Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
TITLE: A CONTAINER FILLING MACHINE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of container filling
machines for
filling containers with discrete articles, and specifically to container
filling machines that
comprise discrete article dispensing devices for supporting the weight of a
load of
discrete articles, and adjustable vibration trays for providing different
slopes along which
discrete articles can travel towards the containers being filled.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Container filling machines for filling containers with discrete articles (such
as
pharmaceutical pills, cosmetic items, hardware components, candies, nuts,
etc...) are
known in the art. Such container filling machines are able to take a large
supply of
discrete articles and transport them towards a container. However, existing
container
filling machines are plagued with numerous deficiencies that often render them
ineffective and inefficient. This is detrimental in a field where the speed
Existing container filling machines use large hoppers in order to hold a load
of discrete
articles that are to fill one or more containers. The hoppers dispense the
discrete articles
onto a transporting surface of the container filling machine, such that the
transporting
surface is able to move the discrete articles towards the one or more
containers and create
space between each discrete article. However, a deficiency with existing
hoppers is that
they dispense the discrete articles onto the transporting surface in such a
way that the
weight of the load of discrete articles contained within the hopper is
transferred directly
to the transporting surface. This may cause undue wear on the container
filling machine,
and may also hinder the exit of the discrete articles from the hopper onto the
transporting
surface.
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Furthermore, existing container filling machines typically use vibration trays
in order to
create space between the discrete articles and move the discrete articles
forward towards
the containers to be filled. However, the speed at which such vibration trays
are able to
move the discrete articles forward is generally quite limited. In addition,
the speed at
which the vibration trays are able to move different types of discrete
articles varies
depending on the discrete article being handled. For example, while the
vibration trays
may be able to move small circular discrete articles forward fairly quickly,
the same
vibration tray may not be able to move a different type of discrete article,
such as a larger
oval-shaped discrete article, as quickly. As such, traditional vibration trays
are not
particularly versatile when it comes to handling multiple different types of
discrete
articles.
In light of the above, it is clear that there is a need in the industry for an
improved
container filling machine that alleviates, at least in part, the deficiencies
of existing
container filling machines, and provides more versatility in being able to
process discrete
articles of different shapes and sizes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with a first broad aspect, the present invention comprises a
vibration tray
assembly for use in a container filling machine, the vibration tray assembly
comprising a
tray for transporting discrete articles from a receiving end of the tray
towards a drop-off
end of the tray, the tray providing a slope along which the discrete articles
travel from the
receiving end of the tray to the drop-off end of the tray, wherein the tray is
adjustable for
changing the slope along which the discrete articles travel. The vibration
tray assembly
further comprises a vibration imparting device for imparting vibrational
motion to the
tray.
In accordance with a second broad aspect, the present invention comprises a
container
filling machine for filling a plurality of containers with discrete articles.
The container
filling machine comprises a vibration tray assembly, a discrete article
dispensing device
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for providing discrete articles to the receiving end of the tray and a
plurality of pathways
for receiving the discrete articles from the drop-off end of the tray, the
plurality of
pathways leading to at least one container to be filled with the discrete
articles. The
vibration tray assembly comprises a tray for transporting discrete articles
from a
receiving end of the tray towards a drop-off end of the tray, the tray
providing a slope
along which the discrete articles travel from the receiving end of the tray to
the drop-off
end of the tray, wherein the tray is adjustable for changing the slope along
which the
discrete articles travel. The vibration tray assembly further comprises a
vibration
imparting device for imparting vibrational motion to the tray.
In accordance with a third broad aspect, the present invention comprises a
method for
filling at least one container with discrete articles, wherein the discrete
articles are
transported towards the at least one container via a vibration tray. The
method comprising
determining a characteristic associated with at least one discrete article
from a load of
discrete articles intended to fill the at least one container, determining, at
least in part on a
basis of the characteristic, a position for the vibration tray, such that the
vibration tray
acquires a given slope along which the discrete articles travel from a
receiving end of the
vibration tray to a drop-off end of the vibration tray, the given slope being
one of at least
two possible slopes and causing the vibration tray to acquire the given slope.
In accordance with a fourth broad aspect, the present invention comprises a
discrete
article dispensing device comprising a receptacle for holding a load of
discrete articles
and a dispensing outlet through which discrete articles from the load of
discrete articles
exit the receptacle onto a discrete article transporting surface, the
dispensing outlet
defining a slot between a first wall portion of the discrete article
dispensing device and a
second wall portion of the discrete article dispensing device and a ramp
portion that
extends past the slot for depositing discrete articles from the load of
discrete articles onto
a discrete article transporting surface.
In accordance with a fifth broad aspect, the present invention comprises a
container
filling machine for filling a plurality of containers with discrete articles.
The container
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filling machine comprises a discrete article dispensing device comprising a
receptacle for
holding a load of discrete articles for filling the plurality of containers
and a dispensing
outlet through which discrete articles from the load of discrete articles exit
the receptacle,
the dispensing outlet defining a slot between a first wall portion of the
discrete article
dispensing device and a second wall portion of the discrete article dispensing
device, and
a ramp portion that extends past the slot for guiding the discrete articles
out of the
discrete article dispensing device. The container filling machine further
comprising a
discrete article transporting surface for receiving the discrete articles from
the discrete
article dispensing device and for guiding the discrete articles towards the
plurality of
containers.
In accordance with a sixth broad aspect, the present invention comprises a
method
comprising receiving, at a processing entity, a characteristic associated with
at least one
discrete article from a load of discrete articles, the load of discrete
articles being held in a
discrete article dispensing device. The discrete article dispensing device
comprising a
receptacle for holding the load of discrete articles, a dispensing outlet
through which the
discrete articles from the load of discrete articles exit the receptacle onto
a discrete article
transporting surface, the dispensing outlet defining a slot between a first
wall portion of
the discrete article dispensing device and a second wall portion of the
discrete article
dispensing device, wherein the first wall portion comprises a ramp that
extends past the
slot towards the discrete article transporting surface, the ramp having a drop-
off end from
which the discrete articles are deposited onto the discrete article
transporting surface. The
method further comprising determining, at the processing entity, at least in
part on a basis
of the characteristic associated with the at least one discrete article, a
suitable distance
between the drop-off end of the ramp and the discrete article transporting
surface and
causing the discrete article dispensing device to move in relation to the
discrete article
transporting surface for acquiring the suitable distance between the drop-off
end of the
ramp and the discrete article transporting surface.
In accordance with a seventh broad aspect, the present invention comprises a
container
filling machine for filling a plurality of containers with discrete articles.
The container
4
filling machine comprises a plurality of guiding paths between a discrete
article dispensing
device and at least one container to be filled. The container filling machine
further
comprises a path blocking device located along each of the plurality of
guiding paths at a
position prior to the at least one container to be filled. Each path blocking
device is
operative for acquiring a first position in which the path blocking device
blocks a passage
of discrete articles along a guiding path and a second position in which the
path blocking
device allows the passage of discrete articles along the guiding path. The
movement of
the path blocking device between the first position and the second position is
controlled
via a solenoid device.
In accordance with an eighth broad aspect, a container filling machine for
filling a plurality
of containers with discrete articles, the container filling machine comprising
a vibration
tray assembly, comprising a tray for transporting discrete articles, the tray
having a sloped
surface including a receiving end portion at which discrete articles to be
placed in the
containers are deposited and a spaced apart drop-off end portion at which the
discrete
articles are released from the tray, the sloped surface having a longitudinal
extent and
extending continuously from the receiving end portion to the drop-off end
portion and
defining a path of travel of the discrete articles from the receiving end
portion to the
drop-off end portion along the longitudinal extent; a vibration imparting
device for
imparting vibrational motion to the tray, the vibration imparting device being
configured
to cause displacement of the discrete articles in succession and spaced apart
from each
other along the continuous sloped surface and along the longitudinal extent
from the
receiving end portion to the drop-off end portion; an adjustment device
configured for
adjusting a slope of the sloped surface to vary a spacing of the discrete
articles as the
discrete articles travel from the receiving end portion to the drop-off end
portion as the
tray is vibrated by the vibration imparting device; a discrete article
dispensing device for
delivering discrete articles in succession to the receiving end portion.
In accordance with a ninth broad aspect, a container filling machine for
filling a plurality of
containers with discrete articles, the container filling machine comprising: a
discrete
article dispensing device for receiving a load of discrete articles; a
vibration tray assembly
for receiving discrete articles from the discrete article dispensing device,
the vibration tray
assembly, comprising: a
receiving end portion configured to receive discrete
articles from the discrete article dispensing device; a drop-off end portion
at which the
discrete articles are being released from the tray spaced apart from the
receiving end
portion; a sloped surface having a longitudinal extent extending from the
receiving end
portion to the drop-off end portion, the sloped surface being continuous such
that each
discrete article deposed at the receiving end portion is transported to the
drop-off end
portion and released from the drop-off end portion; a vibration imparting
device for
CA 2749623 2019-02-05
. ,
imparting vibrational motion to the tray, the vibration imparting device being
configured
to cause displacement of the discrete articles in succession and spaced apart
from each
other along the continuous sloped surface and along the longitudinal extent
from the
receiving end portion to the drop-off end portion; an adjustment device
configured for
adjusting a slope of the sloped surface, the adjustment device configured to
vary a
spacing of the discrete articles along the continuous sloped surface as each
discrete article
delivered from the discrete article dispensing device to the receiving end
portion travels
from the receiving end portion to the drop-off end portion as the tray is
vibrated by the
vibration imparting device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 shows a front plan view of a container filling machine in accordance
with a non-
limiting example of implementation of the present invention;
Figure 2A shows a side plan view of the upper portion of the container filling
machine of
Figure 1 in a first position;
Figure 2B shows a side plan view of the upper portion of the container filling
machine of
Figure 1 in a second position;
Figures 3A-3C show alternative non-limiting examples of receptacles 30 for the
container
filling machines 10 of Figure 1;
Figure 4 shows a non-limiting block diagram of a control entity suitable for
implementing
at least some of the functionality of the container filling machine according
to a non-
limiting example of implementation of the present invention;
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Figure 5 shows a flow diagram of a non-limiting method of causing the discrete
article
dispensing device to acquire a given position in relation to a discrete
article transporting
surface;
Figure 6 shows an exploded view of a non-limiting example of a vibration tray
suitable
for use in the container filling machine 10 of Figure 1;
Figure 7 shows a flow diagram of a non-limiting method of causing the
vibration tray
according to the present invention to acquire a given slope;
Figure 8 shows a blown up view of a bottom portion of the container filling
machine of
the container filling machine of Figure 1;
Figure 9 shows an exploded view of a non-limiting example of implementation
the path
blocking gates according to the present invention.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to
those
ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of
specific
embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Shown in Figure 1 is a front view of a container-filling machine 10 in
accordance with a
non-limiting example of implementation of the present invention. The container
filling
machine 10 is suitable for loading into containers discrete articles, such as
discrete
articles for personal treatment (e.g. pharmaceutical pills, cosmetic items,
etc) or candies,
nuts, or any other type of discrete article. As used herein, the term
"discrete article for
personal treatment" includes any type of pharmaceutical discrete article that
may be
ingested (such as pressed-powder or gel cap pills, among other possibilities)
as well as
any cosmetic item that may be applied to an external part of the body (such as
moisturizer
capsules, for example).
In the non-limiting embodiment shown, the container filling machine 10
includes a
discrete article dispensing device 12, guiding trays 13a-13e, vibration trays
14a-14e, a
plurality of guiding paths 16, a sensing device 18, a rejection device 20, a
counting
device 22, a plurality of path blocking devices 24, and a set of funnels 26
for guiding the
discrete articles into respective containers 30.
In use, the discrete articles travel through the container filling machine in
order to be
placed into one of the containers 30. Initially, a load of discrete articles
is placed within
the discrete article dispensing device 12, which then deposits the discrete
articles onto the
guiding trays 13a-13e. The guiding trays 13a-13e move the discrete articles
forward via
vibrational motion, and also cause the discrete articles to become spaced from
one
another as they travel towards the vibration trays 14a-14e. Once the discrete
articles reach
the vibration trays 14a-14e, the vibration trays 14a-14e continue to carry the
discrete
articles towards the guiding paths 16 and create further spacing between the
discrete
articles. The discrete articles then slide down the guiding paths 16 through
the sensing
device 18, which senses whether or not the discrete articles are defective.
The discrete
articles then pass the rejection device 20, which removes defective ones of
the discrete
articles from continued travel along the guiding paths 16. If not removed by
the rejection
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device 20, the discrete articles continue to pass through the counting device
22. The
counting device 22 counts the discrete articles before they enter the funnels
26 which
funnel the discrete articles into one of the containers 30. The sensing device
18, rejection
device 20, counting device 22 and plurality of path blocking devices 24 are
described in
more detail in issued U.S. Patent 7,956,623, belonging to the same applicant,
and as such
will not be described in more detail herein.
Shown in Figures 2A and 2B are cross-sectional side views of an upper portion
of the
container filling machine 10. These figures show side views of the discrete
article
dispensing device 12 and the vibration tray 14e in two different positions,
which will be
described in more detail further on in the description.
The discrete article dispensing device 12
The discrete article dispensing device 12 comprises a receptacle 30 for
holding a load of
discrete articles 40 that are to fill the containers 30. The load of discrete
articles 40 is
generally placed into the receptacle 30 through an opening 32 in the discrete
article
dispensing device 12. The discrete articles do not need to be provided to the
discrete
article dispensing device 12 in any particular order or orientation, and as
such may be
quickly poured into the hopper 12. In use, the opening 32 may be left open to
the
environment, or may be covered by a lid or other form of cover (not shown).
The lid may
be permanently attached to the receptacle, such that it may be opened and
closed via a
hinge-type mechanism, or alternatively, the lid may be a separate component
from the
receptacle 30 that may be removably secured over the opening 32 to the
receptacle 30 via
a friction fit or snap-fit arrangement, among other possibilities.
The load of discrete articles 40 may be placed inside the receptacle 30 in any
suitable
manner, such as by dumping or pouring the load of discrete articles 40 through
the
opening 32 into the receptacle 30. The load of discrete articles 40 may be
placed into the
receptacle 30 either manually by a worker operating the container filling
machine 10, or
by another machine or robot that is capable of continually or repetitively
filing the
receptacle 30 with discrete articles.
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The receptacle 30 according to the present invention may be of any size and
shape. In the
non-limiting example shown in Figures 1, 2A and 2B, the receptacle 30 is in
the shape of
a rectangular trough with two side walls 36a, 36b, two end walls 38a, 38b
(shown in
Figure 1) and a base portion 34 that comprises a dispensing outlet 42 through
which the
discrete articles exit the receptacle 30. It should, however, be understood
that the
receptacle 30 may be of any other shape and size, such as cylindrical or cone-
shaped, so
long as it is able to hold the load of discrete articles 40. In accordance
with a non-limiting
example, the receptacle 30 has a shape and size suitable for accommodating a
load of
discrete articles having a weight of between 10kg to 30kg and a volume of
between 15L
to 75L. In a specific, non-limiting example, the receptacle 30 has a volume of
approximately 60L and is able to support at least a weight of 21kg worth of
discrete
articles. The receptacle 30 may be made of any suitable material known in the
art, such as
plastic, ceramic and/or stainless steel, among other possibilities.
In the non-limiting embodiment shown, the base portion 34 of the receptacle 30
comprises a first bottom wall 44a, a second bottom wall 44b and a dispensing
outlet 42.
The dispensing outlet 42 comprises a slot 46 that is formed between the first
wall portion
44a and the second wall portion 44b, for allowing discrete articles to exit
the receptacle
30, and a ramp portion 48 for receiving the discrete articles from the slot 46
and
transporting them onto the guiding trays 13a-13d. The slot 46 may extend the
entire
length of the base portion 34, or may extend only along a portion of the
length of the base
portion 34, such as along 60% or 70% of the length, for example.
In addition, and although not shown in the Figures, the slot 46 may have a
gate portion or
other slot narrowing device, such that the output through which the discrete
articles exit
the discrete article dispensing device 12 onto the guiding trays 13a-13e may
be adjusted
in size. For example, the adjustable gate portion may adjust the size of the
output to make
it smaller or larger in order to facilitate the depositing of discrete
articles of different
sizes onto the guiding trays 13a-13e.
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In the non-limiting embodiment shown in Figure 1, the container filling
machine 12
comprises five guiding trays 13a-13e and five respective vibration imparting
devices 84
for imparting vibrational motion to the guiding trays 13a-13e. Each of the
guiding trays
13a-13e is in communication with its own vibration imparting device 84 such
that the
vibrational motion of each guiding tray 13a-13e may be controlled
independently. These
vibration imparting devices 84 may comprise either electromagnetic drive
units,
pneumatic drive units or mechanical drive units, among other possibilities,
that are
attached to spring systems (not shown), and/or resilient plates (not shown)
for
transmitting vibrational motion to the guiding trays 13a-13e. Although five
guiding trays
13a-13e are shown, it should be understood that any number of guiding trays
could be
used in order to form the initial discrete article transporting surface that
receives the
discrete articles from the discrete article dispensing device 12.
As mentioned above, the dispensing outlet 42 further comprises a ramp portion
48 that
extends past the slot 46 for receiving the discrete articles that exit through
the slot 46 and
directing them downwards towards the guiding paths 13a-13e. In the embodiment
shown
in Figures 2A and 2B, the ramp portion 48 is formed by the first bottom wall
44a and
extends from the slot 46 towards the guiding paths 13a-13e. In addition, the
ramp portion
48 of the first bottom wall 44a underlaps the second bottom wall 44b, such
that the ramp
portion 48 is positioned underneath the second bottom wall 44b.
The ramp portion 48 may have any suitable slope for enabling discrete articles
from the
load of discrete articles 40 to slide down and be deposited onto the guiding
trays 13a-13e.
For example, the ramp portion 48 may have a slope of between 10-20 degrees,
when
measured from a horizontal plane. In a non-limiting example of implementation,
the ramp
portion 48 for discharging the discrete articles has a slope of approximately
15 degrees
when measured from a horizontal plane. It should be appreciated that these
angles are
given for the purpose of example, and should not be used to limit the present
invention.
The base portion 34 of the receptacle 30 may have a variety of different
configurations.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the first bottom wall 44a and
the second
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bottom wall 44b of the base portion 34 define sloped surfaces that extend
respectively
from the two side walls 36a, 36b towards each other, such that the slot 46 is
located in
proximity to the center of the width of the receptacle 30 and the ramp portion
48 formed
by the first bottom wall 44a extends underneath the second bottom wall 44b.
However,
other configurations for the base portion 34 of the receptacle 30 are also
possible without
departing from the scope of the present invention.
Shown in Figures 3A-3B are three alternative configurations for the base
portion 34 of
the receptacle 30. Each configuration comprises a dispensing outlet 42 in
accordance
with the present invention. Like reference numerals have been used to
represent like
parts. Figure 3A shows a first alternative embodiment of a base portion 34,
wherein the
bottom walls are integrally formed with the side walls 36a, 36b of the
receptacle 30. As
such, the base portion 34 of the receptacle 30 is formed by the two side walls
36a, 36b.
The side wall 36a forms the ramp portion 48 that extends past the slot 46 and
underlaps
the side wall 36b for receiving the discrete articles from the slot 46 and
directing them
towards the guiding trays 13a-13e. In the second alternative embodiment shown
in Figure
3B, the second bottom wall 44b forms a sloped surface that extends from the
side wall
36b almost all the way to the interior of the opposing side wall 36a, such
that the slot 46
that is defined between the first bottom wall 44a and the second bottom wall
44b is
located towards one side of the receptacle 30. The first bottom wall 44a
underlaps the
second bottom wall 44b such that a majority of the first bottom wall 44a forms
the ramp
portion 48 that extends past the slot 46 towards the guiding paths 13e. In the
third
alternative embodiment shown in figure 3C, the base portion 34 does not
comprise a
second bottom wall, and instead comprises only a first bottom wall 44a. In
this
embodiment, the first bottom wall 44a forms a sloped surface that extends
downwards
from the side wall 36a in the direction of the side wall 36b. The slot 46 is
thus formed
beneath the side wall 36b and the first bottom wall 44a. The first bottom wall
44a then
continues past the slot 46 for forming the ramp portion 48 that receives the
discrete
articles from the slot and guides them downwardly towards the guiding paths
13a-13.
Although in the embodiments described above it is the first bottom wall 44a
(or the side
wall 36a) that forms the ramp portion 48 that extends past the slot 46, it
should be
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understood that in alternative embodiments, it is the second bottom wall 44b
that forms
the ramp portion 48 for receiving the discrete articles from the slot 46.
In existing discrete article dispensing devices, the slot through which the
discrete articles
exit the device opens directly onto the discrete article transporting surface.
As a result, as
the discrete articles exit the slots onto the transporting surface, they have
the entire
weight of the load of discrete articles sitting on top of them. This weight is
in turn
transferred to the discrete article transporting surface onto which they are
being
dispensed.
In accordance with the present invention, the base portion 34 of the
receptacle is designed
so as to support the bulk of the weight of the load of discrete articles 40 as
discrete
articles exit through the slot 46. In this manner, the weight of the load of
discrete articles
40 is not transferred to the discrete article transporting surface, which in
the embodiment
shown in the Figures, comprises the guiding trays 13a-13e. As described above,
in
accordance with the present invention, the dispensing outlet 42 comprises both
a slot 46
through which the discrete articles exit, and a ramp portion 48 that extends
from the slot
for receiving the discrete articles from the load of discrete articles 40 as
they travel pass
through the slot 46. Given that the discrete articles do not fall directly
from the slot 46
onto the guiding trays 13a-13e, the weight of the load of discrete articles 40
is not
transferred to the guiding trays 13a-13e. Instead, at least part of the base
portion 34 of the
receptacle 30 supports the bulk of the weight of the load of discrete articles
40. More
specifically, at least one of the first wall bottom wall 44a and the second
bottom wall 44b
supports the weight of the load of discrete articles 40.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the weight of the load of
discrete
articles 40 is supported by the first bottom wall 44a and the second bottom
wall 44b. As
discrete articles from the load of discrete articles 40 exit the slot 46, the
ramp portion 48
supports the weight of the discrete articles that have exited the slot 46,
such that the
guiding trays 13a-13e (that make up the discrete article transporting
surface), only
support the weight of the discrete articles that are positioned on the guiding
trays 13a-
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13e. However, in alternative embodiments, such as those shown in Figures 3b
and 3c,
the weight of the load of discrete articles 40 is supported differently. For
example, in the
case of the receptacle 30 shown in Figure 3b, it is the second bottom wall
44b, that will
support the majority of the weight of the load of discrete articles 40, and in
the case of the
receptacle 30 shown in Figure 3c, it is the first bottom wall 44a that
supports the majority
of the weight of the load of discrete articles 40.
Although not shown in the Figures, the discrete article dispensing device 12
may be
mounted to, or in relation to, the container filling machine 10 in a variety
of different
manners. Referring back to Figure 1, the discrete article dispensing device 12
may be
mounted to a frame of the container filling machine 10 via connector elements
50 that
connect the side walls 38a, 38b of the discrete article dispensing device 12
to the frame
for supporting the receptacle 30 over the guiding trays 13a-13e.
Alternatively, the
connector elements 50 may be connected to the discrete article dispensing
device 12 at
other positions along the outer surface of the device 12. The connector
elements 50 may
be plates or rods that connect the discrete article dispensing device 12 to
the frame of the
container filling machine 10 in a fixed position, or the connector elements 50
may be
adjustable components that enable the position of the discrete article
dispensing device 12
to be adjusted in relation to the frame of the container filling machine 10,
and more
specifically, in relation to the receiving surface of the guiding trays 13a-
13e (or other
form of discrete article transporting surface).
For example, the adjustable connector elements 50 may be hydraulic or
pneumatic
pistons that are able to expand and retract for increasing or decreasing the
height of the
discrete article dispensing device 12 in relation to the receiving surface of
the guiding
trays 13a-13e. The adjustable connector elements 50 could also be mechanical
connector
elements 50, such as a ratcheted connector or a rack and pinion gear
arrangement, among
other possibilities, that is capable of mechanically adjusting the height of
the discrete
article dispensing device 12 in relation to the receiving surface of the
guiding trays 13a-
13e. The adjustment of the height of the discrete article dispensing device 12
may be
done manually, or alternatively may be automated such that a drive mechanism
in
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communication with the connector elements 50 causes the height to be adjusted.
When
automated, this adjustment may be performed on a basis of user input
information or an
input received from a sensor, which will be described in more detail below.
As shown in Figures 2A and 2B, in use, the discrete articles are deposited
from the ramp
portion 48 of the discrete article dispensing device 12 onto a back end of the
guiding
trays 13a-13e. Due to the vibrational motion applied to the guiding trays 13a-
13e, the
discrete articles are caused to move towards the front of the guiding trays
13a-13e such
that they are able to move onto vibration trays 14a-14e. However, in the
embodiments
shown, in order to move from the back of the guiding trays 13a-13e towards the
front of
the guiding trays 13a-13e, the discrete article must pass by the drop-off edge
50 of the
ramp portion 48. The drop-off edge 50 of the ramp portion 48 thus acts as a
type of gate
under which the discrete articles may pass. The height between the receiving
surface of
the guiding trays 13a-13e and the drop-off edge 50 of the ramp portion 48
therefore acts
to limit the amount of discrete articles that may move past the drop-off edge
50 of the
discrete article dispensing device 12.
In Figure 2A, the drop-off edge 50 of the discrete article dispensing device
12 is
positioned at a height "h1" above the receiving surface of the guiding trays
13a-13e. At
height "h1" only a single layer of discrete articles is able to pass beneath
the drop-off
edge 50 of the discrete article dispensing device 12 at the same time. This
helps to
prevent too many discrete articles from arriving at the vibration trays 14a-
14e at the same
time. In Figure 2B, the drop-off edge 50 is positioned at a height of "h2"
above the
receiving surface of the guiding trays 13a-13e. At height "h2", at least two
stacked layers
of discrete articles are able to pass by the drop-off edge 50 of the discrete
article
dispensing device 12. In this manner, the discrete article dispensing device
12 allows a
greater amount of discrete articles to move towards the vibration trays 14a-
14e at the
same time.
In the case where the container filling machine 10 is intended to be used to
process
discrete articles of different sizes and shapes, it makes sense for the
positioning of the
14
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
discrete article dispensing device 12 to be adjustable in relation to the
receiving surface
of the guiding trays 13a-13e. As mentioned above, the adjustment of the height
of the
discrete article dispensing device 12 in relation to the receiving surface of
the guiding
trays 13a-13e may be done manually or may be automated via a dispensing device
drive
mechanism that causes the height to be adjusted. The dispensing device drive
mechanisms generally comprises an electrical motor in communication with
mechanical
components, such as a gear assembly or a piston assembly, for causing the
height of
discrete article dispensing device 12 to be adjustable.
