Devices for Dispensing Objects Useful in System and Method for Dispensing

• US 20090179041A1
• Filed: 01/16/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Abrams, George Raymond, Daniels, Matthew P., Young, Demetris P., DuMond, Jody
• Granted Patent: US 8,616,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/1457 Rotating movement in the plane of the rotating part

Abstract

A device for singulating open-ended objects includes: a housing configured to retain a plurality of open-ended objects, the housing having an open lower end; an outer ring positioned below the housing; a drum positioned within the outer ring to form a drum assembly, the drum including a hub having a substantially circular wall and a plurality of wings that extend radially outwardly from the wall to contact the outer ring, the hub, wings and outer ring forming a plurality of gaps; a mounting structure with an exit aperture fixed relative to the housing; and a rotary drive unit mounted to the drum that rotates the drum about an axis of rotation. The presence of the wings can enable the device to singulated caps more consistently.

Claims

1. A device for singulating open-ended objects, the device comprising:

a housing configured to retain a plurality of open-ended objects, the housing having an open lower end;

an outer ring positioned below the housing;

a drum positioned within the outer ring to form a drum assembly, the drum including a hub having a substantially circular wall and a plurality of wings that extend radially outwardly from the wall to contact the outer ring, the hub, wings and outer ring forming a plurality of gaps;

a mounting structure with an exit aperture fixed relative to the housing; and

a rotary drive unit mounted to the drum that rotates the drum about an axis of rotation.

2. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the drum assembly is mounted such that the axis of rotation forms an angle of between about 40 and 50 degrees relative to horizontal.

3. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the mounting structure further comprises a pre-staging platform fixed relative to the housing and positioned below the exit aperture.

4. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the drum includes a generally cone-shaped section that is positioned above the wall of the hub.

5. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the drum assembly further includes at least one agitation finger that extends from the hub.

6. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the outer ring includes a radially inwardly-extending rim, the rim being sized so that an open-ended object of a predetermined size is able to enter one of the gaps if the open end of the object is facing the hub, but is unable to enter any of the gaps if the closed end of the object is facing the hub.

7. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is a mounting scaffold within which the outer ring resides.

8. The device defined in claim 1, further comprising separating structure mounted on the outer ring and positioned above the exit aperture at a height selected to enable a first object to pass beneath the separating structure and drop through the exit aperture but prevent a second object from dropping through the exit aperture.

9. The device defined in claim 8, wherein the separating structure comprises one of a plurality of screws and a separating blade.

10. The device defined in claim 8, wherein the wings include generally horizontal slots, and wherein the separating structure is positioned to extend into the horizontal slot of a wing positioned adjacent the separating structure as the drum rotates.

12. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the drum assembly is mounted such that the axis of rotation forms an angle of between about 40 and 50 degrees relative to horizontal.

11. A device for singulating open-ended objects, the device comprising:

a housing configured to retain a plurality of open-ended objects, the housing having an open lower end;

an outer ring positioned below the housing;

a drum fixed to and positioned within the outer ring to form a drum assembly, the drum including a hub having a substantially circular wall, the hub and outer ring forming at least one gap therebetween;

a mounting structure with an exit aperture fixed relative to the housing;

a rotary drive unit mounted to the drum that rotates the drum about an axis of rotation; and

separation structure mounted to the outer ring and positioned above the exit aperture at a height selected to enable a first object to pass beneath the separating structure and drop through the exit aperture but prevent a second object from dropping through the exit aperture.

13. The device defined in claim 11, wherein the mounting structure further comprises a pre-staging platform fixed relative to the housing and positioned below the exit aperture.

14. The device defined in claim 11, wherein the drum includes a generally cone-shaped section that is positioned above the wall of the hub.

15. The device defined in claim 11, wherein the drum assembly further includes at least one agitation finger that extends from the hub.

16. The device defined in claim 11, wherein the outer ring includes a radially inwardly-extending rim, the rim being sized so that an open-ended object of a predetermined size is able to enter the gap if the open end of the object is facing the hub, but is unable to enter the gap if the closed end of the object is facing the hub.

17. A method of singulating open-ended objects, comprising the steps of:

providing a drum assembly comprising an outer ring positioned below the housing and a drum fixed to and positioned within the outer ring, the drum including a hub having a substantially circular wall, the hub and outer ring forming at least one gap therebetween, the drum assembly further including separation structure mounted on the outer ring and extending radially inwardly, the separation structure being positioned such that a first object can pass beneath the separation structure and but a second object positioned above the first object cannot pass under the separation structure, the drum assembly being mounted on a mounting structure having a floor with an exit aperture;

feeding the drum assembly with objects; and

rotating the drum about an axis of rotation such that an object drops into a gap and passes below the separation structure and into the exit aperture.

18. The method defined in claim 17, wherein the objects have a diameter of between about 1.15 and 1.90 inches.

19. The method defined in claim 18, wherein the distance between the separation structure and the prestaging platform is between about 1.9 and 2.2 inches in height.

20. The method defined in claim 17, wherein the objects have a diameter of between about 2.0 and 2.4 inches.

21. The method defined in claim 20, wherein the distance between the separation structure and the floor is between about 2.3 and 2.6 inches in height.

22. The method defined in claim 17, wherein the axis of rotation is between about 40 and 50 degrees relative to horizontal.

23. The method defined in claim 17, wherein, upon exiting the drum assembly, the object is received on a pre-staging platform.

24. The method defined in claim 23, wherein the object on the pre-staging platform is a first object, and wherein repeating the rotating step causes a second object to exit a gap onto the pre-staging platform and the first object to drop from the pre-staging platform.

25. The method defined in claim 17, wherein the objects are caps for pharmaceutical vials.