Pill removal detection from pill package
US10185811B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 5, 2015 |
| Grant date | Jan 22, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 18, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61J2200/30
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Technologies are generally provided for a pill dispensing device to track removal of a pill from a pill package. The device may include circuits printed/embedded on a composite sheet configured to be locally or completely flexible/stretchable with a multitude of slits corresponding to locations of pill containing cavities of the pill package. Composite sheet may include embedded rigid sections and be flexible near the slits. Additionally, top and/or bottom plates may further provide structural rigidity to achieve desired flexible behavior of the composite sheet. Electronic circuits printed/embedded on or in the composite sheet may detect removal of a pill from the pill package through the slits. Slits may include electrical contacts configured to switch a circuit corresponding to each slit between an active and an inactive state. Upon removal of the pill, the contacts may separate or touch each other, opening or closing the circuit corresponding to the expanded slit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.