Abstract: A filling device for filling a removable medication cartridge for the smart medication dispenser is provided. The filling device includes a stationary fill plate with a plurality of openings. The openings are shaped to allow the passage of medications through the fill plate. The cartridge is removably positioned vertically below the fill plate and with the chambers of the cartridge being aligned with the openings of the fill plate. A gate is positioned vertically below the fill plate and above the cartridge. When in a closed position, the gate covers the openings from beneath the fill plate, and movement of the gate to an open position causes at least one medication to fall through at least one of the openings from above the stationary fill plate into at least one of the chambers in the cartridge prior to removal of the medication cartridge with the medications received within the chambers.

Abstract: A package delivery system for delivering a plurality of packages with one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) includes a package receptacle to receive and store the plurality of packages. A charging station charges a plurality of UAV batteries which power the one or more UAVs. A UAV landing pad permits the one or more UAVs to land thereon. A loader loads a package of the plurality of packages and/or a UAV battery of the plurality of UAV batteries onto the UAVs when the UAVs are on the UAV landing pad. A transporter moves the packages and/or the UAV batteries s toward the loader.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical extractor and associated components and methods for removing pharmaceuticals from a plurality of containers. The extractor includes a plurality of holders. Each holder is configured to hold at least one container of the plurality of containers. Each holder is repeatedly cycled through a series of container operation locations of the pharmaceutical extractor. In the series of container operation locations, the holders receive containers, the containers are cut to form pharmaceutical outlets in the containers, pharmaceuticals are moved out of the pharmaceutical outlets, and empty containers are dropped by the holders.

Abstract: Drug packets may be dispensed as a belt of drug packets. Machine-readable identifiers in the belt may be automatically read to identify drug packets and associate the drug packets with the received orders. The drug packets may be automatically inspected to confirm contents of the drug packets against the received orders. The belt may be automatically separated into segments of drug packets. Each of the segments may correspond to a supply period and each of the drug packets within each of the segments may correspond to a drug dose event for the multi-drug regimen within the supply period. The segments of the belt may be automatically accumulated into belt rolls such that, for each of the belt rolls, a first segment end is on an interior of the belt roll and a second segment end is on an exterior of the belt roll.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a medication container that includes a receptacle having an inner space for holding medications and a main housing coupled with the receptacle for retaining the medications in the inner space. The main housing can have an opening and a movable gate that can selectively open and close the opening. A singulator is located between the inner space of the receptacle and the opening and being shaped to only allow a single item, e.g., a medication item, to pass through the singulator to the opening at a time. The main housing may further have a generally funnel-shaped inner wall that extends a wide end adjacent the inner space of the receptacle to a narrow end adjacent the singulator for guiding the medications towards the singulator during a dispensing operation.

Abstract: An order processing system, such as may be used in a high-volume pharmacy, may include a material handling system, an accumulator, and a packing device. The material handling system may move containers through a plurality of container paths. The container sorting device may receive the containers, scan the plurality of containers to detect container identifiers, and separate the containers based on the container identifiers to travel through a first container exit path or a second container exit path. The accumulator may accumulate containers that traveled through the first container exit path and the second container exit path. The accumulator may include an accumulator scanning device for scanning the containers to detect the container identifiers. The accumulator may group the containers together based on the detected container identifiers and orders, and provide the grouped containers. The packing device may package the grouped containers along with literature associated with the orders.

Abstract: A method may include filling an order of a plurality of orders with a dosing filler system. The method may include receiving pharmaceutical orders including order for drugs used in multi-drug regimens using an order processing device. Each of the multi-drug regimen may have a plurality of scheduled dosing events. The method may include transporting containers to a dosing device, using the dosing device to dispense drugs for scheduled dosing events into the containers based on the received pharmaceutical orders, transporting the containers with the dispensed drugs to the container sealing device, using the container sealing device to seal the plurality of the containers with the dispensed drugs, transporting the dosage unit containers to the container identifier assembly, and using the container identifier assembly to identify the dosage unit containers based on the received pharmaceutical order.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical order processing system for filling prescription orders in dose-based packaging includes a pathway and a plurality of individual dispensing pharmaceutical (“IDP”) dispensers. The IDP dispenser dispenses pharmaceuticals one at a time and is movable along the pathway. A dose-based packager is positioned adjacent the pathway. The dose-based packager receives pharmaceuticals from one or more of the IDP dispensers when said one or more IDP dispensers are disposed adjacent the dose-based packager. The dose-based packager packages pharmaceuticals received from the one or more IDP dispensers in dose-based packaging.

Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is related to a medication dispensing device that includes a housing with an interior. A plurality of cartridge slots are located in the interior, and each of the cartridge slots includes a drive mechanism. A plurality of cartridges are removably disposed in respective ones of the cartridge slots. Each cartridge includes a stationary hub and a rotational wheel. The stationary hub has a window, and the rotational wheel has a plurality of medication chambers that contain medications. The rotational wheel is disposed in the stationary hub. The drive mechanism of the respective cartridge slot is operably connected with the drive wheel and is configured to rotate the rotational wheel relative to the stationary hub to selectively align the medication chambers with the window to dispense the medications contained in the medication chambers out of the cartridge.

Abstract: A container disassembly workstation for a pharmacy order processing system includes a base, a desktop connected to the base and defining a container disassembly workspace, and a pharmaceutical receptacle assembly extending through the desktop. The pharmaceutical receptacle assembly includes a pharmaceutical dust separation screen configured to retain pharmaceuticals and to permit pharmaceutical dust to pass through the pharmaceutical dust separation screen. The pharmaceutical receptacle assembly also includes a pharmaceutical dust receptacle configured to receive the pharmaceutical dust separation screen and pharmaceutical dust from the pharmaceuticals.

