U.S. patent application number 13/594583 was filed with the patent office on 2013-03-07 for easy fill lockable pill container.
The applicant listed for this patent is Yung Chung Chen, Michael C. Thompson. Invention is credited to Yung Chung Chen, Michael C. Thompson.
Application Number | 20130056385 13/594583 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47752300 |
Filed Date | 2013-03-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130056385 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Thompson; Michael C. ; et
al. |
March 7, 2013 |
EASY FILL LOCKABLE PILL CONTAINER
Abstract
A pill container and method for staging and storing pills or
other small objects includes a plurality of storage cells, where
each cell defines a top opening and a bottom refill opening. Pills
are staged in a sorting area disposed on a bottom side of the pill
container, allowing verification by sight and feel of a correct
number and type of pill before being dropped into the storage
cells. A slide bar is moved to an open position to align holes in
the slide bar with the refill openings in the bottom of the storage
cells, thereby allowing the pills to be loaded into the storage
cells. The slide bar is moved back to a closed position to seal the
holes in the bottom of the storage cells. A locking mechanism is
provided to provide protection again accidental against accidental
movement of the slide bar.
Inventors: |
Thompson; Michael C.;
(Southern Pines, NC) ; Chen; Yung Chung;
(Yung-Kang, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Thompson; Michael C.
Chen; Yung Chung |
Southern Pines
Yung-Kang |
NC |
US
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
47752300 |
Appl. No.: |
13/594583 |
Filed: |
August 24, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61575539 |
Aug 24, 2011 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/534 ;
206/534.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61J 7/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/534 ;
206/534.1 |
International
Class: |
B65D 83/04 20060101
B65D083/04 |
Claims
1. A pill container comprising: a molded box portion defining a
plurality of storage cells for storing one or more pills, wherein
each storage cell defines a top opening and a bottom refill
opening; a plurality of lids hingedly attached to the top openings
of the storage cells, where each lid provides individual access to
a corresponding one of the plurality of storage cells to allow
retrieval of the one or more pill stored therein; and a slide bar
attached to a bottom of the molded box portion and adapted to be
selectively moved between a closed position and an open position,
wherein the slide bar defines a plurality of slide bar openings
that align with the plurality of refill openings of the molded box
portion to allow pills to be dispensed into the plurality of
storage cells when the slide bar is in the open position, and
wherein the slide bar openings are moved out of alignment with the
refill openings to prevent the one or more pills with the storage
cells from escaping through the bottom refill opening when the
slide bar is in the closed position.
2. The pill container of claim 1, further comprising: a slide bar
locking mechanism adapted to prevent the slide bar from moving from
the closed position to the open position.
3. The pill container of claim 2, further comprising: a lid locking
mechanism pivotally attached to the molded box portion and adapted
to prevent accidental opening of the lids.
4. The pill container of claim 2, wherein the slide bar moves
through an interior of the storage cells, and wherein the molded
box portion further comprises: a ridge formed on the bottom of the
molded box portion to define a pill sorting area when the slide bar
is in the closed position; and a plurality of slots defined in
sidewalls of the storage cells to provide sliding attachment of the
slide bar to the molded box portion and allow movement of the slide
bar between the closed position and the open position.
5. The pill container of claim 4, wherein the molded box portion
further defines a tapered sidewall around a top edge of each of the
plurality of refill openings to stage pills from the sorting area
onto a portion of the slide bar exposed through the plurality of
refill openings when the slide bar is in the closed position.
6. The pill container of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of
indicia formed on the slide bar, wherein the indicia are positioned
to be viewed through corresponding refill openings when the slide
bar is in the closed position, the indicia indicating a time
interval designated for each storage cell disposed below the
corresponding refill opening.
7. The pill container of claim 2, wherein the slide bar moves below
a bottom surface of the storage cells, and wherein the molded box
portion further comprises: a retainer guide surrounding a portion
of the bottom of the molded box portion, the retainer guide adapted
to provide sliding movement of the slide bar below the molded box
portion between the closed and open positions.
8. The pill container of claim 7, wherein the slide bar further
defines a ridge on the bottom surface of the slide bar to provide a
pill sorting area when the slide bar is in the closed position.
9. The pill container of claim 8, wherein the slide bar further
defines a tapered sidewall around a top edge of each of the
plurality of slide bar openings to stage pills from the sorting
area onto portions of the bottom of the molded box portion exposed
through the plurality of slide bar openings when the slide bar is
in the closed position.
10. The pill container of claim 7, wherein the slide bar further
defines a slot adapted to engage a portion of the slide bar locking
mechanism when the slide bar is in the closed position.
11. The pill container of claim 10, further comprising: a lid
locking mechanism pivotally attached to the molded box portion and
adapted to prevent accidental opening of the lids, wherein the lid
locking mechanism and the slide bar locking mechanism are formed as
an integral mechanism to provide for simultaneously locking the
lids and the slide bar in a single action.
12. A pill container comprising: a molded box portion defining: a
plurality of storage cells for storing one or more pills, wherein
each storage cell defines a top opening and a bottom refill
opening; and a retainer guide surrounding a bottom of the molded
box portion, wherein the retainer guide defines a box basin; a
plurality of lids hingedly attached to the top openings of the
storage cells, where each lid provides individual access to a
corresponding one of the plurality of storage cells to allow
retrieval of the one or more pill stored therein; and a slide bar
slidably attached to the bottom of the molded box portion within
the box basin and adapted to be selectively moved between a closed
position and an open position, wherein the slide bar defines a
plurality of slide bar openings that align with the plurality of
refill openings of the molded box portion to allow pills to be
dispensed into one or more of the plurality of storage cells when
the slide bar is in the open position, and wherein the slide bar
openings are moved out of alignment with the refill openings to
prevent the one or more pills with the storage cells from escaping
through the bottom refill opening when the slide bar is in the
closed position.
13. The pill container of claim 12, further comprising: a slide bar
locking mechanism adapted to prevent the slide bar from moving from
the closed position to the open position.
14. The pill container of claim 13, further comprising: a lid
locking mechanism pivotally attached to the molded box portion and
adapted to prevent accidental opening of the lids.
