Patent Publication Number: US-2017348193-A1

Title: Pill crushing system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention disclosure relates to devices for crushing or pulverizing tablets or pills into a powder form, and more particularly to a kit for quickly and easily crushing and pulverizing individual or small numbers of tablets or pills at a time. 
     Generally speaking, the most effective and the least expensive means and method for manufacturing and dosing medications is in a solid pill form. The term “pill” commonly refers to pharmacological oral doses of active ingredient(s) in solid form. Unfortunately, there are several potential problems associated with the administration of this particular medium of medication. Problems include patients with strong gag reflexes or impaired swallowing ability due to various medical conditions, swallowing disorders associated with aging, impaired mental status, altered levels of consciousness, fear of choking mediated reactions, and a general difficulty in swallowing pills as a whole. As a more specific example, any pills must be crushed if the individual must use a so-called PED, or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube. In addition, many healthy people have trouble swallowing pills such as vitamins, particularly multivitamins and the like frequently having a relatively large diameter. In fact, the ability to swallow large solid masses of anything is principally a learned reaction which does not conform well to an untrained body&#39;s natural reflexes. 
     Traditionally, nurses, pharmacists, and other medication dispensing personnel frequently resort to the use of hammers or mallets used in combination with bowl-like containers. Typically, the striking head of a hammer is positioned at a right angle with respect to the handle, and it is brought downwardly following a generally arcuate path into contact with the top surface of the item to be broken into pieces or crushed. 
     There are several disadvantages to hammer techniques of crushing pills. One disadvantage is that techniques require a significant amount of manual force from the user to achieve the desired pill crushing effect. In particular, the conventional hammer is designed to provide a maximum amount of striking force, much more than is required to split and then crush a typical pill or tablet to be ingested. In addition, unless the user has practiced using a hammer or mallet, or has unusually good hand eye coordination, he or she will likely have surprisingly poor aim and control of the hammer, particularly where attempting to hit a small pill or tablet. 
     There is therefore a need for a tablet or pill crushing or pulverizing system and apparatus that is inexpensive and easy to use, and wherein the user can see the pill or tablet as it is being crushed. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment, a pill crushing system may comprise a tablet crusher, a bowl-like structure, and an elongated cylindrical weighted rod. The tablet crusher may have an open mouth, a lower end of the tablet crusher and a cap. The lower end of the tablet crusher may have a closed base provided with a peripheral thread along surface wall of the closed base. The cap may have a peripheral thread for engagement with the peripheral thread of the tablet crusher. The threaded arrangement for the lower end of the tablet crusher and the cap are such as to bring the cap close to the closed base of the tablet crusher into engagement with the cap upon turning the cap in one direction. A pill interposed therebetween may be crushed. The bowl-like structure may have smooth surfaces such that a residue after the pill is grounded in the bowl-like structure is less than 2 wt % of the pill. The elongated cylindrical weighted rod may have smooth surfaces at one end. 
     In another embodiment, the present technology relates to a method of crushing a pill into powder. The method may be carried out by a multiple steps. The prescription or label of a pill should be checked to see if the pill can be crushed. If the pill can be crushed, the pill may be put into a tablet crusher that has a screwed cap. The screwed cap may be turned to crush the pill into pieces. The pieces may be transferred to a bowl-like container. An elongated cylindrical weighted rod that has smooth surfaces at one end may be used to crush the pieces into powder. 
     In another aspect, a pill crushing system may comprise a tablet crusher, a bowl-like structure, at least one bottle of syrup, and a plurality of dosing devices. The tablet crusher may have an open mouth, a lower end and a cap. The lower end of the tablet crusher may have a closed base provided with a peripheral thread along surface wall of the closed base. The cap may have a peripheral thread for engagement with the peripheral thread of the tablet crusher. The threaded arrangement for the tablet crusher and the cap are such as to bring the cap close to the closed base of the tablet crusher into engagement with the cap upon turning the cap in one direction, whereby a pill interposed therebetween may be crushed. The bowl-like structure may have smooth surfaces such that a residue after a pill is grounded in the bowl-like structure is less than 2 wt % of the pill. The syrup may have various flavors, such as bubble gum, grape, chicken, beef, tuna or berry. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a prospective view of a pill crushing system in one exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a close-up view of a tablet crusher having a peripheral thread at the lower end according to one exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating a method of crushing a pill into powder. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure can be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description, drawings, examples, and claims, and their previous and following description. However, before the present articles, devices, and methods are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific articles, devices, and methods disclosed unless otherwise specified, as such can, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only and is not intended to be limiting. 
     The following description of the disclosure is provided as an enabling teaching of the disclosure in its currently known embodiments. To this end, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate that many changes can be made to the various aspects of the disclosure described herein, while still obtaining the beneficial results of the present disclosure. It will also be apparent that some of the desired benefits of the present disclosure can be obtained by selecting some of the features of the present disclosure without utilizing other features. Accordingly, those who work in the art will recognize that many modifications and adaptations to the present disclosure are possible and can even be desirable in certain circumstances and are a part of the present disclosure. Thus, the following description is provided as illustrative of the principles of the present disclosure and not in limitation thereof. 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The use of a particular reference character in the respective views indicates the same or like parts. 
     Broadly, the present disclosure relates to a crushing system, more specifically, a pill crushing system. The pill crushing system may also be used a kit. The kit may be portable and light weighted. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a pill crushing system  100  may comprise a tablet crusher  130 , a bowl-like structure  110 , and an elongated cylindrical weighted rod  120 . The tablet crusher  130  may have an open mouth  136 , a lower end  137  of the tablet crusher and a cap  132 . The lower end  137  of the tablet crusher  130  may have a closed base  138  provided with a peripheral thread  135  along surface wall  134  of the closed base  138 . The cap  132  may have a peripheral thread  133  for engagement with the peripheral thread  135  of the tablet crusher  130 . The threaded arrangement for the lower end  137  of the tablet crusher  130  and the cap  132  are such as to bring the cap  132  close to the closed base  138  of the tablet crusher  130  into engagement with the cap  132  upon turning the cap  132  in one direction. A pill interposed therebetween may be crushed. The bottom surface  139  of the cap  132  may be flat in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the bottom surface  139  may be rough. The bottom surface  139  may be coated by a plurality of particles, such as SiO 2 , or a polymer film, etc. 
     The bowl-like structure  110  may have smooth surfaces  112  such that a residue after the pill is grounded in the bowl-like structure  110  is less than 2 wt % of the pill. The bowl-like structure may be made of a material having small pores so that the small pores on the smooth surfaces  112  may contain less than 2 wt % of the pill after grinding, for example. The bowl-like structure may be made of glass and may be about 2-oz size. 
     The elongated cylindrical weighted rod  120  may have smooth surfaces at one end  122 . Alternatively, the elongated cylindrical weighted rod  120  may have rough surfaces at the one end  122 . The rough surfaces may be made possible by coating a plurality of particles, such as SiO 2 , or a polymer film, etc. As used throughout this specification and the appended claims, the term “weighted rod” or “rod” broadly refers to rods having a particular weight or meeting a certain threshold weight requirement suitable for use in accordance with the present embodiment. Weighted rods can be constructed of some solid material whereby the density of the material is uniform throughout the rod. Alternatively, weighted rods can be constructed in such a manner that the ends of the rods are made heavier than the body of the rod. The weighted rods having heavier ends are not limited to any particular internal structure, and can be, but are not limited to having, a solid, hollow, or partially hollowed configuration. 
     The pill crushing system  100  may further include instructions for use of the pill crushing system in a method of converting the pill into powder for a human, such as a pediatric patient, an elderly patient, a normative patient, or an animal patient. The instructions may include a pamphlet, a video such as DVD, with an emphasis on fresh preparation. 
     The pill crushing system  100  may further include a spatula  170 . The spatula  170  may have a rubber protective end  172 . The pill crushing system  100  may further include a plurality of dosing devices, such as a graduated dose syringe  160 , 4-tea spoon measuring cup  140 , or 5 or 6-tea spoon measuring cup  150 . The graduated dose syringe  160  may further include a plunger  162 . The pill crushing system  100  may further include at least one syrup bottle  180 ,  182 , or  184 . The syrup may have various flavors, such as bubble gum, grape, chicken, beef, tuna or berry flavors. The bottle  180  may have a cap  186 , a body  188 , and a label  190 . The bottle  180  may contain syrup with a bubble gum flavor. The bottle  182  may have a cap  192 , a body  194 , and a label  195 . The bottle  182  may contain syrup with a berry flavor. The bottle  184  may have a cap  196 , a body  198 , and a label  199 . The bottle  184  may contain syrup with a grape flavor. 
       FIG. 2  shows a closed-up view of the tablet crusher  130 . The lower end  137  of the tablet crusher  130  may have a several rounds of the peripheral thread  135  along surface wall  134 . The peripheral thread  135  may match the thread  133  of the cap  132  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a flow chart of a method  300  of crushing a pill into powder. The method  300  may be carried out by a multiple steps. The prescription or label of a pill should be checked to see if the pill can be crushed in a step  310 . If the pill can be crushed, the pill may be provided into a tablet crusher that has a screwed cap in a step  320 . The screwed cap may be turned to crush the pill into pieces in a step  330 . The pieces may be transferred to a bowl-like container in a step  340 . An elongated cylindrical weighted rod that has smooth surfaces at one end may be used to crush the pieces into powder in the bowl-like container in a step  350 . 
     Some medications are not intended to be crushed-up. Medications that are ‘extended-release”, “enteric-coated” “delayed-release” are designed not to be crushed. A list of pills that cannot be crushed may include acamprosate, acetaminophen, acetazolamide, albuterol, alendronate, alfuzosin, alprazolam, ambrisentan, amoxicillin, aspirin, atomoxetine,  belladonna  alkaloids, benzonatate, bisacodyl, bosentan, bosutinib, budesonide, bupropion, cabozantinib, carbamazepine, carbvedilol, cefuroxime, chlorpheniramine maleate, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, clonidine, colestipol, cyclobenzaprine, cyclophosphamide, dabigatran, dalfampridine, darifenacin, dasatinib, deferasirox, desvenlafaxine, dexlansoproazole, dextroamphetamine, dexmethylphenidate, diclofenac, didanosine, diflunisal, diltiazem, dimethyl furmarate, disopyramide, divalproex, docusate sodium, donepezil, doxazosin, doxycycline, duloxetine, dutasteride, enzalutamide, ergotamine, erythromycin, esomeprazole, eszopiclone, etravirine, everolimus, felodipine, fentanyl, ferrous gluconate, ferrous sulfate, fesoterodine, finasteride, fluoxetine, fluvastatin, fluvoxamine, gabapentin, galantamine, ganciclovir, glipizide, guaifenesin, guanfacine, hydromorphone, hydroxyurea, hyoscyamine, ibandronate, ibuprofen, imatinib, indinavir, indomethacin, isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate, isotretinoin, isradipine, lamotrigine, lansoprazole, leflunomide, lenalidomide, levetiracetam, levodopa, lithium carbonate, lopinavir/ritonavir, loratadine/pseudoephedrine, lovastatin, lubiprostone, macitentan, memantine, mesalamine, mesalamine, metformin, mythylphenidate, metoprolol succinate, metoprolol tartrate, metronidazole, minocycline, miragegron, morphine sulfate, morphine/naltrexone, mycophenolate, mycophenolic acid, naproxen, nevirapine, niacin, nicardipine, nicotine, nifedipine, nilotinib, nisoldipine, nitroglycerin, omeprazole, orphenadrine, oxybutynin, oxycodone, oxymorphone, paliperidone, pancreatic enzymes, pantoprazole, paroxetine, pentoxifylline, phenylephrine/brompheniramine, piroxicam, pomalidomide, potassium chloride, praziquantel, promethazine, propafenone, propranolol, pseudoephedrine, pyridostigmine, quetiapine, rabeprazole, raloxifene, ranolazine, regorafenib, ribavirin, risedronate, risperiodone, ropinirole, simeprevir, solifenacin, sulfasalazine, sunitinib, tamsulosin, tapentadol, telithromycin, temozolomide, thalidomide, theophylline, tipranavir, tolterodine, topiramate, tramadol, trazodone, trospium, valganciclovir, valproic acid, vandetanib, venlafaxine, verapamil, vismodegib, vorinostat, zileuton, zolpidem, etc. Care should be taken not to crush a medication that is not designed to be crushed. Some medications can cause a burning or numbing sensation if their coating is removed. 
     If the pill is checked that can be crushed, the pill may be put into a tablet crusher  130  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The screwed cap may then be turned along the peripheral thread to crush the pill into pieces. The pieces of the pill may then be transferred to a bowl-like container, which is about 2 oz size. The bowl-like structure may have smooth surfaces such that a residue after a pill is grounded in the bowl-like structure is less than 2 wt % of the pill. An elongated cylindrical weighted rod having smooth surfaces at one end may be used to crush the pieces into powder. Firm pressure may be applied to the pill and hammering should be avoided. Care should be taken so that there are no crumbs exit the bowl-like structure. Any crumbs leave the bowl-like structure will reduce the amount of medication that the patient receives. After the pill is reduced to fine crumbs, the elongated cylindrical weighted rod should be pressed down with a circular mixing motion to reduce the pill to a fine powder. 
     A graduated dose syringe may be used to get syrup from a bottle and release the syrup to the bowl-like container or the tablet crusher if there is some residue left. Alternatively, flavored syrup may be poured into the bowl-like structure to mix the powder. In further embodiment, flavored syrup, such as 10 ml, may be added into the measuring cup. A small portion of the flavored syrup may be added to the mortar. The syrup may be added and used to wash the rod to make sure there is no residue left or 10 ml of the syrup is used. It is not recommended to pour the entire 10 ml of syrup in at once to attempt to get a quick mix. Experience has shown that it may not produce a good product. 
     The powder may not dissolve into the syrup and may form a suspension. Water (drinking water or distilled water), such as 10 ml, may be added to the measuring cup. A small amount of water may be added to the bowl-like structure to mix with the suspension until all of 10 ml are used or a desired consistency is reached. The suspension may be transferred to a measuring cup for a patient to use. Or a patient may drink the entire dose right out of the bowl-like structure with a straw. Or a graduated dose syringe may be used to feed an animal. A spatula may be used to scrap a leftover in the bowl-like structure to the measuring cup. A few drops of clean drinking water may be used to wash the bowl-like container to make sure most residues are picked up. Any medication left behind may result in a smaller dose the patient will receive. 
     In another embodiment, a pill may be crushed by a tablet crusher into powder. The powder may be transferred to apple sauce or yogurt and may be mixed well for a patient to use. 
     Example I 
     A nine-year old girl who does not like taking pills was tested to use the kit with the help of her mother. The first time they used was a little slow. At the second time, they used much faster. The grape flavored syrup was used and preferred. Very little water was added. The girl drank her medication from a small cup both times. Overall, the kit was very easy and simple to use. 
     Example II 
     A seventy-one year old who has difficulty swallowing large pills was tested to use the kit. The tablets were two large pills and were difficult to crush. The tablets had to be snapped in half. The user used the spatula to get the “paste” medicine with water and syrup mixture off the sides of the rod. The user might have a few “small chucks” of medication in the final mixture. Syrup and water should be used in double size. Overall, the kit was simple to use. 
     Example III 
     A four-year old girl having special needs was tested to use the kit with the help of her father. The four-year old girl liked the process of crushing the pill and mixing with flavored syrup. Overall, the kit was very easy to use. 
     In the present specification, use of the singular includes the plural except where specifically indicated. 
     The presently described technology is now described in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, to practice the same. It is to be understood that the foregoing describes preferred embodiments of the technology and that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.