Indicator

• US 5,975,010 A
• Filed: 12/08/1997
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marshall, Forrest A.
• Original Assignee: Marshall, Forrest A.
• Inventors: Marshall, Forrest A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brock, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): WORTH, WILLIE M
• Application Number:
  US08/986,538
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 116/297, 116/306, 116/308, 116/309, 116/311, 116/315, 116/319, 116/320
• US Class Current: 116/315
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2583/0409 of dates or follow-numbers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2583/0413 Tactile indication, e.g. Braille
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 41/02 Caps or cap-like covers without lines of weakness, tearing strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/245 provided with decoration, information or contents indicating devices, labels B65D81/366 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 11/23 the advertising or display material forming part of rotating members, e.g. in the form of perforations, prints, or transparencies on a drum or disc

Abstract

Indicators and methods of indicating are disclosed. Intended primarily for use with medicine containers, the devices typically indicate the number of doses of medication ingested or remaining to be taken by a patient during a particular period. These devices additionally provide tactile assistance to patients in appropriately repositioning the indicator arms and, when used correctly, may reduce the possibility of patient overdose by restricting improper attempts to advance the indicator arm.

Claims

1. An indicator for attachment to the surface of a container comprising:

(a) an upper surface which defines a plurality of recesses and a plurality of indicia, each recess corresponding to one of the plurality of indicia;

(b) an arm having first and second ends;

(c) means for movably attaching the arm to the upper surface so that one of the first and second ends of the arm may be movably aligned to positions in registry with any selected one of the plurality of indicia;

(d) a lower surface;

(e) means, comprising an adhesive applied to the lower surface, for adhering the lower surface to the surface of the container; and

(f) means, adapted to be inserted in any selected one of the plurality of recesses, for preventing the arm from being moved beyond the selected recess.

2. An indicator according to claim 1 in which the attaching means protrudes from the upper surface and about which the arm pivots.

3. An indicator according to claim 2 in which the adhering means further comprises a removable backing.

4. An indicator for attachment to a container comprising:

(a) an upper surface defining a plurality of recesses and a plurality of indicia, each recess corresponding to one of the plurality of indicia;

(b) an arm movably attached to the surface and having first and second ends; and

(c) means, adapted to be inserted in any selected one of the plurality of recesses, for preventing one of the first and second ends of the arm from being moved beyond one of the plurality of indicia corresponding to a maximum dose prescribed in a designated interval.

5. An indicator according to claim 4 in which the movement-preventing means is a pin.