Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61J—CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
  • A61J7/00—Devices for administering medicines orally, e.g. spoons; Pill counting devices; Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine
  • A61J7/04—Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
  • A61J7/0409—Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers with timers
  • A61J7/0427—Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers with timers with direct interaction with a dispensing or delivery system
  • A61J7/0436—Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers with timers with direct interaction with a dispensing or delivery system resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61J—CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
  • A61J7/00—Devices for administering medicines orally, e.g. spoons; Pill counting devices; Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine
  • A61J7/04—Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
  • A61J7/0409—Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers with timers
  • A61J7/0481—Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers with timers working on a schedule basis
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61J—CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
  • A61J7/00—Devices for administering medicines orally, e.g. spoons; Pill counting devices; Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine
  • A61J7/04—Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
  • A61J7/0409—Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers with timers
  • A61J7/0418—Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers with timers with electronic history memory

Definitions

• the invention relates to a control device for doses containing one or more sockets for a removable medicament dosage units of medicament as well as one or more indicators of taking of the dosage unit.
• US patent 4 950 246 discloses a syringe intended for the use of a person having diabetes, an "injection pen", which can be used to meter a predetermined dose of insulin.
• the syringe has an integrated system with a sensor monitoring the progression of a pump rod inside the syringe and giving information to an electronic control unit for administering a correct dosage at the time of injection.
• the only alarm is an indication on the emptying of the reservoir to be expected.
• the international publication WO 99/43283 discloses a new regimen for the treatment of diabetes, which can be easily implemented by the equipment available without making structural changes in the injection pen itself.
• This is implemented by means of special stand that functions as a control device for doses and contains several holes, "sockets" for the injection pens containing insulin.
• the stand comprises recesses for placing the injection pens in an erect position therein.
• the device is arranged to give an alarm in a certain order, wherein the indicator of the respective injection pen gives an alarm that it is time to administer a dose from the injection pen in question.
• the act of removing this injection pen from the stand is detected by means of a suitable sensor detecting the movement of the injection pen away from the stand.
• a second indicator is shifted to a state in which it indicates that the dose has been administered.
• the indication may take place visually, for example by means of a signal light.
• the publication discloses how the injection pen can be locked to the stand at other times to prevent inappropriate use of the same.
• the diameters of the pens determine the size of the sockets in such stands.
• the control device for doses must unambiguously indicate the unit from which a dose must be taken at a given time. This is especially important for users, whose perception has been impaired due to old age or illness.
• the injection pen according to the invention is primarily characterized in that it comprises one or more transfer members, which are arranged to shift the dosage unit located in the socket to a position which differs from the normal position of the dosage unit, and back to the normal position.
• the transfer device can be a lifter for lifting the dosage unit located in the socket. By means of the lifter it is possible to lift the dosage unit from which the dose has to be administered and make it especially well distinguishable from other dosage units in the control device.
• the socket is composed of one or more vertical or sloping supporting elements protruding from the body of the control device.
• this structure also makes it possible to dimension the length of the lifting movement of the lifter and the length of the supporting element/elements in such a manner with respect to each other that the upper end of the dosage unit rises above the upper end of the supporting element as a result of the movement of the lifter, whereafter the dosage unit can be removed from the socket.
• the socket can be a tube inside of which the entire injection pen can be placed, wherein it can be exposed by means of a suitable lifting mechanism located at the lower end of the tube.
• the tube is advantageously transparent.
• the lifter in the lifting mechanism is located permanently or temporarily underneath the socket so that when the lifter is operated with a suitable power transmission member, it moves to a position in which it lifts the dosage unit to a upper position from underneath, either directly or via a separate element located therebetween, at the same time supporting the dosage unit.
• a lifter may be a member located permanently below the socket, such as a rotating eccentric or a supporting element that can be moved linearly up and down, or a wedge-shaped member that moves underneath the socket and lifts the dosage unit by wedge effect.
• Fig. 1 shows a side-view of the control device according to the invention
• Fig. 2 shows top view of the control device of Fig. 1 ,
• Fig. 3 shows the operation of the control device in a situation where the indicator indicates an event of administration of a dose
• Figs. 4 to 6 show other lifter structures
• Fig. 7 shows a manner of using the sockets of the control device
• Fig. 8 shows an alternative for placing the sockets.
• Figs 1 and 2 show a control device for doses which forms a stand for two or more medicament dosage units 3, in this case injection pens.
• the stand is intended to be placed for example on a table. It is the purpose of the stand to control and monitor the administration of several doses during the day.
• To each injection pen there is allotted a time of the day in the memory of the device telling when the injection should be taken.
• a visual indicator by the pen shows that the dose should be taken from the pen in question.
• an acoustic alarm can be given.
• the removal of the pen is detected by means of a suitable sensor, for example a sensor operating by means of a mechanical switch or on contactless principle, and when the pen is removed for a certain period of time, this is interpreted as an event of administration of the dose.
• a suitable sensor for example a sensor operating by means of a mechanical switch or on contactless principle
• the visual indicator by the pen remains, for a given time, for example until the beginning of the next standby time of the same pen, in a state that shows that the dose has already been taken from the pen. This is indicated advantageously with a colour light that can be easily detected.
• the indicator for the pen showing that a dose should be taken and the indicator showing that the dose has been taken can be different indicators which are turned "on" and "off".
• the operating principle is the same for each injection pen to be monitored in the stand.
• the injection pens can be different in that they contain medicaments which act differently and which should be taken at a certain time of the day. Especially in the treatment of diabetes, the pens may contain different types of insulin.
• Fig. 1 shows a side-view of a stand for keeping several dosage units 3, in this case injection pens containing insulin.
• the stand is a casing, provided with the necessary electronics therein and containing a coupling for an external power source (coupling for a battery charger or a plug to be inserted to a socket).
• an external power source coupled to a battery charger or a plug to be inserted to a socket.
• a socket 1 for each injection pen there is a socket 1 to which it can be placed to a vertical position, or, as shown in the figure, to a sloping position.
• the socket 1 is composed of a tube, which is dimensioned in such a manner that the dosage unit 3 illustrated with broken lines is in the normal position located entirely in the tube, i.e.
• the tube is attached to the body casing of the control device, to a recess located in the inclined front wall, i.e. the top wall 9 of the casing.
• the tube is made of transparent material, for example acrylic plastic, wherein it is easy to see whether there is an injection pen inside the tube.
• Fig. 2 shows a top view of the device.
• the device contains tubes for four injection pens.
• the invention is not, however, restricted to the number of tubes, and thus, it also falls within the scope of the invention that there is only one tube for one injection pen, although the device is best suited for controlling the administration of different types of doses, wherein it is necessary to use at least two different dosage units 3, and at least two different sockets 1, respectively, for example when two different types of insulin are used for the treatment of diabetes.
• the device contains two or more sockets 1 , they are identical in shape and size so that a conventional injection pen fits in each socket, irrespective of the manufacturer of the pen.
• the front wall of the container i.e.
• the top wall 9 which is slightly inclined, contains a display 5 on which different kind of information can be shown depending on the ways in which the device is programmed. In the normal state the display may only show for example the date and the time. For the treatment of diabetes a separate time has been programmed for each injection pen in the data processing unit of the device.
• the device also contains a time measuring device (clock) whose time is shown on the display in the manner mentioned above, and the data processing unit is arranged to compare the preprogrammed time with the time of the time measuring device.
• the data processing unit When it is time to administer a dose from the injection pen in question, the data processing unit gives commands to members which control the following functions: the alarm of the device gives a visual alarm by means of a signal light visible by the appropriate injection pen, and possibly an acoustic alarm as well.
• the display shifts to a state in which information programmed in the memory of the data processing unit is transmitted thereon, said information relating to the event of administration of that particular dose, for example the size of the dose (in the case of diabetes, units of insulin from the injection pen indicated by the alarm, or another measurement which is used in the injection pen and can be set therein before the injection).
• the data processing unit and the time measuring device cooperate in a manner similar to a timer.
• alarms relating to other actions can also be programmed in the data processing unit, which alarms are given at fixed times of the day, i.e. when the device gives an alarm, it does not necessarily indicate that a dose must be taken, but it can refer to other measures (meal, exercise, etc.) relating to the treatment of diabetes.
• the alarm of the device can in this case give a visually and/or acoustically different alarm than the alarm relating to the administration of a dose.
• the device also registers the removal of the dosage unit, and thus, the corresponding indicator will continuously indicate that the dose has been taken. This function will be described in more detail hereinbelow. If the dosage unit has not been removed within a fixed period of time after the alarm, the device gives another alarm.
• the device can communicate with an outside supervisor for example by means of landline or wireless communication.
• a doctor can monitor the treatment, and in the case of a bilateral connection, the doctor can also program the device from a distance.
• different kinds of instructions in the data processing unit of the device such as the sizes of doses, other instructions such as instructions for meals and exercises which can be shown on the display, etc.
• the connection is protected as well as possible, to be sure the device contains a security function allowing only a change of particular scale one way or the other in the values relating to the administration of the medicament dose (time of day, size of the dose), i.e.
• a special alarm may be automatically transmitted outside via the data transmission line if the device has not registered an event of administration of the dose within a predetermined time after the first alarm given to the user of the device.
• the figure shows an emergency button 6, which, when pressed continuously for a predetermined period of time, for example 0.5 seconds, sends a special alarm outside.
• the special alarm may be programmed to be transmitted via the data transmission line directly to a special address, for example to an emergency centre.
• Fig. 2 shows activity buttons 10, by means of which it is possible to move in the menu shown on the display 5 and confirm that different activities (meal, exercise) have been performed. These confirmations are also registered in the memory and the person supervising the treatment can monitor them via the data transmission line.
• Fig. 3 shows schematically how the dosage unit 3 located inside the tube is lifted up to the operational position.
• the lower end of the dosage unit is positioned in the space below the top wall 9, the tube extending to this space as well.
• an alarm relating to the event of administration of the dose is given, and in connection with the alarm the data processing unit also gives an actuating command to a lifter 4 located in the lower end of the tube and touching the lower end of the injection pen, said lifter lifting the pen inside the tube so that the opposite end of the pen rises above the inlet opening of the tube.
• the lifter 4 is implemented by means of an eccentric attached to an electrically rotated shaft 8 with a quadratic cross-section.
• the lifter 4 is of such a type that it does not lock the pen in its place, but the lower end of the pen rests freely on top of said lifter, and the pen can be removed by tilting the container, wherein the pen slides out, or by removing the tube.
• the eccentrics are placed on the same shaft 8 at regular angular distances so that they face different directions, and the shaft always revolves a corresponding distance (i.e. in a device with four sockets at distances of 90°)
• the visual light indicator 2 connected to the dosage unit is placed inside the casing, in the lower end of the tube in such a manner that it directs light from the end of the tube to the wall of the tube.
• the tube functions as a light guide and conducts the light emitted by the indicator into view, wherein it can be seen at least in the upper end of the tube as a glowing, ring-like light.
• the indicator 2 can be composed for example of a series of light-emitting diodes located at the end of the tube. When the event of administration of the dose has been registered, the colour of the light-emitting diodes can change (for example from green to red), or other light-emitting diodes that are placed for this purpose below the tube and emit different kind of light are switched on. Furthermore, a text may appear on the display 5 indicating from which socket 1 (tube) the dosage unit 3 should be taken and the size of the respective dose, and for this purpose, the front wall may contain a letter or a number by each tube.
• the removal of the same is detected by means of a sensor, for example with a sensor marked with the reference numeral 7 in Fig. 3, such as a light cell, operating on the contactless principle, and thus the indicator 2 indicates that the dose has been taken and the time (date and time of day) the dose was taken is at the same time registered in the memory of the data processing unit of the device.
• the sensor 7 is located at a suitable height from the upper position of the supporting surface supporting the pen in the lifter 4, so that it can detect the removal of the pen from the socket when the pen transferred to the upper position by means of the lifter has been lifted away from the height of the observation area of the sensor 7.
• the person supervising the treatment such as a doctor, can monitor the times of administration of the doses.
• the injection pen must be removed for a predetermined period of time, so that mere lifting of the pen up and lowering it back down right thereafter would not be registered as an event of administration of the dose.
• Fig. 4 shows another alternative in which the eccentric functioning as a lifter 4 has a circular shape and it is fixed eccentrically (outside the centre of the circle) to the shaft 8. Due to the circular shape the height of the edge surface of the eccentric is increased and reduced evenly when the shaft is rotating. Also in this case the eccentrics may be placed on the same shaft 8 that rotates the eccentrics. Between the eccentric and the dosage unit there may be a separate supporting base 4a, the eccentric touching the lower surface of the base and the lower end of the dosage unit 3 resting on the upper surface of the base. Such a supporting base may be located in the tube and the lower end of the tube may contain a vertical recess, so that the eccentric may be in contact with the lower surface of the supporting base 4a located in the tube.
• eccentrics are placed on two shafts rotated with motors of their own in such a manner that the eccentrics are fixed to the same shaft in different angular positions.
• the selection of the shaft to be rotated and the direction of rotation of the same can be utilized to select the unit to be lifted up.
• shape of such eccentrics they can be of the type provided with a cam shown in Fig. 3, or they can be circular as shown in Fig. 4.
• Fig. 4 shows two eccentrics fixed on the same shaft 8 with an angular distance of 180° with respect to each other, seen in the longitudinal direction of the shaft.
• Fig. 5 shows a lifting mechanism which is an alternative to the eccentric shaft.
• the lifting mechanism contains a lifting element functioning as a lifter 4, which tapers upwards in such a manner that the walls facing the direction of propagation (direction of the reciprocating movement) of the same are inclined in a wedge-like manner (in the case shown in the figure also convex outwards).
• the lower end of the lifting element is fixed to a conveyor 12 moving the lifting element in steps below each socket 1 (lower end of the tube) in such a manner that this movement makes the dosage unit 3 in the tube rise to a position in which it can be removed from the tube.
• the data processing unit When the pre-programmed time and the time of the time measuring device match, the data processing unit thus gives an actuating command to the driving motor of the conveyor 12 in connection with the alarm relating to the administration of the dose, said driving motor being advantageously a step motor, and the conveyor moves a fixed distance so that the lifter 4 moves from the position off the lower end of the tube (shown with broken lines) directly underneath the tube.
• the lifting mechanism utilizes a separate plunger 13 with a conical lower end, the lower end of the dosage unit resting on the upper surface of the same, and the lifting action takes place when the surface of the lifting element and the conical surface of the plunger touch each other.
• the lifting element and the plunger 13 may be made of suitable plastic having a suitably low friction on its surface.
• the conveyor 10 can be moved electronically. In practice, the movement is implemented in such a manner that the conveyor 5 is a loop-like cogged belt. Both ends of the cogged belt contain a cogged wheel 14, one of them being advantageously coupled to a driving motor, which is advantageously a step motor.
• the lifting element moves back and forth in the upper section of the loop of the conveyor belt, between the cogged wheels 14.
• the return section of the loop in the conveyor 12 is located below the reciprocating path of motion of the lifting element, and thus the conveyor 10 occupies a small amount of space in the horizontal direction.
• the conveyor 12 can also be implemented as a sort of a conveyor screw that extends past and below the different sockets 1 and moves the lifter 4 while rotating, which lifter is equipped with a corresponding internal threading and fixed to a guide extending in the transfer direction so that said lifter does not rotate but moves in the direction of the conveyor screw.
• the transfer of the lifter may be implemented with a step motor which can be arranged as an extension for the conveyor screw in the end of the body module.
• this control device also contains several sockets 1 formed of tubes in a row, the lower ends of the sockets being shown. The tubes are fixed to a structure in the casing of the control device.
• the lifter 4) are placed in the bottom of the body casing of the control device.
• the plungers 13 can rest freely against the conveyor 12, and the height of the same with respect to the distances between the lower ends of the tubes and the conveyor 12 is such that their upper ends are located inside the tubes, so that they stand erect and are guided into the tubes during the lifting movement.
• the distance between the lower ends of the tubes and the conveyor 12 is such that the lifting element is capable of travelling underneath the tubes in the horizontal direction.
• the body module R containing the conveyor attached thereto may also be made of plastic.
• the propagating movement of the lifting element functioning as the lifter 4 may be implemented in such a manner that within the daily schedule the lifter travels according the programmed information and under the control of the clock device in one direction, to the point of location of each socket 1. It also stops by each socket for a certain period of time, wherein it keeps the dosage unit up.
