Abstract:
A medication temporary storage and transporting carrier comprising a tray ( 30 ) with a hinged and closable lid ( 31 ), preferably made as one piece from moulded plastics, the tray ( 30 ) defining a number of side-by-side apertures ( 32 ) adapted to receive individual sealed containers ( 17 ) of liquid or solid medication or the like each with a flange ( 18 ) resting upon the tray and retained therein by the lid ( 31 ) when closed. Each container ( 17 ) may be individually removed from the tray whereupon its contents may be dispensed after removal of its individual sealed film ( 23 ). The carrier provides a convenient means of transporting small numbers of medication containers as may be required during short periods.

Description:
[0001]    This invention relates to a system for discretely packaging a plurality of quantities of one or more fluid or solid substances, particularly, though not exclusively, items of medication. Such a system is devised to meet the needs of patients and carers in the safe, accurate and monitored dispensing of medication both in liquid and solid forms. Liquid medication, apart from the use of individual sachets or blisters, is conventionally supplied to the patient or carer in large containers from which individual doses are dispensed, usually into a measuring spoon or cup from which the patient takes the medicine. It is of the utmost importance that the patient should take an accurate dose of the correct medicine and that there should be no risk of confusion or of cross-contamination between patients should a large bottle of medication be used, perhaps improperly, to dispense the medication to different patients. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Such a system of accurately and conveniently packaged individual doses of medication, whether in liquid or tablet form, and which is more easily managed in a safe and convenient manner, thus substantially avoiding the aforementioned difficulties, is described and claimed in our co-pending patent application number 0719991.2. In that application there is described a container for discretely packaging a plurality of quantities of one or more fluid or solid substances, and comprising a tray having individual spaced compartments, a plurality of vessels individually removably received within the respective compartments and adapted to contain the substances to be packaged, and a flexible sheet sealingly attached to and across an otherwise open top of each vessel. The sheet is sealingly attached to and across the entire tray and all the vessels therein with perforations to permit selective removal of the vessels individually while at least some of the vessels are retained and remain sealingly closed. The flexible sheet may display printed matter identifying the content of each vessel. 
         [0003]    Individual vessels are removable from the tray while all of the vessels, including those removed, remain sealed by the flexible sheet, the perforations permitting easy separation of individual vessels. Thus, a patient can remove the vessels as and when required from the tray and then peel off the individual flexible sheet of that vessel in order to reveal the medication contained therein, whether it be in liquid or tablet form. Ideally, each vessel contains the medication needed to be taken at a particular time of day and since most medication is taken four times a day, the vessels are arranged in the tray in rows of four so that the patient may remove an individual vessel at the appropriate time. 
         [0004]    While the system provides a convenient means of storing and dispensing medication, nevertheless a patient may not wish to carry the entire tray around with them if, for example, they are intending to leave the premises for a day, perhaps when visiting relatives or friends, and so it is an object of the present invention to provide a temporary storage and transporting carrier such that a number of vessels may be removed from the tray and temporarily contained within a convenient carrier of reduced size when compared with the tray. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0005]    According to the present invention, there is provided a medication temporary storage and transporting carrier comprising a carrier tray with a closable lid, the carrier tray defining a plurality of apertures each configured to receive one of a plurality of individual sealed vessels, each vessel of complementary lateral dimensions with a peripheral flange adapted to rest upon the carrier tray around one of said apertures with the body of the vessel extending beneath the carrier tray, the lid being closable over the carrier tray to retain the or each vessel therein. 
         [0006]    Closure means may be provided to retain the lid in its closed position thus to retain the or each vessel on the carrier tray. 
         [0007]    The closure means may be a frictional peg and socket arrangement. 
         [0008]    The closure means may be a lip and flexible catch arrangement. 
         [0009]    The carrier tray may define four such apertures arranged in a single row thus to carry four such vessels side-by-side. 
         [0010]    The carrier tray may define four such apertures arranged in pairs thus to carry four such vessels in two side-by-side pairs. 
