Apparatus and method for dispensing medication

• US 6,607,094 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2001
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nathan Hollis Macdonald
• Original Assignee: Nathan Hollis Macdonald
• Inventors: MacDonald, Nathan Hollis
• Primary Examiner(s): SKAGGS JR, H GRANT
• Application Number:
  US09/853,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20030024943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 294/64.1, 294/64.3, 221/113, 221/114, 221/115, 221/119, 221/121, 221/122, 221/123, 221/133, 221/195, 221/210, 221/211, 221/278
• US Class Current: 221/121
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/02 Pill counting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/1657 the picking arrangements using suction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/24 Rotary or oscillatory members
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01046 Palladium [Pd]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0105 Tin [Sn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19043 being a resistor

Abstract

Apparatus and method for storing medicaments in bulk and individually dispensing solid medicaments, such as medicine in tablet or pill form, including a rotatable carousel having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart upwardly opening storage compartments, each receiving a plurality of identical medicaments in bulk different than the medicaments in each other compartment. Disposed on the carousel between each alternate pair of compartments is a vertical discharge chute which is rotated into alignment with a dispensing station after one of the medicaments is removed from one of the compartments. A vacuum operated probe is pivotally mounted on the frame opposite the dispensing station for swinging movement between a lower position, in which a terminal end of the probe is inside the compartments in engagement with a medicament therein, and a raised position above the carousel, allowing the carousel to rotate to a position in which the adjacent discharge chute is aligned with the terminal probe end. A control system selectively couples a vacuum source to the vacuum operated probe when the probe is in any selected compartment causing the terminal end to sealingly engage in airtight relation to a single medicament whereby the single medicament is carried by the terminal end to a position above the discharge chute where it is released for passage through the discharge chute to an underlying container.

Claims

1. Apparatus for storing and dispensing solid medicaments, comprising:

a frame including a dispensing station having a medicament storage area;

bulk storage means including a plurality of individual bulk storage compartments for storing a plurality of said solid medicaments in each container different than the plurality of solid medicaments in each of the other bulk storage compartments;

medicament retrieving means mounted on said frame at said dispensing station for individually retrieving a single solid medicament from any selected one of said storage compartments and dispensing it to said medicament storage area; and

mount means for mounting said bulk storage means on said frame for movement thereon relative to said medicament retrieving means to present the selected one of said storage compartments at said dispensing station.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said mount means includes means for moving said storage compartments in a first path of travel past said dispensing station;

said medicament retrieving means including a vacuum operated probe mounted on said frame for movement in a second path of travel transverse to said first path under the force of gravity to free fall between a raised position above the level of said bulk storage means and a lowered position received by said selected compartment.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said medicament retrieving means includes

an elongate probe having one end moveably mounted on said frame and a free terminal end, integral with said one end, for engaging a random solid medicament in said selected compartment.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein said medicament retrieving means comprises means for moving said elongate probe between a medicament picking position disposed in said selected compartment and a removed position without said selected compartment;

said elongate probe comprises a vacuum passage there-through for communicating suction forces from said one end to said free terminal end causing the random solid medicament in said selected compartment to be sealingly engaged by the free terminal end to be held by said free terminal end for movement therewith to said removed position.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 4 wherein said bulk storage compartments open upwardly, said one end is pivotally mounted on said frame for swinging movement about a horizontal axis to move said terminal end in an arcuate path of travel between a lowered medicament picking position within the selected compartment in sealing engagement with the random solid medicament therein and a raised medicament lifting position above the selected compartment;

said terminal end in said lowered position being disposed a predetermined horizontal distance from said horizontal axis and in said raised medicament lifting position a greater predetermined horizontal distance from said horizontal axis.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said bulk storage means comprising a carousel, rotatably mounted on said frame for rotary movement about a vertical axis in a horizontal path of travel;

and said plurality of individual storage compartments are circumferentially disposed and open upwardly.

7. The apparatus set forth in claim 6 wherein said medicament retrieving means comprises a vacuum operated probe for applying vacuum forces to the single solid medicament in said selected compartment and detachably holding it to said free terminal end.

8. The apparatus set forth in claim 7 including means swingably mounting said one end of said probe on one said frame about a horizontal axis for vertically swinging said free terminal end, in an arcuate to-and-fro path of travel between a lower medicament picking radially inner position within said selected compartment and a raised, radially outer medicament lifting position radially outwardly of the radially inner position of said terminal end.

9. The apparatus set forth in claim 8 wherein said medicament retrieving means includes means for removing vacuum forces from said probe in said raised position to release a medicament held by said probe;

said carousel includes at least one vertical medicament dispensing passage there-through for receiving and passing a medicament removed from the selected compartment and released by said probe for passage to said medicament storage area.

10. The apparatus set forth in claim 9 wherein said vertical passage is horizontally displaced from said selected compartment;

and means is provided for indexing said carousel to remove said selected compartment from said station and to present said passage in vertical alignment with said free terminal end of said probe in said raised position.

11. The apparatus set forth in claim 10 wherein said carousel comprises a plurality of said vertically disposed, medicament dispensing passages there-through circumferentially spaced apart and disposed, horizontally adjacent said individual storage compartments for receiving and vertically passing medicaments discharged from said probe in said raised position;

and including means for indexing said carousel to align any selected one of said vertical medicament dispensing passages at said dispensing station for receiving and vertically passing medicament discharged by said probe in said raised position to said medicament storage area.

12. The apparatus set forth in claim 6 wherein said medicament retrieving means comprises

a vacuum operated probe having said one end pivotally mounted on the frame at one side of said carousel diametrically opposite said selected compartment for swinging movement about a horizontal axis and adapted to be coupled to a source of vacuum, and

an opposite, free terminal end, cantileverly supported by said one end for swinging movement in a to-and-fro arcuate path of travel between a position in sealing engagement with a random medicament in the selected compartment and in airtight sealing engagement with the random medicament in a raised position above said selected compartment.

13. The apparatus set forth in claim 12 wherein said carousel includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially extending vanes dividing said compartments;

and including at least one dispensing passage in said carousel in radial alignment with, and radially outwardly of, one of said vanes, said free terminal end in said raised position being disposed in vertical alignment with said passage when said passage is disposed at said dispensing station, and means for releasing the vacuum to said probe for discharge of said random medicament.

14. The apparatus set forth in claim 6 wherein said medicament retrieving means comprises a vacuum operated probe having

one end, pivotally mounted on the frame at one side of said carousel relative to said vertical axis, for swinging movement about a horizontal axis and adapted to be coupled to and decoupled from a source of vacuum, and

an opposite, cantileverly supported free terminal end, cantileverly supported on said one end for swinging movement in a swinging path of travel between a position in sealed engagement with a random medicament in said selected compartment on the diametrically opposite side of said carousel diametrically opposite said one side, and a raised position at a level above said selected compartment.

15. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said medicament retrieving means comprises a one-piece integral length of hollow vacuum tubing having one end pivotally mounted on said frame for swinging movement about a horizontal axis and an opposite, cantileverly supported free terminal end swingable in an arcuate path between a lower radially inner position sealed to a random solid medicament in said selected storage compartment at said dispensing station and a raised radially outer position removed from said selected storage compartment and disposed at a level above said selected compartment.

16. The apparatus set forth in claim 15 wherein said bulk storage means includes at least one medicament dispensing passage there-through adjacent said selected compartment;

said mount means including means for selectively removing said selected compartment from said dispensing station and substantially concurrently moving said medicament dispensing passage to said dispensing station in vertical alignment with said free terminal end in said raised radially outer position.

17. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said bulk storage means includes at least one medicament dispensing opening extending there-through and disposed between said selected compartment and an adjacent compartment adjacent said selected compartment for receiving and vertically passing a medicament being dispensed to said medicament storage area.

18. The apparatus set forth in claim 17 wherein bulk storage means includes a plurality of spaced apart vertical medicament dispensing passages extending there-through interjacent said bulk storage compartments;

said mount means including means for selectively indexing said bulk storage means to remove said selected compartment from said dispensing station and dispose any selected one of said passages at said dispensing station aligned with said medicament storage area.

19. The apparatus set forth in claim 18 wherein medicament retrieving means comprises a vacuum probe having a medicament picking terminal end, mounted on said frame for movement between a lower position, in which said terminal end is sealingly engaging a random medicament in said selected compartment, and an elevated position holding the sealingly engaged, random medicament at a raised level above said selected compartment;

said mount means including means for indexing said bulk storage means to remove said selected compartment from, and substantially concurrently move any selected one of said medicament dispensing openings to, said dispensing station and dispose any selected one of said openings at said dispensing station in vertical alignment with said terminal end said probe and in alignment with said storage area; and

means is provided for releasing the medicament in said raised level from said terminal end to said selected passage.

20. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said medicament retrieving apparatus comprises a vacuum probe having one end pivotally mounted on said frame and coupled to source of vacuum and an opposite terminal end for sealing to a medicament in said selected compartment;

means mounting said probe for to-and-fro swinging movement into and out of each successive compartment disposed at said station; and

means for selectively applying vacuum to said one end when said probe is received in said selected compartment causing said terminal end to seal to a random medicament in the selected compartment.

21. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein bulk storage compartments are circumferentially disposed about an axis;

said medicament retrieving means includes one end pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis on said frame at one side of said bulk storage means and an opposite free terminal end integral with said one end for swinging movement in a swinging path of travel between a lowered medicament picking position disposed within said selected compartment on the opposite side of said bulk storage means a predetermined distance away from said horizontal axis and a raised position a further predetermined distance away from said axis and at a level above said selected compartment.

22. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said bulk storage means comprises a rotary carousel rotatable on said frame about a vertical axis;

said bulk storage compartments being circumferentially spaced about said axis;

said medicament retrieving means including an elongate pickup finger having

an end pivotally moveable about a horizontal axis on said frame at one side of said vertical axis and at one side of said rotary carousel diametrically opposite said selected compartment, and

an opposite free terminal medicament pick up end, integral with said one end;

and means mounting said elongate pickup finger on said frame for swinging movement in which said free terminal end moves between a lowered medicament picking position disposed within said selected compartment on a diametrically opposite side of said vertical axis and a predetermined radial distance from said vertical axis and a raised position, a further predetermined radial distance from said vertical axis, and at a level above said selected compartment.

23. Apparatus for storing and dispensing solid medicaments comprising:

a frame having a medicament retrieving and dispensing station thereon;

a carousel, mounted on said frame for rotation about a vertical axis, and including

a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart, upwardly opening compartments for storing the medicaments in bulk;

means for rotating said carousel about said vertical axis to dispose any selected one of said compartments at said retrieving and dispensing station; and

medicament retrieving means swingably mounted on said frame between a lowered, pill retrieving position detachably coupled to a solid medicament in the selected compartment and an elevated position above the selected compartment for lifting a solid medicament from said selected compartment to an elevated position above said carousel.

24. The apparatus set forth in claim 23 wherein said medicament retrieving means including means for releasing the medicament in said elevated position for passage to said retrieving and dispensing station;

said carousel includes vertical passage means there-through, circumferentially displaced from said storage compartments, for receiving the solid medicament released by said medicament retrieving means in said elevated position.

25. The apparatus set forth in claim 24 including means for selectively disposing said passage means at said retrieving and dispensing station;

and wherein said medicament retrieving means includes means for releasing and dispensing a lifted medicament from said medicament retrieving means in said raised position to said passage means at said retrieving and dispensing station.

26. The apparatus set forth in claim 24 wherein said vertical passage means includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart vertical medicament dispensing passages;

and further including control means for rotating said carousel to selectively move said selected compartment away from said retrieving and dispensing station and dispose any selected one of said passages at said retrieving and dispensing station in vertical alignment with medicament retrieving means in said elevated position.

27. The apparatus set forth in claim 26 wherein each of said vertical passages is disposed circumferentially between a pair of adjacent ones of said compartments.

28. The apparatus set forth in claim 27 including means for selectively decoupling the flow of vacuum to said hollow vacuum tube from the vacuum source when said selected one of said passages is at said station in vertical alignment with said free terminal open end.

29. The apparatus set forth in claim 26 wherein said medicament retrieving means comprises means for releasing and dispensing a lifted medicament in said elevated position to said selected one of said passages at said retrieving and dispensing station.

30. The apparatus set forth in claim 28 wherein said medicament retrieving means comprises a hollow vacuum tube having one end adapted to be coupled to a vacuum source and a free terminal open extended end for sealing to a solid medicament to be lifted to said elevated position.

31. The apparatus set forth in claim 23 wherein said medicament retrieving comprises a probe having one end pivotally mounted on said frame and an opposite, cantileverly supported free terminal end swingable in a to-and-fro arcuate path between a lowered position sealed to a solid medicament in said selected compartment and said elevated position above said carousel;

means for selectively releasing the solid medicament from said medicament retrieving means in said elevated position above said carousel.

32. The apparatus set forth in claim 31 including dispensing passage means in said carousel for receiving and vertically passing the released solid medicament to a storage area on said frame;

and control means for indexing said carousel to move said selected compartment from, and move said dispensing passage means to, said station in vertical alignment with a solid medicament in said elevated position.

33. Apparatus for storing and dispensing solid medicaments comprising:

a frame having a medicament retrieving and dispensing station;

a bulk storage carousel, rotatably mounted on said frame for rotation about a vertical axis, including

a plurality of circumferentially spaced, upwardly opening compartments for storing a plurality of solid medicaments in bulk in each compartment different than the plurality of solid medicaments in each other compartment;

a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart vertical discharge passages through said carousel adjacent said compartments;

means for rotating said carousel about said axis to dispose any selected one of said compartments and said discharge passages at said station; and

means on said frame for individually removing a medicament from the selected one of said compartments when said selected one of said compartments is disposed at said station and raising it to an elevated position above said carousel and for releasing the elevated medicament and discharging it to the selected one of the discharge passages when the selected one of the discharge passages is at said station.

34. The apparatus set forth in claim 33 wherein one of said plurality of passages is circumferentially disposed between every other pair of said circumferentially spaced compartments.

35. The apparatus set forth in claim 34 including control means for rotatably indexing said carousel in a to-and-fro circumferential path to alternately repeatedly dispose one of said compartments and one of said passages at said station.

36. The apparatus set forth in claim 34 wherein said means for removing comprises a probe having one end pivotally mounted on said frame and an opposite free terminal medicament grasping end cantileverly supported thereon for movement in a to-and-fro arcuate path of travel between a lowered position grasping a medicament in said selected compartment and a raised position above said compartment.

37. The apparatus set forth in claim 36 including means coupled to said probe for releasing the grasped medicament from said free end in said raised position when said selected discharge passage is at said station.

38. The apparatus set forth in claim 37 wherein said probe comprises a hollow tube having

one end pivotally mounted on said frame and adapted to be coupled to a source of vacuum and

an opposite open-ended end for sealing in airtight relation to a solid medicament to be removed from said selected compartment; and

means for coupling said one end to the source of vacuum when said open-ended end is disposed against a solid medicament in said selected compartment and for decoupling said one end from said source of vacuum when said selected passage is vertically aligned with said one of said vertical discharge passages.

39. The apparatus set forth in claim 33 wherein said means for removing a medicament includes an elongate vacuum finger having

one end pivotally mounted on said frame at one side of said vertical axis diametrically opposite said selected compartment and

an opposite free terminal pickup end cantileverly supported by said one end, for swinging movement between a lowered medicament picking position disposed within said selected compartment a predetermined radial distance radially outwardly away from said vertical axis and a raised position a greater predetermined radial distance away from said vertical axis and at a level above the level of said compartments and said passages.

40. Apparatus for storing and dispensing solid medicaments comprising:

a frame having a medicament retrieving and dispensing station thereon;

bulk storage means moveably mounted on said frame including a plurality of individual, bulk storage compartments for storing a plurality of solid medicaments in each of the compartments different than the plurality of solid medicaments in each of the other bulk storage compartments;

means for moving said bulk storage means on said frame to selectively dispose any selected one of said compartment at said dispensing station; and

medicament retrieving means for retrieving an individual medicament from said selected compartment including

a single lifting probe having a hollow conduit provided with one end mounted on said frame and adapted to be coupled to a vacuum source and an opposite integral cantileverly supported tip end moveable relative to said selected one of said compartments between a lower medicament grasping position in airtight sealed relation with a single random solid medicament in said selected compartment and a raised position removed from said selected compartment to lift said random solid medicament to a raised level above said selected compartment.

41. The apparatus set forth in claim 40 including means for releasing said selected medicament in said raised level, said bulk storage means includes a dispensing passage therein for receiving and passing the released medicament to a container at said station;

and said means for moving said bulk storage means includes means for removing said selected one of said compartments from said station and moving said dispensing passage to said station in vertical alignment with said tip end in said raised position; and

means for decoupling said vacuum source from said one end to release the raised solid medicament from said tip end for free fall to said dispensing passage.

