A MECHANISM FOR MONITORING THE USAGE OF A PACKET'S CONTENT AND METHODS THEREOF

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a packet or a packing material with a counting mechanism that enables the user to count the number of units contained inside the packet that were used. More particularly, the invention relates to a packet of cigarettes with a counting mechanism that enables the smoker to count the number of cigarette smoked during a certain day or week, thus allowing a smoker who wished to cut down on his smoking habits, to keep track of the number of cigarettes being smoked during a certain day or a certain week for purposes of comparison and control. The invention further relates to a package of medication with a counting mechanism that assists the patient to monitor his consumption and to follow the administration instructions of said medication.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During everyday life people often face the need to track or monitor certain objects that they consume. For instance, when one is not feeling well and the doctor instruct him to take a certain medicine for several days, couple of times a day, he has to follow the doctor's instruction carefully in order to get well and recover from his illness. It is also important to consume an exact dosage as an overdose may risk the user. However, while being sick, people tend to confuse the counting and many times they are not absolutely sure if they took their medicine or not. This phenomenon frequently occurs when the person in need has a high fever or suffers from a chronic or temporary exhaustion. Old people, who usually take medicines on a regular base, also tend to be confused whether they took their medications or not. The confusion

and uncertainty is even higher when the person in need should swallow more than one medication simultaneously, each in a different dosage.

The need to track and monitor the daily consumption of a certain medications is even higher when the person in need is a child. In many occasions, the child in need is under supervision of several adults during the day. A parent, a nanny, a neighbor or a relative may each spend time with a sick child, knowing that the child should take a certain medicine, but not knowing for sure if the other guardian has given the child the timely dosage. A similar situation may occur with a disabled person being supervised by different people during the day. A usage indicator with a counting mechanism that presents on the package or the packing material if a specific dosage was taken could solve this problem.

In summary, there is an urgent need in the market for a usage indicator with a counting mechanism that will assist a person in need to track and monitor the number of pills, milliliters, teaspoons, drops and the like, of a certain medicine that he consumed during a certain day.

Another common situation in which a person may face the need to track or monitor certain objects is related to smoking. It is well known that numerous cigarette smokers are presently trying hard to break their habit of cigarette smoking particularly in view of the recent researches that demonstrate clearly that smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causing many diseases and reducing the health of smokers in general (Surgeon General's Report, 2004).

According to data published by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 2002, smoking related-diseases kill one in 10 adults globally and cause four million deaths a year. Actually, every eight seconds, a person dies from tobacco use. By 2030, if current trends continue, smoking will kill one in six people. Every cigarette smoked cuts at least five minutes of life on average, about the time taken to smoke it (http://www.who.int/tobacco/en/).

Smoking is the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death. More than 4,000 toxic or carcinogenic chemicals have been found in tobacco smoke. The list of diseases caused by smoking is expanded each year and includes cancer, cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases. It was also found that smoking has a negative effect on reproductive systems and other systems of the human body. It is a prime factor in heart disease, stroke and chronic lung disease. It can cause cancer of the lungs, larynx, oesophagus, mouth, and bladder, and contributes to cancer of the cervix, pancreas, and kidneys. At least a quarter of all deaths from heart diseases and about three-quarters of world's chronic bronchitis are related to smoking.

The evidence is sufficient to infer a causal relationship between smoking and lung cancer, between smoking and sub-clinical atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, stroke, and abdominal aortic aneurysm, and between smoking and acute respiratory illnesses, including pneumonia, in persons without underlying smoking- related chronic obstructive lung disease. The evidence is also sufficient to infer a causal relationship between maternal smoking during pregnancy and a reduction of lung function in infants, active smoking and impaired lung growth during childhood and adolescence, active smoking and the early onset of lung function decline during late adolescence and early adulthood, sustained cessation from smoking and a return of the rate of decline in pulmonary function to that of persons who had never smoked, active smoking and respiratory symptoms in children and adolescents, including coughing, phlegm, wheezing, and dyspnea, active smoking and asthma- related symptoms in childhood and adolescence, active smoking and all major respiratory symptoms among adults, including coughing, phlegm, wheezing, and dyspnea, and between active smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease morbidity and mortality. A causal relationship between smoking and reduced fertility in women was also established. A causal relationship also was found between smoking and diminished health status that may manifest as increased absenteeism from work and increased use of medical care services, smoking and loss of bone

mass and risk of fractures, smoking and dental diseases, smoking and eye diseases especially nuclear cataract and between smoking and peptic ulcer disease in persons who are Helicobacter pylori positive

(http://wwwxdc.gov/tobacco/sgr/sgr_2004/pdFexecutivesumma ry.pdf). The damages of smoking are not limited to the smoker himself and neither to his closer environment, i.e. to passive smokers around. The price that the society pays for the smoking phenomenon is huge. The global environment balance and air pollution is badly changing and rising every day due to cigarettes smoking. In addition, governments spend mint of money on smoking related diseases. For example, according to data published by the WHO smoking-related diseases cost the United States more than $150 billion a year.

According to data published by the WHO about 15 billion cigarettes are sold daily or ten million cigarettes are sold every minute worldwide. About a third of the male adult global population smokes. Among young teens (aged 13 to 15), about one in five smokes worldwide. Between 80,000 and 100,000 children worldwide start smoking every day. Evidence shows that around 50% of those who start smoking in adolescent years go on to smoke for 15 to 20 years.

As part of a worldwide effort to minimize and control smoking, the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) was composed and entered into force on 27 February, 2005. This is the first treaty negotiated under the auspices of the WHO. In contrast to previous drug control treaties, the WHO FCTC asserts the importance of demand reduction strategies as well as supply issues. The WHO FCTC was developed in response to the globalization of the tobacco epidemic (http://www.who.int/tobacco/framework/en/).

The need to reduce and control the number of cigarettes being smoked every day is obvious. There are different ways to encourage smokers to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked every day or even to quit smoking. The most popular ways are

the anti-smoking advertisements in different media and the health advertisement that appears on the cigarette packet. Such advertisements must stand against the massive advertisement of the tobacco industry that encourages the public to keep on smoking. For example, eight billion dollars were spent on advertisement of cigarettes in the US in 2002. Through advertising, tobacco firms try to link smoking with athletic prowess, sexual attractiveness, success, adult sophistication, adventure and self- Mfillment.

Oppositely, the general tendency in many countries is to ban or restrict advertising of cigarettes in certain media (detailed description of the bans and restrictions is provided in the "Tobacco control country profiles" (appendix b) (httpV/www.who.int/tobacco/globaLdata/countryjrofiles/en/ind ex.html).

Despite the great importance that the tobacco industry refers to advertising, there is a general consensus that the critical moment for a smoker to decide whether to smoke another cigarette or not is the moment he opens the packet. At least sixty countries worldwide demand by law, from cigarettes manufacturers and importers to put health warnings on cigarette packets in different sizes and formats. The specific location of the health warning and the exact text varies from one country to another according to the policy of each country. For example, in England on the front of a cigarette pack, one of 2 general warnings must appear. These are "Smoking kills" or "Smoking seriously harms you and others around you". In addition, one of the following 14 rotating messages should appear on the back of the pack: "Smokers die younger", "Smoking clogs the arteries and causes heart attacks and strokes," "Smoking causes fatal lung cancer," "Smoking when pregnant harms your baby," "Protect children: don't make them breathe your smoke," "Your doctor or your pharmacist can help you stop smoking," "Smoking is highly addictive, don't start," "Stopping smoking reduces the risk of fatal heart and lung diseases," "Smoking can cause a slow and painful death," "Get help to stop smoking: ring 0800 169 0169" "Smoking may reduce blood flow and cause impotence," "Smoking causes aging of

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the skin," "Smoking damages sperm and decreases fertility" or "Smoke contains benzene, nitrosamines, formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide."

Most of the smokers are not aware of the exact number of cigarettes that they smoke during a single day or a single week. If smokers could track the number of cigarettes they smoked during a certain period, their awareness to the danger levels that they expose themselves on each day, could lead the smokers to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked or even to quit smoking.

Several apparatuses for counting cigarettes are available today, however most of the counters, relate to the production process of cigarettes and to cigarette-making machines (for example: US 4,531,627; US 5,168,690; GB 956121)

Apparatuses for counting cigarettes by the user are also available. US Patent No. 4,037,719 provides a case for containing a pack of cigarettes, the case includes a counting mechanism which counts the number of times that the case is opened up so to remove a cigarette from the pack. JP JP2023858 discloses a cigarette case equipped with a clock and a sensor for numbering smoked cigarettes, so designed as to set the number of cigarettes to be smoked within a fixed time. When said specific number is reached, the smoker is alarmed through a buzzer. As one can see, the counters known in the art are complicated, expensive to produce, inadequate as the counters count each time the packed is opened even if the smoker changes his mind and decides not smoke at a specific moment, or if the smoker opened the packet to offer a cigarette to someone else, The provided mechanisms also require to cover the packet with the case that contains it, thereby the health advertisement, which is considered to be a prominent alert against smoking, do not appear in front of the smoker.

It is the aim of the present invention to provide a simple, chip and effective packet counter that will assist smokers to track and control the number of cigarettes and packets that they smoked during a single day, a whole week or a longer period of

time. The present invention further provides a method for tracking and controlling the number of cigarettes smoked during a certain period of time, thereby enabling the smoker to track and therefore to control the number of cigarettes he smoked in a very easy, simple and amusing way.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a packing material in general, and more specifically a packet with a counting mechanism that enables the user to count the number of units contained inside the packet that were used. The counting mechanism can be an integral part of the packet or may be stuck on the packet by the user. The counting mechanism of the present invention may be a table or a board covered by a scratch-off material or covered by stickers. When the user consumes a unit from the packet content, he scratches-off a portion of the table/board or removes a sticker, to thereby reveal a symbol that assists the user to count and monitor the number of units he consumed during a certain day or week or even more.

In one embodiment of the invention a packet of medicine or a food additive with a counting mechanism is provided. The present invention also provides a method for tracking a dosage of a medicament or a food additive consumed by a person in need of such a medicament or food additive during a certain day or during a certain period of time by removing a scratch-off material or a sticker of one unit or more according to the day and time i.e. morning, noon and evening, from a counting table integrated or being stuck on a packet of said medicament or food additive each time the person consumes a dosage of said medicament or food additive, thus displaying on the packet a sign, a number ,a letter, or a symbol that a dosage was consumed in a certain day on a certain time.

In one another embodiment of the invention a packet of cigarettes with a counting mechanism is provided. The counting mechanism consists of a table with N

fields covered by a scratch-off material or a sticker, each field designate a cigarette, and divided to days. Any time the smoker smokes a cigarette he removes the scratch- off material from the appropriate unit or removes a sticker. This counting mechanism enables the smoker to count the number of cigarette he smoked, thus allowing a smoker who wished to cut down on his smoking habits, to keep track of the number of cigarettes being smoked. In one embodiment of the invention the counting mechanism further comprises a packet counting table and a summary table for purposes of comparison and control.

The present invention further provides a method for tracking and controlling the number of cigarettes smoked by a smoker during a certain day or a certain week based on the packet with the counting mechanism of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGURE 1: A daily counting table of a cigarette packet. The table is composed of 20 units according to the number of cigarettes in one packet. Each unit is a circle divided to seven pieces, each piece symbolize a day and is marked with a letter according to the day it is symbolize. "S" denotes Sunday, "M" denotes Monday, "T" denotes Tuesday, "W" denotes Wednesday, "Th" denotes Thursday, "F" denotes Friday and "Sat" denotes Saturday.

Each unit is covered with a scratch-off material or a sticker that the smoker scratches-off or removes each time he smokes a cigarette.

FIGURE 2: A summary counting table of a cigarette packet. The summary table is divided to seven columns, and each column designates a day of the week and marked accordingly. Each column comprises 20 units according to the total number of cigarettes in one packet. The units are covered by a scratch-off material or a sticker. The twentieth unit in every column further comprises the letters A and B each indicates a packet. If a smoker smoked 20 cigarettes in one day he scratches the

letter A. For another 20 cigarettes at the same day he scratches the letter B.

FIGURE 3: A packet counting table. The table is divided to seven units, each unit designates one day of the week and marked on the top of it with a letter that symbols a specific day ("S" = Sunday, "M" = Monday, "T" =

Tuesday, "W" = Wednesday, "Th" = Thursday, "F" = Friday and "Sat" =

Saturday). Each unit is divided to two parts, one on top of the other and covered with a scratch-off material or a sticker that the smoker scratches-off or removes each time a packet of cigarette is finished. The units may also be uncovered, and each time the smoker finish to smoke a packet of cigarette he marks the appropriate unit with a pen or a pencil, so as to symbolize that a packet of cigarettes was completed.

FIGURE 4: A counting mechanism for a cigarette packet. A. A daily counting table in which the smoker scratched-off a scratching material or removed a sticker from the "S" portion of six circles to mark the smoking of six cigarettes on Sunday, scratched-off a scratching material or removed a sticker from the "M" portion of ten circles to mark the smoking of ten cigarettes on Monday, and scratched-off a scratching material or removed a sticker from the "T" portion of four circles to mark the smoking of four cigarettes on Tuesday. On the bottom, a packet counting table is illustrated demonstrating that a packet of cigarettes was completed on Tuesday ("T); B. A summary table that summarizes the data represented in figure 4A and additional smoking of five cigarettes from another packet. The smoker scratched off a scratching material or removed a sticker from the number six (6) on column "S" to mark the total number of cigarettes he smoked on Sunday, the number ten (10) on column "M" to mark the ten cigarettes he smoked on Monday, and the number four (4) on column "T" to mark the four last cigarettes of the first packet that he smoked on Tuesday. In addition on

Tuesday the smoker smoked five (5) cigarettes from a second packet, therefore by the end of the day he scratch off a scratching material or removes a sticker from the number five on column "T" to mark these cigarettes. FIGURE 5: A daily counting table for medications in the form of pills. A. illustrates a daily counting table for medications that are taken for a short period of time. The table is composed of seven columns, each column is marked with a letter that designates a specific day ("S" = Sunday, "M" = Monday, "T" = Tuesday, "W" = Wednesday, "Th" = Thursday, "F" = Friday and "Sat" = Saturday). Each day is divided to three parts:

Morning ("M"), Noon ("N") and Evening ("E"). Each part contains two units that each of them symbolizes one pill. B. illustrates a daily counting table for medications that are taken on a regular base. The table is composed of seven columns, each column is marked with a letter that designates a specific day, and nine rows, each row designate one week. Each cell contains two units, and each unit designates one pill, and time of use is marked therein ("M" for Morning and "E" for Evening).

FIGURE 6: A daily counting table for medications in the form of syrup. The table is composed of seven columns, each column is marked with a letter that designates a specific day ("S" = Sunday, "M" = Monday, "T" =

Tuesday, "W" = Wednesday, "Th" = Thursday, "F" = Friday and "Sat"

= Saturday). Each day is divided to three fields: Morning ("M"), Noon

("N") and Evening ("E"). Each field contains four units that each of them symbolizes a different dosage in cc: 5cc, lOcc, 15cc and 20cc.

FIGURE 7: A daily counting table for medications in the form of drops. The table is composed of seven columns, each column is marked with a letter that designates a specific day ("S" = Sunday, "M" = Monday _. , "T" =

Tuesday, "W" = Wednesday, "Th" = Thursday, "F" = Friday and "Sat" = Saturday). Each day is divided to three fields: Morning ("M"), Noon ("N") and Evening ("E"). Each field contains 3 units and each unit symbolizes a specific dosage (one drop; two drops; three drops).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a packet with a counting mechanism that enables a user to count the number of units contained inside the packet that the user have used is provided. The counting mechanism of the present invention comprises a daily counting table with N fields that are covered by a scratch-off material or stickers.

The term "packet" as used herein is defined as a box, a package, a bundle, a pack and any other packing material available such as: paper ,glass ,plastic ,carton ,etc. For storage or transportation of a material in any form including solid material, liquid or gas.

The term "unit" as used herein is defines as one item, object, particle, or article of a known and limited amount of units contained in one packet. For example, a cigarette packet comprise 20 units, each unit symbolize a cigarette. A medicine package in the form of pills contain 10 units, each unit symbolize a pill , or in general, symbolizes a certain usage of the packet's content. The term "unit" as used herein may also define one specific dosage. For example, on a medicine package in the form of syrup that contains a total amount of 100 cc, each field may contain 4 units, where each unit symbolizes a different dose (5cc, lOcc, 15cc and 20cc, as demonstrated in Figures 6 and 7).

