AU2009251041B2 - A dispensing device for an inclined shelving bottom magazine - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A dispensing device for an inclined shelving bottom magazine A dispensing device for dispensing objects from an inclined shelving bottom magazine forms a channel sloped towards a dispensing end. The dispensing de vice is operable such that it releases the objects from the channel individually. The channel bottom has an abutment movable substantially perpendicular to the plane of the channel bottom, which abutment is driven by an actuating device linearly movable in the longitudinal direction of the channel. (Fig. 1) -1/4 Fig.1 14 Fig.2

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (ORIGINAL) Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: Name of Applicant: Gebr. Willach GmbH Actual Inventor(s): Jens Willach, Werner Schmitt, Stefan Schmitz Address for Service and Correspondence: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA Invention Title: A DISPENSING DEVICE FOR AN INCLINED SHELVING BOTTOM MAGAZINE Our Ref: 874383 POF Code: 468407/495414 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): 6000q 2 A Dispensing Device For An Inclined Shelving Bottom Magazine This application claims priority from German Application No.20 2009 000 153.9 filed on 7 January 2009, the contents of which are to be taken as incorporated herein by this reference. Field of the Invention The invention refers to a dispensing device for dispensing objects from an in clined shelving bottom magazine forming a channel sloping towards a dispensing end, the dispensing device being actuatable such that it releases the objects from the channel individually. Background of the Invention Inclined shelving bottom magazines hold objects in a row within a sloped chan nel. The objects rest on the channel bottom and slide in the channel towards the lower channel end which forms the dispensing end. A controlled dispensing de vice is located at the dispensing end, which is adapted to individually dispense the respective lowermost object in a row, the rest of the row of objects sliding downwards in the channel because of gravity. EP 1 275 597 B1 describes a dispensing device for an inclined shelving bottom magazine. The dispensing device has a fixed abutment at the dispensing end of the channel. Further, a leaf spring is arranged at the dispensing end, which may be controlled by an electromagnet. When the electromagnet is energized, the leaf spring is compressed in the direction of the channel, so that the spring bulg es upward and lifts the object resting thereon beyond the fixed abutment. The object may then slide over the abutment. A dispensing device for inclined shelv ing bottom magazines, described in EP 0 531 774 Al, comprises an abutment movable perpendicular to the plane of the channel bottom, which abutment is driven by an electromagnetic actuator. The actuator is arranged beneath the channel bottom, with its longitudinal axis extending perpendicular to the channel bottom. The dispensing device is rather large in size.

3 It is a desirable outcome of the present invention to provide a dispensing device for inclined shelving bottom magazines, which can be realized as a compact structure and has a high operational reliability. The above discussion of background art is included to explain the context of the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any of the docu ments or other material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in Australia at the priority date of any one of the claims of this specification. Summary of the Invention Accordingly, the present invention provides a dispensing device for dispensing objects from an inclined shelving bottom magazine forming a channel having a channel bottom sloped towards a dispensing end, said dispensing device being operable such it releases the objects from the channel individually, wherein the channel bottom comprises a pivoting element with an abutment, the pivoting element being pivotable downward about a hinge and driven by an actuating de vice linearly movable in the longitudinal direction of the channel, wherein the pivoting element is guided by a self-locking cam track guide with respect to the actuating device. In embodiments, the channel bottom comprises an abutment that is movable in a substantially vertical direction with respect to the plane of the channel bottom, the abutment being driven by an actuating device linearly movable in the longi tudinal direction of the channel. Due to the fact that the actuating device is directed in the longitudinal direction and also performs a displacing movement in the longitudinal direction of the channel, a compact arrangement is achieved. The linear displacing movement of the actuator follows the longitudinal direction of the channel and is converted into a transversal movement of the abutment. For structural reasons, the longi tudinally directed movement of the actuating device is particularly advantageous.

