Medication Drawer and Medication Packaging Strip
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A medication drawer, comprising:
- a housing including a main body, and a front cover coupled to the main body and having a base wall with a packaging strip outlet therethrough;
at least one sensor disposed upstream of the outlet and operatively disposed to sense at least one sensor pickup on a medication packaging strip to be released through the outlet; and
a packaging strip guide including at least one guide surface oppositely disposed from the at least one sensor to guide the packaging strip through the outlet and to reflect light to the at least one sensor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A medication drawer, a related medication packaging strip, and a related method of handling a medication packaging strip.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A medication drawer, comprising:
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a housing including a main body, and a front cover coupled to the main body and having a base wall with a packaging strip outlet therethrough; at least one sensor disposed upstream of the outlet and operatively disposed to sense at least one sensor pickup on a medication packaging strip to be released through the outlet; and a packaging strip guide including at least one guide surface oppositely disposed from the at least one sensor to guide the packaging strip through the outlet and to reflect light to the at least one sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A medication packaging strip, comprising
a base; -
a cover over at least a portion of the base; and a plurality of spaced apart tear lines defining a plurality of individual packages each having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and side edges extending between the front and trailing edges, a upper surface, a bottom surface, and at least one sensor pickup located closer to the trailing edge than to the leading edge, and a dose of medication disposed between corresponding portions of the cover and the base. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A method of handling a medication packaging strip, comprising:
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providing a housing including a main body and a front cover coupled to the main body and having a base wall with a packaging strip outlet therethrough; providing at least one sensor upstream of the outlet and operatively disposed to sense at least one sensor pickup on a medication packaging strip to be released out of the outlet; providing a packaging strip guide including at least one guide surface oppositely disposed from the at least one sensor to guide the packaging strip through the outlet and to reflect light to the at least one sensor; sensing the absence of the at least one sensor pickup by way of the at least one guide surface of the packaging strip guide for maintaining the prime mover in one of a powered or depowered state; and conveying the packaging strip out of the housing using a prime mover, at least one drive element, and at least one driven element operatively coupled to the at least one drive element, wherein the packaging strip is engaged by the drive and driven elements which are powered by the prime mover to convey the packaging strip in a direction toward the outlet until the at least one sensor senses the at least one sensor pickup. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification