Automated system for selecting packages from a cylindrical storage area

• US 5,880,443 A
• Filed: 01/07/1997
• Issued: 03/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: McKesson Automation Incorporated (Omnicell Inc)
• Original Assignee: Healthcare Information LLC
• Inventors: McDonald, Sean C., Myers, Russell E., Wangu, Manoj K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eisenberg, Jacob
• Application Number:
  US08/779,918
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/385, 235/462, 235/375, 414/277, 414/278, 414/280, 198/347.1, 198/347.2, 209/583
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/045 in a circular arrangement, e.g. towers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1376 the orders being assembled on a commissioning conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/0216 Codes or marks on the article
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/64 in which the articles are individually suspended from stationary supports
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

A system for filling orders, such as prescriptions for patients, having a generally cylindrical storage area for holding packages in known locations. Each location has a unique (r,θ,Y) coordinate. The system also has a computer controlled device for picking packages from selected locations in the storage area. The picker can also be provided with a sensor for detecting rods which hold the packages and relaying the coordinates of the selected locations to the control system. The system may also include a conveyor and a transfer device from the storage area to the conveyor. The picking device deposits the picked packages in the transfer device which directs the packages into a tray on the conveyor. In one embodiment, the contents of each package is a single dosage of medicine.

Claims

1. A system for selecting and delivering packages to fill orders comprising:

a) a generally cylindrical storage area comprised of a plurality of storage area locations, each said location having package holders sized and configured to hold a plurality of individual packages in a manner such that each package can be placed into and removed from said locations, each said location having a distinct (r,θ

,Y) coordinate;

b) a picker sized and configured to be able to hold packages, select packages from said storage area locations, and place packages in said storage area locations in accordance with computer controlled instructions, said picker having a gripper for grasping and moving the packages and having a picker storage holder sized and configured to hold a plurality of packages in a face to face relationship after the packages have been retrieved from said storage area and prior to delivery of the packages to a desired destination separate from said picker;

c) means for moving said picker to selected storage locations;

d) a computer having at least one memory which contains a program for directing said picker to chosen storage area locations and a database containing at least one (r,θ

,Y) coordinate location in said storage area for each package held within said storage area, said computer being connected to said picker and said means for moving said picker.

2. The system of claim 1 further including a machine readable label provided on each package, which identifies a content of each package, and a package reader associated with said picker and being positioned for reading said label on at least one package located within said storage area location without removing the package, wherein only packages having like content are stored in each (r,θ

,Y) coordinate location.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said label is a bar code and said package reader is a bar code reader.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said label also contains an expiration date.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said gripper is a vacuum head.

6. The system of claim 1 also comprising a sensor attached to said picker for determining when the package is grasped by said gripper.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said picker contains a picker storage holder for holding a plurality of packages selected by said picker.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said picker storage holder is comprised of at least one storing rod and holes are provided in the packages to permit the packages to be held on said storing rod.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the storage area is comprised of a plurality of storage racks, said storage racks having a shape corresponding to a section of said generally cylindrical storage area said storage racks each having a plurality of locations, each said location having package holders sized and configured to hold at least one of said plurality of individual packages in a manner such that the package can be placed into and removed from said locations by said picker, each location having a distinct (r,θ

,Y) coordinate.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein at least one storage rack is removably positioned integral to said generally cylindrical storage area.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said package holders in said generally cylindrical storage area are comprised of a plurality of rods and a hole is provided in each package to permit the package to be held on said rods.

12. The system of claim 1 also comprising at least one communication port attached to said computer through which a list of packages to be selected can be input and a list of packages selected by the system can be output.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said memory contains a program for checking compatibility of products in packages selected by said picker with products listed in said database.

14. The system of claim 1 also comprising a conveyor in communication with a transfer device, said transfer device in communication with said picker.

15. The system of claim 14 also comprising a plurality of containers positioned on said conveyor, said containers being sized and positioned to receive packages from said transfer device, said transfer device being positioned to receive said packages from said picker and direct said packages into said containers conveyor.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said containers have machine readable labels.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said labels are bar codes.

18. The system of claim 15 also comprising a check station located adjacent said conveyor, said check station having a reader for reading said machine readable labels.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said reader is connected to said computer in a manner to input information from said machine readable labels;

said computer having a program for storing the input information in said memory and for comparing the input information to other information contained in said database.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the packages contain individual doses of medicine.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein said picker includes at least one gripper that picks the packages;

at least one column on which said picker is supported, said picker being able to rotate 360°

on said column to pick packages from selected storage locations, which locations are positioned at (r,θ

) points along the circumference of said storage area, said picker movable vertically along said column by said moving means and said moving means controlled by said computer and in communication therewith.

22. A system for selecting and delivering medicine packages from a holding area to fill orders comprising:

a) a holding area comprised of a generally cylindrical frame having a plurality of support rods, each said support rod sized for holding a plurality of medicine packages, each said support rod also associated with a specified medicine package and holding only like medicine packages, each said support rod further having a distinct (r,θ

,Y) coordinate location;

b) a picker for picking the medicine packages from said support rods in accordance with instructions received from a computer, said picker being able to access said holding area, said picker also capable of holding a plurality of said medicine packages which have been picked from said holding area;

c) a computer having a database containing an (r,θ

,Y) coordinate location for all packages in said holding area, said computer able to receive orders for the packages and direct said picker; and

d) a supply structure having a shape corresponding to a section of said generally cylindrical frame, said supply structure further having a plurality of supply support rods which extend from said supply structure to form an (r,θ

,Y) coordinate system, with each said supply support rod, and medicine package thereon, having a unique (r,θ

,Y) coordinate, said picker disposed to have access to said supply structure such that a given medicine package on an associated one of said plurality of supply support rods can be picked by said picker to fill a patient'"'"'s order, or a given medicine package in said supply structure can be picked by said picker to restock an associated support rod in said holding area.

23. The system of claim 22 also comprising a conveyor in communication with a transfer device, said transfer device in communication with said picker, and patient order boxes on said conveyor, such that said picker provides the medicine packages it has picked to fill a given order to said transfer device which directs the medicine packages into an associated one of said boxes on said conveyor.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein said picker comprises at least one gripper that picks said medicine packages;

at least one column on which said picker is supported, said picker being able to rotate 360°

on said column to pick a given medicine package hanging from a corresponding support rod, to restock a given medicine package on a corresponding support rod; and

means for moving said picker vertically along said column, said moving means controlled by said computer.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein each medicine package is provided with a machine readable label, and wherein said picker comprises:

a) a housing;

b) a picker storage holder for storing a plurality of medicine packages attached to said housing;

c) means for obtaining the medicine package, said obtaining means slidingly attached to said housing such that it can move in the "r" direction, which is perpendicular to the Y direction, to pick a medicine package from said support rod when said housing is adjacent to and aligned with said support rod, and can move in the "r" direction to place a picked package on said picker storage holder; and

d) a reader attached to said at least one gripper such that it can read said label on a package to be picked by said obtaining means.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein said label is a bar code, and said reader includes a bar code reader.

33. The system of claim 25 also comprising a support rod sensor attached to said housing and adapted to sense said support rods and said supply support rods when said rods are in proximity to said picker.

27. A system for selecting and delivering packages from a holding area to fill orders comprising:

a) a generally cylindrical holding area having a plurality of support rods for holding packages, each said support rod having a distinct radial, angular and vertical coordinate location and holding a plurality of packages, all packages on each said support rod having the same contents;

b) a picker for picking packages from said support rods in accordance with instructions received from a computer, said picker being able to access said generally cylindrical holding area, said picker comprising;

i) a housing;

ii) a picker storage holder attached to said housing for storing packages;

iii) means for producing a suction;

iv) a suction rod and a suction head in fluid connection with each other and with said suction producing means, said suction rod slidingly attached with respect to the vertical and radial directions to said housing, said suction head maintaining a suction therethrough when said suction producing means is activated, by which a medicine package is picked with suction; and

v) sensor for sensing when a package is properly positioned such that said suction head is then moved to said picker storage holder and deposits the package thereon.

28. The system of claim 27 also comprising a conveyor in communication with a transfer device, said transfer device in communication with said picker, and patient order boxes on said conveyor, such that said picker provides the medicine packages it has picked to fill a given order to said transfer device which directs said medicine packages into an associated one of said boxes on said conveyor.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein said picker storage holder is a storing rod which extends from said housing such that said suction head can deposit a package thereon.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein said picker further comprises valves and pneumatic cylinders for moving said suction rod in the vertical and radial directions;

and a vacuum pump for providing suction to said suction rod and suction head sufficient to pick a package from said support rod and then hold it to said suction head.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein said suction head has two faces through which a suction can be drawn, each said face capable of picking a package.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein said two faces are parallel to each other and wherein each package has at least one package face and the packages are held by said storing rod and support rods such that said package face of is parallel to a face of said suction head when said suction head is positioned in front of said package.

34. The system of claim 29 wherein said storing rod is hollow and has at least one aperture therein near to an end for receiving said packages deposited thereon by said suction head, and further comprising a compressed air source connected to said hollow storing rod for providing compressed air into said hollow storing rod and out said at least one aperture.