AU2016389160B2

AU2016389160B2 - Method for filling a transport tray for transferring pharmaceutical portions, and filling station for such a transport tray

Info

Publication number: AU2016389160B2
Application number: AU2016389160A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Christoph Hellenbrand
Original assignee: Becton Dickinson Rowa Germany GmbH
Current assignee: Becton Dickinson Rowa Germany GmbH
Priority date: 2016-01-29
Filing date: 2016-12-12
Publication date: 2021-08-12
Anticipated expiration: 2036-12-12
Also published as: KR102641059B1; KR20180107115A; CN108698724A; JP2019504678A; DK3199463T3; EP3199463B1; AU2016389160A1; CN108698724B; AU2016389160A2; BR112018013696A2; TR201809371T4; EP3199463A1; CA3012893A1; WO2017129303A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for filling a transport tray with a reduced risk of incorrect filling processes. According to the invention, a target filling of a plurality of receptacles (110) of the transport tray (100) is transmitted to a controller (500), and at least one filling pattern is generated on the basis of the target filling and a filling regimen and is displayed by means of a display device (400, 450). Pharmaceutical portions corresponding to the filling pattern are then transferred into the receptacles (110), and an image at least of the receptacles to be filled according to the target filling is generated by means of an optical capturing device (300). The actual filling is ascertained using the image and is compared with the target filling. If no target deviation is ascertained, the transport tray (100) is released in order to transfer the pharmaceutical portions to the machine tray.

Description

Method for filling a transport tray for transferring drug portions and filling station for such a transport tray

The present invention relates to a method for filling a transport tray for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station and furthermore relates to a filling station for such a transport tray. Depending on their expansion stage, modern automatic blister packaging machines, as are disclosed for instance in WO 2013/034504 Al, include several hundred supply and dispensing stations. A plurality of drug portions of a specific type of drug is stored in each of these, and individual drug portions may be dispensed on demand. The automatic blister packaging machines combine and blister-package the drug portions stored in the supply and dispensing stations in accordance with the medically prescribed input items. Due to the design of the supply and dispensing stations, generally the only types of drugs stored in them are drugs that are requested relatively frequently and/or that have a lengthy expiration date. In other words, the supply and dispensing stations used in large numbers are not suitable for the types of drugs that are requested only very infrequently, that have a very short expiration period or shelf-life, respectively, or that, due to their physical or galenic properties, respectively, cannot or should not be separated in the supply and dispensing stations. For known automatic blister packaging machines, including the machine described in the WO document cited in the foregoing, the aforesaid types of drugs are fed into the blister packaging process via an alternative automatic dispensing station. These automatic dispensing stations may be embodied, for instance, as fixed mounted drawer systems that have a pull-out machine tray for temporarily storing drug portions of the aforesaid types of drugs. When extended or pulled out, a mobile transport tray from which drug portions may be transferred to the machine tray of the automatic dispensing station may be placed onto the machine tray. To this end, both the machine tray and the transport tray have a plurality of receptacles for drug portions, wherein the arrangements of the receptacles of the transport tray and the machine tray match one another, in order to enable smooth transfer of drug portions. The receptacles in both the machine tray and the transport tray have bottom openings that may be opened and closed with a closing device. Using the transport tray, it is possible to transfer a plurality of drug portions, or merely one drug portion, per receptacle. Normally the transport trays are filled manually by a user (for example according to an automatically generated filling plan). Depending on the drug combinations to be blister packaged by the automatic blister packaging machines, it is common for the receptacles in a transport tray to be filled with different types of drugs and/or with a different number of drug portions. What this leads to is that the target fillings of the receptacles in the transport tray may differ from one another, i.e. that in accordance with the target filing for instance three drug portions of drug type 1 are to be added to receptacle 1 and two drug portions of drug 1 and two drug portions of drug type 2 are to be added to receptacle 2. To facilitate correct and error-free blister packaging, it is extremely important that the correct target filling is present in the correct receptacle. Due to the relatively high number of receptacles in a transport tray and to the similar embodiment of all receptacles, with known transport trays incorrect filling can occur relatively rapidly, which then has to be corrected at high expenditure of time. It is the object of the present invention to provide a method for filling a transport tray, with which method the risk of incorrectly filling receptacles in the transport tray is reduced. It is furthermore an object of the present invention to provide an appropriate filling station for a transport tray. The object is attained using a method for filling a transport tray for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with claim 1.

The transport tray used in the inventive method includes a plurality of receptacles for drug portions, and in accordance with the invention a target filling of a plurality of receptacles in the transport tray is transmitted to a control device, wherein the target filling includes at least information about the at least one type of drug to be filled and the number of drug portions per type of drug and receptacle. Based on the prepared target filling and on a filling regime, at least one filling template is produced and displayed by means of a display device. The "filling regime" determines which criteria are used to produce the filling template, wherein the filling regime itself may be influenced by the composition of the target filling, especially by the number of types of drugs that are to be added in accordance with the target filling. Depending on the filling regime, only one filling template or a plurality of filling templates may be produced and displayed per target filling. In accordance with the invention, drug portions corresponding to a filling template are transferred to the receptacles of the transport tray that is to be filled in accordance with filling template. A user may do this manually, or, alternatively, the transfer may also be automated and/or performed using a tool. Depending on the number of filling templates and the filling regime, one or a plurality of transfers may be made. If a user performs the transfer, this is a "normal" or manual filling, respectively. After all of the drug portions have been transferred into the receptacles in the transport tray, i.e. all of the filling templates have been processed, an image of at least the receptacles to be filled in accordance with the target filling is produced by means of an optical detection device, and, using the image, the actual filling, quantity, and quality of the added drug portions are detected, determined, and compared to the target filling. To this end the image or images is/are analyzed for instance with special image processing software, wherein the target filling of the receptacle(s) and the characteristics of the individual drug portions are used for reference during the analysis. These characteristics are known to the software. Alternatively, the target filling may include them, for instance if a completely new type of drug was added. The target filling then includes not only the provision that receptacle X should contain a number of Y drug portions of a certain new type of drug, but also, for instance, how large and what color the individual drug portions are. The transport tray is released if no deviation from the target filling (target deviation) is found in the comparison of the actual filling of all of the receptacles to be filled. Thus, with the optical detection device it is possible to definitively determine whether the receptacles to be filled in accordance with the target filling are filled with the correct drug portions, wherein quality is taken into account in addition to quantity. Thus the possibility that a transport tray in which not all of the receptacles are correctly filled in accordance with the target filling will be released for further processing is substantially eliminated. During the transfer of the drug portions to the receptacles it is also possible that one drug portion will inadvertently be added to receptacles that are to remain empty in accordance with the target filling. It is therefore preferred that the actual filling, not only of the receptacles to be filled in accordance with the target filling, but also of all receptacles in the transport tray, be determined and compared to the target filling. As already stated in the foregoing, the at least one filling template is produced using a filling regime. If the target filling includes a plurality of types of drugs, it may be advantageous, for instance to make things easier for the user, to prepare a plurality of filling templates that are processed successively. During "simple" target fillings, for accelerating processing it may be preferred for a filling template to be prepared that includes all receptacles to be filled and all types of drugs to be filled. In particular, there may be incorrect fillings when the target filling includes a plurality of types of drugs and/or portions. In one preferred embodiment of the inventive method it is therefore preferred that a plurality of filling templates be produced, wherein however each of these includes receptacles that are all to be filled but only one type of drug. The drug portions in accordance with target filling are thus filled sequentially by type. In this case, steps b) (indicating the different filling templates successively) and c) are repeated until the target filling of all receptacles to be filled is achieved. In this embodiment, a filling template represents, as it were, a filling step, the subsequent transfer in accordance with method step c) represents a transfer step, wherein both steps are repeated until all receptacles have been filled corresponding to target filling. In this embodiment, only one type of drug is filled per filling template. This reduces the probability that errors will occur during combination of the target filling. Thus, for instance, it is possible to provide the user only the one type of drug to be filled in accordance with the filling template. Where necessary, exactly as many drug portions may be prepared as are required to be transferred into the receptacles, so that a user recognizes a potential incorrect filling already during the transfer. In one alternative embodiment, it may be provided that a plurality of filling templates are produced, wherein these include all of the drug portions for a receptacle to be filled, and that steps b) and c) are repeated until the target filling of all of the receptacles to be filled is achieved. The drug portions in accordance with the target filling are thus filled sequentially by receptacle. Thus, in contrast to the prior embodiment, not different types of drugs are filled successively, but rather one receptacle is completely filled before moving on to the next. A corresponding embodiment may be advantageous depending on the type of display of a filling template; since only one filling template is displayed and processed for a receptacle, the probability of an incorrect filling is reduced. Alternatively to the aforesaid ways to produce filling templates, in one extreme case the filling regime in an extreme case may also provide that only a single drug portion is filled in a receptacle per filling template, i.e. that in this case the number of filling templates is equal to the total number of drug portions. Which of the aforesaid ways is used to produce the filling template or templates, that is, which filling regime is used, depends on the exact composition of the target filling. If the transfer is done manually by a user, individual characteristics of the user may also influence the filling regime. Generally it can be provided that through various settings the user has extensive influence on the production of the filling template(s) or respectively has influence on according to which filling regime the filling template or the filling templates is/are produced. Regardless of the filling regime according to which the filling templates are produced, in one preferred embodiment of the method it is provided that a filling template is displayed in that a plurality of filling sub-templates are displayed and processed. Thus, a filling template is divided into a number of sub-templates, wherein the latter may be allocated to different receptacles and/or different types of drugs. The filling sub templates are easier to process and the probability of errors during the transfer or filling of the receptacles is lower. In accordance with the invention, drug portions are transferred into the receptacles in the transport tray. This may be done manually by a user, for instance. In a "direct" transfer of the drug portions to the receptacles in the transport tray, the target filling is combined directly in these receptacles, specifically according to the filling regime or the filling template(s). Especially if the target filling is combined sequentially with respect to the different types of drugs, it may be advantageous to arrange for the transfer to the receptacles in the transport tray while interposing a temporary receptacle. In one preferred embodiment it is provided that, prior to the transfer to the receptacles in the transport tray, in accordance with the filling template the drug portions are filled in corresponding receptacles in a transfer tray arranged above the transport tray. This transfer tray permits a number of other embodiments that reduce the probability of an incorrect filling, make it easier to document the filling process, simplify the display of a filling template, and are more user friendly. In other words, interposing the transfer tray substantially increases the flexibility of the method. In accordance with the invention, the actual filling of the receptacles in the transport tray is checked prior to release, and the release is effected only if all of the receptacles have been filled corresponding to the target filling. When an error is determined (target deviation), the actual filling must be checked and the drug portions must be added or corrected as appropriate, wherein the drug portions to be added are determined when the actual filling is compared to the target filling. This may be time-consuming, in particular in the case of complex target fillings. In addition, this has the drawback that if an incorrect type of drug is in a receptacle it might be necessary to discard all drug portions in a receptacle (because of potential allergic reactions). To make it possible to detect an error as early as possible, in one preferred embodiment it is provided that an image is produced, by means of an optical detection device, of at least the receptacles that are to be filled in accordance with the filling template, and the actual filling, quantity, and quality of the added drug portions are detected, determined, and compared to the appropriate filling template, and, if no filling deviation is found, the next filling template is displayed, until the target filling of all receptacles to be filled is achieved. Thus, in this embodiment, not only is the final actual filling determined and compared to the current filling template, but also the "temporary" actual fillings in accordance with the filling template are determined and compared to the current filling template. In this way it is possible to detect an error immediately, and the error is not "carried over" until the supposed target filling is achieved. This embodiment may be combined particularly effectively with the interposing of the transfer tray, especially if the filling templates are produced as a function of the type of drug. Per filling template/filling step, only drug portions of one type of drug are contained in a receptacle of the transfer tray. Thus, it is particularly simple to detect a potential error. But this embodiment may even be used advantageously with the sequential filling by type without a transfer tray. For determining a filling deviation, with the second and each subsequent type of drug it is possible to make use for instance of an image of a prior filling and, with the current image, to produce a differential image that is then used to determine the actual filling. In addition, with this embodiment it is possible to process very extensive target fillings in which drug portions may possibly be completely covered by overlaying drug portions. When it is determined that a transfer tray has been filled incorrectly, the user is prompted to correct this error and only thereafter are the drug portions supposed to be transferred to the receptacles in the transport tray. To prevent a transfer from being initiated even when there is an error (a filling deviation), in one preferred embodiment it is provided that, if no filling deviation is determined, the transfer of the drug portions from the transfer tray to the transport tray is released; otherwise the transfer is not released. The "release" may be made, for instance, using a light signal. As a rule, the transfer tray will include a closing device, however, that only permits the drug portions to be transferred upon release. Alternatively, the transfer may also occur automatically after the release, to which end the closing device is then appropriately embodied, for instance it is coupled to an appropriate drive or has such a drive. In accordance with the invention, the filling template or templates are displayed on a display device. To simplify a possible error correction, it is preferred that when a filling deviation is found this is displayed by means of the display device. The filling template or templates may be displayed on a display device that is arranged, for instance, adjacent to the transport tray. For this, the user must continuously look back and forth between the display device and the transport tray (or the transfer tray). In one preferred embodiment, it is provided that allocated to each receptacle of the transport or transfer tray is at least one display means of the display device, which display means displays the filling template for the corresponding receptacles. To this end, for instance, a plurality of diodes per receptacle may be provided. Alternatively, small displays may be built into the trays. The allocation of display means reduces the probability of incorrect fillings, but the display means increase the costs of the trays. In one alternative embodiment it is therefore provided that filling templates are displayed in that filling templates are projected onto the transport tray or transfer tray. This may be done, for instance, with a laser or any other display device. This manner of displaying the filling template has the advantage that the user does not always have to look back and forth between display and receptacle, and furthermore there are no costs for additional display means for the receptacles. Although a projector device is necessary, it may be used for all of the transport trays to be filled. In addition, it may also cooperate with the transfer trays with no problem. For the purposes of documentation it may be provided that images produced by the optical detection device for determining the actual filling in accordance with filling templates and/or the actual filling in accordance with the target filling may be stored. In accordance with the invention it is provided that an image of at least the receptacles to be filled in accordance with the target filling is produced after all of the drug portions have been distributed to the receptacles. The actual filling of the receptacles is thus not determined until all of the filling templates that have been produced and displayed based on the filling regime and the target filling have been processed. The result of this is that incorrect filling for, for instance, the first filling template is not immediately detected, but instead remains undetected until the supposed completion of the target filling.

