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CUSTOMIZED PRESCRIPTION PRODUCIf PACKAGING AND METHOD
AND SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING CUSTOMIZED PRESCRIPTION
PRODUCT PACKP~GING
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to customized prescription product
packaging, and the method of producing cusltomized prescription product
packaging.
Background of the Invention
The packaging of contact lenses is well known in the contact lens
manufacturing technology. For short-term u:>e or single wear contact lenses,
such packaging arrangements generally consist of blister packs which are
employed for the storage and dispensing of the hydrophilic contact lenses by
a medical practitioner or sale to a patient who wears the contact lenses.
Typically, the blister packs have a plastic bowl shaped area to receive the
contact fens and aqueous solution, and a cover, such as a heat-sealed
lidstock which may consist of one or more polymeric or foil layers. Several
blister packs may be removably attached to each other usually by the
lidstock to form an array of blister packs. An example of a blister pack which
is adapted to provide a sterile sealed storage; environment for a disposable
or single-use hydrophilic contact lens, wherein the lens is immersed in a
sterile aqueous solution is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,691,820 to
Martinez; which is assigned to the common assignee of the present
invention, and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Typically, one or more ofithe arrays oif blister packs are placed in a
box or carton for sale to the patient. Conventionally, the pluralities of
blister
packs containing the contact lenses in the sterile aqueous solutions are
packaged and stored in cartons each containing a specified quantity of the
blister packs; for example, 15 or 30 blister packs or other suitable
quantities.
Generally, the cartons are constituted of cardboard or paperboard
possessing rectangular configurations and are imprinted in one or more
colors with suitable identifying legends, logos, decorative indicia andlor
instructions in the use of the contents, and information regarding the
manufacturer, as may be required by various government regulations andlor
statutes.
The cartons are usually placed in large storage boxes proximate the
manufacturing lines where the lenses were produced, packaged, and
sterilized. The large storage boxes containing the cartons are forwarded to
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distribution centers or warehouses and stocked at those locations. In the
event that no further processing of the carton contents is required, upon the
receipt of shipping andlor sales orders, the large storage boxes are
eventually pulled from stock, the cartons containing the product, such as the
blister-packaged contact lenses, are removed from the boxes, separated into
individual orders which may consist of various different products, and the
orders shipped to prospective customers, such as domestic or foreign
distributors, physicians, optometrists or to potential users of the contact
lenses.
Both the lidstock and the cartons may contain some information which
is printed upon the lidstock or carton just prior to the time that the
lidstock is
sealed onto the blister or just prior to the time that the arrays of blister
packs
are placed in the cartons. The information which is added to the lidstock or
the carton at this time typically is limited to the power, axis, cylinder, .
expiration date and lot number. All the other information and logos are
usually present on the lidstock and cartons prior to packaging the contact
lenses in the manufacturing line.
Summary of the Invention
This invention provides packaging for housing at least one
prescription product comprising customized graphics for said packaging,
said graphics are customized by the individual doctor prescribing and/or the
individual patient receiving said at least one prescription product.
This invention further provides the method and system for producing
customized packaging which houses at least; one prescription product,
wherein said packaging is customized by the. individual doctor prescribing
andlor said patient receiving said at least one prescription product, said
method comprising the steps of:
receiving an order for at least one prescription product from
said doctor or a refill order from said patient; and
printing out customized graphics specified by said doctor or
said patient for said package for at least one prescription product.
This invention provides packaging an<i a method and system for
producing customized packaging for said at least one prescription product.
The benefit of this invention is to provide the doctors with the ability to
customize the prescription product packages. for his or her patients. The
doctor can add his or her name, telephone rnumber(s), e-mail address,
website, street address, appointment information, greetings, a picture of the
doctor, office, local landmark, andlor any other desired picture or
information
directly to the packaging materials for the prf;scription product. The
preferred prescription product is a contact lens. This invention is
particularly
beneficial for doctors to provide cartons having customized graphics to new
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patients who may have been fitted with trial pairs of contact lenses and must
return to the doctor for a follow-up appointmE:nt. It also provides a vehicle
for
the doctors to advertise their practices.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Reference may now be had to the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments of the invention, takE;n in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings; in which:
Figure 1 illustrates a perspective top and side view of a blister
pack array with customized graphics;
Figure 2 illustrates a perspective top and side view of a carton
with customized graphics;
Figure 3 illustrates a top view of an insert with customized
graphics;
Figure 4 illustrates a top view of a label having customized
graphics for a carton; and
Figure 5 is a schematic of a top view of a system for printing
out labels having customized graphics for adhering to a carton.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
The invention will be described for thE: preferred prescription product,
a contact lens; however, any prescription pn~duct could be substituted for the
contact lens. Examples of other prescription products include medications,
spectacles, medical devices, or the like.
The "identification means" is a numbf;r, bar code, two-dimensional
matrix, three dimensional matrix, inductive transmitting/receiving device, or
radio frequency chip, or the like. Preferably each identification means
contains some unique information for every part having one. Identification
means may be machine readable andlor human readable, preferably at least
machine readable. A machine readable identification means preferably has
information stored in a database associated with the identification means.
For packaging, the information stored in the database associated with the
identification means may not be present on the packaging in human-
readable form. That is, the only way to know which product is in the
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packaging is to access the information in the database by inputting the
identification means into the database, via a bar-code reader or the like.
As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3 the packaging having customized
graphics which houses at least one contact I~sns can be part of any of the
packaging for the contact lens. Typically, cointact lens packaging comprises
primary packaging and secondary packaging. The primary packaging is the
packaging adjacent to the contact lens, the secondary packaging surrounds
the primary packaging. There can be any number of layers of packaging for
the contact lens; however, in the preferred embodiment, there is primary
packaging and secondary packaging. The customized graphics can be
added to the primary, andlor secondary pacN;aging andlor it can be a
package insert, typically placed within the secondary packaging: The
customized graphics can be an alphanumeric message, picture, photograph,
andlor the like, or combinations of the above.
The primary packaging for a contact IE:ns is preferably a blister pack
with a lidstock, but it can take any form, e.g. a glass bottle, cans, trays,
pouches, e.g. form-fill-and-seal pouches, as long as it provides adequate
protection for the contact lens. Figure 1 shows a blister pack array 10
having customized graphics. The blister pack array 10 consists of five blister
packs 11. Each blister pack 11 consists of an individual base 12 all five of
which are interconnected by a contiguous lidstock 13, which is scored so
that the individual blister packs 11 can be detached from the array 10. Each
base 12 preferably comprises injection-molded or thermoformed plastic
incorporating a molded cavity 15 which is surrounded by an outstanding
planar flange 18 about the rim of the cavity 15. A flexible cover sheet or
lidstock 13 is adhered to the surface of the flange 18 so as to sealingly
enclose the cavity 15 in a generally air and liquid-tight mode. Within the
cavity 15 of the base portion, a contact lens (not shown) is immersed in a
sterile aqueous solution (not shown). Preferably the contact lens is a
hydrophilic contact lens manufactured of materials known to those of
ordinary skill in the art. The customized graphics 14 shown are present on
the lidstock 13 and indicate the patient to receive the contact lens in each
blister pack, and which eye of the patient the: contact lens should be placed
in. The customized graphics 14 state on the lidstock for each blister pack:
"CONTACT LENS FOR JOAN'S LEFT EYE". There may be no prescription
information e.g. power for spherical contact lenses or power, cylinder, axis
for toric contact lenses present on the packaging, only information indicating
who the product is for, and directions for its proper use. The packaging may
only be identified and tracked by the manufacturer by at least one
identification means, also referred to as a product identification means,
preferably a machine readable ident~cation means present on the
packaging, preferably on at least the secondary packaging, more preferably
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present on both the primary packaging and ;>econdary packaging for contact
lenses. The information associated with the product identification means,
such as, SKU, lot number, expiration date, can be stored in one or more
databases. The information is accessible when the product identification
means is inputted into a computer, which Cain access the database.
Presently, it is preferred that the packaging for the contact lenses
comprise primary and secondary packaging. The preferred secondary
packaging is a carton, but it can take any form, such as, bags, plastic wraps,
envelopes, pouches, cans, boxes, bottles, or trays. The secondary
packaging preferably houses multiple primary packages. The preferred
secondary packaging is shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 shows a carton 20,
which preferably houses multiple contact lenses each in primary packaging
(such as one more of the arrays shown in Figure 1 ). The rectangular carton
preferably comprises paperboard. The carton 20 includes flat top wall
15 panel 21 and opposing bottom wall panel (not shown) respective front panel
and opposing rear panel (not shown), and opposite end walls 24 (only
one shown) which are sealed through an adlhesive or glued construction as
is known in the carton forming technology. The top wall panel 21 includes a
downwardly depending front flap 26 having <~ centrally located latching tab
20 27 at a lower edge thereof which is adapted to be tucked into a cooperating
latching slit (not shown) centrally formed in tlhe front panel 25 to
facilitate
reclosing of the carton 20. The top wall panel 21 is adapted to be swung
upwardly about a rear hinge line 28 to open the carton 20. The top wall
panel 21 of the carton is shown having the customized graphics 22, 23 which
25 consist of alphanumerics 22 and a picture 2;3. The alphanumerics 22 state:
"CONTACT LENSES FOR JOAN SMITH PROVIDED BY DR. JONES". The
picture 23 is a photograph of the doctor, Dr. Jones, who prescribed the
contact lenses.
Figure 3 shows a third embodiment of the invention in which the
customized graphics are added to a package insert. The package insert can
be a paper or any object, e.g. a toy, a mirror, etc., which is added to the
packaging. Figure 3 shows the insert 30 as a piece of paper, and the
customized graphics 31 is an alphanumeric message which states: 'These
contact lenses are provided to Joan Smith by DR. JONES, O.D. Our office
will call you in one month to schedule a follow-up. In the interim if you have
any problems with these contact lenses, please call my office at 555-5555.
Your eyes are important to me." The package insert paper 30 can be folded
up to fit into the secondary packaging, e.g. carton. The customized graphics
shown in the figures are exemplary. Any alphanumeric message, picture, or
photograph selected by the doctor, or patient could be used.
Figure 4 shows a label 40. The label may be adhered to blank areas
of the packaging or it may be an over-label, meaning it may be adhered to
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areas of the packaging which are partially or fully labeled for distribution.
The label 40 is preferably an adhesive sticker. The label 40 as shown is
shaped for use on a carton similar to the cari:on shown in Figure 2. The label
40 consists of a top layer 47 comprising paper, polymer, (e.g.
polyvinylchloride film) or metal film, preferably paper. Preferably there is
an
adhesive layer (not shown) coated on the back side of the top layer 47. The
label 40 may be attached to a peel layer (not. shown) which the top layer 47
and the adhesive layer can be peeled from before attaching the label 40 to
the package. Preferably, the adhesive is a permanent adhesive, e.g. Avery
Dennison adhesive LP-430 PermanentlEmulsion Acrylic with service
temperature range -54 to +93 °C; Avery Dennison adhesive S-4600
PermanentlAcrylic with service temperature range -40 to +80 °C.
Altemativeiy, the label 40 may only consist of a top layer 47 and the
adhesive can be applied to the packaging before the top layer is applied to
the packaging. The label 40 has multiple types of customized graphics 41,
42, and 43. The label 40 has a doctor's phoi:ograph 41, a picture of a sail
boat 42, and an alphanumeric message 43 indicating that the contact lenses
are "Provided by Dr. Sailor (555) 555-5555". The photograph, picture and
alphanumeric message are all selected by the doctor. The doctor could
specify (or a patient may select) a picture which he/she knows is well suited
for a patient, e.g. a horse for a horse-lover.
As shown in Figure 4, the label may comprise additional information
such as a product identification means 45, and a label identification means
46, preferably both identification means are machine-readable identification
means. . The product identification means 45 is used to identify the type of
the contact lenses and the prescription of thE; contact lenses that are within
the carton to which the label 40 is to be adhered to. The optional label
identification means 46 can be used to identiify the specific label 40, so
that it
can be tracked on and off the carton, so that the label is put on the correct
carton, and so the product is sent to the proper recipient, either the patient
or
the doctor. Also, in the preferred embodiment, the label identification means
is used through the customized graphics printing system for tracking the
quality of the label. Alternatively, the label idlentification means 46 may be
in
a portion of the top layer 47 of the label which stays with the peel layer
when
the top layer 47 is removed from the peel layer, preferably just before
adhering the label to the correct carton.
Also alternatively, the product identification means 45 may not be on
the label and is present instead on an area o~f the packaging which is not
covered when the label 40 is put on the pac~;aging. If the label
identification
means is not present on the label the order information can be associated
with the .product identification means in the dlatabase and the product
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identification means can be used to track the packaging after the label is
adhered to the packaging. Alternatively, the label identification means can
be product identification means if the label identification means is the only
identification means present on the packaging.
The label 40 is shown having some standard graphics 44 which are
not customized for either the doctor andlor the patient and may be present
on the label 40 before (or added to the label 40 after) the customized
graphics are printed onto the label 40, or the non-customized graphics can
be printed onto the label 40 at the same time that the customized graphics
are added. In short, the customized and non-customized graphics can be
added to the packaging in any sequence. Non-customized information
includes, e.g., identifying legends and logos pertaining to the company
manufacturing andlor marketing the product, instructions pertaining'to the
use of the product packaged in the carton, decorative indicia the contents,
directions for use, warnings about dispensing the prescription product
without a prescription, and the like.
If the customized graphics are added 'to the primary package and the
primary package comprises a blister pack comprising a bowl and lidstock, it
is presently preferred that the customized graphics are added to the lidstock.
Either the lidstock can be printed on directly ao add the customized graphics
or the customized graphics can be added inclirectly to the lidstock by
printing
out a label having customized graphics and adhering the label to the
lidstock. Alternatively, a label having a blani<: area can be adhered to the
lidstock and printed on after adhering to the lidstock. The preferred methods
for printing out customized graphics on labels will be described in more
detail
below. (The preferred method described below is presently used to print out
labels for cartons, but it can be modified to pirint out labels for lidstock,
instead.) In the embodiment shown in FigurE; 1, the customized graphics 10
were added to the lidstock 13 directly by printing onto the lidstock. Either
an
area on the lidstock can be reserved for the customized graphics or the
customized graphics can cover the entire lidstock.
It is presently preferred that the customized graphics are added to the
secondary packaging. Presently the preferred secondary packaging is a
carton. The customized graphics can be added to either the outside or inside
surface area of the secondary packaging. The customized graphics are
preferably present on at least 5 percent of the outside surface area of the
secondary packaging, more preferably at least up to 25 percent, and most
preferably at least 50 percent of the outside ;>urface area of the secondary
packaging. Preferably the customized graphics comprise a background
image which is present on at least 30 percent, more preferably at least 60
percent and mast preferably at least 80 percent of the surface area of the
secondary packaging. For a carton, preferat>ly, at least one panel or wall
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has some customized graphics, more preferably at least two panels have
some customized graphics, most preferably <at least three panels have some
customized graphics. Alternatively or in addition to the customized graphics
on the outside surface of the secondary pacN;aging, the customized graphics
can cover a portion of the inside surface area of the secondary packaging.
Presently, it is preferred that the outside surfaces of the secondary
packaging cant' the customized graphics.
The customized graphics can be added to the secondary packaging
either directly or indirectly. The secondary packaging can be printed on
directly or a label may be adhered to the secondary packaging and then
printed upon. For indirect printing, the customized graphics can first be
printed onto a label such as the one shown in Figure 4, such as an adhesive
label, which can then be adhered to the secondary packaging. The label
can be small or large. The label can be used as part of the means to seal
the secondary packaging, or the label can cover a portion of the outside
surface area of the secondary packaging which is not near any of the sealing
means, that is flaps, tear strips, insert pieces, seams, etc. of the secondary
packaging. Although printing on labels first has the drawback that it requires
a second step of adhering the labels to the packaging, this method is
presently preferred, because not all the contact lenses ordered will be
produced for doctors or patients who will waint to have the customized
graphics added to the packaging. The preferred method of printing out
labels will be described in more detail below.
Alternatively, the customized graphics can be printed directly onto the
secondary packaging. The secondary packaging may be assembled or
disassembled at the time of printing with or without the primary packages
within. For example, if the secondary packaging is a carton, the customized
graphics may be printed on the carton as a flat carton blank or as an
assembled carton which is empty. A support for an assembled empty carton
which can be used during printing on the carton is disclosed in Duis et al,
"METHOD AND SUPPORT FOR CARTON", US Serial No.091217,879, filed
December 21, 1998 (VTN-4.42) incorporatedl herein by reference.
Alternatively, the carton may be printed on dlirectly after the contact lens
primary packages are inserted into the carton, by laser or ink jet printing.
. Alternatively, a label having a blank area may be added to the carton and
then the customized graphics may be added to the label. If the secondary
packaging is not a carton the preferred printing techniques for printing on
the
secondary packaging can be adapted to the secondary packaging materials
used.
Alternatively, the customized graphic, can be printed onto an insert
which can be inserted into the secondary packaging for example in a
manufacturing line before the secondary packaging is sealed.
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Printing on the packaging, e.g. primary packaging, secondary
packaging, and/or package insert can be by any printing method e.g. by
thermal, laser, electrophotographic, ink jet, and pad printing. Some methods
are better suited for certain types of packagiing materials, which are known
to
a person of ordinary skill in the art. The preferred method for printing on a
label will be described below.
