Medicine container cap with time indicator

• US 5,358,117 A
• Filed: 12/30/1993
• Issued: 10/25/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James Adams
• Original Assignee: James Adams
• Inventors: Adams, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon P.
• Application Number:
  US08/175,971
• Time in Patent Office: 299 Days
• Field of Search: 206/534, 206/459.1, 206/459.5, 215/230, 116/308
• US Class Current: 206/534
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers

Abstract

A device suitable as a closure cap for a medicine container is provided. The device has indicia circumferentially marked on the upper surface of the device representing the time for next taking the medicine in the container. An arm is rotatably mounted on a slightly flexible but resilient shaft inserted through the center of the device and is set to point at the time for next taking the medicine. The arm is releasably retained in position by cooperating pegs and indentations on the upper surface of the device and the underside of the rotatable arm.

Claims

1. A cap for a medicine container indicating the time at which the next dosage of the medicine is to be taken, said cap comprising:

a body having releasable fastener means for securing the cap to said container, an upper cap surface, a cap underside and a cap center;

indicia substantially circumferentially located on said upper cap surface representing time increments;

a slightly flexible and resilient shaft protruding though said body;

an elongated arm mounted on said shaft for rotatable movement in a spaced and substantially parallel relationship with said upper cap surface to point at the indicia representing the time at which the next dosage of the medicine is to be taken; and

cooperating peg means and indentation means on said arm and said upper cap surface adapted to be releasably engaged to releasably retain said arm in selected orientations relative to said upper cap surface so as to cooperate with said indicia to indicate the time at which the next dosage of medicine is to be taken.

2. A cap as defined in claim 1 wherein said indicia are inscribed on said upper cap surface.

3. A cap as defined in claim 1 wherein said indicia are embossed on said upper cap surface.

4. A cap as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a first shaft end of said shaft positioned above said arm;

a second shaft end of said shaft positioned below said cap underside; and

an aperture formed in said cap center through which said shaft protrudes.

5. A cap as defined in claim 4 further comprising:

a first shaft boss formed at said first shaft end to retain said arm on said shaft; and

a second shaft boss formed at said second shaft end to retain said shaft in said cap.

6. A cap as defined in claim 5 further comprising:

a concavity formed in said cap underside, said concavity being sized to receive said second boss.

7. A cap as defined in claim 6 further comprising:

a raised hub circumferentially formed about said aperture and encircling said shaft to maintain said arm in a spaced position above and substantially parallel with said upper cap surface.

8. A cap as defined in claim 7 wherein said aperture has an aperture diameter and said shaft has a shaft diameter and said shaft diameter is slightly smaller than said aperture diameter to allow said arm to pivot perpendicularly relative to said upper cap surface.

9. A cap for a medicine container indicating the time at which the next dosage of the medicine is to be taken, said cap comprising:

a body having releasable fastener means for securing the cap to said container, an upper cap surface, a cap underside and a cap center;

indicia substantially circumferentially located on said upper cap surface representing time increments;

an aperture formed in said cap center;

an elongated arm rotatably mounted on said cap to point at the indicia representing the time at which the next dosage of the medicine is to be taken;

a slightly flexible and resilient shaft onto which said arm is mounted, said shaft extending through said aperture and having a first shaft end positioned above said arm and a second shaft end positioned beneath said cap underside;

a first shaft boss formed on said first shaft end to retain said arm on said shaft;

a second shaft boss formed on said second shaft end to retain said shaft in said cap;

a plurality of circumferentially spaced indentations in said cap upper surface, each of said indentations being associated with a time increment, and

a peg depending from said arm having a lower end which is releasably seatable in said indentations to releasably retain said arm in selected orientations relative to said upper cap surface so as to cooperate with said indicia to indicate the time at which the next dosage of medicine is to be taken.

10. A cap as defined in claim 9 further comprising:

a concavity formed in said cap underside sized to receive said second shaft boss.

11. A cap as defined in claim 10 further comprising:

a raised hub circumferentially formed about said aperture on said upper cap surface and encircling said shaft to maintain said arm in a spaced position above and substantially parallel with said upper cap surface.

12. A cap as defined in claim 9 wherein said indicia are embossed on said upper cap surface.

13. A cap for a medicine container indicating the time at which the next dosage of the medicine is to be taken, said cap comprising:

a body having releasable fastener means for securing the cap to said container, an upper cap surface, a cap underside and a cap center;

indicia substantially circumferentially located on said upper cap surface representing time increments;

an aperture formed in said cap center;

an elongated arm rotatably mounted on said cap to point at the indicia representing the time at which the next dosage of the medicine is to be taken, said arm having an arm underside;

a slightly flexible and resilient shaft onto which said arm is mounted, said shaft extending through said aperture and having a first shaft end positioned above said arm and a second shaft end positioned beneath said cap underside;

a first shaft boss formed on said first shaft end to retain said arm on said shaft;

a second shaft boss formed on said second shaft end to retain said shaft in said cap;

a plurality of circumferentially spaced pegs extending from said cap upper surface, each of said pegs being associated with a time increment, and

an indentation formed in said arm underside which releasably retains one of said pegs to releasably retain said arm in selected orientations relative to said upper cap surface so as to cooperate with said indicia to indicate the time at which the next dosage of medicine is to be taken.

14. A cap as defined in claim 13 further comprising:

a concavity formed in said cap underside sized to receive said second shaft boss.

15. A cap as defined in claim 14 further comprising:

a raised hub circumferentially formed about said aperture on said upper cap surface and encircling said shaft to maintain said arm in a spaced position above and substantially parallel with said upper cap surface.

16. A cap as defined in claim 13 wherein said indicia are embossed on said upper cap surface.