Systems and methods for sorting

• US 8,892,245 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2014
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc. (The Cigna Group)
• Original Assignee: Express Scripts Incorporated (The Cigna Group)
• Inventors: Joplin, Jonathan W., Hanlon, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMBESS, YOLANDA RENEE
• Application Number:
  US14/242,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20140202935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 231 Days
• US Class Current: 700/224
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/00 Sorting according to destination collating the pages of a book B42C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/34 Sorting according to other particular properties material testing per se G01N; quality control G07C3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3412 according to a code applied to the object which indicates a property of the object, e.g. quality class, contents or incorrect indication sorting according to size measured by light-responsive means B07C5/10; sorting according to optical properties B07C5/342; for packages B65D79/02; for information carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/36 Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution sorting according to destination B07C3/003, B07C3/02
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/361 Processing or control devices therefor, e.g. escort memory
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/38 Collecting or arranging articles in groups
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 41/00 Guiding, conveying, or accumulating easily-flexible work, e.g. wire, sheet metal bands, in loops or curves; Loop lifters
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/52 using roller-ways or endless conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/04 Packaging single articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/02 responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of binding or wrapping material, containers, or packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/2807 Feeding closures
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/2842 Securing closures on containers in general B65B51/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1378 the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 3/02 by applying flanged caps, e.g. crown caps, and securing by deformation of flanges
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 3/06 Feeding caps to capping heads
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 3/26 Applications of control, warning, or safety devices in capping machinery
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Method and systems for sorting are described. In one embodiment, a container is released into a pocket section, with the pocket section being at a first alignment stage. The pocket section is rotated with the container away from the first alignment stage to a second alignment stage. Attributes of the container are acquired at the second alignment stage. An order to which the container belongs is identified with the acquired attributes. The pocket section with the container is rotated to a third alignment stage. The location of the third alignment stage is selected based on the identified order. The container is received to group with one or more containers in the identified order. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a wheel assembly to sort a plurality of prescription containers, the wheel assembly having an inner guide member rotatable about a center axis, the inner guide member including a plurality of pocket sections about its circumference;

an entry portion disposed proximal the wheel assembly to selectively allow the plurality of prescription containers to enter the wheel assembly;

an exit portion disposed proximal the wheel assembly to selectively allow the plurality of prescription containers to exit the wheel assembly;

an attribute sensor unit to acquire attributes of the plurality of prescription containers; and

a control unit to command movement of the wheel assembly, entry portion, exit portion or combinations thereof based on an attribute of the plurality of prescription containers acquired by the attribute sensor unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the attribute sensor unit orientates the plurality of prescription containers for scanning.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the attribute sensor unit comprises a roller to orient the plurality of prescription containers relative to the attribute sensor unit.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the attribute sensor unit comprises a scale to weigh the plurality of prescription containers.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of prescription containers includes a prescription drug contained within the prescription drug container.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the attribute sensor unit comprises a scanner to scan labels on the plurality of prescription containers.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises an error detection module to determine an inconsistency with a pocket section of the plurality of pocket sections.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the attribute sensor unit comprises a stabilizer arm module to stabilize a prescription container of the plurality of prescription containers for acquiring the attribute.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the stabilizer arm module is rotatable at an approximate center of the wheel assembly.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the exit portion includes a plurality of exit gates.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the control unit assigns one of the exit gates for the plurality of prescription containers to exit the wheel assembly based on the acquired attribute.

12. A system comprising:

a wheel assembly to sort a plurality of prescription containers, the wheel assembly having an inner guide member rotatable about a center axis, the inner guide member including a plurality of pocket sections about its circumference;

an entry portion disposed proximal the wheel assembly to release a prescription container into a pocket section of the wheel assembly, the pocket section being at a first alignment stage of rotation of the wheel assembly;

an attribute sensor unit to acquire an attribute of the prescription container at a second alignment stage;

a control unit to rotate the wheel assembly such that the pocket section with the prescription container is rotated away from the first alignment stage to the second alignment stage of rotation of the wheel assembly, identify a prescription drug order to which the prescription container belongs based on the acquired attribute, and rotate the wheel assembly such that the pocket section with the prescription container is rotated to a third alignment stage of rotation of the wheel assembly, a location of the third alignment stage being selected based on identification of the prescription drug order; and

an exit portion disposed proximal the wheel assembly to receive the prescription container to group with an additional prescription container in the prescription drug order.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the prescription container is filled with a prescription drug prescribed to a patient.

14. A system comprising:

a wheel assembly to sort a plurality of prescription containers, the wheel assembly having an inner guide member rotatable about a center axis, the inner guide member including a plurality of pocket sections about its circumference;

an entry portion disposed proximal the wheel assembly to release a prescription container into a pocket section of the wheel assembly, the pocket section being at a first alignment stage of rotation of the wheel assembly;

an attribute sensor unit to acquire an attribute of the prescription container at a second alignment stage;

a control unit to rotate the wheel assembly such that the pocket section with the prescription container is rotated away from the first alignment stage to the second alignment stage of rotation of the wheel assembly, identify the pocket section and registering the pocket section as having the container therein based on the acquired attribute, compare an expected state of the pocket section with a state of the pocket section having the container, flag for a suspected error based on an inconsistency with the expected state and the state of the pocket section, and rotate the wheel assembly such that the pocket section with the prescription container is rotated to a third alignment stage of rotation of the wheel assembly, a location of the third alignment stage being selected based on the inconsistency; and

an exit portion disposed proximal the wheel assembly to receive the prescription container to group with an additional prescription container in the prescription drug order.