Vacuum operated medicine dispenser

A method for dispensing oral solid medicine, comprising the steps of:

• (a) generating vacuum pressure in a vacuum operated probe that includes a probe tip;
• (b) advancing the probe tip into a region containing items of oral solid medicine;
• (c) retrieving an item of oral solid medicine with the vacuum operated probe;
• and
• (d) monitoring a condition of air downstream of the probe tip to determine whether the probe has retrieved a single item of oral solid medicine.

A method for dispensing medicine, comprising steps of:

• (a) receiving input data including a type of medicine desired;
• (b) aligning a universal vacuum probe with a desired storage container that holds the desired type of medicine, wherein the storage container includes a probe tip;
• (c) detachably engaging the universal vacuum probe with a container probe, the container probe being exclusively associated with the desired storage container;
• (d) generating vacuum pressure in the container probe, and retrieving medicine with the container probe;
• (e) monitoring a condition of air downstream of the probe tip to determine whether the container probe has retrieved a single item of medicine;
• (f) dropping the retrieved medicine in a predetermined position if the container probe has retrieved a single item of medicine;
• and
• (g) replacing the probe tip to a location associated with the desired storage container.

A method for dispensing oral solid medicine, comprising steps of:

• (a) receiving input data including a desired type of oral solid medicine;
• (b) accessing an envelope supply housing to remove an envelope having a flap and a body, and feeding the envelope into a printer;
• (c) printing data on the envelope with the printer;
• (d) transporting the envelope into a loading position and opening the envelope with suction devices;
• (e) engaging a universal vacuum probe with a container probe sealingly connected to a storage container that houses the desired type of oral solid medicine;
• (f) generating vacuum pressure in the probes;
• (g) retrieving an item of oral solid medicine with the container probe;
• (h) monitoring a condition of air within one of the probes to determine whether the container probe has retrieved a single item of oral solid medicine;
• (i) disconnecting the container probe from the storage container, and positioning a probe tip of the container probe over the envelope;
• (j) reducing vacuum pressure to deposit the retrieved item of oral solid medicine into the envelope;
• (k) folding the envelope's flap against its body;
• (l) sealing a selected portion of the envelope;
• and
• (m) placing the sealed envelope into a selected location for retrieval by a user.

An apparatus for dispensing a plurality of different types of objects, one at a time, comprising:

• a plurality of storage containers;
• a vacuum operated probe to retrieve one or more objects from one of the storage containers, wherein the probe includes a probe tip;
• a positioning mechanism to vary the position of the probe and the storage containers relative to each other;
• a measuring device to measure a condition of air downstream of the probe tip to verify that a single object has been retrieved by the probe and to provide a representative electrical output signal;
• and
• a computer functionally connected to the measuring device and positioning mechanism, programmed to perform steps comprising:
• 1) receiving user input from an interface, wherein the user input includes a selection of a desired type of medicine;
• 2) operating the positioning mechanism to change relative positions of the probe and the storage containers until a desired storage container holding the desired type of medicine is accessible by the probe;
• 3) initiating a vacuum source to create a vacuum within the probe;
• 4) moving the probe inside the desired storage container;
• and
• 5) obtaining the electrical output signal from the measuring device, and selectively removing the probe in response to the output signal.

An apparatus for automatically retrieving an individual medicine directly from a random arrangement of medicine held in storage containers, comprising:

• a probe including a universal vacuum probe, a container probe, and a probe tip at an end of said container probe;
• a vacuum source in airtight communication with the probe tip;
• alignment means for aligning the probe tip above a selected one of said storage containers;
• and
• probe moving means for bringing the probe tip into a preselected region of said selected storage container and in vacuum contact with one or more items of medicine and then retrieving one item of said medicine and depositing said medicine in a receptacle, and means for assuring only one item of medicine is deposited in said receptacle.

An apparatus for dispensing oral solid medicine, comprising:

• a plurality of storage containers for storing items of oral solid medicine in bulk form;
• a plurality of detachable container probes, each container probe being exclusively associated with a different storage container;
• a universal vacuum probe to retrieve a selected container probe and utilize the retrieved container probe to individually retrieve items of oral solid medicine from the storage container associated with the selected container probe;
• and
• a positioning mechanism to vary the position of the universal vacuum probe and the storage containers relative to each other such that one of the storage containers is aligned with the universal vacuum probe.