Safety prescription container

• US 6,036,017 A
• Filed: 10/26/1998
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bayliss Consulting, LLC
• Original Assignee: Thomas Andrews Iv Bayliss
• Inventors: Bayliss, Thomas Andrews IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, LUAN KIM
• Application Number:
  US09/178,980
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 206/528, 206/534, 206/538-540, 206/459.5, 206/457, 220/376, 220/377, 40/310, 40/312, 215/227, 215/228, 359/436, 359/440, 359/804, 359/809, 359/819
• US Class Current: 206/534
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/28 with auxiliary containers for additional articles or materials B65D51/247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 25/002 Magnifying glasses
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/10 by an adhesive layer

Abstract

A container for holding a prescription pills or other medication that includes a cylindrical receptacle, a detachable cap, and a label. A pill holder is positioned beneath the cap, which includes a magnifying lens, through which the interior of the pill holder can be viewed. The label includes the name of the prescribed medicine and a picture of a pill. When the prescription if filled, one pill is placed in the pill holder. The pill and the pill picture can then be compared to determine if the correct medicine has been provided. The label is prepared by providing a processor having a keyboard, a database including data relating to images of a plurality of prescription medicine pills, a label printer, and an unprinted label; entering the name of the prescription medicine into the processor; selecting an image of a pill in the database corresponding to the name; and printing the name and the selected image onto the label.

Claims

1. A container for holding a prescription medicine comprising:

a) a receptacle having a continuous side wall with a lower edge and an upper edge, and a bottom wall extending across said lower edge, said upper edge forming an opening into said receptacle;

b) a removable cap covering said opening, said cap including a magnifier whereby prescription medicine placed in said receptacle can be viewed through said magnifier when said cap is covering said receptacle opening;

wherein said cap has an inner surface, said container further including a prescription medicine chamber releasable attached to the inner surface of said cap, said chamber being viewable through said magnifier and

c) a label attached to said continuous side wall, said label having printed thereon the name of said prescription medicine and an image of said prescription medicine.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein said prescription medicine is in the form of pills, and said image is an image of one of said pills.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein said label is rectangular and said image is printed adjacent one corner of said label.

4. A container for holding a prescription medicine in pill form comprising:

a) a receptacle having a continuous side wall with a lower edge and an upper edge, and a bottom wall extending across said lower edge, said an upper edge forming an opening into said receptacle;

b) a removable cap adapted to cover said receptacle opening, said cap including an annular rim with an inner wall and a central opening, and magnifying lens within said central opening;

c) a detachable pill holder having a continuous curved wall terminating in an opening defined by a terminal edge adapted to be frictionally inserted into engagement with the inner wall of said cap rim to form a pill chamber beneath said magnifying lens, said chamber being viewable through said magnifying lens; and

d) a label attached to said continuous side wall, said label having printed thereon the name of said prescription medicine and an image of one of said pills.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein said pills are of a given size and color, and said image is of approximately the same size and color as said pills.

6. A container holding a prescription medicine in pill form comprising:

a) a receptacle having a continuous side wall with a lower edge and upper edge, and a bottom wall extending across said lower edge, said an upper edge forming an opening into said receptacle, said receptacle containing a plurality of said pills;

b) a removable cap adapted to cover said receptacle opening, said cap including an annular rim with an inner wall and a central opening, and magnifying lens within said central opening;

c) a detachable pill holder beneath said magnifying lens, at least one of said pills being positioned in said chamber, said pill being viewable through said magnifying lens; and

d) a label attached to said continuous side wall, said label having printed thereon the name of said prescription medicine and an image of one of said pills, whereby a user can view and compare a pill in the chamber through the cap without removing the cap from the receptacle with an image of the same pill on the label to determine that the pills in the receptacle are the same as the pill image and name of the prescription medicine on the label.

7. The container of claim 6, wherein said pill holder has a continuous curved wall terminating in an opening defined by a terminal edge adapted to be frictionally inserted into engagement with the inner wall of said cap.

8. The container of claim 6, wherein said pills are of a given size and color, and said image is of approximately the same size and color as said pills.