GB2067531A

GB2067531A - Apparatus for presenting articles at a collection point at predetermined intervals of time

Info

Publication number: GB2067531A
Application number: GB8100413A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1980-01-22
Filing date: 1981-01-08
Publication date: 1981-07-30
Also published as: GB2067531B

Abstract

An apparatus for dispensing medicinal tablets at predetermined intervals of time consistes of compartments carried on a rotating disc and being formed from cylindrical sleeves slidably located in horseshoe openings formed in the periphery of the disc. The disc is caused to rotate at a constant speed of one revolution per day and tablets inserted in compartments correspond to the required dosage intake. The apparatus also includes a fixed dispensing station over which the compartments pass and includes a manually actuable trap door through which the tablets may be released when a compartment containing a tablet reaches the station. A visual signal indicates that the tablets should be released and administered to the user. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for presenting articles at a collection point at predetermined intervals of time The present invention relates to an apparatus for presenting a series of articles to a collection point at predetermined intervals of time.

The apparatus is especially useful for providing medicinal tablets or capsules at a dispensing point at predetermined dosing times.

A need has been identified for a means to provide medicinal tablets or capsules to a dispensing point at predetermined dosing times when a patient requiring the medication is under intermittent care, for example, and is likely otherwise either to forget to take the medication or to inadvertently take a double dose.

Accordingly, therefore, the present invention provides an apparatus for presenting a series of articles to a collection point at predetermined intervals of time, comprising; a carrier for the articles including a plurality of compartments therefor; means to move the carrier such that the compartments are caused to arrive sequentially at the collection point, and means to release an article from its compartment on arrival at the collection point.

Preferably the apparatus also transmits a visual and/or audible warning signal when a compartment containing an article arrives at the collection point.

The articles may be medicinal tablets or capsules and the collection point a dispensing point.

The carrier may be in the form of a disc mounted on a vertical axis and rotated by a constant speed timing motor. The compartments may be formed around the periphery of the wheel and the number of compartments and rate of rotation so arranged that the arrival of successive compartments over a fixed collection point is at fixed, for example hourly, intervals of time. The means to release the article may be manually operated and be in the form of a trapdoor located beneath the compartment at the collection point through which the article may pass into a convenient receptacle.

The compartments may be formed by cutting a series of horseshoe segments out of the circumference of the disc and locating open ended sleeves in the segments formed to cooperate with a base plate located immediately below the disc. Each sleeve preferably extends beyond the periphery of the disc to enable it to contact a device to trigger off the warning signal when a sleeve containing an article arrives at the collection point.

The invention will now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of the present invention in plan view, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a front elevation of the embodiment of Fig. 1, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a section through A-A of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, a dispenser for medicinal tablets or capsules consists of a housing 1 having an upper flat surface forming a base plate 2. A carrier disc 3 is mounted for rotation in the horizontal plane on a vertical spindle 4 driven by a constant speed timing motor (not shown) located within the housing 1. The disc 3 is mounted on a spindle to provide 2-3 mm clearance between it and the base plate 2. A series of 24 circular holes are formed in equispaced relationship around the circumference of the disc 3 on a line of centres concentric with the disc but at a distance from the circumference which is less than the radius of the holes, so that the circumference thereof intersects the circumference of the disc to provide a series of 24 horseshoe openings 5 having a length of 0.8 to 0.9 times the whole diameter.The openings are numbered to represent each hour of a day and the driving motor geared to rotate the disc at a speed of one revolution per twenty four hours.

The dispenser point, generally indicated at 10, includes a trapdoor 11 formed in the base plate 2 and pivoted by pivots 1 2 positioned along a line parallel to and adjacent one side 1 3 of the trapdoor 11. A receptacle 1 4 is located beneath the trapdoor.

A warning signal actuator consists of a spring loaded plunger 1 5 extending outwardly from its housing 1 6 towards disc 3 and is positioned on the base plate 2 at a point midway along the trapdoor 11.

Base plate 2 also includes an actuator element 6 for the trapdoor 11, the trapdoor being operated through a series of mechanical linkages (not shown), and two warning lights 7 which operate when plunger 1 5 is forced into its operative position.

A cover 17, lockable (by means now shown) extends over disc 3 and base plate 2 and includes an opening to allow actuation of element 6.

