Storage container for a storage and dispensing station
A storage container for a storage and dispensing station for small piece goods, in particular drugs or dietary supplement products, is provided. The storage container includes a housing with an on the inside circular cylindrical section, a separating device arranged in the on the inside circular cylindrical section including a base body and multiple channels, the channels being open to the outer periphery of the separating device and each channel having a peripheral wall and two radial walls, and a retainer. At least one radial wall and/or the peripheral wall includes a depression and/or an elevation to reduce a contact area between a small piece good and the channel wall, the shape and size of the depression/elevation being selected in such a way that an electrostatic attraction between the small piece good and the channel wall is reduced.
1. A storage container for a storage and dispensing station for small piece goods, comprising:
a housing enclosing a receiving space for small piece goods, the housing comprising:
an inside circular cylindrical section;
a housing bottom surface; and
a dispensing opening, the dispensing opening disposed in the housing bottom surface;
a separating device arranged in the inside circular cylindrical section of the housing, the separating device comprising:
a base body;
a plurality of channels configured to receive at least one small piece good, the plurality of channels being open to an outer periphery of the separating device, each channel comprising a peripheral wall comprising a linear surface and two radial walls each comprising a linear surface; and
a base area facing the housing bottom surface, the base area having dispensing openings of the channels;
a retainer comprising a positioner and a retaining section, the positioner configured to hold the retainer over the dispensing opening of the housing; and
a contact reducing member disposed on one of the linear surface of the peripheral wall and the linear surface of one of the radial walls, the contact reducing member configured to reduce a contact area between a small piece good and one of the peripheral wall and the radial walls of the first channel.
2. The storage container of claim 1 , wherein the contact reducing member is disposed on the linear surface of the peripheral wall of the first channel and the reduced contact area is configured to reduce an electrostatic attraction between the small piece good and the peripheral wall.
3. The storage container of claim 1 , wherein the contact reducing member is disposed on the linear surface of one of the radial walls of the first channel and the reduced contact area is configured to reduce an electrostatic attraction between the small piece good and the radial wall.
4. The storage container of claim 1 , wherein the contact reducing member comprises a depression.
5. The storage container of claim 4 , wherein the depression is a vertical groove.
6. The storage container of claim 5 , wherein the vertical groove is configured to be open to the dispensing opening of the first channel.
7. The storage container of claim 1 , wherein the contact reducing member comprises an elevation.
8. The storage container of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of horizontal radial grooves arranged on a bottom surface of the separating device, wherein the plurality of horizontal radial grooves are configured to be open towards the outer periphery of the separating device.
9. The storage container of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of channels are defined by a plurality of webs disposed on the base body.
10. The storage container of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of webs are attached to the outer periphery of the separating device.
11. The storage container of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of webs are formed by the plurality of channels being milled out of the base body of the separating device.
12. The storage container of claim 9 , further comprising a horizontal slot dividing the plurality of webs into upper and lower web sections, and dividing the plurality of channels into upper and lower channel sections.
13. The storage container of claim 12 , wherein the contact reducing member is disposed on a peripheral wall of a lower channel section.
14. The storage container of claim 12 , wherein the contact reducing member is disposed on a peripheral wall of an upper channel section.
15. The storage container of claim 12 , wherein the contact reducing member is disposed on a radial wall of a lower channel section.
16. The storage container of claim 12 , wherein the contact reducing member is disposed on a radial wall of an upper channel section.
17. The storage container of claim 12 , wherein the retaining section of the retainer is disposed in the horizontal slot, wherein the retaining section is configured to prevent drug portions in the channel aligned with the dispensing opening from falling from the upper channel section into the lower channel section.
18. A system for storage and dispensing of small piece goods, the system comprising:
a plurality of storage containers, each storage container comprising:
a housing enclosing a receiving space for small piece goods, the housing comprising:
an inside circular cylindrical section;
a housing bottom surface; and
a dispensing opening disposed in the housing bottom surface;
a separating device arranged in the inside circular cylindrical section of the housing, the separating device comprising:
a base body;
a plurality of channels configured to receive at least one small piece good, the plurality of channels being open to an outer periphery of the separating device, each channel comprising a peripheral wall comprising a linear surface and two radial walls each comprising a linear surface; and
a base area facing the housing bottom surface, the base area having dispensing openings of the channels;
a retainer comprising a positioner and a retaining section, the positioner configured to hold the retainer over the dispensing opening of the housing; and
a contact reducing member disposed on a first channel wall comprising one of the linear surface of the peripheral wall and the linear surface of each of the two radial walls of a first channel, the contact reducing member configured to reduce a contact area between the first channel wall and a small piece good within the first channel, and thereby to reduce an electrostatic attraction between the first channel wall and the small piece good.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the contact reducing member comprises one of a vertical groove configured to be open to the dispensing opening of the first channel and a horizontal groove.