A cutting device for an automatic dispensing system

Abstract

This disclosure describes a cutting device for an automated dispensing system. The cutting device works in conjunction with a sterilization device, a bottle-breaking device, and a turntable with multiple stations. The cutting device, sterilization device, and bottle-breaking device are arranged circumferentially along the turntable and are respectively located at the cutting station, sterilization station, and bottle-breaking station. When an ampoule placed on the turntable reaches the cutting station, the cutting device cuts the ampoule. When the cut ampoule reaches the sterilization station, the sterilization device sterilizes the cut ampoule. When the sterilized ampoule reaches the bottle-breaking station, the bottle-breaking device breaks the sterilized ampoule. The cutting device includes a carrying mechanism, a cutting mechanism, a driving mechanism, and a processing unit. According to this disclosure, a cutting device for an automated dispensing system capable of automatically selecting a target location for cutting can be provided.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the patent application filed on April 28, 2021, with application number 202110470398.5 and invention title "A Cutting Device for Ampoules". Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to the field of medical mechanical equipment, and specifically to a cutting device for an automated dispensing system. Background Technology

[0003] Intravenous infusion is a commonly used clinical medical method that delivers medications, nutritional solutions, and other fluids into the patient's body to aid in recovery. When patients require intravenous infusions, it is often necessary to mix different injectable medications according to their condition to create a more effective treatment solution. In clinical practice, medical staff can transfer medications from different containers, such as ampoules or vials, into infusion bags for mixing to obtain the desired treatment solution for the patient.

[0004] Currently, medical staff typically use manual methods to prepare and administer intravenous medications to patients. For example, the traditional method for medical staff to cut ampoules involves using a small abrasive pad to make a mark on the neck of the ampoule, making it easier to break off the top later. While automated medication preparation systems include cutting devices for mechanized cutting of ampoules, the neck positions differ for different ampoule sizes, and current cutting devices cannot automatically identify the target cutting location for different sizes. In other words, current ampoule cutting devices are not intelligent or automated enough.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for a device that can assist medical personnel in preparing solutions, such as a cutting device for ampoules that can automatically select a target location for cutting. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This disclosure is made in view of the above-mentioned state of the prior art, and its purpose is to provide a cutting device for ampoules that can automatically select a target location for cutting.

[0007] To this end, this disclosure provides a cutting device for an ampoule, the ampoule including a main body, a cap, and a neck connecting the main body and the cap. The cutting device includes a supporting mechanism, a cutting mechanism, a driving mechanism, and a processing unit. The supporting mechanism supports the ampoule by fixing the main body. The cutting mechanism is configured to cut the neck. When cutting the neck, the driving mechanism drives the cutting mechanism to abut against the neck, and the driving mechanism drives the cutting mechanism to move up and down along the outer wall of the neck and outputs a position feedback signal. The processing unit selects a target position on the neck based on the position feedback signal, and the driving mechanism drives the cutting mechanism to cut the target position.

[0008] In the cutting device disclosed herein, a drive mechanism drives a cutting mechanism to abut against the bottle neck and moves the cutting mechanism up and down along the outer wall of the bottle neck, outputting a position feedback signal. The processing unit selects a target on the bottle neck based on the position feedback signal. This obtains the target position for the cutting mechanism to cut, enabling precise cutting of the ampoule, making it easier to break the bottle neck, and facilitating subsequent bottle-breaking operations.

[0009] Additionally, in the cutting device disclosed herein, optionally, the processing unit obtains the position of the narrowest point of the bottle neck based on the position feedback signal, and uses the position of the narrowest point of the bottle neck as the target position. Thus, the narrowest point of the ampoule bottle neck is used as the cutting position to ensure precise cutting of the ampoule bottle.

