초록 ▼

Automatic flavoring and water dispensing systems are disclosed. The systems may be used to add flavorings to medications, and to reconstitute medications by adding water. The systems include multiple flavoring containers communicating with a valve assembly that controls the type and amount of each f

Automatic flavoring and water dispensing systems are disclosed. The systems may be used to add flavorings to medications, and to reconstitute medications by adding water. The systems include multiple flavoring containers communicating with a valve assembly that controls the type and amount of each flavoring to be delivered during a dispensing operation. Water for reconstitution purposes may be provided through the flavoring valve assembly and/or through a separate valve. An input device such as a code scanner may be used to input data regarding the type of medication to be flavored into the system, and a flavoring formulary may be used to provide multiple flavoring options. The dispensing system allows for automatic dispensing of medication flavorings and/or reconstitution water from a single unit.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system comprising: multiple medication flavoring container receiving cradles including a flavoring extraction fixture and a flavoring delivery line corresponding to each cradle;a water supply line;a valve assembly in flow communication with t

1. An automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system comprising: multiple medication flavoring container receiving cradles including a flavoring extraction fixture and a flavoring delivery line corresponding to each cradle;a water supply line;a valve assembly in flow communication with the flavoring delivery lines structured and arranged to selectively control flow of multiple flavorings from the flavoring delivery lines to a flavoring outlet of the valve assembly;a flavoring and water dispensing nozzle assembly in flow communication with the flavoring outlet of the valve assembly and the water supply line; andat least one flavoring container installed in at least one of the cradles, wherein the flavoring container comprises: a flavoring container body;a container cap sealed to the flavoring container body comprising a sealable pressurized air inlet port extending through a top face of the cap into an interior of the flavoring container body, and a sealable flavoring outlet port extending through the top face of the cap into the interior of the flavoring container body; anda flavoring extraction tube in fluid communication with the flavoring outlet port and extending downward to a bottom corner of the flavoring container body. 2. The automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the valve assembly is in flow communication with the water supply line. 3. The automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system of claim 1, further comprising a water flow control valve in flow communication with the water supply line structured and arranged to selectively control flow of water from the water supply line to the dispensing nozzle assembly. 4. The automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system of claim 1, further comprising: an input device for identifying a type of medication to be flavored; andan electronic computer processor for determining an amount of medication flavoring to deliver from the flavoring and water dispensing nozzle depending on the identified type of medication. 5. The automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system of claim 4, wherein the input device comprises a bar code scanner. 6. The automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system of claim 4, wherein the input device comprises a touch screen display. 7. The automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system of claim 4, further comprising: a flavor selection input device for selecting a flavor taste from multiple flavor taste options; anda digital formulary for determining a flavor recipe based on the selected flavor taste and the identified type of medication to be flavored. 8. The automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the valve assembly comprises: an upper valve block;a solenoid valve assembly mounted on the upper valve block comprising multiple solenoids with solenoid valve plungers extending through the upper valve block;a lower valve block comprising multiple flavoring delivery holes extending through the lower valve block and aligned with corresponding ones of the solenoid valve plungers;multiple flavoring delivery channels in an upper surface of the lower valve block in controllable fluid flow communication with the multiple flavoring delivery holes; anda deformable valve membrane between the upper and lower valve blocks structured and arranged to block the flavoring delivery holes when the solenoid valve plungers are in extended positions pressing against portions of the valve membrane, and to allow flow through the flavoring delivery holes and into the multiple flavoring delivery channels when the solenoid valve plungers are in retracted positions. 9. The automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system of claim 8, wherein the each flavoring delivery hole terminates at an annular projection located radially inside a valve seat recess, the valve membrane comprises multiple contact disks that are each located radially inside an annular compliance recess, and each contact disk of the valve membrane contacts and seals against a corresponding one of the annular projections of the flavoring delivery holes when a corresponding one of the solenoid valve plungers is in the extended position. 10. The automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system of claim 8, wherein the multiple flavoring delivery channels are in flow communication with a flavoring delivery manifold and a flavoring delivery tube. 11. The automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system of claim 10, further comprising: at least one purge channel in the upper surface of the lower valve block in fluid flow communication with the flavoring delivery manifold and flavoring delivery tube; andat least one purge fluid supply line in controllable fluid flow communication with the at least one purge channel for selectively delivering at least one purge fluid to the flavoring delivery manifold and the flavoring delivery tube. 12. The automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system of claim 11, wherein the purge fluid comprises water. 13. The automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system of claim 11, wherein the purge fluid comprises air. 14. The automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system of claim 8, wherein the solenoid valve plungers are biased toward their extended positions, and each solenoid valve plunger is movable to its retracted position for a selected amount of time to allow a predetermined amount of a flavoring liquid to flow from the corresponding flavoring delivery hole into the corresponding flavoring delivery channel during a flavoring dispensing operation. 15. The automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system of claim 14, wherein the predetermined amount of flavoring liquid is selected from a formulary of flavoring recipes. 16. The automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the flavoring extraction fixture of each medication flavoring container receiving cradle comprises: a flavoring outlet needle tube structured and arranged to be inserted into a flavoring outlet port of a flavoring container cap when a flavoring container is installed in the cradle; andan air pressure inlet needle tube structured and arranged to be inserted into an air pressure inlet port of the flavoring container cap when the flavoring container is installed in the cradle. 17. The automatic medication flavoring and water dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the cradle comprises a recess into which the container cap is inserted, and the recess and cap comprise means to only allow insertion of the cap into the recess in a single orientation in which the air inlet port and flavoring outlet port of the cap are aligned with corresponding air pressure inlet and flavor outlet tubes of the flavoring extraction fixture.