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Vial gripper mechanism

  • US 5,873,488 A
  • Filed: 07/21/1997
  • Issued: 02/23/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. In an automatic medicament dispensing machine having a plurality of selectively actuatable medicament dispensing cells and a manipulator mechanism operable for positioning a vial adjacent a selected one of the cells and for actuating the selected cell in order to dispense medicament therefrom into the vial, a vial gripper apparatus comprising:

  • a first vial gripper jaw;

    a second vial gripper jaw; and

    coupling means rotatably coupling said jaws with the manipulator mechanism and positioning said jaws for rotation toward and away from one another, said coupling means includingmotor means including a selectively actuatable jaw motor having a rotatable output shaft coupled with said second jaw for rotating said second jaw from an open position, in which said jaws are spaced for receiving a vial therebetween, toward said first jaw for engaging and gripping a vial therebetween in a gripping position, and for further rotating said second jaw in order to cause rotation of said first jaw therewith along with a vial gripped therebetween beyond said gripping position to a dispensing position in which the vial is positioned for receipt of medicament from an adjacent dispensing cell.

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