Pharmaceutical dispensing system for medicament and pre-packaged medication

• US 7,853,355 B1
• Filed: 07/07/2006
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mckesson Canada (McKesson Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Clasina Aletta Willemse, Waldemar Willemse, Werner Waldemar Willemse
• Inventors: Willemse, Werner Waldemar, Willemse, Clasina Aletta, Willemse, Waldemar
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Collins; Michael K
• Application Number:
  US11/482,889
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 700231-244
• US Class Current: 700/243
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/165 using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/32 two or magazines having a common delivery chute
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/0235 the arrangements being full-front touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

This invention focuses on resolving outstanding problems of pharmaceutical dispensing systems. A need for dispensing of both medicaments and pre-packed medications has been addressed. This invention comprises an accurate counting system for multiple concurrently dispensed medicaments. Accurate, high speed medicament dispensing with little or no jam ups is achieved. Self recovery is provided to prevent medicament over counts. Machine self learn modes replace manual intervention by pharmacy personnel. Concurrent multi-tasking is provided and a quick action robotic arm further expedites the dispensing process. A touch screen computer is provided for coordinating the individual modules and overall control. The apparatus covers internal security and restricts access to unauthorized persons.

Claims

1. An automated medicament dispensing machine for dispensing and counting individual medicaments, comprising:

a programmable dispensing control system programmed to control said automated medicament dispensing machine,

at least one vial bulk supply bin for storing and dispensing vials;

a plurality of medicament supply bins, wherein each medicament supply bin comprises;

a dispenser for dispensing medicaments into said vials, and

a slide for;

imparting rotational spin to round medicaments, and

orientating concurrently dropped medicaments side-by-side,

a robotic arm,

a vial gripper attached to said robotic arm, said vial gripper comprising;

a sensor system carried on said vial gripper, said sensor system defining a laminar counting plane through which medicaments fall, said sensor system comprising;

an optical emitter for illuminating said laminar counting plane,

an optical receiving array with individually monitored pixels, adopted to monitor optical signals generated by said optical emitter that have been reflected off said individual medicaments as they pass through said laminar counting plane, and

a digital signal processor positional computing means for analyzing pixel patterns produced by said optical receiving array and for informing said dispensing control system of the correct number of medicaments simultaneously passing through said laminar counting plane

wherein said optical emitter and optical receiving array are positioned so that medicaments that fall together are positioned side-by-side with respect to the optical emitter and receiving array and not one in front of the other so as to obscure one of the medicaments.

2. The automated medicament dispensing machine as in claim 1, further comprising a data base linked to each of said plurality of medicament supply bins, wherein said digital signal processor positional computing means continually learns and updates parameters to said database for retrieval on new dispensing sessions.

3. The automated medicament dispensing machine as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of medicament supply bins is an array of medicament supply bins and wherein said illumination means and said optical receiving array are controlled via said programmable dispensing control system to count individual medicaments from said array of medicament supply bins.

4. The automated medicament dispensing machine as in claim 1, comprising:

a medicament supply bin for storing a plurality of medicaments, and

a “

C”

shaped open trough Archimedes screw comprising;

a lower end, wherein said lower end is inserted into said medicament supply bin, and

wherein medicaments are removed from said medicament supply bin for dispensing by operation of said “

C”

shaped open trough Archimedes screw.

5. The automated pharmaceutical medicament dispenser as in claim 4, wherein said “

C”

shaped open top section trough may be adjustably positioned to facilitate medicament dispensing.

6. The automated pharmaceutical medicament dispenser as in claim 1, wherein said slide comprises a “

V”

shaped trough.

7. The automated pharmaceutical medicament dispenser as in claim 1, wherein said optical emitter and said optical receiving array are located on the same side of said medicament detection counting plane.

8. An automated pharmaceutical medicament dispenser for automatically dispensing medicaments into at least one vial, comprising:

a plurality of medicament supply bins each for holding a plurality of medicaments,

a medicament dispenser comprising an open trough Archimedes screw inserted into said plurality of medicaments for retrieving medicaments for dispensing,

an electronic optical sensor counter for counting said medicaments as said medicaments leave said medicament dispenser,

a medicament holding and return device for holding said counted medicaments prior to being dispensed into said at least one vial, wherein said medicament holding and return device comprises a means for returning excess medicaments to said medicament supply bin when said counter detects an excess of said medicaments at said medicament holding and return device, wherein said medicament dispenser repeats dispensing to said medicament holding and return device until said counter verifies the right count has been achieved at said medicament holding and return device,

a robotic arm for placing said at least one vial adjacent to said medicament holding and return device so that said counted medicaments can be dispensed into said at least one vial, and said robotic arm for transferring said at least one vial to a user accessible area for user retrieval of said at least one vial, and

a programmable control system for controlling the operation of said medicament dispenser, said counter, said medicament holding and return device, and said robotic arm.

9. The automated pharmaceutical medicament dispenser as in claim 8, wherein said means for returning excess medicaments to said medicament supply bin comprises a device for blowing compressed air to blow said excess medicaments back to said supply bin.

10. The automated pharmaceutical medicament dispenser as in claim 8, wherein said means for returning excess medicaments to said medicament supply bin is an electric solenoid.

11. The automated pharmaceutical medicament dispenser as in claim 8, wherein medicaments are counted by said electronic optical sensor counter and held by said medicament holding and return device while said robotic arm is simultaneously in motion to maximize dispensing efficiency.

12. The automated pharmaceutical medicament dispenser as in claim 8, further comprising a security device for monitoring the removal of said a plurality of medicament supply bins, said security device is a fiber optic linked system in electrical communication with said programmable control system, wherein said programmable control system is programmed to initiate a search and update of the positional database of said plurality of said medicament supply bins upon the removal of any of said plurality of said medicament supply bins.

13. An automated pharmaceutical medicament dispenser for automatically dispensing medicaments into a channel for bagging, comprising:

a plurality of medicament supply bins each for holding a plurality of medicaments,

a medicament dispenser inserted into said plurality of medicament supply bins,

a sensor system defining a laminar counting plane through which medicaments fall, said sensor system comprising;

an optical emitter for illuminating said laminar counting plane,

an optical receiving array with individually monitored pixels, adopted to monitor optical signals generated by said optical emitter that have been reflected off said individual medicaments as they pass through said laminar counting plane, and

a digital signal processor positional computing means for analyzing pixel patterns produced by said optical receiving array and for informing said dispensing control system of the correct number of medicaments simultaneously passing through said medicament detection counting plane

a medicament holding and return device for holding said counted medicaments prior to being dispensed into said at least one vial, wherein said medicament holding and return device comprises a means for returning excess medicaments to said medicament supply bin,

a robotic arm for placing said at least one vial adjacent to said medicament holding and return device so that said counted medicaments can be dispensed into said at least one vial, and said robotic arm for transferring said at least one vial to a user accessible area for user retrieval of said at least one vial, and

a programmable control system for controlling the operation of said medicament dispenser, said electronic optical counter, and said medicament holding and return device.

14. The automated pharmaceutical medicament dispenser as in claim 13, wherein said optical emitter and optical receiving array are positioned so that medicaments that fall together are positioned side-by-side with respect to the optical emitter and receiving array and not one in front of the other so as to obscure one of the medicaments.