Dispenser For An Orally Dissolvable Strip
A dispenser for an orally dissolvable strip sandwiched between two layers of wrap material includes first and second generally parallel receiving spools for receiving the respective layers of wrap material, said receiving spools being spaced apart for the orally dissolvable strip and the layers of wrap material to pass therebetween. The first and second spools may be coupled to portions of the first and second layers of wrap material, respectively. A force transfer apparatus is configured to rotate the second spool when the first spool rotates. The dispenser includes a housing containing the first and second receiving spools, the force transfer apparatus, the orally dissolvable strip, and the layers of wrap material, the housing having a slot sized for the orally dissolvable strip to pass through, the means for rotating the spools being accessible from outside the housing.
This invention relates generally to pharmaceutical dispensers and, more particularly, to a dispenser that stores and dispenses orally dissolvable strips.
For many years, most prescription and over-the-counter medications have been dispensed in pill or liquid form. Pill medication, of course, is typically dispensed in bottles although it may also be dispensed in foil packages. More recently, however, pharmaceuticals have been provided in the form of orally dissolvable strips. Each thin strip dissolves very quickly on a consumer's tongue and is then absorbed into the body.
Orally dissolvable strips have typically been dispensed as a stack of strips packaged in a box, each medicinal strip being sandwiched between thin strips of plastic so as to maintain purity and to keep the strips from sticking to one another. Although assumably effective for their intended use, the traditional packaging of orally dissolvable medicine strips requires a user first separate one strip from others in a stack, peel the plastic separator strips away from a respective medicine strip, and then to dispose of the separate films.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a dispenser for delivering orally dissolvable strips. Further, it would be desirable to have a dispenser that automatically separates a medicine strip from the plastic separator strips as the medicine strip is dispensed. In addition, it would be desirable to have a dispenser that collects the separator strips after they have been separated from the medicine strip and the medicine strip has been dispensed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA dispenser for an orally dissolvable strip sandwiched between two layers of wrap material, includes first and second generally parallel receiving spools for receiving the respective layers of wrap material, said receiving spools being spaced apart for the orally dissolvable strip and the layers of wrap material to pass therebetween. The first and second spools may be coupled to portions of the first and second layers of wrap material, respectively. A rotatable knob may be coupled to the first spool for actuating the spools. A force transfer apparatus is configured to rotate the second spool when the first spool rotates. The dispenser includes a housing containing the first and second receiving spools, the force transfer apparatus, the orally dissolvable strip, and the layers of wrap material, the housing having a slot sized for the orally dissolvable strip to pass through, the means for rotating the spools being accessible from outside the housing.
Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a dispenser for selectively dispensing an orally dissolvable medicine strip.
Another object of this invention is to provide a dispenser, as aforesaid, that separates the medicine strip from the wrapping strips between which the medicine strip is sandwiched.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a dispenser, as aforesaid, that collects the wrapping strips for later disposal.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a dispenser, as aforesaid, in which all components are held within a protective housing.
A further object of this invention is to provide a dispenser, as aforesaid, that is cost-effective and user-friendly.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.
A dispensing apparatus will now be described in detail with reference to
As shown in
As shown in
A housing 120 (shown throughout the drawings) contains the receiving spools 110a, 110b, the orally dissolvable strip 10, the layers of wrap material 15a, 15b, and the force transfer apparatus 116. The housing 120 has a slot 122 sized for the orally dissolvable strip 10 to pass through (
First and second guide rollers 130a, 130b (
In use, the user opens the cap 125 (
As shown in
The dispenser may be discarded after the orally dissolvable strip 10 is entirely removed from the housing 120, or the housing 120 may be reusable. For example, a cassette holding the orally dissolvable strip 10, the layers of wrap material 15a, 15b, the first and second receiving spools 110a, 110b, and the first and second guide rollers 130a, 130b may be replaceable by opening the housing 120.
It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A dispenser for an orally dissolvable strip sandwiched between two layers of wrap material, the dispenser comprising:
- first and second generally parallel receiving spools for receiving the respective layers of wrap material, said receiving spools being spaced apart for the orally dissolvable strip and the layers of wrap material to pass between;
- means for rotating said first spool;
- a force transfer apparatus configured to rotate said second spool when said first spool rotates; and
- a housing containing said first and second receiving spools, said force transfer apparatus, the orally dissolvable strip, and the layers of wrap material; said housing having a slot sized for the orally dissolvable strip to pass through;
- wherein said means for rotating is accessible outside said housing.
2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said means for rotating said first spool includes a rotatable knob operatively coupled to said first spool.
3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said force transfer apparatus includes at least one of a gear train, a pulley system, or a chain and sprocket system.
4. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a protective cap movably coupled to said housing to selectively expose and conceal said housing slot.
5. The dispenser of claim 4, wherein said housing is airtight when said cap conceals said housing slot.
6. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein:
- said first and second spools rotate only in opposed directions; and
- said force transfer apparatus is configured to rotate said second spool at generally the same speed as said first spool.
7. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising first and second guide rollers in said housing adjacent said housing slot to direct the orally dissolvable strip outwardly through said housing slot, and wherein:
- a respective layer of wrap material passes over said first guide roller before reaching said first receiving spool;
- the other layer of wrap material passes over said second guide roller before reaching said second spool; and
- said first and second guide rollers are positioned to cause generally adjacent points of the two layers of wrap material to separate from the orally dissolvable strip at generally the same time.
8. The dispenser of claim 7, further comprising a protective cap movably coupled to said housing to selectively expose and conceal said housing slot, and wherein:
- said means for rotating said first spool includes a rotatable knob operatively coupled to said first spool; and
- said force transfer apparatus includes at least one of a gear train, a pulley system, or a chain and sprocket system
9. The dispenser of claim 8, further comprising:
- a first wedge positioned between said first guide roller and the orally dissolvable strip for separating one of the layers of wrap material from the orally dissolvable strip; and
- a second wedge positioned between said second guide roller and the orally dissolvable strip for separating the other layer of wrap material from the orally dissolvable strip;
- wherein said housing includes a coupling element for selectively coupling said housing to a housing of another dispenser.
10. The dispenser of claim 9, wherein:
- said first and second spools rotate only in opposed directions; and
- said force transfer apparatus is configured to rotate said second spool at generally the same speed as said first spool.
11. The dispenser of claim 7, further comprising:
- a first wedge positioned between said first guide roller and the orally dissolvable strip for separating one of the layers of wrap material from the orally dissolvable strip; and
- a second wedge positioned between said second guide roller and the orally dissolvable strip for separating the other layer of wrap material from the orally dissolvable strip.
12. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said orally dissolvable strip includes at least one of a medication, a breath freshener, or a nutritional supplement.
13. An orally dissolvable strip and dispenser, comprising:
- an orally dissolvable strip sandwiched between first and second layers of wrap material;
- first and second generally parallel receiving spools for receiving the respective layers of wrap material, said first and second spools being spaced apart for said orally dissolvable strip and said layers of wrap material to pass between, said first spool being operatively coupled to said first layer of wrap material, said second spool being operatively coupled to said second layer of wrap material;
- a rotatable knob operatively coupled to said first spool for causing said first spool to rotate;
- a force transfer apparatus operatively coupled to said first and second spools and configured to rotate said second spool when said first spool rotates, said first and second spools and said force transfer apparatus being configured so that said first and second spools each receive a generally equivalent length of said wrap material when said first and second spools rotate;
- a housing containing said first and second receiving spools, said force transfer apparatus, said orally dissolvable strip, and said layers of wrap material; said housing having a slot sized for said orally dissolvable strip to pass through; and
- wherein said rotatable knob is accessible outside said housing.
14. The orally dissolvable strip and dispenser of claim 13, wherein said force transfer apparatus includes at least one of a gear train, a pulley system, or a chain and sprocket system.
15. The orally dissolvable strip and dispenser of claim 14, further comprising a protective cap movably coupled to said housing to selectively expose and conceal said housing slot.
16. The orally dissolvable strip and dispenser of claim 15, further comprising first and second guide rollers positioned in said housing adjacent said housing slot to direct said orally dissolvable strip out said housing slot, and wherein:
- said first layer of wrap material passes over said first guide roller before reaching said first receiving spoo, said first layer of wrap material being received by said first spool upon reaching said first spool;
- said second layer of wrap material passes over said second guide roller before reaching said second spool, said second layer of wrap material being received by said second spool upon reaching said second spool; and
- said first and second guide rollers are positioned to cause generally adjacent points of the two layers of wrap material to separate from the orally dissolvable strip at generally the same time.
17. The orally dissolvable strip and dispenser of claim 16, further comprising:
- a first wedge positioned between said first guide roller and said orally dissolvable strip for separating said first layer of wrap material from said orally dissolvable strip; and
- a second wedge positioned between said second guide roller and said orally dissolvable strip for separating said second layer of wrap material from said orally dissolvable strip;
- wherein said housing includes a coupling element for selectively coupling said housing to a housing of another dispenser.
18. The orally dissolvable strip and dispenser of claim 13, further comprising first and second guide rollers in said housing adjacent said housing slot to direct said orally dissolvable strip outwardly through said housing slot, and wherein:
- said first layer of wrap material passes over said first guide roller before reaching said first receiving spool;
- said second layer of wrap material passes over said second guide roller before reaching said second spool; and
- said first and second guide rollers are positioned to cause generally adjacent points of the two layers of wrap material to separate from the orally dissolvable strip at generally the same time.
19. The orally dissolvable strip and dispenser of claim 13, wherein said orally dissolvable strip includes at least one of a medication, a breath freshener, or a nutritional supplement.
20. The orally dissolvable strip and dispenser of claim 13, further comprising:
- a release material situated between said orally dissolvable strip and said first layer of wrap material; and
- a release material situated between said orally dissolvable strip and said second layer of wrap material.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 7, 2008
Publication Date: Feb 11, 2010
Inventor: Wanda Sheffield (Stockton, CA)
Application Number: 12/187,979
International Classification: B65H 1/00 (20060101);