HK1160761B - Medicament dispenser and its use - Google Patents

Description

Medicament dispenser and use thereof

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a medicament dispenser for solid medicament portions, such as tablets, for receiving a preferably cylindrically arranged replaceable cartridge containing medicament portions, and the use of a medicament dispenser for storing and dispensing medicament portions, such as hormone preparations.

Background

It is known to provide a solid drug portion, such as a tablet, to a user in various types of packaging. For example, solid medicaments are very frequently supplied and each is individually sealed in so-called blister packs (PTP: packaged by pressure), wherein they are generally packaged in closed units. For this purpose, a plastic film, which is mostly transparent and has recesses for receiving the portions, is welded to the aluminum foil, so that the individual units in which the tablets are contained are formed. Prior to administration, the tablets were removed from the individual units by pushing them out of the receiving pockets and through an aluminum foil. This type of packaging is widely used because each individual tablet is stored reliably and protected from harmful external influences. In another type of packaging, the solid medicament is available in a vial, wherein the individual tablets are not packaged individually. The user in this case needs to remove the tablets individually by hand. In another type of package, the tablets are also not individually packaged, but are positioned in a cylindrical arrangement in the tube. In this case, the tablets were also removed individually by hand. This is troublesome because there is a risk that individual tablets fall out and are thus damaged or soiled. Moreover, the user cannot check or observe the number of tablets that have been taken.

In order to make dosing convenient and reliable and to ensure careful handling of the medicament portions, it is advantageous to have the so packaged solid medicament portions administrable by the user in a medicament dispenser. In this case, the medicament portion is contained in the dispenser and can be dispensed from the dispenser when required. The advantage of such a system is, inter alia, that the medicament portion in the dispenser is protected from external influences and that there is the possibility of ensuring that the medicament portion is dispensed in a predetermined dose in a suitable manner.

For the administration of medicaments packaged in blister strips, for example WO2005/028316a2 describes a dispenser having a slot at one end for receiving a blister strip. To dispense individual tablets, the blister strip is only partially pulled out of the dispenser so that only one individual tablet is exposed or only a small predetermined number of tablets are exposed. This is made possible by the blister strip having projections with which the gripping members engage to set a predetermined advancing movement when the blister strip is extracted from the dispenser.

US 6,409,020B 1 discloses yet another dispenser comprising a strip of blisters with blister cells arranged in a circle. The tablets in the blister unit are in fact accessible via a window on the upper surface of the dispenser, but only when the user applies pressure to at least one flap mounted transversely on the dispenser of one of the strips, which in the non-use state extends over the window and thereby covers the tablets and protects them from unauthorized access. Conversely, when the user applies pressure to the tab, the band flexes upward and releases the tablet.

U.S. patent No.5,080,258 discloses a dispenser for mouth rinse lozenges and cough lozenges. A stack of lozenges contained in the dispenser. The pastilles are forced upwards in the guide by means of the spring force and thus reach the ejection head, which has ejection claws from which the pastilles are individually dispensed from the side of the dispenser.

U.S. patent No.5,366,112 also discloses a dispenser for mouth rinsing lozenges and cough lozenges wherein the lozenges are stacked. The pastilles are in this case also pressed upwards by means of a spring force and are dispensed individually by an ejection head with ejection jaws. In this case, the troches are positioned for delivery in a cartridge that can be provided with a simple protective sleeve. As already described with respect to U.S. patent No.5,080,258, the tablets are dispensed from the side of the dispenser.

EP 1189822B 1 discloses a tablet dispenser for medical purposes. It comprises a container in the form of a tube with the tablets stacked therein and placed under spring tension. The tablets are dispensed laterally from the dispenser by means of an ejection mechanism actuated from the head of the dispenser.

US 2003/0132239 a1 discloses a cartridge for receiving a stack of tablets, such as buccal cleaning lozenges and cough lozenges, the cartridge being provided for use in a tablet dispenser. The tablets are dispensed at the head of the dispenser transversely to the axis of the dispenser by means of an ejection mechanism.

Furthermore, U.S. patent No.5,230,440 discloses a dispenser for tablets, such as contraceptives, flint for a lighter, or confections such as candies. The tablets or the like are contained in a stack in a cartridge which can be inserted into the dispenser. The tablets or the like are dispensed laterally from the dispenser.

U.S. patent No.5,048,720 describes a dispenser for candy or tablets having a housing and a cartridge that can be locked in the housing. Two chambers are formed in the housing by the cartridge. In one chamber, the candy or tablet is contained in a cartridge. The candy or tablet is ejected laterally upon actuation of the dispenser by means of a slider that can be actuated by a thumb disposed on the cartridge and thus actuates an ejector for laterally dispensing individual candy or tablets.

DE 3143953 a1 also refers to a dosage dispenser for sheet-like products, wherein the products are contained in a stack in a reservoir. The memory has a support, a slide rail mounted on a top surface thereof, and an adapter positioned thereabove. The latter having a closure for securing the bottom opening of the reservoir. For assembly, the bottom opening provided for adaptation is opened and joined to the base element carrying the sliding rail, or to the adapter thereof. This combination is designed in the manner of a bayonet closure.

US 3,270,915 a also describes a dispenser for pharmaceutical tablets comprising a cartridge for the tablets, an outer container receiving the cartridge, and a closure. The closure is screwed onto the lower end of the outer container.

DE 4230452 a1 discloses a container for storing and individually dispensing coated tablets received in a support. The support is in the form of an elongated tube in which the cover sheet is positioned. A dispensing opening for covering the tablets is provided at one end of the support. The support is held by the clip against axial displacement in the container.

In most of the above-mentioned known medicament dispensers, there is no description of how tablets, lozenges, candies etc. are introduced into the dispenser. Indeed us patent No.5,230,440 describes that the cartridge containing the tablets or the like is replaceable and inserted into a chamber in the dispenser. Also, U.S. patent No.5,048,720 describes a cartridge insertion housing containing candy or tablets. However, it has been found that the use of these dispensers is problematic, especially when used by visually impaired people or under poor lighting conditions, because the ejected tablets and the like are not all available to the user, but rather the tablets and the like fall to the ground and are lost. Particularly when the dispenser is used to dispense small tablets, there may be situations where the user cannot determine whether a tablet has been dispensed.

A further problem of the known dispenser is that a person using a dispenser equipped with a replaceable cartridge for the medicament portion has no reliable way of checking the number of tablets that have been taken and the number of tablets that remain to be taken.

Disclosure of Invention

The problem to be solved by the present invention is therefore that the known medicament dispenser is not sufficiently simple and reliable to handle the dispensing of solid medicament portions, and it is therefore an object to provide a medicament dispenser for cartridges which is simple and reliable in terms of its use and which also ensures that the person using it can reliably remove each individual medicament portion from the dispenser, during which no medicament portion is lost and in the worst case no situation arises in which this problem is even unnoticed.

The above problems are solved and the above objects are achieved by a medicament dispenser for solid medicament portions according to claim 1 and by its use for storing and dispensing medicament portions according to claim 25. Preferred embodiments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims.

The words "solid drug portion" and "drug portion" as used in the following description and claims of the invention should be understood to refer to pills, coated pills, capsules, tablets, and other solid manifestations. For simplicity of description of the present invention, the word "tablet" is used below to represent the other (solid) drug moieties. Thus, the use of this word shall in all cases denote any desired type of (solid) drug moiety.

