Dispenser with detachable trays and cup
An article dispenser having a detachable base, one or more detachable trays, and a detachable cup. The base, tray, and cup have corresponding cylindrical sidewalls to permit vertical stacking, attachment, and rotation. The tray consists generally of a hollow cavity for storing articles such as pills or vitamins and an outlet appendage through which the articles may be dispensed. Stacking a tray atop the base and then turning the tray with a clockwise, rotating motion guides the tray to a centered position and secures it to the base. The base, one or more trays, and the cup may be stacked in this manner to assemble the device. Rotating a stacked and secured tray further clockwise, beyond its centered position, reveals the tray outlet appendage and enables the user to dispense a loaded item. Conversely, rotating a stacked and secured tray counter-clockwise, beyond its centered position, releases the tray and enables it to be removed from the stack and filled. The cup is configured to contain and dispense liquid for drinking, thus aiding in the act of consumption.
Not applicable
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCHNot Applicable
SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAMNot Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention is most closely associated with container devices that store, organize, and dispense articles such as medications and vitamins. The invention also relates to the field of pill containers with drinking cups. However, the potential fields of use for this invention are myriad. The more obvious applications are mentioned simply as a means of providing full and complete disclosure of the invention's elements and features. A comprehensive listing of all possible fields to which this invention may be applied is limited only by the imagination, and therefore, is not provided herein.
2. Background of the Invention
According to a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association in January of 2002, roughly 80% of all adults routinely take at least one type of medication. Among adults over the age of 45, more than 30% of men and 40% of women take five or more medications each week. In addition, persons of all ages are consuming vitamins, minerals, enzymes, herbal remedies, and various types of weight loss supplements. Approximately 40% of adults take some form of supplement on a daily basis and many take several. For many persons, this regimen can be onerous and burdensome to manage. Pills are usually packaged in small containers with screw-type lids or childproof caps, and by design, many of these containers are difficult to open and close. The elderly, the arthritic, and persons suffering from a condition that impairs movement of the fingers may lack the strength and dexterity necessary to operate them. Moreover, these containers are typically designed to store and dispense only one type of medication. The repetition associated with opening a container, dispensing pills, and then closing a container is inefficient and time-consuming.
Storing multiple containers and packages also consumes a significant amount of space. The small cylindrical containers used to store a single prescription drug, for example, are typically taller than they are wide and thus too unstable to be stacked. They must be positioned side by side on a shelf or countertop.
Another weakness of many pill containers is that they have limited utility. They have no capacity to aid the user with the act of pill consumption. Because pills are usually taken with a liquid such as water to ease swallowing, a user must obtain and use a separate cup or drinking glass. Such an act does not typically require much effort, but it adds time and a step to the process.
The prior art reveals several inventions that have attempted to simplify the process of storing, dispensing, and consuming medication. An early example may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,514,008 to Dorn which discloses a combination pill container and retractable drinking cup. An outer sleeve mounted to the cylindrical container body may be extended with a sliding motion, filled with a liquid, and then used as a cup. The invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,804 to Austin is similarly compact and portable, but it functions as a convertible, disposable device. The invention consists of a paperboard package that contains a quantity of pills. A portion of the package may be removed, folded and configured into a cylindrical shape, and then used as a cup.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,138 to Hornstein shows an alternative form. The invention consists of a tubular container and a collapsible drinking cup. The cup is comprised of nested, concentric segments that must be extended and fitted by hand. The container portion is large enough to accommodate a plurality of pills, but it is intended to function as a portable first-aid kit. It would be unwieldy to use as a medication dispenser.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,010 to Kogen discloses elements that are similar to previous inventions, but in combination they offer users some additional utility. The device consists of a collapsible drinking cup and a pill container with a plurality of wedge-shaped chambers. The chambers allow medication to be organized by type or into doses. The circular, rotating, planar cover of the container includes an opening through which the medication can be dispensed. The collapsible cup consists of conical nested sections that can be extended to form a leak-proof cup.
A more recent invention is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,419,081 to Ross. The device consists of a combination pill and water container that retains the solids and liquids in separate, sealed compartments. Though it is an efficient and straightforward design, it does not attempt to accommodate or organize multiple medications.
All of the aforementioned inventions are generally suitable for their intended purposes. Most are relatively simple and offer a measure of utility. However, none of these devices can be customized to accommodate an individual user's specific regimen. Storage capacity is fixed. Additional compartments or volume cannot be added or subtracted to suit user needs. Additionally, all of these inventions require some measure of dexterity to operate. Because elderly and arthritic persons typically lack the muscle strength or motor skills to dispense pills from small containers, filling these compact devices and manipulating the small caps and lids could be problematic and possibly painful.
A few of the inventions disclosed in the prior art have incorporated collapsible cups. This approach allows for a compact design, but the nested cups occupy space in the device that could otherwise be used to store pills. Collapsible cups must also be assembled by the user, which requires dexterity and adds complexity and time to the process of consumption. The Ross device does not require assembly and therefore is somewhat easier to use, but like the other devices it cannot be customized. Additionally, it is designed to be portable and thus can only accommodate a small number of pills.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION—OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGESAccordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide a dispenser device that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a dispenser device having a detachable base, one or more detachable trays, and a detachable cup.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a dispenser device with adjustable capacity and volume.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a dispenser device that can be customized to accommodate a user's specific medication regimen and preferences.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a dispenser device that can be manipulated quickly and with minimal effort.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a dispenser device that can be assembled quickly without fasteners or tools.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a dispenser device that simplifies the process of medication, vitamin, and herbal supplement storage and consumption.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a dispenser device that consumes less shelf or countertop space than other devices with similar capacity and volume.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a dispenser device that is simple in construction and low in cost.
