WO1999066373A1

WO1999066373A1 - Medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device

Info

Publication number: WO1999066373A1
Application number: PCT/US1999/013356
Authority: WO
Inventors: Albert F. Ditzig
Original assignee: Ditzig Albert F
Priority date: 1998-06-18
Filing date: 1999-06-15
Publication date: 1999-12-23

Abstract

This invention concerns a prescription container cap reminder device (10) for use with a prescription container having latching lugs. The prescription container cap reminder device comprises: a housing having an opening and being removably and sealingly attachable to the prescription container. Counter means (26) housed in the housing and viewable through the opening is provided and the counter means (21) comprises a first contact (29) and a second contact (30) positioned proximate the first contact. A contact member (28) is attached to the counter means (26) and is positioned in removable engagement to the first contact and the second contact with the contact member (28) being capable of transverse flexion to thereby removably contact the first and the second contact in reversible succession. A reset structure is housed in the housing along a longitudinal axis and the reset structure comprises a plurality of longitudinally actuating members is positioned and configured in equal concentric spacing to thereby removably engage the latching lugs as the housing is brought into removable engagement with the prescription container.

Description

MEDICINE PRESCRIPTION BOTTLE CAP REMINDER DEVICE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to prescription reminder devices. More specifically, the invention is primarily intended for use as a bottle or container cap reminder device that is attachable to a standard prescription bottle.

Description of the Prior Art In the art of modern medicine the use of prescription drugs is very important in the treatment of ailments and illnesses. In order to remind patients of the need to regularly and consistently take prescription drugs, health care providers tell patients when to take prescribed dosages and pharmacists label the containers of prescription devices with the prescribed dosages and frequencies of taking the drugs.

For various reasons, many patients forget to take their prescription drugs and so the need for a prescription reminder device is needed and important for health and safety reasons. Accordingly, many devices exist for reminding patients to take their prescription drugs. For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,528,933 shows a Container With Indicating Closure that uses a manually operable rotary reminder wheel to indicate days and hours so as to show when the next dosage is to be taken. U.S. Patent No. 5,622,224 shows a Container With Time Indicator that is manually set by the user. Furthermore, U.S. Patent No. 4,768, 176 shows an Apparatus For Alerting A

Patient To Take Medication that utilizes an electrical signaling system. U.S. Patent No. 4,939,705 discloses a Drug Dispensing Event Detector designed to show the time elapsed between opening and closing the cap so as to compare and show whether the cap was mishandled. In addition, U.S. Patent No. 4,367,955 shows a Medicament Container

With Timer Top that uses a mechanical clock means and U.S. Patent No. 4,419,016 shows a Device For Indicating Last Medication Usage wherein the device shows the user the time at which he or she last took a previous dose of medication by showing the time and day ofweek when the cap was last opened. This device continues to display this information, even after reclosing the device.

What is needed then is a means for displaying the time elapsed since a prescription container or bottle has been opened, presumably, for taking a required dosage of prescription drugs, or medicine. The device must be simple and capable of application to the varied standard prescription bottles and containers known in the art. Accordingly, it is a principal object of my invention to provide a medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device that is compact and adaptable to any standard prescription bottle or container.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device that displays the time elapsed since a prescription bottle or container has been opened, which then resets itself upon reclosure of the device to the prescription bottle or container.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device that displays the hour and minutes elapsed using a Liquid Crystal Display time-counter device that utilizes a one function or two function time- counter device.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device that is simple and economical to manufacture. Other objects of my invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to my present invention I have provided a medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device for use with a prescription bottle having cap engagement lip structures, the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device comprising: a lens; a cap having a lens opening for receiving and housing the lens; a time piece stop watch comprising a print circuit board and a time-counter display, the time piece stop watch being housed within and protected by the cap and the lens; a contact member attached to the time piece stop watch and being capable of removably contacting the print circuit board to thereby alter the time-counter display when the contact member is briefly transversely flexed into removable contact with the print circuit board; a reset ring having a reset ring periphery, the reset ring comprising a plurality of longitudinally actuating fingers and a plurahty of staggered contact bumps, the plurality of longitudinally actuating fingers being concentrically and equally spaced about the reset ring periphery and the plurahty of staggered contact bumps being located in staggered side-by-side relation to one another, the reset ring concentrically enclosing the time piece stop watch to thereby align the plurality of staggered contact bumps with the contact member, the plurahty of staggered contact bumps being capable of longitudinal slideable movement along a longitudinal axis in relation to the contact member, each staggered contact bump thereby successively removably contacting and briefly transversely flexing the contact member into removable contact with the print circuit board; a return spring removably contacting the cap and the reset ring and removably and concentrically enclosing the time piece stop watch and the contact member, the return spring being capable of longitudinally moving the reset ring along the longitudinal axis; a cap base having an underside and a plurality of base notches, the plurality of base notches being configured to align the plurahty of staggered contact bumps with the contact member, the cap base being aligned and connected to the cap to concentrically enclose the reset ring, the return spring, the time piece stop watch, and the contact member, the cap base being removably connected to the cap engagement Up structures; and a seal being aligned and connected to the underside of the cap base, the seal having a plurality of notches for ahgning the plurality of staggered contact bumps with the contact member, the plurality of longitudinally actuating fingers removably engaging the cap engagement lip structures when the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device is attached to or detached from the prescription bottle to thereby actuate the return spring and to longitudinally slideably move the plurality of staggered contact bumps in succession along the longitudinal axis to thereby cause the contact member to briefly transversely flex into removable contact with the print circuit board to thereby alter the time-counter display so that the time-counter display is actuated when the cap base is connected to the cap engagement lip structures and is deactivated and reseted when the cap base is disconnected from the cap engagement lip structures and the prescription bottle.

In another feature of my invention I have provided in combination, a medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device for use with a prescription bottle, the prescription bottle having cap engagement lip structures, the combination comprising: a cap housing a lens; a time piece stop watch housed within the cap, the time piece stop watch displaying a time-counter and comprising a print circuit board, the lens protecting and displaying the time-counter; a contact member attached to the time piece stop watch and being capable of transversely flexing to removably contact the print circuit board to thereby alter the time-counter; a cap base having a plurality of base notches and housing a seal for removable placement on the prescription bottle as the cap base is removably connected to the prescription bottle, the cap base being aligned and connected to the cap; a return spring removably contacting the cap; and a reset ring being longitudinally contacted by the return spring along a longitudinal axis and being housed within the cap base, the reset ring comprising a plurality of longitudinally actuating fingers, a first actuator button, and a second actuator button being positioned in staggered adjacent relation to the first actuator button, the plurality of longitudinally actuating fingers being aligned and located in the cap base for removable longitudinal insertion into and through the plurality of base notches to removably contact the cap engagement lip structures to thereby longitudinally move the first actuator button and the second actuator button along the longitudinal axis in a first direction, the reset ring engaging the return spring to longitudinally move the first actuator button and the second actuator button in a second direction opposite the first direction upon removal of the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder from the prescription bottle, the first actuator button and the second actuator button sequentially contacting the contact member to thereby alter the time- counter as the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device is removably connected to the prescription bottle, the time-counter being actuated during the attachment of the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device to the prescription bottle and being deactivated and reseted upon detachment of the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device from the prescription bottle. In still another feature of my invention, I have provided a prescription container cap reminder device for use with a prescription container having latching lugs, the prescription container cap reminder device comprising: a housing having an opening and being removably and sealingly attachable to the prescription container; counter means housed in the housing and viewable through the opening, the counter means comprising a first contact and a second contact positioned proximate the first contact; a contact member attached to the counter means and positioned in removable engagement to the first contact and the second contact, the contact member being capable of transverse flexion to thereby removably contact the first contact and the second contact in reversible succession; a reset structure housed in the housing along a longitudinal axis, the reset structure comprising a plurality of longitudinally actuating members and at least one contact body, the plurahty of longitudinally actuating members being positioned and configured in equal concentric spacing to thereby removably engage the latching lugs as the housing is brought into removable engagement with the prescription container, the at least one contact body being aligned and configured to transversely flex the contact member in removable engagement with the first contact and the second contact in reversible succession to thereby alter the counter means as the reset structure is moved along the longitudinal axis by the removable engagement of the plurality of longitudinally actuating members with the latching lugs, the first contact being capable of resetting the counter means and the second contact being capable of starting or stopping the counter means, the attachment of the housing to the prescription container thereby activating the counter means and the detachment; and spring means being housed in the housing for reversibly moving the reset structure along the longitudinal axis against the latching lugs when the housing is detached from the prescription container to thereby deactivate and reset the counter means.

Finally, in another feature of my invention, I have provided a method of using a medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device with a prescription bottle having a time-counter display, the method comprising the steps of: displaying elapsed time on the time-counter display while a cap is attached to the prescription bottle; twisting the cap in preparation for cap removal; longitudinally separating the twisted cap from the prescription bottle; longitudinally decompressing a return spring within the twisted cap; longitudinally moving a first actuator button and a second actuator button operatively attached to the longitudinally moved return spring; contacting a second switch with the longitudinally moved second actuator button thereby stopping the time-counter display; longitudinally moving the longitudinally moved second actuator button off of the second switch; contacting a first switch with the longitudinally moved first actuator button thereby reseting the time-counter display; longitudinally moving the longitudinally moved first actuator button off of the first switch; removing the longitudinally separated cap from the prescription bottle for content removal; replacing the removed cap on the prescription bottle; longitudinally compressing the return spring; longitudinally moving the first actuator button and the second actuator button; contacting the first switch with the longitudinally moved first actuator button; longitudinally moving the longitudinally moved first actuator button off of the first switch; contacting the second switch with the longitudinally moved second actuator button thereby restarting the time-counter display; longitudinally moving the longitudinally moved second actuator button off of the second switch; and twisting and securing the replaced cap on the prescription bottle. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features of my invention will become more evident from a consideration of the following detailed description of my patent drawings, as follows: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective top view of my invention, a medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device and a prescription bottle;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective bottom view of my invention, the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device and a prescription bottle;

Figure 3 is a top view of the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device shown in FIG. 1 ;

Figure 4 is side sectional view of the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device showing the device attached to the prescription bottle;

Figure 5 is side sectional view of the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device showing the device when detached from the prescription bottle; Figure 6 is a bottom fragmentary view of the time piece stop watch and the contact member;

Figure 7 is a top fragmentary view of the time piece stop watch and the contact member; and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of the sequence of operations of medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device. DETAILED DESCRDPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, my invention provides a medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device 10 for use with a prescription bottle 12 having cap engagement Up structures 14. In other embodiments, the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device is a prescription container cap reminder device for use with a prescription container having latching lugs. It is intended that my invention be adaptable for use with any standard prescription bottle or prescription container and is not to be limited to any one type of medication containing device. For example, my invention can be used with the standard prescription bottles having threaded connections or twist-and- snap connections, such as that shown in FIG. 1. In other embodiments, audible devices could be employed as well.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device 10 comprises: a lens 16 and a cap 18 having a lens opening 20 for receiving and housing the lens. A time piece stop watch 22 comprising a print circuit board 24 and a time-counter display 26, or time-counter, is housed within and protected by the cap and the lens. In other embodiments, the time piece stop watch is a counter means. The counter means must show an hour and minute display, so that the user will know how long it has been since he or she has opened the prescription bottle and thereafter, presumably, removed the necessary medication.

It is also intended that one function and two function time-counters can be used with my device. Namely, that the one function time-counter would involve a start/stop button or contact and that the two function time -counter would involve the start/stop button and a reset button. All references to the two function time-counter herein are intended to apply to one function time-piece counters known in the art.

One of the key features of my invention is a contact member 28 attached to the time piece stop watch 22 and which is capable of removably contacting the print circuit board 24 to thereby alter the time-counter display 26 when the contact member is briefly transversely flexed, arrow A in FIGS. 6-7, into removable contact with the print circuit board. In other embodiments, the contact member contacts a first contact 29 and a second contact 30 positioned proximate the first contact, both of which are located on the counter means, as shown in FIGS. 6-7. In a preferred embodiment, the contact member is angled 32 for projecting transversely of a longitudinal axis 34, as shown in FIGS. 1-2, and 7, to thereby removably contact a plurality of staggered contact bumps 36 during the longitudinal movement, arrow B, in a reversible successive manner as described below.