15. The pill container of claim 13, wherein the slide bar further
defines a ridge on the bottom surface of the slide bar to provide a
pill sorting area when the slide bar is in the closed position.
16. The pill container of claim 15, wherein the slide bar further
defines a tapered sidewall around a top edge of each of the
plurality of slide bar openings to stage pills from the sorting
area onto portions of the bottom of the molded box portion exposed
through the plurality of slide bar openings when the slide bar is
in the closed position.
17. The pill container of claim 16, further comprising a plurality
of indicia formed on the bottom of the molded box portion, wherein
the indicia are positioned to be viewed through corresponding slide
bar openings when the slide bar is in the closed position, the
indicia indicating a time interval designated for each storage cell
disposed below a corresponding refill opening.
18. The pill container of claim 13, further comprising: a lid
locking mechanism pivotally attached to the molded box portion and
adapted to prevent accidental opening of the lids, wherein the lid
locking mechanism and the slide bar locking mechanism are formed as
an integral mechanism to provide for simultaneously locking the
lids and the slide bar in a single action.
19. A method for storing one or more pills in an integrated pill
container comprising a molded box portion defining a plurality of
storage cells for storing one or more pills, each storage cell
defining a bottom refill opening, the integrated pill container
further including a slide bar slidably attached to a bottom of the
molded box portion to allow for movement between an open position
and a closed position, the slide bar defining a plurality of
openings that align with the refill openings of the molded box
portion when the slide bar is in the open position, the method
comprising: placing one or more pills within a basin defined by the
bottom of the molded box portion and the slide bar when the slide
bar is in the closed position; staging each of the one or more
pills into a region corresponding to one of the plurality of
storage cells, wherein the region is defined by one of the refill
openings in the molded box portion or the slide bar openings;
selectively moving the slide bar to the open position to align the
slide bar openings with the refill openings and dispense the one or
more pills within each region into the corresponding storage cell;
and selectively moving the slide bar to the closed position to move
the slide bar openings out of alignment with the refill openings
and prevent the one or more pills dispensed into the storage cells
from escaping through the bottom refill openings.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: locking the slide
bar to prevent unintentional movement of the slide bar from the
closed position to the open position.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 61/575,539 titled "Method and Apparatus for
an Easy Fill Lockable Pill Box" filed Aug. 24, 2011, the disclosure
of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Compartmentalized containers are commonly used to store
pills and small objects. Compartments may be marked to correspond
to a day or time to take a pill. Many compartmentalized pill
containers are configured to allow a user to insert pills into the
compartments by opening a lid on the top of the container and
inserting a desired number of pills into each of the compartments.
While such containers help users to store various pills, the
process of inserting a plurality of pills into compartments may be
prone to confusion and error. When filling a pill container with
several dosages of pills, for example, complicated dosages such as
that needed for cancer chemotherapy, the existing method of
dropping several pills into each compartment may lead to confusion
when verification of each dose cannot be easily performed if some
pills or objects cover and conceal a different dose.
[0003] Other current existing products include a storage container
that dispenses objects by gravity through a manually operated gated
opening; however, the design is adapted to dispense pills into
separate containers and is not integral with a storage container.
Current existing pill containers include a container that is
adapted to be filled by accessing the storage cells from the bottom
of the cell; however, the design includes a component adapted to be
utilized as a sorting area and a separate component adapted to be
utilized as a container. The container is designed to receive a
pill pushed through a one-way passage. The design does not allow
for a user to pre-stage a plurality of pills over the storage cells
to allow for a visual or tactile verification of dosage before
being dispensed into the storage cells. Additionally, the design
does not include a positive closure, allowing for accidental
opening that can cause a loss of contents or contamination.
[0004] It is with respect to these and other considerations that
the present invention has been made.
SUMMARY
[0005] The above and other problems are solved by providing a pill
container comprising a molded box portion defining a plurality of
storage cells for storing one or more pills, where each storage
cell defines a top opening and a bottom refill opening. A plurality
of lids attached to the top openings of the storage cells provide
individual access to the plurality of storage cells, while a slide
bar is attached to a bottom of the molded box portion for movement
between a closed position and an open position. The slide bar
defines a plurality of openings that align with the refill openings
of the molded box portion when the slide bar is in the open
position, thereby allowing pills to be dispensed into the plurality
of storage cells. Furthermore, when the slide bar is moved to the
closed position so that the slide bar openings are no longer
aligned with the refill openings, the slide bar acts to prevent the
pills within the storage cells from escaping through the bottom
refill openings.
[0006] A first preferred embodiment positions the slide bar within
the storage cells and defines a plurality of slide bar slots within
the sidewalls of the storage cells to allow movement of the slide
bar between the closed and open positions. The first embodiment
also preferably includes a ridge on the bottom of the molded box
portion to allow the bottom of the molded box portion to be
utilized as a pill sorting area when the slide bar is in the closed
position.
[0007] The first preferred embodiment further preferably includes
indicia disposed on the slide bar that are exposed through the
plurality of refill openings when the slide bar is in the closed
position, the indicia indicating a time interval designated to the
storage cell disposed below the refill opening.
[0008] A second preferred embodiment positions the slide bar below
the storage cells and includes a retainer guide on the bottom of
the molded box portion to provide sliding attachment and allow
movement of the slide bar between the closed and open positions.
The second preferred embodiment also preferably includes a ridge
defined on the bottom surface of the slide bar to allow the bottom
surface of the slide bar to be utilized as a pill sorting area when
the slide bar is in the closed position.
[0009] The second preferred embodiment further preferably includes
indicia disposed on the bottom of the molded box portion that are
exposed through the plurality of slide bar openings when the slide
bar is in the closed position, the indicia indicating a time
interval designated for each storage cell disposed below a
corresponding refill opening.
[0010] Embodiments may also comprise a locking mechanism to prevent
accidental opening of the lids and/or accidental movement of the
slide bar into the open position.
[0011] The disclosure further provides a method for storing one or
more pills in a pill container, including the steps of: placing one
or more pills within a basin defined by the bottom of the molded
box portion and the slide bar when the slide bar is in the closed
position; staging the pills within the basin into a region
corresponding to one of the plurality of storage cells, wherein the
region is defined by one of the refill openings in the molded box
portion or the slide bar openings; selectively moving the slide bar
to the open position to align the slide bar openings with the
refill openings and allow the one or more pills within each region
to be dispensed into the corresponding storage cell; and
selectively moving the slide bar to the closed position to move the
slide bar openings out of alignment with the refill openings and
prevent the one or more pills dispensed into the storage cells from
escaping through the bottom refill openings. Further embodiments of
the method provide for locking the slide bar to prevent accidental
or unintentional opening of the slide bar and spillage of the pills
through the refill openings.
[0012] The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the
accompanying drawings and description below. Other features and
advantages will be apparent from a reading of the following
detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. It is
to be understood that the following detailed description is
explanatory only and is not restrictive of the invention as
claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is an isometric exploded view of a pill container
including an integrated slide bar for filling the pill container
according to a first preferred embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a bottom isometric view of the pill container of
FIG. 1 showing the slide bar in a closed position;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a bottom isometric view of the pill container of
FIG. 1 showing the slide bar in an open position;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a top isometric view of the pill container of FIG.
1 in a closed and locked position;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a top isometric view of an alternative pill
container similar to FIG. 1 but including a mirrored second row of
storage cells;
[0018] FIG. 6 is an isometric exploded view of a pill container
including an integrated slide bar for filling the pill container
according to a second preferred embodiment;
[0019] FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the pill container of FIG. 6
in an open position;
[0020] FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the pill container of FIG. 6
in a closed and locked position;
[0021] FIG. 9 is an isometric bottom view of the pill container of
FIG. 6 in a closed and locked position;
[0022] FIG. 10 is an isometric bottom view of the pill container of
FIG. 6 in an open position;
[0023] FIGS. 11A and 11B are bottom and top views, respectively, of
a box portion of the pill container of FIG. 6;
[0024] FIGS. 12A and 12B are bottom and top views, respectively, of
the slide bar of the pill container of FIG. 6;
[0025] FIG. 13 is a front view of a lock assembly of the pill
container of FIG. 6;
[0026] FIG. 14 is a side view of the lock assembly shown in FIG.
13;
[0027] FIG. 15A is side view of the pill container of FIG. 6 in a
locked position;
[0028] FIG. 15B is side view of the pill container of FIG. 6 in an
unlocked position; and
[0029] FIG. 16 is a flow chart of a method for storing pills in the
pill container.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an
integral pill container adapted to store pills or other small
objects in one or more of a plurality of storage cells having a top
opening and a bottom refill opening. Each of the plurality of
storage cells represents a time interval for a predetermined dosage
of medication. The integral pill container includes a slide bar
having a plurality of slide bar openings, where the slide bar is
slidably attached to a bottom side of the container. Loading the
storage cells is accomplished by placing pills in a sorting area
disposed on a bottom side of the pill container, when the container
is placed in an inverted or upside down position, and then moving
the slide bar to an open position to align the openings in the
slide bar with the bottom refill openings of the storage cells to
allow the pills to be dispensed from the sorting area into the
storage cells. A locking mechanism protects the slide bar from
accidental movement and, in one embodiment, further protects
storage cell lids from accidentally opening.
[0031] An isometric exploded view of a first preferred embodiment
of a pill container 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1. According to
embodiments and as shown in FIGS. 1-4, the pill container 100
generally includes a molded box portion 136, a slide bar 108, a
locking mechanism 176, and a lid assembly 158 comprising a
plurality of lid members 104. The box portion 136 is generally
comprised of a front surface 180, a rear surface 182, two side
surfaces 168 and 170, a top surface 174, and a bottom surface 166.
A plurality of dividers 172 extend upwardly from the bottom surface
166 of the box 136 and connect to the front surface 180 and rear
surface 182. The dividers 172 define a plurality of storage cells
102 in the box portion 136 by defining sidewalls of the storage
cells 102. In the first preferred embodiment, the dividers 172
define seven storage cells 102 disposed linearly in a row. Each of
the storage cells 102 is preferably designed to store small
objects, for example, a pill, solid product tablet, capsule, gel
cap, gummy gel, or other type and/or carrier of medicine, vitamin,
or health supplement, herein referred to as a pill 178. With a
seven storage cell 102 arrangement, each storage cell 102 may
represent a day of the week for which to contain a predetermined
dosage of pills 178.
[0032] The pill container 100 is preferably configured to be
oriented in an upright orientation as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4
to access stored pills 178 by opening the hinged lids 104 covering
the storage cells 102, or in an upside down orientation, herein
referred to as the refill orientation, as illustrated in FIGS. 2
and 3 to access a plurality of refill openings 120 defined in the
bottom surface 166 of the box portion 136 through which pills 178
may be inserted into the storage cells 102. According to the first
preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, seven refill holes 120
are defined in the bottom surface 166 of the box 136. The diameter
of the refill openings 120 defined in the downward-facing side of
the bottom surface 166 is greater than the diameter of the refill
openings 120 defined in the upward-facing side of the bottom
surface 166, forming a tapered sidewall around the top edge of the
refill openings 120 when the pill container 100 is in the refill
orientation as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0033] It is noted that, while the plurality of refill openings 120
are preferably defined in the bottom surface 166 of the box portion
136, one skilled in the art may define the refill openings 120 in
one of the front surface 180 or rear surface 182, so that the
refill orientation would then orient that corresponding surface to
face upward and allow a user to sort the pills on that surface, as
described in greater detail below. Thus, for purposes of the
present application, the "bottom surface" of the box portion is
defined to include the surface of the box portion that includes or
defines the refill openings 120.
