Abstract:
A lollipop with a conventional stem or handle and an edible part in the shape of a spoon for administering liquid medications is provided. The lollipop is used to administer liquid medications to children, developmentally challenged adults, or adults who dislike the taste of liquid medications. The lollipop spoons can be packaged for sale individually, as a package, or together with containers of liquid medications.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/805,024 filed Jun. 16, 2006 and incorporated herein by reference. 
     
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates to a device for administering liquid medications. 
         [0004]    B. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    The existing methods of administering liquid medications involve conventional spoons or measuring cups. The disadvantage of these implements used for administering medications to children is that these implements provide no incentive to take medication to children who dislike the taste of liquid medications or who simply do not wish to take medications. Furthermore, due to the viscous nature of some liquid medications, some of the medication remains on the conventional spoon or the walls of the measuring cup after the majority of the liquid medication is administered, wasting the medication and, thus, not providing the child with an adequate doze. 
         [0006]    What is needed is a utensil for administering liquid medications that will give children and adults an incentive to take liquid medications that do not taste well, as well as an incentive to leave none of the medication on the conventional spoon or in the measuring cup. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention meets the need for a superior utensil for administering liquid medications. The invention is an edible spoon for administering liquid medications, or a lollipop in the shape of a spoon for administering liquid medications. The lollipop has a conventional stem handle, and the edible part of the lollipop is formed in a shape of a spoon. The lollipop can be used to administer liquid medications to children, developmentally challenged adults, or it can be used for taking liquid medications by adults who dislike the taste of these medications. This creates an incentive for children and adults to take liquid medications and to leave no medicine on the lollipop, as often happens with conventional spoons and measuring cups. 
         [0008]    The lollipop may also have a retaining bulb on the end of the stem that is encased into the spoon-shaped edible part—the bulb stops the edible part from becoming loose and sliding off the stem (handle), even when wet, until the edible part is dissolved. The bulb may be of various shapes safe for children. The conventional stem of the spoon-shaped lollipop may be replaced with a large, wide and stable handle to facilitate the pouring and administration of medications by keeping the spoon-shaped edible part horizontal when necessary. The large, wide handle may also have a retaining bulb. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of a lollipop constructed in accordance with this invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  shows a top view of the lollipop of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the lollipop of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows a side view of a cylindrical package containing several lollipops constructed in accordance with this invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  shows a side perspective view of a cylindrical package containing a bottle and several lollipops constructed in accordance with this invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  shows a side view of a cylindrical package containing several lollipops constructed in accordance with this invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of the package of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  shows a top view of a package with an alternate embodiment of the lollipops; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of a bottle with several lollipops attached thereto; 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  shows a perspective view of a cylindrical package with a bottle contained on the inside and several lollipops attached to an outer wall of the package; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  shows a perspective view of a rectangular package with several lollipops constructed in accordance with this invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    With reference to  FIG. 1-3 , a lollipop  10  has a stem  20  and an edible part  30 , which can be made from any confectionary materials suitable for lollipops. The edible part  30  is manufactured in the shape of a conventional spoon, preferably the size of a teaspoon, but it can also be manufactured in the size of a dessert spoon, table spoon, or any other size convenient for measuring and administering liquid medications. The stem  20  has a first end  22  and a second end  24 . The first end  22  is where the user generally grips the edible spoon of the present invention to administer the liquid medication, and for later consumption of the edible part  30  of the lollipop  10 . The second end  24  is encased in the edible part  30  so as to longitudinally align the stem  20  and the edible part  30  and enable the user to administer liquid medication as with a conventional spoon. 
         [0021]    The stem  20  may further have a retaining shape or structure  40  on the second end  24  that is encased in the edible part  30 , the retaining shape or structure  40  also being encased in the edible part  30  together with the second end  24 . The retaining shape or structure is preferably spherical, as illustrated in  FIG. 1-3 , or bulb-shaped, but it can be any safe-for-children shape the largest cross-section of which is greater than the diameter of the stem  20 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 8  illustrates yet another embodiment of the edible spoon where the stem  20  (not shown) of the lollipop  10  is replaced with a handle  26 , which may be a flat handle such as that commonly used in spoons. The flat handle  26  facilitates easier handling and balancing of the lollipop  10  when the liquid medication is administered. The handle  26  may also have a retaining shape or structure  40  on the second end  24  as described herein. 
         [0023]    The edible spoon can be sold individually or, as  FIG. 4  illustrates, in packages of multiple units where multiple lollipops  10  are sold in a container  50 , but the edible spoon for administering liquid medication can also be distributed with various bottles of medication as illustrated in  FIG. 5-7  and  FIG. 9-11 . 
         [0024]    With reference to  FIG. 5 , a number of lollipops  10  can be packaged in a container  60  that has a wall  62 , a bottom  64 , and a detachable lid  66  that fits on the body, closing the container. A bottle of medication  70  is also disposed in the container, together with the lollipops  10  that are preferably individually wrapped and held together by a rubber band  100  or a similar restraint. The bottle of medication  70  and the lollipops  10  may further be secured to the inside of the wall  62  (interior of the container  60 ) to eliminate internal wobbling.  FIG. 8  also illustrates a number of edible spoons (lollipops  10 ) packaged in a row within a strip  68 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 6-7  illustrate another embodiment of the lollipops  10  packaged with a bottle of medication  70 : a cardboard or plastic carrier  80  having a top  82  and side walls  84  has cutouts or recesses  86  sized and shaped to accept lollipops  10  and a recess  88  sized and shaped to accept a bottle of liquid medicine  70 . The recesses and cutouts  86  may have wings  90  for securing the stems  20  and thus holding the lollipops  10  in place on the top  82 . 
         [0026]    A number of lollipops  10  (wrapped individually or as a group) may be attached to the exterior of the bottle of medication  70 , as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , secured to the bottle by a rubber band  100  or a similar restraint. 
         [0027]      FIG. 10  illustrates another way of distributing of the edible spoons: individually wrapped lollipops  10  are attached to the exterior of a container  110  where the container  110  also holds a bottle of liquid medication  70 . The lollipops  10  are preferably attached to the container  110  by protrusions  115 , extending outward from the exterior of the container wall  112 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 11  illustrates yet another way of packaging that can be used for the edible spoons. A container  120  has a first compartment  122  and a second compartment  124 , the second compartment  124  preferably made out of or covered with clear, see-through plastic. A bottle of medication  70  is stored in the first compartment  122 , and the lollipops  10  are stored in the second compartment  124 , visible to the purchasing public. 
         [0029]    All of the described attachment methods where the lollipops  10  are attached to the exterior of the bottle  70  or the container/carrier holding the bottle, or where the lollipops  10  are visible through clear plastic of the container increase the preventability of the present invention and appeal of the edible spoons to children and adults purchasing liquid medications. 
         [0030]    Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments, the embodiments are merely illustrative of an application of the principles of the invention. Numerous modifications may be made and other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.