GB2383988A

GB2383988A - Dispensing pills from blister packs

Info

Publication number: GB2383988A
Application number: GB0300327A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Anthony Reynolds
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-01-14
Filing date: 2003-01-07
Publication date: 2003-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 2023-01-07
Also published as: GB0300327D0; GB2383988B; GB0200648D0

Abstract

A pill dispenser (1) for dispensing pills from a blister pack (X) of the type comprising a plurality of pockets (Y) each containing a pill, comprises a base (2), striker means (16) movably mounted on the base (2), and locating means (9) also mounted on the base (2) and against which a pocket (Y) of the blister pack (X) can be placed so as to be located adjacent the striker (16). The striker (16) is operable to strike the blister pack (X) to force a pill from the pocket (Y). The locating means (9) may comprise a plate with a V-shaped slot (8) to receive the pocket (Y). The dispenser may be electrically operated.

Description

PILL DISPENSER The present invention relates to a pill dispenser, particularly for dispensing pills from blister packs.

Many pharmaceutical pills are sold packed in blister packs. Blister packs have a number of pockets formed in a sheet of plastics and a pill in each pocket, with a foil over the pockets to prevent the pill falling out of the pockets. To access a pill, the pill must be pushed through the aluminium foil by depressing the pocket containing the pill. Such blister packs are convenient to use to access a number of pills as required. There are some instances when it is necessary to extract large quantities of pills from such blister packs, eg in pharmacies, nursing homes and hospitals.

This can become relatively tiring on the fingers and can lead to repetitive strain injury.

'Pill'as used herein is intended to include any medicinal compressed tablet or capsule of any size or shape, of a type that can be supplied or stored in blister packs.

According to the present invention there is provided a pill dispenser for dispensing pills from a blister pack of the type comprising a plurality of pockets each containing a pill. the pill dispenser comprising a base, a striker movably mounted on the base, and locating means also mounted on the base and adapted to locate a blister pack such that a pocket of the blister pack is arranged in the path of the striker, the striker being operable to strike the blister pack to force a pill from said pocket of the blister pack.

Preferably the locating means comprises a plate parallel with but spaced from the base.

Preferably the plate is formed with a slot adapted to receive a pocket of the blister pack to assist in correctly locating the blister pack adjacent the striker.

Preferably the slot comprises a V-shaped slot.

Preferably the striker is electrically operated.

Preferably the striker is operated using a solenoid.

Preferably the pill dispenser further comprises switch means to operate the striker.

Preferably the switch means comprises a micro switch.

Preferably the switch means is connected to an abutment member movably mounted on the base and against which the blister pack can be urged so as to move the abutment member to an operating position in which the abutment member activates the switch.

Preferably the abutment member is a guide plate formed with a slot adapted to receive part of the blister pack.

Preferably the slot comprises a V-shaped slot. Preferably the abutment member is spring loaded, such that force must be applied to the abutment member to bias the abutment member to activate the switch.

Preferably the striker comprises an elongate rod.

Preferably the elongate rod comprises a region of enlarged diameter, which region is adapted to strike the blister pack.

Preferably the elongate rod is mounted on the base at an acute angle relative to the base. Most preferably the elongate rod is mounted at an angle between 750 and 800 from the base.

Preferably the rod is spring mounted such that the rod is biased away from the base.

Preferably the base is formed with an aperture adjacent the striker and through which a pill from the blister pack can pass after the striker has struck the blister pack.

Preferably the pill dispenser further comprises a receptacle beneath the base to receive a pill from the blister pack.

Preferably the receptacle comprises a drawer removably mounted on the base.

Preferably the drawer is formed with a funnelled region operative to funnel any dispensed pill from the receptacle into a bottle or the like when the drawer is removed from the base.

Preferably the drawer is formed with two opposed funnelled regions.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure I shows a perspective view of a pill dispenser in accordance with the present invention, prior to use, and Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the pill dispenser of Figure 1 in use.

Referring initially to Figure 1 a pill dispenser 1 comprises a dispenser housing having a metal base 2 and a plastics cover 3.

Pill dispenser 1 is adapted to extract pills from a blister pack X of a type well known in the art in which a number of pockets Y are formed in a sheet of plastics with a pill placed in each pocket Y. A foil Z is placed over the pockets Y to retain the pills in the pockets.

The base 2 of the pill dispenser 1 comprises a substantially hollow box of oval shape. The front of the base 2 is formed with an opening 2a which receives a pill receptacle in the form of a drawer 4 which is slidingly and removably mounted within the base 2. The drawer 4 may be funnelled at one end so as to allow any pills contained in the drawer 4 to pass through the funnel and into a pill bottle or the like.

The top of the base 2 is formed with an aperture 5 through which pills can pass. Aperture 5 is generally'tear drop'shape which allows a variety of shapes of pills to pass through the aperture 5.

A planar mount 6 extends substantially upwardly from the top of the base 2 and is secured to the base 2 using welding, adhesive bolts or any other suitable means. The mount 6 extends at an angle of between 75 and 800 from the base 2 and is thus slightly inclined relative to the normal to the base 2.

A locating means is provided to locate a blister pack pocket Y in a predetermined position above the aperture 5 in the base 2. The location means comprises a plate 7 spaced from and substantially parallel with the base 2 and mounted on the mount 6 so as to extend away from the mount 6 at an angle of between 750 and 800 from the mount 6. A part of the plate 7 distal from the mount 6 is formed with a V-shaped slot 8

which is of a size to receive and locate one of the pockets Y of the blister pack X as will be further described hereinafter.

The pill dispenser further comprises guide means comprising an abutment member in the form of an L-shaped guide plate 9 having a planar portion 10 and an upstanding end 11. The L-shaped guide plate 9 is slidably mounted on the plate 7 and is spaced above the base 2. The planar portion 10 is formed with a V-shaped slot 12 which is distal from the upstanding end 11.

Guide plate 9 is adapted to slide from a first predetermined position (as shown in Figure 1), wherein the upstanding end 11 of the guide plate 9 abuts the back of the plate 7 and the V-shaped slot 12 extends beyond the V-shaped slot 8 of the plate 7, to a second predetermined position (as shown in Figure 2) wherein the upstanding end 11 of the guide plate 9 is spaced from the back of the plate 7 and the V-shaped slot 12 of the guide plate 9 is substantially aligned with the end of the plate 7.

The L-shaped guide plate 9 is biased to the first predetermined position by a shaft 13 of a spring-loaded microswitch 14, the end of shaft 13 abutting the upstanding end 11 of L-shaped guide plate 9.

The pill dispenser 1 further comprises a striker assembly 15 comprising a striker 16 in the form of a solid rod 17 having an enlarged lower end 18. The upper end of the striker 16 is connected to an electrically-driven solenoid 19 which is secured to an upper part of the mount 6.

The rod 17 is substantially parallel with the mount 6 and thus between 750 and 800 to the base 2. The rod 17 is located directly above the aperture 5 in the base 2. The widened end 18 of the rod 17 is of a smaller diameter than the diameter of the pockets Y of the blister pack X.

The solenoid 19 is electrically connected to and controlled by the microswitch 14 and is operable to move the striker 16 in a direction parallel to the mount 6, towards and away from the base 2. The solenoid 19 and micro-switch 14 are connected to a suitable power source which could be an AC mains supply or a DC battery supply. The use of a DC battery supply would enable the pill dispenser 1 to be portable. The dispenser may include an integral or remote transformer to provide a low voltage supply from a mains supply of electricity.

In use an operator of the pill dispenser 1 places a pill pocket Y of the blister pack X of pills into the V-shaped slot 12 of the slidable L-shaped guide plate 9 with part of the blister pack plastic sheet and foil Z sliding between the guide plate 9 and the base 2. The shape of the V-shaped slot 12 guides the pill into the centre of the V-shaped slot 12.

