Medical container and system

• US 6,227,371 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2000
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Julie Song
• Original Assignee: Julie Song
• Inventors: Song, Julie
• Primary Examiner(s): BUI, LUAN KIM
• Application Number:
  US09/570,852
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 206/528, 206/534, 206/538, 206/459.1, 206/459.5, 206/570, 206/540, 215/230, 283/81
• US Class Current: 206/534
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2583/0413 Tactile indication, e.g. Braille
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/56 for medicinal tablets or pills
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/003 using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays

Abstract

A system of containers for medications having tactile identification indicia means on the cover of the container. The originally dispensed medication is placed inside a larger container from which the medication is dispensed to the patient. The larger container having tactile indicia identifying the medication therein. The tactile indicia include at least the first letter of the name of the medication. In addition to the letters of the name of the medication, the indicia may also include the Braille symbols for the letters, as well as unique indicia for indicating the prescribed dosage and the frequency of dosage. The system may also include a separate printed chart listing the indicia for each medication for use by sighted caregivers.

Claims

1. A system for storing and dispensing medications for use by visually impaired patients, said system comprising:

a medication for a visually impaired patient, said medication having a patient'"'"'s identification name and a manufacturer'"'"'s name;

a container for storing said medications, said container having bottom and side surfaces and an open top;

a cover for said container, said cover having raised indicia on the upper surface thereof, said indicia comprising said patient'"'"'s identification name, said patient'"'"'s identification name containing at least the first letter of said manufacturer'"'"'s name of said medication;

a chart comprising multiple boxes arranged in rows and columns, a first row of boxes, each box of said first row having a title indicating the content of the column below it, said titles comprising at least;

the patient'"'"'s identification name for the medication, the manufacturer'"'"'s name for said medication, the prescribed dosage for said medication and the frequency of application of said medication; and

multiple subsequent rows of boxes the appropriate information for each prescribed medication is entered in the appropriate box thereby providing medicating information for a sighted caregiver attending the patient with visual impairment.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said raised indicia on the cover of said container comprises the first and last letters of the manufacture'"'"'s name of said medication.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein said raised indicia on the cover of said container also includes a second indicia comprising the Braille symbols for said letters of the patient is identification name of the medication.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein said raised indicia further comprises a third indicia of a shape unique from said first and second symbols said third indicia indicating the frequency with the medication is to be taken.

5. The system according to claim 4 and further comprising a fourth indicia of a shape unique from said first, second and third indicia, said fourth indicia indicating the prescribed dosage for said medication.