Patents by Inventor Robert E. Hoffman

Robert E. Hoffman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20190367275
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20190371448
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 10424408
    Abstract: In one aspect, a pharmacy order processing system is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of picking workstations, each picking workstation including a plurality of bins. The system also includes a plurality of trays for carrying a plurality of pharmacy orders, a tray drop-off station, and a tray delivery conveyor extending between the tray drop-off station and the plurality of picking workstations. The system further includes a tray delivery conveyor extending between the tray drop-off station and the plurality of picking workstations. The system includes a plurality of packing workstations, each packing workstation including an opening to receive a scale and a plurality of receptacles configured to receive shipping label printers. The system also includes at least one inspection workstation, the at least one inspection workstation including at least one product scanner. The system further includes a packing delivery conveyor extending from the plurality of packing workstations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Steven R. Hinkle, Jarrod A. Killough
  • Publication number: 20190266551
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical filling system for a high volume pharmacy is described. The system can include an outflow conveyor, and an injection conveyor to inject a package located thereon onto the outflow conveyor. The injection conveyor can be adjacent to the outflow conveyor and oriented substantially perpendicular to the outflow conveyor. The system can also include a monitoring system positioned to perform package monitoring of the outflow conveyor and to image the package on the outflow conveyor after the package has been injected onto the outflow conveyor. The monitoring system can be further configured to determine an intended destination of the package based on an identifier detected on the package in the image captured by the monitoring system. A routing device can be positioned to perform package routing of the package to an accumulation area for packages based on the determination of the intended destination of the package.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Jonathan W. Joplin
  • Publication number: 20190214120
    Abstract: In one aspect, a pharmacy order processing system is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of picking workstations, each picking workstation including a plurality of bins. The system also includes a plurality of trays for carrying a plurality of pharmacy orders, a tray drop-off station, and a tray delivery conveyor extending between the tray drop-off station and the plurality of picking workstations. The system further includes a tray delivery conveyor extending between the tray drop-off station and the plurality of picking workstations. The system includes a plurality of packing workstations, each packing workstation including an opening to receive a scale and a plurality of receptacles configured to receive shipping label printers. The system also includes at least one inspection workstation, the at least one inspection workstation including at least one product scanner. The system further includes a packing delivery conveyor extending from the plurality of packing workstations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Steven R. Hinkle, Jarrod A. Killough
  • Patent number: 10332061
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical filling system for a high volume pharmacy is described. The system can include an outflow conveyor, and an injection conveyor to inject a package located thereon onto the outflow conveyor. The injection conveyor can be adjacent to the outflow conveyor and oriented substantially perpendicular to the outflow conveyor. The system can also include a monitoring system positioned to perform package monitoring of the outflow conveyor and to image the package on the outflow conveyor after the package has been injected onto the outflow conveyor. The monitoring system can be further configured to determine an intended destination of the package based on an identifier detected on the package in the image captured by the monitoring system. A routing device can be positioned to perform package routing of the package to an accumulation area for packages based on the determination of the intended destination of the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Jonathan W. Joplin
  • Publication number: 20190073625
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical filling system for a high volume pharmacy is described. The system can include a manual pick/pack device and method. The system may include a rotation assembly, a left door and a right door, both positioned below the rotation assembly, a left divider positioned below the left door, and a right divider positioned below the right door, and a left gathering table positioned below the left divider, and a right gathering table positioned below the right divider. The system may also include a control device in electronic communication with the rotation assembly, the doors and the dividers for control of same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Jonathan W. Joplin
  • Patent number: 10163068
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical filling system for a high volume pharmacy is described. The system can include a manual pick/pack device and method. The system may include a rotation assembly, a left door and a right door, both positioned below the rotation assembly, a left divider positioned below the left door, and a right divider positioned below the right door, and a left gathering table positioned below the left divider, and a right gathering table positioned below the right divider. The system may also include a control device in electronic communication with the rotation assembly, the doors and the dividers for control of same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Jonathan W. Joplin
  • Patent number: 10102460
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical filling system for a high volume pharmacy is described. The system can include a paper feed device and method. The system may include a paper collator with at one selectively openable shelf. A control device may monitor the capacity of the selectively openable shelf, and instruct a printer to hold printing additional print jobs. The selectively openable shelf may then be opened to allow the printed literature resting thereon to fall to a lower shelf, and the printer can then be restarted. Sheets of printed literature may be drawn from the paper collator, collected with any other sheets of printed literature associated with a prescription order, and mated with the prescription order for shipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 10095963
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical filling system for a high volume pharmacy is described. The system can include a paper feed device and method. The system may include a paper collator with at one selectively openable shelf. A control device may monitor the capacity of the selectively openable shelf, and instruct a printer to hold printing additional print jobs. The selectively openable shelf may then be opened to allow the printed literature resting thereon to fall to a lower shelf, and the printer can then be restarted. Sheets of printed literature may be drawn from the paper collator, collected with any other sheets of printed literature associated with a prescription order, and mated with the prescription order for shipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20180229872
