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).
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Publication number: 20190367275Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2018Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
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Publication number: 20190371448Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2018Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
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Patent number: 10424408Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 5, 2018Date of Patent: September 24, 2019Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Steven R. Hinkle, Jarrod A. Killough
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Publication number: 20190266551Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2019Publication date: August 29, 2019Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Jonathan W. Joplin
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Publication number: 20190214120Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2018Publication date: July 11, 2019Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Steven R. Hinkle, Jarrod A. Killough
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Patent number: 10332061Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 22, 2016Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Jonathan W. Joplin
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Publication number: 20190073625Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2018Publication date: March 7, 2019Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Jonathan W. Joplin
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Patent number: 10163068Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 22, 2016Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Jonathan W. Joplin
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Patent number: 10102460Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 24, 2018Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
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Patent number: 10095963Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 5, 2017Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
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Publication number: 20180229872Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2018Publication date: August 16, 2018Inventors: Jonathan W. Joplin, Robert E. Hoffman
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Publication number: 20180150730Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2018Publication date: May 31, 2018Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
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Publication number: 20180144284Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2016Publication date: May 24, 2018Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Jonathan W. Joplin
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Publication number: 20180144285Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2016Publication date: May 24, 2018Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Jonathan W. Joplin
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Patent number: 9944419Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 19, 2015Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan W. Joplin, Robert E. Hoffman
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Publication number: 20170270394Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2017Publication date: September 21, 2017Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
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Patent number: 9710739Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 20, 2016Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: Express Scripts, Inc.Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
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Publication number: 20170011285Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2016Publication date: January 12, 2017Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
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Patent number: 9373065Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 8, 2015Date of Patent: June 21, 2016Assignee: Express Scripts, Inc.Inventor: Robert E. Hoffman
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Publication number: 20160023790Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2015Publication date: January 28, 2016Inventors: Jonathan W. Joplin, Robert E. Hoffman