US 7,584,018 B2 · Dispensing device having a storage chamber, a dispensing chamber and a feed regulator there between

Abstract

A method of dispensing medicaments may employ a drug dispensing device comprised of an upper hopper having an upper opening for receiving a medicament and a lower opening. The drug dispensing device also includes a lower hopper having an upper opening and a lower opening in a bottom portion thereof. The upper hopper defines a bulk storage chamber and the lower hopper defines a dispensing chamber. A rotatable dispensing disc is positioned in a lower portion of the dispensing chamber for dispensing medicament from the drug dispensing device through the lower opening in the lower hopper. A regulator is situated between the bulk storage chamber and the dispensing chamber for controlling the rate at which medicament moves from the storage chamber to the dispensing chamber.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A method, comprising:

storing in a bulk storage chamber a volume of a prescription drug to be used to fill individual prescriptions;
dispensing said prescription drug from a dispensing chamber which is configured to store and dispense a plurality of units of the prescription drug as directed by a controller;
and regulating a feed rate at which the prescription drug is fed from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber, wherein regulating the feed rate comprises positioning a regulator between the bulk storage chamber and the dispensing chamber;
wherein the regulator comprises a metering section defining a plurality of differently sized feed openings and a selection plate defining at least one selection opening, and wherein regulating a feed rate further comprises aligning the at least one selection plate with a respective feed opening while blocking all other feed openings.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

11/384,660Filed 20 Mar 2006 · division

Priority

9 Aug 2002

Published

US 2006/0157492 A120 Jul 2006

Granted

1 Sep 2009

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

G07F 5/18
Coin-actuated mechanisms; Interlocks: specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
G05B 15/02
Systems controlled by a computer: electric
G07F 5/26
Coin-actuated mechanisms; Interlocks: interlocks, e.g. for locking the doors of compartments other than that to be used
G07F 9/001
Details other than those peculiar to special kinds or types of apparatus: interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices

Family

Application60/402,282Us provisional application · filed 9 Aug 2002

Application60/458,160Us provisional application · filed 27 Mar 2003

Application10/637,775Parent of this division · filed 8 Aug 2003

US 2006/0157492 A1Pre-grant publication · published 20 Jul 2006

US 7,014,063 B2Parent of this division

US 2004/0099683 A1Published application

US 7,584,018 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Dispensing device having a storage chamber, a dispensing chamber and a feed regulator there between

Life of this patent

Dispensing device having a storage chamber, a dispensing chamber and a feed regulator there between

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9