US20050056564A1

US20050056564A1 - Wallet pill card

Info

Publication number: US20050056564A1
Application number: US10/663,931
Authority: US
Inventors: John Higgins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-09-16
Filing date: 2003-09-16
Publication date: 2005-03-17
Also published as: WO2005028337A1

Abstract

A personal wallet pill card comprising a card like configuration that provides transportation, easy access storage, and a method to protect the medication from harm while transported in a wallet. This is achieved by utilizing the top upper pocket section of a wallet; where there is the only open space, allowing the storage without making the wallet thicker or applying pressure to the oral medications.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to methods for transporting items on an individual's person, and in particular to a wallet pill card, thinner than a credit card, which is easily stored by an individual for transportation, in the top credit card slit/pocket of a wallet.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

There are many occasions where an individual may require medication. Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration has recognized that aspirin can reduce the risk of death if taken at the first signs of a heart attack and has approved aspirin for use to treat cardiovascular disease and stroke. According to the American Heart Association, 5,000 to 10,000 of the 900,000 lives lost each year to cardiovascular disease could be saved if more people ingested aspirin upon the first signs of a heart attack. Aspirin can lessen damage to the heart or even temporarily stop a heart attack, allowing a less damaging survival, treatment and longer life expectancy. The effective dose of aspirin required is a relatively low dose; just one regular aspirin can save a life. Additionally, aspirin and other medications are known in the art for treatment of ailments such as headaches and muscle aches and pains. Therefore, a method of transportation for medication on an individual's person in order for immediate access is desired. Furthermore, a method for transporting medication is needed that includes instructions for ingesting aspirin during a heart attack.
There are various methods and apparatuses known in the art with the purpose of transporting medication. In particular, relatively small, reusable pillboxes are known in the art for the specific purpose of storing oral medication. However, pillboxes fail to fit comfortably and reliably within a pocket or other means for carrying medication on an individual's person. Therefore, a method for transporting medication is needed where a person can fit the packaging into a customized place in a wallet, pocket or pocketbook. Furthermore, a reusable method for transporting medication is needed where a person can fit the packaging into a customized place in a wallet, pocket or pocketbook.
Currently, medication purchased with or without a prescription is sold in a variety of ways. One method employed in the art is a blister card containing a dome shaped PVC plastic cavity covered and sealed by a material such as foil. U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,236 issued to Bartell, et al. discloses a medication package with peripheral dimensions of a credit card including multiple cavities containing unit doses of medication covered by sheet metal foil. However, the cavities are distributed throughout the credit card sized package causing the medication to be vulnerable to crushing when placed inside of the wallet and also expanding the wallets thickness. Therefore, there is a need for a packaging or a carrier that protects medication from pressures resulting from an individual transporting the medication via a wallet and minimizes additional thickness of a wallet, pocketbook or pocket.
Additionally, the blister packages known in the art fail to identify the medication or contain directions for use. Therefore, there is a need for a packaging that identifies or gives directions for the medication enclosed.
Wallets known in the art are frequently in a folded over configuration. Credit card pockets are usually stacked, overlapping the pocket above it, on the inside of the wallet causing the thickness to increase, as more pockets are included. After approximately three pockets, the wallet is much thicker at the bottom creating an open space located at the top of the wallet between the opposing sides when the wallet is folded over. Additional space is created when items or credit cards are placed inside of the wallet pockets due to added thickness. When the wallet is folded over and placed in an individual's front or back pocket, the space on top of the wallet remains or widens due to pressure applied by the individual's pocket at the bottom of the wallet creating a pinching effect while the top portion of the wallet located near the pocket opening is undisturbed. Therefore, items may be placed in a wallet protected from compressive forces by utilizing the space near the top pocket of the wallet created when the wallet is folded over.
For these reasons, a reusable or disposable card-like configuration is needed that provides transportation and easy access storage for medication, a protection mechanism that shields medication from harm while transported, identification of the medication, and directions for use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The personal wallet pill card of the present invention comprises a card, having top and bottom surfaces, with similar or smaller dimensions of a credit card known in the art; and at least one sealed cavity, such as blister packaging as is known in the art, located on the top horizontal portion of the card. Therefore, the card is easily inserted into an inside top wallet pocket, on the top of either or both sides, leaving the sealed cavities exposed outside of the inside wallet pocket. Thus, utilizing the space created when the wallet is folded over to prevent compression on the sealed cavities. Additionally, the card may be perforated in order to detach each individual sealed cavity. Therefore, the wallet pill card may be easily transported and accessed in a wallet, pocketbook or pocket.
The remainder of the card's top and bottom surfaces may be utilized for directions, advertisements, product identification of the included medication or item, or any other writing or illustration. For example, instructions on ingesting aspirin during a heart attack may be written on the front or back of the card.
The wallet pill card may be disposable for a single use or reusable for multiple uses. In a reusable embodiment of the present invention, additional medication is placed and sealed, through sealing mechanisms known in the art, in the sealed cavities once they are opened and emptied. Therefore, the wallet pill card may be reused with additional medication.
The sealed cavities may contain a variety of medications such as oral medical pills like aspirin, Viagra or Levitra, or tubes of medicament like chapstick.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, claims, and accompanying drawings. Therefore, the form of the invention, as set out above, should be considered illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the wallet pill card;
FIG. 2 is a rear view of an embodiment of the wallet pill card;
FIG. 3 is a front view of the wallet pill card inside a wallet;
FIG. 4 is a top view of the wallet pill card inside a wallet;
FIG. 5 is a side view of the wallet pill card inside a wallet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention represents a personal wallet pill card comprising a card 1 and at least one sealed cavity 2 displayed in FIGS. 1-5. An embodiment is displayed in FIG. 1. This embodiment illustrated herein includes a card 1 having top and bottom surfaces, of similar dimensions as a credit card, containing a plurality of sealed cavities 2 located on the top portion of the card 1 for the storage of items such as oral medication like aspirin. The remaining portion of the card 1 under the sealed cavities 2 may be used for writing 3 such as advertisements, symptoms associated with medical conditions, ingredients, directions for use, or any other desired writing as shown in FIG. 1. Additional writing 4 may be placed on the back of the card 1 as shown in FIG. 2.
The accumulated thickness from stacked pockets within a wallet creates a space located at the top of the wallet between the opposing sides when the wallet is folded over. Therefore, the card 1 is easily inserted into a wallet pocket, leaving the sealed cavities 2 exposed outside of the wallet pocket, as shown in FIG. 3, utilizing the space created in a wallet when folded over for protection from crushing as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 5 shows multiple credit cards 5 within a wallet illustrating the width of the space W created by the accumulated width of credit cards. The space W created by the wallet pockets and credit cards protects the sealed cavities 2 from crushing while inside of the wallet.
The card 1 may be perforated for the detachment of each individual sealed cavity 2.
The personal wallet pill card has a card 1 thickness of approximately 0.35 mm-0.5 mm. The total width of the card 1 and the plurality of sealed cavities 2 is approximately 5.0 mm-8.0 mm whereas the thickness of a credit card is 0.80 mm. Therefore, the wallet pill card may be placed inside of a wallet similar to the placement of a credit card as shown in FIGS. 3-5.

Claims

1. A personal wallet pill card comprising:

a card having a top surface and a bottom surface including at least one sealed cavity located on the top surface at the perimeter edge of said card.

2. The personal wallet pill card of claim 1 wherein:

said card has a plurality of separate sealed cavities.

3. The personal wallet pill card of claim 2 wherein:

said card is perforated on one side of each of the separate sealed cavities for detachment.

4. The personal wallet pill card of claim 1 wherein:

said sealed cavity is designed to contain oral medical tablets.

5. The personal wallet pill card of claim 1 wherein:

said sealed cavity is designed to contain aspirin.

6. The personal wallet pill card of claim 1 wherein:

said sealed cavity is designed to contain Viagra.

7. The personal wallet pill card of claim 1 wherein:

said sealed cavity is designed to contain Levitra.

8. The personal wallet pill card of claim 1 wherein:

said sealed cavity is designed to contain a tube of medicament.

9. The personal wallet pill card of claim 1 wherein:

said card is perforated for detachment of said sealed cavity.

10. The personal wallet pill card of claim 1 wherein:

said card is the width of a credit card.

11. The personal wallet pill card of claim 1 wherein:

said card is the height of a credit card.

12. The personal wallet pill card of claim 1 wherein:

said card has a thickness thinner or the same thickness as a credit card.

13. The personal wallet pill card of claim 1 wherein:

said card has writing on the top surface.

14. The personal wallet pill card of claim 12 wherein:

said writing is instructions for ingesting aspirin during a heart attack.

15. The personal wallet pill card of claim 12 wherein:

said writing is an advertisement.

16. The personal wallet pill card of claim 1 wherein:

said card has writing on the bottom surface.

17. The personal wallet pill card of claim 1 further including:

a cavity resealing mechanism for multiple uses.