Patent Publication Number: US-2005132670-A1

Title: System and process for packing unit doses of liquid medication

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The invention relates generally to medication packing. More particularly, the invention relates to a personal medication packing system.  
      There is a great need for a personal medication packing system. Many individuals require chronic medication of various kinds due to kidney disease, heart disease, liver disease or the like. These individuals find it cumbersome to use liquid medication away from home as the liquid medication must be carried in a bottle, and diluted in water for each use several times a day. Additionally, many people have contact chemical allergies and must use only certain cosmetic products. However, many of these products are not sold in convenient travel sizes. Options are available for convenience uses such as the smaller medication bottles received from the pharmacy, or the small plastic containers purchased at a store. Both of these choices are undesirable because of, for example, leakage problems (e.g., ruining a purse, briefcase or other expensive carrier), and because, in another example, this requires measuring at the time of use which is often messy, cumbersome and draws unwanted attention.  
      Many different types of bag supports have been employed to support bags for filling. However, such systems are not suitable for efficiently preparing unit quantities of medication. Various arrangements of bag supports hold a bag in place beneath a funnel; merely trapping the mouth of the bag. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,214 discloses a material dispensing system usable to fill a variety of containers. However, this is not suitable for preparing small runs of personal doses of medication. In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,549 discloses a bag support stand which includes legs, a funnel and clips to hold a bag. However, each bag must be individually attached to the support stand, filled, removed from the support, and sealed by hand; a cumbersome and time-consuming process for packaging anything more than a handful of doses of medication. In yet another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,443 discloses a storage bag filling device that uses clips to hold a plastic bag in place on a stand. However, each bag must be individually attached to the support stand, filled, removed from the support, and sealed by hand; a cumbersome and time-consuming process for packaging anything more than a handful of doses of medication.  
      While methods such as those described above may provide means of packaging medication, such methods can always be improved to provide better and more simplified means of packaging medication.  
      Accordingly, there is a need for a system of packing medication at home. There is a need for a product to home package dose quantities in a leak-proof, disposable fashion for easy use away from home. There is also a need for a system for packing unit doses of liquid medication. There is a further need for a system for packing medication for travel, day-trips, camping or backpacking, one-time convenience uses or the like. There is an additional need for personal dose-packaging of liquid or pill medications, homeopathics, cosmetics, or condiments, as well as packaging small quantities of supplies for jewelers and craftsmen. There is a need for dose-packaging of medication for patients in nursing homes, day care facilities, or for those at home desiring convenient unit-doses for use away from home. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides other related advantages.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A process and system for packing unit doses of liquid medication. This system is usable in any situation where it is desirable to prepare unit doses of medication for later use. These situations can occur anywhere there is a need for medication to be taken.  
      The process and system are useful for home use and for use at the drug company and pharmacy levels to provide convenient portable unit doses in disposable packaging. The process and system are also useful for individual home packaging of unit doses/quantities of other substances besides liquid medications, such as personal cosmetic products, specialty condiments, etc. for convenient, leak-proof, pre-measured, disposable use during extended travel or day excursions. The process and system range from a non-electrical packaging device to an automated measuring and heat-sealing packaging device, with a variety of package sizes and features to fit the different uses.  
      An illustrative embodiment of a personal medication packaging system includes a frame and a moveable track supported by the frame. The purpose of this system is to create an efficient way to package quantities of medication in bags in an assembly-like manner. A roll of separable plastic bags are operationally connected to the track and a funnel is positioned relative to the frame to dispense medication into a selected bag.  
      The system includes a mechanism for moving the track which enables a user to fill multiple bags with medication in an assembly-like manner. The system further includes a means for opening the selected bag positioned adjacent to the funnel, helping to eliminate the need to manually open each bag so that medication can be poured into each bag while allowing neighboring bags to remain on the track. The system also includes a means for closing the selected bag after dispensing medication which, again, allows quantities of medication to be prepared in an assembly-like manner. The system additionally includes a means for sealing the selected bag after dispensing medication which helps prevent spillage.  
