Restocking system using a carousel
View Patent ↗A carousel used in a restocking system is comprised of a drive track. A plurality of bins are arranged into rows, with the rows being driven by said drive track. A drive mechanism, e.g. an electric motor, drives the drive track. A sensor is provided to sense the position of the rows of bins. A processor is responsive to the sensor and data representative of a plurality of picks for more than one order for controlling the drive mechanism. By combining picks from different orders into a batch, the time spent driving the rows and time between picks is minimized. The carousel may be divided into a plurality of columns, each with its own drive track, drive mechanism, and sensor, to enable several rows to be brought into a pick position simultaneously. Various methods and forms of restocking packages are also disclosed.
1. A closed loop restocking system, comprising:
dispensing hardware located at a decentralized location, said hardware producing data representative of dispensed items;
a carousel located at a centralized location and responsive to said data, said carousel comprised of a drive track; a plurality of rows of bins being driven by said drive track; a drive mechanism for driving said drive track; and a sensor for sensing the position of said rows of bins;
a computer responsive to said sensor and said data representative of a plurality of items to be picked for controlling said drive mechanism; and
a restocking package for carrying items selected from said carousel in response to said data, said restocking package carrying indicia.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said indicia indicates a dispensing cabinet and a location under the control of the dispensing cabinet.
3. The system of claim 1 additionally comprising at said centralized location:
a printer responsive to said computer; and
a hand-held device for communicating to said computer when an item has been picked and for displaying data representative of another item to be picked.
4. The system of claim 1 additionally comprising a bar code scanner, and wherein said indicia includes a bar code, said bar code being scanned to verify that said dispensing hardware is restocked with said items selected from said carousel and carried in said restocking package.
5. The system of claim 4 additionally comprising a printer at said centralized location for printing said bar code.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein said carousel comprises a second drive track; a second plurality of bins arranged into a second plurality of rows, said second plurality of rows being driven by a second drive track; a second drive mechanism for driving said second drive track; and a second sensor for sensing the position of said second plurality of rows of bins, said computer responsive to said second sensor and data representative of items to be picked from said second plurality of rows for controlling said second drive mechanism.
7. The system of claim 6 additionally comprising at said centralized location:
a printer responsive to said computer; and
a hand-held device for communicating to said computer when an item has been picked and for displaying data representative of another item to be picked.
8. A restocking method, comprising:
generating data with a dispensing device located at decentralized locations representative of dispensed items;
conveying said data to a centralized location;
generating a restocking package by picking at least certain of the items from a carousel in response to said data;
transporting said restocking package to said decentralized locations; and
restocking said dispensing device at said decentralized locations with said restocking package.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said restocking includes removing items from the restocking package and inserting the items into specific locations in said dispensing device.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein said restocking includes inserting the restocking package into a specific location in said dispensing device.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein said restocking package is an envelop, and wherein said inserting includes placing said envelop into a lock-lidded, patient specific location in said dispensing device.
12. The method of claim 11 additionally comprising scanning a bar code on said envelop, said scanned bar code used to identify a patient specific location for said envelop and for updating said dispensing devices's records.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein the restocking package is a tote containing a plurality of patient specific envelops, and wherein said inserting includes placing said tote into said dispensing device.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein said tote contains a chip having information about the contents of said tote, said method additionally comprising dispensing from said tote, and modifying the information in said chip in response to said dispensing.
15. The method of claim 14 additionally comprising returning said tote to said centralized location, and connecting said tote to said carousel, said carousel accessing said information in said chip.
16. The method of claim 8 wherein said restocking package includes a cart containing a plurality of patient specific envelops, and wherein said restocking includes connecting said cart to said dispensing device.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein said cart contains a chip having information about the contents of said cart, said method additionally comprising dispensing from said cart, and modifying the information in said chip in response to said dispensing.
18. The method of claim 17 additionally comprising returning said cart to said centralized location, and connecting said cart to said carousel, said carousel accessing said information in said chip.
19. The method of claim 8 wherein said generating data includes requesting an item whenever the quantity of said item falls below a par level.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein said par value is a dynamic value based on one of current and historic usage.
21. The method of claim 20 additionally comprising:
generating records of dispensing events, inventory count, restock events, and configuration events, and
periodically archiving said records.