Patent ID: 8752728

Claim:
A portable, time-release, dosage form dispensing assembly comprising: a hopper for holding a supply of like, loose and randomly oriented dosage forms, the hopper including a bottom portion having an opening sized and shaped for receiving one of the dosage forms; an electromechanical apparatus that dispenses the dosage forms from the hopper through the opening, the apparatus being adapted to dispense the dosage forms to a dispensing area one dosage form at a time; a programmable controller for generating a set of control signals to control the apparatus to dispense a preselected number of dosage forms at a preselected time of day or time interval; and a communication apparatus for communicating a first set of data to the controller to program the controller, the first set of data representing the preselected number and the preselected time of day or time interval wherein the electromechanical apparatus includes an electric motor having a rotary output shaft, gearing in driving engagement with the shaft, and a wheel in driving engagement with the gearing and supported for rotary movement immediately adjacent the opening, the wheel having an aperture extending completely therethrough wherein a single dosage form is dispensed to the dispensing area when the aperture and the opening are substantially aligned.