[0034] According the first preferred embodiment and as best
illustrated in FIG. 3, access to the storage cells 102 via the
refill openings 120 is accomplished by turning the pill container
100 to the refill orientation and moving a slide bar 108 to an open
position such that a plurality of openings 142 defined in the slide
bar 108 align with the plurality of refill openings 120 defined in
the bottom surface 166 of the box portion 136 of the pill container
100. According to embodiments, the slide bar openings 142 have
substantially the same shape, size, and configuration as the refill
openings 120, with the exception of the tapered sidewall of the
refill openings 120. The slide bar openings 142 are designed to
align with the refill openings 120 when the slide bar 108 is moved
to the open position. When the slide bar 108 is moved into a closed
position as illustrated in FIG. 2, the slide bar openings 142 are
not in alignment with the refill openings 120, allowing for the
slide bar 108 to restrict access to the storage cells 102 through
the refill openings 120.
[0035] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, the slide bar 108 is
adapted to pass through an interior of the storage cells 102 and
slidably attach to the box portion 136 through a plurality of slide
bar slots 116 defined in the side surfaces 168, 170 and each of the
dividers 172 of the box portion 136. A tab 118 is formed at one end
of the slide bar 108 and is provided both as an end stop for the
slide bar 108 and as a handle for sliding the slide bar between
open and closed positions. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the
slide bar 108 is inserted into the box portion 136 through a slide
bar slot 116 on the side surface 170 of the box portion 136, the
tab 118 provides an end stop when it encounters a tab stop 144
formed into the bottom surface 166 of the box portion 136. As best
shown in FIG. 3, a travel limit tab 134 is formed on one end of the
box portion 136, and is designed to provide an end stop when it
encounters the tab 118 on the slide bar 108. When the tab 118 comes
into contact with the travel limit tab 134, the pill container 100
is in the closed position, wherein the slide bar 108 covers the
refill openings 120. When the pill container is oriented right-side
up, the slide bar 108 provides a bottom surface to hold objects
stored in the storage cells 102. The slide bar 108 prevents pills
178 stored in the storage cells 102 from escaping through the
refill openings 120, and allows the pills 178 to be securely
retained within the storage cells 102. The travel limit tab 134
prevents the slide bar 108 from traveling past the closed
position.
[0036] As illustrated in FIG. 2, a plurality of refill indicia 162
may be printed onto, affixed to, or may be a raised or depressed
surface molded into the slide bar 108 positioned such that, when
the slide bar 108 is moved into the closed position and a user is
looking at the bottom surface 166 of the pill container 100, the
refill indicia 162 are exposed through the refill openings 120. The
refill indicia 162 provide information to a user, such as a time
interval (e.g., a day of the week) appointed to a storage cell 102
positioned below a specific refill opening 120. The refill indicia
162 preferably match lid indicia 160 on each lid member 104, as
best shown in FIG. 1 and described in greater detail below.
[0037] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, according to the first preferred
embodiment, a basin may be defined on the bottom surface 166 of the
box portion 136 by a raised edge or ridge 132 surrounding the
plurality of refill openings 120. The basin provides a sorting area
for arranging pills 178 in a number and an order desired before
inserting the pills 178 into the storage cells 102.
[0038] As shown in FIG. 2, when the slide bar 108 is in the closed
position, pills 178 may be placed on the slide bar 108 to allow for
verification of pills 178 before the pills 178 are dispensed into
the storage cells 102. For example, oftentimes users may need to
take several different types of pills 178 prescribed to be taken in
differing amounts and on differing days. By first placing pills 178
on the slide bar 108 over the storage cells 102 they are intended
to be stored in, the user may be able to more easily verify correct
dosages via a visual and/or tactile inspection of the pills 178.
The tapered sidewall around the top edge of the refill openings 120
provides a depressed area to help stage each pill 178 over the
corresponding storage cell 102 it is intended to be stored in. When
the user is satisfied with the arrangement of pills 178, the slide
bar 108 may be moved to the open position by pushing the tab 118
towards the tab stop 144 until it encounters the tab stop 144. The
slide bar slot 116 defined in the side surface 168 of the box
portion 136 is positioned such that, as the slide bar 108 is being
moved into the open position, a portion of the slide bar 108 may
pass through the slide bar slot 116 as shown in FIG. 3. As the
slide bar 108 is being moved into the open position, the slide bar
openings 142 in the slide bar are moved into alignment with the
refills openings 120 in the box portion 136, causing any pills 178
positioned on the slide bar 108 to drop through the slide bar
openings 142 (as well as the refill openings 120) and into the
storage cells 102 below. Subsequently, the slide bar 108 is
preferably moved back into the closed position to cover the refill
openings 120 and secure the pills 178 inside the storage cells
102.
[0039] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the slide bar 108
preferably comprises one or more raised detents 138 protruding from
the end of the slide bar 108 opposite the tab 118, where the
detents 138 are operable to selectively engage one or more catches
140 (shown by dashed lines in FIGS. 1 and 2) that are formed into a
top or bottom sidewall of the slide bar slot 116 to provide
resistance and help prevent unintentional movement of the slide bar
108. To selectively disengage the slide bar 108, a lateral force
great enough to overcome the resistance provided by the engagement
of the one or more detents 138 and catches 140 may be applied to
the slide bar tab 118.
[0040] As illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, a small cell 122 is defined by
the box portion 136 and a divider 172 at one end of the pill
container 100. The small cell 122 is provided as a void over a
portion of the refill bar 108 when the refill bar 108 is moved into
the closed position as best shown in FIG. 2.
[0041] As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a lid assembly 158 is
preferably comprised of a hinge lid mount 126 adapted to engage a
narrow longitudinal mount slot 128 defined in a top surface 174 of
the box portion 136. The lid assembly 158 further includes a
plurality of hinged lid members 104, each of which is adapted to
close a storage cell 102 when moved to a closed position.
[0042] Each lid member 104 has a snap lock 106 that is engagable
with a locking engagement member formed on an inner side of the
front surface 180 of the box portion 136 to provide a means of
initially locking the lid member 104 to the base portion 136. The
lid members 104 are individually movable and can be opened or
closed independently of each other. As shown in FIG. 1, the lid
members 104 are connected to the hinge lid mount 126 with a hinge
portion 184 (FIG. 1) that allows angular deflection of the lid
members 104 for closure of the pill container 100.
[0043] The lid assembly 158 additionally preferably comprises a
small cell hinged lid member 124 adapted to close the small cell
122 when in a closed position. As best shown in FIG. 1, a vertical
slot 186 is defined by the front surface 180 of the box portion 136
in the small cell 122 and is adapted to provide an opening for a
lock bar 110 as will be described below. According to an
embodiment, the small cell hinged lid member 124 is permanently
closed during assembly.
[0044] As mentioned above, lid indicia 160 may be printed onto,
molded into, or applied to a top surface of each lid member 104 and
are preferably provided for providing information to a user, such
as a day of the week appointed to a storage cell 102 positioned
below a specific lid member 104.
[0045] As best shown in FIG. 4, the pill container 100 preferably
comprises a locking mechanism 176 comprising a lock bar 110
selectively attached to the box portion 136 to provide a secondary
locking mechanism for the hinged lid members 104. The lock bar 110
includes two pivot pins 112 located on opposing interior surfaces
of each end of the lock bar 110 for engaging two pivot pin holes
114, one defined by the side surface 168 of the box portion 136 as
shown in FIG. 1, and the other (not shown) defined by the divider
172 separating the small cell 122 from the next storage cell 120.
The attachment of the lock bar 110 to the box portion 136 via an
engagement of the pivot pins 112 and the pivot pin holes 114 allows
the lock bar 110 to rotate about the pivot pins 112. When the lock
bar 110 is pivoted over the lid members 104, the lock bar 110 is in
a locked position and may be held in place by lift tabs 130
disposed on the top surface of each of the lid members 104 securing
the lock bar 110 by an interference fit.
[0046] While the embodiment of the pill container 100 in FIGS. 1-4
utilizes a linear array of storage cells 102, another embodiment
(not shown) utilizes a radial array of storage cells and a circular
slide bar defining a plurality of slide bar openings. The circular
slide bar is adapted to be selectively rotated into an open
position, aligning the slide bar openings with refill openings
defined in a box portion, and allowing pills pre-staged on the
circular slide bar to be dispensed into the storage cells.
[0047] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of an alternate configuration
185 of the first embodiment of pill container 100. Alternate
configuration 185 comprises an array of two (mirrored) conjoined
first preferred embodiment pill containers 100 sharing a common
internal rear surface 182. The second configuration 185 has
mirrored locations for the storage cells 102, the slide bar 108,
and the lock bar 110. As illustrated in FIG. 5, lock bar indicia
164 may be printed onto, molded into, or applied to a top surface
of each lock bar 110 and are preferably provided for providing
information to a user, such as a week or a time of day appointed to
a row of storage cells 102 positioned below the specific lock bar
110.
[0048] A second preferred embodiment of the integrated pill
container 200 is shown in FIGS. 6-15B. As best illustrated in FIG.
6, the pill container 200 generally includes a molded box portion
236, a slide bar 208, and a lid assembly 258. The box portion 236
is generally comprised of a front surface 280, a rear surface 282,
two side surfaces 268 and 270, a top surface 274, and a bottom
surface 266. A plurality of dividers 272 extend upwardly from the
bottom surface 266 of the box 236 and connect to both the front
surface 280 and rear surface 282. The dividers 272 define a
plurality of storage cells 202 in the box portion 236 by defining
sidewalls of the storage cells 202. In the second preferred
embodiment, the dividers 272 define seven storage cells 202
disposed linearly in a row. Each of the storage cells 202 is
preferably designed to store small objects, for example, a pill,
solid product tablet, capsule, gel cap, gummy gel, or other type
and/or carrier of medicine, vitamin, or health supplement, herein
referred to as a pill 278. With a seven storage cell 202
arrangement, each storage cell 202 may represent a day of the week
for which to contain a predetermined dosage of pills 278.
[0049] The pill container 200 is preferably configured to be
oriented in an upright orientation as illustrated in FIGS. 6-8 to
access stored pills 278 by opening the hinged lid members 204
covering the storage cells 202, or in an upside down orientation,
herein referred to as the refill orientation, as illustrated in
FIGS. 9 and 10 to access a plurality of refill openings 220 (FIG.
6) defined in the bottom surface 266 of the box portion 236 through
which pills 278 may be inserted into the storage cells 202.
According to the second preferred embodiment, seven refill holes
220 are defined by the bottom surface 266 of the box 236 (however,
as described above, one skilled in the art may reposition the
refill holes 220 to one of the side surfaces 268 or 270).
[0050] According the second preferred embodiment and as best
illustrated in FIG. 10, access to the storage cells 202 via the
refill openings 220 is accomplished by turning the pill container
200 to the refill orientation and moving a slide bar 208 to an open
position such that a plurality of openings 242 defined in the slide
bar 208 aligns with the plurality of refill openings 220 defined in
the bottom surface 266 of the box portion 236 of the pill container
200. According to embodiments, the slide bar openings 242 have
substantially the same shape, size, and configuration as the refill
openings 220. The slide bar openings 242 are designed to align with
the refill openings 220 when the slide bar 208 is moved to the open
position.
[0051] When the slide bar 208 is moved into a closed position as
illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the slide bar openings 242 are not in
alignment with the refill openings 220, allowing for the slide bar
208 to restrict access to the storage cells 202 through the refill
openings 220. When in the closed position, the slide bar 208
prevents pills 278 stored in the storage cells 202 from escaping
through the refill openings 220, and allows the pills 278 to be
securely retained within the storage cells 202. FIGS. 12A and 12B
show a bottom view and a top view, respectively, of the slide bar
208. The diameter of the slide bar openings 242 defined in the
downward-facing side of the slide bar 108 is preferably greater
than the diameter of the slide bar openings 242 defined in the
upward-facing side of the slide bar 108, thus forming a tapered
sidewall around the top edge of the slide bar openings 242 when the
pill container 200 is in the refill orientation, as best
illustrated in FIG. 12A.
[0052] FIGS. 11A and 11B display a bottom view and a top view,
respectively, of the bottom surface 266 of the box portion 236 of
the pill container 200. As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 11A, a
plurality of refill indicia 262 may be printed onto, affixed to, or
may be a raised or depressed surface molded into the
downward-facing side of the bottom surface 266 of the box portion
236 positioned such that, when the slide bar 208 is moved into the
closed position, the refill indicia 262 are exposed through the
slide bar openings 242 (when viewed from the bottom surface 266 of
the pill container 200). The refill indicia 262 are preferably
provided for providing information to a user, such as a day of the
week appointed to a storage cell 202 which will receive the pills
278 when the slide bar 208 is moved into the open position.
[0053] As best shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11A, a box basin 233 is
formed into the bottom surface 266 of the box portion 236 defined
by a retainer guide 244 partially surrounding the bottom surface
266 of the box portion 236. The configuration of box basin 233 is
designed such that the slide bar 208 fits within the box basin 233
and is slidable between a closed position, where the refill
openings 220 are covered by portions of the slide bar 208 disposed
between the slide bar openings 242, and an open position, where the
refill openings 220 are aligned with the slide bar openings
242.
[0054] The retainer guide 244 comprises an interior overhanging
edge and provides a plurality of housing slots 246 (FIG. 11A) for
retainers 243 protruding from a perimeter of the slide bar 208,
thereby providing an attachment means for the slide bar 208 to the
box portion 236. The retainers 243 on the slide bar 208 slide
within the housing slots 246 under the interior overhanging edge of
the retainer guide 244. Vertical movement of the slide bar 208 is
limited by contact of the protruding retainers 243 on the slide bar
208 with the interior overhanging edge of the retainer guide 244,
while horizontal movement of the slide bar 208 is limited by
contact with the ends of the retainer guides 244. The retainer
guide 244 may also provide a level perimeter to place the pill
container 200 on a flat surface when in the upright orientation, as
best shown in FIG. 10.
[0055] According to the second preferred embodiment, a basin (best
shown in FIGS. 10 and 12A) may be defined on the downward-facing
side of the slide bar 208 by a raised edge 232 surrounding the
plurality of slide bar openings 242. The basin provides an area for
arranging pills 278 in a number and an order desired before
inserting the pills 278 into the storage cells 202.
[0056] As shown in FIG. 9, when the slide bar 208 is in the closed
position, pills 278 may be placed on the bottom surface 266 of the
box portion 236 within the slide bar openings 242 (and on top of
the corresponding refill indicia 262) to allow for verification of
pills 278 before the pills are dispensed into the storage cells
202. For example, oftentimes users may need to take several
different types of pills 278 prescribed to be taken in differing
amounts and on differing days. By first placing pills 278 on the
bottom surface 266 of the box portion 236 within the slide bar
openings 242, the user may be able to more easily verify correct
dosages via a visual and/or tactile inspection of the pills 278.
The tapered sidewall of the slide bar openings 242 provides a
depressed area to help stage pills 278 before being dispensed into
the storage cells 202 in which they are intended to be stored. When
the user is satisfied with the arrangement of pills 278, the slide
bar 208 may be moved into the open position by sliding the slide
bar 208 towards the opposite side of the pill container 200 until
it engages the inner perimeter of the retainer guide 244. Moving
the slide bar 208 to the open position aligns the slide bar
openings 242 with the refill openings 220 in the box portion 236,
thereby causing any pills 278 positioned in the slide bar openings
242 (as shown in FIG. 9) to drop through the refills openings 220
into the storage cells 202 below (as illustrated in FIG. 10).
[0057] As illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B, a lock slot 234 is
defined in the bottom surface 266 and provides a passage to a lock
recess 240 (FIGS. 10, 12A and 12B) in the slide bar 208 through
which a locking mechanism 276 (FIG. 15A) may engage the lock recess
240 to selectively prevent movement of the slide bar 208. The lock
recess 240 is defined by a generally u-shaped button 238 protruding
from one end of the slide bar 108. The lock recess 240 is provided
as a slot for selectively engaging a locking tab 252 (FIGS. 15A and
15B) of the locking mechanism 276. When the slide bar 208 is moved
to the closed position, the lock recess 240 in the slide bar 208 is
aligned with the lock slot 234 in the bottom surface 266, thereby
providing a passageway for the locking tab 252 to pass through the
lock slot 234 and engage the lock recess 240. Movement of the slide
bar 108 is prevented when the locking tab 252 is selectively
engaged with the lock recess 240. FIG. 9 illustrates the locking
tab 252 engaging the lock recess 240. When the slide bar 208 is
moved in the open position, the button 238 extends through an
opening in the retainer guide 244 and past the side surface 268 of
the box portion 236 as illustrated in FIG. 10.
[0058] The locking mechanism 276 is further shown in FIGS. 6-10 and
13-15B and generally comprises a lock bar 210 providing a secondary
locking means for the hinged lid members 204. A tongue 254 is
hingedly attached to provide positive closure of the lock bar 210,
while two pivot arms 250 (FIG. 13) include pivot pins 212 to
provide an attachment means to the box portion 236 and to allow
rotation of the locking mechanism 276 between a locked and unlocked
position, whereby the locked position provides engagement between
the locking tab 252 and the lock recess 240 to prevent movement of
the slide bar 208 as described above.
[0059] The pivot pins 212 fit within pivot holes 214 defined into
the side surfaces 268,270 of the box portion 236, as best shown in
FIGS. 8-10. When the locking mechanism 276 is in the locked
position as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the lock bar 210 is
adapted to cover a portion of the hinged lid members 204 and
thereby prevent accidental opening of the hinged lid members 204.
Lock bar indicia 264 may be printed onto, molded into, or applied
to a top surface of the lock bar 210 and are preferably provided
for providing information to a user, such as a day appointed to a
storage cell 202 positioned below the specific indicium 264. As
illustrated in FIG. 8, the lock bar indicia 264 may be in the shape
of letters to represent days of the week and, in a preferred
embodiment, matches the refill indicia 262 on the bottom surface
266 of the box portion 236.
