CA1101378A

CA1101378A - Medication dispenser system

Info

Publication number: CA1101378A
Application number: CA295,535A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Lois Byrne
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-01-24
Filing date: 1978-01-24
Publication date: 1981-05-19

Abstract

MEDICATION DISPENSER SYSTEM

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

Medication is dispensed at selected time intervals for an individual patient according to a medical chart for such patient, by turning a transparent plastic cover about a rivet connecting the cover to a plastic plate having dished segments containing the prescribed medicine when a segmental opening in the cover exposes the medicine in a selected dish, indicated by the time on that plate rim and dish. Arrows on the plate and cover indicating the direction of turning of the cover are raised and lowered, respectively, to snap-indicate when the cover opening exposes a selected dish containing the prescribed medicine.

Description

'7~
, ..
, , This invention relates to a medlcakion dispensing system for individual patients based on the patient's medical chart.
The main ob~ect of the invention is to provide a handy medication dispens~ng system that is light in weight, simple in construction and accurate in operation.
According to the invention, a medium dispenser system is provided comprlsing a medicine chart ~or a patient, and a medicine dispenser including a plastic plate having radial dishes for containing each dose o~ medicine at the proscribed time, and a transparent plastic cover having a radial opening. The cover is riveted to the center of the plate for rotary movement to selected stations, providing access by the patient through such opening to the appropriate dose at the right time such dose is to be taken. A unique combination click stop and direction arrows for rotation of the cover in only one direction, clockwise, is provided by sloping indentations raised and lowered detents in the ; form of direction arrows in the~plate rim and cover, res-pectively. ~hus, when each dish is, ln turn, uncovered by the cover open-segment, the corresponding station is indicated by a click and stop of the arrows, which also prevents counter-clockwise rotation of the cover on the plate.
The dishes and plate rim are provided with the appropriate I time in hours when the dose in each dish is to be taken by the patient.
,~

I ~`

3~8 In the accompanying drawings:

~I FIGURE 1 is a top plan view Or a medicine dispenser i illustrative of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is an exploded ~ragmentary perspectlve view thereof.
~ IGUR~ 3 is a view in cross section of the dispenser taken on line 3-3 of FI~URE 1.
FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of an arrow detent indenkation on the rim of the plate and cover~
. ~IGURE.5 is a view in section taken on line.5-5 of : FIGURE 4.
FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a patient's medlcine chart.

¦ As shown ln FIGURES 1 through.5, a medicine dispenser 10 and a patients chart 12, FIGURE 6, are provided ~or each indlvidual patient. The ohart lZ contains the patient's . ¦ name, address, phone number, pharmacy, prescripti:on number, . I name of medicine, and a chart for fluid medicine or pills prescribed for the patient, as well as the year, month and .1 I date therefore. The dispenser 10 is composed of a plastic 1~ plate 14 to which a transparent plastic cover 16 is connected at the center by a rivet 18, so that the cover 16 can be rotated on the plate with the rivet acting as the axis there-fore.

: The plate is preformed to provide a plurality of segmen-tal, radial dishes 20, six, for example, each bearing an hourly time, such as 2~ 6 and 10 A~, and Pr~ when the pre-scribed dose of medicine in such dish is to be taken.
Rim 22 of the plate 14 is similarly marked. The cover 16 contains a radial, segmental opening 24 for registration with the top o~ each dish 20 as the cover 24 ls turned clockwise on the plate ].4. In such position the uncovered dish 20 is open ~or access with ringers 26 to pick up the medicine dose 28 in the dish, thak is to be taken by the patient at that time~ 10 AM, ~or example.
A combination click-indicator, direction indicator, and reverse turn stop is provided by indented arrows 30 in the cover 16 and corresponding dented arrows 32 on the rim Or the plate 14; the pairs o~ which are similarly spaced in an arc equal to that of dishes 20. The arrows are inclined to permit turning movement of the cover 16 on the plate clockwise, but not counter-clockwise.
'he dispenser 10 provides a check o~ the time when medicine is to be taken; and helps aged, confused, and patients with poor memory to keep track of their medicine every day, and prevents "over-dosing". q'he chart 12 pro-vides a record as well as directions ~or loading the dishes 20 with medical pills and/or capsules for each day ~or the individual patient. The loaded dishes of the plate are sealed therein when no exposed ~or dispensation by annular groove 34 on the rim of the cover 16, which contains the annular edge 36 of the plate 14.
A feature of the invention is that a ~ull day's supply of medlcine lan be loaded on the dispenser in the morning.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A medication dispenser system for individual patients comprising: a plastic plate having dished, radial segments for containing medication for dispensation at certain prescribed times marked on the rim of the plate adjacent the corresponding segments, a transparent cover for said plate having a radial segmental opening adapted to expose the contents of a selected dish when the cover is rotated on said plate to such position, and a rivet connecting said cover on said plate the center thereof, providing an exal for said cover on said plate, said plate containing arrows on such rim pointing in the direction for rotation of said cover, and corresponding arrows on said cover adapted to mate with such plate arrows when the cover is in a selected position with such opening in proper position to provide access to the medicine in the corresponding dish.

2. A medication dispenser system as defined by claim 1, in which said dishes are provided with times corresponding to those on the rim of said plate.

3. A medication dispenser as defined by claim 2, in which said plate and cover arrows are raised and recessed respectively to form ratchets allowing rotation of the cover in only one direction with a snap action indicating the proper position of the cover each time the medicine in the dish uncovered by such cover opening is to be taken by the patient.

4. A medication dispenser as defined by claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the medicine stored in said dishes is sealed until removed, by an annular groove on the rim of said rotary cover which contains the annular edge of said plate.

5. A medication dispenser system as defined by claim 1, in which a patients medical dosage chart is provided for use with said plate.

6. A medication dispenser system as defined by claim 2, in which said chart contains the patients name, address, telephone number, family doctor's name, pharmacy name, prescription number, identification of the medicine, dosage and time to be taken as well as the year, month, and day of use by the patient.

7. A medication dispenser as defined by claim 1, in which a full day's supply of medicine may be loaded thereon in the morning.