Compartmentalized pill dispenser

• US 5,915,560 A
• Filed: 05/03/1997
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald C. George
• Original Assignee: Donald C. George
• Inventors: Chapman, Arthur S., Upton, Dean T., George, Donald C.
• Primary Examiner(s): FIDEI, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US08/850,579
• Time in Patent Office: 787 Days
• Field of Search: 206/528, 206/535, 206/536, 206/537, 206/540
• US Class Current: 206/537
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0445 all the articles being stored in individual compartments

Abstract

This invention relates to a compartmentalized pill dispenser that is small enough to be carried with the user at all times, seals the pills against moisture and other degrading elements, protects the pills against vibration and is easy to use by an impaired person in an emergency situation. The dispenser has a protective outer case which encases the internal pill carrier which having compartments for pills on one side thereof. The pill carrier is sealed within the sheath by a water-tight mechanism. The pill carrier is extended out of the case in one pill compartment increments to expose a pill.

Claims

1. A pill dispenser comprising:

a pill carrier having a plurality of pill cavities spaced apart on one side of said pill carrier, said pill carrier further comprising an elongated section wherein the plurality of pill cavities are aligned longitudinally along an external surface of the elongated section; and

a hollow sheath capable of encasing the entire length of said pill carrier, said sheath being displaceable in relation to the pill carrier so as to sequentially expose each pill cavity adjacent an open end of the sheath; and

wherein

the open end of the sheath is a first end and the sheath has internal threads adjacent thereto, and

said pill carrier comprises an end cap at a first end thereof extending from the open end of the sheath and external threads at an area adjacent the end cap, and

said external threads of the pill carrier are threadably engageable to the internal threads of the sheath such that when the sheath is fully rotated in relation to the end cap in a first direction the end cap abuts the open end of the sheath and the elongated section of the pill carrier is retained within the sheath, and when the sheath is rotated in a second direction until the pill carrier threads are free from engagement with the sheath threads, the sheath becomes longitudinally displaceable in relation to the pill carrier.

2. The pill dispenser of claim 1, wherein the end of the sheath opposite said open end is closed and comprises a pressure relief element.

3. The pill dispenser of claim 2, wherein the pressure relief element comprises a through-hole in the closed end of the sheath.

4. The pill dispenser of claim 2, wherein the pressure relief element comprises a two-way valve capable of allowing air into the sheath only when the pill carrier is moved out of the sheath and allowing air out of the sheath only when the pill carrier is moved into the sheath.

5. The pill dispenser of claim 1 further comprising:

a sealing mechanism capable of providing a water-tight and air-tight seal between said pill cavities and the outside environment.

6. The pill dispenser of claim 5 wherein said pill carrier has a first and second end;

and

said sealing mechanism comprises,

a first O-ring disposed at said first end of said pill carrier providing a seal at said first end of said pill carrier,

a second O-ring disposed at said second end of said pill carrier providing a seal at said second end of said pill carrier.

7. The pill dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a detent mechanism capable of releasably stopping said sheath in relation to said pill carrier after each cavity of said plurality of cavities has been uncovered.

8. The pill dispenser of claim 1 further comprising external indicium providing an indication of the orientation of said pill cavities.

9. The pill dispenser of claim 8 wherein said indicium is a groove.

10. The pill dispenser of claim 8 wherein said indicium comprises an end cap connected to an end of said pill carrier, said end cap having two diametrically opposed flat sides, and two diametrically opposed finger grooves perpendicular to the flat sides.

11. The pill dispenser of claim 8 wherein said indicium comprises said sheath having a flattened top surface and said pill carrier having an end cap, said end cap having a flattened top surface.

12. The pill dispenser of claim 1 wherein each of said pill cavities is sized and shaped so as to be larger than the size of a pill only to the degree necessary to ensure a free egress of a pill installed within a pill cavity of the pill carrier.

13. The pill dispenser of claim 1 wherein each of said pill cavities is sized and shaped to receive multiple pills.

14. The pill dispenser of claim 1 further comprising an attachment structure capable of receiving one of (i) a chain, or (ii) a ring.

15. The pill dispenser of claim 1 wherein:

said pill carrier has a circular cross-section; and

said sheath has a circular cross-section.

18. The pill dispenser of claim 1 wherein the dispenser is made of material which is light weight, opaque and non-reactive to pills contained within said dispenser.

19. The pill dispenser of claim 1 wherein the dispenser is made of aluminum.

20. The pill dispenser of claim 1 wherein the dispenser is made of Teflon coated with aluminum.

21. The pill dispenser of claim 1 wherein the dispenser is made of Teflon.

22. The pill dispenser of claim 1 wherein the dispenser is made of aluminum coated with Teflon.

23. The pill dispenser of claim 1 wherein the pill carrier is of a size such that it can be place into a user'"'"'s mouth, thereby allowing a pill contained within one of said pill cavities to be dispensed directly into the user'"'"'s mouth.

