Cap Singulation Drum with Adjustable Gap for Pharmacy Dispensers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated pharmaceutical dispensing systems are limited by their inability to rapidly adjust to different sizes of caps and lack of adaptability without changing multiple components, resulting in inefficiencies in the dispensing process.
Innovation Solution
A cap singulation device featuring a housing with an outer ring and a rotary drum assembly that includes a hub and platform forming a circular gap, allowing for the adjustment of cap sizes through different mating structures, enabling rapid adaptation to various cap sizes without altering system configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional closure dispenser with a fixed groove and drum configuration is used, then the system can dispense closures, but it is limited to only a single size of closure and requires changing multiple components to adapt to different sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes the drum height adjustable relative to the outer ring, allowing the gap between them to be dynamically changed. This enables the same dispenser to accommodate different closure sizes by simply adjusting the drum position rather than changing multiple components, directly resolving the technical contradiction between adaptability and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameter of the gap size between the drum and outer ring to adapt to different closure sizes. By adjusting the drum height parameter, the system can accommodate various closure diameters without requiring structural changes to multiple components, thus improving adaptability while minimizing complexity
2Productivity
If the drum rotates to dispense closures, then closures can be singulated and dispensed one at a time, but the process is relatively slow
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements a pre-staging platform that positions closures in advance before they are needed at the capping station. This preliminary action allows the system to prepare the next closure while the current one is being used, reducing waiting time and improving overall dispensing speed without requiring complex mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
A device for singulating open-ended caps includes: a housing configured to retain a plurality of open-ended caps, the housing having an open lower end; an outer ring positioned below the housing; a drum fixed to and positioned within the outer ring to form a drum assembly, the drum including a hub having a substantially circular wall and a platform that extends radially outwardly from the wall to contact the outer ring, the hub and outer ring forming a circular gap therebetween, the platform being positioned below much of the gap and including a discontinuity; a mounting structure with an exit aperture fixed relative to the housing; and a rotary drive unit mounted to the drum that rotates the drum assembly about an axis of rotation.