# US 10,865,006 B2 · Pharmacy order processing system workstations and related methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,865,006 B2 - Document ID: US10865006B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/226,944 - Filed: 2018-12-20 - Published: 2019-12-05 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-04 - Assignees: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc. - Applicants: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc. - Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865006B2 ## CPC - B65B 69/0033: {by cutting (B65B69/0008-B65B69/0025 take precedence)} - G16H 40/20: for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms - A61J 1/00: Containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes (capsules or the like for oral use A61J3/07; specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments A61B50/30; containers for radioactive substances G21F5/00) - B25J 9/0096: {co-operating with a working support, e.g. work-table} - B25J 9/1679: {characterised by the tasks executed} - B25J 21/005: {Clean rooms} - G16H 20/13: delivered from dispensers - G16H 20/17: delivered via infusion or injection - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA - A61J: CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) ## Abstract A container disassembly workstation for a pharmacy order processing system includes a base, a desktop connected to the base and defining a container disassembly workspace, and a pharmaceutical receptacle assembly extending through the desktop. The pharmaceutical receptacle assembly includes a pharmaceutical dust separation screen configured to retain pharmaceuticals and to permit pharmaceutical dust to pass through the pharmaceutical dust separation screen. The pharmaceutical receptacle assembly also includes a pharmaceutical dust receptacle configured to receive the pharmaceutical dust separation screen and pharmaceutical dust from the pharmaceuticals. The pharmaceutical receptacle assembly further includes a pharmaceutical receptacle positioned adjacent to the pharmaceutical dust receptacle, wherein the pharmaceutical receptacle includes a pharmaceutical receptacle funnel configured to receive the pharmaceuticals from the pharmaceutical dust separation screen and a door hingeably connected to the pharmaceutical receptacle funnel and configured to move between an open position and a closed position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A container disassembly workstation for a pharmacy order processing system, the container disassembly workstation comprising: a base; a desktop connected to the base, the desktop defining a container disassembly workspace; and a pharmaceutical receptacle assembly extending through the desktop, the pharmaceutical receptacle assembly comprising: a pharmaceutical dust separation screen configured to retain pharmaceuticals and to permit pharmaceutical dust to pass through the pharmaceutical dust separation screen; a pharmaceutical dust receptacle configured to receive the pharmaceutical dust separation screen and pharmaceutical dust from the pharmaceuticals; and a pharmaceutical receptacle positioned adjacent to the pharmaceutical dust receptacle, wherein the pharmaceutical receptacle comprises a pharmaceutical receptacle funnel configured to receive the pharmaceuticals from the pharmaceutical dust separation screen and a door hingeably connected to the pharmaceutical receptacle funnel and configured to move between an open position and a closed position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The container disassembly workstation of claim 1, further including a shield assembly connected to the desktop to substantially surround the container disassembly workspace and configured to at least partially shield a technician from the container disassembly workspace. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The container disassembly workstation of claim 2, wherein the shield assembly further comprises an access door slidably or rotatably moveable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the open position facilitates access to the container disassembly workspace by an operator, and wherein the closed position inhibits access to the container disassembly workspace by the operator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The container disassembly workstation of claim 2, further including a pair of operator gloves integral with the shield assembly enabling an operator to interact with the container disassembly workspace without direct exposure to the container disassembly workspace. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The container disassembly workstation of claim 4, wherein the shield assembly comprises a shield frame and a plurality of panels connected to the shield frame, and wherein the container disassembly workstation further comprises a pharmaceutical chute that extends through an opening in one panel of the plurality of panels. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The container disassembly workstation of claim 1, further including: a container manipulation device connected to the desktop and comprising a gripper, the container manipulation device configured to grip and move at least one container between at least a first position and a second position within the container disassembly workspace; a scanner device connected to the desktop and configured to determine whether at least one container is positioned in the first position; and a cutter device positioned adjacent the container manipulation device and comprising a cutter head and configured to cut through at least one wall of at least one container to separate at least a first portion of the at least one container from a second portion of the at least one container when the scanner device determines that at least one container is in the second position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The container disassembly workstation of claim 6, wherein the container manipulation device is configured to: grip a first portion of the at least one container in a first, upright orientation at the first position; move the at least one container from the first position to the second position; orient the at least one container in a second, upside-down orientation at the second position; move the first portion of the at least one container from the second position to a third position, wherein the third position is vertically above the pharmaceutical dust separation screen; and orient the at least one container in the second, upside-down orientation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The container disassembly workstation of claim 1, further comprising: a container receptacle defining an opening in the desktop sized to receive at least a portion of a pharmaceutical container, and wherein the base further comprises at least two legs extendable along a vertical axis to a plurality of positions between a low position and a high position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The container disassembly workstation of claim 1, further comprising: a vacuum system connected in flow communication with the pharmaceutical dust receptacle, the vacuum system configured to apply a vacuum to the pharmaceutical dust receptacle to draw pharmaceutical dust through the pharmaceutical dust separation screen and into the pharmaceutical dust receptacle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The container disassembly workstation of claim 9, further comprising: a bulk container receptacle configured to retain a bulk container proximate the pharmaceutical receptacle such that pharmaceuticals received by the pharmaceutical receptacle are directed into the bulk container. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The container disassembly workstation of claim 10, wherein the pharmaceutical receptacle is positioned adjacent the pharmaceutical dust receptacle and the pharmaceutical dust separation screen is positioned within a screen retention cavity of the pharmaceutical dust receptacle. ### Claim 12 A pharmacy order processing system comprising: a container disassembly workstation for a pharmacy order processing system, the container disassembly workstation comprising: a base; a desktop connected to the base, the desktop defining a container disassembly workspace; and a pharmaceutical receptacle assembly extending through the desktop, the pharmaceutical receptacle assembly comprising: a pharmaceutical dust separation screen configured to retain pharmaceuticals and to permit pharmaceutical dust to pass through the pharmaceutical dust separation screen; a pharmaceutical dust receptacle configured to receive the pharmaceutical dust separation screen and pharmaceutical dust from the pharmaceuticals; and a pharmaceutical receptacle positioned adjacent to the pharmaceutical dust receptacle, wherein the pharmaceutical receptacle comprises a pharmaceutical receptacle funnel configured to receive the pharmaceuticals from the pharmaceutical dust separation screen and a door hingeably connected to the pharmaceutical receptacle funnel and configured to move between an open position and a closed position; and a bulk container area including a plurality of bulk containers, a bulk container of the plurality of bulk containers configured to receive the pharmaceuticals from the pharmaceutical receptacle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The pharmacy order processing system of claim 12, further including: a container manipulation device connected to the desktop and comprising a gripper, the container manipulation device configured to grip and move at least one container between at least a first position and a second position within the container disassembly workspace; a scanner device connected to the desktop and configured to determine whether at least one container is positioned in the first position; and a cutter device positioned adjacent the container manipulation device and comprising a cutter head and configured to cut through at least one wall of at least one container to separate at least a first portion of the at least one container from a second portion of the at least one container when the scanner device determines that at least one container is in the second position. ### Claim 14 A method of disassembling a container comprising: opening, within a container disassembly workspace of a container disassembly workstation, a container containing pharmaceutical products including pharmaceuticals and packing materials; transferring, via a container manipulation device, the pharmaceutical products from the opened container to a pharmaceutical dust separation screen of a pharmaceutical receptacle assembly, wherein the pharmaceutical dust separation screen is configured to retain the pharmaceuticals and to permit pharmaceutical dust to pass through the pharmaceutical dust separation screen; separating the pharmaceuticals from the pharmaceutical dust and the packing materials; moving the pharmaceuticals from a pharmaceutical dust receptacle of the pharmaceutical receptacle assembly to a pharmaceutical receptacle, wherein the pharmaceutical receptacle includes a pharmaceutical receptacle funnel configured to receive the pharmaceuticals from the pharmaceutical dust separation screen and a door hingeably connected to the pharmaceutical receptacle funnel and configured to move between an open position and a closed position; and disposing of the packing materials. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein opening a container includes at least one of removing a lid of the container, separating a first portion of the container from a second portion of the container with a cutter device, and cutting through at least a portion of the container with the cutter device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein separating the pharmaceuticals from the pharmaceutical dust and the packing materials includes connecting a vacuum in flow communication with the pharmaceutical dust receptacle, the vacuum configured to draw pharmaceutical dust from the pharmaceutical dust receptacle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein moving the pharmaceuticals from the pharmaceutical dust receptacle to a pharmaceutical receptacle includes moving the door from the closed position to the open position and placing the pharmaceuticals in the pharmaceutical receptacle funnel, and wherein transferring the pharmaceutical products from the opened container to a pharmaceutical dust separation screen of the pharmaceutical receptacle assembly is performed by a container manipulation device. ### Claim 18 A method of disassembling a container comprising: moving, with a container manipulation device, a container containing pharmaceutical products including pharmaceuticals and packing materials from a first position at a container staging area to a second position at a cutter device; cutting, with the cutter device, the container into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the pharmaceutical products are retained in the second portion; transferring the pharmaceutical products from the second portion to a pharmaceutical dust separation screen of a pharmaceutical receptacle assembly, wherein the pharmaceutical dust separation screen is configured to retain the pharmaceuticals and to permit pharmaceutical dust to pass through the pharmaceutical dust separation screen; and separating the pharmaceuticals from the pharmaceutical dust and the packing materials. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: scanning, with a height scanner device, the container staging area to determine the presence of the container, and scanning, with a barcode scanner device, a barcode on the container to confirm the pharmaceutical products within the container. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein cutting the container comprises cutting the container with an automated cutter head including one of a blade or an ultrasonic device. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: orienting the container in an upside-down orientation in the second position such that the first portion of the container is a bottom of the container and the second portion of the container is a top of the container and wherein transferring the pharmaceutical products comprises orienting the second portion of the container into an upright orientation to empty the pharmaceutical products on the pharmaceutical dust separation screen. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein transferring the pharmaceutical products comprises depositing the pharmaceutical products onto a pharmaceutical chute, wherein the pharmaceutical products travel along the pharmaceutical chute and come to rest on the pharmaceutical dust separation screen.