Neck-supported Pill Container

Abstract

A pill container and carrier unique in that it embodies a vial having attachable and detachable upper and lower screw caps. The upper cap is provided with a flexible suspension element which encircles and is hung from the wearer's neck and is slidingly connected to the upper cap. The lower screw cap has a built-in cuplike well with a perforated cover communicating with the pill container and closing the well. This well is charged with moisture absorbing desiccative granules which function to keep the pills dry for efficacious use.

Description

This invention relates to a pill container which is characterized by a case or vial having attachable and detachable cap-type closures at its upper and lower ends, the upper closure being slidingly hung from a neck encircling element, and the lower closure having self-contained pill-drying and conditioning media, whereby to maintain the preserve the pills in ready-to-use form.

Briefly the concept, broadly construed, has to do with a chain, strap, or plastic or equivalent cord which is adapted to be worn about the neck of the user and which is operatively connected with a depending pill container or carrier. The pill carrier, thus hung and slidingly suspended, is convenient and readily accessible for use by the user.

More specifically, the pill container and carrier is an innovation in that it comprises a vial or an equivalent elongate container whose opposite ends are internally screw threaded and are adapted to be closed by readily attachable and detachable upper and lower screwcaps. The upper cap has a solid body portion provided with a hole which extends therethrough and which provides a passage for a cooperating portion of the suspension encircling element. The lower screwcap is provided with a self-contained cuplike well. This well serves as a receiver or holder for moisture absorbing granules, more specifically desiccative media. The well is provided with a disclike closure or cover having orifices which communicate with the container portion of the vial in a manner to preserve and maintain the pills in intact and full-strength condition.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a pill container and carrier constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and showing how the container and neck-encircling element coordinate when being used.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged central sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken on the plane of the section line 2-2 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing all of the component parts and the manner in which they are constructed and fit together when assembled as illustrated in FIG. 2.

And FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on the plane of the section line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

The neck-encircling element or means is denoted by the numeral 6. In practice this may comprise a noncorrodible chain or the like (not detailed) or a simple plastic or equivalent endless cord as at 8. This cord serves to suspend the pendantlike pill container.

The container is of composite construction and comprises an elongate cylindrical or equivalent case or vial which is denoted by the numeral 10. The upper end portion 12 is open and is internally screw threaded as best brought out in FIG. 2. The lower open end 14 is likewise internally screw threaded. This vial is of requisite length and cross-sectional dimension to accommodate pills such as denoted generally at A in FIG. 2. These pills may be such as are carried by countless persons day in and out such as pills required by heart patients, diabetics, pain pills or the like. The upper end of the vial is provided with closure means 16. It comprises a substantially solid cap 18 which has a hole 20 passing completely therethrough from side to side and opening through diametrically opposite sides and providing a passage for that portion 22 of the suspension element which is cooperable therewith. The reduced externally screw-threaded neck portion 24 is made with requisite exactitude so that it can be screwed into the threads at the end 12. The numeral 26 designates a gasket or packing ring which seats against the end 12 when the cap is tightened down as is clearly evident in FIGS. 1 and 2. The closure assembly or means at the lower end is denoted, generally speaking by the numeral 28. It comprises a so-called lower screwcap 30 having a reduced screw-threaded neck 32 which is screwed into threads 34 in the aforementioned lower end of the vial. The numeral 36 designates the customarily employed packing ring or gasket which is fitted in place as brought out satisfactorily in FIG. 2. While it is within the purview of the invention to employ a solid cap at this end it is preferably a hollow cap the hollow portion of which is denoted at 38 in FIG. 2. Built into this hollow portion is an upwardly opening cuplike well 40 which provides a receiver for the moisture absorbing granules or equivalent media 42. This filler media is also described as possessed of the desired desiccative properties. There are many such products on the open market such as a suitable grade of sodium chloride or a product known as Desikin. The open mouth portion of the well is internally screw threaded and is joined by a web 44 to the screw-threaded neck 32 as brought out in FIG. 2. This internally screw-threaded mouth serves to accommodate the coacting screw-in neck 46 of the well closure or cover means 48. This means comprises a disc 50 having a screwdriver kerf 52 therein and also provided with a multiplicity of distributively arranged venting orifices as denoted at 54 in FIG. 4. The disc portion fits on the web 44 and is tightly seated and ordinarily does not require a packing ring. The ports or orifices 54 communicating with the pill chamber serve to absorb moisture, if any, from the pills A whereby to maintain the same in intact form and to minimize crumbing the moisture damage.

It is within the purview of the invention to internally line the surfaces of the vial and coacting surface portions of the end closures 16 and 28. Manifestly and in practice all of the component parts will have to be made of materials which are known to prevent contamination of pills, capsules and equivalent medicaments.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A pill safeguarding and carrying container through the medium of which prescribed pills can be conveniently carried on the user's person for expedient unhampered use comprising a vial having internally screw-threaded open upper and lower ends and providing a pill container, an upper closing cap having a screw-threaded neck removably screwed into said upper end, a flexible neck-encircling element slidingly connected to said upper cap and adapted to suspend the container in a ready-to-use position, a lower closing cap likewise having a screw-threaded neck, the latter screwed into the lower screw-threaded end of said vial, said upper closing cap being of solid form and having a hole extending through the solid portion and opening through diametrically opposite sides, said hole providing an open-ended passage and a portion of said neck-encircling element being threaded through said hole, said lower closing cap being hollow, the hollow portion having an upwardly opening cuplike well adapted to contain moisture absorbing media possessed of desiccative properties and having the inherent capability of keeping the pills dry and intact for efficacious use, said well having a mouth portion joined by an annular web to said neck, said mouth portion being internally screw threaded, and a perforated covering disc for said mouth having a screw-threaded neck screwed into said screw-threaded mouth.

2. A pill container expressly designed and adapted to be carried on the pill user's person for convenient and unhampered use comprising a vial having an openable and closable upper end, an upper closing cap removably connected to and normally closing said upper end, suspension means embodying a flexible neck-encircling element, said upper closure being slidingly strung on a portion of said neck-encircling elements and permitting the vial to be hung on said elements similar to a necklace-supported pendant, a lower closing cap for the coacting lower end of said vial, said lower closing cap being hollow, the hollow portion having an upwardly opening cuplike well axially aligned with said vial and adapted to contain moisture absorbing media, the lower open end of said vial being internally screw threaded, said lower closing cap having a screw-threaded neck screwed into the lower screw-threaded end of said vial, said well having a mouth portion joined to a cooperating end of said screw-threaded neck, said mouth portion being internally screw threaded, and a perforated covering disc for said mouth having a screw-threaded neck screwed into said screw-threaded mouth.

3. The pill container defined in and according to claim 2 and wherein said upper closing cap is solid in form and has a hole extending through the solid portion and opening through diametrically opposite sides, said hole providing an open-ended passage and the coacting portion of said neck-encircling element passing slidingly through said hole.