ALARM CLOCK CONTROLLED PILL DISPENSING DEVICE

• US 3,651,984 A
• Filed: 11/05/1969
• Issued: 03/28/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Friedrich Redenbach
• Original Assignee: Friedrich Redenbach
• Inventors: Redenbach, Friedrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Tollberg, Stanley H.
• Application Number:
  US04/874,286
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 221/3,4,7,8,15
• US Class Current: 221/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0436 resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 19/264 with indicators for biological cycles

Abstract

An alarm clock controlled pill dispensing device comprises an alarm signal mechanism for producing a continuing alarm signal beginning every 24 hours from a settable time. Unless shut off manually, this signal continues constantly or intermittently for a set fraction of 24 hours. Manually operable signal shut-off means is so arranged that operating access thereto is blocked unless a pill is removed from a pill dispensing station.

Claims

1. An alarm clock device with a clockwork and dial face, comprising an alarm signal mechanism settable to produce an alarm signal every 24 hours, a signal control means for producing a warning signal for a fraction of the 24 hours, manually operable means for shutting off the warning signal, a shaft making one full rotation in an integral multiple of 24 hours, a first indicator disc on said shaft carrying an indicator of all the integers of said multiple, and a second indicator disc on said shaft carrying an indicator of the days of the week, said signal control means comprising an alarm signal setting wheel defining an elongated arcuate slot, a signal triggering wheel rotating about its axis once in 24 hours, and a nose on said signal triggering wheel in engagement with said slot during the warning signal period, said slot being long enough to engage the nose for 12 hours.

2. The alarm clock device as defined in claim 1 further comprising a housing having a wall with an aperture, a pill storage receptacle mounted on the housing wall, the receptacle having a wall with an aperture in registry with the aperture in the housing wall, said manually operable means including a shut-off lever extending towards the apertures and manually operable therethrough, and a pill dispensing drum mounted on said shaft within said housing, the shaft being rotated by said clockwork, and a pill removal chamber being defined inside said housing adjacent the pill dispensing drum, an opposite end of the shut-off lever extending into said pill removal chamber and being manually operable from said chamber.

3. The alarm clock device as defined in claim 1 wherein said multiple is 28 whereby the device may be used as an alarm for regularly taking birth control pills in a menstrual cycle, the indicator on the first indicator disc carrying the numbers 1 to 28, the indicator on the second indicator disc carrying the days of the weeks in four successive segments, said discs being rotatable with respect to each other, means for rotating the discs with respect to each other to set them in a desired relationship, window means for making at least portions of the indicators visible, a housing having a wall with a slit, circumferential portions of said indicator discs projecting through the slit, and means for temporarily retaining one of the discs when the indicator discs are set.

4. The alarm clock device as defined in claim 1 further comprising a housing having a wall with an aperture, said manually operable means including a shut-off lever extending towards the aperture and manually oparable therethrough, and a removable closure plate over the aperture.

5. The alarm clock device as Defined in claim 1 wherein the signal indicator means is an optical signal visible through a window in the dial face of the clock device, said indicator means including a spring-biased lever carrying said optical signal, the lever having means for moving it into a selected position wherein the signal is visible and for being moved into a position wherein the signal is not visible by the manually operable means.

6. The alarm clock device as defined in claim 1 wherein the signal indicator means is an optical signal visible through a window in the dial face of the clock device, said indicator means including a spring-biassed lever carrying said optical signal, the lever being movable in a direction opposite its spring operating the alarm signal.

7. The alarm clock device as defined in claim 6, further comprising a helical spring operating the clockwork, a receptacle with a hinged cover mounted on said device, the cover having an inwardly projecting keeper, a spring-biased locking lever movable in a direction opposite its spring bias by unwinding of the helical clockwork spring, and a locking hook on said lever for engagement with the keeper.