    Abstract: A system comprising a staging area and a packing area. The staging area may include a plurality of staging bins and a shuttle moveable along the plurality of staging bins. A staging bin of the plurality of staging bins may be configured to selectively retain a component of an order therein. Such staging bin may be configured to selectively release the component to the shuttle. The packing area may include a slide, a scanner, and a wrap seal conveyor. The shuttle may be configured to release the component onto the slide, and the scanner may be operable to scan and verify the component during placement of the component onto the wrap seal conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Joplin, Robert E. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20180150730
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical filling system for a high volume pharmacy is described. The system can include a paper feed device and method. The system may include a paper collator with at one selectively openable shelf. A control device may monitor the capacity of the selectively openable shelf, and instruct a printer to hold printing additional print jobs. The selectively openable shelf may then be opened to allow the printed literature resting thereon to fall to a lower shelf, and the printer can then be restarted. Sheets of printed literature may be drawn from the paper collator, collected with any other sheets of printed literature associated with a prescription order, and mated with the prescription order for shipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20180144284
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical filling system for a high volume pharmacy is described. The system can include an outflow conveyor, and an injection conveyor to inject a package located thereon onto the outflow conveyor. The injection conveyor can be adjacent to the outflow conveyor and oriented substantially perpendicular to the outflow conveyor. The system can also include a monitoring system positioned to perform package monitoring of the outflow conveyor and to image the package on the outflow conveyor after the package has been injected onto the outflow conveyor. The monitoring system can be further configured to determine an intended destination of the package based on an identifier detected on the package in the image captured by the monitoring system. A routing device can be positioned to perform package routing of the package to an accumulation area for packages based on the determination of the intended destination of the package.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Jonathan W. Joplin
  • Publication number: 20180144285
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical filling system for a high volume pharmacy is described. The system can include a manual pick/pack device and method. The system may include a rotation assembly, a left door and a right door, both positioned below the rotation assembly, a left divider positioned below the left door, and a right divider positioned below the right door, and a left gathering table positioned below the left divider, and a right gathering table positioned below the right divider. The system may also include a control device in electronic communication with the rotation assembly, the doors and the dividers for control of same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Jonathan W. Joplin
  • Patent number: 9944419
    Abstract: A system comprising a staging area and a packing area. The staging area may include a plurality of staging bins and a shuttle moveable along the plurality of staging bins. A staging bin of the plurality of staging bins may be configured to selectively retain a component of an order therein. Such staging bin may be configured to selectively release the component to the shuttle. The packing area may include a slide, a scanner, and a wrap seal conveyor. The shuttle may be configured to release the component onto the slide, and the scanner may be operable to scan and verify the component during placement of the component onto the wrap seal conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Joplin, Robert E. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20170270394
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical filling system for a high volume pharmacy is described. The system can include a paper feed device and method. The system may include a paper collator with at one selectively openable shelf. A control device may monitor the capacity of the selectively openable shelf, and instruct a printer to hold printing additional print jobs. The selectively openable shelf may then be opened to allow the printed literature resting thereon to fall to a lower shelf, and the printer can then be restarted. Sheets of printed literature may be drawn from the paper collator, collected with any other sheets of printed literature associated with a prescription order, and mated with the prescription order for shipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 9710739
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical filling system for a high volume pharmacy is described. The system can include a paper feed device and method. The system may include a paper collator with at one selectively openable shelf. A control device may monitor the capacity of the selectively openable shelf, and instruct a printer to hold printing additional print jobs. The selectively openable shelf may then be opened to allow the printed literature resting thereon to fall to a lower shelf, and the printer can then be restarted. Sheets of printed literature may be drawn from the paper collator, collected with any other sheets of printed literature associated with a prescription order, and mated with the prescription order for shipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Express Scripts, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20170011285
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical filling system for a high volume pharmacy is described. The system can include a paper feed device and method. The system may include a paper collator with at one selectively openable shelf. A control device may monitor the capacity of the selectively openable shelf, and instruct a printer to hold printing additional print jobs. The selectively openable shelf may then be opened to allow the printed literature resting thereon to fall to a lower shelf, and the printer can then be restarted. Sheets of printed literature may be drawn from the paper collator, collected with any other sheets of printed literature associated with a prescription order, and mated with the prescription order for shipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 9373065
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical filling system for a high volume pharmacy is described. The system can include a paper feed device and method. The system may include a paper collator with at one selectively openable shelf. A control device may monitor the capacity of the selectively openable shelf, and instruct a printer to hold printing additional print jobs. The selectively openable shelf may then be opened to allow the printed literature resting thereon to fall to a lower shelf, and the printer can then be restarted. Sheets of printed literature may be drawn from the paper collator, collected with any other sheets of printed literature associated with a prescription order, and mated with the prescription order for shipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Express Scripts, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20160023790
    Abstract: A system comprising a staging area and a packing area. The staging area may include a plurality of staging bins and a shuttle moveable along the plurality of staging bins. A staging bin of the plurality of staging bins may be configured to selectively retain a component of an order therein. Such staging bin may be configured to selectively release the component to the shuttle. The packing area may include a slide, a scanner, and a wrap seal conveyor. The shuttle may be configured to release the component onto the slide, and the scanner may be operable to scan and verify the component during placement of the component onto the wrap seal conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Joplin, Robert E. Hoffman