System for filling bottles with pills

• US 5,762,116 A
• Filed: 04/23/1997
• Issued: 06/09/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leslie A. Moore
• Original Assignee: Leslie A. Moore
• Inventors: Moore, Leslie A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Douglas, Steven O.
• Application Number:
  US08/839,142
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 141/144, 141/145, 141/152, 141/165, 141/168, 141/170, 141/177, 141/262, 53/253, 53/201, 198/473.1, 198/803.11
• US Class Current: 141/145
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 39/145 in an endless path
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/60 rotatable
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/003 Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the packaging material
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/005 Adjustable conveying means
• CPC Class Codes: B67C 3/24 Devices for supporting or handling bottles transport or storing devices in general B65G

Abstract

A system for filling bottles with pills including a drive wheel formed with an upper generally circular plate and a vertically spaced lower generally circular plate with concentric peripheries and axially aligned central apertures extending therethrough supportable on a drive shaft for rotation therewith. The plates are formed with a plurality of symmetrically located recesses on the peripheries of the plates for receiving bottles therein. A depth spacer is positioned within each recess and is radially movable toward and away from the axis of rotation and the peripheries of the plates. A pair of width plates are positioned on opposite sides of each recess to vary the width of each recess. The depth spacers and width plates allow the recesses to accommodate various sizes of bottles so that the openings in the bottles will be properly positioned at all times for use in automated pill dispensing systems.

Claims

1. A system for filling bottles with pills for enabling bottles of differing sizes to be filled with pills comprising, in combination:

a linear conveyor assembly adapted to feed bottles along a linear path while being filled with pills, the linear path including an intermediate region where bottles are moved from the linear path in an unfilled condition along an arcuate path and returned to the linear path in a filled condition, the arcuate path including a planar support plate for receiving bottoms of the bottles being conveyed, the linear path and arcuate path including side rails adapted to preclude the lateral tipping of the bottles moved along the linear path and the arcuate path;

a rotary conveyor assembly positioned in part over the linear conveyor assembly and partially offset therefrom, the rotary conveyor assembly including a drive shaft in a vertical orientation with an axis of rotation laterally offset from the linear conveyor assembly;

a drive wheel formed with an upper generally circular plate and a vertically spaced lower generally circular plate with concentric peripheries and axially aligned central apertures extending therethrough supported on the drive shaft for rotation therewith and with a motor for effecting the concurrent rotation of the drive shaft and the upper and lower plates, the plates being formed with six symmetrically located recesses on the peripheries of the plates for receiving, supporting and driving bottles therein when moved from the linear path to the arcuate path and back to the linear path;

a depth spacer positioned within each recess, each depth spacer including a plate radially movable toward and away from the axis of rotation and the peripheries of the plates, each depth spacer having a planar rack with gear teeth extending upwardly therefrom and an associated pinion gear rotatable about a horizontal axis to move the plate to a pre-selected position within the recess, a single depth dial with a drive bevel gear rotatable about a vertical axis located between the plates and with a driven bevel gear rotatable about a horizontal axis operatively coupled to the drive bevel gear and a plurality of depth rods having universal joints coupling the depth rods whereby rotation of the depth dial in one direction of rotation will rotate the depth rods in a common direction of rotation, the pinion gears being located on the depth rods at a central extent whereby rotation of the depth dial will rotate the depth rods to rotate the pinion gears and hence the rack gears for selectively moving the depth plates;

a pair of width plates on opposite sides of each recess with interior screw threads located therethrough and a width rod extending through each pair of width plates, each of the width rods having oppositely angled threads therewith for moving the width plates toward and away from each other to vary the width of each recess, a plurality of universal joints connecting the width rods with an associated single width dial having a bevel drive gear rotatable about a vertical axis and an associated bevel driven gear rotatable about a horizontal axis to rotate the width rods concurrently;

fixed spacers coupling the plates between the recesses and a pair of pivot plates at each recess adjacent the peripheries, each pivot plate being rotatably coupled to a width plate and formed with an external surface adapted to fill the space between the plates, each pivot plate having an interior cam follower surface and an associated fixed cam pin in slidable contact with the interior cam follower surface whereby linear movement of the width plates will linearly move the pivot plates concurrently therewith to allow the interior cam follower surfaces of the pivot plates to be rotated inwardly due to contact by the cam pin; and

a filler plate having a central aperture coaxial with and coupled to the drive shaft for rotation therewith, the filler plate having peripheral apertures therethrough axially aligned with the recesses, each peripheral aperture having an enlarged funnel thereabove whereby pills deposited into each funnel will allow the pills to be dropped into a bottle in an associated recess during movement along the arcuate path.

2. A system for moving containers of differing sizes comprising, in combination:

a drive wheel formed with an upper generally circular plate and a vertically spaced lower generally circular plate with concentric peripheries and axially aligned central apertures extending therethrough supportable on a drive shaft for rotation therewith, the plates being formed with a plurality of symmetrically located recesses on the peripheries of the plates;

a depth spacer positioned within each recess radially movable toward and away from the axis of rotation and the peripheries of the plates; and

a pair of width plates on opposite sides of each recess to vary the width of each recess.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2 and further including a linear conveyor assembly adapted to feed containers along a linear path, the linear path including an intermediate region where bottles are moved from the linear path in an unfilled condition along an arcuate path and returned to the linear path in a filled condition, the arcuate path including a planar support plate for receiving bottoms of the bottles being conveyed, the linear path and arcuate path including side rails adapted to preclude the lateral tipping of the bottles moved along the linear path and the arcuate path.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3 and further including a rotary conveyor assembly positioned in part over the linear conveyor assembly and partially offset therefrom, the rotary conveyor assembly including a drive shaft in a vertical orientation with an axis of rotation laterally offset from the linear conveyor assembly.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4 and further including a filler plate having a central aperture coaxial with and coupled to the drive shaft for rotation therewith, the filler plate having peripheral apertures therethrough axially aligned with the recesses, each peripheral aperture having an enlarged funnel thereabove whereby items deposited into each funnel will allow the items to be dropped into a container in an associated recess during movement along the arcuate path.

6. The system as set forth in claim 2 and further including fixed spacers coupling the plates between the recesses and a pair of pivot plates at each recess adjacent the peripheries, each pivot plate being rotatably coupled to a width plate and formed with an external surface adapted to fill the space between the plates, each pivot plate having an interior cam follower surface and an associated fixed cam pin in slidable contact with the interior cam follower surface whereby linear movement of the width plates will linearly move the pivot plates concurrently therewith to allow the interior cam follower surfaces of the pivot plates to be rotated inwardly due to contact by the cam pin.

7. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the each depth spacer includes a plate radially movable toward and away from the axis of rotation and the peripheries of the plates, each depth spacer having a planar rack with gear teeth extending upwardly therefrom and an associated pinion gear rotatable about a horizontal axis to move the plate to a pre-selected position within the recess.

8. The system as set forth in claim 7 wherein a single depth dial with a drive bevel gear is rotatable about a vertical axis located between the plates and with a driven bevel gear rotatable about a horizontal axis operatively coupled to the drive bevel gear and a plurality of depth rods having universal joints coupling the depth rods whereby rotation of the depth dial in one direction of rotation will rotate the depth rods in a common direction of rotation.

9. The system as set forth in claim 8 wherein the pinion gears are located on the depth rods at a central extent whereby rotation of the depth dial will rotate the depth rods to rotate the pinion gears and hence the rack gears for selectively moving the depth plates.

10. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the pair of width plates are on opposite sides of each recess with interior screw threads located therethrough and a width rod extending through each pair of width plates, each of the width rods having oppositely angled threads therewith for moving the width plates toward and away from each other to vary the width of each recess.

11. The system as set forth in claim 10 wherein a plurality of universal joints connect the width rods with an associated single width dial having a bevel drive gear rotatable about a vertical axis and an associated bevel driven gear rotatable about a horizontal axis to rotate the width rods concurrently.

12. A system for filling bottles with pills for enabling bottles of differing sizes to be filled with pills comprising, in combination:

a rotary conveyor assembly positioned in part over a linear conveyor assembly and partially offset therefrom, the rotary conveyor assembly including a drive shaft in a vertical orientation with an axis of rotation laterally offset from the linear conveyor assembly;

a drive wheel formed with an upper generally circular plate and a vertically spaced lower generally circular plate with concentric peripheries and axially aligned central apertures extending therethrough supported on the drive shaft for rotation therewith and with a motor for effecting the concurrent rotation of the drive shaft and the upper and lower plates, the plates being formed with a plurality of symmetrically located recesses on the peripheries of the plates for receiving, supporting and driving bottles therein when moved along the linear conveyor assembly;

a depth spacer positioned within each recess, each depth spacer including a plate radially movable toward and away from the axis of rotation and the peripheries of the plates, each depth spacer having a planar rack with gear teeth extending upwardly therefrom and an associated pinion gear rotatable about a horizontal axis to move the depth plate to a pre-selected position within the recess, a single depth dial with a drive bevel gear rotatable about a vertical axis located between the plates and with a driven bevel gear rotatable about a horizontal axis operatively coupled to the drive bevel gear and a plurality of depth rods having universal joints coupling the depth rods whereby rotation of the depth dial in one direction of rotation will rotate the depth rods in a common direction of rotation, the pinion gears being located on the depth rods at a central extent whereby rotation of the depth dial will rotate the depth rods to rotate the pinion gears and hence the rack gears for selectively moving the depth plates;

a pair of width plates on opposite sides of each recess with interior screw threads located therethrough and a width rod extending through each pair of width plates, each of the width rods having oppositely angled threads therewith for moving the width plates toward and away from each other to vary the width of each recess, a plurality of universal joints connecting the width rods with an associated single width dial having a bevel drive gear rotatable about a vertical axis and an associated bevel driven gear rotatable about a horizontal axis to rotate the width rods concurrently; and

fixed spacers coupling the plates between the recesses and a pair of pivot plates at each recess adjacent the peripheries, each pivot plate being rotatably coupled to a width plate and formed with an external surface adapted to fill the space between the plates, each pivot plate having an interior cam follower surface and an associated fixed cam pin in slidable contact with the interior cam follower surface whereby linear movement of the width plates will linearly move the pivot plates concurrently therewith to allow the interior cam follower surfaces of the pivot plates to be rotated inwardly due to contact by the cam pin.