Sliding Trough Sorter for Precise Pill-to-Container Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems lack an efficient and user-friendly method for sorting small pieces of material, such as medication pills, into separate containers based on specific dosage schedules and time intervals.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a top portion with lateral troughs and wells, and a bottom portion that slides between positions, allowing for sorting into separate containers, featuring a central trough, manual actuator, and biasing means for maintaining position, enabling precise alignment and distribution of materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a sliding mechanism is used to align openings with wells, then sorting precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom portion is made slidable relative to the top portion, allowing dynamic repositioning to align openings with different wells. This sliding mechanism enables precise alignment for sorting materials into designated containers while maintaining operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is divided into a top portion with wells and a bottom portion with openings, which can move independently. This segmentation allows the bottom portion to slide into different positions, enabling precise alignment with specific wells for accurate material sorting.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple positions are provided for sorting, then adaptability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom portion can slide between multiple predetermined positions, each corresponding to different sorting configurations. This dynamic positioning capability allows the same device to adapt to various sorting needs without requiring multiple separate devices, improving versatility while keeping the operation straightforward.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for sorting small pieces of material into separate containers includes a top portion having lateral troughs, each including a bottom surface, at least a well therein, and at least a through opening in a bottom of the at least a well. The device includes a bottom portion including a substantially planar surface having a plurality of openings disposed therethrough and a plurality of sections of unbroken surface. Each opening of the plurality of openings and section of the plurality of sections of unbroken surface corresponds to an opening of the at least a through opening of the two lateral troughs, and the top portion and bottom portion are mutually slidable between a first position where the plurality of sections of unbroken surface are beneath the at least a through opening and a second position in which the plurality of openings are beneath the at least a through opening.