Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a drug box which provides hygienic protection and warns the user, the producer and distribution channels when necessary.

Background of the Invention

In the state of the art, there are drug boxes which protect the drug by enabling to take drugs from inside thereof. One of them is disclosed in the United States patent document no. US2007095850. In this document, a drug box is mentioned which has a plurality of compartments and into which many types of drugs can be put. In this invention, the user needs to place the drugs that he/she will use into the box.

Other drug boxes in the state of the art are disclosed in Canada patent document no. CA 2651790 and International patent document no. WO 2008023019.

In the state of the art, while using the drugs sold in plastic bottles the user contacts with drugs more than needed as well in order to take one drug. These drugs may decay prior to the expiration date depending on medium conditions. Some drugs are packaged by blister packaging method in order to prevent the user from contacting all the drugs to take only one drug and avoid shortening of shelf- life.

Expired drugs can not be controlled by the producing company no matter how they are packaged. Date control of the drugs can only be performed over the writings of production and expiration date, it is not possible to recall the expired drugs from the pharmacies and drug stores by the producing companies. Summary of the Invention

The objective of the present invention is to realize a drug box which enables the patient to be only in contact with the drug that he/she will use, while using it, for the drugs which require precise timing during their use, which can be affected by moisture and hygiene of which should be kept at high level.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize a drug box which enables the producing companies to recall the expired drugs from the drug stores.

A further objective of the invention is to ensure that the drug is used at maximum safety by means of audible warnings.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The drug box realized to fulfill the objective of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying figures, in which:

Figure- 1 is the closed view of the inventive drug box.

Figure-2 is the view of the inventive drug box wherein the cap thereof is opened.

Figure-3 is the exploded view of the inventive drug box.

The parts illustrated in the figures are individually numbered where the numbers refer to the following:

1. Drug box

2. Outer covering 21. Channel

3. Inner box 31. Orifice

32. Tab

33. Slot

34. Protrusion 4. Fixing member

41. Recess 5. Separator

51. Plate

52. Tube 6. Contact member

61. Holder

62. Cavity

7. Electronic card

8. Cap 81. Transparent part

The inventive drug box (1) comprises an inner box (3) which protects drugs from external factors such as light, heat, moisture, an outer covering (2) which surrounds the inner box (3) laterally wherein it is disposed, a fixing member (4) which is disposed onto the inner box (3), a separator (5) which enables to use the drugs that will be put into the inner box (3) one by one by being disposed into the inner box (3) and which has plate (51) composing compartments up to the number of drug, a contact member (6) which covers the inner box (3) and on which there are holders (61), an electronic card (7) which is disposed in the middle of the contact member (6) and which is hold to the contact member (6) with the holders (61) located on the contact member (6), a cap (8) which has a transparent part (81) ensuring that light warning is seen and passing light and which is closed onto the electronic card (7) and other parts of the box (1).

The outer covering (2) is a protective layer surrounding the inner box (3) laterally. There is groove (Y) on the upper wall of the outer covering (2) in order that the cap (8) can be closed. By this means, the cap (8) is closed onto the covering (2). The outer covering (2) comprises at least two channels (21) extending along the covering (2) inside thereof.

The inner box (3) is the chamber wherein the drugs are stored. The inner box (3) is in open-top, cylindrical structure and there is a slot (33) in the center of it. There are at least two protrusions (34) on its outer wall. The inner box (3) is disposed into the outer covering (2). During this disposal, the protrusions (34) slide along the channels (21) by positioning into the channels (21). The inner box (3) comprises an orifice (31) on the near side of it and, in the inner part, a tab (32) in a side thereof close to the orifice (31). The orifice is (31) a hole which is as big as a single drug may pass.

The fixing member (4) is in the form of ring and comprises at least one recess (41) on its wall. The said member (4) holds the outer covering (2) and the inner box (3) to each other by being fitted onto the inner box (3) by means of the recess (41) after the inner box (3) is disposed into the outer covering (2).

The separator (5) comprises a tube (52) in the center of it and plate (51) which is one more than the number of the drugs. These plates (51) are positioned around the tube (52) vertically such that one side of each (51) is on the tube (52). One drug is put between both of the plates (51). While the separator (5) is being disposed into the inner box (3), the orifice (2) is positioned such that it is between the two plates (51) and the tube (52) fits to the slot (33). While the cap (8) is being opened the inner box (3) protrudes from the outer covering (2) to a certain extent by moving together with the separator (5). The protrusion amount of the inner box (3) from the outer covering (2) is as much as that it enables the hole (31) to remain open.

The contact member (6) comprises holders (61) on itself and a cavity (61) in its centre. The contact member (6) is fitted to the tube (52) on the separator (5) by being put onto the inner box (3), by means of the cavity (62) in the centre of it. Thus it covers the inner box (3) and acts as bearing for the electronic card (7). When the electronic card (7) is disposed onto the contact member (6), the holders (61) fix the electronic card (7). There are path lines (not shown) on the contact member (6). By means of these lines, the contact member (6) transmits the rotation movement of the separator (5) to the electronic card (7). The contact member (6) protects the electronic card (7) from external factors as well.

The separator (5) and the contact member (6) enable to protect unused drugs from air and external environment conditions.

The electronic card (7) comprises at least one battery positioned on the pertinax, at least one microprocessor, at least one moisture sensor, at least one temperature sensor, at least one buzzer, at least one light source (led) and at least one resistor. The electronic card (7) comprises preferably an indicator or screen in one embodiment of the invention and in another embodiment, it comprises preferably a GPS (Global Positioning System) transmitter.

The cap (8) is turned by the user when the drug will be used. The cap (8) forces the separator (5) to turn as well, by turning at each use. The turning movement enables one plate (51) to hit to the tab (32) inside the inner box (3) and to break.

Thus, while the next drug is directed to the orifice (31) the drugs which remain between the other plates (51) are sent towards the orifice (31) in turn. Since when there is not left any drug inside the box there is not left any plate (51) as well, the box is avoided to be filled with fake drugs and put on the market again.

There are numbers (S) on the cap (8). The transparent part (81) is disposed in the middle of these numbers (S). There are preferably programming rings on the transparent part (81). With these rings a user such as pharmacist, doctor programme the electronic card (7) according to how many times a day and how many drug the patient will use. While the mounting of the drug box is carried out the inner box (3) is disposed into the outer covering (2), the fixing member (4) is fitted onto the inner box (3). After the separator (5) is disposed into the inner box (3), the contact member (6) is closed onto it and the electronic card (7) is positioned onto the contact member (6). Also, the box (1) is closed by disposing the cap (8) onto the electronic card (V).

The microprocessor located on the electronic card (7) gives warning to the user vocally or visually by means of light source (led) when there is not left any drug inside the box (1), by detecting the turning movement of the cap (8) and stops functions of the electronic card (7) not to work again. In addition, when the time to take the drug by the user comes this situation is notified to the user by the microprocessor via led or audible warning.

The electronic card (7) can make contact with distribution channels such as pharmacy, drug store and/or control units located on centers such as producing company by means of radio frequency and/or notify its location with GPS. During production, production date and expiration date of the drug and medium conditions such as required temperature, moisture for storage and audible warning that will be given in the course of use are defined in the electronic card (7). The electronic card (7) transmits data to the control units which are away, when the expiration date of the drug is over or when the drug is kept in a medium having different values than the moisture and temperature values at which the drug should be kept. By this means, consumption of decayed drugs is prevented by notifying the drugs which are decayed before the expiration date because of inadequate storage conditions and/or which are expired, to the relevant institutions. In addition, it is taken to the memory by the microprocessor as well when the storage conditions deteriorate and by this means, breaks in the supply chain can be followed. In one embodiment of the invention the electronic card (7) is produced such that information regarding how many times a day and how many drug the user will use is programmed in the factory in the manner that second time programming will not be needed. The electronic card (7) warns the user vocally and as lighted when the drug is needed to be taken. In this embodiment the cap (8) can only turn towards one direction and the transparent part (81) shows how many drug of the person is left by means of indicating the numbers (S) on the cap (8).

In another embodiment of the invention the drug box (1) can be programmed according to how many times a day and how much drug the user will take by means of making the programming ring to touch the programming device which will be present in distribution units such as pharmacies. In an alternative of this embodiment the drug box (1) gets blocked against reprogramming after it is programmed for once, in order to be able to avoid the drug box (1) to be programmed by unauthorized persons.

The electronic card (7) comprises a mini-tab (not shown in the figures). In the event that the user attempts to take the drug before its time comes, the cap (8) is prevented from opening by means of enabling the cap (8) of the box (1) to turn idle with pulling the mini-tab by the microprocessor. When the drug time comes, the mini-tab is pushed by the microprocessor and the cap (8) goes to the openable position.

The electronic card (7) warns the user, when the time to take drug comes, vocally by means of the buzzer and/or visually by means of the light sources (led) and/or the screen.

With the use of the inventive drug box (1) by drug producers, all drug boxes used by the patients will have electronic cards (7) and reminder functions giving audible and/or image warning and drug remindings of the patient who have to use more than one drug will be carried out without making an extra effort. In addition, dosage and usage stated in the prescription will be reminded to the patient as human voice whenever he/she opens the cap and risk of overdose usage by mistake will be eliminated. Warning properties of the inventive drug box (1) provide ease to the patients regarding drug taking hours and when and how to use which drug.

As both visual and audible warning can be made with the present invention, drug use gets easy for visually or hearing impaired patients.

Since the fact that the plates (51) of the separators (5) break at every drug use and the electronic card (7) is excluded when the drug inside the box (1) runs out, ensures one time use of the box; filling up the same box (1) becomes impossible and this situation provides high prestige and security for the firm producing the drug.

It is possible to develop a wide variety of embodiments of the inventive drug box (1), the invention can not be limited to the examples provided herein, it is essentially according to the claims.