REFURBISHING SYSTEM FOR REUSABLE CHILD-SAFE CONTAINERS

Abstract

An automated refurbishment system for cleaning and testing recycled child-safe containers. The system takes in durable, child-safe container bodies and caps after usage, washes the container parts reduce an amount of contaminants, and then dries the washed parts. The system then assembles the child-safe container bodies to caps, and tests the assembled child-safe containers, to assess the functionality of the child-safe features. The clean and tested refurbished child-safe containers can then be reused to dispense controlled substances (e.g., pharmaceuticals). Specific modules of the system can be interchanged to allow compatibility with different styles and designs of child-safe containers. The refurbishment system facilitates the recycling and reuse of durable, child-safe containers as an alternative to the current practice of using single-use, disposable plastic child-safe containers to dispense prescription pills and other controlled substances.

Claims

1. A child-safe container refurbishment system, comprising: a washing station; an assembly station configured to install a cap on a container body to define a child-safe container; a storage station configured to receive child-safe containers from said assembly station; and a robotic arm comprising a gripper and configured to move between said washing station, said assembly station, and said storage station, wherein said robotic arm is configured to separately transfer caps and container bodies that have been washed in said washing station to said assembly station.

2. The container refurbishment system of claim 1, wherein said storage station comprises at least one rack that accommodates a plurality of assembled containers.

3. The container refurbishment system of claim 1, wherein said robotic arm is movable in at least four different dimensions.

4. The container refurbishment system of claim 1, wherein said robotic arm is configured to move from said washing station to said assembly station, and is configured to move from said assembly station to said storage station.

5. The container refurbishment system of claim 1, wherein said assembly station comprises a container cap gripper and a separate container body gripper, wherein said container cap gripper is configured to be movable along a first axis and relative to said container body gripper, and is further configured to rotate said container cap gripper about said first axis.

6. The container refurbishment system of claim 5, wherein said container cap gripper is movable in a first direction along said first axis and towards said container body gripper, and is movable in a second direction along said first axis and away from said container body gripper.

7. The container refurbishment system of claim 5, further comprising: a first container cap and a first container body, a first operational configuration comprising said container body gripper being in a second position, wherein a first position of said container body gripper aligns said container body gripper with said container cap gripper, wherein said second position has said container body gripper being out of alignment with said container cap gripper, and wherein said first operational configuration further comprises said gripper of said robotic arm engaging and disposing said first container body in said container body gripper and thereafter engaging and positioning said first container cap on said first container body.

8. The container refurbishment system of claim 7, further comprising: a second operational configuration comprising moving said container body gripper from said second position to said first position and while said container body gripper is in an engaged configuration relative to said first container body.

9. The container refurbishment system of claim 8, further comprising: a third operational configuration comprising said container body gripper being in said first position, said container cap gripper being both moved toward said container body gripper and rotated, all with said container cap gripper being in an engaged configuration relative to said first container cap, with said container body gripper remaining in said engaged configuration relative to said first container body, with said container body gripper being retained in a fixed position, and with said first cap remaining positioned on said first container body.

10. The container refurbishing system of claim 9, further comprising: a fourth operational configuration comprising said container cap gripper attempting to move said first container cap relative to said first container body in at least one dimension to assess securement of said first cap to said first container body, said fourth operational configuration comprising said container cap gripper remaining in said engaged configuration relative to said first container cap, said container body gripper remaining in said engaged configuration relative to said first container body, and said container body gripper being retained in said fixed position.

11. The refurbishment system of claim 5, wherein said container body gripper is movable between first and second positions, wherein said first position aligns said container body gripper with said container cap gripper, and wherein said second position disposes said container body gripper out of alignment with said container cap gripper.

12. A method of refurbishing a child-safe container, comprising: washing a container cap and a container body at a washing station; executing a first transporting step comprising transporting said container body to an assembly station after said washing step; executing a second transporting step comprising transporting said container cap to said assembly station after both said washing step and said first transporting step, wherein said first transporting step and said second transporting step are executed by a robotic arm; installing said container cap on said container body to define an assembled child-safe container, wherein said installing step is executed after said second transporting step; and executing a third transporting step after said installing step and comprising transporting said assembled container away from said assembly station, said third transporting step being executed by said robotic arm.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said installing step comprises: engaging said container body with a container body gripper; engaging said container cap with a container cap gripper; moving said container cap gripper along an axis and toward said container body; and rotating said container cap gripper relative to said container body gripper to detachably engage said container cap with said container body.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said rotating step comprises rotating said container cap gripper about said axis.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said moving step comprises pressing said container cap against said container body, and wherein said rotating step is executed after at least a portion of said pressing step.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising: moving said container body gripper between a first position and a second position, wherein said first position comprises said container body gripper being aligned with said container cap gripper for each of said moving step and said rotating step.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said second position comprises said container body gripper being out of alignment with said container cap gripper.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said container body gripper is in said second position for said first transporting step, wherein said robotic arm transfers said container body to said container body gripper when in said second position.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said container body gripper is in said second position for said second transporting step, wherein said robotic arm transfers said container cap onto an end of said container body with container body gripper being in said second position.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: moving said container body gripper from said second position to said first position, wherein said moving step and said rotating step for said container cap gripper are executed with said container body gripper being in said first position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0096] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a refurbishing system for reusable, child-safe containers.

