Pill storage and dispensing container

• US 5,322,166 A
• Filed: 04/30/1993
• Issued: 06/21/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jonathan M. Crowther
• Original Assignee: Jonathan M. Crowther
• Inventors: Crowther, Jonathan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon P.
• Application Number:
  US08/055,727
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 206/533, 206/534, 206/538, 206/539, 221/89, 221/90, 221/277, 221/265, 221/79, 221/81, 221/82, 221/5, 221/24, 221/25
• US Class Current: 206/538
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2583/0409 of dates or follow-numbers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0454 the whole forming a circular container with rotating parts B65D83/0463 takes precedence

Abstract

A pill storage and dispensing container has a lower storage unit with a plurality of radially arranged individual pill storage compartments. An upper storage unit positioned directly above and nestled within the lower unit also has a plurality of similarly arranged storage compartments as well as one bottomless compartment. A top cover is positioned directly above the upper storage unit, and a dispensing opening in the cover is arranged to communicate with the various compartments in the upper unit as well as with the bottomless compartment and the various compartments of the lower storage unit as the cover is rotated relative to the storage units. A hub shaft releasably interconnects the upper and lower storage units and the top cover while allowing the storage units and cover to rotate relative to on another. Twenty eight individual storage compartments are provided in a compact container which enables pills to be dispensed four times per day over a seven day period.

Claims

1. A pill storage and dispensing container comprising a lower storage unit having a plurality of radially arranged individual storage compartments each having an integral bottom wall, an upper storage unit positioned directly above the lower unit having a plurality of radially arranged individual storage compartments each having an integral bottom wall and a single bottomless compartment, a top cover positioned directly above the upper storage unit having a dispensing opening therein, and a hub shaft releasably interconnecting the upper and lower storage units and the top cover while allowing the storage units and cover to rotate relative to one another whereby the dispensing opening in the top cover communicates with the individual storage compartments in the upper storage unit as the cover rotates relative to the upper unit and whereby the dispensing opening in the top cover communicates with the bottomless compartment in the upper storage unit and the individual storage compartments in the lower storage unit as the cover and upper unit rotate relative to the lower unit.

2. A pill storage and dispensing container as in claim 1 herein each of the individual storage compartments in the upper and lower storage units includes upstanding radially arranged side walls.

3. A pill storage and dispensing container as in claim 2 wherein the top cover has an undersurface with cam means downwardly extending therefrom positioned between the upstanding radially arranged side walls of the upper storage unit for indexing the dispensing opening in the cover from one compartment in the upper storage unit to the next, the cam means including a forward sloping surface that allows the cam means to slide over the side walls as the cover is indexed from one compartment in the upper storage unit to the next and a trailing abutment surface that engages the side walls to prevent reverse movement of the top cover relative to the upper storage unit.

4. A pill storage and dispensing container as in claim 3 wherein the cam means includes three individual cams spaced 120°

apart.

5. A pill storage and dispensing container as in claim 2 wherein the upper storage unit has an undersurface with cam means downwardly extending therefrom positioned between the upstanding radially arranged side walls of the lower storage unit for indexing and dispensing opening in the cover from one compartment in the lower storage unit to the next, the cam means including a forward sloping surface that allows the cam means to slide over the side walls as the upper storage unit and cover are indexed from one compartment in the lower storage unit to the next and a trailing abutment surface that engages the side walls to prevent reverse movement of the top cover and upper storage unit relative to the lower storage unit.

6. A pill storage and dispensing container as in claim 1 wherein the upper storage unit includes thirteen individual storage compartments numbered one through thirteen and the bottomless compartment.

7. A pill storage and dispensing container as in claim 6 wherein the lower storage unit includes fifteen individual storage compartments numbered fourteen through twenty-eight.

8. A pill storage and dispensing container as in claim 1 including a transparent viewing window in the top cover adjacent to and forward of the dispensing opening whereby the contents of the next compartment to be dispensed may be viewed.

9. A pill storage and dispensing container as in claim 8 wherein the viewing window is magnified.

16. A pill storage and dispensing container as in claim 5 wherein each of the individual storage compartments in the upper and lower storage units includes upstanding radially arranged side walls.

17. A pill storage and dispensing container as in claim 16 wherein the top cover has an undersurface with cam means downwardly extending therefrom positioned between the upstanding radially arranged side walls of the upper storage unit for indexing the dispensing opening in the cover from one compartment in the upper storage unit to the next, the cam means including a forward sloping surface that allows the cam means to slide over the side walls against the force of the biasing means as the cover is indexed from one compartment in the upper storage unit to the next and a trailing abutment surface that engages the side walls to prevent reverse movement of the top cover relative to the upper storage unit.

18. A pill storage and dispensing container as in claim 17 wherein the upper storage unit has an undersurface with cam means downwardly extending therefrom positioned between the upstanding radially arranged side walls of the lower storage unit for indexing the dispensing opening in the cover from one compartment in the lower storage unit to the next, the cam means including a forward sloping surface that allows the cam means to slide over the side walls against the force of the biasing means as the upper storage unit and cover are indexed from one compartment in the lower storage unit to the next and a trailing abutment surface that engages the side walls to prevent reverse movement of the top cover and upper storage unit relative to the lower storage unit.

10. A pill storage and dispensing container comprising a lower storage unit having a plurality of radially arranged individual storage compartments, an upper storage unit positioned directly above the lower unit having a plurality of radially arranged individual storage compartments and one bottomless compartment, a top cover positioned directly above the upper storage unit having a dispensing opening therein, and a hub shaft releasably interconnecting the upper and lower storage units and the top cover while allowing the storage units and cover to rotate relative to one another whereby the dispensing opening in the top cover communicates with the individual storage compartments in the upper storage unit as the cover rotates relative to the upper unit and whereby the dispensing opening in the top cover communicates with the bottomless compartment in the upper storage unit and the individual storage compartments in the lower storage unit as the cover and upper unit rotate relative to the lower unit, and releasable locking means on the upper and lower storage units constructed and arranged to lock the units together as the cover rotates relative to the upper storage unit and the dispensing opening communicates with each of the storage compartments in the upper unit and then to release the storage units from locked engagement with one another.

11. A pill storage and dispensing container as in claim 10 wherein the releasable locking means is constructed and arranged to lock the top cover and upper storage unit together when the upper and lower storage units are released from locked engagement with one another.

12. A pill storage and dispensing container as in claim 11 wherein the dispensing opening in the top cover is positioned directly above the bottomless compartment in the upper storage unit when the upper and lower storage units are released from locked engagement with one another and the upper unit is locked to the cover.

13. A pill storage and dispensing container as in claim 12 wherein the releasable locking means includes an upwardly biased flap on the upper storage unit having an outwardly extending tab, an upwardly extending projection on the lower storage unit forward of the tab and abutting the tab, and a peripheral portion on the top cover which maintains the tab in a downwardly depressed position abutting the projection whereby the upper and lower storage units are locked together.

14. A pill storage and dispensing container as in claim 13 wherein the releasable locking means further includes a notch in the peripheral portion of the cover constructed and arranged to receive the tab on the flap and thereby release the upper and lower storage units from locked engagement with one another while locking the upper storage unit to the cover.

15. A pill storage and dispensing container comprising a lower storage unit having a plurality of radially arranged individual storage compartments, an upper storage unit positioned directly above the lower unit having a plurality of radially arranged individual storage compartments and one bottomless compartment, a top cover positioned directly above the upper storage unit having a dispensing opening therein, and a hub shaft releasably interconnecting the upper and lower storage units and the top cover while allowing the storage units and cover to rotate relative to one another whereby the dispensing opening in the top cover communicates with the individual storage compartments in the upper storage unit as the cover rotates relative to the upper unit and whereby the dispensing opening in the top cover communicates with the bottomless compartment in the upper storage unit and the individual storage compartments in the lower storage unit as the cover and upper unit rotate relative to the lower unit, and wherein the top cover and the upper and lower storage units each includes a central opening, the hub shaft extending through the central openings connecting the top cover and the upper and lower storage units together, and biasing means urging the top cover and upper storage unit together and the upper and lower storage units together.

19. A pill storage and dispensing container as in claim 15 wherein the hub shaft includes releasable means connecting the hub shaft to the storage units and top cover whereby the upper and lower storage units and the cover may be separated from one another and filled with pills when the hub shaft is released.

20. A pill storage and dispensing container comprising a lower storage unit having a plurality of radially arranged individual storage compartments, an upper storage unit positioned directly above the lower unit having a plurality of radially arranged individual storage compartments wall and one bottomless compartment, a top cover positioned directly above the upper storage unit having a dispensing opening therein, and a hub shaft releasably interconnecting the upper and lower storage units and the top cover while allowing the storage units and cover to rotate relative to one another whereby the dispensing opening in the top cover communicates with the individual storage compartments in the upper storage unit as the cover rotates relative to the upper unit and whereby the dispensing opening in the top cover communicates with the bottomless compartment in the upper storage unit and the individual storage compartments in the lower storage unit as the cover and upper unit rotate relative to the lower unit, and wherein the upper and lower storage units and the top cover eachincludes an alignment marking thereon indicating the starting dispensing position when the markings are aligned with one another.