Cap assembly for a medication container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12208065-B2
Application number	US-202318384426-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2023
Priority date	Apr 26, 2021
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

The medication container includes a receptacle and a cap. The cap includes a gate that can be selectively opened to enable access to medications in the receptacle and closed to restrict access to medications in the receptacle. The gate has a locking mechanism that only unlocks to allow the gate to open from the closed position in response to an application of a downward force on a portion of the gate to resiliently deflect a portion of the gate. The cap further includes electronic components that are configured to monitor movement of medications through the cap and into and out of the receptacle, the electronic components including a memory that is configured to store data pertaining to such passages of medications.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cap assembly for a container, comprising:
a cap body that is configured to be attached with a receptacle, the cap body an exterior surface with a side wall and a top wall that faces away from the receptacle, the cap body having a passage therethrough from an inlet to an outlet, and the passage opening to the top wall of the cap body so that items can be inserted into and removed from an interior space of the receptacle through the top wall of the cap body;
a gate operably coupled with the cap body and able to move between a closed position which restricts movement of items from exiting the cap body through the outlet and an open position which allows items to move out through the outlet;
a lock operably interacting with the gate to hold the gate in the closed position and upon an unlocking action allowing the gate to move to the open position from the closed position in response to an application of an unlocking force on a portion of the gate to disengage the lock;
a sensor in the cap body at the passage to detect movement of an item through the passage and output an electrical signal; and
a memory that is configured to store item passage data based on the electrical signal from the sensor.

2. The cap assembly of claim 1 , wherein the top wall and the inner wall define a chamber in which the memory is held.

3. The cap assembly of claim 2 , wherein the chamber holds a processor operably connected to the sensor and the memory and a wireless module configured to communicate with an external device to transmit item passage data.

4. The cap assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is mounted to the inner wall.

5. The cap assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is mounted to sense outwardly toward an outer wall of the cap body across the passage.

6. The cap assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gate is cantilevered, and wherein the unlocking force includes a downward force acting on the gate.

7. The cap assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is mounted to sense outwardly toward an outer wall of the cap body across the passage.

8. The cap assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is at the outlet and contactlessly senses an item moving past the sensor at the outlet, the sensor being configured to sense items inserted into the interior space of the receptacle when the receptacle is in an upright orientation, and the sensor being configured to sense items dispensed out of the receptacle when the receptacle is in an inverted orientation.

9. The cap assembly of claim 1 , wherein the passage extends linearly between the inlet and the outlet.

10. A cap assembly for a container, comprising:
a cap body that is configured to be attached with a receptacle, the cap body having a passage therethrough from an inlet to an outlet;
a gate cantileveredly, operably coupled with the cap body, the gate movable between a closed position which restricts movement of items from exiting the cap body through the outlet and an open position which allows items to move out through the outlet;
a lock operably interacting with the gate to hold the gate in the closed position and upon an unlocking action allowing the gate to move to the open position from the closed position in response to an application of an unlocking force on a portion of the gate to disengage the lock, wherein the unlocking action including a downwardly directed force on the gate;
a sensor in the cap body at the passage to contactlessly detect movement of an item through the outlet and output an electrical signal;
a memory that is configured to store item passage data based on the electrical signal from the sensor;
processing circuitry operably connected to the sensor and the memory; and
a wireless module configured to communicate with an external device to transmit item passage data.

11. The cap assembly of claim 10 , wherein the gate includes an upwardly extending button and wherein the gate receives the downwardly directed force to cause the gate to resiliently deflect to release the lock.

12. The cap assembly of claim 11 , wherein the lock includes at least one projection on the gate or the cap body and at least one detent on the other of the gate and the cap body, and wherein the downwardly directed force deflects the gate to disengage the at least one projection from the at least one detent.

13. The cap assembly of claim 12 , wherein the at least one detent is at the outlet and the at least one projection is on the gate, and wherein with the gate in the closed position, the at least one projection on the gate is received in the detent at the outlet.

14. The cap assembly of claim 12 , wherein the cap body includes a top wall and an inner wall, wherein the outlet is defined by the top wall and the inlet defined by the inner wall, wherein the at least one detent is in the top wall and the at least one projection is on the gate, and wherein, with the gate in the closed position, the at least one projection on the gate is received in the detent at the top wall.

15. A cap assembly for a container, comprising:
a cap body that is configured to be attached with a receptacle, the cap body an exterior surface with a side wall and a top wall that faces away from the receptacle, the cap body having a passage therethrough from an inlet to an outlet, and the passage opening to the top wall of the cap body so that items can be inserted into and removed from the receptacle through the top wall of the cap body;
a gate operably coupled with the cap body, the gate movable in a gate direction between a closed position which restricts movement of items from exiting the cap body through the outlet and an open position which allows items to move out through the outlet;
a lock operably interacting with the gate to hold the gate in the closed position and upon an unlocking action allowing the gate to move to the open position from the closed position in response to an application of an unlocking force on a portion of the gate to disengage the lock, wherein the unlocking force is applied in a direction different to the gate direction;
a plurality of sensors in the cap body at the passage to contactlessly detect movement of an item through the outlet and output an electrical signal, wherein at least two of the plurality of sensors are arranged at angles relative to each other;
a memory that is configured to store item passage data based on the electrical signal from the plurality of sensors;
processing circuitry operably connected to the plurality of sensors and the memory; and
a wireless module configured to communicate with an external device to transmit item passage data.

16. The cap assembly of claim 15 , wherein the cap body includes a an inner wall with the top wall and inner wall defining a chamber; wherein the outlet defined by the top wall and the inlet defined by the inner wall; wherein the chamber holds the processing circuitry, the memory, and the wireless module; and wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is mounted to the inner wall.

17. The cap assembly of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is mounted to sense outwardly toward an outer wall of the cap body across the passage.

18. The cap assembly of claim 15 , wherein the gate is cantilevered, and wherein the unlocking force includes a downward force acting on a free end of the gate.

19. The cap assembly of claim 15 , wherein the cap body includes a top wall and an inner wall, and wherein the gate slides between the closed position and the open position within the cap body generally parallel t

Assignees

• Express Scripts Strategic Dev Inc

Inventors

• Hoffman Robert E
• Clise Timothy B

Classifications

• A61J7/0418

  with electronic history memory · CPC title

• A61J2200/30

  Compliance analysis for taking medication · CPC title

• A61J7/0436 Primary

  resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container · CPC title

• A61J1/1412

  Containers with closing means, e.g. caps · CPC title

• A61J1/03 Primary

  for pills or tablets (containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04) · CPC title