AUTOMATIC PILL GRASPING APPARATUS

• US 20150028048A1
• Filed: 04/29/2014
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: HUANG, SZU-HAI, LAI, KUO-MING, CHAN, PEI-YI, CHEN, JENG-CHE, WU, TUI-CHIEN, SHEN, PAO-HENG, SHIH, CHAO-WEN, HUANG, KING-LUNG, HUI, LAP-SHUN
• Granted Patent: US 9,284,111 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/13
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1669 characterised by special application, e.g. multi-arm co-operation, assembly, grasping
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/00 Packaging fluent solid material, e.g. powders, granular or loose fibrous material, loose masses of small articles, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 69/00 Unpacking of articles or materials, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0409 the dispensing means being adapted for delivering one article, or a single dose, upon each actuation B65D83/0445 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39511 Reorient, rotate object in hand between fingers by action of fingers

Abstract

An automatic pill grasping apparatus includes an enclosure, a control chip, a pill grasping mechanism, and a pill storage mechanism. The enclosure includes a base. The pill grasping mechanism includes a grasping arm, a nozzle, and a driving mechanism. The nozzle being is engaged with the grasping arm, and the driving mechanism is attached to the base. The pill storage mechanism includes a plurality of pill storage cases for storing pills and an actuating mechanism attached to the base. The control chip is configured to control the actuating mechanism to rotate the plurality of pill storage cases in a first plane substantially parallel to the base and control the driving mechanism to rotate the grasping arm in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, for rotating the nozzle to stretch into the one of the plurality of pill storage cases to pick a pill.

Claims

1. An automatic pill grasping apparatus, comprising:

an enclosure comprising a base;

a control chip;

a pill grasping mechanism comprising a grasping arm, a nozzle, and a driving mechanism, the nozzle being engaged with the grasping arm, and the driving mechanism attached to the base; and

a pill storage mechanism comprising a plurality of pill storage cases for storing pills and an actuating mechanism attached to the base;

wherein the control chip is configured to control the actuating mechanism to rotate the plurality of pill storage cases in a first plane substantially parallel to the base and control the driving mechanism to rotate the grasping arm in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, for rotating the nozzle to stretch into the one of the plurality of pill storage cases to pick a pill.

2. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pill grasping mechanism further comprises a pump attached to the base and a pipe communicating the pump with the nozzle, and the pump is configured to generate a negative pressure to the nozzle to draw the pill.

3. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 1, wherein the grasping arm comprises a main arm, a transfer mechanism, the main arm is rotatable about a first axis driven the driving mechanism and defines an opening, the transfer mechanism comprising a transfer cam being rotatable about a second axis and a driving wheel mounted to the transfer cam and received in the opening of the main arm;

when the transfer cam rotates about the second axis, the driving wheel is rotated about the second axis by the transfer cam and is adapted to press an edge of the opening of the main arm and to drive the main arm to rotate about the first axis.

4. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 3, wherein the transfer mechanism further comprises a driving shaft secured to the transfer cam, the driving wheel is mounted to a free end of the driving shaft, the free end of the driving shaft extends into the opening of the main arm, when the transfer cam rotates about the second axis, the driving shaft is rotated about the second axis by the transfer cam.

5. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first axis is substantially parallel to the second axis.

6. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 3, wherein a vertical distance between the first axis and the second axis is three and one haft times greater than a horizontal distance between the first axis and the second axis.

7. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 5, wherein the transfer cam defines one or more slots for connecting to a motor.

8. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 5, wherein a radius of rotation of the main arm about the first axis is three times greater than a radius of rotation of the driving shaft about the second axis.

9. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a linkage mechanism pivotally mounted to the main arm, wherein the grasping device is mounted to the linkage mechanism.

10. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 9, wherein the linkage mechanism further comprises a first linkage arm, a second linkage arm, a third linkage arm, and a holder, the first linkage arm and the second linkage arm are pivotally mounted to the main arm, a first end of the third linkage arm is pivotally mounted to the first linkage arm, a second end of the third linkage arm is pivotally mounted to the second linkage arm, the holder is pivotally mounted to the second linkage arm, and the grasping device is mounted to the holder.

11. An automatic pill grasping apparatus, comprising:

an enclosure comprising a base;

a control chip;

a pill grasping mechanism comprising a grasping arm, a nozzle, and a driving mechanism attached to the base, the grasping arm comprising a main arm, and the nozzle connected to main arm; and

a pill storage mechanism comprising a plurality of pill storage cases for storing pills and an actuating mechanism attached to the base;

wherein the control chip is configured to control the actuating mechanism to rotate the plurality of pill storage cases in a first plane substantially parallel to the base and control the to rotate the main arm about a first axis in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, for rotating the nozzle to stretch into the one of the plurality of pill storage cases to pick a pill.

12. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 11, wherein the grasping arm further comprises a linkage mechanism, and a transfer mechanism;

the linkage mechanism is pivotably mounted to the main arm, the main arm defines an opening, the transfer mechanism comprising a transfer cam is rotatable about a second axis driven by the driving mechanism and a driving wheel mounted to the transfer cam and received in the opening of the main arm, wherein when the transfer cam rotates about the second axis, the driving wheel is rotated about the second axis by the transfer cam and is adapted to press an edge of the opening of the main arm and to drive the main arm to rotate about the first axis.

13. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 12, wherein the transfer mechanism further comprises a driving shaft secured to the transfer cam, the driving wheel is mounted to a free end of the driving shaft, the free end of the driving shaft extends into the opening of the main arm, when the transfer cam rotates about the second axis, the driving shaft is rotated about the second axis by the transfer cam.

14. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 13, wherein a vertical distance between the first axis and the second axis is three and one haft times greater than a horizontal distance between the first axis and the second axis.

15. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 13, wherein the transfer cam defines one or more slots for connecting to a motor, the transfer cam is rotated by the motor.

16. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 13, wherein a radius of rotation of the main arm about the first axis is three times greater than a radius of rotation of the driving shaft about the second axis.

17. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 13, wherein the linkage mechanism further comprises a first linkage arm, a second linkage arm, a third linkage arm, and a holder, the first linkage arm and the second linkage arm are pivotally mounted to the main arm, a first end of the third linkage arm is pivotally mounted to the first linkage arm, a second end of the third linkage arm is pivotably mounted to the second linkage arm, the holder is pivotably mounted to the second linkage arm, and the grasping device is mounted to the holder.

18. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 17, wherein the holder comprises a receiving portion for receiving the grasping device and a shovel located on an outer side of the receiving portion.

19. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a first blocking member, wherein when the main arm rotates to a position where the first linkage arm abuts against the first blocking member, the first blocking member is adapted to drive the first linkage arm to rotate relative to the main arm.

20. The automatic pill grasping apparatus of claim 17, wherein the linkage mechanism further comprises a cover mounted to the second linkage arm and the third linkage arm for covering a gap between the second linkage arm and the third linkage arm.