Abstract: The medication container includes a generally card-shaped housing with an interior. The housing has a first opening that is sized to allow a plurality of pills to simultaneously be inserted into the interior of the housing and a first door that is movable between an open position and a closed position to selectively open and close the first opening. The housing also has a second opening that is spaced from the first opening and is configured to only allow a single dose of pills to be dispensed at a time. A second door is movable between open and closed positions. Electronic circuitry is disposed in the interior of the housing and is configured to detect the passage of the pills through the second opening and also to record data pertaining to each dispensing event to a memory contained within the interior of the housing.

Abstract: The medication container includes a receptacle and a cap. The cap includes a gate that can be selectively opened to enable access to medications in the receptacle and closed to restrict access to medications in the receptacle. The gate has a locking mechanism that only unlocks to allow the gate to open from the closed position in response to an application of a downward force on a portion of the gate to resiliently deflect a portion of the gate. The cap further includes electronic components that are configured to monitor movement of medications through the cap and into and out of the receptacle, the electronic components including a memory that is configured to store data pertaining to such passages of medications.

Abstract: A method may include filling an order of a plurality of orders with a dosing filler system. The method may include receiving pharmaceutical orders including order for drugs used in multi-drug regimens using an order processing device. Each of the multi-drug regimen may have a plurality of scheduled dosing events. The method may include transporting containers to a dosing device, using the dosing device to dispense drugs for scheduled dosing events into the containers based on the received pharmaceutical orders, transporting the containers with the dispensed drugs to the container sealing device, using the container sealing device to seal the plurality of the containers with the dispensed drugs, transporting the dosage unit containers to the container identifier assembly, and using the container identifier assembly to identify the dosage unit containers based on the received pharmaceutical order.

Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is related to a medication dispensing device that includes a housing with an interior. A plurality of cartridge slots are located in the interior, and each of the cartridge slots includes a drive mechanism. A plurality of cartridges are removably disposed in respective ones of the cartridge slots. Each cartridge includes a stationary hub and a rotational wheel. The stationary hub has a window, and the rotational wheel has a plurality of medication chambers that contain medications. The rotational wheel is disposed in the stationary hub. The drive mechanism of the respective cartridge slot is operably connected with the drive wheel and is configured to rotate the rotational wheel relative to the stationary hub to selectively align the medication chambers with the window to dispense the medications contained in the medication chambers out of the cartridge.

Abstract: Drug packets may be dispensed as a belt of drug packets. Machine-readable identifiers in the belt may be automatically read to identify drug packets and associate the drug packets with the received orders. The drug packets may be automatically inspected to confirm contents of the drug packets against the received orders. The belt may be automatically separated into segments of drug packets. Each of the segments may correspond to a supply period and each of the drug packets within each of the segments may correspond to a drug dose event for the multi-drug regimen within the supply period. The segments of the belt may be automatically accumulated into belt rolls such that, for each of the belt rolls, a first segment end is on an interior of the belt roll and a second segment end is on an exterior of the belt roll.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical order filling system includes an order processing device, an automated dispensing device in communication with the order processing device for dispensing a pharmaceutical into a container. The system includes pallets for transporting containers and a container sorting device in communication with the order processing device, the container sorting device for transferring the containers from the pallets to distribution areas. The container sorting device includes a pallet unloading area for retaining a pallet in a pallet unloading position, an exception conveyor, a standard order conveyor, and a container manipulation device including a gripper assembly for moving containers in order from pallets to the exception conveyor or the standard order conveyor.

Abstract: A pharmacy order processing system includes a container disassembly workstation defining a container disassembly workspace and a bulk container area including a plurality of bulk containers configured to receive a plurality of pharmaceuticals. The container disassembly workstation includes a holding area, a cutter device, a container manipulation device, a pharmaceutical receptacle, and a container receptacle. The cutter device includes a cutter head and is configured to cut through at least one wall of at least one container to separate at least a first portion of the at least one container of the plurality of containers from a second portion of the at least one container when the at least one container is in a cutter position. The container manipulation includes a gripper device and is configured to move the at least one container between at least the holding position and the cutter position within the container disassembly workspace.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical container processor for processing pharmaceutical containers includes a set of container operation stations along which a set of container operations occur. The set of container operation stations includes a storage station where pharmaceutical containers are stored; a first identification station where pharmaceutical containers are each identified; a labeling station where a label is applied to pharmaceutical containers; a second identification station where pharmaceutical containers are each identified after the label is applied; and an outlet station where pharmaceutical containers are moved to after said pharmaceutical containers are identified at the second identification station. First and second container transporters move each pharmaceutical container through the set of container operation stations. Each pharmaceutical container is transferred from the first container transporter to the second container transporter along the set of container operation stations.

Abstract: The dynamic package sortation device includes a track for handling a plurality of packages is provided. At least one conveyor extends away from the track towards at least two shipping containers. The at least one conveyor is extendable and retractable for dispensing the packages into a first shipping container of the at least two shipping containers and a second condition for dispensing the packages into a second shipping container of the at least two shipping containers. A controller is provided for providing an instruction to move the at least one conveyor between the first condition and the second condition based on a trigger.

Abstract: The medication container includes a receptacle that has an inner space for holding medications. The cap assembly is coupled with the receptacle for retaining the medications in the inner space. The cap assembly includes at least one passage that can be selectively opened and closed and includes at least one medication sensor that is configured to detect any medications travelling through the passage and out of the receptacle in a contactless manner. A microprocessor is in electrical communication with the at least one medication sensor and with a memory. The microprocessor is configured to record data to the memory in response to the at least one medication sensor detecting a medication travelling through the passage. A wireless module is in electrical communication with the microprocessor for uploading the data to an external device.