Apparatus for counting and dispensing pills using multi-staged pill singulation
A self-contained pill dispenser is disclosed. A housing is provided and a hopper for containing a plurality of pills is supported by the housing. A feed chute is operatively connected to the hopper for receiving pills therefrom. The feed chute has an outlet and controllable aperture. A vibrating plate is disposed proximate the outlet. A drive mechanism is connected to the vibrating plate for imparting vibration thereto. The drive mechanism has a mechanism for abruptly stopping the vibration of the vibrating plate. A microcontroller is also operatively connected to the hopper, the feed chute, and the drive mechanism.
1. An apparatus for counting and dispensing pills using multi-staged pill singulation, comprising:
a) a hopper for containing a plurality of pills;
b) a feed chute proximate said hopper for receiving pills therefrom, said feed chute having a feed chute vibrator operatively connected thereto for preventing pills therein from jamming, and having a feed chute outlet;
c) a transport tube proximate said feed chute outlet and having an inlet aperture proximate thereto for receiving pills therefrom;
d) a vibrating plate proximate said transport tube, said vibrating plate comprising a vibrating plate electric linear voice-coil motor for imparting vibration at a controlled speed and a sense magnet;
e) a detector chute proximate said vibrating plate, said detector chute comprising means for detecting pills moving relative thereto;
f) a microcontroller operatively connected to said hopper, said transport tube, said feed chute vibrator, said inlet aperture, and said vibrating plate electric linear voice-coil motor.
2. The apparatus for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said feed chute vibrator comprises at least one of the group of components: an electric voice-coil linear drive motor, a direct drive stepper motor, an electric jog motor, a gear belt pulley, and a gear belt disposed therebetween.
3. The apparatus for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said vibrating plate further comprises a feedback mechanism for detecting the position, amplitude, and speed of said vibrating plate.
4. The apparatus for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 3 , wherein said feedback mechanism comprises a Hall Effect sensor.
5. The apparatus for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 4 , wherein said vibrating plate electric linear voice-coil motor is caused to operate in a phase cancellation mode when pill conveyance must be halted.
6. The apparatus for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 1 , said transport tube having a rotatable helical spiral therein.
7. The apparatus for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said detector chute comprises at least a first infrared (IR) light emitting diode (LED) and at least a first detector associated therewith and at least a second IR LED and at least a second detector associated therewith, said second IR LED and said second detector associated therewith being disposed orthogonally to said first IR LED and said first detector associated therewith.
8. The apparatus for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said vibrating plate further comprises means for adjusting the amplitude and frequency of vibration thereof to facilitate pill singulation, pill separation, and conveyance speed control.
9. A method for counting and dispensing pills using multi-staged pill singulation, the steps comprising:
a) providing a housing, a hopper for containing a plurality of pills, said hopper having a hopper door release and a hopper door switch, said hopper being supported by said housing, a feed chute operatively connected to said hopper for receiving pills therefrom, said feed chute having a feed chute vibrator and a feed chute outlet, a transport tube proximate said feed chute outlet for receiving pills therefrom, said transport tube having an inlet aperture, a vibrating plate proximate said transport tube, said vibrating plate having a flap door connected thereto, and a drive mechanism connected to said vibrating plate for imparting vibration thereto, a detector chute proximate said vibrating plate, said detector chute comprising means for detecting pills moving relative thereto, and a microcontroller operatively connected to said hopper, said feed chute vibrator, said inlet aperture, said drive mechanism, and said means for detecting pills;
b) performing a rapid phase operation on said pills; and
c) performing a singulation phase operation on said pills.
10. The method for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said performing said rapid phase operation step (b) comprises controlling said hopper door release and a hopper door switch, said feed chute vibrator, and said inlet aperture.
11. The method for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said performing said singulation phase operation step (c) comprises controlling said drive mechanism connected to said vibrating plate and said means for detecting pills.