EP0439355A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A system for filling orders
Assignee: Aesynt Inc
•
Filing: 1991-01-24
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2011-01-24
Abstract
Abstract A system for filling orders, such as prescriptions for patients, comprising a device for holding packages. Each package has the same type of contents being held in a predetermined location by the holding device. Each package has an identity which defines the contents therein. The holding device has a plurality of predetermined locations corresponding to a plurality of different types of contents. Additionally, the system is comprised of a device for supplying packages to the holding device. Also, there is a device for picking a package from the holding device that is identified in the order for the purpose of filling the order, or from the supplying device for the purpose of restocking the holding device. The picking device is in communication with the holding device and supplying device. In a preferred embodiment, the contents of each package is a single dosage of medicine.
Inventors
- 👤 Sean C. Mcdonald
- 👤 Ellen J. Hertz
- 👤 James A. Smith
- 👤 Gregory Toto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 19:23
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F11/00; G07F11/64; B; B65; B65G; B65G1/00; B65G1/02; B65G1/04; B65G1/137; B65G1/1371; B65G1/1373; B65G1/1376; G07F17/00; G07F17/0092; B65G2203/00; B65G2203/02; B65G2203/0208; B65G2203/0216
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A system for filling orders comprising: means for holding packages, each package having the same type of contents being held at a predetermined location by the holding means, said holding means having a plurality of predetermined locations corresponding to a plurality of different types of contents; means for supplying packages to the holding means; and means for picking a package from the holding means that is identified in the order, or from the supplying means for the purpose of restocking the holding means, said picking means in communication with the holding means and supplying means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
113 words
A system for filling prescriptions for patients comprising: means for holding packages, each medicine package having an identity which defines the medicine therein, each package that has the same medicine being held at a predetermined location by the holding means, said holding means having a plurality of predetermined locations corresponding to a plurality of different medicines; means for supplying medicine packages to the holding means; and means for picking a medicine package from the holding means that is identified in a patient's prescription in order to fill the prescription, or from the supplying means in order to restock the holding means, said picking means in communication with holding means and the supplying means.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
124 words
A system for filling prescriptions for patients comprising: means for holding medicine packages, each package having a single dosage of medicine, each medicine package having an identity which defines the dosage and medicine therein, each package that has the same medicine being held at a predetermined location by the holding means, said holding means having a plurality of predetermined locations corresponding to a plurality of different medicines; means for supplying medicine packages to the holding means; means for picking a medicine package from the holding means that is identified in a patient's prescription in order to fill the prescription, or from the supplying means in order to restock the holding means, said picking means in communication with the holding means and the supplying means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
A system as described in Claim 3 wherein the picking means includes a computer having a database, said database having a prescription to be filled, and the predetermined locations of each different medicine in the holding means, said computer guiding said picking means with said database such that the picking means picks a medicine package according to the prescription to be filled.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
76 words
A system as described in Claim 4 wherein said picking means includes means for determining the identity of a medicine package in the supplying means and providing its identity to the computer, said computer guiding said picking means such that the holding means is restocked with the identified medicine package from the supplying means according to the medicine in the medicine package and its predetermined location in the holding means that is known by the computer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system as described in Claim 5 wherein the holding means includes a structure; and support rods held by the structure, said rods holding the medicine packages, each rod associated with a given medicine and holding medicine packages with only the same medicine.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
97 words
A system as described in Claim 6 wherein the structure includes a plurality of back rod supports from which the rods extend, said structure with back rod supports form an X,Y coordinate system with each rod and medicine packages therein having a unique X and Y coordinate, said picking means disposed adjacent said structure such that a given medicine package on an associated rod can be picked by the picking means to fill a patient's prescription; or a given medicine package in the supplying means can be picked by the picking means to restock an associated rod.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
A system as described in Claim 7 including a conveyer in communication with the picking means; and patient prescription boxes which are moved by the conveyer to the picking means such that the picking means provides the medicine packages it has picked to fill a given prescription to an associated box.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
103 words
A system as described in Claim 8 wherein the picking means includes at least one end of arm tooling that picks the medicine packages; and a tooling support structure having at least one column to support the tooling and at least one row to support the column such that the tooling moves along the column as the column moves along the row to pick a given medicine package hanging from a corresponding support rod, or restock a given medicine package on a corresponding support rod; and means for moving the column with respect to the row, said moving means controlled by the computer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
