Robotic prescription filling system

• US 7,912,582 B1
• Filed: 07/18/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovation Associates Incorporated (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Innovation Associates Incorporated (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Inventors: McGonigal, James, Holtje, Bruce E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Waggoner; Timothy R
• Application Number:
  US11/879,630
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 700/241, 700/242, 700/243, 700/244, 221/126, 221/156, 221/210
• US Class Current: 700/242
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/165 using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/42 the articles being delivered by motor-driven means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/70 in which the articles are formed in the apparatus from components, blanks, or material constituents
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A self-contained, fully automated system for dispensing medicants into vials. Prescriptions are entered using a built-in workstation. Vials of several sizes are each contained in preloaded cassettes. Upon command from a computer, a vial is released and labeled with the prescription information. A robotic system moves the labeled vial to the output chute of one of many automated dispensing units that has previously been commanded to count a predetermined number of tablets, pills, or capsules. The filled vial is robotically moved to an optional capping station where a cap is applied if needed. The vial is then moved to an output region where it is sorted with other prescriptions for a customer. The prescription may be checked using the built-in computer workstation. Optionally, the automated dispensing system may be linked to pharmacy control software.

Claims

1. An automated prescription filling system, comprising:

a) a vial storage cassette holding empty vials of a single size and having means for dispensing a single vial therefrom upon command;

b) means for printing and applying a label to said dispensed, single vial, operatively connected to said vial storage cassette;

c) a plurality of automated, independently operating dispensers, each containing a supply of a predetermined medicant and each dispenser comprising means for counting, upon command, a predetermined quantity thereof into an output chute;

d) a robot adapted for simultaneously moving a labeled vial from said means for printing and applying a label to a particular one of said plurality of automated dispensers, for positioning said labeled vial at said discharge chute thereof, for releasing said counted medicant into said empty labeled vial, and for transporting a filled vial to an output station, all occurring in parallel, wherein said robot comprises at least one selected from the group;

an X-Y gantry, and a Y-theta gantry, each having a first gripper adapted for gripping a vial operatively connected to and positionable thereby;

e) at least one additional robot selected from the group;

a robot rotatable around a central, vertical axis thereof, and an X-Y gantry, each having a second gripper adapted for gripping a vial operatively connected to and positionable thereby; and

f) at least one staging platform accessible to at least one of said first gripper and second gripper.

2. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

g) a controller operatively connected to at least one of said means for printing, said plurality of automated dispensers, and said robot.

3. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

g) a computer workstation comprising at least one of the group;

a pharmacy workflow interface, and an operator interface.

4. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 1, wherein said automated prescription filling system comprises means for identifying a size of said empty vials contained therein to said automated prescription filling system.

5. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 4, wherein said means for identifying a size of said empty vials contained therein comprises at least one selected from the group:

a notch in an external surface of said vial storage cassette, a dimple in an external surface of said vial storage cassette, another identifiable mechanical feature in an external surface of said vial storage cassette, an RFID device, a color code, a pattern of magnets, and a bar code.

6. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 4, wherein said vial storage cassette is removable from said automated prescription filling system.

7. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 1, wherein said vial storage cassette comprises at least one independent vial storage cassette, each of said at least one cassette being removable from said automated prescription filling system.

8. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for applying a label comprises means for forming a dihedral in said label prior to application thereof to a vial.

9. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for applying a label comprises at least one resilient, elastomeric roller interacting with at least one other roller, said at least one resilient, elastomeric roller and said at least one other roller being disposed to surround and contact an outer, vertical surface of said vial, thereby applying a label intermediate said outer, vertical surface and said at least one resilient, elastomeric roller and said at least one other roller to said outer, vertical surface.

10. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 1, wherein said first gripper of said X-Y gantry is adapted to at least selectively position a vial at said output chute of any of said plurality of automated dispensers.

11. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for orienting a vial to a predetermined orientation disposed between said vial storage cassette and said means for applying a label.

12. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of automated dispensers is disposed within a frame, substantially one half of said plurality of dispensers being disposed in a first region of said frame and approximately one half of said plurality of automated dispensers being disposed in a second region of said frame.

13. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 12, wherein said plurality of automated dispenses is disposed within said frame on horizontal shelves disposed in a vertical array.

14. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 13, wherein said horizontal shelves may be withdrawn from said automated prescription filling system to replenish contents of at least one of said automated dispensers disposed thereupon.

15. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 14, further comprising means for inhibiting robot access to any automated dispenser disposed on a withdrawn shelf.

16. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 1, wherein said output chute of at least one of said plurality of automated dispensers is tilted relative to at least one other of said plurality of automated dispensers and said first gripper comprises means for presenting a vial to said tilted output chute.

17. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

g) means for applying a cap to said filled vial.

18. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 3, wherein said computer workstation comprises a touch screen.

19. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

g) at least two sorting conveyors adapted to receive filled, labeled vials from said robot.

20. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

g) means for sorting filled vials according to a predetermined criteria and directing said filled, labeled vials to a predetermined one of said plurality of sorting conveyors.

21. The automated prescription filling system as recited in claim 20, wherein said predetermined sorting criteria comprises at least one sorting criterion selected by an operator.

22. A method of automatically filling a prescription, the steps comprising:

a) providing an automated prescription filling system comprising;

a vial storage cassette holding empty vials of a single size and having means for dispensing and orienting a single vial therefrom upon command;

means for printing and applying a label to said dispensed, single vial, operatively connected to said vial storage cassette;

a plurality of automated, independently operating dispensers, each containing a supply of a predetermined medicant and each dispenser comprising means for counting, upon command, a predetermined quantity thereof into an output chute; and

a robot adapted for simultaneously moving a labeled vial from said means for printing and applying a label to a particular one of said plurality of automated dispensers, for positioning said labeled vial at said discharge chute thereof, for releasing said counted medicant into said empty labeled vial, and for transporting a filled vial to an output station, all occurring in parallel, wherein said robot comprises at least one selected from the group;

an X-Y gantry, and a Y-theta gantry, each having a first gripper adapted for gripping a vial operatively connected to and positionable thereby;

at least one additional robot selected from the group;

a robot rotatable around a central, vertical axis thereof, and an X-Y gantry, each having a second gripper adapted for gripping a vial operatively connected to and positionable thereby;

at least one staging platform accessible to at least one of said first gripper and second gripper; and

a built-in computer workstation comprising a pharmacy workflow and operator interface;

b) using said computer workstation, entering a prescription to be filled into said automated prescription filling system;

c) selecting one of said plurality of automated dispensers containing a medicant in said prescription entered in said using step (b);

d) simultaneously commanding said automated dispenser of said selecting step (c) to count a specified quantity of a specified medicant in parallel with at least one other dispenser;

e) simultaneously releasing an empty vial from said vial storage cassette, orienting said empty vial and placing a label thereupon, said label comprising indicia related to said entered prescription of said using step (b) in parallel with another automated procedure within said automated prescription filling system;

f) simultaneously using said robot to move said labeled vial to an output chute of said automated dispenser of said selecting step (c) with another automated procedure within said automated prescription filling in parallel system;

g) simultaneously releasing said specified, counted medicant from said automated dispenser of said selecting step (c) into said empty, labeled vial in parallel with another automated procedure within said automated prescription filling system; and

h) simultaneously moving said vial containing said released contents to an output region of said output station of said automated dispenser in parallel with another automated procedure within said automated prescription filling system.

23. The method of automatically filling a prescription as recited in claim 22, wherein said providing step (a) further comprises providing a vial capper, the steps further comprising:

i) after said releasing step (g) and prior to said moving step (h), capping said filled vial.

24. The method of automatically filling a prescription as recited in claim 22, wherein said providing step (a) further comprises providing an output station comprising means for sorting filled vials, the steps further comprising:

i) after said moving step (h), sorting said filled vial in accordance with a predetermined sorting criterion.

25. The method of automatically filling a prescription as recited in claim 22, wherein said releasing step (e) comprises releasing only a single empty vial from said vial storage cassette.

26. The method of automatically filling a prescription as recited in claim 22, wherein at least two of said selecting step (c), said commanding step (d), said releasing step (e), said using step (f), said releasing step (g), and said moving step (h), are performed in parallel with one another.