Custom Prepackaging Method and Apparatus

Abstract

A packaging apparatus is provided that sequentially advances rows of pockets formed in plastic sheet to a drop system where preselected medications or small articles are dropped into pockets and sealed to form an easily managed packet array.

1 . A packaging apparatus having a controller providing signals to a servo motor to operate an indexing roller and thereby advance an array of pockets formed on a plastic sheet to a position a row of said pockets beneath a drop system having a plurality of compartments selectively operable to drop contents therein through drop funnels; a pocket opening apparatus operable by said controller to open the row of pockets when positioned beneath the drop system, and a pocket sealing apparatus. 
     
     
         2 . The packaging apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pocket opening apparatus is an insertion member. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pocket opening apparatus comprises a vacuum system. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pocket opening apparatus comprises an air blowing apparatus. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a tray with openings therein that are receivable over the compartments of the drop system to deposit contents of the tray through the openings into said compartments. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the plastic sheet is fed from a roll across an alignment shelf to the indexing roller. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging apparatus of  claim 6  wherein a printer positioned above the plastic sheet on the alignment shelf is operable to print on the plastic sheet. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the apparatus includes a manually activated stop to permit manual filling of a pocket. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drop system has four compartments. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the drop system is pneumatically operated. 
     
     
         11 . A method of preparing transparent packets of small items comprising the steps of:
 (a) feeding a thermoplastic packaging material having a back sheet configured with an array of pockets sealed along their leading and side edges so that a trailing edge of a row of pockets is upward facing beneath a drop system;   (b) utilizing an opening apparatus to ensure that the trailing edge of the pocket is separate from the backing sheet making the pocket open in an upward facing direction;   (c) operating the drop system to empty the contents of compartments therein into the pockets;   (d) heat sealing the trailing edge of the pockets to form closed packets enclosing the contents dropped therein.   
     
     
         12 . The method of preparing transparent packets of  claim 11  wherein the thermoplastic packaging material is perforated between the pockets. 
     
     
         13 . The method of preparing transparent packets of  claim 11  wherein the array of pockets has four columns and the process of preparing transparent packets is repeated seven times to create a 4×7 array of packets. 
     
     
         14 . The method of preparing transparent packets of  claim 11  the packaging material is fed between a shelf and a printer and data is printed on the packaging material before proceeding to positioning beneath the drop system. 
     
     
         15 . The method of preparing transparent packets of  claim 11  wherein the feeding of packaging material is manually stopped while an item that is not easily dispensed by the drop system is added by an operator. 
     
     
         16 . The method of preparing transparent packets of  claim 11  wherein the drop system has four compartments. 
     
     
         17 . The method of preparing transparent packets of  claim 16  wherein a tray with a row of four openings is prefilled with medications according to a patient's prescriptions and the tray is used to transfer the medications into corresponding compartments of the drop system. 
     
     
         18 . The method of preparing transparent packets of  claim 11  wherein the opening apparatus comprises an insertion member and the packaging material is advanced until the trailing edge passes the insertion member and then the motion of the packaging material is reversed so that the insertion member slides between the trailing edge of the pocket and the back sheet. 
     
     
         19 . The method of preparing transparent packets of  claim 11  wherein the closed packets are inspected for packaging contents errors, and upon detection of an error the packet is slit open, the contents corrected, and the packaging resealed. 
     
     
         20 . A method of preparing transparent packets of medications comprising the steps of:
 a) prefilling a tray with a row of four openings by placing medications in the openings according to a patient's prescriptions;   b) utilizing said tray to transfer the medications into four corresponding compartments of a drop system;   c) feeding a thermoplastic packaging material having a backsheet configured with an array of pockets having perforations therebetween, said pockets being sealed along their leading and side edges, to position where a trailing edge of a row of pockets is upward facing beneath the drop system;   d) continuing to feed the thermoplastic packaging material until a marking on the packaging material is detected that indicates the trailing edge is advanced beyond insertion members that are biased against the packaging material;   e) reversing the feeding direction of the packaging material so that the insertion members slide between the trailing edges of the row of pockets and the backsheet making the pocket open in an upward facing direction;   f) operating the drop system to empty the medications from the compartments into corresponding pockets;   g) advancing the thermoplastic packaging material and heat sealing the trailing edges of the pockets to form closed packets enclosing the medications dropped therein; and   h) advancing the thermoplastic packaging material so that trailing edges of the next row of pockets is upward facing beneath the drop system.