PILL DISPENSING DEVICE

Abstract

 A pill dispensing device for dispensing a pill into the mouth of a user is disclosed. The pill dispensing device comprises a circumferential portion extending along an outer periphery of the device, the circumferential portion is configured to circumferentially engage an opening of a drinking container. The pill dispensing device comprises an annular brim extending along a radial direction from the outer periphery towards a center portion of the device, the center portion being arranged to overlap a midpoint of the opening of the drinking container. The annular brim comprises a grid configured to support said pill and allow the passing of a fluid through apertures thereof from the drinking container into the mouth of the user. The center portion comprises a fluid opening having a larger opening cross-section than said apertures.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pill dispensing device for dispensing a pill into the mouth of a user.

Background

[0002] Many different medicinal, dietary and other preparations are supplied in the form of individual pills, tablets or capsules that must be swallowed whole. For the purposes of the present disclosure, the term pill will be used to refer to all such a tablet, capsule or equivalent forms. Frequently, such preparations are supplied with a coating or are assembled in such a manner as to ensure timed release of their active ingredients. It is therefore imperative that the pills be swallowed whole as intended by the manufacturer, rather than crushed or dissolved before ingestion. A significant portion of the population may experience difficulty with swallowing pills at some stage during their life. For example, in young children and in the elderly, control over the muscles of the throat and the swallowing reflex may not be sufficient to allow for easy swallowing of pills. Patients suffering from degenerative diseases such as Parkinson' s, or experiencing reduced motor control following a stroke or other incident may also not have full control over the swallowing action. Those bedridden through illness or injury may have particular difficulty in taking pills, exacerbated by the angling of the head which is often required for such patients and which inhibits the swallowing motion. In addition to those with particular difficulties, many people simply find the experience of swallowing pills uncomfortable or unpleasant, owing to the taste or size of the pills or to the frequent tendency of pills to tick in the mouth. Based on the well accepted difficulties and problems associated with the "swallowing of pills", various aiding devices have been developed.

[0003] GB2498796A discloses a pill dispensing device comprising a liquid reservoir, a dispensing chamber and a filtering element. Disadvantages of this type of pill dispensing device include the necessity to dismantle several parts, including the filtering element, from the upper opening of the liquid reservoir prior to filling the liquid reservoir with a liquid, in order not to wet the pill to be swallowed or the surfaces which may be in contact with the same. Hence, a user may not fill liquid into the liquid reservoir without removal of parts, when the device is charged with a pill in the dispensing chamber, without a high probability of causing undesired wetting of the pill prior to the intended dispensing into the mouth.

[0004] US2940447A and US2006011639A1 describe a drinking glass and a drinking cup lid, respectively, for assisting in the swallowing of pills. The design of this type of aiding devices are asymmetric in nature. Hence, correct positioning, i.e. correct torsion, of the related liquid containers relative the users mouth must be taken in consideration for optimal function. This is a disadvantage in the case of, for example, oral administration of medical tablets to children or elderly disabled patients.

[0005] Other previous pill dispensing devices may be cumbersome to handle for people with reduced motor skills. Further issues are related to re-usability and compatibility with various liquid foods.

[0006] Hence, an improved pill dispensing device would be advantageous, in particular allowing for avoiding more of the above-mentioned problems and compromises, including providing for facilitated handling, re-usability and improved compatibility with various liquid foods.

Summary

[0007] Accordingly, examples of the present invention preferably seek to mitigate, alleviate or eliminate one or more deficiencies, disadvantages or issues in the art, such as the above-identified, singly or in any combination by providing a device according to the appended patent claims.

[0008] According to a first aspect a pill dispensing device for dispensing a pill into the mouth of a user is provided. The pill dispensing device comprises a circumferential portion extending along an outer periphery of the device, the circumferential portion is configured to circumferentially engage an opening of a drinking container. The pill dispensing device comprises an annular brim extending along a radial direction from the outer periphery towards a center portion of the device, the center portion being arranged to overlap a midpoint of the opening of the drinking container. The annular brim comprises a grid configured to support said pill and allow the passing of a fluid through apertures thereof from the drinking container into the mouth of the user. The center portion comprises a fluid opening having a larger opening cross-section than said apertures.

[0009] According to a second aspect a pill dispensing set is provided comprising a pill dispensing device according to the first aspect and a drinking container for holding a fluid.

[0010] Further examples of the invention are defined in the dependent claims, wherein features for the second aspect of the disclosure is as for the first aspect mutatis mutandis.

[0011] Some examples of the disclosure provide for facilitated handling of a pill dispending device.

[0012] Some examples of the disclosure provide for facilitated dispending of a pill into a user's mouth and swallowing of the pill.

[0013] Some examples of the disclosure provide for facilitating dispensing multiple of pills into a user's mouth and swallowing of the pills in a sequence.

[0014] Some examples of the disclosure provide for dispensing of a pill with a greater variety of liquid food.

[0015] Some examples of the disclosure provide for dispensing of a pill with a greater variety in types of food containers.

[0016] Some examples of the disclosure provide for a pill dispensing device with a minimized risk of being erroneously handled.

[0017] It should be emphasized that the term "comprises/comprising" when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] These and other aspects, features and advantages of which examples of the invention are capable of will be apparent and elucidated from the following description of examples of the present invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of a pill dispensing device, in a perspective view, according to examples of the disclosure;

Fig. 2a is a schematic illustration of a pill dispensing device, in side view, according to examples of the disclosure;

Fig. 2b is a schematic illustration of a pill dispensing device, in top-down view, according to examples of the disclosure;

Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of a pill dispensing device, in side view, according to examples of the disclosure;

Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of a pill dispensing device, in side view, according to examples of the disclosure;

Fig. 5 is a schematic illustration of a pill dispensing device, in side view, according to examples of the disclosure; and

Fig. 6 is a schematic illustration of a pill dispensing device, in side view, according to examples of the disclosure.

Detailed Description

[0019] Specific examples of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these examples are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The terminology used in the detailed description of the examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the invention. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

[0020] Fig. 1 shows an example of a pill dispensing device 100 for dispensing a pill into the mouth of a user. The pill dispensing device 100 comprises a circumferential portion 101 extending along an outer periphery 102 of the device 100. The circumferential portion 101 is configured to circumferentially engage an opening 201 of a drinking container 200. Fig. 2a is a schematic illustration of the circumferential portion 101 being engaged with a drinking container 200. The pill dispensing device 100 comprises an annular brim 103 extending along a radial direction (r) from the outer periphery 102 towards a center portion 104 of the device 100. Accordingly, the brim 103 surrounds the center portion 104. The center portion 104 is arranged to overlap with a midpoint 202 of the opening of the drinking container 200, when the circumferential portion 101 circumferentially engages the opening 201 thereof, as schematically illustrated in Fig. 2a. The midpoint 202 of the drinking container 200 may be construed as being arranged at, or adjacent, a center axis around which the drinking container is rotationally symmetric, as illustrated in the example of Figs. 2a-b. The annular brim 103 comprises a grid 105 configured to support the pill and allow the passing of a fluid through apertures 106, 106', thereof from the drinking container 200 into the mouth of the user. Hence, the apertures 106, 106', are dimensioned so that the pill can be supported without passing through the apertures 106, 106', and dropping into the drinking container 200. The apertures 106, 106', are also dimensioned so that the fluid in the drinking container 200 can pass easily therethrough or at a defined flow rate without occluding the apertures 106, 106'. The center portion 104 comprises a fluid opening 107 having a larger opening cross-section than the apertures 106, 106'. Having a fluid opening 107 at the center portion 104, with a larger opening than the apertures 106, 106', provides for a facilitated re-filling of the fluid in the drinking container 200, without interfering with a pill supported by the grid 105 at the annular brim 103. The dimensions of the fluid opening 107 may thus allow for filling of a fluid into the container 200 of varying viscosities that otherwise would occlude the apertures 106, 106', or otherwise flow along the grid 105 towards the pill causing wetting of the pill. It is desirable in some situations to prepare pill dispensing devices in advance, e.g. in a hospital environment, where the pill is provided on the annular brim 105, but leaving the choice of fluid to be consumed with the patient. The particular fluid may then be readily dispensed into the drinking container 200 in a facilitated manner, e.g. without having to dissemble the pill dispensing device 100, or exposing the pill to the fluid already when pouring the fluid into the drinking container 200, which may cause premature dissolving of the pill. I.e. the patient may wish to prepare the drinking container 200 with fluid but also have the option of postponing consumption of the pill depending on the circumstances. A more user-friendly and flexible pill dispensing device 100 is thus provided, which can be handled more easily according to the needs of different users. Also, in the event several pills are to be consumed in sequence, the user may easily re-fill the drinking container 200 even after the pill is placed on the brim 103, without wetting of the grid 105, and again leave the option of postponing the consumption of the pill. Having the fluid opening 107 at the center portion 104, i.e. the annular brim 103 circumferentially arranged around the fluid opening 107 also allows for facilitated handling and consumption of the pill since the patient may engage the drinking container 200 at any position around the annular brim 103, and the pill can slide along the brim 103 to the position of the mouth. Such ease of handling may be particularly useful for patients with impaired motor skills.

[0021] The circumferential portion 101 may comprise an outer surface 108 configured to circumferentially engage an inside surface 203 of the opening 201 of the drinking container 200. Fig. 2a illustrates the circumferential portion 101 being arranged against the inner surface 203. Any risk of inadvertent removal of the pill dispensing device 100 from the drinking container 200, if the user grips on the outside surface 204 thereof may thus be reduced, since the circumferential portion 101 is attached to the inside surface 203.

[0022] The outer surface 108 may be positionable at a fixed position in relation to the inside surface 203 by exerting a force in a radially outward direction from the center portion 104 towards the outer periphery 102. Hence, the pill dispensing device 100 may be force fitted to the drinking container 200, which provides for a simple and intuitive mounting thereto. Fig. 1 shows an example of such pill dispensing device 100. It is also conceivable however that the circumferential portion 101 may be fixed to the drinking container with other locking mechanisms. E.g. the circumferential portion 101 may be rested on a lip (not shown) extending radially inwards from the inside surface 203, and held in place by another locking mechanism, e.g. pushed or screwed on top of the circumferential portion 101. A force-fitted positioning of the outer surface 108 on the inside surface 203 provides however for fewer mounting components and facilitated cleaning of the pill dispensing device 100.

[0023] The circumferential portion 101 may be resilient for at least partly conforming to a curvature of the inside surface 203 of the drinking container 200. The circumferential portion 101 may thus be force-fitted to drinking containers 200 having varying diameters, since the circumferential portion 101, and the brim 105, may be flexible and deflected towards the inside surface 203. A greater choice of drinking containers may thus be available to the user without having to choose a different pill dispensing device 100.

[0024] The circumferential 101 portion may comprise an annular lip 109 having a diameter that overlaps with an outer diameter of an outer surface 204 of the drinking container 200. The annular lip 109 may be positionable at a fixed position in relation to the outside surface 204 by exerting a force in a radially inward direction from the outer periphery 102 towards the center portion 104. Fig. 3 shows a schematic example where the annular lip 109 is arranged against the outside surface 204. The annular lip 109 may be pressed onto the drinking container 200. It is also conceivable that the annular lip 109 may have inside threads for screwing onto the drinking container 200. Having such annular lip 109 fixed at the outside surface 204 may provide for reducing any risk of fluid leaking to an outside of the drinking container 200 along the circumferential portion 101.

[0025] The brim 103 and the fluid opening 107 may be separated by an annular rim 110, as schematically illustrated in Figs. 1, 2a, 3 - 6. The rim 110 may extend in a direction having a vector component perpendicular to the extension of the brim 103. Hence, the rim 110 is arranged to stop the pill, when supported by the brim 103, from sliding along the brim 103 into the fluid opening 107. The rim 110 having a vector component perpendicular to the extension of the brim 103 should be construed as the angle between the extension of the rim 110 and the annular brim 103 may vary, as well as the height 114 of the rim 110, in order to provide a sufficient supporting surface for the pill.

[0026] The fluid opening 107 may be arranged with an off-set distance 111 from the brim 103 corresponding to a height 114 of the annular rim 110 above the brim 103. E.g. Fig. 2a illustrates the fluid opening 107 being arranged at an off-set distance 111 from the brim 103, corresponding to the height of the rim 110. Having the fluid opening 107 arranged at the off-set 111 provides for maximizing the width of the opening 107. The height 114 of the rim 110 may correspond substantially to the width of the brim 103, to provide an efficient support for a pill positioned on the brim 103. It is however conceivable that the fluid opening 107 and the brim 103 are arranged to extend in substantially the same plane, as seen in the example of Fig. 5. The rim 110 is arranged as a supporting surface between the fluid opening 107 and the brim 103.

