US3557747A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tablet dispenser
Assignee: Ortho Pharmaceutical Corp
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Filing: 1969-05-19
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Granted: 1971-01-26
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Expires: 1989-05-19
Abstract
Abstract A tablet dispenser having a tablet ring rotatably mounted with respect to both the cover and the base, the cover and tablet ring being initially joined to permit joint rotational movement with respect to the base. The cover and tablet ring are rotated until a time reference indicator is registered with an indicia of time representing the day on which the first tablet is to be taken. The first tablet to be taken underlies the tablet access area of the cover when the cover and tablet ring are joined. After initial setting of the dispenser the interconnection between the cover and the tablet ring is broken to permit rotation of the cover with respect to the tablet ring and sequential dispensing of the tablets.
Inventors
- 👤 William R Rigney
- 👤 Robert A Luciano
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 16:38
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D83/00; B65D83/04; B65D83/0445; B65D83/0454; B65D2401/00; B65D2583/00; B65D2583/04; B65D2583/0404; B65D2583/0409
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
359 words
In a tablet dispenser of the type comprising a base; a tablet ring rotatably mounted on said base and having a series of tablet positions arranged circumferentially of the same; a cover rotatably mounted on said base on the same axis as said tablet ring; said cover having a tablet access area located radially the same distance from said axis of rotation as said tablet positions of said tablet ring and which upon rotation of said cover with respect to said tablet ring is registerable in turn with each tablet location; and a calendar element having on its surface at circumferentially equally spaced locations indicia of time arranged in chronological order, at least one indicia of time representing each moment in time at which a tablet is to be taken, said cover also having a time reference indicator which upon rotation of the cover with respect to the base to register the tablet access area with the next tablet position is registered in turn with the next succeeding indicia at which a tablet is to be taken; the improvement comprising: said cover and said tablet ring being interconnected for mutual rotation with respect to said base, said cover enclosing said tablet ring to substantially prevent direct rotatable access to said tablet ring and said interconnection between said cover And said tablet ring providing indirect rotatable access to said tablet ring, said tablet access area of said cover being registered with or having a known spacial relationship to the tablet location for the first tablet to be taken; and said interconnection between said cover and said tablet ring being breakable, whereby the cover and the tablet ring may be mutually rotated by rotation of the cover until a desired indicia is registered with the time reference indicator without disturbing the relative circumferential position of the tablet access area and the tablet ring, and whereby after said interconnection is broken, further rotation of the cover to register the next tablet to be taken with the tablet access area will cause the indicia representing the day on which that tablet is to be taken to become registered with the time reference indicator.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
359 words
In a tablet dispenser of the type comprising a base; a tablet ring rotatably mounted on said base and having a series of tablet positions arranged circumferentially of the same; a cover rotatably mounted on said base on the same axis as said tablet ring; said cover having a tablet access area located radially the same distance from said axis of rotation as said tablet positions of said tablet ring and which upon rotation of said cover with respect to said tablet ring is registerable in turn with each tablet location; and a calendar element having on its surface at circumferentially equally spaced locations indicia of time arranged in chronological order, at least one indicia of time representing each moment in time at which a tablet is to be taken, said cover also having a time reference indicator which upon rotation of the cover with respect to the base to register the tablet access area with the next tablet position is registered in turn with the next succeeding indicia at which a tablet is to be taken; the improvement comprising: said cover and said tablet ring being interconnected for mutual rotation with respect to said base, said cover enclosing said tablet ring to substantially prevent direct rotatable access to said tablet ring and said interconnection between said cover And said tablet ring providing indirect rotatable access to said tablet ring, said tablet access area of said cover being registered with or having a known spacial relationship to the tablet location for the first tablet to be taken; and said interconnection between said cover and said tablet ring being breakable, whereby the cover and the tablet ring may be mutually rotated by rotation of the cover until a desired indicia is registered with the time reference indicator without disturbing the relative circumferential position of the tablet access area and the tablet ring, and whereby after said interconnection is broken, further rotation of the cover to register the next tablet to be taken with the tablet access area will cause the indicia representing the day on which that tablet is to be taken to become registered with the time reference indicator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
A tablet dispenser of claim 1 in which the calendar element is circular and is secured to said base adjacent to and concentric with the tablet ring and contains on its surface indicia equal in number to the number of tablet locations on said tablet ring, one indicia always being located immediately adjacent each tablet location.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A tablet dispenser of claim 2 in which the time reference indicator is a window located on the same radial line of said cover as said tablet access area.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A tablet dispenser of claim 1 in which said tablet ring is rotatable only in one direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The tablet dispenser of claim 1 in which a closure tab integrally molded to the cover lies across the tablet access area.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
The tablet dispenser of claim 5 in which said closure tab has a downward extending projection and said tablet ring has a notch to receive said projection, said projection cooperating with said notch to provide the interconnection between the cover and the tablet ring, whereby when the tab is broken away to provide access to the first tablet the interconnection between the cover and the tablet ring will automatically be permanently broken.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
71 words
The tablet dispenser of claim 1 also comprising a fixed gear ring lying inward of and concentric with the tablet ring and secured to the base, gear teeth being disposed on the inner surface of said gear ring and being equal in number to the number of tablet locations of said tablet ring, said calendar element comprising a geared wheel engaged with said gear ring and rotatably mounted on said cover.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
70 words
The tablet dispenser of claim 1 also comprising a fixed gear ring projecting downward from said cover inward of and concentric to said tablet ring, gear teeth being disposed on the inner surface of said gear ring and being equal in number to the number of tablet locations of said tablet ring, said calendar element comprising a geared wheel engaged with said gear ring and rotatably mounted on said base.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3297198A
Cited
US3495567A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-01-25 | 1974-07-27 | 1975-01-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-01-25 | 1978-07-27 | 1979-01-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-01-25 | 1982-07-27 | 1983-01-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |