Container For a Blister Package

Abstract

The present invention provides a container for storing a blister package and for managing medication with a pharmaceutical composition comprised in the blister package. The container comprises a housing which forms a compartment for the blister package, means for indicating towards a user an appropriate time of accessing the blister package, and means for detecting a users access to a blister package in the compartment. The blister package is moved into and out of the compartment by means of an ejection structure to which the blister package may be fixed. The ejection structure facilitates an enhanced handling of the blister package during insertion and removal of the blister package and facilitates a more accurate indication of a user's access to the blister package.

1 . A container ( 1 ) for a blister package, the container comprising:
 a housing ( 4 ) forming a compartment for the blister package,   means for indicating towards a user an appropriate time of accessing the blister package, and   means for detecting a users access to a blister package in the compartment,   characterised in that the package further comprises an ejection structure to which the blister package may be fixed, the ejection structure ( 6 ) being movable towards an open position for moving the package in an outward direction out of the compartment and movable towards a closed position for moving the package in an inward direction into the compartment.   
     
     
         2 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the users access to the blister package in the compartment is detected by detection of movement of the ejection structure relative to the housing. 
     
     
         3 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the ejection structure is attached to the housing via a linear slide allowing a linear movement of the ejection structure relative to the housing. 
     
     
         4 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein separation of the ejection structure from the housing is prevented. 
     
     
         5 . A container according to  claim 1 , further comprising detection means capable of detecting presence of a blister package fixed to the ejection structure. 
     
     
         6 . A container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a compliance structure adapted to indicate a time at which the user latest gained access to the blister package in the compartment. 
     
     
         7 . A container according to  claim 6 , wherein the compliance structure is adapted to switch from an attentive state to a non-attentive state upon receiving a user-access registration signal. 
     
     
         8 . A container according to  claim 7 , wherein the user-access registration signal can be provided by movement of the ejection structure. 
     
     
         9 . A container according to  claim 8 , wherein the user-access registration signal can only be provided by movement of the ejection structure when the compliance structure is in the attentive state. 
     
     
         10 . A container according to  claim 7 , wherein the user-access registration signal can be provided by activation of a button. 
     
     
         11 . A container according to  claim 10 , wherein the user-access registration signal can be provided by activation of a button irrespective of the state of the compliance structure. 
     
     
         12 . A container according to  claim 7 , further comprising a timer adapted to switch the compliance structure from the non-attentive state to the attentive state after a pre-specified duration in the non-attentive state. 
     
     
         13 . A container according to  claim 12 , further comprising indicating means for transmitting a notification signal upon shift of the compliance structure from the non-attentive state to the attentive state. 
     
     
         14 . A container according to  claim 13 , wherein the indicating means transmits a notification at pre-specified periods of time after the shift of the compliance structure from the non-attentive state to the attentive state. 
     
     
         15 . A container according to  claim 7 , adapted to shift to the non-attentive state after a pre-specified period of time in the attentive state without receiving the registration signal. 
     
     
         16 . A container according to  claim 1 , further comprising processing means adapted to determine a compliance level indicating a difference between a desired consumption frequency for the substance and a frequency of receipts of the registration signal. 
     
     
         17 . A container according to  claim 16 , wherein the processing means is adapted, for a plurality of time intervals in each of which a user is supposed to have access to the blister package at least once, to register for each interval a compliance signification when a registration signal has been received in that interval or an out of compliance signification when no registration signal has been received for that interval. 
     
     
         18 . A container according to  claim 17 , wherein the processing means is adapted to determine a grading level based on the numbers of compliance signification and out of compliance signification in a pre-specified number of succeeding intervals. 
     
     
         19 . A container according to  claim 18 , wherein the transmitting structure comprises a light emitting diode (LED) arranged to transmit a coloured light and to select a colour out of a plurality of colours based on the grading level. 
     
     
         20 . A container according to  claim 19 , wherein the LED is arranged to transmit the coloured light transversely into a prism which forms part of a front cover of the container. 
     
     
         21 . A container according to  claim 20 , wherein the prism comprises a shape which identifies the substance in the blister package. 
     
     
         22 . A container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a timer adapted to determine a period of time in which the ejection structure has not been in the closed position. 
     
     
         23 . A container according to  claim 22 , wherein the compliance structure is adapted only to switch from the attentive state to the non-attentive state if the timer has determined that the ejection structure has not been in the closed position in a time interval which is longer than a pre-specified time interval. 
     
     
         24 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein fixing means for fixing the blister package to the ejection structure comprises a back member and an adjacent front member, the fixing means being adapted to receive a blister card between the back member and the front member. 
     
     
         25 . A container according to  claim 24 , wherein the back member and front member are movable relative to each other in a direction towards and away from each other. 
     
     
         26 . A container according to  claim 24 , wherein at least one of the back and front members comprises a gripping structure adapted at least partly to encircle a protruding portion of the blister package. 
     
     
         27 . A container according to  claim 1 , further comprising a supplementary compartment for an additional blister card. 
     
     
         28 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the ejection structure is in the form of a sheet ( 30 ) substantially coplanar with the housing ( 4 ). 
     
     
         29 . A container according to  claim 1 , further comprising cover means ( 34 ) for covering an opening of the container in a closed condition of the container and being movable between a closed end position and an open end position, the cover means ( 34 ) in the open end position having been rotated about a longitudinal axis of the container in order to form a stand for positioning of the container in an inclined position on a horizontal surface. 
     
     
         30 . A container according to  claim 29 , wherein at least part of the movement of the cover means from the closed end position to the open end position actuates movement of the ejection structure from an idle position to an ejected position, and vice versa. 
     
     
         31 . A combination comprising a container with a compartment for a blister package and a blister package, said blister package forming at least one row of cavities with doses of a pharmaceutical composition, the row extending between a first end portion and a second end portion, characterized in that at least one of the end portions and an adjacent cavity cooperate with gripping means of an ejection structure adapted to move the blister package into or out of the container. 
     
     
         32 . A combination according to  claim 31 , wherein the blister package comprises a plurality of weakening lines facilitating division of the blister package between each of the cavities whereby the user may tear off a used portion of the blister package when removing a dose.