For each embodiment, the method of printing the customized graphics
begins with an order from a doctor for prescription contact lenses. The
orders are received according to methods known in the prior art, e.g. mail,
telephone, Internet; fax, except that the order methods are modified so that
the doctorslpatients have the ability to indicaite what customized graphics
they would like to have on the packaging and optionally where on the
packaging the customized graphics are to bE: placed. Preferably, there will
be a large collection of pictures, photographs, and messages to select from,
and each item in the collection will be coded and stored in computer
memory, which will be accessible to the priniting apparatus. In addition,
preferably, the doctors can specify pictures, photographs or messages
outside of the collection. For example, wherr Dr. Jones calls in his order, he
can specify which cartons, if any, to print the photograph of himself which he
previously provided to the manufacturer, and is stored in the computer
memory which is accessible to the printing apparatus. Depending upon what
packaging is to receive the customized graplhics, that is, primary packaging,
secondary packaging, or inserts and if the customized graphics will be added
to the packaging in-line or off line will determine how the order information
will be processed. If the customized graphics are to be added to the primary
packaging, then the order information will preferably be sent to a
manufacturing line which has a printer for the lidstock or labels for the
lidstock so that the customized graphics can be added to the primary
packaging prior to placing the primary packaging in secondary packaging. If
the customized graphics are to be added to ithe secondary packaging, the
information can be sent to a contact lens manufacturing line which will either
print directly onto the secondary packaging or will print onto a label for the
secondary packaging either prior to or after putting the primary packages of
contact lenses into the secondary packaging. The packaging which has
been modified preferably will be marked with an identification means,
preferably a machine readable identification means identifying to whom the
order should be sent so that it can be tracked and sent to the correct doctor
or patient. Alternatively, often packaging has a unique machine-readable
code (e.g. product identification means) present on its exterior which is used
to identify the product and other information, such as, lot number, stock
keeping unit (SKU), and expiration date. Thiis machine-readable code can
have additional information assigned to it (wlhich is preferably stored in a
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database) identifying that the package has received customized graphics
and to whom the product should be routed. .Alternatively or additionally, the
exterior of the packaging can be marked with a human-visible indicator
signifying that ttie package has received customized graphics which may be
tracked by an operator or will assist a quality check by an operator before
shipping an order.
Presently, the preferred method is to manufacture the contact lenses,
place the contact lenses in primary packaging, place multiple primary
packages of contact tenses in secondary packaging and sterilize the lenses
by the customary methods described in the prior art, and then to add the
customized graphics to the secondary packaging using a label printed off
line, and preferably added off line. Preferablly, the order information for
the
customized graphics is sent to a customized graphics printing system which
is separate from the contact lens manufacturing line. The customized
1 S graphics printing system will print out labels which will cover at least a
portion of the outside surfaces of the secondary packagings, e.g. cartons.
Preferably, the doctor's orders will be picked from stock in the customary
method of assembling the ordered contact lenses in their customary
secondary packaging. The labels produced on the customized graphics
printing system will then be matched up with the secondary packaging for
each doctor's order and then the labels will be adhered to the secondary
packaging either in an automated method or manually. After the labels are
adhered to the secondary packaging in accordance with the doctor's order,
the order will be shipped directly to the doctor or patient.
In an alternative method, the customized graphics can be added in-
line, that is, in the manufacturing line in which the contact lenses are
produced, and placed in the primary packaging and preferably also placed in
the secondary packaging. In the in-line mode, the order information will be
provided to the manufacturing line which is producing the ordered contact
lenses and the customized graphics will be glenerated right in the
manufacturing line, and added to the packagiing in-line. If the customized
graphics are to be added to the primary pac~;age, at about the time the
ordered contact lenses are placed in each of its primary packaging the
customized graphics will be added to, for ex<~mple, the lidstock, and then the
lidstock will be heat-sealed to the bowl. If the customized graphics are to be
added to the secondary packaging, the carton preferably will be printed on in
the manufacturing line prior to placing the primary packagings into the carton
and prior to sealing the carton. The printing can be accomplished by any of
the methods listed above. The exterior of the packaging, for example the
secondary packaging, will preferably have an identification means,
preferably a machine-readable code, to which the information in connection
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with the customized graphics will be stored for delivery to the correct
recipient of the contact lenses.
In the preferred method, the graphics will be added off-line, and there
will be one or more computerized databases which will track the doctors
names and the selected customized graphics. As the orders for prescription
products come in, as described above, and assembled in a database the
order information will be searched for a request for customized graphics or
for a doctor's name who has requested customized graphics on all of his/her
packaging. (Alternatively, the order information will be searched for the
patient's name that has requested the custornized graphics). When one or
more orders are found which have requestecl customized graphics, the
customized graphics information will be sent to a customized graphics
printing system. In the preferred mode labels having customized graphics
will be printed by the customized graphics printing system. Afterwards, the
labels will be matched up with the correct packaging, preferably cartons
containing the ordered contact lenses. The preferred method of assembling
or picking the ordered products is according to the method and by using the
apparatus and method disclosed in Duncan Ea al, "Apparatus and Method for
Automated Warehousing and Filling Orders for Multi-Item Inventories", U.S.
Serial No. , filed concurrently herewith, (VTN-453), incorporated
herein by reference. The picked (assembled) order will be deferred to the
off line customized graphics printing system 'for the application of printed
labels having the customized graphics to the cartons to receive the labels in
accordance with the orders.
The preferred off line method for producing labels having customized
graphics comprises a printing step, and one or more quality-checking steps.
More preferably the method additionally comprises a varnishing step. Most
preferably the method additionally comprises. one or more cutting steps.
These and other steps will be described in relationship to the preferred
system for printing out labels having customized graphics as shown in Figure
5.
Figure 5 shows the presently preferred customized graphics printing
system 500 comprising a printer 502, a qualii:y check station 505, a varnish
application apparatus 508, a cutting apparatus 509, a label applicator 513,
and preferably shop floor controller 512. The: shop floor controller 512 is a
computer, or the like, tracks the labels within the printing system 500. The
shop floor controller comprises memory, programs, processor, databases,
and the ability to receive information, e.g., from parts of the printing
system
500, and output information, and instructions, e.g., which effect the function
of parts of the printing system. The operation of the shop floor controller
512
will be described below.
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Preferably orders for contact lenses and customized graphics are
received by a separate order processing syst~ern and communicated to the
shop floor controller 512, preferably from a central customer order machine
server (not shown). Customer orders can be received by phone, mail,
Internet, facsimile, or by any method. Some order taking procedures are
disclosed in US Patent 4,958,280, incorporated herein by reference, others
are known in the art. Preferably, only the orders to receive customized
graphics are communicated to shop floor controller 512. Order information
includes, e.g. an order number, date of order" the person ordering, products
ordered, the customized graphics to be printed on the cartons, and shipping
address. In the preferred system 500, the shop floor controller 512 sorts the
information in the orders for the labels that are to be printed onto the web,
and stores this information in a database. Fic,~. 6 shows a database 60 which
can be used to store the sorted order information. Fig. 6 is only exemplary
and more or fewer fields can be used to track. the labels in the printing
system 500 which would be apparent to a person of skill in the art. The
database 60 includes fields for the order information such as the order
number 61 (each order has an order number;l, and product SKU 62
identifying the type of product ordered, and the customized graphics 63, 64
which was specified by the doctor andlor patient for the product. Graphics
field 63 specifies, e.g., background art. Graphics field 64 specifies, e.g., a
message. More or fewer fields can be provided as desired. Other fields,
e.g., the SKU field can indicate additional non-customized graphics to be
printed onto the label. One or more of the fields in database 60 may be
keyed to additional databases which may provide additional information
when needed, e.g. the order number may be keyed to a database having the
doctor's name and address, andlor the identiifying numbers in the graphics
field are keyed to databases which indicate what graphics will be printed by
the printer 502.
Preferably labels from the same order are printed adjacent to one
another, and labels having similar graphics (e.g. the same background
picture) are printed close to one another on the web, and a label
identification means is assigned to each label. The sorted label information
is communicated to the control unit 501 for the printer 502. A spool 550 of a
web of label material preferably 32 cm wide is fed into a digital printer 502.
The label material preferably consists of a polyvinylchloride coated paper top
layer with an adhesive coated back, and a removable peel layer as
described in reference to Figure 4. An example of a commercially available
web is a white-pigmented PVC with matte imprintable top coat on paper
having an adhesive layer, such as Datacal PI_V-400-FW Opaque MTIC-354
V-29 S50K-8, available from Flexicon Co. In the preferred mode the web is
blank and not pre-cut or scored; however, in alternative embodiments the
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web could be pre-cut, scored, andlor have non-customized graphics pre-
printed on the web. For example, the labels could be printed individually
instead of on a web, and/or the labels could also have the brand information
pre-printed on them. At present, there are preferably at least 5,000 labels
printed onto the web on each spool. After alll the labels to be printed onto a
first web have been printed onto the first web, the first spool 550 is removed
from the printer 502 and replaced with a second spool 550 having a blank
second web.
The digital printer 502 preferably has ithe ability to vary 100 % of the
text and graphics for each label. The preferred printer is available from
Xeikon or Indigo. The control unit 501 for the printer 502 controls the
printing of the labels and instructs the printer 502, which customized
graphics, and contact lens information, if any, to print on the labels as
instructed by the shop floor controller 512. Each label also preferably has
some label identification means; printed onto the label or on the web next to
the label so that the label can be tracked. Unique information associated
with the label identification means 65 is stored in database 60 in the shop
floor controller 512 preferably with the location of each label on the web
(preferably in fields 67, 68, 66 for row columin and spool number,
respectively), the customized graphics 63, &4 specified by the doctor or
patient, and the product SKU 62 to receive tlhe label. After the web moves
through the printer 502 it is accumulated in an accumulator 504 before
passing through a quality check station 505 'which preferably uses visual
inspection equipment 520, such as a spectrophotometer or densitometer to
check the color density and registration of the toners, pigments or dyes.
