APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATED DISPENSING OF MEDICATIONS AND SUPPLEMENTS

• US 20100172724A1
• Filed: 09/15/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Remedi Technology Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Paxit Automation Products, LLC
• Inventors: Hawkes, Kimberly, Schneider, Steven E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,745,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/266
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0471 with access from beneath
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/06 with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level B65G1/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1376 the orders being assembled on a commissioning conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/91 incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 59/062 by means of reciprocating or oscillating escapement-like mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• 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

A system for assembling and dispensing an order made up of one or more individually packaged items from a plurality of different individually packaged items includes a storage module containing one or more packages of each of the items, and a conveyor having selectively assignable spaces configured to receive the packaged items associated with a particular order and to transport the packaged items to a processing location. A pick device is movable relative to the storage module and is configured to retrieve a package from the storage module. A transfer station adjacent the conveyor receives one or more of the packaged items from the pick device and an actuator associated with the transfer station moves the packaged items from the transfer station to the conveyor when the assigned space associated with the order is in registration with the transfer station.

Claims

1. A system for assembling and dispensing a pharmaceutical order comprising one or more unit dose individually packaged items selected from a plurality of different unit dose individually packaged items, the system comprising:

a storage module containing one or more of each of the unit dose individually packaged items of the pharmaceutical order;

a conveyor comprising selectively assigned spaces configured to receive one or more of the individually packaged items associated with the pharmaceutical order and adapted to transport the packaged items;

a pick device movable to access said storage module and configured to retrieve an individually packaged item from said storage module;

a transfer station proximate said conveyor and receiving one or more packaged items from said pick device; and

an actuator associated with said transfer station and operative to advance the one or more packaged items from said transfer station to said conveyor when said selectively assignable space associated with the pharmaceutical order is in registration with said transfer station.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a transfer receptacle associated with said pick device and movable with said pick device, said transfer receptacle operative to receive the individually packaged items from said pick device and to advance the individually packaged items to said transfer station.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said actuator is operative to advance the one or more packaged items from said transfer receptacle to said transfer station.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein said transfer receptacle is configured to retain the individually packaged items received on said transfer receptacle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said transfer station is configured to retain the individually packaged items received on said transfer station.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said conveyor is configured to constrain the individually packaged items received on said conveyor from said transfer station at the space associated with the respective pharmaceutical order.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the individually packaged items comprise medications or supplements and the order comprises a physician issued prescription.

3-5. -5. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

12-13. -13. (canceled)

15. A method of filling a pharmaceutical order that includes one or more individual unit dose packaged items selected from a plurality of different individual unit dose packaged items, the method comprising:

assigning a dedicated space on a conveyor for receiving one or more of the packaged items for the pharmaceutical order;

moving the conveyor toward a processing location;

picking a packaged item for the pharmaceutical order from a storage location;

advancing the packaged item to a transfer station; and

advancing the packaged item from the transfer station to the dedicated space when the dedicated space is in registration with the transfer station.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

retaining control of the packaged item between the transfer station and the dedicated space on the conveyor.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

moving the packaged item to a transfer receptacle before advancing the packaged item to the transfer station.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

retaining control of the packaged item between the transfer receptacle and the transfer station.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

retaining control of the packaged item between the storage location and the processing location.