System and method for dispensing orders

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11308751-B2
Application number	US-201916955365-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2019
Priority date	Jan 17, 2018
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

System and method for dispensing orders. One embodiment provides a method of dispensing a prescription order to a customer at a customer kiosk. The method includes receiving, at a pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device, an instruction to deliver a filled prescription to a customer kiosk and transferring, using a gantry assembly, the filled prescription to a chute connecting the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device and a pneumatic delivery terminal. The method further includes opening a door of the pneumatic delivery terminal and operating an actuator to transfer the filled prescription from the chute to the pneumatic delivery terminal. The method also includes closing the door of the pneumatic delivery terminal and delivering, via a pneumatic tube, the filled prescription to the customer kiosk.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device comprising:
a housing;
a storage area in the housing for storing filled prescriptions;
an outlet on the housing;
a gantry assembly in the housing configured to transport the filled prescriptions from the storage area to the outlet;
a chute connecting the outlet to a pneumatic delivery terminal, the chute including:
a pushing member movable relative to the chute to deliver the filled prescriptions from the chute to the pneumatic delivery terminal, wherein the pushing member includes flexible bristles on a side facing the pneumatic delivery terminal, and
an actuator coupled to the pushing member and configured to move the pushing member.

2. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator further comprises:
a ram coupled to the pushing member and configured to move the pushing member, and
a motor coupled to the ram and configured to actuate the ram.

3. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 1 , wherein the chute further includes:
a first portion coupled to the outlet,
a second portion including the pushing member, and
a third portion coupled to an opening in the pneumatic delivery terminal, wherein a door is provided at the opening to open and close the opening.

4. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 3 , wherein the gantry assembly transports a first filled prescription from the filled prescriptions to the first portion at the outlet, wherein the first filled prescription moves from the first portion to the second portion, and wherein the pushing member moves the first filled prescription from the second portion into the opening.

5. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 4 , wherein the chute is sloped from the first portion to the second portion such that the first filled prescription moves from the first portion to the second portion due to gravity.

6. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 4 , wherein the first filled prescription includes a first magnet and the second portion includes a second magnet such that the first filled prescription moves from the first portion to the second portion due to a magnetic field created between the first magnet and the second magnet.

7. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 4 , wherein the first filled prescription includes a magnet and the second portion creates a magnetic field such that the first filled prescription moves from the first portion to the second portion due to the magnetic field acting on the magnet.

8. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 4 , wherein the pushing member is shaped to substantially cover the opening when the pushing member transports the first filled prescription to the opening.

9. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 4 , wherein the pushing member remains at the opening after transporting the first filled prescription to the opening until the door closes the opening.

10. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 4 , further comprising:
a transceiver for communicating with the pneumatic delivery terminal; and
an electronic processor coupled to the transceiver and configured to:
receive, via the transceiver, an instruction to deliver a filled prescription to a customer kiosk,
control the gantry assembly to transport the filled prescription from the storage area to the chute, and
operate, using the actuator, the pushing member to transfer the filled prescription from the chute to the pneumatic delivery terminal.

11. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 10 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to determine that the door is opened, wherein the pushing member is operated to transfer the filled prescription from the chute to the pneumatic delivery terminal in response to determining that the door is opened.

12. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 10 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:
determine that the door is closed, and
operate the pushing member to retract to the second portion in response to determining that the door is closed.

13. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible bristles have a concave profile.

14. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 3 , wherein the door is a sliding door, wherein the bristles are configured to deflect out of the way of the sliding door and are not trapped in the sliding door when the sliding door is closed.

15. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 1 , wherein the pushing member is moved horizontally and laterally between the chute and the pneumatic delivery terminal by the actuator.

16. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 15 , wherein the pushing member is configured to transport a plurality of containers carrying the filled prescriptions to the pneumatic delivery terminal at the same time.

17. A pharmacy dispensing system comprising:
a pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device inside a pharmacy, the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device including a first outlet and a second outlet;
a first kiosk located inside the pharmacy;
a second kiosk located outside the pharmacy;
a pneumatic delivery system connecting the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device, the first kiosk, and the second kiosk, the pneumatic delivery system including
a first pneumatic delivery terminal coupled to the first outlet,
a first pneumatic delivery conduit extending between the first pneumatic delivery terminal to the first kiosk, wherein filled prescriptions are delivered from the first outlet to the first kiosk through the first pneumatic delivery terminal and the first pneumatic delivery conduit,
a second pneumatic delivery terminal coupled to the second outlet, and
a second pneumatic delivery conduit extending between the second pneumatic delivery terminal to the second kiosk, wherein filled prescriptions are delivered from the second outlet to the second kiosk through the second pneumatic delivery terminal and the second pneumatic delivery conduit;

a gantry assembly in a housing of the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device, the gantry assembly configured to transport the filled prescriptions to the first outlet and the second outlet; and
a chute connecting the first outlet to the first pneumatic delivery terminal, the chute including:
a pushing member movable relative to the chute to deliver the filled prescriptions from the chute to the first pneumatic delivery terminal,
an actuator coupled to the pushing member and configured to move the pushing member,
a first portion coupled to the first outlet,
a second portion including the pushing member, and
a third portion coupled to an opening in the first pneumatic delivery terminal,

wherein a door is provided by the opening to open and close the opening,
wherein the gantry assembly transports a first filled prescription from the filled prescriptions to the first portion at the first outlet, wherein the first filled prescription moves from the first portion to the second portion, and wherein the pushing member moves the first filled prescription from the second portion into the opening;
a transceiver for communicating with the pneumatic delivery system; and
an electronic processor coupled to the transceiver and configured to
receive, via the transceiver, an instruction to deliver a filled prescription to the first kiosk,
control the gantry assembly to transpor

Assignees

• Rxsafe Llc

Inventors

• Holmes William K

Classifications

• G07F9/002

  Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines · CPC title

• G07F17/0092 Primary

  for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles (medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00) · CPC title

• G07F11/165

  using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements · CPC title

• B65G51/28

  for despatch · CPC title

• G07F11/1657

  the picking arrangements using suction · CPC title