Method and apparatus for storage and dispensing of pharmaceutical products in unit doses or administration units
First Claim
1. An automated apparatus configured for storage and dispensing of pharmaceutical products, said pharmaceutical products being divided into unit doses or administration units, and suitably arranged in a matrix of unit doses, comprising:
- a closed structure configured to hold the unit doses or the administration units so as to be protected from manual handling;
a detachable cart joined to an outside of the closed structure; and
a manipulator unit inside the closed structure, which is designed for;
a) selecting and picking up the unit doses or administration units required to fill patient-specific prescriptions from said matrix, andb) loading compartments/drawers of the cart with said unit doses or said administration units so selected and picked up, said compartments/drawers facing toward an inside of the closed structure and being loaded when the closed structure and the cart are attached,wherein the manipulator unit comprises means for coupling configured for opening and closing the compartments/drawers of a means for introducing one or more of the unit doses or administration units picked up from the matrix,said means for coupling being connected to the manipulator unit to cause the compartments/drawers associated with the cart to be grasped and opened or closed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and automated apparatus (1) for dispensing pharmaceutical products in unit doses or administration units wherein the unit doses (2) suitably arranged and/or separated within the apparatus (1) can be dispensed into the compartments (5) of an associated cart (4), to fill patient-specific medication prescriptions for patients of a ward. A telescopic manipulator unit (6, 106, 206) has elements (16) adapted to select and pick up the doses required to fill patient-specific medication prescriptions from a matrix (10) of unit doses (2) and elements (7, 107) for coupled interaction with the compartments (5) to directly release the picked up doses (2) therein.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An automated apparatus configured for storage and dispensing of pharmaceutical products, said pharmaceutical products being divided into unit doses or administration units, and suitably arranged in a matrix of unit doses, comprising:
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a closed structure configured to hold the unit doses or the administration units so as to be protected from manual handling; a detachable cart joined to an outside of the closed structure; and a manipulator unit inside the closed structure, which is designed for; a) selecting and picking up the unit doses or administration units required to fill patient-specific prescriptions from said matrix, and b) loading compartments/drawers of the cart with said unit doses or said administration units so selected and picked up, said compartments/drawers facing toward an inside of the closed structure and being loaded when the closed structure and the cart are attached, wherein the manipulator unit comprises means for coupling configured for opening and closing the compartments/drawers of a means for introducing one or more of the unit doses or administration units picked up from the matrix, said means for coupling being connected to the manipulator unit to cause the compartments/drawers associated with the cart to be grasped and opened or closed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for dispensing pharmaceutical products in unit doses or administration units, comprising:
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selecting and picking up the unit doses or administration units required to fill together patient-specific prescriptions from a dose matrix; and interacting with containers or drawers of an associated cart loaded with the picked up doses or administration units, said picked up doses or administration units being loaded into compartment after selection of the doses or administration units that fill the prescription or one by one as the doses or administration units are selected, wherein a closed structure is configured to hold the unit doses or the administration units so as to be protected from manual handling, a detachable cart is joined to an outside of the closed structure, said containers or drawers face toward an inside of the closed structure and being loaded when the closed structure and the cart are attached, the manipulator unit comprises means for coupling configured for opening and closing the containers or drawers of a means for introducing one or more of the unit doses or administration units picked up from the matrix, and means for coupling being connected to the manipulator unit to cause the containers or drawers associated with the cart to be grasped and opened or closed. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification