Medication container orientation funnel system and apparatus
AssigneeInnovation Associates, Inc.
InventorsFletcher L. Chapin, Edward Mungo, Jacob Chandler Jackowski, Carrie Hathaway
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and apparatus for a medication container orientation funnel is disclosed. The orientation funnel includes an entrance section, a mid-section, and an exit port. The entrance section allows for two independent paths of motion for horizontally-oriented medication containers to route. The mid-section of the orientation funnel rotates the medication containers to a vertical position. The medication containers then exit the orientation funnel through an exit port.
Claims20
A funnel apparatus comprising:
- an entrance section located at a top end of the funnel apparatus having an entrance width, the entrance section including a first path on one side and a second path on an opposing side, the first path configured to receive containers in a horizontal orientation with a container opening facing a first direction, the second path configured to receive containers in the horizontal orientation with the container opening facing an opposite, second direction, the entrance section having a bend between 60° and 120° from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation;
- an exit port located at a bottom end of the funnel apparatus that is vertically oriented below the top end of the entrance section, the exit port having a width configured to enable the container in the vertical orientation to pass through;
- and
- a mid-section of the funnel apparatus located between the entrance section and the exit port, the mid-section having a transitioning width that transitions from the entrance width to the width of the exit port, the transitioning width causing the container to rotate from the horizontal orientation to the vertical orientation as the container falls from the entrance section to the exit port.
A method for aggregating and sorting containers in a funnel apparatus comprising:
- receiving at least one container in an entrance section located at a top end of the funnel apparatus having an entrance width, the entrance section including a first path on one side and a second path on an opposing side, the first path configured to receive containers in a horizontal orientation with a container opening facing a first direction, the second path configured to receive containers in the horizontal orientation with the container opening facing an opposite, second direction, the entrance section having a bend between 60° and 120° from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation;
- disposing the at least one container into a mid-section of the funnel apparatus located between the entrance section and an exit port, the mid-section having a transitioning width that transitions from the entrance width to an exit port width, the transitioning width causing the at least one container to rotate from the horizontal orientation to the vertical orientation as the at least one container falls from the entrance section to the exit port;
- and
- disposing the at least one container into the exit port located at a bottom end of the funnel apparatus that is vertically oriented below the top end of the entrance section, the exit port width configured to enable the at least one container that is oriented in the vertical orientation to pass through.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.