Cartridge, pharmaceutical dispenser for solid pharmaceutical portions and applications of said cartridge and said pharmaceutical dispenser

The present invention relates to a cartridge for a drug donor, preferably containing solid drug pieces such as tablets in a columnar arrangement. The present invention further relates to a drug donor and a drug donor with a replaceable cartridge housed therein. The present invention further relates to the use of cartridges and drug donors for storing and donating drug pieces such as, for example, hormone preparations.

It is known to provide users with solid drug pieces, such as tablets, in various types of packages. For example, solid medicines are very often supplied, and each of them is a blister pack in which they are generally packaged in a closed cell. It is individually sealed in a pack called a pack) (PTP: Extruded Pack). For this purpose, a plurality of individual cells containing each tablet are provided because a plastic film, which is provided with a recess for receiving each piece and is mostly transparent, is welded to the aluminum foil. It results in the formation of. Prior to administration, the tablets are removed from the individual cells by being extruded from the receiving recess through aluminum foil. This type of packaging is widely used because each individual tablet is securely stored and protected from harmful external influences. In another form of packaging, solid medicines are available in vials in which individual tablets are not individually packaged. In this case, the user must manually remove the tablets individually. In another form of packaging, the tablets, which are also not individually packaged here, are arranged in tandem in the tube. Again, the individual tablets are taken out by hand. This is a problem in the sense that individual tablets can fall and break or become dirty. Moreover, the user cannot check or recognize the number of tablets already taken.

In order to allow suitable batch delivery and reliable dosing, and to ensure careful handling of the drug pieces, the solid drug pieces packaged in this way are the drug donors for administration by the user. It is preferable if it can be used in. In this case, each piece of drug is contained in a donor and can be donated from the donor to the extent necessary. The advantage of such a system is, among other things, that the drug pieces in the donor may be protected from external influences and, by appropriate means, each piece may be ensured to be delivered in a predetermined dose. It means that.

In order to use a pharmaceutical product wrapped in a blister strip, for example, Patent Document 1 describes a donor having a slit at one end for receiving the blister strip. To donate individual tablets, the blister strips are only partially withdrawn from the donor so that only one individual tablet or a small number of predetermined tablets are exposed. This is made possible by the blister strip having a plurality of protrusions with which the gripper engages to set a predetermined forward movement amount when the blister strip is withdrawn from the donor.

Patent Document 2 discloses a container and a donor having a deformable wall portion and an opening at one end surface. When pressure is applied to the sidewalls, the lid element opens as a result of the deformation of the lower lid element.

Patent Document 3 discloses a further donor that accommodates a blister strip with a plurality of blister cells arranged in a circle. In the dormant state, each tab of the strip that covers each tablet and protects each tablet from unauthorized access by extending over the entire upper window of the donor, lateral to the donor. The tablets in each blister cell are essentially available through the window only when the user exerts pressure on at least one of the tabs attached to the. In contrast, when the user exerts pressure on the tab, the strip is bent upwards to release the tablet.

Patent Document 4 discloses a donor for a refreshing lozenge and a cough lozenge. The plurality of lozenges housed in this donor are laminated. Each lozenge is urged upward by a spring force within the guide member and thus reaches a discharger head with a release claw that individually delivers each lozenge from the side of the donor. To do.

Patent Document 5 also describes a donor for a refreshing mouth troche and a cough troche, in which each troche is laminated in a magazine that can be inserted into the donor. Also in this case, each lozenge is urged upward in the magazine by a spring force and is individually donated by a discharger head with a release claw deployed in the donor. In this case, each lozenge is placed in a magazine that may be equipped with a simple protective sleeve for transport. As shown with respect to Patent Document 4, each tablet is donated from the side of the donor.

Patent Document 6 discloses a tablet donor for medical purposes. It is a container in the form of a tube, comprising a container in which each tablet is laminated and placed under spring tension. Each tablet is laterally donated from the donor by a release mechanism activated from the donor head.

Patent Document 7 discloses a magazine that accepts a plurality of stacked tablets such as a mouth refreshing lozenge and a cough lozenge, and the magazine is provided for use in a tablet donor. At the head of the donor, each tablet is donated laterally with respect to the axis of the donor by a release mechanism.

Further, Patent Document 8 discloses donors for tablets such as contraceptives, flints for writers, or sweets such as candy. Each tablet or analog is housed as a laminate in a sleeve that can be inserted into the donor. Each tablet or analog is donated laterally from the donor.

Patent Document 9 describes a donor for a candy or tablet having a housing and a magazine that can be anchored within the housing. Two chambers are formed in the housing by the magazine. In one of the chambers, the candy or tablet is housed in the magazine. The candy or tablet is a slide member that can be activated by the thumb upon activation of the donor, a slide member that is placed and activated on the magazine, and thus an individual candy or tablet that is being activated. Is emitted laterally by an ejector for ejecting laterally.

Further, Patent Document 10 discloses a container for storing and individually providing a plurality of coated tablets received in a support body. To provide a plurality of coated tablets, the container has a pressing rod and a ejector tongue at least the tip of the ejector tongue is flexible. Upon activation of the pressing rod, the tip moves in the direction of pressing, and the tip directly penetrates the opening on the peripheral surface of the support depending on the shape of the guide member with respect to the ejector tongue. Moving. The opening is opposed to the second opening where the tip of the ejector tongue is pressed into the support and the coated tablet can be urged outward through the second opening. It is placed on the outer edge of the support.

Patent Document 11 discloses a tablet donor provided with an insertable magazine. A donor mechanism for each tablet is mounted on the donor, which transfers a trigger button, a donor slide member for each tablet, and a pressing motion on the head to the donor slide member. It is equipped with a mechanism for transmission.

Patent Document 12 discloses a tablet donor including a grip piece connected to a tablet reservoir, a slide member, and a cover with an opening through which the tablet to be removed falls through the opening.

Patent Document 13 discloses a batch donor designed for a tablet-shaped product, the batch donor including a base element including a batch donor slide member movably mounted within the base element. ing. A tablet cartridge or tablet reservoir may be inserted into the batch donor. When the batch donor slide member is activated, the product individually falls outward from the donor.

Patent Document 14 is a batch donor designed for a pharmaceutical tablet, which comprises an outer container, a cylindrical magazine that can be inserted into the donor, a lower lid piece, and a lid piece. A batch donor comprising a rotary slide member is disclosed. The rotary slide member includes an opening through which each tablet falls outward.

<p><patcit num="1"><text>International Publication No. 2005/028316A2</text></patcit><patcit num="2"><text>U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,043</text></patcit><patcit num="3"><text>U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,020B1</text></patcit><patcit num="4"><text>U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,258</text></patcit><patcit num="5"><text>U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,112</text></patcit><patcit num="6"><text>European Patent No. 1 189 822</text></patcit><patcit num="7"><text>U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0132239</text></patcit><patcit num="8"><text>U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,440</text></patcit><patcit num="9"><text>U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,720</text></patcit><patcit num="10"><text>German Patent Application Publication No. 42 30 452</text></patcit><patcit num="11"><text>International Publication No. 2008/071233</text></patcit><patcit num="12"><text>German Utility Model Release No. 88 07 774</text></patcit><patcit num="13"><text>German Patent Application Publication No. 31 43 953</text></patcit><patcit num="14"><text>U.S. Pat. No. 3,270,915</text></patcit></p>

