Abstract:
Improvements in a pill bottle time indicator lid is presented. The pill bottle time indicator lid allows a user or care giver to set an indicator for the next time medication should be taken. When a user takes the medication they can simply reset the next time that the medication can be taken. Typically medications are taken at fixed time intervals. The interval can be as small as 30 minute increments to allow a user who takes medications outside of hour indicators or sleeps past an hour indicator to adjust the time in smaller time increments than an hour. A user can remove the provided lid and replace the standard lid with the time indicator lid. The time indicating lid can include security locks to prevent removal by children, but can also be made simple to remove by an elderly patient.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/805,336 filed on Mar. 26, 2013 the entire contents of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
       [0004]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0006]    This invention relates to improvements in the lid of a pill bottle. More particularly, the present pill bottle lid dispenser with a user settable time indicator on the lid that can be retrofit into standard pill bottles to allow a user to take a pill and then set the time for the current pill was administered or the time for the next pill to be taken. 
         [0007]    2. Description of Related Art including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
         [0008]    When a patient is prescribed pills they are often given a pill bottle with instructions for when to take the pills within the bottle. Many people have multiple different pills where each pill must be taken at different time intervals. Remembering when the last and next pill that needs to be taken is difficult without some type of record or indicator. For some people remembering when to take the next pill can be difficult. Without some indicator on when a next pill needs to be taken a patient can easily overmedicate by taking multiple pills or under medicate by not taking enough pills. Other people may over or under medicate either intentionally or by accident. There have been several attempts to solve this issue by providing a time indicator on a replacement lid. 
         [0009]    A number of patents and or publications have been made to address these issues. Exemplary examples of patents and or publication that try to address this/these problem(s) are identified and discussed below. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,601 issued on Oct. 2, 1973 discloses a cabinet for dispensing medicines at predetermined times. This patent is for a cabinet with multiple doors. Each door is programmable to open at a preprogrammed time to allow access to the medicine behind each door. This patent does not operate to fit on the top of a pill dispenser bottle, and once the door is opened the patient can access the entire contents behind each door. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,300 issued Feb. 21, 1984 to Esther B. Lyss discloses a lid for a pill dispenser where the lid has an indexable reminder to identify when the next pill must be taken. While this lid fits on top of a pill dispenser it does not notify the person by having an indicator that shows a particular time and does not reduce the potential for a person from overmedicating by indicating the proper time to take the next medication. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,701 issued on Apr. 5, 1994 to Allen Barker et al., discloses an Indicator Cap. The indicator cap has a tabbed indexing window. The tabs allow the user to set the indicator to finite positions. While the indicator allows for the setting of a time, a user can accidentally rotate the lid and set an incorrect time. The lid further does not include and AM/PM indicator. 
         [0013]    U.S Publication number 2011/0011883 that was published on Jan. 20, 2011 to Mohamed Farid Nakkouri discloses a single pill distributing cap for use on pill bottles. The lid only dispenses one pill at a time to prevent the entire contents from being spilled. While this lid only dispenses one pill at a time it does not prevent a person from setting or resetting the wrong time to take the next medication to access the pill(s) after the proper time interval. 
         [0014]    What is needed is a lid for a standard pill dispensing bottle. The lid should be settable for 12 hour interval with an AM/PM indicator to allow the user to view the proper time to take the next medication. The proposed pill bottle lid dispenser with a time indicator provides a solution to this problem. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    It is an object of the pill bottle time indicator lid to provide a lid that a user or care giver can set to indicate the time medication was currently administered or next time medication can be taken. When a user takes the medication, they can simply set the time the medication was taken, or set the time to the next time the medication can be taken. Typically medications are taken at fixed time intervals. The interval can be as small as 30 minute increments to allow a user who takes medications outside of hour indicators or sleep past an hour indicator to adjust the time in smaller time increments than an hour. 
         [0016]    It is an object of the pill bottle time indicator lid to be configured to fit onto some existing pill bottles. Pill bottles come in a variety of sizes and threads. The pill bottle time indicator can be made to operate with some common bottle sizes and threads and can be configured to operate with a custom bottle that works with the pill bottle time indicator lid. If the pill bottle time indicator is configured to fit on a currently available bottle a user can remove the provided lid and replace the standard lid with the time indicator lid. 
