Device for discharging fixed quantity of content, storage container having same and content management system

Abstract

A discharge device coupled to a storage container accommodating contents to discharge a fixed quantity of the contents includes: a fixed portion configured to fix the discharge device to the storage container; a passage portion having an opening formed in a shape of a through-hole, through which the contents are discharged, at an upper end and configured to form a movement path for discharging the fixed quantity of the contents; and a passing movement portion rotatably installed at the fixed portion and configured to rotate for the contents to pass, wherein the passing movement portion includes an opening member configured to open or close the opening, a rotating shaft portion connected to the opening member and having a rotating shaft that serves as a center of rotational movement, and a blocking member connected to the rotating shaft portion and configured to rotate together with the opening member, while the storage container and the discharge device are tilted at a critical angle of inclination from an angle of inclination of 0° at which the storage container and the discharge device stand upright, a center of gravity of the passing movement portion is configured to be positioned relative to the rotating shaft for rotation of the passing movement portion to be suppressed, and the critical angle of inclination is an angle of the storage container relative to the angle of inclination of 0° at which the contents come in contact with the opening member.

1 . A discharge device coupled to a storage container accommodating contents to discharge a fixed quantity of the contents, the discharge device comprising:
 a fixed portion configured to fix the discharge device to the storage container;   a passage portion having an opening formed in a shape of a through-hole, through which the contents are discharged, at an upper end and configured to form a movement path for discharging the fixed quantity of the contents; and   a passing movement portion rotatably installed at the fixed portion and configured to rotate for the contents to pass.   wherein the passing movement portion includes an opening member configured to open or close the opening, a rotating shaft portion connected to the opening member and having a rotating shaft that serves as a center of rotational movement, and a blocking member connected to the rotating shaft portion and configured to rotate together with the opening member,   while the storage container and the discharge device are tilted at a critical angle of inclination from an angle of inclination of 0° at which the storage container and the discharge device stand upright, a center of gravity of the passing movement portion is configured to be positioned relative to the rotating shaft for rotation of the passing movement portion to be suppressed, and   the critical angle of inclination is an angle of the storage container relative to the angle of inclination of 0° at which the contents come in contact with the opening member.   
     
     
         2 . The discharge device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least a portion of the passing movement portion is disposed to form one sidewall of the passage portion;   the opening member and the blocking member are formed to be bent so that, in a state in which the opening member closes the opening, the blocking member opens the passage portion;   when the storage container and the discharge device are tilted counterclockwise to have the critical angle of inclination from the angle of inclination of 0° at which the storage container and the discharge device stand upright, the contents enter the passage portion due to gravity, apply impact to the opening member, cause the passing movement portion to rotate, open the opening, and are discharged to the outside; and   in a state in which the storage container and the discharge device stand upright, the center of gravity of the passing movement portion is positioned between −90° and 0° relative to a horizontal axis having the rotating shaft as an origin.   
     
     
         3 . The discharge device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in the state in which the angle of inclination is 0° and the storage container and the discharge device stand upright, the center of gravity of the passing movement portion is positioned in a fourth quadrant about the rotating shaft as the origin;   until the angle of inclination of the discharge device reaches the critical angle of inclination from 0°, the center of gravity of the passing movement portion is positioned in the fourth quadrant and a first quadrant about the origin, the rotation of the passing movement portion is suppressed, the blocking member does not block the passage portion, and the contents enter the passage portion and are able to apply impact to the opening member;   at the critical angle of inclination, the contents apply a stroke to the opening member, the passing movement portion further rotates counterclockwise, and the contents are able to be discharged in a state in which the passing movement portion is maximally rotated without further tilting of the discharge device; and   in the state in which the passing movement portion is maximally rotated, the center of gravity of the passing movement portion is positioned in a second quadrant.   
     
     
         4 . The discharge device of  claim 1 , wherein:
   (90− M )< a <(90− C )
   where a is an angle at which the center of gravity of the passing movement portion is positioned relative to a horizontal axis of a plane orthogonal to the rotating shaft in the state in which the angle of inclination is 0° and the discharge device stands upright, C is the critical angle of inclination of the passing movement portion, and M is a maximum angle at which, when the contents apply impact to the opening member, the passing movement portion rotates due to the impact; and
     C<M.    
   
     
     
         5 . The discharge device of  claim 1 , further comprising a guide passage connected to the passage portion to guide the contents,
 wherein, due to tilting of the storage container, the contents move along the guide passage, enter the passage portion, and then are discharged to the outside through the opening,   the fixed portion includes a fixing member fixed and coupled to a neck portion of the storage container, and   the fixing member blocks an opening of the neck portion, and the opening is formed to pass through one region of the fixing member.   
     
     
         6 . The discharge device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more detectors disposed in the passage portion and including a light emitter and a light receiver,
 wherein the light emitter and the light receiver are disposed to face each other with the passage portion disposed therebetween at both sides of the passing movement portion so that light radiated from the light emitter passes through a path along which the contents move in order to be discharged and is detected by the light receiver, and   at least one of the one or more detectors is disposed at a height between a lower portion of the opening member and the blocking member while the angle of inclination is 0° or the critical angle of inclination.   
     
     
         7 . The discharge device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of detectors including the light emitter and the light receiver are linearly disposed from an upstream side to a downstream side in a direction in which the contents move through the passage portion; and   at the maximum angle of inclination, at least one of the plurality of detectors is disposed to be positioned more downstream from the passage portion than the blocking member.   
     
     
         8 . The discharge device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the detector further includes a sensing controller configured to process an optical signal detected by the light receiver, a communication module configured to perform wireless communication with an external device, a clock, and a storing portion;   the sensing controller sends the processed signal to the external device through the communication module; and   the storing portion stores the signal processed by the sensing controller.   
     
     
         9 . A storage container including a container main body configured to accommodate contents and a neck portion, the storage container comprising the discharge device of  claim 1  that is configured to be coupled to the container main body or the neck portion,
 wherein the contents accommodated in the container main body move along the passage portion as the storage container is tilted, and 
 when the angle of inclination of the storage container becomes the critical angle of inclination or more, a fixed quantity of the contents is discharged by the discharge device. 
 
     
     
         10 . A content management system comprising:
 a storage container having the discharge device of  claim 1  installed therein;   a content management server; and   a user terminal,   wherein the storage container includes a control module, a communication module configured to perform wireless communication with an external device, a clock, and a storing portion, and   the control module is able to communicate with the user terminal or the external device through the communication module.   
     
     
         11 . A medicine-taking management device comprising:
 a storage container having the discharge device of  claim 1  installed therein;   a medicine-taking management server; and   a user terminal,   wherein the user terminal includes a communication portion configured to perform wireless communication with the storage container and the medicine-taking management server, an output portion, and a controller configured to receive medicine-taking state information from the detector of the discharge device, receive medicine-taking schedule information from the medicine-taking management server, generate medicine-taking management information relating to a user by using the medicine-taking schedule information and the medicine-taking state information, and output the medicine-taking management information to the output portion, and   the output portion outputs the medicine-taking management information using text, images, or voice.   
     
     
         12 . A discharge device for discharging a fixed quantity of contents that is to be coupled to a container main body accommodating the contents, the discharge device comprising:
 a fixed portion configured to fix the discharge device to the container main body and guide movement of the contents; and   a passing movement portion rotatably installed at the fixed portion to move for the contents to pass,   wherein the fixed portion has a duct-type passage portion configured to form a movement path for discharging the fixed quantity of the contents, and an opening is formed at an upper end of the passage portion,   the passing movement portion includes an opening member configured to open or close the opening, a rotating shaft portion having a rotating shaft that serves as a center of rotational movement, and a blocking member connected to the rotating shaft portion to rotate together with the opening member,   in a state in which an angle of inclination is 0° and the container main body and the discharge device stand upright, a center of gravity of the passing movement portion is positioned in a fourth quadrant, and the fourth quadrant is defined based on a horizontal axis, which has a center of the rotating shaft as an origin and belongs to a plane orthogonal to the rotating shaft and including the origin, and the origin,   by the container main body being tilted counterclockwise from the angle of inclination of 0° by a user, the contents move along the passage portion, pass through the opening, and are discharged,   until the angle of inclination reaches the critical angle of inclination from 0°, the center of gravity of the passing movement portion is positioned in the fourth quadrant and the first quadrant about the origin, a clockwise rotational force acts, the blocking member does not block the passage portion, and the contents enter the passage portion and apply impact to the opening member,   at the critical angle of inclination, the contents apply a stroke to the opening member, the passing movement portion further rotates counterclockwise, and the contents are able to be discharged in the state in which the passing movement portion is maximally rotated without further tilting of the container main body,   in the state in which the passing movement portion is maximally rotated, the center of gravity of the passing movement portion is positioned in the second quadrant, a counterclockwise rotational force acts, and even in a state in which the contents are discharged and thus impact is not applied to the passing movement portion, the counterclockwise rotational force is maintained for the blocking member to block the passage portion, and   the critical angle of inclination is an angle of the discharge device relative to the state in which the container main body and the discharge device stand upright at which the contents come in contact with the opening member.   
     
     
         13 . The discharge device of  claim 12 , further comprising a guide passage connected to the passage portion to guide the contents,
 wherein the contents move along the guide passage, enter the passage portion, and then are discharged to the outside through the opening, and   the passing movement portion is disposed to form one sidewall of the passage portion.   
     
     
         14 . The discharge device of  claim 12 , further comprising one or more detectors including a light emitter and a light receiver,
 wherein the light emitter and the light receiver are disposed to face each other with the movement path of the contents disposed therebetween at both sides of the passing movement portion, and light radiated from the light emitter passes through the movement path for discharging the contents and is detected by the light receiver, and   the one or more detectors are disposed so that, while the angle of inclination is 0°, the light radiated from the light emitter passes through the passage portion between a lower portion of the opening member and an upper portion of the blocking member.   
     
     
         15 . A storage container including a container main body, which accommodates contents, and a neck portion, the storage container comprising the discharge device of  claim 12  that is configured to be coupled to the container main body or the neck portion,
 wherein the contents accommodated in the container main body move along the passage portion as the storage container is tilted, 
 until the angle of inclination of the storage container reaches the critical angle of inclination, rotation of the passing movement portion of the discharge device is suppressed, and 
 when the angle of inclination of the storage container becomes the critical angle of inclination or more, the passing movement portion of the discharge device rotates, and a fixed quantity of the contents is discharged.