Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7138906?dq=7181427
Timestamp: 2014-10-21 08:04:24
Document Index: 421952899

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18']

Patent US7138906 - Cap timing - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA cap is attachable to a receptacle for co-acting therewithin enclosing medication and timing a predetermined interval for taking the medication defined by one timing schedule of a set of selectable timing schedules. An electronic timing circuit in the cap is constructed and arranged to provide an alarm...http://www.google.com/patents/US7138906?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7138906 - Cap timingAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7138906 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/009,184Publication dateNov 21, 2006Filing dateDec 10, 2004Priority dateDec 10, 2004Fee statusPaidAlso published asEP1820073A2, US20060139151, WO2006063251A2, WO2006063251A3Publication number009184, 11009184, US 7138906 B2, US 7138906B2, US-B2-7138906, US7138906 B2, US7138906B2InventorsRoger M. RoscheOriginal AssigneeRemind Cap Pte. Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (5), Referenced by (3), Classifications (10), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetCap timingUS 7138906 B2Abstract A cap is attachable to a receptacle for co-acting therewithin enclosing medication and timing a predetermined interval for taking the medication defined by one timing schedule of a set of selectable timing schedules. An electronic timing circuit in the cap is constructed and arranged to provide an alarm signal designating a time for taking the medication at the expiration of a predetermined time interval defined by the timing schedule. A battery furnishes power to the electronic timing circuit. A switch is connected between the battery and the electronic timing circuit having an initial ship position preventing the flow of electrical energy from the battery to the electronic timing circuit and an on position allowing delivery of electrical power from the battery to the electronic timing circuit. The switch is constructed and arranged to be initially in the ship position and switch to the on position when the cap is first attached to the receptacle to close the receptacle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For background reference is made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,016,230 and 6,084,504 incorporated herein by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One aspect of the invention is an improved device that is attachable to a receptacle for timing a predetermined interval according to a timing schedule of a set of timing schedules. The device has an electronic timing circuit that provides an alarm signal at the expiration of the predetermined time interval. The timing circuit includes a set of inputs and a set of outputs that are both connected to processing circuitry. The inputs correspond to the timing schedules and the outputs issue the alarm signals.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a medication container having a cap according to the invention, attached to a receptacle;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. 1 a medication container 10 includes a receptacle 12 suitable for containing medication and a cap 14 that includes a timing device 16 (FIG. 2) to provide an alarm signal according to a predetermined schedule that indicates the appropriate time to administer the medication. Based on a prescription, pharmacists can deliver caps 14 with different time and duration schedules. The electronic IC on the electronic device 16 is programmed with different schedules. Top part 18 carries the printed timing and duration schedule of cap 14.
When medication container 10 activates the alarm signals, which may be a combination of a repetitive �beeping� sound and flashing LED 20, a user opens medication container 10 by removing cap 14 from receptacle 12 to access the medication. At that time, medication container 10 senses that cap 14 was removed and resets the alarm after a predefined interval expires.