Further objects of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and the ensuing description.
SUMMARYA dispenser device having a detachable base, one or more detachable trays, and a detachable cup is disclosed. The various elements are stackable and can be added or removed to suit user needs and preferences. When the device is fully assembled, the outer sidewalls of the base, trays, and cup form a continuous surface that defines the device exterior.
The base of the invention is generally cylindrical in shape with a flat, circular bottom and a peripheral sidewall that extends vertically to form a cavity. The top of the peripheral sidewall has lateral flanges that permit communication with the bottom of the tray or the cup and allow either of those elements to be stacked, rotated, and secured. A stacked tray or cup can be rotated clockwise to be aligned and secured, or if secured, rotated counter-clockwise to be removed. Stop tabs that extend downward from one end of each flange limit the rotation.
The detachable tray is generally cylindrical in shape with an outlet appendage and peripheral sidewalls that extend both above and below the tray bottom. The upper sidewall extending above the tray bottom forms a hollow cavity into which articles such as tablets and pills may be loaded. The sidewall is interrupted by an aperture that, when the device is fully assembled and a tray is rotated clockwise from its centered position, allows the loaded items to be dispensed through the outlet appendage. Like the base, the tray can be releasably secured to another tray or the cup. The bottom of the tray is configured like the bottom of the cup to permit communication with the top of the base or another tray. In certain embodiments of the invention, the exterior surface of the tray may include letters, numbers, markings, or another means of labeling contents or the invention's various elements.
The detachable cup is generally cylindrical in shape and has a small, convex appendage that, when the cup is stacked atop a tray, covers the outlet appendage of the tray. The cup also includes a recessed cavity extending below the cup bottom. The cavity is defined by a cylindrical sidewall with lateral flanges that permit communication with the top of a tray or the base. In configuration, this lower sidewall of the cup is identical to the sidewall that defines the lower portion of the tray. Thus, relative to the base, the cup and the tray are interchangeable.
It should be noted that the sidewalls and flanges described herein as the means of communication and connection do not constitute a limitation on the present invention. It is within the scope of this invention to include any other means of aligning and releasably securing the base, tray, and cup to each other, such as helical threads, one or more continuous ribs, or sidewalls that simply fit together frictionally.
To suit the user's preferences, the device may be assembled into a configuration consisting of: 1) the base and a tray; 2) the base and the cup; 3) the base, a tray, and the cup; or 4) the base, a plurality of trays, and the cup. The various elements may or may not share the same materials, color, pattern, texture, or surface markings. It should also be noted that the size and shape of the base, tray, and cup as described and illustrated herein do not constitute a limitation on the present invention. Trays, for example, may be manufactured in a wide assortment of sizes and shapes to permit further customization of the device's capacity and volume.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring to
The base 52 is generally defined by a flat, circular bottom 62 and a continuous perimeter sidewall 54 that extends vertically to form a hollow cavity. Lateral flanges 56 extending outward from the top of the sidewall 54 allow releasable securement to either tray 22 or the cup 72. A flange gap 60 is provided to indicate engagement and alignment in a centered position. Integral hanging stop tabs 58 limit the rotation. A tray 22 or cup 72 can be secured to the base 52 with a clockwise rotation, or if already secured, released and removed with a counter-clockwise rotation.
As best seen in
As shown in
The present invention may be assembled by the user into multiple configurations. In the second embodiment illustrated in
Accordingly, the reader will see that the invention is versatile and has considerable utility. In its various embodiments, the present invention allows users to store, organize, dispense, and consume a wide variety of disparate articles quickly and with minimal effort. Unlike other dispenser devices that require small lids or caps to be repeatedly opened and closed, the present invention can be assembled, disassembled, and operated with a single twist. The cup 72 aids users with consumption and thus provides an additional measure of convenience. The vertical orientation of the stacked elements is similarly beneficial, as it minimizes the footprint of the dispenser device to ensure efficient use of shelf or countertop space. Users can also customize the dispenser device as desired. For example, any number of trays 22 can be added or subtracted to suit the user's medication regimen or preferences.
It will be apparent to others skilled in the art that a variety of modifications to the design or fabrication of the device can be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments specifically described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A dispenser comprising:
- a) a base having a planar bottom and a substantially cylindrical sidewall;
- b) a plurality of trays, each having a planar bottom, a substantially cylindrical sidewall interrupted by an opening, and an outlet appendage extending outward from the cylindrical sidewall;
- c) a cup having a planar bottom and a substantially cylindrical sidewall; and
- d) means for releasably securing said base, said trays, and said cup to each other.
2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said dispenser is made of plastic.
3. The dispenser of claim 1, said dispenser comprising said base, one tray, and said cup.
4. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said trays have disparate heights and capacities.
5. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the surfaces of said trays are marked with indicia.
6. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the releasable securing means comprises a plurality of lateral flanges extending from the cylindrical sidewalls of said base, said trays, and said cup.
7. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the releasable securing means comprises helical threads located on the cylindrical sidewalls of said base, said trays, and said cup.
8. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the releasable securing means comprises a plurality of lateral ribs located on the cylindrical sidewalls of said base, said trays, and said cup.
9. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the releasable securing means comprises the cylindrical sidewalls of said base, said trays, and said cup, which fit together frictionally.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 8, 2005
Publication Date: Feb 8, 2007
Inventor: David Hall (Hilliard, OH)
Application Number: 11/199,015
International Classification: B65D 77/00 (20060101); B65D 85/42 (20060101);