# US 10,945,924 B2 · Storage container for a storage and dispensing station for pharmaceuticals > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,945,924 B2 - Document ID: US10945924B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/118,976 - Filed: 2018-08-31 - Published: 2020-03-05 - Granted: 2021-03-16 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-31 - Assignees: Becton Dickinson Rowa Germany GmbH - Applicants: Becton Dickinson Rowa Germany GmbH - Inventors: Dietmar Gross - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945924B2 ## CPC - A61J 7/0076: {Medicament distribution means (with pill counting devices A61J7/02; with time indication A61J7/04; containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00)} - G07F 11/24: Rotary or oscillatory members - G07F 11/44: in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk - G07F 17/0092: {for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles (medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00)} - A61J 1/035: {Blister-type containers (blisters in general B65D75/36)} - B65B 5/103: {for packaging pills or tablets} - A61J: CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) ## Abstract A storage container for a storage and dispensing station for pharmaceuticals is provided. The storage container includes a housing, which encloses a receptacle chamber having a guide section, wherein an inner wall of the guide section defines a circular-cylindrical guide chamber. A singulating unit is arranged in the guide section of the housing having a central axis of rotation. The singulating unit has a main section and multiple projections, wherein each projection has two end sections and a middle section. One pharmaceutical duct is formed between each two end sections of adjacent projections, wherein the middle sections of the projections are recessed and one or both end sections of each projection bear on the wall of the guide section. Gaps between the singulating unit and the inner wall allow pharmaceutical dust to fall through to avoid pharmaceutical dust formed during singulation causing increased friction between the singulating unit and the wall of the storage container. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A storage container for a storage and dispensing station for pharmaceutical portions, comprising: a housing enclosing a receptacle chamber for pharmaceutical portions, the housing comprising a guide section and a bottom face, wherein an inner wall of the guide section defines a circular-cylindrical guide chamber and wherein the bottom face has a dispensing opening; a singulating unit arranged in the guide section of the housing and having a central axis of rotation, the singulating unit comprising a main section and a plurality of projections, wherein each projection has two end sections and a middle section, and a plurality of pharmaceutical ducts, wherein each pharmaceutical duct is formed between two end sections of adjacent projections; and wherein the middle sections of the projections are recessed in relation to the end sections and both end sections of each projection are formed such that they each bear on the inner wall of the guide section. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The storage container of claim 1, wherein the end sections having lateral surfaces that bear on the wall of the guide section are distributed uniformly in the case of all projections. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The storage container of claim 1, wherein one end section of each projection is formed such that it bears on the wall of the guide section and the other end section of each projection is formed such that it does not bear on the wall of the guide section. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The storage container of claim 1, wherein the end sections of the projections bearing on the wall of the guide section are distributed uniformly over the singulating unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The storage container of claim 1, wherein the projections have an anti-adhesive coating at least in a region of the middle section on a lateral surface facing toward the wall. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The storage container of claim 1, wherein the singulating unit has a conical surface comprising a plurality of depressions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The storage container of claim 6, wherein the plurality of depressions are aligned at the pharmaceutical ducts. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The storage container of claim 1, wherein the main section has setbacks above the pharmaceutical ducts. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The storage container of claim 1, wherein the singulating unit has four projections and four pharmaceutical ducts. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The storage container of claim 1, wherein the singulating unit has three projections and three pharmaceutical ducts. ### Claim 11 A storage container for a storage and dispensing station for pharmaceutical portions, comprising: a housing enclosing a receptacle chamber for pharmaceutical portions, the housing comprising: a guide section having an inner wall defining a circular-cylindrical guide chamber; and a bottom face having a dispensing opening; a singulating unit disposed in the guide section, the singulating unit comprising: a main section; a plurality of pharmaceutical ducts; and a plurality of projections, each projection having two end sections and a middle section, wherein each pharmaceutical duct is formed between two adjacent end sections of adjacent projections; and wherein the middle section of each projection is recessed in relation to its corresponding end sections and both end sections of each projection are formed such that they each bear on the inner wall of the guide section. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The storage container of claim 11, wherein the end sections of the projections are distributed uniformly over the singulating unit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The storage container of claim 11, wherein the projections have an anti-adhesive coating in at least a portion of the middle section on a lateral surface facing toward the wall. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The storage container of claim 11, wherein the singulating unit has a conical surface comprising a plurality of depressions aligned at the pharmaceutical ducts. ### Claim 15 A storage container for a storage and dispensing station for pharmaceutical portions, comprising: a housing enclosing a receptacle chamber for pharmaceutical portions, the housing comprising: a guide section having an inner wall defining a circular-cylindrical guide chamber; and a bottom face having a dispensing opening; a singulating unit disposed in the guide section, the singulating unit comprising: a main section; a plurality of pharmaceutical ducts; and a plurality of projections, each projection having two end sections and a middle section, wherein each pharmaceutical duct is formed between two adjacent end sections of adjacent projections; wherein at least one end section of each projection is formed such that it bears on the inner wall of the guide section and the middle section of each projection is recessed in relation to the at least one end section of its corresponding projection that bears on the inner wall; and wherein the projections have an anti-adhesive coating in at least a portion of the middle section on a lateral surface facing toward the wall. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The storage container of claim 15, wherein the end sections of the projections are distributed uniformly over the singulating unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The storage container of claim 15, wherein the singulating unit has a conical surface comprising a plurality of depressions aligned at the pharmaceutical ducts.