Article dispensing – With discharge assistant – Segregation by ejection through resilient-type outlet
Reexamination Certificate
2011-08-02
2011-08-02
Waggoner, Timothy R (Department: 3651)
Article dispensing
With discharge assistant
Segregation by ejection through resilient-type outlet
C221S156000, C221S163000, C221S211000, C221S278000
Reexamination Certificate
active
07988017
ABSTRACT:
An apparatus for dispensing pharmaceutical articles includes a housing assembly and an adjustment system. The housing assembly includes a first inlet wall and a second inlet wall that is moveable relative to the first inlet wall. The housing assembly defines a hopper chamber that houses pharmaceutical articles, and a dispensing channel fluidly connected to the hopper chamber. The dispensing channel has an inlet and an outlet and defines a flow path. The inlet is defined at least in part by the first and second inlet walls. The adjustment system is operable to adjust the position of the second inlet wall relative to the first inlet wall to adjust the size of the inlet to singulate the pharmaceutical articles passing through the inlet. The adjustment system includes an input mechanism and an operator feedback mechanism. The input mechanism is selectively operable by an operator to selectively move the second inlet wall relative to the first inlet wall. The operator feedback mechanism provides tactile and/or audible feedback to the operator responsive to operation of the input mechanism by the operator to indicate prescribed increments of movement of the second inlet wall relative to the first inlet wall.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4741428 (1988-05-01), Taniguchi et al.
patent: 5028123 (1991-07-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5740747 (1998-04-01), Stufflebeam et al.
patent: 5897024 (1999-04-01), Coughlin et al.
patent: 6085938 (2000-07-01), Coughlin
patent: 6519890 (2003-02-01), Otteman
patent: 6631826 (2003-10-01), Pollard et al.
patent: 6971541 (2005-12-01), Williams et al.
patent: WO 03/008308 (2003-01-01), None
International Search Report and Written Opinion (11 pages) corresponding to International Application No. PCT/US2008/006317; Mailing Date: Sep. 1, 2008.
Official Action corresponding to Canadian Patent Application No. 2,683,186 dated Feb. 3, 2011; 3 pages.
Buisman Stanley R.
Farnsworth Bryan Patrick
Kulberg Kurt
Michelli Richard D.
Myers Bigel & Sibley Sajovec, PA
Parata Systems, LLC
Waggoner Timothy R
LandOfFree
Methods and apparatus for dispensing solid pharmaceutical... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Methods and apparatus for dispensing solid pharmaceutical..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Methods and apparatus for dispensing solid pharmaceutical... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2687800