Technical Field

The invention relates to a drug delivery system that enables the users to regulate drug use times and access their drugs in an easy and controlled manner.

In particular, the invention relates to a drug delivery system that ensures that users, who use more than one drug store their medication, take the right amount of medication by preventing them from missing the time to take their medication, control access to drug and facilitate its use.

State of the Art

Drugs such as pills that provide treatment and/or supplements and their amount of use should be followed accurately during the day. In particular, people aged 65 and over use an average of four or more drugs per day, while Alzheimer or Dementia patients need nine or more drugs per day. Multi-compartment storage containers are usually used for users to distinguish between the drugs they take daily and to take them regularly, and it is ensured that users do not miss their drug taking times by installing alarms on their devices like phones. However, especially in patients with diseases such as Alzheimer and Dementia, undesirable situations such as mixing their drugs and/or forgetting to take them on time arise and this situation poses a great danger to the health of the user. The drug delivery and monitoring devices used in the current applications are installed by combining a large number of different parts and are made suitable for use after the necessary arrangements and adjustments are made before use. However, considering that these devices will be used by users who are 65 years of age or older and have significant conditions such as Alzheimer or Dementia, it is very difficult to install and make them ready for use. In addition, if the physical size of the existing devices is large, difficulties arise both in terms of use and transportation, and in case of reduction of the physical size, it is necessary to refill these devices every two or three days for patients who need to use a large number of drugs such as nine on a daily basis. For this reason, the usage function of the device is considerably reduced and it is almost impossible to use it without help, especially for patients aged 65 and over.

US20090194556A1 describes a medical pill container that allows the pill container to be secured and dispenses one pill at a time. The pill container includes a bottom cover, pill drain opening, a rotatable and scrollable cap top lid with spring. While the pill in the pill container is protected against external influences, a single pill is delivered in each discharge process. By means of the child lock in the container, young children and people with intellectual disabilities are prevented from easily accessing the pills in the container. By means of the child lock, the vertically sliding top cover rotates and locks to the lower cover, and the lock in the top cover matches the slot in the lower cover to discharge the pill. With the locking and the slot matching in the same position, the upper lid is compressed on the lower lid and the pill is dropped into the drain opening with the effect of gravity. There is no mention of a solution to facilitate use for users who take a large number and/or various drug/pills, to monitor and control the amount of drug/pill delivered and the time of use, and to remind the drug time especially for users who are 65 years of age or older and/or have diseases such as Alzheimer or Dementia.

Therefore, there is a need to develop a drug delivery system that ensures that the drugs/pills of the user using more than one drug/pill are protected from external influences, that the amount of drug/pill the user takes and the time to take their drug/pill are controlled and monitored, that the time to take the drug/pill is reminded and that their access to drugs/pills is controlled and that their use is facilitated.

Object of the Invention

The present invention relates to a drug delivery system that meets the requirements mentioned above, eliminates possible disadvantages and provides some additional advantages.

The main object of the drug delivery system, which is the subject of the invention, is to provide a drug delivery system that protects more than one drug/pill from external influences and controls and monitors access to drugs/pills.

Another object of the invention is to provide a practical and modular drug delivery system that reduces the number of parts used in the system, offering easy setup and use and reducing noise generated during operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a functional and efficient drug delivery system that allows the time of drug/pill intake and the amount of drug/pill delivered to be controlled and facilitates the use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safe drug delivery system that prevents the improper and/or unauthorized receipt of retained drugs/pills and ensures that drug/pill delivery procedures are followed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a convenient drug delivery system that allows the user to be reminded of the time to take the drug/pill.

In order to achieve the objectives mentioned above in the most general form, the drug delivery system ensures that more than one drug is protected against external influences and is kept inside, ensures that the amount of drugs and the time of drug taking are controlled, and that improper and/or unauthorized access is prevented; the system comprises at least one body that contains at least one first aperture that allows the transmission of drugs, ensuring that drugs are protected and maintained against external influences. It also comprises at least one access element that grants access to the body and the prevents incorrect and/or unauthorized access to drugs in the body by locking it and the sends a warning notification; at least one second aperture that allows drugs to be delivered to the user; at least one transfer element, which includes at least one slot, a first movement of which allows the drug in the body to be taken into the slot and a second movement of the drug in the slot to be delivered from the second aperture. The system also includes at least one drive element that allows the transfer element to be moved; at least one control unit that enables the operation of the drive element and the access element to be checked, the access element to be locked, and to warn the user and/or the person responsible for the user visually and/or audibly in case of receipt of a warning notification; at least one monitoring element that ensures that the information on the time and amount of drug use is received and recorded, that information on the delivery of the drug is sent to the control unit at the time of drug use in accordance with the information received, that the user and/or the person responsible for the user is informed by monitoring the drug usage status and incorrect and/or unauthorized access.

The structural and characteristic features and all the advantages of the invention will be understood more clearly through the detailed description written by referring to the figures given below and therefore the evaluation should be made by considering these figures and the detailed description.

Figures to Help Understand the Invention

In order to best understand the structure and advantages of the present invention, it should be evaluated together with the figures described below.

Figure - 1 : A perspective view of the drug delivery system that is the subject of the invention.

Figure - 2: A cross-sectional view of the transfer element in the drug delivery system that is the subject of the invention.

Figure - 3: Another perspective view of the drug delivery system that is the subject of the invention.

