Apparatus and Methods for Dividing Medicinal Tablets and for Packaging and Distributing Tablet Portions

Abstract

Apparatus for dividing medicinal tablets is disclosed. Apparatus according to the invention may include a plurality of tablet dividing members, a tablet retention mechanism adapted to hold one or more medicinal tablets, and a controller that causes the tablet retention mechanism to move relative to the tablet dividing members to divide the medicinal tablets into respective pluralities of tablet portions. Apparatus according to the invention may include a tablet retention mechanism adapted to hold a medicinal tablet and a controller that causes the tablet retention mechanism to move relative to the tablet dividing members to divide the medicinal tablet into at least three tablet portions. A method for packaging medications according to the invention may include dividing each of a plurality of medicinal tablets into a respective plurality of tablet portions, separating the tablet portions to form a first plurality of tablet portions and a second plurality of tablet portions, and packaging the pluralities of tablet portions as separate packages. A first plurality of the tablet portions may have a first shape while a second plurality of the tablet portions has a second shape that is different from the first shape.

1 . Apparatus for dividing medicinal tablets, comprising:
 a plurality of tablet dividing members;   a tablet retention mechanism adapted to hold a medicinal tablet; and   a controller adapted to cause the tablet retention mechanism to move relative to the tablet dividing members to divide the medicinal tablet into three or more tablet portions, wherein the tablet retention mechanism includes a plurality of tablet compartments, and each of the tablet compartments is adapted to hold a respective tablet.