Abstract:
An automatic medication dispensing device for dispensing medication to a patient including a medication dispensing unit having at least one tablet dispensing cartridge for receiving and retaining a plurality of tablets. The cartridge is electronically controlled by a computer system configured to receive a signal and activate the cartridge to dispense a tablet. The cartridge has a tablet receiving space for receiving and retaining a plurality of tablets in a vertical stack and a tablet dispensing opening to allow for at least one tablet to be dispensed from the cartridge. A moveable ram is associated with the cartridge to engage a single tablet in the vertical stack and expel the single tablet from the cartridge.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to an automatic medication compliance dispenser for dispensing medication to a patient and monitoring and logging patient compliance. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In order for effective treatment of patients using medication it is important that the patient takes the medication timely and in the amounts prescribed. It is difficult for doctors to determine if the medication regimen that they prescribed is effective if the patient fails to follow the required timing, dosage and frequency requirements. For example, elderly patients may be unable to remember when they need to take their medication or when they last took it. When several medications are required at different times of day and at different frequencies, it is even harder for a patient to maintain the proper scheduling. 
         [0003]    Additionally certain classes of medication, such as painkillers, are subject to abuse and even theft. Many times these medications are prescribed in limited amounts so it is also important that prescriptions be refilled timely to maintain the regimen. 
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    It is an object of the invention to provide a computerized medication dispensing device; 
         [0005]    Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device having an electro-mechanical mechanism for dispensing individual units of medication; 
         [0006]    Still another object of the invention is to provide an alarm to a patient telling when to take their medication; 
         [0007]    Yet another object of the invention is to provide a computer system that can track and report a patient&#39;s adherence to a prescribed regimen; 
         [0008]    Still another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser having a medication containing cartridge that is refillable; 
         [0009]    Yet another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser that is capable of having a plurality of cartridges; 
         [0010]    Still another object of the invention is to provide a cartridge that is adjustable for retaining units of medication having different sizes; and 
         [0011]    Yet another object of the invention is to provide a computer system that can report when refill of the medication are due. 
         [0012]    In summary, the invention is directed to an automatic medication dispensing device for dispensing medication to a patient comprising a medication dispensing unit having at least one tablet dispensing cartridge for receiving and retaining a plurality of tablets and the cartridge being electronically controlled by a computer system configured to receive a signal and activate the cartridge to dispense a tablet and the cartridge having a tablet receiving space for receiving and retaining a plurality of tablets in a vertical stack and the cartridge having a tablet dispensing opening to allow for at least one tablet to be dispensed from the cartridge and a moveable ram associated with the cartridge to engage a single tablet in the vertical stack and expel the single tablet from the cartridge. 
         [0013]    The invention is further directed to a system of dispensing medication using a computer controlled dispensing device, comprising a computer having a program designed to operate a dispensing device and a dispensing device having at least one cartridge for containing medication and the dispensing device having an electrically operated mechanism for extracting medication from said cartridge for delivery to a patient and a personal notification unit adapted to be carried by a patient and the personal notification device having a signaling apparatus for providing an alarm to the patient to indicate when a dose of medication is required the computer being programmable to schedule when medication is required to be taken by the patient the computer being operable to send a signal to the personal notification device so that the notification device will provide an alarm to the patient and the computer being in communication with the dispensing device and the dispensing device including a proximity sensor for determining when the personal notification device is near the dispensing device and the computer further being programmable to cause the dispensing device to dispense medication when the personal notification device is in the proximity of the dispensing device. 
         [0014]    The invention further being directed to a method for dispensing medication to a patient using a computer controlled dispensing device, comprising the steps of programming a dispensing device to dispense medication to a patient according to a schedule having a predetermined frequency, time and amount and retaining a plurality of units of medication in a dispensing device and determining the proximity of a patient to the dispensing device and, dispensing at least one unit of medication to the patient according to the schedule when the patient is in the proximity of the dispensing device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of the automatic medication dispenser system; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of the calendar and web-based medication dispenser mechanism; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is perspective view of a medication dispenser base station; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a partially exploded view of the medication dispenser cartridge; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the medication dispenser cartridge of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the cartridge of  FIG. 5  taken along lines  6 - 6 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view showing the adjustment mechanism; 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is another of the adjustment mechanism; 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is a schematic view illustrating the use of the system; 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a wristband; 
           [0025]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment showing a modular cartridge system; 
           [0026]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment showing a liquid dispensing cartridge; and 
           [0027]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the liquid plunger system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0028]    As shown in the schematic drawing of  FIG. 1 , the preferred embodiment of an automatic medication compliance dispenser system A is shown for automatically dispensing pill-based medication and monitoring and logging medication compliance and performing user notification and scheduling to assist in compliance. The system A includes loading medication  10  such as tablets, for example, from a filled prescription container  12 , into a cartridge  14 . 
