System and method for dispensing orders

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11908265-B2
Application number	US-202217723360-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2022
Priority date	Jan 17, 2018
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

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; and
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 is movable linearly along a direction perpendicular to an opening of the pneumatic delivery terminal receiving the filled prescriptions, wherein a door is provided at the opening to open and close the opening, and
an actuator coupled to the pushing member and configured to move the pushing member,
wherein the pushing member is shaped to substantially cover the opening when the pushing member transports the first filled prescription to the opening, and
wherein the pushing member remains at the opening after transporting the first filled prescription to the opening until the door closes the opening.

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 the opening in the pneumatic delivery terminal.

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 3 , wherein a portion of the pushing member is configured to deflect out of the way of the door.

7. 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.

8. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 7 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to
determine that the door is opened,
operate the pushing member to transfer the filled prescription from the chute to the pneumatic delivery terminal in response to determining that the door is opened,
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.

9. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 1 , wherein the pushing member includes flexible bristles on a side facing the pneumatic delivery terminal and wherein the flexible bristles have a concave profile.

10. 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; and
a chute connecting the outlet to a pneumatic delivery terminal, the chute is a continuous body including
a first portion coupled to the outlet,
a second portion coupled to an opening in the pneumatic delivery terminal, and
a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion and including a pushing member movable relative to the chute above a floor of the chute to deliver the filled prescriptions from the floor of the chute to the pneumatic delivery terminal.

11. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 10 , 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 third portion, and wherein the pushing member moves the first filled prescription from the third portion into the opening.

12. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 11 , 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 an actuator, the pushing member to transfer the filled prescription from the chute to the pneumatic delivery terminal.

13. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 12 ,
wherein a door is provided at the opening to open and close the opening and wherein the electronic processor is further configured to
determine that the door is opened,
operate the pushing member to transfer the filled prescription from the chute to the pneumatic delivery terminal in response to determining that the door is opened,
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.

14. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 11 , wherein the pushing member is shaped to substantially cover the opening when the pushing member transports the first filled prescription to the opening.

15. 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; and
a chute connecting the outlet to a pneumatic delivery terminal, the chute including:
a first portion coupled to the outlet,
a second portion including a pushing member movable relative to the chute to deliver the filled prescriptions from the chute to the pneumatic delivery terminal, and
a third portion coupled to an opening in the pneumatic delivery terminal, wherein a first filled prescription from the filled prescriptions includes a first magnet and the third 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, wherein the second magnet is positioned on a floor of the third portion between the pushing member and the opening.

16. The pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device of claim 15 , wherein the gantry assembly transports the first filled prescription to the first portion at the outlet, wherein the first filled prescription moves from the first portion to the second portio

Assignees

• Rxsafe Llc

Inventors

• Holmes William K

Classifications

• 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

• G07F11/1657

  the picking arrangements using suction · CPC title

• G07F11/44

  in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk · CPC title

• G07F11/62

  in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles · CPC title