Patent ID: 6625952
Filing Date: 2003-09-30
Classification: B65B,G07F

Abstract:
A medication dispensing apparatus for storing a plurality of different types of oral solid medication and for dispensing doses of the medication for a patient in packaged, patient-specific medication dosage units in accordance with patient-specific prescription information comprising:means for storing the different types of oral solid medication; means for selectively dispensing doses of the oral solid medication from the storing means for the patient; means for packaging each dispensed dose for the patient as a separate patient-specific medication dosage unit in a package formed in a continuous package belt such that each dosage unit for the patient is arranged in the package belt as (1) a group of dosage units, or (2) a single dosage unit; means for selectively cutting the package belt containing the patient's oral solid medication into discrete sections such that each group of dosage units for the patient is separated into a section and each single dosage unit for the patient is separated into a section; means for stacking at least each single dosage unit section for the patient; and means for bundling at least each stacked single dosage unit for the patient.