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
• • 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
  • A61J1/00—Containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes
  • A61J1/03—Containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes for pills or tablets
• • 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
  • A61J1/00—Containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes
  • A61J1/03—Containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes for pills or tablets
  • A61J1/035—Blister-type containers
• • 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
  • A61J7/0076—Medicament distribution means
  • A61J7/0084—Medicament distribution means for multiple medicaments
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes, or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
  • B65D75/28—Articles or materials wholly enclosed in composite wrappers, i.e. wrappers formed by associating or interconnecting two or more sheets or blanks
  • B65D75/30—Articles or materials enclosed between two opposed sheets or blanks having their margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding
  • B65D75/32—Articles or materials enclosed between two opposed sheets or blanks having their margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding one or both sheets or blanks being recessed to accommodate contents
  • B65D75/325—Articles or materials enclosed between two opposed sheets or blanks having their margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding one or both sheets or blanks being recessed to accommodate contents one sheet being recessed, and the other being a flat not- rigid sheet, e.g. puncturable or peelable foil
  • B65D75/327—Articles or materials enclosed between two opposed sheets or blanks having their margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding one or both sheets or blanks being recessed to accommodate contents one sheet being recessed, and the other being a flat not- rigid sheet, e.g. puncturable or peelable foil and forming several compartments
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D83/00—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
  • B65D83/04—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing annular, disc-shaped, or spherical or like small articles, e.g. tablets or pills
  • B65D83/0445—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing annular, disc-shaped, or spherical or like small articles, e.g. tablets or pills all the articles being stored in individual compartments
  • B65D83/0463—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing annular, disc-shaped, or spherical or like small articles, e.g. tablets or pills all the articles being stored in individual compartments formed in a band or a blisterweb, inserted in a dispensing device or container
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2575/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
  • B65D2575/28—Articles or materials wholly enclosed in composite wrappers, i.e. wrappers formed by association or interconnecting two or more sheets or blanks
  • B65D2575/30—Articles or materials enclosed between two opposed sheets or blanks having their margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding
  • B65D2575/32—Articles or materials enclosed between two opposed sheets or blanks having their margins united, e.g. by pressure-sensitive adhesive, crimping, heat-sealing, or welding one or both sheets or blanks being recessed to accommodate contents
  • B65D2575/3209—Details
  • B65D2575/3218—Details with special means for gaining access to the contents
  • B65D2575/3245—Details with special means for gaining access to the contents by peeling off the non-rigid sheet

Definitions

• This application relates to an item dispenser in which items are contained in wells and may be extracted from the wells for use by an individual.
• the application relates to a dispenser for pills, compacts, capsules (which may contain a solid, a granulated powder, a gel, a liquid or any other suitable substance) and/or caplets, which may be referred to herein as "solid dosage forms.”
• Solid dosage forms are often provided in bottles in which many doses are stored in an aggregate. Whereas such bottles may have sufficiently wide mouths to provide easy access to multiple fingers, the doses must be administered individually.
• individualized packaging such as blister packs or egg-carton style dispensers, which may include partitions for storing different dosage forms for administration at different times, often require dexterity to extract the dosage forms and may provide for only limited access by an individual's fingers.
• a solid dosage form dispenser, and methods for manufacturing the dispenser, are provided in accordance with the principles of the invention.
• a solid dosage form dispenser may include a solid dosage form well suspended from a well support member.
• the dispenser may also include a peelable lid affixed to the well support member and covering the well.
• the peelable lid may include a handle for peeling the lid off of the well support member to open the well.
• FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of enclosure apparatus in accordance with the principles of the invention
• FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of dispensing apparatus, inside the enclosure apparatus of FIG. 1, in accordance with the principles of the invention;
• FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the dispensing apparatus of FIG. 2 inside a different embodiment of the enclosure apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
• FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view such as the view along line 3-3, shown in
• FIG. 3
• FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the enclosure apparatus of FIG. 1 when the enclosure apparatus is open;
• FIG. 6 is a back perspective view of other apparatus in accordance with the principles of the invention.
• FIG. 7 is a partial front perspective view of selected apparatus in accordance with the principles of the invention.
• FIG. 8 shows a side view of another embodiment of a well according to the invention.
• FIGs. 9A and 9B show right and left perspective views, respectively, of the well shown in FIG. 8.
• An exemplary dispenser may include a plurality of wells for holding the solid dosage form.
• Each well may include a first section and a second section.
• each well may include a peelable lid.
• Each well may be configured to hold the dosage form and provide surfaces to cause a portion of the dosage form to rise out of the well when an individual peels the lid off of the well.
