Apparatus, system and methods for dispensing products
View Patent ↗Products are dispensed from a dispensing apparatus in which products marked with transaction information are received in a two-dimensional array of moveable bins. In response to control information synthesized from transaction information on the products in the bins and a dispense request, the array is operated to place a bin at a dispensing station on the dispensing apparatus. At the dispensing station, a mechanism is operated in response to the control information to provide access to the bin. A product in the bin may then be retrieved.
1. A storage apparatus, comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of storage locations in the housing, each of the storage locations having a retention feature;
a sensor in the housing configured to read transaction information on a product stored in one of the storage locations;
a product stored in one of the storage locations, the product having a package portion that includes a flattened portion, transaction information being affixed to the flattened portion, the product further including a separate retaining member attached thereto configured to engage the retention feature in the storage location, wherein engagement of the retaining member in the retention feature positions the flattened portion to position the transaction information in the storage location for reading of the transaction information by the sensor.
2. The storage apparatus defined in claim 1 , wherein the sensor is fixed to the housing, and wherein the storage locations are configured to move relative to the sensor to enable reading of the transaction information on the product by the sensor.
3. The storage apparatus defined in claim 1 , further comprising a controller operatively associated with the sensor, the controller configured to store information associating the identity of the storage location with the identity of the product stored therein.
4. The storage apparatus defined in claim 1 , wherein the retaining member is hingedly attached to the package portion of the product.
5. The storage apparatus defined in claim 3 , further comprising a dispensing station, wherein the controller is further configured to select a storage location that contains a product to be dispensed from the dispensing station.
6. The storage apparatus defined in claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a bar code reader, and wherein the transaction information is in the form of a bar code.
7. A storage apparatus, comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of storage locations in the housing, each of the storage locations having a retention feature;
a sensor in the housing configured to read information in one of the storage locations;
a product stored in one of the storage locations, the product having transaction information affixed thereto, the product further including a retaining member attached thereto configured to engage the retention feature in the storage location;
wherein each of the storage locations includes status information; and
wherein engagement of the retaining member in the retention feature positions the transaction information in the storage location for reading of the transaction information by the sensor, and in the absence of a product in the storage location, the sensor reads the status information in the storage location.
8. The storage apparatus defined in claim 7 , wherein the sensor is fixed to the housing, and wherein the storage locations are configured to move relative to the sensor to enable reading of the transaction information on the product by the sensor.
9. The storage apparatus defined in claim 7 , further comprising a controller operatively associated with the sensor, the controller configured to store information associating the identity of the storage location with the identity of the product stored therein.
10. The storage apparatus defined in claim 7 , wherein the retaining member is hingedly attached to the package portion of the product.
11. The storage apparatus defined in claim 9 , further comprising a dispensing station, wherein the controller is further configured to select a storage location that contains a product to be dispensed from the dispensing station.
12. The storage apparatus defined in claim 7 , wherein the product includes a flattened portion that is separate from the retaining member.
13. A trackable product, comprising:
a package having transaction information affixed to one end portion thereof, wherein the end portion of the package is flattened; and
a separate retaining member hingedly attached to the package and pivotable relative to the flattened end portion of the package, the retaining member configured to engage a retention feature of a storage location to position the transaction information for reading by a sensor.
14. The product defined in claim 13 , wherein the package comprises a bag with an object stored therein.
15. The product defined in claim 14 , wherein the object comprises a pharmaceutical prescription.
16. The product defined in claim 13 , wherein the retaining member is formed of cardboard or plastic.
17. The product defined in claim 13 , wherein the retaining member rotates about an axis that is substantially parallel with the flattened end portion.
18. The product defined in claim 13 , wherein the retaining member has a free end positioned opposite the hinged attachment to the package, and wherein a tab extends away from the free end, the tab being configured to engage the retention feature of the storage location.
19. The product defined in claim 13 , wherein the retaining member includes a hole configured to provide a handhold to an operator.
20. The product defined in claim 13 , wherein the transaction information is in the form of a bar code.
21. A trackable pharmaceutical prescription, comprising:
a package comprising a bag having a pharmaceutical prescription stored therein, the bag having transaction information affixed to one end portion thereof, the end portion being flattened; and
a separate retaining member hingedly attached to the bag, the retaining member being formed of cardboard or plastic and being configured to rotate about an axis that is substantially parallel with the flattened end portion, the retaining member configured to engage a retention feature of a storage location to position the transaction information for reading by a sensor.