Random access and random load dispensing unit

Abstract

The present invention provides a random access and random load dispensing unit including a housing, at least one support located in the housing and defining a first axis, a plurality of platforms movable along the support along the first axis, a plurality of bins supported on the platforms, the bins being movable with the platforms, and a shuttle assembly movable along the first axis and further movable along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis between the plurality of platforms to access and retrieve products stored in the bins.

1 . A random access and random load dispensing unit, comprising: 
 a housing;    at least one support located in the housing and defining a first axis;    a plurality of platforms movable along the support along the first axis;    a plurality of bins supported on the platforms, the bins being movable with the platforms; and    a shuttle assembly movable along the first axis and further movable along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis between the plurality of platforms to access and retrieve products stored in the bins.    
     
     
         2 . The dispensing unit of  claim 1 , wherein the bins are movable with the platforms to selectively allow only the bins on one of the plurality of platforms to be accessed at a given time.  
     
     
         3 . The dispensing unit of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an access door pivotably coupled to the housing;    a plurality of customer interface components coupled to the access door, at least one of the customer interface components being configured to determine an identity of a customer;    a computer in communication with the customer interface components, the computer being able to match the customer with at least one of the products stored in the bins; and    a controller in communication with the computer for operating the shuttle assembly, the shuttle assembly being directed to a location in the housing to retrieve the at least one product for the customer.    
     
     
         4 . The dispensing unit of  claim 3 , wherein the customer interface components include at least one of a magnetic stripe card reader, a credit card reader, and a barcode scanner.  
     
     
         5 . The dispensing unit of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an access door pivotably coupled to the housing;    a dispense bin located in the access door, the dispense bin being movable between a first position, in which the dispense bin is deployed into the housing for the shuttle assembly to deposit the product into the dispense bin, and a second position, in which the dispense bin is retracted into the access door and the product is ready to be retrieved by the customer; and    a dispense bin lid selectively covering the dispense bin, the dispense bin lid being movable between a first position, in which the product in the dispense bin is inaccessible by the customer, and a second position, in which the product in the dispense bin is accessible by the customer for removal.    
     
     
         6 . The dispensing unit of  claim 5 , wherein the dispense bin includes a pivotable trap door for selectively dropping the product from the dispense bin.  
     
     
         7 . The dispensing unit of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 a latch mechanism biased into engagement with the trap door to maintain the trap door in a closed position; and    a solenoid coupled to the latch mechanism, the solenoid being selectively operable to disengage the latch mechanism and the trap door.    
     
     
         8 . The dispensing unit of  claim 6 , further comprising a bin located beneath the trap door to collect products dropped from the dispense bin.  
     
     
         9 . The dispensing unit of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a lock mechanism biased into engagement with the dispense bin lid to substantially prevent rotation of the dispense bin lid; and    a solenoid coupled to the lock mechanism, the solenoid being selectively operable to disengage the lock mechanism and the dispense bin lid to allow rotation of the dispense bin lid.    
     
     
         10 . The dispensing unit of  claim 5 , further comprising a product sensor positioned in the dispense bin, the product sensor being operable to detect products in the dispense bin.  
     
     
         11 . The dispensing unit of  claim 5 , further comprising at least one illumination device in the access door to illuminate products in the dispense bin.  
     
     
         12 . The dispensing unit of  claim 1 , further comprising an access door pivotably coupled to the housing, wherein a lower-most portion of the access door is positionable at a lower elevation relative to a lower-most portion of the housing.  
     
     
         13 . The dispensing unit of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an access door pivotably coupled to a front portion of the housing; and    a rear door pivotably coupled to a rear portion of the housing, wherein products are loaded into the housing via at least one of the access door and the rear door.    
     
     
         14 . The dispensing unit of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an access door pivotably coupled to the housing; and    a drop-off bin coupled to the access door to receive therein prescriptions to be filled.    
     
     
         15 . The dispensing unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor associated with each of the bins supported on the platform, wherein the sensors are operable to detect removal of the respective bins from the platform.  
     
     
         16 . The dispensing unit of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one indicator light associated with each of the bins supported on the platforms, wherein the indicator lights display fill levels of the respective bins.  
     
     
         17 . The dispensing unit of  claim 1 , wherein the products are packaged in containers, and wherein the bins include a plurality of slots to receive the containers.  
     
     
         18 . The dispensing unit of  claim 1 , wherein each platform includes a plurality of guides coupled thereto, each guide configured to receive a single bin.  
     
     
         19 . The dispensing unit of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of bins includes a first tray having a first width and a second tray having a second width greater than the first width.  
     
     
         20 . The dispensing unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a carriage movable along the support and the first axis, wherein the shuttle assembly is movable along the carriage from a first side of the housing to a second side of the housing opposite the first side.  
     
     
         21 . The dispensing unit of  claim 20 , further comprising at least one carriage support movable along the support and the first axis, wherein the carriage is movable along the carriage support from a front portion of the housing to a rear portion of the housing.  
     
     
         22 . The dispensing unit of  claim 1 , wherein the shuttle assembly includes a barcode reader to scan barcodes associated with the products stored in the bins.  
     
     
         23 . The dispensing unit of  claim 22 , wherein the shuttle assembly includes a sensor separate from the barcode reader, and wherein the sensor is configured to detect the products stored in the bins.  
     
     
         24 . The dispensing unit of  claim 1 , wherein the shuttle assembly includes: 
 at least one hook; and    a motor drivably coupled to the hook to pivot the hook between a raised position and a lowered position.    
     
     
         25 . A random access and random load dispensing unit, comprising: 
 a housing;    a shuttle assembly movable in the housing to access and retrieve products stored in random locations in the housing;    an access door pivotably coupled to the housing;    a plurality of customer interface components coupled to the access door, at least one of the customer interface components being configured to determine an identity of a customer;    a computer in communication with the customer interface components, the computer being able to match the customer with at least one of the products stored in the random locations in the housing; and    a controller in communication with the computer for operating the shuttle assembly, the shuttle assembly being directed to the location in the housing to retrieve the at least one product for the customer.    
     
     
         26 . The dispensing unit of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 at least one support located in the housing and defining a first axis;    a plurality of platforms movable along the support and the first axis;    a plurality of bins supported on the platforms, the bins being movable with the platforms to selectively allow only the bins on one of the plurality of platforms to be accessed at a given time.    
     
     
         27 . The dispensing unit of  claim 25 , wherein the customer interface components include at least one of a magnetic stripe card reader, a credit card reader, and a barcode scanner.  
     
     
         28 . The dispensing unit of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 a dispense bin located in the access door, the dispense bin being movable between a first position, in which the dispense bin is deployed into the housing for the shuttle assembly to deposit the product into the dispense bin, and a second position, in which the dispense bin is retracted into the access door and the product is ready to be retrieved by the customer; and    a dispense bin lid selectively covering the dispense bin, the dispense bin lid being movable between a first position, in which the product in the dispense bin is inaccessible by the customer, and a second position, in which the product in the dispense bin is accessible by the customer for removal.    
     
     
         29 . The dispensing unit of  claim 28 , wherein the dispense bin includes a pivotable trap door for selectively dropping the product from the dispense bin.  
     
     
         30 . The dispensing unit of  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 a latch mechanism biased into engagement with the trap door to maintain the trap door in a closed position; and    a solenoid coupled to the latch mechanism, the solenoid being selectively operable to disengage the latch mechanism and the trap door.    
     
     
         31 . The dispensing unit of  claim 29 , further comprising a bin located beneath the trap door to collect products dropped from the dispense bin.  
     
     
         32 . The dispensing unit of  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 a lock mechanism biased into engagement with the dispense bin lid to substantially prevent rotation of the dispense bin lid; and    a solenoid coupled to the lock mechanism, the solenoid being selectively operable to disengage the lock mechanism and the dispense bin lid to allow rotation of the dispense bin lid.    
     
     
         33 . The dispensing unit of  claim 29 , further comprising a product sensor positioned in the dispense bin, the product sensor being operable to detect products in the dispense bin.  
     
     
         34 . The dispensing unit of  claim 29 , further comprising at least one illumination device in the access door to illuminate products in the dispense bin.  
     
     
         35 . The dispensing unit of  claim 25 , wherein a lower-most portion of the access door is positionable at a lower elevation relative to a lower-most portion of the housing.  
     
     
         36 . The dispensing unit of  claim 25 , wherein the access door is pivotably coupled to a front portion of the housing, wherein the dispensing unit further includes a rear door pivotably coupled to a rear portion of the housing, and wherein products are loaded into the housing via at least one of the access door and the rear door.  
     
     
         37 . The dispensing unit of  claim 25 , further comprising a drop-off bin coupled to the access door to receive therein prescriptions to be filled.  
     
     
         38 . The dispensing unit of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 at least one support located in the housing and defining a first axis;    a plurality of platforms movable along the support and the first axis;    a plurality of bins supported on the platforms; and    a sensor associated with each of the bins, wherein the sensors are operable to detect removal of the respective bins from the platform.    
     
     
         39 . The dispensing unit of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 at least one support located in the housing and defining a first axis;    a plurality of platforms movable along the support and the first axis;    a plurality of bins supported on the platforms; and    at least one indicator light associated with each of the bins, wherein the indicator lights display fill levels of the respective bins.    
     
     
         40 . The dispensing unit of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 at least one support located in the housing and defining a first axis;    a plurality of platforms movable along the support and the first axis; and    a plurality of bins supported on the platforms, wherein the products are packaged in containers, and wherein the bins include a plurality of slots to receive the containers.    
     
     
         41 . The dispensing unit of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 at least one support located in the housing and defining a first axis;    a plurality of platforms movable along the support and the first axis; and    a plurality of bins supported on the platforms, wherein each platform includes a plurality of guides coupled thereto, each guide configured to receive a single bin.    
     
     
         42 . The dispensing unit of  claim 41 , wherein the plurality of bins includes a first tray having a first width and a second tray having a second width greater than the first width.  
     
     
         43 . The dispensing unit of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 at least one support located in the housing and defining a first axis;    a plurality of platforms movable along the support and the first axis;    a plurality of bins supported on the platforms; and    a carriage movable along the first axis, wherein the shuttle assembly is movable along the carriage from a first side of the housing to a second side of the housing opposite the first side.    
     
     
         44 . The dispensing unit of  claim 43 , further comprising at least one carriage support movable along the first axis, wherein the carriage is movable along the carriage support from a front portion of the housing to a rear portion of the housing.  
     
     
         45 . The dispensing unit of  claim 25 , wherein the shuttle assembly includes a barcode reader to scan barcodes associated with the products stored in the housing.  
     
     
         46 . The dispensing unit of  claim 45 , wherein the shuttle assembly includes a sensor separate from the barcode reader, and wherein the sensor is configured to detect the products stored in the bins.  
     
     
         47 . The dispensing unit of  claim 25 , wherein the shuttle assembly includes: 
 at least one hook; and    a motor drivably coupled to the hook to pivot the hook between a raised position and a lowered position.    
     
     
         48 . A random access and random load dispensing unit, comprising: 
 a housing;    an access door pivotably coupled to the housing;    a plurality of customer interface components coupled to the access door, at least one of the customer interface components being configured to determine an identity of a customer;    at least one substantially vertically-oriented support defining a first axis and located in the housing;    a plurality of platforms movable along the first axis and coupled to the support;    a plurality of bins supported on the platforms, the bins being movable with the platforms to selectively allow only the bins on one of the plurality of platforms to be accessed at a given time;    a shuttle assembly movable along the the first axis, the shuttle assembly being further movable along a second axis and a third axis coplanar with the second axis, the second and third axes being substantially perpendicular to the first axis and to each other, the shuttle assembly being movable along the second and third axes between the plurality of platforms to access and retrieve products stored in the bins;    a computer in communication with the customer interface components, the computer being able to match a particular product previously specified for the customer with a random location in the housing in which the particular product is stored;    a controller in communication with the computer for operating the shuttle assembly, the shuttle assembly being directed to the random location in the housing to retrieve the specific product for the customer;    a dispense bin located in the access door, the dispense bin being movable between a first position, in which the dispense bin is deployed into the housing for the shuttle assembly to deposit the product into the dispense bin, and a second position, in which the dispense bin is retracted into the access door and the product is ready to be retrieved by the customer; and    a dispense bin lid selectively covering the dispense bin, the dispense bin lid being movable between a first position, in which the product in the dispense bin is inaccessible by the customer, and a second position, in which the product in the dispense bin is accessible by the customer for removal.    
     
     
         49 . A container for use with a vending apparatus configured to dispense pharmaceuticals, the vending apparatus utilizing an automated picker assembly to retrieve the container, the container comprising: 
 a receptacle containing the pharmaceuticals;    a substantially rigid header coupled to the receptacle, the header including opposite end portions extending beyond an outer periphery of the receptacle, and two apertures through the header; and    a barcode label coupled to the header.    
     
     
         50 . The container of  claim 49 , wherein the automated picker assembly includes two hooks, and wherein the two apertures through the header are spaced from each other an equal distance as the two hooks.  
     
     
         51 . The container of  claim 49 , wherein each of the apertures defines a shape having an apex.  
     
     
         52 . The container of  claim 49 , wherein the substantially rigid header is made from a plastic material.  
     
     
         53 . The container of  claim 49 , wherein the barcode label is coupled to the header using adhesives.  
     
     
         54 . The container of  claim 49 , wherein the vending apparatus includes at least one bin to organize a plurality of containers, and wherein the opposite end portions of the header engage respective slots in the bin.  
     
     
         55 . A container for use with a vending apparatus configured to dispense pharmaceuticals, the vending apparatus utilizing an automated picker assembly to retrieve the container, the container comprising: 
 a receptacle including 
 an open end to deposit therein the pharmaceuticals;  
 two opposing side walls defining in part the open end;  
   a header including 
 an insertion portion insertable into the open end of the receptacle between the opposing side walls;  
 opposite end portions extending beyond an outer periphery of the receptacle;  
 two apertures through the header, the apertures each defining a shape having an apex; and  
   a label having a barcode printed thereon, a first portion of the label being coupled to one of the side walls of the receptacle and to one side of the header, and a second portion of the label extending beyond an outer periphery of the header, the second portion of the label configured to couple to a second side of the header and the other side wall of the receptacle to at least partially close the open end of the receptacle.    
     
     
         56 . The container of  claim 55 , wherein the automated picker assembly includes two hooks, and wherein the two apertures through the header are spaced from each other an equal distance as the two hooks.  
     
     
         57 . The container of  claim 55 , wherein the substantially rigid header is made from a plastic material.  
     
     
         58 . The container of  claim 55 , wherein the barcode label is coupled to the header using adhesives.  
     
     
         59 . The container of  claim 55 , wherein the vending apparatus includes at least one bin to organize a plurality of containers, and wherein the opposite end portions of the header engage respective slots in the bin.  
     
     
         60 . The container of  claim 55 , wherein both of the receptacle and the header are made from the same plastic material, and wherein the header is heat staked to one of the walls of the receptacle.