• the last dosage unit of the daily schedule is lifted up for administration of the dose, it returns with one longer return movement back to the other end of the conveyor to a standby position in the vicinity of the first dosage unit of the day.
• the units therebetween are each lifted up temporarily and lowered down straight after that, and this is not inconvenient because these sudden rises and falls cannot be interpreted as a command for administration of a dose.
• the return movement can occur at a suitable time at night.
• Fig. 6 shows yet another lifting mechanism.
• the lifter 4 is formed by a supporting base 4a which is arranged to move directly upwards and downwards and a vertical rod attached in a torsionally rigid manner underneath said supporting base, said rod forming a conveyor screw 4b.
• the lower end of the dosage unit 3 rests on the supporting base 4a which is positioned in the lower end of the socket 1 in such a manner that it is incapable of rotating therein around the vertical axis.
• An electrically operating motor M is fixedly attached to the body of the device, below the supporting base, the conveyor screw 4b extending through an opening in the centre of the motor M.
• the opening is formed by a rotating part of the motor that is equipped with an inner threading, said part engaging the outer threading of the conveyor screw, thus making the screw move in the height direction while rotating, i.e. the power transmission changes the rotating movement into the linear movement of the vertical rod.
• a motor M is very efficient, but it does not occupy a great deal of space.
• Each lifter 4 has a motor of its own. When it is time to take a dose from a predetermined unit, the motor M connected to the respective lifter 4 is automatically started up to lift the lifter to the upper position. When the motor M is rotated to the opposite direction it is possible to lower the lifter 4 back to the lower position. It is also possible to use another kind of power transmission mechanism implemented with a vertical rod, by means of which the supporting base 4a can be made to move the necessary distance in the vertical direction to transfer the dosage unit to the upper position.
• the lifter 4 can be of another type as well, for example a plunger operating electrically by means of a magnetic coil, wherein the lifters of different sockets are not mechanically connected to each other. If it is desired that the injection pen can be removed at other times than the time set for administrating the dose, the lifter 4 can also be arranged to operate manually, for example mechanically by means of a control apparatus, or with a special press button.
• the tubes surrounding the injection pens may also be easily detachable from the casing, for example they can be screwed off. If the tube is fixed to the body casing by means of a screw thread, the outwards protruding portion of the tube can then be handily adjusted as well. In practice, however, it has been observed that the insulin injection pens of different manufacturers differ from each other very slightly in length, whereas in diameters the variation is greater.
• the function of the lifter 4 by the socket 1 is advantageously arranged in such a manner that when the indicator 2 has detected that the dose has been taken, the lifter 4 is transferred to a position corresponding to the lower position of the pen immediately or relatively soon after a delay time. This ensures the prevention of double injection, because the injection pen moves into the lower position after the dose has been taken, in which position the injection pen cannot be easily removed. Thus, in a situation when it is not the time to take the injection, all pens are in the lower position.
• the control device Despite of this prevention of double injection provided already by the structure of the control device, it is possible to arrange an alarm within a fixed, predetermined precautionary time from the moment of registering the administration (for example within 2 hours), if, however, some kind of an attempt is made to remove the same pen.
• the alarm of the device receives information from the sensor 7 detecting the removal of the pen, and the alarm can give an acoustically or visually different alarm, warning of the risk of double injection.
• the invention is not limited solely to tubes, but the sockets can be composed of one or several longitudinal supporting elements with another shape, said supporting elements extending in the height direction. It is for example possible to use several rib-like elements around the dosage unit 3.
• One supporting element with an open cross- section may also be sufficient for each socket, said supporting element being located in a sloping position in such a manner that the dosage unit 3 rests against the same and said supporting element may thus be shaped on the side of the dosage unit as a curved groove-like structure.
• the dosage unit can be removed without a lifter as well, but also in these cases it is possible to arrange a mechanical lifting movement in conjugation with the time of administering the dose, wherein, in addition to the visual indicator, said dosage unit 3 is at the same time distinguishable from the others.
• the supporting elements can be dimensioned in such a manner that in the normal position the upper ends of the dosage units remain below the upper end of the supporting element, and the lifter 4 lifts the upper end of the dosage unit 3 above the upper end of th element.
• Fig. 7 shows that all tubes or sockets 1 with another shape do not necessarily have to contain an injection pen, but the device can be programmed for a smaller number of different injection pens.
• the basic model is a device with four sockets, wherein the maximum number of injection pens is four.
• the connecting cable by means of which the device can be connected to a plug socket is marked with the reference numeral 11.
• one of the sockets is missing (a tube or a corresponding supporting element/elements has/have been released) and the hole remaining in the body casing is plugged.
• One of the sockets is also modified into a special seat for a portable injection pen provided with a control device of its own,. containing a sensor detecting the movement relating to the injection (e.g.
• the seat functions as a charger for the battery of the control device.
• the control device can be the device presented in the international publication W099/43283 that can be attached to the injection pen as a separate element and contains timer and alarm functions of its own.
• a charger possibility can be taken into account for example in such a manner that one hole in the body casing, in which the lower end of the dosage unit is located in normal use, is equipped with direct current contacts, which are otherwise covered by the tube fixed to the hole e.g. by means of screwing down, but which are coupled to the conductors of a fitting element attached in the hole to replace the tube, said conductors passing to the charging contacts of the fitting element.
• Fig. 4 shows how among three "operating" sections the one in the middle functions as a charger for the control device of a portable injection pen.
• the body casing is modified, the movements of the lifters 4 are of course programmed to occur according to the locations of those injection pens that can be lifted up.
• eccentrics located on the same shaft are used, the shaft 8 can revolve double a distance at the moment of operation, so that it is possible to pass by the empty (plugged) section or the section functioning as a charger.
• the dosage unit 3 contains medicament which must be taken at set times and in doses of particular size. Different dosage units 3 can contain different medicaments or the same medicament. Different medicaments may also be intended for treatment of different diseases. Thus, the invention can be applied in cases where the person in question uses two or more medicaments for the treatment of one or more diseases or ailments. Such medicaments are not necessarily injectable, but they can also be doses taken orally.
• the dosage unit can be a container containing medicinal preparations in a solid form, in solid pieces of particular size that correspond to a dose of fixed magnitude (e.g. mg of the active ingredient).
• the container may be for example a longitudinal container containing tablets or the like.
• Dosage instructions and the act of monitoring the administration of doses by means of the control device can thus be implemented in a similar manner as in the case of insulin, including the data transmission to an outside supervisor (e.g. doctor) and different alarm functions.
• Fig. 8 shows a top view of an entity composed of two body modules R. Both body modules comprise a lifter 4 reciprocating in the manner described in connection with Fig. 5 and a loop-like conveyor 10 of its own.
• the control device may contain two rows composed of several sockets, and underneath both rows there is a body module of its own. This is advantageous if the aim is to provide the device with two distinguished groups of sockets, wherein the first one can contain for example injection pens containing insulin that are intended for treatment of diabetes, and the second one dosage units containing other medicaments intended for the treatment of diabetes.
• Such a dosage unit containing other kind of medicinal substance than insulin can be for example a container containing medicinal preparations in a solid form, in solid pieces of particular size that correspond to a dose of fixed magnitude (e.g. mg of the active ingredient).
• the container may be for example a longitudinal container containing tablets or the like.
• the lifting mechanisms can be programmed to operate irrespective of each other, but it is also possible that the injection pen and the dosage unit containing other type of medicament are lifted up simultaneously, especially if it is appropriate for the treatment to take the insulin and the other medicament belonging to the treatment plan at the same time.
• Both conveyors 5 are transferred with a driving motor (step motor) of their own, which is marked with the letter M.
• the control device equipped with two rows can, of course, be used in connection with other lifting mechanisms as well.
• the lifters 4 located at the same point but in different rows may be programmed to operate simultaneously, if it is appropriate to take another medicament in connection with the injection.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Medical Informatics (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Bioinformatics & Cheminformatics (AREA)
• Infusion, Injection, And Reservoir Apparatuses (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (7)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=27241774

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 2001
  • 2001-08-03 EP EP20010954253 patent/EP1304990A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2001-08-03 AU AU2001276595A patent/AU2001276595A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-08-03 WO PCT/IB2001/001397 patent/WO2002013756A1/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events