BACKGROUNDART For many peoPle taking a medicinal or non-medicinal substance, either for medicinal Purposes or as a dietary supFlement, has become a part of daily life.

One of the necessities that accompany the taking of many of these substances is a fluid, such as water. in order for some of these substances, especially pills and powders, to function properly and be easily digestible, water must be taken at the same time or the substance must be disolved in water. Many people find it impossible to swallow a pill without water, or some fluid, to wash it down.

Although it would not seem to be difficult, the taking of some substances can be difficult if water, or another liquid is unavailable. Peuple are often forced to delay taking the substance or spend a significant amount of time trying to locate water.

An obvious solution to this problem would be to provide a source of fluid to accompany a medicinal or non-medicinal substance. Or, the substance could be provided with a means to be stored along with a fluid.

Some efforts have been made to accomplis a combination of pilles) and fluid. Some pill companies have attempted to package and sell their products with a fluid source, such as a plastic pack of water, along with the pills. Unfortunately, these pacages often leak, thereby losing the fluid and destroying not only the pills in the same pacage, but also other items located next to or below the leaking package.

An effective means of providing a fluid that can be stored along with pills, or other substance, would be to modify existing fluid containers, such as water bottes, which have proven efficient for storing liquids, to hold pills or other substances. A packaging and storing means for a combination of fluid and medicinal l or non-medicianl substance would be easy to use and would provide a safe and secure means of maintaining pills in close proximity to amount of fluid.

A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the instant invention, however, the following U. 5. patents are considered related: PATENT NO. INVENTOR ISSUER 5,038, Q51 Fizzardi 13 August 1Qr1 22August19894,858,760DiSturo 21March19723,650,445Heitzman The a closure of plastic material for monodose bottles and the like that is provided with a reservoir with a breakable bottom housed in the neck of the bottle. The closure shows an annular upper edge superimposed to the annular edge of the bottle opening, with a cylindrical element with its lower end sideways cut and inserted into the reservoir.

The closure further includes a sealing cap that is positioned around the bottle neck and covering the cylindrical element.

The patent discloses a cap containing a powder that is diluted in a solvent medium at the moment of utilization. The cap is shaped to hermetically close a bottle containing the solvent with the cap being provided with means suitable to remove a separating septum in order to allow the powder held in the cap to fall into the solvent and be mixed therewith.

The patent discloses a device readily formable in a bottle cap for breaking medicinal tablets into parts suitable for reduced dosages.

For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention relates, reference may be made to the following remaining patents found in the search: PATENT NO. ISSUED 3,815,802 Stevens 11 June 1 974 Des. 294,467 Wirkus et al 1 March 1988 Des, 281,583 Cafiero et al 3 December 1985<BR> <BR> <BR> DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The integrated bottle and bottle cap assembly in its basic form and function consists of: A. A bottle having a neck with an opening having external threads.

B. A bottle cap having an integral upper section consisting of an upper surface and a lower surface; a side wall having an upper edge integrally attached to the upper section; an inner perimeter; and an open lower edge having internal threads. The internal threads are dimensioned to be threaded onto the external threads on the bottle.

c. Means for captively and hermetically enclosing,<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> within the bottle cap, a quantity of a medicinal substance or a non-medicinal substance, and D. Means for releasing the medicinal or non-medicinal substance.

Two designs are disclosed for captively and hermetically containing the medicinal or non-medicinal substance within the bottle cap.

The first design utilizes a peel-off seal which inclues a pull tab. The peel-off seal is attached to a protrusion which encircles the inner perimeter of the bottle cap above the internal threads.

In the second design, a separate enclosure is utilized to hermetically contain the medicinal or non-medicinal substance. The hermetic enclosure is dimensioned to be frictionally inserted into the bottle cap opening at a distance above the internal threads.

To further secure the enclosure, a small amount of an adhesive can be applied between the lower surface of the upper section of the bottle cap and the upper surface of the enclosure. The enclosure's lower surface is comprised of a peel-off seal which includes a pull tab. in either design, when the peel-off seal is removed the medicinal or non-medicinal substance is released.

The bottle cap is further disclosed with an upper section that is hinged, preferably by a living hinge, or the upper section may include an opening and a hinged lid. In either design, when the upper section is lifted or the hinged lid is lifted the bottle cap can be inverted to allow the medicinal or non-medicinal substance to be released. On either of the lid designs, the side wall can be divided into a plurality of partitions which allow different types and sises of bills to be stored and separated.

