Pill reminder apparatus

• US 4,964,683 A
• Filed: 06/11/1990
• Issued: 10/23/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chester A. Sugarek Jr, Steven L. Sugarek
• Original Assignee: Chester A. Sugarek Jr, Steven L. Sugarek
• Inventors: Sugarek, Steven L., Sugarek, Chester A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): FIDEI, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US07/536,952
• Time in Patent Office: 134 Days
• Field of Search: 206/15.2, 206/15.3, 206/361, 206/362.2, 206/362.3, 206/528, 206/540, 206/555, 15/106, 15/184, 312/207, 312/273, 312/276, 312/319, 312/323, 312/333, 220/284
• US Class Current: 312/207
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers

Abstract

A first housing has an opening for a toothbrush handle. A second housing within the first housing automatically rotates to an open position upon the removal of the toothbrush, exposing the pills or other medicine contained within the second housing to a potential pill taker. In a second embodiment, a toothbrush having a serrated handle cannot be removed from the housing until the pill drawer is first opened. In a third embodiment, the toothbrush cannot be reinserted in the first housing without first moving the second housing containing the pills towards the open position.

Claims

1. A pill reminder apparatus, comprising:

a first housing having a cover, wherein said cover has an opening for receiving the handle of a toothbrush;

a second housing for storing pills and having a first and second positions within said first housing; and

means totally internal of said first housing and automatically responsive to the removal of said toothbrush from said apparatus for automatically causing said second housing to move from said first position to said second position as the result of the toothbrush handle being removed from the apparatus, said second position providing access to any pills stored within said second housing.

2. A pill reminder apparatus, comprising:

a first housing having a cover, wherein said cover has an opening for receiving the handle of a toothbrush;

a second housing for storing pills and having first and second positions within said first housing; and

means within said first housing for causing said second housing to move from said first position to said second position upon the removal of the toothbrush handle from the apparatus, said second position providing access to any pills stored within said second housing, said means comprising;

an inclined plane member;

a sliding shaft having first and second ends, the first end of said shaft connected to said inclined plane member and the second end of said shaft pivotally connected to said second housing;

a spring located within said shaft and having first and second ends, said first end of said spring connected to said first housing and said second end of said spring connected to said sliding shaft; and

a hinge pin connecting the said first housing to said second housing.