Automated solid pharmaceutical product packaging machine

• US 7,334,379 B1
• Filed: 11/01/2000
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MTS Medication Technologies, Inc. (Omnicell Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: MTS Medication Technologies, Inc. (Omnicell Incorporated)
• Inventors: Siegel, Todd, Bagley, Stuart
• Primary Examiner(s): Rada; Rinaldi L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARADISO, JOHN ROGER
• Application Number:
  US09/704,134
• Time in Patent Office: 2,673 Days
• Field of Search: 535/09, 53/52, 531/312, 531/50, 531/52, 531/53, 531/56, 535/34, 535/39, 532/47, 532/37, 532/40, 531/54, 535/31, 535/43, 532/50, 531/58, 53/55, 700/231
• US Class Current: 53/55
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets

Abstract

An automated pharmaceutical product packaging machine simultaneously fills a plurality of product package templates in parallel with desired pharmaceutical dosing requirements. The templates are subsequently positioned over a temporary storage template having cavities for receiving solid pharmaceutical doses. A collector member is subsequently placed beneath the temporary storage template for receiving the pharmaceuticals which in turn is positioned over a solid pharmaceutical product package having a plurality of cavities which correspond to openings on the templates and wherein each of the templates fills a pharmaceutical package.

Claims

1. An automated pharmaceutical product packaging machine comprising:

a plurality of arrays of pharmaceutical product dispensers, each of said arrays of dispensers feeding corresponding ones of a plurality of funnels;

a plurality of product package templates, each of said templates comprising a plurality of cavities corresponding to a plurality of product package cavities and wherein at least one of the plurality of product package templates is secured to an X-Y mechanical drive in order to effect the relative motion between a corresponding funnel and the individual cavities of the template in two directions of motion, the two directions of motion being generally perpendicular; and

a computer controller for selectively controlling one or more of the pharmaceutical product dispensers to selectively eject a solid pharmaceutical product through the corresponding funnel into each cavity of the template when located beneath the funnel, the funnel being selectively located over each of the individual cavities of the template to thereby fill each of the template cavities in a two-dimensional array with one or more solid products.

2. The automated pharmaceutical product packaging machine of claim 1 further comprising a compressor for driving pressurized cylinder for moving said templates.

3. The automated pharmaceutical product packaging machine of claim 1, wherein there are at least 3 arrays of dispensing canisters and at least 3 funnels.

4. The automated pharmaceutical product packaging machine of claim 1 further comprising a collector member for collecting pharmaceuticals from the plurality of templates.

5. The automated pharmaceutical product packaging machine of claim 1, further comprising at least one further product package processing station associated with the packaging machine.

6. An automated pharmaceutical product packaging machine comprising:

a plurality of arrays of pharmaceutical product dispensers, each of said arrays of dispensers feeding corresponding ones of a plurality of funnels;

a plurality of product package templates, each of said templates comprising a plurality of cavities corresponding to a plurality of product package cavities and wherein at least one of the plurality of product package templates is mounted on an XY mechanical drive in order to effect the relative motion between the corresponding funnel and the individual cavities of the template in two directions of motion, the two directions of motion being generally perpendicular;

a plurality of temporary storage members, each of said temporary storage members comprising a plurality of cavities corresponding to a plurality of product package cavities, wherein said temporary storage members receive solid pharmaceuticals from said product package template, and wherein the solid pharmaceuticals are transferred to the product package cavities from said plurality of cavities of each of said plurality of temporary storage members; and

a computer controller for selectively controlling one or more of the pharmaceutical product dispensers to selectively eject a solid pharmaceutical product through the corresponding funnel into each cavity of the template when located beneath the flannel, the funnel being selectively located over each of the individual cavities of the template to thereby fill each of the template cavities in a two-dimensional array with one or more solid products.

7. The automated pharmaceutical product packaging machine of claim 6 further comprising a compressor for driving pressurized cylinder for moving said templates.

8. The automated pharmaceutical product packaging machine of claim 6 wherein there are at least 3 arrays of dispensing canisters and at least 3 funnels.

9. The automated pharmaceutical product packaging machine of claim 6 further comprising a collector member for collecting pharmaceuticals from the plurality of templates.

10. The automated pharmaceutical product packaging machine of claim 6, further comprising at least one further product package processing station associated with the packaging machine.