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:
Nov. 17, 1998
Filed:
Jan. 24, 1997
Takaaki Murakami, Toyonaka, JP;
Kunihiko Kano, Toyonaka, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Yuyama Seisakusho, Toyonaka, JP;
Abstract
A drug storage/discharge apparatus having a cleaning time determining device which can detect dirt in drug discharge paths and determine when it is necessary to clean the discharge paths. A motor control circuit controls each feeder to discharge drugs from the feeder through its discharge opening. A light-emitting diode and a phototransistor are provided opposite to each other at the discharge opening. A drug discharged from the feeder intercepts the light from the light-emitting diode, thus fluctuating the output of the phototransistor. Based on the output fluctuation, the motor control circuit can confirm that a drug has been discharged. A low-pass filter is provided to apply only a low-frequency component of the output of the phototransistor to a comparator. Such low-frequency components represent to what degree the light-emitting diode and phototransitor are soiled. If the level of the low-frequency components drops below a reference voltage, the comparator produces a voltage Vh to indicate that the drug discharge paths have been soiled.