Dual dispensing tablet container

Abstract

A container for dispensing pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical tablets is described. The container comprises a prescription tablet pouch, a non-prescription pouch and a header label indicating the time at which the contents of the pouches are to be consumed. The prescription tablet pouch is configured to receive at least one type of prescription drug tablet. The non-prescription tablet pouch is separably coupled to the prescription tablet pouch and is configured to receive at least one type of non-prescription tablet. The header label is separably coupled to the prescription tablet pouch.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container for dispensing pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical tablets, comprising:
 a prescription tablet pouch configured to receive at least one type of prescription drug tablet;   a non-prescription tablet pouch separably coupled to the prescription tablet pouch, the non-prescription tablet pouch configured to receive at least one type of non-prescription tablet;   a header label separably coupled to the prescription tablet pouch, the header label comprising information indicating a time at which the contents of the prescription tablet pouch and the contents of the non-prescription tablet pouch are to be consumed.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the prescription tablet pouch and the non-prescription tablet pouch are labeled with information related to the contents of the pouch. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2  wherein the information related to the contents of the pouch comprises the name of the patient, a date the tablets are to be consumed, a time of day the tablets are to be consumed, a name of the tablet contents, a prescription number, and an expiration date. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the colors used to mark the prescription tablet pouch are the inverse of the colors used to mark the non-prescription tablet pouch. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the prescription tablet pouch is marked with a symbol indicating prescription contents and the non-prescription tablet pouch is marked with a symbol indicating non-prescription contents. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the prescription tablet pouch and the non-prescription tablet pouch are marked with a bar code associating the contents of the pouch with a particular patient. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein a coupling between the prescription tablet pouch and the non-prescription pouch is a center cut coupling. 
     
     
         8 . A strip of containers for dispensing pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical tablets, comprising:
 at least one container separably coupled to another container, each container comprising:
 a prescription tablet pouch configured to receive at least one type of prescription drug tablet; 
 a non-prescription tablet pouch separably coupled to the prescription tablet pouch, the non-prescription tablet pouch configured to receive at least one type of non-prescription tablet; 
 a header label separably coupled to the prescription tablet pouch, the header label comprising information indicating the time at which the contents of the prescription tablet pouch and the contents of the non-prescription tablet pouch are to be consumed. 
   
     
     
         9 . The strip of containers of  claim 8 , wherein the strip comprises one or more containers corresponding to each day of a week. 
     
     
         10 . The strip of containers of  claim 8 , wherein the strip comprises a secondary label comprising information corresponding to the strip of containers. 
     
     
         11 . The secondary label of  claim 10 , wherein the information corresponding to the strip of containers comprises an image of the patient. 
     
     
         12 . The secondary label of  claim 10 , wherein the information corresponding to the strip of containers comprises a bar code associating the contents of the strip with a particular patient. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 8  wherein the prescription tablet pouch and the non-prescription tablet pouch are labeled with information related to the contents of the pouch. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13  wherein the information related to the contents of the pouch comprises the name of the patient, a date the tablets are to be consumed, a time of day the tablets are to be consumed, a name of the tablet contents, a prescription number, and an expiration date. 
     
     
         15 . A method for packaging pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical tablets, the method comprising:
 receiving at a server an order for tablets comprising an order for at least one type of prescription tablet and an order for at least one type of non-prescription tablet;   generating with the server instructions for filling a plurality of prescription tablet pouches and non-prescription tablet pouches;   filling by automated means a plurality of prescription tablet pouches with the at least one type of prescription tablet;   filling by automated means a plurality of nonprescription tablet pouches with the at least one type of non-prescription tablet;   printing by automated means a plurality of labels comprising information indicating the time at which the contents of the prescription tablet pouch and non-prescription tablet pouch associated with each label are to be consumed.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of labels are further printed with information related to the contents of the pouch. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the information related to the contents of the pouch comprises the name of the patient, a date the tablets are to be consumed, a time of day the tablets are to be consumed, a name of the tablet pouch contents, a prescription number and an expiration date. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the colors used to mark the prescription tablet pouch are the inverse of the colors used to mark the non-prescription tablet pouch. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising marking the prescription tablet pouch by automated means with a symbol indicating prescription contents and marking the non-prescription tablet pouch by automated means with a symbol indicating non-prescription contents. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising marking the prescription tablet pouch and the non-prescription tablet pouch with a bar code associating the contents of the pouch with a particular patient.