         [0017]    It is an object of the pill bottle time indicator lid to have a lid that includes security locks to reduce removal by children, but can also be made simple to remove by an elderly patient. The angled side of the notches or teeth on the pill bottle time indicator lid allows the child resistant mechanism to slide the lid and not be able to be opened, unless the outer lid is pushed on and turned to open the lid. The notches or teeth can also be made with two straight sides which will not have a child resistant mechanism. The pill bottle time indicator lid can also have notches or teeth with a combination of a straight and sloped side. This way, when it is manufactured, the outer cap notches or teeth can do both jobs (child and non-child resistant) and the inside cap notches or teeth will determine if the cap will be child resistant or not. 
         [0018]    It is another object of the pill bottle time indicator lid for the timer lid to require the patient to lift the lid to set the time. The lid is configured with two major components that engage upon each other with teeth or notches that provide time increments of 30 minutes each. The teeth are configured with a straight side and an angled, two straight sides, or a combination of the angled and straight side. The straight side allows a person to screw the lid on the bottle without changing the time setting. The outer lid must be lifted where the top and bottom notches or teeth are no longer engaging one another and rotated in either direction to set the time the pill was administered or what time the next pill should be administered. Angled sides allow the outer lid to slip and not open the lid. This is the child-resistant feature. In order to open the lid, a user will need to push down on outer lid and twist counter clockwise. If the angled sides are replaced with straight sides, a user would simply turn to open or close. A user would still need to lift so the notches disengage and rotate in either direction to set time. 
         [0019]    It is still another object of the pill bottle time indicator lid to have an AM PM indicator. The AM/PM indicator allows a person to set a time interval of equal to or greater than 12 hours. Often medication must be taken in the morning and in the evening. The AM/PM indicator allows a user to simply slide the AM/PM indicator from one setting to another to change from morning to evening or vice versa without requiring the lid to be rotated. 
         [0020]    Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the pill bottle time indicator lid installed on a pill bottle. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective exploded view of the pill bottle time indicator lid. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3A-3E  shows various views of the outer ring. 
           [0024]      FIG. 4A-4D  shows various views of the inner ring. 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of the AM/PM retainer. 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective view or the AM/PM slider. 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of the AM/PM retainer and slider. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0028]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the pill bottle time indicator lid  10  installed on an existing pill bottle  11  or on a custom pill bottle designed to work with the pill bottle time indicator lid. Pill bottles come in a variety of sizes and threads. The pill bottle time indicator can be made to operate with some common bottle sizes and threads and can be configured to operate with a custom bottle that works with the pill bottle time indicator lid. If the pill bottle time indicator is configured to fit on a currently available bottle a user can remove the provided lid and replace the standard lid with the time indicator lid. In the preferred embodiment the majority of the components that form the pill bottle time indicator are made from plastics including but not limited to ABS, PVC, polyester nylon high density polyethylene or polypropylene. The components are further preferably made from a molding process where post processing such as, but not limited to, printing, snapping together, bonding or other post processes are performed to create the finished pill bottle time indicating lid  10  as shown assembled in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective exploded view of the pill bottle time indicator lid. The pill bottle time indicator lid is configured with an inner ring  40  that is configured for securing onto a medication container  11 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . An outer ring  20  that is configured for engagement onto said inner ring  40  and allows for at least a portion of the inner ring  40  to protrude through an opening  23  in the outer ring  20 . The outer ring  20  has a series of gripping ridges  21  to allow a person to grip the pill bottle time indicator lid  10  with greater ease. The outer edge of the outer rim may show instructions  32  to set the time on the lid. While the instructions are shown in the outer ring, the instructions are optional, and can also be placed at alternative locations on the lid and or the bottle. A bottom lip  22  on the outer ring  20  allows a user to tactfully identify the operable end of the pill bottle in the dark or without looking. Inside the outer cap  20  there can be a small ring  33  (shown in  FIG. 3B ) that goes around the inner cavity. This allows a limit to how far the outside cap  20  can be lifted so the outside cap  20  cannot be lift so far up that it damages the AM/PM retainer  70 . The inner ring  40  is further shown having a recess  43  for an AM/PM slider  60  indicator. The inner ring  40  is further shown having another recess for the AM/PM retainer  70 , shown in  FIG. 4A  as items  54  and  55 . 
         [0030]    The AM/PM slider  60  indicator is configured to engage into the inner ring  40  in a pocket  43 . The AM/PM slider  60  is retained under an AM/PM retainer  70 . The AM/PM indicator slider  60  allows a person to set a time interval of equal to or greater than 12 hours. Often medication must be taken in the morning and in the evening. The AM/PM indicator slider  60  allows a user to simply slide the AM/PM indicator slider  60  from one setting to another to change from morning to evening or vice versa without requiring the lid to be rotated. The outer ring  20  with a series of angled, straight or a combination of angled and straight teeth  26  that engage onto said inner ring  40  with a series of angled, straight or a combination of angled and straight teeth  44  that provide a time indication for a medication that is retained within said medication container  11 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The AM/PM indicator slider  60  fits into the inner ring  40  where it is essentially flush with the top  42  of the inner ring to reduce accidental displacement of the AM/PM indicator slider  60 . An air tight cushion or seal  80  allows the inner ring  40  to seal with the medication container  11 . The AM/PM retainer  70  fits on top of the AM/PM tab  60  and into the recess on the inner ring  40  where it is essentially flush with the face of inner ring  42 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 3A-3E  shows various views of the outer ring  20 . The outer ring  20  is created with an outer cylindrical wall with one open end and one partially closed end. The outside of the cylindrical wall has a series of gripping ridges  21  to allow a person to grip the pill bottle time indicator lid  10  with greater ease. A bottom lip  22  on the outer ring  20  allows a user to tactfully identify the operable end of the pill bottle in the dark or without looking. The outer top surface shown in  FIG. 3D  shows indicia that is molded printed or otherwise marked or formed into the top of the outer ring  20 . These indicia provides basic instructions for rotating directions for opening  24  and closing  28  the outer ring  20  on a medication bottle. The marking indicia are shown for reference and could be as shown, as a variation or absent from the lid and or bottle. The outer edge of the outer rim also shows instructions  32  to set the time on the lid and also this marking indicia are shown for reference and could be as shown, as a variation or absent from the lid and or bottle. A pointer  27  provides an indication of the time for the time a medication was administered or the next administration of the medication. This indicator  27  points to time indicia, such as  49  from  FIG. 4A , that is visible through the central opening  23  of the outer ring  20 . Inside the outer cap there can be a small ring  33  that goes around the inner cavity. This allows there to be a limit to how far the outside cap can lift so it cannot lift so far up and damage the AM/PM retainer. Within the inside of outer ring  20  a series of tabs  29  exist. The innermost ring  34  on the top of the outer ring  20  is where each end of the AM/PM retainer  70  sits on top of said outer ring  20  to hold the outer ring  20  in place. 
         [0032]    The tab(s)  29  or notches or teeth can be at an angle on one side (child-resistant), straight on either side (non-Child-Resistant), or both. The tab(s) may have a small straight side(s) with an angle depending on how inner cap teeth are manufactured can be either child or non-child resistant. The tabs  29  have a bottom surface  26 , a clockwise or left surface  31  and a counter-clockwise or right surface  30 . These tabs  29  engage onto teeth located in the inner ring as shown and described in  FIGS. 4A to 4D . The inner and outer rings are configured with these teeth to engage upon each other to provide time setting increments of between 15 minutes and 4 hours, but more preferably between 30 minutes (in the embodiment shown) and 2 hours. While increments of 30 minutes are shown, shorter or longer time increments are contemplated. The inner ring  40  sits under outer ring  20 , but all the 3 components ( 20 ,  40 , and  60 ) are being retained by the AM/PM retainer  70 . The AM/PM retainer  70  attaches to inner cap  40  by welding, glue, prongs of some sort, or some other binding agent. The holder tab holds the AM/PM tab in place, but also lays on top of the inner ring  34  that is located on the outer cap. Therefore it is also holding the outer cap together with the AM/PM tab onto the inner cap. 
         [0033]      FIG. 4A-4D  shows various views of the inner ring  40 . The inner ring  40  is configured to a bottom  41  fits within the recess in the outer ring  20 . The outer cap can have a small ring on the inside of it to help prevent lifting the outer cap too far up and damaging AM/PM Retainer  70 . It just allows for some pressure if lifted too high. The outer side  52  of the inner ring  40  is configures to fit within the inside diameter of the outer ring  20 . An outer rim  44  of the inner ring  40  has a series of teeth  51  that are configured with a straight side  45  and an angled side  46 . The tabs  51  or notches or teeth can be at an angle on one side (child-resistant), straight on either side (non-Child-Resistant), or the tabs may have a combination of a straight side with an angle. The straight side  45  allows a person to close the lid without changing the set time. A person pushes down on the outer lid and turns to open the child-resistant feature. Rotating the lid in the opposite direction allows the angled side  46  teeth to slip with notches in outer ring  20  for the child resistant mechanism. If the angled sides  46  are not at an angle, but instead are straight, it allows the bottle to open without the child resistant mechanism. To set the time, the outer cap is lifted where none of the notches are now engaged, and turned to the right or left. Then the lid is set down when it is on the correct time to re-engage. 
         [0034]    The inside of the inner ring  40  has threads  50  for engaging the inner ring  40  onto an existing or in a custom medication bottle. The inside of the inner ring  40  has a flat surface where the inner ring can seal the lid  10  with the cushion or seal  80 , from  FIG. 2  against the upper rim of a medication bottle  11 . The AM/PM retainer  70  holds the AM/PM tab  60  in place, but also lays on top of the innermost ring  34  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) that is located on the outer cap. The AM/PM retainer  70  can attach to the inner cap  40  with a variety of methods including but not limited to glue, ultrasonic welding, prongs, or any other equivalent retention mechanism or some other binding agent. 
         [0035]    On the top  42  of the inner ring  40  there are indicia that indicate the time in hours  49 . A user can set the indicator on the hour of on the half hour. The top  42  of the inner ring  40  also has a recess  43  for the AM/PM indicator  60  (not shown) as well as other recesses 
         [0036]    another recess  54  and  55  is for securing AM/PM retainer  70  to lock the inner ring to the outer ring and then retains the AM/PM indicator. The AM/PM retainer  70  can be attached with prongs, notches, tabs or equivalent into the retainer in recesses  54  and  55 . The AM/PM retainer  70  can also be attached by removing notch  73  and the holes on recesses  54  and  55  and bond with glue, welding, or any other equivalent retention mechanism or some other binding agent onto inner ring  40 . Within this recess the AM/PM retainer  70  holds the AM/PM indicator  60 . 
         [0037]    The AM  47 /PM  48  indication allows a person to set a time interval of equal to or greater than 12 hours. Often medication must be taken in the morning and in the evening. The AM  47 /PM  48  indicator  60  allows a user to simply slide the AM  47 /PM  48  indicator  60 , from one setting to another to change from morning to evening or vice versa without requiring the lid to be rotated. The AM/PM indicator  60  is shown and described in more detail in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of the AM/PM retainer  70 . The retainer  70  bridges the recess opening  43  in the inner ring  40 . The AM/PM retainer  70  also bridges the AM/PM slider  60 . The AM/PM retainer  70  is essentially a long slender member with a notch  73  where the AM/PM slider  60  can move under the AM/PM retainer  70 . The notch  73  can be removed and the AM/PM retainer  70  can be attached to the inner cap  40  by welding, glue, prongs of some sort, or some other binding agent or design. On the sides of the AM/PM retainer  70  are flat areas  71  and  72  that rest in the recesses  54  and  55  (shown in  FIG. 4 . The very ends of the flat areas  71  and  72  lay on top of the innermost ring  34  that is located on outer ring  20 . The flat areas  71  and  72  holding the outer ring  20  on that innermost ring  34  to secure the outer ring  20  to the inner ring  40 . The recess  73  in the AM/PM retainer  70  is sized  74  for clearance of the AM/PM slider  60 . The AM/PM retainer  70  is planar from  71  all the way to  72 . The notch  73  can be removed completely and changed from a notch to tabs, prongs, glue, welding to be attached in any way around the AM/PM indicator  60 . In another contemplated embodiment the holes and the notches securing mechanism can be removed and the AM/PM indicator  70  can be bonded to the inner ring  40 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective view or the AM/PM slider  60  and  FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of the AM/PM retainer  70  and slider  60 . The AM/PM slider  60  is essentially “U” shaped with two vertical  64  edges  61  that bridges the flat bottom of the AM/ PM slider  60 . The width  62  of the AM/PM slider  60  is sized to fit within the recess  43  in inner ring  40 . The length  63  of the AM/PM slider  60  allows the AM/PM slider  60  to cover either the AM  47  or the PM  48  in the recess  43  in the inner ring  40  by sliding  80  the AM/PM slider  60  to one side or the other. The AM/PM retainer  70  is secured or bonded to the inner ring  40  to retain the lid  10  as a single unit. Under AM/PM indicator  60  are two indentation areas  65  and  66  that fit into two bumps on the recess  43  to keep AM/PM indicator  60  from sliding back and forth on its own. 
         [0040]    Thus, specific embodiments of a pill bottle time indicator lid has been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.