Methods and apparatus for dispensing solid pharmaceutical articles
First Claim
1. An apparatus for dispensing pharmaceutical articles, the apparatus comprising:
- a) a housing defining;
a hopper chamber to hold the articles;
a dispensing channel fluidly connected to the hopper chamber, the dispensing channel having an inlet and an outlet and defining a flow path therebetween;
a drive jet outlet; and
an agitation outlet; and
b) a gas source to provide a positive pressure supply gas flow, wherein the gas source is fluidly connected to each of the drive jet outlet and the agitation outlet to provide;
a pressurized drive jet gas flow through the drive jet outlet to convey articles through the dispensing channel along the flow path; and
a pressurized agitation gas flow through the agitation outlet to agitate articles in the hopper chamber;
wherein the agitation gas flow has a greater mass flow rate than the drive jet gas flow; and
wherein the apparatus is configured to generate the drive jet gas flow and the agitation gas flow simultaneously using the same gas source.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for dispensing pharmaceutical articles includes a housing and a gas source to provide a positive pressure supply gas flow. The housing defines a hopper chamber to hold the articles, a dispensing channel fluidly connected to the hopper chamber, a drive jet outlet, and an agitation outlet. The dispensing channel has an inlet and an outlet and defines a flow path therebetween. The gas source is fluidly connected to each of the drive jet outlet and the agitation outlet to provide: a pressurized drive jet gas flow through the drive jet outlet to convey articles through the dispensing channel along the flow path; and a pressurized agitation gas flow through the agitation outlet to agitate articles in the hopper chamber.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An apparatus for dispensing pharmaceutical articles, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a housing defining; a hopper chamber to hold the articles; a dispensing channel fluidly connected to the hopper chamber, the dispensing channel having an inlet and an outlet and defining a flow path therebetween; a drive jet outlet; and an agitation outlet; and b) a gas source to provide a positive pressure supply gas flow, wherein the gas source is fluidly connected to each of the drive jet outlet and the agitation outlet to provide; a pressurized drive jet gas flow through the drive jet outlet to convey articles through the dispensing channel along the flow path; and a pressurized agitation gas flow through the agitation outlet to agitate articles in the hopper chamber; wherein the agitation gas flow has a greater mass flow rate than the drive jet gas flow; and wherein the apparatus is configured to generate the drive jet gas flow and the agitation gas flow simultaneously using the same gas source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for dispensing pharmaceutical articles, the method comprising:
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a) providing an apparatus including; 1) a housing defining; a hopper chamber to hold the articles; a dispensing channel fluidly connected to the hopper chamber, the dispensing channel having an inlet and an outlet and defining a flow path therebetween; a drive jet outlet; and an agitation outlet; and 2) a gas source to provide a positive pressure supply gas flow, wherein the gas source is fluidly connected to each of the drive jet outlet and the agitation outlet; and b) providing the positive pressure supply gas flow from the gas source to each of the drive jet outlet and the agitation outlet to simultaneously generate, using the same gas source, each of a pressurized drive jet gas flow through the drive jet outlet and a pressurized agitation gas flow through the agitation outlet, wherein the drive jet gas flow conveys articles through the dispensing channel along the flow path and the agitation gas flow agitates articles in the hopper chamber; wherein the agitation gas flow has a greater mass flow rate than the drive jet gas flow. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification