Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080245810 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SOLID PHARMACEUTICAL ARTICLES - An apparatus for dispensing solid pharmaceutical articles includes a housing, a flow generator and a sensor. The housing defines a dispensing passage. The flow generator is operable to generate a first flow of gas to force the articles along a first path through the dispensing passage. The sensor is positioned to detect articles passing through the dispensing passage. A port is defined in the housing adjacent the sensor and configured to direct a second flow of gas along a second path to agitate dust adjacent the sensor and thereby remove dust from the sensor and/or prevent dust from depositing on the sensor. | 10-09-2008 |
20080283540 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SOLID PHARMACEUTICAL ARTICLES - 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. | 11-20-2008 |
20080283543 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SOLID PHARMACEUTICAL ARTICLES - A method is provided for dispensing solid pharmaceutical articles using an apparatus including a housing and a sensor system, the housing defining a dispensing passage having a dispensing inlet and a dispensing outlet downstream of the dispensing inlet, the sensor system including first and second sensors spaced apart along the dispensing channel such that the second sensor is located downstream of the first sensor. The method includes: forcing at least one article along a path through the dispensing passage; generating detection signals using the first and second sensors responsive to articles passing through the dispensing channel; and using the detection signals from the first and second sensors to monitor dispensing performance of the apparatus. | 11-20-2008 |
20080283549 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SOLID PHARMACEUTICAL ARTICLES - An apparatus for dispensing pharmaceutical articles includes a housing and a gas source to provide a positive pressure supply gas flow. The housing defines a hopper chamber to hold the articles, a dispensing channel fluidly connected to the hopper chamber, a drive jet outlet, and an agitation outlet. The dispensing channel has an inlet and an outlet and defines a flow path therebetween. The gas source is fluidly connected to each of the drive jet outlet and the agitation outlet to provide: a pressurized drive jet gas flow through the drive jet outlet to convey articles through the dispensing channel along the flow path; and a pressurized agitation gas flow through the agitation outlet to agitate articles in the hopper chamber. | 11-20-2008 |
20080283734 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SOLID ARTICLES - According to embodiments of the present invention, a method for detecting solid articles using an apparatus including a sensor system is provided. The sensor system includes a radiation detector and a radiation emitter configured to direct radiation onto the radiation detector. The radiation detector is operative to generate detector signals proportional to the radiation received thereby. The method includes moving the radiation emitter and/or the radiation detector relative to the other. According to some embodiments, the solid articles are solid pharmaceutical articles. | 11-20-2008 |
20080288105 | Object Dispenser With Locking Fill Door Useful in System and Method for Dispensing Objects - A dispenser for dispensing prescription pharmaceuticals contained therein includes: a bin, the bin including an access opening; a door adjacent to the opening and movable between open and closed positions to allow access for filling the bin through the opening, wherein one of the bin and the door includes a first identifier corresponding to the identity of units of a single prescription pharmaceutical contained in the bin; a locking assembly configured and positioned to engage the door in the closed position and prevent the door from moving to the open position; an identifier reading device operably associated with the locking assembly to scan the first identifier and a second identifier on a bulk container, the second identifier corresponding to the identity of the contents of the bulk container; and a controller having a data storage unit and configured to receive and compare signals from the identifier reading device corresponding to the first and second identifiers. The controller is operably associated with the locking assembly such that the locking assembly disengages from the door responsive to a positive comparison by the controller, thereby enabling the door to be moved to the open position. | 11-20-2008 |
20090025346 | DEVICES FOR CAPPING VIALS USEFUL IN SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING PRESCRIPTIONS - A method for securing a closure on a cylindrical container (such as a pharmaceutical vial) includes: positioning a closure in a first position, the closure being substantially centered via a centering assembly along an axis that is generally normal to the closure; translating the substantially centered closure along the axis to a second position; positioning a cylindrical container, the container being substantially centered via the centering assembly along the axis; translating the substantially centered closure along the axis to a third position in which it is adjacent the substantially centered container; and relatively rotating the closure and the container to secure the closure to the container. With such a method, both the closure and the cylinder can be centered along the axis, thereby registering them with each other for reliable securing. | 01-29-2009 |
