Automated article dispensation mechanism

• US 20060006190A1
• Filed: 07/07/2004
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rxmedic Systems Inc
• Original Assignee: Rxmedic Systems Inc
• Inventors: Reinfeld, David, Janet, Jason A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,726,514 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/211
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/02 Pill counting devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/1657 the picking arrangements using suction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for collecting, sorting, counting and consolidating an unorganized pool of solid or semi-solid articles such as pills for dispensation. Specifically, the articles are extracted from inside a bin using attraction points on a transport substrate and sorted into containers in finite quantities. The system consists of several components, preferably including a torque source, a counter and a vacuum source, which are uniquely integrated onto a single end-effector to reduce cost and redundancy by servicing several bins. Further, the system presents a method of attracting and carrying pills using negative vacuum pressure, gravity and centrifugal force. This centrifugal force holds articles to the local attraction points and is provided by the spinning of the transport substrate. Pills are collected from the bin or plenum at the local attraction points, counted, cleaved from the local attraction points and guided to a container or vial.

Claims

1. An apparatus for collecting and dispensing articles, said apparatus comprising:

an article transport substrate having a plurality of apertures;

a vacuum source for creating a negative pressure through said apertures;

a torque source for rotating said article transport substrate; and

articles to be collected and or dispensed by said apparatus;

wherein gravity assists said articles in associating with said apertures; and

wherein centrifugal force assists said articles in maintaining said association with said apertures.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a housing or bin;

wherein said housing or bin has a downward sloping bottom surface; and

wherein said article transport substrate is within said housing or bin.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said torque source is a motor or crank;

wherein said motor or crank can vary speed, position or direction.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for ejecting misplaced articles.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said means for ejecting is at least one selected from the group consisting of a brush, gravity, a mechanical filter, uneven surface contours and a cross-flow air flow.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said cross-flow air flow is created by said vacuum source.

7. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said means for ejecting filters said articles based on geometry, type or size.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for separating said articles from said article transport substrate.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said means for separating is at least one selected from the group consisting of a vacuum neutralizing plate, and a shear plate;

wherein said vacuum neutralizing plate further increases said negative pressure through said apertures.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said article transport substrate is selected from the group consisting of nested bowls, a hollow ring, and a hollow cylindrical shape.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a channel for dispensing said articles.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a controller for controlling said article transport substrate, said vacuum source and said torque source.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said controller utilizes a closed loop control feedback mechanism to selectively control the speed or direction of said torque source or the pressure of said vacuum source.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said controller operates according to manual input and feedback from at least one sensor.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said controller transmits information to and receives information from a user-interface.

16. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for returning excess articles to said apparatus.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said means for returning excess articles is an air flow created by said vacuum source.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said means for returning excess articles further comprises a gate.

19. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein one or more of said vacuum source, said torque source, at least one sensor, and a controller are integrated onto an end-effector.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said end-effector is independent of said housing or bin.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said end-effector interfaces with said housing or bin.

22. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said sensor detects said articles.

24. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a focused air source to aid in article singulation.

25. An automated system for collecting and dispensing articles, said system comprising:

a housing;

an article transport substrate residing in said housing, said article transport substrate containing a plurality of apertures;

a vacuum source in communication with said article transport substrate to attract said articles to said apertures;

a torque source for rotating said article transport substrate;

means for ejecting misplaced articles;

a sensor for detecting said articles positioned in said apertures;

means for separating said articles from said article transport substrate, such that said articles enter a dispensing route; and

a controller for controlling operation of said article transport substrate, said vacuum source and said torque source.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising means for returning excess articles back to said housing.

27. A system according to claim 25, wherein said housing has a downward sloping bottom surface.

28. A system according to claim 25, wherein said article transport substrate is selected from the group consisting of nested bowls;

a hollow ring, a hollow cylindrical shape.

29. A system according to claim 25, wherein said torque source comprises a motor or crank;

wherein said motor or crank can vary speed, position, and direction.