In order to load the disc with medicinal tablets or capsules, plain open ended thin, rigid cylindrical metal sleeves 8 are placed in the appropriate horseshoe openings 5 for the required dosage intervals (in Fig. 1, sleeves 8 are set for five, four hourly, doses with an eight hour gap between the first and last doses). The cylinders are a sliding fit in the horseshoe openings 5 and are able to move freely across base plate 2 as disc 3 is rotated.

A portion 8a of the cylinders projects outwardly beyond the periphery of the disc 3.

The tablets or capsules are then placed in the compartments formed by the sleeves 8 in cooperation with the base plate 2.

When a sleeve containing a tablet moves over the trapdoor 11 the projecting portion 8a of the sleeve forces the actuating plunger 1 5 into the housing 1 6 into its operative position thus causing the warning lights 7 to be illuminated indicating to the user that it is time to take the medication In order to release the tablet or capsule from the compartment into the receptacle 14, element 6 is depressed thus causing trapdoor 11 to open and allow the medication to pass through into the receptacle 1 4 from which it' can be subsequently removed.As trapdoor 1 T opens, side 1 3 thereof rises to contact the bottom of the sleeve 8 and cause it to rise above the plunger 1 5 thus allowing the plunger to resume its inoperative position and the warning light 7 to be extinguished (see Fig. 3).

If the element 6 is not pressed to release the medication as soon as the warning signals are iiluminated, or within a short space of time thereafter, rotation of the disc 3 moves the loaded sleeve 8 away from the trapdoor thus making the medication unavailable. At the same time warning signal 7 is extinguished as the movement of the sleeve allows the plunger 1 5 to return to its inoperative position.

A record of doses which have been taken during the twenty four hour period is available from a visual inspection of the sleeves.

In an alternative arrangement depression of the plunger 1 5 to cause illumination of the warning signal 7 can also act to cause the driving motor to stop at that time. The driving motor being restarted as soon as the medication is removed by depression of element 6 which in turn, causes sleeve 8 to release plunger 1 5 into its inoperative position.

Whilst such an arrangement ensures, so far as is practical, that the medication is taken, the time between successive doses may significantly exceed the predetermined period.

The warning signal 7 can be replaced or supplimented by an audible signal such as a bell or a buzzer.

Whilst the present invention has been described with particular reference to its use for dispensing medication, it can equally well bn utilised for presentation of a series of any relatively small articles at a collection point at predetermined intervals of time

Claims

1. An apparatus for presenting a series of articles sequentially to a fixed collection point at predetermined intervals of time, comprising; a carrier for the articles including a plurality of compartments therefor; means to move the carrier such that the compartments are caused to arrive sequentially at the collection point and means to release an article from a compartment upon arrival at the collection point.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a visual and/or audible warning signal actuated when a compartment containing an article for release reaches the collection point.

3. Apparatus according to claims 1 or 2 wherein the articles are medicinal tablets or capsules and the collection point is a dispensing point.

4. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the carrier is a disc mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane, the compartments are formed in an equispaced arrangement around the circumference thereof and the collection point is positioned for each of the said compartments to pass thereof in succession.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the means to rotate the disc is a constant speed timing motor.

6. Apparatus according to claims 4 or 5 wherein the disc is mounted above a flat plate extending beyond the circumference of the said disc, vertically aligned open ended sleeves being positioned around the circumference of the disc and co-operating with said plate to form the said compartments.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the said sleeves are slidably retained in openings formed in the circumference of the said disc.

8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 7 wherein the compartments containing the articles project outwardly from the carrier and the warning signal is actuated by a plunger located at the collection point and urged into an inoperative position by resilient means, that is forced against the said resilient means into the operative position by the said portion of the compartments projecting outwardly from the carrier when the said compartment arrives at the said collection point.

9. Apparatus according to any one of the proceeding claims wherein the means for releasing an article from its compartment comprises a trapdoor located below the compartment and actuable to release the article therefrom on arrival at the collection point.

1 0. Apparatus according to claim 9 as dependent on claims 6 or 7 or claim 8 as dependent on claims 6 or 7 wherein the said trapdoor is formed in the said flat plate.

11. Apparatus according to claims 9 or 10 wherein the said trapdoor is manually actuable in response to the warning signals.

1 2. Apparatus according to claim 10 or claim 11 wherein in addition to releasing an article, actuation of the trap door causes the said sleeve to move out of contact with the warning signal actuating the plunger thereby allowing the plunger to return to its inoperative position.

1 3. Apparatus for presenting a series of articles sequentially to a fixed collection point substantially as herein described with refer ence to the drawings.