Abstract:
A medication dispensing system uses a series of medication rings grouped as a rotary drum and controlled for dispensing medication on a daily basis into a divided pill box. Each medication ring includes an associated medication collar that cooperates with the medication ring to reduce the possibility of abrasion of the medication dosages held in the medication rings. The pill box is moved and rotated within the dispensing system by a carriage to dispense medication into appropriate cells of the pill box. A computer control module controls the movement of the various components and is programmable for loading and dispensing different medication regimes.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present application is directed to an apparatus for dispensing of medication, typically on a daily basis. The device is primarily designed for direct use by a patient. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There are a number of proposed devices to assist a person in properly dispensing and tracking prescribed medication on a daily or hourly basis. The dispensing of medication is not normally a problem if there are only one or two medications to be taken daily or at different hours through the day, however the problem becomes more critical as the number of different medications increases. In addition, certain users may not be capable of, or have difficulty in, reliably dispensing medication. Errors causing over or under medication conditions are responsible for thousand of preventable deaths each year. 
     There have been various solutions proposed for managing medication including large pill dispensing boxes having a number of cavities corresponding to morning, noon and dinner and bedtime. Some of these systems are designed for a seven day period. These systems require the user or a trusted individual to effectively dispense multiple medications into each cavity corresponding to a particular day and time. 
     Other systems have been proposed that control the dispensing of the medication. U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,593 discloses a radial dispensing apparatus that uses portable medication cartridges. These cartridges are rotated and dispense a particular medication at a particular angular position. With this system each medication must be prepackaged in a standardized configuration for loading into the device. 
     There are also a number of other devices that are designed to control the dispensing of medication. Many of these devices are provided with alarms that are activated when the medication is not removed from the device at the appropriate time. In this way, an alarm or warning signal is provided to the user that a particular medication is available for dispensing and should be taken. A number of these devices also communicate with a remote computer using a telephone, internet or other communication method and can provide additional warnings or messages to third parties of potential medication irregularities. 
     There remains a need for an effective medication dispenser that operates in a manner that is convenient to the end user while ensuring the prescribed medication is made available to the person on a daily basis. This need continues to increase and become more critical as the number of senior citizens maintaining an independent lifestyle continues to grow. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A medication dispensing system according to the present invention comprises a motor controlled rotary drum, a driven movable carriage positioned at lower edge of said drum adapted to rotatably receive a pill box, a divided pill box having a number of cells with said pill box attachable to said movable carriage for receiving medication dispensed from said rotary drum, and a computer control module for receiving dispensing control information and loading control information of medication loaded into or dispensed from said rotary drum. 
     The motor controlled rotary drum is divided into a series of medications rings with each ring having a series of medication cells open at a periphery of the drum with each medication cell sized to receive a single medication dosage. The drum further includes movable collars with each collar associated with one of said medication rings and partially rotatable relative to the medication ring to open any of said medication cells for loading of or dispensing of medication. Each collar is movable to a position closing the cells of the medication ring and rotatable with the drum if medication is not being loaded or dispensed. The computer control module controls the drive of the rotary drum, the driven carriage and the position of the pill box to allow dispensing of medication into the appropriate cells of the pill box. 
     In a preferred aspect of the invention, the rotary drum includes a medication loading position and a medication dispensing position at the same angular positions for each medication ring. 
     In yet a further aspect of the invention, each movable collar is independently rotatable on the drum to a loading position opening a cell of the associated medication ring to a dispensing loading port through which medication is loaded. The movable collar is independently rotatable on said drum to a dispensing position opening a cell of the associated medical ring to a dispensing port through which medication is dispensed into the pill box. 
     In an aspect of the invention each movable collar is only movable to the dispensing position when the carriage has been moved to locate the pill box aligned below the dispensing position. 
     In a preferred aspect of the invention, each movable collar has a port through which medication passes during the loading or dispensing of the medication associated with the medication ring. 
     In a different aspect of the invention, the control system includes as part of a pill box load procedure and a pill box release procedure, a security step requiring the user to input security information that is compared with preauthorized security information and only proceeds if a match is obtained. 
     In a preferred aspect of the invention, the system includes a touch screen input through which a user can program the system with respect to a desired medication regime of at least one user. 
     In a preferred aspect of the invention, the system is programmable for different medication regimes of at least two users. 
     According to an aspect of the invention, the pill box is a daily pill box divided into four quadrants corresponding to morning, noon, dinner and evening time periods. 
     In a preferred aspect of the invention, the pill box is rotatable on the movable carriage to dispense the particular medication into the appropriate cell of the divided pill box. 
     In a further aspect of the invention, the pill box is rotatable on the platform generally about a center axis of the pill box. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective partially cut away view showing working components of the medication dispenser; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the medication dispenser about to receive a four quadrant pill box; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the medication dispenser with a lid cover in an open service position; 
         FIG. 4.1  is a perspective view of the four quadrant pill box; 
         FIG. 4.2  is a perspective view showing the bottom surface of the four quadrant pill box; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial exploded perspective view showing the main drum assembly; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the main drum assembly; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a medication ring-forming part of the main drum assembly; 
         FIG. 8  is a partial perspective view of an alignment structure for aligning the medication ring with the associated medication collar; 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of the medication ring and associated collar; 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of the medication ring and medication collar with the medication collar in a non-dispensing position; 
         FIG. 11  is an end view of the medication ring and medication collar in a dispensing position; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the pill box carriage; 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the pill box platform; 
         FIG. 14  is a bottom view of the pill box platform; 
         FIG. 15  is a partial cut-away of the pill box carriage; 
         FIG. 16  is a partial cut-away of the medication dispenser showing the carriage in an end position; 
         FIG. 17  is an end view of the medication dispenser partially cut-away to show the relationship with the carriage and the main drum assembly; 
         FIG. 18  is a partial cut-away through the main drum assembly and carriage; 
         FIG. 19  is a view similar to  FIG. 18  showing the loading of pills into one of the medication rings; 
         FIG. 20  is a cut-away view showing the main drum assembly and the carriage with the medication collar in a locked position; 
         FIG. 21  is a view similar to  FIG. 20  with the medication collar in a dispensing position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The medication dispenser  2  shown in  FIG. 1  includes an outer case  4  that houses the main drum assembly  6 . The main drum assembly includes a series of medication rings  7  with each medication ring having its own medication collar  9 . Further details of the main drum assembly will be described in subsequent figures. 
     The stepper motor  8  is used to control the position of the main drum assembly  6  with the stepper motor receiving drive signals from the central processing unit indicated as  10 . The medication dispenser  2  includes a touch screen input  12  that allows the user to activate various modes of the device for initially providing information with respect to the particular medications to be controlled, the dispensing times of the medication, and the details of the user. A finger print reader  14  is shown in  FIG. 2  that can also be used to provide controlled authorization of the medication dispenser. Passwords or other security approaches can also be used. 
     The outer case  4  of the medication dispenser  2  includes a speaker  18  to allow effective communication with the user. Verbal instructions are provided as part of the loading sequence and at other times. In addition, the dispenser can include a memory card slot  20  for receiving a memory card providing particular instructions to the dispenser regarding medication dispensing. It may be preferable or desirable for a pharmacy or perhaps an individual user to enter this information on a memory card and merely provide the memory card to the medication dispenser. For example, for a particular user, up to seven different medications can be controlled with the arrangement shown in the Figures, and it may be more desirable to enter the information concerning the medication regime and the details of the user at a personal computer with appropriate software and use the memory card to transfer this information. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the main drum assembly  6  has seven medication rings and the case  4  is provided with seven loading windows or ports  22  for loading of the medication rings. Each of the windows  22  is associated with one of the medication rings  7  with each ring having an associated medication collar  9 . The medication collar  9  effectively closes the individual medication cells provided in the medication ring and also closes the ports  22 . The collar is controlled relative to the medication ring to align a port in the collar with the appropriate cell of the medication ring to allow loading of the medication for the dispensing of medication as will be subsequently described and also allows dispensing of the medication from the cell to the pill box. 
