Medicament dispensing cell with dual platens
US6161721A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 23, 1999 |
| Grant date | Dec 19, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 23, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07F11/44
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The preferred medicament dispensing cell (10) for use in an automatic dispensing machine (12) includes dual rotary platens (20,22). A storage platen (20) delivers medicament units (14) such as tablets and capsules from a storage section (86) to a discharge platen (22) in the discharge section (88) to deliver the units (14) to an outlet (50). In preferred forms, the platens (20,22) are sloped toward the respective peripheries in order to induce spreading of the units (14) into a single file for accurate counting during dispensing. The preferred embodiment also includes a discharge gate assembly (24) for receiving a medicament unit (14) in a gage chamber (108) to define the width of the discharge channel (110) leading to the outlet (50), and further includes an arcuate metering wall (26) shiftable into and out of the passage (84) between the storage and discharge sections (86,88) for metering medicament units (14) into the discharge section (88).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.