A critical element and feature of my invention is a reset ring 38, as shown in FIGS. 1-2. The reset ring has a reset ring periphery 40 and comprises a plurality of longitudinally actuating fingers 42 and the plurahty of staggered contact bumps 36. In other embodiments the reset ring is a reset structure and the plurality of staggered contact bumps are a first actuator button 44 and a second actuator button 46 positioned in staggered adjacent relation to one another or is at least one contact body or is two contact projections. The bumps can have a spherical shape. The plurality of longitudinally actuating fingers are concentrically and equally spaced about the reset ring periphery and the plurality of staggered contact bumps are located in staggered side-by-side relation to one another. This staggered side-by-side relation is a key to the functioning of my device as will be discussed below. The reset ring 38 concentrically encloses the time piece stop watch 22 to thereby align the plurality of staggered contact bumps 36 with the contact member 28, as shown in FIGS. 1-5, and 8. The plurality of longitudinally actuating fingers 42 are also aligned and located in a cap base 48 for removable longitudinal insertion into and through a plurality of base notches 50. In addition, the cap 18 has a cap key 19, as shown in FIG.

2, and the cap base 48 has a cap base key 49, as shown in FIG. 1. The cap key 19 is aligned or keyed to removably connect to the cap base key 49 so as to align the plurality of longitudinally actuating fingers 42 with the plurality of base notches 50 when the cap is removably connected to the cap base. The alignment of these parts is critical because it allows the reset ring to removably contact the latching lugs 14 and to longitudinally move, arrow B, the plurality of staggered contact bumps as discussed herein. The plurahty of staggered contact bumps are capable of longitudinal slideable movement, arrow B, along the longitudinal axis 34, as shown in FIGS. 1-2, in relation to the contact member 28. In order to make the critical time-counting functions each staggered contact bump thereby successively removably contacts and briefly transversely flexes, arrow A, the contact member into removable contact with the print circuit board, as shown in FIGS. 3-8.

Next, a return spring 52 removably contacts the cap 18 and the reset ring 38 and removably and concentrically encloses the time piece stop watch 22 and the contact member 28, as shown in FIGS. 1 -2 and 4-5. The return spring is capable of longitudinally moving, arrow B, the reset ring along the longitudinal axis 34 and the return spring acts to oppose the longitudinal movement of the reset ring and to cause the reset ring to move in a second direction, arrow C, and acts to move the reset ring and the plurahty of staggered contact bumps 36 along the longitudinal axis when the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device 10 is removed from the prescription bottle 12 and to thereby stop and reset the time-counting device 22, as shown in FIGS. 1-2, 5, and

8. The cap base 48, as shown in FIG. 2, has an underside 54 and the plurality of base notches 50 also forms an integral member of the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device 10. In other embodiments, the cap 18 and the cap base are a housing. The plurality of base notches 50 are configured to align with the plurality of staggered contact bumps 36 with the contact member 28. The cap base 48 is connected to the cap to concentrically enclose the reset ring 38, the return spring 52, the time piece stop watch 22, and the contact member 28 and the cap base is removably connected to the cap engagement lip structures 14. This cap/cap base connection can be made using an ultrasonic weld. Finally, a seal 55 is aligned and connected to the underside of the cap base, as shown in FIGS. 1-2. The seal has a plurality of notches 56 for aligning the plurality of staggered contact bumps with the contact member. The seal creates a sealing connection between the cap base and the prescription bottle 12.

Now, in operation as shown in FIG. 1-5 and 8, the plurahty of longitudinally actuating fingers 42 removably engages, or removably longitudinally inserts into, arrow B, and through the plurality of base notches 50 to removably contact the cap engagement lip structures 14 when the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device 10 is attached to or detached from the prescription bottle 12. This removable engagement thereby actuates the return spring 52 to compress it when the device is placed on the prescription bottle and to decompress it when it is removed from the prescription bottle, presumably at the time that the user takes their medication.