         [0011]    The carrier tray and lid may be made as a single piece from moulded plastics. 
         [0012]    The carrier tray and lid may be made as a single piece from paperboard. 
         [0013]    In another aspect, the present invention provides medication storage system comprising a medication temporary storage and transporting carrier as defined above and a container for discretely packaging a plurality of quantities of one or more fluid or solid substances, and comprising a container tray having individual spaced compartments, a plurality of said vessels individually removably received within the respective compartments and adapted to contain the substances to be packaged, and a flexible sheet sealingly attached to and across an otherwise open top of each vessel, the sheet being sealingly attached to and across the entire container tray and all the vessels therein, perforations in the sheet to permit selective removal of the vessels individually while at least some of the vessels are retained and remain sealingly closed. 
         [0014]    Said peripheral flanges of adjacent vessels in said container tray may be spaced apart whereby the sheet connects each vessel to the container around its entire periphery. 
         [0015]    The perforations may coincide with said peripheral flange so that, after removal of a vessel from the container tray, substantially none of the sheet overhangs said vessel. 
         [0016]    Alternatively, the perforations may overlap said peripheral flange so that removal of a vessel from the container tray involves breaking said perforations and breaking the adhesion between said overlap from the surface of the container tray, whereby said overlap serves to adhere said vessel to the carrier tray around said aperture. Said overlap may comprise one or more tabs, the perforations otherwise coinciding with said peripheral flange. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a container for discretely packaging a plurality of quantities of one or more medications in fluid or solid form; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a temporary storage and transporting carrier made in accordance with the invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  shows the carrier with four sealed medication containers therein; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a view of the carrier and the containers, from beneath; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  shows the carrier with a closed lid to retain the containers; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 2  according to a second embodiment; 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  of the second embodiment; 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  of the second embodiment; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  of the second embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a container for discretely packaging a plurality of quantities of one or more fluid or solid substances such as medication comprises a container tray generally indicated at  10  of a plastics material and formed to define side walls  11  and an array of individual preformed side-by-side compartments  12  each having a base  13  and a common upper platform  14  extending across the tray  10  between the compartments  12 . Removably located within each compartment  12  is a vessel in the form of an individual pot  17  for containment of a substance to be packaged. Each pot  17  has an upper peripheral flange  18  which, when the pot is located in the container tray, rests upon and is flush with the platform  14 . The shape of the recess defined within each pot  17  is such as to have a curved upper rim  19  at least at one side. Opposite the curved rim  19  in each pot is a straight edge  20 . The walls of each pot also conform to the shape of the upper rim. With all of the pots  17  in place a pharmacist may place the appropriate medication in each pot either by using a measured pipette for liquid medication or by placing tablets or capsules into the pots for solid medication. 
         [0028]    To complete the container a flexible sheet  21  of a non-permeable material having perforations  22  is placed over the filled tray and sealed to the platform  14  and to the flange  18  of each pot  17 . The perforations  22  coincide with the outer peripheries of the pots  17 , thus to define individual sealed films  23 , one across each pot. With the sheet in place the pots may be removed individually by pushing a pot upwards from the base  13  of its associated compartment  12  thus breaking the perforation in the sheet  21  while maintaining the integrity of the sealed film  23 . The material of the container tray is such as to permit flexibility of the base  13  to ease ejection of the individual pots. However, the line of perforations could overlap the outer peripheries of the upper peripheral flange  18  to some extent so that, as well as breaking the perforations, at least some of the film must be peeled from the platform surface  14  when a pot is removed, leaving a tab of film overlapping the outer peripheral flange  18 . 
         [0029]    It will be appreciated that once a pot is removed, the sealed film  23  remaining on the flange  18  can then be peeled off the peripheral flange of the pot, whereupon the medication can be taken. Where present, an overlapping tab of the film provides a gripping point to assist its removal from the pot. The curved rim  19  of each pot facilitates the taking of liquid medication. The regions of the flange  18  either side of the curved rim will have sufficient flexibility that they can be deformed to assist in release of the individual sealed films  23 . 
         [0030]    In this manner therefore, individual pots can be removed whilst the remainder are retained and sealed on the container tray  10 . The individual films  23  may be printed, for example, with a time and date and the contents of the associated pot and/or the name of a patient. 
         [0031]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2 to 5 , if a patient wishes to carry, in a more convenient manner, four such sealed pots, for example, when leaving home for the day to visit relatives or friends, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a temporary storage and transporting carrier comprising a flat carrier tray  30  with a hinged and closable lid  31 . The carrier is made from a single piece of moulded plastics. 
         [0032]    Four, in-line, side-by-side apertures  32  are provided in the carrier tray  30 , each of which, as can be seen, is of complementary shape and size to each of the pots  17  removed from the container tray  10  and is therefore of complementary lateral dimensions such that when each pot is inserted into one of the apertures  32  its flange  18  rests upon the carrier tray and is substantially flush with the surface thereof. A frictional peg and socket arrangement  33 ,  34  is provided to retain the lid in a closed position when required. 
         [0033]      FIG. 3  illustrates the carrier with four pots  17  contained thereby with the individual sealed film  23  retaining the contents of the pots. 
         [0034]      FIG. 4 , which is an underneath view, shows how the body of each pot extends beneath the tray. 
         [0035]      FIG. 5  shows the lid  31  in a closed position to retain the four pots in the carrier. 
         [0036]    Referring now to  FIGS. 6 to 9 , in a second embodiment the carrier tray  30  and lid  31  of  FIGS. 2 to 5  are replaced by a carrier tray  40  and lid  41  of different shape to enable the four pots to be carried as two side-by-side pairs rather than four in a single row. This may be more convenient for some users. Otherwise, the embodiment of  FIGS. 6 to 9  is identical to that of  FIGS. 2 to 5 . Once again, a frictional peg and socket arrangement  43 ,  44  is provided to retain the lid in a closed position. If required, in both embodiments, the peg and socket arrangement may be replaced by a lip and flexible catch arrangement. 
         [0037]    Where a peripheral overlap of the sealing film is provided beyond the peripheral flange  18  of each pot, the adhesive on it may be employed to fix the pot temporarily in the tray  30 , 40 . Such overlap may be complete around the entire periphery of each pot, or it may be in the form of one or more discontinuous tabs, most of the perforations otherwise being coincident with the peripheral flange of the pot. 
         [0038]    Whilst the carrier tray is preferably made as a single piece from moulded plastics, nevertheless it may be made from paperboard so as to be disposable if required. 
         [0039]    It will be appreciated that a temporary storage and transporting carrier made in accordance with the invention is a convenient accessory for a patient who may wish to carry a smaller number of sealed pots as opposed to the entire container tray  10 . Whilst carriers having capacity for four pots have been described and illustrated, nevertheless other numbers are envisaged, for example, just two pots may be sufficient for a short period, say for half a day&#39;s medication. 
         [0040]    A temporary storage and transporting carrier for medication, in accordance with the invention, increases the likelihood of correct dosages of medicines to be taken at the correct time. Once a pot  17  has been removed from the carrier it is disposed of so that patients and carers can readily determine at any time, which doses have been removed. 
         [0041]    The carriers may be manufactured in different colours thus to allow family members readily to distinguish individual medications without opening. However, the carriers can be manufactured in materials which are largely transparent so that the patient and dosage information printed on the individual films  23  may be read without opening the lid. 
         [0042]    While the invention has been described and illustrated in relation to the temporary storage and transportation of medication, other substances may be contained within the pots and conveniently transported in a carrier of the invention. 
         [0043]    Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words “comprise” and “contain” and variations of them mean “including but not limited to”, and they are not intended to (and do not) exclude other moieties, additives, components, integers or steps. Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise. 
         [0044]    Features, integers, characteristics, compounds, chemical moieties or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. The invention is not restricted to the details of any foregoing embodiments. The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed. 
         [0045]    The reader&#39;s attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.