Apparatus and methods for handling pills
AssigneeAylward Enterprises, Inc.
InventorJohn Thomas Aylward
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A brush for a pill handling apparatus and an associated pill handling apparatus and method are provided. The brush defines a non-circular profile and agitates the pills when rotated. For example, the brush can be rotatably mounted proximate a rotary slat of the pill handling apparatus so that the brush is configured to seat the pills into the receptacles of the apparatus, such as into receptacles defined by one or more rotary slats. Multiple brushes can be provided in a single pill handling apparatus, e.g., to define therebetween a reservoir for holding the pills.
Claims31
A pill handling apparatus comprising:
- a rotary slat having an outer surface defining a plurality of receptacles;
- and
- at least one brush rotatably mounted proximate the slat, the brush having a plurality of bristles, each bristle extending generally radially outward between a first end and a second end, the bristles extending to dissimilar radially outward positions such that the second ends of the bristles define a substantially continuous and non-circular profile of the brush and the brush is configured to agitate the pills as the brush rotates.
A pill handling apparatus comprising:
- at least one rotary slat having an outer surface defining a plurality of receptacles;
- and
- first and second brushes rotatably mounted proximate the rotary slat and thereby defining a reservoir between the brushes, each brush being configured to prevent pills disposed outside the receptacles from passing between the brush and the slat,
- wherein each brush defines a non-circular profile such that rotation of each brush agitates the pills in the reservoir.
A pill handling apparatus comprising:
- a rotary slat having an outer surface and defining a plurality of receptacles;
- and
- a brush having a support member extending in a longitudinal direction of the rotary slat and a plurality of bristles connected to the support member, each bristle defining an end extending generally radially outward from the support member, the ends of the bristles extending to dissimilar radially outward positions to define a substantially continuous and non-circular profile of the brush such that the brush is adapted to agitate the pills as the brush rotates.
A method of handling pills, the method comprising:
- rotating a rotary slat defining a plurality of receptacles such that pills disposed in the receptacles are rotatably transported by the slat;
- and
- rotating at least one brush proximate the slat to thereby move a plurality of bristles of the brush proximate the slat, the bristles extending generally radially outward to dissimilar radially outward positions such that the bristles define a substantially continuous and non-circular profile and the brush agitates the pills as the brush rotates.
A method of handling pills, the method comprising:
- providing first and second brushes having non-circular profiles proximate at least one rotary slat such that the brushes define a reservoir therebetween;
- rotating the rotary slat such that pills are rotatably transported by receptacles defined by the rotary slat;
- and
- rotating the brushes and thereby agitating pills in the reservoir, each brush preventing pills disposed outside the receptacles from passing between the brush and the slat.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.