Patent Publication Number: US-2017369228-A1

Title: Pill bottle dispenser for dispensing one or two pills

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/545,888, filed on Jun. 26, 2015, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/756,555, filed on Sep. 17, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to improved bottle cap design to facilitate the dispensing of pills from a pill bottle. More particularly, the improved bottle cap design permits the dispensing of one or two pills at a time from any pill bottle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In ill bottles such as bottles containing tablets and capsules, the contents are normally dispensed by removing the cap and tilting the bottle to one side. For persons with limited dexterity or movement disorders like Parkinson&#39;s Disease, it can be a challenge to dispense for two pills from a bottle. 
     Pill bottles with various safety cap designs are well known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,267,265. Most of these are either difficult to operate, for example, child resistant caps requiring certain force to open the cap or once opened they allow unrestricted access to the pills inside the bottle. This results in unnecessary access to entire contents of the bottle as well as unintentional spillage of pills. 
     The use of a choke to narrow the opening of a bottle is well known with powdered products such as spices. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,593 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,638. However, the requirements for dispensing pharmaceutical products require additional safety features. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for an improved, easy-to-use cap design that limits the number of pills a user can access each time. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is an improved pharmaceutical bottle cap that permits only one or two pills to be dispensed each time from a pill bottle. The bottle cap has a two-cap or three-cap assembly with a V-shaped notch making a reduced rounded triangular pill dispensing opening that minimizes accidental spillage of pills when the user needs only one or two pills each time. Pills are accessed by rotating the individual assembled caps to align with the openings in the cap assembly. A simple twist of the outer caps exposes the openings. The three-cap assembly provides a child resistant design. The improved cap design may be integral to the bottle cap or provided as a removable insert that goes into the mouth or neck of any pill bottle underneath a conventional cap. The improved bottle cap design can be easily incorporated into existing or custom pill bottles. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-section view of a pill bottle cap with a two-cap assembly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, shown in an installed and locked position on the pill bottle. 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a pill bottle of this invention, showing the openings in the inner and outer caps to allow pills to dispense from the bottle. 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of a pill bottle of this invention, showing the openings in the inner and outer caps out of alignment. 
         FIG. 2A  is a cross-section view of a pill bottle cap and the bottle showing an inner cap of the two-cap assembly of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2B  is a top plan view of the inner cap of  FIG. 2A , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3A  is a cross-section view of a pill bottle cap and the bottle showing the two-cap assembly of  FIG. 1  in an unlocked position, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3B  is a top plan view of the two-cap assembly of  FIG. 3A , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of a pill bottle cap and the bottle showing the two-cap assembly of  FIG. 1  in a locked position, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4B  is a top plan view of the two-cap assembly of  FIG. 4A , in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4C  is a cross-sectional view of the two-cap assembly of  FIG. 4A , in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5A  is a cross-section view of a pill bottle cap and the bottle showing the two-cap assembly of  FIG. 1  in a locked position, in accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5B  is a top plan view of the two-cap assembly of  FIG. 5A , in accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5C  is a cross-sectional view of the two-cap assembly of  FIG. 5A , in accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-section view of a pill bottle and the bottle showing a three-cap assembly, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7A  is a top plan view of a pill bottle cap insert for a tapered bottle top, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7B  is a top plan view of a pill bottle cap insert for a straight bottle top, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7C  is a cross-section view of a pill bottle cap insert for a tapered bottle top, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7D  is a cross-section view of a pill bottle cap insert for a straight bottle top, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7E  is a perspective view of a pill bottle cap insert in a pill bottle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The term “pill” as used herein refers to pills, tablets, capsules, caplets and other such solid medicine forms. The term “bottle” as used herein refers to bottles and any such other container with a cap that holds pills. 
     In an embodiment, a cap assembly is disclosed for a pill bottle including an inner cap comprising a first top panel with an extended shoulder, a first opening contained in the first top panel, and a first skirt extending downward from the first top panel, the first skirt having an inner surface with a mechanism for engaging a neck of the bottle; and an outer cap over said inner cap, said outer cap engaged by the extended shoulder of the inner cap, said outer cap comprising a second top panel, a second opening contained in the second top panel, and a second skirt extending downward from the second top panel, the second skirt having an inner surface with a mechanism for engaging the inner cap and an outer surface with one or more ridges for providing a non-slip grip; wherein by twisting the outer cap until the second opening aligns with the first opening and on tilting the bottle, one or two pills are dispensed at a time through the aligned openings. 
     In an embodiment, the first and second openings for dispensing are shaped as rounded triangles. 
     In an embodiment, the first and second openings create a reduced pill dispensing area. 
     In an embodiment, the outer surface of the first top panel may have one or more raised areas for sealing moisture in the bottle. 
     In an embodiment, the mechanism for engaging the bottle neck comprises a plurality of snap locks to attach to one or more neck rings of the bottle. 
     In an embodiment, the mechanism for engaging the bottle neck comprises a plurality of snap locks to attach to one or more lugs of the bottle neck. 
     In an embodiment, the mechanism for engaging the inner cap comprises a plurality of snap locks. 
     In an embodiment, the first opening is contained in the first skirt and the second opening is contained in the second skirt. 
     In an embodiment, a child-proof cap assembly is provided for a pill bottle having an inner cap comprising a first top panel, a first opening contained in the first top panel, and a first skirt extending downward from the first top panel, the first skirt having an inner surface with a mechanism for engaging a neck of the bottle; a middle cap over said inner cap comprising a second top panel with an extended shoulder, a second opening contained in the second top panel, and a second skirt extending downward from the second top panel, the second skirt having an inner surface with a mechanism for engaging the inner cap and an outer surface with one or more ridges for providing a non-slip grip; and an outer cap over said middle cap, said outer cap engaged by the extended shoulder of the middle cap, said outer cap comprising a third top panel, a third opening contained in the third top panel, and a third skirt extending downward from the third top panel, the third skirt having an inner surface with a mechanism for engaging the middle cap and an outer surface with one or more ridges for providing a non-slip grip; wherein by twisting the outer cap until the third opening aligns with the second opening and then twisting the middle cap until the first opening aligns with the aligned second and third openings and titling the bottle, one or two pills are dispensed at a time through the aligned openings. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary pill bottle cap assembly  100  in accordance with one embodiment of the invention is disclosed. The cap assembly  100  comprises an inner cap  110  and an outer cap  120 . The inner cap contains a triangular opening  115  for dispensing pills. The triangular opening is rounded in one embodiment. The opening reduces the available area for dispensing the pill. The outer cap  120  may have a similar triangular opening  125  for dispensing pills that may be rounded. The triangular opening  115  in the inner cap may be about the same size or smaller than the triangular opening  125  in the outer cap. The cap assembly  100  fits over a bottle, such as a pill bottle  200 , on the bottle neck  210  with an opening  215 . The cap assembly may be attached to the bottle neck  210  by, e.g., standard right hand and/or left hand threads  211 . When the triangular openings  115  and  125  in both caps are aligned with each other and the opening  215  of the bottle, the bottle is unlocked and the pill from the bottle is dispensed. 
     The design of the cap assembly with the reduced dispensing opening allows only one or two pills to be dispensed each time when the bottle is tilted to the side by a user. The size of the opening accommodates only one pill at a time. In another embodiment, the size of the opening accommodates only two pills. For example, opening  115  may be ½ inch by ¾ inch and opening  125  may be 17/32 inch by 13/16 inch. This minimizes any accidental or unintentional spillage of pills. Pills are accessed by the user by simply rotating the individual assembled caps  110  and  120  to align the openings  115  and  125  in the two-cap assembly. A simple twist of the outer cap recloses the openings. The two caps in the cap assembly  100  can be scaled up or down to adapt to any size or any shape pill bottle. To further reduce pill spillage, the user can intentionally misalign one of the cap openings thereby reducing the open area for pill dispensing. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  are perspective views of the inventive cap assembly in place on a pill bottle  200 . The outer cap  120  is visible on the top of the bottle. In  FIG. 1A , the inner and outer caps are aligned such that openings  115  and  125  are aligned. In this position, tilting the bottle one side controls the egress of pills from the bottle, so that only one or two pills are dispensed at a time.  FIG. 1B  shows the outer cap twisted relative to the inner cap so that the openings  115  and  125  are not aligned. Opining  115  is depicted in dashed lines indicated it is hidden from view. In this position, the top of the bottle is sealed. Thus,  FIG. 1B  is the normal closed position used when the bottle is in storage. 
     The size of openings  115  and  125  can be adjusted based on the product and type of dispensing desired. For example, for small tablets, the openings should be small enough to allow only one or two tablets to be dispensed. For larger pills, the openings must be larger. The openings can also be adjusted to dispense just a single pill, depending the nature of the product. 
