Spotlight on "The Smartridge" (tm)
Have you seen this thing? The Omnitechniks have designed and built a very cool device. It's named the Smartridge (for Smart Cartridge), and it's what allows the SmartSpenser to accurately deliver a single pill at a time. It's made using acrylic (looks good but it's hard to work with), wood (easy to shape), a 40-tooth LEGO gear, hubs and axle, and glue (which doesn't stick to acrylic all that well) :^/
When the gear is turned it turns the axle which is fitted with two hubs embedded in the wooden wheel. As the wheel is turned it passes by a hopper containing pills and a single pill drops into a hole carved into the outer rim of the wooden wheel. The hole is carved to match the size and shape of a single pill. As the wheel continues to turn, the hole containing the pill reaches the bottom of the Smartridge which is open to allow the pill to fall onto a ramp and down to a tray designed to catch the pill. A single full rotation of the gear delivers a single pill. It's ingenious!
If you're ever nearby the SmartSpenser, pull out a Smartridge and give it a look!