42. The apparatus set forth in claim 41 wherein said one end is pivotally mounted on said frame about a horizontal axis which is spaced a predetermined distance from said tip end in said lower medicament lifting position and a greater predetermined distance from said tip end in said raised position.

43. The apparatus set forth in claim 40 wherein including means reacting between said bulk storage means and said lifting probe for vertically moving said single lifting probe between said lower medicament grasping position and said raised position.

44. The apparatus set forth in claim 43 wherein said means reacting comprises cam means, on one of said bulk storage means and said probe, and cam follower means, on the other of said bulk storage means and said probe, for alternately raising said probe to said raised position and allowing said probe to free fall under the force of gravity to said lower position.

45. The apparatus set forth in claim 44 wherein said bulk storage means comprises a rotary carousel having a hub rotatable about a vertical axis, a radially outer annular sidewall, and a plurality of radial vanes spanning said hub and said annular wall to define said bulk storage compartments;

said cam means being provided on said annular sidewall.

46. The apparatus set forth in claim 45 wherein said cam means comprises an undulating upper edge of said annular sidewall with alternating peaks and valleys over which said cam follower passes as said carousel is being rotated.

47. The apparatus set forth in claim 46 wherein said peaks are radially aligned with said radial vanes and said troughs are radially aligned with said compartments between said radial vanes.

48. The apparatus set forth in claim 47 including a dispensing passage through said carousel at the junction of at least one of said radial vanes and said annular or sidewall;

said means for moving including means for removing said selected compartment from said dispensing station and for moving said passage to said station; and

further including means for selectively releasing said selected medicament in said raised level to said dispensing passage at said dispensing station.

49. The apparatus set forth in claim 48 including a plurality of said passages at the junctions of said annular sidewall and alternate ones of said radial vanes.

50. Apparatus for storing and dispensing solid medicaments comprising:

a frame having a medicament retrieving and dispensing station;

bulk storage means, moveably mounted on said frame, having a plurality of bulk storage bins for storing a plurality of substantially identical solid medicaments in each of a plurality of separate upwardly opening compartments different than the solid medicaments in all other bins;

means for moving said bulk storage means on said frame in a path of travel to successively present successive ones of said plurality of storage bins at said dispensing station;

medicament grasping means at said dispensing station for removing a single random medicament from any selected one of said bins and depositing it at said station comprising;

a single vacuum operated probe having one end pivotally mounted on said frame at said station and an opposite integral free end swingable between a raised position removed from said plurality of storage bins when the bulk storage means is being moved and a lower medicament lifting position sealed in airtight relation to the random medicament disposed in any selected one of said bins at said station.

51. The apparatus set forth in claim 50 wherein said means for moving said bulk storage means includes means for moving said bins on said frame in a horizontal path;

and said medicament retrieving means includes means for swingably mounting said single vacuum operated probe on said frame for to-and-fro swinging movement in a vertical path of travel between said raised and lowered positions.

52. The apparatus set forth in claim 50 wherein said bulk storage means comprises a carousel, rotatable on said frame about a vertical axis, mounting said plurality of bulk storage bins in circumferentially spaced-apart positions, said means for moving said bulk storage means including means for rotating said carousel about said vertical axis relative to said single vacuum operated probe in said raised position to dispose any selected one of said storage bins at said station.

53. The apparatus set forth in claim 52 including means for swingably mounting said single vacuum probe on said frame at said dispensing station for swinging movement about a horizontal axis relative to said frame and relative to the selected storage bin at said station.

54. The apparatus set forth in claim 53 wherein said single vacuum operated probe includes a hollow tube having one end coupled to a vacuum source and pivotally mounted on said frame and a free terminal end having a hollow tip for communicating negative pressure to the single random solid medicament in said one selected compartment when said probe means is in said lower position engaging said single medicament.

55. The apparatus set forth in claim 52 wherein said single vacuum operated probe comprises an elongate, hollow tube having

one end pivotally mounted on said frame for swinging movement about a horizontal axis on one side of said carousel; and

an opposite free terminal end cantileverly supported on said one end for swinging movement into a selected compartment on the diametrically opposite side of said carousel, diametrically opposite said one side.

56. The apparatus set forth in claim 52 wherein said bulk storage means comprises a carousel rotatably about a vertical axis;

said bulk storage bins including a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart radial vanes having radially outer ends, and an annular side wall integrally coupled to said outer ends of said vanes.

57. The apparatus set forth in claim 56 wherein said annular side wall includes an upper undulating cam edge, and cam follower means is coupled to said probe means for following on said cam edge to force said probe to vertically swing as said carousel rotates relative to said probe.

58. The apparatus set forth in claim 57 wherein said cam edge includes a plurality of circumferentially alternately spaced, peaks and valleys.

59. The apparatus set forth in claim 58 wherein said peaks are radially aligned with said vanes.

60. The apparatus set forth in claim 59 including a plurality of vertical passages disposed in said carousel in radial alignment with said outer ends of said radial vanes.

61. The apparatus set forth in claim 50 wherein said frame includes means for supporting an upwardly opening storage container at said dispensing station at a level below said selected bin at said dispensing station;

and further including a vertical passage in said bulk storage means adjacent said selected bin for receiving and vertically passing a medicament released by said probe means in said raised position to the storage container at said station, said means for moving said bulk storage means including means for moving said selected bin away from said station and concurrently moving said vertical passage to said station.

62. Apparatus for storing and dispensing solid medicaments comprising:

a frame having a retrieving and dispensing station thereon for mounting a storage container;

a rotary carousel, rotatably mounted on said frame about a vertical axis, including a plurality of circumferentially spaced, upwardly opening compartments for storing a plurality of solid medicaments in each compartment different than the medicaments in each other compartment;

means for rotating said carousel to successively dispose said compartments at said station;

a vacuum operated probe including one end adapted to be coupled to a source of vacuum and a free cantileverly supported terminal end adapted to be sealingly engaged to a single solid medicament in any selected one of said compartments;

means mounting said one end of said probe on said frame, for swinging movement in response to rotation of said carousel about said vertical axis to successively dispose said terminal end in a lowered position engaging a solid medicament in each successive compartment disposed at said station and a raised position above said compartments when said compartments are moving to and from said station; and

means for selectively coupling a source of vacuum to said one end when said free terminal end is in any selected one of said compartments to cause said free terminal end to randomly sealingly engage one random medicament in said selected compartment to be carried thereby and lifted by said terminal end to said raised position above said selected compartment.

63. The apparatus set forth in claim 62 wherein said carousel includes a dispensing passage there-through circumferentially adjacent the selected compartment;

said means for rotating including means for presenting said passage at said station in vertical alignment with said terminal end for receiving the random medicament from said terminal end; and

including means for decoupling the vacuum source to said one end of said vacuum operated probe to release the random medicament from said raised position through said passage to a container at said station.

64. Apparatus for storing and individually dispensing solid medicaments comprising:

a frame;

a carousel including

a hub rotatably mounted on said frame for rotation about a vertical axis,

a plurality of upwardly opening, medicament receiving compartments for storing a plurality of solid medicaments in each compartment including

a radially outer, annular wall having an upper edge, and

a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial vanes spanning said hub and said annular wall;

a plurality of medicament dispensing passages provided through said carousel in radial alignment with said radial vanes; and

a vacuum finger having one end, swingably mounted on said frame and adapted to be coupled to a source of vacuum, and an opposite free terminal end cantileverly supported on said one end;

cooperating cam means and cam follower means on said annular sidewall and said vacuum finger for guiding said vacuum finger to vertically swing and dispose said free end in a lowered position sealed in airtight relation with a random medicament in a selected one of said bins and a raised position holding said random medicament above said selected one of said bins or any selected one of said passages at said dispensing station as said carousel rotates about said vertical axis.

65. The apparatus set forth in claim 64 wherein said cam means comprises an undulating ridge provided in said upper end of said sidewall and said cam follower means comprises a cam follower roller on said vacuum finger in rolling engagement with said undulating ridge.

66. The apparatus set forth in claim 65 wherein said undulating ridge includes circumferentially alternating raised peaks and lowered valleys, said finger moving downwardly under the force of gravity when said cam follower roller is received by said valleys.

67. A method of storing solid medicaments in bulk and individually dispensing medicaments at a retrieving and dispensing station comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of medicaments in each of a plurality of upwardly opening circumferentially spaced compartments of a carousel which is rotatable about a vertical axis, different than the medicaments in each of the other compartments;

vertically downwardly swinging an elongate vacuum finger from a raised position in which a terminal tip end of the finger is above the carousel to a lowered position with the terminal tip end of the finger being in airtight sealed relation with one of the medicaments in a selected one of the compartments;

applying vacuum forces to the vacuum finger and said tip end when said terminal tip end is in the selected compartment to sealingly engage and hold the one medicament to the tip end;

vertically upwardly swinging the elongate vacuum finger and the one medicament sealed to said tip end to the raised position;

rotating the carousel about the vertical axis to a position in which a discharge passage in the carousel adjacent said selected compartment is vertically aligned with said tip end at said station; and

releasing the vacuum to said vacuum finger at said station and discharging the lifted medicament to said discharge passage at said station.

68. The method set forth in claim 67 wherein said step of vertically upwardly swinging said finger includes the step of swinging one end of said finger about a horizontal axis on a frame adjacent one side of said carousel such that said terminal end in said lowered position is a predetermined radial distance away from said horizontal axis and, in said raised position is a greater predetermined radial distance from said horizontal axis.

69. The method set forth in claim 68 wherein said steps of vertically downwardly and upwardly swinging said elongate vacuum finger includes successively swinging said tip end into and out of each compartment disposed at said station in response to rotation of said carousel.

70. The method set forth in claim 69 wherein said step of swinging the tip end into and out of each successive compartment includes the step of engaging a cam follower roller on said vacuum finger with an undulating cam provided on said carousel.

71. The method set forth in claim 67 wherein said step of vertically swinging said vacuum finger includes the step of moving said vacuum finger vertically into and out of each successive compartment in response to rotation of said carousel, said step of applying a vacuum is accomplished by selectively applying vacuum to said vacuum finger only when said tip end is in said selected one of said compartments and not applying vacuum when said tip end is in any other of said compartments.

72. The method set forth in claim 70 wherein said step of vertically downwardly swinging an elongate vacuum finger includes the step of allowing said vacuum finger to free fall under the force of gravity from said raised position to said lowered position as said carousel rotates.

73. A method of storing solid medicaments in bulk and individually dispensing solid medicaments comprising the steps of:

storing solid medicaments in bulk form in each compartment of a plurality of separate, circumferentially spaced medicament storage compartments which are mounted on a rotary carousel rotatable about a vertical axis;

rotating said carousel about said axis to successively present said storage compartments to a dispensing station;

retrieving one of said medicaments from one selected compartment and elevating it to an elevated position above said carousel; and

releasing the medicament in said elevated position above said carousel.

74. The method set forth in claim 73 wherein said rotating step further includes the step of moving a discharge passage, extending through said carousel, to said dispensing station to a position underlying said medicament in said elevated position for receiving the released medicament and concurrently removing said storage compartments from said dispensing station.

75. The method set forth in claim 74 wherein said step of moving the terminal end further including the steps of engaging cam means on one of said carousel and said probe and cooperating cam follower means on the other of said carousel and said probe to vertically swing the probe in response to rotation of said carousel.

76. The method set forth in claim 73 including the step of moving the terminal end of a vacuum operated medicament pickup probe from an elevated position above the carousel to a lowered position into and out of each successive compartment at said dispensing station and raising the probe to said elevated position above said carousel as each successive compartment is being moved away from said dispensing station;

coupling said pickup probe to a vacuum probe when said probe is in any selected one of said compartments causing said terminal end to sealingly engage and detachably hold a random medicament in said selected compartment.

77. Apparatus for storing solid medicaments in bulk and individually dispensing medicaments comprising:

a frame having a retrieving and dispensing station;

bulk storage apparatus having a plurality of bulk storage bins for storing a plurality of solid medicaments in bulk in each bin different than the solid medicaments in each other bin;

means for moving said bulk storage means to successively dispose said bins at said station,

a vacuum operated probe having one end adapted to be coupled to a source of vacuum, and an opposite terminal tip end for retrieving a medicament;

means mounting said one end of said vacuum probe on said frame for free fall, in response to movement of said bulk storage means, from a raised position in which said terminal tip end is above said carousel and a lowered position in which said terminal tip end is successively received in each of the bins positioned at said station; and

means reacting between said frame and said bulk storage means for raising said probe to a position above said bulk storage apparatus as said bulk storage apparatus