Medicinial Vial Protector and Identifier System

Abstract

A medicinal vial protector and identifier system has a holding vessel, an interior cavity designed to hold a medicinal vial, an exterior sidewall that can be easily identified by a person, a plurality of retaining ribs designed to retain the vial within the holding vessel and facilitate insertion and removal of the vial, and at least one contents porthole to allow an easy determination of the amount of materials contained in the vial while the vial remains safely ensconced within the holding vessel. Additionally, a bottom port can be incorporated which facilitates the easy removal of the vial from the holding vessel. In order to facilitate identification of the medicine within a vial stored inside the holding vessel, the exterior sidewall of the holding vessel can be distinctly shaped and colored. The system can include a plurality of vessels to distinguish multiple medicinal vials from one another.

1 . A medicinal vial protector and identifier system, comprising:
 a holding vessel having a top end, a bottom end and a sidewall extending generally longitudinally from the bottom end to the top end;   the sidewall having an exterior surface and an interior surface;   an inside cavity shaped so as to encompass a main body of a medicinal vial, the inside cavity located within the holding vessel and being completely surrounded by the top end, the bottom end, and the sidewall;   the top end having a top opening which allows access to the inside cavity;   the bottom end having a bottom port which allows access to the inside cavity;   a first contents porthole extending longitudinally within the sidewall and positioned to allow a person to view the inside cavity through the sidewall;   a plurality of retaining ribs extending longitudinally up the interior surface of the sidewall, the plurality of retaining ribs each having a top portion, the top portion having a protrusion which extends inwards into the inside cavity and fits securely over a neck of a medicinal vial placed within the inside cavity;   the plurality of retaining ribs each further comprising a proximal body portion and a distal body portion, the proximal body portion located in proximity to the top end and the distal body portion located in proximity to the bottom end; and   wherein the sidewall has an external perimeter.   
     
     
         2 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 1  wherein the external perimeter has the general shape of a six-sided polygon. 
     
     
         3 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 1  wherein the external perimeter has the general shape of a four-sided polygon. 
     
     
         4 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 1  wherein the external perimeter has the general shape of a circle. 
     
     
         5 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 1  wherein the external perimeter has the general shape of a three-sided polygon. 
     
     
         6 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 1  wherein the external perimeter has the general shape of a five-sided polygon. 
     
     
         7 . A medicinal vial protector and identifier system, comprising:
 a first holding vessel having a first top end, a first bottom end and a first sidewall extending generally longitudinally from the first bottom end to the first top end;   the first sidewall having a first exterior surface and a first interior surface;   a first inside cavity shaped so as to encompass a main body of a medicinal vial, the first inside cavity located within the first holding vessel and being completely surrounded by the first top end, the first bottom end, and the first sidewall;   the first top end having a first top opening which allows access to the first inside cavity;   the first bottom end having a first bottom port which allows access to the inside cavity;   a first contents porthole extending longitudinally within the first sidewall and positioned to allow a person to view the first inside cavity through the first sidewall;   a first plurality of retaining ribs extending longitudinally up the first interior surface of the first sidewall, the first plurality of retaining ribs each having a first top portion, the first top portion having a first protrusion which extends inwards into the first inside cavity and fits securely over a neck of a medicinal vial placed within the first inside cavity;   the first plurality of retaining ribs each further comprising a first proximal body portion and a first distal body portion, the first proximal body portion located in proximity to the first top end and the first distal body portion located in proximity to the first bottom end;   wherein the first sidewall has a first external perimeter;   a second holding vessel having a second top end, a second bottom end and a second sidewall extending generally longitudinally from the second bottom end to the second top end;   the second sidewall having a second exterior surface and a second interior surface;   a second inside cavity shaped so as to encompass a main body of a medicinal vial, the second inside cavity located within the second holding vessel and being completely surrounded by the second top end, the second bottom end, and the second sidewall;   the second top end having a second top opening which allows access to the second inside cavity;   the second bottom end having a second bottom port which allows access to the inside cavity;   a second contents porthole extending longitudinally within the second sidewall and positioned to allow a person to view the second inside cavity through the second sidewall;   a second plurality of retaining ribs extending longitudinally up the second interior surface of the second sidewall, the second plurality of retaining ribs each having a second top portion, the second top portion having a second protrusion which extends inwards into the second inside cavity and fits securely over a neck of a medicinal vial placed within the second inside cavity;   the second plurality of retaining ribs each further comprising a second proximal body portion and a second distal body portion, the second proximal body portion located in proximity to the second top end and the second distal body portion located in proximity to the second bottom end;   wherein the second sidewall has a second external perimeter; and   wherein the first external perimeter is shaped differently from the second external perimeter.   
     
     
         8 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 7  wherein the first external perimeter has the general shape of a circle and the second external perimeter has the general shape of a four-sided polygon. 
     
     
         9 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 7  wherein the first external perimeter has the general shape of a circle and the second external perimeter has the general shape of a six-sided polygon. 
     
     
         10 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 7  wherein the first external perimeter has the general shape of a circle and the second external perimeter has the general shape of a three-sided polygon. 
     
