PHARMACEUTICAL DISPENSING SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

• US 20100176145A1
• Filed: 09/15/2009
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Remedi Technology Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Paxit Automation Products, LLC
• Inventors: Hawkes, Kimberly, Stielau, Mark, Schneider, Steven E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,938,082 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/79
• 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 dispensing system and associated method provides a turnkey solution for dispensing pharmaceutical products such as solid medications and nutritional supplements to be taken orally in health care settings, including but not limited to long term care (LTC) and assisted living settings.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing a patient'"'"'s order of multiple different pharmaceutical products, the dispenser comprising:

a storage arrangement adapted to store a plurality of pharmaceutical products each contained in an individual unit dose package;

a discharge assembly adapted to move selected ones of the unit dose packages from the storage arrangement while maintaining positive physical control of each of the selected unit dose packages; and

a conveyor adapted to transfer the selected unit dose packages from the discharge assembly;

wherein the storage arrangement further comprises a first and a second module each located proximate the conveyor, the first module being spaced and positioned upstream from the second module;

wherein the first module is adapted to store pharmaceutical products having a first frequency demand and the second module is adapted to store pharmaceutical products having a second frequency demand different from the first frequency demand.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the discharge assembly further comprises:

a first discharge assembly operative to move selected ones of the unit dose packages from the first module while physically controlling movement of each of those selected unit dose packages; and

a second discharge assembly operative to move selected ones of the unit dose packages from the second module while physically controlling movement of each of those selected unit dose packages.

4. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the storage arrangement further comprises:

a plurality of storage containers each adapted to contain a plurality of one type of pharmaceutical product in unit dose packages.

5. The dispenser of claim 4 wherein the storage arrangement further comprises:

a first and a second module each located proximate the conveyor, the first module being spaced and positioned upstream from the second module.

6. The dispenser of claim 5 wherein the storage containers of the first module are arranged in a generally linear array and oriented generally perpendicularly relative to a direction of travel of the conveyor and the storage containers of the second module are arranged in a two-dimensional array and oriented obliquely relative to the conveyor direction of travel.

7. The dispenser of claim 6 wherein the discharge assembly further comprises:

a pick device moveable relative to the storage containers of the second module to move selected unit dose packages from any one of the storage containers in the second module.

8. The dispenser of claim 6 wherein the discharge assembly further comprises:

an insertion mechanism positioned proximate a discharge end of one of the storage containers in the first module.

9. The dispenser of claim 8 further comprising:

a plurality of storage containers in the first module; and

a plurality of insertion mechanisms, each insertion mechanism associated with one of the first module storage containers.

12. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the discharge assembly further comprises:

a pick device having at least one gripper movable from a first position for engaging and picking a unit dose package to at least a second position;

a transfer receptacle proximate the gripper, the transfer receptacle including at least one inlet for receiving one or more unit dose packages from the gripper, the transfer receptacle movable from a first position wherein the unit dose package can be received in the slot from the gripper, to a second position for delivering the unit dose package to the conveyor; and

an actuator cooperating with the transfer receptacle to move the unit dose package from the transfer receptacle toward the conveyor.

13. The dispenser of claim 12 further comprising:

a transfer station proximate the conveyor and adapted to hold the unit dose package delivered from the transfer receptacle prior to delivery toward the conveyor.

2. (canceled)

10-11. -11. (canceled)

14-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A dispenser for dispensing a patient'"'"'s order of multiple different pharmaceutical products, the dispenser comprising:

a first and a second storage module each adapted to store a plurality of pharmaceutical products each contained in an individual unit dose package, the first module being spaced and positioned upstream from the second module;

wherein the first module is adapted to store pharmaceutical products having a first frequency demand and the second module is adapted to store pharmaceutical products having a second frequency demand different from the first frequency demand;

a first and a second plurality of storage containers in the first and second storage modules, respectively, each storage container being adapted to contain a plurality of one type of pharmaceutical product in the unit dose packages;

a first discharge assembly operative to move selected ones of the unit dose packages from the first module while physically controlling movement of each of those selected unit dose packages;

a second discharge assembly operative to move selected ones of the unit dose packages from the second module while physically controlling movement of each of those selected unit dose packages;

a conveyor located proximate the first and second storage modules and adapted to transfer the selected unit dose packages from the discharge assemblies while physically controlling movement of each of the selected unit dose packages; and

a plurality of carriers each fixedly mounted relative to each other on the conveyor and movable along a conveyor path, each carrier being adapted to receive a plurality of the unit dose packages and physically control movement of each unit dose package received.

17. The dispenser of claim 16 wherein the storage containers of the first module are arranged in a generally linear array and oriented generally perpendicularly relative to the direction of travel of the conveyor and the storage containers of the second module are arranged in a two-dimensional array and oriented obliquely relative to the conveyor direction of travel.

18. The dispenser of claim 16 wherein the second discharge assembly further comprises:

a pick device moveable relative to the storage containers of the second module to move selected unit dose packages from any one of the storage containers in the second module.

19-37. -37. (canceled)