Pharmaceutical singulation counting and dispensing system

• US 20060225383A1
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J M Smith Corporation
• Original Assignee: J M Smith Corporation
• Inventors: Foster, Darol Blake, Smith, Howitt Spurling, Davis, Michael Wayne, Spicer, Kevin Franklin, Mitchell, Barton Carter, Cobb, William Robert, Leonard, Warren Daniel, Wyatt, Justin Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,412,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/449
• 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 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automated system for pharmaceutical singulation, counting and dispensing, whereby a bulk of stored pharmaceutical units are singulated into a single file line for counting and dispensing. With reference to the drawings, the pharmaceutical singulation, counting and dispensing system comprises generally, a deck assembly (A), a cylindrical chamber (B), a rotatable transport ring (C), a plurality of adjustable fingers (D), an adjustable reciprocating member (E), an adjustable rotatable member (F), a counting system (G), a hopper (H), and a control system (I).

Claims

1. A pharmaceutical singulation, counting and dispensing apparatus, comprising:

a deck assembly;

a cylindrical chamber carried by the deck assembly defining a storage section, a singulation section leading to an outlet, and a passage therebetween;

a rotatable transport ring carried by the deck assembly defining at least a portion of the bottom of the chamber sections and passage, operable to transport pharmaceutical units during rotation from the storage section through the singulation section to the outlet via the passage, the rotatable transport ring having a motor for selectively rotating the transport ring;

a plurality of adjustable fingers depending into at least a portion of the singulation section portion of the passage, the fingers configured to vertically singulate pharmaceutical units on the transport ring along the passage;

a reciprocating member carried by the deck assembly adjacent a top portion of the transport ring in contact with pharmaceutical units on the transport ring to horizontally singulate pharmaceutical units by changing the coefficient of friction along the transport ring;

an adjustable rotatable member carried by the deck assembly adjacent a top portion of the transport ring in contact with singulated pharmaceutical units on the transport ring for separating pharmaceutical units by differential acceleration;

a counting system for counting pharmaceutical units discharged through the outlet;

a hopper for collecting counted pharmaceutical units; and

a control system,

whereby a bulk of stored pharmaceutical units are rotatably transported on the transport ring through the singulation section where the pharmaceutical units are singulated into a single file line for counting and dispensing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deck assembly further comprises a deck guard for covering the deck assembly and forming the floor of the storage section of the cylindrical chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transport ring further comprises, surface configuration members to alter the friction coefficient along the transport ring during rotation thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reciprocating member further comprises surface configuration members for grabbing or catching the pharmaceutical units.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reciprocating member further comprises an adjustable gap between the reciprocating member and the transport ring.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotatable member further comprises surface configuration members for grabbing or catching the pharmaceutical units.

7. An automated pharmaceutical singulation, counting and dispensing system, comprising:

a plurality of interconnected individual pharmaceutical singulation, counting and dispensing apparatuses, the individual apparatuses comprising;

a deck assembly;

a cylindrical chamber carried by the deck assembly defining a storage section, a singulation section leading to an outlet, and a passage therebetween;

a rotatable transport ring carried by the deck assembly defining at least a portion of the bottom of the chamber sections and passage, operable to transport pharmaceutical units during rotation from the storage section through the singulation section to the outlet via the passage, the rotatable transport ring having a motor for selectively rotating the transport ring;

a plurality of adjustable fingers depending into at least a portion of the singulation section portion of the passage, the fingers configured to vertically singulate pharmaceutical units on the transport ring along the passage;

an adjustable reciprocating member carried by the deck assembly adjacent a top portion of the transport ring in contact with pharmaceutical units on the transport ring to horizontally singulate pharmaceutical units by changing the coefficient of friction along the transport ring;

a rotatable member carried by the deck assembly adjacent a top portion of the transport ring in contact with singulated pharmaceutical units on the transport ring for separating pharmaceutical units by differential acceleration;

a counting system for counting pharmaceutical units discharged through the outlet;

a hopper for collecting counted pharmaceutical units; and

a control system,

whereby a bulk of stored pharmaceutical units are rotatably transported on the transport ring through the singulation section where the pharmaceutical units are singulated into a single file line for counting and dispensing.

8. A pharmaceutical singulation, counting and dispensing apparatus, comprising:

a deck assembly;

a cylindrical chamber carried by the deck assembly defining a storage section, a singulation section leading to an outlet, and a passage therebetween;

a rotatable transport ring carried by the deck assembly defining at least a portion of the bottom of the chamber sections and passage, operable to transport pharmaceutical units during rotation from the storage section through the singulation section to the outlet via the passage, the rotatable transport ring having a motor for selectively rotating the transport ring;

a reciprocating member carried by the deck assembly adjacent a top portion of the transport ring in contact with pharmaceutical units on the transport ring to singulate pharmaceutical units by changing the coefficient of friction along the transport ring;

an adjustable rotatable member carried by the deck assembly adjacent a top portion of the transport ring in contact with singulated pharmaceutical units on the transport ring for separating pharmaceutical units by differential acceleration;

a counting system for counting pharmaceutical units discharged through the outlet;

a hopper for collecting counted pharmaceutical units; and

a control system;

whereby a bulk of stored pharmaceutical units are rotatably transported on the transport ring through the singulation section where the pharmaceutical units are singulated into a single file line for counting and dispensing.