Storage container for a storage and dispensing station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12030710-B2
Application number	US-202318143278-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2023
Priority date	Jun 16, 2020
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

Methods of dispensing small piece goods are provided. The method includes storing one or more small piece goods in a storage container for a storage and dispensing station, reducing, by the plurality of contact reducing members, a contact area between the separating device base area and the one or more small piece goods within the storage container, rotating the separating device within the housing to situate a first channel above the dispensing opening, the first channel containing a first small piece good and dispensing the first small piece good through the dispensing opening Methods of using a system for storage and dispensing of drug portions are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of dispensing small piece goods, the method comprising:
storing one or more small piece goods in a storage container for a storage and dispensing station, the storage container comprising:
a housing comprising a dispensing opening disposed in a housing bottom surface;
a separating device disposed in the housing, the separating device comprising a plurality of channels and a base area facing the housing bottom surface; and
a plurality of contact reducing members disposed on the separating device base area;

reducing, by the plurality of contact reducing members, a contact area between the separating device base area and the one or more small piece goods within the storage container;
rotating the separating device within the housing to situate a first channel above the dispensing opening, the first channel containing a first small piece good; and
dispensing the first small piece good through the dispensing opening.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
reducing an electrostatic attraction between the one or more of the small piece goods and the separating device base area based on a size and shape of each of the plurality of contact reducing members.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of contact reducing members comprises a depression.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the depression is a coaxial groove.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the depression is a radial groove.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the radial groove is open to an outer circumference of the separating device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of contact reducing members comprises an elevation.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of contact reducing members is disposed on an inner ring area of the separating device base area.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transferring, via a connector disposed below the dispensing opening of the housing, the dispensed first small piece good out of the storage container via gravitational force.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
disposing a retaining section of a retainer in an area above the dispensing opening; and
preventing, via the retaining section, additional small piece goods from entering the first channel containing the first small piece good.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of channels are disposed on an outer circumference of the separating device, the plurality of channels being defined by a plurality of webs.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein one or more of the contact reducing members are disposed on a base area section of each of the plurality of webs.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
rotating the separating device via a coupler coupled to the bottom surface.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
reducing, by the plurality of contact reducing members, an electrostatic attraction of the one or more of the small piece goods into a gap between the separating device base area and the housing bottom surface.

15. A method of using a system for storage and dispensing of drug portions, the method comprising:
storing one or more drug portions in a plurality of storage containers coupled to a corresponding plurality of storage and dispensing stations, at least one storage container comprising:
a housing comprising a dispensing opening disposed in a housing bottom surface;
a separating device disposed in the housing, the separating device comprising a plurality of channels and a base area facing the housing bottom surface; and
a plurality of contact reducing members disposed on the separating device base area;

reducing, by the plurality of contact reducing members, a contact area between the separating device base area and the one or more drug portions within the at least one storage container;
rotating the separating device within the housing to situate a first channel above the dispensing opening, the first channel containing a first drug portion; and
dispensing the first drug portion through the dispensing opening.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
reducing an electrostatic attraction between the one or more of the drug portions and the separating device base area based on a size and shape of each of the plurality of contact reducing members of the at least one storage container.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein for the at least one storage container, at least one of the plurality of contact reducing members comprises one of a coaxial groove, a radial groove that is open to an outer circumference of the separating device and an elevation.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising for the at least one storage container:
rotating the separating device via a coupler coupled to the bottom surface; and
reducing, by the plurality of contact reducing members, an electrostatic attraction of the one or more of the drug portions into a gap between the separating device base area and the housing bottom surface.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising for the at least one storage container:
disposing a retaining section of a retainer in an area above the dispensing opening; and
preventing, via the retaining section, additional drug portions from entering the first channel containing the first drug portion.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
dispensing the first drug portion from a first storage container;
reducing, for the first storage container, an electrostatic attraction between the first drug portion and a first separating device base area based on a first plurality of contact reducing members;
dispensing a second drug portion from a second storage container;
reducing, for the second storage container, an electrostatic attraction between the second drug portion and a second separating device base area based on a second plurality of contact reducing members;
collecting, by a collecting device, the first and second drug portions; and
feeding, by the collecting device, the first and second drug portions to a packaging device.

Assignees

• Becton Dickinson Rowa Germany Gmbh

Inventors

• Braun Erika

Classifications

• B65D2583/0477

  the container is maintained in the same position during the dispensing of several successive articles or doses · CPC title

• B65D83/0481

  the articles passing through a small opening or passage, without additional dispensing devices and without retaining means for the following article · CPC title

• B65D83/0409 Primary

  the dispensing means being adapted for delivering one article, or a single dose, upon each actuation (B65D83/0445 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G07F17/0092 Primary

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