US 6,805,259 B2 · Medication dispenser

Abstract

A medication tablet dispenser has an upright casing providing a tower which is subdivided by horizontal partitions into eight compartments which individually contain removable holders each containing a charge of tablets to be dispensed. The holders have framing portions which together provide a funnel opening downwardly into a cavity of a blister sheet. The casing is vibrated back and forth about its vertical axis through a small angle to cause tablets in the holders to progress towards an outlet leading into the funnel and having an associated ejector which discharges selected tablets into the funnel when required by a computer program. Conical vibration of the casing is prevented by a connection located on its vertical axis and held stationary by a fixed arm. The ejectors operate in response to slide-rods individually reciprocated by associated solenoids controlled by the computer program.

Claims20

Dependent claims

Apparatus for dispensing medication doses, comprising:

a tower of dose holders placed one above the other and respectively for storing different doses which are to be dispensed;
a device for vibrating the tower in a predetermined manner to move the doses in the holders towards outlets provided therein;
ejectors individually associated with the holders and operable to release required doses from the outlets of the holders;
an openended collector into which the doses ejected from the holders fall;
a loading station disposed beneath the open lower end of the collector and for supporting a receptacle which is to be loaded with a selected number of different doses ejected from the holders;
and a controller operated in accordance with a pre-determined dose-loading programme and governing the operation of the ejectors.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Medication dispenser

Life of this patent

Medication dispenser

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20