Personal intelligent dispenser
US9492357B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 11, 2014 |
| Grant date | Nov 15, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 11, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61J2205/60
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An article dispensing apparatus includes a carousel and a dispensing face including a dispensing orifice through which the articles are dispensed. The carousel includes plural holding sections for holding the articles to be dispensed and is rotationally movable. A controller controls an actuating unit to apply a force to the carousel to cause the carousel to move rotationally relative to the dispensing face when an instruction to dispense an article is received. When the carousel is moved relatively to the dispensing face so that one of its holding sections having an article therein is aligned with the dispensing orifice, the article is allowed to be dispensed through the dispensing orifice. A detector can detect when an article is within one of the holding sections aligned with the dispensing orifice and when the article is no longer within the one of the holding sections aligned with the dispensing orifice.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.