Abstract:
An indexing cap assembly indexes visual cues or indicia during an open and close cycle so as to help users more easily track container entry as for example with regard to medications so as to ensure proper dosage. The indexing cap assembly basically incorporates six components, including a cover construction, an indexing plate or wheel, a compression coil or spring, a push plate construction, a gear tray or swing plate construction, and an assembly ring. The cover construction and assembly ring are joined together to essentially form or close the cap assembly with the other parts coaxially aligned and operable therebetween. The indexing wheel is rotatively received within the cover construction such that axial displacements of the push plate advance the indexing wheel and indicia upon its upper surface are sequentially revealed by way of the window formed in the cover construction.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a combination container-cap construction for enabling users to gain access to separately housed container contents within a single container-cap construction. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-compartment container-cap assembly for enabling users to sequentially gain access to successive compartments, which sequential and successive access may be cyclically indexed. 
         [0003]    2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,572 (&#39;572 patent), issued to Halbich, discloses a Plastic Pillbox. The &#39;572 patent describes a dispensing container or box for pills or capsules having multiple individual compartments, which can be individually opened for extracting or dispensing a pill or capsule. The individual compartments are formed by partitions within the container. A top or cover is provided which is initially integral and which provides a plurality of tabs arranged so that an individual tab covers each compartment, the tabs being attached to the cover by a frangible part that can be manually broken free. Each tab is provided with means in the form of a depending rib shaped to snugly fit into the top of its respective compartment to provide an air tight fit. Latching detent means are provided as between the integral cover and the container so that when the cover is positioned it cannot be taken off or removed from the container. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,156 (&#39;156 patent), issued to Martin, discloses a Method and apparatus for accurately selecting storing and dispensing pills. The &#39;156 patent describes an apparatus for accurately selecting, storing and dispensing multiple varieties of pills at preselected time intervals such as morning, noon, evening and night includes a separate pill container for each unique variety of pill to be dispensed. 
         [0006]    Each pill container is identified by a distinctive color or colors to indicate the time interval(s) during which the pill in it is to be dispensed. For example, each container for pills to be dispensed in the morning will be identified at least by the color red; at noon, at least yellow; in the evening, at least blue; and at night at least black. Any particular container will, therefore, be identified by at least one and not more than four colors. 
         [0007]    A pill tray includes a plurality of pill holding compartments arranged in columns identified with each of the days of the week and in row, each row representing one of the time intervals, such as morning, noon, evening and night. Each pill holding compartment in the row representing morning is colored red, the row representing noon is colored yellow, the evening row is colored blue, and the night row is colored black. 
         [0008]    The tray is loaded by putting one pill from each container in each of the compartments colored the same as one of the colors identifying that container. Sliding panels are provided as covers for each of the columns, and the patient can access the proper medication by uncovering the appropriate compartment at the appropriate time interval. For example, on Monday morning, the patient slides the “Monday” panel down far enough to uncover the Monday morning compartment, removes the pills and ingests them. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,101 (&#39;101 patent), issued to Heath, discloses a Container assembly including lower compartment comprising chordal partitions. The &#39;101 patent describes a container assembly for containing a commodity in a cylindrical primary container, and further including a cylindrical base and dispenser subassembly for receiving the cylindrical container, and for dispensing elongated, thin articles. The base and dispenser subassembly includes an upwardly extending peripheral flange, a downwardly extending peripheral flange and a transverse partition therebetween carrying the flanges. 
         [0010]    Parallel chordal partitions extend across, and substantially normal to, the transverse partition, and define a multiple article storage compartment. A dispenser closure cap includes an end plate which extends across the top of the article storage compartment. The end plate carries an annular outer flange which rotatably engages the downwardly extending peripheral flange. A mirror is affixed to the exterior of the end plate. In another form, the primary container may simply be formed as an integral part of the base and dispenser subassembly. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,324 (&#39;324 patent), issued to Delorio, discloses a Multi-compartment pill container. The &#39;324 patent describes a multi-compartment pill container constructed to hold a week&#39;s worth of medication for a user. The container has a housing having a top surface, a number of removable compartments held within the rectangular openings in the top surface of the housing, and a lid attached to the housing and extending over the compartments. 
         [0012]    Each compartment is divided into chambers by separation walls. Each chamber has a chamber cover on which indicia is printed. The indicia include abbreviations for the days of the week for each of the compartments, as well as times of the day for each of the chambers. At the correct time, the user ingests the medication from the appropriate chamber. The container also includes a telescopic drinking cup to aid in the taking of medication and a timer to notify the user to take the medication. Each compartment may be completely removed from the housing to allow the user to carry the compartment separate from the entire container. 
         [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,624,890 (&#39;890 patent), issued to Noble et al., discloses a Multiple Compartment Container. The &#39;890 patent describes a lid arrangement for a container with a hinged mating lid. The disclosed lid arrangement avoids inadvertently opening the lid, while at the same time allows easy opening when opening the lid is desired. The lid arrangement is configured to be used with a wide variety of different types of containers with hinged lids. In some embodiments, the lid arrangement is incorporated into a multiple compartment pill container. 
         [0014]    United States Patent Application Publication No. 20040089581, authored by Dienst, discloses a Pill Holder. The Dienst publication describes a pill container for holding pills, other medication, caplets, vitamins or nutritional supplements. The container may be comprised of a container with multiple closable compartments. Each compartment can be closed with a lid that is hingeably attached to the compartment. In one aspect of the device, the lid has a fastener that engages with a nub on the compartment. 
         [0015]    The compartments of the container are designed with a deformable surface that releases the nub from the fastener to spring open the lid. In another aspect of the invention, the container has legs that provide it stability to rest on a flat surface. In another aspect of the invention, the bottom surface of the container&#39;s compartments is bowl-shaped to allow the items stored within to be easily scooped out. 
         [0016]    United States Patent Application Publication No. 2010294739, authored by Morris et al., describes a multi-compartment container cap comprising a hollow tubular body having a dividing wall forming a proximal compartment located at a proximal end of the hollow tubular body and a distal compartment located at the distal end of the hollow tubular body. The proximal end of the hollow tubular body is adapted to be releasably attached to a container body while the distal compartment comprises a separate compartment for the storage and dispensing of a composition which can be selected to be complementary to any composition store within the container cap. 
         [0017]    As may be understood from a consideration of the foregoing, the prior art has shown a number of multi-compartment container-cap assemblies for providing users thereof with certain means to carry multiple types of container contents (e.g. pills) stored in varied compartments and enabling the user to access the compartments for obtaining the container contents in an organized manner so that the contents (e.g. pills) may be obtained according to prescribed scheduling. It will be further understood, however, from a review of the foregoing, and the field of multi-compartment containers and the like, that the prior art perceives a need for multi-compartment container-cap assembly substantially as summarized hereinafter. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-compartment container-cap assembly that allows the user to store and carry multiple types of container contents as exemplified by medicine pills and indexes a visual cue during a rotated cycle. 
         [0019]    To accomplish this primary objective, the present invention generally provides a pill dispenser type container-cap assembly having multiple compartments. Each compartment may thus store different kinds of contents, as exemplified by various kinds of pills for daily consumption. A non-removable cover or cap assembly may be rotated to reveal or expose a single opening for each compartment and enable the user to gain access to the contents or pills one compartment at a time. 
         [0020]    An indexing window incorporated into the cover or cap assembly further provides a visual cue to the user of the advancement of the cycle as may be exemplified by a day (Monday to Sunday) when the cover or cap assembly is rotated a complete circle. The cover or cap assembly according to the present invention may be rotated by pushing a button on the side of the cover, and can be rotated in only one rotational direction. The contents or pill compartments can be accessed or opened one at a time when the cover makes its predetermined stop with the help of engagement of the push button and the holes on the side of the cover. 
         [0021]    More specifically, the container portion of the container-cap assembly according to the present invention has a number of compartments for different contents. The drawings in support of these specifications show a container-cap assembly having four contents-holding compartments. The cover or cap assembly of the container-cap assembly has a window that provides a visual cue such as day (Monday through Sunday) information and an opening for outletting the container contents. 
         [0022]    The cap can rotate on the top of the bottle and can be stopped at equi-spaced positions, as exemplified by five equi-spaced positions in the drawings. The opening of the cap is blocked at one position of the five positions, and at the other four positions, the opening of the cap is open for outletting container contents from the four contents-holding compartments. 
         [0023]    With every circle or cycle of cap rotation, the index (e.g. day information) will be advanced once. This container and cap combination may thus benefit patients insofar as it provides a device that enables the user to take different medicines with a single container. Another benefit of the invention is to enable seniors or old patients to know if they have taken the medicine or not for the day. Further, the gearing and the index can be adjusted to make the invention suited for several cycles per day. For example, oftentimes patients are required to take one or more medicines several times per day. 
         [0024]    Accordingly, the primary object of this invention is to provide a medicine container that can contain different medicines and can visually alert the senior or older patient if they have taken the pills for the day on any given day. The patient may turn the cap; and it will stop at different positions to obtain different medicines. 
         [0025]    Each time the patient finishes obtaining all the medicines during a complete cycle, the cap completes a total rotative cycle or circle, and the visually displayed day information will be updated to the next day per cycle. Other objectives and details of the subject invention will be readily apparent from a consideration of the drawings and specifications in support of this application. Brief descriptions of the drawings are provided hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]    Other features of our invention will become more evident from a consideration of the following brief descriptions of illustrations of the subject invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 1  is an exploded top perspective view of the multi-compartment container-cap assembly according to the present invention showing the upper cap assembly exploded from the lower container assembly. 
           [0028]      FIG. 2  is an exploded top perspective view of the multi-compartment container-cap assembly according to the present invention showing all elements of container-cap assembly in exploded relation relative to one another. 
           [0029]      FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the multi-compartment container-cap assembly according to the present invention showing the assembled container-cap assembly in a closed configuration. 
           [0030]      FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of the multi-compartment container-cap assembly according to the present invention showing the assembled container-cap assembly in a first of four possible open configurations. 
           [0031]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the cap assembly portion of the multi-compartment container-cap assembly according to the present invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 6  is a bottom sectional view of the cap assembly portion of the multi-compartment container-cap assembly according to the present invention showing certain gearing means associated with the cap assembly. 
           [0033]      FIG. 7  is a bottom perspective view of the assembled cap assembly portion of the multi-compartment container-cap assembly according to the present invention. 
           [0034]      FIG. 8  is an exploded bottom perspective view of the cap assembly portion of the multi-compartment container-cap assembly according to the present invention. 
           [0035]      FIG. 9  is a top perspective view of the indexing wheel element of the cap assembly of the multi-compartment container-cap assembly according to the present invention. 
           [0036]      FIG. 10  is a transverse cross-sectional view through the button element of the upper cap assembly as assembled upon the lower container assembly of the multi-compartment container-cap assembly according to the present invention. 
           [0037]      FIG. 10A  is an enlarged fragmentary view of the button element otherwise depicted in  FIG. 10 , enlarged to show in greater clarity the button element and surrounding support structures. 
           [0038]      FIG. 11  is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the button element of the upper cap assembly as assembled upon the lower container assembly of the multi-compartment container-cap assembly according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0039]    Referring now to the drawings with more specificity,  FIG. 1  depicts an exploded view of the multi-compartment container system or container-cap assembly  10  according to the present invention showing an upper cap assembly  11  in exploded relation relative to a lower bottle or container assembly  12 . The cap assembly  11  is to be pressed onto the bottle or container assembly  12  such that a groove  13  of the container assembly  12  will permanently mesh or cooperate with a hook or ridge  14  of the cap assembly  11  to effect free rotation by way of the ridge  14  and groove  13  after assembly. A more detailed exploded top perspective view of all components is comparatively shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 3  depicts the container system  10  in a rotatably closed configuration whereby the bottle or container assembly  12  and cap assembly  11  are rotatably assembled and the cap assembly  11  comprises both an indexing window  15  and a contents-letting opening or aperture  16  for enable the user to access container contents. The opening or aperture  16  of the cap assembly  11  is blocked by a top surface of block plate  17  made part of the container assembly  12 . 
         [0041]    In contrast to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4  comparatively depicts a first of four possible open configurations for the container system or container-cap assembly  10 . In other words,  FIG. 4  shows one of the open configurations of the assembled container assembly  12  and cap assembly  11 . The opening or aperture  16  of the cap assembly  11  is rotatably re-positioned from the position shown in  FIG. 3  (i.e. over the top surface structure  17 ) to be over the top of a sequentially first cavity or first compartment as at  18  of the container assembly  12 . A second compartment is depicted and referenced at  19 ; a third compartment is depicted and referenced at  20 ; and a fourth compartment is depicted and referenced at  21 . Container contents such as medicines in pill form may be contained in these cavities or compartments  18 - 21 , and the user or patient is able to obtain or access the container contents such as medicines or pills through the opening  16 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 5  depicts a top plan view of the cap assembly  12  of the (medicine) container system or container-cap assembly  10  according to the present invention. Users or patients can see the index (e.g. day information) through the indexing window  15  formed in the cap assembly  11 . Two concentric circular sets of indicia (e.g. textual directive(s) as at  22  and arrows as at  23 ) are preferably placed on the top of the cover or cap housing  24  provide the user or patient with operation instructions. 
         [0043]      FIG. 6  more particularly shows a transverse sectional view through a hub-topping gear structure  25  (having a single projecting gear tooth as at  26 ) of the block plate  17  for the purpose of illustrating gearing associated with the cap assembly  11 . This view perhaps best shows the mechanism or means employed by the container-cap assembly  10  to update the index information (e.g. day information) viewable by the user through the indexing window  15 . The gear tooth  26  cooperates or meshes with the indexing wheel  27 , which indexing wheel  27  comprises gears  28  on its underside  29 , and fits within a wheel-receiving aperture  31  formed in the padding plate  30 . 
         [0044]    The padding plate  30  further comprises a gear structure-receiving portion as at  32  for accommodatingly receiving the hub-topping gear structure  25 ; and an aperture-cooperative cutout as at  33  sized and shaped to essentially accommodate the size and shape of the contents-letting opening or aperture  16 . In this regard, it will be seen that the contents-letting opening or aperture  16  comprises a peripheral ridge as at  34 . The cutout  33  aligns itself adjacent the ridge  34  when assembled in positioned placement within the cap housing  24 . 
         [0045]    The indexing wheel  27  is rotatably attached to the cap housing  24  via a hub formation or flanged post as at  35  and post-receiving aperture  36  formed in the indexing wheel  27 . The top side  37  of the indexing wheel  27  preferably comprises the visual cues  38  such as textual information to provide visual indexing information such as day information to the user or patient via the indexing window  15  formed in the cap housing  24 . From a comparative inspection of  FIGS. 5-9 , the reader will more fully understand how the gearage of the cap assembly  11  assembles and operates. 
         [0046]    Referencing  FIG. 7 , the reader will consider a view of the cap assembly  11  from the bottom perspective. The hook  14  on the inner wall of cover housing  24  will mesh with groove  13  formed on the container assembly  12  as further depicted and referenced in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  11 . Referencing  FIG. 8 , the reader will consider an exploded bottom perspective view of the cap assembly  11 . This view attempts to show in greater clarity the method for assembling the indexing wheel  27 , the padding plate  30 , and cover housing  24 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 9  depicts a top perspective view of the indexing wheel  27  clearly showing the upper surface  37  with visual indexing informational cues  38 , and the formation-receiving aperture  36 . The indexing information as exemplified by day (Monday through Sunday) information is preferably equi-spaced and provided upon the top side or upper surface  37 .  FIG. 10  shows a transverse sectional view through the button mechanism  39  of the container assembly  11  as assembled to the cap assembly  12 ; and  FIG. 11  shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the assembled container assembly  12  and cap assembly  11  as further sectioned through the button mechanism  39  of the container assembly  12 . This view attempts to clearly depict the structural form and function of the button mechanism  39  and surrounding support structures. 
