Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B5/00—Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars
  • B65B5/10—Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles
  • B65B5/101—Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles by gravity
  • B65B5/103—Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles by gravity for packaging pills or tablets
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
  • B65B61/26—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for marking or coding completed packages

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to the field of automated pharmaceutical packaging machines. More spe ⁇ ifically.
• the present invention is directed to an automated pharmaceuiical packaging machine which simultaneously fills a product package template with desired solid pharmaceutical dosing requirements while also simultaneously sealing a final package containing a plurality of individual patient doses.
• an automated pharmaceutical packaging machine which is capable of automatically selecting and depositing one or more solid pharmaceutical products into a plurality of medication packages for a patient while also simultaneously sealing and further processing a solid pharmaceutical product package.
• the present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art and provides a fully automated pharmaceutical product packaging machine which is capable of selectively depositing one or more different solid pharmaceutical products into an individual cavity for each of a plurality of individual patient product package cavities.
• the system that is descried below is a fully automated machine which is computer controlled and employs a plurality of solid pharmaceutical product dispensing canisters. Each of these solid pharmaceutical dispensing canisters is capable of selectively dispensing a pre-designated number of solid pharmaceutical products.
• the canisters are programmable and can be manipulated with a computer controller. These canisters are capable of selecting individual pills regardless of their size or shape and are commercial!) available.
• the s ⁇ stem of the present invention employs an array of canisters arranged within a mechanical feeding mechanism.
• Each canister is designed to feed a funnel or trough which transmits a solid pharmaceutical product selectively dispensed from one of the canisters into a cavity of a product package template.
• a plurality of pharmaceuticals may be selected for a single in member. This step is repeated for each of the plurality of cavities in template that corresponds with the cavities in a single sheet or card of cavities that provide a patient ' s dosing requirements for a gi ⁇ en period of time.
• a single sheet may typically include all of the solid pharmaceutical products that have been prescribed for a patient during a one week period.
• the patient's doctor may have prescribed three or four different administration times during the week and accordingly the dosing card has typically between 21 and 28 different individual cavities.
• Each of the cavities are capable of holding a volume of solid pharmaceuticals necessary for patient dosing requirements.
• the clear plastic sheet of material is then maneuvered into subsequent product packaging stations and the template is returned to beneath the canister region.
• the template member is selectively moveable through a range of motion defined by an X-Y axis so that each cavity of the template may be selectively positioned beneath the feed mechanism for transfer of pharmaceuticals located in the canisters.
• the system then simultaneously fills the template with either the dosing requirements for the same patient for another week or the dosing requirements for another patient for a given period of time.
• the sheet of clear plastic material now containing each of the solid pharmaceutical doses for the first patient are then simultaneously enclosed and packaged into a final package that may be given to a patient or the care givers for the patient so that the prescribed pharmaceuticals may be administered from the product package.
• the machine saves a significant amount of time by simultaneously filling the template while also packaging the previously selected pharmaceuticals.
• the present invention employs canisters which are commercially available for selectively for dispensing the desired quantity of solid pharmaceutical products.
• a sheet of backing material is secured to the clear plastic members to enclose the pharmaceutical products within the clear plastic cavities as is known in the art.
• the machine of the present invention makes use of pneumatically controlled automated machinery for packaging and manipulating the product. Additionally, the system of the present invention includes pharmaceutical product package and sealing stations.
• Figure 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention
• Figure 2 illustrates a top plan view of the embodiment of the device set forth in Figure 1 ;
• Figure 3 illustrates an automated canister delivery mechanism
• Figure 4 illustrates a machine that is used in transferring solid pharmaceuticals from a template into a sheet of clear plastic material having cavities for receiving solid pharmaceutical products:
• Figure 5 illustrates a machine for selectively sealing backing member onto a clear plastic sheet
• Figure 6 illustrates a machine that is used in dispensing the backing material for the cards
• Figure 7 illustrates a machine that is used for lifting the finished product from the assembly line
• FIG. 1 An embodiment of a fully automated pharmaceutical product packaging machine which is capable of selectively depositing one or more different solid pharmaceutical products into an individual cavity for each of a plurality of individual patient product package cavities is shown generally at 10 in Figure 1.
• a computer 12 is linked with the various members of the system to control their respective operations.
• the system employs a plurality of solid pharmaceutical product dispensing canisters each of which are mounted in a pharmaceutical dispensing mechanism 15.
• the pharmaceutical dispensing canisters are commercially available products.
• Each of the solid pharmaceutical dispensing canisters located within the pharmaceutical dispensing mechanism 15 is capable of selectively dispensing a pre-designated number of solid pharmaceutical products.
• the canisters are each independently programmable and can be manipulated via the computer controller 12.
• the canisters are capable of selecting individual pills regardless of their size or shape.
• Each canister is arranged within the pharmaceutical dispensing mechanism to feed a funnel or trough which transmits a solid pharmaceutical product selectively dispensed from one or more of the canisters into a of a product package template 17. This step is repeated for each of the plurality of ities in the template 17 that corresponds with the cavities in a single sheet or card of cavities in a package that provide a patient's dosing requirements for a given period of time
• the template member 17 is selectively moveable through a range of motion defined by an X-Y axis so that each cavity of the template 17 may be selectively positioned beneath the feed mechanism of the pharmaceutical dispensing mechanism 15 for transfer of pharmaceuticals located in the canisters located therein.
• the dispensing mechanism 15 has a plurality of canisters that are controlled by signals from the computer. Each of the canisters may have a separate address so that the canisters will only respond to commands intended for the selected canister.
• Figure 1 also illustrates a cart 19 for convenient location of the computer controller 12.
• the mo ⁇ eable cart 19 may also provide a location for a pneumatic drive generator that is used in driving the stations of the machine.
