Medication monitoring device, system, and medication monitoring method

Abstract

The disclosure provides a medicine monitoring device, system and method, relating to the technical field of medical devices. The medicine monitoring device comprises a device body and a mounting cavity formed on the device body, the device body being sleeved on the outside of the bottle body of a medicine inhaler through the mounting cavity; an air flow passage and an inhalation airflow detection hole are arranged on the inner wall of the mounting cavity, and the air flow passage and the inhalation airflow detection hole are in fluid communication with the bottle body air inlet of the medicine inhaler when the device body is sleeved on the bottle body of the medicine inhaler; wherein the air flow passage is configured to allow air to flow in, and the inhalation airflow detection hole is used to collect the inhalation airflow flowing through the bottle body air inlet. By sleeving the device body on the outside of the bottle body of the medicine inhaler and collecting the inhalation airflow from the bottle body air inlet, the problem of air suction and interference with the rotation and cleaning of the nozzle caused by covering the nozzle in the traditional scheme is completely avoided while realizing medicine state monitoring.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a medication monitoring device, system and method. Background Technology

[0002] Inhalation is the most effective way to administer medication for diseases of the upper respiratory tract and lungs. Inhaled powders, aerosols, and nebulized solutions can be filled into relevant medical devices to administer medication by inhalation. A drug inhaler is one of the aforementioned medical devices.

[0003] Medication inhalers typically consist of a bottle, a handle, and a mouthpiece. The mouthpiece is located at the front of the bottle, while the handle is at the rear. Medication is dispensed by rotating the handle. The mouthpiece can rotate relative to the bottle; during rotation, it activates a scraper inside the bottle to remove residual medication from the inner wall, thus cleaning the medication delivery system. During use, the inhaler relies on its internal resistance and the turbulence generated by the patient's active inhalation to break down the medication powder into microparticles, allowing the medication to be delivered in microparticle form and carried into the airway by the airflow. Therefore, the patient's inspiratory capacity and inhalation duration play a crucial role in the efficacy of the medication.

[0004] To better monitor the effectiveness of medication inhalation, some methods involve attaching a monitoring device to both the mouthpiece and the bottle of the inhaler, collecting the patient's inhalation data from the mouthpiece. However, gaps between the monitoring device and the mouthpiece can lead to partial inhalation, thus affecting the patient's medication efficacy. Furthermore, the mouthpiece, once fitted with the monitoring device, cannot rotate relative to the bottle, preventing the cleaning of the drug delivery channels inside the bottle by rotating the mouthpiece.

[0005] To address this, some methods collect patient inhalation sounds to avoid interfering with medication administration. However, this method is susceptible to interference from ambient noise, leading to reduced monitoring accuracy, especially in noisy environments where it becomes difficult to accurately distinguish between the patient's inhalation sounds and background noise, thus affecting the assessment of medication administration status. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a medication monitoring device, system, and method to solve the technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present disclosure provides the following technical solutions:

[0008] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a medication monitoring device, including a device body and an installation cavity formed on the device body. The device body is fitted onto the outside of the bottle of a drug inhaler through the installation cavity. An air circulation channel and an inspiratory flow detection hole are provided on the inner wall of the installation cavity. When the device body is fitted onto the bottle of the drug inhaler, the air circulation channel and the inspiratory flow detection hole are in fluid communication with the air inlet of the bottle of the drug inhaler. The air circulation channel is configured to allow air to flow in, and the inspiratory flow detection hole is used to collect the inspiratory flow passing through the air inlet of the bottle.

[0009] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a medication monitoring system, including: a medication monitoring device, the device including a device body and an installation cavity formed on the device body, the device body being fitted onto the outside of a drug inhaler via the installation cavity; an air circulation channel and an inspiratory airflow detection hole are provided on the inner wall of the installation cavity, and when the device body is fitted onto the drug inhaler vial, the air circulation channel and the inspiratory airflow detection hole are in fluid communication with the air inlet of the drug inhaler vial; and a storage compartment configured to store the medication monitoring device and the drug inhaler, the storage compartment including a compartment cover and a compartment body, the compartment cover and / or the compartment body being provided with a desiccant containing structure, the desiccant containing structure including a compartment cover fixing groove and / or a compartment body fixing member, the compartment cover fixing groove being provided on the top surface inside the compartment cover, and the interior of the compartment body being provided with a plurality of partition structures along the circumferential direction, the top of the partition structures being embedded with the compartment body fixing member.

[0010] Thirdly, this disclosure provides a medication monitoring method applied to the aforementioned medication monitoring device. The medication monitoring device further includes a data processing module. The medication monitoring method includes: detecting an inspiratory airflow signal via a pressure sensor, the inspiratory airflow being collected by an inspiratory airflow detection port in the medication monitoring device; extracting at least one inspiratory feature parameter based on the inspiratory airflow signal; inputting the at least one inspiratory feature parameter to the data processing module; and outputting medication status information corresponding to the current inspiratory event from the data processing module. The data processing module is configured to generate medication status information based on predefined threshold conditions or a pre-trained classification model.

[0011] This disclosure adopts a different technical approach from the prior art. By placing the device body outside the bottle of the drug inhaler and collecting the inhaled airflow from the air inlet of the bottle, it can monitor the medication status and completely avoid the problems of empty inhalation and interference with the cleaning of the mouthpiece caused by covering the mouthpiece in the traditional solution. Attached Figure Description

[0012] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the front of the drug inhaler disclosed herein;

[0014] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the right side of the drug inhaler disclosed herein;

[0015] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the back of the drug inhaler disclosed herein;

[0016] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the left side of the drug inhaler disclosed herein;

[0017] Figure 5 This is a first-view three-dimensional structural diagram of the medication monitoring device disclosed herein;

[0018] Figure 6 This is a two-dimensional structural diagram of the medication monitoring device disclosed herein from a second perspective;

[0019] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the medication monitoring device disclosed herein from a third-view perspective;

[0020] Figure 8 This is an exploded view of the plug-in locking assembly disclosed herein;

[0021] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the combined installation structure of the medication monitoring device and the drug inhaler disclosed herein;

[0022] Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the storage compartment disclosed herein;

[0023] Figure 11 This is an exploded structural diagram of the storage compartment disclosed herein;

[0024] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the warehouse cover disclosed in this invention from a downward viewing angle;

[0025] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the silo body disclosed in this invention;

[0026] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the combined installation structure of the medication monitoring device, drug inhaler, and chamber disclosed herein.

[0027] In the figure: 11. Device body; 12. Mounting cavity; 121. Fixing rib; 13. Air circulation channel; 131. Airflow receiving cavity; 132. Vent window; 14. Intake airflow detection hole; 151. First elastic detection point; 152. Second elastic detection point; 16. Insertion locking assembly; 161. Telescopic locking rod; 162. Locking base; 163. Locking knob; 17. Viewing window; 181. Horn sound outlet; 182. Display screen; 18 3. Buttons; 184. Charging port; 21. Compartment cover; 211. Compartment cover fixing groove; 212. Slanted teeth; 22. Compartment body; 221. Compartment body fixing piece; 222. Dividing structure; 23. Sealing ring; 24. Handle; 3. Medication inhaler; 31. Bottle body; 311. Front recess; 312. Back recess; 313. Recessed point; 314. Dosage display dial; 315. Air inlet; 32. Mouthpiece; 321. Slanted rib; 33. Rotary handle. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of this disclosure will be described in detail below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this disclosure, all other implementation methods obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0029] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "center," "lateral," "length," "width," "height," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," and "side," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the appendix. Figure 1 The orientations or positional relationships shown are for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description only, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the equipment or components referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting this disclosure.

[0030] In the description of this disclosure, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this disclosure depending on the specific circumstances.

[0031] Application Overview

[0032] This disclosure does not limit the drug inhaler, as long as it includes a bottle body with an air inlet. Other functions or structures can be set according to actual needs. For example, refer to Figures 1 to 4 The inhaler 3 mentioned in this embodiment comprises a bottle body 31, a mouthpiece 32, and a handle 33. The mouthpiece 32 is located at the front end of the bottle body 31, and the handle 33 is located at the rear end of the bottle body. The inhaler 3 dispenses medication by rotating the handle 33. The outer wall of the mouthpiece 32 has circumferentially circumferentially ribbed 321. The front of the bottle body 31 has an air inlet 315, and a front recess 311 is located below the air inlet 315. The right side of the bottle body 31 has a medication display dial 314, the back of the bottle body 31 has a back recess 312, and the left side of the bottle body 31 has recessed points. The mouthpiece 32 can rotate relative to the bottle body 31. During rotation, it can drive the scraper inside the bottle body 31 to scrape away residual medication on the inner wall of the bottle body 31, thereby cleaning the medication channel. This embodiment does not limit the medication in the inhaler 3; for example, it can be a powder inhaler, an aerosol inhaler, a mixture of both, or other states.

[0033] It is important to emphasize that the embodiments disclosed herein adopt a completely different approach from existing technologies. Existing technologies collect inhaled airflow from the mouthpiece, while the embodiments disclosed herein collect inhaled airflow from the bottle's air inlet. The method of collecting inhaled airflow from the bottle's air inlet in the embodiments of this disclosure presents the following technical difficulties: the bottle's air inlet is located in the middle of the inhaler; how to design the device body so that it can be detachably mounted to the inhaler without affecting the inhaler's function and inhalation effect. The embodiments disclosed herein overcome this difficulty by providing a device body and forming an installation cavity on the device body. The device body can be fitted onto the outside of the inhaler's bottle through the installation cavity, thereby achieving detachable mounting of the device body and the inhaler. Furthermore, the device body only fits onto the outside of the inhaler's bottle and does not cover or interfere with the mouthpiece. Therefore, the medication monitoring device provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure is convenient for patients to take medication directly through the mouthpiece of the inhaler, avoiding affecting the medication effect; on the other hand, the outer side of the mouthpiece structure has sufficient operating space to receive external force, and the mouthpiece can rotate freely relative to the bottle under the action of external force, thereby cleaning the drug channel inside the bottle, and will not interfere with the structure of the device body during the application of force.

[0034] Furthermore, the method of collecting inhaled airflow from the bottle inlet in this embodiment of the present disclosure also has the following technical difficulties: the bottle size of the drug inhaler is limited, and the fitting of the device body will block the air inlet of the drug inhaler. This embodiment of the present disclosure provides an airflow channel and an inhaled airflow detection hole on the device body. When the device body is fitted onto the bottle of the drug inhaler, air can communicate with the air inlet of the drug inhaler through the airflow channel, and the inhaled airflow detection hole can collect the inhaled airflow to monitor the medication status. However, the setting of the airflow channel directly affects the inhalation resistance during medication, and the magnitude of the inhalation resistance directly affects the medication effect. How to reduce the impact of inhalation resistance becomes a problem under the inhaled airflow collection method of this embodiment of the present disclosure. This embodiment of the present disclosure provides an airflow receiving cavity on the inner wall of the mounting cavity. When the device body is fitted onto the bottle of the drug inhaler, the airflow receiving cavity is connected to the ventilation window set on the top surface of the device body to form an airflow channel. This airflow channel reduces inhalation resistance.

