Apparatus and methods for filling containers with pills
First Claim
1. An automated packaging apparatus for depositing a predetermined number of pills into a series of containers, comprising:
- one or more rotary slats, wherein each of said rotary slats is independently rotatable and comprises an outer peripheral edge portion, said outer peripheral edge portion of each rotary slat defining a common interior space, each of said outer peripheral edge portions defining a plurality of pill apertures extending therethrough, and each pill apertures of a respective one of said slats being configured to receive one of the pills from said common interior space of said respective slat at a first position and transmit the pill outside said respective rotary slats at a second position, each of said pill apertures of said respective slat being disposed in a single row for depositing pills into one of the containers;
a conveyor configured to move a plurality of open containers along a predetermined path of travel and position each of said containers adjacent said respective rotary slat to define a delivery path extending between the second position of said rotary slat and said container;
at least one drive motor in driving engagement with each of said rotary slats for rotating each of said rotary slats; and
a controller connected to said at least one drive motor for controlling said at least one drive motor such that each of said rotary slats can be independently rotated for different durations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There is provided an automated packaging apparatus for depositing a predetermined number of pills into a series of containers. The packaging apparatus includes a plurality of independently rotatable rotary slats. Each rotary slat includes an outer peripheral edge portion and the rotary slats are configured so that the outer peripheral edge portions define a common interior space. Each outer peripheral edge portion also defines an inner surface and a plurality of pill apertures. The pill apertures are configured to receive one of the pills from the common interior space at a first position and transmit the pill outside the rotary slats at a second position. A conveyor is configured to move a plurality of open containers along a predetermined path of travel and position each of the containers adjacent a respective rotary slat to define a delivery path that extends between the second position of the rotary slat and the container. At least one drive motor is in driving engagement for rotating the rotary slats. A controller is connected to the drive motor for controlling the drive motor such that the rotary slats can be rotated for different durations.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. An automated packaging apparatus for depositing a predetermined number of pills into a series of containers, comprising:
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one or more rotary slats, wherein each of said rotary slats is independently rotatable and comprises an outer peripheral edge portion, said outer peripheral edge portion of each rotary slat defining a common interior space, each of said outer peripheral edge portions defining a plurality of pill apertures extending therethrough, and each pill apertures of a respective one of said slats being configured to receive one of the pills from said common interior space of said respective slat at a first position and transmit the pill outside said respective rotary slats at a second position, each of said pill apertures of said respective slat being disposed in a single row for depositing pills into one of the containers;
a conveyor configured to move a plurality of open containers along a predetermined path of travel and position each of said containers adjacent said respective rotary slat to define a delivery path extending between the second position of said rotary slat and said container;
at least one drive motor in driving engagement with each of said rotary slats for rotating each of said rotary slats; and
a controller connected to said at least one drive motor for controlling said at least one drive motor such that each of said rotary slats can be independently rotated for different durations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of depositing a predetermined number of pills into a series of containers, comprising:
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disposing a plurality of pills in an interior space of each of one or more rotary slats;
capturing a plurality of the pills in individual pill apertures defined by an outer peripheral edge portion of the each rotary slats;
independently rotating the rotary slats to a position where the pills are released from the pill apertures thereby delivering the pills to a plurality of containers;
counting each pill as the pills are delivered to the containers;
positively determining the number of pills deposited into each of the containers; and
stopping the rotation of the rotary slats for which the respective containers have received a predetermined number of pills while continuing the rotation of any slats for which the respective container has not received the predetermined number of pills. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification