APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR STIMULATING SCHEDULED USE OF A CONSUMABLE SUBSTANCE

• US 20090115598A1
• Filed: 11/07/2007
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomas H. Jr. Carslon
• Original Assignee: Thomas H. Jr. Carslon
• Inventors: Carlson, Thomas H. JR.
• Application Number:
  US11/936,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20090115598A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/526
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0436 resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0472 of the count-down type, i.e. counting down a predetermined interval after each reset

Abstract

A device for stimulating scheduled use of a consumable substance. The device includes a sensor and an indicator, the indicator having a state which is dependent upon time elapsed since occurrence of a consumption event detected by the sensor.

Claims

1. A device for stimulating scheduled use of a consumable substance, comprising:

a sensor;

a timer; and

an indicator operatively coupled with the timer and the sensor, where a state of the indicator is dependent upon time elapsed since occurrence of a consumption event detected by the sensor.

2. The device of claim 1, where the sensor, timer and indicator are incorporated into a cap adapted to be received on an opening of a container so as to close the container.

3. The device of claim 2, where the consumption event detected by the sensor is removal or reattachment of the cap.

4. The device of claim 2, where the device is configured so that the state of the indicator changes after elapse of a time interval.

5. The device of claim 4, where the time interval is pre-determined and set during manufacture of the device.

6. The device of claim 2, where the cap is adapted and sized for use with a pre-existing medication vial, so as to allow end-user replacement of an original cap of the medication vial.

7. The device of claim 1, where the sensor is a motion sensor configured to detect a motion of the device, the sensitivity of the sensor being selected so as to only detect motion of sufficient magnitude to correlate with a consumption event.

8. The device of claim 1, where the sensor is configured to detect a disturbance of the device and cause the timer to reset upon detection of such disturbance.

9. The device of claim 1, where the device is incorporated into at least a portion of a container for storing and dispensing the consumable substance, and where the device is configured so that the state of the indicator changes after elapse of a time interval following the consumption event.

10. The device of claim 9, where the time interval is predetermined and configured during manufacture of the device so as to not require post-purchase programming by a user of the device.

11. The device of claim 9, where the sensor, timer and indicator are incorporated into a lid of the container.

12. The device of claim 1, where the indicator is a light emitting device (LED).

13. The device of claim 1, where the indicator is an audio indicator.

14. A device for stimulating scheduled use of a consumable substance, comprising:

a container lid adapted and sized for use with a pre-existing standard-sized container, so as to replace an original lid of the container;

a sensor incorporated into a body of the container lid and adapted to detect a consumption event; and

an indicator operatively coupled with the sensor, where the indicator is configured so that a state of the indicator is dependent upon a time elapsed since occurrence of the consumption event.

15. The device of claim 14, where the sensor is a motion sensor configured to detect a disturbance of the device and cause the timer to reset upon detection of such disturbance.

16. The device of claim 15, where the sensor is configured to change state after elapse of a time interval which is predetermined and set during manufacture, so as to not require post-purchase programming by a user of the device.

17. The device of claim 16, where the container lid is adapted and sized for use with a pre-existing standard-sized medication vial.

18. The device of claim 16, where the container lid is adapted and sized for use with a pre-existing standard-sized food product container.

19. The device of claim 16, where the indicator is a light emitting device

20. The device of claim 16, where the indicator is an audio indicator.

21. A device for stimulating scheduled use of a consumable substance, comprising:

a portion of a container for storing and dispensing a consumable substance; and

a motion sensor and an indicator incorporated into the portion of the container,

where the motion sensor is configured to detect a consumption event, and where the indicator is configured so that a state of the indicator changes upon elapse of a predetermined time interval following the consumption event, and where the predetermined time interval non-programmable and set during manufacture of the device.

22. The device of claim 21, where the portion of the container is a lid of the container.

23. The device of claim 21, where the consumption event is a disturbance of the container.

24. The device of claim 21, where the consumption event is removal or reattachment of a lid of the container.