[0035] To save space, an alignment section is typically defined on the inner wall of the mounting cavity for the airflow channel and inhalation airflow detection port. The circumferential dimension of this alignment section is smaller than the circumference of the inner wall of the safe mounting cavity. In this case, the inhaler is considered properly installed only when the alignment section aligns with the air inlet of the inhaler bottle. Despite installation instructions, incorrect installation often leads to malfunction. Therefore, this embodiment addresses this issue by providing an elastic detection component on the inner wall of the mounting cavity. This component contacts a recess in the inhaler bottle and generates a predetermined pressure feedback signal. When the air inlet of the inhaler bottle aligns circumferentially with the alignment section, the elastic detection component engages with the recess and generates the predetermined electrical signal, thus providing a proper installation indication based on the signal. Operationally, this can be described as follows: The device body is fitted over the inhaler bottle; rotating the inhaler or device body confirms proper installation upon receiving the installation indication. When there are multiple elastic detection components and they are arranged in different directions, the elastic detection components in different directions are recesses embedded in the bottle of the drug inhaler, thereby achieving a certain degree of fixation of the drug inhaler.

[0036] This embodiment of the invention provides a plug-in locking component on the device body. When the inhaler is installed in place, the telescopic locking rod can be inserted into the recessed point on the outer wall of the inhaler bottle to lock the inhaler, effectively preventing the inhaler from falling or moving.

[0037] This embodiment of the invention provides a locking base and a locking knob. The connecting end of the telescopic locking rod is connected to the locking knob. After the locking end of the telescopic locking rod passes through the locking base, it enters the installation cavity. The locking knob can drive the telescopic locking rod to rotate to switch between the locked and unlocked states, thereby achieving stable locking of the drug inhaler. This solves the problem that the push-pull telescopic locking rod locking method is prone to sliding.

[0038] This embodiment of the disclosure includes a storage compartment for storing medication monitoring devices and inhalers. Combined with a detachable desiccant container structure, it achieves moisture protection for the medication. To maximize space utilization, the desiccant container structure includes a cover fixing groove and / or a container body fixing member. The cover fixing groove is located on the top surface inside the cover, and the container body has several circumferentially arranged partition structures inside, with the container body fixing member embedded at the top of each partition structure.

[0039] In this embodiment, the storage compartment cover is provided with oblique teeth, which correspond to and cooperate with the oblique ribs on the mouthpiece of the drug inhaler. Before using the medication monitoring device, the mouthpiece is rotated by the oblique teeth while the compartment cover is closed, thereby cleaning the drug channel.

[0040] This embodiment of the invention provides a combination structure of a Hall sensor and a magnet between the storage compartment and the medication monitoring device. When the medication monitoring device is taken out or placed inside the storage compartment, the Hall sensor can sense the magnetism of the magnet, thereby enabling the medication monitoring device to automatically wake up and go into sleep mode.

[0041] This embodiment of the disclosure stores medication status information associated with corresponding patient identifiers through a platform; then, a medication adherence report is generated based on the stored medication status information, thereby enabling the statistics, tracking, and analysis of patient medication status information.

[0042] This embodiment of the present disclosure generates an inspiratory airflow signal, extracts at least one inspiratory feature parameter based on the signal, and inputs it into a data processing module, which then outputs medication status information corresponding to the current inspiratory event, thereby realizing the identification of medication status.

[0043] Exemplary application scenarios

[0044] In one possible application scenario, when using the inhaler, the patient first places the device itself over the bottle. By rotating the inhaler, the elastic detection component is inserted into a recess in the bottle. After receiving a confirmation prompt, the patient rotates the locking knob, causing the telescopic locking lever to insert into the recess and lock the device in place. At this point, air flows through the vent into the airflow receiving chamber, forming an air circulation channel that connects with the bottle's air inlet. The inspiratory airflow detection port collects the patient's inspiratory flow and transmits it to a pressure sensor. The data processing module calculates the medication status information corresponding to this inspiratory event based on the inspiratory airflow signal detected by the pressure sensor. This information is stored on the platform along with the patient's identifier and a medication adherence report is generated. Doctors can then use this medication adherence report to analyze the patient's condition.

[0045] Exemplary embodiments

[0046] Reference Figures 5 to 9 This disclosure provides a medication monitoring device, including a device body 11 and a mounting cavity 12 formed on the device body 11. Exemplarily, the mounting cavity 12 is located at the center of the device body 11. The shape of the mounting cavity 12 is determined according to the shape of the inhaler bottle. For example, if the inhaler bottle is circular, the mounting cavity 12 can be a through-hole circular opening. This disclosure does not limit the shape of the device body 11; a rectangle is used as an example in this disclosure. Optionally, the shape of the device body 11 can also be circular or other shapes that are convenient to hold.

[0047] The device body 11 is fitted onto the outside of the bottle 31 of the inhaler 3 via the mounting cavity 12, thereby achieving detachable mounting of the device body 11 and the inhaler 3. Furthermore, the device body 11 only fits onto the outside of the bottle 31 of the inhaler 3, without covering or interfering with the mouthpiece 32. Therefore, the medication monitoring device provided in this embodiment facilitates direct medication administration by the patient through the mouthpiece 32 of the inhaler 3, avoiding any impact on the patient's medication efficacy. On the other hand, the outer side of the mouthpiece 32 structure also has sufficient operating space to receive external forces, allowing the mouthpiece 32 to rotate freely relative to the bottle 31 under external force, thereby cleaning the drug channel inside the bottle 31 without interfering with the structure of the device body during the application of force.

[0048] Because the bottle body 31 of the inhaler 3 has limited size, the installation of the device body 11 would obstruct the air inlet 315 of the inhaler 3. To solve this problem, exemplarily, an air circulation channel 13 and an inhalation airflow detection hole 14 are provided on the inner wall of the mounting cavity 12. When the device body 11 is installed on the bottle body 31 of the inhaler 3, the air circulation channel 13 and the inhalation airflow detection hole 14 are in fluid communication with the air inlet 315 of the inhaler 3. Air can communicate with the air inlet 315 of the inhaler 3 through the air circulation channel 13, and at the same time, the inhalation airflow detection hole 14 can collect the inhalation airflow flowing through the air inlet 315 to monitor the medication status.

