Dose dispensing apparatus

Abstract

A dispensing system for controlled, especially remote controlled, dispensing of medicaments is disclosed. The system consists of a dispensing mechanism adapted to receive a sealed or resealable container of material to be dispensed and to validate that it is the correct material, and which includes a mechanical actuation mechanism which, when actuated, causes a measured dose of material to be dispensed from the material container. The mechanical actuation mechanism may be inhibited from operation by a locking mechanism which, when actuated, locks the device against the further dispensing of a dose of material until release in accordance with the desired dispensing programme, e.g. until a certain time period has elapsed, or until the programme permits dispensing to occur on some other basis. The dispensing system may be in two parts, a hand-held hand-actuated dispensing mechanism ( 1 ) and a base or docking station ( 2 ) into which the hand-held unit may be placed in order to release the locking mechanism. The docking or base station ( 2 ) may be triggered to cooperate with a remote overall control system, for example a remote computer, by placing the hand-held dispensing mechanism ( 1 ) in it.

1 . A dispensing system consisting of a programmable dispensing mechanism adapted to receive a sealed or resealable container containing multiple doses of material to be dispensed, and including a mechanical actuation mechanism which, when actuated, causes a measured dose of material to be dispensed from the material container, and wherein the mechanism may be inhibited from operation by a locking mechanism which, when actuated, locks the system against the further dispensing of a dose of material until released in accordance with a desired dispensing programme, and wherein the container and dispensing mechanism are provided with an RF antenna enabling the authenticity of the container placed in the dispensing system to be checked by means of an RF tag associated with the container.  
   
   
       2 . A dispensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the RF tag may be accessed by the dispensing system.  
   
   
       3 . A dispensing system according to  claim 2 , wherein the RF tag may be written to by the dispensing system.  
   
   
       4 . A dispensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the RF tag may be written to by the dispensing system.  
   
   
       5 . A dispensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the RF tag may be read by the dispensing system.  
   
   
       6 . A dispensing system according to  claim 2 , wherein the RF tag may be read by the dispensing system.  
   
   
       7 . A dispensing system according to  claim 3 , wherein the RF tag may be read by the dispensing system.  
   
   
       8 . A dispensing system according to  claim 4 , wherein the RF tag may be read by the dispensing system.