Researchers Submit Patent Application, “Conveyor Combiner System And Method For Automated Prescription Fulfillment”, for Approval (USPTO 20190144214)

2019 MAY 30 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- From Washington, D.C., NewsRx journalists report that a patent application by the inventor Kapadia, Atin (Chandler, AZ), filed on January 14, 2019, was made available online on May 16, 2019.

The patent’s assignee is Humana Inc. (Louisville, Kentucky, United States).

News editors obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “The present invention is directed to the field of automated dispensing systems, more particularly to the transport of objects such as pharmacy bottles/vials through an automated dispensing system. The present invention relates to an automated method and system for transporting vials from multiple upstream locations to a downstream location and for combining N number of conveyor lanes from N number of upstream locations (e.g., capping stations) down to one conveyor lane. The system is adapted to transport vials from a more-distant upstream location faster than vials from a closer upstream location so that they reach the downstream location at approximately the same time. Guide members placed at an angle to the traveling axis of the conveyor lanes divert the vials onto a single conveyor lane for transporting the vials to a downstream location.

“Many health benefit plan providers and retail pharmacies offer their clients the option of obtaining prescription drugs by mail. Mail order pharmacies ship prescription drugs to a client’s home so the client is not required to visit a pharmacy to fill a prescription in person. For clients with chronic conditions or other health conditions that require maintenance drugs, a mail order prescription program is an attractive benefit because it is more convenient for the clients and typically less expensive than obtaining prescription drugs at a neighborhood pharmacy.

“Most mail order pharmacies use automated systems and dispensing lines to process and ship a high volume of prescriptions on a daily basis. Each prescription medication is typically dispensed into a vial or other container labeled with data from an electronic order that identifies the patient, drug (e.g., by NDC), dosage, and quantity. Each medication is dispensed in its own vial and in many instances, multiple vials are combined into a single package and shipped to a single address for a client with one or more chronic conditions requiring multiple medications. The automated dispensing system, therefore, must be intelligent and capable of determining which vials should be combined into a single package. The system must also be capable of routing the vials through the system to their appropriate destinations. Sensors deployed at many locations along the system detect the prescription information on the bottles along with RF ID tag information to intelligently route and divert the vials to the appropriate conveyor or destination. If the vial is to be combined with other vials (multi-vial order), the vials are sorted and grouped together, preferably towards the end of the dispensing line. The vials are ultimately routed to the final location for packaging and mailing to the consumer.

“Automated dispensing lines typically comprise multiple sorting stations and therefore, require functionality to route and divert vials to the appropriate station. The process of routing and diverting vials for sorting and consolidation as well as other reasons can increase vial travel and processing time.

“Depending upon how the technology is implemented and deployed within a mail order pharmacy, a substantial number of steps in the fulfillment process may be automated and the need for human intervention minimized. Transporting bottles through the automated dispensing lines in an efficient, timely, accurately, and consistent manner is crucial for filling the high volume of mail order prescriptions.

“The present invention relates to a vial conveyor combiner system for combining N number of conveyor lanes from N number of upstream (e.g., capping stations) down to one conveyor lane for feeding a sorter machine (the sorter combines multiple vials of an order together into a group).”

As a supplement to the background information on this patent application, NewsRx correspondents also obtained the inventor’s summary information for this patent application: “In one embodiment of the invention, the invention is comprised of: a first upstream vial processing station; a second upstream vial processing station positioned next to the first upstream vial processing station, wherein the second upstream vial processing station is closer to the downstream location than the first upstream vial processing station; a third upstream vial processing station positioned next to the second upstream vial processing station, wherein the third upstream vial processing station is closer to the downstream location than the second upstream vial processing station; a first conveyor lane for transporting vials from the first upstream vial processing station to the downstream location; a second conveyor lane for transporting vials from the second upstream vial processing station to the downstream location; a third conveyor lane for transporting vials from the third upstream vial processing station to the downstream location; wherein the first, second, and third conveyor lanes are placed in a parallel arrangement with respect to each other; wherein the vial conveyor system is further comprised of: a single conveyor lane arranged so that the single conveyor lane moves in the same direction as the first, second, and third conveyor lanes; a first guide member placed at an angle to the traveling axis of the first conveyor lane for diverting vials traveling on the first conveyor lane onto the single conveyor lane; a second guide member placed at an angle to the traveling axis of the second conveyor lane for diverting vials traveling on the second conveyor lane onto the single conveyor lane; a third guide member placed at an angle to the traveling axis of the third conveyor lane for diverting vials traveling on the third conveyor lane onto the single conveyor lane.

