EP3827802A1 - Holder device for medicaments - Google Patents

Abstract

A carrying device (1) is proposed for the simple, always accessible and also for third parties clearly visible to carry medication. For this purpose, it has a medicament container (5) which, together with an arm part (3), forms a loop (7) which can be comfortably worn on a person's arm, in particular near the wrist. In a preferred embodiment, the arm part (3) is detachably attached to the medicament container (5) so that the medicament container (5) and arm part (3) can be exchanged independently of one another. In particular, this makes it possible to store medication containers (5) for a certain period, e.g. B. one week to have in stock, so that the person wearing it, but also third parties such as caregivers, are immediately informed about the regular intake of a drug.

Description

The present invention relates to a carrier device for medicaments according to the preamble of claim 1.

Many people have to take medication according to a predetermined regimen. In order to ensure regular intake, containers are known which, for. B. are labeled with the days of the week and contain subjects for certain times of the day, z. B. morning, noon, evening. However, because of their size, such containers are not advantageous when traveling. Even during longer activities outside the house or in the event of unforeseen obstacles to returning to the normal place of residence, it can happen that the medication is not available because the container was not carried with you. In the context of the present application, medication in solid form is to be thought in particular, that is, in addition to powder or granular forms of administration, in particular tablets, which offer the advantage of being able to easily determine a predetermined dose by means of the number. Tablets are also easier to handle. Last but not least, fractional dosing by dividing is also possible.

For emergencies outside the home, the suggests US-A-2014/117060 (Colone) proposed to provide recesses in a bracelet to hold a drug. The wells are closed with caps. The bracelet itself is either flexible so that it can be stretched over the hand, or stiff, but then with a gap or something similar for the same purpose. The device is intended to be worn on the wrist. The wearer herself has easy access to the medication at all times, but in an emergency, rescue workers can easily discover the medication and have access.

However, this device is not suitable for carrying medication to be taken regularly with you. For this it would be necessary to provide an easy interchangeability or a simple refilling of the medication.

Another aspect is to help people who cannot reliably think about taking medication themselves, e.g. B. a daily dose, or the next doses in such a way that third parties can check with little effort whether and which dose has been taken or still has to be taken. Finally, such a device should also be associated with low costs.

One object of the present invention is therefore to provide a carrying device for medication in solid form, which is better suited for carrying medication in solid form, in particular in tablet form, which must be taken according to a predetermined regime.

Such a device is specified in claim 1. The further claims indicate preferred embodiments.

• Geringere Kosten: Dank modularem Aufbau wird für die tägliche Dosis nur ein Teil der Tragvorrichtung mehrfach benötigt.
• Grössere Flächen für eine deutliche, augenfälligere Markierung, für welchen Zeitraum die jeweilige Dosis vorgesehen ist.
• Erinnerungswirkung: Der Tragvorrichtung kann besser angesehen werden, ob die vorgesehene Dosis eingenommen worden ist bzw. zur Einnahme wie geplant mitgeführt wird, und zwar sowohl durch die betreffende Person selbst wie auch durch Dritte wie Pflegepersonen.
• Bessere Anpassbarkeit an Verabreichungsformen.

One or more of the following advantages can additionally be achieved through the various embodiments or also the carrying device according to the invention in general.

• Lower costs: Thanks to the modular structure, only part of the carrying device is required several times for the daily dose.
• Larger areas for a clearer, more conspicuous marking for which period the respective dose is intended.
• Reminder effect: it is easier to see from the carrying device whether the intended dose has been taken or is being carried along for taking as planned, both by the person concerned and by third parties such as caregivers.
• Better adaptability to forms of administration.

A fundamental property of the carrying device is that it can be exchanged easily. The simplest measure for this is to equip the carrying device, which is designed to be worn on the wrist, with an arm part which has the basic shape of a loop for looping around the wrist or arm, which has at least one fastener. The closure allows the arm part to be separated or at least extended to such an extent that the carrying device can easily be stripped off or removed.

In a preferred embodiment, the closure is designed such that the arm part is designed to be detachable from a container for receiving the medicament. More preferably, the arm part is detachably attached to the opposite boundaries of the medicament container. This embodiment offers the advantage that the carrying device can not only be easily removed, but the medication container can also be exchanged. It can thus z. B. for each day a different, pre-filled drug container can be used in the carrying device.

Conversely, the arm part can also be retained or replaced so that, for. B. a higher quality or more aesthetically sophisticated arm part can be used depending on the occasion. On the one hand, a filled medication container can therefore be inserted into the carrying device for each intake period and carried along by the wearer without additional effort for arm parts. On the other hand, depending on your preference, only the arm part can be adapted to your needs. With a reduced financial outlay, a higher variability and better support for the regular intake of medication is achieved.

Figur 1

Vorderansicht auf eine erste Ausführungsform der Tragvorrichtung;

Figur 2

Rückansicht auf die Tragvorrichtung gemäss Figur 1;

Figur 3

Ansicht wie Figur 1, Medikamentenbehälter geöffnet;

Figur 4

Seitliche Ansicht des Medikamentenbehälters, vergrössert, Armteil abgenommen;

Figur 5

Schnitt durch die Tragvorrichtung in der Ebene der Schlaufe des Armteils;

Figur 6

Ansicht ähnlich Figur 3 auf eine zweite Ausführungsform der Tragvorrichtung mit anders aufgeführtem Medikamentenbehälter;

Figur 7

Schnitt durch Tragvorrichtung gemäss Figur 6 in der Ebene der Schlaufe des Armteils;

Figur 8

Seitenansicht auf eine verbundene Anordnung von zwei Tragvorrichtungen;

Figur 9

Anordnung gemäss Figur 8: Zwischenzustand beim Zusammenfügen bzw. Zerlegen;

Figur 10

Schnitt durch die Anordnung von Tragvorrichtungen gemäss Figur 8 durch die Mitte der Medikamentenbehälter und senkrecht zur Schlaufe der Armteile;

Figur 11

Seitenansicht auf eine Ausführungsform der Tragvorrichtung;

Figur 12

Ansicht von hinten auf die Tragvorrichtung gemäss Figur 11;

Figur 13

Ansicht wie Figur 11, Medikamentenbehälter geschlossen;

Figur 14

Bewegungsablauf des Anbringens eines Armteilendes am Medikamentenbehälter am Beispiel der Tragvorrichtung gemäss Figur 11.

The invention is to be further explained using preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the figures.

Figure 1

Front view of a first embodiment of the support device;

Figure 2

Rear view of the carrying device according to Figure 1 ;

Figure 3

View like Figure 1 , Medicine container opened;

Figure 4

Lateral view of the medication container, enlarged, arm part removed;

Figure 5

Section through the support device in the plane of the loop of the arm part;

Figure 6

View similar Figure 3 to a second embodiment of the carrying device with a medicine container listed differently;

Figure 7

Section through the support device according to Figure 6 in the plane of the loop of the arm part;

Figure 8

Side view of a connected arrangement of two support devices;

Figure 9

Arrangement according to Figure 8 : Intermediate state when joining or dismantling;

Figure 10

Section through the arrangement of supporting devices according to Figure 8 through the center of the drug container and perpendicular to the loop of the arm parts;

Figure 11

Side view of an embodiment of the support device;

Figure 12

Rear view of the support device according to Figure 11 ;

Figure 13

View like Figure 11 , Medicine container closed;

Figure 14

Sequence of movements for attaching an arm part end to the medication container using the example of the carrying device according to FIG Figure 11 .

An exemplary carrying device 1 comprises an arm part 3 and a medicament container 5. The medicament container 5 and arm part 3 together form a loop 7 of a size that allows the carrying apparatus 1 to be worn on a person's arm, in particular near the wrist. The diameter of the loop 7 is therefore for adults in the range 5-10 cm. Applications for children up to newborns require correspondingly smaller diameters. The arm part 3 is preferably made of flexible material or has a flexible or movable construction, such as a chain or a link belt. For removal, the arm part 3 can contain a lock which enables the arm part 3 to be completely separated or just extended in order to expand the diameter of the loop 7 to such an extent that the carrying device can be stripped off. Such closures or extension devices are known to those skilled in the field of jewelry or wristwatches and are therefore not shown in the figures, but a possible arrangement 8 is shown in FIG Fig. 1 indicated.

The arm part 3 is connected to the medicament container 5 by means of two connecting devices 9. These connecting devices 9 are preferably designed in such a way that the arm part 3 can be removed from the medicament container 5. This function can also replace the lock mentioned above.

As in Figure 4 As shown, the connecting device 9 comprises a receptacle 11 on the side of the medication container 5, which is designed here as a female part of a bayonet or bayonet connection and has a circular cross-section to allow the necessary rotary movement of the male part (see below). Characteristic for this are the two essentially L-shaped grooves 15 in the circumference of the receptacle 11. The ends 9 of the arm part 3 (see FIG Figure 5 ) are provided with sleeves 17, in the front end 19 of which a pin 21 protruding on both sides is arranged. The protruding ends of the pin 21 are intended to be inserted into the grooves 15 of the receptacle 11 and to be secured therein by twisting, which results in a secure connection of the arm part 3 to the medicament container 5.