The actuation of the return spring 52 and removal or replacement of the device

10 on the prescription bottle 12 longitudinally slideably moves, arrow B, the plurality of staggered contact bumps 36 in succession along the longitudinal axis 34 to thereby removably contact and cause the contact member 28 to briefly transversely flex, arrow A, into removable contact with the print circuit board 24. In the preferred embodiment, the contact member is angled 32 so that the contact member projects transversely of the longitudinal axis 34 for the brief removable contact, as shown in FIGS. 6-7. This angle is preferably seventy degrees plus or minus two degrees. The brief transverse flexion thereby alters the time-counter display 26 so that the time-counter display is actuated when the cap base 48 is connected to the cap engagement lip structures 14, as shown in FIG. 4, and is deactivated and reseted when the cap base is disconnected from the cap engagement lip structures and the prescription bottle 12, as shown in FIG. 5. In the preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 -2 and 4-5, the longitudinal movement, arrow B, of the plurahty of longitudinally actuating fingers 42 longitudinally moves the first actuator button 44 and the second actuator button 46 along the longitudinal axis 34 in a first direction, arrow D, as the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device 10 is placed on and removably connected to the prescription bottle 12. Thereafter upon removal of the device from prescription bottle, the reset ring 38 engages the return spring 52 to longitudinally move, arrow B, the first actuator button 44 and the second actuator button 46 in the second direction, arrow C, opposite the first direction. The first actuator button 44 and the second actuator button 46 sequentially contact the contact member 28 to thereby alter the time-counter 26 as the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device 10 is removably connected to the prescription bottle 12, as shown in FIG. 8. The time-counter being actuated during the attachment, as shown in FIG. 4, of the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device to the prescription bottle and being deactivated and reseted upon detachment, as shown in FIG. 5, of the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device from the prescription bottle. This sequence will be described in more detail below.

In addition, in other embodiments, the reset ring 40 comprises at least three longitudinally actuating fingers, the cap base 48 comprises at least three base notches aligned with the at least three longitudinally actuating fingers, and the seal 55 comprises at least three notches aligned with the at least three longitudinally actuating fingers and the at least three base notches. The reason for this is so that the device 10 is balanced and so that it does not malfunction or lose its alignment. The lens 16 has a crowned shape for magmfication purposes. The time-piece stop watch 22 comprises an upper surface 58 and a lower surface 60 opposite the upper surface and the time-counter display 26 is located on the upper surface and a vertical spacer 61, an elastomer, is attached to the lower surface for allowing longitudinal movement, arrow B, of the reset ring 38 and for tolerance purposes. As to the time-counter display 26, a standard stop watch can be used and a liquid crystal display (LCD) can be employed. Furthermore, as to materials for construction, the cap base 48, the cap 18, and the reset ring 38 each can be constructed of thermoplastic and the plurality of staggered contact bumps 36 can be molded with the reset ring. The lens 16 can be constructed of a clear polycarbonate material and the return spring 52 can be a compression-type spring.

In other embodiments, the at least three longitudinally actuating fingers is six longitudinally actuating fingers, the at least three base notches is six base notches and the at least three notches is six notches, as shown in FIGS. 1-2. The medicine bottle cap reminder device is therefore sized and configured to attach to and function with a standard prescription bottle.

Now in further analysis of the workings of my invention and in further describing the sequence of contacting and working my device, a method of using the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device 10 with the prescription bottle 12 having the time-counter display 26 is shown in FIG. 8. The method comprises the steps of: first, displaying elapsed time on the time-counter display while a cap is attached to the prescription bottle, not shown. Then, twisting the cap in preparation for cap removal followed by longitudinally separating the twisted cap from the prescription bottle, not shown.

Next, longitudinally decompressing (as shown in FIG. 4) a return spring within the twisted cap and longitudinally moving a first actuator button and a second actuator button operatively attached to the longitudinally moved return spring. Then, contacting a second switch with the longitudinally moved second actuator button thereby stopping the time-counter display, C. Next, longitudinally moving the longitudinally moved second actuator button off of the second switch, D, followed by contacting a first switch with the longitudinally moved first actuator button thereby reseting the time-counter display, E. Then, longitudinally moving the longitudinally moved first actuator button off of the first switch, F; and finally, removing the longitudinally separated cap from the prescription bottle for content removal, not shown.

Once the content is removed, then the next step is replacing the removed cap on the prescription bottle, not shown. Then, longitudinally compressing (as shown in FIG. 5) the return spring and longitudinally moving the first actuator button and the second actuator button. Then, contacting the first switch with the longitudinally moved first actuator button, G, and longitudinally moving the longitudinally moved first actuator button off of the first switch, H. Contacting the second switch with the longitudinally moved second actuator button, I, thereby restarting the time-counter display and then longitudinally moving the longitudinally moved second actuator button off of the second switch, J, and finally, twisting and securing the replaced cap on the prescription bottle, not shown.

In the preferred embodiment, as discussed previously, the steps of contacting the second switch further comprising: transversely flexing, arrow A, the second switch and the steps of contacting the first switch further comprising: transversely flexing, arrow A, the first switch. Finally, the step of longitudinally moving a reset ring comprising the first actuator button and the second actuator button by means of the longitudinally decompressed return spring and longitudinally compressing the return spring by longitudinally compressing the reset ring, not shown. As various possible embodiments may be made in the above invention for use for different purposes and as various changes might be made in the embodiments and methods above set forth, it is understood that all of the above matters here set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

I claim:

1. A medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device for use with a prescription bottle having cap engagement lip structures, the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device comprising: a lens; a cap having a lens opening for receiving and housing the lens; a time piece stop watch comprising a print circuit board and a time-counter display, the time piece stop watch being housed within and protected by the cap and the lens; a contact member attached to the time piece stop watch and being capable of removably contacting the print circuit board to thereby alter the time-counter display when the contact member is briefly transversely flexed into removable contact with the print circuit board; a reset ring having a reset ring periphery, the reset ring comprising a plurality of longitudinally actuating fingers and a plurality of staggered contact bumps, the plurality of longitudinally actuating fingers being concentrically and equally spaced about the reset ring periphery and the plurality of staggered contact bumps being located in staggered side-by-side relation to one another, the reset ring concentrically enclosing the time piece stop watch to thereby align the plurahty of staggered contact bumps with the contact member, the plurahty of staggered contact bumps being capable of longitudinal slideable movement along a longitudinal axis in relation to the contact member, each staggered contact bump thereby successively removably contacting and briefly transversely flexing the contact member into removable contact with the print circuit board; a return spring removably contacting the cap and the reset ring and removably and concentrically enclosing the time piece stop watch and the contact member, the return spring being capable of longitudinally moving the reset ring along the longitudinal axis; a cap base having an underside and a plurahty of base notches, the plurality of base notches being configured to align the plurahty of staggered contact bumps with the contact member, the cap base being aligned and connected to the cap to concentrically enclose the reset ring, the return spring, the time piece stop watch, and the contact member, the cap base being removably connected to the cap engagement hp structures; and a seal being aligned and connected to the underside of the cap base, the seal having a plurality of notches for aligning the plurahty of staggered contact bumps with the contact member, the plurality of longitudinally actuating fingers removably engaging the cap engagement lip structures when the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device is attached to or detached from the prescription bottle to thereby actuate the return spring and to longitudinally slideably move the plurahty of staggered contact bumps in succession along the longitudinal axis to thereby cause the contact member to briefly transversely flex into removable contact with the print circuit board to thereby alter the time-counter display so that the time-counter display is actuated when the cap base is connected to the cap engagement hp structures and is deactivated and reseted when the cap base is disconnected from the cap engagement hp structures and the prescription bottle.

2. The medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device of claim 1 , wherein the contact member is angled for projecting transversely of the longitudinal axis to thereby removably contact the plurahty of staggered contact bumps during the longitudinal movement.

3. The medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device of claim 2, wherein the reset ring comprises at least three longitudinally actuating fingers, the cap base comprises at least three base notches aligned with the at least three longitudinally actuating fingers, and the seal comprises at least three notches aligned with the at least three longitudinally actuating fingers and the at least three base notches, the lens having a crowned shape for magnification purposes, the time-piece stop watch comprising an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the time-counter display being located on the upper surface and a vertical spacer being attached to the lower surface for allowing longitudinal movement of the reset ring.

4. The medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device of claim 3, wherein the time-counter display is a liquid crystal display, the cap base, the cap, and the reset ring each being constructed of thermoplastic, the plurahty of staggered contact bumps being molded with the reset ring, the lens being constructed of a clear polycarbonate material, the return spring being a compression-type spring, the at least three longitudinally actuating fingers being six longitudinally actuating fingers, the at least three base notches being six base notches and the at least three notches being six notches, the medicine bottle cap reminder device being sized and configured to attach to and function with a standard prescription bottle.

