ZERO CROSS-CONTAMINATION COLLECTOR

• US 20090194559A1
• Filed: 12/29/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Translogic Corporation (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Talyst Incorporated
• Inventors: Wathen, Geoffrey H., Clarke, Darcy O.
• Granted Patent: US 8,464,899 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/303
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 2039/009 Multiple outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/06 Separating single articles from loose masses of articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/12 by gravity
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 39/007 Guides or funnels for introducing articles into containers or wrappers
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/005 Special arrangements for insuring that only one single article may be dispensed at a time
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a collection device having a base with at least first and second openings and at least first and second collector tubes in communication with the at least first and second openings in the base. The collector tubes each have a curvature configured to define a trajectory path for an object descending in the collector tube toward a common target region below the collection device. The collector tubes are configured to be placed into communication with corresponding unique transport tubes/channels/paths, etc., originating at a singulating device.

Claims

1. A collection device, comprising:

(a) a base having at least first and second openings;

(b) at least first and second collector tubes in communication with the at least first and second openings in the base, the collector tubes each having a curvature configured to define a trajectory path for an object descending in the collector tube toward a common target region below the collection device.

2. The collection device of claim 1, wherein ends of the collector tubes define a substantially hemispherical interior cavity of the collection device.

3. The collection device of claim 2, wherein the substantially hemispherical cavity defines a portion of a target sphere having a center.

4. The collection device of claim 3, wherein the target region is located near the center of the target sphere.

5. The collection device of claim 1, wherein the openings in the base are formed in a pattern of concentric circles.

6. The collection device of claim 1, wherein the base is substantially hemispherical in shape to define an interior substantially hemispherical cavity.

7. The collection device of claim 6, wherein the substantially hemispherical cavity defines a portion of a target sphere having a center.

8. The collection device of claim 7, wherein the target region is located near the center of the target sphere.

9. A collection device for use with a dispensing device having a plurality of transport tubes, the collection device comprising:

(a) a base having at least first and second openings;

(b) at least first and second collector tubes in communication with the at least first and second openings in the base, the at least first and second collector tubes configured to be placed into communication with first and second transport tubes of the dispensing device, the collector tubes each having a curvature configured to define a trajectory path for an object descending in the transport tube toward a common target region below the collection device.

10. The collection device of claim 9, wherein ends of the collector tubes define a substantially hemispherical interior cavity of the collection device.

11. The collection device of claim 10, wherein the substantially hemispherical cavity defines a portion of a target sphere having a center.

12. The collection device of claim 11, wherein the target region is located near the center of the target sphere.

13. The collection device of claim 9, wherein the base is substantially hemispherical in shape to define an interior substantially hemispherical cavity.

14. The collection device of claim 13, wherein the substantially hemispherical cavity defines a portion of a target sphere having a center.

15. The collection device of claim 14, wherein the target region is located near the center of the target sphere.

16. The collection device of claim 9, wherein an intermediate collection device of the dispensing mechanism is positionable below the target region to receive the objects as they are ejected from the collector tubes.

17. The collection device of claim 9, wherein the openings in the base are formed in a pattern of concentric circles.

18. The collection device of claim 9, wherein the first dispensing channel dispenses a first object and the second dispensing channel dispenses a second object.

19. The collection device of claim 18, wherein the first and second objects are first and second types of oral solids.

20. The collection device of claim 9, further comprising a sensor assembly for detecting an object when it is ejected from the collector tube.