Multiple prescription production facility

• US 7,690,173 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edge Medical, LLC
• Original Assignee: Edge Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Luciano, Lawrence, Luciano, Robert A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gerrity; Stephen F
• Application Number:
  US11/796,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20070270998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 533/96, 534/11, 534/20, 534/45, 534/43, 534/71, 534/85, 534/74, 700/216, 700/219, 700/244
• US Class Current: 53/396
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0069 Trays for holding or distributing medicines display trays A47F3/14; serving trays A47G23/06
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2577/2083 in container flange
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/36 one sheet or blank being recessed and the other formed of relatively stiff flat sheet material, e.g. blister packages , the recess or recesses being preformed B65D73/0057, B65D73/0092 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/527 Tear-lines for separating a package into individual packages B65D1/30, B65D21/0206, B65D75/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5888 Tear-lines for removing successive sections of a package for separating package into individual packages B65D75/527
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A production facility configured to fill a multiple prescription order having different medications is described. The production facility comprises a means for processing a multiple prescription order, a plurality of multiple prescription containers, a first labeling component, a first inspection module, a second labeling component and a second inspection module. The means for processing the multiple prescription order is associated with a particular patient, and the multiple prescription order comprises at least two different tablets that are consumed at prescribed intervals determined by a prescription. Each of the plurality of multiple prescription containers is associated with a prescribed time interval determined by the multiple prescription order, and each multiple prescription container is configured to receive the different medications. The first labeling component is configured to generate a detailed label that provides a plurality of medical information regarding the different tablets. The first inspection module is configured to inspect an open multiple prescription container having the different tablets. The second labeling component is configured to print a date and a time on a lidstock for the patient to consume the tablets, and the second labeling component is configured to fixedly couple the lidstock to each multiple prescription container thereby sealing the multiple prescription containers. The second inspection module is configured to inspect the sealed multiple prescription containers.

Claims

1. A production facility configured to fill a multiple prescription order having different medications, the production facility comprising:

a means for processing a multiple prescription order that is associated with a particular patient, the multiple prescription order comprising at least two different tablets that are consumed at prescribed intervals determined by a prescription;

a set of containers that includes a plurality of open multiple prescription containers, in which each of the multiple prescription containers is separated by a frangible connection and the multiple prescription containers include a flange on the top surface of the set of containers, wherein each of the multiple prescription containers being associated with a prescribed time interval determined by the multiple prescription order, and each multiple prescription container configured to receive the different medications that are consumed at the prescribed time interval;

a sleeve configured to interface with the flange on the top surface of the set of multiple prescription containers, wherein the sleeve includes a sleeve top face that extends over a plurality of multiple prescription containers;

a first labeling component configured to generate a detailed label that is coupled to the sleeve top face, wherein the detailed label provides a plurality of medical information regarding the different tablets including,

a drug interaction label component that provides information about various drug interactions associated with each medication,

a summary medication label component that describes each medication;

a first inspection component configured to inspect each open multiple prescription container having the different tablets, wherein the open multiple prescription containers are separated by the frangible connection and include the flange on the top surface of the set of containers;

a second labeling component within the production facility, the second labeling component configured to print on a lidstock a date and a time for the patient to consume the tablets, the second labeling component configured to fixedly couple the lidstock to each multiple prescription container thereby sealing the multiple prescription container after the inspection by the first inspection component; and

a second inspection component configured to inspect the set of containers and each of the associated sealed multiple prescription containers.

2. The production facility of claim 1 wherein the means for processing the multiple prescription order comprises a computer at the production facility that communicates the multiple prescription order to the first labeling component.

3. The production facility of claim 1 wherein the means for processing the multiple prescription order comprises a computer at the production facility that communicates the multiple prescription order to the first inspection component.

4. The production facility of claim 1 wherein the means for processing the multiple prescription order comprises a computer at the production facility that communicates the multiple prescription order to the second labeling component.

5. The production facility of claim 1 wherein the means for processing the multiple prescription order comprises a computer at the production facility that communicates the multiple prescription order to the second inspection component.

6. The production facility of claim 1 wherein the means for processing the multiple prescription order comprises analyzing the multiple prescription order.

7. The production facility of claim 1 wherein the production facility is configured to operatively communicate with an insurance company server having the particular patient'"'"'s insurance information.

8. The production facility of claim 1 wherein the detailed label comprises the name of the patient.

9. A method for operating a production facility configured to fill a multiple prescription order having different medications, the method comprising:

processing a multiple prescription order that is associated with a particular patient, the multiple prescription order comprising at least two different tablets that are consumed at prescribed intervals determined by a prescription;

retrieving a set of containers that includes a plurality of open multiple prescription containers, in which each of the multiple prescription containers is separated by a frangible connection and the multiple prescription containers include a flange on the top surface of the set of containers, wherein each of the multiple prescription containers being associated with a prescribed time interval determined by the multiple prescription order, and each multiple prescription container configured to receive the different medications that are consumed at the prescribed time interval;

filling each open multiple prescription container with the different tablets;

inspecting each open multiple prescription container having the different tablets, wherein the open multiple prescription containers are separated by the frangible connection and include the flange on the top of the set of the containers;

labeling a lidstock with a date and a time for having the particular patient consume the different tablets;

sealing the open multiple prescription container with the lidstock after inspecting each open multiple prescription container;

inspecting the set of containers and each associated sealed multiple prescription container having the tablets;

enabling a sleeve to interface with the flange on the top surface of the set of multiple prescription containers, wherein the sleeve includes a sleeve top surface that extends over a plurality of multiple prescription containers; and

generating a detailed label that is coupled to the sleeve top surface, wherein the detailed label provides a plurality of medical information regarding the tablets for the patient including,

a drug interaction label component that provides information about various drug interactions associated with each medication, and

a summary medication label component that describes each medication.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the processing of the multiple prescription order comprises communicating the multiple prescription order to a first labeling component that labels the lidstock.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the processing of the multiple prescription order comprises communicating the multiple prescription order to a first inspection module that inspects each open multiple prescription container.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the processing of the multiple prescription order comprises communicating the multiple prescription order to a second labeling component that generates said detailed label that provides a plurality of medical information.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the processing of the multiple prescription order comprises communicating the multiple prescription order to a second inspection module that inspects each sealed multiple prescription container.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the processing of the multiple prescription order comprises analyzing the multiple prescription order.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising communicating with an insurance company server having the particular patient'"'"'s insurance information.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the detailed label comprises the name of the patient.