Medicament dispensing system and dispensing method

Abstract

A dispensing system (2) and method for dispensing unit dosage forms (38) from a blister pack (30) is disclosed. The system (2) comprises a housing (4) for receiving a blister pack (30), the blister pack (30) having a plurality of cavities (32) with at least one unit dosage form (38) sealed in each of the cavities (32), the housing (4) comprising at least one housing aperture. The system (2) also comprises a sensing layer comprising a plurality of apertures, each sensing layer aperture configured to substantially align with a corresponding one or more of the plurality of cavities (32) of the blister pack (30) when a blister pack (30) is received in the housing (4) and at least one sensing region. The system (2) further comprises an electronics unit and a power source for providing voltage to the sensing layer. In use, the unit dosage forms (38) are dispensed from the blister pack (30) through the sensing layer apertures and through the at least one housing aperture, for example by application of pressure (P) upon each cavity (32), and the sensing layer senses each unit dosage form (38) being dispensed from the blister pack (30).

1 . A dispensing system for dispensing unit dosage forms from a blister pack, the dispensing system comprising:
 a housing for receiving a blister pack, the blister pack having a plurality of cavities with at least one unit dosage form sealed in each of the cavities, the housing comprising at least one housing aperture;   a sensing layer comprising:
 a plurality of apertures, each sensing layer aperture configured to substantially align with a corresponding one or more of the plurality of cavities of the blister pack when a blister pack is received in the housing; and 
 at least one sensing region; 
   an electronics unit; and   a power source for providing voltage to the sensing layer;   
       wherein:
 in use, the unit dosage forms are dispensed from the blister pack through the sensing layer apertures and through the at least one housing aperture; and 
 the sensing layer senses each unit dosage form being dispensed from the blister pack. 
 
     
     
         2 . The dispensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing layer comprises a pressure sensitive layer and a conductive layer, the conductive layer comprising at least one conductive region. 
     
     
         3 . The dispensing system of  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of conductive regions, at least one conductive region at least partially surrounding each sensing layer aperture, preferably comprising segments or zones of conductive regions surrounding each sensing layer aperture, wherein the sensing layer senses the pressure applied in the vicinity of each cavity as each unit dosage form is dispensed from the blister pack. 
     
     
         4 . The dispensing system of  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of conductive regions, the conductive regions arranged at the edges and/or in the corners of the conductive layer, wherein the sensing layer senses the pressure applied to the sensing layer as each unit dosage form is dispensed from the blister pack. 
     
     
         5 . The dispensing system of  claim 2 , wherein the sensing layer further comprises a spacing layer between the pressure sensitive layer and the conductive layer, the spacing layer spacing the pressure sensitive layer and conductive layer apart such that they are not in electrical contact, and the spacing layer being compressible such that the pressure sensitive layer and the conductive region(s) of the conductive layer can be brought into electrical contact. 
     
     
         6 . The dispensing system of  claim 5 , wherein the spacing layer comprises foam. 
     
     
         7 . The dispensing system of  claim 5 , wherein the sensing layer apertures are substantially circular or elliptical, and the sensing layer aperture of the spacing layer has a larger diameter than the sensing layer aperture of the pressure sensitive layer and of the sensing layer aperture of the conductive layer, such that an air gap is provided between the pressure sensitive layer and conductive layer in the vicinity of the apertures. 
     
     
         8 . The dispensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the sensing layer is configured such that compression of the compressible spacing layer depletes the air gap until the pressure sensitive layer and the conductive region(s) of the conductive layer are brought into electrical contact. 
     
     
         9 . The dispensing system of  claim 2 , wherein the power source provides voltage to the conductive region(s) of the conductive layer. 
     
     
         10 . The dispensing system of  claim 2 , wherein the pressure sensitive layer comprises a non-conductive material comprising conductive particles dispersed therein. 
     
     
         11 . The dispensing system of  claim 2 , wherein the pressure sensitive layer comprises a polymer film layer, preferably a polyolefin, such as polyethylene, layer, impregnated with conductive particles, preferably carbon black particles. 
     
     
         12 . The dispensing system of  claim 2 , wherein the conductive layer comprises a printed circuit board (PCB), the conductive region(s) of the conductive layer being printed onto the conductive layer. 
     
     
         13 . The dispensing system of  claim 3 , wherein the conductive regions of the conductive layer are substantially ring-shaped and encircle the apertures in the conductive layer, each conductive region being discrete from any other conductive region of the conductive layer. 
     
     
         14 . The dispensing system of  claim 3 , wherein the conductive regions of the conductive layer comprise substantially all of the conductive layer. 
     
     
         15 . The dispensing system of  claim 2 , wherein the sensing layer senses the profile of the pressure applied to the sensing layer to determine if:
 a unit dosage form has been dispensed from the blister pack; or   the pressure has a non-dispensing pressure profile.   
     
     
         16 . The dispensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing layer comprises a first capacitive layer and a second capacitive layer, the first and second capacitive layers separated by a compressible spacing layer therebetween, wherein compression of the compressible layer as a unit dosage form is being dispensed from the blister pack brings the first and second capacitive layers closer together thereby changing the capacitance of the system. 
     
     
         17 . The dispensing system of  claim 1  wherein the sensing layer comprises an inductive sensor with inductive properties, where dispensing the dosage unit, by displacing the sensing layer or by rupture of the blister pack, changes the inductive properties. 
     
     
         18 . The dispensing system of  claim 1  wherein the sensing layer comprises an inductive sensor with inductive properties, where dispensing the dosage unit, by displacing the sensing layer, by displacing or by rupture tearing of the blister pack, changes the electrical properties. 
     
     
         19 . The dispensing system of  claim 18  where the changes of electrical properties are used to detect when the user change blister. 
     
     
         20 . The dispensing system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one transmitter and at least one receiver, the receiver configured to receive a signal from the transmitter, wherein the receiver and transmitter are aligned with each other such that at least one of the apertures of the sensing layer is located between them. 
     
     
         21 - 39 . (canceled)