Plural-mode automatic medicament packaging system

A plural-mode automatic packaging system comprising:

• an automatic dispensing unit including a plurality of storage and dispensing units, the plurality of storage and dispensing units residing in individual storage locations in the automatic dispensing unit, the storage and dispensing units dispensing items from the storage locations;
• a first packaging unit which receives items from the storage and dispensing units and packages the items in first packages;
• a second packaging unit which receives items from the storage and dispensing units and packages the items in second packages, the second packages differing in type from the first packages;
• a plural-position item diverter having a conveyor, the diverter having first and second mode positions such that, in the first-mode position, items move from the storage and dispensing units to the first packaging unit and, in the second-mode position, items move from the storage and dispensing units to the conveyor of the diverter and the conveyor delivers the items to the second packaging unit;
• an inspection unit configured and positioned to inspect medicaments to be dispensed into one of first packages or one of the second packages;
• and
• a controller operatively associated with the automatic dispensing unit, the first packaging unit, the second packaging unit and the diverter.

A plural-mode automatic medicament packaging system comprising:

• an automatic medicament dispensing unit including a plurality of medicament storage and dispensing units, the plurality of medicament storage and dispensing units residing in individual storage locations in the automatic medicament dispensing unit, the medicament storage and dispensing units dispensing medicament from the storage locations;
• a pouch packaging unit which receives medicaments from the storage and dispensing units and packages the medicaments in pouch packages;
• a blister package packaging unit which receives medicaments from the storage and dispensing units and packages the medicaments in blister packages, the blister package packaging unit configured to load the medicaments into one or more specific cells of a blister package;
• a plural-position medicament diverter having first and second mode positions such that, in the first-mode position, individual medicaments dispensed from the storage and dispensing units are conveyed from the storage and dispensing units to the pouch packaging unit and, in the second-mode position, individual medicaments dispensed from the storage and dispensing units are conveyed from the storage and dispensing units to the blister package packaging unit;
• a controller operatively associated with the automatic medicament dispensing unit, the pouch packaging unit, the blister package packaging unit, the inspection unit and the diverter;
• a medicament carrier movable between a receiving position in which the medicament carrier receives medicaments from the automatic medicament dispensing unit and a delivery position in which the medicament carrier delivers the medicaments to the blister package packaging unit;
• and
• an inspection unit configured and positioned to inspect medicaments to be dispensed into one of the cells of the blister packages as said medicaments are located in the medicament carrier.