Integrated drug dosage form and metering system

Claim 2

A drug tape dispenser for adjustably dispensing preselected single dosage lengths of drug tape from a drug tape supply, comprising: an enclosed, portable case for the drug tape supply, having a dispenser site; access means for introducing the supply into the case; feed means in the case for feeding the drug tape from the supply to the dispenser site; a counter operably connected to the feed means, for counting the number of single dosage lengths dis­pensed; a controller coordinately actuating the feed means and the counter for automatically measuring the single dosage length of drug tape; and a cutter disposed proximate the discharge site to sever the single dosage length from the supply of drug tape.

Claim 3

The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the case further comprises a housing having a first discharge site, the dispenser site, and a cassette receptacle site; and a cassette adapted for removably engaging the housing at the cassette receptacle site, the cassette further comprising the feed means and a second discharge site to mate with the first discharge site.

Claim 4

The dispenser of claim 2, wherein the housing includes a first driving means in the cassette receptacle site and the feed means comprises a pair of capstans disposed to receive and engage the drug tape from a drug tape roll, wherein one of the capstans is operatively engaged by said first driving means.

Claim 5

The dispenser of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller (50) comprises a state machine or a clock.

Claim 6

The dispenser of any one of the preceding claims which further comprises a manual actuator (39) linked to the feed means (l5) to be actuated by the user.

Claim 7

The dispenser of any one of the preceding claims wherein the dispenser further comprises dual actuation means wherein the controller provides that the feed means (l5) may only be actuated when a first manual actuation means (39) linked to the feed means is acuated by the user and a second actuation means (26) is actuated by the controller.

Claim 8

The dispenser of claim 6 wherein the controller (50) is linked to a clock for actuating the second actuation means (22) for a preset time period between preselected time intervals.

Claim 9

The dispenser of any one of the preceding claims which further comprises a display (34) function­ally responsive to the controller and designating the number of remaining doses and the dosage length.

Claim 10

The dispenser of any one of the preceding claims wherein the case further comprises a tray (9) near the discharge site for receiving the severed single dosage length of drug tape, with a hinged cover (8) disposed to cover the tray, and the cutter is a blade (l0) disposed such that as the cover is opened, the drug tape is severed.

Claim 11

l0. The dispenser of claim l, wherein the controller (50) further comprises a clock located in the case for measuring time intervals over which the drug tape is to be dispensed, the clock further providing a time signal generated at the end of a preselected time interval; and a second display responsive to the time signals to display the times at which the drug is to be dispensed.

Claim 12

The dispenser of claim l0, wherein the controller actuates the feed means in response to the time signal.

Claim 13

The dispenser of claim l0 or claim ll, wherein the clock further comprises an alarm which is actuated by the time signal.

Claim 14

The dispenser of claim l0, claim ll or claim l2, wherein the controller further comprises a memory recording the time to provide a dispense signal.

Claim 15

The dispenser of claim l3, wherein the second display designates an administration record of the times at which a single dosage length was dispensed in response to the administration signals.

Claim 16

A housing (4) having enclosing walls comprising one element of a drug metering device for the accurate, recurring dispensing of medicaments in a continuous tape form in adjustable, preselected single dosage lengths, where the drug tape is provided in a cassette (2) having a first discharge site (l3) and a mounting to support the drug tape, wherein the housing and the cassette fit together to form an enclosed case, said housing comprising: a second discharge site (l9), a dispenser site (20) and a cassette receptacle receiving site (3) in the housing adapted for sealed engagement with the cass­ette whereby the first discharge site mates with the second discharge site; means (l8) in the housing situated for driv­ably engaging the cassette to feed the drug tape from the cassette through the first (l3) and second (l9) discharge sites to the dispenser site (l9); a counter for counting the number of single dosage lengths of drug tape that have been dispensed; controller means (50) in the housing coordinately actuating the means (l8) and the counter, for automatically measuring the single dosage lengths of drug tape; a display (34) on a wall of the housing, regulated by the controller for displaying the number of remaining doses and the dosage corresponding to the single dosage length; and a cutter (l0) disposed proximate the dispenser site for severing the drug tape.

Claim 17

A housing (4) having enclosing walls comprising one element of a drug metering device for the accurate, recurring dispensing of medicaments in a continuous tape form in adjustable, preselected single dosage lengths, where the drug tape is provided in a cassette (2) having a first discharge site (l3) and a mounting to support the drug tape, wherein the housing and the cassette fit together to form an enclosed case, said housing comprising: a second discharge site (l9), a dispenser site (20) and a cassette receptacle receiving site (3) in the housing adapted for sealed engagement with the cass­ette whereby the first discharge site mates with the second discharge site; means (l8) in the housing situated for driv­ably engaging the cassette to feed the drug tape from the cassette through the first (l3) and second (l9) discharge sites to the dispenser site (l9); a counter for counting the number of single dosage lengths of drug tape that have been dispensed; controller means (50) in the housing coordinately actuating the means (l8) and the counter, for automatically measuring the single dosage lengths of drug tape; a display (34) on a wall of the housing, regulated by the controller for displaying the number of remaining doses and the dosage corresponding to the single dosage length; and a cutter (l0) disposed proximate the dispenser site for severing the drug tape.

Claim 18

The housing of claim l5, wherein the housing further comprises a tray (9) proximate the dispenser site for receiving the severed single dosage length of drug tape; a hinged cover (8) being disposed to enclose the tray and having the cutter (l0) provided adjacent the hinged edge such that as the cover is opened to expose the tray, the drug tape is severed to provide a single dosage length of drug tape.

Claim 19

The housing of claim l5, wherein the dispenser further comprises a clock operatively connected to the gear means and the controller (50), for actuating the gear means and controller to automatically dispense a single dosage length of drug tape at the end of a preselected time interval.

Claim 20

A drug metering device for the recurring, accurate dispensing of medicaments in a continuous drug tape form in adjustable, preselected single dosage lengths, having an enclosed case comprising: a portable housing having a front wall, a rear wall, a cassette receptacle site accessible through the rear wall, a first discharge site, and a dispenser site; a cassette for containing a supply of the drug tape, adapted for sealed engagement with the hous­ing at the cassette receptacle site, having a shaft for supporting the drug tape, and having a second discharge site which mates with the first discharge site; gear means in the housing for frictionally engaging the shaft in the cassette, the gear means con­trolling the feed of the drug tape from the cassette through the first and second discharge sites to the dispenser site; a counter in the housing, operably connected to the gear means for counting the number of single dosage lengths that are dispensed; drive means in the housing, coordinately actu­ating the gear means and the counter, for automatically driving the gear means to feed the single dosage length of drug tape to the dispenser site; a clock in the housing for measuring time intervals over which the drug tape is to be dispensed; a controller in the housing, operably con­nected to the drive means and the clock; a display on the front wall of the housing, communicating with the controller to display the number of remaining doses, the dosage and the times at which the drug is to be dispensed; and a cutter disposed proximate to the dispenser site for severing single dosage lengths of drug tape from the supply of drug tape.

Claim 21

A drug metering device for the recurring, accurate dispensing of medicaments in a continuous drug tape form in adjustable, preselected single dosage lengths, having an enclosed case comprising: a portable housing having a front wall, a rear wall, a cassette receptacle site accessible through the rear wall, a first discharge site, and a dispenser site; a cassette for containing a supply of the drug tape, adapted for sealed engagement with the hous­ing at the cassette receptacle site, having a shaft for supporting the drug tape, and having a second discharge site which mates with the first discharge site; gear means in the housing for frictionally engaging the shaft in the cassette, the gear means con­trolling the feed of the drug tape from the cassette through the first and second discharge sites to the dispenser site; a counter in the housing, operably connected to the gear means for counting the number of single dosage lengths that are dispensed; drive means in the housing, coordinately actu­ating the gear means and the counter, for automatically driving the gear means to feed the single dosage length of drug tape to the dispenser site; a clock in the housing for measuring time intervals over which the drug tape is to be dispensed; a controller in the housing, operably con­nected to the drive means and the clock; a display on the front wall of the housing, communicating with the controller to display the number of remaining doses, the dosage and the times at which the drug is to be dispensed; and a cutter disposed proximate to the dispenser site for severing single dosage lengths of drug tape from the supply of drug tape.

Claim 22

An ingestable medicament tape capable of being fed from a roller and cut at preselected lengths providing a predetermined medicament dosage, having a tensile strength of at least 200 psi, from 0.01 to 2 mg drug/mm³, a dissolution rate optimal for the drug and a composition comprising: about 10-40 weight % of a physiologically acceptable thermoplastic polymer; about 15 to 50 weight % of a polysaccharide; about 5 to 40 weight % of a compatible physio­logically acceptable plasticizer; and about 0 to 20 weight % of a physiologically acceptable humectant.

Claim 23

An ingestable medicament tape capable of being fed from a roller and cut at preselected lengths providing a predetermined medicament dosage, having a tensile strength of at least 200 psi, from 0.01 to 2 mg drug/mm³, a dissolution rate optimal for the drug and a composition comprising: about 10-40 weight % of a physiologically acceptable thermoplastic polymer; about 15 to 50 weight % of a polysaccharide; about 5 to 40 weight % of a compatible physio­logically acceptable plasticizer; and about 0 to 20 weight % of a physiologically acceptable humectant.

Claim 24

A tape according to claim l9, wherein said polysaccharide is starch.

Claim 25

2l. A tape according to claim l9 or 20, wherein said thermoplastic polymer is polyvinylpyrrolidone.

Claim 26

An ingestable medicament tape capable of being fed from a roll and cut at preselected lengths providing a predetermined medicament dosage, having a tensile strength of at least 250 psi, from 0.01 to 2 mg drug/mm³, a dissolution rate comparable to a tablet, and a composition comprising: about 10-20 weight % hydroxypropylcellulose; about 30-50 weight % starch; about 5-20 weight % of a physiologically com­patible plasticizer; and about 7.5-20% of a physiologically acceptable humectant.

Claim 27

An ingestable medicament tape capable of being fed from a roll and cut at preselected lengths providing a predetermined medicament dosage, having a tensile strength of at least 250 psi, from 0.01 to 2 mg drug/mm³, a dissolution rate comparable to a tablet, and a composition comprising: about 10-20 weight % hydroxypropylcellulose; about 30-50 weight % starch; about 5-20 weight % of a physiologically com­patible plasticizer; and about 7.5-20% of a physiologically acceptable humectant.

Claim 28

A tape according to claim 22, having a thickness in the range of about 2 mil to 20 mil, and a width in the range of about 0.25 to 1 cm.

Claim 29

A tape according to claim 23, wherein said plasticizer is triethyl citrate or l,2-propylene glycol.

Claim 30

A tape according to claim 23, wherein said humectant is sorbitol.

Claim 31

An ingestable medicament tape capable of being fed from a roll and cut at preselected lengths providing a predetermined medicament dosage, having a tensile strength of at least about 300 psi, a thickness of from about 2 to 20 mil, a width in the range of about 0.25 to 1 cm, from 0.01 to 2 mg drug/mm³, less than about a 5% dimensional change due to ambient variations in temperature and humidity, a dissolution rate comparable to a tablet, and a composition comprising: about 10-15 weight % hydroxypropylcellulose; about 32-45 weight % of starch; about 10-20 weight % of triethyl citrate; and about 10-15 weight % of sorbitol.

Claim 32

An ingestable medicament tape capable of being fed from a roll and cut at preselected lengths providing a predetermined medicament dosage, having a tensile strength of at least about 300 psi, a thickness of from about 2 to 20 mil, a width in the range of about 0.25 to 1 cm, from 0.01 to 2 mg drug/mm³, less than about a 5% dimensional change due to ambient variations in temperature and humidity, a dissolution rate comparable to a tablet, and a composition comprising: about 10-15 weight % hydroxypropylcellulose; about 32-45 weight % of starch; about 10-20 weight % of triethyl citrate; and about 10-15 weight % of sorbitol.

Claim 33

A tape according to claim 26 produced by extrusion at an elevated temperature.

Claim 34

A digestable medicament tape capable of being fed from a roll and cut at preselected lengths providing a predetermined medicament dosage, having a tensile strength of at least about 250 psi, a thickness of from about 2 to 12 mil, from about 0.01 to 2 mg drug/mm³ and less than about a 5% dimensional change due to ambient variations in temperature and humidity.

Claim 35

A digestable medicament tape capable of being fed from a roll and cut at preselected lengths providing a predetermined medicament dosage, having a tensile strength of at least about 250 psi, a thickness of from about 2 to 12 mil, from about 0.01 to 2 mg drug/mm³ and less than about a 5% dimensional change due to ambient variations in temperature and humidity.

Claim 36

A drug dispensing system comprising: (a) a drug dispenser comprising: a housing for a drug tape roll; means for feeding said tape from said roll; and means for cutting preselected lengths from said roll in tape receiving relationship with said roll; and (b) a drug tape roll housed in said housing characterized by being capable of being fed from a roll and cut at preselected lengths providing a predetermined medicament dosage, having a tensile strength of at least about 250 psi, a thickness of from about 2 to 20 mil, from about 0.01 to 2 mg drug/mm³ and less than about a 5% dimensional change due to ambient variations in tem­perature and humidity. 30. A drug dispensing system comprising a dispenser according to any one of claims l-l4 or l8, incorporating as the tape a tape according to any one of claims l9-28.