NL2028765B1 - Device for filling a medicine-unit container for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, assembly of such device and a container and method for cleaning such device - Google Patents

Device for filling a medicine-unit container for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, assembly of such device and a container and method for cleaning such device Download PDF

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Publication number
NL2028765B1
NL2028765B1 NL2028765A NL2028765A NL2028765B1 NL 2028765 B1 NL2028765 B1 NL 2028765B1 NL 2028765 A NL2028765 A NL 2028765A NL 2028765 A NL2028765 A NL 2028765A NL 2028765 B1 NL2028765 B1 NL 2028765B1
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NL
Netherlands
Prior art keywords
container
medicine
holder
units
support
Prior art date
Application number
NL2028765A
Other languages
Dutch (nl)
Inventor
Raymond Bijlsma Dennis
Original Assignee
Dd Innovations B V
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Dd Innovations B V filed Critical Dd Innovations B V
Priority to EP22177897.0A priority Critical patent/EP4174807A3/en
Priority to JP2022097277A priority patent/JP2023001402A/en
Priority to CA3164210A priority patent/CA3164210A1/en
Priority to US17/844,277 priority patent/US20220401307A1/en
Priority to AU2022204304A priority patent/AU2022204304A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of NL2028765B1 publication Critical patent/NL2028765B1/en

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F11/00—Coin-freed apparatus for dispensing, or the like, discrete articles
    • G07F11/72—Auxiliary equipment, e.g. for lighting cigars, opening bottles
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/0092—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B2210/00—Specific aspects of the packaging machine
    • B65B2210/06—Sterilising or cleaning machinery or conduits

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Medical Preparation Storing Or Oral Administration Devices (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for filling a medicine—unit container for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, comprising a support for the container, adapted to fix the position of the container relative to the device and limit a movement of the container relative to the device and at least one movable push element, such as a rod or pin, operable relative to the support, for pushing an unlocking element of a container supported by the device.

Description

Device for filling a medicine-unit container for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, assembly of such device and a container and method for cleaning such device The present invention relates to a device for filling a medicine-unit container for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, an assembly of such device and a container, and a method for cleaning such device.
Medicine-unit containers are used in a medicine unit dispensing devices, that dispense medicines for composing customized medicine packages for people requiring a specific medicine combination of medicines. The dispensing devices may comprise numerous containers with different medicine-units, in some cases more than one thousand different medicine units and thus more than one thousand different medicine-units, During use, the containers must be refilled to assure availability of all medicine-units at all times, and this process is often done manually. The container may be taken out of the medicine unit dispensing device and access to its contents is provided, for instance by removing a lid of the container. Then, new medicine-units are added, and the container is used again.
This process of refilling introduces the risk of adding wrong medicine-units into a container. A wrong medicine may be a medicine with different active compounds or purpose, but also a different dose than intended may lead to harm of patients. ft is a goal of the present invention to provide a solution for the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art, or at least to provide a useful alternative to the prior art.
The invention thereto proposes a device for filling a medicine-unit container for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, configured to enable opening or to open a container that is designed such that it requires tooling to be opened. The container may for instance have a lock for this purpose. The lock may comprise a hook or a blockage that must be removed before the container can be opened and opening the container may for instance comprise opening a lid thereof. The hook or blockage may be biased to a preferred locked position by a mechanical force such as a spring force. it may be possible to reach an unlocked or opened position by exerting a mechanical force on a (part of) the device, but an electric or magnetic actuation of the lock are also thinkable, for instance by magnetically removing a ferro-magnetic part from a locking position. The device for filling a medicine-unit container according to the invention may thereto comprise either mechanical, magnetic or electric means for moving a lock for a lid of a medicine-unit container from its locked to an unlocked state. Preferably the container is as simple as possible while more complex technology is in the device for filling.
in a preferred embodiment the invention proposes a device for filling a medicine-unit container for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, comprising a support for the container, adapted to fix the position of the container relative to the device and limit a movement of the container relative to the device, at least one movable push element, such as a rod or pin, operable relative to the support, for pushing an unlocking element of a container supported by the device.
The support may be arranged to carry a bottom side of the container, but it may also grip or enclose the container at side walls thereof.
Such mechanic solution and embodiment allow to keep the container construction very simple and thus robust and easy to manufacture.
In general, it provides the advantage that containers can be used with a reduced risk of mixing up medicine-units and filling a container with wrong contents.
The support may comprise a support surface for placing the container thereon, and the at least one movable push element may be movable at a distance in a direction perpendicular to the support surface with at least one directional component in a plane parallel to the support surface.
This is beneficial when the container is an elongate container having a bottom surface on which it can be supported and a lid forming a top surface at a vertical distance from the bottom surface.
Opening the Hd may be enabled by pushing a predetermined part of the container, for instance at a side wall thereof.
However, the pushing operation may — depending on the container configuration — also take place from the top side of the container in a downward direction.
The device according to the invention may comprise at least two displaceable pushing elements which can be displaced with at least one directional component towards each other.
This way they can clamp the container and push one or more engaging surfaces of the container, to enable opening the lid.
The device according to the invention may comprising a limiter for movement of the container relative to the support surface in a direction parallel to that of the support surface and/or a limiter for rotation of the container relative to the support surface.
Such limiter may in particular be designed such that there is only one way to mount a specific container designed and/or intended for cooperation with the device according to the invention.
An asymmetric profile may be applied on both the device and the container.
This also ensures that the container lid opens in an intended direction and that the push element encounters the unlocking element of a container supported by the device.
The invention further relates to a device as described above, comprising a reader for a machine- readable identifier such as a barcode, a magnetic code, an RFID or a chip, in particular an identifier of a container or of a package with medicine-units.
Such reader allows the device to verify what container is supported and to base further actions on information read from for instance the information read from a container. The reader may be used for multiple purposes, for instance also for reading details from a refill package of medicine units, and even from a badge or card an employee that wants to operate the device according to the invention. The device according to the invention may also comprise multiple readers, which may be integrated or externally coupled. For instance, a (bar code) reader may be coupled to the device for reading a code on a refill package of medicine units. Making use of multiple readers provides the advantage that a simultaneous scan can be required, increasing the devices protection against wrong use.
The device according to the invention may comprise a data processing unit for processing data read from an identifier of a container and data read from an identifier of a package with medicine-units. Such data processing unit may also be arranged for comparing the identifiers and disabling movement of the pusher or a magnetic or electric equivalent if a first predetermined condition applies and enabling a movement of the pushing element if a second predetermined condition applies.
