receiving opening or the delivery opening; and Extracting air from the other from the intake opening or the discharge opening.

13. A container for medicine units such as pills, tablets or parts thereof, for use in a medicine unit delivery device, the container comprising: A container body, comprising a space surrounded by walls for holding an amount of medicine units, the container body being 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.

14. Container according to claim 1, wherein the lid is fixedly coupled to the container body, in particular such that the lid can be brought in the opened position without being taken off the container body, and more in particular wherein the lid is coupled to the container body by mean of a hinge.

15. Container according to claim 13, wherein the locking device is provided with at least one barb or hook which must be urged towards the inside of the container for unlocking the lid, wherein an engaging surface of the barb or hook for unlocking thereof is recessed inside the container wall, preferably in such a manner that manual opening is prevented, more in particular comprising multiple barbs or hooks, preferably arranged in different walls or wall parts, so that the barbs or hooks have to be moved in different directions to unlock the lid.

16. Container according to claim 13, wherein the container body is provided with at least one transparent part for determining the type and/or number of medicine units present from the outside of the container.

17. Container according to claim 13, comprising a separated space for holding at least one reference medicine unit, wherein the separated space is also provided with at least one transparent part adjacent to an outside of the container, for being able to visually verify that the medicine units in the space for holding an amount of medicine units match the medicine unit in the separated space.

18. Container according to claim 17, wherein the separated space forms part of or is included in the lid.

19. Container according to claim 13, comprising a cantilever for engagement by a robot, which cantilever is adapted to receive two spaced pins or hooks and which holder is in particular connected to the lid.

Description

[0041] The invention will now be elucidated into more detail with reference to the following figures, wherein:

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a device according to the invention and a container for medicine-units;

[0043] FIG. 2 shows an assembly of the device and container from FIG. 1;

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of a device according to the invention supporting a container;

[0045] FIG. 4 shows a device according to the invention;

[0046] FIG. 5 is a first perspective view of a container according to the present invention; and

[0047] FIG. 6 is a second perspective view of a container according to the present invention.

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a device 1 according to the invention and a container 2 for medicine-units. The device 1 comprises a support 3 for the container, adapted by means of pins 4 to fix the position of the container 2 relative to the device 1 and limit a movement of the container 2 relative to the device 1. The device 1 comprises two movable push elements 5, 6, formed by pins, operable relative to the support 3, for pushing an unlocking element 7, 8 of a container 2 supported by the device 1. Push elements 5, 6 are movable at a distance D in a direction perpendicular to the support surface 3 with at least one directional component P+ and P− respectively in a plane parallel to the support surface 3. The term directional component is known in the art, but for the sake of completeness insert A shows that vector V has a directional component H in the height direction and a directional component L in a length direction, wherein the Length and Height directions are perpendicular. “Having a directional component” in a certain direction means having such component with a length different than 0.

[0049] As can be seen in the figure, the assembly of the device 1 and the container 2 comprise cooperating positioning elements for allowing the container to be received by the support only in a unique mutual manner relative to each other. For every pen 4 on the support surface there is a corresponding cavity 9 in the container. The device 1 has an operating member 10 for operating the push elements 5 and 6 and a funnel 11 movable between a first position (shown) in which it enables opening of a lid 12 of a container 2 placed on the support and a second position (shown in FIG. 2) in which it disables opening of a lid 12 of a container 2 placed on the support 3.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows an assembly of the device 1 and container 2 from FIG. 1, wherein the funnel 12 is moved in a direction B by means of rotation, from the first position to the second position. The lid 12 of container 2 is in its open position and the container can be filled once the funnel is in the second position.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of a device 1 according to the invention supporting a container 2 wherein the funnel is completely in the container 2. The container 2 is provided with a machine-readable identifier 14 for information about medicine to be placed in the container.

[0052] FIG. 4 shows a device 1 according to the invention, comprising nozzles 15 for supplying ionized air to the receiving opening 16 of the container 2 and extracting means 17 for extracting air from the discharge opening 18 of the container 2. The container 2 is provided with a movable portion (not visible) for moving medicine-units from the space for holding the medicine-units to the dispensing opening and the device 1 comprises drive means 13 (visible in FIG. 1) for moving and in particular rotating the movable portion.

[0053] FIG. 5 shows a container 100 for medicine units such as pills, tablets or parts thereof, for use in a medicine unit delivery device, the container comprising a container body 102, comprising a space 103 surrounded by walls 104, 105, 106, 107 for holding an amount of medicine units, the container body being provided with at least one receiving opening 108 for the medicine units and at least one dispensing opening 109 (not visible) for the medicine units, and a lid 110 for the receiving opening 108, which is movable between an open position (shown) for supplying medicine units and a closed position (shown in FIG. 6) for closing the container 101, the lid 110 being lockable with the container 101 at least in the closed position.

[0054] The lid may be lockable with at least one barb 111 (and in this case a second barb 112) which must be urged towards the inside of the container for unlocking the lid, wherein an engaging surface of the barb for unlocking thereof is recessed 113, 114 inside the container wall, preferably in such a manner that manual opening is prevented. The container body 102 is transparent part for determining the type and/or number of medicine units present from the outside of the container and it comprised a separated space 115 for holding at least one reference medicine unit, wherein the separated space 115 is also provided with at least one transparent part 116 adjacent to an outside of the container 102, for being able to visually verify that the medicine units in the space for holding an amount of medicine units match the medicine unit in the separated space.

[0055] FIG. 6 shows the container 101 from FIG. 5 in the closed position. It is visible that the separated space 115 forms part of or is included in the lid. The container 101 is further provided with a machine-readable identifier, in this case a chip 117, arranged in the lid.

[0056] The container further comprises a cantilever 118 for engagement by a robot, which cantilever 118 is adapted to receive two spaced pins or hooks and which cantilever is in particular connected to the lid 110. The lid 110 is hinged to the container body 102 with hinges 119.

[0057] In order to open the lid 110 of the container 102, a pusher has to be inserted in the recesses 113, 114, which are through holes in the container walls 104 and 106, wherein the pusher has to press in the directions 120.

[0058] The examples given above are exemplary only and in no sense limit the scope of protection as defined by the following claims.