Pill packaging system

Abstract

A pill packaging apparatus is shown and described.

1 . A pill packager comprising:
 a base having a footprint and a top surface with a hub extending generally orthogonally from said top surface;   a support tray having a boss and defining an eccentrically located load element, said boss being coupled with said hub;   a rotator tray having a plurality of ribs defining compartments between the ribs, said rotator tray being rotationally mounted superjacent the support tray; and   a connecting linkage between the rotator tray and the support tray to rotationally engage said rotator tray with said support tray.   
   
   
       2 . The pill packager of  claim 1  wherein said hub defines a raised key. 
   
   
       3 . The pill packager of  claim 2  wherein said boss is coupled with said hub via a keyway mating with said raised key. 
   
   
       4 . The pill packager of  claim 1  wherein said top surface further defines a holder. 
   
   
       5 . The pill packager of  claim 4  wherein said load element aligns with said holder. 
   
   
       6 . The pill packager of  claim 1  wherein the load element is a straight tube, a descending funnel, or an inverted cone. 
   
   
       7 . The pill packager of  claim 1  said rotator tray also defining an outer rim and comprising means for rotating the rotator tray relative to the support tray. 
   
   
       8 . The pill packager of  claim 1  wherein said rotator tray defines seven ribs with seven compartments between said ribs. 
   
   
       9 . The pill packager of  claim 1  wherein said rotator tray further comprises a system of tabs extending outwardly from the rotator tray. 
   
   
       10 . The pill packager of  claim 9  wherein said tabs correspond to said compartments. 
   
   
       11 . The pill packager of  claim 1  wherein the connecting linkage includes a top cap mounted on a connecting column. 
   
   
       12 . The pill packager of  claim 11  wherein said connecting column depends through said boss of said support tray. 
   
   
       13 . The pill packager of  claim 12  wherein said connecting column mates with a raised key of said hub. 
   
   
       14 . The pill packager of  claim 1  further comprising means for indexing the compartments of the rotator tray with the load element of the support tray. 
   
   
       15 . The pill packager of  claim 14  wherein the means for indexing comprises a bump and detent system. 
   
   
       16 . The pill packager of  claim 15  wherein with said bumps being mounted on the connecting linkage and the detents being mounted on the rotator tray. 
   
   
       17 . The pill packager of  claim 15  wherein said bump and detent system corresponds to the defined compartments of said rotator tray. 
   
   
       18 . The pill packager of  claim 14  wherein the means for indexing further comprises a screw for tightening the connecting linkage to the rotator tray. 
   
   
       19 . A cost effective pill packaging apparatus, comprising:
 a rotator tray having an inner rim and an outer rim, said tray defining a plurality of bottomless pill compartments spaced between said inner and outer rims;   a connector linked to the inner rim of the rotator tray and extending therethrough;   a support tray oriented generally parallel to and rotationally engaged with the rotator tray and having a boss through which the connector extends, said support tray defining a load element and said rotator tray being capable of rotating relative to the support tray to advance at least one of said pill compartments superjacent the load element; and   a base member coupled to the boss of the support tray, said base member being oriented generally orthogonally to the connector.   
   
   
       20 . The cost effective pill packaging apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising means for controlling the relative rotation between the rotator tray and the tray support. 
   
   
       21 . The cost effective pill packaging apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the means for controlling includes a system of tabs mounted on said rotator tray and corresponding to said pill compartments. 
   
   
       22 . The cost effective pill packaging apparatus of  claim 21  wherein said system of tabs are labeled with time information and correspond to said pill compartments. 
   
   
       23 . The cost effective pill packaging apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the means for rotating further comprises at least one load tab. 
   
   
       24 . The cost effective pill packaging apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said connector comprises a top cap and a connecting column mounted to and depending therefrom. 
   
   
       25 . The cost effective pill packaging apparatus of  claim 24  wherein the top cap is removably mounted with the inner rim of said rotator tray. 
   
   
       26 . A pill packaging apparatus comprising:
 a rotator tray having an inner rim and an outer rim, said tray defining a plurality of bottomless pill compartments spaced between the rims;   a connector linked to the inner rim of the rotator tray and extending therethrough;   a base support tray oriented generally parallel to and rotationally engaged with the rotator tray and having a boss through which the connector extends, said base support tray defining a load element positioned subjacent at least one pill compartment and said rotator tray being capable of rotating relative to the base support tray so that the pill compartments are advancingly positioned superjacent the load element; and   means for controlling the relative rotation between the rotator tray and the tray support.   
   
   
       27 . The pill packaging apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the base support tray further defines a holder suitable for a pill container, said holder being aligned with said load element, and at least one pill compartment positionable superjacent said load element. 
   
   
       28 . The pill packaging apparatus of  claim 26  wherein the rotator tray defines seven compartments, and a system of tabs mounted on the rotator tray and extending outwardly from said rotator tray and corresponding to said pill compartments, said tabs being labeled with the days of the week, and the rotator tray further comprises a load tab located on said outer rim between two of said labeled tabs. 
   
   
       29 . The pill packaging apparatus of  claim 26  further comprising a system of bumps and detents corresponding to the pill compartments and means for urging the rotator tray against the support tray such that the bottomless pill compartments will be alternately rotated superjacent to the load element, said means for urging comprising a screw inserted through the base into the connector and turned so as to advance the connector toward the rotator tray.