Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACR~;ROlJ~D QF ~E IN~Nq!ION
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a portable medicine dispenser
and more particularly to a novel and highly effzcti~2 dispenser
of liquid medicine or of pills plus a liquid to aid in taking thP
pills .
Description o~ the Prior Art
A major problem of physicians in managing their
patients and of those with illnesses in managing their own
medication with or without the supervision of a physician is
ensuring that the prescribed medicine is taken at the prescribed
times.
It is often o~ the utmost importance that medicine
prescribed by a physician be taken on schedule. If taken at
intervals that are too lengthy, the medicine may not have its
intended curative effect. If taken at intervals that are too
brie~, the ~edicine may produce dangerous side e~fects. A common
side ef~ect is drowsiness that can make i~ hazardous to drive a
car or to operate other heavy machinery. The list of side
effects resulting fro~ th~ misuse of prescription medicines is
virtually endless and includes potential damage to every organ
of the body and even the death of the patient. Over-the-counter
medicines are generally less dangerous but can also easily
produce serious side e~fects including death if taken at
intervals sv brief as to result in a massive overdose. Often
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medicine is taken at intervals that are alternately too lengthy
and too brief. This can cause both less-than-optimum efficacy
and dangerous side effects.
A prime reason for failure to take medication at
intended intervals is simple forgetfulnes~s. Another reason is
that either the medication or some liquid to aid in swallowing
it is not at hand at the prescribed time.
Various attempts have been made heretofore to overcome
the problem of forgetfuln~ss mentioned above. In the case of a
prescription medicine, a label is typically applied to its
container directing that it be taken every so many hours, or with
meals, or at bedtime, for example. In the case of an over-the-
counter medicine, there may be a label bearing directions to take
it as often a~ desired, but, for example, not more often than
once every four hours. The problem is that one tends to forget
to take the medicine at, say, 2:00 p.m. as prescribed by a
physician or~ in the case of an over-the-counter medicine, as
intended by the patient, but remembers and takes it at, say, 4:00
pm. By the next scheduled time, say ~:00 p.m. one may forget
whether the medicine was last taken at 2:00 p.m., 3:QO p.m., or
4: 00 p . ma Even if one remembers clearly that it was 4:00 p.m~,
there may be doubt whether to ~eet the 6:00 p.m. schedule or to
delay it by two hours or perhaps by le~s than that, in view of
the earlier delay.
Another conventional attempt to deal with the problem
of forgetfulness involves asking a spouse or companion for help
in remembering. This can improve the odds that the medicine will
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be taken at proper intervals but it is certainly not a total
solution and moreover burdens the memories of two persons and
requires that the second person be present or make a phone call,
etc., at the time the medicine is to be taken.
A conventional attempt to deal with the problem of the
unavailability of the medicine or of some liquid to aid in
s~allowing it at the prescribed time involves the use of portable
pill boxes and flasks. However, pill boxes and ~lasks can become
separated, require separate handling, and can be inconvenient to
use.
It is believed that no ideal solution to the problems
outlined above has been found heretofore.
O~J T8,3~C=e9nyaRy O~ T~ Nv~NrIoN
An object o~ the invention is to provide a remedy for
the problems outlined above and more particularly to provide a
novel and highly effective dispen~er of liquid medicine or of
pills and a liguid to aid in taking the pills. The term "pills"
is used generically herein to include all medicines that are not
in liquid for~, including pills, tablets, capsules, caplets and
powders.
The foregoing and other objects are a tained in
accordance with the invention by providing a pill dispenser
comprising a housing, a compartment formed within the housing for
containing a quantity of pills, and a timer contained within the
housing for indicating when the pills should be taken.
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In accordance with an independent aspect of the
invPntion, adapted particularly for disp~nsing a liquid medicine,
a medicine dispenser is provided comprising a ~ousing, a
reser~oir formed within the housing for containing a quantity of
liquid medicine, and a timer contained w:ithin the housing for
indicating when the medicine should be taken.
In accordance with another independent aspect of the
invention, a pill dispenser is provided comprising a housing, a
compartment formed within the housing for containing a quantity
of pills, and a reservoir formed within the housing for
containing a quantity of liquid to assist in taking the pills.