     A barcode reader  25  is shown in  FIG. 2  and can be used to simplify the loading of different medications and the different time the medication is to be taken. A previously programmed medication can be associated with a unique barcode recognized by the dispensing system. To refill the system, a barcode on a label of the dispensed medication from a pharmacist can be scanned and the device will then know which medication ring to load. A barcode or part of the medication barcode could provide the times the medication is to be taken. This approach can simplify loading and dispensing of medication and reduce the input steps the user must complete. 
     As shown in the rear perspective view of  FIG. 3 , the medication dispenser  2  can also include a USB connection  24  and/or a telephone jack  26 . The USB connection  24  and/or the telephone jack  26  provide the device with a two-way communication channel for connection with a remote computer or other device. This may be used to connect with an authorized instructing computer. 
     In  FIG. 3 , the medication dispenser  2  is shown with the back drum cover  28  in a release position. This release position is typically only used to service the main drum assembly  6 . The cover remains closed during the loading of the main drum assembly  6  and during the dispensing of the medication. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the four quadrant pill box  30  about to be inserted into the medication dispenser  2 . The four quadrant pill box  30  has two internal partitions dividing the pill box into four cells corresponding to morning, AM or noon, dinner, and evening or PM. This four quadrant pill box  30  and the individual cells are shown in  FIG. 4.1  as  30   a ,  30   b ,  30   c  and  30   d . The four quadrant pill box  30  is received within a sliding pill box carriage  34  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The pill box carriage  34  is moveable beneath each of the medication rings  7  for receiving dispensed medication. The pill box carriage  34  can only receive the four quadrant pill box  30  in one orientation thereof due to the orientation guide grooves  44  and  46  which receive the guide ribs  45  and  47 . The rotatable platform  42  allows rotation of the four quadrant pill box  30  when it is properly received on the rotatable platform  42  for dispensing into one of the four cells of the pill box  30   a  through  30   d . The four quadrant pill box  30  is rotated with the rotatable platform  42  generally about the center axis of the pill box. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a motor  102  is carried on the carriage  34  and meshes with a series of gears that effectively control the centre rotation gear  104  of the rotatable platform  42  shown in  FIG. 14 . The motor  102  thereby controls the position of the four quadrant pill box  30  beneath a dispensing opening for loading of any medication into a particular cell  30   a  through  30   d  of the four quadrant pill box  30 . The platform  42  also includes latching arms  49  which engage and latch with the latching recesses  48  of the four quadrant pill box  30 . 
     With this particular arrangement, the four quadrant pill box  30  can only be received in the pill box carriage  34  provided at one end of the medication dispenser  2  as shown in  FIG. 2 , in the particular orientation as shown. This provides proper registration of the four quadrant pill box  30  with the rotatable platform  42  and with the medication dispenser  2 . This is effectively a loading or insert position of the four quadrant pill box  30  as well as a removal position for the four quadrant pill box  30 . Once the four quadrant pill box  30  has been appropriately loaded into the carriage  34 , the motor  110  drives a timing belt  40  and controls the position of the carriage  34  and effectively the four quadrant pill box  30  at various positions beneath the main drum assembly  6 . This arrangement ensures that the four quadrant pill box  30  is appropriately located below a medication ring  7  for receiving medication and also the relative position of the cells of the four quadrant pill box  30  is controlled by the relational position of the platform  42 . 
     The pill box carriage  34  includes guide rails  36  and  38  that allow sliding of the carriage to aligned positions below the main drum assembly  6 . Further details of the carriage  34  are shown in the perspective view of  FIG. 12 . The carriage  34  includes a dispensing port  150  that allows dispensing of the medication into one of the four quadrants of the pill box  30 . 
     Details of the main drum assembly  6  are shown in  FIGS. 5 through 11 . Each of the individual medication rings  7  include a center port  75  which receives the guide shaft  77 . In addition, each of the medication rings  7  include a protrusion  79  which includes a cavity on the rear side thereof for receiving the protrusion of an adjacent medication ring  7 . In this way, the medication rings are aligned and engaged, and rotate as a group. 