Further design refinements include a drinking cup having internal threads that are threaded into a set of external threads located around the muter perimeter of the bottle cap. A time piece that is affixed to the upper surface of the bottle cap. The time piece is set to the time when the last medicinal substance was ingested to serve as a reminder to take the next dosage.

In view of the above di5closure, it is the primary objet of the invention to produce an integrated bottle and bottle cap assembly that provides a convenient, quick and sanitary method for packaging, purchasing and releasing a medicinal or non-medicinal substance for ingesting.

In addition to the primary objet of the invention it is also an objet to produce an integrated bottle and bottle cap assembly that: o can be used to store and dispense medicinal or non-medicinal substances which are dispensed as pills, tablets or powder, o can be easily carried in a purse, briefcase or in a vehicle or boat compartment, o can be made in various colors for color-coding purposes, o is cost effective from both a manufacturing and consumer points of view.

These and other obiects and avantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the apFended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINCS FIGURE 1 is a side elevational-sectional view of a bottle cap and a partial elevational-sectional view of a water bottle. The bottle cap inclues an internal protrusion to which a peel-off seal is attached.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational-sectional view of a bottle cap which houses an enclosure that is dimensioned to frictionally fit into the bottle cap.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational-sectional view of a bottle cap having a hinged upper section.

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the hinged upper section as shown in FIGURE 3. FIGURE 4 also shows a digital alarm clock affixed to the upper surface of the bottle cap.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of a bottle cap having an upper section which inclues an opening into which is fitted a hinged lid. FIGURE 5 also shows a manually-set time piece that indicates when the last medicinal substance was ingested.

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of a bottle cap having a hinged upper section and a side wall that is divided into a plurality of partitions.

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational-sectional view of a bottle cap having external threads that accept internal threads located on the lower section of a cup.

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of a plurality of bottle caps packaged in shrink wrap.

FIGURE 9A-D is a series of perspective views showing the sequence that is followed to use the integrated bottle and bottle cap assembly.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of a preferred embodiment for an integrated bottle and bottle cap assembly. The integrated bottle and bottle cap assembly 10, hereinafter"assembly 10", as shown in FIGURES 1-9, is comprised of the following major elements: a water bottle 12, a bottle cap 26 having an upper section 28, enclosing means 44 and releasing means 110.

The assembly 10 is designed to allow a quantity of a substance to be stored within the bottle cap 26, while the cap 26 is attached to the water bottle 12 which is filled with a liquid such as water 13. This design allows the substance to be either readily available for mixture with the water in the bottle 12 for ingestion, or for the substance to be orally taken and washed down with the water from the bottle 12. The <BR> water bottle 12 is typically comprised of a 4.25 fluid ounces (1L0 g) to a twenty-four fluid ounces (1.56 1) bottle, having a narrow or wide neck 14 with external threads 16, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 7. To preserve cleanliness a peel-off 5eal 18 is attached to the opening 20 of the neck 14 of the bottle 12 with a pull-tab L2 attached to an edge of the seal 18.

The bottle cap 26, as shown in FIGURES 7 and 9 consists of the upper section 28, which has an<BR> upper surface 30, a lower surface 32 and a side wall 34. The side wall 34 has internal threads 36 which are dimensioned to be threaded onto the external threads 16 on the water bottle 12, and an inner perimeter 38.

The bottle cap 6 is injection molded of a non-toxic material, such as plastic, and may be molded in a plurality of colors. The plurality of colors serves as a color code which allows a user to indicate and/or determine what substance is enclose within the bottle

cap 26.

Additionally, for ease of transporting and marketing, a group of the assemblies 10 can be arrange together as a single unit and packaged in shrink wrap <BR> <BR> <BR> 11r, as shown in FIGURE 8.<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <P> In one design configuration the upper section 28 of the bottle cap 26 is separate and is attached to the <BR> <BR> <BR> side wall 34 by means of a hinge 40, which is<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> preferably comprised of a living hinge 40, as shown in<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> FIGURE 3 and 4. The upper section 28 of the bottle cap 26 further comprises a locking tab 42 that is frictionally inserted into a cavity 43 located on an <BR> <BR> <BR> edge of the side wall 34. The hinge 40 can consist of a permanent hinge 40 or the hinge 40 can be designed to be ripped off when a pulling force is applied, thus allowing access to the bottle cap 26. When the ripping hinge is employed the bottle cap 26 is considered to be a discartable unit. To contain the substance within the bottle cap 26 there is located around the inner <BR> <BR> <BR> perimeter 38 of the side wall 34, as shown in FIGURE 1,<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> a solid platform 35 which is attached and located above<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> the internal threads 36.

The assembly 10 is further comprised of a means 44 for captively and hermetically enclosing a quantity of <BR> <BR> <BR> a medicinal 46 or non-medicinal substance 48 within the<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> bottle cap 26. The medicinal 46 or non-medicinal 48 substance may be comprised of a tablet (s) 50, a powder 52 or a liquid 53.

In another design configuration, the means 44 for captively and hermetically enclosing the substance comprises a peel-off 5eal 56 that is attached, by an attachment means 58 to the bottle cap 26 at a distance <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> above the internal threads 36. The attachment means 58<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> for attaching the peul-off seal 56 comprises the bottle<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> cap 26 having an internal protrusion 60 extending around the inner perimeter 38 of the cap 26 above the

internal threads 36, as shown in FIGURE 1. The <BR> <BR> <BR> protrusion 60 has an upper surface 62 and a lower surface 64.

The peel-off seal 56 also has an upper surface 66 and a lower surface 68, with the edge of the upper <BR> <BR> <BR> surface 66 attached to the lower surface 64 of the<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> protrusion 60 by an adhesive 70. To assist with the<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> peul-off seal 56, a pull tab 22 is attached to an edge of the seal56.

Another means 44 for captively and hermetically enclosing the medicinal 46 or non-medicinal 48 substance comprises an enclosure that is dimensioned to frictionally fit into the bottle cap 26. The enclosure 72, as shown in FIGURE 2 has an upper surface 74 and a lower surface 76, which is located above the internal threads 36 and is comprised of a peel-off seal <BR> <BR> <BR> 56. Nhen the Fuel-off seal 56 is removed, by means of<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> the pull-tab 22, the medicinal 46 or non-medicinal 48 substance is released. Additionally, to maintain the enclosure 72 in position, an adhesive 70, as also shown in FIGURES, can be placed between the lower surface 32 of the upper section 28 of the bottle cap 26 and the <BR> <BR> <BR> upper surface 74 of the enclosure 72.<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <P> As shown in FIGURE 5 the upper section 28 of the<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> bottle cap 26 further comprises an opening 80 having a<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> first edge 82 and an opposite second edge 84 and a lid<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> 86 dimensioned to cover the opening 80 and also having<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> a first edge 88 and an opposite second edge 90, with<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> the first edge 88 hingedly attached by a living hinge to to the first edge 82 of the opening 80. A downward <BR> <BR> <BR> extending tab 94 extends from the second edge 90 of the lid 86 and a cavity 96 extends inward from the second <BR> <BR> <BR> edge 84 of the opening 80. The cavity 96 is<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> dimensioned and aligned to allow the tab 94 to be frictionally inserted into the cavity 96, thus, securing the lid 86.

To add to the utility of the assembly 10 other design modifications may be utilized, such as: the side wall 34 of the cap 26 can be designed to include a set of external threads 100 and a cup 102 having internal threads 104 that are dimensioned to be threaded onto the external threads 100, as shown in <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> FIGURE 7. The side wall 34 can also be divided into a<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> plurality of partitions 105, as shown in FIGURE 6 and which allow tablets or pills 50 of different types and sizes to be stored.

Additionally, the assembly 10 may comprise a <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> digital alarm clock 106 affixed by an adhesive 70 to the upper surface 30 of the bottle cap 26 as shown in FIGURE 4, or a manually-set time piece 108, as shown in FIGURE 5 that is also affixed by the adhesive 70 to the upper surface 30 of the bottle cap 26 and is set to the time when the last medicinal substance 46 was ingested.

To use the integrated bottle and bottle cap assembly 10 the releasing means 110 depicted in the sequence of FIGURE 9A-D is followed, Initially, as <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> shown in FIGURE 9A, E3, the bottle cap 26 is unscrewed from the water bottle 12 and the peel-off seal 18 on the bottle 12 is peeled off. Next, as shown in FIGURE <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> ? C, the peel-off seal 56 attached to the bottle cap 26<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> is peeled off and as shown in FIGURE 9D the medicinal substance 46 or the non-medicinal substance 48 is released into the water bottle 12. The mixed contents of the bottle 12 are than ingested.

While the invention has been described in complete detail and pictorially shown in the accompanying drawings it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof. HeCce, it is described to cover any and all modifications and forms which may come within the langage and score of the claims.