142 words
A system as described in Claim 9 wherein the tooling is comprised of: a housing; means for storing medicine packages attached to the housing; means for obtaining a medicine package, said obtaining means slidingly attached to the housing such that it can move in a Z direction, which is perpendicular to the X and Y direction, to pick a medicine package from a support rod in the support structure when the housing is adjacent to and aligned with a support rod, and can move in the Z direction to place a picked package on the storing means; and wherein the identifying means is part of the end of arm tooling such that it can identify a package to be picked by the obtaining means, each of said packages having an identity disposed on them which can be read by the identifying means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as described in Claim 10 wherein the identity on each package is a bar code, and the identifying means includes a bar code reader disposed on the obtaining means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
104 words
A system as described in Claim 11 wherein the obtaining means includes means for producing a suction; a suction rod in fluidic connection with the suction producing means, said suction rod slidingly attached with respect to the Y and Z directions to the housing and maintaining a suction therethrough when the suction producing means is activated; a suction head connected to the suction rod through which a medicine package is picked with suction; and means for sensing when a package is properly positioned on the suction head such that the suction rod is then moved to the storing means and deposits the package thereon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as described in Claim 12 wherein the storing means is a storing rod which extends from the housing such that the suction head and the suction rod can deposit a package thereon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
A system as described in Claim 13 wherein the tooling includes valves and pneumatic cylinders for moving the suction rod in the Y and Z direction; and a vacuum pump for providing suction to the suction rod and suction head sufficient to pick a package from a rod of the support structure and then hold it to the suction head.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as described in Claim 14 wherein the suction head has two faces through which a suction can be drawn, each face capable of picking a package.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
57 words
A system as described in Claim 15 wherein the two faces are parallel to each other and are parallel to the x-axis, and wherein each package has a face and the packages are held by the storing rod and the rods of the support structure such that the face of each package is parallel to the x-axis.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
152 words
A system as described in Claim 8 wherein the rods extend from the back rod supports in sets of two, with a first rod and a second rod of each set pointing essentially in a Z direction, which is perpendicular to the X and Y directions, but approximately 180° apart from each other, and wherein the picking means includes a first and a second end of arm tooling that picks the medicine packages; and a first and a second tooling support structure, each tooling support structure having at least one column and at least one row to support the column, such that the first and the second tooling moves along the respective column and the respective column moves along the respective row of the first and second tooling support structure, respectively, to pick a given medicine package from a corresponding support rod, or restock a support rod with an associated medicine package.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system as described in Claim 1 wherein each package has an identity which defines the contents therein.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
81 words
A system for filling orders comprising: means for holding packages, each package having the same type of contents being held at a predetermined location by the holding means, each package having an identity which defines the contents therein, said holding means having a plurality of predetermined locations corresponding to a plurality of different type of contents; and means for picking a package from the holding means that is identified in the order, said picking means in communication with the holding means.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
93 words
A system for filling orders comprising: first means for holding packages, and second means for holding packages, each package having the same type of contents being held at a predetermined location by the first and second holding means, said first and second holding means having a plurality of predetermined locations corresponding to a plurality of different types of contents; and means for picking a package from the first or second holding means that is identified in the order, said picking means disposed between and in communication with the first and second holding means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system as described in Claim 20 wherein each holding means includes a structure; and support rods held by the structure, said rods holding the packages, each rod associated with a given package.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
116 words
A system as described in Claim 21 wherein the picking means includes at least one end of arm tooling that picks the packages; and a tooling support structure having at least one column to support the tooling and at least one row to support the column such that the tooling moves along the column as the column moves along the row to pick a given package hanging from a corresponding support rod, said end of arm tooling able to turn on the column to pick packages on either the first or second holding means; and means for moving the column with respect to the row, said moving means controlled by a computer and in communication therewith.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
90 words
An end of arm tooling comprising: a housing; means for storing packages attached to the housing; means for obtaining a package, said obtaining means slidingly attached to the housing such that it can move to pick a package from a support rod in a support structure when the housing is adjacent to and aligned with a support rod, and then move to place a picked package on the storing means; and means for identifying a package to be obtained by the obtaining means, said identifying means connected to the housing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.