Patent Grant
11135134
This application is a U.S. National stage of International Patent Application No. PCT/FR2019/050181 filed Jan. 29, 2019, which claims the benefit of priority of French Patent Application No. 1850772 filed Jan. 31, 2018, and French Patent Application No. 1851986 filed Mar. 7, 2018, the respective disclosures of which are each incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
The present invention relates to a device for dosing or counting objects, such as granules for example.
When objects are contained in a recipient, there is the problem of taking from within the recipient a precise number of objects. Such is the case for example for granules or tablets contained in a recipient that comprises several doses of a drug treatment, the patient for whom this treatment is intended having to take from this recipient the dose that corresponds to the dosage plan that was prescribed for this patient.
However, when the objects are of a small size and each dose is constituted of a significant number of objects, the taking of the adequate number of objects is long and tedious.
It is therefore desirable to have a dosing device that makes it possible to simply take the required number of objects.
Document US 2004/0191313 describes such a dosing device. Said device comprises a handle and an endpiece wherein are arranged individual recesses intended to each receive one object, along a plurality of parallel rows. The number of individual recesses that the device has is thus from about 5 to 100. In order to facilitate the taking of the desired number of objects, the device comprises a covering system that can slide in a direction perpendicular to the rows, including telescopic sections. Such a system thus makes it possible to cover a defined number of rows of individual recesses. However, since each row can be either uncovered or covered entirely, the device makes it possible to take only a number of objects that is a multiple of the number of recesses of each row. Consequently, if the user wishes a different number of objects, he must put back into the recipient the excess object or objects. This therefore implies that the user counts the objects, and this also poses hygiene problems when objects extracted from the recipient have to be put back therein.
A purpose of the invention is therefore to design a device for dosing or counting objects contained in a recipient, which, while still having a reduced size and by being simple to use, makes it possible to take from within said recipient the exact number of objects desired, so as to allow the user to know immediately the quantity taken, and to avoid having to put back into the recipient supernumerary objects.
For this purpose, the invention proposes a device for dosing or counting objects, comprising:
“Size of the recesses” means in the present text the dimension of said recesses along the longitudinal axis. In the case where the recesses have a circular contour, said size is the diameter of the circle. Likewise, the length of an element extends along the longitudinal axis.
Thus, thanks to the arrangement of the recesses along several parallel rows, the device is much shorter than a device that has a single row of recesses that can be selectively covered or uncovered by a single pull element.
Moreover, the device is particularly simple to use since the actuating of the pull element by the user automatically moves a tongue or both in order to define the desired dose.
According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the drive mechanism comprises a longitudinal notch formed in at least one of the tongues and an abutment extending in the notch from another tongue, the difference between the length of the notch and the length of the abutment being substantially equal to said pitch.
According to an embodiment preferred for its production simplicity and its intuitive use, the recesses are arranged in the form of two pairs of two parallel rows and the pull element comprises two tongues facing each pair of rows.
The drive mechanism is advantageously configured to procure the following positions of the pull element with respect to the plate:
the passing from the closed position to a first open position comprising a longitudinal movement of a first tongue in a direction of opening over a distance equal to the pitch, the other tongue remaining immobile, then, if the number objects is greater than one, a simultaneous longitudinal movement of the two tongues in the direction of opening;
the passing from a first open position to a second open position comprising a longitudinal movement of the first tongue over a distance equal to said pitch in a direction of closing then, if the difference between the number of objects is greater than one, a simultaneous longitudinal movement of the two tongues in the direction of closing.
According to an embodiment, the plate includes two lines of graduations, each graduation indicating a unique number of objects, and the pull element comprises two windows arranged facing a corresponding line of graduations in such a way that the total number of recesses uncovered by the pull element appears through one of the two windows.
Preferably, the graduations of one of said lines indicate the even numbers of objects and the graduations of the other line indicate the odd numbers of objects.
According to an embodiment, each tongue comprises a corresponding first window arranged facing the line of graduations indicating the odd numbers of objects, and a corresponding second window arranged facing the line of graduations indicating the even numbers of objects, the first and the second window of one tongue being longitudinally aligned while the first and the second window of the other tongue are offset longitudinally over a distance equal to said pitch.
Advantageously, an odd number of one line is substantially aligned longitudinally with the next immediately higher even number of the other line.
According to another embodiment of the device, the recesses are arranged in the form of three series of three parallel rows and the pull element comprises three tongues.
Particularly advantageously, each tongue cooperates with the plate by a notched slider, the distance between two adjacent notches being equal to said pitch. Moreover, the plate has a tooth extending transversally and being engaged in a notch of a corresponding slider.
The device may further comprise a cover rigidly connected to the plate, the pull element being arranged between the plate and the cover.
According to an embodiment, the plate comprises between ten and thirty recesses.
Advantageously, each recess has a circular contour.
Preferably, the pitch is less than the size of said recesses.
According to an embodiment, the plate has a domed concave end forming a spoon.
According to an embodiment, the device further comprises a cap extending around the plate to form with the plate a volume for receiving objects, said cap comprising an endpiece suitable for being attached to a recipient containing the objects to be counted or dosed.
Particularly advantageously, the cap comprises a transparent portion facing the plate in order to allow a user to check if an object is present in each recess uncovered.
“Transparent” means that a user can discern through the cap if each recess uncovered has indeed been filled by an object.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention shall appear in the following detailed description, in reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
The invention proposes a device for dosing or counting objects comprising two main portions.
The first main portion is a plate wherein are arranged a plurality of recesses, the number of recesses being equal to the maximum number of objects to be dosed or counted by said device. For example, the number of recesses may be comprised between ten and thirty.
Each recess is dimensioned to receive a single object. The shape of the recess may therefore be adapted according to the shape of the objects to be dosed or counted. Particularly advantageously, each recess has a circular contour.
The recesses are arranged according to rows arranged parallel to one another along a longitudinal axis of the device (noted as X in the figures) which, as shall be seen hereinbelow, is the axis of opening and of closing of the device.
Preferably, and as shown in
Within the same pair, the recesses are arranged in staggered fashion, i.e. the recesses of a first row of the pair are offset longitudinally (along the axis X) with respect to the recesses of the second row of the pair, over a determined pitch (noted as P in the figures). The pitch is defined as the distance, along the axis X, between the centre of a recess of one row and the centre of an immediately adjacent recess of the other row of the same pair. Advantageously, in order to preserve the compactness of the device, the pitch is lower than the size of the recesses, while still being non-zero.
The recesses of a row of the first pair are advantageously aligned (along the axis X) with the recesses of the adjacent row of the second pair.
The second main portion is a pull element comprising two adjacent tongues, each one suited to cover a pair of rows of recesses of the plate.
Said pull element is arranged to slide relative to the plate along the axis X, in such a way that a movement of a tongue along the axis X makes it possible to uncover or to cover one or several recesses of the corresponding pair of rows.
As shall be explained in detail hereinbelow, the two tongues are able to slide with respect to one another along the axis X, and are moreover coupled by a drive mechanism configured such that the sliding of the pull element along the axis X over a distance greater than the pitch P causes the simultaneous movement of the two tongues.
The pull element advantageously has a means for facilitating the manipulation thereof by a user, for example a lug in relief that can be actuated by a finger of the user.
Advantageously, the device further comprises a cover that is rigidly attached to the plate, which makes it possible to maintain the pull element by sliding with regards to the plate. The cover may be fixed to the plate by any suitable means (welding, gluing, screwing, snap-fitting, etc.).
The cover has a longitudinal opening that gives access to the pull element for the actuating thereof by a user.
The plate 1 has a general rectangular and substantially flat shape. The plate comprises three main zones, namely (from right to left in
The pull element 2 is formed of a first tongue 20 and from a second tongue 21, able to slide with respect to one another along the axis X. The pull element is moreover arranged slidingly along the axis X with respect to the plate 1.
Each tongue comprises two main zones, namely (from right to left in
The pull element is assembled by superimposing the actuating zone of the tongue 20 on the actuating zone of the tongue 21 (the actuating zone of the tongue 21 being arranged between the plate 1 and the actuating zone of the tongue 20). Note that, for each tongue, the closure zone is offset in a direction transversal to the axis X with respect to the actuating zone. Moreover, the closure zone may be offset with respect to the actuating zone in the direction of the thickness of said tongues. The value of these offsets is chosen so that, when the pull element 2 is assembled, the closure zones of the two tongues 20, 21 extend side by side along the length thereof, in the same plane parallel to the plane of the plate 1.
The pull element has an actuating lug 22 that allows a user to slide it in a direction of opening or closing using one of their fingers. Preferably, this lug 22 extends directly from the upper tongue 20.
According to a preferred embodiment, the drive mechanism of the tongues 20, 21 with respect to one other comprises a longitudinal notch 210 (formed for example in the lower tongue 21) and a longitudinal abutment 200 (extending for example from the lower face of the upper tongue 20, as shown in
The difference between the length of the notch 210 and the length of the abutment 200 is substantially equal to the pitch P. Consequently, the maximum sliding travel of a tongue with respect to the other in a given direction is substantially equal to the pitch P. Beyond this travel, the abutment is in contact with the edge of the notch and a sliding of a tongue in this same direction drives the simultaneous sliding of the other tongue.
Moreover, the existence of this relative sliding clearance of the two tongues makes for, according to the configuration of the pull element, that the ends 20a, 21a of the two tongues may be either aligned (i.e. in the same longitudinal position), or offset over a distance substantially equal to the pitch P along the axis X. As shall be seen hereinbelow, these relative positions are made use of according to whether the desired number of objects to be dosed or counted is even or odd.
Particularly advantageously, the pull element comprises two windows arranged facing a corresponding line of graduations G on the plate, in such a way that the total number of recesses uncovered by the pull element appears through one of the two windows. Since the actuating zones of the tongues 20, 21 are superimposed, each tongue comprises in fact two windows of which one is facing a window of the other tongue, and the other is closed by a solid surface of the other tongue.
More precisely, according to an embodiment, the windows 201, 202 of the upper tongue 20 are aligned longitudinally. On the other hand, the windows 211, 212 of the lower tongue 21 are offset longitudinally over a distance substantially equal to the pitch P. Thus, in a first configuration of the pull element, the windows 201 and 211 are facing one another, exposing a graduation of the line of odd numbers of the plate 1 (cf.
In theory, an odd number of one line of graduations is aligned with the next immediately higher even number of the other line of graduations; however, according to the clearances that may exist between the two tongues along the direction of opening or of closing, it may be preferable to offset said numbers slightly.
Advantageously, each tongue 20, 21 cooperates with the plate 1 by a longitudinal rib (designated by the mark 204 in
Moreover, the device advantageously comprises an indexing mechanism of the pull element with respect to the plate. This mechanism comprises a notched slider 203, 213 formed on each one of the tongues, the distance between two adjacent notches being equal to the pitch P. The notched slider is arranged on the longitudinal edge of each tongue opposite the rib that slides in the groove 13. The indexing mechanism furthermore has two teeth 11, 12 arranged on the plate 1 and extending transversally to the direction of sliding. Each tooth cooperates with the notches of a corresponding slider, the pull element being in a stable position with respect to the plate when each tooth is engaged in a corresponding notch. Each tooth 11, 12 advantageously has a certain flexibility in the transversal direction so as to be able to retract sufficiently to allow for the sliding of the pull element from one configuration to another.
The tongues 20, 21 advantageously have a retaining means 205, 215 protruding outwards and suitable for abutting against the corresponding tooth 11, 12 if a user attempts to slide the pull element in the direction of closing beyond the completely closed configuration, which makes it possible to prevent the tongues from being extracted from the device.
