US20090057186A1 - Pill packaging system - Google Patents

Abstract

A pill packaging apparatus is shown and described.

Description

FIELD
• This invention pertains generally to packaging systems and more particularly to a cost effective, mechanical pill packager.
BACKGROUND
• Pill containers are widely used for organizing and carrying pills. For example, a common pill carrier consists of a molded plastic container with multiple compartments that open individually to allow access to pills contained within. Such containers are useful, but have a number of drawbacks. One obvious drawback is that when all but a few compartments are empty, the carrier still needs to carry the whole container. Likewise, the pill container must be carried, even when it is empty. It is possible to use disposable containers, such as plastic baggies or paper envelopes, however loading such containers is time consuming and inconvenient.
• Pill packaging systems are used to load pills and/or other capsules into containers, cup or pill carriers, for later use. Many of the current pill packaging systems are complicated electronic devices are therefore more prone to breakage than a manual device. Likewise, such complex pill packaging systems are less cost effective than a manual pill packaging system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a pill packager.
• FIG. 2 is a detail view of the base in accordance with one embodiment.
• FIG. 3 is a detail view of the support tray in accordance with one embodiment.
• FIG. 4 is a detail view of the rotator tray in accordance with one embodiment.
• FIG. 5 is a detail view of the connector in accordance with one embodiment.
• FIG. 6 is a detail view of an alternate embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• Pill packaging systems may be used by people of all ages who periodically take pills or vitamin supplements over a length of time (e.g., hours or days) and wish to organize or carry their packaged pills with them.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of apill packager10 and showing thepill packager10 with abase12, asupport tray14 and arotator tray16. In some embodiments, the pill packager is to be constructed of a durable yet lightweight material such as plastic or composite, but could be made of any other suitable material (e.g., wood or metal) in other embodiments. Likewise, the pill packager could be fabricated from many different cost effective manufacturing methods such as injection molding or extruding. In the exemplary embodiment shown inFIG. 1, thepill packager10 is made of the elements as shown and is designed to be easily assembled and adjusted by the end user.
• Thebase12, an example of which is shown in detail inFIG. 2, has a footprint designed to rest on a horizontal surface, such as a countertop, withperipheral edge18, and thetop surface20 thereof may define a plurality of surface features. In some exemplary embodiments, thetop surface20 bows slightly upward and defines a plurality ofpads22 and aholder24. Theholder24 is designed to hold a container, e.g., a baggie (as shown inFIG. 1), a cup, a plastic tub or some other container, used for packaging pills. In accordance with the particular container to be used, theholder24 may take different shapes. Likewise thepads22 may be more or fewer in number and also modified in shape in position on the base. In the embodiment shown, theholder24 is located proximate theperipheral edge18 and is in addition to, and eccentric of, thecenter hub26 for mounting theconnector28 and thetray elements14 and16. Thecenter hub26 extends generally orthogonally from the top surface (upward—if thebase12 of thepill packager10 is resting on a horizontal surface; this orientation reference language will be maintained throughout the following description for consistency) and defines aretaining edge30 and raisedkey32.
• Returning toFIG. 1, it is seen that thecenter boss34 of the support tray14 fits into and mates with thecenter hub26 of thebase12, such that the two elements—tray14 andbase12—are oriented generally parallel to one another and fixedly engaged. Alternatively, the support tray and base could be manufactured as one unit or could be held together in different ways, such as by screws or adhesive. The instant design with separate elements shown having mating center fittings has been chosen for ease of both manufacturing and use.
• Shown in more detail inFIG. 3, theexemplary support tray14 is seen to comprise thecenter boss34 as well as the eccentrically locatedload element36. Thecenter boss34 defines akeyway38 for engaging the connector28 (to be best seen inFIG. 5 and discussed later). Thekeyway38 is oriented on the support tray14 so as to link theconnector28 with thesupport tray14 andbase12 positioning theload element36 over theholder24. Because thesupport tray14 does not rotate with respect to thebase12, theload element36 will continually be positioned over theholder24. Theload element36 is designed to direct the pills or other capsules into the waiting baggie or other container being held in theholder24 and could alternatively be of a different shape, e.g., a wide or narrow tube, a funnel, or an inverted cone, and could even comprise an adjustable aperture for selecting different sizes of pills to load. In the embodiment shown, theload element36 comprises a descending funnel so as to narrowly direct the pills into the baggie to be loaded and packaged. However, different types of pills or medicinal capsules and different types of containers may dictate a different type ofload element36.
• Theexemplary rotator tray16 ofFIG. 4 sits atop thesupport tray14 and comprises a plurality of bottomless pill compartments42 (in the embodiment shown, the number ofpill compartments42 is chosen to be seven so as to correspond to the days of the week but could be any other number according to the desired indexing scheme, possibly corresponding to other time information, e.g., hours of the day, days of the month, etc.) and a similar number (here seven) ofribs44 arranged around and extending radially outwardly from thecentral ring46. The resulting annular shape defines an inner rim (central ring)46 and anouter rim50.
• The rotator tray may optionally featuretabs48 extending outwardly from theouter rim50 and optionally corresponding to thepill compartments42, whichtabs48 may be indexed and labeled with the days of the week, or numbered as desired. The user manipulates thetabs48 so as to position the desired pill compartment over theload element36 thereby loading and packaging the selected pills into the baggie (being held in the holder beneath the load element). The user can then remove and secure the loaded baggie, replacing it in theholder24 with a baggie or other container in preparation for the next pill dose.
• In one embodiment, an option additional tab (or tabs)52 (referred to as the load tab) may be located on theouter rim50 to indicate the load position of therotator tray16. When therotator tray16 is thus positioned in the load position, the pills or other medicinal capsules can then be loaded into thepill compartments42 of therotator tray16 without entering theload element36.
• Still according toFIG. 4, thecentral ring46 defined by the inner rim of therotator tray16 comprises a plurality ofdetents54 corresponding to thevarious tabs48 and52. Thedetents54 extend inwardly from theinner rim46 and are to be used in conjunction with the bumps to be described later as part of the indexing means for thepill packager10.
• FIG. 5 shows theconnector28 greatly magnified for purposes of clarity. Theconnector28 provides the connecting linkage between therotator tray16 and thesupport tray14 thereby allowing the two trays to rotationally engage relative to one another. The top cap58 (the top cap could be any suitable shape to create flange for the column, e.g., a disk, square, polygon or the like) is fixedly mounted on thecentral column60 and defines a plurality ofbumps62 on theunderside64 which may correspond to thedetents54 of therotator tray16 and are intended to fit therein. Thecentral column60 is oriented generally orthogonally from theunderside64 of thetop cap58 and, when thetop cap58 is assembled adjacent thecentral ring46 of therotator tray16, depends through thecenter boss34 and thekeyway38 to mate with thekey32 of thebase12. Typically (the connecting linkage of) theconnector28 is removably and adjustably mounted on theinner rim46 of therotator tray16 but is kept relatively fixed and rotationally stationary by thekeyway38 of thetray support14 and thekey32 of thebase member12.
• Although the illustrated embodiments comprisesseparate base12 and support tray14 elements for ease of assembly, it is understood that in alternate embodiments, these two elements could be integrated into one element and the connecting linkage could directly link the rotator tray element to the integrated base/support tray element. In said alternate embodiments with the thusly integrated base/support tray element, the key and keyway may be likewise integrated into one element.
• In operation, the rotator tray16, of thepill packager10, rotates relative to the stationarylower support tray14, thereby alternately positioning the selectedpill compartments42 superjacent the descending funnel (load element)36 of thesupport tray14. In the example embodiment, the system oftabs48 are used to assist in the rotation of therotator tray16. A user may manually handle thetabs48 to advance or reverse the direction of therotator tray16, thereby selecting according to the user's preference which pill compartments are to be emptied into the container and packaged therein. If thepill packager10 also comprises theload tab52, the user may manually rotate therotator tray16 in the same way so as to select the load position of the rotator tray in order to sort and load the pills into thepill compartments42. Thepill packager10 allows that the user will have complete control over the number, type, and order of the pills to be packaged. Additionally, by labeling thetabs48, the user is provided with a cost effective customizable system of organizing pills by compartments.
• The assembledpill packager10 may also index thevarious pill compartments42 with the stationary descending funnel (load element)36. In exemplary embodiments, thepill packager10 uses a bump and detent system to manage the rotation of therotator tray16 so as to keep therotator tray16 in desirable positions (either open for dispensing, or closed for loading). In one embodiment, thebumps62 on theunderside64 of thetop cap58 of theconnector28 and thedetents54 on the central ring of therotator tray16 are used to index the rotation of therotator tray16. In alternate embodiments, the bumps could be provided on therotator tray16 and the detents on the underside of thetop cap58. In a further alternative, the bumps and detents may be between therotator tray16 and thesupport tray14.
• In one exemplary embodiment in one embodiment, a screw (not shown) may be inserted through the base12 into theconnector28 to urge the bumps into the detents by tightening the top cap of the connector (the connecting linkage) towards therotator tray16. Such a screw could be adjustable by the user so that each individual user can tighten or loosen the screw according to his or her preferences to provide more or less urging force. The tabs system then provides the means for manually rotationally advancing the selected bumps into the detents.
• In alternate embodiments,top cap58 andconnector column60 as shown could be replaced by any suitable connecting linkage linking therotator tray16 to the base/support tray12 so as to urge the bumps into the detents.
• Theaforementioned load tab52 does not correspond to a pill compartment, as do theother tabs48, but instead indexes therotator tray16 such that thebottomless pill compartments42 will be in loadable positions (i.e., closed off from the load element36).
• In an alternate embodiment (shown inFIG. 6), the tabs are eliminated, and acentral boss66 mounted on therotator tray16 or theconnector28 may be used to rotate therotator tray16.
• Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art and others, that a wide variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown and described without departing from the scope of the present invention. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the embodiment discussed herein. Therefore, it is manifested and intended that the invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalence thereof.

Claims (29)

1. A pill packager comprising:

a base having a footprint and a top surface with a hub extending generally orthogonally from said top surface;

a support tray having a boss and defining an eccentrically located load element, said boss being coupled with said hub;

a rotator tray having a plurality of ribs defining compartments between the ribs, said rotator tray being rotationally mounted superjacent the support tray; and

a connecting linkage between the rotator tray and the support tray to rotationally engage said rotator tray with said support tray.

2. The pill packager ofclaim 1 wherein said hub defines a raised key.

3. The pill packager ofclaim 2 wherein said boss is coupled with said hub via a keyway mating with said raised key.

4. The pill packager ofclaim 1 wherein said top surface further defines a holder.

5. The pill packager ofclaim 4 wherein said load element aligns with said holder.

6. The pill packager ofclaim 1 wherein the load element is a straight tube, a descending funnel, or an inverted cone.

7. The pill packager ofclaim 1 said rotator tray also defining an outer rim and comprising means for rotating the rotator tray relative to the support tray.

8. The pill packager ofclaim 1 wherein said rotator tray defines seven ribs with seven compartments between said ribs.

9. The pill packager ofclaim 1 wherein said rotator tray further comprises a system of tabs extending outwardly from the rotator tray.

10. The pill packager ofclaim 9 wherein said tabs correspond to said compartments.

11. The pill packager ofclaim 1 wherein the connecting linkage includes a top cap mounted on a connecting column.

12. The pill packager ofclaim 11 wherein said connecting column depends through said boss of said support tray.

13. The pill packager ofclaim 12 wherein said connecting column mates with a raised key of said hub.

14. The pill packager ofclaim 1 further comprising means for indexing the compartments of the rotator tray with the load element of the support tray.

15. The pill packager ofclaim 14 wherein the means for indexing comprises a bump and detent system.

16. The pill packager ofclaim 15 wherein with said bumps being mounted on the connecting linkage and the detents being mounted on the rotator tray.

17. The pill packager ofclaim 15 wherein said bump and detent system corresponds to the defined compartments of said rotator tray.

18. The pill packager ofclaim 14 wherein the means for indexing further comprises a screw for tightening the connecting linkage to the rotator tray.

19. A cost effective pill packaging apparatus, comprising:

a rotator tray having an inner rim and an outer rim, said tray defining a plurality of bottomless pill compartments spaced between said inner and outer rims;

a connector linked to the inner rim of the rotator tray and extending therethrough;

a support tray oriented generally parallel to and rotationally engaged with the rotator tray and having a boss through which the connector extends, said support tray defining a load element and said rotator tray being capable of rotating relative to the support tray to advance at least one of said pill compartments superjacent the load element; and

a base member coupled to the boss of the support tray, said base member being oriented generally orthogonally to the connector.

20. The cost effective pill packaging apparatus ofclaim 19, further comprising means for controlling the relative rotation between the rotator tray and the tray support.

21. The cost effective pill packaging apparatus ofclaim 19 wherein the means for controlling includes a system of tabs mounted on said rotator tray and corresponding to said pill compartments.

22. The cost effective pill packaging apparatus ofclaim 21 wherein said system of tabs are labeled with time information and correspond to said pill compartments.

23. The cost effective pill packaging apparatus ofclaim 21 wherein the means for rotating further comprises at least one load tab.

24. The cost effective pill packaging apparatus ofclaim 19 wherein said connector comprises a top cap and a connecting column mounted to and depending therefrom.

25. The cost effective pill packaging apparatus ofclaim 24 wherein the top cap is removably mounted with the inner rim of said rotator tray.

26. A pill packaging apparatus comprising:

a rotator tray having an inner rim and an outer rim, said tray defining a plurality of bottomless pill compartments spaced between the rims;

a connector linked to the inner rim of the rotator tray and extending therethrough;

a base support tray oriented generally parallel to and rotationally engaged with the rotator tray and having a boss through which the connector extends, said base support tray defining a load element positioned subjacent at least one pill compartment and said rotator tray being capable of rotating relative to the base support tray so that the pill compartments are advancingly positioned superjacent the load element; and

means for controlling the relative rotation between the rotator tray and the tray support.

27. The pill packaging apparatus ofclaim 26, wherein the base support tray further defines a holder suitable for a pill container, said holder being aligned with said load element, and at least one pill compartment positionable superjacent said load element.

28. The pill packaging apparatus ofclaim 26 wherein the rotator tray defines seven compartments, and a system of tabs mounted on the rotator tray and extending outwardly from said rotator tray and corresponding to said pill compartments, said tabs being labeled with the days of the week, and the rotator tray further comprises a load tab located on said outer rim between two of said labeled tabs.

29. The pill packaging apparatus ofclaim 26 further comprising a system of bumps and detents corresponding to the pill compartments and means for urging the rotator tray against the support tray such that the bottomless pill compartments will be alternately rotated superjacent to the load element, said means for urging comprising a screw inserted through the base into the connector and turned so as to advance the connector toward the rotator tray.

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