Abstract: An aerosol delivery device having a detachable power source is provided. A control body may be coupleable with a cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device. The cartridge may contain an aerosol precursor composition and be equipped with a heating element configured to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. The control body may comprise a housing and a power source detachably coupled to an outer surface of the housing. A control component may be contained within the housing and configured to operate in an active mode in which the control body is coupled with the cartridge. The control component in the active mode may be configured to direct power from the power source to the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition.

Abstract: A medication dispenser for use in a hospital or other medical setting comprises a plurality of containers for holding medication units, packaging apparatus for containing one or more medication units in a package and robotics for manipulating a selected container to transfer one or more medication units from the container directly to said package. Since medication is directly transferred from the container to the package, no cross-contamination occurs.

Abstract: A vacuum operated system for individually dispensing items of oral solid medicine from bulk storage to a user, where the medicine is dispensed under computer control, and the quantity and type of medicine is selected in advance by the user. The invention includes medicine dispensing equipment and a computer that provides a user interface. A plurality of storage containers arranged in a rotatable carousel or a rectilinear array may contain various pharmaceutical articles, or various types, dosages, ages, and lot numbers of medicines. The storage containers may be easily refilled by inserting modular refill cartridges into the storage containers. After a user enters certain data into the computer, the invention aligns a universal vacuum probe with the storage container that contains the desired items. The universal vacuum probe is lowered to the desired storage container and engaged with a container probe that is exclusive to that storage container.

Abstract: A vacuum operated system for individually dispensing items of oral solid medicine from bulk storage to a user, where the medicine is dispensed under computer control, and the quantity and type of medicine is selected in advance by the user. The invention includes medicine dispensing equipment and a computer that provides a user interface. A plurality of storage containers arranged in a rotatable carousel or a rectilinear array may contain various pharmaceutical articles, or various types, dosages, ages, and lot numbers of medicines. The storage containers may be easily refilled by inserting modular refill cartridges into the storage containers. After a user enters certain data into the computer, the invention aligns a universal vacuum probe with the storage container that contains the desired items. The universal vacuum probe is lowered to the desired storage container and engaged with a container probe that is exclusive to that storage container.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing single homogeneous units upon rotation of the apparatus comprising a generally circular walled container having a bottom for holding the singular homogeneous units. A discharge area located distally from the bottom for receiving the single homogeneous units and for discharging them upon rotation of the apparatus. A helical spiraled rib member located on the generally circular walled container extending from the bottom of the container and along the circular walls of the container for creating during rotation a continuously variable inclined surface along the helical spiraled rib member and the circular walls of the container for advancing single homogeneous units along said helical spiralled rib member and the generally circular walls of the container until a single homogeneous unit reaches the discharge area for discharge from the container.