Timer device for medication container with progressive warning display

• US 6,335,692 B1
• Filed: 06/16/2000
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karen A. Compton
• Original Assignee: Karen A. Compton
• Inventors: Compton, Karen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/594,707
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 340/309.15, 340/309.4, 340/545, 340/815.4, 368/2, 368/10, 368/12, 368/327
• US Class Current: 340/815.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0427 with direct interaction with a dispensing or delivery system
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0472 of the count-down type, i.e. counting down a predetermined interval after each reset
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 1/005 using electronic timing, e.g. counting means pulse time delay arrangements H03K5/13; modifications of electronic switches for introducing a time delay before switching H03K17/28
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/06 using light valves, e.g. liquid crystals

Abstract

A visual indicator for a medication container signals to the user that a medication has previously been taken within a prescribed preceding time interval and should not be taken again. A substrate with a permissive symbol or indicator printed thereon is covered by a liquid crystal display which is comprised of a series of separately activatable display segments which, when activated, block visual observation of the permissive indicator. When the container is opened and closed, initially all such display segments are activated, thus blocking or obscuring the permissive indicator. As the prescribed time interval passes, the successive display segments are sequentially deactivated, and when the prescribed time interval has expired, all such display segments are deactivated so that the permissive indicator is fully exposed to observation.

Claims

1. A display arrangement for regulating dispensing of contents of a container at a predetermined time interval, comprising:

a substrate provided on a portion of the container;

a visually observable permissive indicator pattern provided on said substrate;

an electrically activatable display device disposed on said permissive indicator pattern, said electrically activatable display having a plurality of discrete separately activatable display elements which block visual observation of said permissive indicator pattern when activated; and

means for sequentially deactivating said display elements with the passage of time following manipulation of said closure member so that visual observation of said permissive indicator pattern is progressively unblocked during said time interval and fully unblocked upon expiration of said time interval.

2. The display arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said substrate comprised a surface of said closure member.

3. The display arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said container is a medication or dietary supplement dispenser.

4. The display arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said display device comprises a liquid crystal display.

5. The display arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said display device comprises a plurality of parallel elongate display elements which collectively block or obscure said permissive indicator pattern when activated.

6. A container apparatus comprising:

a container for contents which are to be dispensed therefrom no more frequently than once per predetermined time period;

an access mechanism for opening and closing said container to dispense contents therefrom;

a sensor to detect closing of said access mechanism; and

an electrically actuated display apparatus, activated when said sensor detects closing of said access mechanism, for warning a user of said container that said access mechanism has been operated with a preceding time period corresponding to said predetermined time period;

wherein said display apparatus comprises

a visually observable permissive indicator provided on a surface of said container;

an electrically actuatable display device superimposed on said permissive indicator, said display device comprising a plurality of discrete separately activatable display segments which are opaque when activated, thereby blocking visual observation of said permissive indicator; and

means for sequentially deactivating said display elements during said predetermined time interval following operation of said access mechanism, so that visual observation of said permissive indicator is progressively unblocked during said predetermined time interval and fully unblocked upon expiration thereof.

7. The container apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said electrically actuatable display device comprises a liquid crystal display having a plurality of separately actuatable liquid crystal display elements.

8. Closure apparatus for a container, comprising:

a closure member for controlling access to contents of said container;

a visually observable permissive indicator disposed on a surface of said closure member;

an electrically activatable display device disposed on said permissive indicator pattern, said display device having a plurality of discrete separately activatable display elements which block visual observation of said permissive indicator pattern when activated;

means for sequentially deactivating said display elements with the passage of time following manipulation of said closure member so that visual observation of said permissive indicator pattern is progressively unblocked during said time interval and fully unblocked upon expiration of said time interval.

9. Closure apparatus for a container according to claim 8, wherein said electrically actuatable display device comprises a liquid crystal display having a plurality of separately actuatable liquid crystal display elements.

10. The display arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said display device comprises a plurality of parallel elongate display elements which collectively block said permissive indicator pattern when activated.

11. A method for regulating dispensing of contents of a container at a predetermined time interval, comprising:

providing a visually observable permissive indicator on a surface of said container;

superimposing a progressively deactivatable opaque pattern over said permissive indicator, which opaque pattern blocks visual observation of said permissive indicator when activated;

activating said opaque pattern upon manipulation of a closure member of said container;

progressively deactivating said opaque pattern with passage of time so that said permissive indicator is progressively unblocked during said predetermined time interval and is fully unblocked upon expiration of said predetermined time interval.

12. A method for regulating dispensing of contents of a container at a predetermined time interval according to claim 11, wherein said surface of said container is a surface on a closure member of said container.

13. A method for regulating dispensing of contents of a container at a predetermined time interval according to claim 11, wherein

said opaque pattern comprises a plurality of separately activatable opaque segments; and

said step of progressively deactivating said opaque pattern comprises deactivating said segments in a spacially sequential manner.