Patents by Inventor Jonathan W. Joplin

Jonathan W. Joplin 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).

  • Patent number: 10151735
    Abstract: Solid contents verification systems and methods are provided. The system includes a contents sensor unit, a container-carrying unit and a control unit. The contents sensor unit has at least one contents sensor configured to send and receive sonic pulses to determine a state of contents in a container. The contents sensor unit is configured to send a signal communicating a state of the contents in a container. The container-carrying unit is configured to hold a container in substantial alignment with the contents sensors to expose the contents to the sonic pulses. The control unit is operatively connected to the contents sensor unit. The control unit is configured to receive the signal communicating the state of the contents and to compare the state of the contents with a desired state of the contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: EXPRESS SCRIPTS STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT, INC.
    Inventor: Jonathan W. Joplin
  • Patent number: 10086974
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical order filling system uses pucks disposed on a pallet to accommodate a plurality of container sizes into which pharmaceuticals can be dispensed. An order processing device receives a pharmaceutical order and identifies a size of container into which a pharmaceutical in the pharmaceutical order should be dispensed. A pallet sizing and pucking device is configured: to configure a pallet with a plurality of pucks adapted to accommodate containers and to configure the pucks on a pallet in a manner that will facilitate efficient fulfillment of the pharmaceutical order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: EXPRESS SCRIPTS STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT, INC.
    Inventor: Jonathan W. Joplin
  • Publication number: 20180265233
    Abstract: A prescription handling system that takes filled prescription containers in an automated pharmacy and places them into a package for shipment is described. The handling system includes an inflow to feed containers to a turntable and a robot moves containers from the turntable to a container placement section, which places the containers in a pocket of a package for shipping. Each container for a prescription order is tracked to ensure that only associated containers are packaged together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventor: Jonathan W. Joplin
  • Patent number: 10059520
    Abstract: A system for a check and exception center may include a holding area, a manual section, a distribution section. The manual section may include a plurality of handling areas each enabled for pill counting, pharmacist verification, exception handling, or combinations thereof. The distribution section may be disposed proximate the manual section, and may include a robot and a scanner. The robot may be adapted to pick a container from the holding area and to move the container to the scanner for scanning. The robot may also be further adapted to direct the container to a first handling area of the plurality of handling areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan W. Joplin
  • Patent number: 10053248
    Abstract: A prescription handling system that takes filled prescription containers in an automated pharmacy and places them into a package for shipment is described. The handling system includes an inflow to feed containers to a turntable and a robot moves containers from the turntable to a container placement section, which places the containers in a pocket of a package for shipping. Each container for a prescription order is tracked to ensure that only associated containers are packaged together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan W. Joplin
  • 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: 20180221244
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical order filling system receives pharmaceutical orders and uses a loading device to label containers and load the labeled containers onto a pallet. The loading device is configured with at least one container drop assembly that receives containers to be labelled and loaded onto the pallet and that is in communication with a label assembly configured to print and apply labels to the containers. The loading device also includes at least one loading rotary wheel configured to receive the labelled containers and hold the labelled containers in a pick position to be moved from the pick position to a predetermined position on the pallet. The loading device may be configured to accommodate multiple sizes of containers and to consolidate multiple sizes of labelled containers into a single loading rotary wheel for loading onto the pallet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Jonathan W. JOPLIN, Robert HOFFMAN
  • Patent number: 10035653
    Abstract: Method and systems for manual handling are described. In one embodiment, a holding section, a distribution section and a manual section are provided. The holding section is adapted to hold the container during manual handling. The distribution section is adjacent the holding section and includes a robot adapted to select and pick containers from the holding section. The robot is disposed to distribute the container. The manual section is disposed adjacent the conveyor. The manual section is adapted for inspection or filling of the container. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles E. Eller, Jonathan W. Joplin
  • 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
  • Patent number: 9937100
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical order filling system receives pharmaceutical orders and uses a loading device to label containers and load the labeled containers onto a pallet. The loading device is configured with at least one container drop assembly that receives containers to be labelled and loaded onto the pallet and that is in communication with a label assembly configured to print and apply labels to the containers. The loading device also includes at least one loading rotary wheel configured to receive the labelled containers and hold the labelled containers in a pick position to be moved from the pick position to a predetermined position on the pallet. The loading device may be configured to accommodate multiple sizes of containers and to consolidate multiple sizes of labelled containers into a single loading rotary wheel for loading onto the pallet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: EXPRESS SCRIPTS STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Joplin, Robert Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20170262616
    Abstract: An automated dispensing device for a pharmaceutical order filling system includes an order processing device to receive a pharmaceutical order. The order processing device includes a cell for containing an available quantity of a pharmaceutical of the pharmaceutical order, and an insert received in the cell. The insert has a dispensing tube, and is adapted to receive the available quantity of the pharmaceutical and to dispense a measured quantity of the pharmaceutical through the dispensing tube. The cell includes a funnel having a weighted gate adapted to receive the dispensing tube of the insert.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventor: Jonathan W. JOPLIN
  • Publication number: 20170199981
    Abstract: A system for a check and exception center may include a holding area, a manual section, a distribution section. The manual section may include a plurality of handling areas each enabled for pill counting, pharmacist verification, exception handling, or combinations thereof. The distribution section may be disposed proximate the manual section, and may include a robot and a scanner. The robot may be adapted to pick a container from the holding area and to move the container to the scanner for scanning. The robot may also be further adapted to direct the container to a first handling area of the plurality of handling areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventor: Jonathan W. Joplin
  • Patent number: 9697335
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical order filling system receives pharmaceutical orders and uses an automated dispensing device to dispense pharmaceuticals into containers. The automated dispensing device is configured with a filling cabinet that stores and dispenses measured quantities of pharmaceuticals and is further configured to stage measured quantities of pharmaceuticals in buffer tubes to enable efficient fulfillment of the pharmaceutical orders. Containers may be disposed on a pallet which may be moved within an automated dispensing device to place the containers under buffer tubes to receive measured quantities of pharmaceuticals from the buffer tubes into appropriate containers in an efficient manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: EXPRESS SCRIPTS, INC.
    Inventor: Jonathan W. Joplin
  • Publication number: 20170119629
    Abstract: Systems and methods for manually filling a prescription order. A manual fill device may be incorporated into a manual fill center of a pharmacy operated by one or more pharmacists and/or pharmacist technicians to manually fill certain prescription containers. The manual fill device may include a control unit which may operate at the direction of the order processing device. The manual fill device may also include a distribution section automating distribution of containers for manual fulfillment, and a manual section in which a pharmacist may utilize available pharmaceuticals to manually fill orders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventor: Jonathan W. Joplin
  • Patent number: 9639668
    Abstract: A system comprising a holding area, a manual section, a distribution section, and at least one conveyor. The manual section may include a handling area enabled for pill counting, pharmacist verification, exception handling, or combinations thereof. The distribution section may be disposed proximate the handling area and the manual section, and may include a robot and a scanner. The at least one conveyor may enable transportation of a container between said distribution section and said manual section. The robot may be adapted to pick a container from the holding area and move the container to the scanner for scanning. The robot may also be further adapted to place the container onto the conveyor to direct the container to a handling area which is enabled for an action based on the scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Express Scripts, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan W. Joplin
  • Publication number: 20170107005
    Abstract: A prescription handling system that takes filled prescription containers in an automated pharmacy and places them into a package for shipment is described. The handling system includes an inflow to feed containers to a turntable and a robot moves containers from the turntable to a container placement section, which places the containers in a pocket of a package for shipping. Each container for a prescription order is tracked to ensure that only associated containers are packaged together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventor: Jonathan W. Joplin
  • Publication number: 20170074851
    Abstract: Solid contents verification systems and methods are provided. The system includes a contents sensor unit, a container-carrying unit and a control unit. The contents sensor unit has at least one contents sensor configured to send and receive sonic pulses to determine a state of contents in a container. The contents sensor unit is configured to send a signal communicating a state of the contents in a container. The container-carrying unit is configured to hold a container in substantial alignment with the contents sensors to expose the contents to the sonic pulses. The control unit is operatively connected to the contents sensor unit. The control unit is configured to receive the signal communicating the state of the contents and to compare the state of the contents with a desired state of the contents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventor: Jonathan W. JOPLIN
  • Patent number: 9567119
    Abstract: Systems and methods for manually filling a prescription order. A manual fill device may be incorporated into a manual fill center of a pharmacy operated by one or more pharmacists and/or pharmacist technicians to manually fill certain prescription containers. The manual fill device may include a control unit which may operate at the direction of the order processing device. The manual fill device may also include a distribution section automating distribution of containers for manual fulfillment, and a manual section in which a pharmacist may utilize available pharmaceuticals to manually fill orders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Express Scripts, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan W. Joplin