24. The pill dispenser of claim 18 wherein the material further exhibits a low coefficient of heat transfer.

16. A pill dispenser comprising:

a pill carrier having a plurality of pill cavities spaced apart on one side of said pill carrier, said pill carrier further comprising an elongated section wherein the plurality of pill cavities are aligned longitudinally along an external surface of the elongated section; and

a hollow sheath capable of encasing the entire length of said pill carrier, said sheath being displaceable in relation to the pill carrier so as to sequentially expose each pill cavity adjacent an open end of the sheath; and

wherein

the open end of the sheath is a first end and the sheath has internal threads at a second end thereof, and

said pill carrier comprises an end cap at a first end thereof extending from the open end of the sheath and external threads at a second end thereof, and

said external threads of the pill carrier are threadably engageable to the internal threads of the sheath such that when the end cap is fully rotated in relation to the sheath in a first direction the end cap abuts the open end of the sheath and the elongated section of the pill carrier is retained within the sheath, and when the end cap is rotated in a second direction until the pill carrier threads are free from engagement with the sheath threads, the sheath becomes longitudinally displaceable in relation to the pill carrier.

17. The pill dispenser of claim 16, wherein

the end cap and external threads of the pill carrier are connected together by a shaft, said shaft being disposed within a longitudinal channel formed through the center of the elongated section of the pill carrier, and wherein the end cap and external threads of the pill carrier are rotatable in relation to the elongated section of the pill carrier;

and

the pill carrier comprises an external groove extending along the outside of the elongated section of the pill carrier and the sheath comprises a pin extending from the interior surface of the sheath, said pin being slidably engageable within said groove such that the elongated section of the pill carrier is prevented from rotating in relation to the sheath.

33. The pill dispenser of claim 16 further comprising:

a sealing mechanism capable of providing a water-tight and air-tight seal between said pill cavities and the outside environment.

34. The pill dispenser of claim 16 further comprising a detent mechanism capable of releasably stopping said sheath in relation to said pill carrier after each cavity of said plurality of cavities has been uncovered.

35. The pill dispenser of claim 16 further comprising external indicium providing an indication of the orientation of said pill cavities.

36. The pill dispenser of claim 16 wherein each of said pill cavities is sized and shaped so as to be larger than the size of a pill only to the degree necessary to ensure a free egress of a pill installed within a pill cavity of the pill carrier.

37. The pill dispenser of claim 16 wherein each of said pill cavities is sized and shaped to receive multiple pills.

38. The pill dispenser of claim 16 wherein the dispenser is made of material which is light weight, opaque and non-reactive to pills contained within said dispenser.

39. The pill dispenser of claim 16 wherein the pill carrier is of a size such that it can be place into a user'"'"'s mouth, thereby allowing a pill contained within one of said pill cavities to be dispensed directly into the user'"'"'s mouth.

40. The pill dispenser of claim 16, wherein the end of the sheath opposite said open end is closed and comprises a pressure relief element.

25. A pill dispenser comprising:

a pill carrier having a plurality of pill cavities spaced apart on one side of said pill carrier, said pill carrier further comprising an elongated section wherein the plurality of pill cavities are aligned longitudinally along an external surface of the elongated section; and

a hollow sheath capable of encasing the entire length of said pill carrier, said sheath being displaceable in relation to the pill carrier so as to sequentially expose each pill cavity adjacent an open end of the sheath; and

wherein

the open end of the sheath is a first end and the sheath has internal threads at a second end thereof, and

said pill carrier comprises an end cap at a first end thereof extending from the open end of the sheath and external threads at a second end thereof, and

said external threads of the pill carrier are threadably engageable to the internal threads of the sheath such that when the end cap is fully rotated in relation to the sheath in a first direction the end cap abuts the open end of the sheath and the elongated section of the pill carrier is retained within the sheath, and when the end cap is rotated in a second direction, the elongated section of the pill carrier is driven out of the sheath such that the pill cavities are exposed one at a time.

26. The pill carrier of claim 25 wherein the end cap is rotated one ergonomic turn to respectively expose each pill cavity.

41. The pill dispenser of claim 25 further comprising:

a sealing mechanism capable of providing a water-tight and air-tight seal between said pill cavities and the outside environment.

42. The pill dispenser of claim 25 further comprising a detent mechanism capable of releasably stopping said sheath in relation to said pill carrier after each cavity of said plurality of cavities has been uncovered.

43. The pill dispenser of claim 25 further comprising external indicium providing an indication of the orientation of said pill cavities.

44. The pill dispenser of claim 25 wherein each of said pill cavities is sized and shaped so as to be larger than the size of a pill only to the degree necessary to ensure a free egress of a pill installed within a pill cavity of the pill carrier.

45. The pill dispenser of claim 25 wherein each of said pill cavities is sized and shaped to receive multiple pills.

46. The pill dispenser of claim 25 wherein the dispenser is made of material which is light weight, opaque and non-reactive to pills contained within said dispenser.

47. The pill dispenser of claim 25 wherein the pill carrier is of a size such that it can be place into a user'"'"'s mouth, thereby allowing a pill contained within one of said pill cavities to be dispensed directly into the user'"'"'s mouth.