To the extent that the terms used in the following description and claims are intended to identify particular elements of structure consistent with the subject matter of the invention, such as "receiving means" or the like, they are to be understood as meaning either the singular or the plural.

The medicament dispenser according to the invention serves to dispense tablets together with a cartridge containing the tablets, which cartridge has a reservoir for the tablets and, for the use of the dispenser, is inserted into the dispenser, in particular into a receiving means for the cartridge which the dispenser has. The cartridge and dispenser are preferably used for administering and particularly preferably administering a hormone formulation and most preferably a contraceptive in tablet form or a medicament for hormone replacement therapy.

If the medicament contained in the capsule is, for example, a hormone preparation, for example for contraception, the latter can be administered in a conventional manner, for example, in a 24-hour cycle in a two-phase fixed dosing regimen. This is followed by a no dosing period. For example, the no dosing period can be 7 days, or 4 days, or another fixed number of days. Instead of the aforementioned fixed period, e.g. 21 days of administration and 7 days of no administration, or 24 days of administration and 4 days of no administration, or alternatively another fixed mode of administration, certain drugs, e.g. for contraception, can also be taken in a flexible dosing regimen, wherein the administration period lasts, e.g. at least 24 days and at most 120 days, and the no administration period lasts, e.g. 4 days.

The cartridge is insertable into a medicament dispenser according to the invention and is replaceable. It is replaced when empty. Empty cartridges are replaced by full cartridges. The full magazine is used to replenish the dispenser with tablets. For safe storage and transport of the cartridge, the cartridge can be received in a preferably sealed container, for example in a closed pouch or blister pack, which is for example made of aluminum foil and in which the receiving pockets for the cartridge are produced by cold forming, as long as the cartridge has not yet been inserted into the dispenser. In practice, however, the cartridge can also be fixedly connected to the dispenser, so that the dispenser is disposed of when the cartridge is empty.

The magazine is provided with a reservoir for receiving tablets, preferably in a cylindrical arrangement. The cartridge is therefore preferably cylindrical and preferably has a cylindrical reservoir.

In order to achieve replaceability of the cartridge for tablets in a medicament dispenser according to the invention, the dispenser has a receiving means for the cartridge, for example a receiving shaft which extends in the axial direction and into which the cartridge can be pushed. For use with a medicament dispenser, the cartridge is inserted (e.g. pushed) into a receiving means, such as a receiving shaft. Thus, the cartridge and the dispenser can be in a spatial and physical relationship to each other and together form a combination of a medicament dispenser and a cartridge according to the invention, which can be assembled to form one unit.

In order to ensure that the cartridge remains fixed in the dispenser after insertion of the receiving shaft or very generally after insertion of the cartridge into the receiving means, at least one locking means is provided according to the invention for locking the cartridge in the medicament dispenser. This locking action of the locking means preferably causes the cartridge to be locked after it has been pushed into the dispenser, i.e. it cannot be removed again without the locking action being cancelled, as long as there are still tablets in the cartridge. The locking action can be cancelled only after the cartridge is emptied so that the cartridge can be removed from the dispenser to allow insertion of a new cartridge containing tablets.

For the locking action, such locking means can be formed, for example, by one or more locking lugs on the cartridge and one or more locking contours, e.g. holes, on the dispenser which engage with the locking lugs, or conversely by one or more lugs on the dispenser and one or more locking contours, e.g. holes, on the cartridge. In practice, of course, other locking means are possible, such as a locking lug engaging behind the projection, or two mutually engaging locking profiles, etc. For example, the at least one locking device is rotatably movable. It can preferably be formed by a rotatably movable locking bar which can in particular have two arms and can be equipped with locking lugs. In particular, the locking lugs can each be arranged at the lower part of the locking bar. The locking device is positioned in the dispenser. Each locking lug preferably engages with an eyelet or the like provided on the cartridge under a locking action on the locking lever. Instead of a locking eyelet, it is also possible, for example, to provide a projection on which the locking lug engages, or a recess in which the locking lug engages. In order to additionally ensure the locking action, pressure points can also be provided on the locking lever, which pressure points lock behind a corresponding locking lug or protrusion, for example in the dispenser housing, in positions other than where the locking lug or protrusion is provided.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the locking lever with the locking lug can project into an area adjoining the area in which the cartridge is received in the dispenser, for example in a front area of the dispenser adjoining a receiving means for the cartridge in the dispenser, for example a receiving shaft. On the magazine, in the adjoining region, it is then necessary to provide a receiving aperture in which the locking lug of the locking bar engages. This adjoining area can be located, for example, on the bottom shell of the cartridge.

In addition, an ejection stop can be provided, which can comprise, for example, a release lever. An external, manually actuated ejection means for ejecting the cartridge, such as an ejection button, is blocked by the ejection block, so that the cartridge can only be removed when the cartridge no longer contains any tablets. This stop blocks the actuation of the external ejection means and only frees it again when the cartridge is empty. This can be released in particular by canceling the locking action. For this purpose, an ejection slide which can be actuated by the ejection means can be provided when the cartridge still contains at least one medicament portion, in which case the release lever blocks the ejection slide and thus the ejection button.

If the aforementioned at least one locking means causes locking of the cartridge in the dispenser, i.e. the at least one locking means is no longer released without this locking action alone being cancelled, at least one means for cancelling the locking action must also be provided. This means for cancelling the locking action is preferably designed such that the locking action can only be cancelled when there is no more medicament portion in the cartridge. Without a locking action, the catch can be released simply by manually overcoming the locking force of the at least one locking device. This is possible if the at least one locking means is designed, by means of a suitable design of the parts forming the locking connection, such that they slide along each other when a force is applied which releases the locking means, so that the locking action is cancelled.

However, if the locking action takes place when the at least one locking means is engaged, for example because the locking lug and the locking profile are designed such that the locking action cannot be cancelled without damaging the at least one locking means, unless the locking action is released simultaneously, the at least one means for cancelling the locking action must be released manually or preferably by a mechanism present in the dispenser, or also by a combination of these means. To this end, the dispenser can receive at least one unlocking means which, depending on the state of the cartridge being filled with tablets, releases the locking lugs of the locking lever, preferably only when the cartridge is empty. In this case, the at least one locked locking device is released by the at least one unlocking device without external manual actuation by bringing the at least one locking device from the locking position into the unlocking position. This unlocking means can in particular be thrust means which, upon insertion, bring the locking of the cartridge into the locking position and, after the cartridge has been emptied, bring the cartridge into the unlocking position. The locking means are locked by thrust means pressing against one or more upper parts of the locking bar. Furthermore, the thrust means can also act on the ejection block and release the latter, preferably when no tablets are present in the cartridge anymore. For this purpose, a thrust device for releasing the blocking of the ejection device can actuate the release lever, so that the ejection slide and thus the ejection device are unlocked. The ejection slide is preferably pressed against one or more lower portions of the locking means, preferably the locking lever, by actuation of the ejection means and thus unlocks the magazine locked by the locking means.

Unlocking can be achieved, for example, by suitable means in the medicament dispenser, the position of which means depends on the filling level of the cartridge. For this purpose, for example, a thrust bracket, which is mounted, for example, axially movably on the cartridge, or other movable thrust bracket, which is positioned, for example, in each case at the level of the tablets located at the uppermost position of the cartridge, can be provided. The thrust bracket or said other thrust means is also positioned at the lower apex position (lower polarity) only when there are no more tablets in the cartridge and in this case the locking action is released.

