Patent ID: 7284678

Claim:
An apparatus for holding and dispensing a plurality of gel-caps, comprising: an elongate tube for containing the plurality of gel-caps, said elongate tube having a dispensing end; a housing remote from said elongate tube and having a first side, an upper end, and a lower end defining a dispensing opening; a lower fastener attached to said housing first side adjacent said housing lower end for coupling said dispensing end of said elongate tube to said housing upwardly adjacent said dispensing opening; a dispensing arm operatively connected to said housing upwardly adjacent said dispensing opening, said dispensing arm being movable between a first configuration in which a respective gel-cap from said elongate tube is restrained on said dispensing arm and a second configuration in which the respective gel-cap is dispensed; a button in communication with said dispensing arm for moving said dispensing arm from said first configuration to said second configuration when said button is activated; and wherein: said dispensing end of said elongate tube includes a pierceable region; and said lower fastener includes a cutter for piercing said pierceable region of said elongate tube when said dispensing end of said elongate tube is coupled to said housing, whereby allowing a respective gel-cap contained in said elongate tube to reach said dispensing arm.