Method and system for high-speed tablet counting and dispensing

• US 7,395,841 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Capsa Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Kirby Lester LLC (Capsa Solutions LLC)
• Inventors: Gershman, Vladimir, Geltser, Aleksandr, Gomez, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAUST, TIMOTHY LEWIS
• Application Number:
  US11/549,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20070056981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 141/1, 141/2, 141/18, 141/83, 141/94, 141100-107, 141/130, 141/198, 534/93, 535/01, 53/52, 531/68, 221/7, 221/9, 221/129, 221/133
• US Class Current: 141/2
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/20 Applications of counting devices for controlling the feed of articles other applications B65B65/08

Abstract

A medicament tablet dispensing system and method dispenses any selected number of tablets, up to a maximum number, with minimal dispensing delays. During fill operations, a preset number of tablets are counted and stored in dedicated storage compartments. Dispensing operations are performed in response to dispense request commands. The fill operations are performed in a manner independent from the quantity of tablets identified by the dispense request commands. During the dispensing operations for a particular dispense request command, the preset number of tablets are emptied from one or more of the dedicated storage compartments, thereby avoiding delays associated with counting all of the dispensed tablets. Moreover, the fill operations and the dispensing operations may be performed in parallel for high-throughput dispensing applications.

Claims

1. A method of automatic dispensing of tablets, comprising:

a) generating at least one command identifying a desired quantity of tablets to be dispensed;

b) filling a plurality of storage compartments with a predetermined quantity of tablets in a manner that is independent of the desired quantity to be dispensed; and

c) dispensing the desired quantity of tablets by selectively emptying the storage compartments for discharge to a discharge port;

wherein the dispensing operations of c) include individually counting at least one tablet and directing said at least one tablet through a bypass channel to said discharge port; and

wherein the dispensing operations of c) include releasing the tablets from at least one of the storage compartments and directing at least one tablet through a bypass channel such that the combined total of the tablets from the at least one storage compartment and from the bypass channel is equal to the desired quantity of tablets as identified by said command.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

individually counting tablets as part of the filling operations of b).

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the dispensing operations of c) include releasing the tablets from at least one of the storage compartments such that the combined total of the tablets from the at least one storage compartment is equal to the desired quantity of tablets as identified by said command.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein:

more than one storage container is emptied as part of the dispensing operations of c) that pertain to a particular dispense request command.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the filling operations of b) and the dispensing operations of c) are performed in parallel.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the filling operations of b) that fill one or more particular storage compartments are performed prior to execution of the operations of step c) that requires dispensing of tablets from the one or more particular storage compartments.