Device for dispensing vials useful in system and method for dispensing prescriptions

• US 20080110921A1
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Moran, Joseph C., Young, Demetris P., Guthrie, Charles H., DuMond, Jody, Abrams, George Raymond
• Granted Patent: US 8,261,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/76
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/58 the articles being supported on or by endless belts or like conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

An apparatus for dispensing open-ended objects such as pharmaceutical vials includes: a housing having an internal cavity configured to house open-ended objects, the housing including a guide and a floor; a pick-up unit mounted to the housing, the pick-up unit including an endless member and at least one pick-up member attached to the endless member; and a drive unit. The endless member engages the drive unit and the guide for movement relative thereto. As the drive unit drives the endless member, the at least one pick-up member travels on a pick-up path, at least a portion of which is within the housing.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispensing open-ended objects, the apparatus comprising:

a housing having an internal cavity configured to house open-ended objects, the housing including a guide and a floor;

a pick-up unit mounted to the housing, the pick-up unit including an endless member and at least one pick-up member attached to the endless member;

a drive unit;

wherein the endless member engages the drive unit and the guide for movement relative thereto;

wherein, as the drive unit drives the endless member, the at least one pick-up member travels on a pick-up path, at least a portion of which is within the housing.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the endless member follows a travel path, at least a portion of which is outside of the cavity.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one pick-up member extends in a direction generally parallel with the pick-up path.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the pick-up path has a generally horizontal run, and wherein the floor is disposed to be generally parallel to the generally horizontal run.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 4, wherein the horizontal run of the pick-up path is adjacent a seam between a side wall of the housing and the floor.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the floor is configured to urge open-ended containers toward the pick-up path.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the housing includes a side wall, and wherein the floor is height adjustable relative to the side wall.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising agitation means for agitating open-ended articles residing within the housing.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein the agitation means comprises an agitation prong mounted on the at least one pick-up finger that extends away from the pick-up path within the housing.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the housing includes a dispensing window, and wherein the pick-up path further comprises a vertical run that merges with the horizontal run, an angled run that merges with the vertical run, and a drop-off loop adjacent the dispensing window.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 10, further comprising a delivery chute in communication with and fed by the dispensing window.

12. The apparatus defined in claim 11, further comprising a capture mechanism associated with the delivery chute.

13. The apparatus defined in claim 12, wherein the capture mechanism includes a capture member within the delivery chute positioned to capture an object deposited in the chute.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 13, wherein the capture member has an arcuate upper edge.

15. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the housing contains a plurality of pharmaceutical vials.

16. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the drive unit is mounted to the housing.

17. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the guide is located in a side wall of the housing.

18. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one pick-up member comprises a plurality of pick-up members.

19. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one pick-up member is a pick-up finger.

20. The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising an opening in the housing that enables the housing to be replenished with open-ended objects.

21. The apparatus defined in claim 20, wherein the opening in the housing is covered by a door.

22. An apparatus for dispensing open-ended objects, the apparatus comprising:

a housing having an internal cavity configured to house open-ended objects, the housing including a guide and a floor;

a pick-up unit mounted to the housing, the pick-up unit including an endless member and at least one pick-up member attached to the endless member;

a drive unit;

wherein the endless member engages the drive unit and the guide for movement relative thereto; and

wherein, as the drive unit drives the endless member, the at least one pick-up member travels on a pick-up path, at least a portion of which is within the housing; and

wherein the floor slopes at an angle relative to horizontal such that open-ended objects within the cavity are urged to be oriented in a preferred orientation in which an object axis that is generally perpendicular to the open end of the object is generally coincident with the pick-up path.

23. The apparatus defined in claim 22, wherein the floor slopes at an angle of between about 25 and 35 degrees relative to horizontal.

24. The apparatus defined in claim 22, wherein the endless member follows a travel path, at least a portion of which is within the housing.

25. The apparatus defined in claim 22, wherein the at least one pick-up member is at least one pick-up finger.

26. The apparatus defined in claim 25, wherein the at least one finger extends in a direction generally parallel with the pick-up path.

27. The apparatus defined in claim 22, wherein the pick-up path has a generally horizontal run, and wherein the floor is disposed to be generally parallel to the generally horizontal run.

28. The apparatus defined in claim 27, wherein the horizontal run of the pick-up path is adjacent a seam between a side wall of the housing and the floor.

29. The apparatus defined in claim 22, wherein the floor is height adjustable relative to a side wall of the housing.

30. The apparatus defined in claim 25, wherein the at least one pick-up finger includes an agitation prong that extends away from the pick-up path within the housing.

31. The apparatus defined in claim 22, wherein the housing includes a dispensing window, and wherein the pick-up path further comprises a vertical run that merges with the horizontal run, an angled run that merges with the vertical run, and a drop-off loop adjacent the dispensing window.

32. The apparatus defined in claim 31, further comprising a delivery chute in communication with and fed by the dispensing window.

33. The apparatus defined in claim 32, further comprising a capture mechanism associated with the delivery chute.

34. The apparatus defined in claim 22, wherein the at least one pick-up member comprises a plurality of pick-up members.

35. An apparatus for dispensing singulated open-ended objects, the apparatus comprising:

a housing having a guide and an internal cavity configured to house open-ended objects, the housing including a dispensing exit;

a pick-up unit mounted to the housing, the pick-up unit including an endless member and at least one pick-up member attached to the endless member;

a drive unit;

wherein the endless member engages the drive unit and the guide for movement relative thereto;

wherein the at least one pick-up member is mounted to the endless member such that, as the drive unit drives the endless member, the at least one pick-up member travels on a pick-up path, at least a portion of which is within the housing;

a delivery chute attached to the housing such that an upper end thereof is fed by the dispensing exit; and

a capture mechanism associated with the dispensing chute, the capture mechanism movable between a capture position, in which an object cannot pass through the delivery chute, and a passage position, in which an object can pass through the delivery chute.

36. The apparatus defined in claim 35, further comprising a controller operably associated with the drive unit and the capture mechanism, the controller being configured to activate the drive unit when the capture mechanism moves to the passage position to permit a captured object to pass through the delivery chute.

37. The apparatus defined in claim 36, wherein the controller is further configured to detect when a captured object has passed through the delivery chute and move the capture mechanism back to the capture position responsive thereto.

38. The apparatus defined in claim 37, wherein the controller is configured to detect when an object delivered by the delivery unit has been captured by the capture mechanism and to deactivate the drive unit responsive thereto.

39. The apparatus defined in claim 38, wherein the capture mechanism includes a capture member that extends into the delivery chute when the capture mechanism is in the capture position.

40. The apparatus defined in claim 39, wherein the capture member has an arcuate upper edge.

41. The apparatus defined in claim 35, wherein the housing contains a plurality of pharmaceutical vials.

42. A method of dispensing singulated, open-ended pharmaceutical vials, comprising the steps of:

providing a housing containing a plurality of open-ended pharmaceutical vials, the housing being configured such that the open-ended vials are urged to align along a pick-up path;

passing a pick-up member along the pick-up path to engage and capture a vial; and

continuing to pass the pick-up member and the captured vial through the housing to a dispensing exit.

43. The method defined in claim 42, wherein the pick-up member enters the open end of the vial to engage and capture the vial.

44. The method defined in claim 43, wherein the pick-up member is a pick-up finger.

45. The method defined in claim 42, wherein the pick-up path is an endless path.