Pill counter
US4013192A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 18, 1976 |
| Grant date | Mar 22, 1977 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 18, 1996 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G47/1428
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A pharmaceutical pill counter incorporating a rotating pill bowl and a stationary guide that cooperatively guide pills in single file to an exposed slide having a main portion that feeds prescription and stock bottle slide portions under the control of a gate. Each slide portion has a downwardly inclined orientation with an exposed channel shape to guide the pills downwardly while permitting the slide portions to be easily cleaned. The slide is preferably integrally defined by an upper housing portion of molded plastic and is located at a corner of the housing so that the prescription and stock bottle slide portions direct the pills to opposite sides of the corner. The gate includes a lower end pivotally mounted at a lower extremity of a common junction of the slide portions and an upper end that is moved along an upper extremity of this junction to direct the pills in the proper direction. The gate initially directs the pills to the prescription bottle slide portion until a photoelectric sensor along the main slide portion has sensed a programmed number of pills and then directs the remaining pills to the stock bottle slide portion. The rotating bowl and stationary guide are prefe…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.