• the first section of each well may be deep enough to contain the dosage form and may have a base that slopes upward toward a second section which may be shorter, wider and shallower than the first section.
• the reduced length, the extra width and the reduced depth of the second section may cause a portion of the pill to rise above the plane of the well support member following the removal of the peelable lid. After the peelable lid is removed, and a portion of the dosage form rises above the well support member, an individual may be assisted in at least two ways as he attempts to grasp the dosage form with his fingers. First, a portion of the dosage form is now above the well support member and may be grasped without having to reach inside the well. Second, even if the individual may have to reach inside the well, the greater width of the second section allows an individual to grasp the raised portion of the dosage form more easily because of the greater clearance about the raised portion of the dosage form. [0023]
• the dispenser may include one or more sheets of the wells.
• FIGS. 1-7 show illustrative embodiments and features of the invention.
• FIG. 1 shows illustrative clam-shell enclosure 100, which may include half-shell 102 and half-shell 104, which may be joined at a hinge (not shown).
• the hinge may be a pin hinge, a living hinge or any other suitable hinge.
• Half-shell 102 and half-shell 104 may include, as appropriate, receptacles 108 and 110 and corresponding pressure grips 112 and 114, which may include tabs 116 and 118, respectively, for snap-locking enclosure 100 in a closed configuration.
• FIG. 2 shows enclosure 100 in an open configuration, in which half-shells 102 and 104 are hingedly attached by hinge 105. Enclosure 100 may also include pressure grip 120, tab 122 and receptacles 124, which correspond to pressure grip 112, tabs 116 and receptacles 108.
• FIG. 2 also shows wells 124 supported by well support member 126.
• each of the wells is configured to dispense one solid dosage form.
• Lids of the wells may be formed from flap 128 and base 125.
• Base preferably seals the dosage form within the package.
• Flap 128 may be an extension of base 125.
• Each one of the lids may preferably correspond to each of wells 124.
• Each base may be fixed to well support member 126.
• Each lid may also bend at the juncture between base 125 and flap 128. Accordingly, each flap 128 may extend back at least partially over the well.
• Free end 128 is movable and may be pulled to sever base 125 from the package, thereby providing access to a solid dosage form stored in the well.
• Windows 130 may be present in one or more of flaps 128 to provide visual information about the contents of the corresponding well. Flaps 128 (or, alternatively, base 125) may be labeled with the days of the week, as shown, or with any other suitable information. Windows 130 may also allow an individual to see through flap 128 and base 125 (assuming an embodiment of the invention wherein base 125 is formed from a see- through material).
• FIG. 3 shows illustrative enclosure 300 with transparent half-shells 302 and 304 closed.
• Half-shells 302 and 304 correspond to half-shells 102 and 104 (shown in FIG. 1), but may be transparent to provide visual information about the contents of wells 124.
• FIG. 3 shows well support member 132 underneath well support member 126.
• FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view such as the view of enclosure 300 taken along line 3-3 (shown in FIG. 3), but including half-shells 102 and 104, which are not transparent, instead of transparent half-shells 302 and 304.
• FIG. 3 shows illustrative enclosure 300 with transparent half-shells 302 and 304 closed.
• Half-shells 302 and 304 correspond to half-shells 102 and 104 (shown in FIG. 1), but may be transparent to provide visual information about the contents of wells 124.
• FIG. 3 shows well support member 132 underneath well support member 126.
• FIG. 4 shows a cross-section
• well support member 126 may include well 124 (also shown in FIGS, described above) and reinforcement structure 134. Other reinforcement structures may be present elsewhere in well support member 126, such as between wells 124.
• Well support member 132 may include solid dosage form well 424 and reinforcement structure 434. Other reinforcement structures may be present elsewhere in well support member 132, such as between wells 434.
• Well support member 126 may include frame 402 and well support member 132 may include frame 404.
• Extension 403 of frame 402 may be present to secure frame 402 to enclosure 100 adjacent hinge 105. Extension 403 may be fastened to enclosure 100 by any suitable method. Slots 406 and 410 may be present, respectively, above well support member 126 and below well support member 132.
• Patient information articles 408 and 412 may be present in slots 406 and 410, respectively. Flaps 128 and 426 and bases 125 and 425 may be seen above wells 124 and 424, respectively. Fulcrums 461 and 427 may be seen in wells 124 and 424, respectively.
• FIG. 4 shows that well 124 includes sections 450 and 460.
• Section 450 includes sloped base 452.
• Section 450 is deeper and shorter than section 460.
• Section 460 includes sloped base 462.
• Section 450, together with section 460, is configured to contain a solid dosage form.
• Sloped base 452 encourages the solid dosage form to pivot on fulcrum 461. As a result, a portion of the solid dosage form drops to rest in well bottom 454, which raises a portion of the solid dosage form out of section 460, and over the top plane of well support member 132.
