Automated pill-dispensing apparatus

• US 20050263537A1
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microfil LLC
• Original Assignee: Microfil LLC
• Inventors: Gerold, William Olin, Gerold, William Jason
• Granted Patent: US 7,624,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/124
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/02 Pill counting devices
• 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 pill-dispensing apparatus for automatically dispensing solid pills includes a plurality of storage units and a pill dispensing module. The storage units store pills in bulk and each include a hopper and an auger movably positioned with respect to the hopper. An inlet of the auger is positioned to receive pills from the hopper. The pill-dispensing module includes: a dock for receiving and holding a selected one of the storage units, a drive unit for rotating the auger to motivate the pills along the auger, a pill counter for counting pills dispensed from an auger outlet, and a lift for tilting the hopper to control flow and to assist in motivating pills to fall from the hopper and move along the auger.

Claims

1. A pill-dispensing apparatus for automatically dispensing solid pills, comprising:

a plurality of storage units for storing pills in bulk, each storage unit including a hopper and an auger movably positioned with respect to the hopper, wherein an inlet of the auger is positioned to receive pills from the hopper; and

a pill-dispensing module including a dock for receiving and holding a selected one of the storage units, a drive unit for rotating the auger to motivate the pills along the auger, a pill counter for counting pills dispensed from an auger outlet, and a lift for tilting the hopper to control flow and to assist in motivating pills to fall from the hopper and move along the auger.

2. The pill-dispensing apparatus of claim 1, including a mobile frame, the storage units being supported on the mobile frame, and including a retriever operably supported on the frame for retrieving a selected one of the storage units based on prescription information and for positioning the selected one storage unit in the pill-dispensing module.

3. The pill-dispensing apparatus of claim 2, including a bulk vial handler on the mobile frame for holding a vial under the pill-dispensing module for receiving the dispensed pills.

4. The pill-dispensing apparatus of claim 3, including a prescription information station including a computer operably connected to the retriever for receiving patient prescription information.

5. The pill-dispensing apparatus of claim 4, including a printer for printing a label for the vial and for applying the label to the vial.

6. The pill-dispensing apparatus of claim 5, including a control system for operating the pill-dispensing module, the retriever, the vial handler, and the printer.

7. The pill-dispensing apparatus of claim 1, including a vial handler for holding a vial under the pill-dispensing module for receiving the dispensed pills.

8. The pill-dispensing apparatus of claim 1, including a prescription information station including a computer operably connected to the pill-dispensing module for receiving patient prescription information.

9. A method for dispensing solid pills, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of storage units for storing pills in bulk, each storage unit including a hopper and an auger movably positioned with respect to the hopper, wherein an inlet of the auger is positioned to receive pills from the hopper;

providing a pill-dispensing module including a dock for receiving and holding a selected one of the storage units, a drive unit for rotating the auger to motivate the pills along the auger, a pill counter for counting pills dispensed from an auger outlet, and a lift for tilting the hopper to control flow and to assist in motivating pills to fall from the hopper and move along the auger.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

providing a mobile frame, wherein the storage units are supported on the mobile frame; and

providing a retriever operably supported on the frame for retrieving a selected one of the storage units based on prescription information and for positioning the selected one storage unit in the pill-dispensing module.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

providing a bulk vial handler on the mobile frame for holding a vial under the pill-dispensing module for receiving the dispensed pills.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

providing a prescription information station including a computer operably connected to the retriever for receiving patient prescription information.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

providing a printer for printing a label for the vial and for applying the label to the vial.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

providing a control system for operating the pill-dispensing module, the retriever, the vial handler, and the printer.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

providing a vial handler for holding a vial under the pill-dispensing module for receiving the dispensed pills.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

providing a prescription information station including a computer operably connected to the pill-dispensing module for receiving patient prescription information.

17. A pill-dispensing apparatus for automatically dispensing solid pills, comprising:

a plurality of storage units for storing pills in bulk, each storage unit including a hopper and an auger movably positioned with respect to the hopper, wherein an inlet of the auger is positioned to receive pills from the hopper, and wherein the auger includes a helical ridge integrated into an inner surface of the auger; and

a pill-dispensing module including a dock for receiving and holding a selected one of the storage units, a drive unit for rotating the auger to motivate the pills along the auger, and a lift for tilting the hopper to control flow and to assist in motivating pills to fall from the hopper and move along the auger.

18. The pill-dispensing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the helical ridge is continuous and has a height of about 0.125 inches and a width of about 0.312 inches.

19. The pill-dispensing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the helical ridge is continuous and includes an additional short section of helical ridge extending from an outlet edge of the auger into the auger about 0.5 inches at about thirty degrees from the outlet edge.

20. The pill-dispensing apparatus of claim 18, wherein the helical ridge is continuous and includes an additional short section of helical ridge extending from an outlet edge of the auger into the auger about 0.5 inches at about thirty degrees from the outlet edge.