PILL CRUSHER WITH GEAR RACK

Abstract

A pill crusher having a rack and pinion advancing a platen. Pill crushers are used to crush pills into powder for various medicinal reasons, such as ease of mixing or dosing. A rack on a slide way is linearly advanced by rotational movement of a pinion on a handle. The slide way is attached to a platen that advances towards an anvil. A pill in a pouch placed adjacent the anvil is crushed by the advancing platen. In one embodiment, a shaped anvil insert surface is mated to a complementary shaped platen surface and aids in crushing the pill. The present invention provides an efficient and sturdy pill crusher for commercial as well as personal use.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view illustrating the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the present invention without a cover.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a mating anvil and platen having an array of concave and convex portions.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a mating anvil and platen having concentric circles.

FIG. 4C is a perspective view of a mating anvil and platen having linear ridges.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiment of the present invention described below is simply for illustrative purpose and is not intended to be restricted to other forms that do not depart from its essentials. Reference numbers indicated in the accompanying drawings illustrate the components, structure, and operation mechanism of the preferred embodiment of the invention. The numeral 10 is directed to the whole apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The main components of the apparatus are illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. The pill crusher 10 includes a rectangular base 101 with an integral anvil support 102 at one end, a gear-lever-rack system in the middle, and a cover 115. Three ridges 102a, 102b, 102c at the outside surface of the anvil support 102 provide extra support and improved rigidity. Two stands or supports 103a and 103b support the gear-lever-rack system. The base slider top support 107a is attached to the base 101. A base support top slide way 105 is attached to the base slider top support 107a. The rack support and slide way 107b is coupled to the base support top slide way 105. The rack slide way shoulder 106 retains the base support top slide way 105. Therefore, the rack 107 attached to the rack support and slide way 107b retains the base support top slide way 105 between it and the rack slide way shoulder 106. This permits the rack 107 to be held to the base 101 and yet linearly slide along the longitudinal axis of the base.

Meshing with the rack 107 is a geared-wheel or pinion 108. The geared-wheel or pinion rotates along with an axle 109 and two special rings 110a and 110b in the two holes of the stands or supports 103a and 103b. A handle 114 is attached to the axle 109 to control the rotation movement of the gear wheel or pinion 108. The axle 109 is keyed to the gear wheel or pinion 108. The cross sectional shape of the axle 109 may be square and mate with a square hole in the handle 114. A bolt 111 holds the axle 109 in place.

A platen 116 is fixed at one end of the rack 107 adjacent the anvil 102. A rectangular box 112 is connected to the platen 116 by two screws, not shown, placed in the two screw holes 113a and 113b and is affixed to the rack 107 below for enhancing the rigidity of the apparatus and for balancing the forces on the platen 116. The anvil support 102 has two grooves 102d and 102e. An anvil insert 117 is placed between the two grooves 102d and 102e. The anvil insert 117 has an anvil insert surface 117s. The platen surface 116s and the anvil insert surface 117s are matched together to create enhanced pill crushing. In this embodiment the platen surface 116s and the mating anvil insert surface 117s are formed of concentric circles. However, other mating shapes may be used.

A stopper 118 is in the middle part of the base 101 to prevent damage to the handle 114, rack 107, or other parts from over-rotation. A cover 115 hides most of the gear-lever-rack system. The cover 115 has an opening in combination with a pouch storage recess 101c formed in the base 101 that functions as a pouch dispenser for holding the pouches used for pill crushing.

The operation of the device will now be discussed. The device utilizes the rotation movement of the geared wheel or pinion 108 to create the pushing force for the mated rack 107. The rotation force is converted into forward or linier movement of the rack 107 along the rack support and slide way 107b held by the base 101. This causes the attached platen 116 to move linearly towards the anvil insert 117 for crushing the pills contained in pouches, not shown, placed there between. The longitudinal axis if the handle 114 may be offset to provide a more comfortable or efficient motion.

