Abstract:
A pharmacy picking device including a housing with a plurality of shelf bases disposed one above the other, at least one operating device, a conveyor device, a housing-coupling interface, and a universal supply-and-control module is described herein. This universal supply-and-control module includes a feed device, an identification and measurement device, operator input/output devices, an electronic controller and a voltage supply assembly, as well as a housing-coupling interface and an electrical interface, the supply-and-control module being arranged adjacent to the housing such that a mechanical coupling is produced by said housing-coupling interface and module-coupling interface, in such a manner that drug packages in or on the supply-and-control module, which are to be deposited, are delivered to a position on the conveyor device which is known to the electronic controller.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the U.S. National Stage under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2012/066086, entitled “PHARMACY PICKING DEVICE COMPRISING A UNIVERSAL SUPPLY-AND-CONTROL MODULE,” filed on Aug. 17, 2012, which claims the benefit of European Application No. 11183529.4, filed on Sep. 30, 2011, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a pharmacy order picking apparatus, and, in particular, to a pharmacy order picking apparatus having a universal supply and control module. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The installation or setup of modern pharmacy order picking apparatuses generally requires three working days. As soon as the order picking apparatus has been completely set up, startup takes place, followed by calibration of the storage locations and filling. Two further days are required for this purpose, and a time span for equipping the apparatus can be extended if a large order picking apparatus is being installed in a pharmacy. The usual operation of the pharmacy is therefore disrupted for at least five days. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is the task of the present invention to make available a pharmacy order picking apparatus that can be set up and equipped in a pharmacy within a shorter time span and thereby in clearly most cost-advantageous manner than order picking apparatuses that are usual today. 
     This task is accomplished, according to the invention, by a pharmacy order picking apparatus comprising a housing with a plurality of shelf boards disposed one on top of the other, at least one operating device that can be moved horizontally and vertically in front of the shelf boards on a guide, having a gripping apparatus for storing and/or retrieving medication packages on or from the shelf boards, wherein the operating device can access medication packages situated in a working region, a conveying apparatus for transporting medication packages to be stored, wherein the conveying apparatus extends, at least in part, into the working region of the operating device, and a housing coupling interface that is disposed on an outer wall or within a recess of the housing, and on which the conveying apparatus borders in a predetermined position, and a universal supply and control module having the following assemblies: a feed apparatus for medication packages to be put in storage, an identification and measurement apparatus for identifying and measuring medication packages to be put in storage, operator input/output devices for input and reproduction of data and instructions by or to an operator, control electronics that control the assemblies disposed in the supply and control module, a voltage supply assembly for all the electrical assemblies of the supply and control module, a mechanical module coupling interface complementary to the housing coupling interface, and at least one electrical interface for coupling all the electrical assemblies disposed within the housing, in such a manner that their voltage supply is made available by the voltage supply assembly of the supply and control module, wherein the at least one electrical interface comprises an interface for the operating device, with which the control electronics are coupled in such a manner that the control electronics can transmit control signals to the operating device, and wherein the supply and control module is disposed adjacent to the housing, in such a manner that mechanical coupling between the housing and the supply and control module is produced by way of the housing coupling interface and the module coupling interface, so that medication packages to be put in storage are transferred to the conveying apparatus in or on the supply and control module, in a position known to the control electronics. 
     The pharmacy order picking apparatus according to the invention comprises two essential components, namely a housing and a universal supply and control module, where the supply and control module according to the present invention can be used with numerous housing variants. The housing itself comprises a plurality of shelf boards disposed one on top of the other, and at least one operating device that can be moved horizontally and vertically in front of the shelf boards, on a guide, having a gripping apparatus for storing and/or removing medication packages on or from the shelf boards, where the operating device can access medication packages situated in a working region. The housing furthermore comprises conveying apparatus for transporting medication packages to be stored, where this conveying apparatus extends at least in part into the working region of the operating device, so that the latter can pick no medication packages from the conveying apparatus and convey them onto a predetermined shelf board. The conveying apparatus borders on a housing coupling interface at a predetermined position, which interface is disposed on an outer wall or within a recess of the housing, where of course even those conveying apparatuses that extend outward through the housing coupling interface border on the housing coupling interface. 
