Suspended storage system for pharmacy

• US 9,047,992 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GSL Solutions, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: GSL Solutions, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Louie, Shelton, Garrett, Stephen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marshall, Christle I
• Application Number:
  US13/931,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20140157582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/16 Holders for containers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/64 in which the articles are individually suspended from stationary supports
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49069 Data storage inductor or core

Abstract

A storage system for a pharmacy that has a frame containing a rack-like structure with a plurality of storage carriers detachably suspended therefrom. The carriers are sized to receive filled prescription orders and the like and include individual identifiers that facilitate locating the carriers at a specific location on the rack-like structure. Preferably, the storage system includes a tracking system that detects, monitors, and displays to a worker the location of the storage carrier containing a particular customer'"'"'s prescription order, thereby providing easy retrieval of the customer'"'"'s prescription order.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a storage system, comprising:

providing a computer system;

assembling a storage device in communication with the computer system, wherein the storage device includes;

a frame;

a rack-like structure operably secured to the frame, the rack-like structure having defined locations thereon with each location denoted by a unique identifier;

a storage carrier detachably securable to one of the defined locations on the rack-like structure, the storage carrier having a mounting portion for being detachably secured to the rack-like structure and a receptacle portion, one of the defined locations being selected by a pharmacy worker from any available location of the defined locations by the pharmacy worker detachably securing the mounting portion to one location of the defined locations to define a worker-selected location;

a filled prescription order received manually within the receptacle portion of the storage carrier, the filled prescription order associated with a customer of the pharmacy;

a computer-readable identification tag secured to the mounting portion of the storage carrier, the tag having a unique tag identifier associated with the storage carrier;

electronically coupling a tag reader with the computer system, wherein the tag reader detects the computer-readable identification tag when the mounting portion of the storage carrier is positioned on the rack-like structure;

wherein the computer system automatically correlates the filled prescription order with the unique identifier associated with the selected location near which the storage carrier is manually placed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer readable-identification tag is a radio-frequency identification tag and the tag reader is a radio-frequency identification reader.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receptacle portion of the storage carrier is compressible.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receptacle portion has a left side, a right side, and compressible front and rear sides extending between the left side and the right side.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the front and rear sides are creased.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mounting portion of the storage carrier includes a hook.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer system is capable of detecting when a storage container is removed from the rack-like structure to define a removed storage container and is capable of verifying that the filled prescription within the removed storage container is associated with the customer.