References

1 . Body

2. Access element

3. Second aperture

4. Transfer element

4a. Slot 5. Drive element

6. Control unit

7. Monitoring element

8. Vibration element

9. Operating element

10. First protection element

1 1 . Second protection element

Detailed Description of the Invention

In this detailed description, the preferred embodiments of the drug delivery system that is the subject of the invention are explained only for a better understanding of the subject.

The drug delivery system developed by the present invention, an embodiment of which is given in Figure 1 , ensures that more than one drug, preferably in pill or capsule form, is preserved in it by protecting it from external influences, controls the amount of drugs taken by the user and the time of drug taking, prevents improper and/or unauthorized access to the retained drugs; the system comprises at least one body (1 ), preferably in the form of a hollow cylinder, that is suitable for the insertion of more than one drug into it, containing at least one first aperture that allows the transmission of drugs and that ensures that the drugs placed in it are protected against external effects. The system also comprises at least one access element (2), preferably in the cover structure, which is connected to the body (1 ) and is lockable to close the first aperture, which allows access to the body (1 ) and prevents improper and/or unauthorized access to drugs in the body (1 ) by locking it and sends a warning notification in case of incorrect and/or unauthorized opening; at least one second aperture (3) located on body (1 ), preferably in circular form, which allows drugs stored in the body (1 ) to be delivered to the user; at least one transfer element (4), preferably in cylinder form, which is suitable for the placement of at least one drug in it, preferably containing at least one aperture with different sides of chamfer and/or Radius (radial slope) degree and which has a recess structure extending towards the transfer element (4) by positioning on the transfer element (4), suitable for inserting the drug in the slot (4a) in the body (1 ) with a first movement, which is located in the second aperture (3), which allows the drug in slot (4a) to be delivered to the user from the second aperture (3) by a second movement in the same or different direction as the first movement. Further, the system comprises at least one drive element (5), which is a micro servo motor connected with the transfer element (4) and which enables the transfer element (4) to be moved, preferably suitable for operation with a pulse width modulation signal; at least one control unit (6) connected with drive element (5) and access element (2), which is suitable for the transmission of information by remote communication, which enables the operation of drive element (5) and access element (2) to be controlled, access element (2) to prevent incorrect and/or unauthorized access to the body (1 ), and to warn the user and/or the person responsible for the user visually and/or audibly in the event of receipt of a warning notification; at least one monitoring element, preferably a mobile phone (7), which is connected with the control unit (6) via remote communication, that provides for receiving and recording the user's drug usage time and amount of use information, sending the information about the delivery of the drug to the control unit (6) at the time of drug use in accordance with the information received, monitoring the drug usage status and incorrect and/or unauthorized accesses and informing the user and/or the person responsible for the user visually and/or audibly.

In an embodiment of the drug delivery system developed with the present invention, after the opening of the access element (2), a large number of drugs of the same type are transferred from the first aperture into the body (1 ). The access element (2) is then closed and the access element (2) is locked through the control unit (6). In this way, faulty and/or unauthorized access to drugs in the body (1 ) is prevented. The information about the time of drug use and the amount of use of the user/patient is entered into the monitoring element (7) by the person responsible for the patient, such as the health worker, the doctor, and the information entered is stored in the monitoring element (7). In accordance with the time of drug use and the amount of use information recorded in the monitoring element (7), the control unit (6) is informed about the delivery of the drug when the drug is taken. By means of the control unit (6), the transfer element (4) is moved by the drive element (5) by activating the drive element (5). The transfer element (4) is rotated with the first movement and taken into the drug slot (4a) in the body (1 ) and delivered to the user from the drug second aperture (3) in the slot (4a) by rotating in the same or different direction with the second movement. After the operation, the transfer element (4) moves again and the second aperture (3) is closed to access. Thus, while the right amount of drugs is presented to the user at the right time, it is also prevented from faulty and/or unauthorized access to drugs that need to be taken care of, especially red prescription drugs.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drug delivery system comprises at least one vibration element (8), preferably in the motor structure, which is linked to the control unit (6) and the body (1 ) and/or the transfer element (4), which enables vibration to be generated by working with the drive element (5) and to transfer the drug in the body (1 ) to the second aperture (3) and prevent it from being trapped during transmission.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drug delivery system comprises at least one operating element (9) located on the body (1 ) and connected with the control unit (6), which allows manual control of the operation of the drive element (5), preferably in the structure of a button suitable for transmitting information to the monitoring element (7) by holding it for a period of time and transmitting information. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the drug delivery system comprises at least one first protection element (10) connected with the body (1 ) and suitable for the placement of the control unit (6) in it, preferably in the structure of a closed chamber, which enables the control unit (6) to be transported and protected against external effects. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the drug delivery system comprises at least one second protection element (11 ), preferably in the reservoir structure, which is connected with the body (1 ), which ensures that the drive element (5) and/or the vibration element (8) are maintained in such a way that they do not come into contact with drugs inside the body (1 ) and are protected from external effects. By means of the drug delivery system developed with the present invention, it is ensured that the user's drugs are protected from external effects and that the amount of drugs taken by the user and the time of taking their drugs are controlled and monitored. In addition, by means of the control unit (6) and monitoring element (7), a practical, convenient and safe drug delivery system is provided, which reminds the user of the time of taking the drug, controls access to drugs, prevents improper and/or unauthorized access and facilitates its use.