Apparatus and Methods for Removal of Pills from Packaging

Abstract

A pill extraction device removes pills from a blister pack. The blister pack sits on a plate of the device, while a roller rolls across the blister pack to contact the blisters a row at a time and applies a force sufficient to extract the pills through the backing of the blister pack. The pills preferably fall through holes in the plate and may be collected on a tray under the plate. The roller is actuated by a crank, and a gear mechanism controls the advancement of the roller. Methods of extracting pills from a blister pack are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pill extraction device comprising:
 a) a plate having a first edge, a second edge opposite the first edge, and a plurality of holes in rows and columns, the plurality of holes being sized and spaced to align with a plurality of blisters of a blister pack;   b) a first support coupled to the first edge of the plate, the first support extending above the plate and having a first slot;   c) a second support coupled to the second edge of the plate, the second support extending above the plate and having a second slot;   d) a roller comprising a central portion, a first hub extending from a first end of the central portion and a second hub extending from a second end of the central portion opposite the first end, the first hub extending into the first slot and the second hub extending into the second slot;   e) a crank coupled to the first hub of the roller; and   f) a gear mechanism coupling movement of the roller by way of the crank to movement of the hubs along the slots.   
     
     
         2 . The pill extraction device of  claim 1 , wherein the gear mechanism comprises:
 a first spur gear located at the first end of the central portion of the roller and comprising a plurality of first spur teeth;   a first rack located above the first edge of the plate and comprising a plurality of first rack teeth, the first rack teeth meshing with the first spur teeth;   a second spur gear located at the second end of the central portion of the roller and comprising a plurality of second spur teeth; and   a second rack located above the second edge of the plate and comprising a plurality of second rack teeth, the second rack teeth meshing with the second spur teeth.   
     
     
         3 . The pill extraction device of  claim 1 , wherein the crank comprises:
 a crank arm having a first end coupled to the first hub and a second end opposite the first end; and   a crank handle coupled to the second end of the crank arm.   
     
     
         4 . The pill extraction device of  claim 1 , wherein the plate comprises a raised portion at an end of the plate, the raised portion providing a raised edge to contact an edge of the blister pack to prevent the blister pack from sliding with respect to the plate when the blister pack is located on the plate and the crank is being turned to move the roller. 
     
     
         5 . The pill extraction device of  claim 1  further comprising at least one ring extending around the central portion of the roller, the ring contacting a planar portion of the blister pack to prevent the blister pack from sliding with respect to the plate when the blister pack is located on the plate and the crank is being turned to move the roller. 
     
     
         6 . The pill extraction device of  claim 1  further comprising a tray located under the plate. 
     
     
         7 . The pill extraction device of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of nubs extending radially from the central portion of the roller, the nubs being arranged in rows and spaced to correspond to locations of the holes as the crank is being turned to move the roller. 
     
     
         8 . The pill extraction device of  claim 1 , wherein the nubs have a shape selected from the group consisting of a cylindrical shape and an oblong shape. 
     
     
         9 . The pill extraction device of  claim 1 , wherein the blister pack has thirty blisters and the plate is sized to fit the blister pack. 
     
     
         10 . The pill extraction device of  claim 1 , wherein the plate comprises a base coupled to the first support and the second support and a face plate removably mounted on the base and having the plurality of holes. 
     
     
         11 . The pill extraction device of  claim 1  further comprising a pin extending upward from a top surface of the plate, the pin being sized to insert into a hole in the blister pack and located to orient the blister pack on the plate. 
     
     
         12 . The pill extraction device of  claim 1  further comprising at least one suction cup extending downward from under the plate. 
     
     
         13 . A method of extracting at least one pill from a blister pack comprising a plastic layer comprising a plurality of blisters evenly spaced in rows and columns and a backing layer, each pill being held between the plastic layer and the backing layer in one of the plurality of blisters prior to extracting the pill, the method comprising:
 a) placing the blister pack on a plate of a pill extraction device with the blisters facing away from the plate, the pill extraction device comprising:
 the plate having a first edge, a second edge opposite the first edge, and a plurality of holes in rows and columns, each of the at least one pill to be extracted aligning with one of the plurality of holes; 
 a first support coupled to the first edge of the plate, the first support extending above the plate and having a first slot; 
 a second support coupled to the second edge of the plate, the second support extending above the plate and having a second slot; 
 a roller comprising a central portion, a first hub extending from a first end of the central portion and a second hub extending from a second end of the central portion opposite the first end, the first hub extending into the first slot and the second hub extending into the second slot; 
 a crank coupled to the first hub of the roller; and 
 a gear mechanism coupling movement of the roller by way of the crank to movement of the hubs along the slots; 
   b) turning the crank to advance the gear mechanism until the roller contacts the blister containing the pill to be extracted to compress the blister until the backing behind the blister breaks such that the pill falls from the blister and into the hole in the plate.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one pill is a plurality of pills. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein in step b), the roller contacts each row of blisters one at a time to extract the pills in each row of blisters before advancing to contact another row of blisters. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the pill extraction device further comprises a plurality of nubs extending radially from the central portion of the roller, the nubs being arranged in rows and spaced to correspond to the holes in the plate and wherein in step b), each blister in each row of blisters is contacted by one of the nubs. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising selecting the roller such that the nubs are sized and shaped to extract the pills from the blisters. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising collecting the pill on a tray located below the plate. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising selecting the plate such that the plurality of holes of the plate are sized to fit the at least one pill.