[0010] Additionally, in the cutting device disclosed herein, optionally, the supporting mechanism includes a support portion for supporting the ampoule, the support portion being rotatable to cause the ampoule to rotate. When the cutting mechanism performs cutting, the rotation of the support portion causes the ampoule to rotate, allowing the cutting mechanism to continuously cut the neck of the ampoule.

[0011] Additionally, in the cutting device disclosed herein, optionally, the support portion causes the ampoule to rotate at least one revolution. This ensures that the neck of the ampoule is cut at least one revolution, making subsequent bottle-breaking operations easier.

[0012] Alternatively, in the scouring device disclosed herein, the scouring mechanism may include a grinding disc, and the driving mechanism drives the grinding disc to rotate to scour the target position. This allows for the scouring of ampoules by utilizing the rotation of the grinding disc.

[0013] Alternatively, in the cutting device disclosed herein, the grinding disc may be a glass blade. Ampoules are generally made of glass, thus the glass blade can cut the ampoules.

[0014] Furthermore, in the slicing apparatus disclosed herein, optionally, the direction of rotation of the abrasive disc is opposite to the direction of rotation of the ampoule. This allows the abrasive disc to effectively slice the ampoule.

[0015] Furthermore, in the slicing device disclosed herein, optionally, the driving mechanism includes a first driving unit and a second driving unit. The first driving unit is configured to drive the slicing mechanism to move in the vertical direction, and the second driving unit is configured to drive the slicing mechanism to move in the horizontal direction. This allows the slicing mechanism to move in three dimensions.

[0016] Additionally, in the cutting device disclosed herein, the cutting device may optionally include a chip removal mechanism, which removes the dust generated by the cutting mechanism when cutting the bottleneck. This removes the dust generated by the cutting mechanism when cutting the bottleneck, reducing interference from dust to the cutting device and reducing dust contamination of the cutting surface.

[0017] Alternatively, in the cutting device disclosed herein, the dust removal mechanism may use negative pressure to suction dust. Thus, the dust is removed through negative pressure suction.

[0018] The ampoule cutting device disclosed herein can automatically select the target position for cutting, so that the ampoule is accurately cut, making it easier to break the neck and facilitating subsequent bottle breaking operations. Attached Figure Description

[0019] This disclosure will now be explained in further detail by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of the ampoule cutting device involved in the examples of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the ampoule cutting device involved in the example of this disclosure.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a first method for positioning a target location using a cutting device for ampoules according to an example of this disclosure.

[0023] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a second method for positioning a target location using a cleaving device for ampoules according to an example of this disclosure. Figure 4 includes Figure 4(a) and Figure 4(b). Figure 4(a) is a schematic diagram of the initial state of the second drive unit, and Figure 4(b) is a schematic diagram of the subsequent state of the second drive unit.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the cutting device for ampoules according to the examples of this disclosure.

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working process of the ampoule cutting device involved in the example of this disclosure.

[0026] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0027] 1…cutting device,

[0028] 2…ampoules,

[0029] 11…Bearing mechanism, 111…Supporting part,

[0030] 12…cutting mechanism, 121…grinding disc,

[0031] 13…drive mechanism, 131…first drive unit, 132…second drive unit,

[0032] 14…processing unit,

[0033] 15…Debris removal mechanism,

[0034] D1…the direction of movement of the first drive unit 131, D2 / D2'…the direction of movement of the second drive unit 132, D3…the direction of rotation of the grinding disc 121, D4…the direction of rotation of the ampoule 2. Detailed Implementation

[0035] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for the same components, and repeated descriptions are omitted. Furthermore, the drawings are merely schematic diagrams, and the proportions of the components or the shapes of the components may differ from actual figures.

[0036] It should be noted that the terms "comprising" and "having" and any variations thereof in this disclosure, such as a process, method, system, product, or device that includes or has a series of steps or units, are not necessarily limited to those steps or units that are explicitly listed, but may include or have other steps or units that are not explicitly listed or that are inherent to such processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0037] Furthermore, the subheadings and similar terms used in the following description of this disclosure are not intended to limit the content or scope of this disclosure; they are merely for reading guidance. Such subheadings should not be construed as dividing the content of the article, nor should the content under a subheading be limited to the scope of that subheading. It should also be noted that relative positional terms such as "above," "below," "left," "right," "front," and "back" are used in accordance with common operational postures and should not be considered restrictive.

[0038] This embodiment relates to a slicing device for ampoules, which can slice the ampoules to facilitate breaking them and removing the contents. In some examples, it may be part of an automated dispensing system. The slicing device for ampoules according to this embodiment can automatically select a target location to slice the ampoule. In some examples, the slicing device according to this embodiment may also be called a cutting device or a cutting assembly.

[0039] In some examples, the ampoule can hold material; in others, the material is a liquid, such as a medicine or reagent solution. In some examples, the ampoule is made of glass, and its structure may include a main body, a cap, and a neck connecting the main body and the cap. In some examples, breaking off the neck of the ampoule makes it easier to remove the material. In some examples, scratching the neck of the ampoule creates a scratch, which facilitates breaking the neck. The ampoule scratching device described in this embodiment can automatically select a target location on the ampoule before performing a scratching operation at that location. In some examples, the target location may be the narrowest part of the ampoule's neck.

[0040] The ampoule cutting device according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of the ampoule cutting device 1 involved in the examples of this disclosure.

[0042] See Figure 1 In some examples, the ampoule cutting device 1 can be part of an automated dispensing system, and can be used in conjunction with the sterilization device 3, the bottle-breaking device 4, etc. In some examples, the ampoule 2 is placed on a turntable with multiple stations. When the ampoule 2 reaches the cutting station, the cutting device 1 can cut the ampoule 2. When the ampoule 2 reaches the sterilization station, the sterilization device 3 can sterilize the cut ampoule 2. When the ampoule 2 reaches the bottle-breaking station, the bottle-breaking device 4 can break the neck of the sterilized ampoule 2, thus removing the cap.

[0043] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the ampoule cutting device 1 involved in the example of this disclosure.

[0044] See Figure 2In some examples, the ampoule-cutting device 1 may include: a supporting mechanism 11, a cutting mechanism 12, a driving mechanism 13, a processing unit 14, and a dust removal mechanism 15. In some examples, the supporting mechanism 11 may be used to support the ampoule 2. In some examples, the cutting mechanism 12 may be used to cut the ampoule 2. In some examples, the driving mechanism 13 may be used to drive the cutting mechanism 12 to move. In some examples, the processing unit 14 may be used to analyze and select a target location. In some examples, the dust removal mechanism 15 may be used to remove dust generated by the cutting mechanism 12 cutting the ampoule 2.

[0045] In this embodiment, in some examples, the supporting mechanism 11 can support the ampoule 2 by fixing the main body of the ampoule 2 so that the neck of the ampoule 2 is exposed. In some examples, the main body of the ampoule 2 can be fixed to the supporting mechanism 11 by clamping.

[0046] In some examples, the support mechanism 11 may include a support portion 111 for supporting the ampoule 2. In some examples, the support portion 111 is configured to be rotatable to cause the ampoule 2 to rotate. Thus, when the cutting mechanism 12 performs cutting, the rotation of the support portion 111 causes the ampoule 2 to rotate, allowing the cutting mechanism 12 to continuously cut the neck of the ampoule 2.

[0047] In some examples, the cutting mechanism 12 may include a grinding disc 121. In some examples, the outer edge of the grinding disc 121 may be made of diamond or an alloy material that is harder than glass; for example, the grinding disc 121 may be a glass cutter. The ampoule 2 is generally made of glass, thus allowing for the cutting of the glass ampoule 2.

[0048] In some examples, the grinding disc 121 is fixed to the scoring mechanism 12 and moves relative to the ampoule 2 along with the scoring mechanism 12. In some examples, the grinding disc 121 can rotate under the action of the drive mechanism 13. In some examples, the grinding disc 121 can be circular in shape. Thus, the grinding disc 121 can score the ampoule 2 by rotation.

[0049] In some examples, the drive mechanism 13 is configured to drive the cutting mechanism 12 to move.

[0050] In some examples, the drive mechanism 13 may include a first drive unit 131, a second drive unit 132, and a third drive unit (not shown). In some examples, the first drive unit 131 is configured to drive the dicing mechanism 12 to move in the vertical direction. In some examples, the second drive unit 132 drives the dicing mechanism 12 to move in the horizontal direction. In some examples, the third drive unit is configured to drive the dicing mechanism 12 to perform dicing. In some examples, the dicing mechanism 12 is connected to the first drive unit 131 via the second drive unit 132. That is, the first drive unit 131 is connected to the second drive unit 132, and the second drive unit 132 is connected to the dicing mechanism 12. In some examples, the first drive unit 131 is configured to move vertically. In some examples, the second drive unit 132 is configured to move horizontally. In some examples, the second drive unit 132 is configured to translate horizontally or swing horizontally. Thus, the cutting mechanism 12 can achieve three-dimensional movement of the ampoule 2 under the drive of the first drive unit 131 and the second drive unit 132.

[0051] In various embodiments, "vertical direction" can be understood as the axial direction of the ampoule 2, and "facing upward" can be understood as the direction from the main body of the ampoule 2 towards the cap, for example in... Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the direction indicated by D1 is the "up and down direction".

[0052] In various embodiments, "left-right direction" can be understood as a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the ampoule 2, for example in Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the direction indicated by D2 is the "left-right direction".

[0053] In some examples, when the ampoule 2 is cut, the drive mechanism 13 drives the cutting mechanism 12 to abut against the outer wall of the ampoule 2. The drive mechanism 13 drives the cutting mechanism 12 to move up and down along the outer wall of the ampoule 2 and outputs a position feedback signal. The processing unit 14 selects a target position on the ampoule 2 based on the position feedback signal, and the drive mechanism 13 drives the cutting mechanism 12 to cut at the target position. In some examples, the third drive unit drives the cutting mechanism 12 to cut at the target position.

[0054] In some examples, when the ampoule 2 is being cut, the second drive unit 132 of the drive mechanism 13 can drive the cutting mechanism 12 to translate along the D2 direction (left-right direction), causing the cutting mechanism 12 to abut against the outer wall of the ampoule 2. In some examples, the second drive unit 132 causes the cutting mechanism 12 to abut against the outer wall of the neck of the ampoule 2. In some examples, the second drive unit 132 causes the grinding disc 121 to abut against the outer wall of the neck of the ampoule 2. In some examples, when the ampoule 2 is being cut, the first drive unit 131 of the drive mechanism 13 can drive the grinding disc 121 to move up and down (in the D1 direction) along the outer wall of the neck of the ampoule 2. In some examples, the first drive unit 131 can drive the grinding disc 121 to reciprocate up and down along the outer wall of the neck of the ampoule 2 at least once. In some examples, when the ampoule 2 is being cut, the drive mechanism 13 can output a position feedback signal for the grinding disc 121. In some examples, when the ampoule 2 is being cut, the processing unit 14 can select a target position on the neck of the ampoule 2 based on a position feedback signal. See also... Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a first method for positioning a target location using the ampoule-cutting device 1 according to an example of this disclosure. (As shown...) Figure 3 As shown, the grinding disc 121 has an initial position. The grinding disc 121 moves along the direction D2 to abut against the neck of the ampoule 2, and then moves up and down along the neck of the ampoule 2. During this process, the displacement of the grinding disc 121 in the direction D2 is L, which can be, for example, L1, L2, and L3. The processing unit 14 can select the position where L is at its maximum as the target position based on this displacement information. In this case, the position where L is at its maximum is the position of the narrowest part of the neck. In some examples, when the ampoule 2 is being cut, the drive mechanism 13 drives the cutting mechanism 12 to move to the target position and drives the cutting mechanism 12 to cut the target position.

[0055] Referring again to Figure 4, which is a schematic diagram illustrating a second method for positioning the target position of the ampoule cutting device 1 according to the present disclosure, Figure 4 includes Figures 4(a) and 4(b). Figure 4(a) is a schematic diagram of the initial state of the second drive unit 132, and Figure 4(b) is a schematic diagram of the subsequent state of the second drive unit 132. As shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), in some other examples, the second drive unit 132 can swing (swing left and right) along the direction D2', that is, the second drive unit 132 can swing on the horizontal plane where the second drive unit 132 is located, with the intersection point P of the second drive unit 132 and the first drive unit 131 as the fulcrum. In some examples, the second drive unit 132 swings to make the cutting mechanism 12 abut against the outer wall of the ampoule 2. In some examples, the second drive unit 132 makes the cutting mechanism 12 abut against the outer wall of the neck of the ampoule 2. In some examples, the second drive unit 132 causes the abrasive disc 121 to abut against the outer wall of the neck of the ampoule 2. In some examples, when the ampoule 2 is being cut, the first drive unit 131 of the drive mechanism 13 can drive the abrasive disc 121 to move up and down (in the D1 direction) along the outer wall of the neck of the ampoule 2. In some examples, the first drive unit 131 can drive the abrasive disc 121 to reciprocate up and down along the outer wall of the neck of the ampoule 2 at least once. In some examples, when the ampoule 2 is being cut, the drive mechanism 13 can output a position feedback signal for the abrasive disc 121. In some examples, when the ampoule 2 is being cut, the processing unit 14 can select a target position on the neck of the ampoule 2 based on the position feedback signal. As shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), the second drive unit 132 is set to an initial position A1A2. The second drive unit 132 swings along the direction D2' until the grinding disc 121 abuts against the neck of the ampoule 2, and then the grinding disc 121 moves back and forth along the neck of the ampoule 2 at least once. During this process, the second drive unit 132 has a swing angle in the direction D2' (i.e., the angle between the subsequent position A1'A2' of the second drive unit 132 and the initial position A1A2). The processing unit 14 can select the position with the largest swing angle as the target position based on the information of this swing angle. In this case, the position with the largest swing angle is the position of the narrowest part of the neck. In some examples, when the ampoule 2 is being cut, the drive mechanism 13 drives the cutting mechanism 12 to move to the target position and drives the cutting mechanism 12 to cut the target position.

[0056] In various embodiments, "upward" in the "vertical direction" can be understood as the direction from the main body of the ampoule 2 towards the cap. In the accompanying drawings of various embodiments, the ampoule 2 is arranged generally along the vertical direction, so "vertical direction" can be understood as generally along the vertical direction. "Horizontal direction" can be understood as a direction in a plane perpendicular to the "vertical direction".

[0057] In some examples, the processing unit 14 can obtain the position of the narrowest part of the bottle neck based on the position feedback signal and use the position of the narrowest part of the bottle neck as the target position. Thus, the narrowest part of the bottle neck is used as the cutting position to make the bottle 2 accurately cut.

[0058] Combined with references Figure 5 , Figure 5 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the ampoule-cutting device 1 according to the present disclosure is shown. In some examples, the supporting mechanism 11 may include a support portion 111 for supporting the ampoule 2, the support portion 111 being rotatable to allow the ampoule 2 to rotate. When the cutting mechanism 12 performs cutting, the rotation of the support portion 111 causes the ampoule 2 to rotate, allowing the cutting mechanism 12 to continuously cut the neck of the ampoule 2. In some examples, the support portion 111 can rotate the ampoule 2 in the direction of D4, i.e., counterclockwise. In some examples, the support portion 111 can rotate the ampoule 2 at least one full rotation. This ensures that the neck of the ampoule 2 is cut at least one full rotation, facilitating subsequent bottle-breaking operations.

