System and method for dispensing orders
AssigneeRxsafe LLC
InventorWilliam K. Holmes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
System and method for dispensing orders. One embodiment provides a method of dispensing a prescription order to a customer at a customer kiosk. The method includes receiving, at a pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device, an instruction to deliver a filled prescription to a customer kiosk and transferring, using a gantry assembly, the filled prescription to a chute connecting the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device and a pneumatic delivery terminal. The method further includes opening a door of the pneumatic delivery terminal and operating an actuator to transfer the filled prescription from the chute to the pneumatic delivery terminal. The method also includes closing the door of the pneumatic delivery terminal and delivering, via a pneumatic tube, the filled prescription to the customer kiosk.
Claims19
A pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device comprising:
- a housing;
- a storage area in the housing for storing filled prescriptions;
- an outlet on the housing;
- a gantry assembly in the housing configured to transport the filled prescriptions from the storage area to the outlet;
- and
- a chute connecting the outlet to a pneumatic delivery terminal, the chute including:
- a pushing member movable relative to the chute to deliver the filled prescriptions from the chute to the pneumatic delivery terminal, wherein the pushing member is movable linearly along a direction perpendicular to an opening of the pneumatic delivery terminal receiving the filled prescriptions, wherein a door is provided at the opening to open and close the opening, and
- an actuator coupled to the pushing member and configured to move the pushing member,
- wherein the pushing member is shaped to substantially cover the opening when the pushing member transports the first filled prescription to the opening, and
- wherein the pushing member remains at the opening after transporting the first filled prescription to the opening until the door closes the opening.
A pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device comprising:
- a housing;
- a storage area in the housing for storing filled prescriptions;
- an outlet on the housing;
- a gantry assembly in the housing configured to transport the filled prescriptions from the storage area to the outlet;
- and
- a chute connecting the outlet to a pneumatic delivery terminal, the chute is a continuous body including
- a first portion coupled to the outlet,
- a second portion coupled to an opening in the pneumatic delivery terminal, and
- a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion and including a pushing member movable relative to the chute above a floor of the chute to deliver the filled prescriptions from the floor of the chute to the pneumatic delivery terminal.
A pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device comprising:
- a housing;
- a storage area in the housing for storing filled prescriptions;
- an outlet on the housing;
- a gantry assembly in the housing configured to transport the filled prescriptions from the storage area to the outlet;
- and
- a chute connecting the outlet to a pneumatic delivery terminal, the chute including:
- a first portion coupled to the outlet,
- a second portion including a pushing member movable relative to the chute to deliver the filled prescriptions from the chute to the pneumatic delivery terminal, and
- a third portion coupled to an opening in the pneumatic delivery terminal, wherein a first filled prescription from the filled prescriptions includes a first magnet and the third portion includes a second magnet such that the first filled prescription moves from the first portion to the second portion due to a magnetic field created between the first magnet and the second magnet, wherein the second magnet is positioned on a floor of the third portion between the pushing member and the opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.