Medicine Collection System with Rotating Carousel and Stationary Columns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medicine collection systems are prone to pill damage, clogging, inefficiencies, and errors due to the long transfer path, requiring frequent shutdowns and cumbersome maintenance, which can lead to incorrect dosages and health risks.
Innovation Solution
A medicine collection system with a dispensing unit, movable collection columns, and a data processing unit that synchronizes the movement of collection columns with dosing mechanisms to ensure accurate dispensing, allowing for simultaneous processing of multiple orders and easy maintenance without system shutdown, along with features like rotatable cavities and diaphragm shutters for efficient transfer and error reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pills are transferred along a long collection path in a central location, then the system can collect medicines from multiple canisters, but the chance of pill damage and clogging increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the collection area into multiple stationary collection columns distributed around the periphery, each serving a specific segment of the dosing carousel. This segmentation eliminates the need for a long central collection path, as pills are transferred directly from dosing stations to adjacent collection columns, reducing pill damage and clogging risk while maintaining multi-canister collection capability.
2Ease of repair
If the system is shut down for maintenance or canister replacement, then the system can be serviced, but operational efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The dosing carousel is designed to rotate dynamically, bringing different dosing stations into position under stationary collection columns as needed. This dynamic positioning allows maintenance personnel to access and service specific canisters or dosing stations without shutting down the entire system, as other stations continue to operate. The rotating carousel enables selective maintenance while maintaining overall system productivity.
3Productivity
If multiple collection columns are provided for simultaneous processing, then processing efficiency improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stationary collection columns are designed with universal functionality to receive pills from any dosing station on the rotating carousel. Each collection column can serve multiple dosing stations over time as the carousel rotates, eliminating the need for dedicated one-to-one pairings between dosing stations and collection columns. This multi-functionality enables simultaneous processing through multiple columns while keeping the overall system structure relatively simple and modular.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a medicine collection system, comprising: - a wall with at least one dispensing unit, the dispensing unit comprising a reservoir for accommodating solid medicines such as pills or tablets, the dispensing unit further comprising a dispensing opening, connected to the reservoir, the dispensing opening comprising dosing means for dosing a solid medicine from the reservoir to the dispensing opening; - a collection area, at least partially surrounded by the wall, the collection area comprising at least one collection column, movable along the wall and the at least one dispensing opening, the collection column comprising at least one receiving opening, wherein the receiving opening is adjacent to the at least one dispensing opening in at least one position of the collection column; and - a data processing unit, for controlling the movement of the collection column and the dosing means.