In one embodiment of the invention the counting mechanism comprises a daily counting table. The daily counting table can be shaped as a rectangle, quadrangular, circle, or any other form. The daily counting table is divided to fields

each field contains at least one unit and covered by a scratch-off material or a sticker. The number of units is set according to the content of the packet. The symbols or signs that are covered by the scratch-off material or stickers may be numbers, letters, logos, different colors and any other sign. In one another embodiment of the invention, the packet with a counting mechanism is a medication packet and the user is a person in need of such medication. The term "medication" as used herein includes medicine, medicament, drug, food additives and any other product with a therapeutic effect or beneficial effect. The medication may be applied in a form of pills, syrup, drops, cream, ointment, spray.sticker and any other form of medication known in the art.

In one embodiment the medication packet contains pills. The term "pill" as used herein also includes tablet and capsule. The counting table is composed of seven columns, each column is marked with a letter that designates a specific day ("S" = Sunday, "M" = Monday, "T" = Tuesday, "W" = Wednesday, "Th" = Thursday, "F" = Friday and "Sat" = Saturday). Each day is divided to three parts: Morning ("M"), Noon ("N") and Evening ("E"). Each part contains two units that each of them symbolizes one pill (an example of such counting table is demonstrated in Figure 5A).

In a different embodiment, the medication packet contains food additives, such as vitamins, multi-vitamins, calcium, zinc ,iroa, magnesium, cartilage rebuilding materials, natural extracts, materials that encourage hair growth, anti-oxidants, medicinal herbs, nutritional fibers, amino-acids, oils formula and dietary supplements. Such materials are usually sold in a package that contains thirty, sixty or even more pills. The counting table in such case may be divided to seven days on one axis and to several weeks according to the content of the packet on the other axis (an example of such counting table is demonstrated in Figure 5B). Each field (N) designates one unit and contains one symbol to scratch-off or a sticker to remove. In a specific embodiment, each field may contain more than one symbol, if the recommended dosage is more than one pill a day.

In a further embodiment the medication packet contains syrup. Each unit designates a different dosage in milliliters. Each field may contain more than one symbol according to the recommended dosage (an example of such counting table is demonstrated in Figure 6). In one another embodiment of the invention, the medication packet contains drops. The drops may be eye drops, ear drops, nasal drops, nail drops and any other drops. Each field may contain more than one unit and each unit symbolizes a specific dosage. In a specific embodiment, each field contains three units and each unit symbolizes a specific dosage: one drop, two drops, three drops (an example of such counting table is demonstrated in Figure 7).

In a further embodiment, the medication packet contains a nasal spray and each field in the counting table designates a recommended dosage during the day (Le. morning, noon, evening) throughout a week or more.

The medication packet counting mechanism provided by the present invention enables a person in need of such medication to track and monitor the number of pills, milliliters, teaspoons, drops and the like, of a certain medicine that he consumed during a certain day or a period. Such monitoring assists the person in need to follow the doctor's instructions, thereby to heal faster from his illness. It is also assists a person in need who suffers from a chronic disease to keep his illness in a steady state with a controlled medication regime. Such counting mechanism may also avoid dangerous situations of over dosage, when the user is taking a double dosage because he did not remember or was uncertain if he took his medicine.

The counting table according to the present invention is also useful on a cream packet and ointment packet. It is within the scope of the present invention to provide a method for tracking and monitoring a dosage of a medication consumed by a person in need of such a medication during a certain day or certain period of time, by removing a scratch-off material or a sticker of one unit or more, according to the day and time of

the usage from a counting table integrated or being stuck on a packet of said medication each time the person consumes a dosage of said medication, thus displaying on the packet a sign, a number, a letter or a symbol that a dosage was consumed in a certain day and on a certain time. The medication may be in any form know in the art including without limiting pills, syrup, drops, cream, ointment, spray, suspension, lotion or suppositories.

In an embodiment of the invention, a method for tracking the number of pills consumed by a person in need of such pills during a certain day or a certain period of time is provided. According to the provided method removing a scratch-off material or a sticker from one unit or more of a counting table which is integrated or being stuck on a packet of a medication, each time the person in need swallows a pill of said medication, thus displaying on the packet a sign, a number or a symbol that a pill was swallowed.