The device may further comprise a cover 3 that makes it possible to maintain the pull element 2 on the plate. The cover 3 advantageously comprises a longitudinal opening 30 that allows a user to access the actuating lug 22 of the pull element. The length of opening 30 is adapted to the total travel of the lug 22 between an entirely closed configuration and an open configuration.
The device may be manufactured by injection with plastic material of the plate, of each pull element and of the cover, then assembly of the pull element on the plate and closing of the cover. This method of manufacturing therefore entails a limited number of parts and simple moulding and assembly techniques.
It is possible, according to the same principle, uncover any number desired, odd or even, of recesses according to the number of objects to be dosed or counted, by actuating the lug 22 in a direction of opening and/or of closing.
Generally, an odd number of recesses is obtained with the ends 20a, 21a of the tongues offset longitudinally over a distance of the pitch P. From a completely closed configuration of the device, such a configuration is obtained by moving the lug in the direction of opening until the desired number appears in the windows 201, 211. Thanks to the drive mechanism, the movement of the lug is equal to the distance of the pitch P, only the tongue 20 is moved, the tongue 21 remains immobile; then when the lug is moved over a distance greater than the pitch P, the two tongues slide simultaneously in the direction of opening.
An odd number of recesses is obtained with the ends 20a, 21a of the tongues aligned longitudinally. From a completely closed configuration of the device, such a configuration is obtained by moving the lug in two opposite directions: a first movement in the direction of opening until an odd number greater than the number desired appears in the windows 201, 211, then a second movement in the direction of closing until the desired even number appears in the windows 202, 212. Thanks to the drive mechanism, the passing from the position that uncovers an odd number of objects to the position that uncovers the desired even number of objects, the movement of the lug in the direction of closing over a distance equal to the pitch P causes a sliding of the tongue 20 only, the tongue 21 remaining immobile; then, when the lug is moved over a distance greater than the pitch P (if the difference between the odd number and the even number is greater than one), the two tongues slide simultaneously in the direction of closing.
Since the structure of the different parts is similar to that of the embodiment shown in
The recesses are organised in series of three parallel rows, respectively R11-R13 (corresponding to the tongue 2001), R21-R23 (corresponding to the tongue 2002) and R31-R33 (corresponding to the tongue 2003). Within each series, a recess of a row is offset longitudinally by a pitch P with respect to an immediately adjacent recess on an adjacent row. In other terms, for example, a recess of the row R13 is offset over a distance equal to the pitch P of the recess that is the closest to the row R12, which itself is offset over a distance equal to the pitch P of the recess that is the closest to the row R11. Consequently, said recess of the row R13 is offset longitudinally by double of the pitch P with regards to said recess of the row R11.
Moreover, the recesses of a determined row of a series (for example the row R11) are aligned longitudinally with the recesses of the corresponding row in the other series (i.e., to continue the example, the rows R21 and R31).
The pull element is formed by successive superposition of the tongues 2001, 2002, 2003 (the tongue 2003 being the closest to the bottom of the plate 1). The tongue 2001 comprises moreover an actuating lug 22.
The tongues 2001, 2002 and 2003 are coupled by a drive mechanism that comprises, on the tongue 2001, an abutment 2006; on the tongue 2002, a notch suitable for receiving the abutment 2006, the length of the notch 2006 being greater by a length equal to the pitch P than the length of the abutment 2006; on the tongue 2003, a notch 2004 suitable for receiving the abutment 2006, the length of the notch 2004 being greater by a length equal to the pitch P than the length of the notch 2005, and by a length greater by a length equal to double the pitch P than the length of the abutment 2006. Thus, from an initial relative position of the tongues 2001, 2002, 2003, a movement of the actuating lug 22 in a direction of opening or of closing drives the sliding of the tongue 2001 and, if the abutment 2006 is in contact with the edge of the notch 2005 and/or the edge of the notch 2004 in the direction of actuation, a sliding of the tongue 2002 and/or of the tongue 2003.
