Bottle or container transfer system for automated prescription filling

• US 7,412,814 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2007
• Issued: 08/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc. (The Cigna Group)
• Original Assignee: Medco Health Solutions Incorporated (The Cigna Group)
• Inventors: Leu, Chih-Jen, Rice, Dennis Wayne, Szesko, Michael J., Lasher, Christopher J., McErlean, James G., Monkhouse, Peter, Booler, Andrew P., Walton, Douglas W., Howell, Robert G., Hess, E. Christian, Bonkenburg, Thomas P., Shupert, P. Thomas, Bell, Michael W. G.
• Primary Examiner(s): DESAI, HEMANT
• Application Number:
  US11/714,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20070169439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 534/94, 534/95, 221/9, 221/13, 221/123, 221/10, 700/228, 700/230, 700216-219, 700/242
• US Class Current: 53/494
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/20 for adding cards, coupons or other inserts to package contents adding unpacking elements B65B61/18
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 2009/0018 Preparing the labels
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/0015 Preparing the labels or articles, e.g. smoothing, removing air bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/22 by wetting, e.g. by applying liquid glue or a liquid to a dry glue coating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1002 with permanent bending or reshaping or surface deformation of self sustaining lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1028 by bending, drawing or stretch forming sheet to assume shape of configured lamina while in contact therewith
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1033 Flexible sheet to cylinder lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1051 by folding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1326 Severing means or member secured thereto also bonds
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1339 Delivering cut part in sequence to serially conveyed articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1768 Means simultaneously conveying plural articles from a single source and serially presenting them to an assembly station
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1771 Turret or rotary drum-type conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1773 For flexible sheets

Abstract

Computer assisted systems, methods and mediums for filling one or more orders. One embodiment of the present invention is a system that includes an order consolidation station configured to receive at least one bottle containing pills individually counted and/or at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having been designated for any of the orders when the package was created and/or at least one literature pack optionally including patient specific information. The order consolidation station is further configured to combine automatically the received bottle and/or package and/or literature pack into a container to be sent to a recipient including, for example, mail order pharmacies, wholesalers and/or central fill dealers for subsequent distribution or sale including retailer distribution or sale. The bottle is specifically designated for the order, and the order generally includes at least one prescription for the package.

Claims

1. A bottle transfer system, comprising:

a plurality of storage locations, each storage location having a top side and a bottom side;

a stoppage mechanism disposed on each of the plurality of storage locations, the stoppage mechanism having an open position and a closed position;

a first transport mechanism obtaining a bottle and feeding the bottle to one of the plurality of storage locations, wherein the bottle is held by the one of the plurality of storage locations when the stoppage mechanism is in the closed position;

a second transport mechanism moving the stoppage mechanism from the closed position to the open position;

input system to input the patient specific order in a computer system, said patient specific order comprising one or more bottles and patient specific literature corresponding to the patient specific order; and

said computer system coupled to the first and second transport mechanisms for identifying one or more storage locations, wherein the computer system instructs the first transport mechanism to transfer the one or more bottles corresponding to a patient specific order to one or more of the plurality of storage locations, wherein the computer system further instructs the second transport mechanism to transfer the stoppage mechanism of the one or more of the plurality of storage locations from the closed position to the open position when the one or more bottles corresponding to the patient specific order has been transferred to the one or more of the plurality of storage locations and are ready for dispensing with other components of the patient specific order, including at least one of another bottle and the patient specific literature corresponding to the patient specific order.

2. The bottle transfer system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of storage locations form a table and wherein the first transport mechanism is disposed on a top side of the table and the second transport mechanism is disposed on a bottom side of the table.

3. The bottle transfer system of claim 1, further comprising an order consolidation station configured to:

at least one of receive the one or more bottles containing a number of pills individually counted and receive from a second system at least one package containing prepackaged pharmaceutical products as determined by the patient specific order;

at least one identifier detector to detect identification information associated with the at least one bottle, and to detect at least another identification information associated with the at least one package, and

wherein the computer system is configured to coordinate the placing of the at least one bottle and the at least one package in a container when the at least one identification information associated with the bottle and the at least another identification information associated with the at least one container correspond to the at least one prescription order.

