Rotating apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units

• US 5,213,232 A
• Filed: 03/11/1992
• Issued: 05/25/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Owen Healthcare Inc (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Meador, James W., Kraft, Thomas L., Berry, John F., Rogers, Lisa W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, Robert P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOLAND, KENNETH W
• Application Number:
  US07/849,513
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 221/277, 221/261, 221/75, 221/188, 221/203, 198/670, 198/661, 198/659, 198/657
• US Class Current: 221/277
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0076 Medicament distribution means with pill counting devices A61J7/02; with time indication A61J7/04; containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2583/049 One rotational action of a cylindrical, disc-like or sphere-like element around its own axis, e.g. step-by-step, reciprocating
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of the apparatus comprising a generally circular walled container having a bottom for holding the singular homogeneous units. A discharge area located distally from the bottom for receiving the single homogeneous units and for discharging them upon rotation of the apparatus. A helical spiraled rib member located on the generally circular walled container extending from the bottom of the container and along the circular walls of the container for creating during rotation a continuously variable inclined surface along the helical spiraled rib member and the circular walls of the container for advancing single homogeneous units along said helical spiralled rib member and the generally circular walls of the container until a single homogeneous unit reaches the discharge area for discharge from the container. The helical spiraled rib member has a helix depth from the circular wall of the container sufficient for advancing only a single homogeneous unit along the helical spiraled rib member and the generally circular wall of the container until a single homogeneous unit reaches the discharge area. The helical spiralled rib member has a helix angle sufficient relative to the length of the generally circular walled container from the bottom to the discharge area for creating during rotation a sufficient inclined surface for advancing single homogeneous units to the discharge area. Further, this invention provides removable caps which are used to seal these containers from the ambient environment when not being used for dispensing of single homogeneous units.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus comprising;

a generally circular walled container,

a bottom in said generally circular walled container for holding said homogeneous units,

a discharge means located distally from said bottom for receiving homogeneous units and for discharging same, and

a helical member functionally proximate said discharge means and located on said generally circular walled container extending from said bottom of said container and along said generally circular walls of said container for creating during rotation a continuously variable inclined surface along said helical member and said generally circular walls of said container for advancing single homogeneous units along said helical member and said generally circular walls until a single homogeneous unit reaches said discharge means.

2. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said helical member further comprises a spiral ribbed member having an edge surface and a helix depth sufficient relative from said generally circular wall of said container and said edge surface for advancing single homogeneous units along said helical member and said generally circular walls of said container until a single homogeneous unit reaches said discharge means.

3. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said spiral ribbed member further comprises a spiral ribbed member having a helix angle sufficient relative to the length of said generally circular walled container from said bottom of said container to said discharge means for creating during rotation a continuously variable inclined plane with said circular walled container and said spiral ribbed member for advancing single homogeneous units along said helical member and said generally circular wall of said container until a single homogeneous unit reaches said discharge means.

4. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said helix angle of said spiral ribbed member comprises a minimum of 90 degrees to a maximum of 720 degrees over the length of said generally circular walled container from said bottom of s id container to said discharge means.

5. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said spiral ribbed member further comprises having a minimum helix depth of at least 1/3 of the smallest diameter of said single homogeneous units to be dispensed and a maximum depth of at least 11/4 of the smallest diameter of said single homogeneous unit to be dispensed for advancing single homogeneous units along said helical member and said generally circular wall of said container until a single homogeneous unit reaches said discharge means.

6. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said bottom in said generally circular walled container comprises a raised area sufficient for directing said single homogeneous units toward said generally circular walled container and said spiral ribbed member for preventing single homogeneous units from remaining on said bottom.

7. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said raised area further comprises a dome shape having an apex at the center of said bottom and said bottom slops downward from said raised area toward said generally circular walled container.

8. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said discharge means further comprises

a holding area for receiving and holding said single homogeneous units connected for sliding communication of said single homogeneous units from said spiral ribbed member to said holding area and

a means for discharging said single homogeneous units connected for sliding communication of said single homogeneous units from said holding area to said means for discharging said single homogeneous units.

9. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said holding area further comprises a non-helical surface connected to said ribbed spiral member having no-helical angle for at least a distance on said non-helical surface the size of said homogeneous unit and positioned for receiving said a single homogeneous unit and holding same during rotation.

10. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said means for discharging said single homogeneous unit further comprises an inclined surface connected for sliding communication of said single homogeneous unit from said non-helical surface to said inclined surface for discharge of said single homogeneous unit by said inclined surface upon continued rotation.

11. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said inclined surface of said means for discharging said single homogeneous units and said non-helical surface of said holding area further comprise a partial cover for said generally circular walled container for preventing said other single homogeneous units than a single homogeneous unit from being inadvertently discharged during rotation of said generally circular walled container.

12. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising a cap means for removable closing said circular walled container from ambient environment.

13. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a means for removable fastening said helical member into said container having generally circular walls and a false bottom means raised to form an apex at the center of said bottom and said bottom slops downward from said raised area toward said generally circular walled container and said false bottom means is connected to said means for removable fastening said helical member into said container.

14. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 13 wherein said helical member and said false bottom means are connected to said bottom as a unitized piece for insertion into said generally circular walled container and for location along said walls of said circular walled container extending from said bottom of said container and along said walls for creating a continuously variable inclined surface along said helical member and said generally circular walls of said container for moving a single homogeneous unit along said helical member and said circular walls until said single homogeneous unit is discharged upon said continued rotation of said container.

15. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising a means located in said bottom and outside of said generally circular walled container for allowing the positioning and securing of said generally circular walled container for rotation of said generally circular walled container.

16. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 15 wherein said means for positioning and securing said generally circular walled container for rotation further comprises

a female member located in the center of said bottom and inside said raised area of said bottom for mounting said generally circular walled container for rotation there about and for tilt angle adjustment.

17. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 16 wherein said female member further comprises a beveled entrance way for ease of mounting said generally circular walled container for rotation thereabout.

18. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 17 further comprising means on said outside of said circular walled container for allowing mechanical holding of said circular walled container for rotation and tilt angle adjustment sufficient for discharging only one single homogeneous unit at a time.

19. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 18 further comprising at least two pins connected to said circular walled container and projecting outwardly therefrom proximate said bottom for being grasped to hold said circular walled container for rotation and for tilt angle adjustment sufficient for discharging only one single homogeneous unit at a time.

20. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 19 wherein said circular walled container is rotated in a tilted angle sufficiently upward from horizontal and less than vertical for varying the variable inclined surface along said helical member and said generally circular walls of said container for advancing single homogeneous units along said helical member and said circular walls until said medications are discharged one at a time upon said continued rotation of said container.

21. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 20 wherein said tilted angle for discharging only one single homogeneous unit at a time from said circular walled container is a minimum upward inclined angle of from 3 degrees to a maximum incline angle of 60 degrees from said circular walled container being substantially horizontal.

22. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said discharge means further comprises a female member located in the center thereof and inside said discharge means for allowing rotation of said apparatus for closure and storage.

23. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 22 wherein said female member further comprises a beveled entrance way for ease of mounting said generally circular walled container for rotation and for storage.

24. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 23 further comprising at least two pins connected to said circular walled container and projecting outwardly therefrom proximate said discharge means for rotation into engaging storage of said apparatus.

25. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 12 wherein said cap further comprises,

a cap housing,

a centering spike in the center of said cap for guiding said cap for positive closure of said generally circular walled container,

a flat cap slidably center mounted through said centering spike for closing said generally circular walled container,

a spring means mounted about said centering spike and between said cap housing and said flat cap for driving said flat cap away from said cap housing, and

at least two means projecting from said cap housing which clear said generally circular walled container but engage said at least two pins connected to said circular walled container upon rotation of said container and said spring means drive said flat cap on said container into said at least two projecting means to close said generally circular walled container.

26. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said non-helical surface connected to said ribbed spiral member is at right angles with the axis of said generally circular walled container.

27. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 26 wherein said non-helical surface connected to said ribbed spiral member is provided with enhanced contrast from said homogeneous units for improved sensing of the presence of said single homogeneous unit on said non-helical surface.

28. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus as in claim 26 wherein said non-helical surface connected to said ribbed spiral member is coated for improved sensing of the presence of said single homogeneous unit on said non-helical surface.

29. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of said apparatus comprising;

a generally circular walled container,

a bottom in said generally circular walled container for holding said single homogeneous units and,

a helix ribbed member located on said generally circular walled container having an edge surface and helix depth sufficient relative from said generally circular wall of said container and said edge surface, and having a helix angle sufficient relative to the length of said generally circular walled container from said bottom of said container for creating during rotation a continuously variable inclined surface along said helix ribbed member and said generally circular walls of said container for advancing single homogeneous units along said helical ribbed member and said generally circular walls of said container until a single homogeneous unit is discharged from said generally circular walled container.

30. An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon insertion into a generally circular walled bottle and upon rotation of said generally circular walled bottle comprising;

a helix ribbed member removably located on said generally circular walled container having an edge surface and a helix depth sufficient relative from said generally circular wall of said container and said edge surface after insertion in said generally circular walled container, and having a helix angle sufficient relative to the length of said generally circular walled container from said bottom of said container for creating during rotation a continuously variable inclined surface along said helical member and said generally circular walls of said container for advancing single homogeneous units along said helical member and the generally circular walls of the container until a single homogeneous unit is discharged from said generally circular walled container.