EP0370599B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Drug dispensing event detector
Assignee: Aprex Corp
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Filing: 1989-07-11
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Granted: 1994-10-05
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Expires: 2009-07-11
Abstract
Abstract A device for detecting the dispensing of drugs from a container (10) in a way which eliminates false detection events due to mishandling of the container (10) is disclosed. The device includes a container (10) which may be opened and closed. It also contains a means (21) for detecting the opening and separately detecting the closing of the container as well as means for measuring the time between these events and comparing this elapsed time to a predetermined standard indicative of drug dispensing event. The times of proper drug dispensing events are stored in the device for use by the health care professional following the patient's drug dosing compliance. Other opening and closing intervals which fall outside this time range give rise to an alternative response. They may be recorded with a notation of their probable error or they may be disregarded. In other aspects, the invention provides a preferred physical configuration for the electronic components of the device and a preferred means for accessing the data stored in the device.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard G. Hamilton
- 👤 David M. Liu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 07:13
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61J; A61J7/00; A61J7/04; A61J7/0409; A61J7/0427; A61J7/0436; A61J2200/00; A61J2200/30; A61J7/0418
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A device for detecting the dispensing of drug from a container (10) comprising a container (10) having an openable and reclosable dispensing aperture, means (21) capable of generating a first electrical signal in response to the opening of the openable aperture, means (34,36) for measuring an elapsed time after said first electrical signal, and means (32) for comparing the elapsed time with a predetermined time range and determining if the elapsed time falls within the time range, characterised in that means (23) are included for generating a second electrical time indicative signal in response to the reclosing of the aperture, in that the elapsed time measured is that between said first and second electrical signals, in that the predetermined time range is an accept/reject time range and the comparing means (32) determines whether the elapsed time falls within the accept range, and in that means (42) are provided for recording each time an elapsed time within the accept range is determined.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined accept/reject time range is a time range having a minimum boundary of about 0.5 seconds.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the recording is noted as a valid dispensing of drug from the container (10).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
A device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, additionally comprising means (36,38) for measuring a second elapsed time between the second electrical signal and the next subsequent first electrical signal, means (32) for comparing the second elapsed time with a second predetermined accept/reject time range and determining if the elapsed time falls within that second accept range, and means (42) for recording each time an elapsed time within the second accept range is determined.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device according to claim 4, wherein the second predetermined accept/reject time range is a time range having a minimum boundary of about 2 seconds.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device according to claim 5, wherein the recording of the occurrence of the elapsed time within the second predetermined time range is noted as a valid closing of the container (10).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device according to claim 4, 5 or 6, additionally comprising means (42) for recording openings or closings of the container (10) which fall outside the accept range.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
30 words
A device according to any one of claims 4, 5 or 6, additionally comprising means (13) for alerting the patient when the elapsed time is larger than the accept range.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
33 words
A device according to any one of claims 4 to 8, additionally comprising means (52) for informing the patient's health care professional when an elapsed time outside the accept range has been detected.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
80 words
A device according to any preceding claim, which includes a closure (12) for said aperture, said closure also defining a volume in which is housed means (45) capable of generating the electrical signals in response to the opening and/or reclosing of the aperture, as well as the means for noting and recording the time at which the electrical signal is generated, said means (45) for noting and recording being physically separated from the drug in the drug storage container (10).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device according to claim 10, wherein said means capable of generating the first electrical signal is a switch (21) which is activated when the closure is removed from the container.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
32 words
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein said means capable of generating the second electrical signal is a switch (21) which is activated when the closure is replaced on the container.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
52 words
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein a plurality of conductive pads (51) located within said device and accessible by a corresponding plurality of pointed probe pins (54) are provided as a data port through which information regarding detection of the event of delivery of a drug dose can be read.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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