[0049] In this embodiment, there are a wide variety of options for the specific arrangement of the air circulation channel 13 and the intake airflow detection hole 14.

[0050] In the first configuration, the air circulation channel 13 and the air intake detection hole 14 define an alignment section on the inner wall of the mounting cavity 12, and the circumferential dimension of the alignment section is smaller than the circumference of the inner wall of the mounting cavity 12.

[0051] In this state, the drug inhaler 3 can only be considered to be installed in place when the alignment section is aligned with the air inlet 315 of the bottle of the drug inhaler 3. Since the alignment section only occupies a part of the inner circumference of the mounting cavity 12, it can save space better.

[0052] In the second configuration, the airflow channel 13 and the intake airflow detection hole 14 extend along the entire circumference of the inner wall of the mounting cavity 12. Compared to the alignment section design, this configuration is easier to set up along the entire circumference. More importantly, this circumferential configuration makes it easier to adapt to the air inlet 315, as long as the device body 11 is properly fitted, adaptation can be achieved.

[0053] However, the arrangement of the airflow channel 13 directly affects the inhalation resistance during medication, and the magnitude of the inhalation resistance directly affects the medication effect. To reduce the impact of inhalation resistance, this embodiment of the present disclosure provides an airflow receiving cavity 131 on the inner wall of the mounting cavity 12. When the device body 11 is fitted onto the bottle 31 of the drug inhaler 3, the airflow receiving cavity 131 can communicate with the ventilation window 132 provided on the top surface of the device body 11 to form an airflow channel 13. This arrangement of the airflow channel 13 can effectively reduce inhalation resistance.

[0054] Under the suction force, the inhaled air can pass through the ventilation window 132 from the outside of the device body 11, then flow into the airflow receiving cavity 131, and then flow into the air inlet 315 of the bottle body 31 from the airflow receiving cavity 131.

[0055] For example, the range of the airflow receiving cavity 131 corresponds to the coverage range of the airflow channel 13 along the circumferential direction of the inner wall of the mounting cavity 12. Within the corresponding coverage range, the airflow receiving cavity 131 extends outward from the inner wall of the mounting cavity 12 to form a recessed cavity structure.

[0056] For example, the vent 132 is a curved grille opening whose opening range matches the cross-sectional dimensions of the airflow receiving cavity 131, so that external air can flow more smoothly from the airflow channel 13 into the air inlet 315 of the bottle body 31.

[0057] After the current inhaler 3 is used up, the patient needs to replace it with a new one. During the replacement process, the connection between the device body 11 and the inhaler 3 must be disconnected first, and then the new inhaler 3 can be installed. When installing the new inhaler 3, the patient needs to carefully check the assembly position and effectiveness according to the installation instructions to ensure proper installation. Nevertheless, incorrect installation often results in the inhaler malfunctioning.

[0058] Therefore, to further assist patients in verifying whether the device body 11 and the inhaler 3 are properly installed, this embodiment of the present disclosure provides an elastic detection component on the inner wall of the mounting cavity 12. The elastic detection component is configured such that when the air inlet 315 of the inhaler 3 is aligned circumferentially with the alignment section, the elastic detection component embeds into a recess on the outer wall of the inhaler 3. Because the electrical signals generated by the elastic detection component at the recessed and non-recessed points differ, a set electrical signal is generated, thereby providing a prompt for proper installation based on the set electrical signal. For example, under normal conditions or when no displacement occurs at the recessed point, the switch of the signal detection circuit is in an open state, corresponding to an electrical signal of 0. At the non-recessed point, the elastic detection component is compressed, causing displacement, which in turn closes the switch, making the signal detection circuit conduct, corresponding to an electrical signal of 1. If there is only one elastic detection component, the set electrical signal can be 1 or 0; if there are three elastic detection components, the set electrical signal can be 111, 011, or others, depending on actual needs.

[0059] From an operational perspective, it can be described as follows: The device body 11 is fitted onto the outside of the inhaler 3's bottle. The inhaler 3 is rotated, and upon receiving a confirmation message that it is in place, it can be confirmed that the inhaler 3 is properly installed. When there are multiple elastic detection components arranged in different directions, these components act as recessed points embedded in the inhaler 3's bottle, thus achieving a certain degree of fixation for the inhaler.

[0060] For example, the elastic detection component is an elastic detection point. The specific structure, number, and detailed setting position of the elastic detection point can be flexibly selected and set according to actual use needs. When all elastic detection points are triggered, it can be determined that the drug inhaler 3 is installed in place.

[0061] Regarding the triggering method of the elastic detection point, in addition to the above-mentioned triggering in conjunction with the recessed point on the bottle body 31, the elastic detection point can also be directly triggered in conjunction with the outer wall surface of the bottle body 31.

[0062] In some embodiments, the elastic detection point includes a first elastic detection point 151 and two second elastic detection points 152. The first elastic detection point 151 and the two second elastic detection points 152 are distributed circumferentially on the inner wall of the mounting cavity 12. The two second elastic detection points 152 are located on both sides of the first elastic detection point 151, and each second elastic detection point 152 forms a set angle with the first elastic detection point 151 relative to the axis of the mounting cavity 12.

[0063] The first elastic detection point 151 adopts a triggering method that directly contacts the outer wall surface of the bottle body 31.

[0064] The two second elastic detection points 152 cooperate with the front recess 311 and the back recess 312 provided on the bottle body 31 to form a trigger upon contact.

[0065] Both the first elastic detection point 151 and the second elastic detection point 152 are equipped with pressure sensors. The first elastic detection point 151 contacts the bottle body 31 to detect whether the inhaler 3 is inserted. The two second elastic detection points 152 correspond to the front recess 311 and the back recess 312 on the bottle body 31, respectively, to detect whether the insertion direction of the inhaler 3 is correct. After contact is made, the pressure sensors corresponding to the first elastic detection point 151 and the two second elastic detection points 152 can generate electrical signals to detect whether the inhaler 3 is inserted in place.

[0066] To prevent the inhaler 3 from falling or moving from the bottle 31 during use, the medication monitoring device, by way of example, also includes a locking assembly 16. The locking assembly 16 is disposed on the device body 11. After the elastic detection component detects that the inhaler 3 is installed in place, the locking assembly 16 can lock the bottle 31 of the inhaler 3, thereby effectively preventing the inhaler 3 from falling or moving.

[0067] The plug-in locking assembly 16 can be locked by a plug-in connection. In this connection type, the plug-in locking assembly 16 includes a telescopic locking rod 161. The telescopic locking rod 161 can be inserted into the recessed point 313 on the outer wall of the bottle 31 of the inhaler 3 to lock the inhaler 3, effectively preventing the inhaler from falling or moving.

[0068] During the process of pushing and pulling the telescopic locking rod 161, the telescopic locking rod 161 is prone to sliding due to the lack of support and positioning. To solve this problem, the plug-in locking assembly 16, by way of example, also includes a locking base 162 and a locking knob 163. The locking base 162 is connected to the device body 11, and the connecting end of the telescopic locking rod 161 is connected to the locking knob 163. The telescopic locking rod 161 and the locking hole on the locking base 162 are locked together. After the locking end of the telescopic locking rod 161 passes through the locking base 162, it enters the installation cavity 12. The locking knob 163 can drive the telescopic locking rod 161 to rotate to switch between the locked and unlocked states, thereby achieving stable locking of the drug inhaler 3 and solving the problem of sliding that easily occurs when the telescopic locking rod 161 is pushed and pulled to achieve locking.

[0069] In order to cooperate with the telescopic locking rod 161, the bottle body 31 is provided with a recessed point 313, which corresponds to the position of the telescopic locking rod 161 when it is inserted.

[0070] After the inhaler 3 is installed, when locking is required, the locking end of the telescopic locking rod 161 can move inward relative to the locking base 162 and insert into the recessed point 313 to fix the inhaler 3.

[0071] When it is necessary to unlock, the locking end of the telescopic locking lever 161 can move outward relative to the locking base 162 and separate from the recessed point 313 to release the lock on the drug inhaler 3.

[0072] During the operation of the elastic detection component and the insertion locking assembly 16, the patient can find the correct position by rotating the inhaler 3. When the inhaler 3 is in the correct position, the telescopic locking rod 161 can be inserted into the recessed point 313 of the bottle body 31 to further fix the bottle body 31.

[0073] After the elastic detection component is confirmed to be installed in place, the device body 11 can also remind the patient to lock the medication through the following voice module and / or display module.

[0074] After the telescopic locking rod 161 is locked, the patient can apply the medication according to the instructions in the drug manual.

[0075] Furthermore, due to the large tolerances of the inhaler 3's bottle body 3, and the differences in thickness between different inhalers 3 on the market, without intervention, it may result in problems such as thicker bottles 31 being unable to be installed, while thinner bottles 31 are prone to wobbling. Moreover, when bottles 31 of different thicknesses are fixed inside the device body 11, their varying distances from the inhalation airflow detection port 14 can cause inaccurate data acquisition.

[0076] Therefore, by way of example, refer to Figure 5 as well as Figure 6 In this embodiment, multiple fixing ribs 121 are provided on the inner wall of the mounting cavity 12. The positions other than the fixing ribs 121 are designed to avoid gaps. This design not only reduces friction, but also allows the thicker bottle body 31 to rotate and be installed in the equipment, and reduces the shaking of the thinner bottle body 31.

[0077] Furthermore, after the device body 11 is installed, it can easily obstruct the dosage display dial 314 of the original medication inhaler 3, making it impossible for the patient to accurately judge the dosage already used.

[0078] Therefore, by way of example, refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 The medication monitoring device also includes a viewing window 17, which is installed throughout the device body 11 and its position corresponds to the medication display turntable 314. Patients can observe the medication display turntable 314 through the viewing window 17 to obtain the real-time medication status, thereby solving the problem of obstruction of the device body 11.

[0079] In addition, to address the issue of dim lighting inside the window 17 potentially affecting patient observation, an auxiliary light can be provided inside the window 17, thereby increasing the brightness of the window 17 and assisting the patient in observation; and / or, an auxiliary magnification structure can be provided at the window 17 to magnify the displayed image, thereby assisting the elderly or people with poor vision in observation.

[0080] To further improve the monitoring of medication status, the medication monitoring device also includes a pressure sensor, which is connected to the inspiratory airflow detection port 14. The pressure sensor is used to generate an inspiratory airflow signal based on the collected inspiratory airflow.

[0081] The medication monitoring device also includes a data processing module, which is communicatively connected to the pressure sensor. The data processing module is used to receive the inspiratory airflow signal output by the pressure sensor and analyze the patient's medication status based on the inspiratory airflow signal to generate analysis results.

[0082] This embodiment of the present disclosure generates an inspiratory airflow signal, extracts at least one inspiratory feature parameter based on the inspiratory airflow signal, and inputs it into a data processing module, which then outputs the medication status information corresponding to the current inspiratory event, thereby realizing the identification of the medication status.

