A system for selecting and delivering medicine packages from a holding means to fill orders comprising: a) holding means comprised of a frame having a plurality of support rods each support rod sized for holding a plurality of medicine packages, each rod associated with a given medicine and holding medicine packages with only the same medicine each support rod having a distinct X, Y coordinate location; b) means for picking medicine packages from the support rods in accordance with instructions received from a computer, said picking means being able to access the holding means; the picking means capable of holding a plurality of medicine packages which have been picked from the holding means; c) a computer having a database containing an X, Y coordinate location for all packages in the holding means, the computer able to receive orders for packages and able to direct the means for picking packages; and d) a supply structure having a plurality of supply support rods which extend from said structure to form an X, Y coordinate system, with each supply support rod and medicine package thereon having a unique X and Y coordinate, said picking means disposed to have access to said structure such that a given medicine package on an associated supply support rod can be picked by the picking means to fill a patient's prescription, or a given medicine package in the supply structure can be picked by the picking means to restock an associated rod in the holding means. view more

A system for selecting and delivering packages from a holding means to fill orders comprising: a) holding means comprised of a frame having a plurality of support rods for holding packages each support rod having a distinct X, Y coordinate location and holding a plurality of packages, all of those packages on each support rod having similar contents; b) picking means for picking packages from the support rods in accordance with instructions received from a computer, the picking means being able to access the holding means and having a housing; means for storing packages attached to the housing; means for producing a suction; a suction rod in fluid connection with the suction producing means, said suction rod slidingly attached with respect to the Y and Z directions to the housing and maintaining a suction therethrough when the suction producing means is activated by which a medicine package is picked with suction; and means for sensing when a package is properly positioned such that the package rod is then moved to the storing means and deposits the package thereon. view more

A system as described in claim 7 wherein the storing means is a storing rod which extends from the housing such that the suction head and the suction rod can deposit a package thereon.

A system for selecting and delivering packages to fill orders comprising: a) a storage area comprised of a plurality of storage area locations each location having package holding means sized and configured to hold a plurality of individual packages each individual package having a machine readable label which identifies a type of package, the packages being held in a manner so that each package can be placed into and removed from the storage area locations and so that the machine readable label on at least one package in a storage location can be read without removing the package from the storage location, each location having a distinct x, y coordinate; b) automated picking means sized and configured to be able to hold packages, to select packages from the storage area locations and place packages in the storage area locations in accordance with computer controlled instructions, the picking means having a gripper for grasping and moving the packages and having a picking means storage location sized and configured to hold a plurality of packages in a face to face relationship after the plurality of packages have been retrieved from the storage area and prior to delivery of the plurality of packages to a desired destination separate from the picking means; c) means for moving the automated picking means to selected storage locations; d) a computer having at least one memory which contains a program for directing the picking means to chosen storage area locations and a database containing at least one x, y coordinate location in the storage area for each package held within the storage area the computer being connected to the automated picking means and the means for moving the automated picking means; and e) a package reader associated with the picking means and being positioned for reading the machine readable labels on packages located within the storage area, wherein only one type of package is stored in each x, y coordinate location. view more

The system of claim 1 wherein the gripper is a vacuum head.

The system of claim 1 also comprising a sensor attached to the picking means for determining when the package is grasped by the gripper.

The system of claim 1 wherein the label is a bar code and the reader is a bar code reader.

The system of claim 1 wherein the label also contains an expiration date.

The system of claim 1 also comprising a supply station for receiving new and returned packages, the supply station having a plurality of locations each location having package holding means sized and configured to hold an least one package in a manner so than the package can be placed into and removed from the locations by the automated picking means, each location having a distinct x, y coordinate. view more

The system of claim 1 wherein the packages contain individual doses of medicine.

The system of claim 1 also comprising a track over which the picking means travels according to directions supplied by the computer also comprising means for moving the picking means over the track.