Patent ID: 11931317
Assignee: VMI HOLLAND B.V.
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC A  B  G | IPC A  B  G

Claim 0:
1. A method for dispensing discrete medicaments with a dispensing device, wherein the dispensing device comprises:
a dispensing section for dispensing the medicaments, wherein the dispensing section defines an array of feeder positions for holding a plurality of feeder units, wherein each feeder unit of the plurality of feeder units comprises a container for holding medicaments with a composition specific to each said respective feeder unit,
an outlet for dispensing the medicaments, and
a dispensing mechanism between the container and the outlet to perform a controlled feeding of the medicaments from the container into the outlet, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
predicting a depletion time in the future when: the medicaments in the container of a first feeder unit of the plurality of feeder units will be depleted, or the medicaments in the container of a first feeder unit are past their expiry date;
providing a notification ahead of said depletion time that a second feeder unit should be presented to the dispensing device, the second feeder unit having a container holding medicaments with the same composition as the container of the first feeder unit, the notification further including a due time for presenting said second feeder unit to the dispensing device; and
continuing the dispensing of the medicaments from the first feeder unit at least until the due time.