Literature packaging system for a high-volume pharmacy
A medication packaging system can include a tray with a slot and a literature receiving area to hold literature in a position above the slot, and a robotic arm with a literature grabbing mechanism that can have a plurality of fingers that extend parallel to one another. The plurality of fingers including a central finger and a pair of outer fingers that are located on opposite sides of the central finger which are relatively movable between a disengaged position on one side of the slot of the tray to an engaged position at least partially on the other side of the slot to engage and fold the literature in the literature receiving area of the tray. The robotic arm can move the literature and place it in a shipping bag or container.
1 . A medication packaging system, comprising:
a tray with a slot and a literature receiving area that is configured to hold literature in a position above the slot; and
a robotic arm extending to a distal end that has a literature grabbing mechanism, the literature grabbing mechanism including a plurality of fingers that extend parallel to one another in a first direction, the plurality of fingers including a central finger and a pair of outer fingers that are located on opposite sides of the central finger,
at least one of the central and outer fingers being movable in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction between a disengaged position on one side of the slot of the tray to an engaged position at least partially on another side of the slot to engage and fold the literature in the literature receiving area of the tray,
the system configured to operate by:
disposing the literature in the literature receiving area of the tray and across the slot of the tray;
bringing the literature grabbing mechanism at the distal end of the robotic arm to the tray, positioning the central finger of the literature grabbing mechanism directly above the literature, and positioning the two outer fingers of the literature grabbing mechanism directly below the literature; and
moving at least one of the central and outer fingers towards at least one of the other fingers in the second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and at least partially through the slot of the tray to cause the literature to fold around the central finger.
2 . The medication packaging system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the central finger is movable relative to the outer fingers.
3 . The medication packaging system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the literature grabbing mechanism further includes a stop device that is spaced from the plurality of fingers, and
wherein movement of the central finger in the second direction from the disengaged position to the engaged position is towards the stop device to trap the literature between the central finger and the stop device.
4 . The medication packaging system as set forth in claim 1 , further including a bagger mechanism that is configured to open a top of a bag.
5 . The medication packaging system as set forth in claim 4 , further including a controller, the controller being configured to activate the robotic arm to:
engage the literature in the literature receiving area of the tray with the plurality of fingers, and
insert the literature into the bag that has been opened by the bagger mechanism.
6 . The medication packaging system as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to activate the robotic arm to:
rotate the literature from a first orientation that the literature has immediately after the fingers engage the literature to a second orientation that is perpendicular to the first orientation prior to inserting the literature into the bag.
7 . The medication packaging system as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to activate the robotic arm to:
insert at least six inches of the literature into the bag prior to disengaging the literature and removing the fingers from the bag.
8 . The medication packaging system as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to activate the robotic arm to:
slide the literature from the literature receiving area of the tray in a horizontal direction.
9 . A method of filling a medication package, comprising the steps of:
disposing at least one sheet of literature in a literature receiving area of a tray and across a slot of the tray;
bringing a literature grabbing mechanism at a distal end of a robotic arm to the tray and positioning at least one central finger of the literature grabbing mechanism directly above the at least one sheet of literature and positioning at least two outer fingers of the literature grabbing mechanism directly below the at least one sheet of literature, the fingers extending in parallel relationship with one another in a first direction; and
moving at least one of the fingers towards at least one of the other fingers in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and at least partially through the slot of the tray to cause the at least one sheet of literature to fold around the at least one central finger.
10 . The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the at least one central finger includes only a single central finger.
11 . The method as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the step of moving at least one of the fingers towards at least one of the other fingers in the second direction includes moving the single central finger towards the outer fingers while the outer fingers remain stationary.
12 . The method as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the literature grabbing mechanism further includes a stop device, and wherein the method further includes the step of:
sandwiching portions of the at least one sheet of literature between the single central finger and the stop device.
13 . The method as set forth in claim 9 , further including the step of opening a top of a bag with a bagger mechanism.
14 . The method as set forth in claim 13 , further including the steps of:
removing the at least one sheet of literature from the tray with the robotic arm; and
bringing the at least one sheet of literature from the tray to the bagger mechanism with the robotic arm.
15 . The method as set forth in claim 14 , further including the step of inserting the at least one sheet of literature into the bag with the robotic arm.
16 . The method as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the step of inserting the at least one sheet of literature into the bag with the robotic arm includes inserting a majority of the at least one sheet of literature into the bag and then further opening the bag with the at least one sheet of literature prior to disengaging the fingers of the literature grabbing mechanism from the at least one sheet of literature.
17 . The method as set forth in claim 16 , further including the step of rotating the at least one sheet of literature from a first orientation to a second orientation with the robotic arm during the step of bringing the at least one sheet of literature from the tray to the bagger mechanism.
18 . The method as set forth in claim 17 , further including the step of inserting a medication into the bag.
19 . A high-volume pharmacy, comprising:
a bagger mechanism configured to receive a bag from a bag source and open a top of the bag;
a tray with a slot and a literature receiving area that is configured to hold literature in a position above the slot;
a robotic arm extending to a distal end that has a literature grabbing mechanism, the literature grabbing mechanism including a plurality of fingers that extend parallel to one another in a first direction, the plurality of fingers including a central finger and a pair of outer fingers that are located on opposite sides of the central finger,
the central finger being movable in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction between a disengaged position in which the central finger is spaced from the outer fingers in the second direction to an engaged position in which the central finger at least partially aligns with the outer fingers in the second direction; and
a controller configured to activate the robotic arm to engage the literature on the tray at the slot by moving the central finger in the second direction to fold the literature around the central finger and to insert the literature into the bag,
the high-volume pharmacy configured to operate by:
disposing the literature in the literature receiving area of the tray and across the slot of the tray;
bringing the literature grabbing mechanism at the distal end of the robotic arm to the tray, positioning the central finger of the literature grabbing mechanism directly above the literature, and positioning the two outer fingers of the literature grabbing mechanism directly below the literature; and
moving at least one of the central and outer fingers towards at least one of the other fingers in the second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and at least partially through the slot of the tray to cause the literature to fold around the central finger.
20 . The high-volume pharmacy of claim 19 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
rotate the literature from a first orientation that the literature has immediately after the fingers engage the literature to a second orientation that is perpendicular to the first orientation prior to inserting the literature into the bag.