WO2009018382A1

WO2009018382A1 - Tri-folded blister pack cartridge

Info

Publication number: WO2009018382A1
Application number: PCT/US2008/071652
Authority: WO
Inventors: Theresa Litherland; Lizabeth London; Lawrence Kiey; Debbie C. Heilman; Dave Trapani; Shaun Walsh; Juliet Mcquillan; Michael Forehand; Eric Christopher; Janice Jackson; Kathy Monday; Adele Gulfo; Elissa Budischak; Tammi Gaskins; Dipak Patel; Ryan Lynch; Grant W. Kristofek; Jacqueline Mcswiney
Original assignee: Astrazeneca Ab
Priority date: 2007-07-31
Filing date: 2008-07-30
Publication date: 2009-02-05

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a pill holder/dispenser cartridge that is adapted for placing in a housing are provided. The pill holder/dispenser cartridge may include a first flat panel having a semi-enclosed area and a second flat panel having a plurality of apertures, flexibly hinged to the first flat panel and spaced by spacers. The cartridge may also include a third flat panel including a plurality of domes fixedly coupled to a hammer and positioned over one of the apertures. The cartridge may also include a blister pack of pills trapped between the second panel and third panel. Furthermore each of the domes upon sufficient actuation may act to cause one of the hammers to disgorge a pill from the blister pack.

Description

TRI-FOLDED BLISTER PACK CARTRIDGE

Background of the Invention

[0001] This application relates to a removable cartridge for a pill holder/dispenser. More specifically, this application relates to a pill holder/dispenser cartridge that may incorporate improved child-resistance features.

[0002] Many pill holders/dispensers incorporate child-resistance features.

Nevertheless, there is always a trade-off between ease-of-use and child-resistance features. [0003] It would be desirable to incorporate one or more child-resistance features into a pill holder/dispenser without substantially adversely affecting the ease-of-use of the holder/dispenser.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] It is an object of the invention to incorporate one or more child-resistance features into a pill holder/dispenser — alternatively referred to herein as a pill container — without substantially adversely affecting the ease-of-use of the holder/dispenser.

[0005] It is a further object of this invention to substantially improve the ease-of-use of a blister pack — i.e., a pack of pills or other medicine in which the pills are stored individually in the pack and are difficult to remove from the pack.

[0006] A pill holder/dispenser cartridge according to the invention is provided. The cartridge includes a plurality of flat panels. [0007] Methods according to the invention are also provided. One method is for packaging and dispensing pills. The method may include folding a first flat panel of a medicine cartridge against a second flat panel of the medicine cartridge. [0008] Preferably, one edge of the first flat panel is attached to one edge of the second flat panel by a living hinge. The second panel may also include a plurality of apertures. The method may further include trapping a blister pack of a plurality of pills between a third flat panel of the cartridge and the second panel of the cartridge. The third panel includes a plurality of domes and hammers attached thereto. At least a portion of the pills are positioned over the apertures. Upon actuation of each of the domes, a pill is dispensed from the blister pack via one of the apertures into a user- accessible cavity.

[0009] It should be noted that invention may include a pill holder/dispenser cartridge and pills inside such a dispenser. Such pills according to the invention may be any pills that are specified in the FDA Orange Book for approved medications.

Brief Description of the Drawings [0010] The objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

[0011] FIG. IA is a front view of a pill holder/dispenser housing for use with a cartridge according to the invention;

[0012] FIG. IB is a bottom view of a pill holder/dispenser cartridge according to the invention within a housing that may be adapted to enclose a cartridge according to the invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pill holder/dispenser cartridge according to the invention within a housing that may be adapted to enclose a cartridge according to the invention;

[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a cartridge according to the invention as it appears partially within a housing for use with the cartridge; [0015] FIG. 4 is a partial cut-away perspective view taken from line A-A of FIG. 1; and

[0016] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a laid-open cartridge according to the invention; [0017] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of another cartridge according to the invention;

[0018] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the cartridge portion shown in FIG. 6, along with a portion of a blister pack, when the cartridge is in a first state;

[0019] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the cartridge portion shown in FIG. 6, along with a portion of a blister pack, when the cartridge is in a second state;

[0020] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of yet another cartridge according to the invention, along with a portion of a blister pack, when the cartridge is in a first state; and

[0021] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the cartridge portion and blister pack shown in FIG. 9, when the cartridge is in a second state.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0022] The invention is directed to a pill holder/dispenser cartridge that may dispense pills in response to actuation of at least one of a plurality of preferably individually- actuated hammers. When a pill is dispensed, certain embodiments of the invention preferably allow the pill to slide down preformed slots and be restrained in a user- accessible semi-enclosed space.

