DE102018125003A1 - Storage system for storing and dispensing medicaments and arrangement of dispenser system and storage system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a storage system (10) for storing and dispensing medicaments, comprising at least two medicine compartments (111), which is formed behind or next to each other at a defined distance in a supply strip (11), wherein the medicine compartments (111) of a relative to the supply bar (11) displaceable closure strip (12) are closable. The storage system (10) is characterized by positioning means whereby it is positioned relative to an underlying array of vessels (5) to empty the medicine compartments (111) into the vessels (5).

Description

The present invention relates to a storage system for storing and dispensing medicaments. The storage system has at least two medicine compartments, which are formed behind or next to each other at a defined distance in a storage bar, wherein the medicine compartments are closed by a relative to the supply bar sliding closure strip. The invention further relates to an arrangement of a dispensing system for medicaments and such a storage system.

Patients, especially in home care, are often overwhelmed with the compilation and intake of their medication. To support these patients, various storage systems are known in the trade, in which medicines for different administration times, for example in the morning, at noon, in the evening or for certain days of the week, can be sorted individually into individual medicine compartments. This task can e.g. Caring services or pharmacies.

For example, the storage systems are small plastic boxes in which the individual medicine compartments are formed one behind the other, wherein at the top a usually transparent slider is arranged, which can be pulled out and releases the medication for removal from the subjects. Often, however, older people or people with disabilities have problems taking medicines out of their compartments if the necessary coordination or vision is limited. Alternative storage systems are blister packs in which the medicaments are sealed in individual compartments of the blister pack. These meet as single-use packaging all the required hygienic standards, the removal is often designed similarly difficult.

In order to better control the intake of medicines and also to monitor the entry times, donor systems for medicaments are also known, for example from the document EP 3 123 901 A1 , In the system described in this document handy and easy-to-use vessels for medicines and parallel water are provided as a help for the patient. However, this very convenient for the patient to take the medication requires that the individual drugs are previously transferred to the containers provided by the donor system vessels from the storage system. When using known storage systems this is time consuming and error prone. Drug compartments and vessels could be reversed in their order, or medicines could fall next to the blood vessels during decanting and thus not be taken with them.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage system with which medicines can be stored and dispensed in a safe and easily manageable manner and, in particular, transferred to a dispensing system. It is another object to provide an assembly of a dispensing system and a storage system in which the dispensing system can be easily filled with medication from the storage system.

This object is achieved by a storage system or an arrangement of dispenser system and storage system with the features of the respective independent claim. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

A storage system according to the invention has positioning means by which the storage system is positioned relative to an underlying array of vessels to empty the medicine compartments into the vessels. By positioning the storage system can be placed as a whole on said arrangement of vessels and is fixed on the vessels. Each medicine compartment is assigned to a vessel. By moving the closure bar relative to the storage bar, the medicine compartments are opened and the medicaments reach the assigned vessel, respectively. From the vessel, advantageously a cup or a glass, a simple intake of the medication can be done by the patient.

In an inventive arrangement of a dispensing system and a storage system, the dispensing system has said arrangement of at least two vessels for dispensing the drugs to the patient and the storage system with the positioning is used to the containers of the dispensing system easy to handle and reliable with the drugs equip. The filling of the vessels with the drugs also takes place in a particularly hygienic manner, since the drugs from the storage system get directly into the vessels without touching.

In an advantageous embodiment of the storage system, the closure strip on dispensing openings which correspond in number and position to the drug compartments of the storage bar, each medication compartment is associated with a dispensing opening. In a first position of the storage bar relative to the closure bar all drug compartments are closed, and opened in a second position all drug compartments. Preferably, the positioning means are at one of the Drug compartments pioneering side of the closure strip formed on the closure bar.

Particularly preferred are the positioning means protruding collars, which are each formed around an edge of the individual discharge openings. In this embodiment, the storage system can be placed with the supply bar facing up with the closure strip on the arrangement of the vessels. The then projecting downwards and formed on the closure bar positioning means, for example, formed around the edge of the dispensing opening collars prevent the dispensing openings slip next to the openings of the vessels. Then, when the supply bar is displaced relative to the closure bar from the first, occluding position to the second position, the drug compartments are respectively pushed over the discharge opening, so that the drugs contained in the medicine compartments are dispensed through the discharge openings into the underlying vessel.

In this case, the supply strip is preferably guided in the closure strip, for example in that the closure strip has an envelope on its longitudinal sides, which forms a guide groove for the supply strip. The storage system is thus placed only with the closure strip on the vessels, which allows the supply ledge to move in the closure bar, without frictional forces being exerted on the vessels, which can lead to an unwanted displacement of the vessels.

In order to achieve a secure closure of the drug compartments during transport or when placing on the vessels and also to give a haptic feedback on the sliding process, supply bar and / or are advantageously provided with locking means by which the supply bar when moving relative to the closure strip in the first and / or the second position engages.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the storage system, the closure strip is designed to be continuous, wherein in a first position of the closure strip are sealed relative to the storage bar all drug compartments and wherein when moving the closure bar relative to the supply bar, the drug compartments are opened successively.

In this embodiment, the positioning means are preferably formed on a side facing away from the drug compartments side of the storage bar. For example, the positioning means may be matching support contours to the underlying vessels, which are formed around an opening of the drug compartments. The supply bar is then preferably positioned between the medicine compartments and the support contours and guided, for example, by undercuts of the supply bar.

In this embodiment of the storage system this is placed with the supply bar on the vessels. The support contours may, for example, encompass an upper edge of the vessels on the outside or rest against the edge of the vessel with formed projections. The closure strip is then pulled out, so to speak, between the vessel and the storage strip, whereby the individual medicine compartments are opened one after the other and the medicaments are dispensed into the respectively assigned vessel.

In both embodiments, the distances of the drug compartments in the storage bar are adapted to the intended arrangement of the vessels. The arrangement of the vessels can be equidistant, but it can also be provided different distances between the individual vessels.

• 1, 2 jeweils eine isometrische Ansicht eines Spendersystems für Medikamente in verschiedenen Betriebszuständen;
• 3, 4 das Spendersystem gemäß 2 während des Befüllens mit einem Vorratssystem;
• 5a - d verschiedene Ansichten eines Vorratssystems zur Bevorratung und Abgabe von Medikamenten in einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel; und
• 6a - c verschiedene Ansichten eines Vorratssystems in einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel.

The invention will be explained in more detail by means of embodiments with the aid of figures. The figures show:

• 1 . 2 an isometric view of a drug delivery system in various states of operation;
• 3 . 4 the dispenser system according to 2 during filling with a stock system;
• 5a d different views of a storage system for dispensing and dispensing of drugs in a first embodiment; and
• 6a c different views of a storage system in a second embodiment.

1 shows an isometric view of a dispenser system 1 , which is part of an arrangement according to the application of dispenser system and storage system, in its normal operating state for dispensing medicaments. The dispenser system 1 includes a housing base 2 and a hinged lid 3 in which a controller 4 with display, such as a screen, is arranged.

The dispenser system 1 here by way of example comprises two arrangements of vessels positioned behind one another 5 each of which is a first in a dispensing position from which it can be removed by the patient. Such a dispenser system can be used 1 in home care, in residential groups, nursing and senior centers and also in the outpatient area.

At the scheduled withdrawal time, eg in the morning, at noon, etc., is the controller 4 visually and supportive if necessary acoustically made aware of the upcoming medication. This can be in one of the two removable vessels 5 For example, in the left-hand row of vessels seen by the user 5 the drugs are in the other, in the right row, water as the liquid.

For filling the vessels 5 can the lid 3 be folded up like this in 2 is shown.

The 3 and 4 show the dispenser system with an attached storage system according to the invention 10 , Medicines, for example, by an external service provider such as a nursing service or a pharmacy in a plurality, in the present case five, medicine subjects 111 of the stock system 10 sorted patient-specific. The medicine subjects 111 are in a supply bar 11 of the stock system 10 are formed and are in the delivery state of a closure strip 12 locked.

This closure bar 12 has a plurality of discharge openings 121 on, in the delivery state of the storage system between the medicine compartments 111 are positioned, eliminating the drug compartments 111 are closed.

As a rule, the underside of the stock system is not visible here 10 also applied an adhesive strip, are applied to the relevant patient data for unambiguous identification of the stock system and the stock system 10 additionally closes.

After removal of the adhesive strip, the stock system 10 as in 3 shown on the arrangement of the vessels 5 mounted, each with a discharge opening 121 is positioned above the respective associated vessel opening. Positioning means on the storage system are for this purpose 10 trained in the context of the 5a to 5d and 6a to 6c will be explained in more detail.

After putting on the stock system 10 on the arrangement of the vessels 5 Keeping the position of the closure bar 12 the supply bar 11 Pulled forward on a tab protruding forward. The medicine subjects 111 be through the delivery opening 121 moved, causing the in the medicine compartments 111 contained drugs accurately and without contact by the operator in the respective vessels 5 be delivered. The supply bar 11 is only on one side of the closure bar 12 out. This is a use of the stock system 10 in an upside down direction, in which the order of the drugs would be reversed, not possible for reasons of manageability.

The filling process of the dispenser system 1 is thus in one easy step to perform simultaneously for all vessels 5 , in which drugs are to be introduced, completed. After removing the stock system 10 and closing the lid 3 is the donor system 10 accordingly ready for use.

The stock system 10 can be designed to comply with hygiene standards as a disposable system or as a reusable system, which is given back to the service provider for refilling.

It is noted that the stock system 10 in the example shown, for use with the dispensing system 1 is tuned, for example by the distances of the discharge openings 121 and thus also the medicine fan 111 to the distances of the vessels 5 are adapted in the dispenser system. It is understood, however, that the stock system 10 can also be used in connection with other arrangements of vessels, which are then used for medication, even if they are not provided in a dedicated dispensing system.

That in the 3 and 4 shown stock system 10 is in the 5a to 5d reproduced in more detail in different views. 5a shows an isometric view of the stock system 10 with the supply bar 11 and the closure bar 12 in a position where the discharge opening 121 next to the medicine compartments 111 so that the medicine compartments 111 are closed. 5b shows the supply bar 11 and the closure bar 12 separated in the manner of an exploded view from each other. The 5c is a sectional view in a longitudinal direction through the stock system 10 according to 5a , The 5d Finally, the closure bar shows 12 from their bottom separately in an isometric representation.

The discharge openings 121 the closure strip 12 are funnel-shaped (frustoconical) formed and have one of the medicine compartments 111 groundbreaking protruding collar 122 on. When using the storage system placed on vessels, such as the vessels 5 of the donor system 1 according to the 1-4 , protrudes the protruding collar 122 into the vessels 5 into and thus positions the storage system against the vessels 5 ,

The supply bar 11 is at its longitudinal edges in guide grooves 123 the closure strip 12 guided, these guide grooves 123 as an envelope on the longitudinal edges of the closure strip 12 are formed. How the particular 5a and 5d show are at the supply bar 11 and the closure bar 12 latching means 112 . 124 trained in the in 5a shown position and an open position in which the medicine compartments 111 just above the discharge openings 121 lie (see also 4 ) and thus these two positions of the supply bar 11 opposite the closure strip 12 define.

In the first, closing position according to 5a protrudes the storage bar 11 on one side, which thus defines the front of the assembly, via the closure strip 12 so that it can be easily gripped on this side and moved to the second position. The front side can also be marked by a caption and a corresponding movement arrow indicating the opening direction. Further, for added security, the medicine compartments 111 numbered or otherwise marked, so that a clear assignment between the respective drug compartment 111 and the underlying vessel is given. All inscriptions, markings and symbols can be imprinted and, if necessary, additionally embossed in order to be recognized or read even in the case of a visual impairment. Writing symbols can also be reproduced in Braille.

The two elements of the stock system 10 , the storage bar 11 and the closure bar 12 are preferably made of a food-grade plastic, for example polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP), in particular deep-drawn or a plastic injection molding process. The number of drug compartments 111 is at least two but may be significantly larger than the number of 5 drug compartments shown in this example 111 his. For example, stock systems 10 for a week or a whole month with a corresponding number of medicine subjects 111 conceivable.

To protect the sorted medications is the supply bar 11 preferably made of a non-transparent and UV (ultraviolet) -light impermeable plastic. For optical control of the medication, the closure bar 12 be transparent on the other hand, so that in the drug compartments 111 taken and checked before they are taken.

In addition to the locking in the two positions mentioned by the locking means 112 . 124 is preferred on the closure strip 12 along the entire stock system 10 applied an adhesive strip, which is a displacement of the supply bar 11 opposite the closure strip 12 prevents and is also opaque, allowing the medication during transport even from the closure bar 12 are protected from light. Before using the stock system 10 the adhesive strip is removed.

Patient data and / or medication information can be applied to the adhesive strips. The application of the information on the tape and not on the supply bar 11 or the closure strip 12 itself allows a data-protected disposal of the stock system 10 , The data applied to the tape is illegible after crumpling the tape.

The spaced arrangement of medicine compartments 111 allows two of the stock systems 10 with their medicine subjects 111 to arrange each other and offset in the longitudinal direction, so that a space-saving transport in a corresponding transport packaging is possible. The volume of medicine compartments 111 may be adapted to a typical medication at about one to several cubic centimeters (cm ³ ).

In the 6a to 6c is a second embodiment of a storage system 10 also shown in conjunction with the donor system 1 the 1 to 4 or can be used independently with an array of vessels. The same reference numerals in these figures identify the same or equivalent parts as in the previous figures.

The 5a and 6b show analogous to the 5a and 5b the stock system in an isometric composite image or in an exploded isometric view. The 6c shows the stock system 10 in a side view on its lateral side.

The information on the choice of material, size and position of the medicine compartments 111 as well as the possibility of labeling by the applied adhesive strip, which were made in connection with the first embodiment, are transferable to the second embodiment.

In contrast to the first embodiment, in the present case, the positioning means for positioning the storage system 10 on the arrangement of the vessels by support contours 113 formed in the storage bar 11 are formed. In the case shown, the support contour corresponds 113 geometry of the top of cups used as vessels.

The closure strip 12 is formed throughout in this embodiment and is in Shape of a slider in the supply bar 11 guided. With lateral guide webs 125 grab it under undercuts 114 in the area of the support contours 113 are formed. The closure strip 12 is thus in an attached storage system between the overhead medicine compartments 111 and the underlying vessels arranged. Due to the shape of the support contour 113 and the leadership of the closure bar 12 This can be done without contact with the vessels 5 from the supply bar 11 be pulled out and thus successively opens the drug compartments 111 whose contents correspond to the vessels 5 is delivered. The guide of the sealing strip 12 in the storage bar 11 is good in the side view of the 6 to recognize. Instead of the undercuts 114 Alternatively or additionally, other guide means may be formed.

In the example shown are on the closure strip 12 in turn latching means 124 formed the locking bar at least in the first position in which all medicine compartments 111 are closed, fixed.

In both shown embodiments of the storage system 10 are the medicine subjects 111 with regard to a displacement direction between the supply bar 11 and the closure bar 12 arranged one behind the other. The medicine subjects 111 can also be arranged side by side in alternative embodiments with regard to the displacement direction, so that the sliding movement to a certain extent to the longitudinal side of the storage system 10 he follows.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

dispensing system

2

housing base

3

cover

4

control

5

vessel

10

Stock system for medicines

11

stock bar

111

drugs trade

112

latching means

113

contour support

114

undercut

12

sealing strip

121

discharge opening

122

protruding collar

123

guide

124

latching means

125

guide web

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 3123901 A1 [0004]

Claims (13)

Storage system (10) for storing and dispensing medicaments, comprising at least two medicine compartments (111), which is formed behind or next to each other at a defined distance in a supply strip (11), wherein the medicine compartments (111) of a relative to the supply strip (11 ) are closable, characterized in that the storage system (10) has positioning means by which it is positioned relative to an underlying arrangement of vessels (5) to the drug compartments (111) in the vessels (5) Drain. Storage system (10) after Claim 1 in that the closure strip (12) has delivery openings (121) corresponding in number and position to the drug compartments (111) of the supply strip (11), so that each medication compartment (111) is associated with a discharge opening (121), wherein in a first Position of the supply strip (11) relative to the closure strip (12) all drug compartments (111) are closed and in a second position all drug compartments (111) are opened. Storage system (10) after Claim 2 in which the positioning means are formed on a side of the closure strip (12) pointing away from the medicine compartments (111). Storage system (10) after Claim 3 in that the positioning means are projecting collars (122) formed around an edge of the discharge openings (121). Storage system (10) according to one of Claims 2 to 4 in which the closure strip (12) has an envelope on each of its longitudinal sides, which in each case forms a guide groove (123) for the supply strip (11). Storage system (10) according to one of Claims 2 to 5 in which latching means (112, 124) are formed on the supply strip (11) and / or the closure strip (12), through which the supply strip (11) moves in relation to the closure strip (12) in the first and / or the second Position locks in place. Storage system (10) after Claim 1 in which the closure strip (12) is designed to be continuous, wherein in a first position of the closure strip (12) relative to the supply strip (11) all medicament compartments (111) are closed and wherein during a displacement of the closure strip (12) relative to the supply strip (11) the medicine compartments (111) are opened successively. Storage system (10) after Claim 7 in which the positioning means are formed on a side of the supply strip (12) pointing away from the medicine compartments (111). Storage system (10) after Claim 8 in which the positioning means to the underlying vessels (5) are matching support contours (113) which are arranged around an opening of the medicine compartments (111). Storage system (10) according to one of Claims 7 to 9 in which the supply strip (11) has at least one undercut (114) for guiding the closure strip (12). Storage system (10) after Claim 9 and 10 in which the undercut (114) is arranged in the vertical direction between the medicine compartments (111) and the support contours (113). Storage system (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 11 in which the medicine compartments (111) are arranged equidistantly on the supply strip (11). An assembly of a dispensing system (1) for medicaments and a storage system (10) for storing the medicaments and for filling the dispenser system (1), the dispenser system (1) comprising an array of at least two vessels (5) for dispensing the medicaments to patients , and wherein the storage system (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 12 is trained.

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