• the raising of a portion of the solid dosage member out of section 460 and above the top plane of well support member 132 may facilitate manual acquisition of the solid dosage form by the user. For example, when an individual attempts to extract the solid dosage form from section 450, he can grab the exposed and raised portion of the solid dosage form.
• section 460 may be wider in the transverse ("T," see arrow) direction than section 450.
• the width of section 460 may provide additional access to the solid dosage form.
• the individual is further enabled to grasp the raised portion of the solid dosage form by the relatively greater width of section 460 with respect to the T direction.
• the solid dosage form is stabilized in position by the narrow width of section 460 so the solid dosage form does not move about substantially when the individual is grasping the solid dosage form.
• Top wall 464 of sloped base 462 may provide resistance to the solid dosage form as the user moves the solid dosage form along sloped base 462. This reduces the likelihood that the user will push the solid dosage form out of well 124 before gaining a grip on the solid dosage form. (If the solid dosage form is pushed out of well 124 before the user gains a grip on the solid dosage form, the solid dosage form may be dropped.) [0037] As described above, once flap 424 has been removed, the solid dosage form may then be grasped between the fingers and the thumb. FIG. 4 shows that top wall 464 is offset from front edge 490 of frame 402 by angle A, whereas sloped base 462 is offset from front edge 490 by angle B. Angle A is smaller than angle B and therefore allows the user to coordinate the fingers and thumb in close proximity to each other and more easily manipulate the solid dosage form.
• FIG. 5 shows enclosure 100 with half-shells 102 and 104 opened about hinge 105, which is illustrated in FIG. 5 as a living hinge.
• FIG. 6 shows illustrative frame 604, which includes extension 603.
• Frame 604 may operate to support wells such as 124 (see FIG. 1) as part of a well support member such as 126 or 132 (see FIG. 2, e.g.).
• Frame 604 may be integral to the well support member or may be an attachable component of the well support member.
• Frame 604 is configured for attachment to the well support member.
• Extension 603 is configured for attachment to an enclosure such as 100, e.g.
• FIG. 7 shows an illustrative arrangement of wells 724 arranged in well support member 780, which may be a sheet that may be attachment to frame 704 via studs 782 and corresponding holes 784 or by any suitable method.
• Well support member 780 is shown as being substantially transparent, so features interior to frame 704 are visible through well support member 780. Studs 786 may extend downward from frame 704 to fasten frame 704 to plate 788. Plate 788 may support bosses such as bosses 790. Bosses 790 may extend upward from plate 788 and may provide mechanical stability to frame 704 and well support member 780. It will be understood that the number and arrangement of wells and bosses shown in FIG.
• FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of a well 800 according to the invention.
• Well 800 may include preferably two ramp sections 802 and 803. Because the friction between a finger and the solid dosage form 804 is greater than the friction between the solid dosage form and the blister material, the pill may slide up either one of ramp sections 802 or 803 in response to pressure along the longitudinal axis of the solid dosage form. When the pill has slid up either ramp, the portion of the pill that is above the well support member 806 is easy to grasp.
• angles Tl and T2 representing the angles formed between the base of well 800 with respect to the bases of ramp sections 802 and 803, respectively, may preferably be between about 35 to about 65 degrees.
• Angle Tl may be taken from an angle formed by the substantially flat base of well 800 with respect to a line formed from point Pl — i.e., the point of intersection of ramp section 802 with the base of well 800 — to point P2 — i.e., the point of intersection of ramp section 802 with well support member 806.
• Angle T2 may be taken from an angle formed by the substantially flat base of well 800 with respect to a line formed from point P3 — i.e., the point of intersection of second ramp section 803 with the base of well 800 — to point P4 — i.e., the point of intersection of ramp section 803 with well support member 806. [0044] While angles Tl and T2 appear from FIG. 8 to be equal, nevertheless, it should be noted that angles Tl and T2 may be different in order to make solid dosage form 804 more accessible from a selected one of ramp sections 802 and 803.
• FIGs. 9A and 9B show perspective views of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 8.
• FIGs. 9A and 9B also include ramp sections 902 and 903, solid dosage form 904, and well support member 906.
• solid dosage form 904 is capable of being slid up either of ramp sections 902 or 903.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Pharmacology & Pharmacy (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Medical Informatics (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Composite Materials (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=41319667

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (19)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (23)

• 2008
  • 2008-05-14 US US12/120,310 patent/US20090283437A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2009
  • 2009-05-13 WO PCT/SE2009/050533 patent/WO2009139712A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2009-05-13 EP EP09746872.2A patent/EP2288327A4/de not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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