       FIG. 2A  is a cross-section view of a pill bottle cap and the bottle showing only the inner cap  110  of the two-cap assembly  100  of the invention. The inner cap  110  comprises a top panel  110   a  and a side skirt  110   b  extending downwards from the top panel for covering and sealing the bottle at its threaded neck. The top panel may have an extended shoulder  110   g.  The inner cap is designed to fit any existing style pill bottle neck. It can be adapted to fit any non-standard style pill bottle neck if needed. The inner cap  110  may have one or more raised areas  110   c  molded into the top of the cap to provide moisture resistance to the cap seal, e.g., one or more moisture seal rings. The inner cap may have a mechanism for engaging the bottle neck. For example, the inner cap may have one or more ridges or snap locks  110   d  for engaging the threads, neck ring, snap ring, snap lock or lugs of the bottle neck.  FIG. 2B  shows a top plan view of the inner cap  110  with the rounded triangular opening  115 . The inner cap may have a plurality of locking pockets  110   d.  The inner cap may have snap locks, e.g., four snap locks  110   f  as shown in  FIG. 3B . The inner cap will move a set distance before it locks depending on the size and shape of the bottle neck. These adjustments are well-known in the art. 
       FIG. 3A  is a cross-section view of a pill bottle cap and the bottle showing the outer cap  120  of the two-cap assembly  100  in an unlocked or open position, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The outer cap  120  is designed to attach over the inner cap  110  in any standard industry accepted manner. The outer cap  120  comprises a top panel  120   a  and a side skirt  120   b  extending downward from the top panel for covering and sealing the inner cap. The top panel may have a triangular opening  125  for dispensing pills that may be rounded. The opening  125  is aligned with the opening  115  of the inner cap to unlock the bottle. Like the inner cap, the outer cap is designed to fit any existing style pill bottle neck. It can be adapted to fit any non-standard style pill bottle neck if needed.  FIG. 3B  shows a top plan view of the outer cap  120  with the rounded triangular opening  125 . The inside of the outer cap  120  may have a mechanism for engaging the inner cap. The outer cap may have one or more grooves  120   c  or molded drive lugs  120   d  that snap over the extended shoulder of the top panel of the inner cap and hold the outer cap in place while rotating freely. For example, the outer cap may have six locking drive lugs. In a further embodiment, a moisture seal may be interposed between the inner and outer caps. 
     With reference to  FIG. 4A , another embodiment of the two-cap assembly  100  is shown in a locked position such that no pills will be dispensed out of the bottle. The opening  115  in the inner cap and opening  125  in the outer cap are not aligned.  FIGS. 4B-4C  show alternate views of the two-cap assembly of  FIG. 4A . In this embodiment, the four snap locks  110   f  on the inner cap  110  are designed to snugly snap over a neck ring or snap ring of any pill bottle. Snap lock  110   f  is shown on the inside surface of inner cap  110 . Drive lug  120   d  is depicted (in dashed lines) on the inside surface of outer cap  120 , engaging outer cap  120  and inner cap  110 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 5A , the two-cap assembly  100  is shown in a locked position, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. The openings  115  and  125  are not aligned with the opening  215  of the bottle. In this embodiment, the four snap locks  110   f  on the inner cap  110  are designed to snugly snap over locking lugs  110   m  (i.e., seats) of a pill bottle. This allows the cap assembly  100  to be easily attached on a child resistant pill bottle originally designed for a child resistant cap.  FIGS. 5B-5C  show alternate views of the two-cap assembly of  FIG. 5A .  FIG. 5B  shows a plan view looking down on the outer cap  120  while engaged on a pill bottle  200 .  FIG. 5B  shows a plan view looking down on the outer cap  120  while engaged on a pill bottle  200 .  FIG. 5C  shows a cross section cut-away of the outer cap engaged with the inner cap, depicting snap locks  110   f  on the inside surface of inner cap  110 . 
     Thus the two-cap assembly provides a user with a reduced opening for dispensing that minimizes accidental spillage of pills. The actual opening may be set to only be big enough for one pill. Or it may be adjusted to a smaller opening to deliver only one or two pills, regardless of the pill size, by intentionally not fully aligning the cap openings. In the normal closed or locked position, the opening  125  in the outer cap is fully out of alignment with the opening  115  in the inner cap. The inner cap is designed to be firmly tightened or snapped into place using either the threaded or four snap or six snap cap lock design depending on the bottle style. The inner cap may be configured so that it does not need to be removed once properly in place. The outer cap  120  may have finger grip ridges on the outside of the cap edge to provide a non-slip grip so that the reduced pill opening on the inner cap comes into alignment for quick and easy pill dispensing. A gentle twist of the outer cap recloses the pill bottle. The cap assembly may be disposable and discarded when the pill bottle is empty. The cap assembly of the invention may be installed by pharmacists when completing a prescription or installed by a user on any existing pill bottle. 
     In another embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , the cap assembly has a third cap  130  over the second cap  120  for child protection. In such an embodiment, the cap  120  becomes a middle cap. The third cap  130  comprises a top panel  130   a  and a side skirt  130   b  extending downwards from the top panel for covering over the middle cap. The third cap also may have a triangular opening  135  for dispensing pills that may be rounded. The triangular opening  115  in the inner cap may be the about the same size or smaller than the triangular opening  125  in the middle cap which may be the about the same size or smaller than the triangular opening  135  in the third outer cap. The middle panel may have an extended shoulder for engaging the outer cap. The inner cap  110  attaches directly to the threads, neck ring, snap ring, or lugs of virtually any size or shape pill bottle. Once the inner cap is attached, it stays in place and is designed to be disposable along with the pill bottle when empty. The middle cap  120  attaches by snap locks to the inner cap and the outer cap  130  attaches by snap locks to the middle cap. The cap assembly, when assembled becomes a single unit that can be attached by a pharmacist or by any standard automated capping machine in a factory setting. The pre-assembled cap assembly can also be installed by the user at home. 
     The normal child-resistant closed position is realized when all three cap openings are misaligned so that no open pill dispensing area exists between each cap. To dispense a pill, the openings in each of the three caps must be aligned. The middle cap may have finger grip ridges on the outside of the cap edge to provide a non-slip grip to allow it to rotate and lock the inner cap into place. The middle cap  120  may have a mechanism for engagement, e.g., snap cap locks, that are designed with sufficient clearance between the middle cap and the inner cap to allow the middle and inner caps to freely rotate in the opposite counter clockwise direction, which provides child protection. The outer cap  130  snaps into place over the middle cap  120  in such a way that a gentle lifting and twisting motion allows the rotation of the outer cap in either direction while the middle cap is held in place by the opposite hand. The third cap  130  also may have a non-slip grip edge for easy grip and rotation. 
     To open the child-proof cap embodiment, the user can gently rotate the outer cap in either direction while holding the easy grip middle cap edge until the two openings  135  and  125  are in alignment. Then the middle cap is lifted in either direction until the inner cap opening  115  comes into alignment. Pills are dispensed through the aligned openings in all three caps by tilting the bottle and gently tapping a finger on the outside of the pill bottle until the pill has been dispensed. To reclose the cap, the inner cap  110  remains in place. The middle cap may be rotated in either direction while gently lifting until the opening in the inner cap is fully closed. Then the outer cap  130  may be rotated in either direction while holding the middle cap grip edge to close the opening between the middle and the outer caps. 
     The openings in the two-cap assembly or the three-cap assembly may be in the top panel of the caps or in the side skirt of the caps. 
       FIGS. 7A-7E  show an alternative embodiment of pill cap assembly of the present invention comprising a molded plastic circular insert  700  having a V-shaped notch or triangular opening  715 . The insert  700  is placed into a standard size pharmaceutical bottle and functions in-place underneath the normal cap intended for use with the bottle. With reference to  FIGS. 7A and 7C , the insert  700  may be a tub shaped insert with tapered side  720  and floor  730 . Triangular notch  715  is an opening in floor  730 . The entire insert can be squeezed to fit into the mouth  220  of pill bottle  200 . The insert may have a flange  710  that extends over a top lip of the pill bottle and rests on that lip. A standard bottle cap, with or without child safety features, may be used on the bottle. When the cap is removed, the opening  715  permits only one or two tablets to exit the pill bottle at a time when the bottle is tilted to one side by a user. 
     An alternative embodiment of the insert is  FIGS. 7B and 7D , showing the insert  700  with a straight wall having straight side  720 . 
       FIG. 7E  is a perspective view of the insert  700  in place in a pill bottle  200 . The insert is shown within top opening  220 . A standard pill bottle cap such as a screw cap will tighten down normally over the insert  700  when it is properly inserted. 
     The insert  700  is removable. For example, the insert can be removed by inserting a handle end of any silverware and gently lifting the insert out of the mouth of the bottle. 
     The insert is disposable and can be made in any standard or custom pill bottle size. 
     The pill bottle insert  700  may be inserted by any user at home, by any distributor at a sales counter or by a pharmacist after filling the prescription but before installing the bottle cap. The insert may be adapted to fit into any snap cap bottle. 
     The cap assembly  100  or the insert  700  is preferably molded out of any suitable plastic such as thermoplastics like polypropylene and polyethylene.