System for pill and capsule counting and dispensing

• US 5,638,417 A
• Filed: 05/06/1996
• Issued: 06/10/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Innovation Associates Incorporated (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Innovation Associates Incorporated (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pellegrini, John, Boyer, Joseph H., Boyer, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wambach, Margaret Rose
• Application Number:
  US08/643,679
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 377/6, 377/7, 377/11, 377/20
• US Class Current: 377/7
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/02 Pill counting devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 37/04 by vibratory feeders
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/20 Applications of counting devices for controlling the feed of articles other applications B65B65/08

Abstract

There is provided a method for counting and dispensing pills, tablets, and capsules which depends on a simple vibrating, sloped, concave-shaped (e.g., V-shaped) trough, having a number of descending steps. The vibration of the trough is controlled and adjusted by a microprocessor. The vibration of the trough is patterned to provide a greater vibratory amplitude at its dispensing end than at its intake end. The difference at each end of the trough in vibratory amplitude is achieved by elastomeric supports that are differently spring dampened. The microprocessor electronically adjusts the input vibration to the trough, such that the flow of materials is adjusted for different types of materials (i.e., tablets of different shapes and/or sizes). This causes the tablets to align accurately within the trough, and sequentially pass a pill detector mechanism in single file. This ensures that the device can handle an extremely varied range of tablet or capsule sizes and shapes.

Claims

1. A processor-controlled tablet, capsule or pill counting and dispensing system that counts and dispenses a wide variety of tablets, capsules and pills of different sizes and shapes, the steps comprising:

means for loading a platform with tablets, capsules, or pills of different sizes and shapes;

a platform in operative relationship to said loading means for receiving tablets, capsules, or pills, said platform having an upper end for receiving said tablets, capsules or pills from said loading means, and a lower end for dispensing singulated tablets, capsules, or pills to a counting means;

first vibratory means connected to said platform for imparting vibratory pulses to said platform in order to cause singulation of said tablets, capsules, or pills along said platform, thereby separating them so that they can be counted one at a time;

means for respectively supporting said platform at said upper end and said lower end, said means having a spring constant at said upper end that is higher than the spring constant at said lower end, whereby said platform is caused to vibrate under the influence of said vibratory means, more strongly at said lower end; and

counting means disposed adjacent said lower end of said platform for counting said tablets, capsules, or pills, as they drop from said platform one at a time.

2. The processor-controlled tablet, capsule or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first vibratory means comprises a single electromagnet that is disposed in a mid-portion of said platform.

3. The processor-controlled tablet, capsule or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said platform comprises a sloped, concave-shaped trough.

4. The processor-controlled tablet, capsule or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said concave-shaped trough comprises a V-shaped cross section for at least a portion thereof.

5. The processor-controlled tablet, capsule or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said concave-shaped trough comprises a U-shaped cross section for at least a portion thereof.

6. The processor-controlled tablet, capsule or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said sloped, concave-shaped trough comprises steps.

7. The processor-controlled tablet, capsule or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said sloped, concave-shaped trough comprises a roughened upper service.

8. The processor-controlled tablet, capsule or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said electromagnet is controlled by an alternating current input, and further comprising control means connected to said electromagnet for varying the alternating current input, in order to change parameters of vibration corresponding to different tablets, capsules, or pills.

9. The processor-controlled tablet, capsule or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising second vibratory means for assisting flow of said tablets, capsules, or pills from said loading means to said platform.

10. The processor-controlled tablet, capsule or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said second vibratory means is controlled by said control means, which adjusts vibrations imparted to said loading means.

11. The processor-controlled tablet, capsule or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said loading means comprises a hopper for holding a plurality of tablets, capsules, or pills, said hopper being disposed proximate said platform and in operative relationship therewith.

12. A tablet, capsule or pill counting and dispensing system that counts and dispenses a wide variety of tablets, capsules and pills of different sizes and shapes, comprising:

means for loading a platform with tablets, capsules, or pills of different sizes and shapes;

a platform in operative relationship to said loading means for receiving tablets, capsules, or pills therefrom, said platform having an upper end and a lower end for dispensing singulated tablets, capsules or pills to a counting means,

first vibratory means connected to said platform for imparting a variety of vibratory pulses to a mid-portion of said platform in order to cause singulation of said tablets, capsules, or pills along said platform, said variety of pulses corresponding to different sizes and shapes of said tablets, capsules, or pills, thereby separating them so that they can be counted one at a time;

means for respectively supporting said platform at said upper end and said lower end, whereby said platform is caused to vibrate under the influence of said vibratory means, more strongly at said lower end; and

counting means disposed adjacent said lower end of said platform for counting said tablets, capsules, or pills, as they drop from said platform one at a time.

13. The tablet, capsule, or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said first vibratory means comprises a single electromagnet that is disposed in a mid-portion of said platform.

14. The tablet, capsule, or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said platform comprises a sloped, concave-shaped trough.

15. The tablet, capsule, or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 14, wherein said sloped, concave-shaped trough comprises steps.

16. The tablet, capsule, or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 13, further comprising processing means, and wherein said electromagnet is controlled by an alternating current input under the influence of said processing means operatively connected to said electromagnet for varying the alternating current input, in order to change parameters of vibration corresponding to different tablets, capsules, or pills.

17. The tablet, capsule, or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 13, further comprising second vibratory means connected to said loading means for assisting flow of said tablets, capsules, or pills from said loading means to said platform.

18. The tablet, capsule, or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 17, wherein said means for respectively supporting said platform has a spring constant at said upper end that is greater than the spring constant at said lower end.

19. The tablet, capsule, or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 12, further comprising:

metering means disposed along said platform for dispensing tablets, capsules, or pills thereunto at a predetermined level, so that the rate of dispensing and singulation of said tablets, capsules, or pills is assured.

20. The tablet, capsule or pill counting and dispensing system in accordance with claim 19, further comprising:

means operatively connected to said metering means to facilitate the adjustment thereof in order to accommodate physical parameters of said tablets, capsules, or pills.