Pharmaceutical bulk-up system

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and system for providing a rapid, semiautomatic or fully automatic prescription drug bulk-up apparatus that is compatible with process protocols used in mail order pharmacies, high volume drug repackaging facilities and drug distribution centers. The unique gripping mechanism gives the system the capability to open a wide range of bottle sizes, shapes and thickness.

1 . An apparatus for producing an opening in a closed plastic container bottle to allow removal of at least a portion of the contents of said bottle comprising: 
 a gripping apparatus for securely holding said bottle, said gripping apparatus comprising two lateral clamps, each said lateral clamp comprising a plurality of clamp jaws arranged in a substantially parallel orientation and perpendicular to a vertical axis; and,    a cutting assembly that passes a cutting blade through an entire cross section of said bottle thereby severing said bottle along said cross section and provide access to said contents of said bottle.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said severing said bottle is performed on a bottom portion of said bottle.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said bottle is positioned at a specific height with respect to said cutting blade with an alignment cylinder.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein relative motion of said lateral clamps is controlled by a rack-and-pinion gear.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said rack-and-pinion gear is mounted between diametrically opposed pneumatic actuator cylinders and a rack gear race controls movement of said gripping apparatus.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said clamp jaws are held in a normally closed position when said apparatus is not powered.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  that is a rotary assembly containing at least two stations for said removal of at least a portion of the contents of said bottle.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said bottle is severed without rotation of said bottle or said cutting blade.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said bottle is severed by a penetration of a point of said cutting blade and a discontinuity is propagated circumferentially in both directions from said penetration point around a perimeter of said bottle.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said cutting blade covers said contents of said bottle as it divides said bottle along said cross section, thereby protecting said contents of said bottle.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said clamp jaws comprise a V shape to accommodate said container bottles of various cross sectional geometries.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said gripping apparatus can rotate about a substantially perpendicular axis to said bottle to position said bottle in any rotational orientation.  
   
   
       13 . A method of producing an opening in a closed plastic container bottle to allow removal of at least a portion of the contents of said bottle comprising: 
 gripping and securely holding said bottle with two lateral clamps comprising a plurality of clamp jaws arranged in a substantially parallel orientation and perpendicular to a vertical access;    producing an opening in said bottle by severing said bottle along a cross section of said bottle by passing a cutting blade through the entire said cross section; and, removing said contents of said bottle through said opening.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising said process of: 
 severing said bottle on a bottom portion of said bottle.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising said process of: 
 positioning said bottle at a specific height with respect to said cutting blade with an alignment cylinder.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising said process of: 
 controlling relative motion of said lateral clamps with a rack-and-pinion gear.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising said process of: 
 severing said bottle without rotation of said bottle or said cutting blade.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising said process of: 
 severing said bottle by penetrating a point of said cutting blade and propagating a discontinuity circumferentially in both directions from said penetration point around a perimeter of said bottle.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising said process of: 
 protecting said contents of said bottle by covering said contents of said bottle with said cutting blade as said cutting blade divides said bottle along said cross section.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising said process of: 
 accommodating said container bottles of various cross sectional geometries with said clamp jaws that comprise a V shape.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising said process of: 
 rotating said gripping apparatus about a substantially perpendicular axis to said bottle to position said bottle to facilitate loading or offloading operations.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising said process of: 
 rotating said bottle gripped in said clamp jaws from a loading station to a cutting station prior to said removal of said contents of said bottle.    
   
   
       23 . An apparatus for severing a cross section of a closed plastic container bottle to allow removal of at least a portion of the contents of said bottle comprising: 
 a cutting blade comprising: 
 two sharp leading edges that form a point;  
 two leading surfaces that transition the thickness of said cutting blade from a nominal blade thickness to a leading edge thickness at a cut angle; and,  
   a cutting force that drives said cutting blade into a sidewall of said bottle to create a discontinuity with said point, said leading surfaces that propagate said discontinuity through said cross section to sever said bottle.    
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 23  wherein said severing said bottle is performed on a bottom portion of said bottle.  
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 23  wherein said bottle is severed without rotation of said bottle or said cutting blade.  
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 23  wherein said discontinuity is propagated circumferentially in both directions from said penetration point around a perimeter of said bottle.  
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 23  wherein said severing said cross section is initiated from outside-in on a first half of said bottle and transitions to cutting from inside-out on a second half of said bottle.  
   
   
       28 . A method of severing a cross section of a closed plastic container bottle to allow removal of at least a portion of the contents of said bottle comprising: 
 forming a discontinuity in a sidewall of said bottle by forcibly penetrating said sidewall with a point of a cutting blade formed by the intersection of two sharp leading edges; and,    propagating said discontinuity in two directions through said cross section to sever said bottle with each said sharp leading edge.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising the process of: 
 severing said bottle on a bottom portion of said bottle.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising the process of: 
 severing said bottle without rotation of said bottle or said cutting blade.    
   
   
       31 . An apparatus for producing an opening in a closed plastic container bottle that allows removal of at least a portion of the contents of said bottle comprising: 
 gripping means for securely holding said bottle, said gripping means comprising two lateral clamp means, each said lateral clamp means comprising a plurality of clamp jaws arranged in a substantially parallel orientation and perpendicular to a vertical axis; and,    a cutting means that passes a cutting blade through an entire cross section of said bottle to sever said bottle along said cross section and provide access to said contents of said bottle.