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US 12,679,588 B2Granted
Systems and methods for labeling various shapes of containers in a unit-of-use machine
AssigneeInnovation Associates, Inc.
InventorCharles Edward Eller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for labeling various shapes of containers are disclosed. The systems and methods simplify the complete process of labeling by only requiring a pick point to retrieve the container and a single labeling position that is not container specific. The picking and labeling are agnostic to the container. The system only cares that the container is picked and labeled on consistent axes. This insures reliable label placement and easy container implementation into the system.
Claims18
A medicament container processing system comprising:
- a processor in operable communication with a memory;
- an actuator comprising:
- a pick head;
- a pick head axis;
- a feeder configured to move at least one medicament container to a picking position;
- a labeler comprising:
- a tamp head,
- a tamper actuator,
- a pressure sensor, and
- a loss motion slide;
- and
- a tamp head axis,
- wherein the actuator is configured to move the at least one medicament container, which is aligned with the pick head axis, to a labeling area when the at least one medicament container is operably coupled to the pick head,
- wherein the tamper actuator is configured to move the tamp head toward the at least one medicament container after the at least one medicament container is in the labeling area and aligned to the tamp head axis,
- wherein the pressure sensor is configured to sense a pressure measurement between the tamp head and the at least one medicament container,
- wherein the tamp head is configured to affix a label to the at least one medicament container, and
- wherein the processor is configured to cause the tamp head to retract from the at least one medicament container when the pressure sensor senses a pressure higher than a threshold pressure level.
14 more elements
A medicament container processing system comprising:
- a processor in operable communication with a memory;
- an actuator comprising:
- a pick head;
- a pick head axis;
- a feeder configured to move at least one medicament container to a picking position;
- a labeler comprising:
- a tamp head,
- a tamper actuator,
- a sensor, and
- a loss motion slide;
- and
- a tamp head axis,
- wherein the actuator is configured to move the at least one medicament container, which is aligned with the pick head axis, to a labeling area when the at least one medicament container is operably coupled to the pick head,
- wherein the tamper actuator is configured to move the tamp head toward the at least one medicament container after the at least one medicament container is in the labeling area and aligned to the tamp head axis,
- wherein the sensor is configured to sense a pressure measurement between the tamp head and the at least one medicament container,
- wherein the tamp head is configured to affix a label to the at least one medicament container, and
- wherein the pick head comprises a suction member configured to removably affix the at least one medicament container to the pick head by vacuum pressure.
14 more elements
A medicament container processing system comprising:
- a processor in operable communication with a memory;
- an actuator comprising:
- a pick head;
- a pick head axis;
- a feeder configured to move at least one medicament container to a picking position;
- a labeler comprising:
- a tamp head,
- a tamper actuator,
- a sensor, and
- a loss motion slide;
- and
- a tamp head axis,
- wherein the actuator is configured to move the at least one medicament container, which is aligned with the pick head axis, to a labeling area when the at least one medicament container is operably coupled to the pick head,
- wherein the tamper actuator is configured to move the tamp head toward the at least one medicament container after the at least one medicament container is in the labeling area and aligned to the tamp head axis,
- wherein the sensor is configured to sense a pressure measurement between the tamp head and the at least one medicament container,
- wherein the tamp head is configured to affix a label to the at least one medicament container, and
- wherein the tamp head comprises a flexible material configured to conform to a shape of the at least one medicament container when pressure is applied between the tamp head and the at least one medicament container.
14 more elements
A method of affixing a label to a medicament container, the method comprising:
- providing a medicament container to a feeder;
- moving the medicament container from the feeder to a labeler by an actuator comprising a pick head, the labeler comprising a tamp head, wherein the medicament container is generally vertically oriented on a pick head axis while provided at the feeder and is generally vertically oriented on a tamp head axis while provided at the labeler;
- providing a label to the labeler;
- affixing the label to the medicament container by applying pressure from a tamp head while sensing a pressure measurement between the tamp head and the medicament container;
- and
- causing the tamp head to retract from the medicament container when the pressure measurement is greater than a threshold pressure level.
3 more elements
A method of affixing a label to a medicament container, the method comprising:
- providing a medicament container to a feeder;
- moving the medicament container from the feeder to a labeler by an actuator comprising a pick head, the labeler comprising a tamp head, wherein the medicament container is generally vertically oriented on a pick head axis while provided at the feeder and is generally vertically oriented on a tamp head axis while provided at the labeler;
- providing a label to the labeler;
- and
- affixing the label to the medicament container by applying pressure from a tamp head,
- wherein the pick head comprises a suction member configured to removably affix medicament container to the pick head by vacuum pressure.
3 more elements
A method of affixing a label to a medicament container, the method comprising:
- providing a medicament container to a feeder;
- moving the medicament container from the feeder to a labeler by an actuator comprising a pick head, the labeler comprising a tamp head, wherein the medicament container is generally vertically oriented on a pick head axis while provided at the feeder and is generally vertically oriented on a tamp head axis while provided at the labeler;
- providing a label to the labeler;
- affixing the label to the medicament container by applying pressure from a tamp head,
- wherein the tamp head comprises a flexible material configured to conform to a shape of the medicament container when pressure is applied between the tamp head and the medicament container.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.