Modular Pill Dispenser with Rotating Turntable
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing single pill dispensers are limited in their ability to accommodate pills of various sizes and are typically designed for specific medication bottles, failing to meet the needs of individuals taking multiple medications or supplements like fish oil pills, which come in different sizes and require flexible storage solutions.
Innovation Solution
A pill dispenser apparatus featuring a cylindrical housing with rotatable turntable and modular design, allowing for the storage and dispensing of pills of different sizes, equipped with a size adjustment dial and a spring-loaded push button mechanism for precise pill release, along with a turntable plate for easy medication selection and smooth rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If prior art single pill dispensers are designed for specific medication bottles, then they provide simple attachment, but they lack versatility to accommodate pills of various sizes and multiple medications
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser is divided into modular components: a reusable housing with multiple pockets, detachable pill containers, and interchangeable mechanisms. This segmentation allows users to configure the dispenser for different pill sizes and medications by simply changing the container or mechanism module, providing versatility without requiring a completely different device for each medication type.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed with multiple pockets of varying sizes that can accommodate different types of pill containers. The same housing structure can hold containers for small pills, large supplements, or multiple medications simultaneously, making the device universally applicable to various pill dispensing needs without requiring multiple specialized devices.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single pill dispenser is designed with fixed structure, then manufacturing is simple, but it cannot store various medications and supplements with different storage requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser incorporates adjustable and reconfigurable elements, such as removable dividers, adjustable pocket configurations, and interchangeable container options. These dynamic features allow the storage structure to be adapted to different pill sizes and medication types without requiring a completely different housing design for each configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows smaller pill containers to be nested within or alongside larger containers within the same housing. Multiple medication containers of different sizes can be arranged in a nested or stacked configuration, maximizing space utilization and accommodating diverse storage needs within a single standardized housing structure.
3Measurement precision
If prior art dispensers use simple attachment mechanisms, then assembly is easy, but they cannot provide precise pill release control
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser employs spring-loaded push buttons that automatically engage with the pill container mechanisms. When pressed, these buttons self-actuate the pill release process through pre-loaded springs that push the pill out with controlled force. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for complex manual cranking or multi-step operations while maintaining precise control over pill dispensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The push button acts as an intermediary between the user and the pill release mechanism. Instead of directly manipulating complex internal mechanisms, the user simply presses the button, which then translates this simple action into the precise mechanical motion needed to eject a single pill through the spring-loaded system.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for dispensing pills includes a post having a first base portion and a second rod portion. The apparatus also includes a plurality of pill dispenser modules, a turntable ring that is rotatable with respect to the post, and a housing. The housing has a generally cylindrical shape and has a plurality of pockets with each of the pockets being configured to store a single pill dispenser module of the plurality of pill dispenser modules. The housing has a center hole for slidably attaching the housing to the post, and the housing has at least one blind hole at a bottom surface of each of the cylindrical pockets with the blind hole being mateable with the turntable ring. The apparatus additionally includes turntable plate having a center thru hole to provide attachment with the post, with the turntable plate being attachable with the turntable ring.