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:
Feb. 14, 2006
Filed:
Aug. 06, 2002
Walter G. Pearson, Pineville, LA (US);
Dennis J. Murdock, Dry Prong, LA (US);
Todd R. Funderburk, Lecompte, LA (US);
Walter G. Pearson, Pineville, LA (US);
Dennis J. Murdock, Dry Prong, LA (US);
Todd R. Funderburk, Lecompte, LA (US);
Pearson Research & Development, L.L.C., Alexandria, LA (US);
Abstract
A vacuum driven pill counter having a counter housing with a pill discharge aperture formed therein. vacuum disk is rotatably positioned in the housing and has a front wall including a pill aperture and an agitating finger extending outwardly from the front wall. A vacuum source is positioned in communication with the housing and is capable of drawing a vacuum through the pill aperture in the vacuum disk. A torque source is operatively connected to the vacuum disk in order to rotate the vacuum disk. A pill shelf is positioned adjacent to the front wall of the vacuum disk and a pill separator for removing pills retained on the pill apertures by the vacuum source is connected to the pill shelf. Finally, a pill sensor is positioned to detect pills which will exit the discharge aperture.