Patent Publication Number: US-9414993-B2

Title: Sealable pill organizer and dispenser

Description:
RELATED U.S. APPLICATION DATA 
     This application claims priority to Provisional application No. 61/625,310, filed Apr. 17, 2012 and is a continuation of non-provisional application Ser. No. 13/864,989. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to containers for storing and organizing pills. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     With today&#39;s aging population and increased usage of prescription drugs, there is a need for a simple means of storing and organizing prescription pills in a secure and convenient manner. With the prevalence of prescription drug usage, it is common for many individuals to take many pills on a daily basis. For example, if an individual is taking ten different pills a day, they then face a burden in opening and closing ten bottles every day. Some individuals often forget to take some of their daily pills, or forget whether they have taken the day&#39;s pills altogether. Also, it is desirable to store prescription pills in a manner that is secure from unwanted access by children, minors, or other individuals (e.g. hotel maids or house guests). This is particularly important because ingestion of prescription medicines by children or minors can result in illness or death. Storage of prescription pills in their native bottles does not deter unwanted access and usage because pills can be removed without detection. Given the large and varying quantity of pills within a prescription bottle, an owner cannot practically keep track of how many pills remain in a particular bottle, and will not notice if one or even several pills are removed. Thus there is a need for a device that stores and organizes prescription pills in a secure manner that deters tampering. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A device is provided for storing, organizing, and dispensing prescription pills. The device comprises a clamshell container that houses a sealable pill tray and a sliding card. The pill tray includes an array of pill chambers that may be collectively sealed by the application of an adhesive foil or paper sheet to the top surface of the tray. The clamshell container comprises a top portion and a bottom portion that are connected via a hinged joint, the top portion having an array of pill holes that correspond with the chambers of the pill tray. The top of the sliding card has markings corresponding to the pill chambers beneath it and slides over the pill tray and beneath the top portion of the claim shell. Pills are placed within the pill holes on top of the sliding card. When the sliding card is removed, the pills fall through the pill holes and into the pill chambers of the pill tray. The foil or paper seal can then be adhered to the pill tray to secure the contents of the chambers and prevent the pills from falling, as well as preventing unwanted contaminants or fluids from entering the pill chambers. The pill tray seal also acts to deter tampering and unwanted access to the pills. The adhesive foil or paper contains marks corresponding to the pill chambers (e.g. schedules, numeric counts, days, times, etc.). 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded view of the present invention that includes a clamshell container, pill tray, pill tray seal, and sliding card. 
         FIG. 2 a    illustrates a top view of the pill tray. 
         FIG. 2 b    illustrates a side view of the pill tray. 
         FIG. 3 a    illustrates a top view of the pill tray seal. 
         FIG. 3 b    illustrates a perspective view of the pill tray seal and its application to the pill tray via adhesion. 
         FIG. 3 c    illustrates a top view and perspective views of the pill tray seal and its application to the pill tray via adhesion. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a top view of the sliding card. 
         FIG. 5 a    illustrates a perspective view and a side view of the clamshell container and pill tray assembly. 
         FIG. 5 b    illustrates a perspective view and a side view of the clamshell container and pill tray assembly. 
         FIG. 5 c    illustrates perspective views and a side view of the clamshell container and pill tray assembly. 
         FIG. 6 a    illustrates perspective and cross-sectional views of the allocation of pills into the pill chambers of the pill tray in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 6 b    illustrates perspective and cross-sectional views of the allocation of pills into the pill chambers of the pill tray in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 6 c    illustrates perspective and cross-sectional views of the allocation of pills into the pill chambers of the pill tray in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following discussion, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known elements, processes or techniques have been briefly mentioned and not elaborated on in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail and description. Moreover, specific details and the like may have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not deemed necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the invention, and are considered to be within the understanding of persons having ordinary skill in the relevant art. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the device of the present invention includes four discrete parts: clamshell container  110 , pill tray  120 , pill tray seal  150 , and sliding card  140 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the clamshell  110  is open. Clamshell container  110  further comprises a bottom portion  108 , a top portion  109 , a female lining  111 , linear protrusions  112 , and pill holes  115 . The bottom portion  108  and top portion  109  of the clamshell are connected by a hinged joint. The top portion  109  of the clamshell has an array of pill holes  115  that correspond with pill chambers  125  of the pill tray  120 . The female lining  111  is configured to cover and receive the protrusions  112  when the clamshell  110  is closed. The pill chambers  125  found on the pill tray  120  are open wells extending below the bottom surface of the planar portion of the tray. Pills placed into the chambers  125  may be securely contained within by applying the pill tray seal  150  to the top surface of the pill tray  120 . This adhesive foil or paper seal is marked with circled portions  151  and secondary seal markings  152  (e.g. sequential numbering from 1 through 31) which correspond to the pill chambers  125 . It provides complete coverage of the top surface of the pill tray  120 . This allows the pill chambers to be securely sealed to prevent contamination or loss of pills from the pill chambers. This user-applied seal remains intact until access to an individual pill chamber  125  is forcibly achieved by breaking the foil or paper area of the circled portion  151  corresponding to that pill chamber. 
     The material employed for the pill tray  120  can affect the manner of its use. For example, if the pill tray  120  is composed of a rigid (i.e. non-disposable) material such as a rigid polymer then it can be reused by applying and removing successive pill tray seals  150  to the pill tray. Naturally, the advantage of a non-disposable pill tray is that it can be reused by reapplying pill tray seals  150 , thus eliminating the need for replacement pill trays. Alternatively, if pill tray  120  is composed of a low-cost, thin, and pliable material (e.g. plastic/polymer) then it can be disposable and thus discarded and replaced after use. When the pill tray is composed of disposable material it is deformable and the pills can be ejected from the pill chamber by pressing on the pill chambers to cause the pills inside to rupture the seal and emerge from the pill chamber. This provides for an ease of use. Further, when the pill tray is disposable, it becomes more mobile and can be used separate from the clamshell container  110 . Moreover, two pill trays could be utilized by combining these two embodiments, i.e. a rigid pill tray and a disposable pill tray, wherein the disposable pill tray sits in, and is received by, the rigid pill tray. This configuration would be advantageous where the disposable pill tray is made to be very thin and lacking in structural support or rigidity, which would be provided by the rigid pill tray, whereby the disposable pill tray would rest in the rigid pill tray for support and could be removed after sealing the pills therein. Thus, the type of material used for pill tray  120  can provide versatility of use. 
     The top of the sliding card  140  has card markings  145  that outline and correspond to the pill chambers beneath it. Secondary card markings  138  designate the pill chambers (e.g. sequential numbering from 1 through 31). The clamshell container is preferably made of a durable polymeric material while the pill tray, pill tray seal, and sliding card are more suitably made of disposable materials. The sliding card  140  slides over the pill tray, and the linear protrusions  112 , and beneath the top portion of the clam shell. Pills are placed within the pill holes on top of the sliding card  140  to allocate them to the corresponding pill chambers. Once allocation is complete, the sliding card  140  is removed, and the pills fall through the pill holes  115  and into the pill chambers  125  of the pill tray  120 . This process can be repeated to add additional pills to the pill chambers. The pill chambers  125  are preferably made of thin, deformable material such as plastic (or other polymeric material) so that the pills can be more easily removed from the pill chambers by pushing the pill chamber upward to push the pills upward and out of the pill chamber—piercing the foil or paper seal above the pill chamber. The pierced area of the seal would lie within the circled portion  151  corresponding to that particular pill chamber  125 . Alternatively, the pill tray and pill chambers can be made of a durable, rigid material (e.g. durable polymeric material). While an exemplary number of pill chambers are shown, other quantities and array configuration can be utilized in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 2 a    illustrates a top view of the pill tray, including the pill chambers  225  and perforations  227 .  FIG. 2 b    is a side view of the pill tray  220  that shows the profile of the pill chambers (i.e. depth and width). Each pill chamber  225  extends below the bottom surface of the planar portion of the tray; the result is an array of sealable wells ideal for pill storage. In an exemplary embodiment, the pill chambers are one inch in width and 0.5 inch in depth. The perforations  227  allow the user to separate the pill tray into separate sections as desired. 
       FIGS. 3 a - c    illustrate a top view and perspective views of the pill tray seal and its application to the pill tray via adhesion.  FIG. 3 a    shows a top view of the pill tray seal  350  having an array of circled portions  351  that correspond to the pill chambers  325  (shown in  FIG. 3 c   ). The circled portions  351  are made more discrete by secondary seal markings  352 . Found in the centers of the circled portions, these secondary markings are numbered sequentially (e.g. 1 through 31 to correspond to calendar days) but other designations could be used to provide the desired organization. The seal is preferably comprised of a foil sheet (e.g. push-through foil), however a suitable paper material could also be employed.  FIG. 3 b    shows the bottom of the pill tray seal  350 , which has a paper backing  355  that is peeled off from the pill tray seal  350  to expose an adhesive surface. The areas within the circled portions  351  of the pill tray seal  350  are not coated with adhesive so that the pills do not stick to, or come into contact with, the adhesive.  FIG. 3 c    shows the application of the pill tray seal  350  to the top surface of the pill tray  320 , which seals the pill chambers  325 . The foil seal is applied to the pill tray by the user as shown in  FIG. 3  to create an array of encapsulated pill chambers (i.e. encapsulates). The foil seal is printed with markings that indicate, for example, calendar days, numbers, days or times. When the user wants to access the contents of a pill chamber, the user can punch into the foil seal with their finger. In the case of a deformable pill chamber, the user can also push the pills out of the pill chamber and through the seal by pressing the bottom of the pill chamber upwards. As set forth above, the pill tray and pill chambers may be composed of deformable or rigid polymeric material. The foil seal can also include perforations around the perimeter of the pill chambers to allow the foil to be punched out with more ease. This embodiment also allows the user to customize and create their own sealed array of pill chambers. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a top view of the sliding card  440 . Card markings  445  are circular indicators that outline and correspond to the pill chambers (i.e. chambers  125  of  FIG. 1 ) found on the pill tray beneath the sliding card—once it is inserted into the clam shell. Secondary card markings  438  are labels for the pill chambers that allow the user to consume the pill in an organized, accountable manner. The markings  438  also deter unauthorized usage of pills because they can be easily accounted for by the markings. The sliding card  440  slides between the pill tray and the top portion of the clamshell (i.e. above the pill tray and below the clamshell). The user allocates the pills within the pill holes of the clamshell (i.e., holes  115  of  FIG. 1 ) on the surface of the sliding card. 
       FIGS. 5 a - c    illustrate perspective views and a side view of the clamshell container and pill tray assembly.  FIG. 5 a    shows the opened clamshell container  510  which houses pill tray  520  and sliding card  540 .  FIG. 5 b    shows the closed clamshell  510  in perspective and  FIG. 5 c    shows a side view of the closed clamshell  510 . The dotted lines  520  outline the pill tray housed within the clamshell. Dotted lines  525  show the profile of the pill chambers of the pill tray  520 . The clam shell container comprises top portion  509  and bottom portion  508 . The top portion  509  includes an array of pill holes  515  which, when the clamshell is closed as shown in  FIGS. 5 b    &amp;  5   c , align with the pill chambers  525  of pill tray  520 . As shown in  FIG. 5 c   , a portion of the sliding card  540  extends out from the closed clamshell, which allows for the user to pull the sliding card out from the clamshell  510 . 
       FIGS. 6 a - c    illustrate perspective and cross-sectional views of the allocation of pills into the pill chambers of the pill tray in accordance with the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 6 a   , the clamshell pill container  610  houses the pill tray  620  and sliding card  640 . The sliding card rests on top of the pill tray  620  and immediately beneath the top portion  609  of the clamshell container  610 . Elements  609  represent the cross sections of the top portion of the clamshell, i.e. the material between the pill holes as intersected by line “A” in  FIG. 6 a   . The pill tray rests on the bottom portion of clamshell container  610  as shown in  FIGS. 6 b - c   . The sliding card  640  includes markings that correspond to the pill chambers directly below them. As shown, the user allocates pills  680  into the space formed by the pill holes  615  of top portion  609  and the surface of the sliding card  640 , referred to as shallow chambers  639 . For example, whatever pills the user wants to place within pill chamber number “15”, they will place onto the area marked “15” on the sliding card  640 . 
       FIG. 6 b    shows a cross-sectional view of the device through the line “A” shown in  FIG. 6 a    wherein the sliding card  640  is pulled partially out of the clamshell container  610 . As shown, pill holes  615  are positioned directly above the pill chambers  625  (which are defined by the pill chamber walls  626 ). Because the pills  680  are supported by the sliding card  640 , as the sliding card  640  is pulled out, the pills fall into the pill chambers  625  below. As shown, the pills to the left of the sliding card  640  have fallen into the pill chambers  625 , while the other pills remain on the sliding card  640  within the pill holes  615 .  FIG. 6 c    shows a cross-sectional view of the device through the line “A” shown in  FIG. 6 a    with the sliding card  640  pulled completely out of the clamshell container  610 . Thus, all the pills  680  that were allocated onto the surface of sliding card  640  (within pill holes  615 ) have fallen into the corresponding pill chambers  625 . This process can be repeated by the user to add additional pills to some or all of the pill chambers as desired. This provides an organized and easy way for the user to create a pill intake schedule. 
     If a child or other individual wanted to take a pill from a chamber, they would need to break the foil seal, which would be readily evident, making tampering unlikely. One doing so would seek to minimize detection by taking all the contents of the chamber instead of leaving unwanted pills behind in the pill chambers in order to give the impression that the owner had consumed the contents. However, detection is still evident because the chambers are numerically marked (e.g. sequentially or calendar-based). Thus, detection of tampering is readily evident, which serves as a deterrent. This embodiment allows for user customization wherein the user can create their own array of sealed, pill-containing chambers. Although a foil seal has been described, other suitable materials such as paper could be utilized that allow for a user to conveniently push through the material to access the contents of the pill chamber. 
     Thus, as set forth above, the present invention provides a simple and effective means for storing, organizing, and dispensing prescription pills. Moreover, the invention provides an effective way for a prescription pill holder to keep track of pills and deter unwanted access. While there have been described herein what are considered to be preferred and exemplary embodiments of the present invention, other modifications of the invention shall be apparent to those skilled in the art from the teachings herein. It is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of preferred embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.