Packaging Apparatus for Handling Pills and Associated Method

Abstract

A packaging apparatus and method are provided for depositing pills into a container. At least one cylindrical rotary slat is rotatable about a longitudinal axis and includes a radially inward portion defining a plurality of pill apertures. Each pill aperture receives a pill from a plurality of pills in an interior space of the respective cylinder at a first angular position of the rotary slat. A negative pressure system applies a negative pressure to the pill apertures to retain the pills therein as the rotary slat rotates at least from the first to a second angular position. An ejection mechanism ejects the pills from the respective pill apertures toward the interior space at the second angular position. A collection mechanism disposed adjacent to the radially inward portion of the rotary slat about the second angular position collects the ejected pills and directs the pills toward the container for deposition therein.

1 . An automated packaging apparatus for depositing a predetermined amount of pills into each of a series of containers, comprising:
 at least one rotary slat, each rotary slat being configured as a cylinder independently rotatable about a first axis extending longitudinally therethrough and comprising a radially inward portion defining a plurality of pill apertures therein, each pill aperture being adapted to receive a pill from a plurality of pills deposited into an interior space of the respective cylinder, the pills being received by the pill apertures at a first angular position of the at least one rotary slat;   a negative pressure system in fluid communication with the pill apertures of the at least one rotary slat, the negative pressure system being configured to apply a negative pressure to the pill apertures so as to retain the pills therein, as the at least one rotary slat rotates about the first axis at least from the first angular position to a second angular position;   an ejection mechanism configured to be in communication with the pill apertures of the at least one rotary slat at the second angular position to eject the respective pills therefrom toward the interior space; and   a collection mechanism disposed adjacent to the radially inward portion of the at least one rotary slat about the second angular position, the collection mechanism being configured to collect the pills ejected from the pill apertures of the at least one rotary slat and to direct the pills toward one of the series of containers for deposition therein.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the first axis is substantially horizontally disposed, and the apparatus further comprises a conveyor device adapted to move the plurality of containers along a path substantially parallel to the first axis and into coincidence with the collection mechanism such that each container receives the predetermined amount of pills from the collection mechanism. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a counter device operably engaged with at least one of the collection mechanism and the at least one rotary slat, the counter device being configured to determine the predetermined amount of pills for deposition into each container. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a pill reservoir operably engaged with the at least one rotary slat, the pill reservoir being configured to receive the plurality of pills and to direct the plurality of pills into the interior space of the at least one rotary slat. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a drive mechanism operably engaged with and configured to selectively rotate each of the at least one rotary slat. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 5  further comprising a controller device operably engaged with and configured to control the drive mechanism operably engaged with each of the at least one rotary slat such that each rotary slat can be independently rotated for different durations. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the ejection mechanism further comprises a positive pressure system configured to impart a positive pressure to the pill apertures of the at least one rotary slat about the second angular position to eject the respective pills therefrom toward the interior space. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the positive pressure system further comprises an air blower configured to emit air into the pill apertures so as to eject the pills therefrom. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the first axis is substantially horizontally disposed, and the apparatus further comprises a coarse-fill rotary slat and a fine-fill rotary slat coaxially disposed with and adjacent to each other. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 9  wherein the collection mechanism further comprises a first chute for collecting pills ejected from the pill apertures of the coarse-fill rotary slat and a second chute for collecting pills ejected from the pills apertures of the fine-fill rotary slat, the first chute being spaced apart from the second chute along the first axis. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  further comprising a conveyor device adapted to move the plurality of containers along a path substantially parallel to the first axis and into coincidence with at least the first chute such that each container serially receives a first portion of the predetermined amount of pills from the coarse-fill rotary slat. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 11  further comprising a rotation device configured to rotate about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, the rotation device being configured to receive a first container from the conveyor device for the first container to receive the first portion of the predetermined amount of pills from the coarse-fill rotary slat, and to rotate the first container from coincidence with the first chute into coincidence with the second chute for the first container to receive a second portion of the predetermined amount of pills from the fine-fill rotary slat, the first and second portions of the predetermined amount of pills additively forming the predetermined amount of pills, while a second container is received from the conveyor device in coincidence with the first chute for receiving the first portion of the predetermined amount of pills from the coarse-fill rotary slat commensurately with the first container receiving the second portion of the predetermined amount of pills. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein a radially outward portion of each cylindrical rotary slat defines a plurality of channels therein, each channel extending to a corresponding pill aperture and configured to prevent a pill received by the pill aperture from traveling therethrough. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the negative pressure system is configured to be in fluid communication with the pill apertures of the at least one rotary slat through the respective channels. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 13  further comprising a shroud configured to at least partially cover the radially outward portion of the at least one rotary slat and extending at least from proximate to the first angular position to proximate to the second angular position, the negative pressure system being operably engaged with the shroud so as to apply the negative pressure to the pill apertures via the channels. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein the shroud is configured to completely surround the at least one rotary slat. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein the shroud is further configured to have the at least one rotary slat formed in situ. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to  claim 17  wherein the at least one rotary slat is configured to be formed by a laser sintering device. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a drive mechanism operably engaged with and configured to rotate the at least one rotary slat. 
     