In a different embodiment of the invention the packet with a counting mechanism is a cigarette packet and each unit in the daily counting table symbolizes a cigarette. In one embodiment, the counting mechanism is located nearby the health warning advertisement. In one another embodiment, at least one of the daily counting table, the packet counting table and the summary table is located nearby the health warning advertisement. The counting mechanism may be an integral part of the packet or an independent unit that is being stuck on the packet by a user who need to count and control the number of units he consumed. As the counting table is divided to days, the user may track and control the number of units he consumed during a certain period of time, and compare his consumption in different day. In one embodiment, the packet counting mechanism further comprises a packet counting table. The packet counting table enables a smoker who smokes more that one packet during a week to track and control the number of packets he smoked. In an embodiment of the invention, the packet counting table enables monitoring the

consumption of packets during several weeks. The packet counting table may be shaped as a rectangle, quadrangular, circle, or any other form. The packet counting table is divided to units and covered by a scratch-off material or a sticker. The number of units is set according to the time period or quantity desired for tracking and monitoring. For example, seven units for one week, fourteen units for two weeks, twenty one units for three weeks and so on. The symbols or signs that are covered by the scratch-off material or stickers may be numbers, letters, logos, different colors and any other sign.

In one another embodiment, the counting mechanism further comprises a summary table. The summary table enables the smoker to view the total number of cigarettes that he smoked during a specific day in a clear and convenient manner.

The summary table further provides the smoker a total view of the number of cigarettes he smoked during several days, thus enables the smoker to control his smoking habits. The summary table may be shaped as a rectangle, quadrangular, circle, or any other form. The summary table is divided to seven days, where each day is divided to units and covered by a scratch-off material or a sticker. The number of units is set according to the total number of units contained in the packet e.g. 20 units in each day in a cigarettes packet.

In one embodiment of the invention, the counting mechanism comprises a counting table, a packet counting table and a summary table.

The counting table, the packet counting table and summary table may be located on one side or on different sides of the packet. Generally, they can be located on any side of the packet.

In another embodiment, the counting table is located on the top side of a cigarette packet nearby the opening of the packet or nearby the health warning advertisement. At this position, a smoker who wishes to cut down of his smoking, notice the table every time he opens the packet, thereby he is aware of the number of

cigarettes he smoked up to this moment as well as to the demolishes effect of cigarettes on health.

Preferred embodiment of the invention: A sticker having a counting mechanism with indicia on it, as described, covered with a scratch off material and being stuck on any external side of a packing material. In reference to a medication package, the indicia on the counting mechanism will be according to a specific prescription given to a patient.

The invention further provides a method for tracking and controlling the number of cigarettes smoked by a smoker during a certain day or a certain week by removing a scratch-off material or a sticker from one unit of a daily counting table integrated or being stuck on a packet of cigarette, said unit is designed to display one cigarette smoked in a specific day of the week, each time the smoker smokes a cigarette, thus displaying on the packet a symbol that a cigarette was smoked in a certain day. In one embodiment of the invention the above method further comprises a step of removing a scratch off material or a sticker from a unit of a summary table that symbolize the total number of cigarettes that were smoked in a certain day, thus displaying to the smoker the total number of cigarettes he smoked in a specific day in a clear and convenient manner. In one another embodiment, the provided method further comprising the step of removing a scratch-off material or a sticker from a unit of a packet counting table that symbolize the end of a whole packet, thus enabling the smoker to track the number of cigarette packets he smoked during a specific period of time. The invention further provides a method for tracking and controlling the number of cigarettes smoked by a smoker during a certain day or a certain week comprising: a. Removing a scratch-off material or a sticker from one unit of a counting table integrated or being stuck on a packet of cigarette, each time the

smoker smokes a cigarette, thus displaying on the packet a sign, a letter, a number or a symbol that a cigarette was smoked; b. Removing a scratch-off material or a sticker from a unit of a summary table that symbolize the total number of cigarettes and packets that were smoked in a certain day or week; c. Removing a scratch-off material or a sticker from a unit of a packet counting table that symbolize the end of a whole packet; and d. Comparing the number of cigarettes smoked in each day and the number of packets smoked during a certain week according to the signs, letters, or symbols discovered on the packet;

Thus, enabling the smoker to track and control his smoking habits.

