Device for handling and distributing packages

Abstract

A device for the accurate and efficient handling of objects, in particular packages, comprises a pick up group consisting of at least one toothed carrier bar and adapted to rotate according to two limit positions; in one of said positions, the bar disengages the packages; a handling group is provided, such as a main comb, with the function of moving the packages by pushing them when the carrier bar is in the working position.

Claims

1. A device for handling and distributing packages of objects, the device comprising: a. a storage bar for storing and supporting packages; b. a pick-up group including a carrier bar, and c. a handling group of the packages; wherein the storage bar and the carrier bar each have a plurality of ridges and relative valleys, so as to form teeth; wherein the storage bar and the carrier bar are configured to perform, directly or indirectly, an axial rotation with respect to their common axis, where the rotation of the carrier bar is such as to take at least two positions, in which: in a first rest position, the teeth are facing upwards, so as to retain the packages in relative valleys; in a second working position, the teeth are rotated downwards so as to expose a smooth surface of the carrier bar upwards, disengaging any packages from the relative valleys; a main comb configured to move the packages when the carrier bar is rotated according to the second working position; the main comb being configured for carrying out: a first translation movement, so as to bring the relative teeth of the main comb sliding on one chosen from the storage bar and the carrier bar and engage the packages, a second horizontal translation movement by which the packages are handled from or towards the carrier bar.

2. The device according to claim 1, and further comprising an auxiliary comb configured to hold in place the packages and prevent oscillations of the packages during passage of the carrier bar between the first rest position and the second working position and vice versa; wherein the auxiliary comb: a. is placed off-axis with respect to the carrier bar, b. works laterally to the carrier bar, c. is subject to a movement in a vertical direction, lowering towards the packages during operation.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the carrier bar is configured to additionally carry out also a rectilinear translational movement in the two directions of joining/detachment with a head of the storage bar, a free end of the carrier bar including an abutment configured to penetrate into a corresponding seat of the storage bar, when the storage bar and the carrier bar are aligned and joined at the head, a geometry of the abutment also being such as to allow an entrainment in rotation of the storage bar after coupling of the storage bar and the carrier bar.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the abutment includes a conical coupling geometry and also allows transmitting rotation of the carrier bar to the storage bar.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the carrier bar comprises a valley more than the number of valleys of the storage bar, so as to: a. obtain one more position on the carrier bar to temporarily receive the packages during the loading of the carrier bar, and b. completely empty the storage bar with a single activation of the carrier bar to reduce a number of transfers required to move a certain number of packages.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the main comb is arranged in axis with respect to a vertical median plane passing through the carrier bar.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein symmetrically with respect to the plane, the main comb comprises a pair of separation elements which are repeated by an entire length thereof and which serve as a separation device adapted to keep the packages mutually separated when the carrier bar is in the second working position.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the main comb has an end portion shaped so as to replicate a circular shape of the carrier bar.

9. The device according to claim 1, and further comprising a support for the storage bar, the support being configured so as to allow the free axial rotation of the storage bar when pushed axially.

10. A method of handling and distributing packages of objects, preloaded or to be deposited on a toothed storage bar and picked up or deposited by a pick-up and handling group including a carrier bar; comprising: aligning and joining the carrier bar with the storage bar, pushing the carrier bar towards the storage bar so as to disengage the carrier bar, allowing rotation of the carrier bar, keeping the packages present on the storage bar in a known position approaching a main comb; rotating the carrier bar and the associated storage bar so as to expose a smooth surface upwards, disengaging the packages from teeth of at least one chosen from the storage bar and the carrier bar, moving the packages along from or towards the carrier bar via the main comb, counter-rotating the storage bar and the carrier bar and after moving the packages, uncoupling the storage bar and the carrier bar and, conveying the packages to a final destination or repeating the operations to pick up other packages.

11. The method according to claim 10, and further comprising: preventing movements and oscillations of the packages already present on the carrier bar, via an auxiliary comb.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein during movement of the packages along from or towards the carrier bar via the main comb: the auxiliary comb is returned to a rest position; the main comb is translated by a distance functional to the movement of the packages to be handled, the length of the displacement being managed by a processor and being a function of both a number of packages to be picked up and of their pitch, which in turn is a function of a package size.

13. The method according to claim 10, and further comprising bringing the main comb close to the carrier bar even during the aligning and pushing steps and keeping any packages already present on the carrier bar in a known position.

14. The method according to claim 10, and further comprising conveying the packages to the final destination and directly releasing the packages by gravity towards a chute, in a progressive and sequential manner and without further intermediate steps to the final destination.

15. The method according to claim 10, and further comprising completely emptying the storage bar with a single activation of the carrier bar, thus reducing a number of transfers required to move a certain number of packages.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein in case of repetition of the operations for picking up other packages, freeing a head of the carrier bar a suitable number of valleys with respect to a number and type of packages to be picked up, comprising: advancing the main comb, in a rest position, by a distance equal to the number of valleys of the carrier bar to be freed; lowering and positioning the main comb to a lower working position; lowering and positioning the auxiliary comb to a working position; rotating the carrier bar until reaching the working position in which the carrier bar exposes the smooth surface upwards; lifting and returning the auxiliary comb to the rest position; fully retracting the main comb so that by the movement, the packages present on the carrier bar are retracted, thereby freeing, at the head of the carrier bar, the number of valleys required for the subsequent pick up step; lowering the auxiliary comb to the working position; rotating the carrier bar until reaching the position in which the carrier bar exposes ridges and valleys upwards.

17. The package storage unit comprising the device according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) This and other features will become more apparent from the following description of some of the configurations, illustrated purely by way of example in the accompanying drawings.

(2) FIG. 1: shows a toothed bar, in particular the storage bar, of the present invention,

(3) FIG. 2: shows the whole pick up and handling group, the first consisting of a toothed carrier bar, the second of a main comb, better described hereinafter,

(4) FIG. 3: shows the various operating coupling steps (a, b, c) between the bars and package handling,

(5) FIG. 4: shows the loading of a package, indicated by C4 on the carrier bar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) With particular reference to the figures, the invention is implemented in automatic devices for the distribution of pharmaceutical articles divided into unit doses or dosage units, hereinafter referred to as packages, to be handled.

(7) Said unit doses or dosage units are supported by dedicated storage bars, indicated with reference numeral 1, extending substantially horizontally and in turn divided on a panel or matrix.

(8) Panel, storage bars and respective doses are contained inside the closed structure and connected to the outside by means of front user access doors and/or automatic access doors, both of which are usually controlled access, so as to be protected from manual manipulations.

(9) Therefore, the packages to be handled are supported by the plurality of toothed bars, positioned in a configurable manner on the rear panel, for example to form an NM matrix.

(10) An illustration of the above storage bar is shown in FIG. 1.

(11) Each storage bar 1 consists of a bar provided with a plurality of ridges 2 and valleys 3, arranged transversely with respect to the axis of bar 1 and preferably having the same shape and size; said ridges 2 and valleys 3 are arranged on most of the working length of the storage bar 1 and at a constant distance (pitch) from each other, so as to form teeth.

(12) The plurality of ridges 2 and valleys 3 thus form housings for product packages. The depth of the valleys is necessary to allow for the reliable positioning of the respective package, preferably it is less than half section of the section bar.

(13) Each of these storage bars 1 is supported by a dedicated support by means of suitable brackets and constrained to a fixed panel. The mounting support of bars 1 is designed so that the bar itself, pushed towards the panel (for example, by the effect of coupling with the carrier bar), can reach a position in which it is free to rotate. The warehouse thus described is, as said, entirely contained in a closed structure.

(14) Each storage bar 1 comprises a head hole 4 allowing coupling with a carrier bar, as is described hereinafter.

(15) With particular reference to FIG. 2, it shows the pick up group, the latter being operable so that it can reach each storage bar 1 according to the definition of its coordinates that a normal processor can define and manage, according to a technique already known in the field of good handling and storage.

(16) Said pick up group is provided with at least one carrier bar, indicated with reference numeral 8 in the figure, which consists of a circular section bar also provided with a series of ridges 10 and valleys 7, transversely arranged with respect to the axis of the carrier bar 8, similar to those already described for the storage bars. Therefore, the carrier bar 8 also has teeth.

(17) The plurality of ridges 10 and valleys 7 thus form housings for product packages. The depth of the valleys is necessary to allow for the reliable positioning of the respective package, preferably it is less than half section of the section bar.

(18) With respect to the storage bar 1, the carrier bar 8 has an additional valley 11; this additional valley is necessary, as will be explained hereinafter, to temporarily place the packages during the loading step of the same.

(19) The same carrier bar 8 is actuated by motor means and is configured to perform a rotation with respect to its axis. The motor means used may consist, for example, of a stepping motor. Moreover, the carrier bar 8 is mounted on a slide which enables the rectilinear movement in the direction of the axis of the bar itself.

(20) The free end of the carrier bar 8 is provided with a conical abutment 12 adapted to fit into the corresponding conical seats 4 of the storage bars 1 when the carrier bar 8 and the storage bar 1 are aligned and joined at the head.

(21) Moreover, the geometry of the conical abutment 12 described allows transmitting the rotation movement of the carrier bar 8 to the storage bar 1. In other words, the coupling is such as to ensure the rotational drag after the coupling of the two bars.

(22) The carrier bar 8 is provided with the ability to perform two movements: A movement (with, for example, pneumatic actuation) of axial translation in the two directions of junction/detachment of the carrier bar 8 head with the storage bar 1 head with alignment ensured by the conical cavity 4 whenever the management computer detects the storage bar supporting the packages to be handled or to which the packages are intended; A movement of axial rotation that allows it to assume two positions: rest position: teeth facing upwards to keep the packages in a known position; working position: bar rotated so as to expose the smooth side upwards; in this configuration, it is possible to slide the packages along the axis of the carrier bar. It is noted that upwards identifies the bar portion adapted to support the single-dose package.

(23) In order to carry out the movement, that is, the translation along the axis constituted between the two bars, the storage and the carrier one, joined and aligned, the invention provides a handling group; in the present case and with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, said handling group comprises at least one main comb 6.

(24) Specifically, the main comb 6 is arranged in axis with respect to a vertical median plane AA passing by said carrier bar 8. As shown in FIG. 3, symmetrically arranged with respect to said median plane AA, said main comb 6 has a pair of separation elements 6A; said elements 6A are also repeated by the entire length of the comb so as to act as separation means adapted to keep packages C1, C2, C3 of the (storage or carrier) separate from one another when the carrier bar is in working position (and at the same time also the corresponding storage bar).

(25) Moreover, and with reference to the front view in the first two representations in FIG. 3 showing the positions in which comb 6 is distant from the bars and approaching the bars, it is noted that elements 6A protrude towards the (storage or carrier) bar and their end portion is shaped so as to replicate the circular shape of the bar itself. Due to this configuration, it is possible to approach comb 6 close to the bar and ensure that the position of the packages is maintained also when the working position is already defined. In this way, the main comb 6 is suitable for taking charge of all the packages present on a bar and handling them when in the working position of said bars.

(26) In greater detail, the main comb 6 is arranged to surmount the carrier bar 8, in an axis relative to the same, and is also configured to carry out two types of movements (actuated, for example, by electric motors or electro-pneumatic systems): A first movement of vertical translation, in which the main comb 6 moves vertically so that its teeth are arranged sliding on the carrier bar to engage the packages supported thereby. A second movement of horizontal translation, in which the comb translates horizontally: to position itself on the packages to be handled to carry out the movement.

(27) An further comb is seen, referred to as auxiliary comb 5, which is movable and configured for keeping the packages in position and preventing oscillations of the same during the rotation of the carrier bar 8 in the transition between the rest position and the working position and vice versa.

(28) In this case, it is a simple auxiliary comb 5 with straight teeth; the auxiliary comb 5 is positioned next to the bar with the teeth parallel to the median plane mentioned above; in this way, comb 5 is off-axis with respect to the carrier bar 8 and works sideways to the latter, and by at least part of the portion where its ridges and valleys are present.

(29) Each tooth of the comb is spaced so that its teeth can be inserted between packages C1, C2, C3, . . . , Cn.

(30) Moreover, said auxiliary comb 5 is configured to be able to carry out a vertical movement, i.e. it lowers towards the packages to perform its function; said vertical movement is actuated, for example, by means of an electro-pneumatic system.

(31) The functions thereof whereby the new handling system can be implemented, i.e. pick up and deposition from one of the storage bars 1, are summarized hereinafter.

(32) Pick Up Operations

(33) Reference shall be made to FIG. 3. For simplicity of description, reference shall be made to the case in which a series of packages C1, C2, C3, . . . , Cn are loaded on predefined transverse valleys of the storage bar 1 and must be picked up by the carrier bar 8 to be conveyed towards their final destination (such as the drawers of an external cart or a drawer of the cabinet).

(34) When the carrier bar 8 reaches the alignment with the predetermined storage bar 1 (FIG. 3a), a command (such as pneumatic) couples the carrier bar 8 towards the storage bar 1 so that the two bars are joined at the head with alignment also ensured by the conical coupling between the two bars.

(35) The carrier bar 8 at this point pushes the storage bar 1 and allows it to disengage from its mechanical abutments on the fixing plate, allowing it to rotate.

(36) Optionally, during the coupling and pushing step of the two bars 1 and 8, the main comb 6 is approached, precisely dropped from above, and along with teeth 10 of the carrier bar 8, it contributes to retaining the packages possibly already present on the carrier bar 8 in a known position, preventing, for example, that the packages may jump from one valley to the other in the impact between the two bars due to coupling.

(37) Upon completion of the above coupling step, the main comb 6 optionally returns to the rest position, i.e. to the raised position; with the main comb 6 thus raised, the latter is advanced in parallel and towards the storage bar 1 so as to surmount the latter.

(38) Now, both the main 6 and the auxiliary comb 5 are again lowered to the working position and the main comb 6 helps keeping packages C1, C2, C3 on the storage bar in a known position, while the auxiliary comb 5 prevents movements and oscillations of any doses already present on the carrier bar 8, FIG. 3b.

(39) This action is preparatory for the next step of rotation of the carrier bar 8 and, consequently, of the storage bar 1, so that both expose the smooth surface 9 upwards, which allows the translation of the doses/packages.

(40) At this point, the translation of the packages takes place: the auxiliary comb 5 is returned to the rest position (high), the main comb 6 is translated from a distance functional to the handling of the packages C1 to be picked up so as to carry them on the carrier bar 8 (for example, a dose in FIG. 3c).

(41) The length of the displacement is managed by the processor and depends on both the number of packages to be picked up and on their pitch, which in turn is a function of the package size.

(42) Finally, once the pick up operation is complete: the auxiliary comb 5 is lowered and positioned in its working position (low); the carrier 8 and storage bars 1 are counter-rotated, and thus they return to the initial position, which ensures that the packages are maintained in known positions in valleys 7 of the teeth of bars 1; both the main 6 and the auxiliary comb 5 return to their rest position by a lifting action; the main comb 6, if necessary, is fully retracted; the carrier bar 8 is disengaged from the storage bar 1 and spaced therefrom by a dedicated command.

(43) At this point, as needed, it is possible to convey the packages to their final destination, or repeat the operations just described to pick up other packages from the storage bars 1.

(44) In the latter case, i.e. picking up other packages from the storage bars 1, it is contemplated to first free in the head positions of the carrier bar 8 a number of valleys that is appropriate to the number and type of packages to be picked up. This operation is performed in the following ways: the main comb 6, in its rest position (high), is advanced by a distance equal to the number of valleys of the carrier bar to be freed; the main comb 6 is lowered and positioned in its working position (low); the auxiliary comb 5 is lowered and positioned in its working position (low); the carrier bar 8 is rotated until reaching the position in which it exposes the smooth surface 9 upwards; the auxiliary comb 5 is raised and returned to the rest position (high); the main comb 6 is fully retracted; by said movement, packages C1, C2, C3 present on the carrier bar (8) are made to retract thereby freeing, at the head of the carrier bar, the number of valleys required for the subsequent pick up step; the auxiliary comb 5 is lowered and positioned in its working position (low); the carrier bar 8 is rotated until reaching the position in which it exposes ridges and valleys upwards.
Operations for the Deposition to the Final Destination

(45) The step of conveying packages C1, C2, C3 to the final destination is carried out by another component part of the pick up and handling group (e.g. consisting of an inclined chute) so as to direct the trajectory of the packages released by the retention system.