     
         11 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 7  wherein the first external perimeter has the general shape of a four-sided polygon and the second external perimeter has the general shape of a six-sided polygon. 
     
     
         12 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 7  wherein the first external perimeter has the general shape of a four-sided polygon and the second external perimeter has the general shape of a five-sided polygon. 
     
     
         13 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 7  wherein the first external perimeter has the general shape of a four-sided polygon and the second external perimeter has the general shape of a three-sided polygon. 
     
     
         14 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 7  wherein the first external perimeter has the general shape of a six-sided polygon and the second external perimeter has the general shape of a five-sided polygon. 
     
     
         15 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 7  wherein the first external perimeter has the general shape of a six-sided polygon and the second external perimeter has the general shape of a three-sided polygon. 
     
     
         16 . A medicinal vial protector and identifier system, comprising:
 a first holding vessel having a first top end, a first bottom end and a first sidewall extending generally longitudinally from the first bottom end to the first top end;   the first sidewall having a first exterior surface and a first interior surface;   a first inside cavity shaped so as to encompass a main body of a medicinal vial, the first inside cavity located within the first holding vessel and being completely surrounded by the first top end, the first bottom end, and the first sidewall;   the first top end having a first top opening which allows access to the first inside cavity;   the first bottom end having a first bottom port which allows access to the inside cavity;   a first contents porthole extending longitudinally within the first sidewall and positioned to allow a person to view the first inside cavity through the first sidewall;   a first plurality of retaining ribs extending longitudinally up the first interior surface of the first sidewall, the first plurality of retaining ribs each having a first top portion, the first top portion having a first protrusion which extends inwards into the first inside cavity and fits securely over a neck of a medicinal vial placed within the first inside cavity;   the first plurality of retaining ribs each further comprising a first proximal body portion and a first distal body portion, the first proximal body portion located in proximity to the first top end and the first distal body portion located in proximity to the first bottom end;   wherein the first sidewall has a first external perimeter;   a second holding vessel having a second top end, a second bottom end and a second sidewall extending generally longitudinally from the second bottom end to the second top end;   the second sidewall having a second exterior surface and a second interior surface;   a second inside cavity shaped so as to encompass a main body of a medicinal vial, the second inside cavity located within the second holding vessel and being completely surrounded by the second top end, the second bottom end, and the second sidewall;   the second top end having a second top opening which allows access to the second inside cavity;   the second bottom end having a second bottom port which allows access to the inside cavity;   a second contents porthole extending longitudinally within the second sidewall and positioned to allow a person to view the second inside cavity through the second sidewall;   a second plurality of retaining ribs extending longitudinally up the second interior surface of the second sidewall, the second plurality of retaining ribs each having a second top portion, the second top portion having a second protrusion which extends inwards into the second inside cavity and fits securely over a neck of a medicinal vial placed within the second inside cavity;   the second plurality of retaining ribs each further comprising a second proximal body portion and a second distal body portion, the second proximal body portion located in proximity to the second top end and the second distal body portion located in proximity to the second bottom end;   wherein the second sidewall has a second external perimeter;   a third holding vessel having a third top end, a third bottom end and a third sidewall extending generally longitudinally from the third bottom end to the third top end;   the third sidewall having a third exterior surface and a third interior surface;   a third inside cavity shaped so as to encompass a main body of a medicinal vial, the third inside cavity located within the third holding vessel and being completely surrounded by the third top end, the third bottom end, and the third sidewall;   the third top end having a third top opening which allows access to the third inside cavity;   the third bottom end having a third bottom port which allows access to the inside cavity;   a third contents porthole extending longitudinally within the third sidewall and positioned to allow a person to view the third inside cavity through the third sidewall;   a third plurality of retaining ribs extending longitudinally up the third interior surface of the third sidewall, the third plurality of retaining ribs each having a third top portion, the third top portion having a third protrusion which extends inwards into the third inside cavity and fits securely over a neck of a medicinal vial placed within the third inside cavity;   the third plurality of retaining ribs each further comprising a third proximal body portion and a third distal body portion, the third proximal body portion located in proximity to the third top end and the third distal body portion located in proximity to the third bottom end;   wherein the third sidewall has a third external perimeter; and   wherein the first external perimeter, the second external perimeter, and the third external perimeter are all shaped differently from one another.   
     
     
         17 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 16  wherein the first external perimeter has the general shape of a circle, the second external perimeter has the general shape of a four-sided polygon, and the third external perimeter has the general shape of a six-sided polygon. 
     
     
         18 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 16  wherein the first external perimeter has the general shape of a circle, the second external perimeter has the general shape of a four-sided polygon, and the third external perimeter has the general shape of a three-sided polygon. 
     
     
         19 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 16  wherein the first external perimeter has the general shape of a circle, the second external perimeter has the general shape of a four-sided polygon, and the third external perimeter has the general shape of a five-sided polygon. 
     
     
         20 . The medicinal vial protector and identifier system of  claim 16  wherein the first external perimeter has the general shape of a three-sided polygon, the second external perimeter has the general shape of a four-sided polygon, and the third external perimeter has the general shape of a six-sided polygon.