In accordance with the best mode known to the inventor
for practicing the invention, there is provided a pill dispenser
comprising a housing, a compartment formed within the housing for
containing a quantity of pills, a re~ervoir formed within the
housing for cvntaining a quantity of liquid to assist in taking
the pills, ~nd a timer contained within the housing ~or
indicating when the pills should be taken.
B~ DB8CR~P~IO~ OF I~ DAilN~
A better understanding o~ the objects, features and
advantage~ of the invention can be gained ~rom a consideration
of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment
thereof, in con3unction with the appended figure of the drawing,
wherein a given re~erence character always refers to the same
element or part, and wherein:
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Fig. 1 is a view in f ront elevation of a prPferred
e~bodiment of a medicine disp~nser construc~ed in ac~ordance with
the invention;
Fig. 2 is a view in right-side elevatisn of the
medicine dispenser of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the medicine dispenser;
Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view thereof;
Fig. 5 i~ a left-side elevation thereof;
Fig. 6 is a rear elevation thereof:
Fig. 7 is a perspective view thereof;
Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing a cap and
straw removed for adding liquid to a reservoir formed in the
medicine dispenser;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the cap open and
the straw extended for drinking liquid from a reservoir;
Fig. 10 is a top plan vie~ of the dispenser with the
cap open;
~ ig. 11 is a perspective view of the dispenser with a
pill compart~ent thereof in an extended position and a lid of the
pill compartment closed;
Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 showing the lid
o~ the pill compartment open:
Fig. 13 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 11 but
showing the di penser from the rear;
Fig~. 14, 15 and 16 ar~ sectional view~ showing the
operation of the pill compartment and its lid; and
Fig. 17 is a sectional view on a larger scale taken in
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a directisn at right angles to ~he views of Figs. 14-16.
D~8CRIP~ O~ OF ~ P~F~ ODX~NT~
The figures show a medi~ine dispenser lO constructed
in accordance with the invention. It comprises a housing 12, a
compartment 14 formed within the housing 12 for cont~ining a
quantity of pills 16 (Fig. 12), a reservoir 18 (Fig. 9) formed
within the housing 12 ~or containing a quantity of liquid (either
liguid medicine or a plain liquid such a~ water to assist in
taking the pills 16), and a timer 20 contained within the housing
12 and including a display for indicating when the pills should
be taken.
The housing 12 plus at laast two of the three elements
14, 18 and 20 are included in a dispenser constructed in
accordance with the invention a~ broadly conceived. Preferably,
all three of the ele~entR 14, 18, and 20 are included in the
dispenser.
As the ~i~ures show, the hou6ing 12 is ~lattened so as
to be conveniantly carried in a pocket or purse. The reservoir
18 hold~ a quantity of liquid at least su~icient to facilitate
the swallowing of aR many pills 16 as are intended to be taken
at a predetermined time.
The timer 20 is preferably digital, though an analogue
timer can be employed in accordance with the invention. The
timer 12 can be either a 12-hour timer or a 24-hour timer that
in eithe~ ca~e can be set to show local ti~e. Alternatively, or
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in addition, the tim~r 20 may count up ~rom zero to a
predetermined indication or down from a pr~edetermined indication
to zero. For example, i~ medicine is to be tak~n every four
hours, the timer 20 may be constructed to count ~rom O to 4
hours. On the other hand, ths timer can also be constructed to
count down from a predetermined indication to zero. That is, 4
hours may be set manually into the timer 20 and its display by
means of an hour button 22 and a minute button 24, and the timer
may count from that value down to 0.
Whether the counter counts up or down, it can
pre~erably be cleared manually by a clear button 26.
Alternatively, it can be reset automatically upon completing its
count.
Pre~erably, the medicine dispenser 10 also includes
means responsive to the timer 20 for generating a signal to
indicate when the pills should be taken. Ideally~ a sound signal
such as a ~Dne or be~p is generated. A sound opening 28
comprising for example perforations in the housing 12 is provided
to facilitate the propagation of the sound fro~ the housing 12.
A straw 30 ext0nds through an aperture 32 in a cap 34
and into the reservoir 18 to facilitate drinking water or another
liquid including a liquid ~edicine. The cap 34 is articulated
and includes a top portion 34a hinyed at 34b. When the top
portion 34a v~ the cap 34a swings to the clo~ed position, the
straw 30 i5 bent over and ~orms a seal so that the liquid in the
reservoir 18 cannot leak out.
