The present invention relates to pill crushing systems, and more particularly relates to nestable cups having improved pill crushing features and interfacing dimensions which inhibit migration and escape of the powdered pill material from between the cups.
The grinding or crushing of pills into powder form may be necessary when, for example, the person has trouble swallowing whole pills due to throat problems. This is a common need in nursing homes and hospitals. While the very first pill crushing device was most likely the mortar and pestle (which is still used today), more technologically advanced pill crushing devices have been developed over the years (manually or electrically driven) which have various designs that offer advantages over the mortar and pestle, such as making the pill crushing operation quicker, easier and safer (e.g., by preventing cross-contamination between different Rx pills ground in succession), for example.
Some pill crushing devices utilize a pair of disposable cups which may be nested together with the pill located therebetween. As one cup is rotated relative to the other cup, the pill is ground into a powder. The top cup is removed, leaving the powdered pill inside the bottom cup. An additive such as juice or applesauce, for example, may be added to the cup and mixed with the powder to form a liquid or slurry which the patient may more easily swallow. An example of such a nested cup pill crushing device may be seen in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 9,717,651.
The present invention provides a pair of nestable cups wherein the bottom cup and top cup are cooperatively configured to promote improved pill crushing and cup handling and inhibit powder migration and escape from between the cups. The respective cup dimensions are selected so as to cause more pronounced migration of the pill particles in a radially outward direction along the facing cup walls. Radial and even migration of the pill particles between the cups is desirable in that the more cup surface area that is actively grinding against the pill particles, the more pill particles will be subject to continuous grinding which results in a finer (smaller) resultant particle size. The finer the resultant powder, the better the powder will mix with the liquid food additive which will be easier to swallow for the patient than a mixture having larger pill particles therein. Furthermore, since the interfacing geometries of the nested cup side walls are such as to inhibit the fine powder from reaching the open top perimeters of the cups, the full amount of finely powdered pill material stays between the cups, and within the bottom cup.
The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become apparent and be better understood by reference to the following description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:
Referring now to the drawings, with particular reference to
In a preferred embodiment shown (
Referring first to bottom cup 12, bottom cup 12 includes a bottom wall 14 with an integral side wall 16 extending from the bottom wall 14 and terminating in an upper perimeter 18 defining an open top 20 leading to an interior space 22.
Bottom wall 14 may have a radial fluted configuration as seen in the Figures although other configurations are possible. The radial fluted configuration promotes crushing of the pill(s) “P” between the top and bottom cups due to the interrupted surface topography. The inner perimeter 14a is preferably curved to enable the leading edge of a spoon to be easily passed thereagainst in an uninterrupted manner so as to enable easy scooping out of essentially all of the powdered pill once mixed with the food additive to form a slurry/liquid to aid ingestion as discussed above. The center section 14b may be indented toward open top 20 so that the pill material tends to collect toward the perimeter 14a.
Side wall 16 may have one or more segments 16a, 16b and 16c which may be of differing dimensions. In the embodiment shown in the Figures, a first segment 16a extends from bottom wall 14 a first width W1 and may curve inwardly as it extends in the direction toward open top 20. A second segment 16b may extend from first segment 16a and may taper outwardly for a second width W2. A third segment 16c may extend from second segment 16b and may be of substantially uniform diameter D1 along its width W3.
Upper perimeter 18 may include a tapered wall segment 18a which extends from wall segment 16c to a flange 18b. Flange 18b may be substantially planar and lie along a plane which extends at an angle “A1” relative side wall segment 16c. Tapered wall segment 18a may extend at an acute angle “A2” from side wall segment 16c. One or more recesses 18c may be formed in annularly spaced relation about upper perimeter 18 which allow bottom cup 12 to be removably held by a cup holder having complimentary shaped and spaced projections where the projections align with and may removably engage the recesses 18c.
Referring now to top cup 10, top cup 10 includes a bottom wall 24 with an integral side wall 26 extending from the bottom wall 24 and terminating in an upper perimeter 28 defining an open top 30 leading to an interior space 32.
Bottom wall 24 may have a radial fluted configuration as seen in
Side wall 26 may have one or more segments 26a and 26b which may be of differing dimensions. In the embodiment shown in the
Upper perimeter 28 may include a flange 34 which extends from upper perimeter 28 downwardly in the general direction of bottom wall 24 and spaced outwardly of cup side wall segment 26b. Flange 34 includes an outer surface 34a, and inner surface 34b and a free edge 34c.
One or more projections 28a may be formed in annularly spaced relation about upper perimeter 28 which allow top cup 10 to be removably held by a cup holder having complimentary shaped and spaced recesses where the projections 28a may align with and may removably engage the recesses.
In one embodiment shown in
It is noted that the tapered wall segment 18a of bottom cup upper perimeter 18 may act as a funnel, directing flange free edge 34c inwardly toward bottom cup interior 22, particularly should flange free edge 34c be slightly misaligned as top cup is brought close to bottom cup 12 and strike tapered wall segment 18a.
In another embodiment shown in
In yet another embodiment shown in
In the embodiment where flange 34 is rigid, there is no requirement for a space between flange inner surface 34b and side wall second segment 26b. As such, a shoulder 34d may extend between free edge 34c and side wall second segment 26b. Also, the area indicated by reference numeral 34′ in
In all embodiments shown in
The present invention may comprise a pill cup assembly adapted for grinding one or more pills into a powder, the pill cup assembly comprising:
a) first and second nestable cups each having a bottom wall with inner and outer surfaces and a side wall with inner and outer surfaces, each side wall extending from a respective said bottom wall and terminating in an upper perimeter edge defining an open top with an interior space;
b) a flange extending from the upper perimeter edge of the first cup, the flange having an outer wall surface and terminating in a free edge, the flange spaced from the top cup side wall;
wherein the first cup is nestable within said second cup with the flange free edge of said first cup locating within the second cup interior space when placed in the nested condition.
The pill cup assembly may include an embodiment wherein the flange free edge contacts and forms a barrier with the second cup inner side wall when the first and second cups are nested together, the barrier inhibiting pill material located between the first and second cups from exiting from between the first and second cups when in the nested condition.
The pill cup assembly may include an embodiment wherein the flange is flexible.
The pill cup assembly may include an embodiment wherein the flange free edge has a diameter larger than a diameter of the first cup side wall inner surface whereby the flange flexes inwardly toward the first cup side wall under force applied thereagainst by the second cup side wall inner surface as the first and second cups are placed into the nested condition.
The pill cup assembly may include an embodiment wherein the second cup side wall tapers inwardly toward the center of the second cup as the second cup side wall extends toward the second cup bottom wall, and wherein the diameter of the flange free edge is greater than the smallest diameter of the second cup side wall segment such that the flange free edge will contact the second cup side wall segment as the first cup is advanced into and nested with the second cup.
The pill cup assembly may include an embodiment wherein the flange is rigid and the second cup side wall is flexible.
The pill cup assembly may include an embodiment wherein the flange free edge has a diameter smaller than the diameter of said upper perimeter edge of the second cup.
The pill cup assembly may include an embodiment wherein the flange free edge has a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the upper perimeter edge of said second cup.
Turning now to
Referring now to bottom cup 112, bottom cup 112 includes a bottom wall 114 with an integral side wall 116 extending from the bottom wall 114 and terminating in an upper perimeter 118 defining an open top 120 having a diameter D2 leading to an open interior space 122. Bottom wall 14 may have a radial fluted configuration as seen in
Side wall 116 may have one or more segments 116a and 116b which may be of differing dimensions. In the embodiment shown in
Referring now to top cup 110, top cup 110 includes a bottom wall 124 with an integral side wall 126 extending from the bottom wall 124 and terminating in an upper perimeter 128 defining an open top 130 leading to an interior space 132. Bottom wall 124 may have a radial fluted configuration as seen in
Side wall 126 may have one or more segments 126a and 126b which may be of differing dimensions. In the embodiment shown in
In one aspect of the invention, diameter D3 is selected to be greater than diameter D2 of upper perimeter 118 of bottom cup 112. Second segments 126b may be constructed of a flexible materials whereby outer surface 126c of second segment 126b may then engage upper perimeter 118 when top cup 110 is nested within bottom cup 112. Spaced distance 118b creates an uninterrupted upper perimeter 118 such that outer surface 126c forms an uninterrupted 360° seal against upper perimeter 118, thereby preventing unwanted loss of pill material from bottom cup 112 during crushing. In another aspect of the invention, the length of diameter D3 and angle A7 are selected such that outer surface 126c seats against upper perimeter 118 despite the size of pill(s) P placed within bottom cup 112 to be crushed.
One or more projections 134 may be formed in annularly spaced relation about the inner surface 116d of first segment 126a which allow top cup 10 to be removably held by a cup holder having complimentary drive members on the pill crushing machine where the projections 134 may engage with the drive members to assist rotation of top cup 110 against bottom cup 112 as described above.
The present invention may comprise a pill cup assembly adapted for grinding one or more pills into a powder, the pill cup assembly comprising:
a) first and second nestable cups each having a bottom wall with inner and outer surfaces and a side wall with inner and outer surfaces, each side wall extending from a respective said bottom wall and terminating in an upper perimeter edge defining an open top with an interior space;
b) a flange extending from the upper perimeter edge of the second cup, the flange defining a plurality of annularly spaced recesses located a spaced distance from the upper perimeter edge of the second cup;
wherein the first cup is nestable within said second cup with the side wall of the first cup locating within the second cup interior space and sealingly engaging the upper perimeter of the second cup when placed in the nested condition.
The pill cup assembly may include an embodiment wherein the first cup side wall and forms a barrier with the second cup inner side wall when the first and second cups are nested together, the barrier inhibiting pill material located between the first and second cups from exiting from between the first and second cups when in the nested condition.
The pill cup assembly may include an embodiment wherein the side wall of the first cup is flexible.
The pill cup assembly may include an embodiment wherein an upper portion of the side wall of the first cup a diameter larger than a diameter of the second cup upper perimeter whereby the upper portion of the side wall of the first cup flexes inwardly when under force applied thereagainst by the second cup side upper perimeter as the first and second cups are placed into the nested condition.
While the present apparatus and method has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62896957 | Sep 2019 | US |