US 12,202,674 B2
Packaging system including a shrink wrap device for wrapping containers that include environmentally sensitive pharmaceuticals
Anne Wheeler, St. Charles, MO (US); and Jason L. Cagle, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Assigned to Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc., St. Louis, MO (US)
Filed by Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc., St. Louis, MO (US)
Filed on Sep. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/479,602.
Prior Publication US 2023/0087658 A1, Mar. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. F25D 3/08 (2006.01); B65B 53/02 (2006.01); B65B 57/04 (2006.01); B65B 59/00 (2006.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01); B65G 43/08 (2006.01); B65G 47/64 (2006.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01)
CPC B65G 1/1375 (2013.01) [B65B 53/02 (2013.01); B65B 57/04 (2013.01); B65B 59/00 (2013.01); B65G 1/1376 (2013.01); B65G 43/08 (2013.01); B65G 47/64 (2013.01); B65B 2220/16 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0216 (2013.01); G06Q 10/087 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fulfillment system, comprising:
a perishable drug filling system configured to fill prescription drugs of a first type into coolers for controlling the environments of the prescription drugs of the first type during shipment;
a non-perishable drug filling system configured to fill prescription drugs of a second type into boxes for shipment;
a shipping station for delivering the coolers and the boxes to at least one delivery service;
a conveyor configured to move the boxes and the coolers from the drug filling systems to the shipping station;
a decision station located along the conveyor and configured to determine if a container on the conveyor is a cooler or a box;
in response to the decision station determining that the container on the conveyor is a cooler, the conveyor being configured to direct the container to a shrink wrap station,
in response to the decision station determining that the container on the conveyor is a box, the conveyor being configured to direct the container towards the shipping station while bypassing the shrink wrap station; and
the shrink wrap station being configured to apply a wrapper around the cooler and apply heat to the wrapper to shrink the wrapper to a tight fit around the cooler with the wrapper having a transparent section over a label on the cooler.