DEVICES FOR CAPPING VIALS USEFUL IN SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING PRESCRIPTIONS

• US 20110265430A1
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Uebel, Mark Alan, Ulm, Timothy, Bonpain, Eric X., Sink, John Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,413,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/490
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/00 Closing containers or receptacles after filling
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/2835 applying and rotating preformed threaded caps for bottles or jars B67B3/20
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 3/20 by applying and rotating preformed threaded caps forming threads in situ by resilient deforming means B67B3/16, by rotary capping heads B67B3/18
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49998 Work holding

Abstract

An apparatus for securing a cap onto a cylindrical container includes a main stage and three clamps. Each of the clamps is pivotally attached to the main stage and rotatable about a respective axis of rotation. The axes of rotation of the clamps define an outer circle having a center. Each of the clamps comprises a generally planar body and an arcuate edge and can be used to both center a cap and grip and rotate a vial for attachment of the cap.

Claims

1. An apparatus for securing a cap onto a cylindrical container, comprising:

a main stage;

three clamps, each of the clamps pivotally attached to the main stage and rotatable about a respective axis of rotation, wherein the axes of rotation of the clamps define an outer circle having a center, each of the clamps comprising a generally planar body and an arcuate edge, wherein the arcuate edge comprises, in serial order;

a first contact section;

a first single tooth;

a second contact section;

a second single tooth;

a third contact section;

a third single tooth; and

a fourth contact section;

wherein each of the first, second and third teeth has a tip, and wherein each of the first, second and third teeth are located on the arcuate edge such that, when the clamps are pivoted about their respective axes of rotation, the tips of the first teeth present the leading points of contact of the clamps in a first annulus concentric with the outer circle and having inner and outer diameters of between about 1.800 and 1.975 inches, the tips of the second teeth present the leading points of contact of the clamps in a second annulus concentric with the outer circle and having inner and outer diameters of between about 1.430 and 1.530 inches, and the tips of the third teeth present the leading points of contact of the clamps in a third annulus concentric with the outer circle and having inner and outer diameters of between about 1.200 and 1.325 inches.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the tip of the first tooth is separated by an arc of between about 33 and 38 degrees from the tip of the second tooth and by an arc of between about 65 and 70 degrees from the tip of the third tooth.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the profile of the first tooth differs from the profile of the second tooth.

4. An apparatus for securing a cap onto a cylindrical container, comprising:

a main stage;

three clamps, each of the clamps pivotally attached to the main stage and rotatable about a respective axis of rotation, wherein the axes of rotation of the clamps define an outer circle having a center, each of the clamps comprising a generally planar body and an arcuate edge, wherein the arcuate edge comprises, in serial order;

a first contact section;

at least one first screw thread;

a second contact section;

at least one second screw thread;

a third contact section;

at least one third screw thread; and

a fourth contact section.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 4, wherein each of the first, second and third at least one screw threads comprises a plurality of screw threads.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 5, wherein the plurality of screw threads of each of the at least one first, second and third screw threads is provided by a set screw.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 4, wherein the first, second and third screw threads are portions of a single continuous inclined thread, and wherein the first, second, third and fourth contact sections are also portions of the single continuous screw thread

8. The apparatus defined in claim 4, wherein each of the screw threads is obliquely angled relative to the main stage.

9. An apparatus for securing a cap onto a cylindrical container, comprising:

a main stage;

three clamps, each of the clamps pivotally attached to the main stage and rotatable about a respective axis of rotation, wherein the axes of rotation of the clamps define an outer circle having a center, each of the clamps comprising a generally planar body and an arcuate edge, wherein the arcuate edge comprises a toothed section and a contact section;

wherein rotation of each of the clamps from a rest position in a first rotative direction presents the contact section of each clamp to an object resting on the main stage, and rotation of each of the clamps from the rest position in a second opposite rotative direction presents the toothed section of each clamp to an object resting on the main stage.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 9, wherein the toothed section includes separate first, second and third teeth, wherein each of the first, second and third teeth has a tip, and wherein each of the first, second and third teeth are located such that, when the clamps are pivoted about their respective axes of rotation, the tips of the first teeth present the leading points of contact of the clamps in a first annulus concentric with the outer circle and having inner and outer diameters of between about 1.800 and 1.975 inches, the tips of the second teeth present the leading points of contact of the clamps in a second annulus concentric with the outer circle and having inner and outer diameters of between about 1.430 and 1.530 inches, and the tips of the third teeth present the leading points of contact of the clamps in a third annulus concentric with the outer circle and having inner and outer diameters of between about 1.200 and 1.325 inches.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein the tip of the first tooth is separated by an arc of between about 33 and 38 degrees from the tip of the second tooth and by an arc of between about 65 and 70 degrees from the tip of the third tooth.

12. A method for grasping a cylindrical container, comprising:

(a) providing a grasping apparatus comprising;

a main stage;

three clamps, each of the clamps pivotally attached to the main stage and rotatable about a respective axis of rotation, wherein the axes of rotation of the clamps define an outer circle having a center, each of the clamps comprising a generally planar body and an arcuate edge, wherein the arcuate edge comprises, in serial order;

a first contact section;

a first single tooth;

a second contact section;

a second single tooth;

a third contact section;

a third single tooth; and

a fourth contact section;

wherein each of the first, second and third teeth has a tip with a leading edge and a trailing edge, the leading edge and trailing edge defining an effective tooth profile angle of between about 70 and 100 degrees;

(b) positioning a cylindrical container on the main stage; and

(c) rotating the clamps to grasp the container, the first, second, and third teeth being located on the arcuate edge such that the container is engaged by three first teeth, three second teeth, or three third teeth, and wherein the first, second and third teeth are configured and oriented on the arcuate edge such that, when the container is engaged by the tips of three first, second or third teeth, the tip of each contacting tooth forms an advance contact angle with a tangent line from its contact point with the container and the leading edge of the tip of between about 68 and 105 degrees.

13. The method defined in claim 12, wherein each of the first, second and third contact edges includes a lobed portion adjacent to a respective one of the first, second and third teeth.

14. The method defined in claim 12, wherein the each of the first, second or third teeth in engagement with the container forms a vial engagement angle of between about 10 and 20 degrees, the vial engagement angle being defined by (a) the center of a circle defined by the axes of rotation of the first, second and third clamps, (b) the axis of rotation of the respective first, second or third clamp, and (c) the contact point between the container and the first, second or third tooth.

16. The method defined in claim 12, wherein each of the first, second and third contact edges includes a lobed portion adjacent to a respective one of the first, second and third teeth.

15. A method for securing a cap on a cylindrical container, comprising:

(a) providing a grasping apparatus comprising;

a main stage;

three clamps, each of the clamps pivotally attached to the main stage and rotatable about a respective axis of rotation, wherein the axes of rotation of the clamps define an outer circle having a center, each of the clamps comprising a generally planar body and an arcuate edge, wherein the arcuate edge comprises, in serial order;

a first contact section;

a first single tooth;

a second contact section;

a second single tooth;

a third contact section;

a third single tooth; and

a fourth contact section;

(b) rotating the first, second and third clamps to center a cap positioned on the main stage, wherein rotation of the first, second and third clamps forces the cap to a center position on the main stage while contacting the cap with one of the first, second or third teeth of not more than one of any of the first, second or third clamps at any time during rotation;

(c) removing the centered cap from the main stage;

(d) rotating the first, second and third clamps to grasp a container in the center of the main stage with three of the first teeth, second teeth or third teeth from each of the three clamps;

(e) positioning the cap atop the container; and

(f) rotating the grasped container relative to the cap to secure the cap on the container.

17. The method defined in claim 15, wherein the each of the three first, second or third teeth in engagement with the container forms a vial engagement angle of between about 10 and 20 degrees, the vial engagement angle being defined by (a) the center of a circle defined by the axes of rotation of the first, second and third clamps, (b) the axis of rotation of the respective first, second or third clamp, and (c) the contact point between the container and the first, second or third tooth.