MEDICAMENT DISPENSING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A holding tank for use with a medicament dispensing system, the holding tank comprising:
- an adjustable sidewall moveable between a first position wherein the holding tank has a first volume and a second position wherein the holding tank has a second volume; and
an actuator for moving the adjustable sidewall between the first and second positions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for storing a plurality of solid objects and dispensing the solid objects into a plurality of containers. The system comprises non-automated dispensing cells, physically actuated to dispense solid objects one at a time into one of the containers, and automated dispensing cells, electrically actuated to dispense solid objects from a holding tank simultaneously in bulk into one of the containers. The automated dispensing cells may independently dispense objects into the holding tank one at a time while a manipulator arm of the system simultaneously brings a container to one of the non-automated or automated dispensing cells. Then, when the manipulator arm brings a container to one of the automated dispensing cells, the solid objects may be dispensed into the container in bulk by simply opening a gate mechanism.
42 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A holding tank for use with a medicament dispensing system, the holding tank comprising:
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an adjustable sidewall moveable between a first position wherein the holding tank has a first volume and a second position wherein the holding tank has a second volume; and an actuator for moving the adjustable sidewall between the first and second positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A dispensing cell for dispensing a plurality of solid objects into containers of various dimensions, the dispensing device comprising:
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a first storage bin having an outlet and containing the plurality of solid objects; a holding tank having a top opening, a bottom opening, and adjustable sidewalls, wherein the cross sectional area at the top opening of the holding tank is substantially equal to the cross sectional area at the bottom opening, with the cross sectional area at all points between the top opening and the bottom opening being substantially equal, a first actuator for actuating the side walls of the holding tank to uniformly expand or contract the cross-sectional area inward of the sidewalls; a gate mechanism which has a first position for blocking the bottom opening of the holding tank to retain the solid objects in the holding tank, and a second position for allowing the solid objects of the holding tank to drop, wherein the first storage bin dispenses at least a portion of the plurality of objects through the outlet into the holding tank. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A storage and dispensing system for storing a plurality of solid objects and dispensing at least a portion of the solid objects into a plurality of containers, the system comprising:
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a plurality of non-automated dispensing cells for storing and dispensing the solid objects; a plurality of automated dispensing cells for storing and dispensing the solid objects, wherein the automated dispensing cells each comprise a holding tank for temporarily storing a requested amount of the solid objects; a manipulator arm for bringing one of the containers to one of the dispensing cells; and a control system for receiving prescriptions and sending command signals to the manipulator arm and the second type of dispensing cells based on the prescriptions received, wherein the non-automated dispensing cells are physically actuated by the manipulator arm to dispense at least a portion of the solid objects one at a time into one of the containers, wherein the automated dispensing cells are electrically actuated by the control system to dispense at least a portion of the solid objects from the holding tank in bulk into one of the containers, wherein one of the first type of dispensing cells may dispense at least a portion of the solid objects into one of the containers at the same time that at least one of the second type of dispensing cells dispenses at least a portion of the solid objects into its holding tank. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification