US20080296181A1

US20080296181A1 - Pill dispensing liquid container

Info

Publication number: US20080296181A1
Application number: US11/757,122
Authority: US
Inventors: Carlisle Stephens; Mary Ann Stephens
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-06-01
Filing date: 2007-06-01
Publication date: 2008-12-04

Abstract

A pill dispensing liquid container comprising: a liquid container; a liquid container cap removably attached to the liquid container; a pill dispenser attached to the liquid container, the pill dispenser comprising: a plurality of pill compartments; a plurality of doors, each door attached to the pill dispenser, and each door openable and closeable with respect to one of the plurality of pill compartments; and a distinguishing marking on each door.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to liquid containers. More particularly, the invention comprises a two-part container for carrying pills or similar items and, in a separate portion of the container, a liquid, such as water, to facilitate swallowing the pill or other medication.

BACKGROUND

Many people take prescription medications in pill, tablet, and/or capsule form. In addition, many others take vitamins and supplements in pill, tablet, and/or capsule form. Many take their medications and/or vitamins daily, or even twice daily. Some people take certain medications in the morning, and different medications in the evening. Others may take different medications on different days.
Thus, there is a need to provide a means of allowing a person to carry his medications and/or vitamins in an organized manner along with a liquid to help swallow the medications and vitamins.

SUMMARY

The disclosed invention relates to a pill dispensing liquid container comprising: a liquid container; a liquid container cap removably attached to the liquid container; a pill dispenser attached to the liquid container, the pill dispenser comprising: a plurality of pill compartments; a plurality of doors, each door attached to the pill dispenser, and each door openable and closeable with respect to one of the plurality of pill compartments; and a distinguishing marking on each door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure will be better understood by those skilled in the pertinent art by referencing the accompanying drawings, where like elements are numbered alike in the several figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a 31 day embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a 7-day am/pm embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a round embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a triangular embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container;

FIG. 6 is a front view of a canteen embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container;

FIG. 7 is a front view of a bota bag embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a pill bottle embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container;

FIG. 9 is a front view of another triangular embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container;

FIG. 10 is a front view of a flask embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container;

FIG. 11 is a front view of a dumbbell embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container; and

FIG. 12 is a front view of a finger indentations embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a front view of a disclosed pill dispensing liquid container 10. The pill dispensing liquid container 10 comprises a liquid container 14. The liquid container 14 is generally shaped like any known water bottle, juice bottle, or thermos. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, pill dispensing liquid container 10 is shaped generally like a sports water bottle. Located on the liquid container is a pill dispenser 18. The pill dispenser 18 may comprise a plurality of compartments 22, with each compartment having a door 26, to allow access to the compartments 22, and also allows the stopping of access to the compartments 22. The door 26 may be any suitable moveable piece of material or structure supported usually along one side and swinging on pivots or hinges, sliding along a groove, rolling up and down, revolving as one of four leaves, or folding like an accordion by means of which an opening may be closed or kept open for passage into or out of the compartment 22. The door may have a square shape as shown, or any other suitable shape, such as a curved shape, circular shape, oval shape, etc. The pill dispenser 18 may be attached to the surface of the liquid container 14. In other embodiments, the pill dispenser 18 may fit into an opening in the liquid container 14 with generally the same shape as the pill dispenser. Of course, the opening with the pill dispenser 18 will be sealed to prevent liquid from leaking out of the opening. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the pill dispenser 18 has seven (7) compartments 22, corresponding to each of the days of the week. The door 26 of each compartment may have a marking to distinguish the days of the weeks, such as, but not limited to: S, M, T, W, Th, F, S; Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat; etc. In the embodiment shown, the liquid container 14 has a threaded cap 30. The threaded cap may have a built in straw 34, with a straw cap 38, and a straw cap connector 42. The built in straw is configured to go down to the bottom of the liquid container 14. In other embodiments, the liquid container may have a plain threaded cap without the built in straw 34, straw cap 38, and straw cap connector 42. In still other embodiments, the cap may have a built in nozzle.
FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container 50. In this embodiment, the pill dispenser comprises at least thirty-one (31) compartments 22, and thirty-one (31) doors 26. The compartments 22 correspond to each day of the month, and is so indicated by the numbers 1 through 31.
FIG. 3 shows yet another embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container 60. In this embodiment, the pill dispenser comprises fourteen (14) compartments 22, and fourteen (14) doors 26. Each compartments 22 correspond to each day of the week and either morning or evening. The compartments may be marked as shown by the letters S, M, T, W, Th, F, S and am or pm for morning or evening. In other embodiments, instead of the letters am or pm, the compartments associated with the morning may have a different color than the compartments associated with the evening. In one non-limiting example, the morning compartments may be colored pink, and the evening compartments may be colored blue.
FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container 70. In this embodiment, the liquid container 14 has a round shape as does the pill dispenser 18. Each of the compartments 22, and doors 26 may have a generally triangular shape.
FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container 80. In this embodiment, the liquid container 14 has a generally triangular shape.
FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container 90. This embodiment has a liquid container 14 with an army canteen shape.
FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container 100 that has a bota bag for the liquid container 14. The pill dispenser 18 may have a slight curve to match the curve of the bota bag 14.
FIG. 8 shows a simple pill bottle shaped disclosed pill dispensing liquid container 1110. In this embodiment, rather than 7 compartments in the pill dispenser 18, there are only two compartments 22, one associated for morning pill taking and one for evening pill taking.
FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container 120, with a triangular shaped liquid container 14. However in this embodiment, the pill dispenser 18 is located at the bottom of the liquid container 14.
FIG. 10 shows still another embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container 130. In this embodiment, the liquid container 14 has a flask shape, with the pill dispenser 18 located near one edge of the liquid container 14.
FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container 140. In this embodiment, the liquid container 14 has a generally dumbbell shape, with two outer volumes 144, 148 larger than an inner volume 152. The pill dispenser 18 is located on the lower volume 148 of the liquid container 18. This shape of liquid container 18 may be more ergonomic, and thus easier to hold with a user's hand.
FIG. 12 shows another embodiment of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container 150. In this embodiment, the liquid container 14 has finger indentations 154 made in the liquid container. Such finger indentations 154 are configured to make the liquid container 14 ergonomic, and thus easier to hold with a user's hand.
Each pill compartment 22 may vary in size such that it should be large enough to hold at least 2 pills, and up to 15 pills. The liquid container 14 may vary in size such that it should be large enough to hold from about 1 cup of liquid to about 1 gallon of liquid. The pill dispensing liquid container may be made out of any suitable material, including, but not limited to: plastic, glass, rubber, cardboard, leather, metal, and fiberglass.
The advantages of the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container include allowing a user to easily travel with both his or her pills and/or vitamins and a liquid to aid in swallowing the pills or vitamins in one convenient apparatus. Additionally, the disclosed pill dispensing liquid container allows one to organize his or her medicines and/or vitamins according to the day of the week, day of the month, or morning or evening.
It should be noted that the term pill is used in this disclosure and appended claims to include pills, tablets, capsules, caplets, and powders.
It should be noted that the terms “first”, “second”, and “third”, and the like may be used herein to modify elements performing similar and/or analogous functions. These modifiers do not imply a spatial, sequential, or hierarchical order to the modified elements unless specifically stated.
While the disclosure has been described with reference to several embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A pill dispensing liquid container comprising:

a liquid container;

a liquid container cap removably attached to the liquid container;

a pill dispenser attached to the liquid container, the pill dispenser comprising:

a plurality of pill compartments;

a plurality of doors, each door attached to the pill dispenser, and each door openable and closeable with respect to one of the plurality of pill compartments; and

a distinguishing marking on each door.

2. The pill dispensing liquid container of claim 1, wherein the distinguishing marking on each door corresponds to a day of the week.

3. The pill dispensing liquid container of claim 1, wherein the distinguishing marking on each door corresponds to a day of a month.

4. The pill dispensing liquid container of claim 1, wherein the distinguishing marking on each door corresponds to one of the group comprising morning and evening.

5. The pill dispensing liquid container of claim 1, wherein the distinguishing marking on each door corresponds to one of the group comprising Sunday AM, Sunday PM, Monday AM, Monday PM, Tuesday AM, Tuesday PM, Wednesday AM, Wednesday PM, Thursday AM, Thursday PM, Friday AM, Friday PM, Saturday AM, and Saturday PM.

6. The pill dispensing liquid container of claim 1, further comprising a straw attached to the liquid container cap, a straw cap removably attached to an end of the straw, and a straw cap connector attached to the straw cap and the straw.

7. The pill dispensing liquid container of claim 1, wherein the liquid container has a generally round shape, and the pill dispenser also has a generally round shape, and each of the pill compartments has a generally triangular shape.

8. The pill dispensing liquid container of claim 1, wherein the liquid container has a generally triangular shape.

9. The pill dispensing liquid container of claim 1, wherein the liquid container has a generally triangular shape.

10. The pill dispensing liquid container of claim 1, wherein the liquid container has a generally flask shape.

11. The pill dispensing liquid container of claim 1, wherein the liquid container is a bota bag.

12. The pill dispensing liquid container of claim 1, wherein the liquid container has a generally dumbbell shape.

13. The pill dispensing liquid container of claim 1, wherein the liquid container has a plurality of finger indentations configured to conform to a user's hand.