US2918167A - Pill or tablet dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Filed Dec. 19, 1957 l lllll mllllll INVENTO? s-rANLaY LOWE-N ATTORNEY$ PILL R TABLET DISPENSER Stanley Lowen, Yonkers, N.Y.

Application December 19, 1957, erial No. 703,786

2 Claims. (Cl. 20642) This invention relates generally to dispensers for pills or tablets, and is especially concerned with such devices as are adapted for use in conjunction with conventional pill containers or bottles.

As is well known, conventional pill containers or bottles usually include a cotton wad stuffed in the neck thereof to prevent excessive pill movement and breakage, a screw cap or the like over the outlet neck, and a cap seal or liner interiorly of the cap for sealing engagement with the neck end. In order to obtain a pill from the container, it is therefore necessary to first remove the cap, difliculty often being had in removal of the liner which frequently sticks to the neck end, then removing the cotton, and inverting the bottle to pour a pill. Most commonly an excessive number of pills are poured, so that it is necessary to replace those pills in excess of the desired quantity.

In addition to the inconvenience of this time-consuming operation, it also increases the possibility of overdosage, both to adults and children, the latter being subject to a high incidence of accidental poisoning from bottles which can be readily emptied. While there have ben proposed previous pill dispensing devices intended to eliminate these problems, such devices have not been entirely satisfactory, as they usually required special containers, were complex and expensive in construction, and unreliable in use.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a pill dispenser which overcomes the abovementioned difficulties, enables inexperienced persons to quickly and easily obtain exactly the desired number of pills from a conventional or other container, and eliminates the need for cotton in the container neck, as well as obviating all possible difficulties with the cap liner.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pill dispensing device of the type described which entirely eliminates or reduces to an absolute minimum the possibility of accidental poisoning resulting both from the curiosity of young children and inadvertance of adults.

It is a further object of the present invention to pro vide a pill dispenser having the characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraphs which is extremely simple and durable in construction, having no moving parts, and which can be manufactured and incorporated in a conventional container at negligible cost.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top perspective view illustrating a dis- 2,918,167 Patented Dec. 22, 1959 penser device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the device of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of Figure 2, but showing the dispenser thereof in operative association with a container, and illustrating the assembly in dispensing position;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a slightly modified dispenser of the present invention in operative association with a container, all according to the present invention;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the line of 66 of Figure 5 and omitting the container; and

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the dispenser element of Figures 5 and 6.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to Figures 1-4 thereof, a unitary insert element is there generally designated 10, and includes a plug part 11 and a flange part 12. The insert 10 is preferably fabricated as an integral unit, advantageously of polyethylene plastic or other material having similar characteristics.

The plug part 11, is preferably hollow, as illustrated, including a generally cylindrical outer Wall 15 and an inner end wall 16 extending normal to and radially inward from the inner end of the cylidrical wall. The inner end wall 16 is formed with a symmetrically located opening 17, preferably of rectangular configuration; and, an open ended tubular passageway element 18 is arranged in spaced relation, longitudinally within the cylindrical outer wall 15. The passageway element 18 is preferably of generally rectangular cross-section throughout its cross length, having an outer end portion 19 of substantially constant cross-section and terminating at an outer end opening 20 substantially flush with the outer end of the cylindrical wall 15. The inner end region 21 of the passageway preferably flares, or gradually increases in dimension from the outer end region 19 to the inner end opening 17. Thus, the tubular element 18 defines a longitudinally extending open-ended passageway in the plug 11; and, the inner and outer end openings 17 and 20 of the passageway are preferably of similar geometrical configuration and arranged in substantial alignment.

The outer end flange 12 extends peripherally about and radially outward from the outer end of cylindrical wall 15, and is provided on its radially outer region with a peripherally extending, depending or longitudinally inwardly projecting lip 24 having an undercut, radially inner surface 25.

in Figure 4 is seen a bottle or other conventional container 27 having a hollow tubular outlet or neck 28, which neck may be provided on its external periphery with screw threads 29 for retaining engagement with a closure or cap 3% A quantity of pills, or generally disc-like tablets 31, are illustrated as disposed within the container 27. The dispenser element 1% is shown as having its plug part 11 inserted into the container neck 28. Such insertion is facilitated by the resilience of the relatively thin outer plug wall 15. The outer end flange 12 is illustrated as seated on the outer end surface 31 of the container neck 28; and further, the container neck is formed with a peripherally extending undercut surface 32 for conforming and retaining engagement with the undercut surface 25 of the flange lip 24. That is, the flange 12 and lip 2% may be easily distendd to effect this retaining engagement.

In Figures 3 and 4 a pill is illustrated as located in the outlet opening of the passageway tube 18, the respective figures being in planes at right angles to each other, so that the outlet end opening of the passageway is seen to be of a size loosely but conformably receiving and passing only a single pill. In order to facilitate the entry of the pills 31 into the inner passageway opening 17, upon inversion of the pill container 27, as in Figure 4, the inner passageway end opening 17 is appreciably larger than the outer end passageway 20. However, the inner-passageway end opening is preferably of a size incapable of simultaneously receiving more than one pill, so that only a single pill enters the passageway 18 at a time and the pills are therefore sequentially dispensed therefrom.

In practice, a single pill will normally enter the inner passageway end opening 17 upon initial inversion of the container 27, and individually pass through the tube 18. Subsequent pills may pass through the tube merely by gravity or be quickly and easily dispensed individually by slight shaking of the inverted container just sufficient to dislodge the pills from their rest position.

As appears in Figure 4, wherein the cap 30 is par1ially illustrated, the flange 12 is adapted for direct abutting engagement with the inner surface of the cap end wall to effectively seal the container 27 upon covering engagement of the cap. Thus,- the need for a separate cap liner, and the difficulties produced thereby, are eliminated. The resilient yieldability of the flange 31 enables the latter to function admirably as a cap liner. It will now also be appreciated, that the necessity for stufiing cotton into the container neck, as is presently required, is eliminated by the presence of the plug 11.

A modified embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figures -7, the dispensing element or insert there being generally designated 35, and illustrated in position within the neck 36 of a conventional container or bottle 37 in Figure 5. The insert 35 is also preferably fabricated as an integral unit of polyethelene plastic or other material having similar characteristics.

In particular, the insert 35 includes an external, generally cylindrical plug 38 formed on its outer end with a radially outstanding, peripherally extending flange 39. The plug 38 is formed internally with a longitudnially extending, open-ended bore or passageway 40. The passageway or bore 40 terminates in an outer end opening 41 which is of a size to loosely and conformably pass a single pill 42, see Figures 5 and 6, preferably, generally of rectangular configuration for use with disclike tablets.

Toward its inner end, the longitudinal passageway 40 flares or diverges to a generally circular configuration at the inner end region of the plug. Fixedly secured in the inner end region of the passageway 40, and extending diametrically thereacross, is a generally flat plate, deflector or baflle 43. As best seen in Figure 7, the deflector or baffle plate 43 extends diametrically across the plug 38 in longitudinal alignment with the outlet end opening of the passageway 40. The proportions of the passageway 40 in its inner region, and the arrangement of the baflle plate 43 are such that an inner end opening of the passageway 40, which may be defined as the space between one side of the baffle and the adjacent or facing internal surface of the passageway, is appreciably greater than the outlet end opening 41 to permit the entry therethrough of a single pill 42, but insufficient to permit the simultaneous entry (if more than one pill.

In addition, the longitudinal alignment of the baffle plate 43 and outer end opening 41 insures proper orientation of the pill received in the passageway 40 for exit through the outer end opening.

Of course, the flange 39 seats on the outer end of the container neck 36 to serve as a container seal in the same manner as described hereinbefore in connection with the flange 12.

In use, upon inversion of the container 37, a single pill 42 will pass by gravity beneath the baifle plate 43 into the lower, inner end opening of the passageway 40 for movement therethrough and exit therefrom. Should two or more pills attempt to enter an inner end opening of the passageway 40 simultaneously, slight shaking or joggling of the container will dislodge the wedged pills, as at 42 in Figure 5, selecting one or the other for individual entry.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a pill dispenser which fully accomplishes its intended object and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tablet dispenser for a container having an outlet neck, said dispenser comprising a plug adapted to be inserted into said outlet neck, said plug being formed with a longitudinal through passageway having its outer-end opening of a generally rectangular size to loosely conformably pass a single tablet, the inner-end region of said passageway flaring toward the interior of said container, and a battle on the inner end of said plug extending across said passageway longitudinally of the rectangular outerend opening and combining with the interior surface of the inner region of said passageway to define at least one inner-end passageway opening considerably larger than the outer-end passageway opening but small enough to prevent the simultaneous entry of more than one tablet into said passageway.

2. In combination, a tablet container having a hollow outlet neck, a plug engageable in said neck having a through passageway opening between the interior and exterior of said container for passing tablets therebetween, said passageway having a generally rectangular outer-end opening of a size to loosely and conformably pass a single pill, the inner-end region of said passageway flaring in the direction toward the interior of said container, and a bafile plate on the inner end of said plug extending diametrically across the interior of said neck longitudinally of said rectangular outer-end opening and inward of said neck beyond said plug, the spaces interiorly of said neck on opposite sides of said baflle plate being each sufiiciently large to freely pass a single tablet but small enough to prevent the simultaneous passage of more than one tablet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,457,345 Carline Dec. 28, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 450,415 Great Britain July 17, 1936 840,335 France Apr. 24, 1939 649,763 Great Britain Mar. 12, 1946

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