Pharmaceutical dispenser

[Bony]

Every month I need to sort 150 pills into weekly pill boxes (with a separate compartment for each day of the week). The pills comprise 5 different sizes and are dispensed in blister packs of 30 tablets. It's a chore but I've now devised an easier way of sorting and dispensing them.

This idea originated from Rick Sparber, a very active member to this site, and I acknowledge and give credit to his contribution, thanks Rick. The dispenser has several requirements, be able to accommodate pills of different sizes and shapes, allow only one pill of each size to be dispensed for each day, be simple to make and use.

It's made from aluminium, but could be made from cardboard, MDF or 3D printed. The tray inserts not only allow for different sizes and shapes of pill but also add a millimetre or so depth to better hold the pills and prevent unwanted spillage after they have been shaken into place.

THE COMPONENTS


From the left, 3 sorting tray inserts to suit different sized and shaped pills, the dispensing tray (note the 7 holes for pills to drop through), the tray holder which sits at a height to overlap the pill box compartments, and the pill box.

INSERT LOADED WITH PILLS


TRAY IS AGITATED GENTLY TO FILL SORTING TRAY HOLES


SLIDE TRAY TO RIGHT TO ALLOW PILLS TO DROP INTO BOX


Repeat for the next week until all 30 pills have been dispensed then change sorting tray to suit the next lot of tablets.