5. In combination, a medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device for use with a prescription bottle, the prescription bottle having cap engagement lip structures, the combination comprising: a cap housing a lens; a time piece stop watch housed within the cap, the time piece stop watch displaying a time-counter and comprising a print circuit board, the lens protecting and displaying the time-counter; a contact member attached to the time piece stop watch and being capable of transversely flexing to removably contact the print circuit board to thereby alter the time- counter; a cap base having a plurality of base notches and housing a seal for removable placement on the prescription bottle as the cap base is removably connected to the prescription bottle, the cap base being ahgned and connected to the cap; a return spring removably contacting the cap; and a reset ring being longitudinally contacted by the return spring along a longitudinal axis and being housed within the cap base, the reset ring comprising a plurality of longitudinally actuating fingers, a first actuator button, and a second actuator button being positioned in staggered adjacent relation to the first actuator button, the plurality of longitudinally actuating fingers being ahgned and located in the cap base for removable longitudinal insertion into and through the plurahty of base notches to removably contact the cap engagement hp structures to thereby longitudinally move the first actuator button and the second actuator button along the longitudinal axis in a first direction, the reset ring engaging the return spring to longitudinally move the first actuator button and the second actuator button in a second direction opposite the first direction upon removal of the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder from the prescription bottle, the first actuator button and the second actuator button sequentially contacting the contact member to thereby alter the time-counter as the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device is removably connected to the prescription bottle, the time-counter being actuated during the attachment of the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device to the prescription bottle and being deactivated and reseted upon detachment of the medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device from the prescription bottle.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the contact member is angled for projecting transversely of the longitudinal axis to thereby removably contact the first actuator button and the second actuator button during the longitudinal movement in either the first direction or the second direction, the reset ring comprises at least three longitudinally actuating fingers, the cap base comprises at least three base notches ahgned with the at least three longitudinally actuating fingers, and the seal comprises at least three notches aligned with the at least three longitudinally actuating fingers and the at least three base notches.

7. The combination of claim 5, wherein the lens has a crowned shape for magnification purposes, the time-piece stop watch comprises an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the time-counter being located on the upper surface and a vertical spacer being attached to the lower surface for allowing longitudinal movement of the reset ring, the time-counter display being a liquid crystal display.

8. The combination of claim 5, the cap base, the cap, and the reset ring each being constructed of thermoplastic, the first actuator button and the second actuator button being molded with the reset ring, the lens being constructed of a clear polycarbonate material, the return spring being a compression-type spring, the plurahty of base notches being six base notches, the plurality of longitudinally actuating fingers being six longitudinally actuating fingers, the medicine bottle cap reminder device being sized and configured to attach to and function with a standard prescription bottle.

9. A prescription container cap reminder device for use with a prescription container having latching lugs, the prescription container cap reminder device comprising: a housing having an opening and being removably and sealingly attachable to the prescription container; counter means housed in the housing and viewable through the opening, the counter means comprising a first contact and a second contact positioned proximate the first contact; a contact member attached to the counter means and positioned in removable engagement to the first contact and the second contact, the contact member being capable of transverse flexion to thereby removably contact the first contact and the second contact in reversible succession; a reset structure housed in the housing along a longitudinal axis, the reset structure comprising a plurality of longitudinally actuating members and at least one contact body, the plurality of longitudinally actuating members being positioned and configured in equal concentric spacing to thereby removably engage the latching lugs as the housing is brought into removable engagement with the prescription container, the at least one contact body being aligned and configured to transversely flex the contact member in removable engagement with the first contact and the second contact in reversible succession to thereby alter the counter means as the reset structure is moved along the longitudinal axis by the removable engagement of the plurahty of longitudinally actuating members with the latching lugs, the first contact being capable of resetting the counter means and the second contact being capable of starting or stopping the counter means, the attachment of the housing to the prescription container thereby activating the counter means and the detachment; and spring means being housed in the housing for reversibly moving the reset structure along the longitudinal axis against the latching lugs when the housing is detached from the prescription container to thereby deactivate and reset the counter means.

10. The prescription container cap reminder device of claim 9, wherein the reset structure comprises at least three longitudinally actuating members extending parallel the longitudinal axis for removably engaging the latching lugs of the prescription container, the at least one contact body being two contact projections being located in staggered spaced relation to one another with one contact projection being ahgned with the first contact and the other contact projection being aligned with the second contact, the contact member being angled for projecting transversely of the longitudinal axis to thereby removably contact the first contact and the second contact during the longitudinal movement.

11. The prescription container cap reminder device of claim 10, wherein the staggered spaced relation of the two contact projections co-acts in succession with the longitudinal movement of the reset structure in a first direction to activate the counter means and thereafter co-acts in reverse succession in a second direction opposite the first direction to deactivate and reset the counter means.

12. The prescription container cap reminder device of claim 11 , wherein the housing comprises a cap and a cap base attached to the cap, the opening housing a lens having a crowned shape for magnification purposes, the counter means being a time-piece stop watch comprising an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, a liquid crystal display being located at the upper surface and a vertical spacer being attached to the lower surface for allowing longitudinal movement of the reset structure.

13. The prescription container cap reminder device of claim 11 , wherein the cap base, the cap, and the reset structure are each constructed of thermoplastic, the two contact projections are integrally molded with the reset structure, the lens is constructed of a clear polycarbonate material, and the return spring is a compression-type spring.

14. The prescription container cap reminder device of claim 9, wherein the plurahty of longi dinaUy actuating fingers is six longitudinally actuating fingers, and the reset structure has six base notches being ahgned with the six longitudinally actuating fingers thereby allowing the six longitudinally actuating fingers to removably engage the latching lugs, the medicine bottle cap reminder device being sized and configured to attach to and function with a standard prescription container.

15. A method of using a medicine prescription bottle cap reminder device with a prescription bottle having a time-counter display, the method comprising the steps of: displaying elapsed time on the time-counter display while a cap is attached to the prescription bottle; twisting the cap in preparation for cap removal; longitudinally separating the twisted cap from the prescription bottle; longitudinally decompressing a return spring within the twisted cap; longitudinally moving a first actuator button and a second actuator button operatively attached to the longitudinally moved return spring; contacting a second switch with the longitudinally moved second actuator button thereby stopping the time-counter display; longitudinally moving the longitudinally moved second actuator button off of the second switch; contacting a first switch with the longitudinally moved first actuator button thereby reseting the time-counter display; longitudinally moving the longitudinally moved first actuator button off of the first switch; removing the longitudinally separated cap from the prescription bottle for content removal; replacing the removed cap on the prescription bottle; longitudinally compressing the return spring; longitudinally moving the first actuator button and the second actuator button; contacting the first switch with the longitudinally moved first actuator button; longitudinally moving the longitudinally moved first actuator button off of the first switch; contacting the second switch with the longitudinally moved second actuator button thereby restarting the time-counter display; longitudinally moving the longitudinally moved second actuator button off of the second switch; and twisting and securing the replaced cap on the prescription bottle.

16. The method of claim 15, the steps of contacting the second switch further comprising: transversely flexing the second switch.

17. The method of claim 15, the steps of contacting the first switch further comprising: transversely flexing the first switch.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of longitudinally moving a reset ring comprising the first actuator button and the second actuator button by means of the longitudinally decompressed return spring.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising longitudinally compressing the return spring by longitudinally compressing the reset ring.

20. A medicine bottle cap reminder device for use with a bottle, the medicine bottle cap reminder device comprising: a cap having electronic counter means for time passage calculation housed therein, the electronic counter means having a time- counter display, the cap having actuator means for actuating the electronic counter means when the cap is engaged with the bottle causing the time-counter display to display a passage of time being calculated, for actuating the electronic counter means when the cap is disengaged from the bottle causing the passage of time calculation to stop, and for automatically resetting the time passage calculation.

21. The medicine bottle cap of claim 20, wherein the electronic counter means includes first and second contacts, the first contact for automatically resetting the time passage calculation, and second contact for starting and stopping the time passage calculation.

22. The medicine bottle cap of claim 21, wherein said actuating means including at least two contact bumps, the at least two contact bumps positioned vertically and horizontally staggered to one another, each of the at least two contact bumps being operatively engageable with one of the first and second contacts.

23. The medicine bottle cap of claim 22, the at least two contact bumps successively operatively contacting respective first and second contacts during engagement and disengagement of the cap with the bottle.