Abstract:
A pharmacist&#39;s spatula, or pill tray spatula, is provided for assisting in sorting and counting of pills and capsules comprising generally flat stainless steel blades extending from opposing ends of a generally bi-conic handle. The first blade has a straight portion less than or equal in length to a width or length of a pill counting tray, a curved portion between the straight portion and the handle and a curved and angled tip at the distal end of the first edge of the first blade. The second edge of the first blade has a notched hook, a fulcrum, and a bottle opener. The second blade is short and has the shape of a flat truncated arrow.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/468,445 filed May 10, 2012 to the same inventor. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention generally relates to spatulas for pharmaceutical use, and more particularly relates to an apparatus for assisting in sorting pills and capsules, opening bottles and other pharmaceutical containers. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Pharmacist&#39;s spatulas, or pill tray spatulas, are used to count pills on pill trays. In the process of pill counting, pill containers must first be opened. The openings of such containers are typically tightly sealed for security and safety reasons, and can be difficult to open by hand in a quick and efficient manner. 
     Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a single tool for both opening pill containers and for sorting and counting pills. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A pharmacist&#39;s spatula is provided for assisting in sorting and counting of pills and capsules comprising generally flat stainless steel blades extending from opposing ends of a generally bi-conic handle. The first blade has a straight portion that is less than a width or length of a pill counting tray, a curved portion between the straight portion and the handle and a curved and angled tip at the distal end of the first edge of the first blade. The second edge of the first blade has a notched hook, a straight portion, a fulcrum, and a bottle opener. The second blade is short and has the shape of a flat truncated arrow. 
     An embodiment of the invention provides a pharmacist&#39;s spatula including: a handle having a first end, a second end, and a surface extending between the first and second ends; a first elongated flat blade extending from the first end and having a first edge and an opposed second edge; a second shorter flat blade extending from the second end; and a curved tip extending from a distal end of the first blade at an obtuse angle there from. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, in which the handle includes a shape of two truncated cones, joined at their bases, and the joint made axially arcuate. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, in which the second blade is in the shape of a flat truncated arrow. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, in which the curved tip is curved conformally to a curvature between a pill-supporting surface and a rear wall of a pill counting tray. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, in which the first edge has a straight portion having a length less than a width or a length of a pill-supporting surface of a pill counting tray. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, in which the first edge has a curved portion proximal the first end of the handle, in which the curved portion has a curvature conformal with a curvature between a pill-supporting surface and a front wall of a pill counting tray. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, further including a bottle opener formed in the second edge. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, further including a hook extending from the distal end of the first blade. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, further including a notch in the hook. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, in which the first blade is made of stainless steel. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, in which the second blade is made of stainless steel. 
     Another embodiment of the invention provides a pharmacist&#39;s spatula including: a handle having a first end, a second end, and a surface extending between the first and second ends; a first elongated flat blade extending from the first end and having a first edge and an opposed second edge; a second shorter flat blade extending from the second end; and a curved tip extending from a distal end of the first blade at an obtuse angle there from, in which the curved tip is curved conformally to a curvature between a pill-supporting surface and a rear wall of a pill counting tray. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, in which the handle includes a shape of two truncated cones, joined at their bases, and the joint made axially arcuate. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, in which the second blade is in the shape of a flat truncated arrow. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, in which the first edge includes: a curved portion extending from the handle, in which the curvature is conformal to a curvature between a pill-supporting surface of a pill counting tray and a front wall of the tray; and a straight portion, including a length less than a length or a width of a pill counting tray, extending from the curved portion and ending at the curved tip. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, in which the second edge includes: a hook extending from the distal end of the first blade; a straight portion extending toward the handle from a bend of the hook; a fulcrum extending as a smoothed triangular extension from the straight portion; a bottle opener, spaced apart from the fulcrum across a bight for receiving edges of bottle caps to be lifted, and extending to the handle. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, in which the first and second blades comprise stainless steel. 
     Another embodiment of the invention provides a pharmacist&#39;s spatula including: a handle having a first end, a second end, and a surface of extending between the first and second ends, in which the handle includes a shape of two truncated cones, joined at their bases, and the joint made axially arcuate; a first elongated flat blade extending from the first end and having a first edge and an opposed second edge; a second shorter flat blade extending from the second end; and a curved tip extending from a distal end of the first blade at an obtuse angle there from, in which the curved tip is curved conformally to a curvature between a pill-supporting surface and a rear wall of a pill counting tray. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, in which the first edge includes: a curved portion extending from the handle, in which the curvature is conformal to a curvature between a pill-supporting surface of a pill counting tray and a front wall of the tray; and a straight portion, including a length less than a length or a width of a pill counting tray, extending from the curved portion and ending at the curved tip. The pharmacist&#39;s spatula, in which the second edge includes: a hook extending from the distal end of the first blade; a straight portion extending toward the handle from a bend of the hook; a fulcrum extending as a smoothed triangular extension from the straight portion; a bottle opener, spaced apart from the fulcrum across a recess for receiving edges of bottle caps to be lifted, and extending to the handle. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan wire frame view illustrating an exemplary pill tray and defining a cross-section AA′, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation wire frame view illustrating the exemplary pill tray of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear shaded view illustrating the exemplary pill tray of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view plan wire frame view illustrating the exemplary pill tray of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a top-right perspective wire frame view illustrating the exemplary pill tray of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom-left-front perspective wire frame view illustrating the exemplary pill tray of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom-left-rear perspective wire frame view illustrating the exemplary pill tray of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a top-left-front perspective wire frame view illustrating the exemplary pill tray of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom-right-rear perspective wire frame view illustrating the exemplary pill tray of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a front-left-rear perspective wire frame view illustrating the exemplary pill tray of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a partial cross-sectional view through cross section AA′ illustrating details of the exemplary advertising sleeve on the underside of the tray of the exemplary pill tray of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  is a bottom-right-front perspective view AA′ illustrating details of the exemplary advertising sleeve on the underside of the tray of the exemplary pill tray of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  is a side elevation view illustrating a first exemplary spatula for use with the exemplary pill tray of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  is a front elevation view illustrating the first exemplary spatula of  FIG. 13  for use with the exemplary pill tray of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 15  is a bottom plan view illustrating the first exemplary spatula for use with the exemplary pill tray of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 16  is a top plan view illustrating the first exemplary spatula for use with the exemplary pill tray of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 17  is a diagrammatic view illustrating an exemplary kit, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. 
       FIG. 1  is a top plan wire frame view illustrating an exemplary pill tray  100  and defining a cross-section AA′, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The pill-supporting surface  102  of tray  100  arcuately merges with a rear wall  138 , a front wall  104 , and a side wall  140  with the directions referenced to  FIG. 1  with rear at the top of the drawing. Pill receiver  144  lies along the left edge of the surface  102  and is separated from the surface  102  by a sloping ridge  116  that has no flat surfaces. Flat surfaces on the ridge  116  or between pill-supporting surface  102  and pill receiver  144  are preferably avoided to avoid pill dust accumulation on such flat surfaces. Rear wall  138 , side wall  140 , and front wall  104  curve upward from surface  102  with predetermined curvatures  148  (back and side) and  150  (front), respectively. 
     Pill receiver  144  has a front funnel portion  126  with a funnel opening  142  for pouring counted pills in the pill receiver  144  into dispensing pill bottles. The external side of pill receiver  144  supports a handle  124 , preferably with a raised perimeter  122 . Pill receiver  144  is shown without a closable lid. In some alternate embodiments, a closable lid may be provided. In such an alternate embodiment, the edge of the lid that meets the ridge  116  will be shaped conformally to the curvature of the ridge  116 . The rear wall  120  of pill receiver  144  extends rearward of the rear wall  138  to the same extent as rearmost extension  136  of return funnel  106 , in order that the pill tray  100  will sit flush against a wall behind a counter upon which the pill tray  100  has been placed. 
     Handle  134  extends from the right wall  140  and preferably includes a raised perimeter  132 . Preferably, the length dimension extension of the right handle  134  rightward of the rightmost extent  146  of return funnel  106  added to the length dimension of the leftmost extension of the left handle  124  from the pill receiver  144  is no greater that the leftward extent of an open lid, or cover, for the pill receiver  144 , as shown. Accordingly, the pill tray  100  takes up no greater footprint on a counter top than a prior art device of the same pill-supporting surface  102  size with its cover open. That is, the operating footprint of the pill tray  100  on a countertop is not increased relative to equivalent-capacity prior art devices. While the left and right extents of the handles  124  and  134 , respectively, are limitations of this exemplary embodiment of the pill tray  100 , the handle shape shown is not a limitation. It is within the scope of the present invention to have the surfaces of the handles  124  and  134  be suitable for displaying advertising. In some alternate embodiments, the left and right extensions of the handles may increase the operating footprint of the pill tray  100 . 
     The underside of pill receiver  144  has a front foot  130  and a rear foot  128 . The underside of tray  100  has advertising sleeve  114  and front tray foot  112  and rear tray foot  110 . Advertising sleeve  114  receives advertising media, such as printed media, that displays advertising to the user through transparent pill-supporting tray surface  102 . The media is preferably received in a slot  602  (see  FIG. 6 ) between front tray foot  112  and rear tray foot  110 . Note that the horizontally curved portions of front tray foot  112  and rear tray foot  110  do not obstruct access to slot  602 . Advertising sleeve  114  may be of various sizes, and is preferably at least large enough to receive a conventional business card. Tray surface  102  is preferably entirely transparent, however, in various alternate embodiments, tray surface  102  may be transparent only over the advertising sleeve or made of colored transparent material. 
     Return funnel  106  extends from rear wall  138  and right wall  140  and has a return ridge  108  to prevent inadvertent pill migration out of the return funnel  106 . Rear wall  138  extends downwardly to one side of return funnel  106  and side wall  140  first extends in height (See ref.  502  in  FIG. 5 ) and then extends downwardly in height to form return funnel  106 . 
       FIG. 2  is a front elevation wire frame view illustrating the exemplary pill tray  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The pill receiver  144  has sufficient depth between the bottom of funnel opening  142  and the bottom of the pill receiver  144  to accommodate a volume of pills sufficient to fill a prescription. Seen with  FIG. 1 , the vertical edge curvature of front tray foot  112  is apparent and tray foot  110  is preferably formed in mirror image shape to front tray foot  112 . The height of rear wall  138  is flush with the height of pill receiver  144  and the height of front wall  104  is flush with the height of the ridge  116 . Return funnel  106  is preferably downward sloping, as shown, which reduces the amount that the pill tray  100  must be tilted to return unused pills to a storage or supply container. 
       FIG. 3  is a rear shaded elevation view illustrating the exemplary pill tray  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Rear wall  120  of pill receiver  144  preferably has an arcuate lower perimeter  302  extending into the semi cylindrical main trough  304  of pill receiver  144 , as shown. The vertical edge curvature and horizontal curvature of rear tray foot  110  can be seen. The design of the rear tray foot  110  and front tray foot  112  avoids the need for a flange extending between the tray feet  110 ,  112  or from the tray feet  110 ,  112  to the pill receiver  144 . 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom view plan wire frame view illustrating the exemplary pill tray  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Advertising sleeve  114  has sides  402 ,  404 , and  406  that extend from the underside of tray surface  102  to advertising sleeve panel  410 . Advertising sleeve  114  also has sleeve edge  408  that does not extend to the underside of tray surface  102 , but remains open to form slot  602  (see  FIG. 6 ) for receiving advertising media. The advantages of advertising sleeve  114  over the prior art are that the advertising media are replaceable, making the pill tray  100  more fungible; and the print does not contact the medications being counted on the tray surface  102 . 
