Systems and methods for manual countables

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10369080-B2
Application number	US-201715407376-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2017
Priority date	Jul 23, 2014
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods for manually filling a prescription order. A manual fill device may be incorporated into a manual fill center of a pharmacy operated by one or more pharmacists and/or pharmacist technicians to manually fill certain prescription containers. The manual fill device may include a control unit which may operate at the direction of the order processing device. The manual fill device may also include a distribution section automating distribution of containers for manual fulfillment, and a manual section in which a pharmacist may utilize available pharmaceuticals to manually fill orders.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a distribution section including a robot and a scanner, the robot being configured to select and pick a container from the distribution section and move the container to the scanner, and the scanner being configured to scan the container to identify one of a plurality of various pharmaceuticals to be deposited in the container;
a manual section disposed adjacent the distribution section, the manual section including a plurality of handling areas and a plurality of shelving areas for storing the plurality of various pharmaceuticals; and
a control unit,
wherein each of the plurality of shelving areas stores at least one of the plurality of various pharmaceuticals,
wherein the control unit is configured to determine (i) at least one of the plurality of shelving areas that is storing the one of the plurality of various pharmaceuticals based on the identification by the scanner; and (ii) a selected handling area of the plurality of handling areas associated with the at least one of the plurality of shelving areas and
wherein the robot is further configured to direct the container from the distribution section to the selected handling area.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one conveyor configured to transport the container between the distribution section and the at least one of the plurality of handling areas,
wherein the robot is further configured to place the container on the at least one conveyor based on the identification.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
at least one guiderail positioned to define a plurality of lanes on the conveyor,
wherein one of the plurality of lanes leads to the selected handling area of the plurality of handling areas.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the robot is further configured to pick the container and place the container on the one of the plurality of lanes.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a feed conveyor configured to supply the container to a first pallet to be delivered to the distribution section.

6. The system of claim 5 ,
wherein the feed conveyor is configured to supply an additional container to a second pallet to be delivered to the distribution section, and
wherein the second pallet is being staged for unloading while the first pallet is being unloaded.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of shelving areas includes one or more shelves configured for storing one or more different types of pharmaceutical.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more shelves within the at least one of the plurality of shelving areas are associated with an additional one of the plurality of shelving areas.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the selected handling area of the plurality of handling areas is selected based on a drug amount of the container and availability of the one or more shelves.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the selected handling area of the plurality of handling areas is selected based on a speed of filling being performed at the plurality of handling areas, skills, knowledges, and/or expertise of persons operating at the plurality of handling areas.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the selected handling area of the plurality of handling areas is selected based on respective workloads of the plurality of handling areas.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the robot is further configured to direct the container from the distribution section to the selected handling area of the plurality of handling areas that has recently handled the same or similar pharmaceutical associated with the container.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of shelving areas includes a carousel system configured to recall a specific pharmaceutical.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the robot is further configured to direct the container from the distribution section to at least two of the plurality of handling areas associated with the at least one of the plurality of shelving areas that stores the pharmaceutical based on the identification by the scanner.

15. A method comprising:
selecting a container from a holding area;
scanning the container by a scanner;
determining a pharmaceutical of a plurality of various pharmaceuticals associated with the container based on the scan, for filling the container with the pharmaceutical;
determining (i) a shelving area among a plurality of shelving areas that is storing the pharmaceutical, and (ii) each of the plurality of shelving areas storing at least one of the plurality of various pharmaceuticals;
selecting a handling area from a plurality of handling areas associated with the shelving area; and
routing the container to the handling area.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
placing the container on a conveyor leading to the handling area.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
monitoring respective workloads of the plurality of handling areas; and
selecting the handling area with a workload that is lower than other workloads of the respective workloads to receive the container.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
evenly distributing workloads among the plurality of handling areas by sizing the plurality of shelving areas differently from each other.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
optimizing the plurality of handling areas by checking a drug amount of the container and monitoring availability of the plurality of shelving areas.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
optimizing the plurality of handling areas by monitoring respective speeds of filling being performed at the plurality of handling areas, skills, knowledges, and/or expertise of persons operating at the plurality of handling areas.

Assignees

• Express Scripts Inc
• Express Scripts Strategic Dev Inc

Inventors

• Joplin Jonathan W

Classifications

• B65B5/103 Primary

  for packaging pills or tablets · CPC title

• A61J7/02

  Pill counting devices · CPC title

• B65B2210/02

  Plurality of alternative input or output lines or plurality of alternative packaging units on the same packaging line for improving machine flexibility · CPC title

• B65B43/52

  using roller-ways or endless conveyors · CPC title

• B65B65/003

  Packaging lines, e.g. general layout · CPC title