      The track includes pins for engaging corresponding apertures located on the bags. Each bag is placed onto the pins as bags are fed onto the track from the roll. Each bag includes an opening and the apertures are located adjacent to the opening.  
      The funnel is removably mounted onto the frame. Medication is poured into the funnel and passes through the funnel to the bag positioned below. A liner covers an interior surface of the funnel; preventing cross-contamination of different medications.  
      A process for consumer packing of unit doses of medication includes measuring a selected amount of medication. A roll of plastic bags is fed onto a track during the process and the plastic bags incrementally advanced on the track to align each bag with a funnel. Once a bag is aligned with the funnel, the selected amount of medication is poured into the funnel.  
      During the process, an interior surface of the funnel is covered with a lining material which helps prevent cross-contamination of different medications. The process also includes opening each bag when aligned with the funnel. Each bag is heat sealed after the medication is poured thereinto which helps to prevent spillage of the medication while the bag is being transported or at rest.  
      Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:  
       FIG. 1  is an orthogonal view of a system for packing unit doses of medication embodying the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a side elevation cross-sectional view of the system of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a side elevation cross-sectional view of the system of  FIG. 1  after the bags have been advanced along the track;  
       FIG. 4  is a side elevation cross-sectional view of the system of  FIG. 1  as a desired medication is being poured through the funnel into the selected bag;  
       FIG. 5  is a side elevation cross-sectional view of the system of  FIG. 1  after the selected bag has been filed with a desired amount of medication and advanced towards the heat sealing mechanism;  
       FIG. 6  is a side elevation cross-sectional view of the system of  FIG. 1  illustrating the selected bag being heat sealed;  
       FIG. 7  is a side elevation cross-sectional view of the system of  FIG. 1  illustrating the selected bag being advanced along the track after being heat sealed;  
       FIG. 8  is a top plan cross-sectional view of the system of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 9  is a side elevation cross-sectional view of the system of  FIG. 1  before a selected bag has been filled with a desired amount of medication;  
       FIG. 10  is a side elevation cross-sectional view of the system of  FIG. 1  after a selected bag has been filled with a desired amount of medication and is in the process of being heat sealed;  
       FIG. 11  is a side elevation view of a selected bag filled with a desired amount of medication embodying the present invention;  
       FIG. 12  is an orthogonal view of another system for packing unit doses of medication embodying the present invention;  
       FIG. 13  is a top plan cross-sectional view of the system of  FIG. 12 ; and  
       FIG. 14  is a side elevation cross-sectional view of the system of  FIG. 12 .  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      The present invention is useful in a variety of applications involving preparation of unit doses of medication for later use. The present invention provides a system for packing medication at home. The present invention also provides a system for packing unit doses of liquid medication. The present invention further provides a system for packing medication for travel, day-trips, camping or backpacking, one-time convenience uses or the like. The present invention additionally provides personal dose-packaging of liquid or pill medications, homeopathics, cosmetics, or condiments, as well as packaging small quantities of supplies for jewelers and craftsmen. The present invention provides for dose-packaging of medication for patients in nursing homes, day care facilities, or for those at home desiring convenient unit-doses for use away from home.  
      A process and system for packing unit doses of liquid medication are illustrated and described. This system is usable in any situation where it is desirable to prepare unit doses of medication for later use. These situations can occur anywhere there is a need for medication to be taken.  
      As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the present invention resides in a personal medication packaging system. With reference to  FIGS. 1-11 , a personal medication packaging system  20  includes a frame  22 , a moveable track  24  supported by the frame  22 , a roll  26  of separable plastic bags  28  operationally connected to the track  24 , and a funnel  30  positioned relative to the frame  22  to dispense medication  32  into a selected bag  28 .  
      The bags  28  on the roll  26  are separably connected to each other along a series of perforations  34  located on the sides of the bags  28 . These perforations  34  allow a bag  28  filled with medication  32  to be separated from the other bags  28  on the track  24  after the bag  28  with medication  32  is sealed. Each bag  28  includes an opening  36  on an upper portion of the bag  28  through which medication  32  passes while the bag is being filled and which is sealed when the bag  28  is filled. A plurality of apertures  38  are located adjacent to the opening  36  of the bag  28  that allow the bags  28  to engage the track  24 .  
      The frame  22  includes a generally rectangular top surface  40 , a front wall  42 , a first sidewall  44 , a back wall  46 , a second sidewall  48 , and four legs  50  (one leg  50  located at each corner of the frame  22 ). The top surface  40  includes an elongated, generally rectangular longitudinal aperture  52 , an elongated generally rectangular latitudinal aperture  54 , and an elongated, generally ovoid longitudinal aperture  56 . These apertures  52 ,  54 ,  56  serve various purposes, as described in more detail below. The shapes of the apertures  52 ,  54 ,  56  may vary and also be in the form of rectangle, squares, circles, or any polygonal shape. The front wall  42  includes an circular aperture  58  and an elongated, generally rectangular slot  60 . The first sidewall  44  includes a generally rectangular notch  62  through which bags  28  leave the track  24  and exit the frame  22 . The legs  50  telescope to allow for longer bags  28 , and are weighted to prevent the frame  22  from tipping.  
      The frame  22  may be made from a variety of materials, including without limitation metal (e.g., aluminum, stainless steel), plastic (e.g., injection molded plastic), wood or the like.  
      The moveable track  24  includes teeth or pins  64  for engaging the apertures  38  located on the bags  28 , as the distance between the pins  64  on the track  24  is equal or nearly equal to the distance between the apertures  38  on each bag  28 . The apertures  38  on the bags  28  are wide enough to allow the bags  28  to be easily fed onto the track  24 . The track  24  is connected to an underside  66  of the frame  22  via two rotating rollers  68  extending from the underside  66 , each roller  68  located near one of the sidewalls  44 ,  48 . The track  24  is in the form of an ovoid and each pin  64  follows a continuous, elongated ovoid path as the track  24  moves.  
      The roll  26  of plastic bags  28  is inserted around a holder  70  extending from the underside  66  of the frame  22 . The roll  26  is positioned above the ground or other surface upon which the frame  22  rests so that the roll  26  freely rotates about the holder  70 . This allows the roll  26  to rotate without any friction associated with contact of the roll  26  with the ground or other surface. A holding plate  72  with a threaded central screw is positioned beneath the roll  26  and holds the roll  26  in position above the ground when the screw is threadedly mated with a threaded bore in the holder  70  after the roll  26  has been placed on the holder  70 . A first bag  28  on the roll  26  is fed onto the track  24  device such that the apertures  38  of the bags  28  extending from the roll  26  are lined up with the pins  64  of the track  24  (similar to the process of feeding photographic film into a camera).  
      The system  20  includes a mechanism for moving the track  24  in the form of an advance bar lever  74  operationally connected to the track  24  via a mechanical linkage (not shown), the advance bar lever  74  extending through the circular aperture  58  in the front wall  42 . When a user desires to advance bags  28  along the track  24 , the user rotates the advance bar lever  74  in a counter-clockwise direction that moves bags  28  from the roll  26  towards a position under the funnel  30 . In the alternative, the track  24  may be motorized and a switch employed to move the track forwards, backwards or stop the movement of the track  24 .  
      The opening  36  of each bag  28  is closed as the bags  28  travel along the track  24 . However, in order to fill a selected bag  28  with medication  32 , the opening  36  must be opened when the selected bag  28  is positioned under the funnel  30 . The system  20  includes a means for opening the selected bag  28  positioned adjacent to the funnel  30  in the form of a bag opener lever  76  operationally connected to the track  24  via a mechanical linkage (not shown), the bag opener lever  76  extending through the slot  60  in the front wall  42 . When the selected bag  28  is located under the funnel  30 , the bag opener lever  76  manually advances a back end of the selected bag  28  forward a small distance to a new position when the bag opener lever  76  is slid towards the first sidewall  44 , popping the selected bag  28  open for filling with medication  32  as the user concurrently rotates the advance bar lever  74  in a clockwise direction.  
