Unit dose medication dispenser

Claim 2

A unit dose medication dispenser to provide pills to a patient at preselected times of day, said dispenser comprising: a rigid, rectilinear container comprised of rectangular receptacles arranged in rows of seven receptacles each, thereby presenting a matrix of rows and seven columns; each receptacle being further comprised of a bottom, four upwardly extending sidewalls, and a liftable flat lid hingedly attached to the top of one of the sidewalls, each lid being provided with a tab to facilitate lifting of the lid; means for designating each column with a different day of the week and each lid selectively with a time of the day before noon and after noon, wherein said means for designating each lid with the time of the day is comprised of a subcompartment within each receptacle, first and second substantially parallel and vertically oriented wheels disposed within said subcompartment, and a substantially horizontally oriented spindle fixed within said subcompartment on which said wheels are rotatably mounted for independent rotation, the arcuate wall of said first wheel further being imprinted with numbers representing the hours of the day, the arcuate wall of said second wheel being imprinted with letters representing a.m. and p.m., each lid being provided with a cut-away portion through which a single number in its entirety and a single letter in its entirety may be seen when said wheels are set to a desired time of day at which medication is to dispensed.

Claim 3

A unit dose medication dispenser to provide pills to a patient at preselected times of day, said dispenser comprising: a rigid, rectilinear container comprised of rectangular receptacles arranged in rows of seven receptacles each, thereby presenting a matrix of rows and seven columns, each receptacle being further comprised of a bottom, four upwardly extending side walls, and a liftable flat lid hingedly attached to the top of one of the sidewalls, each lid being provided with a tab to facilitate lifting of the lid; means for designating each column with a different day of the week and each lid with a time of the day, wherein said means for designating each lid with the time of day is comprised of a spindle placed in snug engagement within a bore through each of said lids, each terminus of the spindle extending beyond the surface of the like, first and second substantially parallel wheels rotatably mounted for independent rotation on said spindle on opposite faces of the lid, said first wheel having a larger diameter than said second wheel and being mounted on the face of the lid adjacent the interior of the compartment, said second wheel being mounted on the opposite face of said lid, the flat face of said first wheel adjacent the lid being imprinted with numbers representing the hours of the day and the flat top face of said second wheel adjacent the lid being imprinted with letters representing a.m. or p.m., each lid being provided with a cut-away portion through which a single number in its entirety may be seen, the number imprinted on said first wheel and the letter on said second wheel being alignable to indicate a desired time of day at which medication is to be dispensed.

Claim 4

A unit dose medication dispenser to provide pills to a patient at preselected times of day, said dispenser comprising: a rigid, rectilinear container comprised of rectangular receptacles arranged in rows of seven receptacles each, thereby presenting a matrix of rows and seven columns, each receptacle being further comprised of a bottom, four upwardly extending side walls, and a liftable flat lid hingedly attached to the top of one of the sidewalls, each lid being provided with a tab to facilitate lifting of the lid; means for designating each column with a different day of the week and each lid with a time of the day, wherein said means for designating each lid with the time of day is comprised of a spindle placed in snug engagement within a bore through each of said lids, each terminus of the spindle extending beyond the surface of the like, first and second substantially parallel wheels rotatably mounted for independent rotation on said spindle on opposite faces of the lid, said first wheel having a larger diameter than said second wheel and being mounted on the face of the lid adjacent the interior of the compartment, said second wheel being mounted on the opposite face of said lid, the flat face of said first wheel adjacent the lid being imprinted with numbers representing the hours of the day and the flat top face of said second wheel adjacent the lid being imprinted with letters representing a.m. or p.m., each lid being provided with a cut-away portion through which a single number in its entirety may be seen, the number imprinted on said first wheel and the letter on said second wheel being alignable to indicate a desired time of day at which medication is to be dispensed.