Since the arm parts 3 are designed to be movable (flexible), the sleeves 17 can be fixedly attached to the ends 16. However, a rotatable fastening is also conceivable, or the end 16 of the arm part 3 can be equipped directly with the pin 21.

If the carrying device is worn, that is to say is on an arm of a wearer, the arm part 3 is prevented from rotating in relation to the medicament container 5 by the arm in the loop 7. The medicament container 5 preferably also rests on the arm, so that it can only be rotated with respect to the arm part 3 by overcoming a resistance. An attachment of the pin 21 to the arm part 3, which cannot be rotated in this state or can only be rotated against adequate resistance, therefore leads to adequate security against the carrying device falling off unintentionally, especially when the arm part 3 can only be rotated to a limited extent. Link bracelets and essentially rod-shaped, essentially one-piece arm parts, bent to a predetermined shape and made of a flexible material (plastic), show resistance to twistability. Such a carrying device can be removed by opening the above-mentioned lock located in the arm part, or by loosening one of the connecting devices 9 with an appropriate force.

Figure 1 shows a front view of the medicament container 5, which has a rib 23 in its front wall, on the front edge of which a thickening 25 is formed. Complementary to this is on the rear wall 27 of the medication container 5 ( Figure 2 ) a groove 29 is present, at the bottom of which there is a corresponding recess (not shown) complementary to the thickening 25. It is thus possible to connect two carrying devices 1 by pushing the rib 23 of one medicament container 5 into the groove 29 of the other medicament container 5 in order to obtain a carrying apparatus with two medicament containers. In this way it is possible to flexibly adapt the carrying device 1 to the amount of medication to be carried by combining two or more individual carrying devices. One advantage here is that each medication container is part of a carrying device, so that even if the connection between the medication containers is broken, it is ensured that the medication containers remain on the arm of the wearer.

Figure 3 shows the medicament container 5 with the lid 31 open. The medicament container 5 is set up here, two tablets 33 (see FIG Figure 5 ) to record. A displaceable cover 35 is arranged under the cover 31, but above the tablets 33, so that only one of the two tablets 33 is directly accessible. This makes it possible to use only one of the two tablets 33 z. B. can be found by shaking or tilting the drug container.

Figures 6 and 7 show a variant of the carrying device 1 in which the medicament container 5 is set up to hold four tablets 39, each of which is encased in a blister pack.

Figures 8 to 10 show, in a three-dimensional front view and in a section perpendicular through the plane of the loops 7 and the medicament containers 3, an arrangement 43 of two interconnected carrying devices 1a, 1b as described above. In the following, the individual carrying devices are, if necessary, with "a" and "b" marked. The in Figure 8 Carrying device 1 located at the front carried out according to the carrying device described first, specifically with regard to the medicament container 5. The carrying device 1 located at the rear, in FIG Figure 10 on the right, is on the other hand according to the alternative Figures 6 and 7 educated. This is clearly visible in the Figure 9 which shows how the medicine containers 5 are connected to one another by partially inserting the rib 23 of the rear medicine container 5a into the groove 29 of the front medicine container 5b. In Fig. 10 the right container 5 is empty, and the front end 64 of the arm part 3 can be seen in the recess 11.

Figures 11-13 show an alternative embodiment of the means for connecting the medicament containers 5. Here, the connection is carried out by a relative movement perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the medicament containers 5, while it was carried out by means of rib 23 and groove 29 in the longitudinal direction of the medicament container. Here, two webs 53 are formed on one side wall 51, which extend essentially from the removal opening 55, that is to say the upper edge 56 of the side wall 51, to the lower edge 59 of the side wall 51. Preferred, and as well as in Figures 11-13 shown, they do not cover this entire distance, but only part of it, e.g. B. at most 80% or at most 60%.

On top of the webs 53, that is to say at a distance from the wall 51, essentially rounded V-shaped structures 63 are formed, the legs 65 of the structures 63 spreading downwards towards the lower edge 59.

In the opposite side wall, the rear wall 69, keyhole grooves 71 are formed with a T-shaped cross section. The keyhole grooves 71 are shaped in such a way that the structures of web 53 and V-shaped structure 63 can be inserted into them on the front side 51.

Since the relative movement of the medicament containers 5 for the connection provision according to FIG Figures 11-13 takes place radially to the loop 7, while in the previous embodiment according to FIG Figures 1-10 takes place tangentially to the loop, this connection is secured to a greater extent against loosening if an arrangement of two or more carrying devices 1 is located on the arm of a wearer.

It is conceivable to arrange the V-shaped structures 63 the other way round, that is to say that their legs 65 point towards the removal opening 55. This facilitates the introduction into the T-slots 71. On the other hand, when loosening each other there is a Spreading effect for the legs 65, especially if the side walls of the transverse groove of the T-grooves 71 are rough or even toothed. It is also conceivable for the T-slots 71 to be open to the removal opening 55 or, in addition to this, to be open to the lower edge 59. In order to achieve precise positioning, i.e. preferably with an aligned removal opening 55 and an equally aligned lower edge 59 because of the wearing comfort, elevations or depressions or other known means can be formed on the front and rear side walls 51, 69. to achieve a surmountable snap-in effect in the optimal position.

In the Figures 11-13 a cover 31 is not shown for reasons of clarity. It is to be attached in such a way that it does not close the upwardly open slots 71 or at least allows access in one position. For this purpose, the cover can have recesses on the rear edge so that it allows the V-shaped structures 63 to be introduced into the T-grooves 71 in the closed state. However, other measures are also conceivable, e.g. B. two in instead of the removal opening 55 arranged, displaceable covers which can be pushed over one another in order to make one or the other half of the interior of the medicament container 5 accessible.

Figure 14 shows three different situations of coupling a front end 19 to a medicament container 5 as a prototype. Figure 14a shows the end 19 still spaced from the side wall 77 to which the end 19 is to be coupled. By turning the end 19, the pin 21 is already brought into the position that allows it to be inserted into the openings 79 of the grooves 15 (see FIG Figure 4 ) of the female part of the bayonet catch. In Figure 14b the end 19 is inserted into the receptacle 11, but still in the rotated position according to FIG Figure 14a . In Figure 14c the end is finally rotated by 90 °, clockwise in the figure, as a result of which the pin 21 (not visible here) is rotated towards the end of the groove 15 and strikes against this end.

• Ausführung des Medikamentenbehälters 5 in verschiedensten Materialien, wie Kunststoff (bevorzugt, da preiswert und pflegeleicht), aber auch sonstige gängige Materialien wie Metalle, Legierungen.
• Das Armteil 3 kann aus Kunststoff, Metall, Holz oder anderem Material bestehen. Bei steifen Materialien ist eine mechanisch flexible Struktur bevorzugt, z. B. Kette, Gliederarmband. Insbesondere können auch aus ästhetischen Gründen wertvolle Materialien wie Edelmetalle in Betracht gezogen werden.
• Der Medikamentenbehälter kann sich auch aus zwei oder mehr Medikamentenbehältern zusammensetzen, die fest oder auch lösbar miteinander verbunden sind, z. B. über Vorkehrungen wie für das Kombinieren zweier Tragvorrichtungen beschrieben (siehe Figuren 8-12). Eine solche lösbare Verbindung innerhalb des Medikamentenbehälters kann auch den Verschluss der Tragvorrichtung darstellen.
• Der Medikamentenbehälter kann zum Mitführen anderer, kleinvolumiger Bedarfsgegenstände ausgebildet sein.
• Das Nutzvolumen des Medikamentenbehälters beträgt höchstens 10 ml, mit steigender Bevorzugung höchstens 7, 5, 3, 2 und mindestens 0,5 ml, bevorzugt mindestens 1 ml (1 ml = 1 cm³).
• Für die Anbindung des Armteilendes 19 an den Medikamentenbehälter 5 wird ein anderer Mechanismus oder ein anderes Prinzip eingesetzt. Denkbar sind Klemmkupplung, Schwalbenschwanzkupplung, z. B. mit hinterschnittener oder T-förmiger Nut in der Wand des Medikamentenbehälters mit einem entsprechenden Gegenstück am Armteilende zum Einschieben von der Seite oder von oben in die Wand des Medikamentenbehälters 5. Zum Verhindern eines selbständigen Lösens kann die Führungsnut mit einer passenden Massnahme ausgestattet sein, z. B. einer Verengung, die ein Herausnehmen des Kupplungsteils am Armteilende nur unter angemessenem Kraftaufwand gestattet. Eine andere Möglichkeit ist der Einsatz einer Magnetkupplung, z. B. durch Vorsehen eines Magneten am Armteilende 19 und ein magnetisch anziehbares Material in oder auf der Vorderwand des Medikamentenbehälters. "Magnetisch anziehbar" umfasst dabei magnetisierbares Material wie auch magnetisiertes Material.
• Es ist mehr als ein Medikamentenbehälter in der Tragvorrichtung vorhanden, z. B. aneinander in Umfangsrichtung anliegend, oder auf eine Art über den Umfang verteilt.

Numerous modifications and additions are accessible to the person skilled in the art from the preceding description without departing from the scope of protection of the invention, which is defined by the claims. In particular, it is conceivable:

• Execution of the medication container 5 in a wide variety of materials, such as plastic (preferred because it is inexpensive and easy to care for), but also other common materials such as metals, alloys.
• The arm part 3 can be made of plastic, metal, wood or other material. For rigid materials, a mechanically flexible structure is preferred, e.g. B. chain, Link bracelet. In particular, valuable materials such as precious metals can also be considered for aesthetic reasons.
• The drug container can also be composed of two or more drug containers that are firmly or detachably connected to one another, e.g. B. on precautions as described for combining two carrying devices (see Figures 8-12 ). Such a releasable connection within the medicament container can also represent the closure of the carrying device.
• The medication container can be designed to carry other, small-volume articles of daily use.
• The usable volume of the medicament container is at most 10 ml, with increasing preference at most 7, 5, 3, 2 and at least 0.5 ml, preferably at least 1 ml (1 ml = 1 cm ³ ).
• A different mechanism or a different principle is used for the connection of the arm part end 19 to the medication container 5. Clamping couplings, dovetail couplings, e.g. B. with an undercut or T-shaped groove in the wall of the medication container with a corresponding counterpart at the end of the arm part for insertion from the side or from above into the wall of the medication container 5. To prevent it from loosening by itself, the guide groove can be equipped with a suitable measure, z. B. a constriction that allows removal of the coupling part at the end of the arm part only with reasonable effort. Another possibility is to use a magnetic coupling, e.g. B. by providing a magnet on the arm part end 19 and a magnetically attractable material in or on the front wall of the drug container. "Magnetically attractable" includes magnetizable material as well as magnetized material.
• There is more than one medication container in the carrier, e.g. B. abutting one another in the circumferential direction, or distributed in some way over the circumference.

Claims (9)

Comprising a portable carrying device (1) on the arm of a person, preferably close to the wrist - A container (5) for receiving at least one medicament in solid form, - A lid for opening and closing the container, the lid being movably mounted on the container so that the medicament can be removed while the carrying device is on the arm, - an arm part (3) which when worn on the arm together with the container (5) forms a closed loop (7) running around the arm, and - releasable connecting means (21, 29), in order to be able to remove the carrying device from the arm, in at least one of the following locations: - In the arm part, so that the arm part can be divided and extended, and - Between the container (5) and arm part (2), so that the arm part can be removed from the container (5). Carrying device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that further connecting means (23, 25, 29; 53, 63, 71) for releasably connecting a further container (5) of a further carrying device (1) to the containers (5) of the carrying device and the further support device are present. Carrying device according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that at least one longitudinal side of the container (5) has a component of the further connecting means (23, 25, 29; 53, 63, 71), preferably both longitudinal sides each have a component of the further connecting means (23, 25, 29; 53, 63, 71). Carrying device according to claim 3, characterized in that one longitudinal side of the container (5) has a first (23, 25; 53, 63) of the components of the further connecting means and the opposite longitudinal side has a second component (29; 71) of the further connecting means, so that by connecting the first and second component to two containers, the two containers can be connected to one another, Carrying device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the first component (23, 25; 53, 63) of the further connecting means comprises at least one projection (23; 53) and the second component (29, 71) of the further connecting means at least a recess (29; 71) comprises. Carrying device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the arm part (3) is releasably attached to the container (5) at two opposite two ends (19) by means of the releasable connecting means (21, 29), preferably by means of a bayonet bracket each. or magnetic connection, the same or different connections being present at the two ends Carrying device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the releasable connecting means comprise at least one separating fastener arranged within the arm part for separating the arm part or comprise a fastener which can be extended in order to be able to slip the carrying device over the hand Carrying device according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the container has at least one of the following features: - a curved back; - Beveled narrow sides approaching a radial alignment to the loop (7); - Container (5) is a rectangular box with essentially rigid walls; - The bottom of the container (5) has at least one partition to form compartments; the capacity of the container is at least 0.5 cm ³ , preferably at least 1 cm ³ and at most 10 cm ³ or, with increasing preference, 7, 5, 3 or 2 cm ³ ; - The container (5) has a lid (31) which is slidable or hinged to allow access to the contents, and is preferably formed in several parts; - The container (5) has, in addition to an outer cover (31), an intermediate cover located underneath, which is accessible after opening the outer cover; Carrying device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the arm part (3) is designed to be flexible, preferably as one of: - Rod-shaped, bent part made of a rubber-elastic plastic; - link bracelet, - chain bracelet, - woven bracelet, and - Bracelet made from a natural material.

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