         [0029]    While tablets  10  are shown for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art should understand that capsules or individually sealed packets and the like would also be useable. Preferably, the cartridge  14  is associated with a base station  16  which can be programmed to operate the cartridge  14  to dispense the medication  10 . The base station  16  uses software that sets a schedule for the medication  10 . The base station  16  includes an interface  18  which may be a touch screen or a keyboard that facilitates entry into the system the schedule, i.e. the frequency, time and amount of medication  10 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the interface  18  can display a calendar  20  from which a date can be selected and then the calendar  20  can be consulted to check when a refill of medication  10  is coming due or when the next medical appointment is scheduled. When the base station  16  is first configured for a cartridge  14 , the parameters for the medication  10  is entered and stored on the calendar  20 . The system A allows for the manual or automatic integration of the user&#39;s schedule. If their schedule conflicts with a medication disbursement time, an alert is sent to the user or caregiver. If desired, the system A can dispense additional medication early for the user to have if away from the system during the dosing time. The system can be set to send an alert via phone, sms, email or other electronic method to the user and/or the caregiver at the appropriate medication dosing time. 
         [0030]    It is also envisioned that the system can be configured through a web-based server W if desired. The web-based server W can also be used to check for medication conflicts. 
         [0031]    To promote medication compliance, the dispenser system A tracks compliance and provides rewards to the patient in the form of positive messages, animations, or virtual trophies for reaching predetermined compliance goals (e.g. not missing a dose for a week). This information would be shared with the patient&#39;s physician so that compliance can be monitored. By sharing this information with the physician, informed medical decision making can occur on a previously unattainable level with respect to treatment efficacy, dosing parameters, and patient compliance. For example, the patient&#39;s response to treatment can be determined based on whether the patient is taking the medication at the proper times, not missing doses and then it can be determined whether the dosage should be increased or decreased, or did the patient take the medication the day that the patient was seen by the physician. The compliance information may also be shared with the patient&#39;s consent to the patient&#39;s insurance company which may lead to lower insurance premiums or discounts. 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  illustrates a first preferred embodiment of the base station  16  having a plurality of slots  22  sized to receive cartridges  14 . The base station  16  is provided with a power source  24  such as an electric cord  26  extending to a conventional electrical outlet (not shown) or the base station may be battery powered. Inside each of the slots  22  is an electrical contact  28 . Each cartridge  14  includes electrical contacts  30  which engage the base station electrical contact  28  to supply power to the cartridge  14  and to provide a signal to operate the cartridge  14  to dispense a dose of medication through opening  32 . Tablets  10  are preferably loaded into cartridges  14  by either the patient or the caregiver and the cartridges  14  may need to be reloaded with tablets  10  every month. In order to open the base station  16  to load tablets  10 , the user/caregiver will have to push the LOAD button B and enter an access code. Depending on the independence of the caregiver, this code can be known by only the caregiver, only the patient, or both patient and caregiver to allow security of remaining tablets  10 . Some tablets  10  that patients may take multiple times daily, and multiple tablets  10 , may require two cartridges  14  with the same tablet  10 . The system A must recognize that these tablets  10  are the same and know to dispense one cartridge  14  until empty, and then dispense from the second cartridge  14 . 
         [0033]    When a cartridge  14  is locked into place, the touch display screen will prompt the user to enter medication information including a name, tablet size, i.e. 800 mg, dosage i.e. 1 tablet, as needed or scheduled? User will either check one, or if as needed, the user will check a separate dialog of what it is needed for, e.g. pain and how often, i.e. twice daily, and the quantity loaded in cartridges  14 , i.e. 90. If two cartridges  14  are entered with the same name of tablet, the system will ask “Is this a second cartridge with the same medication previously entered for the month?” 
         [0034]    Now the cartridge  14  will be described in detail with respect to  FIGS. 4 through 8 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the cartridge  14  includes an elongated, hollow housing  40 , generally rectangular or square in cross-section having a front wall  42 , a back wall  44 , a first side wall  46  and a second side wall  48 . Front wall  42  and first side wall  46  preferably each have a slot  50  and  52 , respectively extending substantially the length of each of walls  42  and  46 , but not the entire length so that a portion of the walls  42  and  46  are structurally connected. Back wall  44  includes a pair of flanges  54  and  56  extending substantially perpendicularly. Each of flanges  54  and  56  include an opening  58  for receipt of a threaded rod  60 . Flanges  54  and  56  act as braces to retain the threaded rod  60  in its proper location. A portion of rod  60  extends beyond flange  56  to engage the drive motor  62  located at the bottom  64  of the cartridge  14 . Drive motor  62  is electrically powered and operates to turn the threaded rod  60  in response to a signal from the base station  16 . Drive motor  62  includes electrical contacts  66  which engage electrical contacts  28  in the slots  22  of the base station  16 . Drive motor  62  includes an outer housing  68  sized to slide into the bottom  64  of cartridge  14 . A rotor  70  extends outwardly from the housing  68  and includes an opening  74  for receiving an end  76  of the rod  60 . The rotor  70  turns the rod  60  in response to a signal from the base station  16 . A driver or ram  78  is threadably connected to the threaded rod  60  and moves upwardly from the driver motor housing  68  when the threaded rod  60  is rotated in one direction and the driver  78  moves downwardly when the threaded rod  60  is rotated in the opposite direction. 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , back wall  44  includes an pin  80  operated preferably by a solenoid S, wherein the pin  80  acts to engage a tablet or packet as it is driven upwardly and guide the tablet to the front of the cartridge  14  so that the tablet  10  will spill through the opening C and over the front wall  42  of the cartridge  14  and fall into an internal chute  82  in the base station  16  and then drop to the opening  32  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The top  81  of the cartridge  14  is formed of a moving or floating cap. Since tablets  10  can be of different thicknesses, the opening C through which the tablet  10  is pushed out needs to be adjustable. To accommodate the different tablet sizes, the top  81  and the pin  80  can raise or lower. The pin  80  moves at one half the height of the opening C as the opening C is increased so that the pin  80  is always at the middle of the opening C to engage the middle of the tablet  10  and push the tablet  10  out of the opening C. When tablets  10  are added to the cartridge  14 , the height of each tablet  10  is derived from one of two methods. First, if the cartridge  14  is a non-adjustable cartridge  14 , as in a cartridge  14  that is pre-filled with a known brand of tablet  10 , the height of the tablet  10  is known because that cartridge  14  is only used with a certain brand of tablet  10 . On the other hand, when the cartridge  14  is adjustable, the system asks how many tablets  10  have been loaded and then based on the number of tablets  10  that have been loaded into the cartridge  14  and the position that the tablet advancing mechanism is at when it makes contact with the tablet  10 , the height of each tablet  10  can be derived. Once the height of the tablet  10  is determined, the adjustment of the height of the pin  10  and the sized of the opening C are automatically adjusted by the movement of the driver  78 . The solenoid S can be either wired to the cartridge  14  and controlled by the base station  16  or can be controlled wirelessly by the base station  16  using conventional wireless techniques. 
         [0036]    A cross-sectional view of the driver  78  is shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The driver  78  is shaped to fit inside the walls  42 ,  44 ,  46  and  48  of the cartridge  14  and includes a rod  60  engaging internally threaded tab  84  which extends through slot  86  on the back wall  44  of the cartridge  14 . 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the cartridge  14  preferably includes two moveable plates  90  for adjusting the internal size of the cartridge  14 . Plates  90  include a smooth front  92  for contacting the tablets within the cartridge  14  and a back  94  having a cup  95  for rotatably engaging an adjustment screw  96 . An adjustment screw retainer  98  having internal threads  100  retains the adjustment screw  96  in the slot  50  of front wall  42  and similarly a second adjustment screw retainer  98  retains an adjustment screw  96  in the slot  52  of side wall  44 . As the adjustment screws  96  are rotated, the plates  90  can be moved into the hollow housing  40  to reduce the cross-sectional area of the hollow housing  40  so that tablets can remain stacked. It is important that the tablets remain stacked so that only one tablet will be extracted from the cartridge  14  at a time. 
         [0038]    Now with reference to  FIGS. 9 and 10  a preferred form of operation of the system will be described. After the system has been loaded with medication and programmed to dispense medication according to a prescription, the base station  16  will send a signal to a patient or caregiver and cause a personal notification device  110  to provide an indication that the time for taking medication has arrived. This notification may be a beeper or buzzer or vibration or both. The personal notification device  110  may be an object held in a pocket or may be in the form of a wristband  112  as shown in  FIG. 10 . In either case, the personal notification device  110  need only be large enough to contain a power source such as a battery, an antenna to receive a signal such a radio signal or Bluetooth wireless signal and needs to also contain hardware for analyzing the signal and mechanical hardware to produce a vibration or sound to provide notification to the patient or caregiver. 
         [0039]    Upon sending and receipt of the signal to take medication, the patient needs to verify their presence near the dispenser. Optionally, the caregiver may enter a code to indicate their presence. The patient may indicate their presence by being near to the base station  16 . The base station  16  preferably includes a presence detecting software that can detect when the personal notification device  110  is in the vicinity of the base station  16 . Upon verification of the presence of the patient, the dose of medication is dispensed. Preferably the patient then acknowledges the dispensing of the medication presumably takes the medication as prescribed and the system records that the patient has complied with the prescription. If the patient does not move to the vicinity of the base station  16  so that the dose of medication is dispensed or does not verify receipt of the medication, the system can record an alert that the dosage was missed. The alert can be sent via the internet to the doctor&#39;s office and recorded in the patient&#39;s record. 
         [0040]    An alternative embodiment of the invention is depicted in  FIG. 11  showing a modular apparatus M having a base cartridge  200  which may be connected to a computer by a USB port  202  or a radio signal or Bluetooth signal. The base cartridge  200  may be powered by a battery or a conventional power cord or preferably power through a USB connection. The cartridge  200  includes a motor and drive mechanism as previously described in connection with the preferred embodiment. In this embodiment, the instructions for operating the cartridge  200  can be contained in a separate computer or the cartridge  200  itself may contain a programmable module having software for accepting instructions pertaining to the patient, dosage requirements and timing. Additionally, separate cartridges  204  may be connected to the base cartridge  200  by plugging the electrical connectors  206  of cartridge  204  into the electrical connectors  208  of base cartridge  200 . Similarly, cartridge  204  includes an electrical connector  210  so that additional cartridges may be connected in series. Each of the cartridges  200  and  204  includes a tablet receiving space  212  and the drive mechanism as described in the preferred embodiment. 
         [0041]      FIG. 12  illustrates a liquid dispensing cartridge  300  having electrical connectors  302  and  304  for use with the modular system M as described with respect to  FIG. 11 . Cartridge  300  includes a liquid medication reservoir  306  accessed by cap  308 . Liquid medication L is dispensed from a spout  310  into a cup  312 . 
         [0042]    The liquid dispensing cartridge  300  is a sealed plunger system. As shown in  FIG. 13 , the liquid reservoir  306  located inside of cartridge  300  and includes a magnetic plunger  310  which rides on top of the liquid L and magnets  312  carried on a ring  314  on the outside of the liquid reservoir  306  are moveable downward and cause the plunger  310  to move downwardly to dispense the liquid L. 
         [0043]    The plunger  310  is formed of an iron containing metal and includes an elastic seal  316  which engages the interior of the reservoir  306  to form an air tight seal to prevent so that a vacuum is formed to prevent the liquid L from flowing from the spout  310  through gravity. The ring  314  is moveable by a similar mechanism as described with respect to  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
         [0044]    The outer wall  320  includes a pair of flanges  322  and  324  extending substantially perpendicularly. Each of flanges  322  and  324  include an opening  326  for receipt of a threaded rod  328 . Flanges  322  and  324  act as braces to retain the threaded rod  328  in its proper location. A portion of rod  328  extends beyond flange  324  to engage the drive motor  330  located at the bottom  332  of the cartridge  300 . Drive motor  330  is electrically powered and operates to turn the threaded rod  328  in response to a signal from the base station  16 . Drive motor  330  includes electrical contacts  334  which engage electrical contacts  28  in the slots  22  of the base station  16 . Drive motor  330  includes an outer housing  336  sized to slide into the bottom  332  of cartridge  300 . A rotor  338  extends outwardly from the housing  336  and includes an opening  340  for receiving an end  342  of the rod  328 . The rotor  338  turns the rod  328  in response to a signal from the base station  16 . The magnetic ring  314  is threadably connected to the threaded rod  328  and moves downwardly from the driver motor housing  336  when the threaded rod  328  is rotated in one direction and the ring  314  moves downwardly when the threaded rod  328  is rotated in the opposite direction. 
         [0045]    While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that the invention is capable of further modifications, uses and/or adaptations following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which it pertains and as may be applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the claims appended hereto.