Portable Medication Dispenser Hopper and Disc Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medication dispensers are often bulky and not portable, making them inconvenient for patients who need to manage routine medication administration, especially those with diminished capacity who may struggle to keep track of their medication schedules.
Innovation Solution
A portable pill dispenser system that includes a computer-controlled device with a hopper assembly, disc, and elevator mechanism, allowing for precise and controlled dispensing of pills based on patient schedules, using authentication and sensor feedback for accurate pill delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing medication dispensers are designed with robust medication management features, then medication administration reliability is improved, but device size and portability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser is divided into functional modules: a hopper assembly for medication storage, a disc with compartments for organizing different medications, an elevator mechanism for pill delivery, and a control system. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a nested structure where the disc with medication compartments is positioned within the hopper assembly, and the elevator mechanism operates within the same housing. This nesting approach maximizes space utilization and enables robust medication management features in a compact form factor.
2Manufacturing precision
If existing pill dispensers include comprehensive control and authentication features, then medication dispensing accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system receives feedback from sensors that detect pill presence and dispensing status, and from authentication mechanisms that verify patient identity. This feedback loop ensures accurate pill dispensing by confirming each step of the process before proceeding to the next.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispenser is designed to automatically manage medication dispensing without requiring complex user intervention. The system self-regulates by detecting when pills need to be dispensed, authenticating the patient, and delivering the correct medication, thereby simplifying the user interface while maintaining high dispensing accuracy.
3Ease of operation
If medication dispensers are designed for automated pill delivery, then ease of operation for patients with diminished capacity is improved, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser automatically manages the entire medication dispensing process including patient authentication, pill selection, and delivery. Patients with diminished capacity simply need to interact with the authentication system, after which the device handles all complex operations autonomously, providing ease of operation without requiring a large form factor.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple functions are merged into a single integrated device: medication storage, patient authentication, pill counting, and automated dispensing. This consolidation provides comprehensive automated pill delivery in one compact unit, improving ease of operation while controlling device size through efficient space utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are systems and methods for a pill dispenser system. The dispenser system includes a dispenser software application that manages the administration of pills to a patient. The pills can be stored in multiple compartments of a hopper. The hopper includes openings in the bottom of each compartment. A disc below the hopper has openings that correspond to the hopper openings, but are offset, keeping the pills in each compartment. The hopper and the disc move together to index a compartment above a dispensing cup. The hopper moves in the opposite direction, without the disc, creating a dispensing aperture, where a pill is dropped onto an elevator. The elevator lowers the pill and drops it into a dispensing cup.