US-20260125227-A1 - PNEUMATIC CONVEYANCE JET DIVERTER

US20260125227A1US 20260125227 A1US20260125227 A1US 20260125227A1US-20260125227-A1

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus are disclosed herein for a pneumatic conveyance jet diverter that uses air jets to divert pneumatically conveyed objects to one of various selectable outlets. The example methods, systems, and apparatus are configured direct objects from an inlet to a desired outlet without the use of mechanical components such as an internal flap or gate. Rather, the pneumatic conveyance jet diverter uses an air jet to push or blow objects to a selected outlet.

Inventors

Benjamin Barnum

Assignees

INNOVATION ASSOCIATES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20260105

Claims (20)

1 . A pneumatic conveyance jet diverter comprising: a diverter frame including: an inlet end pneumatically connected to an inlet conveyance tube, an outlet end including a first outlet pneumatically connected to a first outlet conveyance tube and a second outlet pneumatically connected to a second outlet conveyance tube, side walls connecting the inlet end and the outlet end, and a top side coupled to the side walls; an air jet positioned along one of the side walls and configured to at least partially face the outlet end; and at least one splitter located at the outlet end between the first outlet and the second outlet, wherein the air jet is configured to emit pressurized air causing a medication container cap to be routed to the first outlet, wherein the air jet emits air at an angle such that a resulting air path flows to a side wall that is opposite the air jet and along the diverter frame, out to the first outlet, and wherein an absence of the pressurized air from the air jet causes the medication container cap to be routed to the second outlet.
2 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter of claim 1 , wherein the diverter frame has a narrow end at the inlet end that gradually widens to an opposite, wide end at the outlet end.
3 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter of claim 1 , wherein the inlet conveyance tube is configured to provide the medication container cap.
4 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter of claim 1 , wherein the diverter frame is symmetrical along a longitudinal axis extending between a center of the inlet end to a center of the outlet end.
5 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter of claim 1 , wherein the second outlet is positioned to be closer to the air jet than the first outlet of the diverter frame.
6 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter of claim 1 , wherein the first outlet conveyance tube is pneumatically coupled to an inlet end of another pneumatic conveyance jet diverter.
7 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter of claim 1 , wherein the second outlet conveyance tube is pneumatically coupled to an inlet end of another pneumatic conveyance jet diverter.
8 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter of claim 1 , wherein the top side is coupled to one of the side walls of the diverter frame via a hinge that is opposite from the side wall that includes the air jet.
9 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter of claim 8 , wherein the medication container cap is received through the inlet end of the diverter frame and travels along a path of the air jet through the outlet end.
10 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor located adjacent to the inlet end.
11 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter of claim 10 , wherein the sensor is configured to: sense the medication container cap being received through the inlet end; and after sensing the medication container cap, transmit a signal to a computer that determines whether the air jet should be activated to emit the pressurized air.
12 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter of claim 1 , further comprising a second air jet positioned along another one of the side walls opposite of the air jet and configured to at least partially face the outlet end, wherein the second air jet emits air at an angle such that a resulting air path flows to the side wall that is opposite the second air jet and along the diverter frame, out to the second outlet.
13 . A pneumatic conveyance jet diverter system comprising: a diverter frame including: an inlet end connected to an inlet conveyor, an outlet end including a first outlet connected to a first outlet conveyor and a second outlet connected to a second outlet conveyor, a first side wall and a second side wall connecting the inlet end and the outlet end, a top side coupled to the first side wall and the second side wall, and a bottom side coupled to the first side wall and the second side wall opposite the top side; and a first air jet positioned along the first side wall and configured to at least partially face the first outlet; a second air jet positioned along the second side wall and configured to at least partially face the second outlet; and at least one splitter located at the outlet end between the first outlet and the second outlet, wherein the first air jet emits air at an angle such that a resulting air path flows to the second side wall and along the diverter frame, out to the first outlet, causing a medication container cap or a medication container to be routed to the first outlet, and wherein the second air jet emits air at an angle such that a resulting air path flows to the first side wall and along the diverter frame, out to the second outlet air causing the medication container cap or the medication container to be routed to the second outlet.
14 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter system of claim 13 , wherein the first air jet is pneumatically coupled to a pressure source via a first valve, and the second air jet is pneumatically coupled to the pressure source via a second valve.
15 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter system of claim 14 , wherein the first air jet is activated by opening the first valve and the second air jet is activated by opening the second valve.
16 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter system of claim 15 , wherein a computer is configured to cause either of the first valve or the second valve to open for routing the medication container cap or the medication container to either the first outlet or the second outlet.
17 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter system of claim 16 , further comprising a sensor located adjacent to the inlet end, the sensor configured to detect the medication container cap or the medication container entering the diverter frame.
18 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter system of claim 17 , wherein the computer is configured to determine whether the first valve or the second valve is to be opened after receiving an input from the sensor indicative of the detection of the medication container cap or the medication container.
19 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter system of claim 16 , wherein the computer is configured to alternate between opening the first valve and the second valve.
20 . The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter system of claim 13 , wherein the first outlet conveyor is coupled to an inlet end of another pneumatic conveyance jet diverter.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/235,187, filed on Aug. 17, 2023, which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/371,719, filed on Aug. 17, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND In fulfillment centers, conveyor belts route objects from one location to another location. Often objects are routed from a supply bin to a packaging area. In some instances, the objects are routed to stations that perform an action on the object. For example, to prepare medication containers for shipping to a patient, both the container and the cap are routed from separate supply bins. The container is routed to a filling station and then to a capping station that affixes the cap to the container. Some known fulfillment centers use pneumatic routing and diverters for this routing. Known pneumatic conveyance diverters may be used as part of pharmacy conveyance systems that perform online fulfillment of medication prescriptions. Pneumatic conveyance diverters in pharmacy conveyance systems serve to divert incoming objects, such as medications, medication container caps, or bottles, from a supply bin to various capping or filling stations. As such, pneumatic conveyance diverters play a role in directing objects from a source to a selected destination. In turn, pneumatic conveyance diverters may help at least to automate operations that may instead be performed at local pharmacies, such as prescription filling and packaging. Known pneumatic conveyance diverters include a diverter tube that can be switched between two different outlets. The diverter tube is pivoted between the outlets based on how a cap or container are to be routed. A mechanical actuator is used to pivot the diverter tube. However, there are various drawbacks to known pneumatic conveyance diverters. First, the mechanical components must pivot the diverter tube between two outlets. The movement of the diverter tube between the outlets takes time, which when compounded over a day, can cause bottlenecks in a conveyance system. Further, the mechanical nature of known diverters is prone to wear and alignment errors overtime, especially with high frequency use. A need accordingly exists for pneumatic conveyance diverters that provide routing of caps and/or containers without mechanically moving a diverter tube. SUMMARY Example systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed herein for the routing of medication container caps or medication containers within a pharmacy conveyor system using a pneumatic conveyance jet diverter. The example systems, methods, and apparatus are configured to use air jets for directing pressurized air to inner walls of a diverter frame such that a medication container cap is routed from an inlet to a desired outlet. The disclosed systems, methods, and apparatus prevent pharmacy conveyance system disruptions as they include no mechanical parts that can jam or misalign. Further, the disclosed systems, methods, and apparatus prevent medication container cap damage as they do not include mechanical components that can crush or destroy lids or other objects. Finally, the use of air jets and lack of mechanical components allow for instantaneously directing medication container caps to a desired path within a medication fulfillment facility. In light of the disclosure herein, and without limiting the scope of the invention 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 pneumatic conveyance jet diverter includes a diverter frame that has an inlet end having a first width, an outlet end having a second width that is wider than the first width, the outlet end including a first outlet and a second outlet, and side walls connecting the inlet end and the outlet end. The pneumatic conveyance jet diverter also includes an air jet positioned along one of the side walls and configured to at least partially face the outlet end, and at least one splitter located at the outlet end between the first outlet and the second outlet. The air jet is configured to emit pressurized air causing a medication container cap to be routed to the first outlet. An absence of the pressured air from the air jet causes the medication container cap to be routed to the second outlet. In a second aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the diverter frame has a narrow end at the inlet end that gradually widens to an opposite, wide end at the outlet end. In a third aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the inlet end of the diverter frame is pneumatically connected to a conveyance tube that provides the medication container cap. In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, which may