Dispenser pack for the successive dispensing of a drug

Abstract: The invention relates to a reusable dispensing package (10) for dispensing medication in the form of tablets, pills, capsules or the like in a predetermined sequence, said package (10) comprising a reusable container (11) having a cover (12) and a base portion (13), the cover (12) being engageable with the base (13) to form the container; the base portion (13) being adapted to receive a blister package (14), the blister package (14) including a plurality of spaced apart blisters (15) for receiving and containing said medication (16), the base portion (13) including a plurality of spaced apart openings (20) coextensive with the blisters (15) in the blister package (14); the cover portion (12) including a race (17); a plunger (30) positioned in the race (17) and moveable therein; the race (17) having a plurality of intersecting tracks including intersections (18) in substantial alignment with the spaced apart blisters (15) in the blister package (14); the plunger (30) being moveable successively to each intersection (18) of the tracks in the race (17) whereby when the plunger (30) is depressed, the plunger (30) releases the medicament (16) in the blister (15) in alignment with the intersection (18) and the opening (20) in the base portion (13).

Description: The invention relates to a reusable dispensing package for dispensing medication in the form of tablets, pills, capsules or the like in a predetermined sequence, said package comprising a reusable container having a cover and base portion, the cover portion being engageable with the base portion to form the container; the base portion being adapted to receive a blister package, the blister package including a plurality of spaced apart blisters for receiving and containing said medication, the base portion including a plurality of spaced apart openings coextensive with the blisters in the blister package; the cover portion including a race; and a plunger being positioned in the race and movable therein. Medication in solid form such as tablets, pills, capsules or the like are sometimes dispensed to patients in dispensers having blister packages therein which include individually sealed blisters or compartments designed to hold a single dose of medication. Such packages permit the handling of only a single dose of medicine at a time and minimize the risk of contamination of the tablet, pill or capsule. Other dispensers do not include blister packages. Such dispensers are exemplified by various forms. For example, US-A-3 199 489, issued August 10, 1965, discloses a container for medicament in the form of pills and which are to be administered at specific intervals. The pills are retained in a circular configuration and are dispensed by pressing out through an easily tearable foil. US-A-4 384 649, issued May 24, 1983, discloses a medicament dispensing package including a blister pack and cover and an outer shell wherein the blister pack has multiple pockets for receiving medicament, and the outer shell has means for sealing the cover around the pocket of the blister pack. The package is reusable and the blister pack is disposable. US-A-4 660 991, issued April 28, 1987, discloses a dispenser for storing and signaling the time for taking drugs. The dispenser includes an electrical push button which acts on the blister pockets in the direction of ejection. Each blister pocket has a corresponding electrical push button. US-A-3 504 788, issued April 7, 1970, discloses a three component package including a press through packet or blister pack, a tray to support the packet and an outer sheath to protect the packet and tray. US-A-3 630 171, issued December 28, 1971, discloses a tablet dispenser including a parallel series of columns of tablets. The number of columns being equal to the number of medicament doses to be dispensed within a specified time period. Finally, US-A-4 905 866, issued March 6, 1990, discloses a reusable dispensing package of the type mentioned at the beginning for dispensing pills in successive order. The pills are retained in a single row in the desired successive order and a pill ejector is arranged for incremental movement in one direction along the dispenser. When the pill ejector is adjacent to a pill, a bendable member is displaced to push the pill out of a blister type package and through an opening in the rear of the dispenser. It is a particular object of the invention to provide a reusable dispensing package of the type mentioned in the beginning which is particularly useful for arthritic patients who have difficulty opening a tamper proof container generally used for dispensing medication. This object is achieved according to the invention by a reusable dispensing package which is characterized in that the race having a plurality of intersecting tracks including intersections in substantial alignment with the spaced apart blisters in the blister package; and the plunger being moveable successively to each intersection of the tracks in the race whereby when the plunger is depressed, the plunger releases the medicament in the blister in alignment with the intersection and the opening in the base portion. In accordance with the invention there is disclosed a reusable dispensing package for dispensing medication in the form of tablets, pills, capsules or the like in a predetermined sequence. In one embodiment, the dispenser comprises a hinged container into which is placed a disposable blister pack containing the medicament. The cover of the dispenser includes a double "S" race which contains a spring-loaded button or plunger. The blister package includes a plurality of spaced apart blisters for containing the medication and the base portion of the dispenser includes a plurality of spaced apart openings coextensive with the blisters in the blister package. As the button is moved around the double "S" shaped race in the cover of the dispenser, at each corner, it is in line with a blister containing a drug, tablet or pill, for example. Hence, when the plunger is depressed, it releases the tablet or pill from the blister. This enables the patient to keep track of the number of tablets or pills which have been dispensed so that the proper number are taken daily, for example. The dispenser is particularly useful for arthritic patients who have difficulty opening a tamper proof container generally used for dispensing medication. With the dispenser as described, simply pressing the plunger releases the desired tablet or pill, while at the same time, maintaining the tamper proof feature of the dispenser. Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an isometric representation of an embodiment of a dispenser pack in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the dispenser pack when viewing the inside of the cover and the inside of the base; Figure 3 is a plan view of the opened dispenser pack when viewing the top of the cover and the outside of the base; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the dispenser pack as viewed along the lines 4-4 of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the dispenser pack when in the closed position; Figure 6 is an end cross-sectional view as viewed along the lines 5-5 of Figure 5 and illustrating the plunger positioned over a blister in the blister pack; and Figure 7 is an exploded view of a spring-loaded embodiment of the plunger. Detailed Description of the Invention The dispenser of the present invention includes a race having a plurality of intersecting tracks which, for example, can be in the shape of an "S", sawtooth, square, parallelogram, hexagon, and the like. The intersection of the tracks form a stop for the plunger as it is moved along the race, each of the intersections being in alignment with a tablet or pill retained within the dispenser. At each intersection, the plunger can be depressed to release a tablet or pill. For purposes of description, the invention is described with reference to a dispenser including a double "S" shaped race. Referring to Figure 1 an embodiment of the dispenser pack 10 of the present invention is illustrated. The dispenser pack 10 comprises a container 11 including a cover 12 and a base portion 13 . Disposed within the base portion 13 is a disposable blister package 14 including a plurality of spaced apart blisters 15 for receiving and containing the medication 16 . The cover 12 includes a double "S" shaped race 17 including corners 18 . The base portion 13 includes a plurality of spaced apart openings 20 which are coextensive with the blisters 15 in the blister package 14 and the corners 18 in the double "S" shaped race 17 disposed within the cover 12 . As illustrated, a hinge 22 joins the cover 12 and the base portion 13 but if desired the cover 12 and base portion 13 can be separate and adapted to fit together. In the embodiment shown, the cover 12 includes a latch 24 which fits into the notch 25 of the base portion 13 . The opposed latch extensions 26 in the base portion 13 allow for easier opening of the latch 24 by the user, especially a user who may be physically impaired. The double S shaped race 17 in the cover 12 includes a defined corner 18 which has a partial radius 19 on the outside of the corner and a small partial radius 21 on the inside of the corner to form a detente. The detente receives the plunger 30 and assures that it is positioned over the tablet or pill to be dispensed. As best illustrated in Figures 1 and 6, a plunger 30 is positioned within the double "S" race 17 in the cover 12 and is moveable therein. In the embodiment illustrated, the plunger 30 is biased by means of a spring 33 mounted on the shaft 31 of the plunger 30 . An oversize knob 34 is illustrated in the embodiment shown. Oversizing of the knob 34 assures easy contact with a broad surface for maximum impact area by a user, and in particular, assures greater potential for impact results by an arthritic patient. In the embodiment illustrated, the base portion 13 includes a ridge 35 around the periphery thereof to form a space 37 underneath the dispenser pack 10 to receive the tablet 16 when it is released from the blister 15 in the blister package 14 . In use, when it is desired to release a tablet 16 from the dispenser pack 10 , the plunger 30 is positioned at a corner 18 in the double "S" shaped race 17 in the cover 12 . As the plunger 30 is depressed, the button portion 32 of the plunger 30 contacts the blister 15 in the blister package whereby the blister 15 is ruptured and the tablet 16 drops through the opening 21 in the base portion 13 , dropping into the space 37 underneath the container 11 where it can be retrieved. Although this invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, the details of these embodiments are not to be construed as limitations. Various equivalents, changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this invention, and it is understood that such equivalent embodiments are part of this invention.

Claims: A reusable dispensing package (10) for dispensing medication (16) in the form of tablets, pills, capsules or the like in a predetermined sequence, said package (10) comprising a reusable container (11) having a cover and base portion (12, 13) the cover portion (12) being engageable with the base portion (13) to form the container (11); the base portion (13) being adapted to receive a blister package (14), the blister package (14) including a plurality of spaced apart blisters (15) for receiving and containing said medication (16), the base portion (13) including a plurality of spaced apart openings (20) coextensive with the blisters (15) in the blister package (14); the cover portion (12) including a race (17); and a plunger (30) being positioned in the race (17) and moveable therein; characterized in that the race (17) having a plurality of intersecting tracks including intersections in substantial alignment with the spaced apart blisters (15) in the blister package (14); and the plunger (30) being moveable successively to each intersection of the tracks in the race (17) whereby when the plunger (30) is depressed, the plunger (30) releases the medicament (16) in the blister (15) in alignment with the intersection (18) and the opening (20) in the base portion (13). The reusable dispensing package of claim 1, characterized in that the race (17) comprises an S shape, the S shaped race (17) including corners (18) in substantial alignment with the spaced apart blisters (15) in the blister package (14). The dispensing package of claim 2, characterized in that the corners (18) in the S shaped race (17) include a partial radius on the outside of the corner (18) and a smaller partial radius (21) on the inside of the corner (18) to form a detent for receiving the plunger (30). The dispensing package of claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized by including a double S shaped race (17). The dispensing package of any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover portion (12) is joined to the base portion (13) by hinge means (22).

Inventors: HONAN DAVID G, LANTZ GREGORY W, SALISBURY THOMAS, HONAN, DAVID G., LANTZ, GREGORY W., SALISBURY, THOMAS
Applicants: SEARLE & CO, G.D. SEARLE & CO.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: A61J7
IPC codes: A61J1, B65D83, A61J7