Alarm pill box

• US 5,020,037 A
• Filed: 01/26/1989
• Issued: 05/28/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malcolm R. Raven
• Original Assignee: Malcolm R. Raven
• Inventors: Raven, Malcolm R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W.
• Application Number:
  US07/301,530
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/107-113, 368/250, 368/251, 340/309.1, 340/309.4, 221/2, 221/3, 221/15
• US Class Current: 368/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0418 with electronic history memory
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0436 resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0454 for dispensing of multiple drugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/127 used as containers or cartridges means for incorporating a battery in the case G04G17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 15/006 for operating at a number of different times cigar or cigarette receptacles or boxes with means for limiting the frequency of smoking A24F15/005

Abstract

An alarm pill box (11) has an alarm cancelled by the opening of a lid (12) to provide access to at least one medication compartment (16,17). An electronic memory is responsive to the cancellation of the alarm and records each cancellation. An associated indicator display (23) provides a visual indication of each record. Additionally, or alternatively, timer adjustment controls are inactive to adjust instant or alarm times when the lid (12) is closed, thereby requiring the lid (12) to be open in order to adjust the times.

Claims

1. In a timed medication container having a case with at least one medication compartment;

a lid means for covering said compartment;

an alarm, display means, and an electronic circuit including a timer programmable to generate alarm actuating signals at each of a plurality of alarm times and display actuating signals, an improvement characterized in that;

said display means includes means for indicating the number of times the lid means is opened in response to the alarm;

said container further includes a switch actuated by movement of the lid means between closed and open positions, said switch being in a first state when the lid means is closed and being in a second state when the lid means is open;

said electronic circuit being responsive to the switch to supply an actuating signal to the indicating means upon a change of state of the switch subsequent to the generation of an alarm signal; and

said electronic circuit includes means for setting the plurality of alarm times, said setting means being operable only when the switch is in the second state.

2. The improvement according to claim 1 further characterized in that said electronic circuit includes means for sequentially displaying pre-set alarm times, said sequentially displaying means being operable only when the switch is in the second state.

3. The improvement according to claim 1 further characterized in that said electronic circuit includes means for postponing actuation of the alarm subsequent ot th generation of an alarm signal for a predetermined time interval, said actuation postponing means being operable only when the switch is in the first state.