Device for packaging medication portions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10490016-B2
Application number	US-201514710793-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2015
Priority date	May 13, 2015
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

A medication packaging device includes a frame structure on which a guide unit is removably fastened, the guide unit having multiple receptacle openings and a dispensing opening. The device also includes multiple storage and dispensing stations, each having a storage housing and a dispensing station having a medication dispensing channel, as well as a holding unit having a plurality of mounts. For each mount, a medication slide and a storage and dispensing station are arranged such that the receptacle openings of the medication slides are associated with the medication dispensing channels of the dispensing stations and the dispensing openings of the medication slides are associated with the receptacle openings of the guide unit. The holding unit and the frame structure are fastened on or in the device to be movable relative to one another so that the guide unit is accessible from outside the device when in an access position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for packaging medication portions, comprising:
a frame structure;
at least one guide unit removably fastened to the frame structure, the at least one guide unit comprising a plurality of guide channels, a plurality of guide receptacle openings and a guide dispensing opening, each guide channel associated with multiple of the guide receptacle openings and the guide dispensing opening;
a plurality of storage and dispensing stations for dispensing individual medication portions, each storage and dispensing station comprising a storage housing for medication portions and a dispensing station having a medication dispensing channel for dispensing individual medication portions;
a plurality of medication slides, each medication slide having a slide receptacle opening and a slide dispensing opening;
at least one holding unit having a plurality of mounts, wherein for each mount at least one of the medication slides and at least one of the storage and dispensing stations are arranged such that the slide receptacle openings are associated with the medication dispensing channels of the dispensing stations and the slide dispensing openings are associated with the guide receptacle openings of the at least one guide unit; and
at least one collecting device for receiving medication portions from the at least one guide unit and for relaying the received medication portions to a filling and sealing device to be packaged,
wherein the at least one holding unit and the frame structure are fastened on or in the device such that the holding unit and the frame structure are movable relative to one another and the at least one guide unit is accessible from outside the device in an access position.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one holding unit is mounted in the device by a pivot joint and configured to be pivotable.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide unit is configured so that a formfitting removable connection exists between the guide unit and the frame structure.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the medication slides are removably fastened to the mounts of the at least one holding unit.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the medication slides are configured so that a formfitting connection exists between the medication slides and the holding unit.

6. The device of claim 4 , wherein projections are fastened to the mounts of the at least one holding unit.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the dispensing stations are fastened to the projections.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the medication slides and the guide units have an anti-stick coating on the inside.

9. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of sensor units configured to detect a presence of the medication slides.

10. The dispensing unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide unit comprises a first half having the guide receptacle openings and a second half having the guide channels.

11. A medication packaging device, comprising:
a frame structure;
at least one guide unit removably fastened to the frame structure, the at least one guide unit having a plurality of guide channels, a plurality of guide receptacle openings and a guide dispensing opening, each guide channel associated with multiple of the guide receptacle openings and the guide dispensing opening;
a plurality of dispensing stations each having a medication dispensing channel;
a plurality of medication slides each having a slide receptacle opening and a slide dispensing opening;
a holding unit having a plurality of mounts each configured to receive one of the plurality of medication slides, wherein the slide receptacle openings are associated with the medication dispensing channels and the slide dispensing openings are associated with the guide receptacle openings;
a collecting device for receiving medication portions from the at least one guide unit and for relaying the received medication portions to a filling and sealing device to be packaged,
wherein the frame structure and the holding unit are configured to be movable relative to one another so that the guide unit is accessible from outside the device.

12. The medication packaging device of claim 11 , wherein the holding unit is pivotally mounted with a pivot joint.

13. The medication packaging device of claim 11 , wherein the holding unit is slidably mounted with a sliding mechanism.

14. The medication packaging device of claim 11 , wherein the medication slides are removably fastened with formfitting connections to the plurality of mounts.

15. The dispensing unit of claim 11 , wherein the guide unit comprises:
a first half having the guide receptacle openings; and
a second half comprising a guide channel with internal projections, wherein the internal projections are configured to slow a speed of the medication portions in the guide channel.

16. A dispensing unit for a medication packaging device, comprising:
a frame structure;
a guide unit removably fastened to the frame structure, the guide unit having a plurality of guide channels, a plurality of guide receptacle openings and a guide dispensing opening, each guide channel associated with multiple of the guide receptacle openings and the guide dispensing opening;
a plurality of dispensing stations each having a medication dispensing channel;
a plurality of medication slides each having a slide receptacle opening and a slide dispensing opening;
a holding unit having a plurality of mounts each configured to receive one of the plurality of medication slides, wherein the slide receptacle openings are associated with the medication dispensing channels and the slide dispensing openings are associated with the guide receptacle openings; and
a mounting mechanism configured to provide movement of the frame structure and the holding unit relative to one another.

17. The dispensing unit of claim 16 , the frame structure comprising a suspension member, wherein the guide unit is configured to be suspended from the suspension member.

18. The dispensing unit of claim 16 , wherein the mounting mechanism comprises at least one pivot joint.

19. The dispensing unit of claim 16 , wherein the guide receptacle openings are disposed on first and second sides of the guide unit and are configured to receive medication portions dispensed from first and second sides of the guide unit.

Assignees

• Carefusion Germany 326 Gmbh

Inventors

• Hellenbrand Christoph

Classifications

• G07F17/0092 Primary

  for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles (medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00) · CPC title

• G07F11/46

  from movable storage containers or supports · CPC title

• B65B2210/06

  Sterilising or cleaning machinery or conduits · CPC title

• G07F11/44

  in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk · CPC title

• B65B65/06

  coated or treated with anti-friction or anti-sticking materials, e.g. polytetrafluoroethylene · CPC title