Electronic indicator system for medicine bottle

• US 7,554,434 B1
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Barbra K. Gifford, Joseph D. Gifford
• Original Assignee: Barbra K. Gifford, Joseph D. Gifford
• Inventors: Gifford, Joseph D., Gifford, Barbra K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US11/725,490
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 340/309.16, 340/309.7
• US Class Current: 340/309.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0418 with electronic history memory
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0436 resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/12 Audible, olfactory or visual signalling means B65D51/248, B65D55/028, B65D79/02 and B65D81/24 take precedence

Abstract

An indicator system for use on a medicine bottle to indicate the time and date of the last dosage. The system includes means for registering time and date when the bottle is opened and then closed.

Claims

1. A medicine container comprising:

A) a container body which includes

(1) a first end which is a bottom end when the body is in use,

(2) a second end which is a top end when the body is in use,

(3) a longitudinal axis which extends between the first end of the body and the second end of the body,

(4) a sidewall which connects the first end to the second end, the sidewall of the body having an inner surface and an outer surface, and

(5) a screw thread on the inner surface of the sidewall of the body near the second end of the body;

B) a container cap which is mounted on the second end of the body when in use and which includes

(1) a first surface which is a top surface when the cap is in use, the first surface of the cap having an inner surface and an outer surface,

(2) a sidewall which extends from the first surface of the cap, the sidewall of the cap having an inner surface, an outer surface, and an end which is spaced apart from the top surface of the cap,

(3) a mid wall which is mounted on the inner surface of the sidewall of the cap and which is spaced apart from the inner surface of the top surface of the cap,

(4) a chamber defined by the inner surface of the top wall of the cap and the mid wall and the inner surface of the sidewall of the cap,

(5) a skirt which has a rim, an outer surface and an inner surface, the skirt and the rim of the skirt being located adjacent to the inner surface of the sidewall of the body when the cap is in place on the body,

(6) a hinge connecting the skirt to the sidewall of the cap,

(6) a screw thread defined on the outer surface of the skirt of the cap, the screw thread on the skirt of the cap extending from the rim of the skirt to adjacent to the mid wall of the cap and threadably engaging the screw thread on the container body when the cap is in use, and

(6) an opening tab on the outer surface of the sidewall, the opening tab being located to be co-planar with the mid wall of the cap;

C) a first translucent window located in the top surface of the cap adjacent to the chamber defined in the cap;

D) a second translucent window located in the sidewall of the body;

E) a first proximity sensor element in the sidewall of the cap;

F) a second proximity sensor element in the sidewall of the body, the first and second proximity sensors being located closely adjacent to each other when the cap is in place on the body and being separated from each other when the cap is removed from the body;

G) an alarm time and date display in the first translucent window which displays preset time and preset date when a user is to take medicine;

H) control buttons on the top surface of the cap which are used to set the alarm display;

I) a record time and date display in the second translucent window which is associated with the first and second proximity sensor elements to display the time and date the cap was last removed from the body as an indication of when medicine was last taken; and

J) a circuit control unit in the chamber in the cap and including

(1) an alarm circuit which connects the alarm display with the alarm time and date display,

(2) a record circuit which connects the first and second proximity sensor elements with the record time and date display, and

(3) a third circuit which connects the control buttons to the alarm circuit.

2. A medicine container comprising:

A) a container body which includes

B) a container cap which is mounted on the body to close the body when in use;

C) a first translucent window located in the cap;

D) a second translucent window located in the body;

E) a first proximity sensor element in the cap;

G) a second proximity sensor in the body, the first and second proximity sensors being located closely adjacent to each other when the cap is in place on the body and being separated from each other when the cap is removed from the body;

F) an alarm time and date display in the first translucent window which displays preset time and preset date when a user is to take medicine;

G) control buttons on the top surface of the cap which are used to set the alarm display;

H) a record time and date display in the second translucent window which is associated with the first and second proximity sensors to display the time and date the cap was last removed from the body as an indication of when medicine was last taken; and

I) a circuit control unit in the chamber in the cap and including

(1) an alarm circuit which connects the alarm display with the alarm time and date display,

(2) a record circuit which connects the first and second proximity sensors with the record time and date display, and

(3) a third circuit which connects the control buttons to the alarm circuit.