The manner in which the height of the discrete article dispensing device 12
may be
adjusted will now be described in more detail with respect to the block
diagram of Figure
4 and the flow diagram of Figure 5. As shown in Figure 4, a control entity 60
is in
communication with the dispensing device drive mechanism 74 that is operative
for
causing the position of the discrete article dispensing device 12 to be
adjusted. As
described above, the dispensing device drive mechanism 74 generally comprises
an
electrical motor in order to impart motion to mechanical components that cause
the
receptacle 30 of the discrete article dispensing device 12 to move up and
down.
In accordance with the non-limiting embodiment shown, the control entity 60
comprises
an input 62 for receiving commands and/or information from a user interface 76
and/or a
sensor 72 (optional). The control entity 60 further comprises a processing
entity 64 in
communication with a memory 66. The memory comprises data 68 and program
instruction 70 for being accessed and executed by the processing entity 64 for
implementing the functionality that will be described in more detail below.
The control entity 60 may be a dedicated control entity for controlling the
movement of
the discrete article dispensing device 12, or alternatively, the control
entity 60 may be in
communication with other components, such as a tray supporting drive mechanism
80
and a vibration imparting device 82, which will be described in more detail
below, for
controlling the functionality of these components as well. The control entity
60 may be
an integral part of the container filling machine 10, or may be a portable
device such as a
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
laptop, or desktop computer that is connected via cables to the components 74,
80 and 82.
In yet a further alternative embodiment, the control entity 60 may be
implemented within
a portable wireless device, such as a smart phone, such that it is in
communication with
the various components over wireless RF or cellular connections. In yet a
further example
of implementation, the control entity 60 may be implemented at a remote
server, such
that it is in communication with the components 72, 74, 76, 80 and 82 over
network
connections, via the intemet, or a local intranet, for example.
In accordance with a first non-limiting example of implementation, the control
entity 60
is operative for controlling the movement of the dispensing device drive
mechanism 74 at
least in part on a basis of information entered by a user via the user
interface 76. In
accordance with a second non-limiting example of implementation, the control
entity 60
is operative for controlling the movement of the dispensing device drive
mechanism 74 at
least in part on a basis of information received from a sensor 72. Each of
these different
scenarios will be described in more detail below.
i) Controlling
movement of the dispensing device drive mechanism 74 on
a basis of information entered by a user.
As mentioned above, the user interface 76 comprises user operable inputs 78
for enabling
a user to provide information, such as commands, to the control entity 60. The
user
operable inputs 78 may be buttons, levers, toggles or any other sort of
mechanical input
operable by a user and known in the art. The user interface 76 may also be a
graphical
user interface that comprises a display screen 84. In the case of a graphical
user interface,
the user operable inputs 78 may include user input elements displayed on the
display
screen that operable by "clicking" on the user input elements via an input
device such as
a mouse, a stylus pen, a touch sensitive screen or a ball mechanism.
The control entity 60 may receive information from a user via the user
interface 76
indicative of one or more command signals for causing the control entity 60 to
cause an
adjustment in the position of the discrete article dispensing device 12. For
example, a
user may operate one or more of the user operable inputs 78 in order to
provide a
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CA 02749623 2011-08-18
command signal to the control entity 60, indicative that the discrete article
dispensing
device 12 should be moved "up" or "down". This may be done by pushing an
up/down
lever into an "up" position, for providing a signal indicative that the
discrete article
dispensing device should move upwards so as to increase the height between the
discrete
article dispensing device 12 and the receiving surface of the guiding trays
13a-13e. So
long as the user is activating the user operable input to provide an "up"
command signal,
or until a user provides a "stop" command signal, the processing entity 64
will issue
control signals to the dispensing device drive mechanism 74, for causing the
discrete
article dispensing device 12 to move upwards. Similarly, a user may operate
one or more
of the user operable inputs 78 in order to provide a signal to the control
entity 60
indicative that the discrete article dispensing device should move downwards.
So long as
the user is activating a "down" user operable input, or until a user stops the
downwards
movement by providing a "stop" input, the processing entity 64 will issue
control signals
to the dispensing device drive mechanism 74, for causing the discrete article
dispensing
device 12 to move downwards, thereby decreasing the height between the
discrete article
dispensing device 12 and the receiving surface of the guiding trays 13a-13e.
In the above manner, a user may interact with the user interface 76 in order
to position
the discrete article dispensing device 12 at a desired height in relation to
the receiving
surface of the guiding trays 13a-13e. A desirable height at which the discrete
article
dispensing device 12 may be positioned above the receiving surface of the
guiding trays
13a-13e would be known by a person of skill in the art, and may be based, at
least in part,
upon criteria such as the size and shape of the discrete articles being
handled, the
frequency of vibration of the guiding trays and the rate at which the discrete
article
dispensing device 12 supplies discrete articles from the load of discrete
articles 40 to the
guiding trays 13a-13e.
Alternatively, the control entity 60 may receive information from a user via
the user
interface 76 indicative of a characteristic associated with at least one
discrete article from
the load of discrete articles 40 being handled, and cause the position of the
discrete article
dispensing device 12 to be adjusted on a basis of this received information.
The manner
17
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
in which this is done will be described in more detail with reference to the
flow chart of
Figure 5.
At step 100, the control entity 60 receives from a user, information
indicative of a
characteristic of at least one discrete article from the load of discrete
articles 40 being
handled. The characteristic may be indicative of an identifier of the discrete
articles, such
as the name of the discrete article, a serial number associated with the
discrete article or,
in the case where the discrete articles are pharmaceutical pills, the generic
chemical
compound of the pills. The characteristic could also be the weight of an
individual
discrete article, the volume of an individual discrete article, the diameter
of an individual
discrete article or any other physical characteristic of a discrete article.
The characteristic
could also be associated with the entire load of discrete articles 40 being
handled, such as
the weight of the load of discrete articles 40, the volume of the load of
discrete articles 40
or a batch number of the load of discrete articles. This information
indicative of the
characteristic is received at the input 62 from the user interface 76, and is
then passed to
the processing entity 64.
At step 102, the processing entity 64 may then determine, at least in part on
a basis of the
information indicative of a characteristic of at least one discrete article, a
suitable height
between the drop-off end 50 of the discrete article dispensing device 12 and
the receiving
surface of the guiding trays 13a-13e, at which to position the discrete
article dispensing
device 12. This determination may be done in a variety of manners. For
example, the
determination may be done on a basis of a look-up function using a database
that is stored
in the data 68 of the memory 66. The database may comprise a list of
characteristics that
could be provided by a user, and associated with each characteristic is a
corresponding
height for the discrete article dispensing device 12. For example, in the case
where the
information indicative of a characteristic of at least one discrete article is
a name or other
identifier of the discrete articles, the processing entity 64 may access the
database and
look for an entry that matches the characteristic identified by the user. Once
the
processing entity 64 has found the entry in the database that matches the
information
indicative of a characteristic input by the user, the processing entity 64
would then
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CA 02749623 2011-08-18
determine the corresponding height for the discrete article dispensing device
12 that is
contained in the entry for the matching characteristic.
The database may be provided by a manufacturer of the container filling
machine 10, or
may be slowly established by a user of the container filling machine. For
example, each
time a user has manually and possibly through trial-and-error established a
suitable
position for the discrete article dispensing device 12 when handling a given
type of
discrete article, the user may save a record within the memory 66 in order to
store in
connection with one or more characteristics of the discrete article (such as
its weight,
shape, volume, name and/or serial number) an associated position wherein the
drop-off
end 50 of the discrete article dispensing device 12 is at a suitable height
from the
receiving surface of the guiding trays 13a-13e.
Alternatively, the determination of a suitable height may be done by executing
a pre-
established algorithm. The pre-established algorithm may be stored within the
program
instructions 70 of the memory 66. For example, in the case where the
information
indicative of a characteristic of at least one discrete article is a weight or
volume of a
discrete article, the processing entity 64 may access the pre-established
algorithm stored
in the memory, for applying the entered weight or volume into the pre-
established
algorithm. By running the algorithm at least in part on a basis of the entered
characteristic
(such as weight or volume), the output of the algorithm will provide a
suitable position
for the discrete article dispensing device 12. In order to obtain the output
of the
algorithm, other values may need to be input into the algorithm, such as the
frequency of
vibration of the guiding trays 13a-13e and the size of the slot 46, among
other
possibilities.
Once a suitable position for the discrete article dispensing device 12 has
been determined,
at step 104, the processing entity 64 is operative for causing the discrete
article
dispensing device to acquire the suitable position. This may be done by
issuing one or
more control signals to the dispensing device drive mechanism 74, for
instructing the
discrete article drive mechanism 74 to move the discrete article dispensing
device 12 up
19
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
or down, until the suitable position has been acquired wherein the drop off
end 50 of the
discrete article dispensing device 12 is at the desired height above the
receiving surface
of the guiding trays 13a-13e.
ii) Controlling
movement of the dispensing device drive mechanism 74 on
a basis of information received from a sensor.
In accordance with a second non-limiting example of implementation, the
control entity
60 is operative for controlling the movement of the dispensing device drive
mechanism
74 at least in part on a basis of information received from a sensor 72.
The sensor 72 (which may include one or more sensors) may be a capacitive
sensor or an
optical sensor that is operative for detecting at least one of a volume or a
weight of at
least one of the discrete articles of the load of discrete articles 40.
Different types of
sensors operative for obtaining readings of volume and/or weight are known in
the art,
and as such will not be described in more detail herein. The sensor 72 may be
positioned
either in proximity to the opening 32 of the receptacle 30 for obtaining
sensor readings as
the load of discrete articles 40 is being supplied to the receptacle 30. Or
the sensor 72
may be positioned in proximity to the slot 46 for obtaining sensor readings as
discrete
articles exit the receptacle 30. These sensor readings that are obtained by
the sensors 72
are indicative of a characteristic of at least one of the discrete articles of
the load of
discrete articles 40.
The sensor 72 may also be a scale that is operative for obtaining a reading of
the weight
of the receptacle. In this manner, the sensor 72 may take a reading of the
weight of the
receptacle after an initial load of discrete article 40 has been placed within
the receptacle
30. As mentioned previously, the weight of a pre-established load of discrete
articles
(such as 10,000 discrete articles) may be considered as a characteristic of at
least one of
the discrete articles of the load of discrete articles 40.
Any sensor 72 that is operative for obtaining a reading indicative of a
characteristic of at
least one of the discrete articles of the load of discrete article 40 is
included within the
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
present invention. These sensor readings that are indicative of a
characteristic of at least
one of the discrete articles are passed from the sensor 72 to the input 62 of
the control
entity 60, which are in turn passed to the processing entity 64. The
processing entity is
then operative for processing the information indicative of the characteristic
of at least
one of the discrete articles in the same manner as described above with
respect to steps
102 and 104, for causing the discrete article dispensing device to acquire the
suitable
position for the given type of discrete articles being processed.
The vibration trays 14a-14e
As described above, the discrete article dispensing device 12 is operative for
receiving an
initial load of discrete articles, and for releasing those discrete articles
onto the guiding
trays 13a-13e, which in turn, supply those discrete articles onto the
vibration trays 14a-
14e.
In the non-limiting embodiment shown in Figure 1, the container-filling
machine 10 of
the present invention includes five vibration trays 14a-14e, with one guiding
tray and one
vibration tray for each of the containers 30 to be filled. Positioned beneath
the vibration
trays 14a-14e are vibration imparting devices 82 for imparting vibrational
motion to the
vibration trays 14a-14e. Although not shown in Figures 2A and 2B, there are a
total of
five vibration imparting devices 82, with one vibration imparting device 82
positioned
beneath each one of the five vibration trays 14a-14e respectively. Each of the
vibration
trays 14a-14e is in communication with its own vibration imparting device 82
such that
the vibrational motion of each vibration tray 14a-14e may be controlled
independently.
These vibration imparting devices 82 may comprise either electromagnetic drive
units,
pneumatic drive units or mechanical drive units, among other possibilities,
that are
attached to spring systems (not shown), and/or resilient plates (not shown)
for
transmitting vibrational motion to the vibration trays 14a-14e. The control of
this
vibrational motion will be described in more detail below.
Shown in Figure 2A is a side view of vibration tray 14e and shown in Figure 6
is an
exploded perspective view of the vibration trays 14a-e. In examples shown,
each
21
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
vibration tray 14a-e comprises four channels 90 for transporting discrete
articles towards
the guiding paths 16. The four channels 90 are each substantially V-shaped.
However,
other shapes of channels are also included within the scope of the present
invention. For
example, the channels 90 may be U shaped, or have flat bottoms, among other
possibilities.
In accordance with an optional embodiment, each of the channels 90 includes a
wall-
portion (not shown) that extends along a longitudinal length of the channel 90
for
dividing the channel 90 into a first side and a second side. As such, the wall
portion
creates two discrete article receiving paths within each channel 90. A more
detailed
description of vibration trays that comprise wall portions for dividing each
channel may
be found in U.S. Patent Publication 2009/0255948.
Given that each of the five vibration trays 14a-14e includes four channels 90,
the
container filling machine 10 comprises a total of twenty channels 90, with
each channel
90 leading into a respective one of the guiding paths 16. As such, in the non-
limiting
embodiment shown, there is a one-to-one ratio between channels 90 and guiding
paths
16. It should, however, be appreciated that in an alternative embodiment, each
of the
vibration trays 14a-14e could include any number of channels 90 without
departing from
the spirit of the invention. In addition, two or more of the channels 90 could
supply
discrete articles to a single guiding path 16. As such, it is not required
that there is a one-
to-one ratio between channels 90 to guiding paths 16.
Each of the vibration trays 14a-14e comprises a discrete article receiving end
92, and a
discrete article drop-off end 94. The discrete article receiving ends 92
receive the discrete
articles from the guiding trays 13a-13e (or directly from the discrete article
dispensing
device 12 in the case where guiding trays 13a-13e are not included). Once
received, the
discrete articles travel along the channels 90 of the vibration trays 14a-14e
towards the
discrete article drop-off ends 94. The discrete articles are then provided to
the guiding
paths 16 of the container filling machine 10 from the discrete article drop-
off ends 94.
22
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
Through the vibrational motion of the vibration trays 14a-14e, the discrete
articles are
caused to travel along the channels 90 from the discrete article receiving
ends 92 to the
discrete article drop-offends 94. By adjusting the slope of the vibration
trays 14a-14e, the
speed at which different types of discrete articles travel along the channels
90 may be
adjusted. For example, by increasing the slope of the vibration trays 14a-14e,
the speed at
which a given type of discrete article travels along the channels 90 also
increases.
Therefore, in order to obtain a desired speed at which a given type of
discrete article
travels from the discrete article receiving end 92 to the discrete article
drop-off end 94,
the slope of the vibration trays 14a-14e may be adjusted.
In use, the vibration trays 14a-14e are positioned with a downward incline or
slope
towards the guiding pathways 16. In the non-limiting example shown in Figure
2A, the
vibration trays 14a-14e have a relatively small slope, whereas in the non-
limiting
example shown in Figure 2B, the vibration trays 14a-14e have been adjusted to
acquire a
much steeper slope. in general, the greater this incline or slope, the faster
a common type
of discrete article will travel from the discrete article receiving end 92
towards the
discrete article drop-off end 94.
In order to be supported between the discrete article dispensing device 12 and
the guiding
paths 16, the vibration trays 14a-14e are connected to one or more tray
supporting frames
96. The tray supporting frames 96 support the vibration trays 14a-14e and
allow the slope
of the trays 14a-14e to be adjusted. In the embodiment shown in Figures 2A, 2B
and 6,
the five vibration trays 14a-14e are all supported by the same tray supporting
frame 96.
However, in alternative embodiments, each of the vibration trays 14a-14e may
be
supported by a separate supporting frame 96, such that the slope of each
vibration tray
may be adjusted individually.
In the embodiment shown, the vibration trays 14a-14e all sit on a common plate
97 that it
connected to the tray supporting frame 96 at three positions, as will be
described below.
The vibration trays 14a-14e may be affixed to the plate 97 via any manner
known in the
art, such as via bolts, some other form of mechanical fastener or adhesives,
among other
23
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
possibilities. The tray supporting frame 96 comprises a first portion 96a that
comprises a
pivot axis 98. The common plate 97 is connected at either end of the pivot
axis 98 via
two connecting plates 95. As such, the plate 97 that supports the vibration
trays 14a-14e
is adjustable about the pivot axis 98 such that the slope of the vibration
trays 14a-14e
may be adjusted. Accordingly, the pivot axis 98 is substantially perpendicular
to the
longitudinal axes of the channels 90 along which the discrete articles travel.
In the non-limiting embodiment shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the pivot axis 98
of the
tray supporting frame 96 is positioned towards the front of the vibration
trays 14a-14e,
such that it is in proximity to the drop-off ends 94 of the vibration trays
14a-14e. It
should, however, be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the pivot
axis 98 may
be located anywhere along the length (from the discrete article receiving end
92 to the
discrete article drop-offend 94) of the vibration trays 14a-14e.
The tray supporting frame 96 further comprises a second component 96b that
supports
the vibration trays 14a-14e and causes the vibration trays 14a-14e to be
adjustable about
the pivot axis 98. The second component 96b is operative for causing the
position of the
vibration trays 14a-14e to be adjusted and for holding the vibration trays 14a-
14e in
multiple different positions such that the vibration trays 14a-14e are able to
provide
different slopes to the discrete articles that are filling the containers 30.
In a first non-limiting example, the vibration trays 14a-14e are manually
adjustable about
the pivot axis 98 for changing the slope provided by the vibration trays 14a-
14b. In such
a circumstance, the second component 96b may comprise a variety of different
slots for
receiving an associated pin attached to the vibration trays 14a-14e, such that
when the pin
is positioned within a different slot, the vibration trays 14a-14e are
positioned to provide
a different slope. Any other mechanical supporting structure that would allow
a user to
manually adjust the slope provided by the vibration trays 14a-14e is also
included within
the scope of the present invention. For example, a manually rotatable rack and
pinion
gear arrangement that is able to provide translational motion could be used.
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
In a second non-limiting example, which is shown in the Figures, the
adjustment of the
vibration trays 14a-14e may be automated. In such an embodiment, the second
component 96b of the tray supporting frame 96 further comprises a tray
supporting drive
mechanism SO that is operative for receiving command signals for causing one
or all of
the trays 14a-14e to be adjusted about the pivot axis 98 for acquiring a new
slope. More
specifically, the tray supporting drive mechanism 80 is operative for tilting
the vibration
trays 14a-14e about the pivot axis 98 for causing the vibration trays 14a-14e
to acquire a
new slope. The adjustment of the vibration trays 14a-14e may be performed on a
basis of
user input information or an input received from a sensor, as will be
described in more
detail below.
The tray supporting drive mechanism 80 may be implemented in a variety of
different
manners. In accordance with a first non-limiting example, the tray supporting
drive
mechanism 80 comprises an electrical motor that is in communication with a
mechanical
gear arrangement 102, as shown in Figure 6. The mechanical gear arrangement
102 may
comprise one or more rack and pinion gears, screw gears or helical gears for
enabling an
up-and-down movement that will cause one or more of the vibration trays 14a-
14e to tilt
about the pivot axis 98 for acquiring a new slope. In a second non-limiting
example, the
tray supporting drive mechanism 80 comprises one or more hydraulic or
pneumatic
cylinders together with pump actuators for causing the cylinders to expand and
contract
in order to adjust the tilt of the vibration trays 14a-14e about the pivot
axis 98.
In the non-limiting embodiment shown, the plate 97 that supports the vibration
trays 14a-
14e is connected to the tray supporting frame 96 at three locations. Namely,
on either side
of the pivot axis 98 and at a third location that is in communication with the
tray
supporting drive mechanism 80. For example, the plate 97 is connected to the
motorized
drive mechanism 80, such that when the drive mechanism 80 is activated, the
plate 97,
which supports the vibration trays 14a-14e, pivots about the pivot axis 98.
The drive
mechanism 80 may include a motorized adjustment screw that is mounted to a
shaft that
is in contact with the plate 97 at a mid-point of the plate 97, or at multiple
points along
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
the length of the plate 97. In order for the motor to overcome relatively
significant
friction, a gearbox having a ratio of 80:1 to 120:1 may be used.
In the case where the container filling machine 10 is intended to be used to
process
discrete articles of different sizes and shapes, it makes sense for the slope
of the vibration
trays 14a-14e to be adjustable, so as to better control the speed at which the
container
filling machine 10 is able to fill the containers 30. At a given slope,
discrete articles of a
relatively small size may move at a reasonably good speed, but at that same
slope,
discrete articles having a larger size may not move fast enough. Therefore, in
order to
increase the speed of these larger size discrete articles, the slope of the
vibration trays
14a-14e can be increased. In this manner, by adjusting the slope of the
vibration trays
14a-14e, the desired speed at which different types of discrete articles are
handled can be
better controlled. As mentioned above, the adjustment of the slope of the
vibration trays
14a-14b may be done manually or may be automated via a tray supporting drive
mechanism 80 that causes the slope to be adjusted.
The manner in which the slope of the vibration trays 14a-14e may be adjusted
will now
be described in more detail with respect to the block diagram of Figure 4 and
the flow
diagram of Figure 7. As shown in Figure 4, a control entity 60 is in
communication with
the tray supporting drive mechanism 80 that is operative for causing the slope
of the
vibration trays 14a-14e to be adjusted. As described above, the tray
supporting drive
mechanism 80 generally comprises an electrical motor in order to impart motion
to
mechanical components that cause the vibration trays 14a-14e to tilt about the
pivot axis
98 for adjusting the slope provided by the vibration trays 14a-14e.
As mentioned previously, the control entity 60 comprises an input 62 for
receiving
commands and/or information from a user interface 76 and/or a sensor 72
(optional). The
control entity 60 further comprises a processing entity 64 in communication
with a
memory 66. The memory comprises data 68 and program instruction 70 for being
accessed and executed by the processing entity 64 for implementing the
functionality that
will be described in more detail below.
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The control entity 60 may be a dedicated control entity for controlling the
movement of
the vibration trays 14a-14e via the tray supporting drive mechanism 80, or
alternatively,
the control entity 60 may be in communication with other components, such as
the
dispensing device drive mechanism 74, as described above, for controlling the
functionality of these components as well.
In accordance with a first non-limiting example of implementation, the control
entity 60
is operative for controlling the movement of the tray supporting drive
mechanism 80 at
least in part on a basis of information entered by a user via the user
interface 76. In
accordance with a second non-limiting example of implementation, the control
entity 60
is operative for controlling the movement of the tray supporting drive
mechanism 80 at
least in part on a basis of information received from a sensor 72. Each of
these different
scenarios will be described in more detail below.
i) Controlling
movement of the tray supporting drive mechanism 80 on a
basis of information entered by a user.
As previously mentioned, the user interface 76 comprises user operable inputs
78 for
enabling a user to provide information, such as commands, to the control
entity 60. The
user operable inputs 78 may be buttons, levers, toggles or any other sort of
mechanical
input operable by a user and known in the art. The user interface 76 may also
be a
graphical user interface that comprises a display screen 84. In the case of a
graphical user
interface, the user operable inputs 78 may include user input elements
displayed on the
display screen that are operable by "clicking" on the user input elements via
an input
device such as a mouse, a stylus pen, a touch sensitive screen or a ball
mechanism.
The control entity 60 may receive information from a user via the user
interface 76
indicative of one or more command signals for causing the control entity 60 to
cause an
adjustment in the slope of the vibration trays 14a-14e. For example, a user
may operate
one or more of the user operable inputs 78 in order to provide a command
signal to the
control entity 60, indicative that the slope of the vibration trays 14a-14e
should be
27
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
increased. This may be done by pushing an up/down lever into an "up" position,
for
providing a signal indicative that the vibration trays 14a-14e should tilt
upwards so as to
increase their slope. So long as the user is activating the user operable
input to provide an
"up" command signal, or until a user provides a "stop" command signal, the
processing
entity 64 will issue control signals to the tray supporting drive mechanism
80, for causing
the vibration trays 14a-14e to tilt upwardly to increase the slope. Similarly,
a user may
operate one or more of the user operable inputs 78 in order to provide a
signal indicative
that the slope of the vibration trays 14a-14e should be decreased. So long as
the user is
activating a "down" user operable input, or until a user stops the downwards
movement
by providing a "stop" input, the processing entity 64 will issue control
signals to the tray
supporting drive mechanism 80, for causing the vibration trays 14a-14e to tilt
downwardly to decrease their slope.
In an alternative embodiment, a user may enter, via the user interface 76, an
indication of
a desired slope at which the vibration trays 14a-14e should be positioned.
This may be
done by using a keypad in order to enter a slope angle such as 30 . Upon
receipt of this
input angle, the control entity 60 may issue a signal to the tray supporting
drive
mechanism 80 instructing the tray supporting drive mechanism 80 to cause the
vibration
trays 14a-14e to acquire a slope wherein the vibration trays 14a-14e are at a
300 angle in
relation to a horizontal plane.
Regardless of the manner in which a user provides information for causing the
control
entity 60 to cause an adjustment in the slope of the vibration trays, the
vibration trays
14a-14e may be adjustable so as to acquire any slope between being
substantially parallel
to the ground and substantially perpendicular to the ground. However, in an
alternative
embodiment, the vibration trays 14a-14e may be able to acquire only two or
more pre-
defined positions in which the vibration trays 14a-14e provide different pre-
defined
slopes. In such an embodiment, the user interface 76 may provide one or more
user-
operable inputs 78 suitable for causing the vibration trays 14a-14e to acquire
these pre-
defined positions. For example, by actuating a "pre-set one" button, the
vibration trays
14a-14e may automatically acquire a first pre-defined position, and by
actuating a "pre-
28
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
set two" button, the vibration trays 14a-14e may automatically acquire a
second pre-
defined position. Any number of predefined positions are possible. The pre-
defined
positions may be pre-programmed into the container filling machine by a
manufacturer,
be part of a software download, or may be programmable by a user of the
container
filling machine for establishing pre-defined "favorite" positions.
In the above manner, a user may interact with the user interface 76 in order
to position
the vibration trays 14a-14e at a desired slope between the discrete article
dispensing
device 12 and the guiding paths 16. A desirable slope for the vibration trays
14a-14e
would be known by a person of skill in the art, and may be based, at least in
part, upon
criteria such as the size and shape of the discrete articles being handled,
the frequency of
vibration of the vibration trays 14a-14e and the rate at which the discrete
article
dispensing device 12 supplies discrete articles to the guiding trays 13a-13e,
and in turn,
the vibration trays 14a-14e.
In accordance with a second non-limiting example, the control entity 60 may
receive
information from a user via the user interface 76 indicative of a
characteristic associated
with at least one discrete article from the load of discrete articles 40 being
handled, and
cause the position of the slope of the vibration trays 14a-14e to be adjusted
on a basis of
that received information. The manner in which this is done will be described
in more
detail with reference to the flow chart of Figure 7.
At step 110, the control entity 60 receives from a user, information
indicative of a
characteristic of at least one discrete article from the load of discrete
articles 40 being
handled. As previously indicated, the characteristic may be indicative of an
identifier of
the discrete articles, such as the name of the discrete article, a serial
number associated
with the discrete article or, in the case where the discrete articles are
pharmaceutical pills,
the generic chemical compound of the pills. The characteristic could also be
the weight of
an individual discrete article, the volume of an individual discrete article,
the shape of an
individual discrete article, the diameter of an individual discrete article or
any other
physical characteristic of a discrete article. The characteristic could also
be associated
29
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
with the entire load of discrete articles 40 being handled, such as the weight
of the load of
discrete articles 40, the volume of the load of discrete articles 40 or a
batch number of the
load of discrete articles. This information indicative of a characteristic is
received at the
input 62 from the user interface 76, and is then passed to the processing
entity 64.
At step 112, the processing entity 64 may then determine, at least in part on
a basis of the
information indicative of a characteristic of at least one discrete article, a
suitable slope
for the vibration trays 14a-14e. This determination may be done in a variety
of manners.
For example, the determination may be done on a basis of a look-up function
using a
database that is stored in the data 68 of the memory 66. The database may
comprise a list
of characteristics that could be provided by a user, and associated with each
characteristic
is a corresponding slope for the vibration trays 14a-14e. For example, in the
case where
the information indicative of a characteristic of at least one discrete
article is a name or
other identifier of the discrete articles, the processing entity 64 may access
the database
and look for an entry that matches the characteristic entered by the user.
Once the
processing entity 64 has found the entry in the database that matches the
information
indicative of a characteristic input by the user, the processing entity 64
would then
determine the corresponding slope that is contained in the entry for the
matching
characteristic.
The database may be provided by a manufacturer of the container filling
machine 10, or
may be slowly established/built by a user of the container filling machine 10
over time.
For example, each time a user has determined (possibly through trial-and-
error) a suitable
slope for the vibration trays 14a-14e when handling a given type of discrete
article, the
user may save a record within the memory 66 in order to store in connection
with one or
more characteristics of the discrete article (such as its weight, shape,
volume, name
and/or serial number) an associated slope for the vibration trays 14a-14e when
handling
that given type of discrete article.
Alternatively, the determination of a suitable slope may be done by executing
a pre-
established algorithm. The pre-established algorithm may be stored within the
program
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
instructions 70 of the memory 66. For example, in the case where the
information
indicative of a characteristic of at least one discrete article is a weight or
volume of a
discrete article, the processing entity 64 may access the pre-established
algorithm stored
in the memory, for applying the entered weight or volume into the pre-
established
algorithm. By running the algorithm at least in part on a basis of the entered
characteristic
(such as the weight or volume), the output of the algorithm may provide a
suitable slope
for the discrete article vibration trays 14a-14e. In order to obtain the
output of the
algorithm, other values may need to be input into the algorithm, such as the
frequency of
vibration of the vibration trays 14a-14e and the desired speed at which the
containers are
to be filled.
Once a suitable slope for the vibration trays 14a-14e has been determined, at
step 114, the
processing entity 64 is operative for causing the tray supporting drive
mechanism 80 to
move the vibration trays 14a-14e into the determined slope. This may be done
by issuing
one or more control signals to the tray supporting drive mechanism 80, for
instructing the
tray supporting drive mechanism 80 to tilt the vibration trays 14a-14e up or
down, until
the suitable slope has been acquired.
ii) Controlling
movement of the tray supporting drive mechanism 80 on a
basis of information received from a sensor.
In accordance with a second non-limiting example of implementation, the
control entity
60 is operative for controlling the movement of the tray supporting drive
mechanism 80
at least in part on a basis of information received from a sensor 72.
The sensor 72 (which may include one or more sensors) may be a capacitive
sensor or an
optical sensor that is operative for detecting at least one of a volume or a
weight of at
least one of the discrete articles of the load of discrete articles 40.
Different types of
sensors operative for obtaining readings of volume and/or weight are known in
the art,
and as such will not be described in more detail herein. The sensor 72 may be
positioned
either in proximity to the opening 32 of the receptacle 30 for obtaining
sensor readings as
the load of discrete articles 40 is being supplied to the receptacle 30. Or
the sensor 72
31
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
may be positioned in proximity to the slot 46 for obtaining sensor readings as
discrete
articles exit the receptacle 30. These sensor readings that are obtained by
the sensors 72
are indicative of a characteristic of at least one of the discrete articles of
the load of
discrete articles 40.
The sensor 72 may also be a scale that is operative for obtaining a reading of
the weight
of the load of discrete articles 40 that have been placed within the
receptacle 30. In this
manner, the sensor 72 may take a reading of the weight of the receptacle 30
after an
initial load of discrete article 40 has been placed within the receptacle 30.
As mentioned
previously, the weight of a pre-established load of discrete articles (such as
a load of
10,000 discrete articles) may be considered as a characteristic of at least
one of the
discrete articles of the load of discrete articles 40.
Any sensor 72 that is operative for obtaining a reading indicative of a
characteristic of at
least one of the discrete articles of the load of discrete articles 40 is
included within the
present invention. These sensor readings that are indicative of a
characteristic of at least
one of the discrete articles are passed from the sensor 72 to the input 62 of
the control
entity 60, which are in turn passed to the processing entity 64. The
processing entity is
then operative for processing the information indicative of the characteristic
of at least
one of the discrete articles in the same manner as described above with
respect to steps
112 and 114, for causing the tray supporting drive mechanism 80 to cause the
vibration
trays 14a-14e to acquire the determined slope.
With reference to Figures 2A and 28, it can be seen that as the slope of the
vibration
trays 14a-1 4e increase, the height of the receiving ends 92 of these trays
also increase in
relation to the guiding trays 13a-14e. As such, as the vibration trays 14a-14e
are caused
to acquire a greater slope, the height of the guiding trays 13a-13e also needs
to be
increased such that the guiding trays 13a-13e are still able to supply
discrete articles from
the discrete article dispensing device 12 to the vibration trays 14a-14e. In
addition, the
guiding trays 13a-13e may also need to be moved laterally forward towards the
vibration
32
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
trays 14a-14e, so as to prevent a gap from being formed between the vibration
trays 14a-
14e and the guiding trays 13a-13e.
In order to adjust the height of the guiding trays 13a-13e, the guiding trays
may be
positioned on a supporting stand 108 that is able to increase and decrease the
height of
the guiding trays 13a-13e. The supporting stand 108 may include a mechanical
rack and
pinion gear arrangements, pneumatic or hydraulic pistons or any other
mechanical device
suitable for increasing the height of the guiding trays 13a-13e. The height of
the
supporting stand 108 can be adjusted manually or can be automated.
In the case where the height adjustability of the supporting stand is
automated, it is
possible that the control entity 60 that adjusts the slope of the vibration
trays 14a-14e is
able to simultaneously cause a drive mechanism to adjust the height of the
guiding trays
13a-13e. In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment, stored within the
memory 66
are records in which an appropriate height for the guiding trays 13a-13e is
associated
with each possible slope for the vibration trays 14a-14e. As such, on the
basis of a
suitable slope for the vibration trays 14a-14e, the guiding trays 13a-13e can
be caused to
acquire a corresponding suitable height.
The path blocking device 24
Once the discrete articles have left the vibration trays 14a-14e, they
continue travel along
guiding paths 16 towards the containers 30. The containers 30 are typically
intended to be
filled with a pre-determined number of discrete articles, such as 100 or 150
discrete
articles, for example. As the discrete articles travel along the guiding paths
16, they pass
through a counting device 22 that counts the number of discrete articles that
have passed
there through. In this manner, once the counting device has detected a pre-
determined
number of discrete articles that have passed through one or more of the paths
16 leading
to a given container 30, one or more of the path blocking devices 24 located
in a path 16
leading to that container 30 is caused to close, such that no further discrete
articles pass
by the closed path blocking devices 24. In this manner, once a container has
received the
pre-determined number of discrete articles, no further discrete articles enter
the container
33
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
30 until the filled container 30 has been moved out of the way, and a new
container 30
has been moved into place.
As described above, multiple ones of the guiding paths 16 may lead into a
single
container 30. In the non-limiting embodiment shown in Figure 8, four guiding
paths 16
lead into a funnel 26 that directs the discrete articles into a single
container 30. It should,
however, be appreciated that any number of paths 16 could lead into any number
of
containers 30, without departing from the spirit of the invention.
As mentioned above, prior to entering the containers 30, the discrete articles
pass through
a counting device 22. The purpose of the counting device 22 is to obtain a
count of the
discrete articles in order to ensure that the proper pre-determined number of
discrete
articles enter each container 30. A more detailed discussion of a counting
device 22 can
be found in issued U.S. patent 7,956,623.
As shown in Figure 8, the counting device 22 includes passageways 122
associated with
each guiding path 16, through which the discrete articles travel. Included
within each
passageway is circuitry for enabling the counting device to obtain a count of
a discrete
article passing there through. In addition, and as shown in Figure 4, the
counting device
22 is in communication with a processing entity 64. The processing entity 64
may be part
of a control entity 60 that controls the functionality of multiple components
of the
container filling machine 10. However, in an alternative embodiment, the
counting device
22 may be in communication with a processing entity that is dedicated to
controlling the
functionality of the counting device 22.
In a non-limiting embodiment, the processing entity 64 is operative for
simultaneously
receiving and processing signals from the counting circuitry of each one of
the
passageways 122 of the counting device 22. For example, in the case shown in
Figure 8,
the processing entity 64 is operative to receive signals from four separate
passageways
122 at approximately the same time. In such a case, the circuitry associated
to each
passageway 16 is operative for providing identification information to the
processing
34
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
entity 64, such that the processing entity 64 is able to keep an appropriate
count of the
discrete articles for personal treatment passing through each respective
passageway 122
of the counting device 22.
