Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6325534
-
Patent Number
6,325,534
-
Date Filed
Thursday, August 12, 199924 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, December 4, 200122 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
An audible alarm device is mounted in a body, and a pair of contact leads are connected to the alarm device, and a contact plate is connected to one of the leads. A dial, mounted on the body of the device, is rotated by a timing device. A plurality of time selector pins are mounted on the dial, and can be selectively positioned inward or outward. When a particular selector pin is in the inward position, the pin will push the contact plate into contact with the second contact lead and activate the alarm device. The alarm can be manually reset by pressing a deactivating piston. As the piston is pressed down, it will push a rod downward with it. The rod will pull downward on a rocker arm, causing the rocker arm to pivot. A second rod is connected to the rocker arm, and will move upward when the rocker arm pivots. The second rod is connected to the contact plate, and will pull the contact plate upward over the selector pin. When the plate is pulled above the pin, the plate will fall back into a vertical position, thus breaking the contact with the second contact lead. When the piston is released, a spring returns it to its upward position, ready for the next selector pin to activate the alarm. If the piston is not manually pressed, the dial will continue to rotate, and the selector pin will eventually pass the contact plate. When the pin passes, the plate will automatically fall back into place, thus resetting itself for the next selector pin.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to timers and alarms. In particular, the invention relates to alarms for warning people when is time to take medicine.
2. Description of Related Art
Many people take prescription drugs that must be taken on a prescribed schedule. It is sometimes difficult to remember that schedule, especially if the person is taking several different medicines that are on different schedules. Therefore, several devices have been designed to remind people when it is time to take their medicine.
Of course, the ordinary alarm clock can be used for this purpose. That involves setting the alarm clock to go off when it is time for the next dose. However, when the alarm is shut off, the clock must then be reset to go off when it is time for the next dose.
Some medication devices have been designed using digital technology. However, such devices are sometimes difficult to use, especially for older people. Unfortunately, older people are the people who most often need medication devices. Therefore, there was still a need for a simple, easy to use medication reminder.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The general object of the invention is to remind a person when it is time to take a dose of medicine. In general, this object is accomplished by a medication reminder having an audible alarm device mounted in a body. A pair of contact leads are connected to the alarm device, and a contact plate is connected to one of the leads.
A dial, mounted on the body of the device, is rotated by a timing device. A plurality of time selector pins are mounted on the dial, and can be selectively positioned inward or outward. When a particular selector pin is in the inward position, the pin will push the contact plate into contact with the second contact lead and activate the alarm device. If the particular pin is in the outward position, the pin will bypass the plate and not activate the alarm.
The alarm can be manually reset by pressing a deactivating piston. As the piston is pressed down, it will push a rod downward with it. The rod will pull downward on a rocker arm, causing the rocker arm to pivot. A second rod is connected to the rocker arm, and will move upward when the rocker arm pivots. The second rod is connected to the contact plate, and will pull the contact plate upward over the selector pin. When the plate is pulled above the pin, the plate will fall back into a vertical position, thus breaking the contact with the second contact lead. When the piston is released, a spring returns it to its upward position, ready for the next selector pin to activate the alarm.
If the piston is not manually pressed, the dial will continue to rotate, and the selector pin will eventually pass the contact plate. When the pin passes, the plate will automatically fall back into place, thus resetting itself for the next selector pin.
The above, as well as additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a front elevation of a medication reminder according to the preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2
is a front elevation of a medication reminder, as seen in
FIG. 1
, with the cover removed.
FIG. 3
is a front elevation of a medication reminder, as seen in
FIG. 1
, with the cover and the dial removed.
FIG. 4
is a cross-sectional view of the medication reminder, as seen along lines
4
—
4
in FIG.
1
.
FIG. 5
is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the medication reminder, as seen in FIG.
4
.
FIG. 6
is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the medication reminder, as seen along lines
6
—
6
in FIG.
4
.
FIG. 7
is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the medication reminder, as seen along lines
6
—
6
in
FIG. 4
, as the time selector pin activated the alarm.
FIG. 8
is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the medication reminder, as seen along lines
6
—
6
in
FIG. 4
, as the device is being reset.
FIG. 9
is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the medication reminder, as seen along lines
6
—
6
in
FIG. 4
, in its normal operating position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
As shown in
FIG. 1
of the drawings, the medication reminder of the invention has an outer body
11
, mounted on a base
13
. The outer body
11
is generally cylindrical, much like a large alarm clock. The base
13
has a flat bottom surface and holds the outer body
11
in a position to make the device easily read and operated.
