CA2030805C - Tablet dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

A tablet dispenser comprises a tubular protective housing (1), which in a guide shaft (10) is provided with longitudinal tracks (31, 32) for tablets (5), which can be inserted in the form of a columnlike stack, and with a pressure-loaded ram (9) for one end of the stack of tablets, which ram (9) feeds the tablets (5) along the longitudinal tracks (31, 32) to an ejector (3), which engages the stack adjacent to its other end end by which the tablets (5), which are guided between lateral guides (30) adjacent to the ejector, can individually be displaced transversely to the longitudinal direction of the stack. In order to simplify the assembling and to increase the reliability in function and/or operation the soring (6) biasing the ram (9) is accommodated in a soring shaft (11), which is disposed beside the shaft (10) for guiding and accommodating the tablets (5), and the soring biases a guiding member (7), which is guided in the soring shaft and which carries the ram (9) on an arm (8), which extends out through a longitudinal slot (13) through which the two shafts communicate with each other. For the stack of tablets, a magazine (4) is provided, which can replaceably be inserted into the tablet-guiding shaft (10) of tho housing and has passage openings (29) for the ram (9), a slot (27) for guiding the ram-carrying arm (8) end openings for the ejection of the tablets.

Description

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.'1.~.ll.s~'! I r3nSlr'3 tl.on !7f _~ rt~?r'~8 ti C~al ~ t°~'G
~DDl.lCatiOn TA9LET ~%I.°°=~'~~=
This invention r=_letes tc a tablet dispenser comnrisinn a tubular protective nousinn, ~uhich in a guide ahaft is provided with longitudinal trac;<s for tablets, ~:mich r_an ba inserted in the 'or~~ of a columnlike stack, and ~uit'~
a pressure-loaded ram for one °nd o' tha stac'< of tablets, ~nhic'~ ram °=eds the tablets alone the lpnnitudinal tracks to an a jeCtOr) !~lfllC~'1 enClafaeS t''!? StaC'< ad ~~BC°'!t t0 1. t5 _ Ott'ier and by n!hich tha tablets, !nhich are guided between lateral nuines adjacent to the eiector, can in~ividuallv b° dis-placed transversely to the ianoitudinal direction of the Stack.
such tabl°_t ~'ispensers are preferably used 'nr tablets n!hich can easily 5e assembler in a columnlike stack, such as tahlets havinn a orisTatic or cylindrical periphery.
main field of application of the tablet disAenser see re_ freshinn tablets and lozennes !nhic~ !~a~~e basically the shape of a rectannular prism and contact each other on their flat sides in the stac'<.
In knonn tablet nisnensers the lonnitu~inal tracks for the stack of tabla_ts are for~~ed in a separate dra!ner, which at its end that protrudes out of the orot?ctive housinr7 carries the ejector) and the drawer is coen only en that side to which the tablets are aus!~ec~ out so that the stack of tablets can ;~e in9erte!~ fr~~~ thet side when the ~!ramer has Seen pulled o~.~t. The ram, mhic!~ in that case is lonnitudinallv slidahlv nuided in the drawer anr~ in the housinn, is supported et the inner ~~nr~ of the rira!aer by Teans of a compression sprinn, which is accommodates within the tablet-nuidinn shaft. ~s the =-~otv ~!ra~aer is null=_~ nu+., that ram encases Latent means oravir'er~ art jacent to the ooeni~'~n of the tube ooenino of the.
protective housino and saih ~'et2nt ~~eans arevent a Further oullino out nr cushion out of the ram. The ~!rau~er must be extractable at I:east by the lennth pf the stack. ~ec~ar~!less Of !~:hgth2r Or nOt th5 ~'T9!~!er 1.5 ' 11 le!~, tha COmpre5510n sorino tends to null the ~!ra!aer into the protective housino as far as to a stop and thus performs a dual function, be-cause !dhen the drawer has Seen nushsc~ in the compression sprinn !hill advance the ram and the stac',< of tablets by the heioht of a tablet whenever 2 ;abl~t has been taken.
The known tablet ~!isaenser has various disad-vantaoes. 4bove all, it is necessary to use relatively ex-pensive sorinos !dhich are of intricate shape in dispensers For rectanoular prismatic tablets may consist of coil sorinos havinn convolutions contactinn extending alone the periphery of a prism, anr~ in assembling it is necessary to assemble the three harts consisting of the protective housinn, drawer and option in exactly predetermin=c~ positions and to insert the ram bela!n the !ietent means of the protective housing. purinn a part of that assemblino at least a part of the spring is orestressed bet!neen the action and the dra~ner so that care-lessness may have the r~_sult that the carts nreviouslV con-tacta~l !pith each other !pill be forced apart. ~ssemblinn can be effected only by hand rather than by automatic apparatuses.
Nlost tablet dispensers of the aresent 'kind are ~tefinitely mas9-produced articles so that the assembling costs gave pre-viously constituted a lame snare of the total costs. The spring mhich is provider! is not anly expensive in its manufac-ture but has ariditional _hecisiva ~isadvantapes. The sprinn has a relatively hinh initial stress mhan the hrawer has been pulled out. Faults in the manuFacture of tha tablet dispenser, normal !.near in use pr arbitrpry hamane may have 'the result ~~'~~~~~
_Z_ that the ejsctor ram is no lonoer satisfactorily held by the detent means at the tube and of the protective housing but mill iumo out ~~hen the r;'ra~~er has been pull ed out so that the stack is than thrown gut and the snrin~ also jumps out algnn an uncontrollable path. such a sprinn jumginn out may inflict injuries mainly to t'~2 face ?nd eyes and far this reason the previous tablet dispensers are objectionable also n~~inn to that dapper and to product liability.
In most cases it is usual to supply ,:rv_ stack of tablets in separate gac'canes and to fill the tablat dis-penser !with the stack of tablets mhich has been taken from the sac!<aqe anr~ in some cases oven with individual tablets ~,~hich are consecutively supplied. That procedure is expensive and because the stack or individual tablets must be nrasped it is unhygienic. qesides, the stack aft=_n fells apart as it is transferred from the nac~anp into the taolet nisoenser and in that case must be r~-ordered.
It is an object of the invention to provide a tablet dispenser which is pf the '.'.<ind describeri first herein-befar2 and which can b2 manufactured and assembled more simply than the known tablet dispensers and has a reliability in operation and above all reliably prevents an uncontrolled jumping out of the ram anc~ the snrinn. G partial object of the invention is to nravic!e a tablet dispenser which can be supplied pith the tablets nuicklv and satisfactorily From a hygienic aspect.
The main abject set forth is ~caomolisheri in that the spring biasinn the ram is accommodated in the housinn in a sprinn shaft, which is disposed besi~!e 'the shaft far nuidinn and accommor~atinn the tablets, and the spring biases a ~7uidinq memher) idhich is nuided .in the sorinn shaft and which carries the ram pn an arm) a carrying ring or a bracket) which extends out through a lonnituriinal slot throunh nhich the two shafts communicate with each other.

-In the ~!esian in accordance !dith the invention the spring _is accommoriatec! in = oroteots~ arrannement and may have a simple shape, !~W ich can easiiv h? manufactured.
The spring together !pith the nuidinn ~e~ber and the ram can separately be assembled «hen the s~rinn is suhstantiallv relaxed so that that assembling ~.!i11 involve nc difficulties and can be eerformed in automatic asoaratuses. Contrary to the knomn hesign the ram need net occupy the entire cross-section For guiding the tablets sa that there is no risk that abraded matter and other taolet residues gay adversely affect the proper functions of the ram and the sorin~.
In a preferred embodiment the spring shaft is closed at the ejection end of tha noosing and at its opposite end has an openinn !>>hich can be closest and serves to receive the guiding !ember and the spring) and the quidina slot is preferably open to that receivinn opening so that the ram can be made tn be intenral !pith the arm anrt the puidinp member and can be inserted jointly pith the sorinn. ~ permanent, reliable closure may ba r.~rovirleri for the receivinn nneninc~ and may con-sist) inter alia) of inseparably inserted glues or of sealants or the rims of the opening may be pressed after the assemblinn or such measures ray be adootec! in combination.
In accordance ~~it"~ a further preferred feature 'the tablet dispenser is associatert mith a magazine) which pre-ferably constitutes a part of a tablet oackape and is pro-vided n.!ith the tablet tracks and is adaote~i to be replaceably inserted into the tablet-c~uidinq shaft of the housinn and at least at one enrl of its lenr~th has a passage opening For the ram anri at least at the other en~i of its length has lateral ooenincs for receivinn the ejector ant for the ejection of the tablets an!1 in that lonniturfinal side mhich faces the spring shaft in the inserted position is nrovi~ied !pith a slot, which is aliened naith the communicative longitudinal slot and serves to receive the arm nhich carries the ram.

Like openings are preferably arovided at both ends of the maoazine so that the magazine can selectively be inserted with one snd or the other facino the ejection end.
The magazine may consist of a elastic -pldina or of a relati-velv thick metal foil or the li'<e sp that only ipw costs are incurred in mass ororiuction. If the ~ar~azins constitutes also a part of the oackar7e, the other packaoe casts will 5e lower than those of oackapes of the previous kinr!. The insertion of the manazine is much simpler than the introduction of a stack of tablets and the tahl2ts thar~selves need not be orasped durinn the insertion and other Taninulation so that the manipulation is Tech more hynienic than before.
In order to insure a satisfactory longitudinal guidance of the tablets for the ejecting operation, an embo-diment is preferred in which the tablet tracks of the maga-zine consist of longitudinal knife blades or combs) which are provided on and protrude from the inside of the malls of the magazine. The inner edqe9 Of the combs or ''<nife blades, which protrude into the interior of the magazine housing, may be provided on at Least two mutually opposite sides of the ma-gazine within the contour line of the tablets so that combs or knives mill form quidinn grooves into the tablets of the inserted stack pf tablets at least as the tablets are dis-placed to the ejector so that a more reliable guidance is achieved. A tiltino of the tablets in the stack ~.~ill reliably he prevented in any case even if the ram acts on the lowermost tablet only tin a small contact surface.
The magazine arnferablu comprises ~ualls ~ohich are resiliently deFormable as ~he tablets are inserted be-tween the edges disposed insid= the contour of the tablets.
(~lith that design, the magazine can b~ Filled with the tablets through a lateral opening, which substitutes one longitudinal mall and while the combs or knives resilient enqane the tab-lets and retain the tablets anr! in transit hold the tablets against dislocation and against falling out thrpugh the re-ceiving ooeninc~.
Further structural features of the tablet dis-penser 'nay be adopted from various aspects. In a possible embodiment the nanazine can be inserted into the protective housing from the ejection end of the housing and the ejector is attached to the housing itself and for the inserting opera-tion can be s~~ung away, e.p.) like a flap, from the corres-ponding pneninn, and the ejector is locked by detent means in its operative position. In a Miff=_rent embodiment the housing has a lateral opening for r=ceivinn the magazine and during the in3ertipn of the magazine the ram is retracted to such an extent by means of handles acting an the ruiding member and/or the sprinn that the ram can be engaged with that end of the stack ~.~hich faces away from the =jector. In that case a back member of the magazine may close the lateral housing opening and, e.q., may supplement the housing to form a handle.
In accordance with a further feature of the tab-let dispenser in accordance «ith the invention the stack of tablets is accommodated in a manner known per se in a drawer, which is adapted to be pulled out as far as to a stop from the end of the protective housinn and carries the ejector at that end which protrudes from the housing when the drawer has been inserted, the drawer has a lateral opening for receiving the stack of tablets and/or the manazine and a slot far nuid-inq the ram arm) and the drawer is adapted to be fixed in its inserted position by a releasa5l~ braking catch. In that em-bodiment the tablets or the stack of tablets or the magazine can be inserteri in the customary manner when the ~iramer has been pulled out of the protective housing. because the drawer is no longer acted upon by the spring, it need not be held in its pulled-out position so that the tablets can be inserted more simply. ~!evertheless the drawer is locked in its pushed-in position by the brakinn catch. The restraining force of that hrakinn catch must somewhat exceed the farce nhich is _,_ exerted by the sorina via the ram to the stac!< of tablets to push out that stack. In spite aF the use of that drawer, there is no risk that an actuation of that drawer may cause the spring or the ram to b2 released and/or thrown out.
In a preferred =~~bodinent of that last-men-tioned desi,pn the braking catch consists of a resilient brak-inn tonnue, which is provided and/or integrally formed ad-jacent to that end of the ~'rawar ~!hich can be inserted into the housing and said tongue particularly constitutes a part of a drawer end wall provided at that end and with its free end applies pressure to that wall portion of the housing which is opposite to the receivine slot) said tongue is arched as it thus applies pressure, and like an avercenter spring assumes a bent position protruding into the drawer as the riralner is inserted and as the drawer is pulled out is rever-sely bent beyond the dead center to a braking position pro-trudinn outwardly aver the drawer. That embodiment of the brakinn catch is particularly sir!ole and in the preferred embodiment the tongue can be Formed iointly !with the drawer if the drawer is made of a suitably material. The design can Further be simplified if the ram and/or its carrying arm when Fully extended protrudes with its underside out of the hous-inn at least to the extent of the spring excursion of the spring tongue, a!hich has integrally been formed with the end wall of the drawer and has only a limited flexibility, so that the end wall of the drawer and the spring tonr~ue which down-wardly protrudes beyond the drawer (an~i assumes that position as the drawer is pulled out of the housinn) constitute catches which limit the extraction of the ~trawer.
Further details and arvantaoes of the subject matter of the invention mill becpme apparent From the Following cescription of the drawinn.

