Unit dose dispensing mechanisms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10517799-B2
Application number	US-201715693276-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2017
Priority date	Aug 31, 2017
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

Mechanisms for dispensing items such as medications and medical supplies. Different mechanisms may be tailored to dispensing different kinds of items, for example medications in single dose packages, vials, syringes, or other similarly-shaped items. The dispensers may be placed in a dispensing unit that includes a lockable restock drawer and a dispense drawer into which items are dispensed by the dispensing mechanisms. The various kinds of dispensing mechanisms may be installed in the restock drawer in any workable proportion and arrangement. The dispensing mechanisms include multiple sensing technologies for tracking and inventory of items and for accurate sensing of items as they are dispensed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing mechanism, comprising:
a set of vertical channels of a shape and size to receive a number of vials and hold the vials in vertical stacks;
a connector for receiving electrical signals from a cabinet in which the dispensing mechanism is removably installed;
an actuator that moves in response to the electrical signals;
a plurality of rotatable receivers driven by the actuator, each of the rotatable receivers being positioned under a respective one of the vertical channels and defining an open-sided cavity of a shape and size to receive a vial; and
a housing defining opening at the bottom of the dispensing mechanism;
wherein when the rotatable receivers are rotated, their respective cavities sequentially align with the vertical channels, such that upon alignment, one of the vials drops into the respective cavity through the open side of the cavity, and when one of the cavities holding a vial approaches a downward vertical orientation, a single vial drops from the open side of the downwardly-oriented cavity and through the opening;
and wherein the vertical channels and the rotatable receivers are comprised in a cassette, and the connector and actuator are comprised in a dispenser;
and wherein the cassette and dispenser being separable.

2. The dispensing mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising a tamper-evident mechanism that disables motion of the rotatable receivers before removal of the tamper-evident mechanism and installation of the dispensing mechanism in the cabinet.

3. The dispensing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a motor, a solenoid, or a memory metal.

4. The dispensing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a rotary actuator and each of the rotatable receivers comprises a respective gear, and wherein the gears of the rotatable receivers are meshed such that the open sides of the receivers reach the downward vertical orientation at evenly spaced angular intervals of the actuator.

5. The dispensing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises at least two vertical channels.

6. The dispensing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises at least three vertical channels.

7. The dispensing mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising a hinged flap below the vertical channels, positioned such that a vial falling from its respective rotatable carrier hits the flap when it falls through the opening.

8. The dispensing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein each of the rotatable receivers comprises a respective gear and the dispensing mechanism further comprises a driving gear driven by the actuator, and wherein the gears of the rotatable receivers are meshed such that the open sides of the receivers reach the downward vertical orientation at evenly spaced angular intervals of the driving gear.

9. The dispensing mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the actuator is a motor, and the dispensing mechanism further comprises a belt coupled to the motor and the driving gear, wherein the belt transfers rotary motion of the motor to the driving gear.

10. The dispensing mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more light emitters directed across the opening; and
one or more receivers that detect light from the one or more light emitters, the light emitter and the one or more receivers positioned such that the light emitted by at least one of the one or more emitters is interrupted by the passage of a dispensed item through the opening.

11. The dispensing mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the one or more receivers detect light reflected from a far wall of the opening or from an item being dispensed.

12. The dispensing mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the one or more receivers detect light received directly from one or more of the emitters.

13. The dispensing mechanism of claim 1 , wherein
the cassette does not include any active electrical components.

14. The dispensing mechanism of claim 13 , wherein:
the cassette includes a wirelessly-readable memory; and
the dispenser includes a reader for reading the wirelessly-readable memory.

15. The dispensing mechanism of claim 13 , wherein the cassette further comprises a brake that is automatically engaged when the cassette is removed from the dispenser, the brake hindering rotation of the rotatable receivers when the brake is engaged.

16. The dispensing mechanism of claim 15 , wherein:
each of the rotatable receivers comprises a respective gear;
the brake includes a set of teeth that engage the gear of one of the rotatable receivers to hinder motion of the gear when the cassette is not coupled to the dispenser; and
the set of teeth of the brake is drawn out of engagement with the gear when the dispensing mechanism is coupled to the dispenser.

Assignees

• Omnicell Inc

Inventors

• Wilson Edith
• Moreno Gerardo
• Trejo Guillermo
• Mehta Vikram
• Fisher Herbert Lawson

Classifications

• G07F11/18

  Recessed drawers · CPC title

• G07F11/62

  in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles · CPC title

• G07F17/0092

  for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles (medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00) · CPC title

• A61J2200/70

  Device provided with specific sensor or indicating means · CPC title

• B65D83/0445

  all the articles being stored in individual compartments · CPC title