(46) The target container may be a drawer of a cart previously constrained to the warehouse or a drawer that is part of the warehouse itself (useful, for example, for emergency or sudden pick ups): In the first case, the opening of the drawer on the cart is possible due to the presence, on the pick up and handling group, of a mechanical arm actuated by means of pneumatic controls according to methods similar to those already described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,478,441. In the second case, the warehouse drawer exposes its opening by means of, for example, a pneumatic actuation.

(47) In any case, the alignment between the chute and the target container of the packages is handled by the computer on the basis of appropriately defined coordinates.

(48) Once aligned, the two combs move to their working position (low). In this configuration, the vector bar may rotate, thereby exposing the smooth part upwards without the risk that the drug packets it retains may lose their known positions.

(49) After rotation, the auxiliary comb 5 can return to the rest position (high).

(50) The drug packages can then be ejected from the carrier bar to the chute through a main comb translation.

(51) The packages, conveyed by the chute itself, reach their final destination by gravity. It is noted that unlike other solutions described in the literature, in order to carry the packages from the carrier bar to the final destination, the same are conveyed from the carrier bar by gravity to the end positions via the chute on which they are dropped directly by the carrier bar.

(52) Thus, the deposition of the doses takes place without further intermediate steps but, from the carrier bar with which they have been picked up from the warehouse, the packages are immediately conveyed to the final destination.

(53) Moreover, amongst the advantages, this mode of ejecting the packages from the carrier bar allows a more reproducible and orderly deposition of the drug packages on the chute since they are deposited progressively one at a time on the conveyor chute, and not at the same time as in the previous solutions adopted.

(54) This makes the process more efficient in terms of speed and accuracy according to one of the objects that inspired this innovation proposal.

(55) It should be noted, although it is clear from the above description, that the teeth of bars 1 and 8 refer to a plurality of ridges 2 and 10 and relative valleys 3 and 7, which are obtained only on half section, with respect to a cross-sectional plane of bars 1 and 8.

(56) Package Loading Procedure

(57) The drug packages to be loaded, for example in a package cabinet, are temporarily placed on a plurality of loading bars 15 consisting of circular section pegs mounted horizontally to form an nm matrix. The loading of the doses is carried out by a telescopic arm 14 provided with a suction system and some suction cups 13. This system is an integral part of the pick up and handling group. The telescopic arm 14 is able to extend towards the drug packages C4, C5, C6, C7 supported by the loading bar 15 and pick them with the suction cups 13 while the suction circuit is active.

(58) In the innovation proposal described herein, each of the loading bars 15 has a conical hole 16 at the tip useful for coupling with the conical head 12 of a carrier bar 8. The loading of a package, such as that indicated with C4, on the carrier bar 8 takes place with the steps described hereinafter and shown in FIG. 4: The carrier bar 8 is aligned with the loading bar 15 from which the package has to be picked up by positioning the pick up and handling group according to the coordinates defined and managed by the processor; Through the pick up system described above, package C4 to be loaded is picked up by the extension of a telescopic arm 14; The telescopic arm, with the package hanging to the suction cups 13, is retracted to the reading position. In this position, the packages to be loaded are identified, for example, the code shown on the package to be loaded can be acquired with a barcode reader. Reference shall be made to FIG. 4a; Similar to what described for the pick up from the storage bar, the carrier bar 8 advances towards the loading bar 15 and joins at the head with the same, The telescopic arm 14 further retracts to the deposition position of the package on the carrier bar. In this position, in fact, by removing the suction, package C4 is let down in the first valley 11 of the service bar. Reference shall be made to FIG. 4b; The telescopic arm 14 can return to its rest position and the carrier bar 8 moves away from the loading bar 15, thereby decoupling from it.

(59) The packages thus loaded on the carrier bar are deposited on the storage bars that make up the warehouse, suitably reversing the steps of the warehouse pick up operation already described. With the above package loading procedure, the problems associated with the interface between the smooth bar, on which the packages to be loaded are hanging, and the carrier bar are overcome. The physical coupling between smooth bar and carrier bar and the use of a service valley positioned in the first position on the carrier bar makes the dose loading step extremely practical and reliable.