Add-on medicine dispenser timer
First Claim
1. An add-on medicine dispensing timer cap which can be affixed to an original medicine vial having a vial closure cap comprising:
- a timer cap housing having an upper cap wall with an upper rigid portion;
a circumferential wall integral with said upper wall having a lower deformable portion;
a lower attachment surface integral with said lower deformable portion for attaching said cap housing to the vial cap of the medicine vial; and
a timing mechanism carried by said housing and being displaceable relative to said vial cap in a manner that downward force on said rigid portion of said upper wall causes said timing mechanism to be reset and actuated to indicate the instantaneous time elapsed since said timing mechanism was last reset.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved device for timely medication administration that attaches to any original container cap and that measures and displays elapsed time in response to opening or closing of said original container cap is disclosed. Physical, chemical and labeled characteristics of the original medication vessel are thus preserved as dispensed. This device includes a timing unit, a compression reset switch and a thermoplastic housing for the above with a resilient, flexible, circumferential wall that permits operation of the enclosed compression reset switch. The thermoplastic housing also features a rigid lower lip that allows adhesive attachment to the original lid.
45 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An add-on medicine dispensing timer cap which can be affixed to an original medicine vial having a vial closure cap comprising:
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a timer cap housing having an upper cap wall with an upper rigid portion; a circumferential wall integral with said upper wall having a lower deformable portion; a lower attachment surface integral with said lower deformable portion for attaching said cap housing to the vial cap of the medicine vial; and a timing mechanism carried by said housing and being displaceable relative to said vial cap in a manner that downward force on said rigid portion of said upper wall causes said timing mechanism to be reset and actuated to indicate the instantaneous time elapsed since said timing mechanism was last reset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An add-on medicine dispensing timer cap which can be affixed to an original medicine vial having a vial cap wherein opening and closing of said vial cap on said vial requires a downward vial cap pressure on said vial cap, said timer cap comprising:
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a cap housing; an upper cap wall having a display portion and an upper rigid portion; a timer mechanism disposed below said upper wall having a time display viewable through said display portion of said upper wall; a deformable element disposed below said upper wall; a lower attachment surface for affixing said cap housing to said vial cap; said timer mechanism having a reset switch actuated by timer reset pressure exerted on said switch through a downward force on said rigid portion of said upper cap wall and resulting deformation of said deformable element; and
said timer reset pressure being generally less than or equal to said vial cap closure pressure so that said timer mechanism is automatically reset upon closure of said vial cap. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. An add-on timer for a medicine vial having a closure cap, comprising:
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(a) a timer housing, having (i) a rigid upper wall, and (ii) a flexible, circumferential wall, attached to the upper wall, wherein the circumferential wall has a lower attachment surface for attaching the housing to the closure cap, and the circumferential wall is sufficiently flexible to allow relative displacement of the upper wall of the housing toward the closure cap, when downward force is applied to the housing; (b) a timing mechanism, attached to the upper wall of the housing, having (i) means for measuring elapsed time;
(ii) a digital readout to display elapsed time;
(iii) a battery; and
(iv) a compression switch, wherein the compression switch is positioned to be actuated by displacement of the upper wall of the housing relative to the closure cap; and(c) a means to attach the lower attachment surface of the circumferential wall to the closure cap. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An add-on timer for a medicine vial having a closure cap, comprising:
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(a) a timer housing, having (i) an upper wall, and (ii) a flexible, circumferential wall, attached to the upper wall, wherein the circumferential wall has a lower attachment surface for attaching the housing to the closure cap, and the circumferential wall is sufficiently flexible to allow relative displacement of the upper wall of the housing toward the closure cap, when downward force is applied to the housing, and wherein the circumferential wall further comprises a first wall portion and a second wall portion, which are separated by a flex line, and the first and second wall portions incline and flex outward when downward force is applied to the housing; (b) a timing mechanism, attached to the upper wall of the housing, having (i) means for measuring elapsed time;
(ii) a digital readout to display elapsed time;
(iii) a battery; and
(iv) a compression switch, wherein the compression switch is positioned to be actuated by displacement of the upper wall of the housing relative to the closure cap; and(c) a means to attach the lower attachment surface of the circumferential wall to the closure cap. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification