US-12617629-B2 - Medication container air sorting system and apparatus

US12617629B2US 12617629 B2US12617629 B2US 12617629B2US-12617629-B2

Abstract

A system and apparatus for a medication container sorting apparatus by air sort station is disclosed. The container sorting apparatus includes a transport mechanism, a bumper rail, an air nozzle, a valve, and a sensor. As medication containers pass by an air nozzle on the transport mechanism, the air nozzle blows air towards the containers to push those with a closed end facing the air nozzle towards an opposite side of the transport mechanism. A bumper rail is used to prevent the medication container from falling off of the transport mechanism.

Inventors

Fletcher L. Chapin
Edward Mungo
Jacob Chandler Jackowski
Carrie Hathaway

Assignees

INNOVATION ASSOCIATES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20240321

Claims (20)

1 . A container sorting apparatus comprising: a transport mechanism configured to transport containers from a first end located adjacent to a loading section to a second end located at a fixed distance from the loading section; a bumper rail located adjacent to a first side of the transport mechanism; at least one air nozzle located adjacent to an opposite, second side of the transport mechanism across from a portion of the bumper rail, the at least one air nozzle connected to a pressurized air source and configured to blow pressurized air toward the bumper rail, the transport mechanism configured such that the containers are located on the second side before reaching the at least one air nozzle; at least one valve fluidly coupled between the pressurized air source and the at least one air nozzle, the at least one valve configured to regulate a flow of the pressurized air; and a sensor operable with a controller configured to: detect whether an open end or a closed end of each of the containers faces the sensor, and transmit a signal when the closed end of the container faces the sensor causing the at least one valve to open, thereby causing the pressurized air to move the container laterally from the second side of the transport mechanism toward the bumper rail such that: containers with the open end facing the sensor are located on the second side of the transport mechanism when those containers reach the second end of the transport mechanism for stacking, and the containers with the closed end facing the sensor are located on the first side of the transport mechanism or at a center of the transport mechanism when those containers reach the second end of the transport mechanism for stacking.
2 . The container sorting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport the containers past the at least one air nozzle.
3 . The container sorting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the transport mechanism is located at a higher elevation than the first end.
4 . The container sorting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transport mechanism is a cleated belt positioned along an incline, the cleated belt defining rows to hold containers in a horizontal orientation, the cleated belt configured to receive containers at the loading section located at a lower end of the incline and dispense the containers at a dispense section located at an upper end of the incline.
5 . The container sorting apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the at least one air nozzle is oriented to release pressurized air perpendicularly to the cleated belt.
6 . The container sorting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an optical sensor.
7 . The container sorting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a micro switch.
8 . The container sorting apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a main frame to which the transport mechanism is mounted.
9 . The container sorting apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a valve manifold to contain the at least one valve.
10 . A container sorting apparatus comprising: a transport mechanism configured to transport containers from a first end located adjacent to a loading section to a second end located at a fixed distance from the loading section; a bumper rail located adjacent to a first side of the transport mechanism; at least one air nozzle located adjacent to an opposite, second side of the transport mechanism across from a portion of the bumper rail, the at least one air nozzle connected to a pressurized air source and configured to blow pressurized air toward the bumper rail; at least two valves fluidly coupled between the pressurized air source and the at least one air nozzle, the at least two valves configured to regulate a flow of the pressurized air; and a sensor configured to: detect whether an open end or a closed end of a container faces the sensor, and transmit a signal when the closed end of the container faces the sensor causing the at least two valves to open, thereby causing the pressurized air to move the container laterally toward the bumper rail.
11 . A method for aggregating and sorting containers in a container sorter apparatus comprising: transporting at least one container by a transport mechanism from a first end located adjacent to a loading section to a second end located at a fixed distance from the loading section, the transport mechanism configured such that the containers are located on a second side before reaching at least one air nozzle; detecting whether an open end or a closed end of at least one container faces a sensor adjacent to the transport mechanism; and transmitting a signal when the closed end of a container faces the sensor causing at least one valve fluidly coupled between a pressurized air source and the at least one air nozzle, to open, thereby causing the pressurized air to move the container laterally from the second side of the transport mechanism toward a bumper rail located adjacent to a first side of the transport mechanism such that: the containers with the open end facing the sensor are located on the second side of the transport mechanism when those containers reach the second end of the transport mechanism for stacking, and the containers with the closed end facing the sensor are located on the first side of the transport mechanism or at a center of the transport mechanism when those containers reach the second end of the transport mechanism for stacking, wherein the at least one valve is configured to regulate a flow of the pressurized air.