EP 3636240 A1 20200415 - METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY FILLING DISPENSING CONTAINERS
Title (en)
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY FILLING DISPENSING CONTAINERS
Title (de)
VERFAHREN UND VORRICHTUNG ZUM AUTOMATISCHEN BEFÜLLEN VON AUSGABEBEHÄLTERN
Title (fr)
PROCÉDÉS ET APPAREIL DE REMPLISSAGE AUTOMATIQUE DE RÉCIPIENTS DE DISTRIBUTION
Publication
Application
Priority
EP 18199369 A 20181009
Abstract (en)
An apparatus (20) is described that is specifically adapted for use with a dispensing container comprising a tray with one or more discrete cavities for receiving medication and a seal. The tray includes a machine-readable marker that encodes a unique identifier for the tray and the seal includes a pre-defined area for thermal printing. The apparatus (20) includes a reader (26) adapted to read the marker on the tray and to obtain, from the marker, the unique identifier for the tray. The apparatus also includes a controller (22) adapted to receive patient-specific information (24) and to associate the patient-specific information with the unique identifier for the tray, and a medication dispenser (30) for automatically filling one or more cavities of the tray with medication with reference to the patient-specific information associated with the unique identifier. A sealing unit (36) is adapted to automatically apply the seal to the tray. The apparatus includes a thermal print head (40) adapted to thermally print human-readable information on to the thermoprint ink patch before, during or after the seal has been applied to the tray. The thermally printed human-readable information is directly derived from at least some of the patient-specific information associated with the unique identifier.
IPC 8 full level
A61J 1/03 (2006.01); A61J 7/00 (2006.01); B65B 5/10 (2006.01); G07F 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC (source: EP)
A61J 1/035 (2013.01); A61J 7/0084 (2013.01); B65B 5/103 (2013.01); G07F 11/62 (2013.01); G07F 17/0092 (2013.01); A61J 2205/10 (2013.01); A61J 2205/30 (2013.01)
Citation (search report)
- [XI] US 2013097975 A1 20130425 - BAILEY JEFFREY S [US], et al
- [I] WO 2015159252 A1 20151022 - GI BI EFFE SRL [IT]
- [I] WO 2015078468 A1 20150604 - SCANBIT AS [DK]
- [I] GB 2342203 A 20000405 - LAEN & CO LTD [GB]
- [I] EP 2327389 A1 20110601 - PANASONIC CORP [JP]
Designated contracting state (EPC)
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR
Designated extension state (EPC)
BA ME
DOCDB simple family (publication)
DOCDB simple family (application)
EP 18199369 A 20181009