Densitometers and spectrophotometers useful for this application are
available from Gretag Macbeth, such as Spf;ctro Eye Spectrophotometer
D200-11 Process Densitometer, and D19C Densitometer, and available from
X-Rite, Inc., such as SP99 Multi-Angle Spectrophotometer, and 408 Color
Reflection Densitometer. Presently, the densitometer is hand-held; however,
a fixed densitometer may be used in the method of this invention.
Additionally, an operator can perform a subjective evaluation of the labels.
Presently, the visual inspection equipment 520 may continuously
check the quality of the graphics and provide feedback to the control unit
501 which will cause the printer to automatically make adjustments, or will
notify an operator if the printer cannot self correct a printing problem. If
the
print quality is below a certain level, the labels in that area of the web
will be
rejected, which will be noted in the label control system 503 (computer
comprising processing instructions and mennory), and communicated to the
shop floor controller 512 (computer comprising processing instructions and
memory) which will schedule the rejected labels for reprinting. The rejection
will be noted in field 69 of the database 60,and the shop floor controller 512
CA 02333343 2001-O1-31
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will instruct that the rejected label be reprinted. This can be accomplished
by moving the fields 61, 62, 63, 64 for any rejected labels into a later
record
in the database with other incoming order information, while maintaining the
rejected label information in the other fields fir tracking purposes.
Preferably, an operator at the quality check station 505 will do a visual
inspection of the labels on the web at set intervals, e.g. every 15 minutes.
At
that time an operator will scan the label identification means on the web with
a handheld scanner 519 which will input at least one label identification
means in the area of the web which is being inspected into a label control
system 503. The handheld scanner 519 preiferably is a bar code scanner. If
there is a problem with the labels, the operator will communicate through the
handheld scanner 519, via a keypad or the like, to the label control system
503 that the labels have failed inspection, and all the labels printed since
the
last operator inspection are to rejected. The rejected labels since the last
inspection will be determined by the label control system 503, arid
communicated to the shop floor controller 512. The rejection of the labels
will be noted in database 60 in field 69 and eventually those labels will be
reprinted.
After the quality of the print is checked the web is rewound in a
rewinder 506. The core of each spool 550 h;as an identification means,
preferably a machine readable code, such as a bar code or the like, so that
the shop floor controller 512 and label control system 503 can track each
spool 550, and associate in the database 60 the identification means of the
labels with the spool 550 on which the labels have been printed. (The label
control system 503, preferably has a database similar to database 60). If
individual labels on the spool do not pass inspection, or if the whole spool
does not pass inspection, the control system 512 will instruct the printer to
reprint the labels and update the database 60 and also communicates to the
label control system 503 the new location (row, column and spool) of the
reprinted labels. Preferably if any of the labE;ls for a single order do not
pass
inspection, all the labels in an order will be rE:printed on a new spool to
keep
all the labels for the same order together.
Next, the web on the spool will preferably be unwound on unwinder
507, and fed into a varnish station 508 in which the web, particularly the
labels on the web, will receive a UV radiation cured varnish to improve their
looks, and increase the labels' abrasion resistance. An example of a
suitable varnish is INXCURE UV FLEXO PII COATING which can be applied
by, for example, a Belmark varnish applicator, which comprises anilox
rollers. Preferably the web is inspected after the application of the varnish
to
be sure that the varnish was correctly applied and to check for any other
flaws or errors. The inspection can be by an operator or by visual inspection
equipment (not shown) similar to the apparatus and method described
CA 02333343 2001-O1-31
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above. The inspector will preferably use a sE:cond handheld scanner 519 to
input the identification means ofthe labels checked, and again individual
labels or the entire web may be discarded if i:here is a problem with the
varnish applicator and labels do not pass inspection. If the web is to be
discarded the label control system 503 will note the identification means of
the spool, and communicate this information to the shop floor controller 512,
which will update the database 60, particularly field 69, and which will
instruct the printer 502 to reprint all the labels on the spool. If only
certain
labels are to be discarded, the label control system 503 will note the label
identification means of the labels that did not: pass inspection, and will
communicate this information to the shop floor controller 512 which will
update the database 60 and which will instruct the printer 502 to reprint the
labels that are to be discarded. Preferably all the labels in an order will be
reprinted together on a single spool.
After inspection, the web is fed into a die cutter 509 which cuts the
labels through the top layer of the web, and iin a next step the top layer of
the
web around the labels is removed from the vveb, leaving the labels on the
peel layer. In the preferred embodiment two separate apparatuses
manufactured by Preco perform the just-described steps. In the preferred
embodiment, multiple, e.g. three columns of labels are printed on the web.
After cutting the labels, the web is cut widthvvise into smaller reels 551,
e.g.
three reels, in a slitting machine 510. The rE:els are tracked by a rnachine-
readable code on the core of each reel. Prior to slitting the web, the label
control system 503 updates its database by assigning the labels in each
column on the spool to one of three reels, wlhich is noted in field 70, when
the reels and spoof are mounted upon the slitting machine. The labels are
preferably printed on the web, so that labels for products in the same order
are printed adjacent to one another in the same column. As shown in Fig. 6,
the three products for order number 10,175 are printed in column 1 of spool
2.
Presently, labels are only printed for products which are in inventory;
therefore, any reel 551 can be selected by am operator and put on the label
applicator 513. When the machine readable: code for the selected reel is
inputted into the label control system 503, preferably via a reader (not
shown) located on the label applicator 513, ithe products onto which labels
are to be adhered are pulled from inventory and sent to the customized
graphics printing system 500. In an alternative embodiment, each reel 551
can be set aside until all the cartons that are; to receive the customized
labels on that reel have been picked from inventory. In either embodiment,
the orders for which the labels are ready for placement on the products are
communicated from the shop floor controller 512 to order picking andlor
assembly equipment (not shown) which picks the cartons from inventory.
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Preferably, the cartons which are to receive i;he labels are transported to
the
label applicator 513 on a conveyor 514 (cutaway section shown), preferably
the cartons are in the same sequence as the labels for the cartons on the
reel 551. Alternatively, the cartons could be transported in assembled
. orders in a container or belt section (not shown) of conveyor belt 514. Each
belt section can have a machine-readable code tied to the order which is
within the belt section. The machine-readable code of the belt section and
the related order information could be communicated to the shop floor
system 512 from the equipment which assennbled the orders. In any
embodiment, preferably the orders are conveyed to the system 500 in the
same sequence that the customized labels for the orders are present on a
reel, andlor preferably the product cartons within an order are conveyed to
the system 500 in the same sequence that the labels for the orders are
present on the reel. Preferably, the cartons .are conveyed to the label
applicator on a one carton-wide conveyor 514 in exactly the sequence of the
usable labels on the reel.
The cartons are conveyed to the label applicator 513. A product
handler e.g. a robotic arm (not shown) may be used to pick product off the
conveyor and place the product into the label applicator 513. Useful
labelling equipment is commercially available. As each product receives a
label it is preferably pushed or placed on a second conveyor 517 which
transports the products to a final verification" packaging and shipping area
(not shown). The products are preferably maintained in the same sequence,
preferably with spaces between individual orders on conveyor 517.
Preferably, the label applicator 513 will only apply a label on a carton
after verifying that the proper carton is present by reading the
identification
means on the conveyor section (if applicablE;) via a reader (not shown),
andlor by reading the identification means on the carton via a reader (not
shown), andlor by reading the label identification means via a reader (not
shown). The label applicator 513 will automatically skip the labels on the
reel, which are to be discarded. (The shop floor control system 512 provides
the tracking information on the labels as recorded in database 60 to the label
applicator 513.) The label applicator 513 al;>o preferably comprises an
inspection mechanism (not shown) which makes sure each label is in the
proper position and without wrinkles prior to allowing a carton to be
conveyed to shipping. If the inspection mechanism, such as a vision system,
or an operator does not pass a labeled product, preferably the cartons which
do not pass inspection are discarded and the method will be repeated from
the beginning for those cartons, and the rest of the cartons in a single order
will be set aside. If there is an error in the applicator 513 that requires an
operators attention, the operator may use the handheld scanner 519 to
communicate to the label control system 503 that certain labels should be
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discarded, which will be noted by database 6~0 and the shop floor controller
512. This step can be done at any point in the method of printing or
otherwise producing the labeled product.
The label applicator 513 preferably continues the verifying, labeling,
and inspection steps until all the labels on the reel have been put on
cartons.
When the reel has no more labels to apply, a signal to an operator wilt
indicate that the reel 551 should be changed, and either the operator can
place whichever reel helshe wants onto the label applicator 513, or the shop
floor controller 512 will communicate to the operator the next reel 551 to put
on the label applicator 513, and the process of applying the labels will
continue.
Before andlor after the application of i:he customized graphics, the
packaging may have no human-readable identification of the prescription of
the product and may only comprise a machine-readable identification means
which is used to track the product through manufacturing and shipping. The
customized graphics preferably will identify vvho the product is for, and may
not indicate any prescription information. This is particularly beneficial to
prevent the product from being provided to a~ person who does not have a
proper prescription for the product.
While there has been shown and described what are considered to be
preferred embodiments of the invention, it wiill, of course, be understood
that
various modifications and changes in form or detail could readily be made
without departing from the spirit of the invenirion. It is, therefore,
intended
that the invention be not limited to the exact form and detail herein shown
and described, nor to anything less than the whole of the invention herein
disclosed as hereinafter claimed.