In a further embodiment, the device according to the invention comprises at least one supply device for supplying ionized air to a placed container. lonized air has the effect that it ensures that medicine dust particles, that arise from accidental breaking or medicine-unit sanding along, can be removed better. lonization involves shooting negatively charged ions into the air to change the charge of positively charged particles. Negatively charged ions may attract dust, which causes the particles to weigh down and fall to the bottom. This way they end up on the bottom can be extracted better. This ionized air may be produced by means of special nozzles blown into the container by a movement from top to bottom. The device according to the invention may therefore comprise a guide or carrier to support the nozzles. The ionized air may be targeted at specific places such as the walls of the container, and so push the particles downwards. This may be done for instance for approximately five seconds.
There may be a simultaneous suction of air applied from the bottom of the container through its admission opening. This will remove the particles present in the container and discharge them in a vacuum cleaner. Such vacuum cleaner may be provided with a medical hepa filter.
The container may be provided with an interior that enables guidance of medicine-units from the receiving opening to the dispensing opening. Such guidance may comprise a rotational part in the container which is configured to be driven by an external drive means. The device according to the invention may be configured to drive such rotational part during the application of ionized air and/or suction of air. This way, cross-contamination of medicine units is avoided in the machine according to the invention.
It may be provided with an air discharge or extraction device, for discharging air from a placed container and a drive device for driving an interior part present in a placed container.
It may further comprise a funnel movable between a position in which it enables opening of a lid of a container placed on the support and a position in which it disables opening of a lid of a container placed on the support.
Such funnel may in particular be used when filling a container with special medicines, that have to be added one by one.
The invention also relates to an assembly of a device as described above and a container for medicine-units such as pills, tablets or parts thereof, which container is intended for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, and: - A container body comprising a space surrounded by walls for holding a number of medicine-units, the container body provided with at least one: - admission opening for the medicine-units; and at feast one - dispensing opening for the medicine-units; and - Comprising a valve for the receiving opening, which is movable between an open position for supplying medicine-units and a closed position for closing the container, the valve being lockable with the container at least in the closed position, wherein the container comprises an element to be pushed towards the inside of the container for unlocking the valve, and wherein the at least one pushing element of the device is adapted for forcing the element to be pushed towards the inside of the container to the inside of the container.
The invention will now be elucidated into more detail with reference to the following figures, wherein: - Figure 1 shows a device according to the invention and a container for medicine-units; - Figure 2 shows an assembly of the device and container from figure 1; - Figure 3 shows a detailed view of a device according to the invention supporting a container; and - Figure 4 shows a device according to the invention.
Figure 1 shows a device 1 according to the invention and a container 2 for medicine-units.
The device 1 comprises a support 3 for the container, adapted by means of pins 4 to fix the position of the container 2 relative to the device 1 and limit a movement of the container 2 relative to the device 1. The device 1 comprises two movable push elements 5, 6, formed by pins, operable relative to the support 3, for pushing an unlocking element 7, 8 of a container 2 supported by the device 1. Push elements 5, 6 are movable at a distance D in a direction perpendicular to the support surface 3 with at least one directional component P+ and P- respectively in a plane parallel to the support surface 3.
The term directional component is known in the art, but for the sake of completeness insert A shows that vector V has a directional component H in the height direction and a directional component Lin a length direction, wherein the Length and Height directions are perpendicular. “Having a directional component” in a certain direction means having such component with a length different than 0.
5 As can be seen in the figure, the assembly of the device 1 and the container 2 comprise cooperating positioning elements for allowing the container to be received by the support only in a unique mutual manner relative to each other. For every pen 4 on the support surface there is a corresponding cavity 9 in the container. The device 1 has an operating member 10 for operating the push elements 5 and 6 and a funnel 11 movable between a first position (shown) in which it enables opening of a lid 12 of a container 2 placed on the support and a second position (shown in figure 2) in which it disables opening of a lid 12 of a container 2 placed on the support 3. Figure 2 shows an assembly of the device 1 and container 2 from figure 1, wherein the funnel 12 is moved in a direction B by means of rotation, from the first position to the second position. The lid 12 of container 2 is in its open position and the container can be filled once the funnel is in the second position. Figure 3 shows a detailed view of a device 1 according to the invention supporting a container 2 wherein the funnel is completely in the container 2. The container 2 is provided with a machine- readable identifier 14 for information about medicine to be placed in the container. Figure 4 shows a device 1 according to the invention, comprising nozzles 15 for supplying ionized air to the receiving opening 16 of the container 2 and extracting means 17 for extracting air from the discharge opening 18 of the container 2. The container 2 is provided with a movable portion (not visible) for moving medicine-units from the space for holding the medicine-units to the dispensing opening and the device 1 comprises drive means 13 (visible in figure 1) for moving and in particular rotating the movable portion. The examples given above are exemplary only and in no sense limit the scope of protection as defined by the following claims.