[0060] The tongue 254 is pivotally attached to the lock bar 210 by
a hinge 230 which allows rotation of the tongue 254 in relation to
the lock bar 210. As best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the tongue 254 is
sized to fit within a seating tower 224 formed into the rear
surface 282 of the box portion 236. A lock pawl 256 on a bottom
side of the tongue 254 is provided to selectively engage a shoulder
of the seating tower 224. The lock bar 210 may be limited in
rotation by the lock pawl 256 engaging the shoulder of the seating
tower 224. When the tongue 254 is held in the seating tower 224 and
the lock pawl 256 is engaged with the shoulder, a user may pull the
tongue 254 away from the box portion 236 with sufficient force to
allow the lock pawl 256 to disengage from the shoulder of the
seating tower 224, thereby unlocking the lock bar 210.
[0061] FIGS. 15A and 15B illustrate a side view of the locking
mechanism 276 in the unlocked position (FIG. 15A) and in the locked
position (FIG. 15B). The locked position includes locking of both
the hinged lid members 204 and the slide bar 208. As described
above, the slide bar 208 is locked by the locking tab 252 engaging
the lock recess 240 in the button 238 on the slide bar 208. The
locking mechanism 276 rotates about the pivot pin 212 which is
seated in pivot hole 214 in the box portion 236. Both the hinged
lid members 204 and the refill bar 208 are locked at the same time
by the same action of the locking mechanism 276.
[0062] Other types of locking mechanisms may be used with the
different embodiments 100 and 200 of the pill container. For
example, a spring-loaded slide bar (not shown) may be utilized
where a spring is attached to both the slide bar within the button
and to the box portion such that, when the spring-loaded slide bar
is moved to the open position, tension is applied and stretches the
spring. Upon releasing the spring-loaded slide bar, the spring
returns to its rest state (un-stretched) and holds the slide bar in
the closed position until a tension load sufficient to overcome the
initial tension of the spring is applied, thereby allowing the
slide bar to move into the open position.
[0063] The lid assembly 258 is best shown detached in FIG. 6 and
attached to the base portion 236 in FIG. 7. The lid assembly 258
comprises a plurality of hinged lid members 204, lid inserts 226,
and anchors 216. As best illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7, and 11B, the
lid assembly 258 is adapted for attachment to the box portion 236
by inserting the lid inserts 226 into troughs 228. Troughs 228 are
located at the rear of each storage cell 202 and are defined by an
inner side of the rear surface 282 of the box portion 236 and
insert guides 222 that extend upwardly from the bottom surface 266
of the box 236 between the dividers 272. The troughs 228 allow the
lid inserts 226 to be structurally retained in the box portion 236.
Anchor recesses 218 formed through the bottom surface 266 provide
permanent seating for the anchors 216 on the lid assembly 258
during assembly of the apparatus.
[0064] Each lid member 204 is configured and sized to close a
storage cell 202. Each lid member 204 has a snap lock 206 that is
engagable with a locking member formed on an inner side of the
front surface 280 of the box portion 236 to provide a means of
initially locking the lid member 204 to the base portion 236. The
lid members 204 are individually movable and can be opened or
closed independently of each other. The lid members 204 are
connected to the lid inserts 226 with a hinge portion 284 that
allows angular deflection of the lid members 204 for closure of the
pill container 200 as best shown in FIG. 8.
[0065] Lid indicia 260 (FIG. 8) may be printed onto, molded into,
or applied to a top surface of each lid member 204 and are
preferably provided for providing information to a user, such as a
day of the week appointed to a storage cell 202 positioned below a
specific lid member 204. The lid indicia 260 may include Braille
indicia engraved or formed in relief on the lid members 204.
[0066] FIG. 16 is a flow chart illustrating a method 1600 of
storing one or more pills in a pill container (100,200) according
to preferred embodiments. The method 1600 starts at OPERATION 1605
and proceeds to OPERATION 1610 where one or more (pills 178,278)
are placed on a bottom surface of a closed pill container
(100,200). According to the first preferred embodiment and as best
illustrated in FIG. 2, when the pill container 100 is oriented in
an upside down orientation, the one or more pills 178 may be placed
on the bottom surface 166 of the box portion 136 and/or on portions
of the slide bar 108 accessible through the refill openings 120
defined by the bottom surface 166 of the box portion 136. According
to the second preferred embodiment and as best illustrated in FIG.
9, when the pill container 200 is oriented in an upside down
orientation, the one or more pills 278 may be placed on the slide
bar 208 and/or on portions of the bottom surface 266 of the box
portion 236 accessible through the slide bar openings 242 defined
by the slide bar.
[0067] The method 1600 proceeds to OPERATION 1615 where the one or
more pills 178,278 may be sorted in a sorting area. According to
the first preferred embodiment, the sorting area may comprise a
basin 132 defined on the bottom surface 166 of the box portion 136
by a raised edge 132 surrounding the plurality of refill openings
120. The sorting area may also comprise the portion of the slide
bar 108 exposed through the refill openings 120. The tapered
sidewalls around the top edge of the refill openings 120 provide a
depressed area for staging pills 178 over a storage cell 102.
[0068] According to the second preferred embodiment, the sorting
area may comprise a basin 232 defined on the downward-facing side
of the slide bar 208 by a raised edge 232 surrounding the plurality
of slide bar openings 242. The basin 232 provides an area for
arranging pills 278 in a number and an order desired before
inserting the pills 278 into storage cells 202. The sorting area
may also comprise the portion of the bottom surface 266 of the box
portion 236 exposed through the slide bar openings 242. The tapered
sidewalls around the top edge of the slide bar openings 242 provide
a depressed area for staging pills 278 over a storage cell 202.
[0069] The method 1600 proceeds to OPERATION 1620 where each of the
one or more pills (178,278) may be placed over one or more closed
orifices disposed on the bottom surface of the pill container
(100,200). According to the first preferred embodiment, each of the
one or more pills 178 may be placed onto portions of the slide bar
108 accessible through the refill openings 120. Each refill opening
120 is disposed over a storage cell 102 wherein each storage cell
102 represents a time interval, such as a time of day or a day of
the week. The represented time interval of each storage cell 102
may be identified by indicia provided on the portion of the slide
bar 108 accessible through the refill openings 120 when the slide
bar 108 is in a closed position. A tapered sidewall around the top
edge of the refill openings 120 provides a depressed area to help
stage each pill 178 over the corresponding storage cell 102 in
which it is intended to be stored.
