Method And Apparartus for Breaking Tablets or Pills

Abstract

A method and apparatus for breaking tablets or pills into separate, generally equal sized portions. A container for the tablets has a surface with an elongated, generally straight, raised ridge member extending along the container surface. A tablet or pill is placed on the topmost surface of the raised ridge with the outer tablet edges extending along the container surface. A tablet or pill is placed on the topmost surface of the raised ridge with the outer tablet edges extending outwardly beyond the raised ridge and spaced above the container surface. Generally equal forces are simultaneously exerted downwardly on the outer tablet edges urging the outer edges downwardly toward the container surface breaking the tablet into two generally equally sized tablet portions.

1 . A method for breaking a tablet having opposing outer tablet edges into separate portions comprising the steps of:
 obtaining a container for said tablet, said container having a surface with an elongated, generally straight, raised, ridge member extending along said surface;   placing said tablet on a topmost surface of said raised ridge with said outer tablet edges extending outwardly beyond said raised ridge and spaced above said container surface;   simultaneously exerting generally equal forces to said outer tablet edges urging said outer tablet edges downward toward said container surface; and   breaking said tablet into two generally equally sized tablet portions.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said raised ridge member extends along an outer surface of a cap of said container. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said raised ridge member extends along an inner surface of a cap of said container. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said raised edge member extends along a recessed bottom portion of said container. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said container is selected from the group consisting of a generally cylindrical tablet bottle, a tablet carton, an envelope tablet package, and a foil tablet package. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said container further comprises a tablet guide member affixed to said container surface and cooperating with said raised ridge member to facilitate placement of said tablet along said ridge member, said tablet guide having an uppermost surface extending above said topmost surface of said ridge member and positioned outwardly beyond said outer tablet edges when said tablet is placed upon said topmost surface of said raised ridge member. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said topmost surface of said raised ridge member is a generally smooth arcuate, non-cutting surface. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for breaking a tablet comprising a container for said tablet having an integral, elongated, generally straight, raised ridge member extending along a surface of said container, said raised ridge extending upwardly from said surface and adapted to receive said tablet along a topmost ridge surface with opposite outer tablet edges extending outwardly from said raised ridge and spaced above said container surface, said outer tablet edges adapted to receive simultaneously generally equal downward forces sufficient to break said tablet. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a tablet guide member affixed to said container surface and cooperating with said raised ridge member to facilitate receipt of said tablet along a topmost surface of said ridge member to facilitate receipt of said tablet along a topmost surface of said ridge member and positioned outwardly beyond said outer tablet edges when said tablet is received on said topmost surface of said raised ridge member. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said topmost surface of said raised ridge member is a generally smooth, arcuate, non-cutting surface.