20090028684 | DEVICES FOR CAPPING VIALS USEFUL IN SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING PRESCRIPTIONS - A method for securing a closure on a cylindrical container (such as a pharmaceutical vial) includes: positioning a closure in a first position, the closure being substantially centered via a centering assembly along an axis that is generally normal to the closure; translating the substantially centered closure along the axis to a second position; positioning a cylindrical container, the container being substantially centered via the centering assembly along the axis; translating the substantially centered closure along the axis to a third position in which it is adjacent the substantially centered container; and relatively rotating the closure and the container to secure the closure to the container. With such a method, both the closure and the cylinder can be centered along the axis, thereby registering them with each other for reliable securing. | 01-29-2009 |
20090028685 | DEVICES FOR CAPPING VIALS USEFUL IN SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING PRESCRIPTIONS - A method for securing a closure on a cylindrical container (such as a pharmaceutical vial) includes: positioning a closure in a first position, the closure being substantially centered via a centering assembly along an axis that is generally normal to the closure; translating the substantially centered closure along the axis to a second position; positioning a cylindrical container, the container being substantially centered via the centering assembly along the axis; translating the substantially centered closure along the axis to a third position in which it is adjacent the substantially centered container; and relatively rotating the closure and the container to secure the closure to the container. With such a method, both the closure and the cylinder can be centered along the axis, thereby registering them with each other for reliable securing. | 01-29-2009 |
20090173748 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SOLID ARTICLES - An apparatus for dispensing solid articles includes a dispensing channel, a housing and an article supply regulation system. The dispensing channel has an inlet and an outlet and defines a dispensing path therebetween. The housing defines a hopper chamber to hold the articles. The hopper chamber is in fluid communication with the inlet of the dispensing channel. The housing includes a floor. The article supply regulation system includes a first divider wall, a second divider wall and a third divider wall configured and positioned in the hopper chamber to define, in combination with the housing: a front region between the inlet and the first divider wall; a first rear region between the first divider wall and the second divider wall; a second rear region between the second divider wall and the third divider wall; and a third rear region on a side of the third divider wall opposite the second rear region. The first divider wall forms a front choke passage between the front region and the first rear region and between the first divider wall and the floor. The second divider wall forms a first rear choke passage between the first rear region and the second rear region and between the second divider wall and the floor. The third divider wall forms a second rear choke passage between the second rear region and the third rear region and between the third divider wall and the floor and/or a side wall of the housing. | 07-09-2009 |
20090294464 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SOLID ARTICLES - An apparatus for dispensing articles includes a housing, a gas source, a drive mechanism and an agitation jet device. The housing defines: a hopper chamber to hold the articles; a dispensing channel fluidly connected to the hopper chamber, the dispensing channel having an inlet and an outlet and defining a flow path therebetween; and an agitation outlet. The gas source provides a positive pressure supply gas flow having a first pressure, a first velocity and a first mass flow rate. The drive mechanism conveys articles through the dispensing channel along the flow path. The agitation jet device is interposed and fluidly connected between the gas source and the agitation outlet. The agitation jet device includes a feed opening to receive the supply gas flow and a jet opening to convert the supply gas flow to a pressurized agitation gas flow through the agitation outlet to agitate articles in the hopper chamber. The agitation gas flow has a second pressure less than the first pressure, a second velocity greater than the first velocity, and a second mass flow rate greater than the first mass flow rate. | 12-03-2009 |
20100006584 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SOLID ARTICLES - An apparatus for dispensing solid articles includes a housing and at least one vacuum source. The housing defines a hopper chamber to hold the articles and a dispensing channel fluidly connected to the hopper chamber. The dispensing channel has an inlet and an outlet defining a dispensing flow path therebetween. The vacuum source is adapted to provide a vacuum pressure and induce a gas flow in the housing. The apparatus is configured to generate a forward drive gas flow from the vacuum pressure and induced gas flow, and the forward drive gas flow conveys articles through the dispensing channel along the dispensing flow path in a direction from the inlet to the outlet to dispense the articles. | 01-14-2010 |
20100131097 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VERIFYING THE CONTENTS OF A FILLED, CAPPED PHARMACEUTICAL PRESCRIPTION - A system for verification of dispensed pharmaceuticals includes: a housing; a bar code scanning station mounted on the housing; a vision station mounted on the housing; a spectroscopy station mounted on the housing; an offloading station mounted on the housing; one or more conveyors mounted on the housing to convey pharmaceutical vials between the bar code scanning, vision, spectroscopy and offloading stations, and a controller associated with the bar code scanning, vision, spectroscopy and offloading stations and the conveyors to control their operations. A system of this configuration can use both vision and spectroscopy to verify the identity of the pharmaceutical in the container. | 05-27-2010 |
20100250318 | Apparatus, Methods and Articles of Manufacture for Addressing Performance Problems within an Organization via Training - Apparatus, methods and articles of manufacture are provided to address performance gaps within an organization. Initially, a gap between actual work performance and expected work performance by a group of one or more persons within an organization is identified. Knowledge and/or skills required to reduce the performance gap are identified and a training program for supplying the group with the identified knowledge and/or skills is selected. A pre-test is administered to the group on a date prior to the training date, and a post-test is administered to the group on a date after training has occurred. An identified performance metric is measured before and after training to determine if the group has changed its behavior to an acceptable degree within the organization. The cost associated with administering the training to the group is determined, and a return on investment value may be calculated. | 09-30-2010 |
20100275556 | Portable and Automatic Bottle Filling/Capping Apparatus and Methods - An automatic, portable water bottle filling apparatus includes an elongated frame that defines a continuous conveying path with opposite first and second ends; a conveyor system that moves bottles along the conveying path; a water filling station adjacent to the conveying path second end that is configured to fill an empty bottle with liquid from the user's water source; a capping station positioned downstream from the water filling station that is configured to close a filled bottle with a cap; a sensor system configured to detect the presence of an empty, uncapped bottle at the water filling station; and a controller that automatically controls operations of the water filling station, capping station and conveyor system in response to signals received from the sensor system. | 11-04-2010 |
20110006073 | Methods and Apparatus for Dispensing Solid Pharmaceutical Articles - A method is provided for dispensing solid pharmaceutical articles using an apparatus including a housing and a sensor system, the housing defining a dispensing passage having a dispensing inlet and a dispensing outlet downstream of the dispensing inlet, the sensor system including first and second sensors spaced apart along the dispensing channel such that the second sensor is located downstream of the first sensor. The method includes: forcing at least one article along a path through the dispensing passage; generating detection signals using the first and second sensors responsive to articles passing through the dispensing channel; and using the detection signals from the first and second sensors to monitor dispensing performance of the apparatus. | 01-13-2011 |
20110031262 | Methods and Apparatus for Dispensing Solid Pharmaceutical Articles - An apparatus for dispensing pharmaceutical articles includes a housing and a gas source to provide a positive pressure supply gas flow. The housing defines a hopper chamber to hold the articles, a dispensing channel fluidly connected to the hopper chamber, a drive jet outlet, and an agitation outlet. The dispensing channel has an inlet and an outlet and defines a flow path therebetween. The gas source is fluidly connected to each of the drive jet outlet and the agitation outlet to provide: a pressurized drive jet gas flow through the drive jet outlet to convey articles through the dispensing channel along the flow path; and a pressurized agitation gas flow through the agitation outlet to agitate articles in the hopper chamber. | 02-10-2011 |
20110068117 | Methods and Apparatus for Dispensing Solid Articles - An apparatus for dispensing solid articles includes a dispensing channel, a housing and an article supply regulation system. The dispensing channel has an inlet and an outlet and defines a dispensing path therebetween. The housing defines a hopper chamber to hold the articles. The hopper chamber is in fluid communication with the inlet of the dispensing channel. The housing includes a floor. The article supply regulation system includes a first divider wall, a second divider wall and a third divider wall configured and positioned in the hopper chamber to define, in combination with the housing: a front region between the inlet and the first divider wall; a first rear region between the first divider wall and the second divider wall; a second rear region between the second divider wall and the third divider wall; and a third rear region on a side of the third divider wall opposite the second rear region. The first divider wall forms a front choke passage between the front region and the first rear region and between the first divider wall and the floor. The second divider wall forms a first rear choke passage between the first rear region and the second rear region and between the second divider wall and the floor. The third divider wall forms a second rear choke passage between the second rear region and the third rear region and between the third divider wall and the floor and/or a side wall of the housing. | 03-24-2011 |
