Nova Patents
EP2007647B1

System for delivering sequential components

Abstract

System 10 delivers specified medication(s) 10M of a specified dosage in a specified sequence (see FIG. 1A). Flexible cover lamina 12C is pressed into selective engagement base lamina 12B defining a series of sequential storage units 10X and 10Y and 10Z with frangible seal 14F (no hatching) and destruct seal 14D (double hatching). Sealed medication chamber 16M is proximate the destruct seal within each storage unit. Chamber access region 16R is proximate the frangible seal within each storage unit. Diagonal chamber seal 14S (single hatching) extends across each storage unit. Breachable bubble 16B is positioned within each chamber access region and expands under applied pressure towards the frangible seal of the storage unit (see FIGS. 1A and 1B). The expansion separates the opposed laminae until the bubble produces perimeter breach 12P (see FIG. 1C) in the frangible seal. Flexible peel flap 14C is formed by the flexible cover lamina along the breached frangible seal as the bubble breaches. The flap is peeled away from the base lamina by the user, parting the chamber seal to open the medication chamber providing access to the medication stored therein.

EP2007647B1, drawing sheet 1
Sheet 1 of 2

Term

0.5 yearsleft in the term

Expires 10 April 2027.

  1. Priority
  2. Filed
  3. Granted
  4. Today
  5. Expires

19 claims: 1 independent, 18 dependent

  1. 1
    System for delivering specified components in specified quantities in a specified sequence, comprising:a base lamina (12B, 32B, 52B);a flexible cover lamina (12C, 32C) opposed to the base lamina (12B, 32B, 52B), and pressed into selective engagement therewith;a series of sequential storage units (10X, 10Y, 10Z, 20U, 40U, 30, 50U), defined by the selective engagement of the opposed laminae, wherein a sequential storage unit and an adjacent sequential storage unit define a boundary therebetween;a perimeter seal formed around each storage unit (10X, 10Y, 10Z, 20U, 40U, 30, 50U) by the selective engagement, having a frangible seal portion (14F) and a destruct seal portion (14D), wherein the boundary between the sequential storage unit and the adjacent sequential storage unit includes a destruct seal and a frangible seal;a component chamber (16M, 36M) within each storage unit proximate the destruct seal portion (14D) for storing specified components in specified quantities;a chamber access region (16R, 26R, 36R) within each storage unit (10X, 10Y, 10Z, 20U, 40U, 30, 50U) proximate the frangible seal portion (14F) for accessing the component chamber (16M, 36M);a chamber seal (14S) formed by the selective engagement of the opposed laminae, and extending across each storage unit (10X, 10Y, 10Z, 20U, 40U, 30, 50U) between the component chamber (16M, 36M) and the chamber access region (16R, 26R, 36R);a breachable bubble (16B) within each chamber access region (16R, 26R, 36R) between the frangible seal portion (14F) and the chamber seal (14S), and formed by the opposed laminae during the selective engagement;the bubble (16B) expands under applied pressure towards the frangible seal portion (14F) of the storage unit (10X, 10Y, 10Z, 20U, 40U, 30, 50U), which expansion separates the opposed laminae forming the bubble (16B), until the bubble produces a perimeter breach in the frangible seal portion (14F);and a flexible peel flap (14C) formed by the flexible cover lamina (12C) along the breached frangible seal portion (14F) as the bubble breaches, which flap (14C) is peeled away from the base lamina (12B) detaching the chamber seal (14S) to open the component chamber (16M, 36M) providing delivery of the components stored therein.
  2. 2
    The system of Claim 1, wherein the flexible peel flap (14C) is positioned at a corner of each storage unit.
  3. 3
    The system of Claim 1, wherein the chamber seal (14S) within each storage unit (10X, 10Y, 10Z) extends diagonally across the storage unit between the component chamber (16M) and the chamber access region (16R).
  4. 4
    The system of Claim 1, wherein the base lamina (12B) is also flexible forming a peel flap (14B) opposed to the peel flap (14C) formed by the flexible cover lamina (12C).
  5. 5
    The system of Claim 1, wherein the base lamina and the cover lamina are strips forming a strip of opposed laminae for sequential presentation of the series of sequential storage units (10X, 10Y, 10Z, 20U, 40U, 30, 50U).
  6. 6
    The system of Claim 5, further comprising a series of tear-away perforations (24P) traversing the strip of opposed laminae between the sequential storage units (20U), to permit presentation of a single storage unit.
  7. 7
    The system of Claim 5, wherein the base lamina strip (32B) is wider than the cover lamina strip (32C) and extends beyond the perimeter frangible seals of the cover lamina (32C) to provide a tray (32T) for catching the stored components as they are delivered.
  8. 8
    The system of Claim 5, wherein the strip of opposed laminae is wound onto a delivery spool (48), and has an inner mooring end (48M) and an outer terminal end (48T) for sequential presentation of the strip of sequential storage units (40U) from the terminal end (48T).
  9. 9
    The system of Claim 8, further comprising a dispenser (48D) for supporting the delivery spool (48) during the sequential presentation of the strip of sequential storage units (40U).
  10. 10
    The system of Claim 1, wherein each of the sequential storage units (10X, 10Y, 10Z, 20U, 40U, 30, 50U) is firmly secured to the preceding storage unit and to the succeeding storage unit along the strip of opposed laminae.
  11. 11
    The system of Claim 1, wherein the cover lamina (12C, 32C) is transparent permitting visible identification of the components.
  12. 12
    The system of Claim 1, wherein the cover lamina (12C, 32C) and the base lamina (12B, 32B, 52B) are opaque.
  13. 13
    The system of Claim 1, further comprising component data associated with each storage unit (10X, 10Y, 10Z, 20U, 40U, 30, 50U) and related to the components stored therein.
  14. 14
    The system of Claim 1, wherein the specified components are specified medications of specified dosages delivered in a specified sequence.
  15. 15
    The system of Claim 14, wherein the series of sequential storage units (50U) is a matrix of rows and columns across the opposed laminae.
  16. 16
    The system of Claim 15, wherein the base lamina (52B) is sufficiently rigid to be self standing and function as a stand-up display of the matrix of storage units (50U) and of the medications sequentially stored therein.
  17. 17
    The system of Claim 15, wherein the matrix of rows and columns of the sequential storage units (50U) has a plurality of horizontal rows corresponding to the weeks of a particular month, and has seven vertical columns corresponding to the seven days of each week.
  18. 18
    The system of Claim 14, wherein the medications are vacuum packed within the sealed medication chamber (16M, 36M).
  19. 19
    The system of Claim 14, further comprising an inert gas within the sealed medication chamber (16M, 36M) for preserving the medication.
Independent claims19