Method and apparatus for automatically filling prescriptions using interchangeable platens

• US 7,908,827 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: QEM Incorporated
• Original Assignee: QEM Incorporated
• Inventors: Knoth, Norman D.
• Primary Examiner(s): GERRITY, STEPHEN FRANCIS
• Application Number:
  US12/163,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20090321472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 534/73, 534/75, 534/93, 535/00, 535/01, 531/68, 535/39, 532/01, 532/35, 532/37, 532/44, 532/46, 532/47, 532/48, 532/49, 532/55, 53/64, 53/67, 221/121, 221/124, 221/129, 221/132, 700/240, 700/241, 700/243
• US Class Current: 53/473
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A device for dispensing pills includes a set of pill canisters and a control for releasing a desired quantity of pills from a selected pill canister at a target location. A frame is situated beneath the target location. The frame is adapted to accept and hold a selected platen of a set of platens and to move the selected platen in both an X axis and a Y axis. The selected platen holds and supports a target container into which the desired quantity of pills is deposited.

Claims

1. A device for dispensing pills, the device comprising:

a plurality of pill canisters, each pill canister holding a plurality of pills;

a control adapted to release a desired quantity of the pills from a selected pill canister of the plurality of pill canisters, the control adapted to release the desired quantity of the pills at a target location;

a plurality of platens, the platens are generally planar and have a plurality of edges, at least one of the platens has a plurality of cavities, the cavities located and sized to hold blisters of a blister pack; and

a frame;

the frame adapted to move in both an X direction and in a Y direction and the frame situated beneath the target location, the frame bounds at least three edges of any platen selected from the plurality of platens thereby removably holding the edges of a selected platen of the plurality of platens and, responsive to movement of the frame in the X direction, responsive to movement of the frame in the Y direction, the selected platen moves in the X direction and the selected platen moves in the Y direction;

wherein the selected platen holds and supports a target container into which the desired quantity of the pills are deposited.

2. The device for dispensing pills of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of platens holds a vial and at least one other of the plurality of platens holds a blister pack.

3. The device for dispensing pills of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pill canisters is held on a carousel and the selected pill canister is rotated to be over the target location.

4. The device for dispensing pills of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of pill canisters includes a canister identification device and the device for dispensing pills includes a reading device that reads the canister identification device and the device for dispensing pills includes a control device that receives the data from the reading device and based upon data read from the canister identification device determines a type of pill in each of the plurality of pill canisters.

5. The device for dispensing pills of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of platens includes a platen identification and the device for dispensing pills includes a reading device that reads the platen identification, the device for dispensing pills includes a control device that receives the data from the reading device and uses the data read from the platen identification device to determine which of the platens is loaded into the frame.

6. The device for dispensing pills of claim 5, wherein the device for dispensing pills includes a reading device that reads the platen identification to determine which platen of the plurality of platens is the selected platen and responsive to the platen identification, a processor of a control device that receives the platen identification from the reading device runs a software program specific to filling the target container supported by the selected platen.

7. The device for dispensing pills of claim 1, wherein the target container is a vial.

8. The device for dispensing pills of claim 1, wherein the target container is a blister pack.

9. A method for dispensing pills, the method comprising:

providing a device for dispensing pills comprising;

a plurality of pill canisters, each pill canister holding a quantity of pills;

a control adapted to release a desired quantity of the pills from a selected pill canister of the plurality of pill canisters, the control adapted to release the desired quantity of the pills at a target location;

a plurality of platens, the platens are generally planar and have a plurality of edges, at least one of the platens has a plurality of cavities, the cavities located and sized to hold blisters of a blister pack;

a frame;

the frame adapted to move in both an X direction and in a Y direction and the frame situated beneath the target location, the frame bounds at least three edges of any platen selected from the plurality of platens thereby removably supporting and holding the edges of a selected platen of the plurality of platens and, responsive to movement of the frame in the X direction, the selected platen moves in the X direction and the selected platen moves in the Y direction responsive to movement of the frame in the Y direction;

selecting a target package;

selecting a first platen for the target package;

placing the target package into the first platen;

inserting the first platen into the frame, the edges of the first platen interfaced to the frame;

instructing the device for dispensing pills to dispense the desired quantity of the pills into the target package;

whereas the device for dispensing pills moves the first platen in the X direction and in the Y direction and drops at least one of the pills into the target package;

removing the target package from the first platen;

removing the first platen from the frame;

selecting a second target package;

selecting a second platen from the plurality of platens, the second platen adapted to hold and support the second target package;

placing the second target package into the second platen; and

inserting the second platen into the frame;

whereas the device for dispensing pills moves the second platen in the X direction and in the Y direction and drops at least one of the pills into the second target package.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein one of the plurality of platens holds a vial and at least one other of the plurality of platens holds a blister pack.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of canisters includes a canister identification device and the method includes reading the canister identification device by a reading device and a control device of the device for dispensing pills receives the data from the reading device and determines a type of pill in each of the plurality of canisters based upon data read from the canister identification device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of platens includes a platen identification and the method includes reading the platen identification by a reading device and a control device of the device for dispensing pills receives the data from the reading device and determines which of the plurality of platens is the active platen loaded into the frame based upon data read from the platen identification device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of loading a software program by a controller of the device for dispensing pills, the software program being specific to filling the target container supported by the active platen responsive to the platen identification.

14. A device for dispensing pills, the device comprising:

a plurality of pill canisters, each canister containing a quantity of pills;

a means for selecting a source pill canister from the plurality of pill canisters;

a means for releasing a desired quantity of the pills from the source pill canister, the means for releasing adapted to release the desired quantity of the pills at a target location;

a plurality of platens, the plurality of platens of are interchangeable; and

a means for interchangeably holding any of the platens, the means for interchangeably holding situated beneath the target location, the means for interchangeably holding adapted to removably secure one of the platens and to move the one of the platens in both an X axis and a Y axis;

wherein the one of the platens holds and supports a target container into which the desired quantity of pills is deposited.

15. The device for dispensing pills of claim 14, wherein one of the plurality of platens holds a vial and at least one other of the plurality of platens holds a blister pack.

16. The device for dispensing pills of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of pill canisters includes a canister identification device and the device for dispensing pills includes a means for reading the canister identification device and includes a means for determining a type of the pill in each of the plurality of canisters.

17. The device for dispensing pills of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of platens includes a platen identification and the device for dispensing pills includes a means for reading the platen identification, thereby determining which platen is loaded into the frame.

18. The device for dispensing pills of claim 17, wherein a reading device of the device for dispensing pills reads the active platen identification to determine which of the plurality of platens is the active platen and responsive to the platen identification, a software program specific to filling the target container supported by the active platen is loaded into a memory associated with a processor of the device for dispensing pills and the program is executed.

19. The device for dispensing pills of claim 14, wherein the target container is a blister pack.

20. A device for dispensing pills, the device comprising:

a plurality of pill canisters, each canister containing a quantity of the pills;

a means for selecting a source pill canister from the plurality of pill canisters;

a means for releasing a desired quantity of the pills from the source pill canister, the means for releasing adapted to release the desired quantity of the pills at a target location; and

a plurality of platens, each of the platens being substantially planar and having outer edges; and

a means for interchangeably holding a single platen of the platens, the means for interchangeably holding the single platen situated beneath the target location, the means for interchangeably holding the single platen adapted to accept and discharge any one of the platens without tools and to move the single platen in both an X axis and a Y axis;

wherein the platens are adapted to hold a target container for accepting the desired quantity of the pills until the desired quantity of the pills is deposited into the target container.