Article dispensing and counting method and device
View Patent ↗One embodiment of the present invention includes a system comprising a housing having an upper end and a lower end. The housing carries a plurality of movable blades defining an entry aperture proximate to the upper end, an exit aperture proximate to the lower end, and a chamber there between. An adapter may be provided for connection to the housing and for receiving an article storage container. The upper end of the housing carries a sensor responsive to the presence and absence of the article storage container. A memory device carries information about the presence and absence of the article storage container. An article determining and actuating station has electronics for interrogating the memory device, for controlling the plurality of blades and for determining the number of items dispensed. A receptacle collects articles that have been dispensed. Methods of associating a flow control device with an article storage container and of dispensing items are also disclosed.
1. A method of dispensing articles, comprising:
connecting a flow control device containing a memory device and having an article storage container connected thereto to a station;
interrogating said memory device;
setting the minimum and maximum sizes of an entry aperture of said flow control device based on said interrogating;
setting the minimum and maximum sizes of an exit aperture of said flow control device based on said interrogating;
varying the sizes of said entry aperture and said exit aperture between said minimum and maximum sizes;
determining a number of articles dispensed; and
collecting the articles in a receptacle after they have been dispensed.
2. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising controlling said varying based on said determining.
3. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising closing said entry aperture and said exit aperture at the conclusion of said dispensing.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein said entry aperture and said exit aperture cannot be opened upon disconnecting said flow control device from said station.
5. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising inhibiting said setting, counting and collecting in response to said interrogation identifying a problem.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said varying is performed in accordance with a duty cycle having a predetermined profile and frequency.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said varying is performed in accordance with a deadtime between duty cycles.
8. A method, comprising:
connecting a flow control device containing a memory device and having an article storage container connected thereto to a station;
setting the minimum and maximum sizes of an entry aperture of said flow control device based on default values;
setting the minimum and maximum sizes of an exit aperture of said flow control device based on default values;
varying the sizes of said entry aperture and said exit aperture between said minimum and maximum sizes at a frequency based on default values;
determining if articles are dispensed at a desired rate and, if so, saving said default values to said memory device and, if not, adjusting said default values until articles are dispensed at said desired rate.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising dispensing the articles and closing said entry aperture and said exit aperture at the conclusion of said dispensing.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein said entry aperture and said exit aperture cannot be opened upon disconnecting said flow control device from said station.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein said varying is performed in accordance with a duty cycle having a predetermined profile and frequency.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein said varying is performed in accordance with a deadtime between duty cycles.