GB2321231A

GB2321231A - Two-compartment medicament dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2321231A
Application number: GB9717239A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sydney Parkinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-01-21
Filing date: 1997-08-15
Publication date: 1998-07-22
Also published as: GB9717239D0; GB9701160D0

Abstract

A two-part medicament dispenser 10 comprises a first compartment which contains a pharmaceutically acceptable solvent or diluent 17, such as water, for a medicament and is located in the body of the dispenser, such as a bottle 11; the second compartment 14 is used to seal the mouth of the first compartment via a push-fit or screw cap and it contains the medicament 18, usually in pill or tablet form, to be administered. Cap 12 with resilient disc 16 seals the open top of the dispenser. The medicament is added to the solvent and dissolved prior to use. In another form (Figure 2), a cylindrical body with a clip attachment suitable for carrying in a pocket is described. The second compartment screws into the mouth of the first and a closure cap in turn screws into the mouth of the second compartment.

Description

MEDICAMENT DISPENSER The present invention concerns a convenient, easy to use medicament dispenser particularly, though by no means exclusively, for use in carrying and dispensing medicaments in an emergency situation.

Upon encountering a patient with a suspected heart attack, the first line of treatment is a dose of 300 mg of aspirin in 30 ml water. This has a very significant therapeutic benefit and, the shorter the delay between a suspected heart attack and treatment, the greater the therapeutic effect. Ideally treatment should be effected immediately after, or even during, a heart attack. Usually, however, such a medicament preparation will not be readily available at the time of need.

According to the present invention there is provided a medicament preparation dispenser having a first compartment containing a pharmaceutically acceptable solvent or diluent for a medicament and having a sealed opening, and a second compartment attached to the first compartment containing the medicament to be dispensed, and having a sealed opening, the two compartments being separable and openable to enable the medicament to be mixed with the solvent or diluent, ready for dispensation.

The first compartment may be a bottle.

The second compartment may form the seal to the opening of the first compartment.

The second compartment may be a push-fit into the opening of the first compartment.

The second compartment may screw into the opening of the first compartment.

The second compartment may be sealed by a cap.

The cap may screw onto the second compartment.

The cap may require some manipulation before being capable of being unscrewed.

The bottle may be elongate and the cap may be provided with a clip enabling the dispenser to be carried in a pocket in the fashion of a writing implement.

The medicament may be soluble aspirin, and the solvent may be water.

There may be 300 mg of aspirin and 30 ml of water.

The invention will be further apparent from the following description, with reference to the several figures of the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, two forms of dispenser embodying same.

Of the drawings : Figure 1 shows a cross-section through a first dispenser; Figure 2 shows a cross-section through a second dispenser.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, it will be seen that the dispenser generally indicated at 10 comprises a bottle 11 having a screw-cap 12 which is preferably of the kind requiring some manipulation before unscrewing to prevent accidental loosening or ease of removal by a child.

Fitted within the neck 13 of the bottle 11 is a open-topped container 14 having an outwardly extending Flange 15 at its upper end which overlies the rim ofthe neck 13 to seal the entrance to the interior ofthe bottle 11 and prevent the container 14 from falling into the bottle.

A resilient disc 16 on the inside of the cap 12 seals the open top of the container 14 when the cap is screwed onto the neck of the bottle 11.

In this example, the bottle 11 contains 30 ml of water 17 and the container 14 a 300 mg tablet 18 of soluble aspirin.

In use, the dispenser 10 is carried in a first-aid kit, motor vehicle, golf bag, pocket or other readily accessible place.

In the event of a person having a heart attack, or suspected heart attack, the dispenser 10 is accessed, the cap 12 removed, the container 14 withdrawn from the neck 13 of the bottle 11, the tablet 18 tipped into the bottle and the bottle shaken to dissolve the aspirin into the water. The resulting solution is then orally administered to the patient.

The dispenser 10 can, of course, be recharged after use thus allaying any reluctance to use even when not strictly necessary.

Referring now to Figure 2, it will be seen that the dispenser, generally indicated at 20, comprises an elongated cylindrical barrel 21 having an internally threaded neck at its upper open end normally closed by a screw-in pot-like container 22 whose open upper end is normally closed by a screw cap 23.

The container 22 carries an outwardly directed flange 24 which forms a seal between the lower rim of the cap 23 and upper rim of the barrel 21 when the three parts are screwed together.

The cap 23 mounts a spring clip 25 enabling the dispenser to be carried in the pocket in the fashion of a writing implement.

As before, the barrel 21 is filled with 30 ml of water 26 and the container 22 charged with 300 mg of soluble aspirin 27.

In use, the cap 23 is unscrewed from the container 22, which is itself unscrewed from the barrel 21 enabling the aspirin to be poured into the water and dissolved prior to administration to the patient.

It will be appreciated that it is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only, many variations, such as might readily occur to one skilled in the art, being possible, without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

Thus, in either embodiment, the smaller compartment may contain a tablet or tablets which can be administered orally prior to drinking water from the larger compartment. These tablets may be ones which the user requires regularly, and they may be located over a removable partition, 50 shown in dotted lines in figure 1, giving access to an aspirin tablet for emergency use.

Claims

1. A medicament preparation dispenser having a first compartment containing a pharmaceutically acceptable solvent or diluent for a medicament and having a sealed opening, and a second compartment attached to the first compartment containing the medicament to be dispensed, and having a sealed opening, the two compartments being separable and openable to enable the medicament to be mixed with the solvent or diluent, ready for dispensation.

2. A dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the first compartment is a bottle.

3. A dispenser according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the second compartment forms the seal to the opening ofthe first compartment.

4. A dispenser according to claim 3 wherein the second compartment is a push-fit into the opening of the first compartment.

5. A dispenser according to claim 3 wherein the second compartment screws into the opening of the first compartment.

6. A dispenser according to any preceding claim wherein the second compartment is sealed by a cap.

7. A dispenser according to claim 6 wherein the cap screws onto the second compartment.

8. A dispenser according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the cap requires some manipulation before being capable of being unscrewed.

9. A dispenser according to any one of claims 6 - 8 wherein the cap is provided with a clip enabling the dispenser to be carried in a pocket in the fashion of a writing implement.

10. A dispenser according to any preceding claim wherein the medicament is soluble aspirin, and the solvent is water.

11. A dispenser according to claim 10 wherein there is 300 mg of aspirin and 30 ml of water.