[0083] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the data processing module also has an installation in place detection function. By acquiring the signal of the elastic detection point, a set electrical signal is generated, and the installation in place is determined by comparison, thereby realizing the installation in place prompt based on the set electrical signal.

[0084] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the data processing module also has an activation function, which obtains a setting signal or a setting change of the signal through the Hall sensor, determines whether the device is enabled or used up, and controls the activation or shutdown of the device body 11.

[0085] The device body 11 also includes a storage module, which is communicatively connected to the data processing module. The data processing module analyzes and processes the inhalation airflow signal to obtain the patient's inhalation rate and duration data. This data will be stored in the device's storage module for subsequent viewing and analysis.

[0086] To better monitor medication status, the medication monitoring device also includes a voice module and / or a display module. Both the voice module and the display module are connected to the data processing module. The voice module can issue voice prompts, and the display module can intuitively display information such as the inspiratory flow rate curve and the number of times medication is administered.

[0087] The data processing module will control the voice module to issue corresponding voice prompts based on the recognition results, and / or control the display module to display corresponding prompts to guide the patient to perform the correct medication inhalation operation.

[0088] In this embodiment, the voice module can emit voice through the speaker port 181, and the display module can display the voice through the display screen 182.

[0089] The device body 11 is also designed with interactive buttons 183 and a charging port 184. The charging port 184 is used to connect an external power cord to charge the battery built into the device body 11. The battery is electrically connected to the data processing module and can provide power to the entire medication monitoring device.

[0090] Reference Figures 10 to 14 This disclosure also provides a medication monitoring system, which includes the above-mentioned medication monitoring device as well as a storage compartment configured to store the medication monitoring device and the drug inhaler 3.

[0091] The storage compartment includes a cover 21 and a body 22. The cover 21 and the body 22 are connected by a detachable connection. After the cover 21 and the body 22 are connected, they can form a sealed space between them for moisture protection of the medicine.

[0092] There are a variety of options for the detachable connection between the cover 21 and the body 22. For example, the accompanying drawings of this embodiment show a threaded connection between the cover 21 and the body 22. In addition, snap-fit ​​connections or other connection methods can also be used. All of the above connection methods make the assembly and disassembly of the cover 21 and the body 22 more convenient and quick, thereby facilitating the removal and placement of the medication monitoring device and the drug inhaler 3.

[0093] To facilitate the installation of the medication monitoring device and the inhaler 3, the top of the chamber 22 is provided with an opening. The medication monitoring device and the inhaler 3 can be placed inside the chamber 22 through the opening. After the medication monitoring device and the inhaler 3 are in place, the chamber cover 21 can be tightened by screwing to keep the inhaler 3 and the medication monitoring device in the aforementioned sealed space, which is beneficial for moisture protection of the medication.

[0094] The internal storage space of the compartment 22 can be designed according to the specific structure of the medication monitoring device and the drug inhaler 3 to meet the storage needs of products of different specifications.

[0095] A sealing ring 23 is provided at the connection between the upper part of the compartment body 22 and the compartment cover 21. The sealing ring 23 can play a sealing role when the compartment cover 21 is connected to the compartment body 22, further improving the sealing effect of the storage compartment.

[0096] To make it easier for users to carry or temporarily fix the storage compartment, for example, a handle 24 is provided on the top of the compartment cover 21. Users can take the storage compartment out through the handle 24, and can also connect to an external structure through the handle 24 for temporary hanging.

[0097] To further enhance the moisture-proof effect of the storage compartment, for example, the storage compartment is provided with a detachable desiccant container structure, and a desiccant is placed in the desiccant container structure. The desiccant further absorbs moisture and removes moisture from the inside of the storage compartment to maintain the dryness of the medicine in the inhaler 3, thereby ensuring the quality of the medicine.

[0098] For example, refer to Figure 12 The desiccant containing structure can be a cover fixing groove 211. The cover fixing groove 211 is set on the cover 21, and its specific setting position on the cover 21 has a variety of options, which can be flexibly selected and set according to actual use needs.

[0099] The accompanying drawings of this embodiment show the structural form in which the cover fixing groove 211 is provided on the top surface inside the cover 21. In this structural form, the cover fixing groove 211 is evenly distributed along the circumference.

[0100] The shape of the lid fixing slot 211 matches the structure of the desiccant to be placed, allowing for better detachable connection of the desiccant to the lid fixing slot 211. After a period of use, the desiccant may become ineffective. In this case, the old desiccant already installed on the lid fixing slot 211 can be removed, and a new desiccant can be installed on the lid fixing slot 211, thus enabling the reuse of the storage compartment.

[0101] The accompanying drawings of this embodiment show the structural form when the desiccant is a columnar desiccant. In this case, the shape of the cover fixing groove 211 matches the columnar desiccant, so that the columnar desiccant can be snapped into the cover fixing groove 211.

[0102] The number of cover fixing slots 211 can be flexibly selected according to actual usage requirements. The attached figure of this embodiment shows the distribution when there are three cover fixing slots 211.

[0103] For example, refer to Figure 13 The desiccant containment structure can be a chamber body fixing member 221. In order to facilitate the installation of the chamber body fixing member 221, a number of partition structures 222 are provided circumferentially inside the chamber body 22. The partition structures 222 are connected to the inner wall of the chamber body 22, and the chamber body fixing member 221 can be detachably connected to the top of the partition structure 222 by embedding.

[0104] The compartment fixing component 221 is used to hold the desiccant. The compartment fixing component 221 can be in the form of a drawer. The partition structure 222 is in the form of a trough. After the desiccant is placed inside the compartment fixing component 221, the compartment fixing component 221 and the desiccant are together embedded in the partition structure 222.

[0105] In this embodiment, for example, the device body 11 adopts a hexahedral structure with four sides. The number of partition structures 222 corresponds to the number of sides of the device body 11, which is also four. With this arrangement, during the placement of the device body 11 into the compartment 22, the four partition structures 222 can be evenly distributed on the outer sides of the four sides of the device body 11, thereby guiding the placement process of the device body 11 and making the device body 11 easier to place.

[0106] In some embodiments, the desiccant containing structure may include both a cover fixing groove 211 and a body fixing member 221. This configuration increases the amount and placement position of the desiccant, thereby further improving the drying effect. The desiccant containing structure can be flexibly selected and configured according to actual usage requirements.

[0107] Based on the existing drug inhaler 3, which has multiple oblique ribs 321 arranged circumferentially on the outer wall of the mouthpiece 32, this embodiment also has multiple oblique teeth 212 arranged circumferentially inside the cover 21. The oblique teeth 212 correspond to the oblique ribs 321 and form a mating relationship. The number of oblique teeth 212 is M, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1. M is determined according to the circumferential rotation length requirement and the number of oblique ribs 321. Optionally, the number of oblique teeth 212 can be less than, equal to, or greater than the number of oblique ribs 321. For example, if the circumferential rotation length requirement is short, that is, if the mating of oblique teeth 212 and oblique ribs 321 is formed under a shorter circumferential rotation length, then the number of oblique teeth 212 can be greater than the number of oblique ribs 321.

[0108] After the lid 21 is connected to the housing 22 containing the device body 11, the oblique teeth 212 and the oblique ribs 321 can form a mating relationship. When the lid 21 is rotated open relative to the housing 22, the oblique teeth 212 can rotate synchronously with the lid 21, thereby driving the oblique ribs 321 on the suction nozzle 32 to rotate synchronously through the mating relationship, which is equivalent to driving the suction nozzle 32 to rotate. The rotating suction nozzle 32 can drive the scraper inside the bottle 31 to scrape away the residual medicine on the inner wall of the bottle 31, thereby achieving the function of cleaning the medicine channel.

[0109] With the storage compartment provided, the medication channel can be cleaned by unscrewing the compartment cover 21 before each use of the medication monitoring device. Patients no longer need to spend time and effort to rotate the nozzle 32 separately. Through the ingenious structural design, it saves patients' time.

[0110] Each time a patient uses or stops using the existing medication monitoring device, they need to click the power on / off button to perform the corresponding power-on and power-off operations, which increases the number of operation steps and the patient's operation time. To address this issue, this embodiment proposes two different optimized settings.

[0111] In the first configuration, magnets are installed inside one or more partition structures 222, and one or more Hall sensors are installed inside the device body 11.

[0112] In the second configuration, a Hall sensor is installed inside one or more partition structures 222, and one or more magnets are installed inside the device body 11.

[0113] Both of the above different setup methods can achieve the same technical effect, that is, when the device body 11 is stored inside the storage compartment, the Hall sensor can sense the magnetism of the magnet, thereby transmitting and feeding back electrical signals to put the device body 11 into sleep mode or activate it.

[0114] Specifically, when the device body 11 is placed inside the storage compartment, the Hall sensor detects the magnetism, and the device body 11 enters sleep mode; conversely, when the device body 11 is taken out of the storage compartment, the Hall sensor no longer detects the magnetism, and the device body 11 is awakened.

[0115] With the above setup, patients only need to place the medication monitoring device inside the storage compartment to use it in sleep mode. When the device is removed from the storage compartment, it will be activated and ready for immediate use.

[0116] The medication monitoring device can be put into and taken out of the storage compartment by simply placing it in and out of the compartment. The entire operation is simpler and adopts a seamless design, saving patients' operation time, reducing operation steps, and making the device more intelligent overall.

[0117] The medication monitoring device also includes a communication module, and the medication monitoring system also includes a platform. The platform of the medication monitoring system is communicatively connected to the communication module of the medication monitoring device. The platform of the medication monitoring system is configured to: receive medication status information and corresponding medication timestamps uploaded by the communication module of the medication monitoring device; associate and store the medication status information with the corresponding patient identifier; and generate a medication adherence report based on the stored medication status information.

[0118] This embodiment of the disclosure stores medication status information associated with corresponding patient identifiers through a platform; then, a medication adherence report is generated based on the stored medication status information, thereby enabling the statistics, tracking, and analysis of patient medication status information.

[0119] This disclosure also provides a medication monitoring method applied to the aforementioned medication monitoring device. The medication monitoring method includes: detecting an inspiratory airflow signal using a pressure sensor, the inspiratory airflow being collected by an inspiratory airflow detection port 14 in the medication monitoring device; extracting at least one inspiratory feature parameter based on the inspiratory airflow signal; inputting the at least one inspiratory feature parameter to a data processing module; and outputting medication status information corresponding to the current inspiratory event from the data processing module; wherein the data processing module is configured to generate medication status information based on predefined threshold conditions or a pre-trained classification model.

[0120] For example, the patient's inspiratory airflow can be collected through the inspiratory airflow detection port 14, and an inspiratory airflow signal can be generated by the pressure sensor based on the collected inspiratory airflow. The inspiratory airflow signal output by the pressure sensor is received by the data processing module, and the data processing module analyzes and processes the inspiratory airflow signal to obtain the inhalation rate and duration data of the patient. This data will be stored in the device's storage module for subsequent viewing and analysis.

[0121] The data processing module can generate the patient's medication status information based on the patient's inhalation rate and duration data, using predefined threshold conditions or a pre-trained classification model, and provide prompts to the patient based on the patient's medication status.

[0122] Optionally, the patient's medication status may include at least one of the following three forms: no inhalation, slow inhalation, and insufficient inhalation flow.

