Dual compartment dispenser

Abstract

A dual compartment dispenser for pill or other item storage includes a larger outer compartment and an auxiliary smaller pocket container configured to accommodate a predetermined daily dosage of items, which the user can carry in a clothing pocket, backpack or handbag, without having to carry the entire bottle container of items. The smaller auxiliary pocket container compartment fits on top of or underneath the cap of the item container compartment, and is held in place by being threaded to the top of the cap of the container, or to an underside of the cap of the container. The smaller auxiliary pocket container compartment can also be held in place by a friction fit or magnetic attachment within or on top of the outer container, with or without a detent and/or ledge supporting the smaller auxiliary pocket container compartment. It can also be loosely supported by a ledge within the neck of a bottle neck container.

1 . A daily dose container comprising:
 a cylindrical housing having a closed bottom and an open top with a capacity to house one day dosage supply of prescription or non-prescription medical or supplement items;   an upper portion having means adjacent said open top for receiving a cap; and   said cylindrical housing having means adapted to be incorporated into or attached onto a container having an extended supply of said prescription or non-prescription medical or supplement items.   
     
     
         2 . The daily dose container of  claim 1  in which said means adjacent said open top comprises external threads to receive a screw cap. 
     
     
         3 . The daily dose container of  claim 1  in which said means adjacent said open top comprises said daily dose container having an exterior surface attachable to the inside of the container having the extended supply of prescription or non-prescription medical or supplement items in a friction fit therebetween. 
     
     
         4 . The daily dose container of  claim 1  in which said adapted means comprises said closed bottom having a threaded recess. 
     
     
         5 . The daily dose container of  claim 4  in which said adjacent means comprises said open top designed to receive a push-on cap. 
     
     
         6 . The daily dose container of  claim 1  in which said adapted means comprises an outer wall of said housing adjacent said closed bottom being threaded. 
     
     
         7 . A dual compartment dispenser comprising:
 a cylindrical housing with a first compartment having an open top with a neck ledge collar formed below said open top containing an extended supply of prescription or non-prescription medical or supplement items;   an upper portion of said housing adjacent said open top having features to receive a closure;   a collar within said neck ledge located below said open top;   a daily dose container having a shoulder resting within said neck on said collar, said daily dose container having a more limited supply of said prescription or non-prescription medical or supplement items; and   a closure for closing said cylindrical housing thereby forming a single container in which a single dose of said prescription or non-prescription medical or supplement items may be conveniently be carried within said cylindrical housing in addition to a separate larger supply of said medical or supplement items.   
     
     
         8 . The dual compartment dispenser of  claim 7  in which said upper portion of said cylindrical housing has a reduced diameter. 
     
     
         9 . A dual compartment dispenser for prescription or non-prescription medical or supplement items comprising:
 a cylindrical housing with a first compartment having an open top containing an extended supply of prescription or non-prescription medical or supplement items;   a cap threadably engaging an upper end of said cylindrical housing closing said open top;   said cap having a recess;   a daily dose container having a more limited supply of said prescription or non- prescription medical or supplement items removably mounted within said recess of said cap; and   means for retaining said daily dose pill container within said recess.   
     
     
         10 . The dual compartment dispenser of  claim 9  in which said retaining means comprises an internal collar in said recess for frictionally engaging a body of said daily dose container allowing said daily dose container to be conveniently removed and replaced at will. 
     
     
         11 . The dual compartment dispenser of  claim 9  in which said retaining means comprises an internal collar in said recess for threadably engaging a body of said daily dose container allowing said daily dose container to be conveniently removed and replaced at will. 
     
     
         12 . The dual compartment dispenser of  claim 9  in which said retaining means comprises a magnet subsystem for retaining said daily dose container within said recess. 
     
     
         13 . The dual compartment dispenser of  claim 12  in which said magnet subsystem comprises a disk magnet adhesively attached to a bottom wall of said daily dose container, and said recess in said cap having a ferromagnetic layer to which said disk magnet will adhere when said daily dose container is stored in said cap. 
     
     
         14 . The dual compartment dispenser as in  claim 13  in which said at least one ferromagnetic layer comprises a plurality of ferromagnetic layers, each with an adhesive layer covered by a release layer so that a user can attach said daily dose container having said disk magnet to other caps of other cylindrical housing holding other extended supplies of prescription or non-prescription medical or supplement items, said other caps each having a respective ferromagnetic layer attached thereto. 
     
     
         15 . The dual compartment dispenser as in  claim 12  in which said magnet subsystem comprises a disk magnet adhesively attached to a cap of said cylindrical housing and a non-magnetized ferromagnetic layer attached to said daily dose container. 
     
     
         16 . The dual compartment dispenser as in  claim 15  in which said at least one ferromagnetic layer comprises a plurality of ferromagnetic layers, each with an adhesive layer covered by a release layer so that a user can attach said daily dose container having said ferromagnetic layer to other caps of other cylindrical housing holding other extended supplies of prescription or non-prescription medical or supplement items, said other caps each having a respective disk magnet attached thereto. 
     
     
         17 . The dual compartment dispenser of  claim 9  in which said cap includes a child resistant closure on one side of said cap and a freely operable closure on an opposite side of said cap, wherein one side of said cap engages and holds said daily dose container in a secure configuration and an opposite side of said cap also engages and holds said daily dose container in a non-secure configuration. 
     
     
         18 . A method of reminding users of daily dosage of pills comprising the steps of providing a first container having a supply of prescription or nonprescription medicine or supplements therein;
 providing a cap for closing said first container;   providing a smaller container attachable to said cap or said first container;   providing a daily dose of said prescription or nonprescription medicine or supplements within said second container;   providing a portion of said second container with a transparent portion for viewing whether said daily dose has been consumed or not, and,   wherein said second container is removable from said first container while said first container is covered by said cap.   
     
     
         19 . The method as in  claim 18  further comprising the step of attaching said smaller container to said cap or said first container by at least one of a gravity fit against a ledge within said first container, by threaded engagement or by friction fit engagement. 
     
     
         20 . The method as in  claim 18  further comprising the step of attaching said smaller container to said cap or said first container by a magnet subsystem comprising a disk magnet adhesively attached to a non-magnetized ferromagnetic layer.