GB2092991A

GB2092991A - Box for dispensing pills at timed intervals

Info

Publication number: GB2092991A
Application number: GB8204148A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: JANKEL DESIGN ROBERT Ltd
Current assignee: JANKEL DESIGN ROBERT Ltd
Priority date: 1981-02-12
Filing date: 1982-02-12
Publication date: 1982-08-25
Also published as: GB2092991B

Abstract

A box for containing pills or the like comprising a first component (1) incorporating at least one pill storage compartment (5) and a second component (2) having a dispensing opening (6). The second component (2) is displaceable relative to the first component (1) to dispense at least one pill from one or more of the compartments and there is an electric timing and signalling device (3) which is programmed to emit a signal at predetermined intervals. The signal is de-activated by manual displacement of the second component (2) whereupon a subsequent time interval starts. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved pill box This invention relates to boxes for containing pills and like medicaments and has been devised with the intention of providing an improved box of the kind in which individual pills or the like are successively made available to the patient.

In order to be effective most courses of treatment by means of pills or the like require that the pills should be taken at regular pre-determined intervals.

In practice many patients have difficulty in remembering that a pill or the like should be taken at a particular time and the object of the present invention is to ensure so far as possible that this cannot happen.

In accordance with the invention there is thus proposed a box for containing pills or the like comprising a first component incorporating at least one pill storage compartment, a second component having at least one dispensing opening and which is manually displaceable relative to the first compo nentto dispense at least one pill from one or more of the compartments, and an electric timing and signalling device which is programmed to emit a signal at predetermined intervals and functions thereafter to emit the signal at the predetermined interval of time, the signal being de-activated by manual displacement of the second component, the device functioning thereafter at the subsequent predetermined intervals to emit signals to indicate when similar pill dispensing displacement movements of the second component relative to the first component is necessary.

Two particular and at present preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will hereinafter be described.

In these drawings: Figure l is an exploded view of a first embodiment; Figure 2 is a diametric cross-section of a second embodiment, being a cross-section on line B-B of Figure 3; and Figure 3 is a cross-section on line A-A of Figure 2.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 the pill box therein shown comprises a flat cylindrical body 1 which is formed with a series of five adjoining sector-shaped compartments 5 which are each intended to contain a pill or pills which constitute a dosage to be consumed by the user after a particular interval of time. A sixth compartment 7 is intended to contain a micro-processor or similar electronic device 3 which functions as later described.

The body 1 is covered by a circular lid 2 which is formed with a pill-dispensing aperture 6 of corresponding shape to the pill compartments 5 in the body 1.The lid 2 is located on the body 1 buy a pivot pin 4 in orderthatthe lid can be turned angularly to bring the dispensing aperture 6 successively into alignment with the compartments 5 to make a pill or pills available to the user. Means, not shown, may be provided between the body 1 and the lid 2 to allow the lid 2 to be turned in one direction only.

The micro-processor similar electronic device is essentially a timing device which can be pre-set to emit an audible and/or visible signal at predetermined intervals of time. This signal can only be turned off by the action of turning the lid to align the aperture 6 with the next compartment 5 in the body.

The action of turning the lid 2 operates a switching device (not shown) which discontinues the signal.

The switch can be one which is mechanically, electro-mechanically, magnetically or photoelectrically operated. Moreover the micro-processor or similar electronic device can have the capability of counting and displaying the number of times the lid is indexed - that is to say turned from one pill dispensing position to the next one.

The power source for the micro-processor or similar electronic device can be incorporated in the micro-processor similar electronic device or in the pill box body 1 and could be re-chargeable by solar energy.

Whilst the pill box device described above essentially comprises in addition to a timing device a pill container component and a pill dispensing component which are rotatable from position to position relative to one another, the pill box device now to be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 differs in that these components operate by relative displacement along a common axis.

Referring therefore to Figures 2 and 3 this pill box device comprises a pill container body 1 of substantially cylindrical shape having four segmental compartments 5 for containing pills. Slidably received in this body 1 is a central element 2 of which the lower part is formed with a series of four outwardly open segments 6' which are respectively aligned with the lowest parts of the compartments 5.

The upper part of the central element 2 has a central recess which contains a micro-processor or similar electronic timing device 3 and a radially outward annular part engaged by one end of a coiled compression spring 4 of which the other end abuts the body 1 in order to bias the central element 2 in an upward direction into engagement with an inturned flange part of the body 1.

