AUTOMATIC PICKING MACHINE FOR FILLING A TRANSPORT CONTAINER

• US 20200135322A1
• Filed: 12/30/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton Dickinson Rowa Germany GmbH (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Becton Dickinson Rowa Germany GmbH (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: HELLENBRAND, Christoph
• Granted Patent: US 10,839,047 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0407 using stacker cranes constructional features of stacker cranes B66F9/06
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/08 the articles being fed by gravity braking arrangements for roller-ways B65G13/075; separating or stopping elements B65G47/88
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/027 Tablets, capsules, pills or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

An automatic picking machine for pharmaceutical drug packages includes at least one storage rack, at least one storage and retrieval machine, a control apparatus for controlling the storage and retrieval machine, and a filling apparatus for successively filling each of a plurality of transport containers with a group of pharmaceutical drug packages corresponding to one order, wherein the filling apparatus includes a plurality of collection containers, first transport apparatuses, each having a transport channel for conveying the pharmaceutical drug packages towards the respective collection container, and a receiving apparatus for receiving a transport container to be filled at a filling location of the filing apparatus.

Claims

1. An automatic picking machine, comprising:

a storage and retrieval machine configured to remove drug packages from a storage rack;

at least one transport channel extending toward a delivery region from a receiving region configured to accept a respective drug package from the storage and retrieval machine;

a filling apparatus configured to receive the drug packages from the at least one transport channel at the delivery region, and configured to fill one or more transport containers with the drug packages received from the at least one transport channel as the one or more transport containers are successively moved into a filling location adjacent the filling apparatus to each receive at least a portion of the drug packages from the filling apparatus; and

a control apparatus configured to control the storage and retrieval machine, and cause the storage and retrieval machine to provide the drug packages removed from the storage rack to the at least one transport channel, and configured to cause the one or more transport containers to successively move to the filling location and be filled by the filling apparatus.

2. The automatic picking machine of claim 1, wherein the filling apparatus comprises:

a plurality of collection containers; and

one or more transport apparatuses;

wherein the control apparatus is configured to cause at least a portion of the drug packages to be received into a first collection container of the plurality of collection containers, and to cause a first transport container of the one or more transport containers to be filled from the first collection container via the one or more transport apparatuses.

3. The automatic picking machine of claim 2, wherein the filling apparatus comprises an unloading apparatus configured to cause an unloading of at least one drug package received into the first collection container to fill the first transport container.

4. The automatic picking machine of claim 2,

wherein the filling location is located below the plurality of collection containers, and

wherein a bottom of each collection container is configured to be selectively opened or closed, and when the bottom of the first collection container is opened the drug packages received into the first collection container are unloaded into the transport container positioned below the first collection container.

5. The automatic picking machine of claim 2, wherein each collection container is configured to receive drug packages from a different transport channel of a plurality of transport channels, the plurality of transport channels including the at least one transport channel.

6. The automatic picking machine of claim 2, wherein the one or more transport apparatuses comprises a first transport apparatus and a second transport apparatus,

wherein the first transport apparatus includes a funnel-shaped guide channel having an upper opening and a lower opening, wherein the upper opening is arranged beneath the opening of the first collection container, and the lower opening is arranged above the first transport container when the first transport container is at the filling location,

wherein the first transport container is configured to receive the the respective drug packages through an open top when positioned at the filling location.

7. The automatic picking machine of claim 1, wherein the storage and retrieval machine is mounted on a vertical rail, and includes a drive configured to vertically move the storage and retrieval machine, and

wherein the vertical rail is guided on one or more horizontal rails, such that the storage and retrieval machine is movable vertically and horizontally across and adjacent to a plurality of storage racks.

8. A method, comprising:

causing an automated storage and retrieval machine to remove drug packages from a storage rack;

receiving, at a filling apparatus, the drug packages from at least one transport channel, the at least one transport channel extending toward the filling apparatus from a receiving region configured to accept a respective drug package from the storage and retrieval machine;

successively moving one or more transport containers into a filling location adjacent the filling apparatus to receive at least a portion of the drug packages from the filling apparatus; and

filling the one or more transport containers with the the drug packages received from the at least one transport channel.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

causing at least a portion of the drug packages to be received into a first collection container of a plurality of collection containers; and

causing a first transport container of the one or more transport containers to be filled from the first collection container via one or more transport apparatuses.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the filling apparatus comprises an unloading apparatus configured to cause an unloading of the portion of the drug packages received into the first collection container, the method further comprising causing the unloading of the drug packages received into first collection container to fill the first transport container.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the filling location is located below the plurality of collection containers, and wherein a bottom of each collection container is configured to be selectively opened or closed, the method further comprising:

selectively opening the bottom of the first collection container so that the drug packages received into the first collection container are unloaded into the transport container positioned below the first collection container.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more transport apparatuses comprises a first transport apparatus and a second transport apparatus,

wherein the first transport apparatus includes a funnel-shaped guide channel having an upper opening and a lower opening, wherein the upper opening is arranged beneath the opening of the first collection container, and the lower opening is arranged above the first transport container when the first transport container is at the filling location,

wherein the first transport container is configured to receive the the respective drug packages through an open top when positioned at the filling location.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of collection containers holds a group of drug packages corresponding to one order, the method further comprising:

causing all of the plurality of collection containers to be unloaded at the same time.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, into each collection container, drug packages from a different transport channel of a plurality of transport channels, the plurality of transport channels including the at least one transport channel.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein causing an automated storage and retrieval machine to remove drug packages from a storage rack comprises:

causing the storage and retrieval machine to move vertically and horizontally across and adjacent to a plurality of storage racks using a plurality of vertical and horizontal rails positioned adjacent to the storage racks.

16. A control apparatus configured to:

cause an automated storage and retrieval machine to remove drug packages from a storage rack;

cause a filling apparatus to receive drug packages from at least one transport channel, the at least one transport channel extending toward the filling apparatus from a receiving region configured to accept a respective drug package from the storage and retrieval machine;

successively move one or more transport containers into a filling location adjacent the filling apparatus to receive at least a portion of the drug packages from the filling apparatus; and

cause the one or more transport containers to be filled with the the drug packages received from the at least one transport channel.

17. The control apparatus of claim 16, further configured to:

cause at least a portion of the drug packages to be received into a first collection container of a plurality of collection containers; and

cause a first transport container of the one or more transport containers to be filled from the first collection container via one or more transport apparatuses.

18. The control apparatus of claim 17, wherein the filling location is located below the plurality of collection containers, and wherein a bottom of each collection container is configured to be selectively opened or closed, the control apparatus further configured to:

selectively cause the bottom of the first collection container to open so that the drug packages received into the first collection container are unloaded into the transport container positioned below the first collection container.

19. The control apparatus of claim 16, further configure to:

cause drug packages to be received into each collection container from a different transport channel of a plurality of transport channels, the plurality of transport channels including the at least one transport channel.

20. The control apparatus of claim 16, wherein the control apparatus being configured to cause an automated storage and retrieval machine to remove drug packages from a storage rack comprises comprises the control apparatus being configured to:

cause the storage and retrieval machine to move vertically and horizontally across and adjacent to a plurality of storage racks using a plurality of vertical and horizontal rails positioned adjacent to the storage racks.