       FIG. 5  is a top-right perspective wire frame view illustrating the exemplary pill tray  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Side wall  140  is higher than front wall  104 , and side wall  140  extends further to an increased height  502  before extending downward and outward to form return funnel  106 . While the rear wall  138 , front wall  104 , and side wall  140  are shown as primarily straight and of even height, such features are exemplary rather than limiting. The top edge  504  of pill receiver  144  is similarly not limited to be straight or of even height. 
       FIG. 6  is a bottom-left-front perspective wire frame view illustrating the exemplary pill tray  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Slot  602  under edge  408  of advertising sleeve  114  is operable to slidingly receive printed advertising media. Front foot  130  and a rear foot  128  provide additional stability over prior art devices, in which minor irregularities in the manufacture of the pill receiver  144  can cause unexpected tilting during operation. The inner curvature of rear tray foot  110  is visible. 
       FIG. 7  is a bottom-left-rear perspective wire frame view illustrating the exemplary pill tray  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The inner curvature of front tray foot  112  is visible. 
       FIG. 8  is a top-left-front perspective wire frame view illustrating the exemplary pill tray  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Return ridge  108  is best displayed in this view. Return ridge  108  assists in preventing pills from exiting the tray during counting operations, but is not so high as to prevent pills from exiting when the pill tray  100  is tilted to return unused pills to the supply container. Like ridge  116 , return ridge  108  is rounded and has no flat surfaces. The entire pill tray  100  is preferably made as one piece of injection molded plastic, including return ridge  108 . 
       FIG. 9  is a bottom-right-rear perspective wire frame view illustrating the exemplary pill tray  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Slot  602  may be clearly seen in this view. Extending tray surface  102  into rear wall  138  is a predetermined curvature  146 , which reduces pill dust accumulation. 
       FIG. 10  is a front-left-rear perspective wire frame view illustrating the exemplary pill tray  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The corner between front wall  104  and side wall  140  is curved, as shown, and extension  1002  from the height of the front wall  104  to the height of side wall  140  is achieved in the curved corner. 
       FIG. 11  is a partial cross-sectional view through cross section AA′ from  FIG. 1  illustrating details of the exemplary advertising sleeve  114  on the underside of the tray surface  102  of the exemplary pill tray  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The curvature of ridge  116  can be seen in this cross section. The slot  602  for receiving advertising media is between tray surface  102  and panel  410  and is preferably sized to receive printed card stock. 
       FIG. 12  is a bottom-right-front perspective view AA′ illustrating details of the exemplary advertising sleeve  114  on the underside of the tray surface  102  of the exemplary pill tray  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The access to slot  602  is between front tray leg  112  and rear tray leg  110 . In some alternate embodiments access may be changed by providing a front or rear slot  602 , with appropriate changes to the front tray leg  112  and rear tray leg  110 . A slot  602  proximate the pill receiver  144  is possible, but not required. The alignment of the advertising sleeve  114  with the sides of the tray surface  102  is merely exemplary: other orientations and shapes of advertising sleeve  114  are possible in various alternate embodiments. 
       FIG. 13  is a side elevation view illustrating a first exemplary spatula  1300  for use with the exemplary pill tray  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Spatula  1300  is preferably sold in a kit  1700  (see  FIG. 17 ) with pill tray  100 . In an additional embodiment spatula  1300  is sold without the kit. Spatula  1300  includes a handle  1302 , a first blade  1306  extending from a first end of the handle, and a second blade  1310  extending from a second end of the handle  1302 . Handle  1302  may include an inset that is suitable for bearing advertising and is preferably shaped for ease of handling. In this exemplary embodiment, that handle  1302  has a surface of rotation similar to two truncated cones joined at their bases with the joint smoothed in an axially arcuate direction. Handle  1302  has a surface of rotation  1304  that is smooth and easily cleaned. 
     The first blade  1306  has a first edge  1326  that includes a straight portion  1312 , a distal curved tip  1308 , and a proximal curved portion  1314 . Straight portion  1312  has a length  1404  less than a width or length of the pill-supporting surface  102  of pill counting tray  100 . The tip  1308  of the blade  1306  extends from a distal end of the straight portion  1312  and has a curvature that preferably matches the particular curvature  148  between the pill-supporting surface  102  and the back wall  138 , and so is preferably shaped to be interoperable with pill tray  100 . Curve  1314  extends from the handle  1302  to the straight portion  1312  and also has a curvature that preferably matches the particular curvature  150  between the pill-supporting surface  102  and the front wall  104 , and so is preferably further shaped to be interoperable with pill tray  100 . The entire length of the first blade  1306  is preferably less than or equal to a width and/or a length of pill tray  100 . 
     The first blade has a second edge  1328  that includes a hook  1312  with a notch  1324 , a straight portion  1316 , a fulcrum  1318 , and a bottle opener  1320 . Hook  1312  extends toward the handle  1302  from curved tip  1308 . The notch  1324  in hook  1312  improves performance in extracting cotton packing material from pill boxes and is also useful for pulling of safety caps as well. The straight portion  1316  of the second edge  1328  extends from a bend of the hook  1312  toward the handle  1302  to merge into smoothed triangular fulcrum  1318 . In various embodiments, the shape of fulcrum  1318  may vary. Bottle opener  1320  is used to pry caps off pill bottles, where the fulcrum  1318  engages the top of the bottle cap and the bottle opener  1320  engages a bottom outside edge of the cap which cap is partially received in the bight  1322 . 
     Second blade, or spear,  1310  is used for initially penetrating hermetic seals on pill supply bottles after the cap has been removed. Second blade  1310  is preferably shaped as a flat truncated arrow. The edges of both blades  1306  and  1310  are preferably not sharpened, but are blunt. 
     The spatula  1300  preferably has a plastic handle  1302  and a metal blade  1306 . The metal is preferably stainless steel. In alternate embodiments, other materials may be used such as, for non-limiting examples, all metal or all plastic. No limit on the materials used to make spatula  1300  is intended, beyond the limitation that the materials must support the function of spatula  100 . 
       FIG. 14  is a front elevation view illustrating the exemplary spatula  1300  of  FIG. 13  for use with the exemplary pill tray  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As can be seen, blade  1306  can be made from flat metal stock or other flat stock. Curved tip  1308  is obtusely angled  1402  relative to first blade  1306 . 
       FIG. 15  is a bottom plan view illustrating the exemplary spatula  1300  of  FIG. 13  for use with the exemplary pill tray  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The bottom  1502  of handle  1302  is shown with second blade  1310  and a partial view of first blade  1306  with curved and angled tip  1308 . The boundary between the bottom  1502  and the handle surface  1304  is shown as sharp for simplicity of illustrations, but is preferably rounded, as shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 . The circular cross section for the handle  1302  is merely exemplary, and may be of any ergonomically suitable shape in various embodiments. 
       FIG. 16  is a top plan view illustrating the exemplary spatula  1300  of  FIG. 13  for use with the exemplary pill tray  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The top  1602  of handle  1302  is shown with first blade  1306  with curved and angled tip  1308 . The boundary between the top  1602  and the handle surface  1304  is shown as sharp for simplicity of illustrations, but is preferably rounded, as shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 . 
       FIG. 17  is a diagrammatic view illustrating an exemplary kit  1700 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Package  1702  may be any type of device for containing or associating spatula  1300  and pill tray  100 . Kit  1700  may optionally contain advertising media for insertion in slot  602  of pill tray  100  and may provide such advertising media already within slot  602 . Kit  1700  may optionally contain a supply of pills. 
     Those of skill in the art, enlightened by the present disclosure, will appreciate the methods to adapt the shape of first blade  1306  to various pill tray designs while maintaining the functionality disclosed, all of which adaptations are within the scope of the present invention. For example, for a smaller pill tray, the length  1404  of the straight portion  1312  of the first edge  1326  of the first blade  1306  may be reduced. Likewise, the curved tip  1308  and curved first edge portion  1314  may be shape adapted to various junctions between the pill-supporting surface  102  and the tray walls  138  and  104 . 
     While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description and the claims below will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the arrangement of elements without departing from the scope of the invention.