      The system  20  includes a means for closing the selected bag  28  after the bag  28  is filled with a desired amount of medication  32 . Once the bag  28  is filled, the bag opener lever  76  manually advances the back end of the selected bag  28  backward a small distance to its former position when the bag opener lever  76  is slid towards the second sidewall  48 , closing the opening  36  of the selected bag  28 . The advance bar lever  74  is then used again to manually carry the bag  28  to a position for sealing when the user rotates the advance bar lever  74  in a counter-clockwise direction. The levers  74 ,  76  may be used in conjunction with each other to perform a variety of bag positioning and filling maneuvers.  
      The system  20  includes a means for sealing the selected bag  28  after dispensing medication  32  in the form of a heat bar lever  78  extending through the elongated generally rectangular latitudinal aperture  54 . The heat bar lever  78  is operationally connected to two heat bars  80  via a mechanical linkage (not shown). The heat bars  80  are heated by an electrical current, the heat bars  80  being operationally connected to a power source (not shown). The advance bar lever  74  brings the bag  28  filled with medication  32  between the heat bars  80 . The user moves the heat bar lever  78  towards the back wall  46  which brings the two heat bars  80  together at the top edge of the bag  28 , thereby sealing the bag  28 . Heat sealing allows for more advanced package designs, such as a bag  28  in the form of a spouted packet to prevent spillage of liquids when dispensed. In the alternative, the bags  28  may include mechanical seals, such as a ZIP-LOC or adhesive seal.  
      The funnel  30  is removably mounted into the generally ovoid aperture  56  of the frame  22  such that a portion of the funnel  30  extends from the underside  66  of the frame  22 . A portion of the funnel  30  may be shaped so as to conform to the shape of the aperture  56 . The funnel  30  may be made from a variety of materials including metal, plastic, wood or the like.  
      A disposable liner  82  can be inserted into the funnel  30  such that the liner  82  covers an interior surface of the funnel  30 . The liner  82  may be made of various materials, including, without limitation, plastic, cloth, paper, permeable materials, impermeable materials or the like.  
      In use, a process for consumer packing of unit doses of medication includes measuring a selected amount of medication. A roll  26  of plastic bags  28  is fed onto the track  24 . The perforated bags  28  (of myriad designs for various uses) are fed onto the track  24  near the roll  26 , where the apertures  38  on the bags  28  are lined up with the pins  64  in the track  24 . The plastic bags  28  are incrementally advanced on the track to align each bag  28  with the funnel  30 . The advance bar lever  74  manually advances the bags  28  along the track  24  until a selected bag  28  to be filled is brought to a position under the funnel  30 . Each selected bag  28  is opened when aligned with the funnel  30 . At that point, the bag opener lever  76  manually advances the back end of the selected bag  28  forward to a new position, popping the bag  28  positioned under the funnel  30  open for filling. The user then pours a selected amount of medication  32  into the funnel  30 . A disposable liner  82  is placed into the funnel  30  in order to cover the funnel  30  to avoid cleaning needs and to prevent mixing medications  32 . Once the medication  32  has been poured into the selected bag  28  and the bag  28  filled, the bag  28  is heat sealed. The advance bar lever  74  is used again to manually carry the selected bag  28  to a position for heat sealing. At this point, the heat bar lever  78  is used to bring the two heat bars  80  together at the top edge of the selected bag  28 , thereby sealing the selected bag  28  with a heat seal  84 . The advance bar lever  74  is then used to bring the selected bag  28  out of the other end of the frame  22  through the rectangular notch  62  in the first sidewall  44 . The system  20  allows for an assembly-line like process to increase the efficiency for the user. The system  20  also frees both hands for controlling the measuring and pouring of the chosen substance for storage. The bag  28  will be equipped with a label area  86  for writing necessary information about the substance stored therein. The bags  28  will also be offered in a variety of styles, though all will includes apertures  38  for engaging the track  24 .  
