The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 25, 2019
Filed:
Aug. 04, 2016
Derek William Thompson, Knightdale, NC (US);
Bryant James Deakins, Raleigh, NC (US);
Brian Marshall Burney, Wake Forest, NC (US);
Derek William Thompson, Knightdale, NC (US);
Bryant James Deakins, Raleigh, NC (US);
Brian Marshall Burney, Wake Forest, NC (US);
Other;
Abstract
A vial hopper and feeder assembly is used in conjunction with automated prescription filling devices and systems, wherein the vial hopper and feeder assembly is configured to allow an operator to dump a large number of vials into a hopper in a random orientation, and the hopper/feeder assembly has the capability of selecting individual vials, orienting them in the proper direction, and delivering them individually in assembly line fashion, and in proper orientation, to the next step of the prescription filling process. A rotatable singulator receives the vials, feeds each vial individually to a pocket within a rotating turnstile. Sensors detect the presence and orientation of the vial, upright or upside down, and the turnstile rotates either clockwise or counterclockwise, based on the orientation of the vial within the pocket, to release each vial in one single direction.