Method and system for high-speed tablet counting and dispensing
First Claim
1. A medicament dispensing system comprising:
- a) a primary storage container for storing a large number of medicament tablets, said primary storage container having an outlet port through which is dispensed said tablets;
b) a counter, operably coupled to said outlet port, that counts tablets dispensed through said outlet port;
c) a plurality of secondary storage containers for storing said tablets;
d) a feed channel network, operably coupled between said counter and said secondary storage containers, that operates in response to first control signals supplied thereto to direct tablets counted by said counter to a select one of said secondary storage containers, to thereby fill said select one secondary storage container with tablets; and
e) a controller, operably coupled to said counter and said feed channel network, that performs a plurality of fill operations each corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of secondary storage containers, wherein each fill operation generates first control signals supplied to said feed channel network such that the corresponding secondary storage container is filled with a given number of tablets counted by said counter.
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Abstract
A medicament tablet dispensing system and method dispenses any selected number of tablets, up to a maximum number, with minimal dispensing delays. A preset number of tablets are counted and stored in dedicated chambers. During dispensing operations, the preset number of tablets are emptied from one or more of the dedicated chambers, thereby avoiding delays associated with counting all of the dispensed tablets. Furthermore, an overflow chamber is provided for temporarily storing (and subsequent dispensing) tablets which are fed to and counted by the counter after the chambers are filled with their respective number of tablets. In addition, a direct feed channel is provided for dispensing individually counted tablets. The chambers and direct feed channel can together dispense the selected number. It is also preferable that the chambers have subchambers, and that more than one subchamber be capable of being emptied during a single dispensing operation.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A medicament dispensing system comprising:
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a) a primary storage container for storing a large number of medicament tablets, said primary storage container having an outlet port through which is dispensed said tablets;
b) a counter, operably coupled to said outlet port, that counts tablets dispensed through said outlet port;
c) a plurality of secondary storage containers for storing said tablets;
d) a feed channel network, operably coupled between said counter and said secondary storage containers, that operates in response to first control signals supplied thereto to direct tablets counted by said counter to a select one of said secondary storage containers, to thereby fill said select one secondary storage container with tablets; and
e) a controller, operably coupled to said counter and said feed channel network, that performs a plurality of fill operations each corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of secondary storage containers, wherein each fill operation generates first control signals supplied to said feed channel network such that the corresponding secondary storage container is filled with a given number of tablets counted by said counter. - 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 medicament dispensing system comprising:
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a) a plurality of storage containers for storing medicament tablets, said storage containers logically arranged in groups, each group associated with a given number of tablets, wherein at least one particular group has a plurality of storage containers with means for filling said plurality of containers only one at a time;
b) a discharge port;
c) means for selectively emptying said plurality of storage containers for supply to said discharge port in response to control signals supplied thereto. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A medicament dispensing system comprising:
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a) at least one primary storage container for storing a large number of medicament tablets, said primary storage container having an outlet port through which is dispensed said tablets;
b) a counter, operably coupled to said outlet port, that counts tablets dispensed through said outlet port, wherein said counter is moveable between a plurality of tablet accumulation cells;
c) said plurality of tablet accumulation cells each including i) a plurality of secondary storage containers for storing said tablets, and ii) a feed channel network, operably coupled between said counter and said secondary storage containers, that operates in response to first control signals supplied thereto to direct tablets counted by said counter to a select one of said secondary storage containers, to thereby fill said select one secondary storage container with tablets; and
e) a control system, operably coupled to said counter and said tablet accumulation cells, that controls movement of said counter to selectively couple said counter between said outlet port and said feed channel network of a given tablet accumulation cell, and that performs a plurality of fill operations each corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of secondary storage containers for the given tablet accumulation cell, wherein each fill operation generates first control signals supplied to said feed channel network of the given tablet accumulation cell such that the corresponding secondary storage container is filled with a given number of tablets counted by said counter. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification