Tablet feeder

• US 5,803,309 A
• Filed: 12/16/1996
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yuyama Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yuyama Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Koike, Naoki, Yuyama, Shoji, Yasunaga, Itsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): NOLAND, KENNETH W
• Application Number:
  US08/767,063
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 221/2, 221/7, 221/9, 221/15, 221/69, 221/82, 221/186, 221/258, 221/277
• US Class Current: 221/82
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

A tablet feeder has a partitioning member that allows tablets to be separated properly without causing any faults such as cracking in the pockets of the tablet array board. Tablets A accommodated in the tablet accommodating portion 2 are retained one by one into the pockets of the tablet array board 8, divided into two by the partitioning member 14, and thereafter discharged out at a discharge position. The partitioning member 14 has its partitioning portion 15 made up from a plurality of elastic bristles 17 in a comb-like shape.

Claims

1. A tablet feeder comprising:

a tablet accommodating section capable of accommodating a multiplicity of tablets;

a tablet array board which is disposed in the tablet accommodating section and which, while being driven and rotated, retains the tablets one by one in pockets defined on an outer periphery thereof and discharges them at a discharge position; and

a partitioning member whose partitioning portion located at each of the pockets of the tablet array board partitions the pocket into upper and lower two divisions, thereby restricting a number of tablets to be discharged, the tablet feeder being characterized in that

the partitioning portion of the partitioning member comprises a plurality of elastic bristles formed into a comb shape.

2. The tablet feeder according to claim 1, wherein the elastic bristles are each tilted toward a downstream side of rotational direction of the tablet array board.

3. The tablet feeder according to claim 1, wherein the elastic bristles have their cross section formed into a generally oval shape, and its minor axis is directed along the rotational direction of the tablet array board.

4. The tablet feeder according to claim 2, wherein the elastic bristles have their cross section formed into a generally oval shape, and its minor axis is directed along the rotational direction of the tablet array board.