Passive Staging Chute for Jam-Free Tablet Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated pharmaceutical dispensing systems face issues such as tablet jamming in chutes and a lack of adaptability to different vial sizes, which complicates the dispensing process and may lead to spills or incomplete dispensing.
Innovation Solution
A passive dispensing chute assembly with pivotally interconnected staging members and contact members that adaptively open to accommodate various vial sizes, allowing for efficient and jam-free dispensing of tablets into vials of different diameters, facilitated by a staging portion that moves between capturing and dispensing positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed dispensing chute is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to different vial sizes and causes tablet jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing chute employs a collapsible cone structure made of flexible material that dynamically adjusts its opening size. The cone collapses to a closed state for storage and expands to an open state for dispensing, allowing adaptation to different vial diameters without requiring multiple fixed chutes or complex mechanical adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispensing chute utilizes a flexible conical shell that can deform between a closed collapsed state and an open expanded state. This flexible membrane structure allows the chute to conform to different vial sizes while maintaining structural integrity, eliminating the need for rigid, size-specific chutes.
2Ease of operation
If a wide opening is provided in the chute, then dispensing is easier, but tablets jam and spill more easily
Solution Approach 1:
The cone dynamically adjusts its opening diameter based on operational needs. During storage, it maintains a closed state to prevent jamming. During dispensing, it expands to provide an adequate opening for easy tablet release into the vial, thus optimizing both ease of operation and reliability at different stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The cone undergoes periodic expansion and collapse cycles. It collapses during non-dispensing periods to minimize space and prevent jamming, then expands during dispensing operations to facilitate easy tablet transfer. This periodic action allows the system to maintain both ease of operation and reliability.
3Volume of moving object
If a closed cone structure is used for storage, then space is saved, but tablets cannot be dispensed
Solution Approach 1:
The cone is designed to be collapsible rather than permanently closed. It maintains a compact closed volume during storage to save space, then can be dynamically expanded to provide an open dispensing pathway. This dynamic transformation allows the same structure to serve both space-efficient storage and functional dispensing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The cone structure allows the dispensing opening to be nested within the closed conical form during storage, maximizing space efficiency. When dispensing is required, the nested structure expands outward to create the necessary opening, effectively hiding the dispensing mechanism within the compact storage form factor.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures smooth, one-handed dispensing of pills with reduced jamming and adaptability to various vial sizes, enhancing operational efficiency and preventing spills, while allowing for sequential feeding to minimize clogging.
Implementation Method 1
a passive dispensing chute assembly with pivotally interconnected staging members and contact members that adaptively open to accommodate various vial sizes, allowing for efficient and jam-free dispensing of tablets into vials of different diameters
Implementation Method 2
Contact from underneath (for example, with a pharmaceutical vial) forces the contact members to move from the staging position toward the dispensing position
Data Source
AI summary
A passive chute assembly includes: a chute configured to receive objects to be dispensed, the chute having an outlet; and a passive dispensing unit attached to the chute outlet. The passive dispensing unit has a staging portion, wherein objects are captured prior to dispensing. The staging portion is movable between a staging position, in which objects may be captured within the staging portion, and a dispensing position, in which the objects may be fed gravimetrically into a receptacle positioned below the dispensing unit. The staging portion includes an adaptive opening that, when the staging portion moves to the dispensing position, opens adaptively corresponding to a diameter of the receptacle.