Apparatus for medication management

An apparatus for sorting, managing, and storing a plurality of pills, the apparatus comprising:

• a first sorting tray, said first sorting tray configured for holding one or more of the plurality of pills, the first sorting tray including
• a first tray surface defining a first holding direction that is normal to the first tray surface,
• a first tray rim extending from the first tray surface in the first holding direction, and
• a first pill exit defined by a break in the first tray rim proximate the first tray surface, the first pill exit sized and dimensioned to permit at least one of the plurality of pills to be slid off the first tray surface when the first direction is oriented upward,
• a second sorting tray, said second sorting tray configured for holding one or more of the plurality of pills, the second sorting tray coupled to the first sorting tray, the second sorting tray including
• a second tray surface defining a second holding direction that is normal to the second tray surface and is opposite the first holding direction,
• a second tray rim extending from the second tray surface in the second holding direction, and
• a second pill exit defined by a break in the second tray rim proximate the second tray surface, the second pill exit sized and dimensioned to permit at least one of the plurality of pills to be slid off the second tray surface when the second direction is oriented upward,
• a plurality of pill passageways, each pill passageway passing through the first sorting tray surface and the second sorting tray surface, and configured to permit passage of one of the plurality of pills between the first sorting tray surface and the second sorting tray surface,
• at least one pillbox, said at least one pillbox configured to removably couple to the first sorting tray, and further configured to segregate and store the plurality of pills, the at least one pillbox including a plurality of individual storage units coupled together, each individual storage unit including
• a pill chamber, sized and dimensioned to hold at least one of the plurality of pills, the pill chamber having a chamber opening sized and dimensioned to provide a user with access to the pill chamber,
• a chamber lid coupled to the pill chamber and configured to close the chamber opening of the pill chamber, said chamber lid sharing a snap-fit interface with the pill chamber, and
• a pill port configured to align with one of the plurality of pill passageways when the pillbox is coupled to the first sorting tray, and further configured to individually receive one of the plurality of pills into the pill chamber via its respectively aligned pill passageway when inserted by the user, and to retain said one of the plurality of pills from exiting the pill chamber once inserted, and
• a pill insertion tool, the pill insertion tool configured to be held by the user, and further configured to both maneuver one of the plurality of pills by the user and insert said one of the plurality of pills into the one of the plurality of individual storage units via its respective pill port, the pill insertion tool including
• an elongate member,
• a user interface at one end of the elongate member, and
• a pill interface at an opposite end of the elongate member, the pill interface sized and dimensioned to receive and hold at least a portion of the one of the plurality of pills during insertion into the one of the plurality of individual storage units via its respective pill port;
• wherein the apparatus is configured to dispense at least one of the plurality of pills in the form of a tablet;
• wherein the at least one pillbox includes indicia which indicates a time of day;
• wherein each chamber lid is labeled to indicate a day of a week;
• wherein each of the plurality of pill passageways are labeled to indicate the day of the week corresponding with the day of the week of its respective chamber lid;
• wherein the at least one pillbox is at least semitransparent;
• wherein the first sorting tray and the second sorting tray are opaque;
• wherein the user interface of the pill insertion tool has a circular circumference about a longitudinal axis of the elongate member.

A method of sorting, managing, and storing a plurality of pills, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an apparatus for sorting, managing, and storing the plurality of pills, the apparatus including:
• a first sorting tray, said first sorting tray configured for holding one or more of the plurality of pills, the first sorting tray including
• a first tray surface defining a first holding direction that is normal to the first tray surface,
• a first tray rim extending from the first tray surface in the first holding direction, and
• a first pill exit defined by a break in the first tray rim proximate the first tray surface, the first pill exit sized and dimensioned to permit at least one of the plurality of pills to be slid off the first tray surface when the first direction is oriented upward,
• a second sorting tray, said second sorting tray configured for holding one or more of the plurality of pills, the second sorting tray coupled to the first sorting tray, the second sorting tray including
• a second tray surface defining a second holding direction that is normal to the second tray surface and is opposite the first holding direction,
• a second tray rim extending from the second tray surface in the second holding direction, and
• a second pill exit defined by a break in the second tray rim proximate the second tray surface, the second pill exit sized and dimensioned to permit at least one of the plurality of pills to be slid off the second tray surface when the second direction is oriented upward,
• a plurality of pill passageways, each pill passageway passing through the first sorting tray surface and the second sorting tray surface, and configured to permit passage of one of the plurality of pills between the first sorting tray surface and the second sorting tray surface,
• at least one pillbox, said at least one pillbox configured to removably couple to the first sorting tray, and further configured to segregate and store the plurality of pills, the at least one pillbox including a plurality of individual storage units coupled together, each individual storage unit including
• a pill chamber, sized and dimensioned to hold at least one of the plurality of pills, the pill chamber having a chamber opening sized and dimensioned to provide a user with access to the pill chamber,
• a chamber lid coupled to the pill chamber and configured to close the chamber opening of the pill chamber, said chamber lid sharing a snap-fit interface with the pill chamber, and
• a pill port configured to align with one of the plurality of pill passageways when the pillbox is coupled to the first sorting tray, and further configured to individually receive one of the plurality of pills into the pill chamber via its respectively aligned pill passageway when inserted by the user, and to retain said one of the plurality of pills from exiting the pill chamber once inserted, and
• a pill insertion tool, the pill insertion tool configured to be held by the user, and further configured to both maneuver one of the plurality of pills by the user and insert said one of the plurality of pills into the one of the plurality of individual storage units via its respective pill port, the pill insertion tool including
• an elongate member,
• a user interface at one end of the elongate member, and
• a pill interface at an opposite end of the elongate member, the pill interface sized and dimensioned to receive and hold at least a portion of the one of the plurality of pills during insertion into the one of the plurality of individual storage units via its respective pill port;
• attaching one of the at least one pillbox to the second sorting tray;
• turning the apparatus for sorting, managing, and storing the plurality of pills so that the first sorting tray is facing upward;
• pouring the plurality of pills onto the first sorting tray;
• gripping the pill insertion tool by the user interface so that the pill interface is in a distal orientation;
• and
• pushing each of the plurality of pills individually into and through one of the plurality of pill passageways and into one of the plurality of individual storage units of the at least one pillbox.