[0097] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a representative child-safe container that may be used in conjunction with the refurbishing system of FIG. 1.

[0098] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a multi-axis robotic arm that may be used to transport container bodies, caps, and assembled containers throughout the refurbishing system of FIG. 1.

[0099] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a capping or assembly station for the refurbishing system of FIG. 1, where an upper gripper is aligned with but spaced from a cap on a container body being engaged by a lower gripper.

[0100] FIG. 3A is an enlarged perspective view of the capping station of FIG. 3, with its upper gripper engaging a cap.

[0101] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the capping station of FIG. 3, where the upper gripper is engaged with a cap positioned on a container body.

[0102] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the capping station of FIG. 3, where the lower gripper is in position to receive a container body from the robotic arm of FIG. 2.

[0103] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a washing station used by the refurbishing system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0104] FIG. 1 shows a representative embodiment of a refurbishing system for reusable, child-safe containers and that is identified by reference numeral 40. An enlarged view of a representative container that may be processed by this refurbishing system 40 is illustrated in FIG. 1A and is identified by reference numeral 5. The container 5 includes a container body 3 and a cap 4 that is detachably connectable to the container body 3. The container 5 may be of a child-safe configuration to reduce the potential of a child being able to detach the cap 4 from the container body 3 (e.g., to reduce the potential of a child accessing contents of the container 5, such as pharmaceuticals 5a or other contents). For instance, lugs may be included on an outer, upper perimeter of the container body 3 that may be disposed with a corresponding slot on an inside surface of a sidewall of the cap 4, where rotation of the cap 4 relative to the container body 3 disposes these lugs in a different portion of the corresponding slot that resists pulling the cap 4 away from the container body 3 to remove the cap 4 from the container body 3. Moreover, a user may have to push down on the cap 4 (e.g., there may be a compressible seal between the cap 4 and container body 3), and then rotate the cap 4 relative to the container body 3 such that the cap 4 may be removed from the container body 3.

[0105] By way of initiation summary and referring back to FIG. 1, the refurbishing system 40 includes a wash assembly or station that holds and washes the incoming child-safe container bodies 3 and caps 4. A multi-axis robotic arm 6 of the refurbishing system 40 includes an attached main gripper 13 (FIG. 2) to engage and move the washed container bodies 3 and caps 4 from the washing station 2 to a container capping assembly or station 1. This capping station 1 includes an upper gripper 22 (for engaging a cap 4), and a lower gripper 20 (for engaging a container body 3). After a cap 4 is attached to a container body 3 at the capping station 1, the resulting container 5 may be tested by the capping station 1. Thereafter, the robotic arm 6 with the attached main gripper 13 moves the assembled child-safe container 5 to an output tray 8a, 8b if the assembled container 5 is determined to be sufficient for reuse, or to a reject bin 50 if the assembled container 5 is determined to be insufficient for reuse.

[0106] FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the multi-axis robotic arm 6 with main gripper 13, and which provides the means to move and position child-safe container bodies 3, caps 4, and assembled containers 5 throughout the system 40. In the 4-axis arm embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the x, y and z degrees of freedom are provided by electric motor driven lead screws 9, 10, 11, respectively, and the rotary degree of freedom, theta, is provided by a rotational drive 12 (e.g., electric motor/gearbox combination). Attached to the rotational drive 12 is an electromechanical main gripper 13 with attached gripper jaws 14 which provide the means to grasp various sizes of components (and individual components thereof), and is able to grip, move, and release either child-safe container bodies 3, caps 4, or child-safe containers 5 (a container 5 being an assembled configuration, where a cap 4 is installed on/attached to a container body 3). In other embodiments, the multi-axis robotic arm 6 with main gripper 13 can be other, various combinations of translation stages, including linear, rotary, electro-mechanical, and pneumatic.

[0107] FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the container capping assembly or station 1 which provides the means to assemble child-safe container bodies 3 to child-safe caps 4, by the appropriate rotary and compression movements to engage the corresponding child-safe features of the resulting container 5. The capping station 1 includes a lower gripper 20, which holds the child-safe container body 3 in a stationary of fixed position, for instance when installing a cap 4 on a container body 3, as well as when testing the assembled container 5. The lower gripper 20 may grasp the child-safe container body 3 by pneumatic, or other electro-mechanical means capable of securely gripping and releasing various sizes of container bodies 3 and without damaging the container body 3.