4 It allows to provide several channels in an inclined shelving bottom magazine in a compact arrangement, wherein the channels may also be arranged one on top of the other and only a small vertical distance must be observed. This is because the dispensing device nestles beneath the channel with a short vertical exten sion. The actuating device for moving the abutment may be driven by an electromag netic actuator arranged beneath the channel bottom. Alternatively, the actuating device may be operated by an external device, for example, a manipulator that can be moved in front of the inclined shelving bottom magazine and is adapted to request an object from out of a channel. This manipulator may have a finger that displaces the actuating device of the dispensing device of a respective chan nel, thereby causing the dispensing of articles. Here, not every channel needs a dedicated actuator. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the abutment is provided at a pivot ing element extending in the longitudinal direction of the channel and having one end connected with the channel bottom by mean of a hinge. The pivoting ele ment is part of the channel bottom and may be caused to pivot about the hinge axis by the longitudinal movement of the actuating device, while an abutment projecting from the pivoting element is lowered to beneath the plane of the channel bottom. Converting the linear longitudinal movement of the actuating device into a pivoting movement of the pivoting element requires a movement converter which, however, may be of a rather simple design, such as a cam track guide or a motion link guide. An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the channel has a housing at its dispensing end, which contains the actuating device, and that the pivoting element is guided with respect to the actuating device by a cam track guide. In a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the pivot element comprises a projection which, with the abutment being lowered, projects beyond 5 the channel bottom and lifts an object resting thereon from the channel bottom. This projection performs a movement opposite to that of the abutment. When the abutment is lowered, the projection is raised. Thereby, an object resting on the channel bottom is lifted so that it may slide more easily afterwards. On the other hand, it is also possible to block a following object during the dispensing of the previous object. The dispensing device of the invention is adapted for use in an inclined shelving bottom magazine which comprises several channels dispensing objects on a con veyor. Such an inclined shelving bottom magazine is controlled by a storage management computer. The control of the dispensing devices is effected respec tively upon a request for a certain object located in the respective channel. Inclined shelving bottom magazines are particularly suited for pharmacy maga zines where the objects are packages and wherein a plurality of identical packag es must be kept is store, respectively. Brief Description of the Drawings The following is a detailed description of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings. In the Figures: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the discharge end of a channel of an inclined shelving bottom magazine, Fig. 2 illustrates the dispensing device at rest with objects stored therein, Fig. 3 illustrates the dispensing device during the dispensing of an object, Fig. 4 is an oblique bottom view into the dispensing device with the housing opened, and 6 Figs. 5-8 are illustrations of the sequence of single steps during the dispens ing of an object. Detailed Description The drawings illustrate the dispensing end of a channel 10 of an inclined shelving bottom magazine. The channel 10 comprises a channel bottom 11, as well as sidewalls 12. For reasons of clarity, only one of the two sidewalls 12 is illustrated in the drawings. The channel bottom 11 extends obliquely from an upper end (not illustrated) downward to a dispensing end 13 that forms the lower channel end. The inclination of the channel bottom 11 is such that objects G can slide o the channel bottom 11 to the discharge end 13 under the action of gravity. At the dispensing end 13, a housing 14 is mounted below the channel bottom 11, which houses a actuator 15 with a displacement rod 16 and a movement con verter 17 (Fig. 4). As illustrated in Figure 1, the channel bottom 11 is provided with an elongate recess 20 at the dispensing end, in which a pivoting element 21 is located. The pivoting element 21 is a tongue that substantially fills the recess 20. This tongue is connected with the channel bottom 11 via a hinge 22. The axis of the hinge 22 is transverse to the longitudinal axis A of the channel bottom 11. Beyond the hinge 22, the pivot element 21 has a projection 23. In the present instance, the hinge 22 is a film hinge. The pivoting element 21 is formed integrally with a sec tion of the channel bottom 11. At the lower end of the pivoting element 21, an abutment 25 is provided project ing rectangularly from the pivoting element 21, the abutment stopping the low ermost object G. By pivoting the pivoting element 21 down about the axis of he hinge 22, the abutment 25 is lowered below the plane of the channel bottom 11. Figure 2 illustrates two objects G resting on the channel bottom. The object G at front abuts against the abutment 25, whereas the object G to the rear is sup ported at the object G at front.

