A health improvement device for modifying a daily behavior by reminding a person to take medication includes a generally vertically upstanding housing. The housing includes first and second adjoining sections. The first section is provided to removably hold an instrument, such as a toothbrush, for use in a daily activity. The second section is provided for holding a material, such as medication, to be taken by the person. When a person reaches to use the toothbrush, for example, the person is reminded to take the medication due to its proximity in the second section.
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0. 21. A health improvement device for modifying a daily behavior by reminding a person to take medication, comprising:
a) a generally vertically upstanding housing including first and second adjoining sections; b) said first section including means for removably holding an instrument for use in a daily activity; c) said second section including means for holding a material to be taken by a person; d) said second section including an opening substantially across the front thereof for allowing continuous visual inspection of said material in said second sections; and e) said first and second sections being separated by an uninterrupted vertically extending wall; f) wherein when a person reaches to use said instrument, the person is reminded to take said material due to the proximity of said material holding means.
0. 23. A health improvement device for modifying a daily behavior by reminding a person to take medication, comprising:
a) a generally vertically upstanding housing including first and second adjoining sections; b) said first section including a recess for removably holding an instrument for use in a daily activity; c) said second section including a member for holding a material to be taken by a person; d) said second section including an opening substantially across the front thereof for allowing continuous visual inspection of said material in said second section; and e) said first and second sections being separated by an uninterrupted vertically extending wall; f) wherein when a person reaches to use said instrument, the person is reminded to take said material due to the proximity of said material holding member.
15. A health improvement device for modifying a daily behavior by reminding a person to take medication, comprising:
a) a generally vertically upstanding housing including integrally formed first and second adjoining sections; b) said first section being generally cylindrical in shape and including a recess for removably holding a toothbrush generally vertically therein; c) said second section including a medication holding container; d) said second section including an opening substantially across the front thereof for allowing continuous visual inspection of the medication in said second section; and e) said first section including a drainage hole adjacent the bottom thereof; e) wherein when a person reaches to use the toothbrush, the person is reminded to take the medication due to the proximity of the medication container.
0. 22. A health improvement device for modifying a daily behavior by reminding a person to take medication, comprising:
a) a generally vertically upstanding housing including first and second adjoining sections; b) said first section including a recess for removably holding an instrument for use in a daily activity; c) said second section including a member for holding a material to be taken by a person; d) said second section including an opening substantially across the front thereof for allowing continuous visual inspection of said material in said second section; e) said first section including top and bottom sections; and f) said first section including a yoke member positioned in said bottom section thereof for holding said instrument generally vertically therein; g) wherein when a person reaches to use said instrument, the person is reminded to take said material due to the proximity of said material holding member.
20. A health improvement device for modifying a daily behavior by reminding a person to take medication, comprising;
a) a generally vertically upstanding housing including first and second adjoining sections; b) said first section including means for removably holding an instrument for use in a daily activity; c) said second section including means for holding a material to be taken by a person; d) said first section including top and bottom sections; e) said first section including means for holding said instrument generally vertically therein; f) said instrument holding means including a yoke member positioned in said bottom section of said first section; g) said yoke member being removably positioned in said bottom section; and h) said yoke member including a drainage opening; i) wherein when a person reaches to use said instrument, the person is reminded to take said material due to the proximity of said material holding means.
1. A health improvement device for modifying a daily behavior by reminding a person to take medication, comprising:
a) a generally vertically upstanding housing including first and second adjoining sections; b) said first section including means for removably holding an instrument for use in a daily activity; c) said second section including means for holding a material to be taken by person; and d) said second section including an opening substantially across the front thereof for allowing continuous visual inspection of said material in said second section; e) said first section including top and bottom sections; f) said first section including means for holding said instrument generally vertically therein; g) said instrument holding means comprising a yoke member positioned in said bottom section of said first section; and (e) h) wherein when a person reaches to use said instrument, the person is reminded to take said material due to the proximity of said material holding means.
19. A health improvement device for modifying a daily behavior by reminding a person to take medication, comprising:
a) a generally vertically housing including first and second adjoining sections; b) said first section including means for removably holding an instrument for use in a daily activity; c) said second section including means for holding a material to be taken by a person; d) said first section including top and bottom sections; e) said first section including means for holding said instrument generally vertically therein; f) said instrument holding means including a yoke member positioned in said bottom section of said first section; g) said instrument holding means including an opening in said top section of said first section; h) said yoke member including a generally funnel-shaped recess; and i) said opening and said funnel-shaped recess being generally vertically aligned so as to keep said instrument generally vertical; j) wherein when a person reaches to use said instrument, the person is reminded to take said material due to the proximity of said material holding means.
0. 2. The health improvement device of
a) said first section includes top and bottom sections; b) said first section includes means for holding said instrument generally vertically therein; and c) said instrument holding means comprises a yoke member positioned in said bottom section of said first section.
3. The health improvement device of claim 2 1, wherein:
a) said instrument holding means further includes an opening in said top section of said first section.
4. The health improvement device of claim 2 1, wherein:
a) said yoke member is removably positioned in said bottom section.
6. The health improvement device of claim 2 1, wherein:
a) said opening has the general configuration of a + sign.
7. The health improvement device of
a) said first section is generally cylindrical in shape and includes a recess bound by an inside wall; and b) a plurality of vertically extending ribs are provided on said inside wall.
8. The health improvement device of
a) said ribs extend generally vertically and substantially the height of said first section.
9. The health improvement device of
a) said second section is generally cylindrical in shape and includes a recess therein.
10. The health improvement device of
a) said second section comprises a generally C-shaped member for holding a container.
11. The health improvement device of
a) said C-shaped member extends generally vertically and substantially the height of said second section.
16. The health improvement device of
a) said second section comprises a generally C-shaped member.
17. The health improvement device of
a) said C-shaped member extends generally vertically and substantially the height of said second section.
18. The health improvement device of
a) said first section includes an inside wall; and b) a plurality of vertically extending ribs are provided on said inside wall.
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The present invention is directed to a health improvement device, and more particularly to a device which modifies a daily behavior by reminding a person to take medication, as directed by the doctor.
It has been observed by medical professionals and other behavior scientists that remembering to take prescription or other medication, day after day, is a routine that is usually hard to establish. In this regard, it is known that taking medication at prescribed intervals or time is not only important, but in many instances, could be critical. The failure of a person to take the medication, as prescribed, may have adverse impact on the health of a person. It is therefore important that a simple and easy to use device be provided which reminds a person to take the medication.
Various examples of conventional devices of this nature and various medicine containers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 571,436; 675,364; 612,296; 2,450,337; 2,570,380; 2,608,294; 3,228,737; 3,521,936; 3,524,690; 3,884,635; 4,140,140; 4,116,508; 4,248,254; 4,307,923, 4,308,923; 4,466,150; 4,951,596; 5,072,477; and 5,271,353.
The conventional devices are not as simple to use as the device of the present invention and not versatile.
The main object of the present invention is to provide a simple to use and an inexpensive health improvement device which modifies a person's daily behavior by reminding the person to take medication, as directed.
An object of the present invention is to provide a health improvement device which overcomes the disadvantages associated with the conventional devices.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a health improvement device which creates a simple association between the daily habit of toothbrushing and another habit a doctor wants each patient to develop, that is of taking medication properly.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a health improvement device which reminds the patient, when reaching his or her toothbrush, to take medication at the same time.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a health improvement device which allows the medication to work as it should, since it is being taken as prescribed by the doctor, for example, once daily in the morning, or both morning and at night.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a health improvement device which results in better compliance and more effective therapy and therefore saves needless medical visits and extra costs for the patient and the insurance provider.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a health improvement device which is versatile in that it can be reused with different medicine containers. In other words, once the medication supply is exhausted, the device can be reused with other medicine containers.
In summary, the main object of the present invention is to provide a health improvement device which is simple, inexpensive, versatile and modifies a person's daily behavior to serve as a reminder to take a prescription medication, as directed.
The above and other objects and advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from a review of the preferred and alternative embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the drawings, in which:
As best shown in
Housing H is of a unitary construction and includes a generally cylindrical, hollow section 10 and a generally cylindrical open recess section 12. As can be seen from
As best shown in
As best shown in
The recess 24 in plate 20 is in general vertical alignment with yoke bottom 38, such that when toothbrush TB is placed in section 10, it is secured vertically therein. Moreover, when toothbrush TB is placed in section 10, after brushing teeth, for example, any liquid or moisture present thereon drips downwardly in yoke 32, and due to its generally conical inner wall 46, gets collected at bottom 38 and flows outwardly through drain hole 36.
As best shown in
As best shown in
In regard to second section 12, it is in the general configuration of a clip defined by a generally C-shaped, wrap around vertical wall 54. As best shown in
The provision of front opening 58 allows the information on the medicine bottle MB, which is generally pasted thereon by a pharmacist, to remain visible and, therefore, further enhances the probability that the user would be reminded of taking the prescribed medication, as directed. Although as shown in the figures herein, the height of the C-shaped wall is substantially the same as first section 10, it is well within the scope of this invention to vary its dimensions, shape or configuration, as may be desired.
As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4-6, section 12 further includes a bottom 60 for supporting the medicine bottle MB. Further, reference numeral 61 in
As illustrated in
It is noted herewith that in various embodiments illustrated herein, the like parts/components have been designated by using the same reference numerals for clarity.
As can be easily seen from the above detailed description of the invention, as illustrated in the preferred and alternative embodiments, a person upon reaching for the toothbrush, is easily reminded of taking the medication concurrently, since the medicine bottle is located in close proximity to the toothbrush.
While this invention has been described as having preferred designs, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, uses and/or adaptations following in general the principle of the invention, and including such departures from the present disclosure as those come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the central features hereinsetforth, and fall within the scope of the invention and the limits of the appended claims.
Avery, Allan R., Bernstein, Lawrence H.
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