[0027] The brim 103 and the annular rim 110 may form an at least partly concave surface 115 for supporting the pill. Such concave surface 115 is schematically illustrated in e.g. Fig. 2a. The pill may slide against the concave surface 115 to gain momentum for moving towards the outer periphery 102 when the drinking container 200 is handled. The concave surface 115 may thus provide for efficiently supporting and guiding the pill at the brim 103. The risk of the pill bouncing of the pill dispensing device 100 onto the ground may be reduced.

[0028] The apertures 106, 106', may be evenly arranged around the outer periphery 102, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Such symmetry allows for efficiently flushing the pill into the mouth of the user regardless of where the user engage the pill dispensing device 100, around the outer periphery 102. The handling of the pill dispensing device 100 is thus facilitated. The distance between the apertures 106, 106', may be varied to gain a sufficient flow of the fluid thereth rough.

[0029] The apertures 106, 106', may be elongated and extend in a radial direction (r) between the center portion 104 and the outer periphery 102, as seen in the example of Fig. 2b (the apertures 106, 106', are illustrated for part of the circle sector around the periphery 102, and it is to be understood that the apertures 106, 106', may circumferentially cover the brim 103 as seen in Fig. 1). Having the apertures 106, 106', extending in the radial direction (r) may provide for improved dynamical characteristics of the fluid when passing through the apertures 106, 106', such as reduced turbulence, and/or facilitating the flushing of the pill into the mouth of the user.

[0030] The fluid opening 107 may be circular and concentrically arranged in relation to the outer periphery 102, as illustrated in e.g. Figs. 2a-b. Such symmetry facilitates handling of the pill dispensing device 100, since no directional orientation is needed around the outer periphery 102. It is conceivable however that the fluid opening 107 may have various shapes, e.g. oval, rectangular etc, and may also be off-set in relation to a center axis around which the pill dispensing device has rotational symmetry, while still providing for the advantageous benefits as described above in relation to having the annular brim 103 extending around the fluid opening 107, and the fluid opening 107 having a larger opening than the apertures 106, 106'.

[0031] The pill dispensing device 100 may comprise a grip portion 112 configured to be engaged by the user for separating the pill dispensing device 100 from a drinking container 200 when attached thereto. The grip portion 112 thus provides for facilitating manipulation of the position of the pill dispensing device 100 in relation to a drinking container 200, and may also facilitate attachment thereof to the drinking container 200.

[0032] The annular brim 103 may be shaped, fully or partly along its horizontal extension, as the letter "U" or "V", i.e. being U- or V-shaped, in a cross-sectional view from the side. Such a shape will restrict or bias the movement of the pill to a line defined by the vertical minima, corresponding to the lower end of such a "U" or "V", of the annular brim 103. Advantages of such a restriction or bias include facilitated visual identification of a pill placed thereon. A pill placed on, for example, a corresponding planar surface may move to a position in which it is not easily seen, such as e.g. hidden behind the upper edge of the drinking container 200.

[0033] The fluid opening 107 may be sized to accommodate a user's finger, so that the fluid opening 107 forms the mentioned grip portion 112. Hence, the user may insert a finger into the fluid opening 107 shown in Fig. 1 and push the pill dispensing device 100 onto a drinking container 200, or pull the pill dispensing device 100 off a drinking container 200. The rim 110 may thus also form part of the grip section 112, to facilitate the handling.

[0034] The pill dispensing device 100 may be adapted to, when engaging a drinking container 200, form a unit in which the most upper end of the pill dispensing device 100 is spatially arranged within the inner volume of the drinking container 200. Advantages of such a formed unit include the minimized risk of undesired mechanical interactions between facial bodily parts of the user, e.g. nose or lips, with longitudinally extending parts of the pill dispensing device 100, during the moment of dispensing a pill into the mouth.

[0035] The pill dispensing device 100 may be made of a suitable plastic polymeric material, such as e.g. polypropylene or polyethylene, which allows for facile production as known in the art. Advantages of such a choice of material include a low manufacturing cost, which in turn allows for one-time-use and thereto associated minimized risk of the spread of undesired microorganisms.

[0036] The pill dispensing device 100 may be made of paper or suitably modified cellulose. It is appreciated that such materials have a limited resistance towards the liquid needed to swallow a pill. However, aspects and advantages of the present dispensing device 100, as taught herein, permit facile introduction of such liquid to the associated drinking container 200 immediately prior to dispensing a pill into the mouth of a user. Hence, a pill dispensing device 100, according to embodiments in which it is made of a liquid sensitive material such as e.g. paper, is generally practically functional despite the inherent liquid sensitivity.

[0037] Although in some of the above described example, the pill dispensing device 100 has been described as having an outer surface 108 or an annular lip 109 to be fixed to a drinking container 200, a pill dispensing device 100 is also provided being integrated with a container portion 113. I.e. the container portion 113 is configured to hold a fluid, and the annular brim 103 and the container portion may be integrally formed as a monolithic piece. Fig. 6 shows an example where the annular brim 103 is integrated with the container portion 113, either by being molded as a single piece or by being permanently engaged along an annular surface 116.

[0038] A pill dispensing set 300 is also provided comprising a pill dispensing device 100 as described above in relation to Figs. 1 - 5 and a drinking container 200 for holding a fluid. The pill dispensing set 300 thus provides for the advantageous benefits as described for the pill dispensing device 100 in relation to Figs. 1 - 5.

[0039] The present invention has been described above with reference to specific examples. However, other examples than the above described are equally possible within the scope of the invention. The different features and steps of the invention may be combined in other combinations than those described. The scope of the invention is only limited by the appended patent claims.

[0040] More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings of the present invention is/are used.

Claims

1. A pill dispensing device (100) for dispensing a pill into the mouth of a user, the device comprising
a circumferential portion (101) extending along an outer periphery (102) of the device, the circumferential portion (101) is configured to circumferentially engage an opening (201) of a drinking container (200),
an annular brim (103) extending along a radial direction (r) from the outer periphery (102) towards a center portion (104) of the device, the center portion (104) being arranged to overlap a midpoint (202) of the opening of the drinking container,
wherein the annular brim comprises a grid (105) configured to support said pill and allow the passing of a fluid through apertures (106, 106') thereof from the drinking container into the mouth of the user,
wherein the center portion (104) comprises a fluid opening (107) having a larger opening cross-section than said apertures (106, 106').

2. Pill dispensing device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential portion (101) comprises an outer surface (108) being configured to circumferentially engage an inside surface (203) of the opening of the drinking container.

3. Pill dispensing device (100) according to claim 2, wherein the outer surface (108) is positionable at a fixed position in relation to the inside surface by exerting a force in a radially outward direction from the center portion (104) towards the outer periphery (102).

4. Pill dispensing device (100) according to claim 3, wherein the circumferential portion (101) is resilient for at least partly conforming to a curvature of the inside surface.

5. Pill dispensing device (100) according to any of claims 1 - 4, wherein the circumferential portion (101) comprises an annular lip (109) having a diameter that overlaps an outer diameter of an outer surface (204) of the drinking container, whereby the annular lip (109) is positionable at a fixed position in relation to the outside surface by exerting a force in a radially inward direction from the outer periphery (102) towards the center portion (104).

6. Pill dispensing device (100) according to any of claims 1 - 5, wherein the brim and the fluid opening are separated by an annular rim (110), wherein the rim extends in a direction having a vector component perpendicular to the extension of the brim, whereby the rim is arranged to stop said pill, when supported by the brim, from sliding along the brim into the fluid opening.

7. Pill dispensing device (100) according to claim 6, wherein the fluid opening is arranged with an off-set distance (111) from the brim corresponding to a height (114) of the annular rim (110) above the brim.

8. Pill dispensing device (100) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the brim and the annular rim (110) form an at least partly concave surface (115) for supporting said pill.

9. Pill dispensing device (100) according to any of claims 1 - 8, wherein the apertures (106, 106') are evenly arranged around the outer periphery (102).

10. Pill dispensing device (100) according to any of claims 1 - 9, wherein the apertures (106, 106') are elongated and extend in a radial direction (r) between the center portion (104) and the outer periphery (102).

11. Pill dispensing device (100) according to any of claims 1 - 10, wherein the fluid opening is circular and concentrically arranged in relation to the outer periphery (102).

12. Pill dispensing device (100) according to any of claims 1 - 11, comprising a grip portion (112) configured to be engaged by the user for separating the pill dispensing device (100) from a drinking container when attached thereto.

13. Pill dispensing device (100) according to claim 12, wherein the fluid opening is sized to accommodate a user's finger, whereby the fluid opening forms said grip portion (112).

14. Pill dispensing device (100) according to claim 1, comprising a container portion (113) for holding a fluid, wherein the brim and the container portion (113) are integrally formed as a monolithic piece.

15. Pill dispensing set (300) comprising a pill dispensing device (100) according to any of claims 1 - 11 and a drinking container (200) for holding a fluid.

Drawing