Medicine package, method of opening the package, and machine for performing the method
First Claim
1. A machine for opening a package, the package having a reservoir and bearing a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
- means for guiding the code bearing portion of the package along a selected path;
means for deciphering the code as the code bearing package portion travels forward along the path; and
means for cutting the package when the code bearing package portion travels forward along the path.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A medicine package including a reservoir containing the medicine, the package bearing a machine readable code indicative of the characteristics of the medicine contained therein. If from reading the code it is determined that the medicine contained in the package can be used to satisfy the needs of a particular patient, then the package is opened and the code is rendered unreadable by the machine. A machine for reading the code, opening the package, rendering the code unreadable, and maintaining a record of the dispensing of the medicine to a particular patient is also disclosed.
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Citations
126 Claims
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1. A machine for opening a package, the package having a reservoir and bearing a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for guiding the code bearing portion of the package along a selected path; means for deciphering the code as the code bearing package portion travels forward along the path; and means for cutting the package when the code bearing package portion travels forward along the path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A machine for opening a package, the package having a reservoir and bearing a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for guiding the code bearing package portion to a selected position; means for deciphering the code when the code bearing package portion is in the selected position; and means for cutting the code bearing package portion after the code has been deciphered by said deciphering means. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A machine for opening a package, the package provided with a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for deciphering the code to determine the characteristics of the contents; means for rendering the code undecipherable; and means for opening the package. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A machine for opening a package, the package provided with a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for guiding the package along a selected path; means for deciphering the code as the package travels forward along the path; and means for opening the package as the package travels forward along the path. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A machine for opening a package, the package having a reservoir and bearing a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for guiding the code bearing portion of the package along a selected path; means for deciphering the code as the code bearing package portion travels forward along the path; means for preventing the code bearing package portion from traveling backward along said path after the code has been deciphered by said deciphering means; means for permitting the code bearing package to travel forward along the path in response to said deciphering means after the code has been deciphered by said deciphering means; and means for opening the package when the code bearing package portion travels forward along the path after the code has been deciphered by said deciphering means. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
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44. A machine for opening a package, the package provided with a code indicating information concerning the characteristic of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for guiding the package along a selected path; means for deciphering the code as the package travels forward along the path; means for preventing the package from traveling backward along said path after the code has been deciphered by said deciphering means; means for permitting the package to travel forward along the path in response to said deciphering means after the code has been deciphered by said deciphering means; means for rendering the code undecipherable after the code has been deciphered by said deciphering means; and means for opening the package. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
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47. A machine for opening a package, the package having a reservoir and bearing a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for guiding the package along a selected path; means for deciphering the code as the package travels forward along the path; means for sensing the presence of the package reservoir at a selected point along the path; means responsive to said deciphering means and to said sensing means for permitting the package to travel forward along the path; means for preventing the package from traveling backward along the path; and means for opening the package. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50)
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51. A machine for opening a package, the package having a reservoir and bearing a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for guiding the package along a selected path; means for deciphering the code as the package travels forward along the path; means for sensing the presence of the package reservoir at a selected point along the path; means responsive to said deciphering means and said sensing means for recording the information indicated by the code; means for preventing the package from traveling backward along the path; means responsive to said deciphering means for permitting the package to travel forward along the path; and means for opening the package. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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54. A machine for opening a package, the package provided with a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for opening the package; means for deciphering the code substantially instantaneously before said opening means opens the package; and means for recording the information indicated by the code substantially instantaneously before said opening means opens the package. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57)
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58. A machine for initiating the separation of two sheets of material attached to an object and secured together in a generally overlapping relationship, one of the sheets being provided with a code indicating information concerning the characteristics about the object, said machine comprising:
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means for guiding the code bearing sheet portion to a selected position; means for deciphering the code when the code bearing sheet portion is substantially in the selected position; and means for initiating the separation of the two sheets of material after the code has been deciphered by said deciphering means. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A machine for opening a package, the package having a reservoir and bearing a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents of the package, comprising:
means for deciphering the code and for opening the package in a substantially continuous operation. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A machine for initiating the opening of a package, the package having a reservoir and bearing a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
means for deciphering the code and for initiating the opening of the package in a substantially continuous operation. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72)
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73. A machine for initiating the separation of two sheets of material attached to an object and secured together in a generally overlapping relationship, one of said sheets being provided with a code indicating information concerning the characteristics about the object, said machine comprising:
means for deciphering the code and for initiating the separation of the two sheets of material in a substantially continuous operation. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76, 77)
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78. A machine for initiating the opening of a package, the package having a reservoir and bearing a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for guiding the code bearing portion of the package along a selected path; means for deciphering the code as the code bearing package portion travels forward along the path; and means for cutting the package when the code bearing package portion travels forward along the path. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90)
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91. A machine for initiating the opening of a package, the package provided with a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for deciphering the code to determine the characteristics of the contents; means for rendering the code undecipherable; and means for initiating the opening of the package. - View Dependent Claims (92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99)
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100. A machine for initiating the opening of a package, the package provided with a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for guiding the package along a selected path; means for deciphering the code as the package travels forward along the path; and means for initiating the opening of the package as the package travels forward along the path. - View Dependent Claims (101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108)
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109. A machine for initiating the opening of a package, the package having a reservoir and bearing a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for guiding the code bearing portion of the package along a selected path; means for deciphering the code as the code bearing package portion travels forward along the path; means for preventing the code bearing package portion from traveling backward along said path after the code has been deciphered by said deciphering means; means for permitting the code bearing package to travel forward along the path in response to said deciphering means after the code has been deciphered by said deciphering means; and means for initiating the opening of the package when the code bearing package portion travels forward along the path after the code has been deciphered by said deciphering means. - View Dependent Claims (110, 111, 112)
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113. A machine for initiating the opening of a package, the package provided with a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for guiding the package along a selected path; means for deciphering the code as the package travels forward along the path; means for preventing the package from traveling backward along said path after the code has been deciphered by said deciphering means; means for permitting the package to travel forward along the path in response to said deciphering means after the code has been deciphered by said deciphering means; means for rendering the code undecipherable after the code has been deciphered by said deciphering means; and means for initiating the opening of the package. - View Dependent Claims (114, 115)
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116. A machine for initiating the opening of a package, the package having a reservoir and bearing a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for guiding the package along a selected path; means for deciphering the code as the package travels forward along the path; means for sensing the presence of the package reservoir at a selected point along the path; means responsive to said deciphering means and to said sensing means for permitting the package to travel forward along the path; means for preventing the package from traveling backward along the path; and means for initiating the opening of the package. - View Dependent Claims (117, 118, 119)
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120. A machine for initiating the opening of a package, the package having a reservoir and bearing a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for guiding the package along a selected path; means for deciphering the code as the package travels forward along the path; means for sensing the presence of the package reservoir at a selected point along the path; means responsive to said deciphering means and said sensing means for recording the information indicated by the code; means for preventing the package from traveling backward along the path; means responsive to said deciphering means for permitting the package to travel forward along the path; and means for initiating the opening of the package. - View Dependent Claims (121, 122)
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123. A machine for initiating the opening of a package, the package provided with a code indicating information concerning the characteristics of the contents thereof, comprising:
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means for initiating the opening of the package; means for deciphering the code substantially instantaneously before said initiating means initiates the opening of the package; and means for recording the information indicated by the code susbstantially instantaneously before said initiating means initiates the opening of the package. - View Dependent Claims (124, 125, 126)
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Specification