<p> Most of the known drug donors listed above do not detail how tablets, lozenges, candies, etc. are introduced into the donor. It is certain that some documents, such as Patent Document 8, state that sleeves containing tablets and the like are interchangeable and inserted into cavities within donors. Further, Patent Document 9 states that a magazine containing a candy or tablet is inserted into the housing. However, it has also been found that there are problems with the use of such donors, especially when used by visually impaired subjects or under poor lighting conditions. , Released tablets, etc. cannot be captured by the user in all cases, instead, tablets, etc. fall onto the ground and are lost. Especially when the donor is used to donate a small tablet, it can happen that the subject using it is uncertain whether the tablet has already been donated.</p><p> Moreover, in each known device, there is no guarantee that each tablet will remain intact at each stage of use, especially during insertion into the donor.</p><p> Therefore, the problem addressed by the present invention is that known drug donors do not allow the donation of solid drug pieces to be sufficiently simple and safe to handle during use, and therefore the object is. Means for storing and donating solid drug pieces, particularly cartridges for drug donors, drug donors, and drug donors in which such cartridges for drug pieces are arranged, of the drug pieces. Finding means to avoid the above problems with use and provision. In particular, the drug donor and the cartridge should be easy to operate and reliable, and they in particular do not lose sight of the drug pieces and, in the worst case, even the user recognizes this. It must be ensured that the user can safely remove each individual drug fragment from the donor, without failing. Furthermore, the solid drug pieces must not be damaged during transport and storage, nor when used within the donor.</p>

