Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
227 words
An apparatus for distributing predetermined dosage units of pharmaceutical materials, each dosage unit being provided in generally flat rectangularly-shaped packages having opposite side edges and top and bottom edges, said apparatus comprising housing means, a plurality of patient trays removably mounted in said housing means, each tray being elongated and formed to provide opposite longitudinally extending side edge portions with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart, longitudinally relatively narrow cavities extending transversely between said side edge portions with the ends of said cavities being adjacent, respectively, said side edge portions, each cavity being formed to have a bottom, front side and back side, each cavity being proportioned to receive one of the packages with the bottom edge of the package adjacent the bottom of said cavity and the side edges of the package adjacent, respectively, the ends of said cavity, said cavities in said tray being defined primarily by integrally formed, longitudinally spaced apart protrusions extending laterally inwardly, respectively, from said side edge portions toward the longitudinal center of said tray, each said protrusion having an upper portion terminating a first distance from its respective side edge portion and a lower portion terminating a second and greater distance from its respective side edge portion, each protrusion on one side of said tray being transversely aligned with one of said protrusions on the opposite side of said tray.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
227 words
An apparatus for distributing predetermined dosage units of pharmaceutical materials, each dosage unit being provided in generally flat rectangularly-shaped packages having opposite side edges and top and bottom edges, said apparatus comprising housing means, a plurality of patient trays removably mounted in said housing means, each tray being elongated and formed to provide opposite longitudinally extending side edge portions with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart, longitudinally relatively narrow cavities extending transversely between said side edge portions with the ends of said cavities being adjacent, respectively, said side edge portions, each cavity being formed to have a bottom, front side and back side, each cavity being proportioned to receive one of the packages with the bottom edge of the package adjacent the bottom of said cavity and the side edges of the package adjacent, respectively, the ends of said cavity, said cavities in said tray being defined primarily by integrally formed, longitudinally spaced apart protrusions extending laterally inwardly, respectively, from said side edge portions toward the longitudinal center of said tray, each said protrusion having an upper portion terminating a first distance from its respective side edge portion and a lower portion terminating a second and greater distance from its respective side edge portion, each protrusion on one side of said tray being transversely aligned with one of said protrusions on the opposite side of said tray.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which each said protrusion is tapered to be longitudinally wider at its lower portion than its upper portion such that said cavities are longitudinally wider at their upper portions than at their lower portions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 2 in which said tray is formed to have a bottom with ribs extending upwardly and transversely between aligned lower portions of said protrusions to define said bottoms of said cavities.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which said tray is formed to have a bottom with ribs extending upwardly and transversely between aligned lower portions of said protrusions to define said bottoms of said cavities.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including first indicia means disposed along and on one side edge portion of said tray to indicate the times when such dosage units are to be administered and second indicia means disposed along and on the other side edge portion of said tray to indicate the patient''s prescription numbers for the various dosage units contained in the tray.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 5 in which the side edge portions of said tray provide, respectively, longitudinally and outwardly extending, upwardly facing flanges, said indicia means being disposed on said flanges.