     The main drum  6  is rotated by means of the drive ring  81  in mesh with drive gear  83  driven by the stepper motor  8 . The drive ring  81  also includes stop lugs  85  and  87  which provide stops for the carriage when it is in the loading position as shown in  FIG. 16 . In this way, the carriage is mechanically stopped and any forces due to insertion of the four quadrant pill box  30  are not transmitted to the timing belt or other mechanisms that could be damaged. The carriage includes stop lugs  93  and  95 . These lugs, with the drive ring  81  in a loading position, will contact the stop lugs  85  and  87 . When the drive ring is rotated to allow the carriage  34  to be moved into the device, the lugs are free to pass through one of the ports. Basically, the ring  81  in a load position of the four quadrant pill box  30  provides a stop surface for the pill box carriage  34 . 
     The touch screen input  12  is used for programming the device and to allow loading of medications into any of the medication rings  7  through the windows  22 . The main drum  6  is rotated as a group although the individual medications are fed through the individual loading windows  22 . Each medication collar  9  includes a feed port  11  and the collar is effectively rotated to allow either the loading of a particular pill into a particular cell  13  of the medication ring  7 , or this port is positioned over one of the block wedges  13   a  provided between cells  13 . The position of the medication collars  9  is controlled by the carriage which includes a drive member for driving of the individual parts provided on the collar. The port  11  is aligned with one of the windows  22  during loading of pills into the medication ring  7  and similarly the port  11  is moved to a dispensing position as shown in  FIG. 1  to allow dispensing of the medication into a quadrant of the four quadrant pill box. These aspects can be appreciated from a review of  FIGS. 10 and 11 , as well as  FIGS. 20 and 21 . 
     With the medication dispenser  2 , the main drum assembly  6 , when the four quadrant pill box  30  has been loaded into the device, controls the position of the four quadrant pill box  30  beneath the various medication rings  7 . The medication collars  9  are effectively controlled to rotate with the individual medication rings  7  in most cases such that the end of the individual pill cells  13  are closed by the collar  9  and the collar  9  does not effectively move relative to the cell. With this arrangement there is no abrasion or breakage of the pills which could occur if the collar  9  frequently rotated relative to the pill cells  13 . Furthermore, with this device, each pill or medication is in its own cell  13  and this cell is effectively closed by its own collar  9 . The collar  9  remains stationary relative to the cells unless that particular ring and collar are to be used for loading of the medication and dispensing of the medication or dispensing of the medication into the four quadrant pill box  30 . 
     The carriage moves and positions the four quadrant pill box  30  below the particular medication rings  7 . The platform of the pill box carriage  34  then rotates the pill box to locate the pill box for dispensing medication into the appropriate quadrant of the pill box. 
     With the above arrangement, the medication dispenser  2  preferably loads the four quadrant pill box  30  once a day. For example, this loading may occur at a fixed time after the medication for the day has been completed. An empty four quadrant pill box is placed in the device in the load position and the device then receives, moves and rotates the pill box to the appropriate positions. 
     During individual loading, the medication device detects the loading of a pill into its individual cell as well as detecting the dispensing of the pill from the individual cell. With the present system, the individual medications are separated one from the other, and each medication ring  7  is preferably dedicated to a particular medication. Basically, there is a set up for the medication dispenser  2  and typically this will remain unchanged or subject to only small variations caused by any changes in the medication regime. 
     By maintaining a medication ring  7  and associated medication collar  9  associated with a particular medication, any pill dust in the individual cells is associated with the same medication. This avoids cross contamination of medications. 
     It is also possible with this system to have drums preloaded by a pharmacy together with software instructions regarding the dispensing of the medication. Keywords and/or passwords or remote activation, for example, by the pharmacy can be used to provide additional control. In this way drums can be loaded by the pharmacy and installed in the device thereby avoiding the steps to load the drum. 
     Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.