RANDOM ACCESS AND RANDOM LOAD DISPENSING UNIT
First Claim
1. A system for randomly storing and delivering prescription medications filled and individualized for particular consumers before being stored comprising:
- a plurality of storage containers, each storage container comprising a receptacle, and configured to store a prescription medication that has been filled and individualized for a particular consumer;
a plurality of sensible identifiers configured to communicate unique product and consumer information, each sensible identifier being associatable with a storage container;
a housing for securely containing a plurality of storage locations configured to store one or more storage containers, the housing defining an X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis being substantially perpendicular to each other;
a plurality of batch-loadable bins, each bin configured to define a subset of storage locations, to be removable to allow for remote loading of storage containers, and to be randomly locatable within the housing;
a plurality of platforms located within the housing, each platform configured to support a subset of the plurality of bins, the supported subset of bins being locatable along the platform so as to configure an array of storage locations that is coplanar with the platform (FIG. 17) along a plane formed by the X-axis and the Z-axis;
an information sensing device located within the housing for sensing the sensible identifiers after a storage container has been stored at a storage location;
a shuttle assembly configured to move along a Y-axis, along an X-axis and a Z-axis, and further configured to move between platforms to access and retrieve a storage container containing an individualized prescription medication randomly stored at any storage location within the housing and move the storage container to a different location within the housing;
a touchscreen coupled to the housing for allowing a consumer to request delivery of an individualized prescription medication;
a computer for communicating with the touchscreen, the shuttle assembly, and the information sensing device, the computer being configured to receive consumer information from the information sensing device to associate a storage location with a particular consumer, and to direct the shuttle assembly to move a storage container from a storage location previously associated with the consumer to a dispense bin upon receiving the consumer'"'"'s request.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a random access and random load dispensing unit including a housing, at least one support located in the housing and defining a first axis, a plurality of platforms movable along the support along the first axis, a plurality of bins supported on the platforms, the bins being movable with the platforms, and a shuttle assembly movable along the first axis and further movable along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis between the plurality of platforms to access and retrieve products stored in the bins.
-
Citations
32 Claims
-
1. A system for randomly storing and delivering prescription medications filled and individualized for particular consumers before being stored comprising:
-
a plurality of storage containers, each storage container comprising a receptacle, and configured to store a prescription medication that has been filled and individualized for a particular consumer; a plurality of sensible identifiers configured to communicate unique product and consumer information, each sensible identifier being associatable with a storage container; a housing for securely containing a plurality of storage locations configured to store one or more storage containers, the housing defining an X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis being substantially perpendicular to each other; a plurality of batch-loadable bins, each bin configured to define a subset of storage locations, to be removable to allow for remote loading of storage containers, and to be randomly locatable within the housing; a plurality of platforms located within the housing, each platform configured to support a subset of the plurality of bins, the supported subset of bins being locatable along the platform so as to configure an array of storage locations that is coplanar with the platform ( FIG. 17 ) along a plane formed by the X-axis and the Z-axis;an information sensing device located within the housing for sensing the sensible identifiers after a storage container has been stored at a storage location; a shuttle assembly configured to move along a Y-axis, along an X-axis and a Z-axis, and further configured to move between platforms to access and retrieve a storage container containing an individualized prescription medication randomly stored at any storage location within the housing and move the storage container to a different location within the housing; a touchscreen coupled to the housing for allowing a consumer to request delivery of an individualized prescription medication; a computer for communicating with the touchscreen, the shuttle assembly, and the information sensing device, the computer being configured to receive consumer information from the information sensing device to associate a storage location with a particular consumer, and to direct the shuttle assembly to move a storage container from a storage location previously associated with the consumer to a dispense bin upon receiving the consumer'"'"'s request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18)
-
-
19. A system for storing and delivering prescription medications filled and individualized for particular consumers before being stored comprising:
-
a plurality of storage containers, each storage container comprising a receptacle and configured to contain an individualized prescription medication that has been prescribed for, filled, and correlated to a particular consumer; a housing for securely containing a plurality of storage locations, the housing defining an X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis being substantially perpendicular to each other; a barcode associated with the storage container, the barcode configured to communicate product and consumer information associated with the individualized prescription medication; a barcode reader located within the housing for sensing the barcode; a plurality of removable, batch-loadable bins, each bin configured to define a subset of storage locations and to be randomly locatable within the housing, the storage locations configured to store at least one storage container such that the associated barcode resides in a consistently readable registration when presented to the barcode reader; a plurality of platforms located within the housing, each platform configured to support a subset of the plurality of bins, the supported subset of bins being alignable along the platform so as to configure an array of storage locations along a plane formed by the X-axis and the Z-axis; a shuttle assembly configured to deliver a storage container that contains an individualized prescription medication, and is randomly stored at a storage location within the housing; a dispense point located substantially in the housing; a touchscreen coupled to the housing for allowing a consumer to request delivery of an individualized prescription medication; a computer in communication with the touchscreen, shuttle assembly, and the barcode reader, the computer being configured to associate a storage location with a individualized prescription medication from the information read from the barcode after the storage container has been stored at a storage location, and to direct the shuttle assembly to move a storage container from a storage location previously associated with the consumer to a dispense point after receiving a request to deliver an individualized prescription medication for the consumer interfacing with the touchscreen. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
Specification