Medication dispensing system

A medication dispensing system comprising:

• a number of medication vials each having an open end for receiving and storing medications;
• a number of vial caps for closing the open ends of the medication vials;
• a dispensing apparatus for receiving the medication vials and selectively dispensing the medications, the dispensing apparatus comprising:
• a housing forming an interior chamber and including a first opening for receiving the medication vials and a second opening for dispensing the medications;
• a cassette positioned in the housing and configured to retain the medication vials, the cassette including a plurality of vial carriages for receiving medication vials via the vial caps and a drive unit configured to manipulate the cassette to a number of orientations for selectively shifting the vial carriages and hence the medication vials to a dispensing position;
• a dispensing unit positioned in the housing and configured to selectively retrieve medications from the medication vials via the vial caps and dispense the medications through the second opening of the housing;
• a receptacle configured to receive the dispensed medications from the dispensing unit;
• and
• a control system for controlling operation of the dispensing apparatus, the control system comprising:
• a data input unit for identifying data relating to the medications, the data including a medication type;
• a memory for storing the data;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• select a medication vial containing a medication to be dispensed according to a medication regimen, the vial selection being based on the data;
• identify a position of the selected medication vial;
• instruct the drive unit to reorient the cassette so as to shift the selected medication vial to the dispensing position;
• and
• instruct the dispensing unit to dispense the medication from the selected medication vial such that the medication of the selected medication vial is received in the receptacle.

A medication dispensing system comprising:

• a number of medication vials each having an open end for receiving and storing medications;
• a number of vial caps configured to be removably secured onto the medication vials, the vial caps each comprising a helical separator for delivering one unit of medication from the medication vials at a time;
• a dispensing apparatus for receiving the medication vials and selectively dispensing the medications, the dispensing apparatus comprising:
• a housing forming an interior chamber and including a first opening for allowing a user to load the medication vials into the medication dispensing system and a second opening for dispensing the medications, the housing including a cover configured to be closed over the first opening;
• a cassette positioned in the housing and configured to retain the medication vials in the interior chamber of the housing, the cassette including a plurality of vial carriages for receiving the medication vials therein via the vial caps and a drive unit configured to manipulate the cassette to a number of orientations for selectively shifting the vial carriages and hence the medication vials to a dispensing position;
• a cassette orientation sensor for sensing positions of the medication vials in the cassette;
• a dispensing unit positioned in the housing and configured to engage a helical separator of one of the vial caps in the dispensing position for selectively retrieving medications from the medication vials and dispense the medications through the second opening of the housing;
• and
• a receptacle configured to receive the medications from the dispensing unit;
• and
• a control system for controlling operation of the dispensing apparatus, the control system comprising:
• a barcode scanner for identifying data relating to the medications in the form of a barcode, the data including a medication type;
• a transceiver for receiving operating instructions from a mobile device or other computing device of a user;
• a display unit for displaying a medication regimen and/or data relating to operation of the medication dispensing system;
• a memory for storing the data;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• select a medication vial containing a medication to be dispensed according to the medication regimen, the vial selection being based on the data obtained via the barcode scanner;
• identify a position of the selected medication vial;
• instruct the drive unit to reorient the cassette so as to shift the selected medication vial to the dispensing position;
• and
• instruct the dispensing unit to dispense the medication from the selected medication vial such that the medication of the selected medication vial is received in the receptacle;
• a receptacle sensor for determining whether the dispensed medication has been removed from the receptacle;
• and
• a video camera for verifying whether the user consumes the dispensed medication after removing the dispensed medication from the receptacle.

A medication vial for receiving medications and selectively dispensing the medications when acted upon by a medication dispensing system, the medication vial comprising:

• a receptacle having an open end for receiving and storing the medications;
• and
• a cap for closing the open end of the receptacle, the cap comprising:
• a variable diameter plug for fitting the cap onto receptacles of different sizes;
• a retainer configured to receive the open end of the receptacle and being configured to be received in a cassette of the medication dispensing system, the retainer including an opening for allowing the medications to pass therethrough;
• and
• a medication separator configured to singulate the medications such that one medication passes through the opening of the retainer at a time.