Article counting device
First Claim
1. A system utilizing an article dispensing device having a support forming an inclined upper support surface, a drive shaft projecting centrally upward through said upper support surface, means for rotating said drive shaft, said support having and article-passing opening therethrough, means for detecting an article passing through said opening and article counting means interconnecting a source of electrical energy with the means for rotating said drive shaft and said detecting means, the system comprising:
- a plurality of article dispensing cassette means each adapted to overlie said upper surface,each said cassette means including an article containing rotatable drum means, a body operative to receive said article containing drum means and a non-rotating base cover with an outlet aperture,a first means removably connecting said article dispensing drum means with said drive shaft for rotation therewith,each said drum means including a dome and a disk, said dome surrounding and connected with said disk at its depending edge,said disk forming the bottom of said drum,each disk having a plurality of slot means specifically adapted to cooperate with a particular shape-size of article to select and discharge a succession of such articles in said drum through said outlet aperture into the article passing opening, andsaid first means connecting said article dispensing drum means to said drive shaft for quick connect with and disconnect from said shaft, whereinsaid article passing opening is of sufficient size and shape to accommodate all manner of articles, andsaid outlet aperture is sized to accommodate said particular size-shaped articles.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Multiple small-article receiving cassettes are provided for removably mounting on the upper surface of an inclined support. A drum housed within each cassette is rotated by connection with the drive shaft of a motor projecting through the support. The disk-like bottom of the rotatable interior drum of the cassette is undercut to form a circumferential series of radial and angularly spaced article receiving slots with the innermost end of the slots in overlying relation with respect to an outlet opening formed in the bottom stationary plate of the cassette. A second outlet opening, located in the upper surface of the support, is aligned with the opening in the bottom of the cassette. Upon proper rotation of the drum, articles placed within the cassette will travel along the receiving slots to their innermost end and then drop through the two outlet openings and into a dispensing chute. A single electrical control and single motor is used with numerous different cassettes for dispensing different drugs. The motor is rotated until a desired number of pills is dispensed and is then stopped.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system utilizing an article dispensing device having a support forming an inclined upper support surface, a drive shaft projecting centrally upward through said upper support surface, means for rotating said drive shaft, said support having and article-passing opening therethrough, means for detecting an article passing through said opening and article counting means interconnecting a source of electrical energy with the means for rotating said drive shaft and said detecting means, the system comprising:
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a plurality of article dispensing cassette means each adapted to overlie said upper surface, each said cassette means including an article containing rotatable drum means, a body operative to receive said article containing drum means and a non-rotating base cover with an outlet aperture, a first means removably connecting said article dispensing drum means with said drive shaft for rotation therewith, each said drum means including a dome and a disk, said dome surrounding and connected with said disk at its depending edge, said disk forming the bottom of said drum, each disk having a plurality of slot means specifically adapted to cooperate with a particular shape-size of article to select and discharge a succession of such articles in said drum through said outlet aperture into the article passing opening, and said first means connecting said article dispensing drum means to said drive shaft for quick connect with and disconnect from said shaft, wherein said article passing opening is of sufficient size and shape to accommodate all manner of articles, and said outlet aperture is sized to accommodate said particular size-shaped articles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An article dispenser to be employed to dispense individually discrete objects, comprising:
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a base with an outlet aperture, a circular flat disk having a top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface having a plurality of slots extending inwardly from adjacent the periphery of said disk and equally spaced from one another along said bottom surface, each said slot having a first and a second slot section, said first slot section lying closer to the center of said disk than said second slot section, said first slot section defining a first arc of constant radius, said first slot section extending outwardly in the direction in which said disk is to be rotated in use, said second slot section defining a second arc of constant radius extending outwardly from said first slot section to the periphery of said disk, in a direction opposite to the direction in which said disk is to be rotated and having a reverse curvature relative to said first arc, wherein; said slot consists essentially of said first slot section and said second slot section, said first slot being in communication with said outlet aperture, and barrier means for selectively blocking said outlet aperture. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An article counting device comprising:
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a counting unit having an entrance orifice for receipt of articles and an exit chute for dispersing said articles wherein said articles are detected and counted as they enter said counting unit, and a cassette for storage of said articles, said cassette having a body, a drum received within said body with a rotatable disk incorporating article communicating slots and a dome the bottom of the drum being defined by said disk and said dome surrounding and connected to said disk, and a cover for covering said drum connected to said body including an article passing opening configured for cooperation with said entrance orifice.
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16. An article holding cassette for cooperating with an article counting unit having an entrance orifice for receipt of articles and an exit chute for dispersing said articles wherein said articles are detected and counted as they enter said article counting unit, the article holding cassette comprising;
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a body having a substantially open face, a drum configured for receipt within said body, said drum including a slotted disk operative to select and communicate individual articles to the exit chute and a dome, said drum being rotatably mountable in said body, a cover removably hingedly attached to said body for covering said open face and said drum, wherein said cover having an article passing opening configured for cooperation with said entrance orifice. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification