Packaging apparatus for handling pills and associated method
First Claim
1. A method for depositing a predetermined amount of pills into each of a series of containers, comprising:
- receiving a pill in each of a plurality of pill apertures defined by a radially outward portion of at least one rotary slat, about a first angular position thereof, each rotary slat being configured as a cylinder independently rotatable in a rotational direction about a first axis extending longitudinally therethrough between at least the first angular position and a second angular position, the second angular position being angularly spaced apart from the first angular position in the rotational direction, each pill aperture configured to receive a pill from a plurality of pills disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the respective cylinder;
applying a negative pressure to each of the plurality of pill apertures with a negative pressure system operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the at least one rotary slat at least between the first angular position and the second angular position, including the second angular positon, and in fluid communication with each of the plurality of pill apertures located at least between the first angular position and the second angular position and including the second angular position, so as to retain the pills within the pill apertures as the at least one rotary slat rotates about the first axis between the first angular position and the second angular position;
ejecting the pills from the pill apertures at the second angular position of the at least one rotary slat, the pills being ejected outwardly of the radially outward portion with an ejection mechanism operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the at least one rotary slat and configured to be in communication with the pill apertures at the second angular position; and
collecting the pills ejected from the pill apertures of the at least one rotary slat, and directing the pills toward the series of containers for deposition therein with a collection mechanism disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the at least one rotary slat about the second angular position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A packaging apparatus and method for depositing pills into a series of containers is provided. A cylindrical rotary slat is rotatable about a first axis and comprises radially inward and outward portions, the radially outward portion defining pill apertures for receiving pills therein at a first angular position. A negative pressure system is configured to apply a negative pressure to the pill apertures to retain the pills therein. An ejection device is in communication with the pill apertures at a second angular position of the rotary slat to eject the respective pills outwardly from the pill apertures. A collection mechanism is disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion about the second angular position, and is configured to collect the pills ejected from the pill apertures and to direct the pills toward the series of containers for deposition therein.
71 Citations
79 Claims
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1. A method for depositing a predetermined amount of pills into each of a series of containers, comprising:
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receiving a pill in each of a plurality of pill apertures defined by a radially outward portion of at least one rotary slat, about a first angular position thereof, each rotary slat being configured as a cylinder independently rotatable in a rotational direction about a first axis extending longitudinally therethrough between at least the first angular position and a second angular position, the second angular position being angularly spaced apart from the first angular position in the rotational direction, each pill aperture configured to receive a pill from a plurality of pills disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the respective cylinder; applying a negative pressure to each of the plurality of pill apertures with a negative pressure system operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the at least one rotary slat at least between the first angular position and the second angular position, including the second angular positon, and in fluid communication with each of the plurality of pill apertures located at least between the first angular position and the second angular position and including the second angular position, so as to retain the pills within the pill apertures as the at least one rotary slat rotates about the first axis between the first angular position and the second angular position; ejecting the pills from the pill apertures at the second angular position of the at least one rotary slat, the pills being ejected outwardly of the radially outward portion with an ejection mechanism operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the at least one rotary slat and configured to be in communication with the pill apertures at the second angular position; and collecting the pills ejected from the pill apertures of the at least one rotary slat, and directing the pills toward the series of containers for deposition therein with a collection mechanism disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the at least one rotary slat about the second angular position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 46, 47)
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13. A method for depositing a predetermined amount of pills into each of a series of containers, comprising:
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receiving a pill in each of a plurality of pill apertures defined by a radially outward portion of a rotary drum, about a first angular position thereof, the rotary drum being configured as a cylinder rotatable in a rotational direction about a first axis extending longitudinally therethrough between at least the first angular position and a second angular position, the second angular position being angularly spaced apart from the first angular position in the rotational direction, each pill aperture configured to receive a pill from a plurality of pills disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the rotary drum; applying a negative pressure to each of the plurality of pill apertures with a negative pressure system operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the rotary drum at least between the first angular position and the second angular position, including the second angular position, and in fluid communication with each of the plurality of pill apertures located at least between the first angular position and the second angular position and including the second angular position, so as to retain the pills within the pill apertures as the rotary drum rotates about the first axis between the first angular position and the second angular position; ejecting the pills from the pill apertures at the second angular position of the rotary drum, the pills being ejected outwardly of the radially outward portion with an ejection mechanism operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the rotary drum and configured to be in communication with the pill apertures at the second angular position; and collecting the pills ejected from the pill apertures of the rotary drum, and directing the pills toward the series of containers for deposition therein with a collection mechanism disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the rotary drum about the second angular position. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 48, 49)
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23. An automated packaging apparatus for depositing a predetermined amount of pills into each of a series of containers, comprising:
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at least one rotary slat, each rotary slat being configured as a cylinder independently rotatable in a rotational direction about a first axis extending longitudinally therethrough between at least a first angular position and a second angular position, the second angular position being angularly spaced apart from the first angular position in the rotational direction, each rotary slat comprising a radially inward portion and a radially outward portion, the radially outward portion defining a plurality of pill apertures therein, each pill aperture being adapted to receive a pill from a plurality of pills disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the respective cylinder, the pills being received by the pill apertures about the first angular position of the at least one rotary slat; a negative pressure system operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the at least one rotary slat at least between the first angular position and the second angular position, including the second angular position, and in fluid communication with each of the plurality of pill apertures located at least between the first angular position and the second angular position, including the second angular position, the negative pressure system configured to apply a negative pressure to each of the plurality of pill apertures at least between the first angular position and the second angular position and including the second angular position, so as to retain the pills therein as the at least one rotary slat rotates about the first axis between the first angular position and the second angular position; an ejection device operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the at least one rotary slat and configured to be in communication with the pill apertures thereof at the second angular position so as to eject the respective pills from the pill apertures outwardly of the radially outward portion; and a collection mechanism disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the at least one rotary slat about the second angular position, the collection mechanism being configured to collect the pills ejected from the pill apertures of the at least one rotary slat and to direct the pills toward the series of containers for deposition therein. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 50, 51)
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36. An automated packaging apparatus for depositing a predetermined amount of pills into each of a series of containers, comprising:
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a rotary drum configured as a cylinder rotatable in a rotational direction about a first axis extending longitudinally therethrough between at least a first angular position and a second angular position, the second angular position being angularly spaced apart from the first angular position in the rotational direction, the rotary drum comprising a radially inward portion and a radially outward portion, the radially outward portion defining a plurality of pill apertures therein, each pill aperture being adapted to receive a pill from a plurality of pills disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the rotary drum, the pills being received by the pill apertures about the first angular position of the rotary drum; a negative pressure system operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the rotary drum at least between the first angular position and the second angular position, including the second angular position, and in fluid communication with each of the plurality of pill apertures located at least between the first angular position and the second angular position, including the second angular position, the negative pressure system being configured to apply a negative pressure to each of the plurality of pill apertures at least between the first angular position and the second angular position and including the second angular position, so as to retain the pills therein as the rotary drum rotates about the first axis between the first angular position and the second angular position; an ejection device operably engaged with the radially inward portion of the rotary drum and configured to be in communication with the pill apertures thereof at the second angular position so as to eject the respective pills from the pill apertures outwardly of the radially outward portion; and a collection mechanism disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the rotary drum about the second angular position, the collection mechanism being configured to collect the pills ejected from the pill apertures of the rotary drum and to direct the pills toward the series of containers for deposition therein. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 52, 53)
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54. A rotary slat for depositing one or more pills into at least one container, comprising:
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a radially inward portion at least partially defining an interior cavity of the rotary slat; a radially outward portion; a plurality of pill apertures defined in the radially outward portion of the rotary slat, each pill aperture being adapted to receive a pill from a plurality of pills disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the rotary slat; wherein the plurality of pill apertures are in communication with the radially inward portion and the interior cavity of the rotary slat; wherein the rotary slat is rotatable in a rotational direction extending circumferentially along the radially outward portion between at least a first angular position and at least a second angular position, the second angular position being angularly spaced apart from the first angular position in the rotational direction, wherein the interior cavity is in fluid communication with the plurality of pill apertures located at least between the first angular position and the second angular position, including the second angular position; wherein the interior cavity is configured to receive a negative pressure such that the negative pressure is applied to the pill apertures located at least between the first angular position and the second angular position, including the second angular position; and wherein the pill apertures located at the second angular position are configured to communicate with both the negative pressure received from the interior cavity and a positive air pressure emission greater than the negative pressure, such that the pill apertures located at the second angular position are configured to eject the respective pills from the pill apertures outwardly of the radially outward portion. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A rotary drum for depositing one or more pills into at least one container, comprising:
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a radially inward portion at least partially defining an interior cavity of the rotary drum; a radially outward portion; a plurality of pill apertures defined in the radially outward portion of the rotary drum, each pill aperture being adapted to receive a pill from a plurality of pills disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the rotary drum; wherein the plurality of pill apertures are in communication with the radially inward portion and the interior cavity of the rotary drum; wherein the rotary drum is rotatable in a rotational direction extending circumferentially along the radially outward portion between at least a first angular position and at least a second angular position, the second angular position being angularly spaced apart from the first angular position in the rotational direction, wherein the interior cavity is in fluid communication with the plurality of pill apertures located at least between the first angular position and the second angular position, including the second angular position; wherein the interior cavity is configured to receive a negative pressure such that the negative pressure is applied to the pill apertures located at least between the first angular position and the second angular position, including the second angular position; and wherein the pill apertures located at the second angular position are configured to communicate with both the negative pressure received from the interior cavity and a positive air pressure emission greater than the negative pressure, such that the pill apertures located at the second angular position are configured to eject the respective pills from the pill apertures outwardly of the radially outward portion. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
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78. A method of using a rotary slat to deposit one or more pills into a container, the rotary slat comprising a radially inward portion at least partially defining an interior cavity of the rotary slat;
- a radially outward portion;
a plurality of pill apertures defined in the radially outward portion of the rotary slat, each pill aperture being adapted to receive a pill from a plurality of pills disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the rotary slat;
wherein the plurality of pill apertures are in communication with the radially inward portion and the interior cavity of the rotary slat;
wherein the rotary slat is rotatable in a rotational direction extending circumferentially along the radially outward portion between at least a first angular position and at least a second angular position, the second angular position being angularly spaced apart from the first angular position in the rotational direction, wherein the interior cavity is in fluid communication with the plurality of pill apertures located at least between the first angular position and the second angular position, including the second angular position;
the method comprising;applying a negative pressure to the interior cavity such that the negative pressure is applied to the pill apertures located at least between the first angular position and the second angular position, including the second angular position; and applying a positive air pressure to the pill apertures located at the second angular position, wherein the positive air pressure is greater than the negative pressure, such that the pill apertures located at the second angular position are configured to eject the respective pills from the pill apertures outwardly of the radially outward portion.
- a radially outward portion;
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79. A method of using a rotary drum to deposit one or more pills into a container, the rotary drum comprising a radially inward portion at least partially defining an interior cavity of the rotary drum;
- a radially outward portion;
a plurality of pill apertures defined in the radially outward portion of the rotary drum, each pill aperture being adapted to receive a pill from a plurality of pills disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion of the rotary drum;
wherein the plurality of pill apertures are in communication with the radially inward portion and the interior cavity of the rotary drum;
wherein the rotary drum is rotatable in a rotational direction extending circumferentially along the radially outward portion between at least a first angular position and at least a second angular position, the second angular position being angularly spaced apart from the first angular position in the rotational direction, wherein the interior cavity is in fluid communication with the plurality of pill apertures located at least between the first angular position and the second angular position, including the second angular position;
the method comprising;applying a negative pressure to the interior cavity such that the negative pressure is applied to the pill apertures located at least between the first angular position and the second angular position, including the second angular position; and applying a positive air pressure to the pill apertures located at the second angular position, wherein the positive air pressure is greater than the negative pressure, such that the pill apertures located at the second angular position are configured to eject the respective pills from the pill apertures outwardly of the radially outward portion.
- a radially outward portion;
Specification