[0059] In some examples, the third drive unit can drive the grinding disc 121 to rotate to score the target location. This facilitates the scoring of the ampoule 2 by the grinding disc 121. In some examples, the grinding disc 121 can rotate in the direction D3, i.e., clockwise, opposite to the direction of rotation (D4) of the ampoule 2. This allows the grinding disc 121 to effectively score the ampoule 2. In some examples, the grinding disc 121 can rotate at high speed.

[0060] In some examples, the ampoule-cutting device 1 may also include a pressure sensing unit (not shown) that senses the pressure between the abrasive disc 121 and the ampoule 2. In some examples, it may sense the pressure on the fixed shaft of the abrasive disc 121. In some examples, the pressure may be set within a preset range. In some examples, if the pressure exceeds the preset range, the drive mechanism 13 adjusts its operating state to bring the pressure back within the preset range. This reduces the scraping of the ampoule 2 by the abrasive disc 121 and reduces wear on both the abrasive disc 121 and the ampoule 2. In some examples, the pressure may be set within a preset range when the abrasive disc 121 cuts the ampoule 2. In some examples, if the pressure exceeds the preset range, the drive mechanism 13 adjusts its operating state to bring the pressure back within the preset range. This reduces the occurrence of over-cutting by the abrasive disc 121. In other examples, the possibility of over-cutting can also be reduced by making the position of the abrasive disc 121 when cutting the ampoule 2 slightly different from the target position. In some examples, such as Figure 3As shown, the L value when the grinding disc 121 scratches the ampoule 2 can be slightly smaller than the L value of the target position selected by the processing unit 14. In some examples, such as Figure 4, the swing angle when the grinding disc 121 scratches the ampoule 2 can be slightly smaller than the swing angle of the target position selected by the processing unit 14. This reduces excessive scratching of the ampoule 2 by the grinding disc 121.

[0061] In some examples, the ampoule cutting device 1 may also include a dust removal mechanism 15, which can remove dust generated when the cutting mechanism 12 cuts the neck of the ampoule 2. This removes the dust generated when the cutting mechanism 12 cuts the neck, reducing interference from dust to the cutting device 1 and reducing contamination of the drug system.

[0062] In some examples, the dust removal mechanism 15 can suck up dust using negative pressure. In some examples, the dust removal mechanism 15 may include a negative pressure conduit. In some examples, the negative pressure conduit may be located on the cutting mechanism 12, with its opening close to the neck of the ampoule 2. Thus, dust generated when the grinding disc 121 cuts the ampoule 2 can be removed by negative pressure suction.

[0063] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the workflow of the ampoule-cutting device according to the example of this disclosure. The following, in conjunction with the attached... Figure 6 This document details the process of cutting the ampoule 2 using the ampoule cutting device 1 described in this embodiment.

[0064] In this embodiment, such as Figure 6 As shown, the process of cutting the ampoule 2 may include the following steps: fixing the ampoule 2 (step S100); the cutting mechanism 12 abutting against the ampoule 2 (step S200); the cutting mechanism 12 moving up and down along the outer wall of the ampoule 2 and outputting a position feedback signal (step S300); the processing unit 14 selecting a target position based on the position feedback signal, and the cutting mechanism 12 reaching the target position (step S400); the cutting mechanism 12 cutting the target position (step S500).

[0065] In some examples, in step S100, the ampoule 2 can be secured by the carrier mechanism 11 involved in the present disclosure.

[0066] In some examples, the support mechanism 11 can support the ampoule 2 by fixing the main body of the ampoule 2 so that the neck of the ampoule 2 is exposed. In some examples, the main body of the ampoule 2 can be fixed to the support mechanism 11 by clamping. In some examples, the support mechanism 11 may include a support portion 111 for supporting the ampoule 2. In some examples, the support portion 111 is configured to be rotatable so that the ampoule 2 rotates. Thus, when the cutting mechanism 12 performs cutting, the rotation of the support portion 111 causes the ampoule 2 to rotate, allowing the cutting mechanism 12 to continuously cut the neck of the ampoule 2.

[0067] In some examples, in step S200, the second drive unit 132 of the drive mechanism 13 can drive the cutting mechanism 12 to translate along the direction D2 (left-right direction), causing the cutting mechanism 12 to abut against the outer wall of the ampoule 2. In some examples, the second drive unit 132 causes the cutting mechanism 12 to abut against the outer wall of the neck of the ampoule 2. In some examples, the second drive unit 132 causes the grinding disc 121 to abut against the outer wall of the neck of the ampoule 2.

[0068] In other examples, in step S200, the second drive unit 132 can swing along the direction D2', that is, the second drive unit 132 can swing on the horizontal plane where the second drive unit 132 is located, using the intersection of the second drive unit 132 and the first drive unit 131 as a fulcrum, so that the cutting mechanism 12 abuts against the outer wall of the ampoule 2. In some examples, the second drive unit 132 causes the cutting mechanism 12 to abut against the outer wall of the neck of the ampoule 2. In some examples, the second drive unit 132 causes the grinding disc 121 to abut against the outer wall of the neck of the ampoule 2.

[0069] In some examples, during step S300, when the ampoule 2 is being cut, the first drive unit 131 of the drive mechanism 13 can drive the abrasive disc 121 to move up and down (in the D1 direction) along the outer wall of the neck of the ampoule 2. In some examples, the first drive unit 131 can drive the abrasive disc 121 to reciprocate up and down along the outer wall of the neck of the ampoule 2 at least once. In some examples, when the ampoule 2 is being cut, the drive mechanism 13 can output a position feedback signal for the abrasive disc 121.

[0070] In other examples, in step S300, when the ampoule 2 is being cut, the first drive unit 131 of the drive mechanism 13 can drive the abrasive disc 121 to move up and down (in the D1 direction) along the outer wall of the neck of the ampoule 2. In some examples, the first drive unit 131 can drive the abrasive disc 121 to reciprocate up and down along the outer wall of the neck of the ampoule 2 at least once. In some examples, when the ampoule 2 is being cut, the drive mechanism 13 can output a position feedback signal for the abrasive disc 121.

[0071] In some examples, during step S400, when the ampoule 2 is being cut, the processing unit 14 can select a target position on the neck of the ampoule 2 based on a position feedback signal. See also... Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a first method for positioning a target location using the ampoule-cutting device 1 according to an example of this disclosure. (As shown...) Figure 3 As shown, the grinding disc 121 has an initial position. The grinding disc 121 is moved along the direction D2 until it abuts against the neck of the ampoule 2, and then moved up and down along the neck of the ampoule 2. During this process, the displacement of the grinding disc 121 in the direction D2 is L, which can be, for example, L1, L2, and L3. The processing unit 14 can select the position where L is maximized as the target position based on this displacement information. In this case, the position where L is maximized is the position of the narrowest part of the neck.

[0072] In other examples, in step S400, when the ampoule 2 is being cut, the processing unit 14 can select a target position on the neck of the ampoule 2 based on a position feedback signal. Referring again to FIG4, FIG4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a second method for locating a target position using the ampoule cutting device 1 according to an example of this disclosure. As shown in FIG4(a) and FIG4(b), the second drive unit 132 is set to an initial position A1A2. The second drive unit 132 swings along the direction D2' until the grinding disc 121 abuts against the neck of the ampoule 2, and then the grinding disc 121 reciprocates along the neck of the ampoule 2 at least once. During this process, the second drive unit 132 has a swing angle in the direction D2' (i.e., the angle between the subsequent position A1'A2' of the second drive unit 132 and the initial position A1A2). The processing unit 14 can select the position with the largest swing angle as the target position based on this swing angle information. In this case, the position where the swing angle is at its maximum is the position of the narrowest part of the bottleneck.

[0073] In some examples, during step S500, when the ampoule 2 is being cut, the drive mechanism 13 drives the cutting mechanism 12 to move to the target position and cuts the target position. In some examples, the direction of rotation of the grinding disc 121 may be opposite to the direction of rotation of the ampoule 2. In some examples, the ampoule 2 rotates at least one full rotation. This ensures that the neck of the ampoule 2 is cut at least one full rotation, making subsequent bottle-breaking operations easier.

[0074] In the ampoule-cutting device 1 of this specific embodiment, the drive mechanism 13 drives the cutting mechanism 12 to abut against the bottle neck and moves the cutting mechanism 12 up and down along the outer wall of the bottle neck, outputting a position feedback signal. The processing unit 14 selects a target on the bottle neck based on the position feedback signal. Thus, the target position for the cutting mechanism 12 to cut is obtained, allowing the ampoule 2 to be accurately cut, making it easier to break the bottle neck and facilitating subsequent bottle-breaking operations. According to this embodiment, an ampoule-cutting device 1 capable of automatically selecting a target position for cutting can be provided.

[0075] While the present disclosure has been specifically described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and examples, it is to be understood that the foregoing description does not limit the present disclosure in any way. Those skilled in the art can make modifications and variations to the present disclosure as needed without departing from its essential spirit and scope, and all such modifications and variations shall fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A cutting device for an automatic dispensing system, characterized in that, The cutting device works in conjunction with a sterilization device, a bottle-breaking device, and a turntable with multiple stations. The cutting device, sterilization device, and bottle-breaking device are arranged circumferentially along the turntable and are respectively located at the cutting station, sterilization station, and bottle-breaking station. When an ampoule placed on the turntable reaches the cutting station, the cutting device cuts the ampoule. When the cut ampoule reaches the sterilization station, the sterilization device sterilizes the cut ampoule. When the sterilized ampoule reaches the bottle-breaking station, the bottle-breaking device breaks the sterilized ampoule. The cutting device includes a carrying mechanism, a cutting mechanism, a driving mechanism, and a processing unit. The carrying mechanism carries the ampoule. Multiple carrying mechanisms are disposed on the turntable and rotate with the turntable to various stations. The carrying mechanism includes a support portion for clamping the ampoule. The support portion is rotatable to allow the ampoule to rotate. The cutting mechanism includes a grinding disc, and the driving mechanism drives the grinding disc to rotate to cut the ampoule. When the cutting mechanism performs cutting, the rotation direction of the grinding disc is opposite to the rotation direction of the ampoule. The driving mechanism drives the cutting mechanism to move up and down along the outer wall of the ampoule and outputs a position feedback signal. The processing unit selects a target position on the ampoule based on the position feedback signal. The target position is the narrowest part of the ampoule neck. The driving mechanism drives the cutting mechanism to cut at a position slightly different from the target position.

2. The cutting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ampoule is made of glass, and the outer edge of the grinding disc is made of diamond or an alloy material that is harder than glass.

3. The cutting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The grinding disc is circular in shape.

4. The cutting device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The slicing device also includes a pressure sensing unit that senses the pressure of the grinding disc.

5. The cutting device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The pressure sensing unit senses the pressure on the fixed shaft of the grinding disc. When the pressure exceeds a preset range, the drive mechanism adjusts its working state to bring the pressure back to the preset range.

6. The cutting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support portion causes the ampoule to rotate at least one revolution.

7. The cutting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cutting device also includes a dust removal mechanism, which removes dust generated during the cutting of the ampoule.

8. The cutting device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The cleaning mechanism also includes a negative pressure pipe, with the pipe opening located near the neck of the ampoule.

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