System and apparatus for item management

• US 9,672,327 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chudy Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Chudy Group LLC
• Inventors: Chudy, Duane S., Montgomery, Larry, Spernow, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): COLLINS, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US13/841,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20130218330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 700242, 700244, 700231, 700232, 700236, 700240, 700243, 221 2, 221 5, 221 6
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/10 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/20 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0069 Trays for holding or distributing medicines display trays A47F3/14; serving trays A47G23/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/04 Packaging single articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/02 Storage devices furniture A47B; shop fittings A47F
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/22 Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• 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

Item-management systems, apparatus, and methods are described, preferably for management of items such as medicaments. In embodiments, an item-management system comprises a container defining plural cells, a docking station configured to receive the container, sources of visible information to indicate the cell(s) into which an item is to be loaded, and at least one controller operable to control the visible information sources to indicate the cell into which the item is to be received.

Claims

1. A medicament-management system which enables a pharmacy user to rapidly and accurately hand-load medicament holder cells with medicaments, the system comprising:

a portable medicament holder for transferring medicaments to an automated dispensing machine, the holder having plural cells arranged in a pattern corresponding to a pattern of cells of the automated dispensing machine, each cell having a cell upper opening through which a medicament is hand-loaded and an openable lower opening through which the medicament is transferred from the cell to a corresponding adjacent cell of the pattern of automated dispensing machine cells;

a docking station apart from the automated dispensing machine to which the holder is temporarily docked while being hand-loaded, the docking station enabling control of visible information proximate the cells indicating the cell into which a medicament is to be hand-loaded;

visible information sources which communicate the visible information to the user;

at least one controller controlling the visible information to indicate the cell into which medicament is to be hand-loaded thereby enabling the user to rapidly and correctly perform repetitive hand-loading of cells with correct medicament, the at least one controller including a computer and being operable to store information indicating the cell into which each medicament is to be hand-loaded and to activate and deactivate the visible information;

an input device which inputs information to the at least one controller triggering indication of a cell into which the medicament is to be hand-loaded; and

a video display which displays information to a user indicative of the cell into which the medicament is to be hand-loaded.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the visible information is viewable directly on the docked holder proximate the cells.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the holder includes light-transmissive material and the visible information is viewable through the light-transmissive material.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the holder includes a closure which closes and opens the cell lower openings.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the closure is a sliding shuttle.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the docking station further includes circuitry enabling the control of the visible information.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the visible information sources radiate light.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the visible information sources include an energizable light source.