Patent US3904075A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3904075A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tablet dispenser
Assignee: MEDICAL DISPENSER Co
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Filing: 1974-03-29
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Granted: 1975-09-09
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Expires: 1994-03-29
Abstract
Abstract A tablet dispenser is formed of a housing including a body having a dispensing opening therein and a cover pivotally connected with the body and carrying an ejector tab aligned with the dispensing opening, and a tablet package including a plurality of tablets at least partially enclosed by a frangible material is disposed in the body. A tablet to be dispensed is moved between the ejector tab and the dispensing opening; and, in order to dispense the tablet, a user need only squeeze the housing to move the body and cover relative to each other such that the ejector tab engages the tablet to rupture the frangible material and permit the tablet to drop through the dispensing opening.
Inventors
- 👤 James E Richardson
- 👤 Stephen C Swain
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 14:07
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D83/00; B65D83/04; B65D83/0445; B65D83/0463; A; A61; A61J; A61J7/00; A61J7/04; A61J1/00; A61J1/03; A61J1/035; B65D2583/00; B65D2583/04; B65D2583/0404; B65D2583/0409
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A tablet dispenser comprising a housing including a body having a dispensing opening therein and a cover extending over said body; ejection means associated with the cover and spaced from and aligned with said dispensing opening, said ejection means being movable toward said dispensing opening; and a tablet package including a plurality of tablets each at least partially enclosed by a frangible material, said tablet package being disposed in said body with said tablets movable in said space between said ejection means and said dispensing opening whereby said tablets can be dispensed through said dispensing opening by moving said ejection means toward said dispensing opening to apply a force against said tablets and rupture said frangible material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
117 words
A tablet dispenser comprising a housing including a body having a dispensing opening therein and a cover extending over said body; ejection means associated with the cover and spaced from and aligned with said dispensing opening, said ejection means being movable toward said dispensing opening; and a tablet package including a plurality of tablets each at least partially enclosed by a frangible material, said tablet package being disposed in said body with said tablets movable in said space between said ejection means and said dispensing opening whereby said tablets can be dispensed through said dispensing opening by moving said ejection means toward said dispensing opening to apply a force against said tablets and rupture said frangible material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 1 wherein said cover is movable relative to said body to move said ejection means toward said dispensing opening.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 2 wherein said housing includes means biasing said cover away from said body toward a storage state with said ejection means spaced from said tablets, said cover and said body being squeezable against the force of said bias means to dispense said tablets.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 3 wherein said cover is pivotally connected with said body.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 4 wherein said housing is integrally formed of plastic with said cover being pivotally connected with said body by an integrally formed hinge biasing said cover away from said body.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 5 wherein said frangible material has an outer surface extending across said dispensing opening with time related indicia carried on said outer surface of saId frangible material in alignment with each of said tablets such that said time related indicia is viewable through said dispensing opening.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 6 wherein said tablet package has a disc-like configuration and said tablets are annularly arranged and further comprising indexing means rotatably disposed in said body engaging said tablet package and having a plurality of annularly arranged apertures aligned with said tablets.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
81 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 7 wherein said body has wall means disposed therein having an upper edge with a plurality of detent notches therein and said indexing means has detent lug means extending therefrom to be received in said detent notches to index positioning of said tablets with said dispensing opening, said detent lug means riding on said upper edge of said wall means as said indexing means is rotated to provide clearance for said ruptured frangible material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 8 wherein said detent notches each have an inclined surface to permit rotation of said tablets only in a predetermined direction.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 9 wherein said body has a central aperture therein and said indexing means has a tab extending through said central aperture whereby said indexing means can be rotated to move said tablets by turning said tab.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 9 wherein said body has an opening along a side edge thereof and said indexing means has a rim extending through said side opening whereby said indexing means can be rotated to move said tablets by turning said rim.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 1 wherein said frangible material has an outer surface extending across said dispensing opening with time related indicia carried on said outer surface of said frangible material in alignment with each of said tablets such that said time related indicia is viewable through said dispensing opening.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
61 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 1 wherein said body has detent notch means therein and further comprising indexing means rotatably disposed in said body in engagement with said tablet package to control movement of said tablets, said indexing means carrying detent lug means for engaging said detent notch means to index the position of said tablets in said body.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 13 wherein said detent lug means is movable away from said body to raise said indexing means and provide clearance for ruptured portions of said frangible material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 1 wherein said body has a central aperture therein and further comprising indexing means rotatably disposed in said body in engagement with said tablet package having a tab extending through said central aperture to permit movement of said tablets.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 1 wherein said body has an opening in a side edge thereof and further comprising indexing means rotatably disposed in said body in engagement with said tablet package having a rim extending through said side opening to permit movement of said tablets.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 1 and further comprising means for permitting said tablet package to be raised as said tablets are moved to provide clearance for ruptured portions of said frangible material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
115 words
A tablet dispenser for dispensing tablets at least partially enclosed by a frangible material comprising body means adapted to receive the tablets and having a dispensing opening therein; and cover means pivotally connected with said body means and carrying an ejector tab aligned with said dispensing opening, said cover means being pivotally movable between a storage state with said ejector tab spaced from said dispensing opening and a dispensing state with said ejector tab adjacent said dispensing opening whereby a tablet disposed between said ejector tab and said dispensing opening can be dispensed from said tablet dispenSer by squeezing said body means and said cover means to pivot said cover means to said dispensing state.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
115 words
A tablet dispenser for dispensing tablets at least partially enclosed by a frangible material comprising body means adapted to receive the tablets and having a dispensing opening therein; and cover means pivotally connected with said body means and carrying an ejector tab aligned with said dispensing opening, said cover means being pivotally movable between a storage state with said ejector tab spaced from said dispensing opening and a dispensing state with said ejector tab adjacent said dispensing opening whereby a tablet disposed between said ejector tab and said dispensing opening can be dispensed from said tablet dispenSer by squeezing said body means and said cover means to pivot said cover means to said dispensing state.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 18 and further comprising means hingedly connecting said cover means with said body means and biasing said cover means away from said body means toward said storage state.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
A tablet dispenser as recited in claim 19 wherein said body means, said cover means and said connecting and biasing means are integrally formed of plastic material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-08 | 1979-03-10 | 1979-09-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-08 | 1983-03-10 | 1983-09-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-08 | 1987-03-10 | 1987-09-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |