Methods and apparatus for dispensing solid articles

• US 10,457,473 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2019
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Daniels, Matthew P., Bouchelle, Steve, Perisich, Mark I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mackey, Patrick H
• Application Number:
  US16/241,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20190144195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 221156, 221311, 221453, 221110, 221134, 198453
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/04 for dispensing annular, disc-shaped, or spherical or like small articles, e.g. tablets or pills
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0409 the dispensing means being adapted for delivering one article, or a single dose, upon each actuation B65D83/0445 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/027 Tablets, capsules, pills or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/1492 the articles being fed from a feeding conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/19 having means for controlling material flow, e.g. to prevent overloading
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/005 Special arrangements for insuring that only one single article may be dispensed at a time
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

A dispensing apparatus for dispensing articles includes a housing and a drive system. The housing defines a hopper chamber to hold the articles, a dispensing outlet, and a dispensing path between the hopper chamber and the dispensing outlet. The drive system includes a belt and a belt actuator operable to drive the belt. The dispensing apparatus is configured such that articles disposed in the hopper chamber are directed onto the belt and the belt, when driven by the belt actuator, conveys the articles received from the hopper chamber in a dispensing direction along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed.

Claims

1. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing articles, the dispensing apparatus comprising:

a dispensing outlet;

a nonlinear guide channel;

a dispensing path extending through the nonlinear guide channel to the dispensing outlet; and

a drive system including;

a belt; and

a belt actuator operable to drive the belt;

wherein the dispensing apparatus is configured to convey articles on the belt in a dispensing direction along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed;

wherein the nonlinear guide channel is configured to singulate the articles as the articles are conveyed along the dispensing path and through the nonlinear guide channel toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed; and

wherein the dispensing apparatus is operable to selectively drive the belt in a reverse direction to convey the articles along the dispensing path away from the dispensing outlet.

2. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the nonlinear guide channel includes a receiving section and a singulating section between the receiving section and the dispensing outlet; and

the singulating section is narrower than the receiving section.

3. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nonlinear guide channel includes an arcuate singulating section.

4. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nonlinear guide channel includes a plurality of singulating sections defining a zig-zag path for the articles as the articles are conveyed by the belt toward the dispensing outlet.

5. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nonlinear guide channel is defined by opposed baffles.

6. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 including:

a housing including;

a hopper chamber to hold the articles;

the dispensing outlet;

the nonlinear guide channel; and

the dispensing path, wherein the dispensing path extends between the hopper chamber and the dispensing outlet and through the nonlinear guide channel;

wherein the dispensing apparatus is configured such that articles disposed in the hopper chamber are directed onto the belt and the belt, when driven by the belt actuator, conveys the articles received from the hopper chamber in the dispensing direction along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed.

7. The dispensing apparatus of claim 6 including an active feed control system including an article transport member and a feed actuator to drive the article transport member to transfer articles from the hopper chamber to the belt.

8. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 including a singulating wall having a singulating opening defined therein, wherein the singulating opening is configured and positioned to singulate the articles as the articles are conveyed along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed.

9. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 including a singulating gate system defining a singulating opening to singulate the articles as the articles are conveyed along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed, wherein the singulating gate system is selectively adjustable to change and set at least one dimension of the singulating opening.

10. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 including a rotatable singulating wheel operable to pick up articles from the belt at a pick up location and sequentially deposit the articles downstream from the pick up location to thereby singulate the articles.

11. The dispensing apparatus of claim 1 including an agitation mechanism configured to agitate the articles on the belt.

12. A method for dispensing articles, the method comprising:

providing a dispensing apparatus including;

a dispensing outlet;

a nonlinear guide channel;

a dispensing path extending through the nonlinear guide channel to the dispensing outlet; and

a drive system including;

a belt; and

a belt actuator operable to drive the belt;

dispensing articles, including driving the belt using the belt actuator to convey articles on the belt in a dispensing direction along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed; and

selectively driving the belt in a reverse direction to convey the articles along the dispensing path away from the dispensing outlet;

wherein the nonlinear guide channel singulates the articles as the articles are conveyed along the dispensing path and through the nonlinear guide channel toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the nonlinear guide channel includes a receiving section and a singulating section between the receiving section and the dispensing outlet; and

the singulating section is narrower than the receiving section.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the nonlinear guide channel includes an arcuate singulating section.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the nonlinear guide channel includes a plurality of singulating sections defining a zig-zag path for the articles as the articles are conveyed by the belt toward the dispensing outlet.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the nonlinear guide channel is defined by opposed baffles.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the dispensing apparatus further includes;

a housing including;

a hopper chamber to hold the articles;

the dispensing outlet;

the nonlinear guide channel; and

the dispensing path, wherein the dispensing path extends between the hopper chamber and the dispensing outlet and through the nonlinear guide channel; and

the method further includes;

placing the articles in the hopper chamber; and

directing the articles from the hopper chamber onto the belt, wherein the belt, when driven by the belt actuator, conveys the articles received from the hopper chamber in the dispensing direction along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the dispensing apparatus includes a singulating wall having a singulating opening defined therein, and the singulating opening is configured and positioned to singulate the articles as the articles are conveyed along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the dispensing apparatus includes a singulating gate system defining a singulating opening to singulate the articles as the articles are conveyed along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed, and the singulating gate system is selectively adjustable to change and set at least one dimension of the singulating opening.

20. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing articles, the dispensing apparatus comprising:

a dispensing outlet;

a nonlinear guide channel;

a dispensing path extending through the nonlinear guide channel to the dispensing outlet; and

a drive system including;

a belt; and

a belt actuator operable to drive the belt;

wherein the dispensing apparatus is configured to convey articles on the belt in a dispensing direction along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed;

wherein the nonlinear guide channel is configured to singulate the articles as the articles are conveyed along the dispensing path and through the nonlinear guide channel toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed; and

wherein the dispensing apparatus includes a singulating gate system defining a singulating opening to singulate the articles as the articles are conveyed along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed, wherein the singulating gate system is selectively adjustable to change and set at least one dimension of the singulating opening.

21. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing articles, the dispensing apparatus comprising:

a dispensing outlet;

a nonlinear guide channel;

a dispensing path extending through the nonlinear guide channel to the dispensing outlet; and

a drive system including;

a belt; and

a belt actuator operable to drive the belt;

wherein the dispensing apparatus is configured to convey articles on the belt in a dispensing direction along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed;

wherein the nonlinear guide channel is configured to singulate the articles as the articles are conveyed along the dispensing path and through the nonlinear guide channel toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed; and

wherein the dispensing apparatus includes a rotatable singulating wheel operable to pick up articles from the belt at a pick up location and sequentially deposit the articles downstream from the pick up location to thereby singulate the articles.

22. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing articles, the dispensing apparatus comprising:

a dispensing outlet;

a nonlinear guide channel;

a dispensing path extending through the nonlinear guide channel to the dispensing outlet; and

a drive system including;

a belt; and

a belt actuator operable to drive the belt;

wherein the dispensing apparatus is configured to convey articles on the belt in a dispensing direction along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed;

wherein the nonlinear guide channel is configured to singulate the articles as the articles are conveyed along the dispensing path and through the nonlinear guide channel toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed; and

wherein the dispensing apparatus includes an agitation mechanism configured to agitate the articles on the belt.

23. A method for dispensing articles, the method comprising:

providing a dispensing apparatus including;

a dispensing outlet;

a nonlinear guide channel;

a dispensing path extending through the nonlinear guide channel to the dispensing outlet; and

a drive system including;

a belt; and

a belt actuator operable to drive the belt; and

dispensing articles, including driving the belt using the belt actuator to convey articles on the belt in a dispensing direction along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed;

wherein the nonlinear guide channel singulates the articles as the articles are conveyed along the dispensing path and through the nonlinear guide channel toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed; and

wherein the dispensing apparatus includes a singulating gate system defining a singulating opening to singulate the articles as the articles are conveyed along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed, and the singulating gate system is selectively adjustable to change and set at least one dimension of the singulating opening.

24. A method for dispensing articles, the method comprising:

providing a dispensing apparatus including;

a dispensing outlet;

a nonlinear guide channel;

a dispensing path extending through the nonlinear guide channel to the dispensing outlet; and

a drive system including;

a belt;

a belt actuator operable to drive the belt; and

a rotatable singulating wheel;

dispensing articles, including;

driving the belt using the belt actuator to convey articles on the belt in a dispensing direction along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed; and

operating the singulating wheel to pick up articles from the belt at a pick up location and sequentially deposit the articles downstream from the pick up location to thereby singulate the articles;

wherein the nonlinear guide channel singulates the articles as the articles are conveyed along the dispensing path and through the nonlinear guide channel toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed.

25. A method for dispensing articles, the method comprising:

providing a dispensing apparatus including;

a dispensing outlet;

a nonlinear guide channel;

a dispensing path extending through the nonlinear guide channel to the dispensing outlet; and

a drive system including;

a belt;

a belt actuator operable to drive the belt; and

an agitation mechanism; and

dispensing articles, including;

driving the belt using the belt actuator to convey articles on the belt in a dispensing direction along the dispensing path toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed; and

agitating the articles on the belt using the agitation mechanism;

wherein the nonlinear guide channel singulates the articles as the articles are conveyed along the dispensing path and through the nonlinear guide channel toward the dispensing outlet to be dispensed.