An opaque, circular cover
15
is mounted on the front of the outer body
11
. The cover
15
has a small opening
17
at the top. The cover
15
can easily be removed from the outer body
11
to allow the device to be set. In the preferred embodiment, the cover
15
is removed by turning the cover ninety degrees clockwise. When the cover
15
is replaced, it is placed on the outer body
11
and turned counterclockwise, until the opening
17
is at the top of the cover
15
. There are several ways that the cover
15
could be attached to the outer body
11
, or the device could be used without a cover
15
at all.
In
FIG. 2
, the device is shown without the cover
15
. Mounted within the outer body
11
is a circular dial
19
. The inner area
21
of the circular dial
19
is recessed from the perimeter area
23
of the dial
19
, as can be best seen in FIG.
4
.
The dial
19
has twenty-four time indicators
25
spaced evenly around the perimeter area
23
of the dial
19
. These time indicators
25
preferably indicate the twenty-four hours in a day. The p.m. hours of the day may be marked on a shaded half of the dial
19
, so that it is easy to differentiate between a.m. and p.m. The time indicator
25
that is at the top of the dial
19
can be seen through the opening
17
in the cover
15
, when the cover
15
is in place, as shown in FIG.
1
.
A pair of tabs
27
are mounted on the recessed inner area
21
of the dial
19
, so that the dial
19
can be manually rotated about its center point. The tabs
27
are small flanges that lie on a diameter of the dial
19
, as shown in FIG.
2
.
A set of twenty four time selector pins
29
are also mounted on recessed inner area
21
of the dial
19
. Each time selector pin
29
is mounted radially inward from one of the time indicators
25
. The time selector pins
29
can be pushed in or pulled out, to select the times for the medication reminder to be activated.
FIG. 3
shows the medication reminder of the invention, with the cover
15
and the dial
19
removed. A battery compartment
31
within the base
13
houses a battery
33
for providing electrical power to the medication reminder. An audible alarm device
35
and a timing device
37
are mounted within the body
11
of the device, and are powered by the battery
33
. The timing device
37
powers a rotating pin
39
, so that the pin
39
rotates counterclockwise, one rotation every twenty four hours. The dial
19
is connected to the rotating pin
39
, so the dial is rotated counterclockwise, one rotation every twenty four hours.
As can be seen in
FIG. 4
, the time selector pins
29
can be selectively placed in either of two positions: an inward position and an outward position. In the outward position, shown in
FIG. 4
, the time selector pin
29
will bypass a copper contact plate
41
in the body
11
of the device. If a time selector pin
29
is pushed in, to the inward position, then the time selector pin
29
will contact the contact plate
41
and push the contact plate
41
upward when the time selector pin
29
approaches the top of its rotation.
The copper contact plate
41
is attached to a copper contact lead
43
that is electrically connected to the alarm device
35
and thus to the battery
33
. A second copper contact lead
45
is mounted near the contact plate
41
, so that when a time selector pin
29
pushes the plate
41
upward, the plate
41
contacts the contact lead
45
, completing the circuit and setting off the audible alarm device
35
.
FIG. 5
shows an enlarged view of the medication reminder. In this view, the time selector pin
29
is in the inward position, so that it pushes up on the contact plate
41
as it passes. The contact plate
41
thus completes the circuit between the first contact lead
43
and the second contact lead
45
, thus activating the audible alarm device
35
, not shown in this view.
Also shown in
FIG. 5
is a deactivating piston
47
. The piston
47
is mounted in a piston supporting bushing
49
and extends upward above the body
11
of the device. A double headed pin
51
extends through the piston supporting bushing
49
and into a slot
53
in the back of the piston
47
. The pin
51
guides the piston
53
as the piston
47
is depressed, and stops the piston
47
when the piston
47
has reached its lowest point.
A spring
55
, mounted between the piston supporting bushing
49
and the top of the piston
47
, provides resistance when the piston is depressed. When the piston
47
is released, the spring
55
returns the piston
47
to its upward position.
A rod
57
is attached to the lower end of the piston
47
. As shown in
FIGS. 5-9
, the rod
57
extends forward, and then upward through a rod guide tube
59
. A small rod
61
is attached to the rod
57
with a swivel
63
. The other end of the small rod
61
is attached to a rocker arm
65
. The rocker arm
65
is mounted on the piston supporting bushing
49
in such a manner as to allow the rocker arm
65
to pivot.
A second rod
67
is attached to the other end of the rocker arm
65
, and extends downward through a second rod guide tube
69
. The second rod guide tube
69
is mounted on the piston supporting bushing
49
and guides the second rod
67
. The lower end of the second rod
67
is attached to a hinge
71
on the copper contact plate
41
.
The operation of the device is illustrated best by
FIGS. 6-9
. In
FIG. 6
, one of the time selector pins
29
has just contacted the copper contact plate
41
. As the selector pins
29
rotate counterclockwise, the pin
29
pushes the plate
41
upward into contact with the contact lead
45
, as shown in FIG.
7
. This completes the electrical circuit, and sounds the alarm device
35
.
At this point, the alarm
35
can be shut off by pressing down on the deactivating piston
47
. As shown in
FIG. 8
, as the piston
47
is pressed down, the piston
47
forces the first rod
57
downward. The rod
57
pulls the small rod
61
downward with it, causing the rocker arm
65
to pivot. As the rocker arm
65
pivots, it pulls the second rod
67
upward. The second rod
67
pulls the hinge
71
upward with it, also raising the contact plate
41
above the time selector pin
29
. When the contact plate
41
clears the time selector pin
29
, the plate
41
falls back into a vertical position. When the deactivating piston
47
is released, the spring
55
pushes the piston
47
upward, returning the parts to the positions shown in FIG.
9
. The device is then ready for the next time selector pin
29
to activate the alarm
35
.
If the deactivating piston
47
is not used to deactivate the alarm
35
, the dial
19
will continue to rotate, and the time selector pin
29
will pass the contact plate
41
. When the time selector pin
29
clears the plate
41
, the plate will then drop to a vertical position, as seen in
FIG. 9
, and the circuit will be broken, thus deactivating the alarm
35
automatically.
The deactivating piston
47
, the first rod
57
, the rocker arm
65
, and the second rod
67
thus combine to form a means for manually deactivating the alarm
35
and resetting the device for the next alarm time. This means could also comprise other elements, such as a flexible line passing over a pulley, rather than the rods and rocker arm.
The medication reminder of the invention has several advantages over the prior art. Device can be set for up to twenty four alarms during a twenty four hour day. The device does not have to be reset after each alarm. The alarm can be reset manually, using the deactivating piston, or, after a short period of time, the device will automatically reset itself.
The invention has been described in only one embodiment. It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited, but is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Claims
- 1. A medication reminder, comprising:a body; an alarm device, mounted in the body, for sounding an audible alarm; an electrical power source, connected to the alarm device; a first contact lead, connected to the alarm device; a second contact lead, connected to the alarm device; a contact plate, connected to the first contact lead, and being pivotable between an open position, where the plate contacts the second contact lead to complete an electrical circuit to activate the alarm device; a dial, mounted on the body; a timing device, mounted in the body, for rotating the dial; a plurality of time selector pins, mounted on the dial for rotation with the dial, wherein each pin may be selectively moved between an inward position and an outward position, wherein the pins in the outward position pass by the contact plate and the pins in the inward position push the contact plate into contact with the second contact lead to activate the alarm device; and a deactivating means for manually deactivating the alarm device, wherein the deactivating means automatically resets following an alarm deactivation.
- 2. A medication reminder, comprising:a body; an alarm device, mounted in the body, for sounding an audible alarm; an electrical power source, connected to the alarm device; a first contact lead, connected to the alarm device; a second contact lead, connected to the alarm device; a contact plate, connected to the first contact lead, and being pivotable between an open position, where the plate contacts the second contact lead to complete an electrical circuit to activate the alarm device; a dial, mounted on the body: a timing device, mounted in the body, for rotating the dial; a plurality of time selector pins, mounted on the dial for rotation with the dial, wherein each pin may be selectively moved between an inward position and an outward position, wherein the pins in the outward position pass by the contact plate and the pins in the inward position push the contact plate into contact with the second contact lead to activate the alarm device; and a deactivating means for manually deactivating the alarm device, where in the deactivating means comprises: a deactivating piston, mounted on the body and movable between an upper position and a lower position, a first rod, connected to the piston for movement downward with the piston when piston is manually depressed, and a second rod, connected to the rocker arm for movement upward when the rocker arm is pivoted, wherein the second rod is also connected to the contact plate, for raising the contact plate away from the time selector pin, causing the contact plate to fall away from the second contact lead, breaking the electrical circuit and deactivating the alarm device.
- 3. A medication reminder, comprising:a body; an alarm device, mounted in the body for sounding an audible alarm; an electrical power source, connected to the alarm device; a first contact lead, connected to the alarm device; a second contact lead, connected to the alarm device; a contact plate, connected to the first contact lead, and being pivotable between an open position, where the plate contacts the second contact lead to complete an electrical circuit to activate the alarm device; a dial, mounted on the body; a timing device, mounted in the body for rotating the dial; a plurality of time selector pins, mounted on the dial for rotation with the dial, wherein each pin may be selectively moved between an inward position and an outward position, wherein the pins in the outward position pass by the contact plate and the pins in the inward position push the contact plate into contact with the second contact lead to activate the alarm device; a deactivating means for manually deactivating the alarm device, wherein the deactivating means comprises: a deactivating piston, mounted on the body and movable between an upper position and a lower position, a first rod, connected to the piston for movement downward with the piston when piston is manually depressed, and a second rod, connected to the rocker arm for movement upward when the rocker arm is pivoted, wherein the second rod is also connected to the contact plate, for raising the contact plate away from the time selector pin, causing the contact plate to fall away from the second contact lead, breaking the electrical circuit and deactivating the alarm device; and a hinge connecting the second rod to the contact plate to allow the contact plate to move between a first position, where the contact plate is in contact with the second contact lead, and a second position, where the contact plate is separated from the second contact lead.
- 4. A medication reminder, comprising:a body; an alarm device, mounted in the body, for sounding an audible alarm; an electrical power source, connected to the alarm device; first contact lead, connected to the alarm device; a second contact lead, connected to the alarm device; a contact plate, connected to the first contact lead, and being pivotable between an open position, where the plate contacts the second contact lead to complete an electrical circuit to activate the alarm device; a dial, mounted on the body; a timing device, mounted in the body, for rotating the dial; a plurality of time selector pins, mounted on the dial for rotation with the dial, wherein each pin may be selectively moved between an inward position and an outward position, wherein the pins in the outward position pass by the contact plate and the pins in the inward position push the contact plate into contact with the second contact lead to activate the alarm device; a deactivating means for manually deactivating the alarm device, wherein the deactivating means comprises: a deactivating piston, mounted on the body and movable between an upper position and a lower position, a first rod, connected to the piston for movement downward with the piston when piston is manually depressed, and a second rod, connected to the rocker arm for movement upward when the rocker arm is pivoted, wherein the second rod is also connected to the contact plate, for raising the contact plate away from the time selector pin, causing the contact plate to fall away from the second contact lead, breaking the electrical circuit and deactivating the alarm device; and a hinge connecting the second rod to the contact plate to allow the contact plate to move between a first position, where the contact plate is in contact with the second contact lead, and a second position, where the contact plate is separated from the second contact lead, wherein the first position of the contact plate is generally horizontal, and wherein the second position of the contact plate is generally vertical, so that the normal position of the plate will be the vertical position.
- 5. A medication reminder, comprising:a body; an alarm device, mounted in the body, for sounding an audible alarm; an electrical power source, connected to the alarm device; a first contact lead, connected to the alarm device; a second contact lead, connected to the alarm device; a contact plate, connected to the first contact lead, and being pivotable between an open position, where the plate does not contact the second contact lead, and a closed position, where the plate contacts the second contact lead to complete an electrical circuit to activate the alarm device; a dial, mounted on the body; a timing device, mounted in the body, for rotating the dial; a plurality of time selector pins, mounted on the dial for rotation with the dial, wherein each pin may be selectively moved between an inward position and an outward position, wherein the pins in the outward position pass by the contact plate and the pins in the inward position push the contact plate into contact with the second contact lead to activate the alarm device; a deactivating piston, mounted on the body and movable between an upper position and a lower position; a first rod, connected to the piston for movement downward with the piston when the piston is manually depressed; a rocker arm, connected to the first rod, wherein the rocker arm is pivoted when the first rod moves downward with the piston; and a second rod, connected to the rocker arm for movement upward when the rocker arm is pivoted, wherein the second rod is also connected to the contact plate, for raising the contact plate away from the time selector pin, causing the contact plate to fall away from the second contact lead, breaking the electrical circuit and deactivating the alarm device.
- 6. A medication reminder as recited in claim 5, further comprising a hinge connecting the second rod to the contact plate to allow the contact plate to move between a first position, where the contact plate is in contact with the second contact lead, and a second position, where the contact plate is separated from the second contact lead.
- 7. A medication reminder as recited in claim 6, wherein the first position of the contact plate is generally horizontal, and wherein the second position of the contact plate is generally vertical, so that the normal position of the plate will be the vertical position.
US Referenced Citations (8)