Pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system and methods of storing and retrieving pharmaceuticals

• US 8,583,276 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RxSafe LLC (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RxSafe LLC (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Holmes, William K., James, Michael, Gaasch, Thomas F.
• Primary Examiner(s): JONES, YOLANDA RENEE
• Application Number:
  US13/888,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20130245812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 189 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/216
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/60 the storage containers or supports being rectilinearly movable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

A pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system and a method of storing and retrieving pharmaceutical containers from the system. The system includes a pharmaceutical storage and retrieval and a controller operatively coupled to the device to control storage and retrieval functions of the device. The device includes a gantry assembly, a shelving assembly, a user access assembly, and a user authorization system that function in a coordinated manner to carry out the storage and retrieval functions of the device.

Claims

1. A pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system comprising:

a housing configured to store a plurality of containers;

a container-moving assembly positioned within the housing, the container-moving assembly operable to retrieve a container from within the housing; and

a user access assembly supported on the housing, the user access assembly including

a port configured to receive a container from the container-moving assembly,

a first door positioned on a first side of the port, the first door moveable between a first position to inhibit access to the port through the first side and a second position to provide access to the port through the first side, and

a second door positioned on a second side of the port, the second door moveable between a first position to inhibit access to the port through the second side and a second position to provide access to the port through the second side;

wherein the first door moves to the first position when the second door moves to the second position, and wherein the second door moves to the first position when the first door moves to the second position.

2. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the first side of the port is accessible from outside the housing, and wherein the second side of the port is accessible from inside the housing.

3. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 2, wherein the container-moving assembly is a gantry assembly, and wherein the gantry assembly accesses an inside of the port through the second side.

4. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 1, further comprising a shelving assembly positioned within the housing, wherein the shelving assembly is configured to store the plurality of containers.

5. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 4, wherein the first door and the second door operate in a coordinated manner to inhibit access to the shelving assembly from the first side of the port.

6. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the port is a first port, and wherein the user access assembly further includes a second port having a first side and a second side,

wherein the first door provides access to the second port through the first side while in the first position and inhibits access to the second port through the first side while in the second position, and

wherein the second door provides access to the second port through the second side while in the first position and inhibits access to the second port through the second side while in the second position.

7. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 6, wherein the first side of the first port and the first side of the second port are located on a same side of the user access assembly.

8. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 6, wherein the first door is moveable to a third position to inhibit access to both of the first and second ports simultaneously.

9. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 6, wherein the second door inhibits access to only one of the first and second ports at a time.

10. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 6, wherein the first port is positioned above the second port.

11. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 10, wherein the first door and the second door move in a generally vertical direction between the respective first and second positions.

12. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the port includes a detection device that detects the presence of an object extending from the first side of the port and prevents the first door from moving when the object is detected.

13. A pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system comprising:

a housing configured to store a plurality of containers;

a container-moving assembly positioned within the housing;

a user access assembly supported on the housing, the user access assembly including a port, a first door positioned on a first side of the port, and a second door positioned on a second side of the port; and

a controller operatively connected to the container-moving assembly and the user access assembly, the controller operable to

read a unique identifier on a prescription order to determine a container needed to fill a prescription on the prescription order,

transmit an instruction to the container-moving assembly to retrieve the container and position the container in the port,

move the first door between a first position and a second position to provide selective access to the port through the first side, and

move the second door between a first position and a second position to provide selective access to the port through the second side;

wherein the controller moves the first door and the second door in a coordinated manner to inhibit access to the port through both the first side and the second side simultaneously.

14. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 13, wherein the first door inhibits access to the port through the first side while in the first position and provides access to the port through the first side while in the second position, and wherein the second door inhibits access to the port through the second side while in the first position and provides access to the port through the second side while in the second position.

15. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 14, wherein the controller is operable to move the first door to the first position when the second door moves to the second position, and move the second door to the first position when the first door moves to the second position.

16. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 13, wherein the first side of the port is accessible from outside the housing, and wherein the second side of the port is accessible from inside the housing.

17. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 13, further comprising a shelving assembly positioned within the housing, wherein the shelving assembly is configured to store the plurality of containers, and wherein the controller moves the first door and the second door in the coordinated manner to inhibit access to the shelving assembly from the first side of the port.

18. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 13, wherein the port is a first port, and wherein the user access assembly further includes a second port having a first side and a second side,

wherein the first door provides access to the second port through the first side while in the first position and inhibits access to the second port through the first side while in the second position, and

wherein the second door provides access to the second port through the second side while in the first position and inhibits access to the second port through the second side while in the second position.

19. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further operable to move the first door to a third position to inhibit access to both of the first and second ports simultaneously.

20. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system of claim 18, wherein the first port is positioned above the second port, and wherein the first door and the second door move in a generally vertical direction between the respective first and second positions.