Automated Pharmacy Admixture System (APAS)

• US 20100017031A1
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ArXium, Inc. (Van Humbeck Family)
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Hospital Systems, Inc. (Van Humbeck Family)
• Inventors: Mlodzinski, Lance M., Eliuk, Walter W., Rob, Ronald H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,571,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/20 Arrangements for transferring or mixing fluids, e.g. from vial to syringe
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/10 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/30 Printed labels
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/002 Compounding apparatus specially for enteral or parenteral nutritive solutions bottling liquids B67C
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/85 Mixing plants with mixing receptacles or mixing tools that can be indexed into different working positions
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/003 Filling medical containers such as ampoules, vials, syringes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 31/024 specially adapted for wrappers or bags B65B31/021, B65B31/022 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/165 using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/48 the storage containers or supports, e.g. magazine, being pivotally mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• 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: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

An Automated Pharmacy Admixture System (APAS) may include a manipulator that transports medical containers such as bags, vials, or syringes about a substantially aseptic admixing chamber. In a preferred implementation, a gripper assembly is configured to substantially universally grasp and retain syringes, IV bags, and vials of varying shapes and sizes. In an illustrative embodiment, a gripping device may include claws configured to grasp a plurality of different types of IV bags, each type having a different fill port configuration. Embodiments may include a controller adapted to actuate a transport assembly to place a fill port of the bag, vial or syringe into register with a filling port such as a cannula located at a filling station, or be equipped with carousel transport systems that are adapted to convey bags, vials, and syringes to the admixture system and deliver constituted medications in bags, vials or syringes to an egress area.

Claims

1. An automated pharmacy admixture system, comprising:

a carrier system to present a plurality of IV bags to a location proximate or within a first substantially aseptic zone;

a manipulator system to transport items within the substantially aseptic zone;

a fluid transfer system disposed at least substantially within the substantially aseptic zone, the fluid transfer system comprising a fluid transfer port to transfer fluids to or from IV bags; and

a controller comprising a processor to receive instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

actuating the manipulator system to bring a fill port of an IV bag and the fluid transfer port into register with one another, and

actuating the manipulator system to move the IV bag and the fluid transfer port out of register after a fluid transfer operation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the manipulator system comprises a robotic arm and a fluid transfer system actuator.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein a pressure in the substantially aseptic zone is above or below ambient pressure.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the IV bag and the fluid transfer port are moved out of register by moving the fluid transfer port.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the carrier system is substantially disposed in a second substantially aseptic zone that is maintained at a pressure different the first substantially aseptic zone.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the environment in the first aseptic zone is maintained substantially at an ISO Class 5 level environment during IV bag filling operations.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the manipulator system comprises at least one sensor to provide feedback to indicate the position of the manipulator.

8. The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising comparing a position of the IV bag fill port with a location of an IV bag retention clip.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises at least one rack.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid transfer port comprises a port of a needle on a syringe.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid transfer port is coupled to exchange fluid with the IV bag while the fill port is oriented substantially downward.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the carrier is adapted to present a plurality of items selected from the group consisting of syringes, bags, and vials.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the environment in the substantially aseptic chamber is maintained substantially at an ISO Class 5 level environment during IV bag filling operations.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising a carrier that delivers the supply of IV bags to a location proximate the grasping means.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein a pressure in the substantially aseptic chamber is different than ambient pressure outside the chamber.

23. The system of claim 18, further comprising a carrier that retains the supply of syringes.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the carrier delivers the plurality of syringes to a location proximate the grasping means.

13. An automated pharmacy admixture system comprising:

a supply of IV bags, each bag having at least one of a plurality of different fill port configurations;

a substantially aseptic chamber;

means for grasping each of the plurality of IV bags, wherein the grasping means accommodates each of the plurality of different fill port configurations; and

an actuator coupled to the grasping means to convey the IV bags to one or more locations within the chamber.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the means comprises interchangeable fill port retention clips.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the means comprises interchangeable gripping fingers.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the bags have the same fill port configuration.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the carrier comprises a revolving storage system adapted to retain the plurality of IV bags.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein a pressure around the carrier is higher than a pressure inside the substantially aseptic chamber.

22. An automated pharmacy admixture system comprising:

a supply of syringes, the supply comprising syringes having a plurality of substantially different diameters;

a substantially aseptic chamber;

means for grasping each of the syringes in the supply, wherein the grasping means accommodates each of the plurality of substantially different syringe diameters; and

an actuator coupled to the grasping means to convey the syringes to one or more locations within the chamber.