Claims (15)

ConclusiesConclusions 1. Inrichting voor het vullen van een houder voor medicijn-eenheden voor gebruik in een medicatie-eenheden-afgifte-apparaat, omvattende: - Een ondersteuning voor de houder, ingericht voor het ten opzichte van de inrichting vastleggen van de positie van de houder en het begrenzen van een beweging van de houder ten opzichte van de inrichting; - Ten minste één ten opzichte van de ondersteuning bedienbaar verplaatsbaar duwelement zoals een staaf of pin, voor het induwen van een ontgrendeling van een door de inrichting ondersteunde houder.CLAIMS 1. Device for filling a container for medicine units for use in a medication unit dispensing device, comprising: - a support for the container, adapted to record the position of the container relative to the device, and limiting a movement of the holder relative to the device; - At least one movable pushing element, such as a bar or pin, that can be operated relative to the support, for pushing in an unlocking of a container supported by the device. 2. Inrichting volgens conclusie 1, waarbij de ondersteuning een steunvlak omvat voor het daarop plaatsen van de houder, en het ten minste ene verplaatsbare duwelement op een afstand in een richting loodrecht op het steunvlak verplaatsbaar is met ten minste een richtingscomponent in een vlak parallel aan het steunvlak.2. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support comprises a support surface for placing the container thereon, and the at least one movable pushing element is movable at a distance in a direction perpendicular to the support surface with at least a directional component in a plane parallel to the support surface. 3. Inrichting volgens conclusie 1 of 2, omvattende ten minste twee verplaatsbare duwelementen die met ten minste een richtingscomponent naar elkaar toe gericht verplaatsbaar zijn.3. Device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, comprising at least two movable pushing elements which are movable with at least one directional component directed towards each other. 4. Inrichting volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, omvattende een begrenzing voor beweging van de houder ten opzichte van het steunvlak in een richting parallel aan die van het steunvlak en/of een begrenzing voor het roteren van de houder ten opzichte van het steunvlak.4. Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, comprising a limit for movement of the holder relative to the support surface in a direction parallel to that of the support surface and/or a limit for rotating the holder relative to the support surface. 5. Inrichting volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, omvattende een lezer voor een machinaal uitleesbare identificator zoals een barcode, een magneetcode, een RFID of een chip, in het bijzonder een identificator van een houder of van een verpakking met medicatie-eenheden.5. Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, comprising a reader for a machine-readable identifier such as a barcode, a magnetic code, an RFID or a chip, in particular an identifier of a container or of a package with medication units. 6. inrichting volgens conclusie 5, omvattende een dataverwerkingseenheid voor het verwerken van uit identificatoren gelezen data, waarbij de dataverwerkingseenheid tevens is ingericht voor het vergelijken van de identificatoren en het blokkeren van beweging van het duwelement indien een eerste voorafbepaalde conditie van toepassing is en het vrijgeven van een beweging van het duwelement indien er een tweede voorafbepaalde conditie van toepassing is.6. Device as claimed in claim 5, comprising a data processing unit for processing data read from identifiers, wherein the data processing unit is also arranged for comparing the identifiers and blocking movement of the pushing element if a first predetermined condition applies and releasing of a movement of the pushing element if a second predetermined condition applies. 7. Inrichting volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, omvattende ten minste één toevoerinrichting voor het aan een geplaatste houder toevoeren van geïoniseerde lucht.7. Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, comprising at least one supply device for supplying ionized air to a placed container. 8. Inrichting volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, omvattende een afvoerinrichting voor lucht, in bijzonder een afzuiginrichting, voor het uit een geplaatste houder afvoeren van lucht. g. 8. Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, comprising a discharge device for air, in particular a suction device, for discharging air from a placed container. g. Inrichting volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, omvattende een aandrijfinrichting voor het aandrijven van een in een geplaatste houder aanwezig binnenwerk.Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, comprising a drive device for driving an internal part present in a placed holder. 10. Inrichting volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, omvattende een trechter, verplaatsbaar tussen een positie waarin deze het openen van een deksel van een in de ondersteuning geplaatste houder toelaat en een positie waarin deze het openen van een deksel van een in de ondersteuning geplaatste houder blokkeert.10. Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, comprising a funnel, movable between a position in which it allows opening a lid of a container placed in the support and a position in which it allows opening a lid of a container placed in the support. blocks. 