U.S. patent application number 11/241464 was filed with the patent office on 2007-04-26 for medication rack.
Invention is credited to J. Michael Langham.
Application Number | 20070090070 11/241464 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37984364 |
Filed Date | 2007-04-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070090070 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Langham; J. Michael |
April 26, 2007 |
Medication rack
Abstract
A medication rack includes a body that defines a first plurality
of medication holding recesses having a first diameter and a second
plurality of medication holding recesses having a second diameter.
A plurality of side walls are formed on the body. A pair of
opposing side walls of the plurality of side walls are in
intersecting planes. A pair of the opposing side walls and a third
side wall adjacent thereto are configured to provide an ergonomic
grasping segment for the user.
Inventors: |
Langham; J. Michael; (Peru,
IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SEYFARTH SHAW LLP
131 S. DEARBORN ST., SUITE2400
CHICAGO
IL
60603-5803
US
|
Family ID: |
37984364 |
Appl. No.: |
11/241464 |
Filed: |
September 30, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/74 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61J 7/0069
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/074 |
International
Class: |
A47B 73/00 20060101
A47B073/00 |
Claims
1. A medication rack comprising: a body defining a first plurality
of medication holding recesses having openings of a first diameter
and a second plurality of medication holding recesses having
openings of a second diameter; a plurality of sidewalls formed on
the body, wherein a pair of opposing sidewalls of the plurality of
sidewalls are in intersecting planes; and wherein the pair of
opposing sidewalls and a third sidewall adjacent thereto are
configured to provide an ergonomic grasping segment for a user.
2. The medication rack according to claim 1, wherein the first
plurality of medication holding recesses are frustoconical.
3. The medication rack according to claim 1, wherein the second
plurality of medication holding recesses are frustoconical.
4. The medication rack according to claim 1, wherein the first
plurality of medication holding recesses include drainage
holes.
5. The medication rack according to claim 4, wherein the second
plurality of medication holding recesses include drainage
holes.
6. The medication rack according to claim 5, wherein the drainage
holes are formed in bottom walls of the first and second plurality
of medication holding recesses.
7. The medication rack according to claim 6, wherein the bottom
walls are positioned between a first surface and a second surface
of the body.
8. A medication rack comprising: a body defining a first plurality
of medication holding frustoconical recesses having openings of a
first diameter, a second plurality of medication holding
frustoconical recesses having openings of a second diameter and a
plurality of sidewalls formed on the body, wherein a pair of
opposing sidewalls and a third sidewall adjacent thereto are
configured to provide an ergonomic grasping segment for a user.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to medication holders, and
more particularly to a medicine rack having a body with medication
holding recesses having openings of different diameters and an
ergonomic grasping segment.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The use and storage of medications has often proved to be
inconvenient, particularly when a patient requires more than one
medication. Medications such as insulin require refrigeration, and,
as a result, are often relegated to storage in portions of a
refrigerator alongside food items. Such disorderliness only
increases the chance that the medication is misplaced, or separated
from other required medications.
[0003] Generally, positioning the required medications in proximity
to one another does little to alleviate the aggravating situation.
This situation is particularly distressing for the elderly patient
who struggles to maintain independence and would like to find some
way to organize medications, such as injection medications in a
refrigerator, so as to simplify the self-medicating process. One
way of accomplishing this is to organize medications in a secure
and organized fashion.
[0004] When handling individual medication bottles or vials, a
certain amount of care must be taken when moving such a bottle or
vial from one location to another, such as occurs when a vial is
removed from a refrigerator to inject insulin. The problem of
making sure that the vial, which borders on being top-heavy, gets
positioned erectly in a stable condition so as not to fall over.
Falling over can lead to problems, including breakage or
contamination. Proper positioning requires extra work by the
patient, and the difficulty arises anew every time a vial is
handled.
[0005] Accordingly, inventors have in the past endeavored to
provide medication organizers of different types. For example, U.S.
Pat. No. 5,062,531 to Coy discloses a caddy for medicine
containers. This caddy takes the form of a tray which has a number
of recesses defined in its top. Each of the recesses is configured
to hold a respective medicine container, while concentric reducing
rings for altering the inner diameter of the recesses is
provided.
[0006] Although the medicine caddy shown in the '531 patent solves
some problems of the prior art, it is not without disadvantages.
For example, this device has a holding aperture defined in the top
of the tray by which it is lifted and carried. The tip of the
user's index finger is positioned in the holding aperture so that a
corner area of the caddy can be pinched between the user's thumb
and second finger. Such a lifting technique is awkward and limits
use, and the concentric reducing rings can be easily misplaced,
particularly by the elderly.
[0007] Thus, there is a need for a medication rack defining a
plurality of medication holding recesses having openings of a
differing diameters and is configured to provide an ergonomic
grasping segment for a user.
SUMMARY
[0008] There is disclosed herein an improved medication rack which
includes improved features for holding medications in vials or
bottles of differing diameters and is configured to provide ease in
carrying same.
[0009] It is an object of the invention to prevent medication vials
from falling over and either breaking or rolling around and
contaminating the elastomeric membrane at the top the vial.
