Systems and methods for dispensing pharmaceutical/medical product and branding pharmaceutical/medical containers

• US 8,109,066 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2010
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• 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, McErlean, James G., Rice, Dennis Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): DURAND, PAUL R
• Application Number:
  US12/838,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20100281829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 532/35, 532/37, 532/49, 532/67, 532/845, 531/312, 531/313, 531/314
• US Class Current: 53/467
• 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

In some embodiments, containers can be, for example, labeled with a uniquely identifiable customer label. The labeled containers can be loaded into a carrier that caries containers. The carrier can be transported to and from various stations by a transport system. The container carrier can travel through, for example, a solid pharmaceutical dispensing system where all or some of the containers in the carrier can be filled with a specific quantity of pharmaceutical product. The carrier can be transported to a capping and branding station where the containers can be capped and branded. The caps can be pre-branded, blank, or a combination of pre-branded and blank. Where at least some of the containers are branded with blank caps, a carrier and/or container can be transported to a branding station that can brand caps with cap labeling information (e.g., logos, graphics, artwork, text, etc.) that can be specific to each cap.

Claims

1. A method for dispensing and branding at least one medication order comprising:

dispensing a medical product into at least one container;

capping the at least one filled container with a cap;

selecting cap labeling information among a plurality of choices based on customer information associated with the at least one capped container;

printing the selected cap labeling information on at least one cap label;

positioning at least one vacuum transfer pad and the corresponding bottle so that the at least one label touches the cap of the corresponding capped bottle;

releasing the at least one label so that it is affixed to the cap of the corresponding capped bottle; and

affixing the at least one cap label to a cap of a corresponding capped container of the at least one capped container based on customer information associated with the corresponding capped container.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cap labeling information is selected at least one of before dispensing the medical product and after dispensing the medical product.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

peeling at least one cap label from an adhesive backed sheet; and

picking up the at least one cap label from the adhesive backed sheet as the at least one cap label is peeled from the adhesive backed sheet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one capped container comprises a plurality of capped containers, and wherein said method further comprises capping some of the capped containers with pre-branded caps.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of choices includes brandings from different third-parties.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of choices includes different third-party brands.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transporting the at least one container in a carrier that carries a plurality of containers and selecting different cap branding information for different of the plurality of containers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the cap labeling information is selected from at least one of before dispensing the medical product and after dispensing the medical product.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the cap labeling information is selected from at least one of before capping the at least one container and after capping the at least one container.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising instructing a bottle labeling system to label the at least one bottle with customer information, and labeling at least one container with customer information responsive to the instructing.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating different branding information with different containers, and dispensing in the different containers with the same medical product.

12. A method for dispensing and branding at least one medication order comprising:

dispensing a medical product into at least one container;

capping the at least one filled container with a cap;

selecting cap labeling information among a plurality of choices based on customer information associated with the at least one capped container;

label positioning at least one vacuum transfer pad and the corresponding bottle so that the at least one label touches the cap of the corresponding capped bottle;

releasing the at least one label so that it is affixed to the cap of the corresponding capped bottle;

affixing the at least one cap label to a cap of a corresponding capped container of the at least one capped container based on customer information associated with the corresponding capped container; and

printing the selected cap labeling information on at least one cap.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the cap labeling information is selected at least one of before dispensing the medical product and after dispensing the medical product.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

peeling at least one cap label from an adhesive backed sheet; and

picking up the at least one cap label from the adhesive backed sheet as the at least one cap label is peeled from the adhesive backed sheet.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one capped container comprises a plurality of capped containers, and wherein said method further comprises capping some of the capped containers with pre-branded caps.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of choices includes brandings from different third-parties.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of choices includes different third-party brands.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising transporting the at least one container in a carrier that carries a plurality of containers and selecting different cap branding information for different of the plurality of containers.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the cap labeling information is selected from at least one of before dispensing the medical product and after dispensing the medical product.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the cap labeling information is selected from at least one of before capping the at least one container and after capping the at least one container.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising instructing a bottle labeling system to label the at least one bottle with customer information, and labeling at least one container with customer information responsive to the instructing.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising associating different branding information with different containers, and dispensing in the different containers with the same medical product.