Feeder tube for filling containers with pills
First Claim
1. A pill delivery apparatus comprising:
- a tray having an upper surface adapted to contain a plurality of pills thereon, the tray defining an inner fray aperture; and
a feeder tube extending from the inner tray aperture of the tray and adapted to deliver the pills from the tray to a container, the feeder tube comprising an inlet side proximate to the fray and an exit side opposite to the inlet side, the feeder tube defining a helical delivery chute extending between the inlet side and the exit side such that each of the pills rotates while proceeding trough the delivery chute, the feeder tube being configured such that the rotation of the pills prevents jamming of the pills in the delivery chute.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pill delivery and packing apparatus having a feeder tube for delivering pills is provided. The feeder tube has a helical delivery chute that extends between an inlet side and an exit side of the tube. The delivery chute has a helical inner contour and a rectangular cross section that corresponds to the shape of the pills. The helical delivery chute is configured such that each of the pills rotates while proceeding through the delivery chute, whereby such rotation of the pills prevents jamming of the pills in the delivery chute. Independently extendable pins are used to alternately block and open the delivery chute, thus providing an escapement mechanism for dispensing pills. The tube also has an outer surface defining a helical outer contour that guides a rotatable tray on which pills are disposed. Associated apparatuses and methods are also provided.
36 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A pill delivery apparatus comprising:
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a tray having an upper surface adapted to contain a plurality of pills thereon, the tray defining an inner fray aperture; and
a feeder tube extending from the inner tray aperture of the tray and adapted to deliver the pills from the tray to a container, the feeder tube comprising an inlet side proximate to the fray and an exit side opposite to the inlet side, the feeder tube defining a helical delivery chute extending between the inlet side and the exit side such that each of the pills rotates while proceeding trough the delivery chute, the feeder tube being configured such that the rotation of the pills prevents jamming of the pills in the delivery chute. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A packaging apparatus adapted to place pills into a series of pill receptacles, the apparatus comprising:
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a frame;
a conveyor adapted to convey a series of pill receptacles adjacent to the frame, the conveyor moving the pill receptacles at a predetermined speed along a path of travel;
an outer tray movably connected to the frame, the outer tray having an upper surface and defining an outer tray aperture;
a rotatable inner tray having an upper surface and a lower surface and defining an inner tray aperture, the inner tray being rotatably disposed within the outer tray aperture, the outer tray and the inner tray being movable along the frame with respect to the conveyor, and a feeder tube supported by the frame, the feeder tube defining a helical delivery chute having an inlet side for receiving pills from the inner fray and an exit side from which pills are sequentially directed toward the pill receptacles, the feeder tube having an outer surface extending between the inlet side and the exit side and defining a helical contour corresponding to the inner tray aperture such that the outer surface of the feeder tube is insertable into the inner tray aperture and axial motion of the feeder tube with respect to the inner tray aperture causes rotation of the rotatable inner tray, the feeder tube being configured such that each of the pills rotates while proceeding through the delivery chute, whereby such rotation of the pills prevents jamming of the pills in the delivery chute. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A feeder tube adapted to deliver pills to a container, the tube comprising:
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an inlet side;
an exit side opposed to the inlet side; and
a helical delivery chute defined byte feeder rube and extending between the inlet side and the exit side, the delivery chute being configured to rotate pills delivered therethrough such that each of a plurality of pills successively delivered through the helical delivery chute will be oriented at successive rotational positions along the delivery chute so as to prevent jamming of the pills in the delivery chute. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification