Tablet dispenser

• US 9,493,290 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yuyama Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yuyama Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Yuyama, Shoji, Koike, Naoki, Imai, Takafumi, Kumano, Yoshinori, Maeda, Akira, Mitani, Mitsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Rakesh
• Application Number:
  US14/133,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20140103063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 700/231, 700/244, 700/243, 534/93, 535/08, 534/11, 364/479.01, 221/220, 221/202, 221/234, 221/178, 221/130
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/04 for dispensing annular, disc-shaped, or spherical or like small articles, e.g. tablets or pills
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/18 Recessed drawers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A tablet dispenser includes a device body and a plurality of tablet cassettes disposed on one face of the device body. Each tablet cassette is capable of accommodating a plurality of types of tablets and of dispensing the tablets contained therein in a lateral direction. A plurality of chutes are in communication with the plurality of tablet cassettes. Each chute is disposed on the one face of the device body, adjacent to a corresponding tablet cassette. Each chute retains tablets dispensed from the corresponding tablet cassette and dispenses the tablets in a downward direction into a container.

Claims

1. A dispensing chute assembly, comprising:

a first chute configured to receive objects to be dispensed, the first chute having an outlet;

a first passive dispensing unit attached to the chute outlet, the first passive dispensing unit having a staging portion, wherein objects are captured prior to dispensing, the staging portion including a gate member movable between a staging position, in which objects may be captured within the staging portion, and a dispensing position, in which the objects may be fed into a receptacle positioned below the first passive dispensing unit;

the first passive dispensing unit further including a release member, the release member being coupled with the gate member, such that movement of the release member from a staging position to a dispensing position moves the gate member from its staging position to its release position; and

,

a second dispensing unit located immediately below the first passive dispensing unit;

the second dispensing unit having a second chute configured to receive objects to be dispensed;

wherein a lower portion of the first chute overlaps with an upper portion of a second chute positioned immediately below the first chute such that the second chute physically contacts and guides placement of a container into which tablets are dispensed from the first chute.

2. The chute assembly defined in claim 1, wherein the gate member includes a pin, and the release member includes a slot that receives the pin.

3. The chute assembly defined in claim 1, wherein the gate member can rotate about a pivot attached to the chute in a manner to be able to move upward and open a lower opening portion of the chute.

4. The chute assembly defined in claim 1, further comprising a spout positioned downstream of the staging portion.

5. The chute assembly defined in claim 4, wherein the spout is attached to the release member.

6. The chute assembly defined in claim 1, wherein the release member is coupled to the gate member such that gravity biases the release member toward the staging position.

7. A dispensing chute assembly, comprising:

a first chute configured to receive objects to be dispensed, the first chute having an outlet;

a first passive dispensing unit attached to the chute outlet, the first passive dispensing unit having a staging portion, wherein objects are captured prior to dispensing, the staging portion including a gate member movable between a staging position, in which objects may be captured within the staging portion, and a dispensing position, in which the objects may be fed via gravity into a receptacle positioned below the first passive dispensing unit;

the first passive dispensing unit further including a release member, the release member being coupled with the gate member, such that movement of the release member from a staging position to a dispensing position moves the gate member from its staging position to its release position;

a spout positioned downstream of the staging portion that is attached to the release member; and

,

a second dispensing unit located below the first passive dispensing unit;

the second dispensing unit having a second chute overlapping the first chute;

said second chute positioned to physically contact and guide placement of a container into which tablets are dispensed from the first chute.

8. The chute assembly defined in claim 7, wherein the gate member moves perpendicular relative to the chute as the gate member moves from the staging position to the dispensing position.

9. The chute assembly defined in claim 8, wherein the gate member includes a pin, and the release member includes a slot that receives the pin.

10. The chute assembly defined in claim 7, wherein the release member does not move in concert with the chute as the release member moves between the staging and dispensing positions.

11. The chute assembly defined in claim 7, wherein the release member is coupled to the gate member such that gravity biases the release member toward the staging position.