Abstract:
A medicine caddy having a first caddy portion and a second caddy portion connectable to each other. The first and second caddy portions are movable with respect to one another between a first countertop configuration and a second carrying configuration. Moreover, the caddy portions each define a plurality of container holes for receipt of respective medicine containers. At least one of the caddy portions includes a handle by which the medicine caddy can be transported when in the carrying configuration.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of copending provisional application Ser. No. 60/217,044, filed Jul. 10, 2000, which is relied on herein and incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a caddy configured to hold a plurality of medicine containers. 
     Often, individuals or different members of a family must take multiple medications over the course of a single day. The various containers for these medicines are typically stored in a medicine cabinet located in a bathroom. One problem with the use of a medicine cabinet, however, is that the cabinet is frequently filled with other types of personal hygiene products, such as toothpaste, deodorant and the like. After these other products are placed in the medicine cabinet, there is often insufficient space remaining for more than a few medicine containers. In addition, the individual medicine containers stored in a medicine cabinet are not easily transportable as a group. 
     It is also known to store medicine containers in a basket, which the user can move from room to room. The use of a basket is often considered undesirable, however, because some of the medicine containers will have a tendency to tumble out of the basket when another container is removed. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,531 to Coy, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a caddy for medicine containers. The caddy of this reference takes the form of a tray which has a number of recesses defined in its top. Each of the recesses is configured to hold a respective medicine container. 
     While the medicine caddy shown in the ′531 patent solves some problems of the prior art, it is not without disadvantages. For example, this device has a holding aperture defined in the top of the tray by which it is lifted and carried. The tip of the user&#39;s index finger is positioned in the holding aperture so that a corner area of the caddy can be pinched between the user&#39;s thumb and second finger. It will be appreciated that such a lifting technique is awkward, and severely limits both the size of the caddy and the number of medicine containers that can be carried thereby. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention recognizes and addresses the foregoing disadvantages, and others, of prior art constructions and methods. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved medicine caddy. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved medicine caddy which is capable of holding a relatively large number of medicine containers. 
     It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved medicine caddy which may be easily carried from place to place. 
     It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved medicine caddy which is convertible between a first countertop configuration and a second carrying configuration. 
     Some of these objects are achieved by a medicine caddy having a first caddy portion connectable to a second caddy portion. Preferably, the two caddy portions are movable with respect to each other between a first countertop configuration and a second carrying configuration. Each of the caddy portions preferably defines a plurality of holes (i.e., recesses) for holding respective medicine containers. One or both of the caddy portions preferably includes a handle by which the caddy can be transported when in the carrying configuration. Each of the caddy portions may be configured having two shelves each defining a respective row of holes for holding the respective medicine containers. 
     Other objects, features and aspects of the present invention are provided by various combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed elements, as well as methods of utilizing same, which are discussed in greater detail below. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth more particularly in the remainder of the specification, including reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an improved medicine caddy constructed in accordance with the present invention in the first countertop configuration; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the medicine caddy of FIG. 1 converted to the second carrying configuration; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view as taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 4 is a back perspective view of one of the caddy portions of the caddy shown in FIG.  1 . 
     Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent same or analogous features or elements of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the invention, which broader aspects are embodied in the exemplary constructions. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1-2, one embodiment of an improved medicine caddy constructed in accordance with the invention is illustrated. As shown, medicine caddy  10  includes a first caddy portion  12   a  and a second caddy portion  12   b . First caddy portion  12   a  and second caddy portion  12   b  are preferably hinged along their adjacent back corners (as indicated at  14 ) so as to be convertible between a first “countertop” configuration (FIG. 1) and a second carrying configuration (FIG.  2 ). 
     In the illustrated embodiment, caddy portions  12   a  and  12   b  are each configured having a pair of “shelves” located at different levels. For example, caddy portion  12   a  has lower shelf  16   a  and upper shelf  18   a . Similarly, caddy portion  12   b  has lower shelf  16   b  and upper shelf  18   b . In the countertop configuration, lower shelves  16   a  and  16   b  are aligned so as to form a single lower shelf. Similarly, upper shelves  18   a  and  18   b  are aligned in the countertop configuration so as to form a continuous upper shelf. 
     Medicine containers are received in respective holes defined in the shelves. For example, a medicine container  20  (shown in broken lines) is received in a hole  22  defined in upper shelf  18   b . As shown, the bottom of medicine container  20  rests on the upper surface of stepped base  17  located in the same horizontal plane with shelf  16   b . A medicine container placed in a hole (such as hole  24 ) defined in lower shelf  16   b  will rest on the upper surface of the lower base  26 . 
     It will be appreciated that the holes defined in the shelves may be of varying diameters to permit medicine containers of different sizes to be snugly received. As shown in FIG. 3, for example, all of the holes in lower shelves  16   a-b  may be of a larger diameter, with the holes defined in upper shelves  18   a-b  being of a smaller diameter. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the number of such holes that may be provided will depend upon the dimensions of caddy  10 . Thus, a larger caddy will generally be able to hold a greater number of medicine containers than a smaller caddy. 
     Preferably, caddy portions  12   a  and  12   b  will be equipped with respective handles  28   a-b . In this case, handles  28   a-b  are formed coextensive with the back wall of the respective caddy portion so as to register when caddy  10  is converted to the carrying configuration. In this manner, handles  28   a-b  may form a single larger handle which may be conveniently grasped by a user. It should be appreciated, however, that it is not necessary to have handles on both of the caddy portions, since a single handle will also allow caddy  10  to be carried. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, caddy portions  12   a  and  12   b  are constructed of any suitable material providing the desired combination of low weight and adequate rigidity, such as molded plastic. For example, the majority of each caddy portion may be made of a single piece of molded plastic. The respective upper and lower shelves may be formed as separate elements, which are later assembled onto the molded plastic piece. 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, each of the caddy portions may be equipped with a suitable mechanism to releasably maintain caddy  10  in the carrying configuration. In this case, for example, the mechanism is formed by a pair of lug and slot connectors. The lug of each such connector will be located on one of the caddy portions, with the slot being located on the other. 
     For example, caddy portion  12   a  includes a protruding lug  30  and a receiving slot  32 . Lug  30  is received in a corresponding slot in caddy portion  12   b  when caddy  10  is converted to the carrying configuration. Similarly, a lug located on the back of caddy portion  12   b  will engage slot  32  when the caddy is in the carrying configuration. In this manner, the carrying configuration will be maintained until the user decides to convert caddy  10  to the countertop configuration. One skilled in the art will appreciate, however, that both lugs may be maintained on a single caddy portion to engage both slots maintained on the other caddy portion. In other words, it is not necessary that each caddy portion contain both a lug and a slot. 
     It can thus be seen that the present invention provides an improved medicine caddy in furtherance of the objects noted above. The caddy may be easily converted between a carrying configuration and a countertop configuration. In the carrying configuration, the caddy is easily movable from place to place by the user. In the countertop configuration, the caddy may be located against the back wall of a countertop so as to be unobtrusive while still permitting easy access to the medicine containers that it holds. 
     As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the present invention is not limited to embodiments in which the two portions are hinged together. In fact, two separable portions may be connected using complementary lug and slot connectors as described above. In other words, the portions may be exactly as shown and described above, but without the interconnecting hinge. When the countertop configuration is desired, the two portions are separated and aligned on the countertop by the user. 
     While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, modifications and variations may be made thereto by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of the various embodiments may be interchanged both in whole or in part. Furthermore, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the foregoing description is by way of example only and is not intended to be limitative of the invention.