Pill Cell Compartment Mixing for Last Dose Time Indication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pill packaging systems do not provide clear indication of the last time a pill was removed, leading to user uncertainty.
Innovation Solution
A pill cell design with compartments containing substances that change color upon mixing, indicating the last time a pill was consumed by mixing indicators such as NaOH and HCl solutions, forming a visible color change after a predetermined period.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a simple pill package is used, then the device complexity is low, but the user cannot determine when the pill was last removed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color-changing substances in compartments that react when exposed to air after pill removal. The substance transitions from one color to another over a predetermined period (e.g., 3 hours), providing visual information about when the pill was last removed without requiring complex electronic or mechanical systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The package is divided into multiple compartments, with at least one compartment containing a substance that changes color over time after pill removal. This segmentation allows the system to track time information through chemical changes in specific compartments rather than requiring a unified complex tracking mechanism.
2Loss of information
If a color-changing substance system is added to indicate consumption time, then the information about last consumption time is provided, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The color-changing compartments serve themselves by automatically reacting when exposed to air after pill removal. The chemical substances in the compartments autonomously change color over the predetermined time period without requiring external power sources, control systems, or user intervention, thereby providing time information with minimal added complexity.
3Loss of information
If compartments with mixing substances are added, then visual indication of consumption time is achieved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The color-changing substances are pre-prepared and sealed in compartments during manufacturing. The compartments are designed with breakable seals or membranes that automatically break when the pill is removed, allowing the substances to mix and begin their color change reaction. This preliminary preparation simplifies the manufacturing process by allowing substances to be pre-assembled and sealed rather than requiring complex assembly steps at the point of use.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides clear visual indication to the user about the last consumption time of a pill, ensuring timely intake by changing color after 3 hours.
Implementation Method 1
substances for being mixed... configured to change color upon being mixed, to a pre-determined period
Implementation Method 2
mixing indicators such as NaOH and HCl solutions, forming a visible color change after a predetermined period
Data Source
AI summary
A pill's cell (10B), including: a first compartment (26C), for containing a pill (28): a second compartment (26A), for containing a first substance (20A); a third compartment (26B), for containing a second substance (20B); and a partition (54) for partitioning the second (26A) and third (26B) compartments, the partition (54) being breakable upon removing the pill (28) from the first compartment (26C), for mixing the first (20A) and second (20B) substances upon the pill removing.