[0001]     The present invention relates to small item dispensing and singulating devices, and in particular, to automated small item dispensing and singulating devices.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Devices for automatically counting and dispensing small objects (such as coins, pills and gemstones) are known in the prior art. However, many of these devices tend to be expensive, complicated and susceptible to error. Senior citizens on a limited budget are usually not able to afford expensive prior art automatic pill dispensing devices. Also, an error in dispensing a requested amount of small items can have significant consequences. For example, if the items being dispensed are pills, an incorrect number can affect the health of the taker of the medication.  
         [0003]     What is needed is an inexpensive and accurate device for counting and dispensing small objects.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention provides a small item dispense module. Small items are stored inside a first chamber. The small items are then transferred to a second chamber having a first singulator. The first singulator transfers the small items to a third chamber having a second singulator. The second singulator transfers the small items from the third chamber to a discharge tube having a discharge gate. The discharge gate allows for the dispensing of the small items so that they easily accessible. Preferably, the dispense module further includes: a microcontroller with real-time clock, a unique electronic identification number, an external barcode identification label, and an automatic locking mechanism that can be released electronically and controlled by the microcontroller. The microcontroller also preferably keeps track of dispense and fill requests and inventory. In a preferred embodiment, the small items being dispensed are pills.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention  
         [0006]      FIG. 1A  shows a preferred agitator.  
         [0007]      FIG. 1B  shows a front view of a preferred singulator.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a preferred singulator.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  shows connectivity to a computer network.  
         [0010]      FIGS. 4A-4P  depict a preferred sequence of operation.  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 8  shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 9  shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 10  shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 11  shows a preferred singulator.  
         [0018]      FIG. 12  shows another preferred singulator.  
         [0019]      FIG. 13  shows another preferred singulator.  
         [0020]      FIG. 14  shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 15  shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 16  shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 17  shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 18  shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0025]     A detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention can be described by reference to  FIGS. 1-16 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 1  shows a sectional side view of intelligent pill dispense module  100 . In a preferred embodiment, pills  131  are loaded into first chamber  111  via opening  201  after first unlocking electronic lock mechanism  204  and removing lid  202 . First chamber  111  is between wall  110  and wall  115 . Second chamber  113  is between wall  115  and wall  185 . Third chamber  114  is between wall  185  and wall  125 . Main rotation shaft  140  extends through walls  125  and  185  and is supported by bearings (not shown) in walls  125 ,  185  and  115 . Singulator  120  transfers pills  131  one by one into third chamber  114 . Likewise, singulator  210  transfers pills one by one into discharge tube  135 . Discharge gates  150  and  155  act together to dispense pills from discharge tube  135  so that they are accessible to the user. By utilizing three devices for singulating the pills (i.e., singulator  120 , singulator  210  and discharge gates  150  and  155 ), the odds of inadvertently dispensing more than the desired amount of pills are greatly diminished.  
         [0027]     A detailed description of a sequence of operations is described below by reference to  FIGS. 4A-4P .  
         [0028]     In  FIG. 4A , multiple pills  131  have been poured into first chamber  111  through opening  201 . Lid  202  has then been placed on top of opening  201 . An electronically releasable lock mechanism  204  secures lid  202  after pills  131  have been loaded into the chamber. Preferably, a password is required to enable the microcontroller  160  to release lock mechanism  204  when more pills are added. A user desiring two pills inputs his command for two pills into microcontroller  160  via keyboard  203 . Control signals are then sent to motor  145  and discharge gates  150  and  155 . Motor  145  controls the rotation of shaft  140 . Also in a preferred embodiment, microcontroller  160  can be pre-programmed to dispense  1  to n pills on a schedule based upon its built-in real-time clock.  
