Enhanced drug dispensing system

Abstract

In an automated prescription pill dispensing system, a multiplicity of pill dispensers are provided each operable to count out and dispense pills from supply hoppers. The dispensers are controlled by a computer which selects up to five of the dispensers to operate and control the selected pill dispensers to count out pills simultaneously. The pill dispensers dispense the pills into the first set of output hoppers, from which the pills can be released into a second output hopper under the control of the computer. The computer will release the pills from the second output hopper corresponding to a selected pill dispenser through a snout into a pill vial in response to sensing the presence of a pill vial at the snout. The computer controls a prescription label printer to print prescription labels for the pill vials. The computer also controls indicator lights to indicate which dispensing cell is selected and ready to have pills released from the second output hopper corresponding thereto. Automatically controlled security doors control access to supply hoppers for each of the pill dispensers.

Description

[0001]This application is a continuation application of application Ser. No. 08 / 250,435, filed May 27, 1994, now abandoned.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a system for dispensing articles and, more particularly, to a system for dispensing different drugs in the form of pills, capsules, etc. with high speed and with the assurance that the right amount of drug is dispensed into the proper container associated with a particular drug prescription.[0003]Devices are known for precisely counting and dispensing drugs, such as the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,332. It is known to use a plurality of such counting and dispensing devices, each associated with one drug, to fill large numbers of prescriptions. However, the need for filling large numbers of prescriptions at high speed has exceeded the capacity of mere banks of such devices. It has been found that the article counting and dispensing devices require too frequent filling with the drugs to b...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]In order to overcome the drawbacks of the known counting and dispensing devices, the present invention provides additional structure and controls to be used with such devices. The enha

Problems solved by technology

However, the need for filling large numbers of prescriptions at high speed has exceeded the capacity of mere banks of such devices.

It has been found that the article co

Images