Abstract:
A liquid oral medication dispensing system made up of an ampule configured to hold a pre-measured quantity of the selected medication and to dispense that quantity of oral medication through an opening in the ampule formed by a puncturing device. This dispensing system provides a system for storing and delivering oral medications that can be utilized in a broad variety of circumstances by individuals with little or no medical training and provides safe, effective use of the medication.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to medication dispensing devices and more particularly to a portable disposable pre-measured medicine dispenser. 
     2. Background Information 
     One of the greatest benefits of modern medicine has been the ability of antibiotics and other medications to cure and treat diseases that have plagued mankind from the beginning of time. In generally civilized societies, individuals have access to medications whose usage can be lifesaving in many instances. While these medications exist, the availability and dispersal of these medications to individuals that truly need them throughout the world has not yet been properly established. One of the reasons for which this dispersal of medication has not been effective in all locations is that in many locations individuals do not know how much medication to impart to reach the desired dosing requirements for efficacy while also preventing damage to the individual. Another problem that occurs is that in some instances the ability to take the medication cannot be effectively performed because of a lack of dispensatory materials at the designated location. 
     Another problem in the prior art occurs with the storage of such medications. Many times a medication is sold in large containers or in shipments that may require refrigeration. Thus the cost of the medication itself is further increased by the cost of transporting the medication to the desired location and storing the medication. In other instances, the required amount of medicine to be administered may be so small in comparison with the quantities in which the medication is shipped and stored that purchase of the medication is cost prohibitive. 
     Many times, the administration of the medication requires more time, knowledge or precision than an individual is able to apply to the administration of medication. When this occurs, an individual will measure and utilize the medication inappropriately. As a result, persons may become ill from taking too much of the medication, while at other times the medication is ineffective against the disease because of improperly small dosages of the medications are administered. This in turn can lead to a variety of health issues including sickness, discomfort, pain, irritability, and even death to individuals who fail to take the proper medication at the proper times. 
     In addition to these problems, in treating bacterial infections, and other biological hazards including those organisms that have been employed as weapons, the improper use and dosing of antibiotics can lead to the mutation and the creation of resistant bacteria that do not respond to the traditionally outlined antibacterial regimens. 
     Therefore what is needed is a system for storing and dispensing pre-dosed quantities of medications that can be safely and effectively dispensed to individuals in a variety of circumstances. What is also needed is such a device wherein the medications can be safely stored and then subsequently dispensed when needed according to a selected protocol at a selected time, by an individual with little or no medical training. What is also needed is a method and device for storing and delivering pre-dosed amounts of desired medications which does not require the use of additional drug delivery devices. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a system for storing and dispensing pre-dosed quantities of medications that can be safely and effectively dispensed to individuals in a variety of circumstances. Another object of the invention is to provide a device that can be used to safely store a medication and then to subsequently dispense that medication according to a selected protocol and at a selected time. Another object of the invention is to provide such a medicine delivery and storage system that is predosed and easy to deliver so as to allow by an individual with little or no medical training to adequately and appropriately administer the medication. Another object of the invention is to provide a method and device for storing and delivering pre-dosed amounts of desired medications in a container which can also be utilized to deliver the medication to the individual and which does not require the use of additional drug delivery devices. 
     Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a liquid medication dispensing system for dispensing measured doses of selected medications comprising an ampule containing a pre-selected quantity of a selected medication. The ampule is configured to hold a pre-measured quantity of the selected medication and to dispense that quantity of medication through an opening in the ampule formed by a puncturing device. These medications can be stored within the ampule in either a suspended solution or in a powdered form separated from a liquid reconstituting agent by a rupturable membrane. These medications are held in capsules that can be activated, mixed and then punctured by a puncturing device. The puncturing device being of a calibrated size and formed as a part of a storage container, which is configured to hold the ampule in a desired position and orientation. In the preferred embodiment, the ampule may have a handle attached to it so as to prevent the placement of increased pressure upon the medicine containing portions of the ampule and to ensure the delivery of the proper quantity of material out of the device. 
     The present invention is stored as a kit containing at least one ampule having a designated predosed quantity of medication, being stored within a sealed container. The sealed container having a portion configured to define at least one puncturing device. To use the device the container is opened the ample removed, agitated or mixed according to the manufacturers directions and then punctured by the puncturing device. Once the ampule has been punctured, the ampule can be squeezed so as to expel the predosed quantity of medication out of the device and to deliver this medication to the intended beneficiary. 
     This dispensing system provides a variety of advantages over the prior art and provides a system for long-term storage of dosing medications, particularly oral and topical medications that can be utilized in a broad variety of circumstances by individuals with little or no medical training and which will provide safe, effective use of the medication which will thus provide designated healing properties. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measure by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description wherein I have shown and described only the preferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by carrying out my invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiment are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive in nature. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a detailed top view of a first embodiment of an ampule of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a detailed top view of a second embodiment of an ampule of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a detailed side view of one an ampule in contact with a puncturing device. 
         FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the container of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the present invention wherein the cover of the container has been removed 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4  the present invention of a system for dispensing measured dosages of selected medications is shown. The principal element in the system is an ampule. Examples of the ampules utilized in the preferred embodiment of this invention is shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . These ampules  12  are configured to contain and dispense measured dosages of selected medications.  FIG. 1A  shows an ampule  12 , which contains a desired amount of a medication  14  therein.  FIG. 1B  shows an ampule  12  wherein the medication is reconstituted to and is ready for delivery. In  FIG. 1A  the medication  14  is in a dry powdered form and is separated from a reconstituting liquid  32  by a rupturable membrane  30 . This rupturable membrane  30  divides the ampule  12  into a medication chamber  28  and a reconstituting chamber  26 . 
     In order to use the device the ampule  12  is removed from a stored location, shaken or mixed to resuspend the medication into a solution. The ampule  12  is then punctured, preferably near an end portion  52  of the ampule  12 . When this occurs, an aperture or opening  16  is formed within the ampule  12 . By squeezing the ampule  12 , the medication is pushed out of the opening  16  and can be delivered to the individual requiring the medication. In the preferred embodiment, the ampule  12  further comprises a handle portion  34  which prevents excess pressure from being applied to the ampule  12  when the device is being punctured. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1A , the medication  14  is stored as a powder and the reconstituting liquid  32  is held in a separate chamber  26  by a rupturable membrane  30 . Therefore, in order for the reconstituting liquid  32  and the medication  14  to be mixed, the membrane  30  must be ruptured. In order to rupture this membrane the ampule  14  must be bent so as to produce sufficient pressure against the membrane  30  so as to cause the membrane  30  to break and for the liquid  32  and the medication  14  to be mixed. This mixing is enhanced by shaking or agitating the ampule  12 . 
     Once the medication  14  and the liquid  32  have been mixed, the ampule  12  can then be punctured by a puncturing device to produce an opening  16  sufficient in size to allow delivery of the medication to the intended recipient. Once the opening  16  has been made in the ampule  12 , the medication may be delivered by simply squeezing the ampule  12  to force the medication out of the ampule  12  through the opening  16 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the expulsion of medication through the opening  16  is enhanced by the inclusion of a quantity of an expelling material  50 . In the preferred embodiment this is simply a quantity of air that is included within the ampule  12  and is configured to increase the efficacy of expelling material out of the ampule  12 . Depending upon the specific medications that are utilized, an additional rupturable membrane  30  may be required to separate the expelling material  50  from the remainder of the medications that are held in the ampule. 
     Typically, this system is utilized with oral drug delivery, however it is to be distinctly understood that this disclosure is not limited thereto but may also be utilized with other types of drug delivery products. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a detailed end view of an embodiment of the invention is shown. In this embodiment, an ampule  12  is shown in a position against a puncturing device  20 . The puncturing devices  20  are formed within a bottom portion  24  of a storage container  22 . Which is typically made of a hardened type of plastic however it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such a type of material but that the storage container may also be variously configured to be made of a variety of other types of materials. In addition to placing the puncturing devices within the bottom portion of the device it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied. The puncturing devices  20  may be individual devices that are included within the container upon storage or may be included as a portion of the side wall or even the top of the container  22 . In addition, in other embodiments the puncturing device may be included as a sheathed portion or end that is configured to connect with the ampule. 
     The puncturing devices  20  are calibrated so as to form an opening  16  having a designated size within the ampule  12 . These openings  16  are also configured to allow designated amounts of liquid to be passed through the device at a designated time. This storage container  22  is also configured to hold the ampules  12 . Views of the storage containers and the combination of the storage container and the ampule  12  are shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3  a top perspective view of the container  22  used in the present invention is shown. The container  22  of the present invention is made up of bottom portion that is configured to hold an ampule  12  therein. The bottom portion  24  of the container  22  is configured to form puncturing portions  20  which as discussed previously are configured to create openings of a designated size within the ampule  12 . The container has a top portion  38  that is configured to be peeled away so as to reveal the contents of the inner portion of the container  22 . While in this configuration the top portion  38  is configured to be peeled away it is to be distinctly understood that the present invention is not limited to a peel back style top portion  38  but may also be variously embodied to include a variety of other types of closures. 
       FIG. 4  shows the placement of an ampule within a container as the device would be typically held during storage. 
     While there is shown and described the present preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that this invention is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied to practice within the scope of the following claims. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.