     The pharmacy order picking apparatus according to the invention furthermore comprises a universal supply and control module having a number of assemblies, namely a feed apparatus for medication packages to be put in storage, an identification and measurement apparatus for identifying and measuring medication packages to be put in storage, operator input/output devices for input and reproduction of data and instructions by and to an operator, control electronics that control the assemblies disposed in the supply and control module, a voltage supply assembly for all the electrical assemblies of the supply and control module, a mechanical module coupling interface complementary to the housing coupling interface, and at least one electrical interface for coupling all the electrical assemblies disposed within the housing, where this coupling is carried out in such a manner that the voltage supply of the electrical assemblies disposed in the housing is made available by the voltage supply assembly of the supply and control module. 
     The aforementioned assemblies can be installed separately in the supply and control module, but it is also possible that multiple assemblies or apparatuses are combined with one another, where it is ensured, however, that the respective functions of the individual assemblies/apparatuses can be implemented. Thus, it is possible, for example, that the identification and measurement apparatus is combined in a collective assembly with the feed apparatus, where this assembly then makes the functions of the individual assemblies available. 
     Furthermore, it is also possible that parts of assemblies of the housing are integrated into assemblies of the supply and control module (an example of this follows below). Therefore, if assemblies or apparatuses are mentioned within the scope of this application, this is not meant to imply that these are all structured separately. 
     The at least one electrical interface comprises an interface for the operating device, with which the control electronics are coupled in such a manner that the control electronics can transmit control signals to the operating device. 
     The supply and control module is disposed adjacent to the housing, in such a manner that mechanical coupling between the housing and the supply and control module is produced by way of the housing coupling interface and the module coupling interface, so that medication packages to be put in storage are transferred to the conveying apparatus in or on the supply and control module, at a position known to the control electronics. 
     In the pharmacy order picking apparatus according to the invention, a major portion of the electrical assemblies is disposed in the supply and control module, and these assemblies, which are essential for proper operation of the order picking apparatus, can already be connected in the factory and synchronized with one another and calibrated. It is no longer necessary to connect the different electrical assemblies with one another and calibrate the on site, during installation of the order picking apparatus. 
     During the setup or installation of an order picking apparatus according to the invention, first the housing, which makes the actual storage location for the medication packages available, by way of the multiple shelf boards, is set up. The housing and the related shelf boards themselves can be set up very rapidly, because this is a rather simple design. Only the operating device that can be moved on a guide requires a connection with the central control electronics of the order picking apparatus. 
     As soon as the housing has been set up, the supply and control module is disposed at the housing coupling interface, and mechanical coupling between the housing and the supply and control module is produced by way of the module coupling interface. Furthermore, an electrical break-through between the operating device and the control electronics is produced by way of the at least one electrical interface (in other words also between the housing and the supply and control module), so that the control electronics can transmit control signals to the operating device. In the order picking apparatus according to the invention, only one mechanical and one electrical connection therefore have to be produced; all the other error-prone electrical connections were already produced before the start of setup of the order picking apparatus, namely during production of the supply and control module. The setup time is significantly reduced by this because the work for electrical connection and coupling of different assemblies no longer needs to be performed on site, but rather is already performed at the manufacturer&#39;s location, during production of the supply and control module. 
     The universal supply and control module should be disposed at the housing coupling interface with its module coupling interface. The coupling interface of the housing can be disposed on any desired outside wall; the precise placement, of the coupling interface in the housing itself is primarily determined by the spatial conditions in a pharmacy. If the aforementioned spatial conditions permit, it is preferred that the housing has a recess (for example at a corner, if the housing itself is structured to be rectangular), in which the universal supply and control module is disposed. In this method of placement of the supply and control module in a recess of the housing, it is furthermore preferred that the front of the universal supply and control module ends with the front of the housing. 
     Storage the medication packages takes place on a plurality of shelf boards, disposed one on top of the other, in front of which an operating device having a gripping apparatus can be moved horizontally and vertically. To increase the accommodation capacity of the order picking apparatus, it is preferred that the plurality of shelf boards disposed one on to of the other form two shelf rows, between which an alleyway is defined, in which the guide of the operating device is disposed in such a manner that the operating device having the gripping apparatus can access the shelf boards of both shelf rows. In such a case, the gripping apparatus, as such, can be rotated about the vertical axis, for example, or can have movable gripping laws that can be moved into the shelf boards on both sides of the alleyway. 
     Because of the great storage capacity, it can be practical, particularly in the case of such a configuration of the order picking, apparatus, to use a plurality of operating devices. The use of the term “shelf rows” is not supposed to imply that these must run parallel to one another. If the spatial conditions require, the “rows” can also be curved; in such a case, the guide of the operating device(s) must be adapted accordingly. 
     The operating device is displaceable along the guide (x direction), for one thing. Furthermore, at least the gripping apparatus of the operating device is displaceable in terms of height (y direction). The drive for the movement of the gripping apparatus in the y direction is disposed on the operating device itself. The drive unit for the movement of the operating device along the guide can be disposed on the operating device itself, for one thing. In this case, the operating device to displaced together with the drive unit, on a fixed guide. To reduce the cables required between the operating device and the control electronics of the order picking apparatus, however, it is preferred that the drive unit for the movement of the operating device is disposed in the universal supply and control module. This drive unit is then coupled with the operating device, for example by way of a belt drive, and moves the operating device in the x direction, along the guide. Such an arrangement furthermore has the advantage that in the event or a malfunction of the drive unit for the movement in the x direction, the drive unit itself is easier to reach and to replace, if necessary. Furthermore, it is advantageous that the heat produced by the drive unit is not dissipated directly into the storage space of the medication packages. To avoid complicated coupling between drive unit and operating device, it is preferred that at least a part of the drive unit is introduced into the housing, by way of an opening in the latter, after installation of the supply and control module, so that a drive belt, for example, can be easily coupled. 
     The feed apparatus of the supply and control module serves for placement of the medication packages in storage, where the feed apparatus is the location of the order picking apparatus at which the operator supplies the medication packages to the apparatus himself. 
     A single package or a plurality of medication packages is placed into or onto the feed apparatus by an operator. 
     It is particularly preferred that a section of the conveying apparatus of the housing is passed out of the housing at the housing coupling interface, and projects into the universal supply and control module by way of the module coupling interface, and, in this connection, mechanical coupling between the housing and the supply and control module is produced. In such a case, the medication packages in the supply and control module are transferred to the conveying apparatus at a position known to the control electronics. This has the advantage that only one conveying apparatus is provided in the order picking apparatus, and thereby the additional construction effort for a second conveying device in the supply and control module is eliminated. In this case, a section of the conveying apparatus makes a part of the feed apparatus available (see above). 
     However, it can become necessary, for structural reasons, for example, that a conveying apparatus is also provided in the supply and control module, which then is part of the feed apparatus. The packages are then placed by the operator onto the conveying apparatus of the supply and control module, and are transferred from the conveying apparatus in the module be the conveying apparatus of the housing, in the region of the transition between housing coupling interface/module coupling interface. 
     The feed apparatus can also comprise a drawer system into which medication packages are placed by a user. This drawer system can be structured in such a manner that it is passed into the housing at the transition between housing coupling interface/module coupling interface, and, in the housing, is passed into the working region of the operating device. Although this her disadvantages with regard to the operability of the order picking apparatus, the costs are correspondingly lower, because the medication packages are essentially introduced into the housing by hand (where they are then taken up by the operating device). In this case, the conveying apparatus is made available by a component of the feed apparatus. 
     In on preferred exemplary embodiment, the conveying apparatus comprises an endless conveyor belt onto which the medication packages are transferred. Such an endless conveyor belt is cost-advantageous and can be quickly replaced in the event of damage. This endless belt can extend all the way into the supply and control module (see above). 
     Because of the concentration of the electrical assemblies in the supply and control module, the heat development is restricted to a small space. To avoid an overly high temperature in the supply and control module, the universal supply and control module preferably comprises a ventilation apparatus having an air intake device, air guides, and air exits. The air guides are preferably configured in such a manner than no air enters into the housing, in order to thereby prevent the storage region for the medication packages from heating up. It is practical if the air intake device is disposed in the bottom region, and the air exits are disposed in the upper region of the supply and control module. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the following, the present invention Will be described with reference to the drawing, in which 
         FIGS. 1A and 1B  show schematic top views of a first and a second exemplary embodiment of the order picking apparatus according to the invention, 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic side view of a further exemplary embodiment of the order picking apparatus according to the invention, and 
         FIG. 3  shows a detailed, slanted view of a supply end control module of a further exemplary embodiment of the order picking apparatus according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1A  shows a schematic top view of a first exemplary embodiment of the order picking apparatus  1  according to the invention, having a housing  10  and a supply and control module  20 . On an outer wall, the housing  10  comprises a housing coupling interface  15 , and the supply and control module  20  also comprises a coupling interface  26  on an outer side. The supply and control module  20  is disposed at the housing coupling interface  15  of the housing  10 , on the outer wall of the housing  10 , specifically in such a manner that the module coupling interface  26  lies opposite the housing coupling interface  15 , and thereby mechanical coupling between the housing  10  and the supply and control module  20  is made available. 
     The housing  10  comprises a conveying apparatus  14 , which is introduced into the supply and control module  20  at the housing coupling interface  15 , from the latter through the module coupling interface  26 , and the section of the conveying apparatus  14  passed through the supply and control module  20  is part of the feed apparatus  21 , not shown in any detail in this view. A plurality of shelf boards  11  is disposed in the housing  10 , which boards form two parallel shelf rows. An alleyway is defined between the shelf rows, and a guide  15  for the operating device  12  and its gripping apparatus  13  is disposed in this alleyway. Furthermore, an electrical connection is made available between the housing  10  and the supply and control module  20 , by way of the interface  27 . 
       FIG. 1B  shows a schematic top view of a second exemplary embodiment of the order picking apparatus  1  according to the invention. In this exemplary embodiment, as well, the order picking apparatus  1  comprises a housing  10 . In contrast to the first exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 1A , the housing  10  comprises a recess in which the supply and control module  20  is disposed. In this second exemplary embodiment, as well, the housing  10  comprises a conveying device  14 , where a section of this conveying device  14  is passed into and through the supply and control module  20  by way of the housing coupling interface  15  and the module coupling interface  26 . Furthermore, an electrical interface  27  is disposed adjacent to the coupling interfaces  15 ,  26 . The housing  10  comprises a number of shelf boards  11  in this exemplary embodiment, as well, which form two shelf rows in the exemplary embodiment shown, which define an alleyway between them, in which a guide  16  for an operating device  12  having a gripping apparatus  13  is disposed. In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 1B , the drive unit for the movement of the operating device along the guide  16  (x direction) is disposed within the supply and control module  20  and coupled with the operating device  12  in such a manner that the latter can be moved along the x direction. Corresponding coupling can take place using a belt drive, for example, where in such a case, corresponding deflection rolls must be provided in the housing or at the guide  16 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a schematic side view of a further exemplary embodiment of the order picking apparatus  1 . This comprises a housing  10  and a supply and control module  20 . A plurality of shelf boards  11 , disposed one on top of the other, are disposed in the housing  10 , on which boards a plurality of medication packages  40  are or can be disposed. An operating device  12  can be moved in the x direction, on a guide  16 . This operating device  12  comprises a gripping apparatus  13 , which can be moved in the y direction. The drive unit for the movement of the operating device  12  in the x direction can be disposed at the foot of the operating device  12 , for example, but also in the supply and control module  20 ; the precise placement of the drive unit depends on the spatial configuration of the order picking apparatus (see description of  FIGS. 1A and 1B ). Furthermore, a conveying apparatus  14  having an endless conveyor belt  14   a  is disposed in the housing  10 , where in the exemplary embodiment shown, a section of the conveying apparatus  14  extends through the housing coupling interface  15  and the module coupling interface  26  into and through the feed apparatus  21  of the control and supply module  20 . In the exemplary embodiment shown, the part of the conveying apparatus  14  that exits out of the housing  10  is part of the feed apparatus  21 , so that transfer of the medication packages from a separate conveying apparatus in the supply and control module  20  onto a conveying apparatus of the housing is not required. 
     The module coupling interface  26  of the supply and control module  20  is disposed on an outer side or outer wall of the supply and control module, facing the housing, where the module itself is disposed in such manner, with regard to the housing  10 , that mechanical coupling between the housing  10  and the supply and control module  20  is made available by we of the housing coupling interface  15  and the module coupling interface  26 . Mechanical coupling is furthermore achieved by way of introducing the section of the conveying apparatus  14  into the feed apparatus  21  and passing it through. 
     Furthermore, an electrical connection exists between the housing  10  and the supply and control module  20 , at the electrical interface  27 . For one thing, the voltage supply of all the electrical assemblies within the housing takes place by way of this interface, and for another, control signals from the control electronics are transmitted to the operating device  12 , by way of a special interface or an interface section. As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , there are only two interfaces between the housing  10  and the supply and control module  20 , namely a mechanical one and an electrical one; the work during installation or setup of the order picking apparatus is therefore restricted to one interface, with regard to coupling of electrical components, so that the setup time is clearly reduced. 
     In the exemplary embodiment shown, an identification and measurement apparatus  22  is disposed in the supply and control module  20 , within the feed apparatus  21 . In other exemplary embodiments, the identification and measurement apparatus can also be disposed outside of the feed apparatus  21 . The universal supply and control module  20  furthermore comprises operator input/output devices  23  (a monitor having a touch screen) for input and reproduction of data and instructions by or to the operator. The control electronics  24 , and, adjacent to them, the voltage supply assembly  25  are disposed in the lower section of the supply and control module  20 . These two assemblies generate a major portion of the heat that occurs in the supply and control module  20 , so that in the exemplary embodiment shown, an air intake device  30  is disposed under these assemblies, by way of which cool outside air is passed to the supply and control module  20 . The air drawn in is passed through the module by way of air guides, not shown, and exits out of the supply and control module  20  in the upper region, at air exits  31  this connection, the air guides are preferably configured in such a manner that no air enters into the housing  10 , in order to minimize introduction of heat and dirt into the housing in this manner. 
       FIG. 3  shows a detailed slanted view of a supply and control module  20  of a further exemplary embodiment of the order picking apparatus according to the invention. The supply and control module  20  comprises an air intake  30  of a ventilation apparatus in the lower region. Furthermore, the voltage supply assembly  25  and the control electronics  24  are disposed in the lower region. The feed apparatus  21  is disposed above the control electronics  24 . In the exemplary embodiment shown, this apparatus comprises a vertically movable barrier  21   a  that serves, among other things, to lay medication packages onto to conveying means not shown in a defined orientation. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the feed apparatus  21  does not comprise a conveying apparatus for the medication packages. This apparatus is made available, as is particularly described in  FIG. 2 , by the housing of the order picking apparatus, at the housing coupling interface of which a section of the conveying apparatus projects out of the housing, and during assembly of the order picking apparatus, is introduced into the feed apparatus, thereby causing the section of the conveying apparatus that projects out of the housing to become part of the feed apparatus  21 . A region for operator input/output devices  23  is provided above the feed apparatus  21 , where in the exemplary embodiment shown, these devices are not shown, for the sake of clarity. In this exemplary embodiment, a redundant uninterruptible power supply  28  is furthermore disposed in the upper region of the supply and control module  20 . Finally, air exits  31  are disposed in the ceiling section the supply and control module  20 .