[0010] It is an object of the invention to provide a medicine rack
having a body with medication holding recesses having openings of
different diameters.
[0011] Another object of the invention is to provide an ergonomic
grasping segment in a medicine rack.
[0012] An illustrative embodiment of the present invention relates
to a medication rack including a body defining a first plurality of
medication holding recesses having openings of a first diameter and
a second plurality of medication holding recesses having openings
of a second diameter, a plurality of sidewalls formed on the body,
wherein a pair of opposing sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls
are in intersecting planes, and wherein the pair of opposing
sidewalls and a third sidewall adjacent thereto are configured to
provide an ergonomic grasping segment for a user.
[0013] Another illustrative embodiment of the invention relates to
a medication rack including a body defining a first plurality of
medication holding frustoconical recesses having openings of a
first diameter, a second plurality of medication holding
frustoconical recesses having openings of a second diameter and a
plurality of sidewalls formed on the body, wherein a pair of
opposing sidewalls and a third sidewall adjacent thereto are
configured to provide an ergonomic grasping segment for a user.
[0014] A more detailed explanation of the invention is provided in
the following description and claims and is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the
subject matter sought to be protected, there is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings an embodiment thereof, from an inspection of
which, when considered in connection with the following
description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its
construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be
readily understood and appreciated.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a medication rack
incorporating the features of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a top view of the medication rack of FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the medication rack of FIG.
1;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a front view of the medication rack of FIG. 1;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a rear view of the medication rack of FIG. 1;
and
[0021] FIG. 6 is a top view of the medication rack of the present
invention shown in operation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a medicine rack 10 is
illustrated including a body 12 having first recesses 14 and second
recesses 16 on an upper surface 18. The recesses are configured to
receive medication containers, such as bottles containing insulin,
for use by a patient and are distributed over the upper surface 18.
Preferably, first recesses 14 and second recesses 16 have openings
17a and 17b of different diameters, respectively.
[0023] As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, each recess 14 and 16
includes recess walls 20. The recess walls 20 may be frustoconical
in configuration, with the recess walls 20 having a greater
internal diameter at the openings 17a and 17b than at the
intersection with bottom wall 21. The frustoconical first and
second recesses 14 and 16 are tapered so that the medication
container can be easily received through the openings 17a and/or
17b and securely accepted therein. Preferably, in the situation
where the recess walls 20 are frustoconical, the taper angle is
about 0.5 degrees.
[0024] Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the body 12 includes
opposing sidewalls 22a and 22b and at least one other adjacent
sidewall 24. As shown in FIGS. 1-5, an additional adjacent sidewall
26 is incorporated as well. It is to be appreciated that adjacent
sidewall 26 is not required, rather it is shown for illustrative
purposes. As illustrated in FIG. 2, opposing sidewalls 22a and 22b
reside in intersecting planes "A" and "B," respectively.
Preferably, the angles of intersecting planes "A" and "B" off of
adjacent sidewall 24 allow for opposing sidewalls 22a and 22b to be
positioned so that at least one ergonomic segment 28 and/or 30 is
formed. The ergonomic segments 28 and 30 are discussed in detail
below with respect to FIG. 6.
[0025] Referring now to FIG. 3, body 12 includes a base 32. Base 32
includes bottom walls 21 of the first and second recesses 14 and
16. As illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, bottom walls 21 are positioned
above base 32 and incorporate drainage holes 34. Drainage holes 34
are provided to permit condensation that forms on the medication
containers and which travels down to the bottom wall 21 to exit the
first and second recesses 14 and 16.
[0026] In operation, as illustrated in FIG. 6, hands 38a and 38b of
a user grasp the body 12 containing medication containers 36 about
the opposing sidewalls 22a and 22b and adjacent sidewall 24.
Preferably, in one embodiment, the user's thumbs 40a and 40b are
positioned along adjacent sidewall 24, with forefingers 42a and 42b
positioned along opposing sidewalls 22a and 22b. In another
embodiment, the user's thumbs 40a and 40b are positioned along
adjacent sidewall 24, with forefingers 42a and 42b positioned along
opposing sidewalls 22a and 22b and the other adjacent sidewall 26.
In the aforementioned embodiments, the body 12 is configured such
that ergonomic grasping segments 28 and 30 permit the user to
handle the body 12 with relative ease. In this manner, for example,
the user may keep numerous medication containers together, such as
various refrigerated medications, and easily manipulate them into
and out of a refrigerator. This arrangement alleviates the
aforementioned problems associated with keeping numerous medication
containers, as well as the problems related to the prior art.
[0027] A medication rack as detailed herein may be utilized in
various forms. One such medication rack may be useful for storing
medications in containers of differing diameters. Another such
medication rack may incorporate an ergonomic grasping segment
adapted to cooperate with the portion of a user's hand at the
juncture between the thumb and forefinger. From the foregoing, it
can be seen that there has been provided an improved medication
rack which greatly facilitates the storage of different medication
containers and easily capable of being handled by a user.
[0028] The matter set forth in the foregoing description and
accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and
not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown
and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
changes and modifications may be made without departing from the
broader aspects of applicants' contribution. The actual scope of
the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following
claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior
art.
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