Vacuum pill dispensing cassette and counting machine

• US 7,789,267 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2007
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: McKesson Automation Incorporated (Omnicell Inc)
• Original Assignee: McKesson Automation Incorporated (Omnicell Inc)
• Inventors: Inabnet, Joseph, Bergeron, Mike, Hutchinson, Kevin, Self, Anthony, Milton, Monroe
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLLINS, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US11/861,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20080017661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 221 1-312 C
• US Class Current: 221/211
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/1657 the picking arrangements using suction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/58 the articles being supported on or by endless belts or like conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/64 in which the articles are individually suspended from stationary supports
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

Methods are disclosed for storing and dispensing medications. A medication storing and dispensing cassette is comprised of a housing defining at least a portion of a bulk storage chamber for storing a medication, defining at least a portion of a pick-up area, and defining at least a portion of a discharge chute sized to temporarily store a quantity of the medication. A divider wall is positioned between the bulk storage chamber and the pick-up area. A gate is positioned to control an exit end of the discharge chute. A rotatable conveying wheel having openings proximate to the periphery thereof is positioned such that a portion of the wheel is in communication with the pick-up area while another portion of the wheel is adjacent to an entrance end of the discharge chute. A calibration arm is positioned adjacent the openings of the rotatable wheel. A baffle is positioned to block those openings in that portion of the rotatable wheel adjacent to the discharge chute. An air agitation system is provided so that pills may be moved from the bulk storage chamber to the pick-up area. In one embodiment, air agitation is used to move pills from the bulk storage chamber to the pick-up area, for automatically setting the position of the calibration arm and for automatically learning the setting for the calibration arm for an unclassified medication.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

applying a vacuum to at least certain openings of a plurality of openings in a conveying wheel;

rotating the conveying wheel through a pick-up area and past an entrance end of a discharge chute;

using input air to agitate medication from a chamber through an opening in a dividing wall and into the pick-up area; and

automatically adjusting a calibration arm based on the medication to be dispensed.

2. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising conveying a predetermined number of medication units from said pick-up area to said discharge chute, and opening a gate to dispense the predetermined number from said discharge chute.

3. The method of claim 2 additionally comprising opening a valve at an entrance end of said discharge chute prior to conveying said predetermined number of medication units from said pick-up area to said discharge chute.

4. A method, comprising:

applying a vacuum to at least certain openings of a plurality of openings in a conveying wheel;

automatically adjusting a calibration arm based on the medication to be dispensed so that one medication unit is carried by each of the openings

rotating the conveying wheel through a pick-up area and past an entrance end of a discharge chute to convey a predetermined number of medication units to said discharge chute; and

opening a gate to dispense the predetermined number from said discharge chute.

5. The method of claim 4 additionally comprising using input air to agitate the medication from a chamber into the pick-up area.

6. The method of claim 4 additionally comprising opening a valve at an entrance end of said discharge chute prior to conveying said predetermined number of medications from said pick-up area to said discharge chute.