Apparatus for counting and dispensing pills using pill volume calculations
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 having a detector mechanism is operatively connected to the hopper for receiving pills therefrom. A microcontroller is also operatively connected to the hopper, the feed chute, and the detector mechanism. The microcontroller calculates the volume of each of the pills transiting the detector mechanism based on occluded electromagnetic signals detected by the detector mechanism and the time of transit of each pill relative thereto.
1. An apparatus for counting and dispensing pills, comprising:
a) a hopper for containing a plurality of pills;
b) a transport tube operatively connected to said hopper for receiving pills therefrom, said transport tube having an outlet;
c) a detector mechanism operatively connected to said transport tube for detecting pills proximate said detector mechanism and for generating a pulse width signal and an amplitude signal for each of said detected pills, said signals being dependent on the interruption of electromagnetic signals generated by photodiodes and received by detectors in said detector mechanism; and
d) a microcontroller operatively connected to said detector mechanism and to said inlet aperture, said microcontroller having means for receiving said pulse width signal and said amplitude signal for each of said detected pills and for analyzing said pulse width signal and said amplitude signal, for calculating a slice volume therefor, and for calculating the volume of detector mechanism blockage as a function of the sum of said slice volumes, said analysis being dependent upon both the time of occlusion of said electromagnetic signals and the degree thereof, generating a three-dimensional analog pill data signal representative of the actual volume of said detected pill volume for each of said detected pills.
2. The apparatus for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said photodiodes are orthogonally disposed with respect to each other and at least two detectors are respectively associated therewith.
3. The apparatus for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 2 , wherein said electromagnetic signals comprise infrared (IR) signals.
4. The apparatus for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 3 , wherein said detectors comprise at least a single detector row and a double detector row for detecting IR signals.
5. The apparatus for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising an amplifier operatively connected to each of said photodiodes for converting current therefrom to a voltage output signal proportional to the IR light falling thereupon.
6. The apparatus for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 5 , further comprising at least one analog-to-digital converter operatively connected to said amplifiers for generating suitable digital signals for subsequent processing by said microcontroller.
7. A method for counting and dispensing pills, the steps comprising:
a) providing a hopper for containing a plurality of pills and a feed chute operatively connected to said hopper for receiving pills therefrom;
b) providing a detector mechanism proximate said feed chute, said detector mechanism comprising photodiodes and light detectors respectively associated therewith; and
c) calculating the volume of each of said pills transiting said detector mechanism based on occluded electromagnetic signals detected by said detector mechanism and the time of transit of each pill relative thereto, said calculating step (c) comprising calculating a slice volume dependent on blockage of said detector mechanism, calculating the volume of detector mechanism blockage as a function of the sum of said slice volumes, and generating a three-dimensional analog pill data signal representative of the actual volume of said detected pill volume for each of said detected pills.
8. The method for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 7 , the steps further comprising electrically connecting a microcontroller to said hopper, said feed chute, and said detector mechanism.
9. The method for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said calculating step (c) is performed by said microcontroller.
10. The apparatus for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 7 , the steps further comprising providing an amplifier operatively connected to each of said photodiodes for converting current therefrom to a voltage output signal proportional to the IR light falling thereupon.
11. The apparatus for counting and dispensing pills in accordance with claim 10 , further comprising at least one analog-to-digital converter operatively connected to said amplifiers for generating suitable digital signals for subsequent processing by said microcontroller.