[0023] In certain embodiments of the invention, a housing may be included to house the cartridge. The housing may be filled with the cartridge. The cartridge may be adapted to be pulled out and refilled with pills or, alternatively, exchanged for a different cartridge.

[0024] In yet another alternative embodiment of the invention, the cartridge may be sealed within the housing such that the pill holder/dispenser is a disposable item that is filled with a certain predetermined number of pills and discarded after use. In such embodiments, a number of such disposable packages may be combined in a single aggregation or package to provide a certain predetermined dose over a period of time that extends longer than the number of pills in a single package is adapted to contain. [0025] In alternative embodiments of the invention, the pill attributes such as various pill metrics including height, width, and depth may drive the overall size of the actual device and, as noted in more detail below, the size of particular components within the device. Furthermore, the form of the apertures (and the dispensing area in certain embodiments) as disclosed herein may be tailored to a pill form factor. [0026] FIG. IA shows a front perspective view of a pill holder/dispenser housing for use with a cartridge according to the invention. The housing 100 includes locking tab 102, pulling tab 104 (which, as will be shown in FIGs. 1B-5, forms part of the cartridge according to the invention), and face 106. In order to remove the cartridge according to the invention from housing 100, locking tab 102 may be actuated, and pulling tab 104 may be pulled. Once the cartridge has been at least partially removed from housing 100, then pills may be removed from the cartridge. Pressing locking tab 102 preferably releases a locking connection between housing 100 and the cartridge, as will be shown in more detail in FIG. 4. It should be noted that in the embodiment shown in FIG. IA, notch 110 in housing 100 is shown as being formed to accommodate at least a portion of pulling tab 104. [0027] FIG. IB is a bottom view of a pill holder/dispenser cartridge according to the invention within a housing that may be adapted to enclose a cartridge according to the invention. The bottom view shows the bottom of cartridge 108, pulling tab 104 and housing 100. Notch 110 in housing 100 is also visible in FIG. IB. [0028] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pill holder/dispenser cartridge according to the invention within a housing that may be adapted to enclose a cartridge according to the invention. FIG. 2 shows housing 200, locking tab 202, pulling tab 204 and face 206 as well as cartridge bottom 208.

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a portion of a cartridge according to the invention as it appears partially within a housing for use with the cartridge. Housing 300 may preferably be formed from a cardboard sleeve, a plastic sleeve, or some other suitable material. Housing 300 houses cartridge 308. Cartridge 308 may preferably include pills 312. Pills 312 may be visible through preferably clear domes 314. Once a pill has been dispensed by actuating one of the clear domes (as shown in more detail in FIG. 4) from its individual compartment in a blister pack (as shown in more detail in FIG. 4), it may fall through a slot (as shown more clearly in FIG. 5) into semi- enclosed portion 316, where it can be accessed by a user.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a partial cut-away perspective view taken from line A-A of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 shows domes 400. Each of domes 400, which can be attached to a hammer 401, may be actuated to disgorge a pill from blister pack 402. FIG. 4 also shows spacer 404 which preferably provides space for a pill to fall following disgorgement and slide down into the partially enclosed space for a user to remove the pill.

[0031] FIG. 4 also shows locking tab 408. In one embodiment of the invention, locking tab 408 may be actuated, thereby depressing flange 410 of cartridge 420. Thereafter, flange 410, which was previously restrained against projection 412, may preferably be allowed to pass thereby, thus allowing cartridge 420 to be removed from the associated housing 414. In certain embodiments of the invention, an authorized individual such a pharmacist, may be able to disable the locking tab by removing cartridge 400 from the housing and removing flange 410. Such an embodiment may be useful, for example, with an older user who does not have children in or around the premises and, therefore, does not require a child lock. [0032] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a laid-open cartridge 500 according to the invention. Cartridge 500 preferably includes three substantially flat panels: panel 502, panel 504 and panel 506. When using cartridge according to the invention, the following process may be followed: First, panel 504 is folded on living hinge 510 — a living hinge is defined for the purposes of this application as a hinge which comprises substantially no moving parts (the top of a Tic Tac TM bottle is one example of a living hinge) — to a location on top of flat panel 506. Panel 504 may be rotated in direction B around axis 511 of living hinge 510. It should be noted that while FIG. 5 shows living hinge 510 between panel 504 and panel 506, as well as living hinge 508 between panels 502 and 504, this is only one embodiment of the invention and one or both living hinges could be replaced by pinned hinges or some other suitable hinge. This folding traps spacers 512 between panel 504 and panel 506. In certain embodiments of the invention, the living hinge that couples panel 504 to panel 506 may be a double living hinge in order to accommodate the space created by spacers 512. [0033] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, panels 502, 504 and 506 may be fixedly positioned with respect to one another. In such embodiments, panels 502, 504 and 506 may be attached to one another (or fixedly positioned with respect to one another) by means other than hinges. Such an embodiment may preferably be formed as a disposable cartridge. [0034] A blister pack (not shown) may be laid with the pills located above (or proximally to, or in some other suitable direction) holes 514 (alternatively referred to herein as apertures) in panel 504. The blister pack may include a blister member and a foil member. The blister member may include blisters for housing pills. The foil member may retain the pills inside the blisters. The foil member may include any suitable laminate or laminates of any suitable composition. The foil member may be placed adjacent panel 504.

[0035] Panel 502 may then be folded on top of panel 504. For the purposes of this application, when panel 504 has been folded on to panel 506 and panel 502 has been folded on to panel 504, the cartridge may be considered to be in a closed position. In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5, panel 502 is folded on top of panel 504 by rotating panel 502 in direction C around axis 509 of living hinge 508. Panel 502 may include flange 530. Flange 530 may have one or more of the features described and shown above in connection with flange 410 (shown in FIG. 4). Preferably, domes 516 are located over hammers 518 which can be pushed into pills located in a blister pack. In one embodiment of the invention, each dome may be formed with a single hammer as a one-piece actuator that may be used to disgorge a single pill from a blister pack. In certain embodiments of the invention, the distal portion of the hammer that abuts the pill may be customized to the size of the pill such that a larger hammer will be used with a bigger pill. Such an embodiment preferably safeguards against the hammer damaging the pill upon disgorgement. [0036] When hammers are pushed against the pills, the pills may then be individually disgorged from the blister pack and through holes 514. Thereafter, the pills can slide between spacers 512 and into space 520 for user access thereto. [0037] In one embodiment of the invention, flat panel 502 may be sufficiently flexible whereby each one of the domes can be actuated downward and a pill can be disgorged from its individual blister without such actuation breaking the seal on any of the other pills.

[0038] FIG. 6 shows illustrative pusher 600. Pusher 600 may be a part of cartridge 601 (shown in part). Cartridge 601 may be configured for use with any suitable housing, such as any of the housings described and shown herein. Cartridge 601 may include panels 610, 612 and 614. Gap D may be present between panels 610 and 612 to accommodate a pill blister pack (not shown). Gap E may be present between panels 610 and 614 to accommodate a loose pill after the pill has been disgorged from the blister pack. After ejection from the blister pack, pill P may pass through a hole in panel 612.

[0039] Pusher 600 may include dome 602 and hammer 604. Spring 606 may be wound about hammer 604. Hammer 604 may extend through hole 608 in panel 610. Hammer 604 may eject pill P from the blister pack when force is applied to dome 602. Spring 606 may prevent hammer 604 from inadvertently ejecting pill P. [0040] FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view corresponding to the view taken along lines 7-7 shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 7 shows dome 602 on top of hammer 604. Spring 606 is in an extended state so that distal end 607 of hammer 604 is suspended above (or lightly touching) the top of blister R of blisterpack BP. Pill P is present in blister R. Detent 620 prevents hammer 604 from being extracted by spring 606 from hole 608. Hole 622 is present in panel 612 to allow pill P to pass into gap E after ejection from blister R.

[0041] FIG. 8 shows the ejection of pill P through foil F of blister pack BP. In FIG. 7, spring 606 is compressed and distal end 607 of hammer 604 has crushed blister R. The force of distal end 607 has pushed pill P against foil F. Foil F has torn open. Pill P is shown dropping through hole 622 and into gap E. Pill P may then slide along panel 614 to a different portion of cartridge 601 for dispensing.

[0042] FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of illustrative cam pusher 900. Cam pusher 900 may be a portion of cartridge 901 (shown in part). Cartridge 901 may be configured for use with any suitable housing, such as any of the housings described and shown herein. Cartridge 901 may include panels 902, 904 and 906. Blister pack

BP may be positioned between panels 902 and 904. Blister pack BP may include blister R. Pill P may be present in blister R. Foil F may retain pill P inside blister R.

[0043] Cam pusher 900 may be supported by panel 902 by hinge 908. Hinge 908 may be a living hinge or any other suitable type of hinge. Dome 903 of cam pusher 900 may be pushed downward to eject pill P from blister R by crushing blister R with hammer 905.

[0044] FIG. 10 shows cam pusher 900 after rotation about hinge 908 in direction G.

Cam pusher 900 has crushed blister R and forced pill P through foil F. Pill P passes through hole 622 and into gap E. Pill P may then slide along panel 614 to a different portion of cartridge 901 for dispensing.

[0045] Thus, systems and methods for packaging and dispensing pills have been provided. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments, which are presented for purposes of illustration rather than of limitation. The present invention is limited only by the claims that follow.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A pill holder/dispenser cartridge that is adapted for placing in a housing, the pill holder/dispenser cartridge comprising: a first flat panel comprising a semi-enclosed area for receiving pills; a second flat panel comprising a plurality of apertures, the first flat panel flexibly hinged to the second flat panel, the first flat panel being spaced by spacers from the second flat panel when the second flat panel is folded on to the first flat panel; and a third flat panel comprising a plurality of domes, each of the domes coupled to a hammer, each of the hammers positioned over one of the apertures, each of the domes that, upon actuation, disgorges a pill from a blister pack when the blister pack is trapped between the second panel and the third panel.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the third flat panel is flexibly attached to the second flat panel.

3. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the spacers comprise a height that is greater than a diameter of the pill.

4. A housing adapted to lock therewithin the cartridge of claim 1.

5. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the domes are formed from translucent material.

6. The cartridge of claim 1 further comprising a blister pack, the blister pack that is trapped between the second panel and the third panel.

7. The cartridge of claim 1 further comprising a living hinge that hingedly attaches the first flat panel to the second flat panel.

8. The cartridge of claim 1 further comprising a living hinge that hingedly attaches the second panel to the third panel.

9. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein: the spacers are affixed to a face of the second panel; and the face of the second panel faces the first panel when the second panel is folded onto the first panel.

10. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein: the spacers are affixed to a face of the first panel; and the face of the first panel faces the second panel when the second panel is folded onto the first panel.

11. The cartridge of claim 1 further comprising a spring for each hammer, wherein the spring urges the corresponding dome away from a surface of the third flat panel.

12. The cartridge of claim 1 further comprising a hammer hinge, wherein: the hammer hinge joins the third panel and the hammer; and the hammer rotates about the hinge upon actuation of the hammer.

13. A method of packaging and dispensing pills, the method comprising: folding a first flat panel of a medicine cartridge against a second flat panel of the medicine cartridge, one edge of the first flat panel being attached to one edge of the second flat panel by a living hinge, the second panel further comprising a plurality of apertures; and trapping a blister pack of a plurality of pills between a third flat panel of the cartridge and the second panel of the cartridge, the third panel that comprises a plurality of domes and hammers attached thereto, at least a portion of the pills that are positioned over the apertures; wherein, upon actuation of each of the domes, a pill is dispensed from the blister pack via one of the apertures.

14. The method claim 13 wherein the pill is dispensed from the blister pack via one of the apertures into a user-accessible cavity.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising flexibly attaching the third flat panel to the second flat panel.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising, when the second panel is folded on to the first panel, spacing a surface of the first panel from a surface of the second panel at a height that is greater than a diameter of the pill.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising locking the cartridge within a housing.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising locking a portion of the cartridge within a housing.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising forming the domes from a translucent material.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing a living hinge that attaches the first flat panel to the second flat panel.

21. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing a living hinge that attaches the second panel to the third panel.

22. The method of claim 13 further comprising attaching spacers to the face of the second panel such that, upon folding the second panel onto the first panel, the spacers abut the face of the first panel.

23. The method of claim 13 further comprising attaching spacers to the face of the first panel such that, upon folding the second panel onto the first panel, the spacers abut the face of the second panel.

24. A pill holder/dispenser comprising: a first flat panel comprising a semi-enclosed area for receiving pills; a second flat panel comprising a plurality of apertures, the first flat panel being spaced by spacers from the second flat panel; a third flat panel, the third flat panel comprising a plurality of domes, each of the domes coupled to a hammer, each of the hammers positioned over one of the apertures; a blister pack of pills, the blister pack being trapped between the second panel and the third panel, each of the domes that, upon actuation, causes one of the hammers to disgorge a pill from the blister pack; and a housing, wherein the first panel, the second panel, the third panel and the blister pack form a cartridge, the cartridge for locking within the housing.

25. The pill holder/dispenser of claim 24, wherein the third flat panel is flexibly attached to the second flat panel.

26. The pill holder/dispenser of claim 24, wherein the spacers comprise a height that is greater than a depth of the pill.

27. The pill holder/dispenser of claim 24 wherein the domes are formed from translucent material.

28. The pill holder/dispenser of claim 24 further comprising a living hinge that hingedly attaches the first flat panel to the second flat panel.

29. The pill holder/dispenser of claim 24 further comprising a living hinge that hingedly attaches the second panel to the third panel.

30. The pill holder/dispenser of claim 24 wherein: the spacers are affixed to a face of the second panel; and the face of the second panel faces the first panel when the second panel is folded onto the first panel.

31. The pill holder/dispenser of claim 24 wherein: the spacers are affixed to a face of the first panel; and the face of the first panel faces the second panel when the second panel is folded onto the first panel.