~'~g The subject matter cf the invention is illus-trated by may/ of axample in the drauinQ, i n nhich Finure 1 shows a tablet dispenser which is in accordance with the invention and is shown pith an inserted stack of tablets in position for use; the arotective housine, a drawer provided here am a magazine for the stack of tablets are sho~~n in longitudinal section anr'. the contours of a tablet ejector attached to the drawer are shown in phantom;
Figure ~ is a corr~saondino lonnitudinal sec-tional vietn sho~~ina the housino mith the drawer pulled out hefore a magazine is inserted;
Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line III-III in Finure 1;
Figure ~f is a front elevation sho~iinq the maga-zine provided in accordance «ith Finuras 1 and 3;
Fie~ure 5 is a longitudinal secitonal view show-ing the magazine;
Figure 5 is an elevation showing the magazine of Figure 5 viewed from the right; and Figure 7 is a sectional vie~~ taken on line VII-IIII in Fic7ure 5.
The illustrated tablet dispenser consists of a protective housinn 1, a drawer ? arovi~ied with an ejector 3) the contours of which ara shown in phantom) a magazine 4, which can be inserted into the drawer ? and contains a stack of in-dividual tablets 5 (pat sho~in in Figures ~ and 3) a spring S, a quidinr~ member 7 and a ram 9) which is connected to that yuidinn member bV an arm o.

