Drug dispensing apparatus

A drug dispensing apparatus comprising:

• microprocessing means;
• a housing defining an interior medication storage area, the interior medication storage area including means for receiving a plurality of different sized dispensers in multiple orientations, the receiving means further including means for establishing electrical communication between the dispensers and the microprocessing means;
• a receiving drawer oriented below the interior medication storage area to receive and dispense medication from the dispensers;
• wherein the receiving means includes a plurality of spaced electrical connectors in electrical communication with the microprocessing means, the electrical connectors being adapted to establish electrical communication with cooperating electrical connectors on the dispensers;
• and
• wherein the electrical connectors are contained on a generally horizontally oriented printed circuit board, the circuit board defining at least one aperture through which dispensed medications fall.

An apparatus for dispensing a plurality of sized medication containers, the apparatus comprising:

• microprocessing means;
• a housing defining an interior medication storage area, the interior medication storage area adapted to receive a plurality of different sized dispensers, the interior medication storage area further including a plurality of spaced electrical connectors in electrical communication with the microprocessing means and adapted to be cooperatively connected to cooperative electrical connectors contained on the dispensers such that the microprocessing means can electrically communicate with each selected dispenser;
• and
• a receiving drawer positioned beneath the interior medication storage area such that dispensed medication containers can fall by gravity into the drawer for dispensing, said receiver drawer having a width substantially equal to a width of said plurality of dispensers and having a depth less than a depth of said plurality of dispensers.

A cartridge containing medication containers for use in a drug dispensing apparatus having a removable dispenser, the dispenser having a gravity fed dispensing platform and an actuator arm for urging the medication containers off the dispensing platform, the cartridge comprising:

• a container having a front, a back, two sides, a top, an open bottom, and defining an interior, the container being sized to accept the medication containers in the interior;
• the front of the container having an opening extending upwardly from the open bottom, the front opening being sized to accept a retaining member having a portion extending into the interior of the container to retain the medication containers within the container;
• and
• the retaining member further being removably secured to the outside of the container and including a portion extending upwardly from the inwardly extending portion such that the retaining member can be removed from the container by pulling the upwardly extending portion.

A dispenser for use with a drug dispensing device, the drug dispensing device having a plurality of standardly spaced electrical connectors in electrical communication with a microprocessing means, the dispenser comprising:

• a housing defining an interior chamber for receiving a cartridge having medication containers therein and further defining a sliding drawer to receive the medication containers and, from an open position, to dispense the medication containers to a user, said sliding drawer having a width substantially equal to a width of said plurality of dispensers and having a depth less than a depth of said plurality of dispensers;
• the housing further defining a dispensing platform juxtaposed relative to the interior chamber, the dispensing platform defining an aperture offset from the interior chamber;
• an electronically activated actuator contained in cooperative relationship to the dispensing platform such that medication containers resting on the dispensing platform can be urged to the defined aperture in route to said sliding drawer;
• and
• an electrical connector in electronic communication with the actuator and the microprocessing means and adapted to cooperatively secure the electrical connectors in the dispensing device.