<p> The problem and purpose are: a replaceable cartridge according to claim 1, a drug donor according to claim 10, a drug donor accommodating such a replaceable cartridge for a solid drug piece according to claim 11. It is solved and achieved by the usage of the cartridge according to claim 8 and the usage of the drug donor according to claim 20. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are set forth in the dependent claims.</p><p> When the terms "solid drug pieces" and "drug pieces" are used in the description and claims of the invention below, these terms are pills, coated pills, capsules, tablets, and other solid forms. It shall be understood to mean. To simplify the description of the present invention, the term "tablet" is used herein on behalf of other (solid) drug fragments. Therefore, the use of this phrase is intended in each case to mean any desired form of (solid) drug fragment.</p><p> In the following description of the invention and claims, especially when terms such as "accepting means" are used to describe the structural elements of the subject matter of the invention, they are used in the singular or plural. These terms, whether used in form, shall be construed as singular and plural.</p><p> The cartridge and the solid drug donor according to the present invention are used in combination for inserting the cartridge into the donor for use of the donor and for donating tablets. The cartridge and the donor preferably administer a drug, particularly preferably a hormone preparation, most preferably a contraceptive or a drug for hormone replacement therapy in the form of tablets. Play a role.</p><p> If the agent contained in the cartridge is, for example, a hormonal preparation for contraception, the hormonal preparation may be taken in a conventional manner, for example, in a two-step fixed dosing regimen in a 24-hour cycle. According to this method, the first dosing step, for example 21 days, is followed by the second no dosing step. For example, the no-administration period may be 7 days, 4 days, or another fixed number of days. For example, instead of the above fixed period of 21 days and no administration for 7 days, or 24 days and no administration for 4 days, or also instead of another fixed dosing regimen, eg contraception. Certain agents may also be taken by a flexible dosing regimen, for example, in which the dosing phase spans at least 24 days and at most 120 days, and the no-dosing step spans, for example, 4 days. Therefore, in that case, the administration stage is divided into a first administration stage over 24 days and a second administration stage over 0 to 96 days.</p><p> The cartridge according to the present invention can be inserted into the drug donor according to the present invention and can be replaced. It will be replaced when it is empty. Empty cartridges are replaced by full cartridges. A full cartridge is used to refill the donor with tablets. For safe storage and transport of the cartridge, the cartridge is, for example, a closed bag or blister pack made of aluminum foil, for the cartridge as long as the cartridge is not yet inserted into the donor. It can be housed in a preferably sealed container, such as in a bag or blister pack in which the receiving recess is molded at room temperature. However, basically, the cartridge can be fixedly connected to the donor so that the donor is discarded when the cartridge is empty.</p><p> The cartridge comprises a reservoir for receiving each tablet, preferably in a columnar arrangement. Therefore, the cartridge is preferably cylindrical and preferably has a cylindrical reservoir.</p><p> In order to ensure the replaceability of the cartridge according to the present invention in the drug donor according to the present invention, the donor is, for example, a receiving shaft extending in the axial direction in the donor. It has a receiving means for the cartridge, such as a receiving shaft that allows the cartridge to be pushed into the receiving shaft. In order to use the drug donor, the cartridge is inserted, for example, by being pushed into the receiving shaft or the like, or into the receiving means. Therefore, the cartridge and the donor can be spatially and physically related to each other, and in cooperation with each other, a combination of the drug donor and the cartridge according to the present invention, which is assembled into one. Combinations that can form units can be formed.</p><p> According to the present invention, the cartridge preferably has a stand-alone device that delivers a predetermined drug piece at one end. This stand-alone device is a movable mechanism for separating a predetermined drug piece from the reservoir, and includes a movable mechanism for supplying the drug piece from the drug donor. The solitary device is designed to generate an active connection to the activation device located within the drug donor for the solitary device. The unitized device is preferably designed such that a plurality of tablets are each delivered individually or in different predetermined numbers, for example, two tablets at the same time. For this purpose, the stand-alone device is activated via an active connection between the stand-alone device and a single boot device or several boot devices deployed on the drug donor. To. The activation device comprises a manual activation means deployed on the drug donor to donate one tablet (or several tablets at a time) and an exercise generated by the manual activation of the activation means. It may include a mechanism in the donor that transmits to the movable mechanism on the stand-alone device deployed on the cartridge. In this embodiment of the present invention, the solitary device for tablets is deployed on the cartridge, so such device is not deployed on the drug donor. In contrast, the single activation device or the plurality of activation devices for the stand-alone device are mounted on the drug donor in this embodiment. These boot devices are preferably mechanically active connections to the stand-alone device. Electromechanical or purely electronic action connections can also be recalled. To provide a mechanical action connection, the standalone device on the cartridge may include, for example, a pin that may also be referred to as a drive pin. In this case, by activating the actuating means on the donor, the motion is transmitted to, for example, a claw with a recess and adapted to the carrier pin, and from this claw the carrier. It is transmitted to the pin and therefore to the standalone device. Of the activation means on the donor</p><p> Placing the stand-alone device on the cartridge provides some suitable functions.</p><p> The stand-alone device is used to allow the user to deliver the tablets contained in the cartridge individually or in a predetermined number. Therefore, the user is allowed to safely remove the tablets from the cartridge without accidentally delivering more than one (or more than a predetermined number of tablets) at the same time.</p><p> Further, the simple substance device closes the reservoir so that the tablet contained in the reservoir cannot be damaged or otherwise inhibited, and thus the tablet contained in the reservoir is externally affected. Protect from. In particular, the simple substance is used as a lid element, for example, during transport and storage, and during user use, so that the tablet is protected from external influences.</p><p> Placing the stand-alone device on the cartridge further ensures that the tablets cannot be accidentally removed because the lid element cannot be removed accidentally. .. Only when the cartridge is inserted into the drug donor can the stand-alone device be suitably activated and each tablet can be released individually (or in a predetermined number). A manual activation means is provided on the drug donor for activation of the standalone device on the cartridge, because for simple handling, individual tablets (or a predetermined number). This is because it is necessary to activate the manual activation means on the donor in order to donate the tablet). According to the stand-alone device, under no circumstances can more than one tablet (or more tablets than a predetermined number of tablets) be donated from the cartridge and the cartridge is placed in the donor. It is highly unlikely that the lid element of the cartridge on the stand-alone device has already been manually activated when it is not in place.</p><p> The assembly work when inserting the cartridge into the donor is also minimal. For example, it may be sufficient for the cartridge to be axially pushed into the cartridge receiving means in the donor, without a cover to be removed or any other assembly means to be used. Therefore, in order to place the cartridge in the receiving shaft, it is not necessary to remove the lid as in the case of the donor according to Patent Document 8, for example. This significantly facilitates the use of donors with cartridges. This advantage is achieved in particular by the fact that the stand-alone device is simultaneously a lid element and is deployed on the cartridge rather than on the donor.</p><p> In addition, during the operation of the donor, the solitary device is repeatedly and frequently activated to remove each tablet. Since the standalone device is deployed on the cartridge rather than on the drug donor, wear and tear of the standalone device will be experienced by the user if the standalone device is deployed on the drug donor. It does not have the same inconvenience as the inconvenience, because the standalone device is replaced with the cartridge when the cartridge no longer contains tablets. If the stand-alone device is to be deployed on a donor rather than on a cartridge, it must be designed for a fairly long service life, with proper material selection and proper configuration. In addition, wear material from the tablets, which can accumulate specifically in the unitized device, is discarded with the cartridge and does not accumulate in the donor for the entire life of the donor. In any case, this wear material, combined with (air) moisture, provides a good breeding ground for bacteria.</p><p> In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the mechanism of the stand-alone device that separates and delivers each tablet can move substantially orthogonally or substantially orthogonally with respect to the axis of the cartridge. Has a member. The slide member serves as a structural element for the unitization of each tablet. The slide member can receive each of the individual tablets separately and move them separately by sliding movement with respect to the laminate. Each tablet in the cartridge is preferably arranged as a columnar laminate arranged in the reservoir in the cartridge. In that case, the slide member can be arranged at one end of the laminate and can separate tablets one after another from the laminate.</p><p> For this purpose, the slide member is preferably an axially open receiving compartment at both ends, eg, individual tablets, or two tablets at the same time, or more. That is, it may have a receiving compartment that simultaneously receives more than two tablets or other predetermined drug pieces. When a tablet is received from the laminate, the receiving compartment is closed on the side facing away from the laminate. The receiving compartment is preferably sized so that one (only) individual tablet (or a predetermined number of tablets) finds space in the compartment. To ensure that the singularization is effective and reproducible, the height of this compartment is exactly the height of the individual tablets (or the height of the laminate of a given number of tablets). Can be the same as or slightly higher than that. Therefore, in this case, only a single tablet (or a predetermined number of tablets) is received in the receiving compartment, and the tablet is separated from the laminate of the tablets by sliding movement.</p><p> The standalone device may further include a bottom shell. Further, the slide member is movable between the two sliding positions with respect to the reservoir in the cartridge, substantially orthogonal to the axis of the cartridge. The bottom shell is particularly located on the side separated from the reservoir in the cartridge when the receiving compartment is flush with the reservoir at one of the sliding positions (second position). Can be used to close the receiving compartment. In this case, one tablet passes into the receiving compartment, where it is held by the bottom shell. The slide member is then moved to the other of the two sliding positions (the first sliding position), where the tablet can be removed.</p><p> In a preferred embodiment, the bottom shell is, in this case, an offset donor opening with respect to the cartridge axis, with the sliding member located in one of the two sliding positions, in particular the first sliding position. Sometimes it may have a donor opening that is flush with the open receiving compartment. The tablet can then be removed as it falls through the donor opening. Therefore, the tablet is withdrawn from the side of the solitary device, which is directed away from the reservoir. In an alternative embodiment in which the tablet is donated, the first sliding position may also be selected so that the tablet is donated on the side of the stand-alone device that is identical to the reservoir. For this purpose, the slide member should project laterally from the donor, and the first sliding position of the receiving compartment is located within the laterally projecting portion of the slide member. Should be. Each tablet may also be donated laterally, i.e., in the plane in which each tablet is moved by the sliding member during the sliding process. In all of these cases, each tablet is placed in a position where its main surfaces are placed on top of each other, or they are placed upright, i.e. their side surfaces are placed on top of each other. Can be stowed and separated in a comfortable position.</p><p> The standalone device is preferably switched between the two sliding positions. One of the above two sliding positions may be the resting position, and the other sliding position may be the second position, for example, the second by a spring that returns and conveys the stand-alone device to the resting position. By being stretched at the position, the stand-alone device automatically returns from the second position to the rest position. The second sliding position where the receiving compartment of the slide member is flush with the reservoir of the cartridge is the resting position, or the receiving compartment of the slide member is the donor opening and surface of the bottom shell. It is possible that the first sliding position that becomes one is the resting position.</p><p> The bottom shell of the cartridge may be mounted flush with respect to the outer shell of the donor, in particular. This prevents, for example, the user from manually removing the cartridge from the donor before the cartridge is completely empty. Further, the cartridge is such that each tablet does not come into contact with the donor or a part thereof when the medical agent in the tablet is dispensed or released from the donor as a single substance. Fitted in. This embodiment is particularly suitable for forensic reasons.</p><p> In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cartridge and the drug donor are such that one of the two cartridge halves defining the reservoir containing each tablet is oriented forward and the other oriented backward. , The cartridge is designed so that it can be pushed into the donor only in one (axial) rotational orientation. This allows the two cartridge halves to be used in different fashions. For example, one half body may be printed with, for example, information about the tablets contained in the cartridge, and the other half body may be transparent so that each tablet can be seen from the outside.</p><p> According to one of the inventions, the cartridge is designed so that each tablet can be delivered axially. This means that each tablet is not donated laterally from the donor, but instead, especially in an axially extending direction, i.e., along or parallel to the axis of the cartridge. / Or shall be understood to mean donated at the end face of the donor along or in parallel with the axis of the donor.</p><p> Thus, the user holds the donor with one hand and, using the same hand, activates the activation means deployed on the donor to donate the tablet so that the tablet falls into the other hand. By doing so, the tablet to be donated can be easily taken out. For this purpose, the user holds the donor so that the side of the cartridge inserted into the donor is held above the other hand, and then holds the donor to deliver the tablet. It is enough to start it. Further limited orientation of the donor with respect to the hand not holding the donor is not required so that the user can safely capture the tablet as the tablet safely falls into the user's hand. Therefore, as a practical matter, inaccurate use where the tablet accidentally falls out of the user's hand and does not fit in the hand is eliminated. Therefore, the handling of the donor is safer and more reliable than known donors.</p><p> In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the cartridge preferably comprises a tolerance compensating plug that sits in the reservoir by friction fitting and is movable in the axial direction. The tolerance compensation plug is inserted into the reservoir before the cartridge is filled with tablets, and the plug is pressed firmly onto the tablet laminate after the cartridge is filled with tablets. Tolerant.</p><p> Due to the fact that the tolerance compensation plug is seated in the reservoir by frictional fitting, the plug may be used, for example, when the cartridge is being handled separately, such as during storage or transport. , The tablet laminate can be tightly packed and maintained even when the cartridge is not placed in the donor. In order to prevent each tablet from freely moving in the reservoir, in order to ensure that each tablet is tilted and pushed into the tablet, which hinders the delivery of the tablet. The laminate needs to be integrally and firmly held. In addition, each tablet can also be subject to inconvenient wear during continuous movement relative to each other. It should also be noted that each tablet has a thickness tolerance that leads to height variations in the tablet laminate. For example, if the thickness tolerance of a 3 mm thick tablet is ± 150 μm, the variation in height of the laminate of 30 tablets is about ± 4.5 mm. Due to the tolerance compensation plug, the laminate is always firmly held in the reservoir regardless of its actual height, i.e., even when the cartridge is not inserted into the donor. For example, the tolerance compensating plug allows each tablet to hold without any force during transport and storage, as compared to a compression spring that secures them by pressing each tablet in the reservoir against each other. Moreover, unlike the case of a compression spring, it has the advantage of being positioned and packed on top of each other under a spring tension that varies depending on the height of each stacked tablet. Therefore, each tablet is stored much more gently than in the case of known magazines.</p><p> To allow frictional fitting of the tolerance compensating plug into the reservoir of the cartridge, the plug is anchored onto an axially extending shape on the inner wall of the reservoir of the cartridge. Has at least one mooring means for. This shape portion can be formed, for example, by a lateral groove shape portion composed of a plurality of lateral grooves extending parallel to each other. For example, the lateral groove shape portion may form a ratchet trajectory extending in at least one axial direction on the inner wall surface of the cartridge, or may be arranged on the entire inner peripheral portion of the inner wall surface of the cartridge. obtain. By forming the shape portion in the form of a ratchet shape portion, pressure fitting engagement of the plug is achieved in one direction (toward the providing opening), and friction fitting engagement is achieved in the other direction. To.</p><p> The at least one retaining means on the tolerance compensating plug may be particularly formed by at least one outward acting spring element with a retaining projection anchored onto the shape. For example, two spring elements with retaining protrusions may be deployed on each side of the base portion of the plug, and each spring element is preferably outwardly elastic, projecting approximately axially. A spring arm, for example, a spring arm having a retaining protrusion that engages in the shape, such as in two opposite ratchet tracks. The tolerance compensating plug may first be inserted into the reservoir of the cartridge by the spring element so that at least one of the retaining means stands upright to counteract slippage.</p><p> In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the cartridge comprises a tablet boosting member, which is axially movable within the reservoir and penetrates at least one axial slit in the cartridge. The tablet boosting member is a thrust means arranged in the drug donor, and is similarly preferably axially movable to accompany a thrust means such as a thrust bracket. Moreover, preferably, the elastic force interlocking with the outside and preferably directed in the axial direction is transmitted to each tablet preferably contained in the cartridge in a columnar arrangement, thereby preferably. Each tablet in a columnar arrangement is used to bind by the thrust means described above.