Automated solid pharmaceutical product packaging machine
First Claim
1. A system for filling solid pharmaceutical product packaging, comprising:
- a storage means for storing patient specific prescription data in an electronic memory associated with a computer controller;
a means for automatically effecting relative motion along multiple axes to locate a first solid pharmaceutical product cavity location of an array of cavity locations beneath a dispensing passageway for a first solid pharmaceutical dispensing canister, wherein the array of cavity locations comprises a plurality of cavities, each of the plurality of cavities corresponding to a different cavity formed within a product package wherein the array of cavities has a same number of cavities in a same arrangement as the product package;
means for automatically causing the first solid pharmaceutical dispensing canister to eject a solid pharmaceutical product into the first cavity location;
means for automatically effecting relative motion along multiple axes to selectively locate a second solid pharmaceutical product cavity location beneath a dispensing passageway for a second solid pharmaceutical dispensing canister;
means for automatically causing the second solid pharmaceutical dispensing canister to eject a solid pharmaceutical product into the second cavity; and
means for automatically effecting relative motion for each remaining cavity location of the array of cavity locations and the canisters and automatically dispensing one or more solid pharmaceutical products from each of a plurality of dispensing canisters corresponding to a prescribed dose at a dosing time for the specific patient corresponding at each cavity location until all cavities for the patient prescription have been filled.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fully automated pharmaceutical product packaging machine is capable of selectively depositing one or more different solid pharmaceutical products into an individual cavity for each of a plurality of individual patient product package cavities. The system employs a plurality of solid pharmaceutical product dispensing canisters which are capable of selectively dispensing a pre-designated number of solid pharmaceutical products. The machine fills a template containing temporary storage cavities and the template is automatically positioned over a sheet of clear plastic material containing a plurality of cavities corresponding to the cavities in the template. A barrier between the cavities in the template and the sheet of clear plastic material is moved and the pharmaceuticals in the template cavities drop into the corresponding cavities in the clear plastic sheet of material. The clear plastic sheet of material is then maneuvered into subsequent product packaging stations and the template is returned to beneath the canister region.
52 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for filling solid pharmaceutical product packaging, comprising:
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a storage means for storing patient specific prescription data in an electronic memory associated with a computer controller; a means for automatically effecting relative motion along multiple axes to locate a first solid pharmaceutical product cavity location of an array of cavity locations beneath a dispensing passageway for a first solid pharmaceutical dispensing canister, wherein the array of cavity locations comprises a plurality of cavities, each of the plurality of cavities corresponding to a different cavity formed within a product package wherein the array of cavities has a same number of cavities in a same arrangement as the product package; means for automatically causing the first solid pharmaceutical dispensing canister to eject a solid pharmaceutical product into the first cavity location; means for automatically effecting relative motion along multiple axes to selectively locate a second solid pharmaceutical product cavity location beneath a dispensing passageway for a second solid pharmaceutical dispensing canister; means for automatically causing the second solid pharmaceutical dispensing canister to eject a solid pharmaceutical product into the second cavity; and means for automatically effecting relative motion for each remaining cavity location of the array of cavity locations and the canisters and automatically dispensing one or more solid pharmaceutical products from each of a plurality of dispensing canisters corresponding to a prescribed dose at a dosing time for the specific patient corresponding at each cavity location until all cavities for the patient prescription have been filled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for filling solid pharmaceutical product packaging, comprising:
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a template member having a plurality of cavities that are each to receive one or more solid pharmaceutical products, wherein each of the plurality of cavities of the template member corresponds to a different cavity formed within an empty product package wherein the template member has a same number of cavities in a same arrangement as the empty product package; a pharmaceutical dispensing mechanism to; receive a plurality of solid pharmaceutical canisters; move the template member along at least two axes wherein each of the plurality of cavities is positionable beneath a feed mechanism of the plurality of solid pharmaceutical canisters; and cause at least one of the plurality of the solid pharmaceutical canisters to eject at least one solid pharmaceutical product into at least one of the plurality of cavities of the template, wherein the at least one solid pharmaceutical product corresponds to a prescribed dose at a dosing time for a specific patient corresponding at each cavity location until all cavities for a patient prescription have been filled; and a computer system to; store patient specific prescription data; and control the ejection of solid pharmaceutical products by the pharmaceutical dispensing mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for filling solid pharmaceutical product packaging, comprising:
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storing patient specific prescription data in an electronic memory associated with a computer controller; automatically effecting relative motion along multiple axes to selectively locate a first solid pharmaceutical product cavity location of an array of cavity locations of a template member beneath a dispensing passageway for a first solid pharmaceutical dispensing canister, wherein each cavity location of the array of cavity location of the template member corresponds to a different cavity formed within a product package wherein the template member has a same number of cavity locations in a same arrangement as the product package; automatically causing the first solid pharmaceutical dispensing canister to eject a solid pharmaceutical product into the first cavity location; automatically effecting relative motion along multiple axes to selectively locate a second solid pharmaceutical product cavity location beneath a dispensing passageway for a second solid pharmaceutical dispensing canister; automatically causing the second solid pharmaceutical dispensing canister to eject a solid pharmaceutical product into the second cavity location; and automatically effecting relative motion along multiple axes for each remaining cavity location of the array of cavity locations and the canisters and automatically dispensing one or more solid pharmaceutical products from each of a plurality of dispensing canisters corresponding to a prescribed dose at a dosing time for the specific patient corresponding at each cavity location until all cavity locations for the patient prescription have been filled. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification