Method and System for High-Speed Tablet Counting and Dispensing

• US 20080257902A1
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Capsa Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Kirby Lester LLC (Capsa Solutions LLC)
• Inventors: Gershman, Vladimir, Geltser, Aleksandr, Gomez, Michael R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,631,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/20 Applications of counting devices for controlling the feed of articles other applications B65B65/08

Abstract

A medicament tablet dispensing system and method dispenses any selected number of tablets, up to a maximum number, with minimal dispensing delays. During fill operations, a preset number of tablets are counted and stored in dedicated storage compartments. Dispensing operations are performed in response to dispense request commands. The fill operations are performed in a manner independent from the quantity of tablets identified by the dispense request commands. During the dispensing operations for a particular dispense request command, the preset number of tablets are emptied from one or more of the dedicated storage compartments, thereby avoiding delays associated with counting all of the dispensed tablets. Moreover, the fill operations and the dispensing operations may be performed in parallel for high-throughput dispensing applications.

Claims

1. A method of dispensing tablets, comprising:

a) selecting a number of tablets to be dispensed; and

then

b) dispensing the number of tablets without individually counting the tablets during a period of time after the selecting and before the dispensing.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

c) individually counting tablets; and

d) storing the counted tablets in a plurality of storage locations such that each storage location has a discrete number of tablets,

each of said counting and said storing occurring prior to said selecting.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein:

said dispensing includes releasing the tablets from at least one of the storage locations such that the combined total of the tablets from the at least one storage location is equal to the selected number of tablets to be dispensed.

4-36. -36. (canceled)