In one preferred embodiment of the method, in which a plurality of filling templates are prepared, it is provided that, after drug portions corresponding to a filling template have been transferred into the receptacles to be filled in accordance with the filling template, an image of at least the receptacles to be filled in accordance with the filling template is produced by means of an optical detection device and, using the image, the actual filling is determined and compared to the filling template, and, if no deviation is found, the next filling template is displayed. However, if a deviation is found, it may be displayed to the user so that it may be corrected early. Once the correction has been made, the filling is checked against the current filling template again. When the appropriate filling regime is selected (one filling template per receptacle or even one filling template per drug portion), it is thus possible to freely select the checking stage, from a check after adding all of the drug portions of a target filling to one check per drug portion. In accordance with the invention, the at least one filling template is displayed by means of a display device. If, based on the filling regime, a plurality of filling templates are prepared, they are normally depicted successively; this approach is provided to reduce the workload for the user and to avoid incorrect fillings. However, in certain cases it may be more pleasant for the user (especially with respect to "orientation" on the tray) if not every filling template is displayed successively, but instead a plurality of filling templates are displayed simultaneously, for instance for one type of drug (during sequential filling by type) and a processed filling template is "deleted," that is, is no longer displayed. When one filling template is allocated to each receptacle, the foregoing approach has the effect that the user perceives a "large" changing filling template that is composed of a plurality of filling templates. The invention is furthermore attained using a filling station for a transport tray for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with patent claim 12. The filling station includes a transport tray having a plurality of receptacles that are each for at least one drug portion, wherein each receptacle has a bottom opening, and having a closing device that is arranged below the receptacles and with which the bottom openings of the receptacles may be opened and closed. The filling station furthermore includes a display device that can display filling templates that each display to a user which of the receptacles are to be filled with which drug portions, an optical detection device with which images of receptacles having drug portions arranged therein may be produced, and a control device coupled to the display device and the optical detection device. In accordance with the invention, the control device is configured such that, depending on a pre-specified target filling of the receptacles in the transport tray and depending on a pre-specified filling regime, at least one filling template is produced and transmitted to the display device, based on images of the receptacles the actual filling of the receptacles is determined and compared to the filling of the receptacles in accordance with the target filling and a possible target deviation is found, and, if no target deviation is found, the transport tray is released for transferring the drug portions to the machine tray. How precisely the filling template or templates are created was already explained with respect to the method and will not be repeated here. In one preferred embodiment of the filling station that permits increased flexibility with respect to performing the inventive method, the filling station includes a transfer tray that is arranged above the transport tray and that has a plurality of receptacles, wherein the arrangement of the receptacles in the transfer tray corresponds to the arrangement of the receptacles in the transport tray, and wherein the transfer tray includes a closing device that is arranged under the receptacles and with which bottom openings in the receptacles may be opened and closed. To make it easier for a user to read the filling template, and thus to further prevent the probability of incorrect fillings, in one embodiment it is provided that the display device includes a plurality of display means allocated to the receptacles. Such an embodiment makes it possible for the filling templates to be displayed directly at the receptacles that are currently being filled. Alternatively (or possibly additionally), the filling station may include a projector device with which filling templates may be projected onto the transport or transfer tray. Depending on the exact design of the filling station, the display device may be embodied as a projector device, or the display device may include a projector device. Preferred embodiments of the method and of the filling station are described in the following, referencing the drawings. Figures 1A and 1B depict two stages of a first embodiment of the inventive method and depict a first embodiment of the inventive filling station; Figures 2A - 2C depict various stages of a second embodiment of the inventive method and depict a second embodiment of the inventive filling station; Figures 3A and 3B depict two perspective elevations of a combination transfer tray/transport tray in accordance with a third embodiment; Figures 4A - 4D depict various perspective elevations of the third embodiment of the transfer tray; Figures 5A - 5D depict various perspective elevations of the third preferred embodiment of the transport tray; Figures 6A - 6C depict various sections through the combination of transfer tray/transport tray shown in Figures 3A and 3B; and, Figures 7A and 7B depict various views of a fourth embodiment of the transfer tray; and, Figure 7C depicts a fifth embodiment of the transfer tray. Figures 1A and 1B depict two stages of a first embodiment of the inventive method and a first embodiment of the inventive filling station. The filling station includes a transport tray 100 having a plurality of receptacles 110 whose bottom openings are blocked by a closing plate 121 of a closing device. The closing device will be described in greater detail in the context of subsequent figures. The filling station in accordance with the first embodiment furthermore includes an optical detection device 300 arranged above the transport tray 100 and a projector device 450, wherein both aforesaid devices are coupled to a control device 500. In Figure 1A, a schematic top view of the transport tray is provided to the left below the transport tray 100 and an enlarged depiction of part of this transport tray is provided to the right. In the top view, it may be seen that the transport tray 100 has receptacles 110 that are divided into 12 columns and two rows. The individual receptacles are numbered in the enlargement, wherein the top left receptacle has the number (1,1). It may furthermore be seen in the enlargement that a filling template FM is projected onto the transport tray 100, wherein one segment FM(1,1), FM(1,2), etc. of the filling template is allocated to each receptacle. Depending on how the projector device 450 functions, and depending on the exact manner the method is conducted, the segments of the filling template may all be displayed simultaneously or successively as partial filling templates. In the embodiment described here, the target filling merely includes one drug type and therefore only one filling template was produced. The segments of the filling template FM(1,1), FM(1,2) etc. allocated to the receptacles were displayed successively with a laser, but for ease of understanding are shown simultaneously in the enlargement. In the depiction in accordance with Figure 1A, the transfer is completed in accordance with the first (and only) filling template, i.e., all receptacles to be filled in accordance with the target filling have been filled. In this embodiment the user accomplishes this manually. As may be seen in comparing the segment FM(1,2) of the filling template to receptacle 110(1,2), this receptacle has only one drug portion, although the target filling provided for two drug portions.

In accordance with the invention, an image of at least the receptacles to be filled (or one image per receptacle) is produced with the optical detection device 300 (e.g. digital camera), and, based on this image and the information available about the drug portions, the actual filling of at least receptacles to be filled in accordance with the target filling is determined and compared to the target filling. There is a target deviation for receptacle 110(1,2), since only one drug portion of two provided is in the receptacle 100(1,2). In the embodiment depicted, this target deviation is indicated for the receptacle 100(1,2) by projecting "+1" (see Figure 1B). The transport tray 100 has not been released due to the target deviation. The release does not occur until there is no longer a target deviation. Figures 2A - 2C depict various stages of a second embodiment of a method for filling a transport tray 100. In addition, Figures 2A - 2C depict a second embodiment of the inventive filling station. In this embodiment, the inventive filling station includes a transfer tray 200 having a plurality of receptacles 210 that are arranged in a matrix pattern in a receptacle area (depicted in Figure 3A), wherein each of these receptacles 210 has a bottom opening that are closed by a closing plate 221 of a closing device in Figures 2A - 2C. The closing device shall be described in greater detail while referencing the following figures. The filling station furthermore includes a display device 400 with which filling templates may be displayed, each of which indicates to the user which of the receptacles 210 is to be filled with how many drug portions. In Figure 2A the display device 400 is embodied such that it has 24 different cells 420 that correspond to 24 receptacles 210 of the transfer tray 200. In the embodiment depicted, the 24 receptacles are divided into 12 columns and two rows. In the second embodiment of the inventive method, the target filling includes two drug types that are filled sequentially by type, i.e. the filling regime specifies that two filling templates are produced and displayed (one filling template per drug type). The filling template is displayed in its entirety on the display device due to the design of the latter. In Figure 2A, the display device displays a first filling template that displays to a user of the filling station how many drug portions per receptacle are to be added in a first filling step, wherein the number of the drug portions to be added is provided by a numeral in the top half of a cell 420 of the display device 400. As may be seen, in accordance with the filling template receptacles 210(1,1) and 210(1,2) are each to be filled with one drug portion, receptacle 210(1,3) is to be filled with zero drug portions, receptacle 210(1,4) is to be filled with two drug portions, etc. In the depicted embodiment of the filling station/method, it is not the transport tray that is directly filled with drug portions, but instead a transfer tray 200 arranged thereabove, and the latter transfers the drug portions per filling template to the receptacles 110 of the transport tray 100. As may be seen in Figure 2A, the transport tray also has a number of receptacles 110, wherein the arrangement of the receptacles 110 matches the arrangement of the receptacles 210. The receptacles 110 of the transport tray are closed with a closing plate 121 of a closing device that is described in greater detail referring to subsequent figures. In the stage of the inventive method depicted in Figure 2A, the first filling template has already been processed. As may be seen by comparing the cells (1,3), (1,5) of the display device 400 and the corresponding receptacles, the number of drug portions arranged in the receptacles 210(1,3) and 210(1,5) does not equal the number that are indicated in accordance with the filling template via the display device 400. According to filling templates, zero drug portions are supposed to be arranged in receptacle 210(1,3) and one drug portion is supposed to be arranged in receptacle 210(1,5). This is not the case; one drug portion is arranged in receptacle 210(1,3) and zero drug portions are arranged in receptacle 210(1,5). In the embodiment depicted, the filling deviation is determined in that the optical detection device produces an image of the receptacles (or one image per receptacle). The number of drug portions, and thus the actual filling, may be determined based on the image (or images) and the information that is known about the drug type being added to the receptacle. In the depicted embodiment, it is only necessary to determine the number, since per filling template only one drug type is added. However, in other embodiments it may be necessary to determine the type and quantity of drug portions added. The depicted embodiment of the filling station furthermore includes a plurality of sensor means 213 that are allocated to the receptacles 210 and with which the number (and only the number) of drug portions per receptacle may be determined. Determining the number by means of the sensor means 213 may be advantageous in such a case, since no complex image processing is necessary. In accordance with the invention, a potential filling deviation is found using the determined actual filling and the filling template. If such a filling deviation is found, transfer of the drug portions into the receptacles in the transport tray 100 is not released. The drug portions cannot be transferred until it has been established that there is no filling deviation. In accordance with Figure 2A, there is a filling deviation in the receptacles 210(1,3) and 210(1,5), which is clearly indicated on the display device 400, prompting the user to correct the filling of the two receptacles that have been incorrectly filled. In the method depicted in Figures 2A - 2C, two drug types are to be filled in accordance with the target filling so that after the first drug type is moved into the transport tray another filling template is displayed, which is depicted in Figure 2B. As may be seen from the filling template in accordance with row 1 of the display device 400 and from the filled receptacles 210, the filling of row 1 of the receptacles 210 is consistent with the filling template, and the drug portions that have been added to the receptacles may be transferred to the transport tray.

Figure 2C depicts a stage of the method in which the transfer tray was removed from the transport tray to determine the actual filling of the receptacles 110 of the transport tray. It is true that if each filling template was correctly transferred, the target filling of all of the receptacles 110 in the transport tray should be error-free. An intermediate check of the individual filling templates is only provided in a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, and is not absolutely necessary, so that the final check of the receptacles in the transport tray cannot be regularly omitted. And even if all of the filling templates were correctly filled, it may happen that during a transfer a drug portion falls out of the receptacles or remains stuck to the wall of the receptacles, for instance due to the movement of a closing plate under the bottom openings of the receptacles. Despite correct filling of the receptacles in accordance with the filling template(s), this may lead to the target filling of the receptacles 110 in the transport tray not being correct for all receptacles. In accordance with the invention, this is checked in that an image (or a plurality of images, for instance one image per receptacle) is made with the optical detection device at least of the receptacles to be filled in accordance with the target filling and the images are subjected to image processing that, based on the information on the drug types to be filled, supplies the drug portions per drug type. With the image processing it can also be provided that the detection of foreign matter such as remains of blister packages causes that the receptacle or the filling, respectively, is marked as erroneous and a user is prompted to correct this (remove the foreign matter). Release then only follows after correction. As may be seen in Figure 2C, the filling of the receptacle 110(1,9) is not correct, although the two prior checks of the specific filling template indicated correct filling of the transfer tray. If incorrect filling of a receptacle 110 is determined, this is indicated on the display device and the transport tray is not released yet. In the depicted embodiment, the filling template and any potential filling deviation or target deviation is displayed on the display device 400. Alternatively, the display device may also include a plurality of display means, wherein a display means is or may be allocated to each receptacle and/or receptacle. The number of drug portions to be added may be displayed directly at the receptacle with these display means, which prevents possible transfer errors from a display device arranged at a distance. The display means may be embodied, for instance, as digital displays. If only one drug portion per filling step is added, the display means may also merely indicate the receptacle to which a drug portion is to be added. These display means may also be used to indicate a deviation once the actual filling has been determined. Figures 3A and 3B depict a combination of a transfer tray 200 and a transport tray 100, wherein the transfer tray is placed on the transport tray, wherein this arrangement results from the function of the two trays. Figure 3A depicts a top view of the aforesaid combination. The transfer tray 200 arranged on top includes a frame 201 in which a receptacle plate 203 is placed that has a plurality of receptacles 210 for accommodating one or a plurality of drug portions. As may be seen from Figure 3A, in the embodiment depicted the receptacles 210 are divided into four rows and twelve columns. The front end face of the transfer tray 200 includes a handle 202 with which a closing device 220 of the transfer tray 200 may be operated; said closing device shall be described with reference to subsequent figures. Arranged below the transfer tray 200 is the transport tray 100, which also has a frame 101 and a handle 102. Figure 3B depicts a view of the aforesaid combination from below, and thus a view of the bottom area of the transport tray 100. In particular in this illustration it is possible to see a closing device 120 of the transport tray 100 with which closing device 120 bottom openings 111 (which cannot be seen in Figure

3B) of the receptacles in the transport tray may be opened and closed. In addition, the closing device includes a closing plate 121 that is retained on the frame 101 of the transport tray via a plurality of guides 122 and retaining means 123. The closing plate 121 includes a plurality of openings 124 for opening the bottom openings. As may be also seen from this view, the receptacle plate 103 of the transport tray includes a plurality of cut-outs 104 that are arranged for reducing weight between the rows of receptacles 110. Furthermore, attached to the frame 101 is an additional retaining unit 125 that supports the center area of the closing plate. Figures 4A - 4D depict various perspective elevations of the transfer tray 200, wherein Figure 4A is a perspective elevation from above. Figures 4B and 4C illustrate the transfer tray obliquely from below, wherein in Figure 4B the receptacles are closed and in Figure 4C they are almost completely open. As may further be seen from Figure 4B, the receptacle plate 203 of the transfer tray also has cut-outs 204 for reducing weight. As is also the case with the transport tray, the closing plate 221 of the closing device 220 is retained on the frame 201 with guides/retaining units 222, 223. The frame 201 furthermore includes four projections 205 with which the transfer tray 200 may be oriented on the transport tray 100. Figure 3D depicts the transfer tray without receptacle plate 202 and provides a top view of the closing plate 221, which includes a plurality of openings 224. The closing device 220 may be actuated manually via the handle 202. In the depicted embodiment, the receptacle plate 203 is embodied to be removable from the frame 201 to simplify cleaning of the receptacles and closing plate. Figures 5A - 5D also depict different views of the transport tray 100, wherein especially in Figure 5A a plurality of display means 113 may be seen that can display correct or incorrect filling of the receptacles 110 of the transport tray 100. Otherwise the design of the transport tray is largely the same as that of the transfer tray, so that reference is made here to the foregoing description.

Figures 6A - 6C depict different sections through a combination of a transfer tray 200 and a transport tray 100. In Figures 6A and 6B, the bottom openings 111, 211 of the receptacles 210 and the receptacles 110 are closed by means of the closing plates. Furthermore, it may be seen from Figures 6A, 6B that the receptacles 210 and the receptacles 110 are oriented relative to one another such that the simplest possible transfer can occur. It may furthermore be seen in Figure 6B that the receptacles 210 have a wall that is embodied slightly tapered. This prevents a shadow from forming on the bottom area of the transfer openings so that determining the actual filling of the receptacles is not made more difficult by a shadow. Figure 6C depicts a position in which, by actuating the handle 202, the closing plate 221 of the closing device for the transfer tray is moved nearly completely into the open position in which drug portions are transferred from the receptacles 210 into the receptacles 110 of the transport tray. Figures 7A and 7B provide different views of a fourth embodiment of the transfer tray 200, wherein Figure 7A provides a top view of the transfer tray 200. In this embodiment, with each receptacle 210 two circular display means 230, 231 with which a filling template may be displayed are provided. In alternative embodiments, each receptacle 210 may also be allocated only one circular display means or more than two circular display means. The circular display means may also be embodied as continuous light rings, wherein different illumination scenarios may indicate a different number of drug portions. The display means may represent illumination scenarios in a "digital" or "analog" manner. Thus, the outer ring may stand for one portion, the inner ring may stand for two portions, and both rings may stand for three portions ("digital"). Alternatively (or additionally), the number may be color-coded (analog). Figure 7B provides a sectional view of this embodiment, wherein Figure 7B depicts a combination of transport tray/transfer tray. Finally, Figure 7C depicts another embodiment in which a plurality of display means 250, 251 are arranged on each of two annular surfaces 240, 241 that are embodied coaxial with the center point of the receptacle 210. Even "complicated" filling templates may be depicted with this embodiment. This is especially helpful when filling does not involve just one drug type, but instead the receptacles are filled successively with different drug portions and types of drugs. The display means of the outer annular surface may then indicate drug type 1, and the inner annular surface may indicate drug type 2.

Claims

Patent claims

1. Method for filling a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station, wherein the transport tray (100) has a plurality of receptacles (110) for drug portions, wherein: a) a target filling of a plurality of receptacles (110) in the transport tray (100) is transmitted to a control device (500), wherein the target filling includes at least information about the at least one type of drug to be filled and the number of drug portions per type of drug and receptacle, b) based on the target filling and on a filling regime, at least one filling template is produced and displayed by means of a display device (400, 450), c) drug portions corresponding to the filling template are transferred to the receptacles (110) of the transport tray (100) that are to be filled in accordance with the filling template, d) an image of at least the receptacles to be filled in accordance with the target filling is produced by means of an optical detection device (300), and, using the image, the actual filling, quantity, and quality of the added drug portions are detected, determined, and compared to the target filling, and, e) if no target deviation is found, the transport tray (100) is released for transferring the drug portions to the machine tray.

2. Method for filling a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a filling template is produced that includes all receptacles (110) to be filled and all drug types to be filled.

3. Method for filling a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of filling templates is produced, wherein the latter include all receptacles (110) to be filled and one drug type, and in that steps b) and c) are repeated until the target filling of all receptacles to be filled is achieved.

4. Method for filling a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of filling templates is produced, wherein these include all of the drug portions for a receptacle (110) to be filled, and in that steps b) and c) are repeated until the target filling of all of the receptacles to be filled is achieved.

5. Method for filling a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with any of claims 1 - 4, characterized in that a filling template is displayed in that a plurality of partial filling templates is displayed.

6. Method for filling a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with any of claims 2 - 5, characterized in that prior to the transfer to the receptacles (110) in the transport tray (100), in accordance with the filling template, the drug portions are filled in corresponding receptacles (210) in a transfer tray (200) arranged above the transport tray (100).

7. Method for filling a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with any of claims 2 - 6, characterized in that an image is produced by means of an optical detection device (300) of at least the receptacles (110, 210) that are to be filled in accordance with the filling template, and, using the image, the actual filling, quantity, and quality of the added drug portions are detected, determined, and compared to the appropriate filling template, and, if no filling deviation is found, the next filling template is displayed, until the target filling of all receptacles to be filled is achieved.

8. Method for filling a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with claim 7, characterized in that if no filling deviation is found, the transfer of the drug portions from the filling tray (200) to the transport tray (100) is released.

9. Method for filling a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with either of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that when a filling deviation is found, it is displayed by means of the display device (400).

10. Method for filling a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with any of claims 1 - 9, characterized in that the filling template is displayed in that the filling template is projected onto the transport tray or filling tray (200).

11. Method for filling a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with any of claims 1 - 10, characterized in that images produced by the optical detection device for determining the actual filling in accordance with filling templates and/or the actual filling in accordance with the target filling may be stored.

12. Method for filling a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with any of claims 1 - 11, characterized in that after drug portions corresponding to a filling template have been transferred into the receptacles to be filled in accordance with the filling template, an image of at least the receptacles to be filled in accordance with the filling template is produced by means of an optical detection device (300) and, using the image, the actual filling is determined and compared to the filling template, and, if no deviation is found, the next filling template is displayed.

13. Method for filling a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with claim 12, characterized in that a plurality of filling templates is displayed simultaneously, and the display is updated after a filling template has been processed.

14. Filling station for filling a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station, having a transport tray (100) having a plurality of receptacles (110) that are each for at least one drug portion, wherein each receptacle (110) has a bottom opening (111), and having a closing device (120) that is arranged below the transfer receptacles (110) and with which the bottom openings (111) of the receptacles (110) may be opened and closed, a display device (400, 450) that can display filling templates that each display to a user which of the receptacles (110) are to be filled with which drug portions, an optical detection device (300) with which images of receptacles having drug portions arranged therein may be produced, and a control device (500) coupled to the display device (400) and the optical detection device (300), wherein the control device (500) is configured such that depending on a pre-specified target filling of the receptacles (110) in the transport tray (100) and depending on a pre-specified filling regime, at least one filling template is produced and transmitted to the display device (400), based on images of the receptacles (110) the actual filling of the receptacles is determined and compared to the filling of the receptacles in accordance with the target filling and a possible target deviation is found, and, if no target deviation is found, the transport tray (100) is released for transferring the drug portions to the machine tray.

15. Filling station for filling a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a machine tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with claim 14, characterized in that the filling station includes a filling tray (200) that is arranged above the transport tray (100) and that has a plurality of receptacles (210), wherein the arrangement of the receptacles (210) in the filling tray corresponds to the arrangement of the receptacles (110) in the transport tray, and wherein the filling tray (200) includes a closing device (220) that is arranged under the receptacles (210) and with which bottom openings (211) in the receptacles (210) may be opened and closed.

16. Filling station for a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a storage tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with either of claims 14 or 15, characterized in that the display device includes a plurality of display means (113, 410, 230, 231, 250, 251) allocated to the receptacles (110, 210).

17. Filling station for a transport tray (100) for transferring drug portions to a storage tray of an automatic dispensing station in accordance with any of claims 14 - 16, characterized in that the filling station includes a projector device (450) with which filling templates may be projected onto the transport or filling tray.