As Fig. 8 shows, the straw 30 extends through a fitting
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36 having a plurality of projections such as lugs 38. The lugs
38 are adapted to pass through corresponding recesses 40 formed
in a retainer 42 secured in an aperture fo~med in the housing 12.
With the straw 30, cap 34 and fitting 3~ withdrawn as in Fig. 8,
a liquid can be poured into the reservoir 18. When the luqs 38
are moved down to the underside of the retainer 42 in which the
recesses 40 are formed and the cap 34 is then oriented to the
position shown for example in Fig. 7, the lugs 38 are out of
alignmen~ with the recesses 40 and are held by the retainer 42
to form a watertight seal. An o-ring can be added to ensure that
the seal is absolutely watertight.
The articulated top portion 34a of the cap 34 includes
a latch 44 (Fig. 9) adapted to latch under an undercut ledge 46
(Fig. 10) when the top portion 34a is in the closed position
shown for example in FigO 7~ The di~tal end 44a of the latch 44
extend~ through an opening 48 in the lid 34 ~Fig. 10~ and enters
a recess 50 ~Fig. 8), thereby preventing accidental pivoting of
the lid 34 and fitting 36 with respect to the housing 12 when the
dispenser 10 is being carried in a pocket or purse.
The dispenser 10 can thus safely be carried in a pocket
or a pur~ without th~ risk of spilling the liquid contained in
the reservoir 18.
The pill compartment 14 is for~ed with a lid 52 that
can be moved between a closed position shown for exampla in Figs.
11, 14 and 15 and an open position shown in Figs. 12 and 16. The
entire co~partment 14 can be extended fro~ the housing 12 as
shown in Figs. 11, 12, 13, 15 and 16. To this end, the drawer
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or compartment 14 is ~ormed with an incurved runner 54 (Fig. 17)
that coop~rates with an inverted T guide 56 at either side of the
drawer or compartment 14 to facilitate sliding of the drawer
14 betw~en the closed posi~ion illustrated in Fig. 14 and the
open position illustrated in Fig. 15 f~r example. The lid 52 is
formed with a tab 58 that can be acco~modated in either or both
of slots 60 ~Fig. 11 for exa~ple) and 62 (Fig. 12 for example).
When the compartment 14 is closed, the tab 58 is accommodated in
both the slot 60 and the slot 62. A boss 68 snaps past the rear
wall 70 o~ the compartment 14 when the lid 52 is in the closed
position shown in Fig. 15, thu keeping the drawer 52 in the
closed position until it is intentionally opened.
Ridges 64 (see Figs. 5 and 6 ~or example) ~ormed on the
bottom of the drawer or compartment 14 ~acilitate a grip that
enables the drawer or compartment 14 to be opened by ha~d. The
tab 58 of the lid 52 is retained in the slot 62 so that when the
drawer 14 is initially opened the lid 52 i5 in the closed
posikion, preventing accidental spilling of the pills 16. Also,
in this position, as Fig. 13 indicates, a screw 66 closing a
battery compartment is e.xposed, enabling changing of the battery
that power~ the timer 20.
In order to open the lid 52, the tab 58 is engaged by
a finger as indicated in Fig. 11 and tha lid 52 is pushed to the
rear so that the rear wall 70 moves to the rear of the boss 68.
The lid 52 can then be moved further to the rear until th~ tab
52 is enga~ed in the slot 60, thereby exposing the pills 16 so
that one or more can be withdrawn as required. When the
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compartment 14 is closed, the lid 52 abuts a wall 70, which
prevents i~ from moving further to the rear. ~he outside wall
of the compaxtment 14 on the other hand slides over a ledge 72.
This automatically moves the lid 52 to its closed position,
thereby sa~eguarding the pills 16 against spilling the next time
the compartment l~ is opened.
Thus there is provided in accordance with the invention
a novel and highly effective portable medicine dispenser that can
be used to dispense a liguid medicine, or to dispense pills plus
a liquid to aid in taking the pills. Many modifications of the
preferred embodiment of the invention described above will
readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of
this disclosure. Accordingly, the invention is not limited
except by the appended claims.
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