Roller sorter system
First Claim
1. A high-speed tablet feeder comprising a base frame, a prime mover, a tablet chute, a counting and reject block, a discharge chute and a roller module, said base frame further comprising a top plate, a pair of bottom rails, a pair of end blocks, a jacking motor, a pair of pivot supports, a pair of pivot pins defining a pivot and a pin support, said roller module comprising at least one feed and transport roller defining an exit drop point, a driver pulley, a driven pulley, a belt and at least one gear, a drive plate, an end plate, a pair of side plates, at least one tablet guide, a pivot plate, a handle, a stop pin, a tablet deflector and a hopper, said counting and reject block containing a product count sensor, said pivot plate provided with said handle affixed thereto adjacent said drive plate, said pivot extending through said exit drop point and extending through a centerline of said at least one feed and transport roller so that said exit drop point remains fixed regardless of an angle at which said roller module is disposed, said tablet chute fixedly mounted to said base frame, said discharge chute fixedly mounted to said base frame and in alignment with said tablet chute, said roller module pivotally mounted upon said base frame, said roller module driven by said prime mover, said feed and transport roller journaled in said drive plate and said end plate of said roller module, said feed and transport roller having said gear affixed thereto adjacent said drive plate and one said feed and transport roller further having said driven pulley affixed thereto adjacent said gear, said driven pulley coupled to said driver pulley with said belt, said driver pulley operatively connected to said prime mover, said side plates joined to said end plate and said drive plate wherein said drive plate and said end plate are affixed to said pivot plate, said drive plate and said end plate supporting said feed and transport roller in a spaced relationship from said pivot plate and wherein said prime mover is carried by said drive plate.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This device feeds and sorts tablets or small parts from a common hopper to a product count sensor head. Two parallel feed and transport rollers rotate together on an adjustable incline. The rotation direction of each feed and transport roller can vary along with its speed. As the feed and transport rollers rotate the feeding threads will push out the product from the hopper and sort them along the length of the rollers. As the roller angle increases so does the product feed rate. As the product flows out from the hopper, the product will start to separate in a common row. This is also due in part to the feed and transport roller angle and the product'"'"'s roll ability. The product exits the bottom end of the feed and transport rollers in a straight line, is spaced, and directed downwards through a guide to a product count sensor arrangement.
39 Citations
19 Claims
- 1. A high-speed tablet feeder comprising a base frame, a prime mover, a tablet chute, a counting and reject block, a discharge chute and a roller module, said base frame further comprising a top plate, a pair of bottom rails, a pair of end blocks, a jacking motor, a pair of pivot supports, a pair of pivot pins defining a pivot and a pin support, said roller module comprising at least one feed and transport roller defining an exit drop point, a driver pulley, a driven pulley, a belt and at least one gear, a drive plate, an end plate, a pair of side plates, at least one tablet guide, a pivot plate, a handle, a stop pin, a tablet deflector and a hopper, said counting and reject block containing a product count sensor, said pivot plate provided with said handle affixed thereto adjacent said drive plate, said pivot extending through said exit drop point and extending through a centerline of said at least one feed and transport roller so that said exit drop point remains fixed regardless of an angle at which said roller module is disposed, said tablet chute fixedly mounted to said base frame, said discharge chute fixedly mounted to said base frame and in alignment with said tablet chute, said roller module pivotally mounted upon said base frame, said roller module driven by said prime mover, said feed and transport roller journaled in said drive plate and said end plate of said roller module, said feed and transport roller having said gear affixed thereto adjacent said drive plate and one said feed and transport roller further having said driven pulley affixed thereto adjacent said gear, said driven pulley coupled to said driver pulley with said belt, said driver pulley operatively connected to said prime mover, said side plates joined to said end plate and said drive plate wherein said drive plate and said end plate are affixed to said pivot plate, said drive plate and said end plate supporting said feed and transport roller in a spaced relationship from said pivot plate and wherein said prime mover is carried by said drive plate.
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16. A feed and transport roller module comprising at least one feed and transport roller, a driver pulley, a driven pulley, a belt and at least one gear, a drive plate, an end plate, a pair of side plates, at least one tablet guide, a pivot plate, a handle, a stop pin, a tablet deflector, a prime mover and a hopper, said feed and transport roller module defining an exit drop point and adapted for feeding and separating a plurality of tablets from said hopper into a single row and discharging said tablets through a product count sensor and into a separate container, said feed and transport roller module pivotally mounted on a base frame wherein said base frame comprises a tablet chute, a counting and reject block, a discharge chute and a roller module, said base frame further comprising a top plate, a pair of bottom rails, a pair of end blocks, a jacking motor, a pair of pivot supports, a pair of pivot pins defining a pivot and a pin support, said feed and transport roller driven by said prime mover, said at least one feed and transport roller journaled in said drive plate and said end plate of a roller frame, said roller frame also comprising side plates joined to said end plate and said drive plate, said prime mover carried by said drive plate, said pivot extending through said exit drop point and extending through the centerline of said at least one feed and transport roller so that said exit drop point remains fixed regardless of an angle at which said roller module is disposed.
- 17. A high-speed tablet dispensing machine comprising a plurality of tablet roller assemblies arranged in side by side relationship, a plurality of tablet chutes, at least one counting and reject block, at least one discharge chute, a prime mover and said plurality of roller assemblies, said roller assemblies comprising a base frame and a roller module, said base frame further comprising a top plate, a pair of bottom rails, a pair of end blocks, a jacking motor, a pair of pivot supports, a pair of pivot pins defining a pivot and a pin support, said roller modules comprising at least one feed and transport roller defining an exit drop point, a driver pulley, a driven pulley, a belt and at least one gear, a drive plate, an end plate, a pair of side plates, at least one tablet guide, a pivot plate, a handle, a stop pin, a tablet deflector and a hopper, said pivot extending through said exit drop point and extending through the centerline of said at least one feed and transport roller so that said exit drop point remains fixed regardless of an angle at which said roller module is disposed, said tablet chutes fixedly mounted to said dispensing machine, said discharge chutes fixedly mounted to said dispensing machine and in alignment with said tablet chutes, said plurality of roller modules pivotally mounted upon said plurality of base frames, said roller assemblies each further comprising at least one feed and transport roller driven by said prime mover, said at least one feed and transport roller journaled in said drive plate and said end plate of said roller frame, said roller frame also comprising side plates joined to said end plate and said drive plate wherein said drive plate and said end plate are affixed to said pivot plate, said drive plate and said end plate supporting said at least one roller module in a spaced relationship from said pivot plate and wherein each said roller module has said prime mover carried by said drive plate.
Specification