In addition to timing device 16, cap 14 includes a trigger 36, a housing 34 and top part 18. Referring to FIGS. 2, 4 a and 4 b, trigger 36 is, typically a plastic (e.g. polypropylene) washer with several �legs� 38, which activate or deactivate timing device 16. Trigger 36 is sized to fit in cap 14 (FIG. 6 a). Tabs 38 (FIG. 4 b) of trigger 36 fit in the sleeves 40 (FIG. 3 b) of housing 34 and are positioned above grips 42 (FIG. 3 a) in housing 34 (see FIG. 6 b) at the nearest posterior side 26 of housing 34. Sleeves 40 are formed in the surface 56 in housing 34 (FIG. 3 b). Each of tabs 38 is perpendicular to ring section 50 and extends in posterior direction 24. Each tab 38 has a lip 52 located near posterior end 26. The number of tabs 38 is typically half of the number of grips 42 of housing 34. For a proper orientation of trigger 36 in housing 34, an alignment pin 44 in housing 34 guides and positions its sleeve 46 (FIG. 4 a) of trigger 36. Trigger 36 can rotate freely through a fixed angle 48. When trigger 36 rotates inside housing 34, tabs 38 move in reset areas 54 in the near posterior ends 24 of housing 34 (FIG. 3 a). Trigger 36 also has a ramp 84, parallel to the ring section 50, mounted in the anterior direction 28. (FIG. 4 a) When cap 14 is assembled with trigger 36 inside, ramp 84 of trigger 36 is just free of the board section surface 86 of the electronic device 16. By rotational movement of trigger 36, ramp 84 can freely move beneath the board section surface 86. The ridge 88 at the anterior of ring section 50 functions as a spacer to board surface 86. Cap 14 in assembled position locates trigger 36 between board surface 86 and surface 56. Trigger 36, e.g., typically 35 mm in diameter by 11 mm in height is typically made of polypropylene. The trigger 36 also has a second ramp 89. This ramp 89 is at the anterior of ring 50 at the same level. The posterior side of ramp 89 is typically 0.3 mm thinner than the ring section surface 50. The cap 14 in assembled position locates spring plate contact 74 in a free space to trigger 36 at ramp 89 so that trigger 36 can rotate freely inside cap 14.
Housing 34 includes grips 42 and 80 disposed along a lower peripheral edge 82. Grips 42 and 80 secure cap 14 to receptacle 12 and are spaced equidistantly about peripheral edge 82 as shown 3 a. Several position and align shapes are mounted in surface 56 of housing 34 to properly position spring plate contact 74. An alignment ridge 90 positions spring plate contact 74 properly along edge line 92 (FIG. 5) anterior inside 106 of housing 36. A second alignment shape in surface 56 of housing 34 is a small rectangular profile 94. During the assembly of cap 14 ramp 96 of spring plate contact 74 is preferably located to be visible opposite this profile 94 on surface 56. A groove 100 is located inside housing 34 at the anterior side to position top part 18 for closing the complete cap 14. FIG. 14 shows grove 100 hollow shaped. The top part 18 has a ball-shaped ridge 102 at the outer periphery edge line 104. During the complete assembly of cap 14, ball shape ridge 102 in top part 18 fits in the hollow-shaped groove 100 of housing 34. The entrance of the anterior side 106 of housing 34 is deformed slightly during assembly to ensure a good location of top part 18 in housing 34. Spacers 108 beside the outer wall 114 of top part 18 and in the posterior direction will give extra restriction for the fixation of the top part 18 inside the housing. The anterior end 110 of all the spacing posts 64 in the housing keeps the top part 18 in longitudinal position, to restrict movement inside in posterior direction 24. Top part 18 has notches 112, equally divided across the periphery wall 114 for these spacing posts 64 inside housing 34. An extra notch 116 fits alignment pin 68 in the housing 34 for radially positioning top part 18. Notch 116 is deeper in anterior direction than the other notches 112. In assembled position of cap 14, the outer periphery wall 114 of top part 18 keeps the board 118 of electronic timing device 16 in a fixed position. The posterior end surface 122 of periphery wall 114 presses directly on anterior surface 120 of board 118. Board 118 is longitudinally positioned with posterior side 86 to housing 34 and the anterior side 120 to the periphery wall surface 122 of top part 18, which has features for furnishing substantially equally divided pressure to components on board 118 of timing device 16. Two ring spacers 134 press battery holder 136 in its position on board 118. Extension 138 functions for silicon button 140 for the reset and start function of the electronic device 16 of cap 13. Silicon button 140 is fit in the top part 18 before definitive closing of cap 14 to allow assembly of cap 14 closing top part 18 into anterior side 106 in housing 34. Silicon button 140 has a long cylindrical shape 142 at the anterior side 28 that stabs front surface 144 at the anterior side of top part 18. An oval recess shape 146 is around this �button hole� in top part 18. The anterior side of this cylindrical shape 142 fits in oval recess 146 as shown in FIG. 14. Oval recess shape 146 is dimensioned so that a normal finger can compress this button 142 to 2 mm deep in posterior direction 24. There is carbon material in the posterior side of cylindrical shape 142. When cap 14 is fully assembled, by pressing the button 140 on the anterior side in posterior direction, this carbon material establishes a connection to a small contact surface 194 on board 118.
To open cap 14, press cap 14 in the posterior direction 24 and then rotate it in the open direction 190. By this rotation the backsides 192 of grips 186 of receptacle 12 press tabs 38 of trigger 36 so trigger 36 makes an open rotation inside cap 14. By this open and close movement 184 and 190 of cap 14 against receptacle 12, cap 14 can mechanically �see� if it is open or closed from receptacle 12 because trigger 36 works as an interface between receptacle 12 and cap 14. When cap 14 is first assembled, the mechanism of trigger 36 and spring plate contact 74 inside are positioned in a �ship position�. Batteries 158 are then disconnected from the electronic circuit of the timing device 16 to extend the warranty of batteries 158. The caps, such as 14, of medical containers, such as 10, may be delivered separate from container 10. A pharmacist can then fill receptacle 12 with medicine and close receptacle 12 with cap 14.
When cap 14 is still in a not activated position, the two batteries 158 are not connected to the circuit device 16. When button 140 on the topside 30 of cap 14 is pressed, activation will not occur until cap 14 is first placed on receptacle 12. Then pressing button 140 at the topside 30 of activated cap 14, turns LED 20 on the topside 30 on. Continuing to press button 140 longer than one second causes sound buzzer 156 of timing device 16 to give a beep and switch LED 20 off. Then timing device 16 begins counting time. If programmed, for example for �one time a day�, 24 hours after pressing button 140, buzzer 156 produces alarm beeping signals and LED 20 flashing. First, beeping signals occur frequently, later less frequently. The beeping and flashing signals stop after half of the next setting time, in this case after 12 hours. This continues when cap 14 is not opened from receptacle 12. When cap 14 is open, the beeping and flashing stops. If cap 14 is not opened after 48 hours, cap 14 again resumes beeping and flashing again. If container 10 is open before cap 14 begins beeping and flashing, timing device 16 will not start with beeping and flashing. This beeping and flashing repeats every 24 hours after the time when button 140 has been pressed. When it is desired to change the alert time, the button 140 can be pressed to change the time. After the new time, timing device 16 will react directly after 24 hours with the changed alert time. This programming is useful for patients taking a medication once a day. When the patient is to take the enclosed medication for example 2, 3 and 4 times a day, timing device 16 may be programmed differently, and the timing alert will react after shorter periods.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS6084504 *Dec 30, 1998Jul 4, 2000Remind Cap Pte. Ltd.TimingUS6633796 *Jun 14, 2001Oct 14, 2003Dan B. PoolMedication timing deviceUS6765478 *Feb 21, 2001Jul 20, 2004Dmitry Vyacheslavovich ZhurinCap-signaling deviceUS20020093427 *Jan 18, 2001Jul 18, 2002Roth Joseph D.Pharmaceutical container which transmits an audio signalUS20060022806 *Aug 2, 2004Feb 2, 2006Auerbach David MMedicament container* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS7408843Jul 14, 2006Aug 5, 2008Dennis BrandonMedicine cap timing apparatusUS8448873Dec 23, 2010May 28, 2013Klindown, LlcSystems and methods for parsing prescription information for a wirelessly programmable prescription bottle capUS8823510Dec 23, 2010Sep 2, 2014Klindown, LlcSystems and methods for wirelessly programming a prescription bottle capClassifications U.S. Classification340/309.16, 215/200, 368/244, 340/309.7International ClassificationG08B1/00Cooperative ClassificationA61J2007/0436, G08B3/10, A61J7/0481European ClassificationG08B3/10, A61J7/04B3Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJul 3, 2014REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedJun 3, 2010FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Jun 3, 2010SULPSurcharge for late paymentMay 6, 2005ASAssignmentOwner name: REMIND CAP PTE. LTD., SINGAPOREFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ROSCHE, ROGER M.;REEL/FRAME:016200/0899Effective date: 20050415RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google