The circuitry contained within each passageway 122 may be any suitable
circuitry for
detecting when a discrete article for personal treatment passes through the
passageway
91. For example, the counting device 22 may include optical circuitry or
capacitance
circuitry without departing from the spirit of the invention. Once the
circuitry detects that
an object, such as a discrete article, has passed through the passageway 122,
a signal is
sent to the processing entity 64, such that the processing entity 64 can keep
a count of the
number of discrete articles that have passed through each passageway 122.
The purpose of the counting device 22 is to help control the number of
discrete articles
entering each container 30.
As shown in Figure 8, positioned between the counting device 22 and a
container 30 are a
plurality of path blocking devices 24; namely one path blocking device 24 for
each one of
the guiding paths 16. Each one of the guiding paths 16 then feeds into a
funnel 26 which,
in turn, leads into a container 30.
In combination with the counting device 22, the path blocking devices 24 are
operative
for controlling the number of discrete articles that enter each container 30.
More
specifically, the path blocking devices 24 are operative to move between an
open position
and a closed position in order to either permit the travel of discrete
articles into the
container 30 or block the travel of discrete articles into the container 30.
In the
embodiment shown in Figure 8, the right-most path blocking device 24 is in a
closed
position, wherein the discrete articles travelling along that guiding path 16
are prevented
from travelling into the container 30. Whereas, the two middle path blocking
devices 24
are in an open position, such that the discrete articles travelling along
those guiding paths
16 are able to travel past the path blocking devices 24 into the container 30.
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
Referring back to Figure 4, the path blocking devices 24 are also in
communication with
the processing entity 64, such that the processing entity 64 can control the
movement of
the path blocking devices 24 between the open position and the closed
position. As
shown in Figure 4, the path blocking devices 24 are in communication with a
processing
entity 64 that is also in communication with the counting device 22, as well
as the other
components in the container filling machine. It should be appreciated however
that a
processing entity 64 dedicated to the control of the path blocking devices 24
could also
be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. In such a case,
the processing
entity 64 would be operative for receiving information from the counting
device 22
indicative of a count of the number of discrete articles for personal
treatment passing
through respective passageways 122.
In operation, the processing entity 64 controls the movement of the path
blocking devices
24 at least in part on the basis of information received from the counting
device 22 and
the pre-determined number of discrete articles that are to be supplied to each
container
30. The information received from the counting device 22 is generally
indicative of the
number of discrete articles that has passed through each passageway 122 of the
counting
device 22. The processing entity 64 processes this information in accordance
with
program instructions 70 stored in the memory 66. Such program instructions may
include
a specific algorithm, such that the control of the path blocking devices 24 is
performed in
accordance with the specific algorithm. For example, the predefined algorithm
may
specify that once a pre-determined number of discrete articles has passed
through a given
guiding path 16, the path blocking device 24 associated with that guiding path
16 is to be
closed. For example, in the case where each container 30 is to be filled with
one hundred
discrete articles and there are four guiding paths 16 leading into each
container 30, the
algorithm may specify that each path blocking device 24 is to be closed after
twenty five
discrete articles for personal treatment have passed by each path blocking
device 24.
Alternatively, three of the path blocking devices 24 may close after twenty
four discrete
articles have passed along their respective guiding path 16, and the fourth
path blocking
device 24 may close after twenty eight discrete articles have passed there
through. In this
way, the fourth path blocking device 24 is able to more precisely monitor the
final
36
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
discrete articles entering the container 30. It should be appreciated that any
algorithm
suitable for controlling the number of discrete articles that enter each
container 30 is
included within the scope of the present invention and that a variety of
different
algorithms could be used in order to control the functioning of the path
blocking devices
24.
In the non-limiting embodiment shown in Figure 8, the path blocking devices 24
are in
the form of gates 120 that pivot about a pivot point 124 mounted to one side
of the paths
16. The gates 120 pivot about the pivot point 124 in order to move between the
open
position and the closed position. In the closed position, the gates 120 form
physical
barriers that span across the width of a guiding path 16. Whereas in the open
position, the
gates 120 are positioned along the sides of the guiding paths 16 such that
discrete articles
can pass by the gates 120 unobstructed and travel into a container 30.
When in the closed position, the path blocking devices 24 are able to prevent
discrete
articles for personal treatment from continued travel into the funnels 26
while the filled
containers 30 are being replaced with new containers 30. Once a container 30
has been
filled with the pre-determined number of discrete articles, all of the path
blocking devices
24 that are positioned along the paths 16 that lead to that container 30 are
closed such that
the filled containers can be removed and replaced with new containers without
stopping
the flow of discrete articles through the counting device 22 of the container
filling
machine 10. As such, the discrete articles simply accumulate at the path
blocking devices
24 against the closed gates 120. When the new containers 30 are in place
underneath the
funnels 26, the path blocking devices 24 open, and the discrete articles for
personal
treatment that have accumulated at the gates 120 enter the new containers. In
this manner,
the flow of discrete articles for personal treatment does not slow down or
stop for a
container change.
In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, and as
shown in
Figure 9, the gates 120 are controlled by solenoid devices 126 that convert
electrical
energy into mechanical energy. As shown, the gates 120 are connected to
solenoid
37
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
devices 126 via a rotating pin 128. In the embodiment shown, the solenoid
device 128 is
a rotary solenoid. When electrical current is applied to, or cut from, the
solenoid devices
126, the solenoid devices 126 cause the rotation of the pin 128 that in tarn
causes the
rotation of a respective gate 120. As shown, a first end of the pin 128 is
adapted for
connection to the solenoid device 126 and a second end of the pin 128 is
adapted for
connection to a pivot axis of a gate 120. The second end of the pin 128 may
fit within the
pivot axis 124 of the gate 120 via a friction fit or via projections that
engage with a
complimentary-shaped slot within the pivot axis. For example, the pin 128 may
have a
star-shaped end, or an X-shaped end, that fits within a complementary slot
within the
pivot axis 124 of the gate 120. In this manner, as the pin 128 rotates,
rotational motion is
imparted to the gate 120.
When electrical current is provided to the solenoid device 126, the solenoid
device 126
rotates the pin 128, such that the gate 120 moves into the closed position or
the open
position. When electrical current is cut from the solenoid device 126, the pin
128 returns
to its original neutral position (via a spring). In accordance with a non-
limiting example
of implementation of the present invention, when the solenoid device 126 is at
a neutral
position, such that no electrical current is applied thereto, the gate 120 is
positioned in the
middle of the pathway 16. In this position, discrete articles are able to pass
by the gate
120, but the gate is not positioned up against the side wall of the path 16
providing a
completely unobstructed path 16. When the solenoid device 126 is activated by
applying
+5 Volts, the gate 120 moves approximately 22.5 degrees towards the opposite
wall of the
path 16, such that the guiding path 16 is blocked. When -5 Volts is applied,
the gate 120
opens approximately -22.5 degrees for causing the gate to open. Although
certain voltage
values and rotation angles have been provided in the above example, it should
be
appreciated that these values are provided for the sake of example only, and
that the
present invention is not limited to these values.
Accordingly, once the control entity 64 determines, based on information from
the
counting device 22, that a pre-determined number of discrete articles has
passed along a
given one of the guiding paths 16, the control entity 64 causes electrical
current to be
38
CA 02749623 2011-08-18
supplied to the solenoid device 126 of the gate 120 associated with that
guiding path 16,
such that the gate 120 is able to acquire the closed position. Once all the
gates 120
associated with a given container 30 have been closed (which means that the
container
has been filled with the pre-determined number of discrete articles) the
filled container 30
is moved out of the way, and a new container 30 is moved into place. At that
point, the
control entity 64 applies electrical current to the solenoid devices 126, such
that the gates
120 open up again, and the discrete articles can flow into the new container
30.
Using solenoid devices 126 to control the gates 120 prevents the use of air
fluctuations,
which would be required with pneumatic cylinders. In addition, solenoid
devices 126
provide faster opening/closing than pneumatic cylinders. For example, a
solenoid device
can react in approximately Smilliseconds, as opposed to the more typical 60 to
100
milliseconds required by a pneumatic cylinder. In addition, solenoid devices
are often
more durable and constant than pneumatic cylinders, and may also be cleaner as
they do
not necessarily require any oil or other lubrication.
In a preferred embodiment, the functionality of the components of the
container filling
machine 10 described above (i.e. the functionality of the discrete article
dispensing
device 12, the guiding trays 13a-13e, the vibration trays 14a-14e, and the
tray supporting
drive mechanism 80) are controlled via one or more computing units that
include at least
one software driven processing unit. However, in some embodiments of the
invention, all
or part of the functionality of these components may be implemented as pre-
programmed
hardware or firmware elements (e.g., application specific integrated circuits
(ASICs),
electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), etc.) or
other
related components.
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with
reference
to certain preferred embodiments thereof, variations and refinements are
possible without
departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the
invention should be
limited only by the appended claims and their equivalents.
39
