US20070090070A1

US20070090070A1 - Medication rack

Info

Publication number: US20070090070A1
Application number: US11/241,464
Authority: US
Inventors: J. Langham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-09-30
Filing date: 2005-09-30
Publication date: 2007-04-26

Abstract

A medication rack includes a body that defines a first plurality of medication holding recesses having a first diameter and a second plurality of medication holding recesses having a second diameter. A plurality of side walls are formed on the body. A pair of opposing side walls of the plurality of side walls are in intersecting planes. A pair of the opposing side walls and a third side wall adjacent thereto are configured to provide an ergonomic grasping segment for the user.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to medication holders, and more particularly to a medicine rack having a body with medication holding recesses having openings of different diameters and an ergonomic grasping segment.

BACKGROUND

The use and storage of medications has often proved to be inconvenient, particularly when a patient requires more than one medication. Medications such as insulin require refrigeration, and, as a result, are often relegated to storage in portions of a refrigerator alongside food items. Such disorderliness only increases the chance that the medication is misplaced, or separated from other required medications.
Generally, positioning the required medications in proximity to one another does little to alleviate the aggravating situation. This situation is particularly distressing for the elderly patient who struggles to maintain independence and would like to find some way to organize medications, such as injection medications in a refrigerator, so as to simplify the self-medicating process. One way of accomplishing this is to organize medications in a secure and organized fashion.
When handling individual medication bottles or vials, a certain amount of care must be taken when moving such a bottle or vial from one location to another, such as occurs when a vial is removed from a refrigerator to inject insulin. The problem of making sure that the vial, which borders on being top-heavy, gets positioned erectly in a stable condition so as not to fall over. Falling over can lead to problems, including breakage or contamination. Proper positioning requires extra work by the patient, and the difficulty arises anew every time a vial is handled.
Accordingly, inventors have in the past endeavored to provide medication organizers of different types. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,531 to Coy discloses a caddy for medicine containers. This caddy takes the form of a tray which has a number of recesses defined in its top. Each of the recesses is configured to hold a respective medicine container, while concentric reducing rings for altering the inner diameter of the recesses is provided.
Although the medicine caddy shown in the '531 patent solves some problems of the prior art, it is not without disadvantages. For example, this device has a holding aperture defined in the top of the tray by which it is lifted and carried. The tip of the user's index finger is positioned in the holding aperture so that a corner area of the caddy can be pinched between the user's thumb and second finger. Such a lifting technique is awkward and limits use, and the concentric reducing rings can be easily misplaced, particularly by the elderly.
Thus, there is a need for a medication rack defining a plurality of medication holding recesses having openings of a differing diameters and is configured to provide an ergonomic grasping segment for a user.

