System and method for dispensing prescriptions

• US 20050113968A1
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Klein, Pete, Pollard, Jasper, Newcomb, David, Williams, Jeffrey P., Michelli, Richard, Eberdt, Jess, Kelly, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 8,774,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/236
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53687 by rotation of work part

Abstract

An automated method for dispensing pharmaceuticals particularly tablets and capsules, and other small discrete objects, includes: receiving prescription information, selecting a container, labeling the container, dispensing the tablets or capsules into the labeled container, applying a closure to the filled, labeled container, and offloading the container to a designated location. Preferably, the tablets are dispensed with high speed dispensing bins that employ forced air to agitate and singulate the tablets. The other functions within the system are typically carried out at stations designed to offer speed, flexibility and precision to the dispensing operation.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. An apparatus for dispensing solid pharmaceutical items, comprising:

a dispensing station comprising a plurality of bins for storing the items, each of the bins containing items of substantially identical size and configuration, and at least some of the bins containing items that differ in size and/or composition from the items contained in others of the bins;

each of the bins including a dispensing outlet on one side that dispenses items and a replenishment opening on a side thereof opposite the dispensing outlet, each of the bins further including an electronic unit that monitors the counting of items traveling through the dispensing outlet;

the bins being mounted on a frame such that the dispensing outlets face an access region within the frame and the replenishment openings face away from the frame;

a dispensing carrier configured to transport containers to be filled with the items, the dispensing carrier positioned within the access region; and

a controller that controls the operation of the dispensing carrier.

12. The apparatus defined in claim 11, wherein the electronic unit of each bin includes an identifier that is unique to that bin.

13. The apparatus defined in claim 11, wherein the electronic unit of each bin is configured to interact with an identifier of the physical location of the bin within the frame, that identifier being mounted on the frame.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 11, wherein the replenishment opening is a gate is pivotally interconnected with the bin at a pivot located at a lower end portion of the gate.

15. The apparatus defined in claim 11, further comprising:

a container dispensing station attached to the frame;

a labeling station attached to the frame;

a labeling carrier configured to grasp a container and transport the container from the container dispensing station to the labeling station;

a closure dispensing station that applies a closure to a filled container; and

a controller operatively connected with and controlling the operation of the container dispensing station, the labeling station, the labeling carrier, the dispensing station, the closure dispensing station, and the dispensing carrier;

wherein the dispensing carrier is also configured to transport a filled, labeled container to the closure dispensing station.

16. The apparatus defined in claim 15, wherein the labeling carrier is further configured to rotate the container so that the container can receive a label from the labeling station.

17-49. -49. (canceled)

50. An apparatus for dispensing solid pharmaceutical items, comprising:

a dispensing station comprising a plurality of bins for storing the items, each of the bins containing items of substantially identical size and configuration, and at least some of the bins containing items that differ in size and/or composition from the items contained in others of the housings;

each of the bins including a dispensing outlet and an electronic unit that monitors the counting of items traveling through the dispensing outlet, each bin further including an identifier that is unique to that bin.

51. The apparatus defined in claim 50, wherein the identifier is contained within the electronic unit.

52. The apparatus defined in claim 51, wherein the electronic unit of each bin is configured to interact with an identifier of the physical location of the bin within the frame, the physical location identifier being mounted on a frame that supports the bins.

53. A method of dispensing solid pharmaceutical items, comprising the steps of:

loading a plurality of bins into a frame, each of the bins containing items of substantially identical size and configuration, and at least some of the bins containing items that differ in size and/or composition from the items contained in others of the bins, each of the bins including a dispensing outlet and an electronic unit that monitors the counting of items traveling through the dispensing outlet, each bin further including an identifier that is unique to that bin;

transmitting a signal indicative of the identity of the bin from each bin to a controller; and

dispensing items from the bin upon an appropriate signal from the controller.

54. The method defined in claim 53, wherein the frame includes a plurality of identifiers of physical location, the identifiers of physical location being configured to interact with the bin identifiers, such that the controller recognizes the physical location of each bin and its contents.

55. The method defined in claim 54, further comprising the step of relocating a bin into another physical location on the frame