Dispenser

Abstract

A dispenser or dispensing system. The dispenser can be a screw conveyor pill dispenser, tumbler pill dispenser, push-to-operate pill cap dispenser, twist-to-operate pill cap dispenser, or push-to-operate pill cap dispenser. The pill dispenser may include a pill dispenser control system that can interact with a personal device, such as a smart phone. The pill dispenser control system can implement communication with a personal device, pill identification, user identification and security, scheduling functions, and notifications. The pill dispenser can dispense pills manually, semi-automatically, or automatically.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A dispenser for a bottle, the dispenser comprising:
 an inner housing having:
 a side wall with a window formed therethrough, 
 a threaded neck adapted to mount to an externally threaded bottle, and 
 a funnel-shaped interior chamber communicating between the neck and the window; 
   an outer housing having:
 a base adapted to support the dispenser and bottle, 
 a side wall with a dispenser window formed therethrough, and 
 a ledge disposed on the side wall and below the dispenser window; and 
   one or more spring members disposed between the inner and outer housings;   wherein setting the dispenser upon the outer housing base and depressing the bottle aligns the window and dispenser window such that an article contained within the interior chamber falls through the aligned windows and onto the ledge for dispensing to a user.   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , including a guide post extending up from the base of the outer housing and adapted to extend through an opening in a lower surface of the inner housing. 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein the guide post includes an angled upper surface such that it encourages articles to fall through the aligned windows. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more springs are compressed when the windows are aligned, and the springs will return to their uncompressed state where the windows are not aligned, thereby preventing articles from being dispensed. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the inner housing includes magnets disposed on a side wall thereof such that multiple dispensers and bottles can be aligned and magnetically secured together to form a grouping of dispensers. 
     
     
         6 . A dispenser for a bottle, the dispenser comprising:
 a rotatable cap having a dispensing window;   a threaded collar having an intermediate window, a center hole, and an internally threaded flange adapted to mount to an externally threaded bottle; and   a rotating funnel having an interior window, and a funnel that tapers toward the interior window;   wherein turning the cap selectively aligns the dispensing window, intermediate window, and interior window, such that when the bottle is inverted or angled up-side down an article contained within the bottle falls through the aligned windows for dispensing to a user.   
     
     
         7 . The dispenser of  claim 6 , wherein the cap includes a downwardly extending post and the funnel includes a center boss. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein the post of the cap passes through the center hole of the threaded collar and is received in the center boss of the funnel such that turning the cap also turns the funnel. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser of  claim 8 , wherein the post and center boss may include an alignment feature to ensure that the dispensing window and interior window are aligned. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser of  claim 6 , wherein the windows are sized such that a single article will be dispensed at a time. 
     
     
         11 . A dispenser for a bottle, the dispenser comprising:
 a hinged cap having an ramped surface disposed on an interior thereof; and   a housing including a tray, an opening, and an internally threaded collar adapted to mount to an externally threaded bottle, the cap being hingedly mounted to the housing;   wherein inverting the bottle causes an article contained within the bottle to fall through the housing opening and be directed by the ramp on the interior of the cap toward the tray for dispensing to a user.   
     
     
         12 . The dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein the housing includes a funnel on the underside of the tray, the funnel is sloped toward the opening to assist in guiding the article toward the opening. 
     
     
         13 . The dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein the cap includes a detent to prevent the cap from opening until selectively opened by a user. 
     
     
         14 . The dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein the opening is sized to be in the range of 125-150% wider and 125-150% longer than an article for which the dispenser is designed for use. 
     
     
         15 . The dispenser of  claim 14 , wherein the opening is sized approximately 125% of the width and 125% of the length of the article. 
     
     
         16 . The dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein the tray is sized to be in the range of 125-150% wider and 125-150% longer than an article for which the dispenser is designed for use. 
     
     
         17 . The dispenser of  claim 16 , wherein the tray is sized approximately 125% of the width and 125% of the length of the article. 
     
     
         18 . The dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein the tray is sized about 225% of the width and 125% of the length of a single article for which the dispenser is designed for use so as to dispense two articles at a time. 
     
     
         19 . The dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein the tray is sized about 125% of the width and 225% of the length of a single article for which the dispenser is designed for use so as to dispense two articles at a time. 
     
     
         20 . The dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein the cap defines a chamber therewithin, and the chamber height is sized to be in the range of 125-150% of the width of the article for which the dispenser is designed for use. 
     
     
         21 . The dispenser of  claim 20 , wherein the chamber height is sized to be approximately 132% of the width of the article. 
     
     
         22 . A dispenser for a bottle, the dispenser comprising:
 a rotatable cap having a dispensing window; and   a housing including at least two funnels that transition from a lower surface to an upper surface of the housing and define at least two openings therethrough, and a threaded collar adapted to mount to an externally threaded bottle;
 wherein rotating the cap selectively aligns the dispensing window and one of the at least two openings of the funnels, such that when the bottle is inverted or angled up-side down an article contained within the bottle falls through the aligned dispensing window and opening for dispensing to a user. 
   
     
     
         23 . The dispenser of  claim 22 , wherein the funnels are sloped toward the openings to direct the articles toward the dispensing window. 
     
     
         24 . The dispenser of  claim 22 , wherein the cap includes a downwardly extending post and the funnel includes a center boss and the post is retained by the boss. 
     
     
         25 . The dispenser of  claim 22 , wherein articles fall into each of the two funnels; a first article that falls into a first funnel that is aligned with the dispensing window will be dispensed, a second article that falls into a second funnel is loaded. 
     
     
         26 . The dispenser of  claim 25 , wherein further rotating the cap to align the dispensing window with the second funnel will dispense the second article. 
     
     
         27 . A screw conveyor article dispenser comprising:
 a container including a wall capable of supporting a plurality of articles, said container including an opening for dispensing said plurality of articles;   a screw conveyor assembly within said container, said screw conveyor assembly including a screw conveyor and a scoop assembly;   a motor for rotating said screw conveyor assembly about a screw conveyor axis, wherein in response to said rotation of said screw conveyor assembly said plurality of articles move along said screw conveyor axis disposed against said screw conveyor and said wall of said container; and   wherein in response to said rotation of said screw conveyor assembly, said scoop assembly rotates about said screw conveyor axis to receive one or more articles and dispense said one or more articles through said opening in said container.   
     
     
         28 . The screw conveyor article dispenser of  claim 27  including a sensor for detecting said one or more articles have been dispensed, wherein in response to detecting said one or more articles have been dispensed, restricting or stopping said motor. 
     
     
         29 . The screw conveyor article dispenser of  claim 27  wherein said scoop assembly includes a blocking wall being selectively positionable in a first angular position that blocks dispensing of said plurality of articles and a second angular position that allows dispensing of said plurality of articles, wherein in response to said sensor detecting said one or more articles have been dispensed, said motor drives said screw conveyor assembly until said blocking wall of said scoop assembly is positioned in said first annular position. 
     
     
         28 . The screw conveyor article dispenser of  claim 27  wherein said scoop assembly includes an adjustable scoop. 
     
     
         29 . The screw conveyor article dispenser of  claim 27  wherein said screw conveyor includes a plurality of ribs extending from a screw conveyor axle and connecting to a screw, wherein said ribs assist in positioning and aligning said articles on said screw conveyor. 
     
     
         30 . The screw conveyor article dispenser of  claim 27  wherein said screw conveyor article dispenser includes a screw conveyor article dispenser base and one or more screw conveyor article dispenser modules, wherein said one or more screw conveyor article dispenser modules are vertically stackable on top of said screw conveyor article dispenser base and other of said screw conveyor article dispenser modules, wherein said screw conveyor article dispenser base and said one or more screw conveyor article dispenser modules collectively form a common dispensing chute. 
     
     
         31 . The screw conveyor article dispenser of  claim 27  wherein said screw conveyor article dispenser includes a screw conveyor article dispenser base and one or more screw conveyor article dispenser modules, wherein said one or more screw conveyor article dispenser modules are vertically or horizontally stackable and include at least one of electrical contacts and a wireless power unit for communicating at least one of power and data between said screw conveyor article dispenser base and said one or more screw conveyor article dispenser modules. 
     
     
         32 . The screw conveyor article dispenser of  claim 31  wherein said screw conveyor article dispenser dispenses articles according to a regimen in response to a user device coming into proximity of said screw conveyor article dispenser. 
     
     
         33 . The screw conveyor article dispenser of  claim 27  wherein said screw conveyor article dispenser includes an LED and a control system that controls the LED to provide notification that an article has not been dispensed in a threshold amount of time. 
     
     
         34 . The screw conveyor article dispenser of  claim 27  wherein said screw conveyor article dispenser container and screw conveyor are integrally molded. 
     
     
         35 . A tumbler article dispenser for dispensing one or more articles, said tumbler article dispenser comprising:
 a shroud including an opening for dispensing said one or more articles;   a container capable of supporting a plurality of articles, said container positioned and rotatable within said shroud, said container including one or more pockets each including an opening for dispensing said one or more articles in response to alignment of at least one of said one or more pockets with said opening in said shroud;   a gear system coupled to said container, wherein said gear system is configured to rotate said container.   
     
     
         36 . The tumbler article dispenser of  claim 35  including a housing having a dispensing conduit aligned with said opening in said shroud. 
     
     
         37 . The tumbler article dispenser of  claim 35  including a housing having a manually slidable tray for receiving said one or more articles dispensed through said opening of said shroud, wherein said slidable tray is mechanically coupled to said gear system such that sliding said tray results in rotation of said container. 
     
     
         48 . The tumbler article dispenser of  claim 35  including a housing having a manual trigger mechanically coupled to said gear system, wherein in response to actuation of said trigger said gear system rotates said container. 
     
     
         41 . The tumbler article dispenser of  claim 35  including a motor coupled to said gear system for rotating said container. 
     
     
         42 . The tumbler article dispenser of  claim 35  wherein said tumbler article dispenser includes a plurality of tumbler article dispenser modules, wherein said plurality of tumbler article dispenser modules are vertically or horizontally stackable and each include at least one of electrical contacts and a wireless power unit for communicating at least one of power and data.