FIGS. 4A-C illustrate different shaped embodiments for the anvil inserts and the platens. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4A, the anvil insert 217 with a surface 217s and platen 216 with a surface 216s each have an array surface of a plurality of mating concave and convex portions. The plurality of mating concave and convex portions aid in holding and crushing the pills or tablets placed there between. The anvil insert shoulders 217d and 217e slide in the anvil grooves 102d and 102e illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 4B better illustrates the anvil insert 117 and platen 116 illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. The anvil insert shoulders 117d and 117e slide in the anvil grooves 102d and 102e illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 4C illustrates another embodiment of a shaped anvil insert 317 and platen 316 having a surface 316s. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4C, the shaped surfaces are mating linear ridges. The anvil insert shoulders 317d and 317e slide in the anvil grooves 102d and 102e illustrated in FIG. 1.

From the foregoing description, it is clear that the current invention provides a compact platform for crushing pills or tablets primarily for commercial, industrial, or institutional use, but is also easy enough for personal use. It is ergonomically simple and reliable to operate.

While the present invention has been described with respect to several different embodiments, it will be obvious that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A pill crusher comprising: a base;a base slide way held by said base;a rack slide way engaging with said base slide way so as to permit relative linear movement there between;a rack attached to said rack slide way;a handle pivotally attached to said base;a pinion attached to one end of said handle and adapted to mate with said rack;a platen attached to said rack; andan anvil attached to said base,whereby when said handle is moved, said pinion meshes with said rack causing said platen to advance towards said anvil crushing a pill placed there between.

2. A pill crusher as in claim 1 wherein said anvil further comprises: a removable anvil insert.

3. A pill crusher as in claim 2 wherein: said removable anvil insert and said platen have mating shapes surfaces.

4. A pill crusher as in claim 3 wherein: the mating shaped surfaces comprise an array of a plurality of mating concave convex portions.

5. A pill crusher as in claim 3 wherein: the mating shaped surfaces comprise concentric circles.

6. A pill crusher as in claim 3 wherein: the mating shaped surfaces comprise Linear ridges.

7. A pill crusher as in claim 1 further comprising: a pouch dispenser formed on said base under said handle.

8. A pill crusher comprising: a base;a slide way attached to said base;an anvil support;an anvil insert having a shaped surface;a rack coupled to said slide way, whereby said rack is permitted to move linearly towards said anvil;a gear wheel mating with said rack;a handle attached to said gear wheel; anda platen having a complementary shaped surface mating with the shaped surface of said anvil insert and attached to said rack,whereby when said handle is moved said gear wheel rotates causing said rack and attached platen to advance towards said anvil insert crushing a pill placed there between.

9. A pill crusher as in claim 8 wherein: the shaped surface and the complementary shaped surface comprise an array of a plurality of mating concave convex portions.

10. A pill crusher as in claim 8 wherein: the shaped surface and the complementary shaped surface comprise concentric circles.

11. A pill crusher as in claim 8 wherein: the shaped surface and the complementary shaped surface comprise linear ridges.

12. A pill crusher as in claim 7 further comprising: a pouch dispenser formed on said base under said handle.

13. A device for providing a mechanical advantage in crushing a pill comprising: a base;an integrally formed anvil support extending substantially perpendicularly from said base on one end;a pouch storage recess formed in said base at another end;a pair of opposing stands formed in said base;a base slide way support formed in said base between said integrally formed anvil and said pouch storage recess;a rack support and slide way having a shoulder placed over said base slide way support;a base support top slide way placed over the shoulder and attached to said base slide way support, whereby said rack support and slide way is retained to said base and permitted to slide along a longitudinal axis of said base towards and away from said integrally formed anvil;a rack attached to said rack support and slide way;a handle pivotally attached to said pair of opposing stands;a pinion coupled to said handle and mating with said rack, whereby upon rotation of said handle, said rack is caused to move linearly;a platen having a shaped surface attached to said rack;an anvil insert having a complementary shaped surface mating with the shaped surface placed adjacent said integrally formed anvil support; anda cover attached to said base,whereby rotational motion of said handle is converted to linear motion advancing said platen against said anvil insert so as to crush a pill placed in a pouch there between.

14. A device for providing a mechanical advantage in crushing a pill as in claim 13 wherein: the shaped surface and the complementary shaped surface comprise an array of a plurality of mating concave convex portions.

15. A device for providing a mechanical advantage in crushing a pill as in claim 13 wherein: the shaped surface and the complementary shaped surface comprise concentric circles.

16. A device for providing a mechanical advantage in crushing a pill as in claim 13 wherein: the shaped surface and the complementary shaped surface comprise linear ridges.