Retractable Storage Tube for Unit Dose Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medication storage and distribution systems often result in excess doses being unused or expired, as they are not tailored to the specific needs of patients, leading to inefficiencies and environmental issues, and existing automated systems still rely on manual labor, which is error-prone and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
An automated system comprising a storage tube with a retractable inner structure for unit doses, a filling device, and a dispensing cabinet that uses a conveyor belt and traction means to accurately dispense the exact number of doses prescribed, minimizing human intervention and optimizing dose packaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If medications are packaged in boxes with a given number of doses, then the medication can be supplied in bulk, but the remaining doses either expire unused or are destroyed causing environmental pollution
Solution Approach 1:
The medication packaging is segmented into individual unit doses, each contained in its own blister within a storage tube. This allows precise dispensing of the exact number of doses needed, eliminating waste from bulk packaging where remaining doses expire unused.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the packaging parameter from fixed bulk quantities to flexible unit doses that can be precisely matched to prescription requirements. The storage tube can be filled with exactly the number of unit doses needed, adapting the quantity parameter to match patient-specific treatment plans.
2Extent of automation
If automated dispensing cabinets are used, then the workload of hospital pharmacy is reduced, but the system still relies on manual work which is error-prone and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The storage tube with retractable inner structure enables self-service automated dispensing. The system automatically retrieves unit doses from the storage tube without requiring manual intervention to open packaging or prepare doses, allowing the cabinet to serve itself in the dose dispensing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The retractable inner structure provides dynamic access to unit doses within the storage tube. The inner structure can be extended to present the next dose for dispensing and retracted to protect remaining doses, enabling automated sequential access without manual intervention.
3Ease of operation
If manual preparation of doses is performed, then flexibility in preparing specific doses is maintained, but substantial workload is imposed on hospital staff
Solution Approach 1:
Unit doses are pre-packaged in blisters within the storage tube during manufacturing, with each dose individually prepared and sealed. This preliminary action transfers the preparation workload from hospital staff to the manufacturing process, eliminating manual dose preparation while maintaining flexibility through unit-dose segmentation.
Data Source
AI summary
Tubes for storing unit doses of drugs are disclosed, the tubes may include an elongate outer casing having two open ends, an inner structure inside said casing, which includes two opposite symmetrical walls connected at the ends thereof and ribbed on the inner surfaces thereof such as to enable the insertion and fastening of a blister pack containing a unit dose of a drug in channels opposite to said walls, and a pulling means for inserting and extracting the inner structure from the outer casing. Devices and methods for filling the tube with unit doses of drugs is also disclosed, along with cabinets for dispensing unit doses of drugs from said storage tube.