30. A system according to claim 25, wherein said torque source creates a centrifugal force within said article transport substrate that assists said vacuum source.

31. A system according to claim 25, wherein said means for ejecting is at least one selected from the group consisting of a brush, gravity, a mechanical filter, uneven surface contours, and a cross-flow air flow.

32. A system according to claim 30, wherein said cross-flow air flow is created by said vacuum source.

33. A system according to claim 25, wherein said dispensing route comprises a gravity driven channel.

34. A system according to claim 33, wherein said vacuum source accelerates said articles on said dispensing route.

35. A system according to claim 25, wherein said means for separating is at least one selected from the group consisting of a vacuum neutralizing plate, and a shear plate:

wherein said vacuum neutralizing plate further increases the efficiency of said vacuum source at said plurality of apertures.

36. A system according to claim 25, wherein said controller utilizes a closed loop control feedback mechanism to selectively control the speed or direction of said torque source or the pressure of said vacuum source.

37. A system according to claim 25, wherein said controller operates according to manual input and feedback from said sensor.

38. A system according to claim 25, wherein said controller transmits information to and receives information from a user-interface.

39. A system according to claim 25, wherein said means for returning excess articles is an air flow created by said vacuum source.

40. A system according to claim 39, wherein said means for returning excess articles further comprises a gate.

41. A system according to claim 25, wherein said means for ejecting misplaced articles filters said articles based on number, type or size.

42. A system according to claim 25, further comprising an end-effector independent of said housing.

43. A system according to claim 42, wherein one or more of said vacuum source, said torque source, said sensor and said controller are integrated onto said end-effector.

44. A system according to claim 43, wherein said end-effector interfaces with said housing.

45. A system according to claim 44, wherein said end-effector interfaces with a plurality of said housings.

46. A system according to claim 25, further comprising a focused air source to aid in article singulation.

47. An automated system for collecting and dispensing articles, said system comprising:

a plurality of dispensing units, wherein each of said dispensing units includes a bin, a rotatable article transport substrate, a sensor, a filter, a separator, and a dispensing route;

an end-effector; and

a controller for controlling said article transport substrate, said sensor, a vacuum source and a torque source;

wherein said article transport substrate contains a plurality of apertures for accepting said articles from said bin; and

wherein said end-effector is movable to interface with each of said plurality of dispensing units to receive a predetermined number of said articles.

48. A system according to claim 47, wherein said article transport substrate is selected from the group consisting of nested bowls, a hollow ring, and a hollow cylindrical shape.

49. A system according to claim 47, wherein said bin has a downward sloping bottom surface.

50. A system according to claim 47, wherein said torque source comprises a motor or crank;

wherein said motor or crank can vary speed, position, and direction.

51. A system according to claim 47, wherein said torque source creates a centrifugal force within said article transport substrate that assists said vacuum source.

52. A system according to claim 47, wherein said filter is at least one selected from the group consisting of a brush, gravity, a mechanical filter, uneven surface contours, and a cross-flow air flow.

53. A system according to claim 50, wherein said cross-flow air flow is created by said vacuum source.

54. A system according to claim 47, wherein said dispensing route comprises a gravity driven channel.

55. A system according to claim 47, wherein said articles are accelerated on said dispensing route by said vacuum source.

56. A system according to claim 47, wherein said separator is at least one selected from the group consisting of a vacuum neutralizing plate, and a shear plate.

wherein said vacuum neutralizing plate further increases the negative pressure from said vacuum source through said apertures.

57. A system according to claim 47, wherein said controller utilizes a closed loop control feedback mechanism to selectively control the speed or direction of said torque source or the pressure of said vacuum source.

58. A system according to claim 47, wherein said controller operates according to manual input and feedback from said sensor.

59. A system according to claim 47, wherein said controller transmits information to and receives information from a user-interface.

60. A system according to claim 47, further comprising means for returning excess articles to said dispensing unit.

61. A system according to claim 59, wherein said means is an air flow created by said vacuum source.

62. A system according to claim 61, wherein said means further comprises a gate.

63. A system according to claim 47, wherein said filter allows a predetermined amount of articles to be associated with said apertures.

64. A system according to claim 47, wherein said filter filters said articles based on number, type or size.

65. A system according to claim 47, wherein said end-effector is independent of said dispensing units.

66. A system according to claim 47, wherein said vacuum source, said torque source, said sensor and said controller are integrated onto said end-effector.

67. An apparatus for a collecting and dispensing system, said apparatus comprising:

a vacuum source;

a torque source;

at least one sensor; and

control circuitry;

wherein said vacuum source is placed in communication with apertures on an article transport substrate;

wherein said torque source drives said article transport substrate; and

wherein said control circuitry receives signals from said sensor, controls said vacuum source, controls said torque source and controls the movement of said apparatus.

68. A method for dispensing articles, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a dispenser unit having an article transport substrate containing a plurality of apertures;

rotating said article transport substrate within a bin containing a plurality of said articles;

applying a vacuum to said plurality of apertures such that one of said articles becomes secured to approximately each of said plurality of apertures during said rotating;

counting said articles secured to said plurality of apertures prior to separating said articles; and

separating said articles to be dispensed;

wherein gravity assists said articles in becoming secured to said apertures; and

wherein centrifugal force assists said articles in maintaining said association with said apertures.

69. A method according to claim 68, wherein said article transport substrate is selected from the group consisting of nested bowls, a hollow ring, and a hollow cylindrical shape.

70. A method according to claim 68, wherein said dispenser unit has a downward sloping bottom surface.

71. A method according to claim 68, wherein said article transport substrate is rotated by a torque source comprising a motor or crank;

wherein said motor or crank can vary speed, position, and direction.

72. A method according to claim 71, wherein said torque source creates a centrifugal force within said article transport substrate that assists said vacuum.

73. A method according to claim 68, further comprising the step of filtering said articles secured to said plurality of apertures;

wherein said filter is at least one selected from the group consisting of gravity, a brush, a mechanical filter, uneven surface contours, and a cross-flow air flow.

74. A method according to claim 73, wherein said filter filters said articles by number, size or type.

75. A method according to claim 73, wherein said cross-flow air flow is created by said vacuum.

76. A method according to claim 73, further comprising the step of applying a focused air source to said article transport substrate to aid in singulation of said articles.

77. A method according to claim 76, wherein said cross-flow air flow is created by said focused air source.

78. A method according to claim 68, wherein said articles are dispensed on a gravity driven channel.

79. A method according to claim 78, wherein said articles are accelerated on gravity driven channel by said vacuum.

80. A method according to claim 68, wherein said articles are separated from said apertures by at least one selected from the group consisting of a vacuum neutralizing plate, and a shear plate.

wherein said vacuum neutralizing plate further increases the negative pressure from said vacuum through said apertures.

81. A method according to claim 68, further comprising the step of returning excess articles to said dispenser unit.

82. A method according to claim 81, wherein said step of returning is facilitated by an air flow created by said vacuum.

83. A method according to claim 82, wherein said step of returning further comprises closing a gate.

84. A method according to claim 68, further comprising the step of interfacing an end-effector with said dispensing units.

85. A method according to claim 84, wherein said vacuum, a torque source, a sensor and a controller are integrated onto said end-effector.

86. A method according to claim 85, wherein said transport substrate, said vacuum, said torque source, and said sensor are controlled by a controller.

87. A method according to claim 86, wherein said controller utilizes a closed loop control feedback mechanism to selectively control the speed or direction of said torque source or the pressure of said vacuum.

88. A method according to claim 87, wherein said controller operates according to manual input and feedback from said sensor.

89. A method according to claim 88, wherein said controller transmits information to and receives information from a user-interface.