US 12,384,627 B2Granted

Modular product dispensing and verification system and method

AssigneeTension International, Inc.

InventorsRobert Terzini, Kenneth S. Myers

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A modular, scalable prescription dispensing and verification system includes a four-tiered central conveyor, dispensing control system with stored patient orders for creating dispensing and routing itineraries, carriers transporting itineraries and dispensed medications, induction station, pairs of processing stations divided by the conveyor, including automated and manual dispensing, verification, cold chain, and ambient packaging. Crossover conveyors transport carriers between dispensing station pair members for dispensing multiple products per station pair. One conveyor tier returns empty carriers to induction, another transports carriers from each dispensing station to verification, then to packaging, another transports carriers from induction to dispensing, then to additional dispensing, another conveys carriers from induction to dispensing stations. Carrier stops halt carriers at stations for removal for processing, replacement, and transport to the next station, or deposit on another tier and transport to a different station. The system may include two conveyor modules, one for refrigerated or ambient unit-of-use items, another for ambient countables.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

at least one processor;
an ambient countable module comprising:
a central conveyor comprising a first transport conveyor, a second transport conveyor vertically spaced above the first transport conveyor, and a third transport conveyor vertically spaced above the second transport conveyor;
a rearward traveling transfer branch extending generally transversely from the central conveyor;
a product dispensing station comprising a single container packaging station and a multiple container packaging station;
and
a computer-readable storage device storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
receive a patient order for a medication;
activate the second transport conveyor to transport the patient order from the product dispensing station to a verification station;
if the patient order does not require further processing by a special module of the system,
activate the second transport conveyor to transport the patient order having two or more containers from the verification station to the multiple container packaging station or
activate the third transport conveyor to transport the patient order having a single container from the verification station to the single container packaging station;
and
if the patient order requires further processing by the special module,
activate the rearward traveling transfer branch to transport the patient order to a transfer stop where the special module is located nearby.

12 more elements

A method for increasing throughput in dispensing, verifying, and packaging, the method comprising:

receiving a patient order for a medication in a system comprising:
at least one processor;
an ambient countable module comprising:
a central conveyor comprising a first transport conveyor, a second transport conveyor vertically spaced above the first transport conveyor, and a third transport conveyor vertically spaced above the second transport conveyor;
a rearward traveling transfer branch extending generally transversely from the central conveyor;
a product dispensing station comprising a single container packaging station and a multiple container packaging station;
activating the second transport conveyor to transport the patient order from the product dispensing station to a verification station;
if the patient order does not require further processing by a special module of the system,
activating the second transport conveyor to transport the patient order having two or more containers from the verification station to the multiple container packaging station or
activating the third transport conveyor to transport the patient order having a single container from the verification station to the single container packaging station;
and
if the patient order requires further processing by the special module,
activating the rearward traveling transfer branch to transport the patient order to a transfer stop where the special module is located nearby.

10 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations, comprising:

receiving a patient order for a medication in a system comprising:
at least one processor;
an ambient countable module comprising:
a central conveyor comprising a first transport conveyor, a second transport conveyor vertically spaced above the first transport conveyor, and a third transport conveyor vertically spaced above the second transport conveyor;
a rearward traveling transfer branch extending generally transversely from the central conveyor;
a product dispensing station comprising a single container packaging station and a multiple container packaging station;
activating the second transport conveyor to transport the patient order from the product dispensing station to a verification station;
if the patient order does not require further processing by a special module of the system,
activating the second transport conveyor to transport the patient order having two or more containers from the verification station to the multiple container packaging station or
activating the third transport conveyor to transport the patient order having a single container from the verification station to the single container packaging station;
and
if the patient order requires further processing by the special module,
activating the rearward traveling transfer branch to transport the patient order to a transfer stop where the special module is located nearby.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/434,325Filed 6 Feb 2024 · continuation
Priority: 28 Mar 2016
Published: US 2024/0174447 A130 May 2024
Granted: 12 Aug 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification23 codes

B65G 1/1378
For fulfilling orders in warehouses: the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas
G16H 40/20
ICT specially adapted for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities; ICT specially adapted for the management or…:…
B65B 5/08
Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars: packaging groups of articles, the…
B65B 35/10
Supplying, feeding, arranging or orientating articles to be packaged: feeding, e.g. conveying, single articles

Family

Application62/314,115Us provisional application · filed 28 Mar 2016
Application15/472,129Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Mar 2017
Application16/856,157Parent of this continuation · filed 23 Apr 2020
US 10,669,098 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Jun 2020
Application17/827,389Parent of this continuation · filed 27 May 2022
US 2024/0174447 A1Pre-grant publication · published 30 May 2024
US 11,912,506 B2Parent of this continuation
US 11,345,547 B1Parent of this continuation
US 2022/0363481 A1Published application
US 12,384,627 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.