Medicine caddy

• US 6,619,482 B1
• Filed: 07/09/2001
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sonya King
• Original Assignee: Sonya King
• Inventors: King, Sonya
• Primary Examiner(s): MOHANDESI, JILA M
• Application Number:
  US09/901,333
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 206/747, 206/749, 206/538, 206/539, 206/144, 206/192, 220/520, 220/23.8, 220/23.2, 220/507, 211/168
• US Class Current: 206/747
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0069 Trays for holding or distributing medicines display trays A47F3/14; serving trays A47G23/06

Abstract

A medicine caddy having a first caddy portion and a second caddy portion connectable to each other. The first and second caddy portions are movable with respect to one another between a first countertop configuration and a second carrying configuration. Moreover, the caddy portions each define a plurality of container holes for receipt of respective medicine containers. At least one of the caddy portions includes a handle by which the medicine caddy can be transported when in the carrying configuration.

Claims

1. A medicine caddy comprising:

a first caddy portion;

a second caddy portion;

said first and second caddy portions being movable with respect to one another between a first countertop configuration and a second carrying configuration;

in said second carrying configuration, said first and second caddy portions being back-to-back and maintained together by a hidden locking mechanism;

said hidden locking mechanism including a lug on a back portion of the first caddy portion engaging a connector slot defined on a back portion of said second caddy portion;

to more particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the applicant regards as the invention;

each of said caddy portions defining a plurality of container holes for receipt of respective medicine containers; and

at least one of said caddy portions including a handle by which the medicine caddy can be transported when in the carrying configuration.

2. A medicine caddy as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said caddy portions defines a plurality of shelves where said container holes are located.

3. A medicine caddy as set forth in claim 2, wherein said shelves of said first caddy portion and said shelves of said second caddy portion align in the first countertop configuration so as to produce continuous longer shelves.

4. A medicine caddy as set forth in claim 2, wherein a bottom of said container holes defined in a higher shelf of said plurality of shelves are aligned with a top of a next lower shelf in said plurality of shelves.

5. A medicine caddy set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said caddy portions includes a respective handle which are juxtaposed to one another to form a single handle when said medicine caddy is in the carrying configuration.

6. A medicine caddy as set forth in claim 2, wherein first container holes defined in a first shelf of said plurality of shelves have a different diameter than second container holes defined in a second shelf of said plurality of shelves.

7. A medicine caddy as set forth in claim 6, wherein said first container holes have a larger diameter than said second container holes.

8. A medicine caddy set forth in claim 1, wherein said caddy portions are oriented at 180 degrees of angular separation in the first countertop configuration and no angular separation in the second carrying configuration.

9. A medicine caddy as set forth in claim 8, wherein said first caddy portion and said second caddy portion are pivotally connected to one another.

10. A medicine caddy as set forth in claim 1, wherein said locking mechanism includes at least two of said lugs respectively mating with at least two of said connector slots.

11. A medicine caddy as set forth in clam 10, wherein:

said first caddy portion has one of said lugs mating with a corresponding one of said connector slots on said second caddy portion; and

said second caddy portion has another of said lugs mating with a corresponding another of said connector slots on said first caddy portion.

12. A medicine caddy comprising:

a first caddy portion;

a second caddy portion;

said first and second caddy portions being movable with respect to one another between a first countertop configuration and a second carrying configuration;

in said second carrying configuration, said first and second caddy portions being back-to-back and maintained together by a hidden locking mechanism, said hidden locking mechanism including a lug on a back portion of said first caddy portion engaging a connector slot defined on a back portion of said second caddy portion;

to more particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the applicant regards as the invention.

each of said caddy portions defining a plurality of shelves, each of which has a plurality of container holes for receipt of respective medicine containers;

said shelves of said second caddy portion aligning in the first countertop configuration with said shelves of said first caddy portion so as to produce continuous longer shelves;

said first and second caddy portions being back-to-back to one another in said second carrying configuration; and

at least one of said caddy portions including a handle by which the medicine caddy can be transported when in the carrying configuration.