SUMMARY

There is disclosed herein an improved medication rack which includes improved features for holding medications in vials or bottles of differing diameters and is configured to provide ease in carrying same.
It is an object of the invention to prevent medication vials from falling over and either breaking or rolling around and contaminating the elastomeric membrane at the top the vial.
It is an object of the invention to provide a medicine rack having a body with medication holding recesses having openings of different diameters.
Another object of the invention is to provide an ergonomic grasping segment in a medicine rack.
An illustrative embodiment of the present invention relates to a medication rack including a body defining a first plurality of medication holding recesses having openings of a first diameter and a second plurality of medication holding recesses having openings of a second diameter, a plurality of sidewalls formed on the body, wherein a pair of opposing sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls are in intersecting planes, and wherein the pair of opposing sidewalls and a third sidewall adjacent thereto are configured to provide an ergonomic grasping segment for a user.
Another illustrative embodiment of the invention relates to a medication rack including a body defining a first plurality of medication holding frustoconical recesses having openings of a first diameter, a second plurality of medication holding frustoconical recesses having openings of a second diameter and a plurality of sidewalls formed on the body, wherein a pair of opposing sidewalls and a third sidewall adjacent thereto are configured to provide an ergonomic grasping segment for a user.
A more detailed explanation of the invention is provided in the following description and claims and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there is illustrated in the accompanying drawings an embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a medication rack incorporating the features of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a top view of the medication rack of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the medication rack of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a front view of the medication rack of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a rear view of the medication rack of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 6 is a top view of the medication rack of the present invention shown in operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a medicine rack 10 is illustrated including a body 12 having first recesses 14 and second recesses 16 on an upper surface 18. The recesses are configured to receive medication containers, such as bottles containing insulin, for use by a patient and are distributed over the upper surface 18. Preferably, first recesses 14 and second recesses 16 have openings 17 a and 17 b of different diameters, respectively.
As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, each recess 14 and 16 includes recess walls 20. The recess walls 20 may be frustoconical in configuration, with the recess walls 20 having a greater internal diameter at the openings 17 a and 17 b than at the intersection with bottom wall 21. The frustoconical first and second recesses 14 and 16 are tapered so that the medication container can be easily received through the openings 17 a and/or 17 b and securely accepted therein. Preferably, in the situation where the recess walls 20 are frustoconical, the taper angle is about 0.5 degrees.
Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the body 12 includes opposing sidewalls 22 a and 22 b and at least one other adjacent sidewall 24. As shown in FIGS. 1-5, an additional adjacent sidewall 26 is incorporated as well. It is to be appreciated that adjacent sidewall 26 is not required, rather it is shown for illustrative purposes. As illustrated in FIG. 2, opposing sidewalls 22 a and 22 b reside in intersecting planes “A” and “B,” respectively. Preferably, the angles of intersecting planes “A” and “B” off of adjacent sidewall 24 allow for opposing sidewalls 22 a and 22 b to be positioned so that at least one ergonomic segment 28 and/or 30 is formed. The ergonomic segments 28 and 30 are discussed in detail below with respect to FIG. 6.
Referring now to FIG. 3, body 12 includes a base 32. Base 32 includes bottom walls 21 of the first and second recesses 14 and 16. As illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, bottom walls 21 are positioned above base 32 and incorporate drainage holes 34. Drainage holes 34 are provided to permit condensation that forms on the medication containers and which travels down to the bottom wall 21 to exit the first and second recesses 14 and 16.
In operation, as illustrated in FIG. 6, hands 38 a and 38 b of a user grasp the body 12 containing medication containers 36 about the opposing sidewalls 22 a and 22 b and adjacent sidewall 24. Preferably, in one embodiment, the user's thumbs 40 a and 40 b are positioned along adjacent sidewall 24, with forefingers 42 a and 42 b positioned along opposing sidewalls 22 a and 22 b. In another embodiment, the user's thumbs 40 a and 40 b are positioned along adjacent sidewall 24, with forefingers 42 a and 42 b positioned along opposing sidewalls 22 a and 22 b and the other adjacent sidewall 26. In the aforementioned embodiments, the body 12 is configured such that ergonomic grasping segments 28 and 30 permit the user to handle the body 12 with relative ease. In this manner, for example, the user may keep numerous medication containers together, such as various refrigerated medications, and easily manipulate them into and out of a refrigerator. This arrangement alleviates the aforementioned problems associated with keeping numerous medication containers, as well as the problems related to the prior art.
A medication rack as detailed herein may be utilized in various forms. One such medication rack may be useful for storing medications in containers of differing diameters. Another such medication rack may incorporate an ergonomic grasping segment adapted to cooperate with the portion of a user's hand at the juncture between the thumb and forefinger. From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been provided an improved medication rack which greatly facilitates the storage of different medication containers and easily capable of being handled by a user.
The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of applicants' contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.

Claims

1. A medication rack comprising:

a body defining a first plurality of medication holding recesses having openings of a first diameter and a second plurality of medication holding recesses having openings of a second diameter;

a plurality of sidewalls formed on the body, wherein a pair of opposing sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls are in intersecting planes; and

wherein the pair of opposing sidewalls and a third sidewall adjacent thereto are configured to provide an ergonomic grasping segment for a user.

2. The medication rack according to claim 1, wherein the first plurality of medication holding recesses are frustoconical.

3. The medication rack according to claim 1, wherein the second plurality of medication holding recesses are frustoconical.

4. The medication rack according to claim 1, wherein the first plurality of medication holding recesses include drainage holes.

5. The medication rack according to claim 4, wherein the second plurality of medication holding recesses include drainage holes.

6. The medication rack according to claim 5, wherein the drainage holes are formed in bottom walls of the first and second plurality of medication holding recesses.

7. The medication rack according to claim 6, wherein the bottom walls are positioned between a first surface and a second surface of the body.

8. A medication rack comprising:

a body defining a first plurality of medication holding frustoconical recesses having openings of a first diameter, a second plurality of medication holding frustoconical recesses having openings of a second diameter and a plurality of sidewalls formed on the body, wherein a pair of opposing sidewalls and a third sidewall adjacent thereto are configured to provide an ergonomic grasping segment for a user.