EP0658485A1

EP0658485A1 - Pillbox containing a card for health information

Info

Publication number: EP0658485A1
Application number: EP94830576A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sergio Corti
Original assignee: PROMOSERVICE Srl
Current assignee: PROMOSERVICE Srl
Priority date: 1993-12-15
Filing date: 1994-12-14
Publication date: 1995-06-21
Also published as: ITFI930154U1; ITFI930154V0; IT231756Y1

Abstract

The pillbox comprises a small cup (1,11,14), a lid (2) and an accessible compartment (8,13,16) wherein a support element for identification and health information is housed. The compartment may be formed in the lid of the pillbox or in the bottom of the pillbox and be accessible either from the outside or the inside.

Description

The present invention relates to a pillbox containing a card on which identification and health information of the owner are written.
Pillboxes, small containers made of metal or other rigid materials provided with lids, are widely used especially by those who, over the course of the day or an equivalent period, must take more than one type of pharmaceutical in the form of capsules, pills and the like and, therefore, find it convenient to carry with them, instead of whole bottles or packages, only the necessary doses collected in a single container which provides adequate hygiene. This type of pillbox has been realized in a great number of forms and aesthetic variations.
The object of the present invention is to provide a pillbox which, in addition to its natural function, also fulfills that of containing information on the identity and relative health information of its carrier.
According to the invention, a pillbox is provided comprising an accessible compartment wherein a support element for identification and health information is housed. Preferably said compartment is formed in the lid of the pillbox. Alternatively it can be formed on the bottom of the pillbox and can, in particular, be accessible from the inside or outside of the same.
In particular, said support element is a paper card.
The invention will be made apparent in the following detailed description of one of its possible embodiments and some of its variations in execution, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

figure 1 is a side view of the pillbox according to the invention in an open position;
figure 2 is a plan view of the internal part of the lid of the pillbox of figure 1;
figure 3 is a diametrical sectional view of the lid of figure 2;
figure 4 shows in a plan view the internal part of the lid of figure 2 with its movable septum removed.
figure 5 shows schematically a first variation of the pillbox according to the invention;
figure 6 is a top plan view of the internal part of the pillbox of figure 5;
figure 7 is a second variation of the pillbox according to the invention;
figure 8 shows the plane development of the two faces of the card containing the identification and health information suitable to be housed in the pillbox according to the invention.

With reference to figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, 1 indicates a small cup, made of metal or another suitable rigid material, provided with a lid 2 which can be snapped shut on the cup and can be opened by means of a button 3 provided on the side wall of the cup 1. The lid 2 has a perimetric edge 2a shaped substantially in the form of a C in order to delimitate an annular cavity 4 wherein the corresponding edge of the cup engages.
Lid 2 has a convex form, and on its internal face a flat annular element 5 is fixed having at least three tabs 6 folded radially toward the center in order to hold a septum or disc 7 which delimitates, with the swell of lid 2, a compartment 8. Disc 7 has notches 9 along its edge in a number equal to that of folded tabs 6 and of a substantially corresponding form, so that disc 7 can be removed by simply rotating it to align tabs 6 with corresponding notches 9 making it possible to be slipped out, and can be reapplied by operating in the opposite way.
Compartment 8 is formed to house a health card such as the one illustrated in figure 8 and indicated generically with 10. Card 10 has two faces illustrated in figure 8, of which face 10a (front) contains identification information of the carrier, whereas face 10b (back) contains health information. The card is folded around the axis 12 beforehand; by means of further folds around the axes 13, card 10 assumes its final configuration substantially in an accordion form and can thus be housed in compartment 8. Card 10 can be made of paper, cardboard, plasticized material and the like, as long as it is not thick and is suitable to be folded on itself several times. The elasticity created by the accordion configuration helps keep disc 7 locked in position against tabs 6 thanks to the force exerted on it by the card folded in this manner.
Advantageously, on the visible face of disc 7, signs, writing and identifying symbols can be made, such as those illustrated in figure 2, suited to attract attention to the fact that a health card is located under disc 7.
According to a first variation of the invention, the pillbox can be formed by two small cups 11 and 12 of which the first is external and is formed in metal or another rigid material and provided with a lid 2, not shown, whereas the second is internal and has a lesser height than the first so that it delimitates a compartment 13 wherein the health card can be placed folded in an accordion manner. On the bottom of internal cup 12, signs or writing can advantageously be provided suited to draw attention to the presence of the health card, as shown in figure 6.
According to another variation of the invention, the pillbox according to the invention comprises a cup 14 which has, on the side opposite the lid 2, a second lid 15 the opening of which allows access to the compartment 16 wherein the health card is housed.
Advantageously, the inside of the cup and the face of disc 7, turned toward the cup, are lined with chemically inert material suited to prevent direct contact between the medicines and the metal or, in any case, the material of which the pillbox is made.
The pillbox according to the invention is particularly useful since it makes immediately available, in case of emergency or need, a series of information which can be of even vital importance to its carrier. An adequate informational campaign directed at the health care system and emergency rooms can further facilitate preference for and use of the pillbox which is the object of this invention.
Variations and/or modifications can be brought to the pillbox according to the present invention, described above and illustrated, without departing from the scope of the invention itself.

Claims

Pillbox comprising a small cup (1,11,14) and lid (2) applied to it, characterized by the fact that it comprises an accessible compartment (8,13,16) wherein a support element (10) for identification and health information is housed.
Pillbox according to claim 1, wherein said compartment (8) is formed in the internal part of the lid (2).
Pillbox according to claim 2, wherein said lid (2) comprises a wall having a cavity closed by a removable septum (7) wherein said support element is housed.
Pillbox according to claim 3, wherein said wall is convex and has, on its internal face, appendices (6) folded radially toward the center suited to hold said septum (7) interposed between them and the same wall.
Pillbox according to claim 1, comprising a small pills containing cup (12) of a deep lower than that of the pillbox and substantially equal diameter, said compartment (8) being comprised between the bottom of said cup (12) and that of said pillbox.
Pillbox according to claim 1, wherein its bottom has, on the opposite side of that suited to contain the pills, a housing (16) inside of which said support element (10) is contained, and a second lid (15) to close said housing (16).
Pillbox according to the previous claims, wherein said support element is a flat flexible card that can be folded in an accordion manner.
Pillbox containing a support element for identification and health information substantially as described above and illustrated with reference to the attached drawings.