Patents Assigned to Pearson Research & Development, L.L.C.
  • Patent number: 6997341
    Abstract: A vacuum driven pill counter having a counter housing with a pill discharge aperture formed therein. vacuum disk is rotatably positioned in the housing and has a front wall including a pill aperture and an agitating finger extending outwardly from the front wall. A vacuum source is positioned in communication with the housing and is capable of drawing a vacuum through the pill aperture in the vacuum disk. A torque source is operatively connected to the vacuum disk in order to rotate the vacuum disk. A pill shelf is positioned adjacent to the front wall of the vacuum disk and a pill separator for removing pills retained on the pill apertures by the vacuum source is connected to the pill shelf. Finally, a pill sensor is positioned to detect pills which will exit the discharge aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Pearson Research & Development, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Walter G. Pearson, Dennis J. Murdock, Todd R. Funderburk