Patent ID: 6561377
Filing Date: 2003-05-13
Classification: A61J,G07F

Abstract:
A vacuum driven pill counter comprising:a. a counter housing with a pill discharge aperture formed therein; b. an integrally formed vacuum drum rotatably positioned in said housing, said vacuum drum having a front wall, a rear wall, and a perimeter wall, said front wall including a plurality of pill apertures formed therein; c. a vacuum source communicating with said housing and capable of drawing a vacuum through said pill apertures in said vacuum drum; d. a torque source operatively connected to said vacuum drum in order to rotate said vacuum drum; e. a pill shelf positioned adjacent to said front wall of said vacuum drum, said pill shelf being arcuate in shape and having a surface inclined downwardly toward said pill drum; f. a pill separator for removing pills retained on said pill apertures by said vacuum source, said pill separator having a sloping surface positioned adjacent to said pill drum and being connected to said pill shelf; g. a pill sensor positioned to detect pills which will exit said discharge aperture; and h. control circuitry receiving a signal from said pill sensor and ceasing or changing operation of said pill counter upon a predetermined condition and including a user interface for entering instructions for said control circuitry.