Storage container for automated dispensing of individual medicament portions
Described herein are methods and systems for automated dispensing of individual medicament portions. The systems can include a housing that encloses a receiving space having a bottom surface. A separation device may be provided and arranged on the bottom surface with at least one channel to receive at least one medicament portion. At least one channel may have an opening facing the receiving space and an opening facing the bottom surface. The opening facing the bottom surface may be associated with a contact area on the bottom surface, over which contact area the medicament portions may be guided upon a movement of separation device. At least one recess may be arranged in the bottom surface outside of the contact area to receive contamination particles present in the container.
1. A storage and dispensing device, comprising:
a housing;
a rotor comprising multiple channels arranged about a circumference of the rotor, a first channel configured to separate an individual medicament portion from a plurality of stored medicament portions when the rotor turns a predetermined amount;
a retention component configured to engage with a channel aligned with an opening of the housing;
a medicament dispensing opening disposed in a bottom surface of the housing and configured to receive the individual medicament portion when the first channel is aligned with the medicament dispensing opening;
a recess disposed in the bottom surface of the housing; and
at least one cleaning agent disposed on the rotor and configured to move contamination particles to the recess when the rotor turns.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the multiple channels are separated by multiple webs that overlap a contact area on the bottom surface, the contact area being exposed to the medicament portions through the channels.
3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the medicament dispensing opening intersects the contact area to receive the individual medicament portion as the medicament portions are swept by the webs upon a rotation of the rotor.
4. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a gap between a bottom of the rotor and the bottom surface.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the retention component is configured to prevent a second individual medicament portion to be dispensed through the channel aligned with the opening of the housing.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the channels comprises a first opening facing the plurality of stored medicament portions and a second opening facing the bottom surface, wherein the second opening is associated with a contact area on the bottom surface.
7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the device is configured to guide medicament portions over the contact area upon a movement of the rotor.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cleaning agent includes a brush.
9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one cleaning agent is formed on a side of the rotor facing the bottom surface and is aligned outwardly at an angle configured to sweep a contamination particle into the recess when the rotor turns by the predetermined amount.
10. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a stop element comprising an elastic arm configured to engage with a toothed profile formed in an axis of the rotor and to avoid an unintended rotation of the rotor.
11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the stop element is arranged on a portion of the bottom surface around the axis of the rotor that does not include the recess.
12. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least one section of the bottom surface is coated with a non-stick coating.
13. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a protrusion at least partially surrounding an axis of the rotor, the protrusion configured to prevent contamination particles from reaching the axis of the rotor.
14. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a vibration device disposed to transmit vibrations to the housing to cause a contamination particle to fall into the recess.
15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface comprises a circular protrusion coaxial to a rotor axis.
16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the circular protrusion is arranged between the recess and a rotor axis opening.
17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the circular protrusion is configured to prevent contamination particles from getting past the recess and reaching the rotor axis opening.
18. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least one section of the bottom surface comprises a funnel-shaped section and the rotor is arranged in a center of the funnel-shaped section.
19. The device of claim 1 , wherein the housing and the rotor define a receiving space in which the plurality of medicament portions are stored.
20. A system for storage and dispensing of small piece goods, the system comprising:
a plurality of storage and dispensing devices, at least one storage and dispensing device comprising:
a housing;
a rotor comprising multiple channels arranged about a circumference of the rotor, a first channel configured to separate an individual medicament portion from a plurality of stored medicament portions when the rotor turns a predetermined amount;
a retention component configured to engage with a channel aligned with an opening of the housing;
a medicament dispensing opening disposed in a bottom surface of the housing and configured to receive the individual medicament portion when the first channel is aligned with the medicament dispensing opening;
a recess disposed in the bottom surface of the housing; and
at least one cleaning agent disposed on the rotor and configured to move contamination particles to the recess when the rotor turns.