Devices and methods for crushing pills
AssigneeEnOPrep, Inc.
InventorsAustin Blake Tull, Blake Daniel Shay, Ward Pafford Broom, Brian VanHiel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pill crusher device for crushing one or more pills is described. The device includes a male grinder component and a female grinder component that, together, form an enclosed chamber. The male grinder component is rotatable relative to the female grinder component, thereby enabling sets of serrated edges to move relative to each other and crush the one or more pills into a powder. A spring, valve, and adapter system enables the selective injection of liquid, the filtered passing of air, and the ability to repeatedly inject and suction out a liquid/powder mixture.
Claims20
A device for grinding or crushing one or more pieces of solid medication, the device comprising:
- a male grinder component having a proximal end, a distal end, and a first plurality of serrated edges on an outer surface of the male grinder;
- a female grinder component defining a chamber for receiving the one or more pieces of solid medication, wherein the distal end of the male grinder component is configured to be at least partially received into the chamber of the female grinder component to form an enclosed chamber, wherein an outer surface of the chamber of the female grinder component comprises a second plurality of serrated edges, and wherein, as the male grinder component is rotated relative to the female grinder component, the first plurality of serrated edges is configured to move relative to the second plurality of serrated edges to thereby grind the one or more pieces of solid medication into a powder;
- a spring, wherein a distal end of the female grinder component is configured to receive the spring;
- a valve comprising a stopper member and at least one opening, wherein the valve is coupled with the spring;
- an adapter coupled with the valve and the distal end of the female grinder component, wherein the adapter is configured to selectively seal the enclosed chamber and to couple to a syringe;
- and
- a filter positioned between the distal end of female grinder component and the adapter, wherein the filter is adapted to prevent liquid, medication powder, or a mixture thereof from passing through the device and wherein the filter is further adapted to allow air to pass in and out from the enclosed chamber, wherein, when the adapter is not coupled to the syringe, the stopper member is biased by the spring to maintain the at least one opening outside of the enclosed chamber, thereby sealing the enclosed chamber except for gas flow through the filter, and wherein, when the syringe is coupled to the adapter, the stopper member is displaced relative to the spring to move the at least one opening into the enclosed chamber, thereby permitting liquid to enter from the syringe into the enclosed chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.