IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,486,060
Granted Patent B2
US 12,486,060 · App. 18/680,698 · Granted Dec 2, 2025

Filling station and method for filling a transport tray

Inventor: Christoph Hellenbrand (Kaifenheim, DE)
Assignee: CAREFUSION GERMANY 326 GMBH
B65B35/30B65B5/103G07F17/00G07F17/0092B65B2210/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,486,060
App. No.
18/680,698
Granted
Dec 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Filling stations are provided that include a transfer tray having filling receptacles and a closing device arranged under the filling receptacles to open and close bottom openings in the filling receptacles, an optical detection device to generate images of filling receptacles having drug portions arranged therein, and a control device coupled to the optical detection device. The control device causes displaying of a filling template of which filling receptacles are to be filled with one or more drug portions, comparing an actual filling of the filling receptacles based on the one or more images of the filling receptacles generated by the optical detection device to a target filling, determining that no deviation exists between the actual filling and the target filling, and opening the closing device for transferring the drug portions from the transfer tray to a transport tray. Systems and methods for filling a transfer tray are also provided.

Claims (41)

1 . A filling station comprising:

a transfer tray having a plurality of filling receptacles and a closing device arranged under the filling receptacles, the closing device configured to open and close bottom openings in the filling receptacles;

an optical detection device configured to generate one or more images of filling receptacles having drug portions arranged therein; and

a control device coupled to the optical detection device, the control device configured to:

cause display of a filling template of which filling receptacles are to be filled with one or more drug portions;

compare an actual filling of the filling receptacles based on the one or more images of the filling receptacles generated by the optical detection device to a target filling;

determine that no deviation exists between the actual filling and the target filling; and

open the closing device for transferring the drug portions from the transfer tray to a transport tray.

2 . The filling station of claim 1 , wherein the transport tray comprises a plurality of transfer receptacles arranged below the transfer tray.

3 . The filling station of claim 2 , wherein the arrangement of the filling receptacles in the transfer tray corresponds to the arrangement of the transfer receptacles in the transport tray.

4 . The filling station of claim 2 , wherein at least one transfer receptacle comprises a display member.

5 . The filling station of claim 1 , further comprising a projector device configured to project the filling templates onto the transfer tray.

6 . The filling station of claim 1 , wherein at least one filling receptacle comprises a wall that is tapered inward.

7 . The filling station of claim 1 , wherein at least one filling receptacle comprises a wall that is perpendicular to the closing device.

8 . The filling station of claim 1 , wherein the closing device comprises a closing plate coupled to a handle for manual opening of the closing device.

9 . The filling station of claim 1 , wherein the closing device comprises a closing plate coupled to a drive for automated opening of the closing device.

10 . The filling station of claim 1 , further comprising a projector device configured to project the filling template onto the transfer tray.

11 . The filling station of claim 1 , wherein the filling template includes all filling receptacles to be filled and all drug types to be filled.

12 . The filling station of claim 1 , further comprising a display device coupled with the control device, wherein the display device is configured to display a target deviation.

13 . The filling station of claim 1 , further comprising a display device coupled with the control device, wherein the display device is configured to display the filling template.

14 . The filling station of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of display members allocated to the filling receptacles.

15 . The filling station of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor associated with the filling receptacles, the sensor configured to determine a number of drug portions disposed per filling receptacle.

16 . A system comprising:

a transfer tray;

a transport tray;

a control device; and

an optical detection device, wherein the system is configured to:

generate a filling template based on a target filling of filling receptacles in the transfer tray, the filling template indicating which of the filling receptacles are to be filled with one or more drug portions;

generate, via the optical detection device, images of the filling receptacles, wherein an image of a filling receptacle shows drug portions arranged therein;

determine an actual filling of the filling receptacles based on the images;

identify a level of deviation between the actual filling of the filling receptacles and the one or more target fillings; and

open a closing device of the transfer tray to transfer the drug portions to the transport tray based on the level of deviation.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the transport tray comprises a plurality of transfer receptacles arranged below the transfer tray, wherein the arrangement of the filling receptacles in the transfer tray corresponds to the arrangement of the transfer receptacles in the transport tray.

18 . The system of claim 16 , further comprising displaying the filling template on a display device.

19 . The system of claim 16 , further comprising determine, by a sensor, a number of drug portions disposed per filling receptacle.

20 . A method of operating a filling station, the method comprising:

generating, by a control device, a filling template based on a target filling of filling receptacles in a transfer tray, the filling template indicating which of the filling receptacles are to be filled with one or more drug portions;

generating, by an optical detection device, images of the filling receptacles, wherein an image of a filling receptacle shows drug portions arranged therein;

determining, by the control device, an actual filling of the filling receptacles based on the images;

identifying, by the control device, a level of deviation between the actual filling of the filling receptacles and the one or more target fillings; and

opening a closing device of the transfer tray to transfer the drug portions to a transport tray based on the level of deviation.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 31, 2024
From: HELLENBRAND, CHRISTOPH
To: CAREFUSION GERMANY 326 GMBH
Reel/Frame 067597/0163 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 17978626 · Nov 1, 2022
Continuation 17151019 · Jan 15, 2021
Continuation 16381987 · Apr 11, 2019
Continuation 15010210 · Jan 29, 2016
Related Publication 20240317437A1 · Sep 26, 2024
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