Automatic pill dispenser

• US 8,452,446 B1
• Filed: 04/19/2012
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovative Dispensing, LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovative Dispensing, LLC
• Inventors: Madris, Russell, Cochran, Travis, Centala, Bert
• Primary Examiner(s): COLLINS, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US13/451,525
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 221/200, 221/204, 221/205, 221/133, 700/232, 700/236, 700241-243
• US Class Current: 700/236
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0463 for multiple patients
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A pill dispensing device includes a base with a top surface and a bottom surface, a transfer tray assembly coupled to the top surface of the base, a controller, and a plurality of vibrating tray assemblies. Each vibrating tray assembly couples to the top surface of the base and includes a pill tray, at least one spring support, a pill tray electric motor, and at least one optical sensor. The pill tray has an open end which is positioned above the transfer tray assembly. The at least one spring support is coupled between the top surface of the base and the pill tray. The pill tray electric motor couples to the pill tray and an offset weight. Each pill tray electric motor electrically couples to the controller. An optical sensor couples to the pill tray.

Claims

1. A pill dispensing device comprising:

a base;

a pill tray with an open end and a closed end, wherein said pill tray is trough shaped and transitions from a smaller V-shaped cross section at said open end of said pill tray to a larger V-shaped cross section at said closed end of said pill tray;

a brush with flexible bristles extending towards said pill tray;

at least one spring support coupling said base to said pill tray, wherein said at least one spring support is coupled to said pill tray at an off-perpendicular angle;

a pill tray electric motor coupled to said pill tray and an offset weight;

an approach optical sensor configured to detect whether a pill is at said open end of said pill tray; and

a drop optical sensor configured to detect whether said pill detected by said approach optical sensor has dropped out of said open end of said pill tray.

2. A pill dispensing device comprising:

a base with a top surface and a bottom surface;

a transfer tray assembly coupled to said top surface of said base;

a controller; and

a plurality of vibrating tray assemblies each coupled to said top surface of said base, wherein each vibrating tray assembly comprises

a pill tray with an open end and a closed end, wherein said open end is positioned above said transfer tray assembly,

a brush with flexible bristles extending towards said pill tray;

at least one spring support coupling said top surface of said base to said pill tray, wherein said at least one spring support is coupled to said pill tray at an off-perpendicular angle,

an pill tray electric motor coupled to said pill tray and an offset weight, wherein each pill tray electric motor is electrically coupled to said controller,

an approach optical sensor configured to detect whether a pill is at said open end of said pill tray; and

a drop optical sensor configured to detect whether said pill detected by said approach optical sensor has dropped out of said open end of said pill tray.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said pill tray is trough shaped and transitions from a smaller V-shaped cross section at said open end of said pill tray to a larger V-shaped cross section at said closed end of said pill tray.

4. The device of claim 2, additionally comprising an enclosure body coupled to said base, wherein said enclosure body comprises a plurality of hoppers and closable lids, wherein each pill tray has a corresponding hopper and closable lid positioned above said pill tray.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein said controller is selectively configured to cause each selected vibrating tray to dispense exactly a selected number of pills into said transfer tray.

6. The device of claim 2, additionally comprising one or more transfer tray electric motors coupled to said transfer tray assembly and to a transfer tray offset weight, wherein each transfer tray electric motor is electrically coupled to said controller.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein said controller is configured to cause said pill tray electric motor to apply motor braking at an end of every motor pulse.

8. The device of claim 2, additionally comprising a visual display and an input interface.

9. The device of claim 2, wherein said controller is configured to store at least one pill setting, wherein each pill setting causes said controller to dispense a specified number of each of at least one type of pill.

10. The device of claim 2, wherein said controller is configured to store at least one dispensing schedule, wherein each dispensing schedule causes said controller to dispense a specified number of each of at least one type of pill at specific times and dates.

11. The device of claim 2, wherein said controller saves a record of pill count, dates, and times for each type of pill dispensed.

12. The device of claim 2, wherein said pill dispensing device is connected to a communication network, wherein a computer or a mobile device connected to said communication network remotely inputs a pill setting or a dispensing schedule.

13. A pill storage and dispensing method comprising the steps of:

configuring a pill dispensing device to dispense a specified number of each of at least one type of pill, wherein said pill dispensing device comprises

a base with a top surface and a bottom surface;

a transfer tray assembly coupled to said top surface of said base;

a controller; and

a plurality of vibrating tray assemblies each coupled to said top surface of said base, wherein each vibrating tray assembly comprises

a pill tray with an open end and a closed end, wherein said open end is positioned above said transfer tray assembly,

a brush with flexible bristles extending towards said pill tray;

at least one spring support coupling said top surface of said base to said pill tray, wherein said at least one spring support is coupled to said pill tray at an off-perpendicular angle,

an pill tray electric motor coupled to said pill tray and an offset weight, wherein each pill tray electric motor is electrically coupled to said controller,

an approach optical sensor configured to detect whether a pill is at said open end of said pill tray, and

a drop optical sensor configured to detect whether said pill detected by said approach optical sensor has dropped out of said open end of said pill tray;

loading and storing a plurality of each of said at least one type of pill into at least one of said plurality of vibrating tray assemblies of said pill dispensing device; and

said pill dispensing device dispensing said specified number of pills of each of said at least one type of pill into said transfer tray assembly.