Custom Prepackaging Method and Apparatus
First Claim
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1. A packaging apparatus having a controller providing signals to a servo motor to operate an indexing roller and thereby advance an array of pockets formed on a plastic sheet to a position a row of said pockets beneath a drop system having a plurality of compartments selectively operable to drop contents therein through drop funnels;
- a pocket opening apparatus operable by said controller to open the row of pockets when positioned beneath the drop system, and a pocket sealing apparatus.
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Abstract
A packaging apparatus is provided that sequentially advances rows of pockets formed in plastic sheet to a drop system where preselected medications or small articles are dropped into pockets and sealed to form an easily managed packet array.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A packaging apparatus having a controller providing signals to a servo motor to operate an indexing roller and thereby advance an array of pockets formed on a plastic sheet to a position a row of said pockets beneath a drop system having a plurality of compartments selectively operable to drop contents therein through drop funnels;
- a pocket opening apparatus operable by said controller to open the row of pockets when positioned beneath the drop system, and a pocket sealing apparatus.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of preparing transparent packets of small items comprising the steps of:
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(a) feeding a thermoplastic packaging material having a back sheet configured with an array of pockets sealed along their leading and side edges so that a trailing edge of a row of pockets is upward facing beneath a drop system; (b) utilizing an opening apparatus to ensure that the trailing edge of the pocket is separate from the backing sheet making the pocket open in an upward facing direction; (c) operating the drop system to empty the contents of compartments therein into the pockets; (d) heat sealing the trailing edge of the pockets to form closed packets enclosing the contents dropped therein. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of preparing transparent packets of medications comprising the steps of:
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a) prefilling a tray with a row of four openings by placing medications in the openings according to a patient'"'"'s prescriptions; b) utilizing said tray to transfer the medications into four corresponding compartments of a drop system; c) feeding a thermoplastic packaging material having a backsheet configured with an array of pockets having perforations therebetween, said pockets being sealed along their leading and side edges, to position where a trailing edge of a row of pockets is upward facing beneath the drop system; d) continuing to feed the thermoplastic packaging material until a marking on the packaging material is detected that indicates the trailing edge is advanced beyond insertion members that are biased against the packaging material; e) reversing the feeding direction of the packaging material so that the insertion members slide between the trailing edges of the row of pockets and the backsheet making the pocket open in an upward facing direction; f) operating the drop system to empty the medications from the compartments into corresponding pockets; g) advancing the thermoplastic packaging material and heat sealing the trailing edges of the pockets to form closed packets enclosing the medications dropped therein; and h) advancing the thermoplastic packaging material so that trailing edges of the next row of pockets is upward facing beneath the drop system.
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Specification