Automatic two-component medication time-interval reminder cap and container

• US 4,405,045 A
• Filed: 05/01/1981
• Issued: 09/20/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Antony-Euclid C. Villa-Real
• Original Assignee: Antony-Euclid C. Villa-Real
• Inventors: Villa-Real, Antony-Euclid C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moy, Joseph Man-Fu
• Assistant Examiner(s): FIDEI, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US06/259,664
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 116/308, 116/309, 116/317, 206/15, 206/334, 206/385, 206/459, 206/534, 206/534.1, 206/534.2, 206/535, 206/536, 206/528, 206/530, 206/540, 215/204, 215/205, 215/221, 215/224, 215/230, 215/317, 215/321, 220/66, 220/69, 220/288, 220/319
• US Class Current: 206/534
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/20 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers

Abstract

A color-coded two-component medicament container comprising a cap means with variously pre-set structural interval spacings between each pair of pre-formed window system to differentiate a fixed 3-hour time interval cap from a 4-hour time interval cap, a 6-hour time interval cap, an 8-hour time interval cap and from a unitary pre-formed window for a 12 or 24-hour time interval cap; each kind of cap to be specifically used according to the prescribed frequency of drug administration such as every 3-hour-frequency, every 4-hour-frequency, every 6-hour-frequency, every 8-hour-frequency and every 12 or 24-hour-frequency, respectively as coordinated in a snug-fitting but clockwisely rotatable engagement with a complementarily shaped cylindrical medicament container having clock-like numeral indicia ranging from 1 to 12 and equidistantly arranged as in a clock therearound the upper circumferential exterior wall of the said medicament container is disclosed.

Claims

1. A two-component medicament container comprising:

a cylindrical hollow body closed at one end and open at the opposite end;

a pair of parallel circumferentially extending ridges on the outside circumference of the hollow body, a distance below the open end;

a plurality of hour indicia extending about the circumference of the hollow body below said ridges;

a cap for closing the open end of the hollow body having a top flat portion and a depending circular flange, the diameter of said cap being slightly larger than the diameter of said flange and ridges, a lateral flange on an end of the depending flange, a pair of parallel circumferentially extending grooves on an inside surface of the depending flange coincident with said ridges such that when said cap is telescoped over the open end of the hollow body the ridges snap into the grooves whereby the cap is tightly held onto the hollow body and rotatable thereabout, and a pair of oppositely positioned protuberances on the depending flange extending from the top flat portion to the lateral flange and having rib-like serrations thereon for facilitating gripping of the cap for ease in rotating the cap about the open end of the hollow body; and

said depending flange having a plurality of semi-circular windows therein for exposing the hour indicia on the hollow body, the distance between the first window, and the second window being a quarter of a circumference from left to right to provide the cap with a pre-set-3-hour time-interval automatic time setter and reminder for use in the administration of prescribed medication having a 3-hour frequency of drug-dose intake.

2. A two-component medicament container according to claim 1 wherein:

the distance between the first window and the second window being a one third of a circumference from left to right to provide the said cap with a pre-set-4-hour time-interval automatic time setter and reminder for use in the administration of prescribed medication having a 4-hour frequency of drug-dose intake period.

3. A two-component medicament container according to claim 1 wherein:

the distance between the first window and the second window being one half of a circumference from left to right to provide the said cap with a pre-set-6-hour time-interval automatic time setter and reminder for use in the administration of prescribed medication having 6-hour frequency of drug-dose intake period.

4. A two-component medicament container according to claim 1 wherein:

the distance between the first window and the second window being 3-quarters of a circumference from left to right to provide the said cap with a pre-set-8-hour time-interval automatic time setter and reminder for use in the administration of prescribed medication having an 8-hour frequency of drug-dose intake period.

5. A two-component medicament container according to claim 1, wherein:

said cap having various drug-dose intake indicating means color-coded to differentiate each drug-dose intake.

6. A two-component medicament container according to claim 1, wherein:

circular indicia means at the apex of said semi-circular window in registry with one of said hour indicia to indicate the last does taken.

7. A two-component medicament container according to claim 1, wherein:

arrow-like indicia at the apex of an adjacent semi-circular window in registry with an hour indicia to indicate the next dose to be taken.

8. A two-component medicament container according to claim 1, and:

additional directional indicia between said semi-circular windows to indicate the direction in which to rotate said cap to align said indicia at the apex of said semi-circular windows to the next pertinent hour indicia.

9. A two-component medicament container according to claim 1, wherein:

said hollow body and said cap being constructed from plastic material and being transparent.