# US 2010/0168910 A1 · Automated store arrangement and method for storing and dispensing medicaments > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0168910 A1 - Document ID: US20100168910A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/159,601 - Filed: 2006-12-18 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2005-12-30 - Inventors: Gerhard Haas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100168910A1 ## CPC - B65G 1/1371: {with data records} - G07F 11/04: in which magazines the articles are stored one vertically above the other - G07F 11/165: {using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements} - G07F 11/1657: {the picking arrangements using suction} - G07F 11/58: the articles being supported on or by endless belts or like conveyors - G07F 17/0092: {for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles (medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00)} - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract An automated store arrangement (1) for storing and dispensing medicaments comprises a number of store areas (2), which can in each case accommodate a number of medicament packs (5) and/or containers (16), at least one operating device (3) for storing and retrieving medicament packs (5) and containers (16) on or from the store areas (2), a dispensing device and a control device (15). The containers (16) may respectively accommodate a multiplicity of medicament portions and have an integrated discharge device (19) for discharging individual medicament portions. The dispensing device (4) serves for producing medicament packs (21) respectively containing a number of medicament portions. The dispensing device (4) has at least one container receptacle (17), to which the operating device (3) can respectively feed a container (16) and from which the operating device (3) can pick up the container (16) again, a release device, which can activate the discharge device (19) of the container (16) contained in a container receptacle (17) in such a way that medicament portions emerge in a predetermined number, and a packing device (20), which can in each case accommodate a number of emerging medicament portions and pack them into the medicament pack (31) to be produced. The control device is coupled to the operating device (3) and to the release device and the packaging device (20) and controls them in such a way that medicament portions of at least one predetermined kind are packed in a respectively predetermined number and sequence in the medicament pack (21) to be produced. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An automated store arrangement for storing and dispensing medicaments, having: a plurality of storage areas that each can receive a number of medicament packs and/or cartridges, the cartridges each being able to receive a multiplicity of medicament portions and having an integrated discharge device for discharging individual medicament portions, at least one operating device for storing and retrieving medicament packs and cartridges (16) on and from the storage areas, a dispensing device for producing medicament packs that each contain a number of medicament portions, the dispensing device having at least one cartridge receptacle, to which the operating device can in each case feed a cartridge and from which the operating device can remove the cartridge, a release device, which can activate the discharge device of the cartridge contained in a cartridge receptacle in such a way that medicament portions emerge in a predetermined number, and a packing device, which can in each case receive a number of emerging medicament portions and pack them in the medicament pack to be produced, and a control device, which is coupled to the operating device and to the release device and the packing device and controls them in such a way that medicament portions of at least one predetermined kind are packed in a respectively predetermined number and sequence in the medicament pack to be produced. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The automated store arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the storage areas are level shelves of a high-bay store. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The automated store arrangement as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the operating device can be made to move in front of the shelves and has a transport table and can draw the medicament packs or cartridges from the shelves onto the transport table. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The automated store arrangement as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the operating device has a suction gripper (10). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The automated store arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the medicament packs and the cartridges are stored on the storage areas (2) chaotically and with optimum use of the storage areas available. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The automated store arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the integrated discharge device of a cartridge comprises a mechanically actuable dispensing mechanism for dispensing in each case an individual medicament portion and in that the released device of the dispensing device has an actuating mechanism that can be triggered by electrical control signals of the control device (15) for actuating the dispensing mechanism. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The automated store arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the integrated discharge device of a cartridge comprises an electromechanical dispensing mechanism that can be actuated by electrical control signals for dispensing individual medicament portions and an interface with first contacts and in that the release device of the dispensing device comprises an interface that receives control signals of the control device and has second contacts arranged on the cartridge receptacle, the first contacts being connected to the second contacts in such a way that the control signals and a voltage supply can be passed on to the electromechanical dispensing mechanism whenever a cartridge is lying in the cartridge receptacle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The automated store arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the packing device has a device for sealing the medicament portions in foils or containers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The automated store arrangement as claimed in one of claim 1, characterized in that the dispensing device has a marking device for marking the medicament packs to be produced. ### Claim 10 A method for storing and dispensing medicaments in and from an automated store arrangement, wherein cartridges that can each receive a multiplicity of medicament portions and have an integrated discharge device for discharging individual medicament portions, as well as medicament packs are stored on storage areas of an automated store and then, if at least one desired medicament is to be dispensed: at least one medicament pack that contains the at least one desired medicament and/or at least one cartridge that contains a medicament portion corresponding to the at least one desired medicament is gripped by an operating device and removed from the storage area, if a medicament pack containing at least one desired medicament has been removed, the medicament pack is brought by the operating device to a medicament dispensing location, if a cartridge containing a medicament portion corresponding to the at least one desired medicament has been removed, the cartridge is brought by the operating device to a cartridge receptacle of a dispensing device, if at least one cartridge has been brought to a cartridge receptacle, the discharge device of the at least one cartridge is activated in such a way that at least one medicament portion corresponding to the at least one desired medicament is removed from the cartridge and the at least one medicament portion is packed by the dispensing device in a medicament pack to be produced, with the result that medicament portions of the kind corresponding to at least one desired medicament are packed in the appropriate number and sequence in the medicament pack to be produced. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method for storing and dispensing medicaments as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the medicament pack produced is brought to the medicament discharging location. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method for storing and dispensing medicaments as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the medicament pack produced is gripped by the operator device and brought to one of the storage areas. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method for storing and dispensing medicaments as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the medicament pack produced is placed in a container and the container is gripped by the operating device and brought to one of the storage areas, later, the container is gripped once again by the operating device and brought to a medicament discharging location, the medicament pack produced is removed and the container is returned to the dispensing device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method for storing and dispensing medicaments as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the medicament packs and the cartridges are stored on the storage areas chaotically and with optimum use of the storage areas available. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method for storing and dispensing medicaments as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the medicament pack to be produced or the medicament pack produced is provided with a marking during or after the packing of the medicament portions.