</p><p> For example, according to the thrust means such as the thrust bracket, when the cartridge is placed in the drug donor, the tablet laminate is always under the influence of an axial force, for example, the thrust. A force derived from a spring, such as a constant load spring, that engages the means is applied to the stack of tablets in the reservoir. As a result, each tablet cannot move freely within the reservoir. Due to this force, when the slide member is placed in the first sliding position, the tablet laminate is placed in the receiving compartment so that one tablet always passes into the receiving compartment in the unitized device. Is pressed against. To achieve this, the thrust means, such as a thrust bracket, which slides along the outer side of the cartridge, may make shape-matching contact with the tablet boosting member. For this purpose, the axis in the reservoir of the cartridge such that the thrusting means may exert a force on the tablet boosting member and thus on the tablet laminate via the arm or other protrusion. The tablet boosting member, which is freely movable in the direction, is, for example, by one arm or two arms (in this case, each penetrating one axial slit), at least one on the cartridge. Can engage through one axial slit. In this way, when the cartridge is placed in the drug donor, an axial force acting in the direction of the stand-alone device is applied to the tablet laminate. In this way, the laminate is always pushed down so that one tablet can pass into the receiving compartment when the receiving compartment in the stand-alone device is flush with the reservoir.</p><p> When an external force is applied to the tablet laminate via the tablet boosting member, one arm or several slits penetrating and engaging with one slit in the cartridge housing. It is also possible to choose another embodiment in which the cartridge housing is not provided with any slits instead of the tablet booster with several arms that are through-engaged. In the latter case, for example, at only one end of the cartridge housing or at both ends of the cartridge housing, a constant force such as via an axial transmission means that is entrusted to an external force and is connected to an axial force applied to the tablet laminate. In other methods, the force must be applied externally to the tablet laminate. This type of embodiment is realized, for example, by strips that are preferably inserted into the cartridge housing at the lower end of the cartridge housing and are guided around a stack of tablets. obtain. In that case, when the strip is pulled, an axial force acting downward is applied to the tablet laminate. For example, the strip extending around the tablet laminate can be guided laterally outward from the cartridge housing on both sides at the base of the tablet laminate. Alternatively, the strip is guided outward on only one side and is fixed to the base of the cartridge housing on the other side. Alternatively, an axially movable rod that sits on a stack of tablets and exerts an axial force on the stack may also be used.</p><p> Very generally, when a full cartridge is pushed into the donor in the insertion direction, the thrust means, for example a thrust bracket, is such that the thrust means moves upward through the tablet boosting member, for example. By being accompanied, it can be accompanied by this movement. The thrust means may also be at least one, for example, by the thrust means accompanied to ride onto the landing surface of a locking lever located in the upper region of the donor for the purpose of anchoring the cartridge into the donor. The cartridge in the donor may be anchored via an appropriate anchoring means. Upon sequential deloading of the cartridge, the thrust means may be sequentially moved downward such that the filling level in the cartridge is encoded by the position of the cartridge in the donor. When this thrust means finally comes to a predefined (lower) end position with an empty cartridge, the shackles can be removed so that the cartridge can be removed from the donor. This is the thrust means at the lowest position, which brings the tie lever to the tie release position and, if applicable, additionally releases the appropriate release means for the cartridge. It can be done by thrust means.</p><p> To ensure that the cartridge remains anchored in the donor after insertion into the receiving shaft, or very generally after insertion of the cartridge into the receiving means. According to the present invention, at least one anchoring means for anchoring the cartridge into the drug donor is provided. This mooring action by the mooring means is preferably seized, i.e., as long as the tablet is still present in the cartridge after the cartridge has been pushed into the donor. It seems that it cannot be taken out again unless the action is released. The anchoring action in this case can be released because the cartridge can be removed from the donor so that a new cartridge filled with tablets can be inserted only after the cartridge has been emptied.</p><p> For the anchoring action, for example, one or more anchoring protrusions on the cartridge and, for example, eyelets on the donor that engages with or in the retaining projections. This type is due to one or more retaining shapes, or conversely, one or more retaining protrusions on the donor and one or more retaining shapes such as eyelets on the cartridge. Monetary means can be formed. Of course, basically, other fastening means such as a retaining protrusion that engages behind the protrusion, or two retaining shaped portions that mesh with each other are also possible. For example, at least one of the anchoring means may be rotatable. It is preferably a rotatably movable tie lever that may have two arms in particular and may be formed by a rotatably movable tie lever that may include a tie projection. In particular, each of the retaining protrusions may be deployed on the lower portion of the retaining lever. The anchoring means is arranged in the donor. Each of the retaining protrusions preferably engages with the retaining eyelet or the like provided on the cartridge by the locking action on the locking lever. Instead of the retaining eyelet, for example, a protruding portion with which the retaining protrusion is engaged, or a recess with which the retaining protrusion is engaged can be provided. In order to additionally ensure the anchoring action, at a position other than the position where the anchoring protrusion or protrusion is deployed, for example, behind the corresponding retaining protrusion or protrusion in the donor housing. A pressure point may also be deployed on the anchoring lever to be anchored.</p><p> In a particularly suitable embodiment, the retaining lever with the retaining protrusion is such that, for example, the anterior region of the donor adjacent to a receiving means such as the receiving shaft for the cartridge in the donor. Within the donor, it may project into a region adjacent to the region where the cartridge is received. In that case, in the adjacent region, the receiving eyelet must be deployed on the cartridge, and the retaining protrusion of the retaining lever engages with the eyelet. This adjacent area may be located, for example, on the bottom shell of the cartridge.</p><p> In addition to this, for example, a release blocker that may be equipped with a release lever may be deployed. Discharge means, such as an externally manually activated release button, are blocked by the release blocker so that the cartridge can only be ejected when it no longer contains any tablets. To. The blocker blocks the activation of the external release means and frees the external release means again only when the cartridge is empty. This blocker can be released, in particular, by means of releasing the mooring action. For this purpose, a release slide member that can be activated by the release means can be deployed, in which case the release lever will provide the release slide member when the cartridge still contains at least one piece of drug. Therefore, the release button is blocked.</p><p> If at least one of the anchoring means leads to the anchoring of the cartridge in the donor, i.e., the at least one anchoring means can no longer be released without the separate release of this anchoring action. For example, at least one means for releasing the mooring action must also be deployed. This means of releasing the anchoring action is preferably designed so that the anchoring action can be released only when no drug piece is left in the cartridge. Without the anchoring action, the trap can be released simply by manually overcoming the anchoring force of at least one of the anchoring means. This means that when the at least one anchoring means by each member of the appropriate design aspect forming the anchoring connection is subjected to a force so as to release the anchoring action and the anchoring means is released. It would be possible if each of these members was designed to slide along each other.</p><p> However, for example, unless the lashing protrusion and the lashing shape portion are released at the same time, the lashing action cannot be released unless at least one lashing means is destroyed. If a lashing action occurs when the at least one lashing means is engaged, the at least one means for releasing the lashing action may be manually or preferably the above. It must be released by the mechanisms present within the donor or by a combination of these means. For this purpose, the donor depends on the filling state of the cartridge with tablets, and preferably at least one anchor that releases the retaining protrusion of the retaining lever only when the cartridge is empty. Release means can be adopted. In this case, the at least one anchoring means is brought from the anchoring position to the unlocking position without external manual activation, so that the at least one anchoring means anchored is at least one of the above. It is released by two decoupling means. The detent release means may be, in particular, the thrust means described above that brings the cartridge to the detention position at the time of insertion and to the detention release position after the cartridge is emptied. The anchoring means is anchored by the thrust means which abuts and presses against one or more upper portions of the anchoring lever. In addition, the thrust means also acts on the release blocker, preferably allowing the release blocker to be released when no tablets are left in the cartridge. For this purpose, the thrust means for releasing the blockage of the release means may activate the release lever so that the release slide member and the release means with it are released. The release slide member is preferably abutted and pressed against one or more lower portions of the retaining means, preferably one or more of the retaining levers, by activation of the releasing means. The cartridge that has been anchored by the anchoring means is released from the anchor.</p><p> The detention can be achieved, for example, by a suitable means within the drug donor, the position of which means depends on the filling level of the cartridge. For this purpose, for example, a thrust bracket placed at the height of the top-positioned tablet in the cartridge in each case, eg, a thrust bracket mounted axially movable on the cartridge, or separately. Movable thrust means can be deployed. The thrust bracket, or other thrust means, is located at the lower limit position, in which case the anchoring action is released only when there are no more tablets in the cartridge.</p><p> The position of itself depends on the filling level of the cartridge, for example, in order to be able to uninterrupt the external manual release means that discharges the cartridge, i.e., to release the blockage of the release blocker, eg, the thrust above. The same means of releasing the anchoring action, such as brackets or other thrusting means, may be redeployed.</p><p> In another embodiment of the present invention, when the cartridge is inserted into the drug donor, the cartridge is referred to the cartridge in the axial direction opposite to the direction in which the cartridge is pushed into the drug donor (insertion direction). At least one elastic means that exerts elastic force may be deployed. This has the result that the cartridge in the donor is under tension, preferably under spring tension. The spring force acting on the cartridge is said to be pressed against each other in the cartridge so that the tablets do not fall here and there in the reservoir of the cartridge during the movement of the donor. Has an effect. Since each tablet is always under spring tension, the initially set order in the tablet laminate is not lost.</p><p> The spring force is preferably exerted by elastic means configured in the form of at least one constant load spring, particularly two constant load springs. In this way, each tablet does not lose the advantage of applying tension to the tablet laminate, even when the tablet laminate contains a very small number of tablets, for example 2-3. For careful handling, the tablet laminates placed in the cartridge's reservoir may always be subject to the same force, regardless of their actual height, i.e., regardless of the cartridge's filling level. The at least one elastic means may be formed, for example, by a spring steel strip.</p><p> The thrust means, such as the thrust brackets described above, which are preferably movable along the receiving shaft, are also particularly intended to transfer elastic forces to each tablet contained in a columnar arrangement within the cartridge. Can also be used. On the one hand, this thrust means may have the function of transmitting an external elastic force to the tablet laminate. This is done, for example, by fixing one spring or two springs to the thrust means and the corresponding bearing in the drug donor. One of the two constant load springs is fixed onto one end of the thrust means, for example on one end of the thrust bracket, and the other is fixed so that a symmetrical force is transmitted to the thrust means. It is preferable to deploy two constant load springs, which are fixed on the other end of the thrust means, for example, on the other end of the thrust bracket. Alternatively, it is possible to deploy a single spring that engages the thrust means. In this case, it is intended that the asymmetric force generated will be compensated. As already described above, the thrust means can also be used, in particular, to release the anchoring action and the release blocker to release the cartridge, i.e., the thrust means. It can be at least a part of the means for releasing the anchoring action.</p><p> The above-mentioned drug donor according to the present invention, which initially does not include a cartridge and, if applicable, accepts a replaceable cartridge having a reservoir for the drug piece and a stand-alone device for donating a predetermined drug piece. A drug donor designed to be such is a means of creating an active connection between at least one activation device to the solitary device and a mobile mechanism on the at least one activation device and the solitary device. , A means for separating a predetermined drug piece from the reservoir and donating it from the drug donor.</p><p> In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least one activation device comprises an activation means for donating a piece of drug on at least one narrow side of the drug donor. Further, further activation means may be deployed on the other narrow side of the drug donor, preferably on the second narrow side facing away from the first narrow side. .. Each of these activation means serves to donate one tablet from the cartridge by manual activation. For this purpose, the activation means, in each case, to release one tablet from the cartridge, via a suitable transmission means by mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic action connection. Can be actively connected to a standalone device. Since the activation means is deployed on each narrow side of the drug donor, for example, the user holds the donor with one hand and applies pressure to each narrow side of the donor. By activating the activation means, the activation means can be easily activated even when the user operates the donor with just one hand. Instead of the activation means located on one or both narrow sides of the donor, the activation means also includes, for example, the front or back of the donor, or on one or both end faces. It can also be placed elsewhere on the donor.</p><p> In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the transmission means for mechanically and operatively connecting the activation means to the unitized device is provided with the motion generated by the activation of the activation means on the cartridge. It is formed by a mechanism that transmits to a stand-alone device. For this purpose, for example, transmission levers can be used, where applicable, for example, which can be synchronized via a toothed rod and a toothed wheel meshing with it in each case. For example, the transmission lever is, for example, a carrier pin on the unitized device and a recess that is actionally connected to the carrier pin and is on at least one of the transfer levers, or vice versa. It can be a direct, mechanically active connection to a stand-alone device, such as a shape-matching connection.</p><p> Further, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a window portion may be provided on the outer surface of the housing of the drug donor so that the tablets arranged in the cartridge can be visually recognized from the outside. Further, the tablet boosting member is also a component of the back surface of the cartridge and / or the donor which is visible through the window to contrast the member with each tablet and, for example, otherwise. It can also be colored to contrast with. This further facilitates visual monitoring of the filling level of the cartridge through the window. For this purpose, the cartridge can preferably be made of transparent material, at least in part. But basically, it can also be made of translucent material. In particular, the portion of the cartridge visible through the window in the donor housing may be made of a transparent or translucent material such that each tablet contained therein is visible.</p><p> In addition to this, the drug donor provides an electronic display showing the number of tablets taken and / or the number of tablets to be further taken and / or the number of tablets still placed in the cartridge. Can have. Each of these information items can be displayed alternately, for example by manual selection. The electronic display may be additionally designed to indicate, for example, that the tablet has expired or has not been addressed and that it indicates the state of charge of the battery used in the donor. The display is also elastic for the user, for example, the first stage is steadily spanning 24 days, the second stage is steadily spanning, for example 0-96 days, and the third stage is, for example, steadily again. It can also be used to visually recognize the status of different dosing stages, such as indications indicating that the patient is in the first, second, third or nth stage over a four-day period.</p><p> In order to be able to display the above information on the electronic display, an electronic circuit in the form of a circuit board including a semiconductor integrated circuit incorporated on itself is preferably deployed. For example, in order to perform the necessary inputs to select the display mode (the number of tablets taken, the number of tablets still in the cartridge), the circuit board is preferably electronically manipulated. A switch, which is a button, can also be attached and connected to the circuit board. Further, for example, the first use of the donor by the first insertion or pushing of the cartridge into the donor, and as a result, the role of supplying power to, for example, the electrical circuit and the electronic display. The battery is activated, i.e. correctly displays the first use of the donor connected to the circuit and the display, and also how many tablets are still placed in the cartridge. For this purpose, certain operating conditions of the donor with the cartridge, such as tablet donation, cartridge release, and / or detection of a predetermined small number of tablets remaining in the cartridge, may be automatically determined. Therefore, an electric switch may be deployed in the donor. For the function mentioned last, start with the number of tablets in a fully full cartridge, and if a single tablet donation is detected, how many tablets are still placed in the cartridge. Calculations are usually sufficient. However, this indication may encounter errors if the number of tablets fluctuates due to the unavoidable thickness tolerance of each tablet in a fully full cartridge. This error can be ruled out, for example, by detecting that four tablets are still in place in the cartridge.</p><p> The present invention will be described in more detail below based on the representative embodiments schematically shown in each figure. However, the present invention is not limited to each embodiment, but instead only shows a preferred embodiment. Other embodiments with modifications of the individual features of the invention are equally reminiscent and fall within the protection of the invention. The same reference number in each figure represents the same element, or the same function or the corresponding element with respect to those functions.</p>

<figref num="1A">It is a front perspective view of the donor according to the present invention provided with the inserted cartridge.</figref><figref num="1B">It is the same view as FIG. 1A which is a rear view.</figref><figref num="2">It is a perspective view of the inside of the donor which is provided with an inserted cartridge and is shown here from the back.</figref><figref num="3">A housing internal frame structure comprising each part of a stand-alone device required to donate tablets, here is a detailed perspective view of the lower portion of the housing internal frame structure shown from the front of the donor. ..</figref><figref num="4">It is sectional drawing which was seen from the front of the cartridge which was filled with a tablet and provided with the said unitized device.</figref><figref num="4A">It is sectional drawing of the head of the said cartridge seen from the front.</figref><figref num="5">FIG. 3 is a rear view of a donor with a cartridge filled and inserted (internally visible) without an outer shell.</figref><figref num="5A">It is a figure which shows the detail of the pressure point on the left side retaining lever as in FIG.</figref><figref num="6">It is a perspective view of the housing internal frame structure of the donor together with a thrust bracket and a constant load spring seen from the back.</figref><figref num="7">It is a figure which shows the detail of the donor as seen from the back side without an outer shell, together with the anchoring part to the cartridge.</figref><figref num="7A">It is a detailed perspective view similar to FIG. 7 of the left side portion of the donor to which the cartridge is anchored.</figref><figref num="7B">It is the same figure as FIG. 7A in which the cartridge was released from the anchorage.</figref><figref num="8A">FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of the lower portion of the donor when the cartridge is full, as viewed from the right side, together with a release button and a release button, without a side housing portion.</figref><figref num="8B">It is the same figure as FIG. 8A in which the cartridge is emptied.</figref><figref num="8C">It is a perspective view which looked at the release button provided with a leg spring and a release slide from the back.</figref><figref num="8D">It is the same figure as FIG. 8C at the time of discharging the cartridge.</figref><figref num="8E">FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the donor as viewed from the back without the front and rear portions of the housing.</figref><figref num="9">It is a detailed view of the said donor seen from the back.</figref>

The donor 1 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B is used to donate, for example, tablets T to be taken for contraception. The donor is particularly a contraceptive taken in a daily manner called an elastic dosing regimen, i.e., a second dose phase that lasts for 24 days, and then for 0-96 days. Is suitable for providing contraceptives to be taken so that the first and second dosing steps can continue for up to 120 days in total. In this case, the user determines when administration should be discontinued and the no-administration phase should be initiated after the expiration of the first administration phase. The 4-day no-administration stage following the second administration stage is again followed by the first administration stage.

Of course, the donor can also be used to donate, for example, a drug for hormone replacement therapy, a diuretic, or another tablet T, such as a hypotensive agent.

The donor 1 is a housing portion 12 connecting the housing front shell 11.1 (Fig. 1A) and the housing rear shell 11.2 (Fig. 1B) and the two housing shells, and the donor is placed on three narrow sides. It comprises a donor housing 10 which is surrounded by a portion, is composed of several members, and in the lower region has a housing portion 12 designed as a start button 14 and 15 on each side. The housing portion is laterally on the narrow surface of the donor to allow button movement (see arrow) towards the donor body while the members placed on one end surface in region 13 are rigid. Created from a composite to ensure that the two above activation buttons that are placed are movable. Alternatively, the housing portion can also be designed as a deformable rigid shell that can be pressed inward in the lower region such that a start button is formed.

An electronic display 16 and operation buttons 17 and 18 are provided on the front shell 11.1 of the housing. The electronic display is used to check the administration of Tablet T. The operation buttons 14 and 15 check, for example, the battery, the date of administration, the date of no administration, and the number of tablets still placed in the cartridge, and select whether or not the administration of the tablets should be interrupted. To be used to select the menu items shown on the display above.

FIG. 1B shows the rear surface of donor 1. The rear surface is a window portion 20 extending in the axial direction, and includes a window portion 20 that exposes the tablet T contained in the cartridge. For this purpose, the housing rear shell 11.2 of the cartridge and the cartridge housing in the window area must be transparent, at least in the portion visible through the window.

In the lower region of the donor 1, a portion of the cartridge, i.e., the cartridge bottom shell 920 located flush with the housing of the donor can be visible. In the cartridge bottom shell, a donor opening 922 for tablet T may be visible (FIG. 1A). A cartridge discharge button 19 is fitted within the housing front shell 11.1 and the button is pressed in the direction of the arrow to discharge the cartridge from the donor when empty.

FIG. 2 shows a portion of donor 1 (without an outer shell) and cartridge 900 pushed into the donor, as viewed from the back. The cartridge is pushed into the donor from below (see arrow), the cartridge has a stand-alone device 910, a portion of the device is a cartridge bottom shell 920, and through the device. , The cartridge is supported on the donor housing in the lower region of the donor (Fig. 1A). The cartridge additionally comprises a cartridge housing 930 in which the tablet T is arranged. This housing is formed by a cartridge front shell 933 and a cartridge rear shell (not shown), the cartridge rear shell being used by the donor to allow tablets to pass through a window 20 on the rear surface of the donor. It is preferably made of a transparent material so that it can be seen (Fig. 1B).

Inside, donor 1 includes a housing internal frame structure 100 that performs substantially all static functions of the donor. The housing internal frame structure is cylindrically curved from one side to the inside to receive, for example, the cartridge housing 930, where the anterior half of the cartridge housing is only partially visible (the front half of the cartridge housing can only be partially visible). It has a central web 110 (which is obscured). The inward curvature of this web cooperates with additional structural elements (not shown here) of the donor to form a receiving shaft (indicated by reference number 150), the cartridge from below into the shaft. Can be pushed into the donor towards. The receiving shaft is shown here only by the dashed line and is characterized by an elongated hollow space.

FIG. 3 shows the lower portion of the housing internal frame structure 100 of donor 1 as viewed from the front without the outer shell. The cartridge stand-alone device 910 is shown on the bottom narrow side of the donor, but in this case without the bottom shell 920. For this reason, the tablet slide member 940 belonging to the unitized device can be seen here, and the tablet slide member 940 slides into and is received and provided by the holder in the slide member holder 950. It has a penetration opening 942 that also serves as a receiving compartment for the tablet T to be used. In the first position, the receiving compartment is flush with the donating opening of the bottom shell so that the tablets placed in the receiving compartment can be donated outward. When the tablet slide member is moved to a second position (to the left as indicated by the arrow), the receiving compartment is such that the tablet can fall into the receiving compartment at this position. Aligns with the tablet reservoir formed by the cartridge housing 930 (not shown). At this position, the receiving compartment is closed at the bottom by a cartridge bottom shell 920 (not shown). The following structural elements are deployed to make this move.

See each arrow). In doing this, they act on two transmission levers, the right transmission lever 210 and the left transmission lever 220. These two transmission levers have toothed rods 212 and 222, respectively, and are operatively connected to the toothed wheel 230 via these toothed rods. The toothed wheel is mounted on the housing internal frame structure 100. The right transmission lever is the transmission lever, and therefore the left transmission lever is also moved to the start position (first position), that is, to the position where both levers are driven outward after each activation button is activated. It is supported on the contact portion 102 via the compression spring 240 so as to return to the above position. An overhang arm 224 having a recess 226 is also integrally formed on the transmission lever. A carrier protrusion 944 is integrally formed on the tablet slide member 940 and engages in the recess. Since the transmission levers 210 and 220 are urged outward by the spring force of the compression spring 240, each lever is on the outside so that the tablet slide member is located in the right position (shown in FIG. 3). It is placed in the load release (first) position. At this position, the receiving compartment 942 in the tablet slide member is flush with the donor opening 922 in the cartridge bottom shell 920. By activating the activation buttons 14 and 15, each transmission lever is urged inward, so that the tablet slide member is pressed to the left (second position). In this way, the receiving compartment is moved to a position flush with the reservoir such that one tablet drops from the reservoir of the cartridge into the receiving compartment. When the hands are released from the respective activation buttons, the respective transmission levers are therefore placed in the above-mentioned position where the receiving compartment is also flush with the donating opening. It is moved back to the right by the spring force so that the receiving compartment reaches again. In this way, one tablet is donated from the donor.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the cartridge 900 filled with the tablet T as viewed from the front. The cartridge has a stand-alone device 910 with a cartridge bottom shell 920 recognizable here, and a cartridge housing 930 consisting of a cartridge front shell (not shown here) and a cartridge rear shell 932. Depending on the cartridge front shell and the cartridge rear shell, a cylindrical reservoir in which each tablet is laminated is formed. Between the two cartridge shells, a slit extending in the axial direction is arranged on one side (right side).

In the embodiments shown herein, the cartridge 900 can be handled separately, i.e., the cartridge is pushed from the end face into a substantially cylindrical receiving shaft 150 in the donor. By being anchored in, it can be used to replenish donor 1. For transport and storage of separate cartridges, the cartridges are preferably sealed in a watertight and airtight auxiliary package, such as in a bag or blister pack.

Above the stack of tablets T, in the cartridge housing 930, a tablet boosting member 960, which is essentially free to move axially in the reservoir of the cartridge (FIG. 4A), is placed. For this purpose, the tablet booster arm 961 penetrates and engages an axially extending slit between the cartridge front shell 933 (not shown) and the cartridge rear shell 932. The tablet boosting member sits on a stack of tablets. However, the axial movement of the tablet booster towards the top is limited by the tolerance compensation plug 970. The plug is fitted into the reservoir before each tablet T fills the cartridge 900, and after the cartridge is filled, the plug is placed onto the tablet laminate and the tablet booster. Be pressed. Since the tolerance compensating plug slides in the reservoir with frictional engagement, the plug is outside the donor so that the individual tablets cannot slip out of place or slide against each other. While handling the cartridge at, the tablet is pressed onto the laminate and holds the laminate integrally. This avoids wear of each tablet on the one hand and prevents each tablet from being placed along the edge or at a predetermined angle during free movement. This prevents the tilting of each tablet in the reservoir and thus the clogging. To achieve frictional sliding of the tolerance compensation plug 970, the plug comprises a body 971 and retaining projections 972, 972'supported abut on the inner wall of the cartridge housing 2 It has one spring element. In the region where each retaining protrusion contacts the inner wall (see details in FIG. 4A) to perform the frictional engagement, the inner wall has ratchet trajectories 975 opposed to each other. These ratchet trajectories are formed only along a length of about 2 cm, because only in areas where it is necessary to compensate for laminate height variations resulting from individual tablet thickness tolerances. The above tolerance compensation plug is a car

FIG. 5 shows a donor 1 viewed from the back without an outer shell, which contains a cartridge 900 filled with tablet T. The cartridge is a tablet boosting member 960 that sits on a stack of tablets and includes a tablet boosting member 960 having a boosting member arm 961 protruding from the cartridge housing 930. A tolerance compensating plug 970 surrounding each spring element (here one of the spring elements is shown) with a retaining protrusion 972 sits on the tablet boosting member. The retaining protrusions of each of the spring elements engage the ratchet track 975.

The donor 1 is a thrust bracket 300 that engages around the central web 110 of the housing internal frame structure 100 and is formed, for example, by each side of the web and the U-legs 311, 312 of the bracket. These U-legs are guided on the web by means of a dovetail guide or by anchoring these U-legs onto each side of the web (FIG. 6) so that they can move along the web in the axial direction. It is additionally equipped with a thrust bracket 300.

FIG. 6 shows a housing internal frame structure 100 with thrust brackets 300 as viewed from the back of donor 1. The thrust bracket has two overhangs 315 and 316 formed on the U-shaped legs at substantially right angles to the U-shaped legs 311, 312. At the ends of these overhangs, there are fasteners for one ends of the constant load springs 320, 330. At the other ends of each of them, the constant load spring is fastened to and wound around the lower portion of the housing internal frame structure 100. In this way, the upward movement of the thrust bracket in the axial direction can only be achieved against the spring force of the constant load spring. However, instead, each constant load spring is also held by winding around a suitable holder on the thrust bracket, for example on the overhang of the thrust bracket, and the other end thereof is at the bottom. , Can be clamped onto the housing inner frame structure.

When the cartridge is pushed from below into the receiving shaft 150 (not shown here) in donor 1, between the cartridge rear shell (not shown) and the cartridge front shell 933 of the cartridge. The booster arm 961 (FIG. 5), which is penetratingly engaged with the axial slit of the thrust bracket 300, engages the lower portion of the U-shaped leg 311 of the thrust bracket 300, and as the cartridge is pushed in, the thrust Press the bracket upwards. Since the tablet booster 960 sits on the tablet laminate and the cartridge is full as it is being pushed, the thrust bracket is also pushed upwards to the top edge of the central web. In this way, the two constant load springs 320, 330 are stretched so that the thrust bracket is entrusted to the downward spring tension. This tension is transmitted to the tablet laminate via the tablet boosting member.

When the cartridge 900 is pushed into the receiving shaft 150 of the donor 1, the cartridge is anchored in the donor. For this purpose, a left tether lever 420 and a right tether lever 410 are provided for the cartridge. Each retaining lever is mounted on the housing internal frame structure 100 at pivot points 415 and 425. Tethering protrusions 412 and 422 are provided at the lower ends of each of the retaining levers (FIGS. 7, 7A and 7B). These retaining protrusions 412 and 422 are used when the lower leg of each of the retaining levers is tilted inward (FIG. 5; Engage with the corresponding eyelets 981 and 982 on the housing front shell 932 of the cartridge (see inward arrow) (Fig. 7A, Fig. 7B). This tilting motion causes the thrust bracket 300 to be pressed upward on the central web 110 of the housing internal frame structure when the cartridge is inserted into the donor, and then in the upper region, the respective retaining levers. It is brought about by the fact that the retaining levers are separated from each other at the top because they slide along the riding surfaces 416 and 426. In this way, since the upper leg of each retaining lever is pivoted outward, each lower leg is pivoted inward. The spring arms 417 and 427, which are integrally formed with respect to each retaining lever above each pivot point, are such that the retaining levers are fixedly held in this position (Fig. 5A). Behind the collaborative protrusions 419, 429, they are elastically fitted to the housing inner frame structure via the corresponding pressure points 418, 428. Therefore, after the full cartridge is pushed in, each retaining lever is constrained to the anchoring position so that the cartridge can no longer be removed without auxiliary means. This ensures that the cartridge cannot be removed again after it has been inserted into the donor and anchored in the donor, as long as the cartridge is completely full at the time of insertion. This is because the thrust bracket is pushed up to the riding surface of each retaining lever, so that these retaining levers are moved to the anchoring position. This mooring action is maintained until the cartridge is completely empty.

