Container carrying system and method for use in an automated filling process

• US 7,313,898 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Issued: 01/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc. (The Cigna Group)
• Original Assignee: Express Scripts Incorporated (The Cigna Group)
• Inventors: Pegg, Thomas C., Eller, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): HARMON, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US10/652,923
• Time in Patent Office: 1,586 Days
• Field of Search: 206/146, 534/73, 531/47, 531/51, 532/50, 532/51, 531/42, 534/74, 108/54.1, 108/153.1
• US Class Current: 53/251
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 21/06 Forming groups of bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/36 by grippers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0261 Puck as article support

Abstract

In a container carrier system and method for use in an automated process for filling containers of multiple sizes, pucks of various sizes are inserted into compartments of container pallets to allow containers of different sizes to be held in the compartments. A puck configuration subsystem can be used to configure each pallet to hold a desired combination of containers of two or more container sizes by inserting and removing pucks from the compartments. A pallet conveyor can be used to transport configured pallets from the puck configuration subsystem to the filling process and return empty pallets to the puck configuration subsystem for reconfiguration.

Claims

1. A bottle carrier system for use in an automated process for filling prescription bottles of a plurality of sizes, the system comprising:

a. a plurality of bottle pallets, each pallet comprising a structure defining a plurality of compartments for holding bottles, each compartment of a size adapted to hold a first bottle size;

b. a plurality of pucks, each puck structured to be temporarily inserted into a compartment to adapt the compartment to hold a second bottle size;

c. a puck configuration subsystem for configuring each pallet to hold a desired combination of bottles of the first and second bottle size by inserting and removing pucks from the compartments, the puck configuration subsystem comprising;

i. a puck unloading station for unloading pucks from each pallet, the puck unloading station comprising;

1. a puck picker comprising one or more grippers for selectively gripping and releasing pucks;

2. a puck accumulator belt for accumulating pucks; and

3. a plurality of linear actuators for positioning the puck picker such that the puck picker can remove a selected number of pucks from each pallet and release the selected pucks onto the accumulator belt;

ii. a puck loading station for receiving pallets from the unloading station and loading pucks on each pallet, the loading station comprising;

1. a puck picker comprising one or more grippers for selectively gripping and releasing pucks; and

2. a plurality of linear actuators for positioning the puck picker such that the puck picker can remove a selected number of pucks from the accumulator belt and release the pucks into compartments of the pallet; and

d. a pallet conveyor for transporting pallets through the puck configuration subsystem and transporting configured pallets from the puck configuration subsystem to the filling process and returning empty pallets from the filling process to the puck configuration subsystem for reconfiguration.

2. A bottle carrier system for use in an automated process for filling prescription bottles of a plurality of sizes, the system comprising:

a. a plurality of bottle pallets, each pallet comprising a structure defining a plurality of compartments for holding bottles, each compartment of a size adapted to hold a first bottle size;

b. a first plurality of pucks of a first size, each puck of the first plurality of pucks structured to be temporarily inserted into a compartment to adapt the compartment to hold a second bottle size;

c. a second plurality of pucks of a second size, each puck of the second plurality of pucks structured to be temporarily inserted into a compartment to adapt the compartment to hold a third bottle size;

d. a puck configuration subsystem for configuring each pallet to hold a desired combination of containers of the first, second and third container size, by inserting or removing pucks from the compartments of each pallet, the puck configuration subsystem comprising;

i. a puck unloading station for unloading pucks from each pallet, the puck unloading station comprising;

1. a puck picker comprising one or more grippers for selectively gripping and releasing pucks;

2. a first puck accumulator belt for accumulating pucks of the first size;

3. a second puck accumulator belt for accumulating pucks of the second size; and

4. a plurality of linear actuators for positioning the puck picker such that the puck picker can remove a selected number of pucks of the first size from the pallet and release the selected pucks of the first size onto the first accumulator belt and remove a selected number of pucks of the second size from the pallet and release the selected pucks of the second size onto the second accumulator belt;

ii. a first puck loading station for receiving pallets from the unloading station and loading pucks of the first size on each pallet, the first loading station comprising;

1. a puck picker comprising one or more grippers for selectively gripping and releasing pucks; and

2. a plurality of linear actuators for positioning the puck picker such that the puck picker can remove selected pucks of the first size from the first accumulator belt and load the selected pucks of the first size into compartments of the pallet; and

iii. a second puck loading station for receiving pallets from the first loading station and loading pucks of the second size on each pallet, the second loading station comprising;

1. a puck picker comprising one or more grippers for selectively gripping and releasing pucks; and

2. a plurality of linear actuators for positioning the puck picker such that the puck picker can remove selected pucks of the second size from the second accumulator belt and load the selected pucks of the second size into compartments of the pallet; and

e. a pallet conveyor for transporting pallets through the puck configuration subsystem and transporting configured pallets from the puck configuration subsystem to the filling process and returning empty pallets from the filling process to the puck configuration subsystem for reconfiguration.

3. A container carrier system for use in an automated process for filling containers of a plurality of sizes, the system comprising:

a. a plurality of pallets, each pallet comprising a structure defining a plurality of compartments for holding containers, each compartment of a size adapted to hold a first container size;

b. a plurality of pucks, each puck configured to be temporarily inserted into a compartment to adapt the compartment to hold a second container size;

c. a puck configuration subsystem for configuring each pallet to hold a desired combination of containers comprising the first container size and second container size by inserting or removing pucks from the compartments, the puck configuration subsystem comprising;

i. a puck unloading station for unloading pucks from each pallet, the puck unloading station comprising;

1. a puck picker comprising one or more grippers for selectively gripping and releasing pucks;

2. a puck accumulator belt for accumulating pucks; and

3. a plurality of linear actuators for positioning the puck picker such that the puck picker can remove a selected number of pucks from the pallet and release the selected pucks onto the puck accumulator belt; and

ii. a puck loading station for loading pucks on each pallet; and

d. a pallet conveyor for transporting configured pallets from the puck configuration subsystem to the filling process and returning empty pallets from the filling process to the puck configuration subsystem for reconfiguration.

4. A container carrier system for use in an automated process for filling containers of a plurality of sizes, the system comprising:

a. a plurality of pallets, each pallet comprising a structure defining a plurality of compartments for holding containers, each compartment of a size adapted to hold a first container size;

b. a plurality of pucks, each puck configured to be temporarily inserted into a compartment to adapt the compartment to hold a second container size;

c. a puck configuration subsystem for configuring each pallet to hold a desired combination of containers comprising the first container size and second container size by inserting or removing pucks from the compartments, the puck configuration subsystem comprising;

i. a puck unloading station for unloading pucks from each pallet; and

ii. a puck loading station for loading pucks on each pallet, the puck loading station comprising;

1. a puck picker comprising one or more grippers for selectively gripping and releasing pucks;

2. a puck accumulator belt for accumulating pucks; and

3. a plurality of linear actuators for positioning the puck picker, such that the puck picker can remove a selected number of pucks from the accumulator belt and load the selected pucks on the pallet; and

d. a pallet conveyor for transporting configured pallets from the puck configuration subsystem to the filling process and returning empty pallets from the filling process to the puck configuration subsystem for reconfiguration.

5. A container carrier system for use in an automated process for filling containers of a plurality of sizes, the carrier system comprising:

f. a pallet comprising a base and a superstructure defining a plurality of compartments of a cuplike shape, each compartment having a bottom adjoining the base, tubular side walls and a top defining an opening for receiving a puck or a cylindrical container of a first size; and

g. a plurality of pucks, each puck structured to be removeably and automatically loaded onto the pallet to adapt a compartment to hold a second container size and at least one of the pucks being removeably held by one of the compartments to adapt that compartment to hold the second container size, wherein the pucks are of a cuplike shape having a top, tubular outer side walls, tubular inner side walls, and a bottom, the inner side walls defining a tubular opening for receiving a container, and the inner and outer side walls defining a tubular slot between the inner and outer side walls at the bottom for receiving the tubular side walls of a compartment;

whereby the pallet can be repetitively and automatically configured to hold various desired combinations of containers of the first size and the second size at the same time by loading and unloading pucks from the pallet.