US4062445A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Medicine dispensers
Assignee: ITEM DEVELOPMENT A SWEDISH JOINT-STOCK Co AB
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Filing: 1976-09-14
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Granted: 1977-12-13
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Expires: 1996-09-14
Abstract
Abstract In a portable dispenser for medicines such as pills, tablets, capsules, etc., and which includes a case housing a plurality of separate medicine receptacles or compartments corresponding to certain periods in each day in the course of a week, and which has a plurality of transparent cover strips or slats which may be moved to open or close the receptacles to provide access to or close the receptacles; the improvement which includes a lock mechanism for normally locking the cover strips in closed position relative to one or more medicine compartment but which may easily be operated to release the cover strips to allow them to be moved to open position to provide access to the medicine compartments. The lock mechanism also permits the cover strips once open to be easily returned to closed position to close the underlying medicine compartments. The lock mechanism thus provides a positive element of safety to the dispenser which is particularly suitable in preventing accidental access to the pill compartments by infants or children.
Inventors
- 👤 Kjell Moe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 12:13
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D43/00; B65D43/02; B65D43/12; A; A61; A61J; A61J7/00; A61J7/0076; A61J7/0084; A61J1/00; A61J1/03; A61J7/04; B65D2215/00; B65D2215/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
In a medicine dispenser including a case having means defining a number of medicine compartments, and at least one cover slidable in the case over the compartments between a closed position closing the compartments and an open position opening the compartments for access through the top of the case; the improvement comprising lock means for locking said cover against movement between said positions thereof, said lock means including at least a stop thereon mounted for movement in the case between a first position in the path of movement of the cover for engaging a selected one of a plurality of abutment surfaces of the cover and blocking the cover against movement and a second position out of the path of the cover for permitting movement of the cover, said lock means further including a manually operable actuating member mounted to the case for movement relative to the case and being connected to the stop for actuating the stop between said positions thereof upon movement of the actuating member relative to the case.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
In a medicine dispenser including a case having means defining a number of medicine compartments, and at least one cover slidable in the case over the compartments between a closed position closing the compartments and an open position opening the compartments for access through the top of the case; the improvement comprising lock means for locking said cover against movement between said positions thereof, said lock means including at least a stop thereon mounted for movement in the case between a first position in the path of movement of the cover for engaging a selected one of a plurality of abutment surfaces of the cover and blocking the cover against movement and a second position out of the path of the cover for permitting movement of the cover, said lock means further including a manually operable actuating member mounted to the case for movement relative to the case and being connected to the stop for actuating the stop between said positions thereof upon movement of the actuating member relative to the case.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein said manually operable actuating member includes a resilient member for biasing the stop into locking position preventing movement of the cover.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein said manually operable actuating member has one end fixed to the case and an opposite end spaced from the case and being connected to the stop to move the same, said actuating member being formed from resilient material such that when released it will bias the stop to said first position thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein said cover has said abutment surfaces projecting therefrom to be engageable with said stop to prevent movement of the cover when the stop is in said first position thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The improvement defined in claim 4 wherein the cover has the plurality of abutment surfaces spaced along the length thereof to define recesses for receiving the stop to prevent movement of the cover upon engagement with one of the abutment surfaces.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The improvement defined in claim 5 wherein said abutment surfaces are spaced along an edge portion of the cover.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
73 words
The improvement defined in claim 5 wherein said cover has a plurality of locking ears spaced along the length thereof with the abutment surfaces formed on one of the ends of the locking ears and wherein the opposite ends of the locking ears are inclined to provide cam surfaces for engaging and moving the stop out of the path of the cover upon movement of the cover towards closed position closing the compartments.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
The improvement defined in claim 1 incorporated in a medicine dispenser including a plurality of rows of medicine compartments and a plurality of associated covers movable between positions closing and opening the medicine compartments respectively and wherein said lock means includes a plurality of stops associated with each of the covers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
86 words
The improvement defined in claim 8 wherein said lock means includes an elongated locking strip mounted for slidable movement in the case and wherein said stops are fixed to the locking strip at locations spaced along the length of the locking strip and wherein said manually operable actuating member is fixed to the locking strip and is positioned externally of the case to be manually operable for moving the locking strip to move the stops into and out of locking positions relative to the associated cover.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The improvement defined in claim 9 wherein said actuating member has one end fixed to the case and an opposite end being fixed to the locking strip and being movable relative to the case to move the locking strip.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
The improvement defined in claim 10 incorporated in a case having a top including a plurality of ribs spaced laterally from each other defining the plurality of rows of medicine compartments and wherein said locking strip extends transversely through apertures in the ends of said ribs.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-12-12 | 1981-06-13 | 1981-12-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-12-12 | 1985-06-13 | 1985-12-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-12-12 | 1989-06-13 | 1989-12-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |