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US 10,407,253 B2Granted
Mass flow conveyor table for automated prescription fulfillment
AssigneeHumana Inc.
InventorMichael Mahar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automated method and system for distributing prescription vials from upstream locations of a pharmacy to various downstream destinations using a stacked configuration of outbound lanes so that vials will enter the first outbound lane that is not blocked. The distribution table of the present invention has a lower portion having outbound lanes and an upper portion having outbound lanes and where the table is adapted to move vials in a loop pattern around the lower and upper portions.
Claims16
A vial conveying and distributing system for distributing vials, comprising:
- a conveyor table comprised of a lower portion and a top portion, wherein the lower portion is comprised of at least one conveyor and the top portion is comprised of at least one conveyor, wherein the at least one conveyor of the lower portion moves in the opposite direction as the at least one conveyor of the top portion;
- a first inbound conveyor lane for moving vials onto the conveyor table;
- a first set of outbound lanes for moving vials from the conveyor table to a downstream location;
- wherein the first set of outbound lanes is comprised of a plurality of outbound lanes, each of the plurality of outbound lanes having an opening and wherein the openings of the plurality of outbound lanes are configured in a stacked configuration so vials moving on the table will enter the first outbound lane that is open, and wherein each of the plurality of outbound lanes are separated from another outbound lane by a wall;
- and
- a second inbound conveyor lane for moving vials onto the conveyor table;
- a second set of outbound lanes for moving vials from the conveyor table to another downstream location;
- a first intermediate conveyor sandwiched between the top and lower portions of the table for moving vials from the lower portion of the table to the top portion of the table;
- and
- wherein the second set of outbound lanes is comprised of a plurality of outbound lanes, each of the plurality of outbound lanes having an opening and wherein the openings of the plurality of outbound lanes are configured in a stacked configuration so vials moving on the table will enter the first outbound lane that is open, and wherein each of the plurality of outbound lanes are separated from another outbound lane by a wall.
7 more elements
A vial conveying and distributing system for distributing vials, comprising:
- a conveyor table comprised of a lower portion and a top portion, wherein the lower portion is comprised of at least one conveyor and the top portion is comprised of at least one conveyor, wherein the at least one conveyor of the lower portion moves in the opposite direction as the at least one conveyor of the top portion;
- a first inbound conveyor lane for moving vials onto the conveyor table;
- a first set of outbound lanes for moving vials from the conveyor table to a downstream location;
- a second inbound conveyor lane for moving vials onto the conveyor table;
- a second set of outbound lanes for moving vials from the conveyor table to another downstream location;
- and
- wherein the first and set of outbound lanes are each comprised of a plurality of outbound lanes, each of the plurality of outbound lanes having an opening and wherein the openings of the plurality of outbound lanes are configured in a stacked configuration so vials moving on the table will enter the first outbound lane that is open, and wherein each of the plurality of outbound lanes are separated from another outbound lane by a wall.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.