Methods and systems for automated pharmaceutical dispensing
AssigneeExpress Scripts, Inc.
InventorJonathan W. JOPLIN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated dispensing device for a pharmaceutical order filling system includes an order processing device to receive a pharmaceutical order. The order processing device includes a cell for containing an available quantity of a pharmaceutical of the pharmaceutical order, and an insert received in the cell. The insert has a dispensing tube, and is adapted to receive the available quantity of the pharmaceutical and to dispense a measured quantity of the pharmaceutical through the dispensing tube. The cell includes a funnel having a weighted gate adapted to receive the dispensing tube of the insert.
Claims20
An automated dispensing device for a pharmaceutical order filling system comprising:
- an order processing device,
- a plurality of cells, each cell adapted to contain a quantity of a pharmaceutical and including a funnel having a funnel gate,
- an insert having an insert code and a dispensing tube, the insert sized for insertion into one of the plurality of cells, the dispensing tube adapted to engage a funnel gate of the funnel when the insert is in the cell;
- a prefill assembly including buffer tubes, each buffer tube having a holding area and associated with one of the plurality of cells;
- and
- a pallet assembly including a pallet and movement apparatus adapted to move the pallet, the pallet being configured to hold containers and each container having a container code,
- wherein a communication from the order processing device is generated when the insert code on the insert corresponds to the container code on the container.
An automated dispensing device for a pharmaceutical order filling system comprising:
- an order processing device to receive a pharmaceutical order, and including:
- a cell for containing an available quantity of a pharmaceutical of the pharmaceutical order;
- and
- an insert received in the cell and having a dispensing tube, the insert adapted to receive the available quantity of the pharmaceutical and to dispense a measured quantity of the pharmaceutical through the dispensing tube;
- and
- the cell including a funnel having a weighted gate adapted to receive the dispensing tube of the insert.
A pharmaceutical order filling system comprising:
- an order processing device to receive pharmaceutical orders prescribing pharmaceuticals;
- an automated dispensing device coupled to the order processing device and including cells, inserts, a prefill assembly and a pallet, wherein a first cell of the cells contains a quantity of a first pharmaceutical selected from the pharmaceuticals, the first cell being sized to slidably receive one of the inserts;
- and
- a sequencing module to determine an order for dispensing a measured quantity of each of the pharmaceuticals into a plurality of containers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.