STORAGE CONTAINER FOR DRUG PORTION STORAGE AND DISPENSING

A storage container for drug portion storage and dispensing includes a housing having a cylindrical section and surrounding a receiving space for drug portions, a sorting mechanism rotatably disposed in the cylindrical section and including a main body, the main body forming a conical top surface and a main body casing surface, a plurality of projections formed on the main body casing surface, a plurality of channels, each channel formed between the projections, having a circumferential width and a radial depth, the projections further forming projection outer contours which define a cylindrical outer casing surface interrupted by the channels, and an axial projection having a height and an outer contour is arranged centrally on the conical top surface, wherein a maximum radial distance between the outer contour and the cylindrical outer casing surface is less than two times the circumferential width of one channel in the plurality of channels.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a storage container for drugs and, in particular, to a storage container for a drug storage and dispensing station.

BACKGROUND

Modern blister packing machines include multiple storage and dispensing stations. Such machines store a plurality of drug portions of a specific drug and dispense individual drug portions upon request. According to physician-prescribed drug administration times, drug portions stored in the storage and dispensing stations are gathered and blister packed on an individual basis for each patient.

A blister packing machine control device typically activates storage and dispensing stations for dispensing one or more drug portions. Upon activation by a blister packing machine control device, a drug portion stored in the storage container is separated by a sorting mechanism of the storage and dispensing station, and the drug portion is transferred to a dispensing opening of a guide apparatus of the blister packing machine. The drug portion is conveyed via the guide apparatus to a packing apparatus, which blister packs individual or multiple drug portions.

In many drug packaging settings, it is desirable to provide a storage container of a storage and dispensing station that reduces failure of drug portion dispensing.

SUMMARY

In one or more embodiments, the present disclosure provides a storage container for drug portion storage and dispensing. The storage container includes a housing having a cylindrical section and surrounding a receiving space for drug portions, a sorting mechanism rotatably disposed within the cylindrical section and including a main body, the main body forming a conical top surface and a main body casing surface, a plurality of projections formed on the main body casing surface, a plurality of channels, each channel formed between the projections and having a circumferential width and a radial depth, the projections further forming projection outer contours which define a cylindrical outer casing surface interrupted by the channels, and an axial projection having a height and an outer contour, the axial projection arranged centrally on the conical top surface, wherein a maximum radial distance between the outer contour and the cylindrical outer casing surface is less than two times the circumferential width of at least one channel of the plurality of channels.

The axial projection may be cylindrically formed. The axial projection may include a circular bottom surface. The axial projection may be, at least in sections, formed vertically. The axial projection may have an a conical top surface. The height of the axial projection may be greater than one half the radial depth of the one channel. An annular space may be formed above the plurality of projections, the annular space being defined on one side by the main body. A plurality of elevations may be arranged, at least in sections, on the conical top surface. The elevations may be oriented radially in relation to the channels.

In one or more embodiments, the present disclosure provides a storage container for drug portion storage and dispensing, including a housing having a cylindrical section, a sorting mechanism rotatably disposed within the cylindrical section and including a plurality of projections, a plurality of channels, each channel formed between the projections and having a circumferential width, the projections further forming projection outer contours which define a cylindrical outer casing surface interrupted by the channels, and an axial projection having an outer contour, wherein a maximum radial distance between the outer contour and the cylindrical outer casing surface is less than two times the circumferential width of at least one channel of the plurality of channels.

The axial projection may be cylindrically formed. The axial projection may include a circular bottom surface. The axial projection may be, at least in sections, formed vertically. The axial projection may have a conical top surface. An annular space may be formed above the plurality of projections, the annular space being defined in part by the sorting mechanism.

In one or more embodiments, the present disclosure provides a drug packaging system having a plurality of storage and dispensing stations, each storage and dispensing station having at least one storage container, including a housing having a cylindrical section and surrounding a receiving space for drug portions, a sorting mechanism rotatably disposed within the cylindrical section and including a main body, the main body forming a conical top surface and a main body casing surface, a plurality of projections formed on the main body casing surface, a plurality of channels, each channel formed between the projections and having a circumferential width and a radial depth, the projections further forming projection outer contours which define a cylindrical outer casing surface interrupted by the channels, and an axial projection having a height and an outer contour, the axial projection arranged centrally on the conical top surface, wherein a maximum radial distance between the outer contour and the cylindrical outer casing surface is less than two times the circumferential width of at least one channel of the plurality of channels.

The axial projection may be cylindrically formed. The axial projection may have a conical top surface. The height of the axial projection may be greater than one half the radial depth of the at least one channel. An annular space may be formed above the plurality of projections, the annular space being defined in part by the main body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is to be understood that the present disclosure includes examples of the subject technology and does not limit the scope of the appended claims. Various aspects of the subject technology will now be disclosed according to particular but non-limiting examples. Various embodiments described in the present disclosure may be carried out in different ways and variations, and in accordance with a desired application or implementation.

The typical sorting mechanism includes a rotor, and an outer circumference of the rotor is defined by a plurality of projections. Disposed between each pair of projections is a channel extending parallel to a rotational axis of the rotor. A width and a radial depth of these projections are adapted to the drug portion to be separated and dispensed. In such a channel, drug portions are situated only above one another, not next to one another. A given channel accommodates one or more drug portions, depending on the given channel's axial length.

A housing of the storage container, disposed above and/or around the sorting mechanism, defines a receiving space for drug portions. The sorting mechanism has a top surface which abuts the receiving space. The top surface may include a conical shape for the purpose of guiding the drug portions to channel openings. Such a design of the top surface prevents the drug portions from remaining stationary thereon, and prevents dispensing malfunctions.

The channel is rotated by a rotation of the sorting mechanism over a dispensing opening. The dispensable drug portion then falls from the channel through the dispensing opening due to gravity. Detents are provided over or inside the channel to prevent multiple drug portions from being dispensed at once.

Despite the conical design of the top surface of the sorting mechanism, drug portions nevertheless may become situated on the top surface such that the drug portion does not pass into a channel. This may result in a malfunction, wherein the drug portion is not dispensed following a rotation of the sorting mechanism.

A storage container according to the present disclosure reduces the occurrence of a drug dispensing malfunction, as described above, whereby one or more drug portions are not properly dispensed and/or arranged.

To reduce errors when assembling multiple drug portions, it is advantageous to detect the actual dispensing of a drug portion. If a malfunction, including a failure to dispense a drug portion, is detected, another dispensing procedure must be performed. The required use of another dispensing method delays the assembly of multiple drug portions and reduces the overall speed and efficiency of a blister packing machine.

The present disclosure provides a storage container for storage and dispensing stations with an increased drug portion dispensing rate, and thus a reduced malfunction rate.

The storage container according to the present disclosure includes a housing having a cylindrical section and further includes a receiving space for drug portions. The storage container of the present disclosure also includes a sorting mechanism having a main body rotatably disposed within the cylindrical section of the housing.

The main body features a conical top surface and a main body casing surface on which a plurality of projections is formed. These projections define channels with a circumferential width KBand a radial depth KT, and the projection outer contours of the projections define a cylindrical outer casing surface interrupted by the channels.

According to the present disclosure, an axial projection with a height VHand an outer contour VAKis arranged centrally on the conical top surface, the axial projection being formed such that a maximum radial distance VAmaxbetween outer contour VAKand the cylindrical outer casing surface is less than two times the circumferential width KBof one of the channels.

This configuration of the axial projection ensures that no two drug portions can lie flat radially next to one another on the top surface between outer contour VAKand the cylindrical section of the housing provided that the channel width is only slightly larger than the diameter of the largest drug.

Such an arrangement of two drug portions may be, particularly in the case of flat and round drug portions, a cause of a dispensing failure. In such a case, since a plurality of drug portions are arranged radially next to one another and exert a corresponding pressure on each other, the drug portions may not be able to enter a channel.

Due to the maximum radial distance between the outer contour VAKof the axial projection and the cylindrical outer casing surface being less than two times the circumferential width KBof one of the channels, a radial arrangement of two drug portions next to one another is prevented, thus avoiding a dispensing failure and allowing the drug portions to enter the channel unhindered.

If the criteria presented above are satisfied, an actual configuration of the axial projection depends on the particular shape of the drug portions to be sorted. The maximum radial distance between the outer contour of the axial projection and the cylindrical outer casing surface can be uniform, such as a cylindrical projection, or angle-dependent, such as a cylindrical projection with an angular bottom surface. Further, a cylindrical configuration of the projection may ease manufacturing costs and design difficulties related to the sorting mechanism.

In some embodiments, the axial projection includes a circular bottom surface. This allows an axial projection that, at least in some sections, is cylindrical or conical. In some embodiments, the axial projection is vertical in at least some sections. At a transition between the conical top surface and the axial projection, a curved transition can be formed that prevents the accumulation of dust and/or drug debris.

In some embodiments, the axial projection has a fully or partially projection conical top surface. Such a top surface prevents a drug portion from resting on the top surface, and instead directs the drug portion into the outer area of the sorting mechanism towards the openings of the channels.

As described above, an object of the axial projection is to prevent two drug portions from being situated radially next to one another. Depending on the exact form of the drug portions, the height of the axial projection may be only a fraction of the radius of the drug portion.

However, particularly if flat disc-shaped drug portions are to be sorted, the axial projection may have a height VHthat is greater than one half of the radial depth KTof a channel. In this way, it is ensured that a drug portion does not slip at least partly onto the projections if appropriate pressure is applied from gravitational pressure from other drug portions, thus preventing a situation where two drug portions are arranged radially next to one another on the top surface and the projection.

The channels for receiving drug portions to be sorted may be open to the cylindrical outer casing surface of the sorting mechanism defined by the projection outer contours of the projections, and the radial channel depth is adapted to the maximum height of the drug portion.

In some embodiments, an annular space is formed above the projections. The annular space is bordered by the main body, and a radial width of the annular space corresponds to the radial channel depth.

The annular space facilitates the drug portions being oriented toward a channel entrance, as the drug portions can enter the annular space only in the orientation in which they can pass into the channels. An annular space of this type is particularly advantageous in the case of disc-shaped drug portions, since it may be otherwise difficult for the disc-shaped drug portions to pass from the conical top surface into the channels.

Disc-shaped drug portions may be oriented with their flat side facing the conical top surface. Whether or not the drug portions remain in a stationary manner on the top surface or the top surface rotates away from the overlying drug portions depends on a fill level of the storage container.

If the fill level is high, the pressure from the weight of the overlying drug portions is large, impeding movement into the channels or the annular space. To facilitate a tipping of the disc-shaped drug portions into the channels and/or annular space, embodiments of the present disclosure provide multiple elevations arranged on the conical top surface of the main body. Further, in some embodiments, these elevations are oriented radially with respect to the channels.

Turning toFIGS. 1a-1d,a storage container1according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure includes a housing10surrounding a receiving space2for drug portions, and further includes a cylindrical section11and a lower section12. The housing10includes a removable lid13and a bottom surface20. The bottom surface20includes a dispensing opening21for drug portions, as best shown inFIG. 1d.The bottom surface20has a central recess22in which a coupler37, best shown inFIG. 3c, interacting with a sorting mechanism30is arranged. The coupler37can be, in exemplary embodiments, either a separate component from the sorting mechanism30or integrally formed with the sorting mechanism30. The coupler37interacts with a drive (not shown) by which the sorting mechanism is rotated for dispensing separate drug portions.

The drive is arranged in a control unit (not shown) of the storage and dispensing station. The storage container1is realized, in exemplary embodiments, as a separate component from the control unit. Such an arrangement enables the storage container1to be removed from a blister packing machine by a handle14, for refilling or filling the storage container1with drugs, while the control unit remains on the blister packing machine.

As shown inFIG. 1c,the sorting mechanism30is rotatably disposed in the cylindrical section11of the housing10. The sorting mechanism30includes a conical top surface32and a main body casing surface70, on which a plurality of projections34defining a plurality of channels35are formed. The projection outer contours55of the projections34form a cylindrical outer casing surface36interrupted by channels35and abutting the housing10at the cylindrical section11.

In the figures, the sorting mechanism30is formed as a rotor and the channels35are arranged on the cylindrical outer casing surface36. In some embodiments, the channels35can also be designed such that they do not open towards the cylindrical outer casing surface36of the sorting mechanism30. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the projections34are formed to be integral with a main body31. In one or more embodiments, the projections34can be formed as separate components from the main body31to enable the sorting mechanism30to be adapted for different drugs.

As shown inFIG. 1c,a plurality of elevations39is arranged on the conical top surface32adjacent to a channel35. These elevations39facilitate a tipping of drug portions into a channel35, as will be described below.

As shown inFIG. 1b,a detent15is disposed on the cylindrical section11of the housing10, the detent15including a detent section18extending through a slit16into the cylindrical section11of the housing10.

A storage and dispensing station including the storage container1according to embodiments of the present disclosure further includes components which regulate and/or control the dispensing and/or sorting of drugs. While the aforementioned drive for moving the sorting mechanism30and a sensor (not shown) for monitoring the dispensing of a drug portion may be arranged in the control unit, the drive and/or the sensor can also be part of the storage container1in some embodiments. In exemplary embodiments, the drive and/or the sensor are arranged in the lower section12of the storage container1.

Turning toFIGS. 2a-2d,the sorting mechanism30includes an axial projection40centered on the main body31. The axial projection40is, in some embodiments, formed as an integral piece with the main body31. In some embodiments, the axial projection40is formed as a separate part and attached to the main body31. The axial projection40includes a circular bottom surface60and is designed to be cylindrical parallel to a rotational axis50of the sorting mechanism30along a middle section42.

The projections34, in exemplary embodiments, are of a two-piece construction and surround a gap45in an axial direction. A detent section18of the detent15engages the gap45. Detent15is arranged on the cylindrical section11of the housing10, such that the detent section18is always arranged over the dispensing opening21, as best shown inFIGS. 2cand 2d. This arrangement of the detent section18ensures that drug portions arranged above the detent section18in a channel35are not dispensed when a channel35of the sorting mechanism30is oriented above the dispensing opening21. Only a drug portion located below the detent section18is dispensed when a channel35is oriented above the dispensing opening21.

The conical top surface32does not directly contact the surface of the projections34, but rather the projections34are disposed below the conical top surface32, thus forming above the projections34an annular space38defined by the main body31and the cylindrical section11of the housing10. This annular space38facilitates the guiding of drug portions to the channels35, as will be described in greater detail below.

FIGS. 3a-3c show detailed views of the sorting mechanism30of the storage container1according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The sorting mechanism30includes a main body31with a conical top surface32, and a main body casing surface70on which a plurality of projections34is formed which define channels35having a circumferential width KBand a radial depth KT. The projections34are formed integrally with the main body31. The projection outer contours55of the projections34, and a circular spatial connection therebetween, form the cylindrical outer casing surface36interrupted by channels35. The cylindrical outer casing surface36is represented as a dashed circular line inFIG. 3b.

As shown inFIGS. 3aand 3c, the projections34have a circumferential annular gap45which, as was described above, the detent section18engages. As also described above, the projections34are offset downward relative to the conical top surface32, thus forming the annular space38above the projections34. The annular space38is defined by the main body31and the cylindrical section11of the housing10.

A plurality of elevations39is arranged on the conical top surface32, which supports a tipping of a drug portion into a channel35. This is shown inFIG. 3c, in which a drug portion5is shown disposed on an elevation39. Due to the elevation39, the flat-shaped drug portion5is tipped into the annular space38. The elevations39thus facilitate drug portions being situated quickly and efficiently first in the annular space38and then in the channels35.

In addition, the axial projection40is formed on the center of the conical top surface32. The axial projection40includes a circular bottom surface60and a vertically oriented middle section42. The vertically oriented middle section42forms the outer contour VAK/41of the axial projection40. The outer contour VAK/41of the axial projection40determines the maximum radial distance VAmaxbetween the outer contour VAK/41and the cylindrical outer casing surface36defined by the projections34. Depending on the configuration of the projections34, the maximum radial distance VAmaxcan vary if the main body31has, for example, a square or any non-circular cross section, or the maximum radial distance VAmaxcan be uniform, as is the case with illustrated embodiments. In some embodiments, the axial projection40has a conical top surface43.

FIG. 3cshows a coupler37via which the sorting mechanism30is coupled to a drive (not shown) which rotates the sorting mechanism30incrementally for sorting drug portions. The coupler37can be formed as a separate component from the sorting mechanism30, or can be formed integrally with the main body31of the sorting mechanism30.

In exemplary embodiments, the maximum radial distance VAmaxspecified above is less than two times the circumferential width KBof a channel35. As show inFIG. 4, this prevents two drug portions5from being able to situate themselves radially next to one another in a flat orientation on the conical top surface32, thereby preventing a malfunction where the drug portions are not properly dispensed.

The word “exemplary” or the term “for example” is used herein to mean “serving as an example or illustration.” Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” or “for example” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. In one aspect, various alternative configurations and operations described herein may be considered to be at least equivalent.

It is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps, operations or processes disclosed is an illustration of exemplary approaches. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps, operations or processes may be rearranged. Some of the steps, operations or processes may be performed simultaneously. Some or all of the steps, operations, or processes may be performed automatically, without the intervention of a user. The accompanying method claims, if any, present elements of the various steps, operations or processes in a sample order, and are not meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.