Pill Counting Tray Gate Structure for Spill-Controlled Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual pill counting trays are prone to errors due to human reliance on vision and memory, leading to inaccuracies and spills, while automated systems increase prescription filling errors, necessitating a safer and more efficient verification process.
Innovation Solution
A pharmacy pill tray with a planar viewing platform, semi-cylinder trough, and movable transfer gate or doors to control pill movement, reducing spills and improving accuracy through controlled dispensing and verification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual pill counting is performed using traditional trays, then the pharmacist can visually assess and remove damaged pills, but the process is error-prone due to reliance on human vision and memory
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a physical barrier structure (walls and gates) as an intermediary mechanism between the pill source and the dispensing trough. This intermediary structure guides pill flow mechanically, reducing reliance on human memory and attention while maintaining the pharmacist's ability to visually verify pill quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the purely manual mechanical process of pill transfer with a controlled mechanical system featuring gates and channels that regulate pill movement. This mechanical control system reduces human error while preserving the visual assessment capability.
2Productivity
If the counting surface is tilted toward the return funnel for efficiency, then uncounted pills can be quickly returned, but pills may be inadvertently spilled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different structural characteristics to different zones of the tray. The counting surface has containment walls to prevent spillage during tilting, while the return funnel area has optimized geometry for efficient pill return. This localized structural differentiation allows simultaneous achievement of safety and efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates containment walls and controlled channel structures before the pill reach critical spill zones. These preventive structural features cushion against potential spillage by guiding pills through controlled paths even when the tray is tilted for efficient return.
3Productivity
If automated systems are implemented for filling prescriptions, then labor is reduced and inventory control is improved, but prescription filling errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces physical barriers (walls and gates) as intermediary control elements that mediate between automated or manual pill transfer processes. These structural intermediaries provide a mechanical verification layer that catches errors before they reach the patient, complementing automated systems with fail-safe physical controls.
4Productivity
If the trough is tilted toward the dispense funnel for rapid dispensing, then pill transfer speed increases, but pills may be inadvertently spilled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements localized structural features at the trough-dipense interface, including controlled exit geometry and containment walls positioned specifically at the dispensing zone. These local structural modifications enable rapid dispensing through optimized flow paths while preventing spillage through strategic containment.
Data Source
AI summary
A pharmacy pill tray includes a viewing platform with a floor surface to support pills thereon, and a generally cylindrical-shaped transfer chamber. The transfer chamber includes a semi-cylinder trough with an open top extending along and below an edge of the floor surface and a semi-cylinder door secured to the trough to open and close the open top of the trough. The transfer chamber is configured to selectively receive at least some of the pills from the floor surface. The door includes a primary door portion pivotably secured to the trough, and a secondary door portion pivotably secured to the primary door portion. A dispensing spout extends from an open end of the trough for dispensing the pills from the trough. A transfer gate is movable between a blocking position which prevents dispensing the pills through the spout, and a dispensing position which permits dispensing the pills through the spout.