11. Samenstel van een inrichting volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies en een houder voor medicatie-eenheden zoals pillen, tabletten of delen daarvan welke houder bestemd is voor gebruik in een medicatie-eenheden-afgifte-apparaat, en: - Een houderlichaam omvat met een door wanden omgeven ruimte voor het houden van een aantal medicatie-eenheden, het houderlichaam ten minste voorzien van een: o opnameopening voor de medicatie-eenheden; en ten minste één o afgifteopening voor de medicatie-eenheden; o Een klep omvat voor de opnameopening, die beweegbaar is tussen een geopende stand voor het toevoeren van medicatie-eenheden en een gesloten stand voor het afsluiten van de houder, waarbij de klep ten minste in de afgesloten stand vergrendelbaar is met de houder, waarbij de houder een ter ontgrendeling van de klep naar de binnenzijde van de houder dringbaar element omvat en waarbij het ten minste ene duwelement van de inrichting is ingericht voor het naar de binnenzijde van de houder dringen van het naar de binnenzijde van de houder dringbare element.11. Assembly of a device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims and a container for medication units such as pills, tablets or parts thereof, which container is intended for use in a medication unit dispensing device, and: - comprises a container body with a space surrounded by walls for holding a number of medication units, the holder body provided with at least one: o receiving opening for the medication units; and at least one dispensing opening for the medication units; o comprises a valve for the receiving opening, which is movable between an open position for supplying medication units and a closed position for closing the container, the valve being lockable to the container at least in the closed position, wherein the container comprises an element that can unlock the valve to the inside of the container and wherein the at least one pushing element of the device is adapted to force the element that can penetrate to the inside of the container to the inside of the container. 12. Samenstel volgens conclusie 11, waarbij de houder en de inrichting samenwerkende positioneerelementen omvatten, voor het slechts op een unieke onderlinge manier ten opzichte van elkaar toelaten van het door de ondersteuning ontvangen van de houder.12. Assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the holder and the device comprise cooperating positioning elements, for only allowing the holder to be received by the support in a mutually unique manner relative to each other. 13. Samenstel volgens conclusie 11 of 12 en conclusie 6, waarbij de houder voorzien is van een machinaal uitleesbare identificator voor informatie over in de houder aan te brengen medicatie.An assembly according to claim 11 or 12 and claim 6, wherein the holder is provided with a machine-readable identifier for information about medication to be placed in the holder. 14. Werkwijze voor het reinigen van een houder voor medicijn-eenheden, dat houderlichaam omvat met een door wanden omgeven ruimte voor het houden van een aantal medicatie-eenheden, het houderlichaam ten minste voorzien van een opnameopening voor de medicatie-eenheden; en ten minste één afgifteopening voor de medicatie-eenheden, omvattende de stappen van:14. Method for cleaning a container for medication units, comprising container body with a space surrounded by walls for holding a number of medication units, the container body provided with at least one receiving opening for the medication units; and at least one dispensing port for the medication units, comprising the steps of: - Het toevoeren van geioniseerde lucht aan de één van de opnameopening of de afgifteopening; - Het afzuigen van lucht van de ander van de opnameopening of de afgifteopening.- Supplying ionized air to one of the intake opening or the dispensing opening; - Extracting air from the other person from the intake opening or the discharge opening. 15. Werkwijze volgens conclusie 14, waarbij de houder voorzien is van een beweegbaar gedeelte, voor het verplaatsten van medicatie-eenheden van de ruimte voor het houden van de medicatie-eenheden naar de afgifte-opening en de werkwijze het bewegen en in het bijzonder roteren van dit gedeelte omvat.15. Method according to claim 14, wherein the holder is provided with a movable part, for moving medication units from the space for holding the medication units to the dispensing opening and the method involves moving and in particular rotating of this section.
NL2028765A 2021-06-20 2021-07-16 Device for filling a medicine-unit container for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, assembly of such device and a container and method for cleaning such device NL2028765B1 (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP22177897.0A EP4174807A3 (en) 2021-06-20 2022-06-08 Device for filling a medicine-unit container for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, medicineunit container, assembly of such device and a container and method for cleaning such device
JP2022097277A JP2023001402A (en) 2021-06-20 2022-06-16 Device for filling agent unit container used for agent unit small quantity delivery device, agent unit container, assembled body of such device and container, and method of washing such device
CA3164210A CA3164210A1 (en) 2021-06-20 2022-06-17 Device for filling a medicine-unit container for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, medicine-unit container, assembly of such device and a container and method for cleaning such device
US17/844,277 US20220401307A1 (en) 2021-06-20 2022-06-20 Device for filling a medicine-unit container for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, medicine-unit container, assembly of such device and a container and method for cleaning such device
AU2022204304A AU2022204304A1 (en) 2021-06-20 2022-06-20 Device for filling a medicine-unit container for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, medicine-unit container, assembly of such device and a container and method for cleaning such device

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL2028491 2021-06-20

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NL2028765B1 true NL2028765B1 (en) 2022-12-27

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NL2028765A NL2028765B1 (en) 2021-06-20 2021-07-16 Device for filling a medicine-unit container for use in a medicine unit dispensing device, assembly of such device and a container and method for cleaning such device

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Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20030057231A1 (en) * 2001-09-24 2003-03-27 Kim Jun H. Tablet dispensing and packaging system
US6644504B2 (en) * 2000-04-11 2003-11-11 Yuyama Mfg. Co., Ltd. Tablet packing apparatus

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6644504B2 (en) * 2000-04-11 2003-11-11 Yuyama Mfg. Co., Ltd. Tablet packing apparatus
US20030057231A1 (en) * 2001-09-24 2003-03-27 Kim Jun H. Tablet dispensing and packaging system

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