Drug control and dispensing assembly

• US 4,813,753 A
• Filed: 04/06/1987
• Issued: 03/21/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Artromick International, Inc. (Capsa Solutions LLC)
• Original Assignee: Drustar, Inc.
• Inventors: Relyea, Christopher M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Falk, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US07/035,098
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 220/256, 220/259, 312/291, 312/292, 312/308, 312/209, 312/204
• US Class Current: 312/291
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0076 Medicament distribution means with pill counting devices A61J7/02; with time indication A61J7/04; containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00

Abstract

A drug control and dispensing assembly for use alone or with the drawers of a medicine dispensing cabinet or cart. The assembly comprises at least one carton containing medicines and an open top tray to receive the at least one carton. The tray comprises a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, and a bottom. The carton is generally rectangular having first and second side walls, end walls, a bottom and a flap-like planar top. When received within the tray, the carton extends slightly above the upper edge of the tray walls. The tray has at least one individual lid corresponding to and overlying the top of the at least one carton. The tray lid is pivotally mounted in a pair of upstanding hinge elements located on the upper edges of the tray side walls. At least one of the carton top and the tray lid is provided with attachment devices to releasably attach the carton top to the tray lid such that opening and closing of the tray lid will simultaneously open and close the carton top. The tray lid is preferably made of transparent material so that indicia on the carton top can be read therethrough. In a preferred embodiment, the tray is dimensioned to receive a plurality of such cartons and is provided with an individual hinged lid for each such carton, each lid releasably attachable to the top of its respective carton.

Claims

1. A drug control and dispensing assembly for use alone and in association with the drawers of medicine dispensing cabinets and carts, said assembly comprising at least one carton containing medicines and an open top tray to receive said at least one carton, said tray comprising a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls and a bottom, said at least one carton being generally rectangular and having front and rear walls, end walls, a bottom and a flap-like planar top integral with said rear wall and shiftable between open and closed positions along a fold line between said top and said rear wall, said tray having at least one individual substantially planar lid corresponding to and overlying said top of said at least one carton, said tray lid and said carton top both having front and rear edges, end edges and upper and lower surfaces, said tray lid being pivotally mounted by a pair of hinge elements to said tray side walls, means to releasably attach said carton top to said tray lid with said carton top upper surface adjacent said tray lid lower surface, such that opening and closing of said tray lid will result in simultaneous opening and closing of said carton top, said attachment means comprising a pair of carrier strips having lower and upper surfaces, each of said carrier strips having a layer of permanent adhesive on its lower surface by which it is permanently affixed to the upper surface of said carton top near an end edge thereof, each of said carrier strips having on its upper surface a layer of removable adhesive surmounted by a release liner whereby when said at least one carton is located in said tray, said release liners are removed from said carrier strips and said carton top and said tray lid are pressed together, said carton top will be releasably affixed to said tray lid by said removable adhesive layers.

2. A drug control and dispensing assembly for use alone and in association with the drawers of medicine dispensing cabinets and carts, said assembly comprising at least one carton containing medicines and an open top tray to receive said at least one carton, said tray comprising a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls and a bottom, said at least one carton being generally rectangular and having front and rear walls, end walls, a bottom and a flap-like planar top integral with said rear wall and shiftable between open and closed positions along a fold line between said top and said rear wall, said tray having at least one individual substantially planar lid corresponding to and overlying said top of said at least one carton, said tray lid and said carton top both having front and rear edges, end edges and upper and lower surfaces, said tray lid being pivotally mounted by a pair of hinge elements to said tray side walls, means to releasably attach said carton top to said tray lid with said carton top upper surface adjacent said tray lid lower surface, such that opening and closing of said tray lid will result in simultaneous opening and closing of said carton top, said tray lid having end edge portions extending beyond the end edges of said carton top, said attachment means comprising a pair of tabs having a body portion extending from said lid lower surface in the area of said end edge portions and opposed hook-like portions spaced from said lid lower surface, the end edges of said carton top being engagable between said lower surface of said tray lid and said tab hook-like portions whereby said carton top is releasably affixed to said tray lid.