     
         20 . A method of depositing a predetermined amount of pills into each of a series of containers, comprising:
 receiving a pill in each of a plurality of pill apertures defined by a radially inward portion of at least one rotary slat, each rotary slat being configured as a cylinder independently rotatable about a first axis extending longitudinally therethrough, from a plurality of pills deposited into an interior space of the respective cylinder;   applying a negative pressure to the plurality of pill apertures with a negative pressure system, so as to retain the pills within the pill apertures, as the at least one rotary slat rotates about the first axis at least from a first angular position of the at least one rotary slat to a second angular position thereof;   ejecting the pills from the pill apertures at the second angular position of the at least one rotary slat, the pills being ejected toward the interior space, with an ejection mechanism in communication with the pill apertures; and   collecting the pills ejected from the pill apertures, and directing the pills toward one of the series of containers for deposition therein, with a collection mechanism disposed adjacent to the radially inward portion of the at least one rotary slat about the second angular position.   
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20  wherein the first axis is substantially horizontally disposed, and the method further comprises moving the plurality of containers along a path substantially parallel to the first axis and into coincidence with the collection mechanism, with a conveyor device, such that each container receives the predetermined amount of pills from the collection mechanism. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 20  further comprising determining the predetermined amount of pills for deposition into each container with a counter device operably engaged with at least one of the collection mechanism and the at least one rotary slat. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 20  further comprising directing the plurality of pills into the interior space of the at least one rotary slat from a pill reservoir operably engaged with the at least one rotary slat and configured to receive the plurality of pills therein. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 20  further comprising selectively rotating each of the at least one rotary slat with a drive mechanism operably engaged therewith. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 24  further comprising controlling the drive mechanism operably engaged with each of the at least one rotary slat, with a controller device operably engaged therewith, such that each rotary slat can be independently rotated for different durations. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 20  wherein ejecting the pills further comprises imparting a positive pressure to the pill apertures of the at least one rotary slat about the second angular position, with a positive pressure system, so as to eject the respective pills from the pill apertures toward the interior space. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 26  wherein ejecting the pills further comprises emitting air into the pill apertures so as to eject the pills therefrom, with a positive pressure system comprising an air blower. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 20  wherein the first axis is substantially horizontally disposed, and receiving a pill further comprises receiving a pill in each of a plurality of pill apertures defined by a radially inward portion of each of a coarse-fill rotary slat and a fine-fill rotary slat coaxially disposed with and adjacent to each other. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 28  wherein collecting the pills further comprises collecting the pills ejected from the pill apertures of the coarse-fill rotary slat with a first chute and collecting the pills ejected from the pills apertures of the fine-fill rotary slat with a second chute, the first chute being spaced apart from the second chute along the first axis. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 29  further comprising moving the plurality of containers, with a conveyor device, along a path substantially parallel to the first axis and into coincidence with at least the first chute such that each container serially receives a first portion of the predetermined amount of pills from the coarse-fill rotary slat. 
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 30  further comprising:
 receiving a first container from the conveyor device, with a rotation device configured to rotate about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, in coincidence with the first chute for the first container to receive the first portion of the predetermined amount of pills from the coarse-fill rotary slat;   rotating the first container from coincidence with the first chute into coincidence with the second chute for the first container to receive a second portion of the predetermined amount of pills from the fine-fill rotary slat, the first and second portions of the predetermined amount of pills additively forming the predetermined amount of pills;   commensurately with rotating the first container into coincidence with the second chute, receiving a second container from the conveyor device in coincidence with the first chute for the second container to receive the first portion of the predetermined amount of pills from the coarse-fill rotary slat.   
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 20  wherein applying a negative pressure further comprises applying a negative pressure to the plurality of pill apertures through a plurality of channels defined by a radially outward portion of each cylindrical rotary slat, each channel extending to a corresponding pill aperture and configured to prevent a pill received by the pill aperture from traveling therethrough. 
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 20  wherein applying a negative pressure further comprises applying a negative pressure to the pill apertures through the channels via a shroud configured to at least partially cover the radially outward portion of the at least one rotary slat and extending at least from proximate to the first angular position to proximate to the second angular position, the negative pressure system being operably engaged with the shroud so as to apply the negative pressure therethrough. 
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 33  wherein the shroud is configured to completely surround the at least one rotary slat, and applying a negative pressure further comprises simultaneously applying a negative pressure to all of the pill apertures through the channels and via the shroud. 
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 34  further comprising forming the at least one rotary slat in situ within the shroud. 
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 35  wherein forming the at least one rotary slat further comprises forming the at least one rotary slat in situ within the shroud with a laser sintering device. 
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 20  further comprising rotating the at least one rotary slat with a drive mechanism operably engaged therewith.