[0123] In one embodiment, the real-time monitored inhalation duration is compared with a preset normal inhalation duration range. If the inhalation duration is significantly shorter than the lower limit of the normal range, it is determined to be a non-inhalation state. For cases of slow inhalation initiation, a specific initiation time threshold is set. When the time from the start of the inhalation action to reaching the effective inhalation airflow exceeds this threshold, it can be considered that the inhalation initiation is too slow. As for the judgment of insufficient inhalation airflow rate, the monitored airflow rate can be used to compare the real-time measured inhalation airflow rate with the normal inhalation airflow rate range. If the real-time measured inhalation airflow rate is consistently lower than the lower limit of the range, it is determined that the inhalation is insufficient.

[0124] It is worth noting that the inhalation can be initiated when the device is detected to be activated, the medication is properly inserted, and there is an airflow.

[0125] The effective inspiratory flow rate can be determined through prior experiments and research, identifying the minimum flow rate that the effective inspiratory flow rate should achieve under different breathing scenarios and individual characteristics.

[0126] In actual monitoring, high-precision sensors are used to continuously measure the inhalation airflow. When the airflow intensity reaches or exceeds this predetermined minimum flow rate, it can be identified as an effective inhalation airflow.

[0127] In addition, to make a more accurate judgment, the duration of inhalation can be taken into account. For example, it can be stipulated that the airflow must continuously reach an effective intensity within a certain inhalation duration to be confirmed as an effective inhalation, so as to avoid misjudgment caused by short-term airflow fluctuations.

[0128] In addition, the medication monitoring device can determine whether a patient has forgotten to inhale or inhaled too much medication based on the recorded number of doses and time, combined with a preset medication plan. If any abnormality is detected during the process, the device can also remind the patient to take the medication on time and in the correct dosage through the aforementioned voice module and / or display module, thereby improving the patient's medication adherence.

[0129] The above are merely specific embodiments of this disclosure, but the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A medication monitoring device, characterized by, The device body is sleeved outside the bottle body of the drug inhaler through the mounting cavity, and does not cover and interfere with the mouthpiece of the drug inhaler; An air flow passage and an inhalation airflow detection hole are arranged on the inner wall of the mounting cavity, and the air flow passage and the inhalation airflow detection hole are in fluid communication with the bottle body air inlet of the drug inhaler when the device body is sleeved on the bottle body of the drug inhaler; the air flow passage is configured to allow air to flow in, and the inhalation airflow detection hole is used to collect inhalation airflow flowing through the bottle body air inlet; a airflow containing cavity is arranged on the inner wall of the mounting cavity, and the airflow containing cavity is in communication with the air vent window arranged on the top surface of the device body to form the air flow passage, and the airflow containing cavity is formed by the inner wall of the mounting cavity extending outward, forming a recessed cavity structure; The device body further comprises a plug-in locking assembly, and the plug-in locking assembly comprises a telescopic locking rod; after the drug inhaler is installed in place, the telescopic locking rod can be inserted into the recessed point on the outer wall of the bottle body of the drug inhaler to fix the drug inhaler; The air flow passage and the inhalation airflow detection hole define an alignment section on the inner wall of the mounting cavity, and the circumferential dimension of the alignment section is smaller than the circumference of the inner wall of the mounting cavity; The drug use monitoring device further comprises a plurality of elastic detection components arranged on the inner wall of the mounting cavity, and the elastic detection components are configured to: when the bottle body air inlet of the drug inhaler is circumferentially aligned with the alignment section, the elastic detection components are embedded in the recessed point on the outer wall of the bottle body of the drug inhaler, and generate a set of electrical signals due to the different electrical signals generated by the elastic detection components at the recessed point and the non-recessed point; the elastic detection components are multiple.

2. The medication monitoring device of claim 1, wherein The plug-in locking assembly further comprises a locking base and a locking knob, the connecting end of the telescopic locking rod is connected with the locking knob, and the locking end of the telescopic locking rod enters the inside of the mounting cavity after penetrating into the locking base; the locking knob can drive the telescopic locking rod to rotate to switch between a locked state and an unlocked state; when in the locked state, the locking end of the telescopic locking rod can move inward relative to the locking base and be inserted into the recessed point; when in the unlocked state, the locking end of the telescopic locking rod can move outward relative to the locking base and be separated from the recessed point.

3. A medication monitoring system, characterized by, The drug use monitoring device according to any one of claims 1-2; and The storage bin is configured to store the medication monitoring device and the drug inhaler, the storage bin comprises a bin cover and a bin body, the bin cover and / or the bin body is provided with a desiccant containing structure, the desiccant containing structure comprises a bin cover fixing groove and / or a bin body fixing piece, the bin cover fixing groove is arranged on the top surface inside the bin cover, the inside of the bin body is provided with a plurality of separation structures in the circumferential direction, and the top of the separation structure is embedded with the bin body fixing piece; the inside of the bin cover is provided with inclined teeth in the circumferential direction, the outer wall of the suction nozzle of the drug inhaler is provided with inclined ribs in the circumferential direction, the inclined teeth and the inclined ribs are positionally corresponding and form a cooperation to enable the bin cover to drive the suction nozzle to rotate when the bin cover is rotated relative to the bin body.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein, The separation structure is provided with a magnet, and the device body is provided with a Hall sensor, or the separation structure is provided with a Hall sensor, and the device body is provided with a magnet, when the device body is stored in the inside of the storage bin, the Hall sensor senses the magnetism of the magnet to put the device body to sleep or activate.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein, The medication monitoring device further comprises a communication module; The system further comprises a platform end in communication connection with the communication module, the platform end is configured to receive the medication state information and the corresponding medication time stamp uploaded by the medication monitoring device; The medication state information is associatedly stored with the corresponding patient identifier; A medication compliance report is generated based on the stored medication state information.

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