The operator then pushes blister pack X towards the apex of the V-shaped slot 12 to move the guide plate 9 from the first predetermined position to the second predetermined position. When the L-shaped guide plate 9 is in the second predetermined position the pill pocket Y abuts the V-shaped slot 8 of the plate 7 and will be substantially axially aligned with the striker 16 so as to be arranged in the path of the striker 16. The movement of the L-shaped guide plate 9 is against the bias provided by the spring loaded micro switch 14. The abutment of the pill pocket Y with the V-shaped slot 8 of the plate 7 limits the movement of the Lshaped guide plate 12.

When the L-shaped guide plate 9 is moved to the second predetermined position the microswitch 14 operates, activating the coils of the solenoid 19 to move the striker 16 downwardly towards the base 2. This movement brings the enlarged end 18 of the striker 16 into engagement with the pocket Y of the blister pack X, further downward movement of

the striker 16 forcing the pill from the pocket Y, the pill breaking the foil Z. The dispensed pill then falls through the aperture 5 in the base 2 and into drawer 4.

The above process can be repeated by subsequently inserting another pocket Y of the blister pack X into the V-shaped slot 12 of the L-shaped guide plate 9 and repeating the above steps. Thus it will be appreciated that a number of pills can be dispensed in relatively quick succession.

Because the striker 16 forces the pills out of the blister pack X, the operator does not have to use his fingers or thumbs to press a number of pills from the pack. The process can be repeated until the desired number of pills has been dispensed. This may be the number of pills required for a patient's medication or the number of pills required to fill a pill bottle as part of a prescription.

Once the desired number of pills has been dispensed, the pills that have collected in the drawer 4 can be poured into a pill bottle or other suitable receptacle using the funnel formed in the drawer 4. If two opposed funnelled regions are formed in the drawer 4, the funnel appropriate to the hand of the user will be used. This allows the drawer 4 to be used with equal ease by both left handed and right handed operators.

The invention may take a form different to that specifically described above. For example, instead of the guide plate 9 and the microswitch 14 operating the solenoid 19, the solenoid 19 could be operated by another arrangement, such as a photocell the light to which is blocked when a pill pocket 19 is located above the cell. Any other type of switch mechanism may be used to activate the striker 16.

A hand guard (not shown) may be provided which extends around the striker 16 to prevent the hands of the operator coming into contact with the striker 16.

The striker 16 may be provided with a tubular sleeve (not shown) which receives the striker 16 and which is secured to the solenoid 19 so as to support the striker 16 and minimise any vibration or deflection of the striker 16 during use.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A pill dispenser for dispensing pills from a blister pack of the type comprising a plurality of pockets each containing a pill, the pill dispenser comprising a base, a striker movably mounted on the base, and locating means also mounted on the base and adapted to locate a blister such that a pocket of the blister pack is arranged in the path of the striker, the striker being operable to strike the blister pack to force a pill from said pocket of the blister pack.
2. A pill dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the locating means comprises a plate parallel with but spaced from the base.
3. A pill dispenser according to claim 2 wherein the plate is formed with a slot adapted to receive a pocket of the blister pack to assist in correctly locating the blister pack adjacent the striker.
4. A pill dispenser according to claim 3 wherein the slot is a Vshaped slot.
5. A pill dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the striker is electrically operated.
6. A pill dispenser according to claim 5 wherein the striker is operated using a solenoid.
7. A pill dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 6 further comprising switch means to operate the striker.
8. A pill dispenser according to claim 7 wherein the switch means comprises a micro switch.

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9. A pill dispenser according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the switch means is connected to an abutment member movably mounted on the base and against which the blister pack can be urged so as to move the abutment member to an operative position in which the abutment member activates the switch.
10. A pill dispenser according to claim 9 wherein the abutment member is a guide plate formed with a slot adapted to receive part of the blister pack.
11. A pill dispenser according to claim 10 wherein the slot is a'V shaped slot.
12. A pill dispenser according to any one of claims 9 to 11 wherein the abutment member is spring loaded, such that force must be applied to the abutment member to bias the abutment member to activate the switch.
13. A pill dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the striker comprises an elongate rod.
14. A pill dispenser according to claim 13 wherein the elongate rod comprises a region of enlarged diameter, which region is adapted to strike the blister pack.
15. A pill dispenser according to claim 13 or claim 14 wherein the elongate rod is mounted on the base at an acute angle to the base.
16. A pill dispenser according to claim 15 wherein the elongate rod is mounted at an angle between 750 and 800 from the base.

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17. A pill dispenser according to any one of claims 13 to 16 wherein the rod is spring mounted on the base such that the rod is biased away from the base.
18. A pill dispenser according to any preceding claim wherein the base is formed with an aperture adjacent the striker and through which a pill from the blister pack can pass after the striker has struck the blister pack.
19. A pill dispenser according to any preceding claim further comprising a receptacle beneath the base to receive a pill from the blister pack.
20. A pill dispenser according to claim 19 wherein the receptacle comprises a drawer removably mounted on the base.
21. A pill dispenser according to claim 20 wherein the drawer is formed with a funnelled region operative to funnel any dispensed pill from the drawer into a bottle or the like when the receptacle is removed from the base and tilted.
22. A pill dispenser substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

22. A pill dispenser according to claim 21 where the drawer is formed with two opposed funnelled regions.

23. A pill dispenser substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

1. A pill dispenser for dispensing pills from a blister pack of the type comprising a plurality of pockets each containing a pill, the pill dispenser comprising a base, a striker movably mounted on the base, and locating means also mounted on the base and adapted to locate a blister such that a pocket of the blister pack is arranged in the path of the striker, the striker being operable to strike the blister pack to force a pill from said pocket of the blister pack, the locating means being formed with a slot adapted to receive a pocket of the blister pack to assist in correctly locating the blister pack adjacent the striker.

2. A pill dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the locating means comprises a plate parallel with but spaced from the base.

3. A pill dispenser according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the slot is a V-shaped slot.

4. A pill dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the striker is electrically operated.

5. A pill dispenser according to claim 4 wherein the striker is operated using a solenoid.

6. A pill dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 5 further comprising switch means to operate the striker.

7. A pill dispenser according to claim 6 wherein the switch means comprises a micro switch.

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8. A pill dispenser according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the switch means is connected to an abutment member movably mounted on the base and against which the blister pack can be urged so as to move the abutment member to an operative position in which the abutment member activates the switch.

9. A pill dispenser according to claim 8 wherein the abutment member is a guide plate formed with a slot adapted to receive part of the blister pack.

10. A pill dispenser according to claim 9 wherein the slot is a'V shaped slot.

11. A pill dispenser according to any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein the abutment member is spring loaded, such that force must be applied to the abutment member to bias the abutment member to activate the switch.

12. A pill dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the striker comprises an elongate rod.

13. A pill dispenser according to claim 12 wherein the elongate rod comprises a region of enlarged diameter, which region is adapted to strike the blister pack.

14. A pill dispenser according to claim 12 or claim 13 wherein the elongate rod is mounted on the base at an acute angle to the base.

15. A pill dispenser according to claim 14 wherein the elongate rod is mounted at an angle between 750 and 800 from the base.

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16. A pill dispenser according to any one of claims 12 to 15 wherein the rod is spring mounted on the base such that the rod is biased away from the base.

I 17. A pill dispenser according to any preceding claim wherein the base is formed with an aperture adjacent the striker and through which a pill from the blister pack can pass after the striker has struck the blister pack.

18. A pill dispenser according to any preceding claim further comprising a receptacle beneath the base to receive a pill from the blister pack.

19. A pill dispenser according to claim 18 wherein the receptacle comprises a drawer removably mounted on the base.

20. A pill dispenser according to claim 19 wherein the drawer is formed with a funnelled region operative to funnel any dispensed pill from the drawer into a bottle or the like when the receptacle is removed from the base and tilted.

21. A pill dispenser according to claim 20 where the drawer is formed with two opposed funnelled regions.