Universal feed mechanism for automatic packager

• US 10,583,941 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2018
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RxSafe LLC (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RxSafe LLC (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Holmes, William K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Rakesh
• Application Number:
  US16/160,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20190112080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 221 9
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/035 Blister-type containers blisters in general B65D75/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/70 Device provided with specific sensor or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0076 Medicament distribution means with pill counting devices A61J7/02; with time indication A61J7/04; containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/30 Devices or methods for controlling or determining the quantity or quality or the material fed or filled
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/12 by gravity
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/18 by suction-operated grippers
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/14 and operating to control, or stop, the feed of articles or material to be packaged
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/20 Applications of counting devices for controlling the feed of articles other applications B65B65/08

Abstract

An automatic packager including a cartridge and a cartridge mechanism is provided. The cartridge for the automatic packager includes a reservoir for storing a plurality of medications and a wheel including a bottom portion placed in the reservoir. The cartridge also includes a scooping member provided on the wheel to rotate with the wheel and singulate a medication from the reservoir. The cartridge mechanism for the automatic packager includes a platform configured to receive a medication from a cartridge and a camera system. The cartridge mechanism also includes an electronic processor coupled to the camera system configured to dispense the medication from the cartridge in response to determining that the expected medication is delivered to the platform and return the medication to the cartridge in response to determining that the expected medication is not delivered to the platform.

Claims

1. A cartridge mechanism for an automatic packager, the cartridge mechanism comprising:

a platform configured to receive a medication from a cartridge;

a camera system;

an electronic processor coupled to the camera system, the electronic processor configured to

control the camera system to capture an image of the platform;

determine whether an expected medication was delivered to the platform based on the image;

in response to determining that the expected medication is delivered to the platform, dispense the medication from the cartridge; and

in response to determining that the expected medication is not delivered to the platform, return the medication to the cartridge

a shuttle provided above the platform that moves medications from the platform to a first position and a second position; and

a shuttle drive coupled to the shuttle, the shuttle drive drives the shuttle between the platform, the first position, and the second position

wherein the electronic processor is further configured to;

control the shuttle drive to drive the shuttle to the first position to dispense the medication from the cartridge; and

control the shuttle drive to drive the shuttle to the second position to return the medication to the cartridge.

2. The cartridge mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a lighting system controlled by the electronic processor, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to control the lighting system to illuminate contents of the platform when the camera system is capturing the image of the platform.

3. The cartridge mechanism of claim 1, wherein the shuttle is above a reservoir of the cartridge when the shuttle is in the first position and wherein the shuttle is above a conduit of the cartridge when the shuttle is in the second position.

4. The cartridge mechanism of claim 3, further comprising a pill sensor provided alongside the conduit that detects whether the medication is dispensed through the conduit.

5. The cartridge mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a motor assembly that drives a singulating mechanism of the cartridge, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to control the motor assembly to deliver the medications to the platform.

6. The cartridge mechanism of claim 5, further comprising a position sensor that detects a position of the singulating mechanism and provides position signals indicating the position of the singulating mechanism to the electronic processor, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to determine that the medication is delivered to the platform based on the position signals received from the position sensor.

7. The cartridge mechanism of claim 1, wherein the camera system includes:

a mirror placed above the platform at an angle; and

a camera that captures the image of the platform using the mirror.

8. The cartridge mechanism of claim 1, further comprising an antenna, wherein the electronic processor is coupled to the antenna and is further configured to:

read, using the antenna, an RFID tag of the cartridge to determine a type of medication being dispensed from the cartridge.