The present invention is illustrated in detail below with reference to Examples, but it is not to be construed as being limited thereto.

EXAMPLES

EXAMPLE 1. A Daily Counting Table for a Cigarette Packet

In order to allow a smoker to track the number of cigarettes he smoked in a certain day, a daily counting table is provided. The daily counting table may be designed in any shape and form according to needs. One form of a counting table is presented in Figure 1. The table is composed of 20 units according to the number of cigarettes in one packet. Each unit is a circle divided to seven pieces, each piece symbolize a single cigarette smoked in a certain day and is marked with a letter according to the day it is symbolize. "S" denotes Sunday, "M" denotes Monday, "T" denotes Tuesday, "W" denotes Wednesday, "Th" denotes Thursday, "F" denotes Friday and "Sat" denotes Saturday. Each unit is covered with a scratch-off material or a sticker that the smoker scratches-off or removes each time he smokes a cigarette. The unit may also

be uncovered, and each time the smoker smokes a cigarette he marks the appropriate piece of one circle with a pen or a pencil, so as to symbolize that a cigarette was smoked.

EXAMPLE 2. A Summary Table for a Cigarette Packet

A summary table enables a smoker to view the total number of cigarettes that he smoked during a specific day in a clear and convenient manner. The summary table further provides the smoker a total view of the number of cigarettes he smoked during several days, thus enables the smoker to control his smoking habits. The summary table may be shaped as a rectangle, quadrangular, circle, or any other form.

One form of a summary table for a Cigarette packet is presented in Figure 2. The summary table is divided to seven columns, and each column designates a day of the week and marked accordingly. Each column comprises 20 units according to the total number of cigarettes in one packet. A scratch-off material or a sticker covers the units. The twentieth unit in every column further comprises the letters A and B each indicates a packet. If a smoker smoked 20 cigarettes in one day he scratches the letter A. For another 20 cigarettes at the same day he scratches the letter B.

EXAMPLE 3. A Packet Counting Table

In order to allow a smoker to track the number of cigarette packets that he smoked in a specific period of time, a pack counter table is provided. This table may be designed in any shape and form according to needs. One form of a Packet counting table is presented in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, the table is divided to seven fields, each unit designates one day of the week and marked on the top of it with a letter that symbols a specific day ("S" = Sunday, "M" = Monday, "T" = Tuesday, "W" = Wednesday, "Th" = Thursday, "F" = Friday and "Sat" = Saturday).

Each unit is divided to two parts, one on top of the other and covered with a scratch-

off material or a sticker that the smoker scratches-off or removes each time a packet of cigarette is finished. The units may also be uncovered, and each time the smoker finish to smoke a packet of cigarette he marks the appropriate unit with a pen or a pencil, so as to symbolize that a packet of cigarettes was completed.

EXAMPLE 4. Operation of a Counting Mechanism of a Cigarette Packet

The present invention provides a cigarette packet with a counting mechanism that enables a smoker to count the number of cigarettes contained inside the packet that he smoked. The invention further provides a method for tracking and controlling the number of cigarettes smoked by a smoker during a certain day or a certain week. The following example is aimed to demonstrate the operation of the provided mechanism in a specific situation. On Sunday the smoker smoked six cigarettes. Accordingly he scratched off the scratching material or removed the stickers of the S (Sunday) portion in six circles on the daily counting table (Figure 4A). By the end of the day the smoker also scratched the scratching material or removed a sticker from the field that is marked as number six on the S (Sunday) column of the summary table (Figure 4B). On Monday the smoker smoked ten cigarettes and scratched off or took off stickers from the M (Monday) portion in ten circles at the daily count table (Figure 4A). By the end of the day the smoker also scratched the scratching material or removed a sticker from the field that is marked as number ten on the M (Monday) column of the summary table (Figure 4B). On Tuesday, the smoker smoked the last four cigarettes from the first packet and scratched off or removed stickers from the T (Tuesday) portion in the last four circles of the daily counting table. In addition, the smoker scratched-off the scratching material or removed a sticker from one unit of the field that is marked with T in the packet counter table, thereby indicating that a packet was finished on that day (Figure 4A), and scratched off or removed a sticker from the field of number

four (4) from the T column of the summary table. On Tuesday, the smoker continued to smoke another five cigarettes from a new packet. Accordingly, he scratched the T (Tuesday) portion in another five circles at the daily counting table of the new packet. The smoker also copies the marks of the summary table of the first packet to the summary table of the second packet, and the mark on the packet counting table to the new packet. Finally, by the end of the day the smoker scratched off the scratching material or removed a sticker from the field that is marked as number five on the T (Tuesday) column of the summary table for the additional five cigarettes he smoked from the second packet (Figure 4B). In summary, the counting mechanism of the invention provides the smoker a general and comprehensive view on his smoking habits and enables the smoker to track and control the number of cigarette he smokes. At any time he is aware of the number of cigarettes he smoked in a specific day and can compare it to other days during the week. In addition, the summary counting table provides the smoker a clear and convenient view on the total number of cigarettes smoked in a specific day. The packet counting table allows the smoker to monitor his consumption in accordance with the number of packets he has smoked.

EXAMPLE 5. A Daily Counting Table for Medications in the Form of Pills. Many people use medication on a temporary or a regular base. Inflammation, influenza, high fever and other pathologies usually requires medical treatment for several days. For such application a daily counting table for medications in the form of pills is provided. The daily counting table may be designed in any shape and form according to needs. Two optional forms are presented in Figure 5. Figure 5 A illustrates a daily counting table for medications that are taken for a short period of time. The table is composed of seven columns, each column is marked with a letter that designates a specific day ("S" = Sunday, "M" = Monday, "T" = Tuesday, "W" = Wednesday, "Th" = Thursday, "F" = Friday and "Sat" = Saturday). Each day is

divided to three fields: Morning ("M"), Noon ("N") and Evening ("E"). Each field contains two units that each of them symbolizes one pill. The user, which can be a person in need, a patient or an adult giving the medicine to a child or to a disabled person, scratch off the material or removes a sticker that covers a unit according to the day, time and amount of pills that are used. For example, if the recommended dosage is two pills, twice a day in the morning and evening for five days, the user will scratch off the scratching material or will take off stickers accordingly. Figure 5B illustrates a daily counting table for medications that are taken on a regular base. Such daily counting table is also suitable for packets of food additives such as vitamins, minerals etc. The table is composed of seven columns, each column is marked with a letter that designates a specific day, and nine rows, each row designate one λveek. For example the field "Sl" symbolizes Sunday, first week. Each field contains two units and each unit designates one pill. In a specific embodiment, each unit contains a time indicator letter (M/E) for time control.

EXAMPLE 6. A Daily Counting Table for Medications in the Form of Syrup

Numerous medications that are available in the market especially, medications for children are sold in a liquid form, mostly as syrups. A daily counting table for syrup packet may be designed in any shape and form according to needs. One form of such table is demonstrated in figure 6. The table is composed of seven columns, each column is marked with a letter that designates a specific day ("S" = Sunday, "M" = Monday, "T" = Tuesday, "W" = Wednesday, "Th" = Thursday, "F" = Friday and "Sat" = Saturday). Each day is divided to three parts: Morning ("M"), Noon ("N") and Evening ("E"). Each part contains four units that each of them symbolizes a different dosage in cc. For example 5cc, lOcc, 15cc and 20cc, and the user scratch-off the scratching material or remove a sticker from the appropriate unit according to the recommended or consumed dosage.

EXAMPLE 7. A Daily Counting Table for Medications in the Form of Drops

Some medication, especially those that are used for the treatment of pathologies in the eyes, ears, nose and nails are sold in a form of drops. A daily counting table for drops packet may be designed in any shape and form according to needs. One form of such table is demonstrated in figure 7. The table is composed of seven columns, each column is marked with a letter that designates a specific day ("S" = Sunday, "M" - Monday, ¹ T" = Tuesday, "W" = Wednesday, "Th" - Thursday, "F" = Friday and "Sat" = Saturday). Each day is divided to three parts: Morning ("M"), Noon ("N") and Evening ("E"). Each part contains 3 units, each unit symbolize a specific dosage (drops). The user scratch-off the scratching material or removes a sticker from the appropriate unit according the recommended dosage (1 drop, 2 drops, 3 drops).