Fork based transport storage system for pharmaceutical unit of use dispenser

Abstract

A medicament storage and dispensing system ( 10 ) operable for storing and dispensing products ( 12 ) such as pre-packaged pharmaceutical boxes and/or bottles and broadly includes a cabinet ( 14 ); a plurality of product shelves ( 16 ) mounted within the cabinet; an infeed conveyor ( 18 ) for transporting products into the cabinet; an outfeed conveyor ( 20 ) for transporting products out of the cabinet; a transporter ( 22 ) moveable within the cabinet for transporting products between the shelves and the infeed and outfeed conveyors; and a control system ( 24 ) for controlling operation of the conveyors and the transporter in response to prescriptions received from a host computer ( 26 ). The shelves having a plurality of vertical walls ( 56 ) upon which the products rest and between which tines ( 130 ) of the transporter slide in order to retrieve products from and place products upon the shelves.

1 . A storage and dispensing system for storing and dispensing products, the system comprising: 
 a substantially enclosed cabinet;    a plurality of shelves mounted within the cabinet, each shelf configured for holding at least one product and having a plurality of substantially vertical walls upon which the product rests; and    a transporter enclosed by and moveable within the cabinet for placing products on the shelves and removing products from the shelves, the transporter including a plurality of tines operable to support the product, wherein the tines fit between the vertical walls and below the product as the product rests on the walls.    
   
   
       2 . The system as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising an infeed/outfeed mechanism coupled with the cabinet for receiving products that are to be stored in and dispensed from the cabinet.  
   
   
       3 . The system as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the transporter is operable to transport products between the shelves and the infeed/outfeed mechanism.  
   
   
       4 . The system as set forth in  claim 3 , the infeed/outfeed mechanism including—
 an infeed conveyor for receiving products that are to be stored in the cabinet, and    an outfeed conveyor for receiving products that are to be dispensed from the cabinet.    
   
   
       5 . The system as set forth in  claim 1 , further including a control system for controlling operation of the transporter.  
   
   
       6 . The system as set forth in  claim 5 , the control system including a controller, a display, an input device, a scanner, and a label printer.  
   
   
       7 . The system as set forth in  claim 4 , further including a plurality of sensors coupled with the infeed conveyor for sensing a physical attribute of products placed on the infeed conveyor.  
   
   
       8 . The system as set forth in  claim 4 , further including a ram assembly coupled with the infeed conveyor for moving products from the infeed conveyor to the transporter.  
   
   
       9 . The system as set forth in  claim 1 , the transporter further including a motor and a control arm, wherein the motor rotates the control arm thereby moving the tines of the transporter.  
   
   
       10 . The system as set forth in  claim 9 , the transporter further including a brace operable to hold the tines in a substantially horizontal orientation as the control arm moves the tines.  
   
   
       11 . The system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the tines are slideable horizontally between the vertical walls and beneath the product.  
   
   
       12 . A storage and dispensing system for storing and dispensing products, the system comprising: 
 a substantially enclosed cabinet sized and configured to be mounted within a building;    a plurality of shelves mounted within the cabinet, each shelf configured for holding at least one product and having a plurality of substantially vertical walls upon which the product rests;    a transporter enclosed by and moveable within the cabinet for placing products on the shelves and removing products from the shelves, the transporter including a plurality of tines operable to support the product, wherein the tines fit between the vertical walls and below the product as the product rests on the walls; and    a control system for controlling operation of the transporter to place products on and remove products from the shelves.    
   
   
       13 . The system as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the control system is operable to actuate the transporter to place products on the shelves by positioning the tines above and between the vertical walls, lowering the tines between the vertical walls to deposit the product onto the walls, and withdrawing the tines from the shelf by moving the tines along the shelf while between the vertical walls.  
   
   
       14 . The system as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the control system is operable to actuate the transporter to remove products from the shelves by lowering the tines between the vertical walls, moving the tines along the shelf while between the vertical walls until the tines are below the product, and raising the tines above the vertical walls to engage and lift the product.  
   
   
       15 . The system as set forth in  claim 12 , the transporter further including a motor and a control arm, wherein the motor rotates the control arm thereby moving the tines.  
   
   
       16 . The system as set forth in  claim 15 , the transporter further including a brace operable to hold the tines in a substantially horizontal orientation as the control arm is rotated.  
   
   
       17 . The system as set forth in  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 an infeed conveyor for receiving products that are to be stored in the cabinet; and    an outfeed conveyor for receiving products that are to be dispensed from the cabinet,    wherein the control system controls operation of the infeed conveyor and the outfeed conveyor.    
   
   
       18 . The system as set forth in  claim 17 , further including a plurality of sensors coupled with the infeed conveyor for sensing a physical attribute of products placed on the infeed conveyor.  
   
   
       19 . The system as set forth in  claim 17 , further including a ram assembly coupled with the infeed conveyor for moving products from the infeed conveyor to the transporter.  
   
   
       20 . The system as set forth in  claim 12 , the control system including a controller, a display, an input device, a scanner, and a label printer.  
   
   
       21 . A storage and dispensing system for storing and dispensing products, the system comprising: 
 a cabinet including a front wall, a rear wall, a left sidewall, a right sidewall, and a top wall that together substantially enclose the cabinet and prevent unauthorized access therein, wherein the front wall is hinged so that it may be opened to gain access to the interior of the cabinet and includes a plurality of transparent panels so that the products stored within the cabinet may be viewed from outside of the cabinet;    a plurality of shelves mounted within and enclosed by the cabinet, each shelf having a plurality of substantially vertical walls configured for holding at least one product;    a transporter enclosed by and moveable within the cabinet for placing products on the shelves and removing products from the shelves, the transporter including a plurality of tines operable to support a product, wherein the tines fit between the vertical walls and below the product as the product rests on the walls; and    a control system for controlling operation of the transporter.    
   
   
       22 . The system as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the control system is operable to actuate the transporter to place products on the shelves by positioning the tines above and between the vertical walls, lowering the tines between the vertical walls to deposit the product onto the walls, and withdrawing the tines from the shelf by moving the tines along the shelf while between the vertical walls.  
   
   
       23 . The system as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein the control system is operable to actuate the transporter to remove products from the shelves by lowering the tines between the vertical walls, moving the tines along the shelf while between the vertical walls until the tines are below the product, and raising the tines above the vertical walls to engage and lift the product.