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US 12,630,322 B2Granted
Automated medication bagger system, methods, and apparatus
AssigneeInnovation Associations, Inc
InventorsDavid Royce, Ryan Van Tassel, Nicholas Twining, Conner Sweeney, Eric Shelley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for automated packaging medication containers and medication documentation into bags are disclosed. The bag is opened by an air knife and held open by fingers and grippers. The bag is filled with a medication container and corresponding medication documentation. The bag is then sealed shut and is ready for delivery to a patient.
Claims20
A packaging apparatus for a medication bagger system, the packaging apparatus comprising:
- a main frame;
- a bag transport mechanism affixed to the main frame and configured to receive a plurality of bags, wherein the bag transport mechanism cooperates with a motor used to transport at least one of the plurality of bags to at least a printing station and a loading station;
- the printing station including at least a thermal transfer printer and a print roller;
- and
- the loading station including at least a first articulable finger, a second articulable finger, and a third articulable finger, at least a first bag gripper and a second bag gripper, an air knife, and a sealing mechanism, wherein:
- the first articulable finger, the second articulable finger, and the third articulable finger are configured to engage a leading bag of the plurality of bags to enable medication documentation and at least one medication container to be placed therein, and
- the first bag gripper and second bag gripper are configured to engage the leading bag to prepare it for sealing and move away from the leading bag pulling the leading bag taut for sealing.
4 more elements
A method for packaging medication, the method comprising:
- feeding a leading bag from a plurality of bags, via a motor and a bag transport mechanism, to a printing station;
- printing patient information onto a front side of the leading bag at the printing station by a thermal transfer printer and a print roller;
- transporting, via the bag transport mechanism, the leading bag to a loading station;
- opening the leading bag with an air knife configured to blow air directly into an inflation edge of the leading bag;
- engaging, via a bag gripper first and a second bag gripper configured to engage the leading bag and a first articulable finger, a second articulable finger, and a third articulable finger configured to pull the front side of the leading bag away from a back side of the leading bag;
- filling the leading bag with medication documentation and at least one medication container;
- moving the first bag gripper and second bag gripper apart from one another to stretch the leading bag taut;
- and
- sealing the leading bag by a sealing mechanism.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.