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the transport mechanism is configured to transport the containers past the at least one air nozzle.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the second end of the transport mechanism is located at a higher elevation than the first end.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the transport mechanism is a cleated belt positioned along an incline, the cleated belt defining rows to hold containers in a horizontal orientation, the cleated belt configured to receive containers at the loading section located at a lower end of the incline and dispense the containers at a dispense section located at an upper end of the incline.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the at least one air nozzle is oriented to release pressurized air perpendicularly to the cleated belt.
16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor is an optical sensor.
17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor is a micro switch.
18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising a main frame to which the transport mechanism is mounted.
19 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising a valve manifold to contain the at least one valve.
20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one air nozzle is coupled to more than one valve.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/453,977, filed on Mar. 22, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND Typical prescription medication fulfillment systems process hundreds to thousands of prescriptions a day. These prescription medication fulfillment systems may be used for the online fulfillment of medication prescriptions in instances where patient-specific local pharmacy preparation is not needed. Additionally, some prescription medication fulfillment systems may use conveyance systems to at least help automate operations that may instead be performed a local pharmacy, such as prescription filling and packaging. As the population continues to age and pharmaceutical companies continue to develop more medications for illnesses, it is inevitable that the distribution points for such medications must become more efficient. From local pharmacies to national drug store chains to large, mail order fulfillment centers that fill tens of millions of prescriptions annually, automation has greatly affected the speed, efficiency, and accuracy of prescription distribution. It is not surprising that automation results in greater profitability for wholesale and retail pharmacy business owners. Reducing manual operations results in lower payrolls, fewer interruptions in workflow, and greater production predictability. In addition, much of the human error associated with manually filling prescriptions is eliminated. Therefore, reductions in manual operations and human operators creates more efficient and error-free prescription fulfillment operations. With the development of highly accurate technological mechanisms, including sophisticated hardware and software control systems, there should be little need for human operators to perform some of the repetitive tasks still found in pharmacies. While advancing technology has been applied to large-scale vial filling operations, heretofore such techniques have not been combined with built-in prescription entry and verification features within small, stand-alone units suitable for use in small size pharmacies. A need accordingly exists for an automated container orienting and sorter system that incorporates advancing technology therein to ensure fast and accurate operations. Additionally, a need exists for an accurate and efficient machine to assist with medication fulfillment. Further, a need exists for an automated container orienting and sorter system that is contained within small, stand-alone unis for use in small size pharmacies. SUMMARY Example systems, apparatus, and methods are disclosed herein for sorting and orienting medication containers. The disclosed systems, apparatus, and methods are intended to improve upon previously existing systems, apparatus, and methods for sorting and orienting medication containers. Specifically, as disclosed herein, the systems, apparatus, and methods solve common difficulties in the pharmacy automation process. In an example, the present disclosure is configured to transport medication containers from a hopper to a sorting funnel using an inclined conveyor belt. As disclosed herein, the conveyor belt includes features that ensure each cleat contains one medication container in a horizontal orientation. The features ensure the medication containers can be stacked without telescoping or otherwise pausing the conveyor belt and downstream conveyance systems. In another example, the systems, apparatus, and methods disclosed herein allow for increased efficiency as a high volume of medication containers can be sorted and oriented at once whereas some older systems sorted and oriented containers at a much slower pace. In light of the disclosure herein and without limiting the disclosure in any way, in a first aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a funnel apparatus includes an entrance section, an exit port, and a mid-section. The entrance section located at a top end of the funnel apparatus and has an entrance width. The entrance section also includes a first path on one side and a second path on an opposing side. The first path is configured to receive containers in a horizontal orientation with a container opening facing a first direction, and the second path configured to receive containers in the horizontal orientation with the container opening facing an opposite, second direction. The entrance section has a bend between 60° and 120° to change from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation. The exit port is located at a bottom end of the funnel apparatus that is vertically oriented below the top end of the entrance section. The exit port width is configured to enable the container in the vertical orientation to pass through. Finally, the mid-section of the funnel apparatus is located between the entrance section and the ex