Serially Connected Packets With End Indicator

• US 20080264966A1
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walgreen Co. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Walgreen Co. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Inventors: Palazzolo, Christina M., Kowalik, Francis C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,946,421 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/725 Incised or pre-scored openings or windows provided in the side wall of containers

Abstract

A strip containing a prescription of individual dosages of medicine includes a plurality of packets connected in a series. The plurality of packets includes at least one filled packet that includes a plurality of medications. The strip has a first end, a second end, and an ending group. The ending group includes a subset of the plurality of packets and is adjacent the second end. An indicator is associated with the ending group, wherein the indicator can inform a user that the ending group is adjacent the second end of the strip.

Claims

1. A strip containing a prescription of individual dosages of medicine, the strip comprising:

a plurality of packets connected in a series, the plurality of packets including at least one filled packet, the filled packet including a plurality of medications;

the strip having a first end, a second end, and an ending group, the ending group comprising a subset of the plurality of packets and being adjacent the second end; and

an indicator associated with the ending group, wherein the indicator can inform a user that the ending group is adjacent the second end of the strip.

2. The strip of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a stripe on the ending group.

3. The strip of claim 1, the plurality of packets further including a least one empty packet, the ending group of the strip comprising an alternating set of filled packets and empty packets, wherein the indicator comprises the alternating set.

4. The strip of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a first set of indicia.

5. The strip of claim 4, wherein the first set of indicia has a first color, the strip including a second set of indicia having a second color, wherein the first color is different than the second color.

6. The strip of claim 5, wherein the first color is red.

7. The strip of claim 4, wherein the first set of indicia is a textual warning message.

8. A dispensing assembly for dispensing a medication, comprising:

a container with an opening;

a strip having a first end and a second end, a portion of the strip disposed in the container, wherein the first end extends through the opening and out of the container, and the second end is disposed at a bottom of the container;

the strip including a plurality of packets connected in a series, the plurality of packets including at least one filled packet, the filled packet including a medication;

the strip including an ending group adjacent the second end, the ending group comprising a subset of the plurality of packets;

an indicator associated with the ending group of the strip, wherein the indicator can inform a user that the ending group is adjacent the second end.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the indicator includes a stripe disposed on the ending group.

10. The assembly of claim 8, the plurality of packets further including a least one empty packet, the ending group of the strip comprising an alternating set of filled packets and empty packets, wherein the indicator comprises the alternating set.

11. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the indicator comprises a first set of indicia.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the first set of indicia has a first color, the strip including a second set of indicia having a second color, wherein the first color is different than the second color.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the first color is red.

14. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the first set of indicia is a textual warning.

15. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the strip includes an empty set of packets adjacent the second end with no medication, wherein the empty set of packets raises the filled packet toward the opening.

16. A strip of packets for containing separate dosages of medicine, the strip comprising:

a plurality of packets connected in a series, the plurality of packets including at least one filled packet, the filled packet including a medication;

the strip having a first end, a second end, and an ending group, the ending group comprising a subset of the plurality of packets and being adjacent the second end;

indication means associated with the ending group, the indicating means capable of informing a user that the ending group is adjacent the second end.

17. The strip of claim 16, wherein the indication means includes a stripe on the ending group.

18. The strip of claim 16, the plurality of packets further including a least one empty packet, the ending group of the strip comprising an alternating set of filled packets and empty packets, wherein the indication means comprises the alternating set.

19. The strip of claim 16, wherein the indication means comprises a first set of indicia.

20. The strip of claim 19, wherein the first set of indicia has a first color, the strip including a second set of indicia having a second color, wherein the first color is different than the second color.

21. The strip of claim 20, wherein the first color is red.

22. The strip of claim 19, wherein the first set of indicia is a textual warning.

23. The strip of claim 16, wherein the strip includes an empty set of packets adjacent the second end with no medication.