Patent Publication Number: US-6904867-B2

Title: Calculated dose medicine dispenser

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/180,628 filed Jun. 25, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,480, which application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/300,670 filed Jun. 25, 2001. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Inaccurate medication dosing in the pediatric patient population (three years of age and younger) is common and costly. Medical literature abounds with statistics and objective data supporting the finding that inaccurate medication dosing in the pediatric patient population is a common problem. For example, a significant number of pediatric patients are: hospitalized with medication dosing errors; die as a result of dosing errors; taken to emergency rooms with persistent fever-related illnesses due to under-dosage with acetaminophen; and treated for over-dosage with acetaminophen. Studies confirm that a large majority of caregivers: fail to give the required dosage of the over-the-counter medication acetaminophen; do not accurately read and follow labeling instructions; fail to increase dosage as the pediatric patient&#39;s age or weight increases; or give less than the manufacturer&#39;s recommended dosage. It is also known that over-the-counter pediatric medications commonly have no specific instructions for dosing a child under the age of two. For most over-the-counter pediatric medication in liquid form, the dosing instructions are by “age” for children under age two and by “weight” for children above age two, which is conflicting and unclear. When the medication bottle is removed from the packaging and the packaging is discarded, the complicated dosing instructions, which are generally on the packaging, are no longer available to the caregiver. 
   There is a need for greater assurance that the medication recommended for the pediatric population is dosed correctly. Medication labeling is usually the only tool available to assure the consumer of accurate dosing. However, labeling has proven to be ineffective, confusing, costly, and controversial. Improving the label will not dramatically improve the rate of accuracy in dosing medications. A simple, inexpensive, consumer friendly device for dosing accuracy should replace the current standard of labeling. And, the dosing information should be integral to the medication container. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention comprises on the one hand a calculated dose medicine dispenser having particular application in dispensing pediatric medicine. On the other hand the invention comprises a calculated dose medicine dispenser apparatus which includes the medicine dispenser in conjunction with a bottle or similar container of medicine having a conventional cap of the type that is typically screwed on the threaded neck of the bottle which may or may not be in conjunction with a child-proof interlock. 
   The calculated dose medicine dispenser apparatus provides a medicine container and a device for determining dosage for prescriptive and over-the-counter medications, as well as for administering the proper dose to the patient. It utilizes the existing closure cap on a medicine bottle. The calculated dose medicine dispenser includes a dial indicator for calculating the proper dose of the specific medicine according to a variable of the individual such as weight. The dial indicator either minimizes the need for detailed labeling or is adjunct to such labeling. It provides an almost error proof method for the dispensing of the medicine to the patient. 
   The calculated dose medicine dispenser includes a dispenser or dosage cup. Medicine from the medicine bottle is poured into the cup. The medicine will typically be in liquid form but could as well be powdered or granular. The cup can have a sidewall of any suitable or desired shape. The cup can have a cylindrical or modified conical shape such as a truncated conical sidewall with graduation marks to show the amount of medicine poured into the cup. The large diameter open end is the top end when the cup is used to dispense medicine. The small diameter end is the closed end and includes a bottom wall with an indent formed in a shape corresponding to the top of a bottle cap on a medicine bottle. The empty dosage cup fits or snaps over the medicine bottle with the bottle cap frictionally lodged in the indent of the dosage cup bottom wall. When engaged with a child proof cap, this provides a further deterrent to a child getting into a good tasting medicine. 
   The calculated dose medicine dispenser is specific to a given medicine. A dial assembly is assembled to the cup in a position so that it faces up when the cup is in an inverted position and installed on a medicine bottle. The dial assembly includes a dial and a data disc. The data disc contains data sets arranged in circular arrays that pertain to first and second variables related to the dosage to be given a patient. One variable is related to the patient such as the weight or age of the patient. Another variable is the proper dosage that corresponds to the first variable. The data disc is integral with or installed on the exterior surface of the bottom wall of the dosage cup. The dial is installed over the data disc and connects to the interlocking structure on the cup. The dial has a cylindrical rim and a dial plate. The rim fits around the data disc so that the data disc is confined between the bottom wall of the cup and the dial plate. The dial plate has sight window openings positioned for selective viewing of functionally related information bits on the data disc. The dial rotates with respect to the data disc in order to move the dial plate to view functionally related information bits from the data disc. 

   
     IN THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front plan view of a calculated dose medicine dispenser according to the invention installed on a medicine bottle; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged sectional view of the calculated dose medicine dispenser of  FIG. 1  taken along the line  2 — 2  thereof; 
       FIG. 2A  is an enlarged view of a portion of the calculated dose medicine dispenser of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view in perspective showing the calculated dose medicine dispenser of  FIG. 1  removed from the medicine bottle; 
       FIG. 4  is an assembly view of the calculated dose medicine dispenser of  FIG. 3 ; and 
       FIG. 5  is another assembly view of the calculated dose medicine dispenser of  FIG. 3  taken from an end opposite that of FIG.  4 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to the drawings, there is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  a calculated dose medicine dispenser indicated generally at  10  installed on the top of a medicine bottle  11  of the type having a neck  12  and a standard cap  14  which may or may not be of the child proof variety. Medicine bottle  11  contains a supply of medicine and carries a label  15  that will generally give instructions as to dosage. The dosage will be dependent upon the age and/or weight of the young patient and is often in confusing and hard to understand terms. Dose dispenser  10  is tailored to a specific medication according to the manufacturer&#39;s label directions and is dimensioned to fit a specific bottle configuration containing that medicine. 
   Dose dispenser  10  provides a device for calculating the proper dose according to the patient, and then dispensing that dose to the patient. More particularly referring to  FIGS. 2 through 5 , the dose dispenser  10  includes a dosage cup  17  having a sidewall  18 . Sidewall  18  can be clear, translucent or opaque and can be made of a suitable plastic material. Sidewall  18  will generally be curved and can be cylindrical or, as shown, truncated conical. Sidewall  18  can carry raised graduation marks  19  for the purpose of indicating a correctly measured amount of medicine in the cup. Graduation marks  19  can measure in terms of ounces, milliliters, cubic centimeters or other preferred units of measure. 
   The large diameter end of cup  17  is open and surrounded by a bead  20 . The opposite small diameter end is closed by an end wall  21 . End wall  21  has a circular indent  23  which is defined by a indent wall  24 . Indent  23  has a diameter corresponding to that of bottle cap  14  so that it will closely fit the top of bottle cap  14  as shown in FIG.  2 . Bottle cap  14  is held in frictional engagement in the indent  23 . 
   The dose dispenser  10  includes the cup  17 , a dial  26  and a data disc  27 . Indent  23  forms a platform  29  on the exterior of bottom wall  21  of cup  17  (see  FIG. 4 ) surrounded by a ledge  31 . Data disc  27  fits on the platform  29 . The platform  29  has one or more mounting pegs  30 . The data disc  27  has corresponding mounting openings  32 . The data disc  27  is held in place on the platform  29  by engagement of the mounting pegs  30  with the mounting openings  32 . 
   It is understood that the data disc could be integral with the cup end wall with data information imprinted on the cup end wall. 
   Dial  26  has a generally cylindrical rim  34  connected to and surrounding a dial plate  35 . A first rim section  36  extends from the dial plate  35  in a direction away from the cup  17 . A second rim section  38  extends in the opposite direction. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the first rim section  36  is an upper rim and the second rim section  38  is a lower rim. Assembled as shown in  FIG. 2 , the dial plate  35  interfaces with the top surface of the data disc  27 . The lower rim  39  interlocks relative to the platform  29  so that the dial  26  can be rotated with respect to the platform  29  and data disc  27 . 
   The assembly of the dose dispenser  10  is shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Lower rim  38  surrounds the data disc  27  and can rest on the ledge  31  of the cup  17 . Dial  26  can be rotated relative to the stationary data disc  27  and platform  29 . To this end, the upper rim portion  36  can have finger grip bumps  39  or like structure to facilitate rotation of the dial  26 . 
   An interlock secures the dial  26  to the cup  17  with the data disc  27  in place with respect to the dial plate  35 . In the embodiment shown, arcuate lip segments  41  extend out from the indent wall  24 . The bottom edge of the lower rim  38  of dial  26  has an inwardly directed flange  42 . Flange  42  is positioned beneath the arcuate lips  41  on the indent wall  24 . The flange  42  is confined in a groove formed between the arcuate lips  41  and the ledge  31 . The groove between the arcuate lips  41  and the ledge  31  provides a guideway for rotation of the dial  26 . Lips  41  and flange  42  interlock to retain the dial  26  in position. Dial click stop serrations could be provided on confronting surfaces of the flange  42  and the drop wall  24  which would tend to maintain the dial  26  in a chosen location with respect to the platform  29  and data disc  27 . 
   The dial  26  and the cup  17  can be made of somewhat flexible plastic. In the assembly of the dose dispenser  10 , the data disc  27  can be positioned on the platform  29  through the use of the mounting pegs  30 . Dial  26  is snapped in place by forcing the flanges  42  over the lip segments  41 . Flanges  42  snap into place in the groove between the lip segments  41  and the ledge  31 . Other suitable means could be provided for rotatably assembling the dial  26  to the cup  17  with the data disc  27  positioned between them as shown. The goal is to have the user rotatable dial  26  on top of the cup  17  for purposes of interacting with the data disc  27  to determine a proper dosage. 
   In the embodiment shown, the surface of data disc  27  in confronting relationship to the dial plate  35  carries at least two sets of information bits arranged in concentric, radially spaced apart rings. A first set  45  of information bits is comprised of individual discrete information bits which are shown to be values indicative of individual body weights. The information set  45  is arranged in an outer ring about the surface of data disc  27 . A second set  46  of information bits is arranged in a concentric ring spaced radially inward from the first information set  45  and contains a second plurality of discrete data bits. In the embodiment shown, the discrete data bits of the second information set  46  comprise dosage values (see FIG.  4 ). 
   Dial plate  35  of dial  26  has a plurality of sight windows corresponding in number to the number of information sets carried by the data disc  27 . As shown, plate  35  has a first sight window  48  positioned on plate  35  so that it traverses information bits in the first set  45  upon rotation of the dial  25 . Sight window  48  displays one information bit at a time from the first information set to the exclusion of all other information bits. In the example shown the sight window  48  displays information pertaining to the weight variable of the intended juvenile patient and is so marked with the designation “weight” along with dimensions used. 
   The values of the information bits of the second set are functionally related on a one-to-one basis to values of the information bits in the first set. Plate  35  has a second sight window  49  positioned to traverse the information bits of the second set  46 . Second sight window  49  displays one information bit at a time from the second set to the exclusion of the other information bits. The first and second sight windows are positionally arranged such that the information bit displayed in one window is functionally related on a one-to-one basis to the information bit simultaneously displayed in the other window. 
   In the embodiment shown, variables of the second set of information bits are dosage values that correspond in a one-to-one relationship to information bits of the first set. As shown, the second sight window  49  can be so marked with the designation “dose” together with a dimensional indication such as milliliters (ml). In the example shown in  FIG. 3 , setting the weight variable to “35” (in the first information set) results in a display in the second sight window of a dosage value of “2” indicating a proper dosage of 2 ml to the 35 pound patient of that specific medicine according to label directions. 
   Continuing with the example shown in  FIG. 3 , the user dials in the value “35” for the weight variable as displayed in the first sight window  48 . Plate  35  has a centrally raised ramp  51  providing for finger detents to facilitate rotation of dial  26 . This results in a showing of the proper dosage of “2” in the second sight window  49 . The user then disconnects the cup  17  from the medicine bottle  11  simply by pulling it away from the cap  14  against the friction fit provided by the indent  23 . The graduations  19  on the cup  17  are calibrated in terms of the dosage units indicated by the data disc. In this case, the graduations  19  pertain to milliliters. The user dispenses the calculated dosage of medicine into the cup  17  by observing the graduations  19 . The proper dose of medicine is then administered to the patient. Upon completion, the cup  17  is rinsed, if needed, and then replaced on the closed medicine bottle  11 . 
   The dial assembly of the dosage dispenser provides the user with a means to determine the second bit of information from the second information set  46  that is a function of the first bit of information from the first information set  45 . Generally the user will choose the first bit of information that indicates the known variable and use the dial indicator to determine the second bit of information that indicates the unknown quantity. In the example shown, the weight value of the juvenile is the known variable, and the dosage to be administered is the unknown variable. The second bit of information of the second set  46  is functionally related to the first bit of information from the first set  45  in a manner exclusive to all the other bits of information. It may be seen that a third set of information could also be provided along with a third sight window as may be indicated.