Systems and methods for manual handling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10035653-B2
Application number	US-201615201845-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2016
Priority date	Mar 4, 2011
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

Method and systems for manual handling are described. In one embodiment, a holding section, a distribution section and a manual section are provided. The holding section is adapted to hold the container during manual handling. The distribution section is adjacent the holding section and includes a robot adapted to select and pick containers from the holding section. The robot is disposed to distribute the container. The manual section is disposed adjacent the conveyor. The manual section is adapted for inspection or filling of the container. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
scanning, by a scanner, a label of a container for a quantity of a prescription drug to obtain scanned data;
determining, by a processor, whether the container is to be distributed to a manual handling section based on the scanned data;
in response to the container being determined to be distributed to the manual handling section,
distributing, by a robot, the container from a distribution section to the manual handling section for manual handling and distributing companion order components of the prescription drug from a plurality of order components to a holding section when the container is being manually handled;
routing, by the robot, the container that has been manually handled from the manual handling section to the holding section via a delivery conveyor;
combining, by the robot, the container containing the quantity of the prescription drug with the companion order components in the holding section to group a prescription order; and
returning, by the robot, the prescription order to the distribution section via a return conveyor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the manual handling section, the distribution section, and the holding section are deployed within a high volume pharmacy system for delivering the prescription order including the plurality of order components, and wherein at least one of the plurality of order components being the container for the quantity of a prescription drug.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a confirmation code based on an operation that is completed in the manual handling section.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein combining the container with the companion order components in the holding section to group the prescription order comprises:
identifying, in the holding section, a stationary pallet among a plurality of pallets that is associated with the container to group the prescription order.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
picking, by the robot, the container from the delivery conveyor; and
placing the container on the stationary pallet.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
respectively assigning a position on the stationary pallet to the plurality of order components.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
indexing the position on the stationary pallet to track a location of the container to thereby facilitate returning the container to the stationary pallet after being manually handled.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
circulating, on a circulating conveyor, the stationary pallet within the holding section and awaiting the container being returned to the stationary pallet from the manual handling section.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein scanning the label of the container further comprises:
capturing an image of the label of the container by an image sensor.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising capturing the image of the label of the container by spinning the container for the image sensor to obtain scanned data.

11. A system comprising:
a scanner configured for scanning a label of a container for a quantity of a prescription drug to obtain scanned data;
a processor configured for determining whether the container is to be distributed to a manual handling section based on the scanned data; and
a robot disposed in a distribution section and configured for, in response to the container being determined to be distributed to the manual handling section,
distributing the container from the distribution section to the manual handling section for manual handling and distributing companion order components of the prescription drug from a plurality of order components to a holding section when the container is being manually handled;
routing the container that has been manually handled from the manual handling section to the holding section via a delivery conveyor;
combining the container containing the quantity of the prescription drug with the companion order components in the holding section to group a prescription order; and
returning the prescription order to the distribution section via a return conveyor.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the manual handling section, the distribution section, and the holding section are deployed within a high volume pharmacy system for delivering the prescription order including the plurality of order components, and wherein at least one of the plurality of order components being the container for the quantity of a prescription drug.

13. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a device disposed in the manual handling section and configured for transmitting a confirmation code based on an operation that is completed in the manual handling section.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the robot comprises a reader configured for identifying, in the holding section, a stationary pallet among a plurality of pallets that is associated with the container to group the prescription order.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the robot is further configured for:
picking the container from the delivery conveyor; and
placing the container on the stationary pallet.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of order components is assigned a position on the stationary pallet.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the position on the stationary pallet is indexed to track a location of the container to thereby facilitate returning the container to the stationary pallet after being manually handled.

18. The system of claim 16 , the stationary pallet is circulated on a circulating conveyor within the holding section awaiting the container being returned to the stationary pallet from the manual handling section.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the scanner is an image sensor configured for capturing an image of the label of the container.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the robot is configured for spinning the container while the image sensor is capturing the image of the label of the container to obtain the scanned data.

Assignees

• Express Scripts Inc
• Express Scripts Strategic Dev Inc

Inventors

• Eller Charles E
• Joplin Jonathan W

Classifications

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• G06F7/00

  Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled (logic circuits H03K19/00) · CPC title

• B67B3/02

  by applying flanged caps, e.g. crown caps, and securing by deformation of flanges · CPC title

• B65B5/04

  Packaging single articles · CPC title

• B07C5/361

  Processing or control devices therefor, e.g. escort memory · CPC title