Systems for branding containers

• US 7,770,364 B1
• Filed: 10/17/2007
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• 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, McErlean, James G.
• Primary Examiner(s): DESAI, HEMANT
• Application Number:
  US11/873,959
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 534/78, 534/85, 533/17, 533/315, 532/81, 532/845, 532/87
• US Class Current: 53/478
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/26 by rotary conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/045 in bags
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/06 Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles
• 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: B65B 61/26 for marking or coding completed packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/28 by applying separate preformed closures, e.g. lids, covers
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 1/026 and the article being moved out of its normal conveyance path towards the labelling head B65C1/028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 2009/0081 Means for forming a label web buffer, e.g. label web loop
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 2009/0093 Devices switching between a peelable and a non peelable position
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/1876 and being transferred by suction means
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/44 by special means responsive to marks on labels or articles feed control in wrapping B65B
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 3/00 Closing bottles, jars or similar containers by applying caps caps per se B65D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

Systems and methods for branding medication are provided, including, a first capper system that caps a first medication container with a first cap of a first branding including first identification of a third party supplier of one of the prescription and medication order; a second capper system that caps a second medication container with a second cap of a second branding including second identification of another third party supplier of the one of the prescription and medication order; a transport system that transports the first and second medication containers; and a control system that controls the transport system to transport the first and second medication containers based on customer information, and controls the one of the first capper system and the second capper system to cap the first and second medication containers with one of the first and second caps.

Claims

1. A system for branding at least one medication container associated with at least one of a prescription and medication order, comprising:

a first capper system that caps at least one first medication container with at least one first cap of at least a first branding including first identification of at least a third party supplier of the at least one of the prescription and medication order;

a second capper system that caps at least one second medication container with at least one second cap of at least a second branding including second identification of at least another third party supplier of the at least one of the prescription and medication order;

a transport system that transports the at least one first and second medication containers; and

a control system that controls the transport system to transport the at least one first and second medication containers to one of the first capper system and the second capper system based on predetermined information associated with the least one first and second medication containers, and controls one of the first capper system and the second capper system to cap the at least one of the first and second medication containers with one of the first and second caps of one of the at least first and second branding based on the predetermined information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first capper system and the second capper system comprises:

a capper selecting system that selects and provides caps;

a capper application system that receives caps from the capper selecting system and caps the caps on to medical containers.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport system comprise conveyors.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a container carrier holds the first and second medication containers.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the system associates predetermined information with containers based on their location in the container carrier.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first branding and the second branding comprises graphics.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the caps of one of the first branding and second branding are blank caps.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising branding the blank caps.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the branding of the blank caps comprises affixing a branded label to the caps.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising

a tagging system that tags the at least one first medication container with the predetermined information associated with the at least one first medication container;

a dispensing system that fills at least one of the at least one first and second medication containers with a specific quantity of product based on the predetermined information.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first branding includes information also placed on a label of the at least one first medication container.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first branding is at least one of:

pre-printed on at least one of the cap and a cap label secured to the cap, and printed directly on the cap either before or after the cap is secured to the container.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the control system further controls the first capper system to print the at least first branding on the at least one first cap, and controls the second capper system to print the at least second branding on the at least one second cap.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first capper system includes a first storage bin for storing the at least one first cap of the at least first branding;

the second capper system includes a second storage bin for storing the at least one second cap of the at least second branding;

the control system further controls the first capper system to select the at least one first cap of the at least first branding from the first storage bin based on the predetermined information associated with the least one first medication container, and controls the second capper system to select the at least one second cap of the at least second branding from the second storage bin based on the predetermined information associated with the least one second medication container.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a packaging system that transfers the at least one first medication container in a first consolidation container and transfers the at least one second medication container in a second consolidation container; and

a manual packing area for transferring at least one first manually packed item into the first consolidation container and for transferring at least one second manually packed item into the second consolidation container;

wherein the transport system further;

transports the at least one first medication container to and from the packaging system, the manual packing area, and the first capper system;

transports the at least one second medication container to and from the packaging system, the manual packing area, and the second capper system; and

transports the first consolidation container and second consolidation container to and from the packaging system and the manual packing area.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a storage system for;

storing the first consolidation container until the at least one first manually packed item to be transferred into the first consolidation container is ready, and storing the second consolidation container until at the least one second manually packed item to be transferred into the second consolidation container is ready;

wherein the transport system further transports the first consolidation container and the second consolidation container to and from the storage system.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a shipping-labeling system for;

affixing a first mailing label indicating a first mailing address to which the first consolidation container is to be sent based on the predetermined information associated with the at least one first medication container, and affixing a second mailing label indicating a second mailing address to which the second consolidation container is to be sent based on the predetermined information associated with the at least one first medication container;

wherein the transport system further transports the first consolidation container and the second consolidation container to and from the shipping-labeling system.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the first capper system, second capper system, and transport system are fully automated under control of the control system.

19. A system for branding at least one medication container associated with at least one of a prescription and medication order, comprising:

a capper system that caps at least one first medication container with at least one first cap of at least a first branding including first identification of at least a third party supplier of the at least one of the prescription and medication order, and a second medication container with at least one second cap of at least a second branding including second identification of at least another third party supplier of another of the at least one of the prescription and medication order;

a transport system that transports the at least one first and second medication containers; and

a control system that controls the transport system to transport the at least one first and second medication containers to said capper system based on predetermined information associated with at least one of the first and second medication containers, and controls the capper system cap the at least one of the first and second medication containers with one of the first and second caps of one of the at least first and second branding based on the predetermined information.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the control system further controls the capper system to print, on one of the first and second caps, one of the at least first and second branding.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising

a first storage bin storing the at least one first cap of the at least first branding;

a second storage bin storing the at least one second cap of the at least second branding; and

wherein the control system further controls the capper system to select, from one of the first storage bin or second storage bin, the at least one of the first and second medication containers with one of the first and second caps of one of the at least first and second branding based on the predetermined information.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a packaging system that transfers the at least one first medication container in a first consolidation container and transfers the at least one second medication container in a second consolidation container; and

a manual packing area for transferring at least one first manually packed item into the first consolidation container and for transferring at least one second manually packed item into the second consolidation container;

wherein the transport system further;

transports the at least one first medication container and at least one second medication container to and from the packaging system, the manual packing area, and the capper system; and

transports the first consolidation container and second consolidation container to and from the packaging system and the manual packing area.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

a storage system for;

storing the first consolidation container until the at least one first manually packed item to be transferred into the first consolidation container is ready, and storing the second consolidation container until at the least one second manually packed item to be transferred into the second consolidation container is ready;

wherein the transport system further transports the first consolidation container and the second consolidation container to and from the storage system.

24. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

a shipping-labeling system for;

affixing a first mailing label indicating a first mailing address to which the first consolidation container is to be sent based on the predetermined information associated with the at least one first medication container, and affixing a second mailing label indicating a second mailing address to which the second consolidation container is to be sent based on the predetermined information associated with the at least one second medication container;

wherein the transport system further transports the first consolidation container and the second consolidation container to and from the shipping-labeling system.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the capper system and transport system are fully automated under control of the control system.

26. A system for branding at least one medication container associated with at least one of a prescription and medication order, comprising:

a capper system that selects among caps of at least two brandings and caps at least one medication container with a selected cap of one of the at least two brandings;

a transport system that transports the at least one medication container; and

a control system that controls the transport system to transport the at least one medication containers to the capper system, selects a branding of the at least two brandings based on predetermined information associated with the at least one medication container, and directs the capper system to cap the at least one medication container with a cap of the selected branding.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the capper system comprises:

a capper selecting system that selects and provides caps;

a capper application system that receives caps from the capper selecting system and caps the caps onto medical containers.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the at least two brandings comprise a third-party brand and blank caps.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the at least two branding comprise two different third-party brands.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the control system further controls the capper system to print the selected branding on the cap of the selected branding.

31. The system of claim 26, further comprising

a first storage bin storing caps of a first branding of the at least two brandings;

a second storage bin storing caps of a second branding of the at least two brandings; and

wherein the control system further controls the capper system to select, from one of the first storage bin and second storage bin, either a cap of the first branding or a cap of the second branding based on the predetermined information the at least one medication contain.

32. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

a packaging system that transfers the at least one medication container in a consolidation container; and

a manual packing area for transferring at least one manually packed item into the consolidation container;

wherein the transport system further;

transports the at least one medication container to and from the packaging system, the manual packing area, and the capper system; and

transports the consolidation container to and from the packaging system and the manual packing area.

33. The system of claim 32, further comprising:

a storage system for;

storing the consolidation container until at least one manually packed item to be transferred into the consolidation container is ready; and

wherein the transport system further transports the consolidation to and from the storage system.

34. The system of claim 32, further comprising:

a shipping-labeling system for;

affixing a mailing label indicating a mailing address to which the consolidation container is to be sent based on the predetermined information;

wherein the transport system further transports the consolidation container to and from the shipping-labeling system.

35. The system of claim 26, wherein the capper system and transport system are fully automated under control of the control system.

36. A system for branding at least one medication container associated with at least one of a prescription and medication order, comprising:

a capper system that caps at least one medication container with a cap;

a branding printer system that selectively prints brandings on the cap of the at least one medication container

a transport system that transports the at least one medication container; and

a control system that controls the transport system to transport the at least one medication container to the capper system to be capped, selects a branding of at least two brandings based on predetermined information associated with the at least one medication container, and directs the branding printer system to print on the cap of the at least one medication container with the selected branding.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the capper system comprises:

a capper selecting system that selects and provides caps; and

a capper application system that receives caps from the capper selecting system and caps the caps on to medication containers.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the transport system comprise conveyors.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein a container carrier holds at least one medication container.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the system associates predetermined information with the at least one medication container based on its location in the container carrier.

41. The system of claim 36, wherein the selected branding comprises graphics.

42. The system of claim 36, wherein the selected branding comprises a blank cap.

43. The system of claim 36, further comprising

a tagging system that tags the least one medication container with the predetermined information;

and

a dispensing system that fills the least one medication container with a specific quantity of product based on the predetermined information.

44. The system of claim 36, wherein the selected branding includes information also placed on a label of the at least one medication container.

45. The system of claim 36, wherein the selected branding is at least one of:

pre-printed on at least one of the cap and a cap label secured to the cap, and printed directly on the cap either before or after the cap is secured to the container.

46. The system of claim 36, further comprising

a first storage bin storing caps of a first branding of the at least two brandings;

a second storage bin storing caps of a second branding of the at least two brandings; and

wherein the control system further controls the capper system to select, from one of the first storage bin and second storage bin, either a cap of the first branding or a cap of the second branding based on the predetermined information the at least one medication contain.

47. The system of claim 36, further comprising:

a packaging system that transfers the at least one medication container in a consolidation container; and

a manual packing area for transferring at least one manually packed item into the consolidation container;

wherein the transport system further;

transports the at least one medication container to and from the packaging system, the manual packing area, and the capper system; and

transports the consolidation container to and from the packaging system and the manual packing area.

48. The system of claim 47, further comprising:

a storage system for;

storing the consolidation container until at least one manually packed item to be transferred into the consolidation container is ready; and

wherein the transport system further transports the consolidation to and from the storage system.

49. The system of claim 47, further comprising:

a shipping-labeling system for;

affixing a mailing label indicating a mailing address to which the consolidation container is to be sent based on the predetermined information;

wherein the transport system further transports the consolidation container to and from the shipping-labeling system.

50. The system of claim 36, wherein the capper system and transport system are fully automated under control of the control system.