Method and system for high-speed tablet counting and dispensing

• US 20040154688A1
• Filed: 02/03/2004
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Capsa Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Kirby Lester LLC (Capsa Solutions LLC)
• Inventors: Gershman, Vladmir, Geltser, Aleksandr, Gomez, Michael R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,124,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/2
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/20 Applications of counting devices for controlling the feed of articles other applications B65B65/08

Abstract

A medicament tablet dispensing system and method dispenses any selected number of tablets, up to a maximum number, with minimal dispensing delays. During fill operations, a preset number of tablets are counted and stored in dedicated storage compartments. Dispensing operations are performed in response to dispense request commands. The fill operations are performed in a manner independent from the quantity of tablets identified by the dispense request commands. During the dispensing operations for a particular dispense request command, the preset number of tablets are emptied from one or more of the dedicated storage compartments, thereby avoiding delays associated with counting all of the dispensed tablets. Moreover, the fill operations and the dispensing operations may be performed in parallel for high-throughput dispensing applications.

Claims

1. A method of dispensing tablets, comprising:

a) selecting a number of tablets to be dispensed; and

then

b) dispensing the number of tablets without individually counting the tablets during a period of time between after the selecting and before the dispensing.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

c) individually counting tablets; and

d) storing the counted tablets in a plurality of storage locations such that each storage location has a discrete number of tablets,

each of said counting and said storing occurring prior to said selecting.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein:

said dispensing includes releasing the tablets from at least one of the storage locations such that the combined total of the tablets from the at least one storage location is equal to the selected number of tablets to be dispensed.

4. A method of automatic dispensing of tablets, comprising:

a) generating at least one command identifying a desired quantity of tablets to be dispensed;

b) filling a plurality of storage compartments with a predetermined quantity of tablets in a manner that is independent of the desired quantity to be dispensed; and

c) dispensing the desired quantity of tablets by selectively emptying the storage compartments for discharge to a discharge port.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising:

c) individually counting tablets as part of the filling operations of b).

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein:

the dispensing operations of c) includes releasing the tablets from at least one of the storage compartments such that the combined total of the tablets from the at least one storage compartment is equal to the desired quantity of tablets as identified by said command.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein:

more than one storage container is emptied as part of the dispensing operations of c) that pertain to a particular dispense request command.

8. A method according to claim 4, wherein:

the filling operations of b) and the dispensing operations of c) are performed in parallel.

9. A method according to claim 4, wherein:

the filling operations of b) that fills one or more particular storage compartments are performed prior to execution of the operations of step c) that requires dispensing of tablets from the one or more particular storage compartments.

10. A method according to claim 4, wherein:

the dispensing operations of c) comprise individually counting at least one tablet and directing said at least one tablet through a bypass channel to said discharge port.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein:

the dispensing operations of c) includes releasing the tablets from at least one of the storage compartments and directing at least one tablet through a bypass channel such that the combined total of the tablets from the at least one storage compartment and from the bypass channel is equal to the desired quantity of tablets as identified by said command.

12. A medicament dispensing system comprising:

a) a plurality of tablet dispensing subsystems, each including a plurality of storage containers for storing tablets, a feed channel network that is adapted to fill said storage containers with tablets, a discharge port, and discharge means for selectively emptying said plurality of storage chambers for supply to said discharge port; and

b) a plurality of controllers corresponding to said plurality of tablet dispensing subsystems, wherein each controller executes a dispensing routine and a fill routine, said dispensing routine cooperating with said discharge means to supply a number of tablets from said storage compartments to said discharge port in accordance with a tablet quantity encoded in a dispense request command supplied thereto, said fill routine cooperating with the feed channel network of the corresponding tablet counting and dispensing subsystem to fill at least one storage container emptied as a result of said dispensing routine, wherein said fill routine operates independently of the tablet quantity encoded in the dispense request command.

13. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 12, further comprising:

at least one tablet hopper and at least one counter operably coupled to the feed channel networks of said plurality of tablet dispensing systems, wherein said controllers cooperate with said at least one counter during execution of the fill routines executed thereon to fill at least one storage container of their respective tablet dispensing subsystems with a predetermined quantity of tablets.

14. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 12, wherein:

dispense request commands are supplied to the plurality of controllers by a master controller.

15. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 14, wherein:

said master controller generates said dispense request commands in response to dispense request messages communicated thereto by a computer workstation.

16. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 15, wherein:

said computer workstation is part of a pharmacy management system.

17. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 15, wherein:

said computer workstation is operably coupled to said master controller over at least one of a LAN communication network, WAN communication network, and/or the Internet.

18. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 12, wherein:

said dispensing routine and said fill routine are executed in parallel by at least one of said plurality of controllers.

19. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 12, wherein:

the tablet loading operations for a fill routine that fills one or more particular storage compartments are performed prior to execution of the next dispensing routine that requires dispensing of tablets from the one or more particular storage compartments.

20. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 12, wherein:

more than one of the storage containers of a respective tablet dispensing subsystem is emptied as part of the dispense routine that pertains to a particular dispense request command.

21. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 13, wherein:

the feed channel network of at least one particular tablet dispensing subsystem includes a bypass channel that supplies tablets directly to the discharge port of the particular tablet dispensing subsystem without being stored in the plurality of storage compartments of the particular tablet dispensing subsystem.

22. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 21, wherein:

at least one controller, corresponding to the at least one particular tablet dispensing subsystem, operates during its dispense routine to cooperate with the feed channel network of the corresponding tablet dispensing subsystem and with the counter to i) release tablets from at least one of the storage compartments of the corresponding tablet dispensing subsystem, and ii) count and direct at least one tablet through the bypass channel of the corresponding tablet dispensing subsystem, whereby the combined total of the tablets from the at least one storage compartment and from the bypass channel is equal to the desired quantity of tablets as identified by said command.

23. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 13, wherein:

at least one particular tablet dispensing subsystem includes an overflow storage compartment operably coupled to the feed channel network of the particular tablet dispensing subsystem.

24. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 23, wherein:

at least one controller, corresponding to the at least one particular tablet dispensing subsystem, operates during its fill routine to cooperate with the feed channel network of the corresponding tablet dispensing subsystem and with the counter to store tablets in the overflow storage compartment of the particular tablet dispensing subsystem in the event that tablets counted by the counter exceed a predetermined number of tablets.

25. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 12, wherein:

said plurality of storage containers are logically arranged in groups, each group associated with a given number of tablets.

26. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 25, wherein:

a particular group has a plurality of storage containers associated therewith, wherein only one of the storage containers of the particular group is filled at a time.

27. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 25, wherein:

a particular group has a plurality of storage containers associated therewith, wherein more than one of the storage containers of the particular group is emptied at a time.

28. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 25, wherein:

a particular group has a plurality of storage containers associated therewith, wherein one of the storage containers of the particular group is filled simultaneously while another storage container of the particular group is emptied.

29. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 25, wherein:

each group of storage containers is realized by sectors of a circular chamber, wherein openings in an outer wall of said circular chamber provide passageways for tablets to enter and exit said sectors.

30. A medicament dispensing system according to 29, further comprising:

an enclosure that cooperates with said openings of said outer wall of said circular chamber to enable tablets to enter a given sector when the circular chamber is oriented in first predetermined orientation, to enable tablets to exit the given sector and pass to the discharge port when the circular chamber is oriented in second predetermined orientation.

31. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 29, wherein:

said circular chamber is rotated to adjust orientation of the sectors of the circular chamber to enable tablets to enter and exit the sectors of the circular chamber.

32. A medicament dispensing system according to 31, wherein:

tablets enter a given sector when the sector is oriented vertically upwards, and tablets exit the given sector when the sector is oriented vertically downwards.

33. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 12, wherein:

said feed channel network comprises a plurality of electro-mechanically actuated gates corresponding to said plurality of storage containers.

34. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 33, wherein:

said gates correspond to groups of said storage containers, each group associated with a given number of tablets.

35. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 12, wherein:

said feed channel network is mounted with a counter on a moveable arm, wherein position of said feed channel network and said counter is controllably varied by moving said arm over a plurality of positions to fill storage chambers corresponding to said positions.

36. A medicament dispensing system according to claim 35, wherein:

said moveable arm pivots about a pivot point to provide controlled movement of said moveable arm.