20110094605 | Vacuum Relief Valve - A vacuum relief valve includes: a housing with a central cavity, the housing having a system branch, a vacuum branch, a pilot branch, and an exhaust branch, each of the branches in fluid communication with the central cavity and having a respective port; a piston assembly comprising a first disk located in the pilot branch, a second disk located adjacent the exhaust branch, and a connecting member to which the first and second disks are mounted; and an actuator attached to a pilot seal, the actuator configured to move the pilot seal between a closed position, in which the pilot seal is positioned in and seals the pilot port, and an open position, in which the pilot seal is spaced from and does not seal the pilot port. When the pilot seal is in the closed position, the second disk is positioned on and seals the exhaust port, and when the pilot seal is in the open position, the second disk is spaced from and does not seal the exhaust port. In this configuration, often a smaller, less expensive actuator may be used to actuate the valve. | 04-28-2011 |
20110186716 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SOLID ARTICLES - According to embodiments of the present invention, a method for detecting solid articles using an apparatus including a sensor system is provided. The sensor system includes a radiation detector and a radiation emitter configured to direct radiation onto the radiation detector. The radiation detector is operative to generate detector signals proportional to the radiation received thereby. The method includes moving the radiation emitter and/or the radiation detector relative to the other. According to some embodiments, the solid articles are solid pharmaceutical articles. | 08-04-2011 |
20110233840 | Devices for Capping Vials Useful in System and Method for Dispensing Prescriptions - A method for securing a closure on a cylindrical container (such as a pharmaceutical vial) includes: positioning a closure in a first position, the closure being substantially centered via a centering assembly along an axis that is generally normal to the closure; translating the substantially centered closure along the axis to a second position; positioning a cylindrical container, the container being substantially centered via the centering assembly along the axis; translating the substantially centered closure along the axis to a third position in which it is adjacent the substantially centered container; and relatively rotating the closure and the container to secure the closure to the container. With such a method, both the closure and the cylinder can be centered along the axis, thereby registering them with each other for reliable securing. | 09-29-2011 |
20110248042 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SOLID PHARMACEUTICAL ARTICLES - 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. | 10-13-2011 |
20120059512 | APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SOLID PHARMACEUTICAL ARTICLES - An apparatus for dispensing solid pharmaceutical articles includes a housing, a drive mechanism and a sensor system. The housing defines a dispensing passage having a dispensing inlet and a dispensing outlet downstream of the dispensing inlet. The drive mechanism serves to force the articles along a path through the dispensing passage between the dispensing inlet and the dispensing outlet. The sensor system includes first and second sensors operative to detect articles passing through the dispensing passage and a controller to receive and use detection signals from the first and second sensors to monitor dispensing performance of the apparatus. The first and second sensors are spaced apart along the dispensing channel such that the second sensor is located downstream of the first sensor. | 03-08-2012 |
20130010284 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VERIFYING THE CONTENTS OF A FILLED, CAPPED PHARMACEUTICAL PRESCRIPTION - A system for verification of dispensed pharmaceuticals includes: a housing; a bar code scanning station mounted on the housing; a vision station mounted on the housing; a spectroscopy station mounted on the housing; an offloading station mounted on the housing; one or more conveyors mounted on the housing to convey pharmaceutical vials between the bar code scanning, vision, spectroscopy and offloading stations, and a controller associated with the bar code scanning, vision, spectroscopy and offloading stations and the conveyors to control their operations. A system of this configuration can use both vision and spectroscopy to verify the identity of the pharmaceutical in the container. | 01-10-2013 |
20130248550 | Apparatus for Dispensing Solid Pharmaceutical Articles - An apparatus for dispensing solid pharmaceutical articles includes a housing, a drive mechanism and a sensor system. The housing defines a dispensing passage having a dispensing inlet and a dispensing outlet downstream of the dispensing inlet. The drive mechanism serves to force the articles along a path through the dispensing passage between the dispensing inlet and the dispensing outlet. The sensor system includes first and second sensors operative to detect articles passing through the dispensing passage and a controller to receive and use detection signals from the first and second sensors to monitor dispensing performance of the apparatus. The first and second sensors are spaced apart along the dispensing channel such that the second sensor is located downstream of the first sensor. | 09-26-2013 |
20130292400 | Methods and Apparatus for Dispensing Solid Articles - An apparatus for dispensing solid articles includes a housing and at least one vacuum source. The housing defines a hopper chamber to hold the articles and a dispensing channel fluidly connected to the hopper chamber. The dispensing channel has an inlet and an outlet defining a dispensing flow path therebetween. The vacuum source is adapted to provide a vacuum pressure and induce a gas flow in the housing. The apparatus is configured to generate a forward drive gas flow from the vacuum pressure and induced gas flow, and the forward drive gas flow conveys articles through the dispensing channel along the dispensing flow path in a direction from the inlet to the outlet to dispense the articles. | 11-07-2013 |