Family of pill splitters and method of manufacture
OwnerCarmen T. Reitanoinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A family of pill splitters is formed from a standard, substantially cylindrical lower body which contains a distinct bed for each one of a number of different complex pill shapes, and an upper body, integrally affixed to the lower body, which contains a pair of linear plunger guides slots. Each bed contains a recess having a cross section which substantially conforms to the pill shape, and the bed thickness is proportional to the thickness of the pill to be split. A long, thin cutting blade is affixed in proximity to the bed, and a bed support is formed in the lower body. A plunger with plunger guides slidingly engages the plunger guide slots. Each bed contains alignment tabs which engage the plunger guide slots to align the bed relative to the cutting blade.
Claims15
A method for manufacturing a family of pill splitters, each member of the family corresponding to a different pill shape, each member comprising (a) a bed having a recess formed within, the recess having a cross section which substantially conforms to the corresponding pill shape;
- (b) a long, thin cutting blade, affixed in proximity to the bed;
- (c) a lower body containing the bed;
- (d) an upper body, integrally affixed to the lower body, and containing one or more linear plunger guides slots;
- and
- (e) a plunger, further comprising plunger guides which slidingly engage said plunger guide slots, each member of the family identical to each other member except for the pill bed, wherein the method comprises:
- (i) manufacturing a separate bed for each member of the family;
- and
- (ii) permanently affixing each such bed in the lower body in proximity to the cutting blade, so that when a pill is placed in the recess of the corresponding bed, the bottom of the pill rests on the cutting edge of the blade.
A pill splitter comprising:
- a bed, further comprising a periphery, and having a recess formed within, the recess having a cross section which substantially conforms to the pill shape;
- a long, t cutting blade, affixed below the bed, and protruding into the recess, but enclosed by the periphery and by an upper surface of the bed;
- a lower body;
- a bed support formed in the lower body on which the bed rests;
- an upper body, integrally affixed to the lower body, and containing one or more linear plunger guides slots;
- and
- a plunger, further comprising plunger guides which slidingly engage said plunger guide slots.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.