US 12,268,656 B1
Medication dispensing system with keyed medication cartridge
Adam Demurjian, Red Bank, NJ (US); Ravi Sawhney, Malibu, CA (US); Lance Hussey, Simi Valley, CA (US); Michael Kulick, Simi Valley, CA (US); Brian Weingarth, Woodland Hills, CA (US); Josh Probst, Culver City, CA (US); Rajvir Logani, Calabasas, CA (US); Cary Chow, Santa Monica, CA (US); Christianna Bethel, Glendale, CA (US); Craig Steel, El Segundo, CA (US); Michael Schuffert, Chatsworth, CA (US); and John Vernon, Malibu, CA (US)
Assigned to ASPARGO LABORATORIES, INC., New York, NY (US)
Filed by Aspargo Laboratories, Inc., New York, NY (US)
Filed on Mar. 8, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/600,198.
Int. Cl. A61J 7/00 (2006.01); A61J 7/04 (2006.01); G16H 20/13 (2018.01)
CPC A61J 7/0084 (2013.01) [A61J 7/0481 (2013.01); G16H 20/13 (2018.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A medication dispensing system, comprising:
a medication dispensing device, the medication dispensing device having a housing with a cartridge carrier therein, the cartridge carrier having a keyed connector that is keyed to a medication cartridge to allow for insertion and alignment of the medication cartridge within the cartridge carrier;
a medication cartridge for insertion within the cartridge carrier;
wherein an activator mechanism is positioned within the housing, the activator mechanism operably connected with the cartridge carrier to cause the cartridge carrier to actuate, whereby upon actuation of the cartridge carrier, the cartridge carrier selectively moves an inserted medication cartridge between a stored position and a dispensing position;
wherein the cartridge carrier is rotatable within the housing;
wherein the cartridge carrier includes a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being open for receiving the medication cartridge therein, while the distal end includes a gear wheel operably connected to the activator mechanism;
wherein the activator mechanism includes at least a battery, a motor, and one or more gears that are operably connected to the gear wheel, such that activation of the activator mechanism causes the motor to turn the one or more gears and, in doing so, turn the gear wheel and rotate the cartridge carrier;
wherein the keyed connector includes one or more alignment features that protrude into the cartridge carrier;
wherein the medication cartridge is an elongated cartridge with one or more alignment channels that align with and receive the one or more alignment features;
wherein the one or more alignment channels includes a pair of opposing channels, while the one or more alignment features are a pair of opposing protrusions that slide within the pair of opposing channels;
wherein the medication cartridge is comprised of a shell having a dispensing aperture and a vial slidably positioned within the shell, the vial having a pump assembly with an outlet aligned with the dispensing aperture;
wherein the vial is slidable within the shell between an expanded state and a compressed state, such that when transitioning to the compressed state, the pump assembly is actuated to pump medicine from the outlet and through the dispensing aperture;
wherein the shell includes a pair of opposing slots that align with the pair of opposing channels such that the pair of opposing protrusions pass through the pair of opposing slots and into the pair of opposing channels; and
wherein the medication cartridge has a bottom end and a top end, such that each of the pair of opposing slots has a first slot that rises upward from the bottom end toward the top end to a first junction, and then a second slot that traverses downward at an angle from the first junction toward a second junction, and then a third slot that rises upward again from the second junction toward the top end.