Packaging system

A system for discretely packaging liquid or solid medication, or other substances, comprising a tray (10) with individual compartments (12) each containing a removable pot (17) and a perforated sealed sheet (21) enabling individual pots to be removed from the tray (10) for dispensing of its contents. The system also includes a computer and printer with software to create printed matter for the sheet (21) representative of the contents of the individual pots (17). An outer container (24) may receive several such filled and sealed trays (10) and an information sheet (28). One or more windows (30) in the container (24) provide a visual display of the contents. The system enables safe, accurate and easy packaging and dispensing of medication or other substances.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is the U.S. National Phase under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application PCT/GB2008/050922, filed Oct. 8, 2008, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) and §365(b) to Great Britain Patent Application No. GB 0719991.2, filed Oct. 12, 2007.

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, the system has been devised to meet the needs of patients and carers in the safe, accurate and convenient monitored dispensing of medication both in liquid and solid forms. Liquid medication, apart from the use of individual sachets or blisters, is currently 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 a 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.

Conventionally, and particularly in care homes, it is necessary for large numbers of such bottles to be stored, and this takes up considerable space. Furthermore, since the medication is contained in a large bottle then as the quantity in the bottle diminishes an increasing air space above the liquid is created which can adversely affect the chemical properties of the medicine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system of accurately and conveniently packaging 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.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided 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, means releasably to retain the vessels in the compartments prior to intended release, and means sealingly to retain the substances in the vessels prior to their intended use.

The compartments may be pre-formed integrally with the tray.

The vessels may be individual pots.

The vessels and the compartments may be of complementary shape and size.

The means to retain the substances in the vessels may comprise a flexible sheet sealingly attached to and across an otherwise open top of each vessel.

The means releasably to retain the vessels in the compartments may be a single flexible sheet sealingly attached to and across the 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.

The flexible sheet may display printed matter identifying the content of all of the vessels and the purpose for, or manner in which, the contents are to be used.

Each compartment may have an aperture in a base region thereof to enable the associated retained vessel to be pushed out of its compartment.

The flexible sheet attached across each vessel may be loosely superimposed upon a part of an upper surface of the associated vessel thus, after removal of the vessel from the tray, to allow the sheet to be peeled off to open the vessel to dispense the contents therefrom.

A peripheral flange may be provided around the top of each vessel, a part of which is readily deformable to assist in peeling off the sheet to open the vessel.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a system for discretely packaging a plurality of quantities of one or more fluid or solid substances, the system comprising a container, as aforesaid, in combination with a computer and printer for designing and printing a perforated sheet displaying information relating to the substances to be packaged and a device adapted automatically to apply a printed perforated sheet to the container to close and seal the vessels.

The system may also include software to display on a computer screen an image of a container as aforesaid and to enable an image representative of a substance to be packaged to be displayed on or adjacent an image of an individual vessel within the container.

The software may display the substance by drag and drop from a list of substances in text form displayed alongside the container image on the screen.

The software may be adapted to convert the display of an image of the substance on the screen into text to be printed on the sheet.

The software may be adapted to produce an image on the screen of a set of data representative of the intended use of the substances to be packaged, such as a date by which a packaged substance should be used.

The system may include an outer container for transportation, adapted to receive a plurality of the aforesaid containers in superimposed relationship with spaced dividing members whereby the aforesaid containers may be housed within the outer container in the manner of drawers.

The following description, by way of example, is of a system for discretely packaging a plurality of quantities of medication in liquid, tablet or capsule form. Equally, the system may be used for packaging individual quantities of any substance to be dispensed as required. Thus, the system may be used for packaging small quantities of foodstuffs. However, its principal intention is to produce a monitored dosing system for medication where both the patient and the dispensing personnel can be certain that the medication is correctly and safely prepared and taken. Such a system is for the benefit of not only patients and carers but also of pharmacists.

Referring now toFIGS. 1 and 2, a container made in accordance with the invention comprises a tray generally indicated at10, of a plastics material and formed to define side walls11and an array of individual preformed, side-by-side compartments12each having an opening13at its base and a common upper platform14extending across the tray10between the compartments12. A front wall15provides a surface for the display of data concerning the contents of the tray and a lip16enables the tray to be withdrawn from an outer container to be described.

Located within each compartment12is a vessel in the form of an individual pot17for containment of a substance to be packaged. Each pot17has an upper flange18which when the pot is located in the tray rests upon, and flush with, the platform14. The pots may be of the same material as the tray11, and are preferably transparent.

The shape of the recess defined within each pot17is such as to have a curved upper rim19at least at one side. Opposite the curved rim19in each pot is a straight end20. The walls of each pot also conform to the shape of the upper rim.

For preference, each pot17is of such a size as to be an interference fit within its compartment which is of complementary shape and size.

With all of the pots17in 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.

To complete the container a flexible sheet21of a non-permeable material having perforations22is placed over the filled tray and sealed, as will be described. The perforations22coincide with the outer peripheries of the pots17, thus to define individual sealed films23, one across each pot. The sheet21is adhesively sealed to the platform14and around each individual pot flange18.

With the sheet in place the pots can be removed individually by pushing a pot upwards through the opening13in the associated compartment thus breaking the perforation in the sheet21, while maintaining the integrity of the sealed film23. This action is shown inFIG. 2and it can be seen that once the pot is removed, the sealed film23remaining on the flange18can be peeled off to open the pot whereupon the medication can be taken.

The curved rim19of each pot facilitates the taking of liquid medication. The regions of the flange18either side of the curved rim will have sufficient flexibility that they can be deformed to assist in release of the individual sealed film23.

In this manner, therefore, individual pots can be removed whilst the remainder are retained and sealed on the tray10. The individual films23may be printed, for example, with a time and date and the contents of the associated pot. A front flap29of the sheet21can be printed with information pertaining to the contents of the entire tray.

To avoid any risk of contamination it is intended that the entire tray10be disposable.

Referring now toFIG. 3, there is illustrated a patient pack comprising an outer container24having superimposed internal dividing members25to enable a plurality of trays10to be stacked in superimposed relationship within the container24which may then be closed and sealed by way of a lid26. Also within the container24is a shallow compartment27which is adapted to receive a data sheet28with details of the patient and the contained medication. Since the front flap29of the sheet21will contain information concerning the contained medication and perhaps the patient's name, a window30in the lid26will enable the information on the flap29of the sheet to be read. In a multi-container pack as illustrated several windows30may be provided in the lid26in order to make the information visible on each of the trays contained within the pack.

The lip16on each tray, together with a recess31on each dividing member25, facilitates removal of a tray from the pack.

Referring now toFIG. 4, the system may include, for use by the pharmacist, a combined printer32and labelling device33.

The system may also include a computer with software to be described, which commands the printer32to print the perforated sheet21which is then heat-sealed onto the filled tray within the labelling device33.

Referring now toFIG. 5, the computer software within the system may be adapted to produce images on screen to enable the pharmacist to select medication for a particular patient and then to print the relevant data, via the printer32, onto the sheet21for attachment to the tray.FIG. 5shows a screen shot enabling a pharmacist, by the drag and drop principle, to select medication from a list in text form on the left hand side of the screen and to transfer the or each item of medication to one or more images on the right hand side of the screen representing compartments within the tray10. Colour coding of tablets and capsules will be adopted to enable the pharmacist to see at a glance that the correct medication has been selected for each pot within the tray and the software will further illustrate, for each compartment, and if necessary for each separate tablet, the time and date when the tablet should be taken and the milligram dosage of the particular tablet. If liquids are being dispensed then again an image will appear on the screen in the respective compartments representing the liquid or liquids to be taken. The patient's details, preferably including a photograph, will also be illustrated on the screen to provide a check that the correct medication is being dispensed for that patient.

Referring now toFIG. 6, in a subsequent step the right hand side of the screen, again representing positions of individual pots within the tray, will illustrate textual information concerning the content and dosing for each individual compartment and the name of the patient. In this way, should an individual pot be removed from the tray and become separated from it, the patient's details and the dosage are clearly visible on the top of the pot from which the film23can be removed just prior to medication being taken.

Referring now toFIG. 7, the software can also be used to print the data sheet28to be enclosed within the patient pack. This is illustrated at the right hand side of the screen in

FIG. 7and provides information concerning all of the medication and the dosage requirement appertaining to that patient and that pack. Still further sheets may be printed to provide a medication administration report, for example that a particular patient has taken the appropriate medication at the appropriate time, and again the software will enable the production of a screen image for this purpose which will be transferred onto an appropriate data sheet. The design and printing of this data by the computer and the printer32greatly facilitates the pharmacist's procedure in producing the packaged medication and further ensures the correct medication is made available for the patient.

The only manual operation still remaining for the pharmacist is the placing of the medication in each of the pots17prior to application of the sheet21. A measured pipette typically would be used for dispensing liquid medication while pill dispensers or the like may be used for placing tablets and capsules in the pots.

The pots17may be made available in a number of typical dose sizes such as 10 mm, 15 mm and 30 mm. Preferably they should be sized at least to ensure that they pass the “choke” test for such products. The material selected for the pots will be such as to be substantially transparent while protecting the contents from the effects of UV light.

It will be seen that the tray11has a raised edge portion such that multiple trays may be stacked in superimposed relationship if required.

A number of important advantages accrue from a system in accordance with the invention.

For example, each tray may be charged with substances of different kinds such as tablets, capsules and liquids or ointments, a feature which has not hitherto been possible with blister packaging or the like.

Also, the pots with the removable film23avoid the conventional problem, with foil covered blisters, of having to eject tablets or capsules by applying sufficient force to eject them through the foil, often resulting in lost or spoiled medication.

Additionally, the pot serves as a medicine cup in itself, thus avoiding the need for foil packed tablets or capsules to be pre-dispensed into a medicine cup.

The sealing process is less likely to damage or contaminate the medication which, in the pot, is separated from the sealing source to a much greater extent than with blister packaging.

The individual pots can be removed selectively to allow medication to be removed from the tray and taken away by the patient for use elsewhere and at a later time.