48. The pill dispenser of claim 25, wherein the end of the sheath opposite said open end is closed and comprises a pressure relief element.

27. A pill dispenser comprising:

a pill carrier having a plurality of pill cavities spaced apart on one side of said pill carrier, said pill carrier further comprising an elongated section wherein the plurality of pill cavities are aligned longitudinally along an external surface of the elongated section; and

a hollow sheath capable of encasing the entire length of said pill carrier, said sheath being displaceable in relation to the pill carrier so as to sequentially expose each pill cavity adjacent an open end of the sheath; and

wherein

said sheath comprises,

a flat internal surface on a top side thereof and external threads adjacent the open end of the sheath;

said elongated section of the pill carrier comprises a flat surface corresponding to the side having said pill cavities, and

the flat surface of the pill carrier is in slidable engagement with the flat surface of the sheath so as to prevent rotation of the pill carrier in relation to the sheath.

28. The pill dispenser of claim 27 further comprising:

an end cap having internal threads engageable with the external threads of the sheath; and

wherein

whenever the threads of the end cap are fully engaged with the threads of the sheath, the pill carrier is held within the sheath, and whenever the end cap is removed from the sheath, the sheath becomes longitudinally displaceable in relation to the pill carrier.

49. The pill dispenser of claim 27 further comprising:

a sealing mechanism capable of providing a water-tight and air-tight seal between said pill cavities and the outside environment.

50. The pill dispenser of claim 27 further comprising a detent mechanism capable of releasably stopping said sheath in relation to said pill carrier after each cavity of said plurality of cavities has been uncovered.

51. The pill dispenser of claim 27 further comprising external indicium providing an indication of the orientation of said pill cavities.

52. The pill dispenser of claim 27 wherein each of said pill cavities is sized and shaped so as to be larger than the size of a pill only to the degree necessary to ensure a free egress of a pill installed within a pill cavity of the pill carrier.

53. The pill dispenser of claim 27 wherein each of said pill cavities is sized and shaped to receive multiple pills.

54. The pill dispenser of claim 27 wherein the dispenser is made of material which is light weight, opaque and non-reactive to pills contained within said dispenser.

55. The pill dispenser of claim 27 wherein the pill carrier is of a size such that it can be place into a user'"'"'s mouth, thereby allowing a pill contained within one of said pill cavities to be dispensed directly into the user'"'"'s mouth.

56. The pill dispenser of claim 27, wherein the end of the sheath opposite said open end is closed and comprises pressure relief element.

29. A pill dispenser comprising:

a pill carrier having a plurality of pill cavities spaced apart on one side of said pill carrier; and

a hollow sheath capable of encasing the entire length of said pill carrier, said sheath being displaceable in relation to the pill carrier so as to sequentially expose each pill cavity adjacent an open end of the sheath; and

wherein

said pill carrier has a tapered cylindrical shape with the pill cavities being arranged around the circumference of the external surface of the pill carrier; and

said sheath has an internal cavity shape so as to allow the pill carrier to be tilted at an angle in relation to the sheath without interference.

30. The pill dispenser of claim 29, wherein

said pill carrier further comprises a handle section extending from an end of the pill carrier opposite the sheath, said pill carrier and handle section having a first common internal longitudinal channel open at the pill carrier end thereof;

and

said sheath further comprises a handle extending from an end of the sheath opposite the pill carrier, said sheath and handle having a second common internal longitudinal channel open at the sheath end thereof; and

wherein

the pill dispenser further comprises a tension spring stretched under tension within said first and second common channels and affixed at a first end to the end of the first common channel opposite the open end thereof and affixed at a second end to the end of the second common channel opposite the open end thereof, and wherein

the sheath is pivoted in relation to the pill carrier via forces applied by a user on the handle section of the pill carrier and handle associated with the sheath such that the pill carrier is tilted in relation to the sheath against a tension force applied by the tension spring to fully expose a single one of the pill cavities.

31. The pill dispenser of claim 30, wherein the pill carrier and sheath are capable of being rotated together while the pill carrier is tilted in relation to the sheath so as to sequentially expose other of the pill cavities.

32. The pill dispenser of claim 30, wherein the tension force applied by the tension spring is capable of returning the pill carrier from a tilted relationship with said sheath to a relationship wherein the pill carrier is encased within the sheath whenever said force applied by the user are removed.

57. The pill dispenser of claim 29 further comprising:

a sealing mechanism capable of providing a water-tight and air-tight seal between said pill cavities and the outside environment.

58. The pill dispenser of claim 29 wherein each of said pill cavities is sized and shaped so as to be larger than the size of a pill only to the degree necessary to ensure a free egress of a pill installed within a pill cavity of the pill carrier.

59. The pill dispenser of claim 29 wherein each of said pill cavities is sized and shaped to receive multiple pills.

60. The pill dispenser of claim 29 wherein the dispenser is made of material which is light weight, opaque and non-reactive to pills contained within said dispenser.