The protective hpusinp 1 cpmorises a tablet- cr drawer-nui!iinn chart lig, Which extends throughout the length of the housinc, and b2si~'2 that abaft comprises a sheft 11 for guiding the sprinn o and the Gui~'iro -ember 7, Which has a core pin 1~ ~~xtandinn into the sorinn) ~.ohich consists of a cylindrical tail spring ... The shafta 1C and 11 communicate with each other through a sict 13 fcr nuidina the arm 8. The drawer 2 has a slot 14, which i s alir;ned !pith the slot 13.
The spring-aui~'ino shaft 11 is closed at its top by a .top wall portion 15. after the Guiding member 7) the arm ~ With the ram 9, and the sarina ~ have been inserted, the sorinc~-guiding shaft 11 is permanently closed by an insert 16.
l?s has been mentioned the back of the drawer 2 is farmed with the slot 14. The front side of the drawer ~ is shown on the left in Figure 1 and is open so that the magazine 4 can be inserted. The Far~aard and rear side walls of the draper ? are extended 'to provide bearing brackets 17 for the ejector 3, which is pivoted to said bearing brackets on a transverse pivot 10. Enri ~uall exten ions 19 of the drawer 2 constitute a too stop for the manazine. qs a continuation in length of said °-n~i mall extensions a loaf spring 2.C, Which is made of plastic, is attached and serves as a restorinn coring for the ejector 3, Which has an sjector claw ?.1 For pushing out the presently uppermost tablet 5a transversely to the .
lonnitudinal direction of the stack when the ejector is pivo-tally moved by means of an ~ctuatinn handy 22.
The drawer -'. contains a suppprtinq partition 25 For supporting the magazine at its bottom end. I~t the bottom end of the drawer, a drawer end ,hall is provided) i.~hich is intenrally formed with o spring tonnue ~3, Which extends into a trough-shaped recess ~4 in the Front Bide of the housing an~i under a resilient initial stress applies pressure to that _ 1 GI _ wall portion of the recess 24 which is aooosits to the slot 13. As the drawer is slidably inseried, t~~ saring tongue ?3 assures the position shown in =icure 1. %~s the drawer ? is pulled out, the spring tongue ?3 swinns to the position shown in Figure ?. In that culled-out aosition the associated drawer bottom provided with the sprine tanoue ?3 annaoes the ram 9 and/or the arm ti to constitute a lack that prevents the drawer from bainp pulled nut. nut !hen the 'rawer has been swung to the right f,Fir~ure ?) the ~trauer can 5e pushed so that the slot 14 receives the arm ~ and !dhen the tonpus ?3 is in the swung position shown in Figure 1 the r!r?wer can be hunn into the housinn 1. !~Ihen the drawer ? has shortly Seen inserted and retracted the tpnnue ?3 will s!~inn back to its locking position shown in Figure ?. In that case the drawer 2 can b2 demounted only in that the snrinc tonnue ?3 is tilted from below to its other smunq oosition by means of an imnlament which is inserted into the shaft 10.
The manazine 4 shown in Finures 1, 3 and 4 com-prises a rear mall 26, which has a slot 27 that is aligned with the slots 13 and 14, end walls 2q having equal and opposite openings ?.9 for recnivino the carrying ~oall E and the ram 9 and side walls 3C) a~hich on their inside surfaces facing the stack pf tablets carry rtuide ri5s 31) 32. The stack of tablets can be inserted mhile the ~~alls 30 are resiliently spread apart. The ribs 32 will then snap in behind the inserted tab-lets anrJ the ribs 'i1 constitute knifa blades) ~nhich cut e7uid-inn rarpaves into the tablets ~urinq their longitudinal dis-placement. The ejector claw ?1 pan be inserted through the slot 27. The uppermost tab.lst 5a is ajectsr! to the left ~ahila the ribs 3? are forced apart.
nln that ~idp which Pads the TP_CP3S ?4 the ma-nazine ~ta shown in Finures 5 end 7 comprises a longitudinal wall 33) mhich at its top and ~ottom leaves mindows 34 open ~~~ ~'~

for the ~jection of the taGlets 3. Dn the ether hand the slot ~7 has peen omitted as hell as the rear call ~5 and the side walls 3C are provided with the rigs 31, 32 in an arran-gement which is ecual and opposite to that of the magazine 4 shown in Figures 1, ~ any! 4. In that case the ribs 32 serve only to retain the taolets after they ~av= been inserted into the magazine and the tablets are =_jecte~' through that window 34 Which in a given case is adjaceni tg the ejector.
The manazines '+, 4a constitute a package far the stack of tablats and must b~ prgvipd only with a simple mraager for sale or shipment.

Claims (10)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A tablet dispenser comprising a tubular protective housing having a guide shaft for guiding and accommodating tablets that are insertable in said guide shaft in a column-like stack having first and second ends and a longitudinal direction, a spring shaft disposed adjacent said guide shaft, and a longitudinal slot through which said guide shaft and said spring shaft communicate with each other, said guide shaft being provided with longitudinal tracks of said tablets; an ejector arranged to engage said stack adjacent said first end of said stack for individually displacing said tablets transversely to said longitudinal direction of said stack;
lateral guides adjacent said ejector for guiding said tablets; a pressure-loaded ram adjacent said second end of said stack for feeding said tablets along said longitudinal tracks; a spring accommodated in said spring shaft for biasing said ram; a guide member biased by said spring and guided in said spring shaft, said guide member extending through said longitudinal slot and including an arm that carries said ram; and a magazine that is provided with said longitudinal tracks for said tablets and is adapted to be replaceably inserted into said guide shaft, said magazine having a first end including an opening for receiving said ram, a second end including lateral openings for receiving said ejector and for ejecting said tablets; and a longitudinal slot in said housing for receiving said arm when said magazine is inserted in said guide shaft.

2. A tablet dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said housing has an ejection end and an opposite end, and said spring shaft is closed at said ejection end of said housing and has a closable opening at said opposite end for receiving said guiding member and said spring.

3. A tablet dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising inside wall surfaces on said magazine, wherein said longitudinal tracks for said tablets are selected from the group consisting of knife blades and combs and are provided on and protrude from said inside wall surfaces.

4. A tablet dispenser according to claim 3, wherein said magazine has at least two mutually opposite sides, said tablets have a contour line and said longitudinal tablet tracks are provided on said at least two mutually opposite sides of said magazine within said contour line of said tablets, so that said longitudinal tablet tracks will form guiding grooves in said tablets when said magazine is inserted in said guide shaft.

5. A tablet dispenser according to claim 4, wherein said magazine comprises walls that are resiliently deformable when said tablets are inserted between said longitudinal tablet tracks.

6. A tablet dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said protective housing has an ejection end, said ejector is attached at said ejection end of said protective housing and is swingable to an open position for ejecting said tablets, and said magazine is insertable into said protective housing from said projection end.

7. A tablet dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a stop; and a drawer for accommodating said stack of tablets, said drawer being adapted to be inserted to an inserted position in said protective housing to protrude at a first end from said protective housing and to be pulled out of said protective housing as far as said stop, said drawer being adapted to carry said ejector at said protruding first end, said drawer having a lateral opening for receiving at least one of said stack of tablets and said magazine and a slot for receiving said guiding arm;
and a releasable braking catch adapted to hold said drawer in said inserted position.

8. A tablet dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said braking catch comprises a resilient tracking tongue adjacent a second end of said drawer and insertable into said protective housing, said tongue having a free end that is adapted to apply pressure on a wall portion of said protective housing opposite said longitudinal slot, said tongue being adapted to be arched into a bent position protruding into said drawer like an overcenter spring as said drawer is inserted into said protective housing and to bend in reverse beyond dead center to a braking position protruding outwardly over said drawer as said drawer is pulled out of said protective housing.

9. A tablet dispenser according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said ram and said carrying arm is adapted when fully extended to protrude outside of said protective housing at least to the extent of the excursion of said tongue, so that said end wall of said drawer and said downwardly-protruding tongue constitute braking catches for said drawer.

10. A tablet dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising a stop; and a drawer for accommodating said stack of tablets, said drawer being adapted to be inserted to an inserted position in said protective housing to protrude at a first end from said protective housing and to be pulled out of said protective housing as far as said stop, said drawer being adapted to carry said ejector at said protruding first end, said drawer having a lateral opening for receiving at least one of said stack of tablets and said magazine and a slot for receiving said guiding arm;
and a releasable braking catch adapted to hold said drawer in said inserted position, wherein said braking catch comprises a resilient tracking tongue adjacent a second end of said drawer and insertable into said protective housing, said tongue having a free end that is adapted to apply pressure on a wall portion of said protective housing opposite said longitudinal slot, said tongue being adapted to be arched into a bent position protruding into said drawer like an overcenter spring as said drawer is inserted into said protective housing and to bend in reverse beyond dead center to a braking position protruding outwardly over said drawer as said drawer is pulled out of said protective housing, said tongue being integrally formed as part of said second end of said drawer.