3. A drug control and dispensing assembly for use alone and in association with the drawers of medicine dispensing cabinets and carts, said assembly comprising at least one carton containing medicines and an open top tray to receive said at least one carton, said tray comprising a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls and a bottom, said at least one carton being generally rectangular and having front and rear walls, end walls, a bottom and a flap-like planar top integral with said rear wall and shiftable between open and closed positions along a fold line between said top and said rear wall, said tray having at least one individual substantially planar lid corresponding to and overlying said top of said at least one carton, said tray lid and said carton top both having front and rear edges, end edges and upper and lower surfaces, said tray lid being pivotally mounted by a pair of hinge elements to said tray side walls, means to releasably attach said carton top to said tray lid with said carton top upper surface adjacent said tray lid lower surface, such that opening and closing of said tray lid will result in simultaneous opening and closing of said carton top, said attachment means comprising a U-shaped notch with a base portion and side edges formed in each end edge of said carton top and a pair of tabs having body portions extending from said tray lid lower surface, with opposed hook-like portions spaced from said lid lower surface, said tabs being so positioned on said lower surface of said tray lid and said notches being so positioned along said end edges of said carton top that said carton top end edges are engagable at the bases of said notches between the lower surface of said tray lid and said hook-like portions of said tabs with the side edges of said notches lying to either side of the body portions of their respective tabs whereby said carton top is releasably affixed to said tray lid.

4. A drug control and dispensing assembly for use alone and in association with the drawers of medicine dispensing cabinets and carts, said assembly comprising a plurality of medicine containing cartons and an open top tray, each carton being generally rectangular and having front and rear walls, end walls, a bottom and a flap-like planar top integral with said rear wall and shiftable between open and closed positions along a fold line between said top and said rear wall, each carton having a long axis extending between its end walls, said tray being substantially rectangular and comprising a bottom, front and rear walls and a pair of side walls, said tray having a long axis extending from its front wall to its rear wall, said tray being so sized as to receive said cartons arranged therein with their long axes extending transversely of said long axis of said tray, said tray having an individual substantially planar lid for each of said cartons therein, each tray lid corresponding to and overlying said top of its respective carton, each of said tray lids and said carton tops having front, rear and end edges and upper and lower surfaces, each of said tray lids being pivotally mounted by a pair of hinge elements to said tray side walls, and attachment means for releasably attaching each of said carton tops to its respective tray lid with said carton top upper surface adjacent said tray lid lower surface, such that opening and closing each tray lid will simultaneously open and close its respective carton top, said cartons when mounted in said tray extending above said tray walls, said hinge elements extending upwardly from said tray walls such that when said tray lids are in their closed position they are substantially horizontal with their end edges spaced from said tray side walls by an amount sufficient to enable their manual engagement for shifting them between open and closed positions.

5. A drug control and dispensing assembly for use alone and in association with the drawers of medicine dispensing cabinets and carts, said assembly comprising a plurality of medicine containing cartons and an open top tray, each carton being generally rectangular and having front and rear walls, end walls, a bottom and a flap-like planar top integral with said rear wall and shiftable between open and closed positions along a fold line between said top and said rear wall, each carton having a long axis extending between its end walls, said tray being substantially rectangular and comprising a bottom, front and rear walls and a pair of side walls, said tray having a long axis extending from its front wall to its rear wall, said tray being so sized as to receive said cartons arranged therein with their long axes extending transversely of said long axis of said tray, said tray having an individual substantially planar lid for each of said cartons therein, each tray lid corresponding to and overlying said top of its respective carton, each of said tray lids and said carton tops having front, rear and end edges and upper and lower surfaces, each of said tray lids being pivotally mounted by a pair of hinge elements to said tray side walls, and attachment means for releasably attaching each of said carton tops to its respective tray lid with said carton top upper surface adjacent said tray lid lower surface, such that opening and closing each tray lid will simultaneously open and close its respective carton top, said attachment means for joining each carton top to its respective tray lid comprising a U-shaped notch with a base portion and side edges formed in each end edge of each of said carton tops, a pair of tabs on each tray lid, said tabs of each pair having body portions extending from said lower surface of their respective tray lid with opposed hook-like portions spaced from said lid lower surface, each pair of tabs being so positioned on said lower surface of its respective tray lid and said notches being so positioned along said end edges of each carton top that said end edges of each carton top are engagable at the bases of its notches between the lower surface of its respective tray lid and the hook-like portions of said tabs thereon, with the side edges of each notch lying to either side of the body portion of its respective tab, whereby each carton top is releasably affixed to its respective tray lid.

6. The drug control and dispensing assembly claimed in claim 5 including indicia on said carton tops, said tray lids being transparent so that said indicia can be read therethrough.

7. The drug control and dispensing assembly claimed in claim 6 wherein said cartons when mounted in said tray extend above said tray walls, said hinge elements extending upwardly from said tray walls such that when said tray lids are in their closed position they are substantially horizontal with their end edges spaced from said tray side walls by an amount sufficient to enable their manual engagement for shifting them between open and closed positions.

8. The drug control and dispensing assembly claimed in claim 7 wherein said cartons are disposable and made of paperboard and said tray and its lids are reusable and made of plastic material.

9. The drug control and dispensing assembly claim in claim 8 wherein said flap-like top comprises the entire top of said carton.