         [0048]    Comparatively referencing  FIGS. 7-9 , the reader will see that the cap assembly  11  preferably comprises three primary parts, namely, the cover housing  24 , the indexing wheel  27 , and the padding plate  30 . The top side or upper surface  37  of the indexing wheel  27  has a ring of visual indexing informational cues as at  38 , which cues  38  may preferably display information such as the day of a week. The bottom or underside  29  of the indexing wheel  27  has a ring of special gears  28 , which in this example preferably number  7  to match the days of the week. 
         [0049]    The indexing wheel  27  has a chamfered hole or aperture as  36  in the center of the indexing wheel  27 . The indexing wheel  27  is to be held by the hub formation or flanged post  35  on the cover housing  24  through the aperture  36 . The indexing wheel  27  can thus rotate freely after assembly. The padding plate  30  is held by a group of posts  40  formed on the inner wall  41  of the cover housing  24  by way of press-fitting. 
         [0050]    The container assembly  12  preferably comprises four primary parts, namely, the block plate  17 , the button mechanism  39 , a divider mechanism as at  41 , and a container body as at  42 . As depicted and referenced in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  10 , the container body  42  as exemplified in the drawings and specifications, preferably comprises four ribs or compartment-dividing inner walls that radiate outwardly from a central hub  45 . Three of the inner walls as at  43  extend the full length of the container body  42 , and one of the inner walls as at  44  extends a partial length of the container body  42  (to accommodate the divider mechanism  41 ) thereby forming four container cavities or compartments as earlier referenced at  18 - 21 . The four cavities or compartments  18 - 21  can contain four different kinds of content such as medicines. 
         [0051]    The divider mechanism  41  assembles onto the inner wall or rib  44  of the container body  42 . In this regard, the inner wall or rib  44  is inserted into a groove  46  of the divider mechanism  41 . The block plate  17  is inserted on the top of the container body  42  and covers the otherwise open top of the divider mechanism  41 . Received within a cavity  47  defined by the divider mechanism  41 , the button mechanism  39  is preferably spring-biased and thus preferably comprises a button as at  48 , and a curved strip as at  49 , which curved strip  49  comprises a resilient material and thus forms spring-biasing means. 
         [0052]    The button mechanism  39  is preferably fixed into the chamber or cavity as at  47  which cavity  47  is enclosed by the divider mechanism  41  and the block plate  17 . The block plate  17  covers the cavity  47  defined by the divider mechanism  41 , in which is received the button mechanism  39 . The divider mechanism  41  groove-receives the upper end of the inner wall or rib  44  via its groove  46  and thus rests thereupon such that the top surface of the block plate  17  is coplanar with the upper edging of the outer container wall  50  of the container body  42 . 
         [0053]    The cover housing  24  preferably comprises five circumferentially equi-spaced button-receiving holes or apertures as at  51  formed in the side wall  52  of the cover housing  24  (for the exemplified four-compartment embodiment described and illustrated in these specifications). After the cap assembly  11  and the container assembly  12  are assembled, the button  48  of the button mechanism  39  extends through a select aperture  51 . In order to operate the container-cap assembly  10 , the user or patient must first depress the button  48  via the spring element  49  and turn or rotate the cap assembly  11  as the arrow at  23  directs. 
         [0054]    For every button depression and attendant partial cap turn, the cap assembly  11  advances one step, or in the case of the illustrated embodiment, one fifth of a cycle or circle (i.e. 72 rotational degrees) to access each successive compartment  18 - 21 . The user or patient may thus sequentially access each of the compartments  18 - 21 . Once the user or patient has accessed each of the compartments  18 - 21 , the contents-letting opening or aperture  16  of the cap assembly  12  is blocked by the block plate  17 , which blockage effectively closes the system or container-cap assembly  10 , and provides feedback to the user or patient that they have accessed each compartment and thus retrieved their proper cyclic dosage. 
         [0055]    As comparatively depicted in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the button mechanism  39  effectively prevents the cap assembly  11  from rotation when the button  48  is coaxially aligned with, and extends through a select aperture  51 . The reader should note from an inspection of  FIG. 10(A)  that the button  48  and aperture(s)  51  are particularly configured so that the button lock mechanism is operative from opposed lateral sides of the button  48 . To one side, the button wall as at  53  engages hole wall  56  (of a select aperture  51 ) to a first side of cover housing  24 , and on the other side, the button wall  54  engages the opposing hole wall  57  (of the select aperture  51 ) of cover housing  24 . 
         [0056]    The button wall  53  is shorter than the button wall  54  and forms a bezel as at  55 . A user or patient is unable to turn or rotate the cap assembly  11  without depressing the button  48  of the button mechanism  39 . Once the button  48  is depressed, the button wall  53  is displaced radially inward relative to the cap assembly  11 . As the user or patient continues to rotate the cap assembly  11 , the bezel  55  meshes with the hole wall  56  in the direction of rotation (i.e. left side wall  56  of the hole  51  in  FIG. 10 ) and the button  48  is directed radially inward by engaging the hole wall  56  with the bezel structure  55  under the forces from rotation. The button  48  returns to its relaxed, hole-penetrating position as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 10A  under restorative spring forces of spring element  49  when encountering a successive aperture  51 , thereby preventing the cap assembly  11  from further rotation. 
         [0057]      FIG. 6  depicts the mechanism or means to advance the indexing wheel  27  for displaying indexing information such as day information to the user/patient. Block plate  17  has one gear tooth  26  on the top side. After the cap assembly  11  is assembled to the container assembly  12 , the gear tooth  26  meshes with the gears  28  of the indexing wheel  27  (seven gears  27  are depicted for this example in accordance or keeping with the seven days of the week). Block plate  17  with a single gear tooth  26  fixes at the center axis  100  of the container body  42 . Note that the cap axis  102  is coaxially aligned with container axis  100  when the cap assembly  12  is rotatably fastened to the container assembly  11 ). 
         [0058]    When the user or patient depresses the button  48  radially inward, and rotates the cap assembly  11  to access the compartments  18 - 21  for the purpose of obtaining the container contents (i.e. medicines), the indexing wheel  27  with gears  28  is held by cover housing  24  and rotates about the center axis  100  of the container body  42 . The gear ratio between single gear tooth  26  and gears  28  in the illustrated example is 1:7. Each time the indexing wheel  27  with gears  28  rotates around the single gear tooth  26  in a completed circle or cycle, the indexing wheel  27  with gears  28  rotates 1/7 circle. 
         [0059]    The pitch diameter of single gear tooth  26  and gears  28  is especially designed to make single gear tooth  26  drive gears  28  only at the last ⅕ of a circle/cycle. To be more exact, the indexing wheel  27  with indexing information as at  38 , does not rotate about its own axis at the beginning ⅘ of a circle/cycle when rotating the cap assembly  11 . Rather, at the last ⅕ circle/cycle, the indexing wheel  27  will rotate 1/7 of a circle/cycle (in this example) about its own axis as at  101 . 
         [0060]    In other words, during a complete cycle of access to the compartments  18 - 21 , the indexing information as exemplified by day information in these specifications made visible through the window  15  does not change when the user or patient accesses each of the successive compartments  18 ,  19 ,  20 , and  21  for the purpose of obtaining container contents or medicines therefrom. The indexing information, rather, is advanced to the subsequent visual cue (e.g. the next day) when the user or patient closes the system after obtaining a medicine from each of the compartments  18 - 21 . 
         [0061]    While the foregoing specifications set forth much specificity, the same should not be construed as setting forth limits to the invention but rather as setting forth certain preferred embodiments and features. For example, it is contemplated that the foregoing specifications support or teach a multi-compartment, container-cap assembly, which the multi-compartment, container-cap assembly essentially comprises a container assembly as at  12 , and a cap assembly as at  11 . 
         [0062]    The container assembly according to the present invention is believed to essentially comprise a container body as at  42 , and a divider assembly which divider assembly may be said to preferably include the divider mechanism  41 , the button mechanism  39 , and the block plate construction  17 . The container body  42  preferably comprises an outer container wall as at  58 , a series of inner container walls as at  43  and  44 , and a container body axis as at  100 . The series of inner container walls  43  and  44  form a series of matter-containing compartments as at  18 - 21  within the container body  42 . The divider assembly is received at an upper end of the container body  42  and assembled thereto. 
         [0063]    The cap assembly  11  is believed to essentially comprise a contents-letting aperture as at  16  and a cap axis as at  102 . The cap assembly  11  is rotatably fastened to the container assembly  12  such that the container body and cap axes  100  and  102  are coaxial. The contents-letting aperture  16  may be blocked by the divider assembly in a closed cap-to-container rotatable position as generally depicted in  FIG. 3 . Further, the cap assembly  11  may be selectively rotated about the cap axis  102  or re-positioning the contents-letting aperture  16  in superior adjacency to the matter-containing compartments  18 - 21  through a series of open cap-to-container rotatable positions, a first of which is generally depicted in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0064]    The multi-compartment container-cap assembly according to the present invention may further preferably comprise certain indexing information provision means for providing a user with indexing information regarding rotational use or position of the cap assembly  11  relative to the container assembly  12  (e.g. day or cycle information). The indexing information provision means may be exemplified by the indexing wheel  27  in cooperative association with the indexing window  15 . The indexing wheel  27  is made selectively rotatable under rotatable action of the cap assembly  11  relative to the container assembly  12  for providing updated indexing information to a user via the indexing window  15 . 
         [0065]    The indexing wheel  27  and a portion of the divider assembly as exemplified by the gear tooth  26  of the block plate  17  may preferably comprise cooperable gearing (i.e. the gear tooth  26  and the gears  28 ). The cooperable gearing essentially function to advance the indexing wheel  27  a select rotational degree during a complete rotational cycle of the cap assembly  11  relative to the container assembly  12 . 
         [0066]    The multi-compartment container-cap assembly according to the present invention may further comprise certain button-based cap-advancing means for enhancing selectively positioned placement of the contents-letting aperture  16  in superior adjacency to the matter-containing compartments  18 - 21 . The button-based cap-advancing means may be exemplified by the cooperative association of the button mechanism  39  of the divider assembly, and the button-receiving apertures incorporated into the cap assembly  11 . 
         [0067]    The multi-compartment container-cap assembly according to the present invention may further preferably comprise inner container walls that are spaced from one another such that each matter-containing compartment is transversely sector shaped as perhaps is most clearly depicted in  FIG. 10 . A top surface of the divider assembly (or a top surface of block plate  17 ) effectively masks an adjacent portion of both a sequentially first sector as at  60 , and a sequentially last sector as at  63  of the transversely sector shaped matter-containing compartments  18 - 21  (sectors  60 - 63  correspond respectively to compartments  18 - 21 ) immediately adjacent to the divider assembly for visually sizing and shaping the first and last sector  60  and  63  to effectively match the size and shape of select other sectors as may be exemplified by sectors  62  and  63 . 
         [0068]    Accordingly, although the invention has been described by reference to certain preferred and exemplary embodiments, it is not intended that the novel arrangements be limited thereby, but that modifications thereof are intended to be included as falling within the broad scope and spirit of the foregoing disclosures and the appended drawings.