US 12,083,069 B1
Switches for medication container caps
Jasper Lodewyk Steyn, San Bruno, CA (US); and Jaeden Hutchison, Oakland, CA (US)
Assigned to VERILY LIFE SCIENCES LLC, Dallas, TX (US)
Filed by Verily Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/406,952.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/706,499, filed on Aug. 20, 2020.
Int. Cl. G04B 37/12 (2006.01); A61J 1/03 (2023.01); G04F 1/00 (2006.01); H05K 1/11 (2006.01); H05K 7/14 (2006.01)
CPC A61J 1/03 (2013.01) [G04B 37/12 (2013.01); G04F 1/005 (2013.01); H05K 1/11 (2013.01); H05K 7/1427 (2013.01); A61J 2200/70 (2013.01); H05K 2201/10053 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A medication container comprising:
a storage portion enclosing a volume to store medication and having an opening providing access to the volume, and
a cap configured to releasably couple to and seal the storage portion, the cap comprising:
a printed circuit board (“PCB”) having first and second sides and a set of electrical contacts comprising first and second electrical contacts;
a mechanical switch physically coupled to the PCB at a first electrical contact formed on the PCB, the mechanical switch comprising a switching member, the switching member comprising:
a coupling feature physically coupling a first end of the switching member to the PCB at the first electrical contact;
a first portion extending adjacent to the first side of the PCB from the coupling feature;
a second portion extending from the first portion through an opening through the PCB; and
a third portion extending from the second portion and adjacent to the second side of the PCB;
a second electrical contact formed on the second side of the PCB;
a signal source coupled to the other of the first or second electrical contacts;
a press plate positioned adjacent to the first portion of the switching member and the first side of the PCB, wherein the press plate applies a deflection force to the first portion of the switching member towards the PCB when the cap is coupled to the storage portion;
wherein:
the third portion of the switching member contacts the second electrical contact in a rest position to establish an electrical connection between the first and second electrical contacts,
the third portion of the switching member is biased towards the rest position based on a deformation of the coupling feature or the first portion; and
deflection of the first portion towards the PCB causes the third portion to break contact with the second electrical contact.