• a package transfer track is shown at 22 and provides a mechanism for transferring a pharmaceutical product package 23 between each of the separate stations of the machine.
• a lift mechanism 24 lifts and transfers filled pharmaceutical product packages 23 from the transfer track 22.
• a product package dispensing unit is shown at 27 and transfers empty package members onto the transfer track 22.
• the system of the present invention also includes a product package sealing station 30 and a printing station 32.
• the product package dispensing unit 27 is shown adjacent the printing station 32. however, it is preferred that each package dispensing station be located adjacent or near the pharmaceutical product dispensing unit 15. This eliminates travel of the product package during the manufacturing process and also enables the filling of the pharmaceutical package template to take place simultaneously with sealing and/or further processing of another package member.
• Each of the cavities of a pharmaceutical product package are capable of holding a volume of solid pharmaceuticals necessary for patient dosing requirements.
• the template 17 containing temporary storage cavities for each combination of drugs has been filled, the template is automatically positioned over a portion of a pharmaceutical product package comprising a sheet of clear plastic material containing a plurality of cavities.
• the cavities in the clear plastic material correspond to the cavities in the template.
• a barrier between the cavities in the template 17 and the sheet of clear plastic material is moved when the desired number of cavities have been filled and the pharmaceuticals in the template cavities drop into the corresponding cavities in the clear plastic sheet of material.
• the clear plastic sheet of material is then maneuvered adjacent to at least one package sealing member and the combined structure of the now filled plastic sheet and the sealing member is then transferred along transfer track 22 to the product package sealing station 30. While this occurs, the template 17 is returned to beneath the pharmaceutical dispensing mechanism 15.
• the system 10 then simultaneously fills the template with either the dosing requirements for the same patient for another week or the dosing requirements for another patient for a given period of time. While the template 17 is being filled, the sheet of clear plastic material now containing each of the solid pharmaceutical doses for the first patient are then simultaneously enclosed and sealed by the sealing station 30 into a final package that may be given to a patient or the care givers for the patient so that the prescribed pharmaceuticals may be administered from the product package.
• a sheet of backing material is secured to the clear plastic members to enclose the pharmaceutical products within the clear plastic cavities as is known in the art.
• the machine saves a significant amount of time by simultaneously filling the template while also packaging the previously selected pharmaceuticals.
• the machine of the present invention desirably makes use of pneumatically controlled automated machinery for packaging and manipulating the product, however, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the machine of the present invention may be powered by any conventional or future developed drive mechanism. For example stepping motors may be used for mechanical manipulation of various elements as described above.
• Figure 2 illustrates a top plan view of the system described above with reference to Figure 1.
• Figure 2 illustrates the relative spacing of the various manufacturing stations described above.
• the empty product package dispensing station 27 actuall be located adjacent the pharmaceutical dispensing station 15.
• additional product package dispensing stations may be inserted between the sealing station 30 and the pharmaceutical dispensing mechanism depending on the number of distinct package elements that to be sealed together by the sealing station 30.
• Figure 3 illustrates the pharmaceutical product dispensing unit 15 as well as the template member 17.
• the pharmaceutical product dispensing unit 15 is supported by structural support members 36, 37, and 38.
• Control lines 42 connect the canisters with the computer 12 so that the desired pharmaceuticals may be dispensed by the machine.
• Figure 4 is a detailed view of the package sealing station 30.
• the product package ' transfer track 22 passes directly beneath the sealing station 30.
• the sealing station 30 may be comprised of any conventional sealing mechanism.
• this sealing station 30 may be capable of applying heat or pressure or some type of electromagnetic radiation or combinations of these sealing techniques in order to set any adhesives that has been previously applied to the product packaging material.
• One significant feature is that the relationship of these structures allows for simultaneously filling the product template while also sealing another filled package or otherwise further processing the package.
• Figure 5 illustrates a conventional printing station that is mounted above the pharmaceutical product package transfer track 22.
• This station prints information on the sealed product package which may relate to such things as identification of the patient, the time and dates for which the medication has been prescribed as well content information and/or expiration information.
• this station is also capable of operating in parallel and independent from the pharmaceutical dispensing station 15.
• FIG 6 illustrates the pharmaceutical product package dispensing station 27.
• This station is also typical of known automated product package dispensing devices.
• the station is desirably mounted adjacent the product package transfer track 22 so that product packages or partial packages may be readily placed on the track member 22. As noted it is preferred that one or more of these stations be located between the sealing station 30 and the dispensing station 15.
• Figure 7 illustrates an automated device 24 which automatically removes the completed product packages from the transfer track 22.
• Figure 7 also illustrates a completed package located on the transfer mechanism 42 which is mounted in the product package transfer track 22.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Medical Preparation Storing Or Oral Administration Devices (AREA)
• Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
• Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)
• Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)

Priority Applications (7)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Cited By (10)

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Citations (2)

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• 2001
  • 2001-03-29 EP EP01924590A patent/EP1280701B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-03-29 JP JP2001572370A patent/JP4806153B2/ja not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-03-29 AT AT01924590T patent/ATE361876T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2001-03-29 AU AU2001251235A patent/AU2001251235B2/en not_active Expired
  • 2001-03-29 ES ES01924590T patent/ES2286116T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-03-29 CA CA002404589A patent/CA2404589C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-03-29 AU AU5123501A patent/AU5123501A/xx active Pending
  • 2001-03-29 DE DE60128348T patent/DE60128348T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-03-29 WO PCT/US2001/010641 patent/WO2001074666A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2001-03-29 BR BRPI0109719-9A patent/BR0109719B1/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2001-03-29 EP EP06022295.7A patent/EP1787909B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-03-29 ES ES06022295T patent/ES2570739T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (2)

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