7 Figure 3 illustrates the lowering of the abutment 25 by pivoting the pivoting ele ment 21 so as to dispense the object G1 at front. The function of the projection 23 of the pivoting element 21 is to lift the object G1 at front from the channel floor 11 so that it can slide better. Another function of the projection 23 is to hold back the following object G2 while the object G1 at front is dispensed, as illustrated in Figure 3. Figure 4 illustrates a view from below into the inside of the housing 14, in which the actuator 15 is accommodated. The actuator 15 is an electromagnet that dis places the actuating device 30 linearly. The displacement rod 16 is linearly guid ed in the actuator 15. Its longitudinal axis extends parallel to the longitudinal axis A of the channel bottom. The end of the displacement rod 16 of the actuator 15 acts on a fork-shaped ac tuating device 30 guided for linear displacement within the housing 14. The ac tuating device 30 has a transversal rod 31 embraced from two opposite sides by a cam track guide 32 of the pivoting element 21. By displacing the actuating de vice 30 in the longitudinal direction of the channel bottom, a pivoting movement of the pivoting element about the axis of the hinge 22 is caused via the move ment converter 17. In the embodiment illustrated, the cam track guide 32 is situated at the pivoting element 21, whereas the rod 31 is connected with the actuating device 30. An alternative solution provides that the cam track guide is connected with the line arly movable actuating device 30, whereas the rod 31 cooperating therewith is connected with the pivoting element. Figure 5 illustrates the dispensing device in the waiting position in which the frontmost object GI abuts against the abutment 25. The actuating device 30 is pushed away from the actuator 15 by the spring 34. The rod 31 is in its front ward end position. The cam track guide 32 comprises a cam track 35 to guide the rod 31. The cam track 35 is defined by two parallel edges so that the rod 31 cannot be lifted off. Thus, the cam track causes a forced guiding of the rod 31.

8 The cam track has a slanted section. Figure 6 illustrates the situation at the beginning of a dispensing operation. The actuator attracts the actuating device 30. Thereby, the actuating device 30 with the rod 31 is pulled towards the actuator 15. The cam track 35 causes the pivot ing element 21 to be pivoted about the hinge 22. Figure 7 illustrates the releasing situation, wherein the abutment 25 is lowered below the plane of the channel bottom. It is also obvious that the projection 23 slightly tilts the object G1 at front so as to facilitate the dispensing thereof. Figure 8 illustrates how the object G1 at front leaves the channel, while the fol lowing object G2 is stopped by the projection 23 in the raised state. Thereafter, the energizing of the actuator 15 is stopped so that the spring 34 again pushes the actuating device 30 forward and the pivoting element 21 with the abutment 25 returns to the raised state. The can track 35 is self-locking. This prevents a lowering of the abutment 25 by pushing down the pivoting element 21. The abutment is lowered exclusively by the operation of the actuator 15. Thereby, a process capable individualization is achieved and inadvertent dispensing of objects is avoided.

Claims (5)

1. A dispensing device for dispensing objects from an inclined shelving bot tom magazine forming a channel having a channel bottom sloped towards a dis pensing end, said dispensing device being operable such it releases the objects from the channel individually, wherein the channel bottom comprises a pivoting element with an abutment, the pivoting element being pivotable downward about a hinge and driven by an actuating device linearly movable in the longitudinal direction of the channel, wherein the pivoting element is guided by a self-locking cam track guide with respect to the actuating device.

2. The dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the channel has a housing at its dispensing end, which accommodates the actuating device.

3. The dispensing device of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the pivoting element comprises a projection which, with the abutment lowered, projects beyond the channel bottom and lifts an object resting thereon from the channel bottom and stops a following object.

4. The dispensing device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ac tuating device is driven by an electromagnetic actuator arranged beneath the channel bottom.

5. The dispensing device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ac tuating device comprises a spring urging the actuating device away from the ac tuator, the spring surrounding a pushrod of the actuator.