      Another embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in  FIGS. 12-14 , is in the form of a personal medication packaging system  100  includes a frame  102 , a moveable track  104  supported by the frame  102 , a roll  106  of separable plastic bags  108  operationally connected to the track  104 , and a funnel  110  positioned relative to the frame  102  to dispense medication (not shown) into a selected bag  108 .  
      The bags  108  on the roll  106  are separably connected to each other along a series of perforations  112  located on the sides of the bags  108 . These perforations  112  allow a bag  108  filled with medication to be separated from the other bags  108  on the track  104  after the bag  108  with medication is sealed. Each bag  108  includes an opening  114  on an upper portion of the bag  108  through which medication passes while the bag  108  is being filled and which is sealed when the bag  108  is filled.  
      The frame  102  includes a generally rectangulartop surface  116 , a front wall  118 , a first sidewall  120 , a back wall  122 , a second sidewall  124 , and four legs  126  (one leg  126  located at each corner of the frame  102 ). The top surface  116  includes an elongated, generally rectangular longitudinal aperture  128 , an elongated generally rectangular latitudinal aperture  130 , and an elongated, generally ovoid longitudinal aperture  132 . These apertures  128 ,  130 ,  132  serve various purposes, as described in more detail below. The shapes of the apertures  128 ,  130 ,  132  may vary and also be in the form of rectangle, squares, circles, or any polygonal shape. The front wall  118  includes a circular aperture  134 . The first sidewall  120  includes two notches  138  through which bags  108  leave the track  104  and exit the frame  102 . The notches  138  may be generally key-hole shaped with generally circular portions. The legs  126  telescope to allow for longer bags  108 , and are weighted to prevent the frame  102  from tipping.  
      The frame  102  may be made from the same materials as the frame  22  described above.  
      The moveable track  104  a generally flat adhesive surface  140  for engaging the bags  108 . The adhesiveness of the surface  140  is sufficiently strong enough to hold the bags  108  on the track  104  yet weak enough to allow the bags  108  to be removed from the track  104  as the upper portions of the bags  108  pass through the notches  138 . The track  104  is connected to an underside  142  of the frame  102  via two rotating rollers  144  extending from the underside  142 , each roller  144  located near one of the sidewalls  120 ,  124 . The track  104  is in the form of an ovoid and follows a generally continuous, elongated ovoid path as the track  104  moves.  
      The roll  106  of plastic bags  108  is connected to the track  104  by inserting the bags  108  through a pair of notches  146  on the sidewall  124 . The notches  146 , similar to the notches  138  on the other sidewall  120 , may be generally key-hole shaped with generally circular portions. In the alternative, the roll  106  may be connected to a holder (not shown) extending from either the underside  142  of the frame  102  or positioned adjacent to the frame  102 . The roll  106  is positioned above the ground or other surface upon which the frame  102  rests so that the roll  106  freely rotates as bags  108  are fed onto the track  104 . This allows the roll  106  to rotate without any friction associated with contact of the roll  106  with the ground or other surface. A first bag  108  on the roll  106  is fed onto the track  104  device such that the side of the bags  108  are removably adhered to the track  104 . The upper portion of each bag  108  is dividable into two sides  148  with a round rigid top edge  150  on each side  148 . A v-shaped separator  152  is located on the sidewall  120  to separate the two sides  148  of the upper portion of each bag  108  as the bags  108  are fed onto the track  104 . Another generally v-shaped separator  154  is located on the inner portion of the sidewall  124  to assist separating the bags  108  from the track  104  as the track  104  turns about the roller  144  near the sidewall  120 .  
      The system  100  includes a mechanism for moving the track  104  in the form of an advance bar lever  156  operationally connected to the track  104  via a mechanical linkage (not shown), the advance bar lever  156  extending through the circular aperture  134  in the front wall  118 . When a user desires to advance bags  108  along the track  104 , the user rotates the advance bar lever  156  in a counter-clockwise direction that moves bags  108  from the roll  106  towards a position under the funnel  110 . In the alternative, the track  104  may be motorized and a switch employed to move the track forwards, backwards or stop the movement of the track  104 . In the alternative, the track  104  may be mechanically connected to a rotatable wheel (not shown) that may be turned by the user&#39;s hand to move the track  104 .  