4. The bottle transfer system of claim 3, further comprising:

a package storage device having an array of locations and configured to store the at least one package into one of the array of locations; and

a package dispenser configured to identify the one of the array of locations, obtain the at least one package from the one of the array of locations and provide the at least one package to the second system.

5. The bottle transfer system of claim 3, further comprising a package label printer to print at least one label for the at least one package, wherein the label is printed with patient specific information.

6. The bottle transfer system of claim 5, wherein the package dispenser farther includes a labeler to affix a label on the at least one package.

7. The bottle transfer system of claim 5, wherein the package dispenser further includes an error detection system configured to detect the label affixed on the at least one package and reject the at least one package if an error is detected.

8. The bottle transfer system of claim 3, further comprising a packager configured to open the container to receive the at least one bottle and at least one package.

9. The bottle transfer system of claim 8, wherein the packager comprises:

a printer configured to print an address or internal control information, and affix the address or the internal control information on the container.

10. The bottle transfer system of claim 1, further comprising an order consolidation station configured to print at least one customized literature pack for the at least one patient specific order comprising patient specific information;

and insert automatically the at least one literature pack into the container.

11. The bottle transfer system of claim 1, further comprising a metal detector configured to detect a metallic substance in the at least one bottle, wherein the bottle is transported to a quality assurance area if a metallic substance is detected.

12. The bottle transfer system of claim 1, further comprising a bottle dispenser comprises a bottle buffer configured to receive the at least one bottle belonging to the one of at least one prescription order, wherein the bottle buffer is disposed and configured to release the received at least one bottle.

13. The bottle or container transfer system of claim 1, wherein a first position is the storage position, and a second position is the release position.

14. A container transfer system, comprising:

a plurality of storage locations, the plurality of storage locations storing one or more containers corresponding to a patient specific prescription order, said plurality of storage locations including a stoppage mechanism having an open position and a closed position;

a first transport mechanism obtaining the one or more containers and transferring said one or more containers to one or more of the plurality of storage locations, wherein said one or more containers are stored by the one or more of the plurality of storage locations when the stoppage mechanism is in the closed position;

a second transport mechanism responsively connected to transfer the stoppage mechanism from the closed position to the open position;

input system to input the patient specific order in a computer system, said patient specific order comprising one or more containers and patient specific literature corresponding to the patient specific order; and

said computer system coupled to the first and second transport mechanisms for identifying one or more storage locations, wherein the computer system instructs the first transport mechanism to transfer the one or more containers corresponding to a patient specific order to one or more of the plurality of storage locations, wherein the computer system further instructs the second transport mechanism to transfer the stoppage mechanism of the one or more of the plurality of storage locations from the closed position to the open position when the one or more containers corresponding to the patient specific order has been transferred to the one or more of the plurality of storage locations and are ready for dispensing with other components of the patient specific order, including at least one of another container and the patient specific literature corresponding to the patient specific order.

15. The container transfer system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of storage locations form a table and wherein the first transport mechanism is disposed on a top side of the table and the second transport mechanism is disposed on a bottom side of the table.

16. The container transfer system of claim 14, further comprising an order consolidation station configured to:

at least one of receive the one or more containers containing a number of pills individually counted and receive from a second system at least one package containing prepackaged pharmaceutical products as determined by the patient specific order;

at least one identifier detector to detect identification information associated with the at least one container, and to detect at least another identification information associated with the at least one package, and

wherein the computer system is configured to coordinate the placing of the at least one container and the at least one package in a container when the at least one identification information associated with the container and the at least another identification information associated with the at least one container correspond to the at least one prescription order.

17. The container transfer system of claim 16, further comprising:

a package storage device having an array of locations and configured to store the at least one package into one of the array of locations; and

a package dispenser configured to identify the one of the array of locations, obtain the at least one package from the one of the array of locations and provide the at least one package to the second system.

18. The container transfer system of claim 16, further comprising a package label printer to print at least one label for the at least one package, wherein the label is printed with patient specific information.

19. The container transfer system of claim 18, wherein the package dispenser further includes a labeler to affix a label on the at least one package.

20. The container transfer system of claim 18, wherein the package dispenser further includes an error detection system configured to detect the label affixed on the at least one package and reject the at least one package if an error is detected.

21. The container transfer system of claim 16, further comprising a packager configured to open the container to receive the at least one container and at least one package.

22. The container transfer system of claim 21, wherein the packager comprises:

a printer configured to print an address or internal control information, and affix the address or the internal control information on the container.

23. The container transfer system of claim 14, further comprising an order consolidation station configured to print at least one customized literature pack for the at least one patient specific order comprising patient specific information;

and insert automatically the at least one literature pack into the container.

24. The container transfer system of claim 14, further comprising a metal detector configured to detect a metallic substance in the at least one container, wherein the container is transported to a quality assurance area if a metallic substance is detected.

25. The container transfer system of claim 14, further comprising a container dispenser comprises a container buffer configured to receive the at least one container belonging to the one of at least one prescription order, wherein the container buffer is disposed and configured to release the received at least one container.

26. The bottle or container transfer system of claim 14, wherein a first position is the storage position, and a second position is the release position.

27. A bottle transfer system, comprising:

a plurality of storage locations means for storing one or more bottles corresponding to a patient specific prescription order and each of the plurality of storage locations means includes a stoppage mechanism having an open position and a closed position;

a first transport mechanism obtaining the one or more bottles and transferring said one or more bottles to one or more of the plurality of storage locations means, wherein the one or more bottles are stored by the one or more of the plurality of storage locations means when the stoppage mechanism is in the closed position;

a second transport mechanism responsively connectable to the stoppage mechanism to transit the stoppage mechanism from the closed position to the open position;

input system to input the patient specific order in a computer system means, said patient specific order comprising one or more bottles and patient specific literature corresponding to the patient specific order; and

computer system means coupled to the first and second transport mechanisms and for identifying a storage location, wherein the computer system means instructs the first transport mechanism to transfer the one or more bottles corresponding to the patient specific order to the one or more of the plurality of storage location means, wherein the computer system means instruct the second transport mechanism to transit the stoppage mechanism of the storage location means from the closed position to the open position when the one or more bottles corresponding to the patient specific order have been transferred to the one or more of the plurality storage location means and are ready for dispensing with other components of the patient specific order including at least one of another bottle and the patient specific literature corresponding to the patient specific order.

28. A container transfer system, comprising:

storage locations means for storing one or more containers corresponding to a patient specific prescription order and each of the plurality of storage locations means includes a stoppage mechanism having a first position and a second position;

first transport means for obtaining the one or more containers and transferring said one or more containers to one or more of the plurality of storage locations means, wherein the one or more containers are stored by the one or more of the plurality of storage locations means when the stoppage mechanism is in the second position;

second transport means for transferring the stoppage mechanism from the second position to the first position;

input means for inputting the patient specific order, said patient specific order comprising one or more containers, a package and patient specific literature corresponding to the patient specific order; and

computer system means for identifying a storage location, wherein the computer system means instructs the first transport mechanism to transfer the one or more containers corresponding to the patient specific order to the one or more of the plurality of storage location means, wherein the computer system means instruct the second transport mechanism to transfer the stoppage mechanism of the storage location means from the second position to the first position when the one or more corresponding to the patient specific order have been transferred to the one or more of the plurality storage location means and are ready for dispensing with other components of the patient specific order including at least one of another, container the package and the patient specific literature corresponding to the patient specific order.