In operation the action of depressing the central element by the user's fingers causes the outwardly open segments 6' to carry down or dispense four pills simultaneously from the pill compartments 5 to a location below the container body 1 at which they are made available to the user.

As with the previous embodiment, the microprocessor or similar electronic device is pre-set to emit an audible and/or visible signal at predetermined intervals of time. This signal only ceases when the central element is depressed as aforesaid to make the pills available to the user. The action of depressing the central element 2 operates a switching device (not shown) in the body 1 or in the micro-processor or like electronic device itself. As with the first described embodiment the switching device can alternatively be mechanically, electromechanically, magnetically or photoelectrically operated.

In addition, the micro-processor or similar electronic device can have the capability of counting and displaying the number of times the centre element is depressed. The power source for the microprocessor or similar electronic device can be incorporated therein or in the central element and could be rechargeable by solar energy.

Whilst the second embodiment as above described is adapted to dispense four pills, which may be of the same or different kind, at a time to suit the specific requirements of a particular user it is to be understood that in this as indeed in the first described embodiment the number of pill-containing compartments and the number of dispensing openings or segments is susceptible of variation to suit particular pill dosage requirements.

Claims

1. Aboxforcontaining pillsorthelikecompris- ing a first component incorporating at least one pill storage compartment, a second component having at least one dispensing opening and which is manually displaceable relative to the first component to dispense at least one pill from one or more of the compartments, and an electric timing and signalling device which is programmed to emit a signal at predetermined intervals and functions thereafter to emit the signal at the predetermined interval of time, the signal being de-activated by manual displacement of the second component, the device functioning thereafter at the subsequent predetermined intervals to emit signals to indicate when similar pill dispensing displacement movements of the second component relative to the first component are necessary.

2. A box for containing pills or the like comprising a first component incorporating a plurality of upwardly open pill storage compartments, a second component which forms a cover to the first component and has a dispensing opening therein, the second component being manually displaceable in stages relative to the first component to enable its dispensing opening to be aligned with said compartments successively, and an electric timing and signalling device which is programmed to emit a signal at predetermined intervals and functions thereafterto emit the signal at the predetermined interval of time, the signal being de-activated by manual displacement of the cover, the device functioning thereafter at the subsequent predetermined intervals to emit signals to indicate when similar pill dispensing displacement movements of the cover relative to the first component are necessary.

3. A box in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2 in which the first component or cover is rotatably attached and displaceable relative to the second component and the compartments are arranged in an arc of a circle.

4. A box in accordance with claim 3 wherein the cover is rotatable in one direction only upon the first component.

5. A box in accordance with claim 2,3 or 4 in which the electric timing device is a switch operated micro-processor or other electronic device situated in a cavity adjacent one of said compartments.

6. A box containing pills orthe like comprising a first component incorporating at least one pill storage compartment, a second component which is manually displaceable co-axially within and relative to the first component to bring at least one dispensing opening in the second component into alignment with at least one of said compartments, thereby to release a pill or pills therefrom by gravity feed, and an electric timing and signalling device which is programmed to emit a signal at predetermined intervals and functions thereafter to emit the signal at the predetermined interval of time, the signal being de-activated by manual displacement of the second component, the device functioning thereafter at the subsequent predetermined intervals to emit signals to indicate when similar pill dispensing displacement of the second component relative to the first component are necessary.

7. A box in accordance with claim 6 in which the first component is of substantially hollow cylindrical shape with segmental pile receiving compartments at its base.

8. A box in accordance with claim 6 or claim 7 in which the second component is spring biased away from its pill dispensing position relative to the first component.

9. A box in accordance with any of claims 6,7 or 8 in which the electrical timing device is a switch operated micro-processor or other electronic device situated in a cavity at the end of the second component remote from its dispensing opening or openings.

10. A box in accordance with any of the preceding claims including a separate switching device between the components which discontinues the signal when the second component is moved relative to the first component.

11. A box in accordance with any of the preceding claims including a solar energy re-chargeable power source for the electric timing and signalling device.

12. A box in accordance with any of the preceding claims wherein the electric timing and signalling device is adapted to count and display the number of times the second component is moved into a pill dispensing position relative to the first component.

13. A box for containing pills orthe like substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in Figure 1 or Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.