Pill Bottle Closure Dial Preventing Inadvertent Rotation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pill bottle closures with indicator dials are prone to inadvertent rotation, leading to inaccurate medication schedule reminders, whether due to manual handling or accidental movement during use.

Innovation Solution

A pill bottle closure design featuring a rotatable dial with a protruding handle for setting the next dosage indication, which can only be rotated when removed from the container, and becomes immovable and secure once reattached, preventing unintended dial rotation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the dial is made manually rotatable for easy setting, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to inadvertent rotation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of dial settingVSAvoidaccuracy of medication schedule indication

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The dial transitions from a static fixed state to a dynamic rotatable state based on closure position. When the closure is removed from the container, the dial becomes rotatable allowing user adjustment. When the closure is attached, the dial becomes fixed preventing inadvertent rotation. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction by providing ease of operation when needed and reliability when the closure is in use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The user is prompted to set the dial to the correct medication time before attaching the closure to the container. This preliminary action ensures the dial is properly configured in advance, and once attached, the dial's fixed position maintains this setting without risk of inadvertent rotation, thus ensuring reliable medication schedule indication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the dial is automatically rotated by ratcheting teeth during closure removal/attachment, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability worsens due to unintended dial movement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic indicator updatingVSAvoidaccuracy of medication schedule indication

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the automatic rotation mechanism (ratcheting teeth) from the closure system entirely. Instead, the dial remains manually rotatable only when the closure is removed from the container, and becomes fixed when attached. This extraction of the automatic rotation mechanism eliminates the source of unintended dial movement while preserving the ability to manually set the dial when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS7878350B2Pill bottle with indicator device

Publication Date: 2011.02.01 JES & BL ENTERPRISES INC

AI summary

A medication bottle includes a container and a closure removably fastened thereto. The closure includes a dial having an exterior surface with a series of indicia imprinted thereon, and an interior surface having a handle that protrudes therefrom. Each indicia represents a time increment at which a next pill dosage is required to be taken by a user. The exterior surface of the closure includes a window that exposes a particular indicia. Upon removing the closure from the container, the user can rotate the dial via the handle in order to expose in the window the next time increment a dose is required to be consumed. The dial can only be rotated after the closure is removed from the pill container. Upon replacing the closure onto the container, the selected indicator remains immovable and represents an accurate reminder for the next time a dose is required to be taken.