Moreover, with respect to the embodiment with two tongues, where the graduations indicating the number of uncovered recesses were distributed over two lines, the graduations are, in the embodiment with three tongues, distributed over four lines G1-G4, being noted that certain numbers are present twice in these graduations (in particular 3, 6, 9).
Each tongue consequently has four openings (designated by the reference sign of the tongue followed by the letters b, c, d or e) facing each one of the lines of graduation. Note that, according to the tongue considered, the openings may be aligned or offset over a distance equal to P or double P. The arrangement of these openings is defined in line with the position of the numbers on the lines of graduation and the different possible configurations of the pull element. Those skilled in the art are able to determine this arrangement according to the total number of objects to be dosed or counted by the device.
Advantageously, although not shown, the device also comprises an indexing mechanism similar to the one described hereinabove, namely a notched slider arranged on at least the tongue 2001, and preferably on the three tongues, cooperating with two opposite teeth of the plate.
In
In
In
Another movement by a pitch P of the tongue 2001 in the direction of opening has for effect to drive the tongues 2002 and 2003 in sliding, leading to the configuration of
If the user wishes to uncover only five recesses, the user moves the tongue 2001 in the direction of closing by a pitch P, the two other tongues 2002 and 2003 not being driven, which leads to the configuration of
If the user wishes to uncover only four recesses, from the configuration of
The device that has just been described may be used in particular for dosing or counting drugs that are in the form of granules, micro-granules, tablets, etc. The device is particularly advantageous for objects of a small size (for example of about 0.5 mm to 5 mm), because it makes it possible, by immersing the plate into a recipient containing said objects, to take simply the exact desired number of objects, without the user having to manipulate the objects.
Moreover, in order to facilitate the emptying of recipients, the plate may have a domed concave end (not shown) forming a spoon, adjacent to the zone that comprises the recesses. This spoon makes it possible to more easily recover the last objects contained in a container.
According to a particularly advantageous embodiment shown in
The cap 4 thus makes it possible to form, with the plate 1, a volume for receiving objects taken from the recipient. Thanks to this cap, the taking of objects from the recipient is facilitated, in particular when there are only a few objects to be taken at the bottom of the recipient. In indeed, once the endpiece 40 of the has been connected to the recipient (cf.
The mechanical connection between the cap 4 and the plate 1 is designed to prevent any dead zone in which an object could remain stuck.
Preferably, the cap has at least one transparent portion facing the plate 1, thus making it possible for the user to check if all the uncovered recesses 10 have indeed been filled by an object. The cap may be made entirely from a transparent material or include only a transparent window.
Naturally, the invention could have application in other fields that require dosing or counting a precise number of objects.
US 2004/0191313
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850772 | Jan 2018 | FR | national |
| 1851986 | Mar 2018 | FR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/FR2019/050181 | 1/29/2019 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2019/150027 | 8/8/2019 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2623647 | Erickson | Dec 1952 | A |
| 2863572 | Bethard | Dec 1958 | A |
| 4047620 | Deininger | Sep 1977 | A |
| 6021901 | Wolfe | Feb 2000 | A |
| 6789677 | Maietta | Sep 2004 | B2 |
| 7617935 | Reilley | Nov 2009 | B2 |
| 8066122 | Beecroft | Nov 2011 | B2 |
| 8181772 | Short | May 2012 | B2 |
| 8220636 | Beecroft | Jul 2012 | B2 |
| 20040178111 | Harrold | Sep 2004 | A1 |
| 20040191313 | Moest et al. | Sep 2004 | A1 |
| 20050183981 | Gelardi | Aug 2005 | A1 |
| 20070262273 | Sun et al. | Nov 2007 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1193994 | Jun 1970 | GB |
| 1263927 | Feb 1972 | GB |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report, corresponding International Application No. PCT/FR2019/050181, dated May 23, 2019. |
| Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority, corresponding to International Application No. PCT/FR2019/050181, dated May 23, 2019. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20200368112 A1 | Nov 2020 | US |