         [0029]     In  FIG. 4B , motor  145  has rotated shaft  140  clockwise causing singulator  120  to rotate clockwise and causing agitator  175  to rotate counterclockwise. Rotation of agitator  175  assists in breaking apart pills that are jammed so that pills can move to a position under singulator  120 . Clockwise rotation of singulator  120  is illustrated in  FIG. 1B  and counterclockwise rotation of agitator  175  is illustrated in  FIG. 1A . As shown in  FIG. 1A , gear  165  is pin connected to shaft  140 . Gear  170  is pin connected to shaft  204 . Gear  165  is meshed with gear  170 . Therefore, clockwise rotation of gear  165  causes counterclockwise rotation of gear  170 . Gear  170  is pin connected to shaft  204  and agitator  175  is also pin connected to shaft  204 . Therefore, counterclockwise rotation of gear  170  causes counterclockwise rotation of agitator  175 . Gravity, counterclockwise rotation of agitator  175  and the weight pressure from multiple pills  131  has caused pill  131   a  to be positioned under singulator  120 , as shown in  FIG. 4B .  
         [0030]     In  FIG. 4C , singulator  120  has continued its clockwise rotation and has picked up pill  131   a  in cup  122 . A perspective view of singulator  120  is shown in  FIG. 2 . Cup  122  includes triangulated section  122   b . As shaft  140  rotates clockwise, singulator arm  121  also rotates clockwise. As cup  122  moves clockwise, gravity forces pill  131   a  towards the back part of cup  122 . So long as cup  122  is blocked by wall  180 , wall  180  prevents pill  131   a  from falling out of cup  122 .  
         [0031]     In  FIG. 4D , singulator  120  has rotated clockwise so that cup  122  has successfully cleared wall  180 . A sequence showing a front view of cup  122  clearing wall  180  is shown in FIGS.  4 D 1 - 4 D 4 .  
         [0032]     In  FIG. 4D   1 , singulator  120  is in the position shown in  FIG. 4C .  
         [0033]     In  FIG. 4D   2 , wall  180  is preventing pill  131   a  from falling out of cup  122 . Gravity, counterclockwise rotation of agitator  175  and the weight pressure from multiple pills  131  has caused pill  131   b  to be positioned under singulator  120 .  
         [0034]     In  FIG. 4D   3 , cup  122  has rotated 90 degrees from its position in  FIG. 4D   1 . Also, cup  122  has just begun to rise above wall  180 .  
         [0035]     In  FIG. 4D   4 , cup  122  has risen above wall  180 . With wall  180  no longer blocking pill  131   a , pill  131   a  falls on the opposite side of wall  180 , also shown in  FIG. 4D .  
         [0036]     In  FIG. 4E , singulator  120  has continued its clockwise rotation and has picked up pill  131   b  in cup  122 . Pill  131   a  has fallen between wall  185  and wall  180 .  
         [0037]     In  FIG. 4F , cup  122  has risen above wall  180 . With wall  180  no longer blocking pill  131   b , pill  131   a  falls on the opposite side of wall  180 . Pill  131   c  is positioned to be picked up by cup  122  on its next revolution.  
         [0038]     In  FIG. 4G , the sequence has continued through several revolutions of singulators  120  and  210 . Gravity and the weight pressure from multiple pills  131   b - 131   f  have caused pill  131   a  to be positioned under singulator  210 . Pill  131   h  is positioned under singulator  120 .  
         [0039]     In  FIG. 4H , singulator  120  has continued its clockwise rotation and has picked up pill  131   h  in cup  122 . Also, singulator  210  has picked up pill  131   a  in cup  211 .  
         [0040]     In  FIG. 4I , cup  122  has risen above wall  180  and cup  211  has risen above wall  125 . With wall  180  no longer blocking pill  131   b , pill  131   h  falls on the opposite side of wall  180 . Also, with wall  125  no longer blocking cup  211 , pill  131   a  falls down Pill  131   c  is positioned to be picked up by cup  122  on its next revolution.  
         [0041]     In  FIG. 4J , pill  131   a  h a gone through discharge gate  150  and its presence has been sensed by sensor  190 . Sensor  190  has sent a signal to microcontroller  160 . Microcontroller  160  then sent a signal to discharge gate  150  to close. Cup  211  has dropped pill  131   b  down discharge tube  135 .  
         [0042]     In  FIG. 4K , microcontroller  160  has sent a signal to discharge gates  150  and  155  to close. Microcontroller  160  has also sent a signal to motor  145  to stop rotating shaft  140 . Pill  131   a  is sitting on top of discharge gate  155  and pill  131   b  is sitting on top of discharge gate  150 .  
         [0043]     In  FIG. 4L , microcontroller  160  has sent a signal to discharge gate  155  to open. Pill  131   a  is falling into cup  230 .  
         [0044]     In  FIG. 4M , microcontroller  160  has sent a signal to discharge gate  155  to close. Pill  131   a  is inside cup  230 .  
         [0045]     In  FIG. 4N , microcontroller  160  has sent a signal to discharge gate  150  to open. Pill  131   b  is on top of discharge gate  155 .  
         [0046]     In  FIG. 40 , microcontroller  160  has sent a signal to discharge gate  155  to open. Pill  131   b  is falling into cup  230 .  
         [0047]     In  FIG. 4P , microcontroller  160  has sent a signal discharge gate  155  to close. Pills  131   a  and  131   b  are both in cup  230  and easily available to the user.  
         [0048]     If the user wants more pills, he can simply input the desired number into microcontroller  160  via keyboard  203  and the pills will be dispensed in a fashion similar to that described above in reference to  FIGS. 4A-4P .  
       Microcontroller and Associated Electronics  
       [0049]     Microcontroller  160  controls motor  145 , discharge gates  150  and  155 , and reads sensor  190 . In a preferred embodiment, microcontroller  160  also contains a unique serial number for identifying the microcontroller. Also, preferably microcontroller  160  is programmed to record the number of pills initially added, the name of the individual adding the pills, pill type, pill vendor information, pill expiration date, the control number associated with the bottle that the pills were added from, the number of pills dispensed, when they were dispensed and who requested them. Additionally, microcontroller  160  can be pre-programmed to release  1  to n pills based upon its built-in real-time clock. Also, preferably, in order for a user to be able to fill or re-fill the dispenser with pills, he must enter a catch/lock release password into the microprocessor so that the microprocessor can unlock lock mechanism  204  to release lid  202 . Automatic lock mechanism  204  is to prevent unauthorized dispense of pills from the module or un-authorized fill of the module.  
         [0050]     Preferably, module  100  is self contained in case  250  ( FIG. 3 ). Power is provided by power supply  197 . Also, in a preferred embodiment, module  100  can communicate with other control devices through a communications network via communications module  195 . A preferred communications module device is a modem.  
       Cost Effective  
       [0051]     Applicant has designed the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4P  to be inexpensive and affordable to a home user. For example, Applicant estimates the cost of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1  to be approximately $ 50  in large volume manufacturing.  
       Multiple Modules  
       [0052]      FIG. 5  shows another preferred embodiment having multiple dispense modules  100 . Within each module  100  there is stored a plurality of unique pill types. For example, in a preferred embodiment, pills to control blood pressure are in a first module  100 , pills to control headache pain are in a second module  100 , pills to control allergies are in a third module  100 , pills to control depression are in a fourth module  100 , and pills to control swelling are in a fourth module  100 . A user interfacing with computer  100  sends commands via communication modules  195  to the appropriate modules  100  to dispense the desired pill types and amount. The pills then are dispensed in a process similar to that described above. The dispensed pills travel down track  302  and are emptied into cup  304 . The user then retrieves the dispensed pills from cup  304 .  
       Other Embodiments  
       [0053]     In addition to the above described embodiments, it is clear to those skilled in the art that additional and alternative embodiments may be used to practice the present invention.  
         [0054]      FIG. 6  shows tilted sections  350  and  351 . Tilted sections  350  and  351  assist the movement of pills  131  into singulators  120  and  210 , respectively.  
         [0055]      FIG. 7  shows agitator  175  ( FIG. 1 ) replaced by vibrating mechanism  353 . Vibrating Mechanism  353  shakes pills  131  so that they more easily feed into cup  122 .  
