Medication dispenser and method of dispensing medication

摘要

A medication dispenser includes a container having a main compartment, a selection compartment, and an exit compartment whereby a pill or the like is dispensed from the container by passage from the main compartment, through the selection compartment, and to the exit compartment. The configuration of the pill selection compartment may be selectively varied and adjusted into a preselected configuration substantially conforming to the shape and size of a pill contained in the main compartment. A flexible first gate selectively extends between the selection compartment and the main compartment, a second gate selectively extends between the selection compartment and the exit compartment, and a third gate selectively extends across the exit compartment, near the container exterior. Initially, the second gate is in an extended position, and the first and third gates are in nonextended positions. A single pill is then maneuvered from the main compartment to the selection compartment and positioned adjacent to the second gate. Thereafter, the second gate is moved to a nonextended position, and substantially simultaneously the first and third gates are each moved to an extended position whereby the pill can pass from the selection compartment to the exit compartment and whereby the pills in the main compartment cannot move into the pill selection compartment. The pill interrupts a light beam located in the exit compartment as it passes from the selection compartment to the exit compartment such that the interruption of the light beam indicates the dispensing of the pill.