“The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the particular embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A vial conveyor system for transporting vials from multiple upstream locations to a downstream location, the vial conveyor system comprising: a first upstream vial processing station; a second upstream vial processing station positioned next to the first upstream vial processing station; a third upstream vial processing station positioned next to the second upstream vial processing station; a first conveyor lane for transporting vials from the first upstream vial processing station to the downstream location; a second conveyor lane for transporting vials from the second upstream vial processing station to the downstream location; a third conveyor lane for transporting vials from the third upstream vial processing station to the downstream location; wherein the first, second, and third conveyor lanes are placed in a parallel arrangement with respect to each other; wherein the vial conveyor system is further comprised of: a single conveyor lane arranged so that the single conveyor lane moves in the same direction as the first, second, and third conveyor lanes; a first guide member placed at an angle to the traveling axis of the first conveyor lane for diverting vials traveling on the first conveyor lane onto the single conveyor lane; a second guide member placed at an angle to the traveling axis of the second conveyor lane for diverting vials traveling on the second conveyor lane onto the single conveyor lane; a third guide member placed at an angle to the traveling axis of the third conveyor lane for diverting vials traveling on the third conveyor lane onto the single conveyor lane; and wherein the first conveyor lane travels faster than the second conveyor lane and wherein the second conveyor lane travels faster than the third conveyor lane.

“2. The vial conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein the downstream location is the location where the first, second, and third conveyor lanes combine down to the single conveyor lane.

“3. The vial conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein the downstream location is in the direction that the first, second, and third conveyor lanes are transporting vials.

“4. The vial conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third upstream vial processing stations are capping stations for putting caps on vials.

“5. The vial conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein the single conveyor lanes is comprised of a plurality of conveyor segments interlocked together.

“6. The vial conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein the single conveyor lanes is comprised of a plurality of conveyor lanes interlocked together.

“7-8. (canceled)

“9. The vial conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein the first conveyor lane travels three times faster than the third conveyor lane.

“10-14. (canceled)

“15. An object conveyor system for transporting objects from multiple upstream locations to a downstream location, the object conveyor system comprising: a first upstream object processing station; a second upstream object processing station; a third upstream object processing station; a first conveyor lane for transporting objects from the first upstream object processing station to the downstream location; a second conveyor lane for transporting objects from the second upstream object processing station to the downstream location; a third conveyor lane for transporting objects from the third upstream object processing station to the downstream location; wherein the first, second, and third conveyor lanes are placed in a parallel arrangement with respect to each other; wherein the object conveyor system is further comprised of: a single conveyor lane arranged so that the single conveyor lane moves in the same direction as the first, second, and third conveyor lanes; a first guide member placed at an angle to the traveling axis of the first conveyor lane for diverting objects traveling on the first conveyor lane onto the single conveyor lane; a second guide member placed at an angle to the traveling axis of the second conveyor lane for diverting objects traveling on the second conveyor lane onto the single conveyor lane; a third guide member placed at an angle to the traveling axis of the third conveyor lane for diverting objects traveling on the third conveyor lane onto the single conveyor lane; wherein the first conveyor lane travels faster than the second conveyor lane; wherein the second conveyor lane travels faster than the third conveyor lane.

“16. The object conveyor system according to claim 15, wherein the single conveyor lane moves vials toward a sorter location.

“17. The object conveyor system according to claim 15, where the first, second, and third guide members are plastic rails.

“18. (canceled)

“19. The object conveyor system according to claim 15, wherein the traveling axis is the line drawn towards the direction the first, second, third, and fourth conveyor lanes are traveling in.

“20. The object conveyor system according to claim 15, where the speeds of the first, second, third, and fourth conveyor lanes are configured so that objects leaving the first, second, third, and fourth upstream object processing stations arrive at the downstream location at approximately the same time.”

For additional information on this patent application, see: Kapadia, Atin. Conveyor Combiner System And Method For Automated Prescription Fulfillment. Filed January 14, 2019 and posted May 16, 2019. Patent URL: http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220190144214%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20190144214&RS=DN/20190144214

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