In order for an empty cartridge to be ejected from the donor, an ejection mechanism is deployed to release the block caused by each of the retaining levers. Details of this release mechanism are shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D and 8E.

A release lever 500 located just behind the release slide member 600 that constitutes the (obstructed) release button 19 is deployed to allow the cartridge to be released. The release lever is fixed in a substantially vertical position by a leg spring 510 (FIGS. 8C, 8D). For this purpose, the release lever is mounted on the housing front shell 11.1 at the claws 121, 122 integrally formed on the housing front shell 11.1 by pins 520, 520'. The release lever is pivotable within each claw only against the spring force of the leg spring (arrows in FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D).

In the resting position of the release lever 500, the capture protrusions 531 and 532 (or, instead, just a single capture protrusion) are in front of (or alternative, exactly) the corresponding protrusions 611, 612 of the release slide member 600. Due to the fact that it is located (in front of a single protrusion) to prevent the downward translation of the slide member, the release lever 500 constrains the release button 19 from binding the release slide member 600 (). Release prevention). FIG. 8C shows the release slide member constrained by the release lever, while in the overview of FIG. 8D, the release slide member has been released and already pushed down.

As the cartridge 900 is emptied as a result of each tablet T being donated, the thrust bracket 300 in donor 1 slides downwards (FIG. 8B). When the thrust bracket reaches the lowest position during the stroke for the last tablet in the cartridge, it engages the lever 540 of the release lever 500 and resists the spring force of the leg spring 510. Tilt the release lever forward with the lower end of the release lever (Fig. 8B; arrow). In this way, the release lever releases the release slide member 600, and the capture protrusions 531 and 532 are moved away from the corresponding protrusions 611 and 612 of the release slide member.

FIG. 8E shows the functions of the retaining levers 410 and 420 when the cartridge 900 is released. The cartridge is released by the release slide member 600, which is pushed down by about 2 mm (arrow). In doing so, the riding surfaces 551 and 552 of the release slide member come into contact with the lower leg so that the lower leg of the retaining levers 410 and 420 is pressed outward (arrow). .. In this way, the retaining protrusions 412 and 422 of the respective retaining levers are pressed outward and released from the eyelets 981 and 982 of the cartridge. The cartridge is released in this way. Due to the further downward movement of the release slide member, the cartridge can now be released downwards. For this purpose, each capture protrusion of the release slide member simultaneously acts as a discharge protrusion, because they engage the edge of the top surface of the cartridge bottom shell 920 and the edge. Is pushed down as a result of the downward movement. At that time, the cartridge can be grasped by hand and can be pulled out from the receiving shaft 150 of the donor 1. After activation, the release slide member returns to its original position under the spring force. The leg spring 510 serves this purpose.

The donor 1 has an electronic display 16 and two electronic operation buttons 17 and 18 (Fig. 1A). The electronic display shows the number of tablets T placed in the cartridge 900 and the status of tablet administration, that is, whether the first administration step of 24 days has passed or has not yet passed, and the former. If the case is real, it is used to indicate the number of days already elapsed in the second elastic dosing phase. It is also possible to indicate whether or not the tablets were taken within a predetermined time interval between the administration steps. In addition to this, the display may also show how many days have already passed in the no-dose stage, which may be introduced. In addition, the display may indicate battery status. Each of the above operating buttons can be used to select a transition to the no-administration stage and to select various menu options.

Donor 1 is a battery 1010, 1020 (alternatively just a single battery) designed to maintain the functionality of donor 1 without the need to replace the battery for as long as possible. (Fig. 2, Fig. 5). Therefore, the donor is an initialization switch 710 that activates the donor when the cartridge 900 is first pushed into the donor and is disposed on the housing internal frame structure (FIG. 9). Includes switch 710. This switch is formed by a switch branch 430 of the left tether lever on the upper arm of the left tether lever 420. When the cartridge is pushed in, it pushes the upper arm of the left retaining lever outward, because the thrust bracket 300 slides along the riding surface 426 on the upper arm of the retaining lever. However, in doing so, the arm is pressed outward (Fig. 5). The switch branch portion integrally formed on the left side retaining lever abuts and is pressed against the initialization switch to activate it. The activation of this switch initializes the electronics that were previously in a dormant position without power consumption, and due to the special configuration of the initialization switch, the electronics even after the cartridge is pulled out. The equipment remains on.

When the cartridge 900 is pushed into the donor 1 for the first time, the electronic device is initialized, and at the same time, the second switch (not shown) arranged adjacent to the initialization switch 710 is activated, and the electronic device is activated. The second switch remains turned on only as long as the upper arm of the right tether lever is pressed outward, i.e., as long as the cartridge remains in the donor. After the cartridge is removed, the second switch is re-disconnected by the inward pivot of the upper arm of the retaining lever 420. The second switch signals the electronic device that the cartridge is arranged in the donor. In this way, in particular, a further signal transmitted to the electronic device, based on the fact that there is always a predetermined number of tablets T, such as 30 tablets, in a full cartridge. Therefore, the number of tablets T placed in the donor can be calculated based on the further signal in which the removal of one tablet from the donor is recorded by the signal. Further, when an empty cartridge was removed from the donor and a full cartridge was inserted, a further signal from the second switch was that the fully full cartridge was now repositioned in the donor. Is notified to the above electronic device.

The additional signal records the removal of one tablet T from donor 1. The additional signal is at a third switch (not shown) located in one area of transmission levers 210, 220. It is generated by a third switch that is turned on each time each transmission lever is activated and generates this further signal.

Donor 1 is further a fourth switch (not shown) located in the lower region of the receiving shaft 150, which records the sliding passage of the thrust bracket 300 and is described above as an additional signal. Includes a fourth switch that is transmitted to electronic devices. Shortly before the cartridge 900 is finally empty, for example when only 5 tablets T are left in the cartridge, this 4th switch signals the number of tablets remaining in the cartridge. Is used to transmit to the electronic device. This is defined by the strict spatial positioning of this 4th switch on the receiving shaft, and as a result, the 4th switch is only one when a predetermined number of tablets are still present in the cartridge. It is activated by taking out the tablet of. This confirmation count may be needed to correctly indicate to the user how many tablets are still in the cartridge when there are just a few tablets. This ensures that there are no inaccurate assumptions about the number of tablets remaining, which is significant unless the empty cartridge is timely warned to the user. Because it can be. This precautionary measure is suitable when the extent to which the cartridge is filled with tablets cannot be safely ascertained by all control means in place during the filling sequence. The reason for this is that the height of the individual tablets has tolerances, and as a result, the height of the tablet laminate can also vary. However, in any case, the window 20 in the rear shell 11.2 of the housing allows the user to determine if tablets are still left in the cartridge.

Each embodiment and each embodiment described herein serves only an exemplary role, and various modifications and modifications to each example and each embodiment, as well as other described in the present application. It will be appreciated that the combination of features will also be immediately apparent to those skilled in the art and will fall within the scope of disclosure of the invention described herein and within the scope of protection of each claim. Accordingly, all patents and patent applications mentioned herein are incorporated into the disclosures of this application.