[0070] According to the second preferred embodiment, each of the
one or more pills 278 may be placed onto portions of the bottom
surface 266 of the box portion 236 of the pill container 200
accessible through the slide bar openings 242. Each portion of the
bottom surface 266 of the box portion 236 accessible through the
slide bar openings 242 is designated to a storage cell 202 wherein
each storage cell 202 represents a time interval, such as a time of
day or a day of the week. The represented time interval of each
storage cell 202 may be identified by indicia provided on the
portion of the bottom surface 266 of the box portion 236 accessible
through the slide bar openings 242 when the slide bar 208 is in a
closed position. A tapered sidewall of the slide bar openings 242
provides a depressed area to help stage pills 278 before being
dispensed into the storage cells 202 in which they are intended to
be stored.
[0071] The method 1600 proceeds to OPERATION 1625 where an
arrangement of pills (178,278) may be visually and/or tactilely
verified. A user may have a condition requiring him to take more
than one type of pill and in varying amounts according to a
specific day or time. Embodiments provide an improved method for
verifying an assortment of pills according to time interval. By
first placing pills (178,278) on portions of the slide bar 108 over
the storage cells 102 they are intended to be stored in (first
preferred embodiment) or on portions of the bottom surface 266 of
the box portion 236 designated to storage cells 202 (second
preferred embodiment), the user may be able to more easily verify
correct dosages via a visual and/or tactile inspection of the pills
(178,278).
[0072] The method 1600 proceeds to OPERATION 1630 where the slide
bar 108,208 may be moved to an open position to allow the one or
more pills (178,278) to fall into their intended storage cells
(102,202). According to the first preferred embodiment, as the
slide bar 108 is being moved into the open position, the slide bar
openings 142 in the slide bar are moved into alignment with the
refills openings 120 in the box portion 136, causing any pills 178
positioned on the slide bar 108 (as shown in FIG. 2) to drop
through the slide bar openings 142 (as well as the refill openings
120) into the storage cells 102 below (as illustrated in FIG.
3).
[0073] According to the second preferred embodiment, moving the
slide bar 208 to the open position aligns the slide bar openings
242 with the refill openings 220 in the box portion 236, thereby
causing any pills 278 positioned in the slide bar openings 242 (as
shown in FIG. 9) to drop through the refills openings 220 into the
storage cells 202 below (as illustrated in FIG. 10).
[0074] The method 1600 proceeds to OPERATION 1635 where the slide
bar (108,208) may be moved back into the closed position. According
to the first preferred embodiment, when the slide bar 108 is moved
into the closed position, the slide bar openings 142 are not in
alignment with the refill openings 120, allowing for the slide bar
108 to restrict access to the storage cells 102 through the refill
openings 120. According to the second preferred embodiment, when
the slide bar 208 is moved into the closed position, the slide bar
openings 242 are not in alignment with the refill openings 220,
allowing for the slide bar 208 to restrict access to the storage
cells 202 through the refill openings 220.
[0075] The method 1600 may end at OPERATION 1695 or may proceed to
OPERATION 1640 where the pill container (100,200) is selectively
locked. Selectively locking the pill container (100,200) may be
accomplished via various mechanisms and methods. For example,
locking the pill container 100 may include aligning one or more
detents 138 protruding from the end of the slide bar 108 with one
or more catches 140 (shown by dashed lines in FIGS. 1 and 2) formed
into a top or bottom sidewall of the slide bar slot 116 for
allowing the detents 138 to selectively engage the one or more
catches 140 and provide resistance to help prevent unintentional
movement of the slide bar 108.
[0076] As another example, selectively locking the pill container
200 may include utilizing a spring-loaded slide bar 208 where the
spring is biased to maintain the slide bar 208 in the closed
position. Accordingly, the slide bar 208 is held in the closed or
"locked" position until an opening force sufficient to overcome the
tension of the spring 188 is applied to move the slide bar 208 to
the open position.
[0077] According to the first preferred embodiment, selectively
locking the pill container 100 may include pivoting the lock bar
110 over the lid members 104 so that the lock bar 110 is in a
locked position and may be held in place by lift tabs 130 disposed
on the top surface of each of the lid members 104 securing the lock
bar 110 by an interference fit. The lock bar 110 protects the lid
members 104 from accidental opening.
[0078] According to the second preferred embodiment, selectively
locking the pill container 200 may include pivoting a locking
mechanism 276 into a locked position (FIG. 15B), and thereby
locking both the slide bar 208 and the hinged lid members 204. As
described above, the slide bar 208 is locked by the locking tab 252
engaging the lock recess 240 in the button 238 on the slide bar
208. The locking mechanism 276 rotates about the pivot pin 212
which is seated in pivot hole 214 in the box portion 236. Both the
hinged lid members 204 and the slide bar 208 are locked at the same
time by the same action of the locking mechanism 276.
[0079] The materials that comprise the majority of the pill
containers (100,200) are preferably plastic materials such as
polyvinylchloride, polyethylene or others and may be manufactured
using well known techniques, for example, plastic injection
molding. The parts of the pill containers (100,200) may be made of
transparent plastic to allow easy identification of the
contents.
[0080] The various embodiments described above are provided by way
of illustration only and should not be construed as limiting. While
the disclosed invention has been described with reference to
various embodiments, it will be understood to those skilled in the
art that various changes may be made and equal elements may be
substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope
of the present invention. The scope of the present invention
further includes any combination of the elements from embodiments
as set forth herein. In addition, modification may be made to adapt
the teaching of the present invention to a particular application
without departing from its essential scope thereof.
[0081] Although the subject matter has been described in language
specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is
to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended
claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts
described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described
above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the
claims.
[0082] It is intended that the invention not be limited to the
particular embodiments described and/or illustrated, but that the
invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of
the appended claims.
* * * * *