Electronic system for article dispensing apparatus

• US 3,998,356 A
• Filed: 08/28/1975
• Issued: 12/21/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arthur A. Bennett Jr
• Original Assignee: Arthur A. Bennett Jr
• Inventors: Christensen, Wynn L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tollberg, Stanley H.
• Application Number:
  US05/608,643
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 221/2, 221/5, 221/13, 221/154
• US Class Current: 221/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0445 for preventing drug dispensing during a predetermined time period
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0454 for dispensing of multiple drugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/52 about horizontal axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/12 in which metering is on a time basis

Abstract

An electronic system for an apparatus for selectively dispensing articles is disclosed. The apparatus is especially suited for dispensing pills in hospitals and nursing homes, wherein stringent controls are needed to prevent mistakes in dispensing or misuse of prescribed pills. The disclosed apparatus comprises a plurality of magazines or cassettes, each magazine containing a number of doses of a particular pill prescribed for the patient. The magazines contain a plurality of rotatable compartments for storing several days'"'"' supply of the particular pill, each compartment containing the unit dose prescribed for the particular patient. In the usual case a plurality of magazines are inserted into the dispensing apparatus, and then the dispenser is activated to dispense from the magazines those pills required at that time.

The present electronic system is programable to select the time of day, as well as the particular magazines, for dispensing the pills. Various magazines can only be activated at particular times in the day so that a pill cannot be dispensed except at the times prescribed for the patient. The system includes a keyboard and control for entering the dispensing routine, and a digital system for controlling solenoids which in turn control the cassettes from which the pills are dispensed.

Claims

1. An electronic system for article dispensing apparatus wherein the apparatus includes a plurality of containers for dispensing articles, each container being controllable by the system to selectively dispense an article at a predetermined time, comprising

program entry means for entering a selected time for dispensing articles and for entering container data indicative of containers from which respective articles are to be dispensed, said program means comprising first control means for entering the selected time and second control means for entering the container data, said first control means including interlock means for preventing the entry of another time after the selected time has been entered and before a dispensing cycle for the containers has been completed, said interlock means conditioning said second control means for entry of said container data,

sequencing means for receiving a start signal and being responsive to clock signals for providing sequential sampling signals, and

third control means responsive to the container data from said second control means and responsive to the sampling signals from said sequencing means for interrogating logic circuit means for the respective containers, said third control means being responsive to said container data and said sampling signals for providing first output control signals corresponding to containers from which articles are to be dispensed and for providing second control signals for causing generation of said clock signals for said sequencing means.

2. A system as in claim 1 including;

a plurality of solenoids responsive to said first control signals from said third control means for activating respective containers for dispensing articles, a solenoid for a selected container causing said selected container to index a predetermined amount for dispensing an article therefrom.

3. A system in claim 1 wherein

said first control means includes four switches for selecting any one of four dispensing times for articles, and said second control means includes a plurality of switches for selecting the containers from which articles are to be dispensed at the selected time, and

said first control means includes display means for displaying the selected time, and said second control means includes display means for displaying numbers corresponding to the containers from which articles are to be dispensed.

4. A system as in claim 3 wherein

said sequencing means comprising a sequence counter and cycle switching circuit means,

said logic circuit means of said third control means comprises a pair of logic gates for each of the respective containers from which articles are to be dispensed, a first of said logic gates providing a second control signal, and a second of said logic gates providing a second control signal, and

circuit means responsive to the second control signals from the second logic gates for generating said clock signals applied to said sequencing means.

5. An electronic system for pill dispensing apparatus wherein the apparatus includes a plurality of containers for dispensing pills, each container being indexable by the system to selectively dispense a pill at a predetermined time, comprising

sequencing means for providing sequential sampling signals in response to input clock signals thereto,

control means for receiving container data signals indicating containers from which pills are to be dispensed, and for receiving said sequential sampling signals, said control means comprising logic circuit means for each respective container, said logic circuit means being responsive to said data signals and said sampling signals for providing first output control signals corresponding to containers from which articles are to be dispensed and for providing second control signals for causing generation of said clock signals for said sequencing means, said logic circuit means comprising a pair of logic gates for each of the respective containers from which pills are to be dispensed, the first logic gate of each pair providing said first control signals, and the second logic gate of each pair providing said second control signals,

circuit means responsive to the second control signals from the second logic gates for generating said clock signals applied to said sequencing means, and

activator means responsive to said first output control signals of said control means for activating each container from which a pill is to be dispensed.

6. A system as in claim 5 wherein

said activator means includes a plurality of solenoids corresponding in number to said containers and responsive to said first control signals from said logic circuit means of said control means for activating respective containers for activating respective containers for dispensing pills, a solenoid for a selected container causing said selected container to index a predetermined amount for dispensing a pill therefrom.

7. A system as in claim 6 wherein

said control means includes switching means for selecting a dispensing time for pills from containers, and includes switching means for selecting the containers from which pills are to be dispensed at the selected time, and said control means includes display means for displaying the selected time and for displaying numbers corresponding to the containers from which pills are to be dispensed.

8. An electronic system for article dispensing apparatus wherein the apparatus includes a plurality of containers for dispensing articles, each container being controllable by the system to selectively dispense an article at a predetermined time, comprising

program entry means for entering a selected time for dispensing articles and for entering container data indicative of containers from which respective articles are to be dispensed, said program means comprising first control means for entering the selected time and second control means for entering the container data, said first control means including interlock means for preventing the entry, unless cleared, of another time after the selected time has been entered and before a dispensing cycle for the containers has been completed, said interlock means conditioning said second control means for entry of said container data,

means for providing clock signals,

sequencing means for receiving a start signal and being responsive to said clock signals for providing sequential sampling signals, and

third control means responsive to the container data from said second control means and responsive to the sampling signals from said sequencing means for interrogating logic circuit means for the respective containers, said third control means being responsive to said container data and said sampling signals for providing first output control signals corresponding to containers from which articles are to be dispensed.

9. An electronic system for article dispensing apparatus wherein the apparatus includes a plurality of containers for dispensing articles, each container being controllable by the system to selectively dispense an article at a predetermined time, comprising

program entry means for entering a selected time for dispensing articles and for entering container data indicative of containers from which respective articles are to be dispensed, said program means comprising first control means for entering the selected time and second control means for entering container data, said program means including display means for displaying the selected time and for displaying numbers corresponding to the containers from which articles are to be dispensed,

sequencing means for receiving a start signal and being responsive to clock signals for providing sequential sampling signals,

third control means responsive to the container data from said second control means and responsive to the sampling signals from said sequencing means for interrogating logic circuit means for the respective containers, said third control means being responsive to said container data and said sampling signals for providing first output control signals corresponding to containers from which articles are to be dispensed, and

a plurality of solenoids responsive to said first control signals from said third control means for activating respective containers for dispensing articles, a solenoid for a selected container causing said selected container to index a predetermined amount for dispensing an article therefrom.