Apparatus for orienting and positioning an elongate object for dispensing
US5881721A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 23, 1997 |
| Grant date | Mar 16, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 23, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61M15/003
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Apparatus for orienting elongate objects, for example capsules of medicament, comprises a passage for receiving an individual capsule in a preferred orientation, a container for holding a bulk supply of capsules, and a ramp surface which directs a capsule towards the passage when the device is positioned such that the passage extends vertically downwardly from the container. It has been found that by appropriate choice of ramp angle, passage diameter and container diameter there is a high probability that a single capsule will be loaded into the dispensing passage when the apparatus is inverted to place the dispensing passage below the bulk supply. The apparatus is particularly useful in a dry medicament dispensing apparatus comprising, in addition to the orienting apparatus, a chamber for receiving capsules from the dispensing passage, means for piercing the ends of the capsule, and a mouthpiece for drawing air through the capsule and to entrain the medicament.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.