Pharmaceutical cassette
AssigneeRxsafe LLC
InventorsWilliam K. Holmes, Aaron Arsenault
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cassette for dispensing pharmaceuticals includes a base defining an outlet and having a drive member. The drive member is configured to be rotated. The cassette also includes a plurality of plate assemblies supported by the base in a stacked configuration. Each plate assembly includes a plate body defining an opening aligned with the outlet, and a disk coupled to the drive member and defining a plurality of cubbies. Each disk is rotatable relative to the corresponding plate body by rotating the drive member of the base to selectively align each cubby with the opening in the plate body.
Claims19
A cassette for dispensing pharmaceuticals, the cassette comprising:
- a base defining an outlet and including a drive member, the drive member configured to be rotated;
- and
- a plurality of plate assemblies supported by the base in a stacked configuration, each plate assembly including
- a plate body defining an opening aligned with the outlet, and
- a disk defining a plurality of cubbies, each disk being rotatable relative to a corresponding plate body by rotating the drive member of the base to selectively align each cubby with the opening in the corresponding plate body,
- wherein the plurality of plate assemblies includes a first plate assembly and a second plate assembly adjacent the first plate assembly, wherein the disk of the first plate assembly is coupled to the drive member,
- wherein the first plate assembly is a bottommost plate assembly of the plurality of plate assemblies and the second plate assembly is stacked on top of the first plate assembly, wherein the disk of the first plate assembly selectively engages the disk of the second plate assembly, wherein the disk of the first plate assembly is driven by the drive member to move one of the plurality of cubbies into alignment with the outlet while the disk of the first plate assembly is disengaged from the disk of the second plate assembly, and wherein the disk of the first plate assembly is driven by the drive member to move another of the plurality of cubbies into alignment with the outlet while the disk of the first plate assembly engages the disk of the second plate assembly so the first plate assembly is emptied before the second plate assembly.
A method of dispensing pharmaceuticals from a cassette, the cassette including a base and a plurality of plate assemblies supported by the base in a stacked configuration, the plurality of plate assemblies including a first plate assembly and a second plate assembly adjacent the first plate assembly, the first plate assembly being a bottommost plate assembly of the plurality of plate assemblies and the second plate assembly being stacked on top of the first plate assembly, the base defining an outlet and including a drive member, each plate assembly including a plate body defining an opening aligned with the outlet and a disk and defining a plurality of cubbies, the method comprising:
- coupling the drive member to a motor base, wherein the drive member is also coupled to the disk of the first plate assembly;
- rotating the disk of the first plate assembly to move one of the plurality of cubbies into alignment with the outlet while the disk of the first plate assembly is disengaged from the disk of the second plate assembly;
- rotating the disk of the first plate assembly to move another of the plurality of cubbies into alignment with the outlet while the disk of the first plate assembly engages the disk of the second plate assembly;
- and
- rotating the disk of a second plate assembly relative to the corresponding plate body with the motor base to selectively align each cubby of the disk of the second plate assembly with the opening in the corresponding plate body, wherein rotating the disk of the second plate assembly includes engaging the disk of the second plate assembly with a portion of the disk of the first plate assembly to rotate the disk of the second plate assembly so the first plate assembly is emptied before the second plate assembly is emptied.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.