Pelletized medicament dispensing system

• US 3,871,156 A
• Filed: 04/03/1974
• Issued: 03/18/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sherwood Medical Company (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Elmer A. Koenig, Jack A. Russell, Robert M. Conklin, Walter L. Bessinger
• Inventors: Koenig, Elmer A., Conklin, Robert M., Bessinger, Walter L., Russell, Jack A.
• Primary Examiner(s): McGehee, Travis S.
• Application Number:
  US05/457,676
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• Field of Search: 53/59R,78,168,268 221/113,119,120,129,130,132,203,2
• US Class Current: 53/501
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 37/04 by vibratory feeders
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/04 and operating to control, or to stop, the feed of such material, containers, or packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/20 Applications of counting devices for controlling the feed of articles other applications B65B65/08
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/025 for applying, e.g. printing, code or date marks on material prior to packaging
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

A pelletized medicament dispensing system having a plurality of medicament pellet containing bowls mounted on a rotatable member in a helical array. A control system rotates the array to bring a selected bowl to a packaging station. At the packaging station, a varying magnetic field vibrates the selected bowl effecting movement of a selected number of pellets, one at a time, through a bowl outlet and into a packaging cup. Patient and medicament data is printed on a label that also serves as a package cover for the cup. The package of pellets is then dispensed from the system for use. An electronic control system for automatically dispensing the desired kind and number of pellets, and for printing the desired patient information on the label is also provided. The pellet-containing bowls are elliptical and are provided with a pair of storage bins which are selectively opened to replenish the bowls.

Claims

1. A dispensing system for dispensing a predetermined number of designated medicament pellets comprising a plurality of movable medicament pellet storage units each adapted to contain different types of medicament pellets, means for moving said storage units to position a selected one of said units containing said designated pellets at a packaging station, each of said units including a bowl having an outlet for discharging pellets therefrom, means for positioning an open container adjacent said outlet for receiving pellets from the bowl, means located at the packaging station for effecting discharge of the pellets through the outlet and into the container, means for counting the discharged pellets, means for terminating the discharge of pellets when said predetermined number is discharged, and means for closing the container.

2. The system of claim 1 including an elongated rotatable member at the packaging station having a recess adjacent each end for receiving an open container, means for moving one end thereof to a position adjacent the outlet of a bowl of a storage unit positioned at the packaging station, means for rotating said member to position said one end at a printing station, means for printing a label and covering a container at said printing station, means for moving said one end to a discharge station, means for discharging the closed container from said member, and means for moving said one end to a container dispensing station to move an empty container into said recess of said member at said one end.

3. A dispensing system for dispensing medicament pellets comprising a turret having an array of medicament pellet storage units connected thereto containing different kinds of medicament pellets, means for rotating said turret to position a selected one of said units at a packaging station, each of said units including a bowl having an outlet for discharging pellets therefrom and magnetic means thereon for effecting vibration of the bowl in response to a varying magnetic field applied thereto to move stored pellets from the bowl through the outlet, means for positioning an open container adjacent said outlet for receiving pellets from the bowl, magnetic field producing means located at the packaging station for applying a varying magnetic field to the bowl magnetic means of the unit while positioned at the packaging station, and means for closing the container.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said storage units are positioned on said turret in a helical array to pass said packaging station in a serial manner.

5. The system of claim 4 including means for moving said turret to move each of said units through a helical path.

6. The system of claim 4 further including motion translation means for effecting vertical movement of said turret simultaneously with rotarY movement thereof so that each of said units traverse a helical path.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said means for closing said container includes means for printing a label and covering the open container with the label.

8. A dispensing system for dispensing a predetermined number of medicament pellets into a container comprising information source means for receiving information designating the type and number of medicament pellets to be dispensed, turret means carrying a plurality of coded storage units each including a bowl having an outlet and magnetic means for vibrating the bowl in response to an applied magnetic field to move stored pellets through the outlet, each of said storage units containing a different type of medicament pellets, control means for moving said storage means to position a selected storage unit at a dispensing station in response to designated information applied to the information source, magnetic field producing means mounted in fixed relation at the dispensing station and closely spaced from the bowl magnetic means of the selected storage unit positioned at the dispensing station, means for providing an open container at the dispensing station adjacent the bowl outlet, said magnetic field producing means being operable to effect vibration of the bowl and movement of pills out of the bowl and into the container, and counting means for controlling the number of the pellets moved into the container in accordance with the designated information applied to the information source.

9. The system of claim 8 further including means for closing the container.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said storage means is a continuous helical array of storage units which are mounted to said turret means and movable in a helical path.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said control system includes drive means for rotatably driving the helical turret in opposite vertical directions, code means for detecting when a predetermined storage unit containing a prescribed medicament pellet is at the dispensing station, and stopping means responsive to said code means for stopping the drive means when the predetermined storage unit has been transferred to the dispensing means.

12. The system of claim 10 further including a first vertically extending rotatable member, rotatable drive means for rotating said first member, a second vertically extending cylindrical member concentric with said first member and having said storage units connected thereto, coupling means connecting said second member to said first member for simultaneous rotation but permitting vertical movement of said second member relative to said first member, and motion translating means for converting rotary movement of said drive means into vertical movement of said second member.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said motion translating means comprises a vertically extending threaded shaft rotatable with said second member about the vertical axis of said second member, a stationary ring gear, a gear on said shaft engaged with said ring gear to rotate said shaft about its own vertical axis during rotation of said second member, and a threaded coupling element fixed to said second member and movable axially in response to rotation of said shaft about its own axis.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said coupling means includes vertically slidable interconnected key and keyway means connected between said first and second members.