In order to be able to unlock the external manual ejection means for ejecting the cartridge, i.e. to be able to release the blocking of the ejection block, the same means for cancelling the locking action can again be provided, for example the aforementioned thrust bracket or the other thrust means, the position of which depends on the filling level of the cartridge.

The at least one thrust means, which is preferably movable along the receiving shaft and serves in particular to cancel the blocking action of the locking action and the blocking of the ejection block depending on the filling level of the cartridge, also preferably transmits a spring force to the tablets contained in the cartridge, in particular in a cylindrical arrangement.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, in order to generate a spring force on the tablets in the cartridge, at least one spring means is provided, which, upon insertion of the cartridge into the medication dispenser, exerts a spring force on the cartridge in an axial direction opposite to the direction of insertion of the cartridge into the medication dispenser (insertion direction). This has the effect that the cartridge in the dispenser is under tension, preferably under spring tension. The spring force acting on the cartridge has the effect that the tablets in the cartridge are pressed against each other so that they do not shake back and forth in the reservoir of the cartridge during movement of the dispenser. Since the tablets are always under spring tension, the sequence initially formed in the tablet stack is not lost.

The spring force is preferably exerted by a spring force device which is constructed in the form of at least one constant force spring, in particular two constant force springs. In this way, the stack of tablets positioned in the magazine reservoir can always be subjected to the same force, regardless of the actual height, i.e. the filling level of the magazine, so that the tablets are handled carefully without losing the advantage of applying tension to the stack of tablets, even if the stack of tablets is very small, for example comprising two or three tablets. The at least one elastic means can be formed, for example, by a spring steel band.

The above-mentioned thrust means, which are preferably movable along the receiving shaft, such as the above-mentioned thrust bracket, can in particular also serve to transmit a spring force to the tablets contained in the cartridge in a cylindrical arrangement. On the one hand, such thrust devices can have the effect of transmitting an external spring force to the stack of tablets. This is done, for example, by fastening one or two springs to the thrust means and to the counter bearing in the medicament dispenser. Two constant force springs are preferably provided, one of which is secured to one end of the thrust device, for example one end of the thrust bracket, and the other end of which is secured to the other end of the thrust device, for example the other end of the thrust bracket, so that a symmetrical force is transmitted to the thrust device. Alternatively, it is also possible to provide a single spring engaging on the thrust device. In this case, the resulting asymmetric forces will be compensated. As already explained above, the thrust means can in particular also be used for cancelling the locking action for ejecting the cartridge and the ejection block, i.e. the thrust means can be at least part of the means for cancelling the locking action.

In order to transmit the spring force from the thrust means to the tablets in the cartridge and thus to compress the preferably cylindrically arranged tablets in the cartridge, and also in order to code the filling level of the cartridge filled with tablets via the position of the thrust means, in a further preferred embodiment of the invention the cartridge contains a tablet holder which is movable in the axial direction in the reservoir and which engages through at least one axial slit in the cartridge and serves to drag the thrust means positioned in the medicament dispenser, for example a thrust bracket which is also preferably movable in the axial direction, and which is also preferably movable in the axial direction and serves to apply a preferably externally applied, preferably axially oriented spring force to the tablets contained in the cartridge in the preferably cylindrically arranged arrangement and thus to compress the preferably cylindrically arranged tablets by the thrust means.

By means of a thrust means, such as a thrust bracket, a force is applied to the stack of tablets in the reservoir, this force originating, for example, from a spring engaging on the thrust means, such as a constant force spring, so that the stack of tablets is always under the influence of the force in the axial direction when the cartridge is positioned in the medicament dispenser. As a result, the tablets cannot move freely in the reservoir. By means of this force, the stack of tablets is pressed against the receiving chamber in the singulation apparatus so that the tablets always enter the receiving chamber when the slide positioned in the singulation apparatus is in the first sliding position. To achieve this effect, a thrust means, such as a thrust bracket, which slides along the outside of the magazine can be in form-fitting contact with the tablet holder. To this end, the tablet holder, which is freely movable in the axial direction in the storage of the magazine, can engage through at least one axial slot on the magazine, for example with one arm or with two arms (in this case in each case through one axial slot), so that the thrust means can exert a force on the tablet holder, and thus on the tablet stack, via this arm or a further projection. In this way, when the cartridge is positioned in the medicament dispenser, an axial force is applied to the stack of tablets, this axial force acting in the direction of the singulation apparatus preferably provided on the cartridge. In this way, the stack is compressed all the time, so that the tablets can enter the receiving chamber contained in the singulation apparatus when it is flush with the reservoir, and can thus be dispensed from the dispenser.

Instead of a tablet holder, which has arms engaging through slots in the cartridge housing, or several arms engaging through several slots, another embodiment can also be chosen in which no slots are provided in the cartridge housing, under the application of a force from outside via the tablet holder to the stack of tablets. In the latter case, the force must be applied externally to the stack of tablets in some other way, for example via an axial transfer device which is subjected to an external force at only one or both ends of the cartridge housing, which then results in an axial force being applied to the stack of tablets. An embodiment of this type is obtained, for example, by a belt inserted into the cartridge housing (preferably at its lower end) and guided around the stack of tablets. When this band is pulled, a downward acting axial force is then applied to the stack of tablets. For example, a band extending around the tablet stack can be guided laterally out of the cartridge housing at the base of the tablet stack on both sides. Or the band is led out at one side only and fastened on the other side to the base of the cartridge housing. Alternatively, an axially movable rod can be used, which is seated on the stack of tablets and applies an axial force to the stack.

Quite often, when a full cartridge is pushed into the dispenser in the insertion direction, a thrust means, such as a thrust bracket, can be dragged in this movement, for example by the thrust means being dragged upwards via the tablet holder. This thrust means can also lock the cartridge in the dispenser via at least one suitable locking means, for example by letting the dragged thrust means run onto a continuous surface of a locking lever arranged in the upper region of the dispenser to lock the cartridge in the dispenser. When the cartridge is subsequently unloaded, this thrust means can then be moved downwards so that the filling level in the cartridge is encoded by its position in the dispenser. When this thrust means finally reaches the (lower) end position predetermined by emptying the cartridge, the locking of the cartridge can be cancelled in such a way that, by this coding, the cartridge can be removed from the dispenser. This can be done, for example, by the thrust means bringing the locking lever into the unlocked position in the lowermost position and, if appropriate, additionally unlocking a suitable ejection means for the cartridge.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the actuation means for dispensing the medicament portions are arranged on a narrow side of the medicament dispenser. Furthermore, the further actuation means can be provided on another narrow side of the medicament dispenser, preferably on a second narrow side oriented away from the first narrow side. These actuating means are each intended to dispense a tablet from the magazine by manual actuation. To this end, the actuating means can be operatively connected to the singulating device via suitable conveying means in mechanical, electromechanical or electronic operative connection in order to release in each case one tablet from the magazine. Since the actuation means are provided on the narrow sides of the medicament dispenser, they can be easily activated even when the user operates the dispenser with only one hand, for example by the user holding the dispenser in one hand and applying pressure to the narrow sides of the dispenser and thus actuating the actuation means. Instead of the actuating means being positioned on one or both narrow sides of the dispenser, the actuating means can also be arranged at another location on the dispenser, for example on the front or rear face, or on one or both end faces of the dispenser.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the transfer means, whereby the actuating means are mechanically operatively connected to the singulation apparatus, are formed by a mechanism whereby the movement generated by the actuation of the actuating means is transferred to the singulation apparatus provided on the magazine. For this purpose, for example, a transmission rod can be used, which can be synchronized, if appropriate, in each case via a toothed rod and a gear wheel which meshes with the rod. The transmission levers can for example be directly mechanically operatively connected to the singulation apparatus, for example a form-fit connection, for example by providing a drive pin on the singulation apparatus and a recess on at least one transmission lever operatively connected to the drive pin, or vice versa.

