US20100177988A1

US20100177988A1 - Pill bag

Info

Publication number: US20100177988A1
Application number: US12/009,462
Authority: US
Inventors: Janice Pitman; Patricia Mascaritola
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-01-22
Filing date: 2008-01-19
Publication date: 2010-07-15

Abstract

A bag for containing pills or medication for example, is made of a heat-weldable sheet material. The sheet material may suitably be a compound sheet material which provides a rear face, a front face and a bottom. Disposed at an upper portion of the bag is a threaded closure comprising a screw-threaded socket and a screw cap. The socket penetrates the top of the bag and is bonded to the interior surface of the bag. The threaded closure permits the bag to be repeatedly opened and closed for piecemeal dispensing its contents.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application incorporates by reference and claims priority to provisional application No. 60/881,611 filed on Jan. 22, 2007.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a small bag made of a heat-weldable sheet material. More particularly, the bag comprises a front face and a rear face connected to one another along their edges, with the top of the bag being provided with a re-closable threaded closure which includes a socket formed with screw threads for engagement with screw threads of a removable screw cap. This type of bag may be used to safely storage and provide access to items such as prescription pills. Unlike pill bottles this provides a rattle proof system and may be smaller than the average pill bottle so that carrying in small places is facilitated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide the type of bag defined in the introduction, with the socket secured to the bag in such a manner that its connection to the bag is able to resist the forces created by tightening and unscrewing the screw cap, thereby avoiding lost or contamination of the items being stored in the bag.
This object is attained according to the invention by an arrangement wherein the socket of the threaded closure penetrates the bag and has its outer surface secured to the inner wall surface of the bag by a glue, welding or other securing operation.
There is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,912 a flexible container provided with a removable top, the removable top is provide on one of the faces of the bag for dispensing liquids as opposed to solid objects such as prescription pills. In addition, this bag requires, since the screw top is on one of the side of the bag as opposed to the top, a welding flange in order to secure the socket to the heat-weldable sheet material.
With the solution according to the present invention it is possible to have the inner portion of the bag prevent the pills from rattling and yet at the top of the bag provide for ready access to the prescription pills from a contaminate proof enclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention shall now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective front view of a pill bag according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the top portion of the bag taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the inner surface of another embodiment of the pill bag according to this invention;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the middle surface of the embodiment of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a side view of the outer surface of the embodiment of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the pill bag of the invention with a securing attachment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Shown in FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pill bag 100 according to the invention. The pill bag 1 is made of a heat-weldable compound sheet material 1 or any other material that is know in the art that will allow a material of different composition than the sheet material 1 to be securely attached to the sheet material 1. In the present example a two-layered sheet material comprising an inner layer 10 of a plastic or other material that will prevent its contents from contamination and may be secured to a re-closeable opening 6 by heat, mechanical seal or adhesive. Said inner layer 10 material to maintain the pills in a fashion so that they do not rattle, but remain in a contaminate free atmosphere. The outer portion of the sheet material may be made up of any material securable to the inner layer 10, but is preferable of a decorative type that is pleasing to the user of the pill bag 100. The bag has a continuous face 2 shown in detail in FIGS. 1 and 2. At the lower end portion of the bag 100 is bottom 3 formed by a seam 5 between the end portion 4 of continuous face 2. The seaming of continuous face 2 is carried out in the conventional manner by the action of heat, sewing, gluing or pressure.
As clearly shown in FIG. 1, a top portion of the bag 100 is provided with a re-closable opening 6, which provides access to the interior of the bag 100. As shown more clearly in FIG. 2, opening 6 is formed as a threaded closure with a socket 7 penetrating the bag 100. The inner end of the socket 7 has a connecting portion 8, that may or may not be threaded, which is it secured to the inner wall surface 9 of the bag 100. This securing may also be between the inner layer on the outer decorative layer. In other words, the outside layer of decorative material may be secured to the other surface of connecting portion 8 with the inner layer being connected to the inner surface of connecting portion 8. The location of the connecting portion 8 as to the inner layer or the outer decorative layer is not critical as long as the connecting portion 8 is secure to the two layer pill bag 100.
Socket 7 is provided with outer screw threads or a snap lock for engagement with inner screw threads or snaplock of a removable screw cap 13.
FIG. 2 shows screw cap 13 in an unscrewed position separate from socket 7.
The effect of the invention and the advantages obtained thereby shall now be explained with reference to opening and closing the threaded closure of the bag.
Proceeding from the state shown in FIG. 2, when the threaded closure is closed by tightening screw cap 13 on socket 7, a torque is generated which has to be transmitted to top of the bag 100 by connecting surface 8.
The screw cap of the threaded closure may of course be provided with a known pilfer proof arrangement, to prevent accidental opening of the threaded closure.
Instead of the pill bag 100 being of two materials, it may be of just one or a composite of two or more materials. It may have an inner surface 300 as shown in FIG. 3 that is heat or adhesive weldable compound that attaches to the re-closable opening 6 having on top of it's a cushion material 200 to protect against content damage attached to inner surface 300, re-closable opening 6 or both as shown in FIG. 4. Still further a decorative surface 400 may be attached to cushion material 200 or inner surface 300 if cushion material 200 is not used. Decorative surface 400 may be attached to surface 200, if used. Or inner surface 300 or re-closable opening 6.
Cap 13 may or may not have a medical alert symbol in relation the contents of pill bag 100.
As shone in FIG. 6, the pill bag 100 may have a securing hook 110 or other securing means known in the art for securing the bag to a key chain or necklace to prevent loss of the pill bag 100.
Layer 1, as shown in FIG. 3, of heat weldable compound sheet material may be of medium weight plastic securely attached to the neck of the screw top 13.
As shown in FIG. 4 layer 2 is or may he a cushion material for prevention of pill breakage. This layer 2 is or may be made up for a thin quilt like material as known in the art. The layer may be glued or secured just above the neck of the container 100.
As shown in FIG. 5, layer 3 is the other portion of container 100 that will cover layers 1 and 2. This layer 3 will butt up against cap 13 when cap 13 is secured on threaded surface 7.
As shown in FIG. 6 a hoop 200 may be secured to container 100 to allow the container 100 to be secured to a key chain or necklace or other method known in the art to prevent lost of the container 100.
The invention being thus described, it will he obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A closable prescription bag made of a heat-weldable sheet material, said bag comprising:

a front face and a rear face connected to one another along their edges.

a re-closable threaded closure provided at the top of the front and rear faces.

said re-closable threaded closure including a socket formed with screw threads for engagement with screw threads of a removable screw cap.

said socket of said threaded closure penetrating the bag and having its inner end secured to an inner wall surface of the bag with the aid of contact surface.

2. A bag according to claim 1, wherein a lower portion of said bag is formed with sealing the front and rear faces of the bag.

3. A gag according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the heat-weldable sheet material prevents the contents of the bag from rattling.

4. A closable prescription bag made of a sheet material securable to another a different material, said bag comprising:

a front face and a rear face connected to one another along their edges.

a re-closable threaded closure provided at the top of the front and rear faces.