      The opening  114  of each bag  108  is open as the bags  108  travel along the track  104 . However, in order to fill a selected bag  108  with medication, the opening  114  must be opened as wide as the bottom opening of the funnel  110  when the selected bag  108  is positioned under the funnel  110 . The system  100  includes a means for opening the selected bag  108  positioned adjacent to the funnel  110  in the form of a guide  158  surrounding the funnel  110 . The guide  158  separates additionally separates and spaces apart the two sides  148  of each bag  108  as the selected bag  108  passes under the funnel  110 .  
      The system  100  includes a means for sealing the selected bag  108  after dispensing medication in the form of a heat bar lever  160  extending through the elongated generally rectangular latitudinal aperture  130 . The heat bar lever  160  is operationally connected to at least one heat bar  162  via a mechanical linkage (not shown). The heat bar  162  is heated by an electrical current, the heat bar  162  being operationally connected to a power source (not shown). The track  104  brings the bag  108  filled with medication to the heat bar  162  which then seals the bag  108 .  
      The funnel  110  is removably mounted into the generally ovoid aperture  132  of the frame  102  such that a portion of the funnel  110  extends from the underside  142  of the frame  102 . A portion of the funnel  110  may be shaped so as to conform to the shape of the aperture  132 . The funnel  110  may be made from a variety of materials including metal, plastic, wood or the like. At the start of the process of putting medication into the bags  10 , a disposable liner  136  is placed into the funnel  110  in order to cover the funnel  110  in order to avoid cleaning needs and to prevent mixing medications.  
      After the bag  108  is heat sealed, the bag  108  is advanced towards the v-shaped separator  154  is located on the inner portion of the sidewall  124  which assists in separating the bags  108  from the track  104  as the track  104  curves around the roller  144  closest to the sidewall  124  through which the bags  108  exit the frame  102 . The upper edges of the sides  148  of the bags  108  pass through the notches  138  as the bags  108  leave the frame  102 .  
      In an alternative, the system  20 ,  100  includes a guide located underneath the bags  28 ,  108  as the bags  28 ,  108  move along the track  24 ,  104 . The guide may be generally rectangular such that the bags  28 ,  108  are held within the guide to prevent the bags  28 ,  108  from getting twisted or falling to the surface upon which the frame  22 ,  102  rests. The guide may also include a surface designed to aid movement of the bags  28 ,  108 . For example, the surface may include wheels or the like which contact the bags  28 ,  108  to aid the movement of the bags  28 ,  108  over the surface.  
      In another alternative, the system  20 ,  100  includes a stand or frame which supports a central funnel. Clamps connected to the frame suspend a channel-sealing unit-dose size plastic bag or package below the funnel. Liners are used to line the funnel to prevent mixing substances if different substances are measured into the unit dose packages. The bases or legs of the stand are weighted to prevent tipping of the stand. The plastic bags or packages are available in several styles to accommodate different needs, such as clear plastic, dark light-deflecting plastic (for some medications), packages with graduated markings for measurement in cc&#39;s or tsp&#39;s as a visual check of the measured dose of medication.  
      In yet another alternative, similar to the preceding alternative, the system includes an electrical supply that allows the user to feed the unit dose bag or package in an open position onto a track which then carries the package to a position below the funnel. The bag or package is then advanced, via an advancing lever, to a new position where the bag or package is sealed by a heat sealing mechanism that includes a heat bar.  
      In still another alternative, similar to the second preceding alternative, the system includes automated progression through the device (e.g., along a motorized track) and digital measurement of doses for bulk packaging of unit dose convenience packages at home or for distribution from the pharmacy at the patients&#39; request.  
      The above-described embodiments of the present invention are illustrative only and not limiting. It will thus be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the appended claims encompass all such changes and modifications as falling within the true spirit and scope of this invention.