According to the invention, the medicament dispenser is designed such that the tablets can be dispensed in an axial direction. This is to be understood to mean that the tablets are not dispensed laterally from the dispenser, but are dispensed at the end face of the dispenser, in particular in a direction extending in the axial direction, i.e. along or parallel to the axis of the dispenser or along or parallel to the axis of the cartridge. For this reason, it is also advantageous if the cartridge is also designed such that the tablets are dispensed in the axial direction.

Thus, the user can easily remove the tablet to be dispensed by holding the dispenser in one hand and using the same hand to actuate the actuating means provided on the dispenser for dispensing the tablet, so that the tablet falls into the other hand. For this reason, it is sufficient if the user holds the dispenser so that the cartridge is held above the other hand at the side where it is inserted into the dispenser and then actuates the dispenser to dispense the tablets. No more defined orientation of the dispenser relative to the hand not holding the dispenser is required so that the tablet falls safely into the user's hand and the user can thus grasp the tablet safely. Erroneous use in which the tablet is inadvertently dropped and cannot fall into the user's hand is thus practically excluded. This operation of the dispenser is therefore safer and more reliable than the operation of the known dispenser.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a singulation apparatus for dispensing defined medicament portions (tablets) is provided on the cartridge, preferably at one end thereof. This singulating device is preferably designed such that the tablets are each dispensed individually or in an otherwise defined number (for example two tablets at the same time). To this end, the singulation device is designed such that it can be actuated via an operative connection between the singulation device and an actuation device or actuation devices provided on the medication dispenser. The actuation device can comprise the above-mentioned manual actuation means and also a mechanism in the dispenser whereby the movement produced by manual actuation of the actuation device is transferred from the actuation means to the singulation device. Since in this embodiment of the invention the singulation apparatus for the tablets is provided on the magazine, such apparatus is not provided on the medicament dispenser. Instead, the actuation device for the singulation device is in this embodiment mounted on the medicament dispenser. These actuating devices are preferably mechanically operatively connected to the singulation device. Electromechanical or purely electronic operative connections are also conceivable. In order to provide a mechanical operative connection, the singulation apparatus on the magazine can be provided, for example, with pins, which in the above are designed as drive pins. In this case, by actuating the actuating means on the dispenser, the movement is transmitted, for example, to the pawl provided with the recess and adapted to the driving pin and from this pawl to the driving pin and therefore to the singulating device. The movement generated by the manual actuation of the actuating means on the dispenser is preferably transmitted to the jaws via a further interposed mechanical element, such as the above-mentioned transmission lever, which represents the mechanism for transmitting the movement from the actuating means to the singulation apparatus.

The provision of a singulation apparatus on the cartridge has several advantageous effects:

the singulation apparatus serves to allow the user to dispense the tablets contained in the magazine individually or in a defined number. Thus, the user is allowed to safely remove a tablet from the magazine without having more than one tablet (or more than a defined number of tablets) accidentally dispensed simultaneously.

Moreover, the singulation apparatus closes the container and thus protects the tablets contained therein from external influences, so that the tablets contained therein are not damaged or otherwise impaired. In particular, the singulation apparatus is used as a closure element, for example during transport and storage, but also during use by the user, in order to protect the tablets from external influences.

The provision of a singulation device on the magazine further ensures that the tablets cannot accidentally fall off, since the closure element cannot be accidentally disengaged. The singulation device is preferably only able to be actuated when the cartridge is inserted into the medicament dispenser, and the tablets are thus released individually (or in a defined number). In order to actuate the singulation devices on the magazine, manual actuation means are provided on the medication dispenser, since for simplicity of operation, the manual actuation means on the dispenser must be actuated to dispense an individual tablet (or a defined number of tablets). Because of the singulating device, it is in any case impossible to dispense more than one tablet (or more than a defined number of tablets) from the cartridge, and it is highly unlikely that the closure elements of the cartridge on the singulating device have been actuated manually when the cartridge is not positioned in the dispenser.

The assembly work for inserting the cartridge into the dispenser is also minimized. For example, it may be sufficient to push the cartridge axially into the dispenser for the receiving means of the cartridge, without removing the lid or taking other assembly measures. Thus, there is no need to remove, for example, a cap, as is the case with the dispenser according to U.S. patent No.5,230,440, in order to place the cartridge into the receiving shaft. This greatly facilitates the use of the dispenser with the cartridge. In particular, this advantage is achieved in that the singulation apparatus is at the same time an enclosing element and is arranged on the cartridge instead of on the dispenser.

Moreover, during operation of the dispenser, the singulating device is repeatedly and frequently actuated in order to remove the tablets. Since the singulation device is provided on the cartridge and not on the medicament dispenser, wear and tear of the singulation device does not have the same disadvantages for the user as if the singulation device were provided on the medicament dispenser, since the singulation device is interchangeable with the cartridge when the cartridge no longer contains any tablets. If the singulation apparatus is to be provided on the dispenser rather than on the cartridge, it will have to be designed for a very long service life by a suitable choice of materials and suitable construction. Moreover, the wear substances from the tablets that can be collected in particular in the singulation apparatus are discarded by the cartridge and are not collected in the dispenser during the entire service life of the cartridge. In any case, this abrasive substance in combination with (air) moisture is a good breeding ground for bacteria.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the singulation apparatus has a slide that can move substantially perpendicular to the axis of the magazine. The slide acts as a structural element of the singulated tablet. The slide is capable of separately receiving each individual tablet and causing separate sliding movement thereof relative to the stack. The tablets in the cartridge are preferably arranged in a columnar stack in a reservoir positioned in the cartridge. A slide can then be arranged at one end of this stack and separate the tablets one by one from the stack.

For this purpose, the slide can preferably have a receiving chamber which is open at both ends in the axial direction and which receives a defined medicament portion, for example an individual tablet, or two tablets at the same time, or even more, i.e. more than two tablets at the same time. This receiving chamber is closed on the side facing away from the stack when receiving tablets from the stack. The receiving chamber is preferably dimensioned such that there is a space which receives (only) one individual tablet (or also a defined number of tablets). To ensure that the singulation is efficient and reproducible, the height of this compartment can be exactly the same as or slightly higher than the height of the individual tablets (or the height of a defined number of stacks of tablets). Thus, in this case only a single tablet (or a limited number of tablets) is received in the receiving chamber and separated from the stack of tablets by sliding.

The singulation apparatus can also include a bottom housing. Furthermore, the slider can move relative to the reservoir in the cartridge between two sliding positions perpendicular or substantially perpendicular relative to the axis of the cartridge. The bottom housing can be used in particular for closing the receiving chamber on the side facing away from the reservoir when the receiving chamber is flush with the reservoir in one sliding position (second sliding position). In this case, the tablet enters the receiving chamber and is held by the bottom housing. The slide is then moved to the other of the two slide positions (first slide position) where the tablet can be removed.

In a preferred embodiment, the bottom shell can in this case have a dispensing opening which is offset with respect to the cartridge axis and flush with the (opening) receiving chamber when the slider is positioned in one of the two sliding positions (preferably the first sliding position). The tablets then fall through the dispensing opening and can thus be removed. The tablets are thus removed from the side of the singulation apparatus directed away from the storage. In an alternative embodiment for dispensing tablets, the first sliding position can also be chosen such that the tablets are dispensed on the same side of the singulation apparatus as the reservoir. For this purpose, the slider will have to protrude laterally from the dispenser and the first sliding position of the receiving chamber will have to be positioned in the laterally protruding portion of the slider. The tablets can also be dispensed laterally, i.e. in a plane in which the tablets are moved by the slide during the sliding process. In all these cases, the tablets can each be stored and separated in a position in which they are arranged lying with the main surfaces on top of each other or in a position in which they lie vertically, i.e. with their sides lying on top of each other.

The singulation apparatus is preferably switched between these two slide positions. One of these two sliding positions can be a rest position and the other sliding position can be a second position from which the singulation apparatus can automatically return to the rest position, for example by being tensioned in this second position by a spring which returns the singulation apparatus to the rest position. It is also possible that the second sliding position, in which the receiving chamber in the slide is flush with the reservoir of the cartridge, is a rest position, or the first sliding position, in which the receiving chamber in the slide is flush with the dispensing opening in the bottom housing, is a rest position.

The bottom shell of the cartridge can in particular be fitted flush with the shell of the dispenser. This prevents the user from removing the cartridge from the dispenser by manipulation, for example before the cartridge is completely emptied. Furthermore, the cartridge is fitted in the dispenser in such a way that the tablet, and thus the pharmaceutically active substance in the tablet, does not come into contact with the dispenser or parts thereof when the tablet is singulated and dispensed or released from the dispenser. This embodiment is particularly advantageous for forensic reasons.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the cartridge comprises a tolerance compensation plug, which is preferably located in the reservoir with a friction fit and is movable in the axial direction. This tolerance compensating plug is inserted into the reservoir before the magazine is filled with tablets and it presses firmly against the stack of tablets after the magazine has been filled with tablets.

Since the tolerance compensation plug is located in the reservoir with a friction fit, this can keep the stack of tablets tightly packed even when the cartridge is not located in the dispenser, for example when the cartridges are operated separately, for example during storage or transport. The stack of tablets must be held firmly together to prevent the tablets from moving freely in the reservoir to ensure that they are no longer tilted and wedged and thus impede the dispensing of the tablets. Moreover, the tablets are also subject to disadvantageous wear during continuous movement relative to each other. It should also be noted that tablets have thickness tolerances that result in variations in the height of the tablet stack. For example, if the thickness tolerance of a 3 mm thick tablet is 150 μm, the variation in height of a stack of 30 tablets is about 4.5 mm. By means of the tolerance compensation plug, the stack is always reliably held in the reservoir regardless of its actual height, i.e. even when the cartridge is no longer inserted into the dispenser. In contrast to, for example, compression springs, which press the tablets in the store against one another and thus fix them, tolerance compensation plugs have the advantage during transport and storage that the tablets are packed flat against one another without force and are not under a spring tension which varies as a function of the height of the tablet stack, as is the case with compression springs. Thus, the tablets are stored more gently than is the case with known cartridges.

In order to allow the tolerance compensation plug to be friction-fitted in the reservoir of the cartridge, the plug has at least one locking device for locking onto a contour extending axially on the inner wall of the cartridge reservoir. This contour can be formed, for example, by a transverse groove contour consisting of transverse grooves extending parallel to one another. For example, the transverse groove profile can form at least one axially extending detent track on the inner wall of the cartridge or can be provided on the entire inner circumference of the inner wall of the cartridge. The locking means are preferably formed by at least one spring element acting outwardly, engaging the profile and having a locking lug. By configuring the profiles in the form of detent profiles, a form-fitting engagement of the plug is achieved in one direction (towards the dispensing opening) and a friction-fitting engagement in the other direction.

Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, a viewing window can be provided in the outer surface of the medicament dispenser housing to make the tablets positioned in the cartridge visible from the outside. This allows to visually check the filling level of the cartridge. The tablet holder can also be colored to contrast it with the tablets. This makes it easier to visually monitor the filling level of the cartridge through the window. For this purpose, the magazine can preferably be made at least partially of a transparent material. In practice, however, it can also be made at least partially of a translucent material. In particular, the portion of the cartridge visible through the window in the dispenser housing can be made of a transparent or translucent material to make the tablets contained in the cartridge visible.

In addition, the medicament dispenser can have an electronic display for displaying the number of tablets removed and/or the number of tablets still to be removed and/or the number of tablets still positioned in the magazine. Each of these information items can optionally be displayed, for example, by manual selection. The electronic display can additionally be designed such that a warning signal is displayed, for example to show the period during which the tablet to be removed has been overdosed or has not yet been reached, and to show the state of charge of the battery used in the dispenser. The display can also be used to observe the status of the different administration phases, for example a display showing the user in a first, second, third or several phase, wherein the first phase can for example last for 24 days, the second phase is flexible, for example from 0 to 96 days, and the third phase for example last for 4 days again.

In order to be able to display the information on the electronic display, an electronic circuit is provided, preferably in the form of a circuit board with an integrated semiconductor circuit received thereon. A switch can also be mounted on and connected to the circuit board, preferably an electronically operated button, in order to perform the required input, for example to select the display mode (number of tablets taken away, number of tablets still positioned in the magazine). Furthermore, an electronic switch can be provided in the dispenser in order to be able to automatically determine certain operating states of the dispenser with the cartridge, for example the first use of the dispenser by the first insertion or pushing of the cartridge into the dispenser, thus for example activating a battery for supplying electrical energy to the electronic circuit and the electronic display, i.e. connected to the circuit and the display, and also the dispensing of the tablets, the ejection of the cartridge and/or the detection of a defined smaller number of tablets residing in the cartridge, in order to correctly show how many tablets are still positioned in the cartridge. For the last-mentioned effect, it is generally sufficient to calculate, starting from the number of tablets in a completely full magazine, how many tablets are still positioned therein, if each dispensing of a tablet is detected. However, this display is subject to errors if the number of tablets fluctuates due to unavoidable thickness tolerances of tablets in a fully filled cartridge. This error can be ruled out by detecting that for example four tablets are still positioned in the magazine.

Drawings

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments which are schematically illustrated in the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples, but only gives preferred embodiments. Other embodiments of the invention in which the various features of the invention vary are likewise conceivable and fall within the scope of the invention. The same reference numbers in the various drawings identify the same elements or functionally identical or functionally corresponding elements. Here:

figure 1A shows a front perspective view of a dispenser into which a cartridge according to the invention is inserted;

FIG. 1B shows the same rear view as FIG. 1A;

figure 2 shows a perspective view of the interior of the dispenser into which the cartridge is inserted, here the dispenser is shown from the rear;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective detail view of the lower part of the housing internal frame with the parts of the singulation apparatus necessary for dispensing the tablets, here shown from the front of the dispenser;

figure 4 shows a sectional view from the front of a cartridge filled with tablets and having a singulation apparatus;

figure 4A shows a cross-section of the head of the cartridge from the front;

figure 5 shows a perspective view of the dispenser from the rear, without the casing, but with a cartridge (opening) filled with tablets inserted therein;

FIG. 5A is similar to FIG. 1 showing details of the pressure points on the left locking bar;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the dispenser housing internal frame from the rear of the dispenser with a thrust bracket and a constant force spring;

figure 7 shows a detail of the dispenser without the housing, seen from the rear, with a latch for the cartridge;

FIG. 7A shows a view as in FIG. 7, which is a perspective detail of the left-hand portion of the dispenser when the cartridge is locked;

figure 7B shows the same view as figure 7A when the cartridge is unlocked;

figure 8A shows a partial perspective view of the lower part of the dispenser from the right-hand side without the lateral housing parts, with the ejector button and the release button when the cartridge is full;

FIG. 8B shows the same view as FIG. 8A when the cartridge is empty;

FIG. 8C shows a perspective view from the rear of the release button with the torsion spring and the ejector slide;

fig. 8D shows the same view as fig. 8C when the cartridge is ejected;

FIG. 8E shows a section through the injector as viewed from the rear without the front and rear of the housing;

figure 9 shows a detail of the dispenser as seen from the rear.

Detailed Description

The dispenser 1 shown in fig. 1A, 1B is used to dispense tablets T which are taken, for example, for contraception. The dispenser is particularly suitable for dispensing contraceptives which are taken daily in a so-called flexible regime, i.e. a first administration phase lasting 24 days, followed by a second administration phase lasting 0 to 96 days, so that the first and second administration phases can together last up to 120 days. When the user decides to stop the administration after the end of the first administration phase and to start the no-administration phase. The first dosing phase was followed by a 4 day no dosing phase after the second dosing phase.

Of course, the dispenser can also be used to dispense other tablets T, such as drugs for hormone replacement therapy, diuretic or antihypertensive agents.

The dispenser 1 comprises a dispenser housing 10, the dispenser housing 10 having a housing front shell 11.1 (fig. 1A) and a housing rear shell 11.2 (fig. 1B), and a housing part 12, the housing part 12 connecting the two housing shells, closing the dispenser on three narrow sides, being composed of several parts and being designed in the lower region as an actuation button 14, 15 on each side. The housing part is made of composite material to ensure that the part located at one end face in the area 13 is rigid, whereas the two actuation buttons located transversely on the narrow surface of the dispenser are movable so as to be able to perform a button movement (see arrow) towards the body of the dispenser. Alternatively, the housing part can also be designed as a deformable, rigid shell which can be pressed down inwards in the lower region, so that an actuating button is formed.

An electronic display 16 and operating buttons 17, 18 are arranged in the housing front shell 11.1. The electronic display was used to check the dosing of tablet T. The operating buttons 14, 15 are used to select menu items shown on the display, for example to check the battery, the day of administration, the day of non-administration and the number of tablets still positioned in the magazine, and to select whether the administration of tablets should be stopped.

Fig. 1B shows the rear surface of the dispenser 1. The rear surface comprises a window 20 extending in the axial direction and revealing the tablets T contained in the cartridge. For this purpose, the housing shell 11.2 of the cartridge in the region of the viewing window and the cartridge housing must be formed transparent at least in the part visible through the viewing window.

In the lower region of the dispenser 1, a part of the cartridge can be seen, i.e. a cartridge bottom shell 920 lying flush on the housing of the dispenser. The dispenser opening 922 for the tablet T can be seen in the cartridge bottom housing (fig. 1A). The cartridge ejection button 19 is placed into the housing front shell 11.1 and pushed in the direction of the arrow to eject the cartridge from the dispenser when emptied.

Fig. 2 shows a portion of the dispenser 1 (without the housing) and a cartridge 900 pushed into the dispenser, seen from the rear. The cartridge is pushed into the dispenser from below (see arrow) and has a singulation device 910, this component being a cartridge bottom housing 920 and thus the cartridge is supported on the dispenser housing in the lower region of the dispenser (fig. 1A). The cartridge further comprises a cartridge housing 930 in which the tablets T are positioned. This housing is formed by a cartridge front shell 933 and by a cartridge rear shell (not shown), which when used in the dispenser is preferably made of a transparent material so that the tablets are visible through a window 20 on the rear surface of the dispenser (fig. 1B).

Inside it, the dispenser 1 comprises a housing internal frame 100, which assumes substantially all the static functions of the dispenser. The housing inner frame has, for example, a central web 110 (hidden) that is cylindrically curved from one side inwards in order to receive the cartridge housing 930 (the front half of which is only partially visible). This inward bending of the web forms, together with other structural elements of the dispenser (not shown here), a receiving shaft (indicated by reference numeral 150) into which the cartridge can be pushed from below into the dispenser. The receiving shaft is here only indicated by a dashed line and features an elongated hollow space.

Fig. 3 shows the lower part of the housing inner frame 100 of the case-less dispenser 1 seen from the front. The singulation apparatus 910 of the cartridge is shown at the bottom narrow side of the dispenser, but in this example there is no bottom housing 920. Thus, a tablet slide 940 belonging to the singulation apparatus can be seen here, the tablet slide 940 sliding in a slide holder 950 and being received by the holder 950 and having a through opening 942 also serving as a receiving chamber for the tablets to be dispensed. In the first position, this receiving chamber is flush with the dispensing opening of the bottom housing, so that tablets positioned in the receiving chamber can be dispensed outwardly. When the tablet slide has moved to the second position (towards the left as shown in the head), the receiving chamber is flush with the reservoir for tablets formed by the cartridge case 930 (not shown) so that tablets can fall into the receiving chamber in this position. The receiving chamber is closed at the bottom in this position by a cartridge bottom housing 920 (not shown). To achieve this movement, the following structural elements are provided:

the actuation buttons 14, 15 on the dispenser housing 10 are depressed inwardly to actuate the dispenser 1 (fig. 1A; see arrows). In so doing, they act on two transmission rods, namely a right-hand transmission rod 210 and a left-hand transmission rod 220. The two transmission levers have toothed bars 212 and 222, respectively, and are operatively connected to a gear 230 via these toothed bars. The gears are mounted on the housing inner frame 100. The right-hand transmission lever is supported on the support 102 via a compression spring 240 such that this transmission lever, and thus also the left-hand transmission lever, returns to the starting position (first position), i.e. the position in which both transmission levers are driven outwards, after actuation of the actuation button. A horn 224 having a recess 226 is also integrally formed on the transfer bar. A carrier lug 944 is integrally formed on the tablet slide 940 and engages in this recess. When the transfer levers 210, 220 are forced outwards by the spring force of the compression spring 240, these levers are positioned on the outside in the unloaded (first) position, so that the tablet slide is positioned in the right-hand position (shown in fig. 3). In this position, the receiving chamber 942 in the tablet slide is flush with the dispensing opening 922 in the cartridge bottom shell 920. By actuation of the actuation buttons 14, 15, the transfer rod is forced inwards and thus pushes the tablet slide to the left (second position). In this way, the receiving chamber is moved to a position flush with the container of the cartridge, so that the tablets fall out of the container into the receiving chamber. When the actuating button is released, the transmission lever and thus also the receiving chamber located in the slide is returned to the right by the spring force, so that the receiving chamber again reaches its position flush with the dispensing opening. In this way, the tablets are dispensed from the dispenser.

Fig. 4 shows a sectional view of the magazine 900 from the front, with tablets T. The cartridge has a singulation device 910 where the cartridge bottom shell 920 can be distinguished and a cartridge housing 930 consisting of a cartridge front shell (not shown here) and a cartridge rear shell 932. By means of the front and rear cartridge housings, a cylindrical reservoir is formed in which the tablets are stacked. Between the two cartridge housings, an axially extending slit is positioned on one side (right-hand side).

In the form shown here, the magazine 900 can be separately manipulated, i.e. can be used to replenish the dispenser 1, by virtue of the magazine being pushed from the end face into the dispenser by the substantially cylindrical receiving shaft 150 and locked therein. For transporting and storing the separate cartridges, the cartridges are preferably sealed in a water-tight and air-tight secondary package, e.g. a sachet or a blister pack.

Just in the cartridge housing 930, above the stack of tablets T, there is a tablet holder 960 which can practically move freely in the axial direction in the reservoir of the cartridge (fig. 4A). To this end, the rack arms 961 of the tablet holder engage between the cartridge front housing 933 (not shown) and the cartridge rear housing 932 through axially extending slots. The tablet holder rests on the stack of tablets. However, axial movement of the tablet holder is limited towards the top by the tolerance compensating plug 970. This plug is fitted into the reservoir before the magazine 900 is filled with tablets T and is pressed onto the tablet stack and tablet holder after the magazine has been filled. As the tolerance compensation plug slides in frictional engagement in the reservoir, during manipulation of the cartridge outside the dispenser, the plug is pressed onto the stack of tablets and holds the stack together so that the individual tablets cannot slide out of or press against each other. On the one hand, this avoids abrasion of the tablets and, on the other hand, the tablets are arranged sideways or at an angle during free movement. This prevents tilting and thus blocking of the tablets in the reservoir. In order to achieve a frictional sliding of the tolerance-complementary plug 970, the plug has a body 971 and two spring elements with locking lugs 972, 972' which bear on the inner wall of the cartridge housing. To achieve the frictional engagement, the inner wall has opposing pawl tracks 975 (see fig. 4A for details) in which the locking lugs engage in the region where the locking lugs contact the inner wall. These detent tracks are only formed along a length of about 2 cm, since the tolerance compensation plugs will keep the tablets so tightly packed during handling only when the magazine is fully full, so that the plugs must be frictionally connected to the inner wall of the magazine housing only in the areas where it is necessary to compensate for fluctuations in stack height caused by thickness tolerances of the individual tablets.

Fig. 5 shows the dispenser 1 without a housing and seen from the rear, said dispenser 1 containing a magazine 900 containing tablets T. The cartridge contains a tablet holder 960, the tablet holder 960 being seated on a stack of tablets and having holder arms 961 protruding from the cartridge housing 930. A tolerance compensation plug 970 that encloses the spring elements with the locking lugs 972 (one of the spring elements is shown here) is seated on the tablet holder. The locking lug of the spring member is engaged in the pawl track 975.

The dispenser 1 additionally comprises a thrust bracket 300 which engages around the central web 110 of the housing inner frame 100 and is movable axially along this web and guided thereon, for example by means of wedge-shaped guides formed by the sides of the web and the U legs 311, 312 of the bracket, or by locking these U legs onto the sides of the web.

In fig. 6, the housing inner frame 100 with the thrust bracket 300 is shown from the rear of the dispenser 1. The thrust bracket has two arms 315, 316 formed at substantially right angles on U legs 311, 312. At the ends of these arms there are fasteners for one end of the constant force springs 320, 330. At their respective other ends, the constant force springs are secured in the lower portion of the housing inner frame 100 and wound there. In this way, the upward movement of the thrust bracket in the axial direction is effected only against the spring force of the constant force spring. Alternatively, however, the constant force springs could also be held in suitable holders wound on the thrust bracket, for example on the horn thereof, and their other ends fastened at the bottom of the housing internal frame.

When the cartridge is pushed from below into the receiving shaft 150 (not shown here) in the dispenser 1 (arrow), a rack arm 961 (fig. 5) which engages between the cartridge rear housing (not shown) and the cartridge front housing 933 of the cartridge through an axial gap engages on the underside of the U leg 311 of the thrust bracket 300 and pushes the thrust bracket upwards when pushing in the cartridge. Since the tablet holder 960 is in place on the stack of tablets and the magazine is full when pushed in, the thrust bracket is also pushed up to the upper end of the central web. In this way, the two constant force springs 320, 330 are tensioned so that the thrust bracket experiences a downwardly directed spring tension. This tension is transferred to the tablet stack via the tablet holder.

When the cartridge 900 is pushed into the receiving shaft 150 of the dispenser 1, the cartridge is locked in the dispenser. To this end, left-hand locking bar 420 and right-hand locking bar 410 are provided for the magazine. The locking bar is mounted to the housing inner frame 100 at pivot points 415, 425. Locking lugs 412, 422 are provided at respective lower ends of the locking bar (fig. 7A, 7B). These locking lugs 412, 422 engage in corresponding eyes 981, 982 (fig. 7A, 7B) on the casing front shell 932 of the cartridge when the lower leg of the locking bar, and thus the locking lugs of the locking bar, are tilted inwards (fig. 5; see the inwardly directed arrows). This tilting movement is produced by the thrust bracket 300 being pushed upwards on the central web 110 of the housing internal frame when inserting the cartridge into the dispenser, and in the upper region then sliding along the continuous surfaces 416, 426 of the locking bars and thus forcing the locking bars apart from each other at the top. In this way, the upper leg of the locking bar pivots outwardly and the lower leg thus pivots inwardly. Spring arms 417, 427 integrally formed on the locking bar above the respective pivot points snap behind associated protrusions 419, 429 on the housing inner frame via respective pressure points 418, 428 so that the locking bar is held securely in this position (fig. 5A). Thus, after the full cartridge has been pushed in, the locking lever stays in the locked position so that the cartridge can no longer be removed without auxiliary means. This ensures that after insertion and locking to the dispenser, the cartridge cannot be removed again as long as the cartridge is completely full at the time of insertion, since the thrust bracket is pushed up until the continuous surface of the locking lever and thus transfers it to the locked position. This locking action is maintained until the cartridge is completely emptied.

In order to be able to eject an empty cartridge from the dispenser, an ejection mechanism is provided which can cancel the blocking caused by the locking lever. Details of this ejection mechanism are shown in fig. 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D and 8E.

In order to be able to eject the cartridge, a release lever 500 is provided, which is positioned directly behind an ejection slide 600 comprising an (hidden) ejection button 19. The release lever is secured in a substantially vertical position by means of a torsion spring 510 (fig. 8C, 8D). For this purpose, the release lever is mounted by means of pins 520, 520' on the housing front shell 11.1 in claws 121, 122 integrally formed on the housing front shell 11.1. The release lever may pivot in the pawl (arrow in fig. 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D), but against the spring force of the torsion spring.

The release lever 500 blocks the ejection slider 600 and thus the ejection button 19, since the locking lugs 531, 531 (or alternatively only a single locking lug) are located in front of the corresponding projections 611, 612 of the ejection slider (or alternatively only a single projection) in the rest position of the release lever and block the translational movement downwards of the slider (ejection blocking). Fig. 8C shows the ejection slide blocked by the release lever, while the ejection slide in the view of fig. 8D is unlocked and has been pushed down.

When the magazine 900 is emptied as a result of the tablets T being dispensed, the thrust bracket 300 in the dispenser 1 slides downwards (fig. 8B). When the thrust bracket reaches the lowermost position during the stroke for the last tablet in the magazine, it engages the lever 540 of the release lever 500 and tilts the lever forward with its lower end (fig. 8B, arrow) against the spring force of the torsion spring 510. In this way, the release lever releases the ejection slider 600 and the locking lugs 531, 531 move away from the corresponding projections 611, 612 of the ejection slider.

The effect of the locking bars 410, 420 when the magazine 900 is released is shown in fig. 8E. The locking of the magazine is cancelled by pushing the ejector slide 600 down by about 2 mm (arrow). In doing so, the continuous surfaces 551, 552 of the ejector slide come into contact with the lower legs of the locking bars 410, 420, so that these legs are pressed outwards (arrows). In this way, the locking lugs 412, 422 of the locking bar are pressed outwards and released from the eyelets 981, 982 of the cartridge. The cartridge is thus released. By further downward movement of the ejection slide, the magazine can now be ejected in the downward direction. For this purpose, the locking lugs of the ejection slide act simultaneously with the ejection lugs, since they engage on the edge of the top face of the cartridge bottom housing 920 and are pressed down as a result of the downwardly directed movement. The cartridge can then be grasped by hand and pulled out of the receiving shaft 150 of the dispenser 1. After actuation, the ejection slide returns to the original position again under the spring force. A torsion spring 510 is used for this purpose.

The dispenser 1 has an electronic display 16 and two electronic operating buttons 17, 18 (fig. 1A). The electronic display is used to display the number of tablets T positioned in the magazine 900 and the status of the tablet dosing, i.e. whether the first dosing phase of 24 days has elapsed, and is the former case, the number of days that have elapsed in the second flexible dosing phase. During the administration phase it can also be indicated whether the tablet has not been taken within a defined period of time. In addition, the display can also show how many days have passed in a no-dose phase that may have been introduced. Also, the display can show the battery status. The operating buttons can be used to select steps to the no-dose stage and to select from various menu options.

The dispenser 1 contains batteries 1010, 1020 (fig. 2, 5) (alternatively only a single battery) designed to maintain the functionality of the dispenser 1 as far as possible without the need to replace the batteries. Thus, the dispenser comprises an initialization switch 710 which is activated when the cartridge is pushed into the dispenser for the first time and is arranged on the housing internal frame (fig. 9). This switch is formed by a switch leg 430 of the left hand lock lever 420 formed on the upper arm thereof. When the cartridge is pushed in, it pushes the upper arm of the left hand locking bar outwards as the thrust bracket 300 slides along the continuous surface 426 on the upper arm of this locking bar and in doing so presses the arm outwards (fig. 5). The switch branch integrally formed on the left-hand locking lever presses against and actuates the initialization switch. The actuation of this switch initializes the electronic device present up to now in the rest position without power consumption and, thanks to the particular configuration of the initialization switch, the electronic device remains switched on even after the cartridge has been withdrawn.

At the same time as the electronic device is initialized when the cartridge 900 is pushed into the dispenser 1 for the first time, a second switch (not shown) located near the initialization switch 710 is actuated and remains on as long as the upper arm of the right-hand latch is pressed outwards, i.e. as long as the cartridge is still in the dispenser. This second switch is switched off again by the inward pivoting of the upper arm of the locking lever 420 after the cartridge has been removed. This second switch signals the electronic device that the cartridge is positioned in the dispenser. In this way, it is possible to count the number of tablets T positioned in the dispenser, in particular according to the fact that there is always a defined number of tablets T, for example 30, in the full magazine, and also by forwarding to the electronic device and thus recording a further signal each time a tablet is removed from the dispenser. Moreover, this further signal from the second switch also informs that the fully filled cartridge of the electronic device is now positioned again in the dispenser when an empty cartridge is removed from the dispenser and inserted into a full cartridge.

The further signal, by which the tablet T is removed from the dispenser 1, is generated by a third switch (not shown) located in the region of one of the transport levers 210, 220, and which switches upon each actuation of the transport lever and thus generates this further signal.

The dispenser 1 further comprises a fourth switch (not shown) which is positioned in the lower region of the receiving shaft 150 and thereby registers the sliding of the thrust carriage 300 and transmits it as a further signal to the electronic device. Shortly before the final emptying of the magazine 900, for example when only five tablets T remain in the magazine, this fourth switch is used to signal to the electronic device to cancel the number of tablets remaining in the magazine. This is defined by the exact spatial positioning of the fourth switch on the receiving shaft, with the result that the fourth switch is actuated by removal of the tablets only when there are still a predetermined number of tablets in the magazine. This verification count may be necessary in order to correctly show the user how many tablets are still positioned in the magazine when the tablets have only few tablets. This ensures that no incorrect assumptions are made about the number of remaining tablets, as this may be decisive if the user is not warned in time when the cartridge has been emptied. This precaution is advantageous when all control measures on site during the filling step are not able to safely verify to what extent the capsule is filled with tablets. This is because the height of the individual tablets has tolerances, as a result of which the height of the stack of tablets can also fluctuate. In any case, however, the user can determine, through the window 20 in the rear shell 11.2 of the housing, whether there are still tablets left in the cartridge.

It will be understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are exemplary only and that various modifications and adaptations to the examples and embodiments, as well as combinations of other features described in this application, will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are within the scope of the disclosure of the invention described herein and the scope of the claims. All patents and patent applications referenced herein are hereby incorporated into the disclosure of this application.

Claims (8)

1. A medicament dispenser (1) for a solid medicament portion (T) in the form of a pill, a coated pill, a capsule or a tablet comprising

Receiving means for a replaceable cartridge (900), the replaceable cartridge (900) comprising a medicament portion (T), the receiving means being in the form of a receiving shaft (150), the receiving shaft (150) extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the medicament dispenser,

at least one locking means for locking the cartridge in the medicament dispenser, the locking means being a rotatably movable locking lever (410, 420), the locking lever (410, 420) having two arms and a locking lug (412, 422) on a lower portion of the locking lever,

at least one movable thrust means movable along the receiving axis and designed to transmit a spring force to a medicament portion contained in the cartridge in a cylindrical arrangement,

characterised in that, on insertion of the cartridge into the receiving means, the thrust means presses against one or more upper portions of the locking lever and the locking lugs engage one or more locking profiles on the dispenser and thereby lock the cartridge on the medicament dispenser;

and in that the thrust means is positioned at the level of the portion of medicament located at the uppermost position of the cartridge and, when there is no more medicament portion in the cartridge, the thrust means is positioned at the lower apex position and in this case releases the locking lug of the locking lever.

2. Medicament dispenser (1) for solid medicament portions (T) according to claim 1, characterized in that an ejection stop (500) is provided, by means of which ejection means (19) for the external manual actuation of the ejection magazine (900) are blocked (500).

3. A medicament dispenser (1) for solid medicament portions (T) according to claim 2, characterised in that the ejection block comprises a release lever (500).

4. Medicament dispenser (1) for solid medicament portions (T) according to claim 1, characterized in that an ejection slide (600) is provided which can be actuated by an ejection button (19), and in that the release lever (500) blocks the ejection slide (600) and thus the ejection button (19) when the cartridge (900) still contains at least one medicament portion (T).

5. The medicament dispenser (1) for solid medicament portions (T) according to claim 4, characterized in that the at least one thrust means (300) for cancelling the blocking of the ejection button (19) actuates the release lever (500) so that the ejection slider (600) and thus the ejection button (19) are unlocked.

6. Medicament dispenser (1) for solid medicament portions (T) according to one of claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the ejection slide (600) is pressed against the lower part of the locking lever (410, 420) by actuation of an ejection button (19).

7. Use of a medicament dispenser (1) for solid medicament portions (T) according to one of the claims 1 to 6 for storing and dispensing medicament portions (T).

8. Use according to claim 7, characterized in that the drug moiety is an oral contraceptive.