...to assist a smoker with Alzheimers regulate the number of
cigarettes smoked over an interval of time. It can be refilled
periodically by his nurse to dispense only one cigarette every two
hours. I need you to direct
me to an appliance specifically for this purpose available in the
market, or to a more generic one that would acomplish the same thing. |
Request for Question Clarification by
pinkfreud-ga
on
07 Aug 2006 10:35 PDT
I found several patents on such devices, but no actual devices for sale:
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5826715.html
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5203472.html
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4862431.html
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6125082.html
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4311448.html
http://www.invention.net/bradach.htm
Most devices that are designed for dispensing medication are not
proportioned in such a way as to accept something as long as a
cigarette. However, I have located something that might meet your
needs. It is a programmable pet feeder which has eight compartments.
Access to the contents of the compartments is controlled by a timer:
"8 separate compartments can each hold up to 12 ounces of wet or dry
pet food. Programmable unit can open compartments daily for 8 days or
at specific times of the day... Program this automatic pet feeder to
open compartments at your chosen times. You can record a message to
your pet for the Autopetfeeder to play back at meal times. This system
is ideal for pets on medication, since it will deliver your specified
dosage at the same time each day."
http://www.smarthome.com/62213.html
This is the same prooduct, but with a different picture that gives a
better view of the device:
http://www.petstreetmall.com/Automatic-8-Day-Feeder/5052/1896/
Here is a similar product which has four compartments:
http://www.smarthome.com/61001.html
One with five compartments:
http://www.smarthome.com/6100.html
One with six compartments:
http://www.opamerica.com/product_info.php/products_id/957
Please let me know if this would be a satisfactory answer to your question.
|
Clarification of Question by
bigben1-ga
on
07 Aug 2006 14:55 PDT
Hi, Thanks. I had also found the patents in the web. That's why I
included "available in the market" in the question. I had also found
the pet food dispensers. The problem is that I imagine that kind of
device would first display and then hide the cigarette if it is not
used at that time. I MIGHT be able to adapt to that problem (not
sure). However the main problem I see is that a person (as opposed to
a pet) could simply open the lid and get access to all the contents?
I've seen some pictures of these with a lock, but that would be too
demeaning. If you want to try to either answer these questions and see
if the device ends up seeming, or if you find something more suitable,
I'll pay the fee. You'd have to trust that I will tell you if I plan
to use something you found. So the answer to your request for
clarification is that I don't yet know if this answer is good enough
yet.
|
Clarification of Question by
bigben1-ga
on
07 Aug 2006 14:57 PDT
also, many of these food dispensers don't seem to have the every two
hour for dispensing option?
|
Request for Question Clarification by
czh-ga
on
07 Aug 2006 15:20 PDT
Hello bigben1-ga,
I've also taken a look at your question and found the same sites you
seem to have found. There are some medicine/pill dispensers that vend
the right pills on a schedule but the compartments are far too small
to fit a cigarette although the technology is exactly what you're
looking for.
I also found a locking cigarette pack that only opens on timed
intervals. You could have several of these timed to go off on a
staggered schedule with only one cigarett in each. I don't know if
having multiple packs would confused the patient you're trying to
help. What do you think?
http://www.redferret.net/?p=6151
Good luck.
~ czh ~
|
Clarification of Question by
bigben1-ga
on
07 Aug 2006 15:29 PDT
You are right Czh. Having several of these would be disorienting. But
thanks for trying.
|
Clarification of Question by
bigben1-ga
on
08 Aug 2006 11:49 PDT
Hi Pinkfreud, I'm hoping you'll read this. It seems I may be using the
product in your first suggested link. It has a lid that can't be
opened except by operating the timer, which would be impossible for
the person in question. Furthermore the manufacturer confirmed that
the same model that has this feature will not crush the cigarette,
which other models would! I will order it and if it doesn't have any
major flaw (I don't like the words Autopetfeeder written on it but
maybe able to camouflage them for example) and I end up using it, I
will let you know so that you may collect the payment. Is there a way
of doing that? Can you "reserve" the question for example as you had
done yesterday?
|
Request for Question Clarification by
pinkfreud-ga
on
08 Aug 2006 12:51 PDT
bigben1,
I am delighted to learn that my suggestion might work out for you.
Please let me know if you decide that the device in my first link is
suitable. If so, I'll be glad to repost the link as your official
answer and collect the fee. I hope to hear from you soon!
Best regards,
pinkfreud
|
Clarification of Question by
bigben1-ga
on
09 Aug 2006 03:33 PDT
Unfortunately I found out further that it has a lid that can't be
ROTATED except by operating the timer, but anyone can LIFT it right
off. So I didn't order it. Now that you know what I need and since no
one else picked it up while it was open, I don't mind if you keep it
reserved and looking for a couple of days to see if you find
something. I might even buy a working prototype of those patents.
Regards.
|
Request for Question Clarification by
pinkfreud-ga
on
10 Aug 2006 10:58 PDT
Considering the number of people who are trying to quit smoking, I'm
very surprised that a product of this sort isn't on the market. It is
entirely possible that a suitable device may be out there somewhere,
labelled for a different purpose than the dispensing of cigarettes.
I'm leaving the question unlocked, since I'm pretty much tapped out
after many hours of searching. I do hope another Researcher will be
able to help.
|
