Pharmacy picking device comprising a universal supply-and-control module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9688471-B2
Application number	US-201615164836-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2016
Priority date	Sep 30, 2011
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a pharmacy picking device (I) comprising a housing ( 10 ) with a plurality of shelf bases (II) disposed one above the other, at least one operating device ( 12 ), a conveyor device ( 14 ), a housing-coupling interface ( 15 ), and a universal supply-and-control module ( 20 ) This universal supply-and-control module ( 20 ) comprises a feed device ( 21 ), an identification and measurement device ( 22 ), operator input/output devices ( 23 ), an electronic controller ( 24 ) and a voltage supply assembly ( 25 ), as well as a housing-coupling interface ( 15 ) and an electrical interface ( 27 ), said supply-and-control module ( 20 ) being arranged adjacent to the housing ( 10 ) such that a mechanical coupling is produced by said housing-coupling interface ( 15 ) and module-coupling interface ( 26 ), in such a manner that drug packages in or on the supply-and-control module ( 20 ), which are to be deposited, are delivered to a position on the conveyor device ( 14 ) which is known to the electronic controller.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pharmacy order picking apparatus, comprising:
a housing comprising:
at least one operational device configured to access medication packages in a working region,
a conveying apparatus that extends, at least in part, into the working region, and
a housing coupling interface that is disposed on an outer wall or within a recess of the housing; and

a universal supply and control module, external to the housing, the universal supply and control module comprising:
a feed apparatus for the medication packages to be put in storage,
control electronics configured to control one or more module assemblies disposed in the universal supply and control module,
a mechanical module coupling interface mechanically coupled to the housing coupling interface to mechanically couple the universal supply and control module adjacent to the housing, so that medication packages to be put in storage are transferred to the conveying apparatus in or on the universal supply and control module, in a position known to the control electronics,
a voltage supply assembly for all electrical assemblies of the universal supply and control module, and
at least one electrical interface for coupling all electrical assemblies disposed within the housing to the voltage supply assembly of the universal supply and control module such that a voltage supply corresponding to each electrical assembly disposed within the housing is made available by the voltage supply assembly of the universal supply and control module,
wherein the control electronics are configured to provide control signals to the at least one operational device via the at least one electrical interface.

2. The pharmacy order picking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises the recess, wherein the universal supply and control module is disposed within the recess, and wherein a front side of the universal supply and control module ends against a front side of the housing.

3. The pharmacy order picking apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of shelf boards within the housing, wherein the at least one operational device can be moved horizontally and vertically in front of the shelf boards on a guide and includes a gripping apparatus for storing and/or retrieving medication packages on or from the shelf boards, wherein the plurality of shelf boards are disposed one on top of the other to form shelf rows, between which an alleyway is defined and in which the guide of the at least one operational device is disposed such that the at least one operational device can access the shelf boards of the shelf rows, using the gripping apparatus.

4. The pharmacy order picking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a drive unit for movement of the at least one operational device along a guide within the housing is disposed in the universal supply and control module.

5. The pharmacy order picking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a drive unit of the conveying apparatus is disposed in the universal supply and control module.

6. The pharmacy order picking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a section of the conveying apparatus is guided out of the housing at the housing coupling interface and projects into the universal supply and control module by way of the module coupling interface.

7. The pharmacy order picking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the conveying apparatus comprises an endless conveyor belt and wherein the universal supply and control module further comprises:
an identification and measurement apparatus for identifying and measuring medication packages to be put in storage, and
one or more operator input/output devices for input and reproduction of data and instructions by or to an operator.

8. The pharmacy order picking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the universal supply and control module further comprises a ventilation apparatus having an air intake device, air guides, and air exits, and wherein the air guides are configured to inhibit air from entering into the housing.

9. The pharmacy order picking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one operational device includes a gripping apparatus configured to be rotatable about a vertical axis.

10. The pharmacy order picking apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the gripping apparatus is configured to be movable into a plurality of shelf boards disposed within the housing.

11. The pharmacy order picking apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an additional conveying apparatus being provided in the universal supply and control module.

12. The pharmacy order picking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the feed apparatus comprises a drawer system configured to receive medication packages.

13. An apparatus for picking pharmacy orders comprising:
a housing, comprising:
at least one operational device that can be moved horizontally and vertically, having a gripping apparatus for storing and/or retrieving medication packages, wherein the at least one operational device is configured to access medication packages situated in a working region,
a conveying apparatus for transporting medication packages to be stored, wherein the conveying apparatus extends, at least in part, into the working region of the at least one operational device, and
a housing coupling interface that is disposed on an outer wall or within a recess of the housing, and on which the conveying apparatus borders in a predetermined position; and

a universal supply and control module attached to an outer surface of the housing by the housing coupling interface.

14. The apparatus for picking pharmacy orders of claim 13 , wherein the universal supply and control module comprises:
a feed apparatus for medication packages to be put in storage, and
an identification and measurement apparatus for identifying and measuring medication packages to be put in storage.

15. The apparatus for picking pharmacy orders of claim 13 , wherein the universal supply and control module comprises:
an operator input/output device for input and reproduction of data and instructions by or to an operator,
control electronics that control one or more assemblies disposed in the universal supply and control module,
a voltage supply assembly for all electrical assemblies of the universal supply and control module,
a mechanical module coupling interface complementary to the housing coupling interface, and
at least one electrical interface for coupling all electrical assemblies disposed within the housing to the voltage supply assembly of the universal supply and control module, and
wherein the at least one electrical interface comprises an interface between the at least one operational device and the control electronics.

16. The apparatus for picking pharmacy orders of claim 15 , wherein the universal supply and control module is disposed adjacent to the housing such that a mechanical coupling between the housing and the universal supply and control module is produced by way of the housing coupling interface and the module coupling interface, so that medication packages to be put in storage are transferred to the conveying apparatus in or on the universal supply and control module, in a position known to the control electronics.

17. A system for picking pharmacy orders comprising:
a housing having a housing coupling interface; and
a universal supply and control module comprising:
a feed apparatus for medication packages to be put in storage,
control electronics configured to control one or more assemblies disposed

Assignees

• Carefusion Germany 326 Gmbh

Inventors

• Hellenbrand Christoph

Classifications

• B65G49/00

  Conveying systems characterised by their application for specified purposes not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B65G1/1378 Primary

  the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas · CPC title

• A47F3/0478

  Control or safety arrangements · CPC title

• B65G1/137 Primary

  with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed · CPC title

• B65G2207/30

  Modular constructions · CPC title