         [0056]      FIG. 8  shows that it is possible to omit discharge gate  150  and just utilize discharge gate  155  to dispense single pills through discharge tube  135 . In this embodiment, when sensor  190  senses the presence of a pill on the top of discharge gate  155 , it will stop motor  145  from turning shaft  140 . When a pill is dispensed from discharge gate  155 , motor  145  will start rotating shaft  140  until another pill is deposited on discharge gate  155 .  
         [0057]      FIG. 9  shows vibrating mechanism  354  placed in third chamber  114 . As with vibrating mechanism  353  ( FIG. 7 ), vibrating mechanism  354  shakes pills  131  so that they are more easily fed into cup  211 .  
         [0058]      FIG. 10  shows user controlled computer  300  (also shown in  FIG. 5 ) in wireless communication with dispense module  100  via communications module  195 .  
         [0059]      FIG. 11  shows singulator  120   b . Singulator  120   b  is similar to singulator  120  ( FIGS. 1 and 1 B). However, singulator arm  121  has been replaced with singulator wheel  121   b . In the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 11 , four cups  122  have been attached to wheel  121   b .  FIG. 11  shows singulator wheel  121   b  moving in a clockwise direction. A first cup  122  has cleared wall  180  and is dropping pill  131   a  behind wall  180 . A second cup  122  is picking up pill  131   b.    
         [0060]      FIG. 12  shows singulator  410  attached to shaft  140 . Adhesive  402  is attached to the end of each arm of singulator  410 . As singulator  410  turns clockwise, adhesive  402  contacts pills located in the bottom of second chamber  113 . The pills then stick to adhesive  402  while singulator  410  carries each pill to tube  401 . The pills then collide with the edge of tube  401  so that the pills are knocked off the singulator arm. For example,  FIG. 12  shows pill  131   a  being knocked of the singulator arm and being transported to third chamber  114  via tube  401 .  
         [0061]      FIG. 12  shows singulator  510  attached to shaft  140 . Vacuum tube  502  provides a vacuum axially along each singulator arm of singulator  510  as indicated by the arrows. As singulator  510  turns clockwise, the singulator arms contact pills located in the bottom of second chamber  113 . The pills are then drawn to the singulator arms by the vacuum. The vacuum suction of each singulator arm carries each pill to tube  501  where each pill collides with the edge of the tube so that the pills are knocked off the singulator arm. For example,  FIG. 13  shows pill  131   a  being knocked of the singulator arm and being transported to third chamber  114  via tube  501 .  
         [0062]      FIG. 16  shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention having four chambers  701 ,  702 ,  703  and  704 . Singulator  710  is in chamber  702 , singulator  711  is in chamber  703 , and singulator  712  is in chamber  704 . As the number of chambers and singulators are increased, in becomes less likely that two pills will inadvertently be dropped down discharge tube  135  at the same time.  
         [0063]     Although the above-preferred embodiments have been described with specificity, persons skilled in this art will recognize that many changes to the specific embodiments disclosed above could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, although the above preferred embodiments disclosed how the present invention could be used to dispense pills, it could likewise be used to dispense other small objects. For example, other small objects that could be dispensed included coins  551  ( FIG. 14 ) and gemstones  552  ( FIG. 15 ). Also, although the above embodiments disclose microcontroller  160 , microcontroller  160  could be replaced with other programmable control devices. For example,  FIG. 17  shows computer  822  and  FIG. 18  shows microprocessor  823 . Therefore, the attached claims and their legal equivalents should determine the scope of the invention.
A small item dispense module. Small items are stored inside a first chamber. The small items are then transferred to a second chamber having a first singulator. The first singulator transfers the small items to a third chamber having a second singulator. The second singulator transfers the small items from the third chamber to a discharge tube having a discharge gate. The discharge gate allows for the dispensing of the small items so that they easily accessible. Preferably, the dispense module further includes: a microcontroller with real-time clock, a unique electronic identification number, an external barcode identification label, and an automatic locking mechanism that can be released electronically and controlled by the microcontroller. The microcontroller also preferably keeps track of dispense and fill requests and inventory. In a preferred embodiment, the small items being dispensed are pills.