[0108] The capping station 1 includes an upper gripper 22 with attached gripper jaws 23, capable of securely gripping child-safe caps 4 (e.g., FIG. 3A which shows the upper gripper 22 with attached gripper jaws 23 engaging a child-safe cap 4). The upper gripper 22 is attached to components which provides the means to move the upper gripper 22 in the z and rotary directions. A z translation stage 31 moves the upper gripper 22 parallel to/co-linearly with the child safe container body axis (the axis about which a sidewall of the container body 3 extends), and a rotary translation stage 30 rotates the upper gripper 22 around/about the child-safe container body axis. The z translation stage 31 and rotary translation stage 30 allow the upper gripper 22 to rotate child-safe caps 4, in combination with pushing and pulling the child-safe caps 4 towards and away from, respectively, the corresponding child-safe container body 3 being held in a stationary position by the lower gripper 20. These rotating and axial movements allow the upper gripper 22 of the capping station 1 to install child safe-caps 4 on child-safe container bodies 3, as well as to pull on a cap 4 (when locked to a corresponding container body 3 via the child-safe features) with a predetermined force in order to in order to test the child-safe lock of the assembled container 5. A means of measuring compression and tension applied by the upper gripper 22 to the engaged child-safe cap 4, such as a strain gauge, may be integral with/used by the capping station 1. A means of measuring rotational and linear positions of the upper gripper 22 and cap 4, such as encoders or hall sensors, may be integral with/used by the capping station 1.

[0109] FIG. 3 shows the upper gripper 22 of the capping station 1 in a raised position achieved by the z translation stage 31 (e.g., prior to engaging the cap 4 to install the same on the container body 3). A motor of the rotary translation stage 30 is coupled to the z translation stage 31 which enables the z translation stage 31 and the upper gripper 22 of the capping station 1 to rotate caps 4. Upper gripper jaws 23 are attached to the upper gripper 22 and enable secure gripping to caps 4. In the embodiment shown, the z translation stage 31 is actuated by pneumatic and spring loaded means, so a rotary pneumatic fitting 32 is included to avoid tangling of the attached pneumatic tubing during rotation.

[0110] FIG. 4 shows the upper gripper 22 of the capping station 1 in a lowered position achieved by the z translation stage 31. The lowered position allows the upper gripper 22 to grasp the cap 4 and secure the cap 4 in position on the container body 3 (being held in place by the lower gripper 20 of the capping station 1). This lowered position allows the upper gripper 22 to grasp the cap 4 and rotate the cap 4 relative to the container body 3 (being held in place by the lower gripper 20 of the capping station 1) to secure the cap 4 relative to the container body 3. The upper gripper 22 may press the cap 4 against the container body 3, and during this pressing action may rotate the cap 4 relative to the container body 3 to secure the cap 4 to the container body 3 using one or more child-safe features.

[0111] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment where the lower gripper 20 of the capping station 1 is attached to a rotary stage 21 (e.g., a rotational drive of any appropriate type), and where the lower gripper 20 has been rotated out of alignment with the upper gripper 22 of the capping station 1 (e.g., a second position for the lower gripper 20). The FIG. 5 configuration allows space for the main gripper 13 of the multi-axis robotic arm 6 to place and remove container bodies 3 into and out of the lower gripper 20. A cap 4 may also be positioned on the upper end of the container body 3 by the robotic arm 6 (via its gripper 13) when the lower gripper 20 is in the position shown in FIG. 5. With a cap 4 having been positioned on the upper end of the container body 3, the lower gripper 20 may be moved back to where the upper gripper 22 is aligned with the lower gripper 20 (a first position, and as shown in FIG. 3), for securement of the cap 4 relative to the container body 3 in accordance with the foregoing.

[0112] FIG. 6 shows the wash station 2 with stationary racks 20 holding child-safe caps 4. Movable racks 21 are shown holding child-safe container bodies 3 to optimize their position for either draining (one rack 21), or being picked up by the multi-axis robotic arm 6 for transfer to the capping station 1 (another of the racks 21). The movable racks 21 include spring loaded holders 21a to securely retain the child-safe container bodies 3 during movement. The wash station 2 also includes a spraying apparatus 24 for spraying pressurized cleaning and rinsing solution, and a drying apparatus 26 for circulating heated air throughout the wash station 2.

[0113] The foregoing description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Furthermore, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein. Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the above teachings, and skill and knowledge of the relevant art, are within the scope of the present invention. The embodiments described hereinabove are further intended to explain best modes known of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such, or other embodiments and with various modifications required by the particular application(s) or use(s) of the present invention. It is intended that the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.

[0114] Any feature of any other various aspects addressed in this disclosure that is intended to be limited to a singular context or the like will be clearly set forth herein by terms such as only, single, limited to, or the like. Merely introducing a feature in accordance with commonly accepted antecedent basis practice does not limit the corresponding feature to the singular. Moreover, any failure to use phrases such as at least one also does not limit the corresponding feature to the singular. Use of the phrase at least generally or the like in relation to a particular feature encompasses the corresponding characteristic and insubstantial variations thereof (e.g., indicating that a surface is at least substantially or generally flat encompasses the surface actually being flat and insubstantial variations thereof). Finally, a reference of a feature in conjunction with the phrase in one embodiment does not limit the use of the feature to a single embodiment.