Pharmaceutical automation system

• US 20040176873A1
• Filed: 02/25/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jun H.O. Kim
• Original Assignee: Jun H.O. Kim
• Inventors: Kim, Jun Ho
• Application Number:
  US10/372,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20040176873A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/231
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

A pharmaceutical automation system comprises a server processing a prescription input, a cartridge unit having cartridges with microcomputer to communicate with the server. Cassettes filled with tablets are detachably mounted on the cartridges. A memory is planted in each cassette to store therein a tablet data specifying the type of tablets in the cassette. The cassette-to-cartridge mount actuates the microcomputer to read and share with the server the tablet data in the corresponding memory. The server selectively commands the microcomputers to enable the cassettes to selectively release the tablets by the prescription input, whereby when a cassette is randomly mounted on a cartridge the microcomputer of the corresponding cartridge becomes updated to include the tablet data in the memory to thereby control the tablet release in accordance with the description input. A packaging unit is provided below the cartridge unit.

Claims

1. A pharmaceutical automation system, comprising:

a) a server processing a prescription input;

b) a cartridge unit having a plurality of cartridges, wherein a microcomputer is installed in each of the cartridges to communicate with the server;

c) a plurality of cassettes respectively filled with a predetermined type of tablets and detachably mounted on the cartridges, wherein a memory is planted in each of the cassettes to store therein a tablet data specifying the type of tablets in the corresponding cassette, wherein the respective cassette-to-cartridge mount actuates the microcomputer to read and share with the server the tablet data in the corresponding memory, wherein the server selectively commands the microcomputers to enable the cassettes to selectively release the tablets in accordance with the prescription input, whereby when one of the cassettes is randomly mounted on one of the cartridges the microcomputer of the corresponding cartridge becomes updated to include the tablet data stored in the memory of the corresponding cassette to thereby control the tablet release in accordance with the description input; and

d) a packaging unit provided below the cartridge unit to package the released tablets into tablet containing paper bags.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a hopper provided below the cartridge unit to guide the released tablets to the packaging unit.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a) a terminal in each of the cassettes, wherein the terminal is connected to the memory in the corresponding cassette;

b) a socket in each of the cartridges to receive the terminal therein upon the cassette-to-cartridge mount; and

c) a motor in each of the cartridges to activate the tablet release from the cassette mounted on the corresponding cartridge, wherein the motor is controlled by the corresponding microcomputer communicating with the server.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a) an input device; and

b) a processor in the server to control the microcomputer in said each cartridge in accordance with the prescription input via the input device.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the input device is a touch screen.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the server is a local area network computer.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the server is an internet-enabled network computer.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the packaging unit comprises:

a) a printer connected to the server, wherein tablet dosage instructions are printed by the printer on an unrolled paper; and

b) heating rollers to seal the released tablets consecutively captured by the unrolled paper into the tablet containing tablet bags.

9. A pharmaceutical automation system, comprising:

a) a server processing a prescription input;

b) a cartridge unit having a plurality of cartridges, wherein a microcomputer is installed in each of the cartridges to communicate with the server;

c) a plurality of cassettes respectively filled with a predetermined type of tablets and detachably mounted on the cartridges, wherein a memory is planted in each of the cassettes to store therein a tablet data specifying the type of tablets in the corresponding cassette, wherein the respective cassette-to-cartridge mount actuates the microcomputer to read and share with the server the tablet data in the corresponding memory, wherein the server selectively commands the microcomputers to enable the cassettes to selectively release the tablets in accordance with the prescription input, whereby when one of the cassettes is randomly mounted on one of the cartridges the microcomputer of the corresponding cartridge becomes updated to include the tablet data stored in the memory of the corresponding cassette to thereby control the tablet release in accordance with the description input;

d) a hopper provided below the cartridge unit to downwardly guide the released tablets;

e) a tray unit provided between the cartridge unit and the hopper, wherein the tray unit has a tray partitioned to releasably hold therein extra types of tablets, wherein the extra types of tablets are selectively released in accordance with a conveyer belt mechanism activated by the server, wherein the tray is horizontally pulled out from the system to open for spreading therein the extra types of tablets; and

f) a packaging unit provided below the tray unit to package the released tablets into tablet containing paper bags.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

a) a terminal in each of the cassettes, wherein the terminal is connected to the memory in the corresponding cassette;

b) a socket in each of the cartridges to receive the terminal therein upon the cassette-to-cartridge mount; and

c) a motor in each of the cartridges to activate the tablet release from the cassette mounted on the corresponding cartridge, wherein the motor is controlled by the corresponding microcomputer communicating with the server.

11. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

a) an input device; and

b) a processor in the server to control the microcomputer in said each cartridge in accordance with the prescription input via the input device.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the input device is a touch screen.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the input device is voice-activated.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the server is a local area network computer.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the server is an internet-enabled network computer.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the packaging unit comprises:

a) a printer connected to the server, wherein tablet dosage instructions are printed by the printer on an unrolled paper; and

b) heating rollers to seal the released tablets consecutively captured by the unrolled paper into the tablet containing tablet bags.

17. The system of claim 9 wherein the plurality of cassettes are vertically aligned in columns and rows, wherein the cassette rows are substantially circular.

18. The system of claim 9 wherein the cassettes are labeled either by barcodes or by sequential symbols to respectively associate with the corresponding tablet data.