MEDICATION DISPENSER

APPAREIL DISTRIBUTEUR DE MEDICAMENTS

English Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure
A medication dispenser comprising a reusable container
having a cover positioned over each of the individual medication
compartments formed therein. One end of the container is
provided with a plurality of mortises formed therein while the
other end of the container is provided with a plurality of
tenons formed therein. A plurality of the containers may be
secured together in an end-to-end relationship by positioning
the tenons of one container in the mortises of another
container.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A medication dispenser, comprising, a plurality of
medication containers, said plurality of medication containers
being selectively removably secured together.
2. The medication dispenser of claim 1 wherein each
of said containers has opposite upstanding side walls and
opposite upstanding end walls, and a cover means removably
positioned on each of said medication containers, said
containers being removably secured together in an end-to-end
relationship.
3. The medication dispenser of claim 2 wherein said
end walls of each of said containers have exterior surfaces, one
end wall of each of said containers having a plurality of
horizontally spaced tenons extending from the exterior surface
thereof, the other end wall of each of said containers having a
plurality of horizontally spaced mortises formed in the exterior
surface thereof for mating engagement with the tenons on the
adjacent container.
4. The medication container of claim 3 wherein a
closure plate is secured to each of the exposed end walls of the
secured together containers.
5. The medication container of claim 2 wherein at
least one multicompartment liner means is positioned in each of
said containers.
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Description

MEDICATION DISPENSER
This invention relates yenerally to a multiple-unit
medication container including several unit~dose compartments
and more particularly to such a container wherein a plurality of
the containers may be connected together in an end-to-end
relationship.
The utility of a multiple-unit medication container is
an accepted fact. For example, see applicantls prior U.S. Pat.
Nos. 4,372,445, 4,735,31~ and 4,741,441.
In use, it is required that a label be placed on each
of the containers when a prescription is placed therein. Thus,
i~ two or more containers are issued to a patient, under one
prescription, a label must be prepared for each o~ the
containers which is time consuming.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to
provide a medication dispenser having the ability to be joined
to another medication dispenser in an end-to-end relationship.
A further object of the invention is to provide a means
for joining a plurality of medication dispensers or containers
so that only a single label need be utilized rather than an
individual label for each of the containers.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a
means for connecting a plurality of medication containers which
is economical of manu~acture, durable in use and refined in
appearance.
These and other objects o~ the present invention will
be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Thiæ invention consists in the construction, arrange-
ments and combination o~ the various parts o~ the device,
whereby the ob~ects contemplated are attained as hereina~ter

L~ ,r~ ~
more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the ~laims,
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view o~ the
container of this invention;
Figure 2 is a top view of the container of this
invention;
Figure 3 is an end view of one end of the container of
this invention; and
Figure 4 is a bottom view of one end of the container.
The medication dispenser o~ the present invention
includes a unitary container defining a generally trough-shaped
cavity for receiving medication therein. The trough-shaped
cavity may have a disposable multicompartment liner positioned
therein so as to maintain the medication out of direct contact
with the reusable container. ~he individual compartments are
closed by means of removable covers. One end of the container
is provided with spaced apart mortises formed therein while the
other end of the container is provided with a plurality of
spaced apart tenons. Thus, the containers may be joined
together in an end-to-end relationship by inserting the tenons
at one end of a container into the mortises of another
container. The exposed ends of the containers may be covered by
a suitable cover plate.
The medication dispenser 10 of the present invention is
illuatrated in Figures 1-4. The dispenser 10 o khis invention
is substantially identical to the dispenser illustrated in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,741,441 and reliance on that disclosure is made
herein to complete this invention. Dispenser 10 includes a
container 12 having opposite upstanding side walls 14 and 16, at
least one divider wall 18, and end walls 20 and 22~ The numeral
3--

24 refers to an elongated channel or chamber which extends the
length of the container and is identical to the chamber 32 of
the '441 patent.
End 22 is provided with a plurality of mortises 26
formed therein as best seen in Figure 1. End 2~ is provided
with a plurality of tenons 28 extending therefrom. Tenons 28
are adapted to be received in the mortises 26 of a second
container if the containers are to be joined in an end-to-end
relationship. I~ only a single container is to be used, closure
plates such as closure plate 30 will be used to close the ends
of the chamber 24. Closure plate 30 is provided with a
plurality of tenons 32 extending therefrom which are adapted to
be received in the mortises 26. If end 22 is to be closed, the
closure plate utilized thereon would have suitable structure
thereon adapted to be received between the mortises 28.
Thus, a plurality of the containers 10 may be joined
together in a end-to-end relationship which means that a single
label may be used for all of the containers so joined rather
than providing an individual label for each of the containers.
The fact that only a single labPl is required eliminates
substantial time and labor. Thus it can be seen that the
invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

Representative Drawing