Article dispensing – Cellular magazine type – Conveyer type
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-29
2001-01-09
Noland, Kenneth W. (Department: 3651)
Article dispensing
Cellular magazine type
Conveyer type
C221S253000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170699
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a tablet dispensing system, and more particularly to an improved tablet supplying apparatus for a tablet dispensing system which may be either independently installed on a manually operating tablet dispenser or applied to an automatic tablet dispensing system, thereby realizing an additional dispensing operation for such extra tablets as prescription-missing tablets and half-split tablets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a tablet dispensing system varies from an automated tablet dispenser to a manually operating tablet dispenser. Automated tablet dispensers are employed in hospitals and drugstores to automate the output and assembly of corresponding tablets when a prescription is input into a computer for thereby dispensing the per-dosage assembled tablets.
The structure of an automatic tablet dispensing system includes: a main computer for enabling an appropriate prescription on the basis of proper medicine, intake method, daily intake frequency and intake duration depending upon each patient; a tablet dropping unit having a plurality of tablet cassettes and a drum for storing therein and releasing therefrom the tablets in correspondence to the prescription set up in the computer; and a packaging unit disposed below the tablet dropping unit to package the output tablets and release the same to an exterior of the automatic tablet dispenser.
The packaging unit is made up of: a release hopper for assembling the tablets being dropped from the tablet drop unit; a heater assembly for packaging the tablets being discharged through the release hopper; a printer for printing respective information on packaging paper; and a release conveyer for externally discharging the medicine bags containing tablets.
As for a manually operating dispenser, it's structure includes tablet mounting trays provided on top of the machine body. Provided below the tablet mounting trays are as many tablet transfer trays fixed to the surface of a conveyer as the tablet mounting trays. The conveyer makes a reciprocal movement using a motor.
A packaging unit similar to or identical to that of the automatic tablet dispenser is located below the tablet transfer trays to package and release the dropped tablets.
In the case of the conventional automatic tablet dispenser, a disadvantage is that the storing cassettes cannot accommodate irregularly shaped tablets and split portions of tablets.
As for the manually operation tablet dispenser according to the conventional art a disadvantage is that the need for the rectangular type tablet transfer trays to reciprocate from side to side so as to drop the tablets contained therein, necessitates a larger machine body and accordingly a more spacious location for installation. That is, since the tablet transfer tray set in plate shape (when relatively viewed in comparison to width and length) reciprocates from left to right side, the entire size of the machine body is determined by the size of the tablet transfer tray set.
Accordingly, the machine body should be manufactured larger to process a larger quantity of tablets at one time and a smaller machine body decreases the processing speed and capacity of tablet packaging, thereby incurring problems in machine design and production.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is contrived to overcome the conventional disadvantages. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tablet supplying apparatus for a tablet dispensing system which is applicable either to an automatic tablet dispenser or to a manually operating tablet dispenser which improves the efficiency and workability of the tablet dispensing system.
To achieve the above-described object, there is provided a tablet supplying apparatus for an automatic tablet sorting and counting machine according to the present invention, which includes a conveyer belt carried over on a driving roller and a driven roller located between a pair of side plates forming a frame. The tablet supplying apparatus further includes a plurality of tablet receiving trays with each tablet receiving tray having a plurality of tablet holding openings unitary therewith and regularly fixed to corresponding outer surface portions. A plurality of hoppers are positioned adjacent to the driving roller for temporarily storing therein tablets released from frontmost trays of the tablet receiving trays. A tablet input receptable having a plurality of tablet input ports and a release plate attached therebeneath is removeably attached above the tablet supplying apparatus. A tablet release means is provided adjacent to a rear portion of the conveyer belt for releasing any tablets placed in the tablet input ports correspondingly located above the tablet receiving trays. Each of the hoppers are attached to a guide cross-fixed between lower portions of the side plates forming the frame. The hoppers are partitioned by a plurality of interwalls in regular intervals between the side plates forming the frame, with each hopper further including a release guide, a lever, and a control plate unitary therewith. The release guide is raised (opened) by a corresponding one of a plurality of cams regularly carried on a cam shaft driven by a first motor. The tablet release means includes a cam lever with the cam lever making an angular movement in accordance with an eccentric cam engagedly connected to a second motor. The cam lever is hingedly connected to the frame, and an upper portion of the cam lever is hookable into a hooker opening formed in a corresponding portion of the release plate placed below the tablet input ports, whereby the release plate is pulled by the cam lever so that a plurality of release openings formed through the release plate correspond to the tablet input ports thereabove for thereby facilitating the release of tablets therethrough.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3263857 (1966-08-01), Krakauer et al.
Noland Kenneth W.
Park John K.
Park & Sutton LLP
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