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Description  |
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TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a device designed for withdrawing spherical
components of identical size contained in a container with a cylindrical
neck and circular mouth, and the main application of which is the
dispensing and counting of small granules for medical use and more
precisely homoeopathic granules.
PRIOR ART
In document FR-A-2,492,777 there is proposed a granule-dispensing device
including a stopper exhibiting a recess which acts as an intermediate
chamber, this stopper having passing through it a spindle joining two
movable disks each equipped with a slot. As the outer disk rotates, the
inside of the tube is closed in communication with the intermediate
chamber via the slot placed on the inner disk. The granules accumulate in
the intermediate chamber then, during additional rotation, this
intermediate chamber and the outside space of the tube are placed in
communication, which allows the number of granules which can be stored in
the intermediate chamber to be dispensed.
Such a device does not allow granules to be supplied one at a time.
Furthermore, all of the dispenser body is inside the tube, which decreases
the volume left for the granules.
In document FR-A-2,625,982 there is described a granule dispenser composed
of a base plate fixed to the neck of the tube and through which there
passes at least one opening and the central part of which has passing
through it a freely turning spindle joining two components situated on
each side of the stopper. The component placed inside the tube is composed
of several radial arms between each of which there is defined a housing
capable of receiving one granule. The second component placed on the
outside of the stopper is a disk pierced with a slot intended to come to
face the opening in the stopper which is acting as an intermediate
chamber. Just like the first embodiment, the dispenser body is, to a large
extent, pushed inside the tube, which reduces the volume left available
for the granules. Furthermore, the components proposed to produce this
dispenser assembly are of a complicated shape, and are therefore difficult
to produce by molding. Finally, and above all, the assembly proposed does
not have any symmetry, which increases the difficulties in automating the
fitting of this device at the end of the tube.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention alleviates these drawbacks, that is to say that it provides a
device of simple shape, easy to mold and exhibiting symmetry which makes
it easy to automate the fitting thereof.
The invention relates to a device for withdrawing spherical products of the
same dimensions, such as small pills or granules, contained in a container
exhibiting a cylindrical neck and a circular mouth, of the type
comprising:
a body for dispensing products, this body consisting of two parallel
cylindrical parts respectively a first part and a second part, joined at
their center by a spindle, each cylindrical part exhibiting notches
intended to receive a product, said notches being offset from one part to
the other so that a solid section of one part corresponds to a notch in
the other part;
a cylindrical roundel exhibiting a radial slit connected to an axial
passage intended to interact with the spindle, and at least one axial
recess to allow the products to pass from the first to the second part,
said roundel having a diameter slightly greater than the internal diameter
of the neck of the container to allow tight fitting at the circular end of
the container;
a receptacle stopper fitting onto the circular mouth of the container and
exhibiting means for driving the dispensing body in terms of rotation,
wherein:
the first part and second part are identical;
and the first part, the second part and the roundel have a thickness
slightly greater than the diameter of a product.
In other words, the invention consists in fitting at the end of the tube a
roundel exhibiting an opening able to allow one granule to pass and a
central hole able to receive a spindle. This spindle joins two identical
components in the overall shape of a disk including notches, the two disks
being angularly offset so that the opening of the roundel can only be
found on one side at a time. Thus, the dispensing body exhibits symmetry
allowing it to be fitted to the roundel equally well in both directions.
Advantageously, in practice, the radial slit in the roundel is composed of
an axial drilling proper, designed to clip over the spindle of the
dispensing body, and the axial slit proper is flared into the shape of a
sector of a cylinder in order to form the recess intended to receive a
product.
In one embodiment, the cylindrical roundel bears, inside the neck, on rests
formed for this purpose on the internal face of the neck.
In another embodiment, the cylindrical roundel on one of the two edges,
exhibits a collar for bearing on the circular mouth of the container.
Advantageously, to ensure that the granules flow out properly, the solid
angles of intersection of the notches of the dispensing body and of the
roundel are chamfered. Preferably, the inclination of the chamfer of the
external faces of each of the two parts of the dispenser body is greater
than that of the internal chamfer. This geometry makes flow reversible,
that is to say from the tube towards the receptacle, or from the
receptacle towards the tube in the event of too many granules having been
delivered.
As regards the driving device, in one alternative, this consists of:
a central pivot located inside the receptacle stopper on the axis of
symmetry of the stopper, said pivot exhibiting a driving shape at its end;
and a complementary shape located at the center of the external face of
each of the two parts of the dispensing body.
In another embodiment of the driving means, the solid sectors of the two
parts of the dispensing body are provided with at least one driving tooth
situated on their external face ending in the receptacle, the receptacle
being provided on its internal partition with an annulus gear situated in
a plane parallel to the faces of the dispenser in order to rotate the
latter through meshing with the teeth of its external face.
In a preferred embodiment, the notches of the dispensing body consist of
three evenly spaced radial sectors. This allows two or three granules to
be dispensed per turn of the dispensing body.
To facilitate the counting-out and viewing of the granules dispensed, the
receptacle stopper is preferably made of a transparent plastic substance,
while the container containing the granules is a cylindrical tube made of
a colored plastic substance in order to protect said granules from the
light.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The way in which the invention may be achieved, and the advantages which
stem therefrom will become clearer from the embodiment which follows,
supported by the appended figures.
FIG. 1 is a view in perspective which represents the dispensing body
according to the invention.
FIG. 2 is a view in perspective which represents the open roundel according
to the invention.
FIG. 3 is a view in perspective which represents the dispensing body and
the roundel, assembled.
FIG. 4 is a view in perspective in longitudinal median partial section of
the granule receptacle according to one alternative of the invention.
FIG. 5 is a view in perspective of the dispensing body according to another
alternative embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a view in perspective in longitudinal median partial section of
the granule receptacle according to an alternative embodiment.
FIG. 7 is an exploded overall perspective view of the whole of the
withdrawing device.
FIG. 8 is a section through a tube including the withdrawing device.
FIGS. 9, 10, 11 are sections of the tube equipped with the withdrawing
device, making it possible to see, progressively, the movement of a
granule inside the dispensing device.
FIGS. 12, 13, 14 are sections of FIGS. 9, 10, 11 taken respectively on the
planes identified by the arrows in FIGS. 9,10,11.
EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
As represented in FIGS. 3 and 7, the granule dispensing device is
essentially composed of three parts, namely a roundel (6) placed at the
mouth of the tube, a pivoting dispensing body at the center of the
stopper, and a receive receptacle (11) able to the granules.
The granule dispensing body (1), as represented in FIG. 1, consists of two
cylindrical parts A and B which are symmetrical relative to a spindle (2)
connecting them by the center. These two parts A and B are identical and
each consists of sectors of cylinders (3), these sectors being concentric,
equal to one another, and cut vertically from the thickness of said part,
and separated from one another by openings (4) which are equal to one
another and concentric with the sectors of cylinders (3) whose dimensions
are matched to the diameter of the granules to be withdrawn. The two parts
A and B which are symmetrical and face one another relative to the spindle
(2) are offset so that a solid sector of cylinder (3) of the part A
corresponds to an empty sector of cylinder (4) of the part B. As
represented in FIG. 1, the solid sectors (3) and the empty sectors (4),
which are equal to one another, in a preferred version are three in
number, thus allowing one granule to be dispensed for every third of a
turn of the dispensing body (1). This way of dispensing is particularly
well suited to counting out conventional prescriptions which generally
correspond to three, or perhaps five granules.
The two parts A and B are of identical size, which makes it equally
possible, for rapid, manual or automatic assembly, to form one or other
face of the dispensing body, which avoids any waste of time, and
eliminates any possibility of error.
The cylindrical roundel (6) includes an external peripheral shoulder (9)
which acts on the mouth of the granule container (10), as represented in
FIG. 3. The thickness of this roundel (6) is slightly greater than the
diameter of a granule to be withdrawn. This roundel (6) has passing
through it an axial drilling (7) and an axial recess (8). The axial
drilling (7) situated at the center of said roundel (6) has the right
diameter to grip the spindle (2) of the dispenser body (1) with a slight
force. The recess (8) is slightly secant to the axial drilling (7) and
also exhibits an opening toward the outside of the roundel, so as to make
it possible for the roundel (6), by virtue of the opening consisting of
the drilling (7) and the recess (8) on the one hand to position itself on
the spindle (2) of the dispenser body (1) and, on the other hand, to allow
a granule to pass between the symmetric parts A and B of the dispensing
body (1) when these two parts A, B and the roundel (6) are joined together
and positioned horizontally under the vertical tube (10) relating to the
granules to be withdrawn.
The granule receptacle (11), made of a transparent substance, has the main
function of receiving the granules as they leave the tube, and of allowing
the dispensing body (1) to be driven.
For this purpose, and in an alternative represented in FIG. 4, this
receptacle includes an annulus gear (12), situated in a plane parallel to
that of the mouth of the granule container, inside the receptacle secured
to it, and the teeth of which point towards the granule container.
Moreover, on each part A, B of the dispensing body, at least one of the
solid sectors (3) includes a driving tooth (5) meshing with that of the
annulus gear (12) of the granule receptacle. This annulus gear has a
thickness appropriate to that of the driving teeth (5) of the dispensing
body (1). The latter is inscribed inside a cylinder whose generating
diameter corresponds approximately to the diameter of the circle which
generates the internal cylinder of the receptacle, for rotations under
optimism conditions. The teeth of the annulus are identical to those of
the dispensing body (1) for perfect meshing in terms of rotation.
FIG. 6 shows another means of driving the dispensing body by rotating the
receptacle, in which means the central core (14) located at the bottom and
inside the receptacle (11) includes a female adapter (17) of polyhedral
shape which interacts with a complementary driving system (16) situated at
the center of the external part of the dispensing body in order to drive
the latter in terms of rotation.
In the alternative represented in FIG. 7, the central core (14) receives a
cross-shaped male adapter which interacts with a complementary shape (16)
formed in the center of the external part of the dispensing body.
It goes without saying that the drive may be achieved by any type of
adapter, male or female, internal or external, of the polyhedral
cross-shaped type, or any other self-centering type.
For the purpose of making sure that there is sufficient volume to receive
granules in the receptacle (11), it is appropriate for the dimension
between the base of the annulus gear and the bottom of said receptacle to
be at least equivalent or preferably slightly greater than the diameter of
the granules to be withdrawn.
The use of a central core for driving the dispensing body makes it possible
to maintain sealing between the inside of the tube and the outside when
the receptacle is in the closed position. This sealing is not afforded in
existing devices in which drive takes place through a splined ring
situated at the periphery of the dispensing body and interacting with a
splined ring placed inside the receptacle.
The operation of this granule dispenser is illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 14.
Firstly, the tube is inverted so that the receptacle is pointing downward.
Through gravity, the granules (15) become positioned in all the sectors of
cylinders (4) of the part A of the dispensing body (1), as represented in
FIGS. 9 and 12. Next, as can be seen in FIGS. 10 and 13, as soon as one of
the sectors of cylinders (4) of the part A of the dispensing body (1) is
in register with the granules passage consisting of the recess (8) of the
roundel (6), a first granule (15) drops under gravity into said passage
and remains on standby on the upper face of a solid sector of the part B,
while a second granule becomes superimposed on the first in the empty
sector of cylinder (4) of the part A of the dispensing body (1).
After having turned the receptacle (11) through a third of a turn, the
first granule (15) falls into said receptacle (11), while the second is
driven over the roundel (6) by one of the two solid sectors of cylinders
(3) of the part A of the dispensing body (1). This rotation brings one of
the solid sectors of cylinders (3) of the part A back into a position
where it closes the passage (8) in the roundel (6) and brings one of the
empty sectors of cylinders (4) of the part B back into a position where it
opens said passage (8), which allows the first granule to drop into the
receptacle.
Using a dispensing body (1) with three solid sectors of cylinders on each
part, it can be seen that for each complete rotation three granules are
dispensed.
To further improve the symmetry of the system, the roundel (6) may be
produced symmetrically. In this case, the roundel (6) is inserted into the
neck of the tube until it bears on rests formed inside this tube.
The symmetry of the dispensing body advantageously makes it possible to
have the granules running from the receptacle towards the inside of the
tube, in the case where too many granules have been dispensed by accident.
It emerges clearly from the foregoing description that the withdrawal
device according to the invention exhibits numerous particularly favorable
advantages. On the one hand, in terms of operation, the system makes it
possible to gain complete control over the number of granules dispensed,
both in terms of dispensing and in terms of putting granules back in, as
well as maintaining the sealing necessary for optimum keeping of the
granules. On the other hand, as regards the manufacture and fitting of the
device, the symmetry of the dispensing body allows great simplification of
injection molds and also ease of automation of the fitting operation,
which results in a drop in necessary investment, and an increase in the
output and manufacturing rates.
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