Modular expandable automated dispensing system

Abstract

The application discloses a modular expandable automatic dispensing system, and belongs to the technical field of medical automatic equipment. The system comprises a main dispensing module and at least one expansion dispensing module, a plurality of medicine storage grooves are arranged on the medicine shelf of each module, each medicine storage groove is provided with an independent dispensing mechanism and a control chip. The system adopts a mechanical splicing mechanism to realize detachable physical connection between the modules, and a system communication bus is arranged to connect all the control chips and the first control unit of the main module in parallel. The core of the application is that when the expansion module is connected, the control chip can be automatically recognized and integrated by the first control unit, so that all the modules form a controlled system which is uniformly dispatched and controlled by the first control unit, thereby realizing seamless linear expansion and parallel dispensing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical automation equipment technology, and in particular to a modular and expandable automatic dispensing system, which is a system architecture suitable for automatic dispensing machines with vertically stacked medicine boxes. Background Technology

[0002] Automated dispensing machines that store medicines in vertically stacked containers, utilizing a bottom dispensing mechanism to push out the bottommost container, have become one of the mainstream automated equipment in outpatient pharmacies. This type of equipment is widely used due to its compact structure and high space utilization.

[0003] However, existing automated dispensing machines of this type have significant limitations in their system architecture. Most products on the market currently employ a highly integrated, one-piece design, fixing the drug storage racks, dispensing mechanism, and control system within a single cabinet. This rigid architecture results in severely insufficient system scalability: when medical institutions need to increase drug storage capacity to cope with business growth, they cannot smoothly upgrade and expand the capacity of existing equipment, often having to purchase a completely new machine. This not only leads to high purchase costs and a significantly increased floor space, but also results in a waste of resources from existing equipment.

[0004] To address scalability requirements, some researchers have attempted to physically assemble multiple independent dispensing machines and connect them to a central management system via an upper-level network. However, this approach suffers from fundamental flaws in terms of real-time system control, scheduling granularity, and resource coordination efficiency. Firstly, its control architecture has too many layers, typically a three-tiered model of "central control system -> module local controller -> dispensing unit." Commands from the central control system cannot be directly issued to the end-effectors; they must be relayed and decomposed through the module controllers. This hierarchical decision-making architecture introduces unavoidable communication latency, and because each local controller can only perceive and schedule its own resources, the system cannot perform unified, fine-grained parallel optimization scheduling of multiple dispensing tasks across modules from a global perspective. For example, the system struggles to synchronously drive multiple dispensing units belonging to different independent modules with millisecond-level precision, thus limiting the overall system throughput.

[0005] Secondly, the existing modular solutions have rigid expansion forms, with the dimensions of the expansion modules typically being pre-fixed standard units. This means that the total length of the assembled system can only be an integer multiple of the basic unit size, making it impossible to accurately and continuously adapt to the diverse actual space dimensions of pharmacies. This discrete expansion mode often faces the dilemma of "space waste" or "inability to install," weakening the practical value of the technology.

[0006] Therefore, how to build an intelligent system architecture that can achieve "plug and play, unified scheduling, and size adaptation" has become a higher-level technical challenge that urgently needs to be overcome in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The technical problem to be solved: To overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a modular and expandable automated dispensing system, aiming to solve the following fundamental technical problems of existing automated dispensing machines that store medicine boxes vertically: System expansion capabilities are rigid and inflexible: Existing equipment cannot achieve synchronous, linear, and seamless expansion of physical capacity and control functions. Adding new modules requires complex system reconstruction and manual configuration, and cannot achieve "plug and play".

[0008] Too many layers in the control architecture and coarse scheduling granularity: The hierarchical control module assembly scheme cannot directly schedule the drug dispensing resources at the end, and cannot realize cross-module, device-level parallel drug dispensing operations, thus limiting the overall throughput of the system.

[0009] Fixed dimensions and poor space adaptability: The dimensions of the expansion modules are discrete and fixed, which means that the total length of the spliced ​​system cannot be accurately adapted to the actual space size of the pharmacy, resulting in wasted space or inability to install.

[0010] The technical solution of this invention is: a modular and expandable automatic dispensing system, comprising: A main dispensing module includes a first medicine rack and a first control unit that serves as the system's overall control unit. The first medicine rack is provided with multiple medicine storage slots for storing medicine boxes. At least one extended dispensing module includes a second medicine rack; the second medicine rack is provided with multiple medicine storage slots for storing medicine boxes; Each of the medicine storage slots on the first medicine rack and the second medicine rack is equipped with an independent dispensing mechanism and a control chip for driving the dispensing mechanism. A system communication bus is deployed in the main dispensing module and the extended dispensing module; All control chips on the first medicine shelf and all control chips on the second medicine shelf are connected in parallel to the system communication bus and communicate with the first control unit via the bus. A mechanical splicing mechanism is used to detachably and physically connect the second medicine rack of the extended dispensing module to the first medicine rack of the main dispensing module to form an overall medicine rack with a larger medicine storage capacity. When the extended drug dispensing module completes its physical connection through the mechanical splicing mechanism and connects its control chip to the system communication bus, the first control unit can automatically identify and configure all newly connected control chips, so that the main drug dispensing module and the at least one extended drug dispensing module constitute a controlled system that is uniformly scheduled and controlled by the first control unit.

[0011] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the mechanical splicing mechanism includes detachable side plates or connectors, the first medicine rack and the second medicine rack have symmetrical structures, and can be laterally spliced ​​through the side plates or connectors.

[0012] A further technical solution of the present invention is that the length of the second medicine rack is customizable, so that the total length of the assembled medicine rack can be adapted to different installation space dimensions.

[0013] A further technical solution of the present invention is that the first control unit is configured to send instructions to any one of the control chips through the system communication bus to realize parallel drug dispensing operations on multiple drug storage slots in the main drug dispensing module and the at least one extended drug dispensing module.

[0014] A further technical solution of the present invention is that the medicine storage tank is composed of a plurality of horizontal shelves arranged on the first medicine rack and the second medicine rack, and a vertical partition detachably installed between the horizontal shelves.

[0015] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the horizontal shelf is fixed to the upright of the medicine rack by a slot or screw, and the distance between the shelves is adjustable; the vertical partition is fixed by inserting into the reserved slot on the horizontal shelf or by a clamp, and its spacing is adjustable to adapt to medicine boxes of different widths.

[0016] A further technical solution of the present invention is that each of the control chips has a unique logical address, and the first control unit addresses and controls each medicine storage tank by identifying the logical address.

[0017] A further technical solution of the present invention is that when the first control unit automatically identifies the newly connected control chip, it updates the overall slot map and drug inventory information of the system.

[0018] A further technical solution of the present invention is that the system communication bus is a bus based on a serial communication protocol.

[0019] A medicine rack module for use in the modular and scalable automated dispensing system as described above, comprising: A medicine shelf itself; Multiple medicine storage slots are provided on the main body of the medicine rack; Each of the drug storage tanks is equipped with an independent dispensing mechanism and a control chip for driving the dispensing mechanism; The medicine rack body is pre-installed with a system communication bus, and all the control chips are connected in parallel to this bus. The medicine rack body is provided with the mechanical splicing mechanism for detachable physical connection with another identical medicine rack module; The control chip is configured such that when the medicine rack module is used as an extended dispensing module, it can be automatically identified and controlled by an external main control unit through the system communication bus.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: Compared with the prior art, the modular and scalable automatic dispensing system provided by this invention achieves the following significant beneficial effects through the above technical solution: Thanks to its detachable mechanical splicing mechanism and system bus integration scheme based on a distributed control chip, the system can expand its capacity without requiring the purchase of a new unit or complex system reconfiguration or network configuration. Simply physically connect the new extended dispensing module to the main dispensing module and link it to the system communication bus. The first control unit automatically identifies all the drug storage tank resources in the new module and integrates them into the global control diagram. This allows the system capacity to be expanded "on demand and plug-and-play" according to actual needs, fundamentally overcoming the shortcomings of poor scalability in traditional all-in-one machines and insufficient integration depth in existing modular systems.

[0021] Thanks to the two-level distributed control architecture of "first control unit → control chip", this invention eliminates the intermediate layer of module-level controllers and realizes unified device-level scheduling of all dispensing resources in the system. The first control unit can directly and in parallel issue instructions to multiple control chips located in different physical modules, driving their corresponding dispensing mechanisms to operate synchronously, realizing true parallel dispensing of "multi-module, multi-slot", which greatly improves the overall dispensing efficiency and throughput of the system.

[0022] This invention constructs a complete standardized system based on a unified mechanical splicing interface, electrical communication protocol, and control chip architecture. This enables all key components, from the entire medicine rack module to the control unit of a single medicine storage slot, to possess a high degree of versatility and interchangeability. In particular, thanks to the customizable design of the second medicine rack length, the system can overcome the limitations of fixed modules and achieve precise and continuous adaptation to the pharmacy space, fundamentally eliminating space waste caused by size mismatches. This deep modular and standardized design not only greatly reduces the complexity and cost of manufacturing, warehousing management, and spare parts, but also enables "minute-level" repairs in the event of a partial failure by quickly replacing standardized modules or units, minimizing system downtime and significantly improving the reliability, maintainability, and overall lifecycle economy of the system. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall system framework of a modular and expandable automatic dispensing system according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the lateral mechanical splicing of the first medicine rack and two second medicine racks in this invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure and storage tank of the first and second medicine racks after being spliced ​​together in this invention (only the uppermost storage tank is shown). Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the main dispensing module and the extended dispensing module in this invention.

[0025] In the diagram: 1. First medicine rack, 11. Horizontal shelf, 12. Vertical partition, 13. Medicine storage tank, 14. Dispensing mechanism, 15. Side plate, 16. Top plate, 17. Bottom plate, 18. Back plate, 19. Medicine outlet, 2. Second medicine rack, 21. Column. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] Example 1 This embodiment aims to explain in detail how the system achieves seamless linear capacity expansion through a "plug-and-play" approach. Its core lies in mechanical splicing based on standardized interfaces and a set of intelligent automatic identification and communication integration protocols.

[0028] Reference diagram Figure 1 The core of this modular and expandable automated dispensing system lies in the fact that it is composed of a main dispensing module and one or more extended dispensing modules spliced ​​together in a standardized manner.

[0029] The main dispensing module includes a first medicine rack 1 and a first control unit serving as the system's overall control unit. The first medicine rack 1 has multiple horizontal shelves 11, divided by removable vertical partitions 12 to form multiple medicine storage slots 13 for storing medicine boxes. Crucially, each medicine storage slot 13 is equipped with an independent dispensing mechanism 14 (such as an electric push rod or dial) and a control chip for driving that mechanism 14. All control chips are connected in parallel to a system communication bus pre-installed inside the first medicine rack 1. This bus preferably uses RS-485 or CAN (Controller Area Network) at the physical layer and runs a custom communication protocol to ensure reliability and real-time performance.

[0030] The extended dispensing module includes a second medicine rack 2. Its core feature is that the second medicine rack 2 is completely identical to the first medicine rack 1 of the main dispensing module in terms of mechanical interface, electrical interface, and control architecture. Specifically: Standardized mechanical interfaces: The second medicine rack 2 has the same mechanical splicing mechanism as the first medicine rack 1 (such as side plate connection interface, positioning pin hole, etc.), ensuring the accuracy and reliability of physical connection.

[0031] Electrical interface standardization: The system communication bus pre-deployed in the second medicine rack 2 is completely identical to the main system in terms of type, interface definition and communication protocol.

[0032] Standardized control architecture: Each medicine storage slot 13 on the second medicine shelf 2 is also equipped with an independent control chip. The functions, communication methods and addressing logic of these chips are consistent with those of the chips on the first medicine shelf 1.

[0033] When system capacity needs to be expanded, perform the following steps: Mechanical assembly and electrical connection: The operator uses a mechanical assembly mechanism to securely connect the second medicine rack 2 of the extended dispensing module to the first medicine rack 1 of the main dispensing module, forming a physically unified whole medicine rack. Subsequently, the system communication bus inside the second medicine rack 2 is connected to the bus interface of the main system, and the new module is powered on.

[0034] Automatic identification and dynamic integration: This process is led by the first control unit and is executed based on a complete communication protocol stack.

[0035] Topology change detection: The first control unit detects the level change of the monitoring bus pin, or polls at preset intervals, or responds to manual trigger commands to sense the access of a new module.

[0036] Device enumeration and ID collection: The first control unit then broadcasts a "Device Enumeration Request" command frame (command code 0x01, target address 0xFF) to the bus. Upon receiving this broadcast, all unregistered control chips in the newly connected expansion modules reply with a "Device Response" frame (command code 0x02) after a random delay. This frame contains their unique hardware ID.

[0037] Logical Address Allocation and Registration: The first control unit collects all responding hardware IDs, compares them with the internal "Dynamic Device Address Mapping Table," and allocates a unique logical address from the available address pool for each new ID. Subsequently, it sends an "address allocation" instruction frame (instruction code 0x03) to each new hardware ID to issue and bind the logical address. The control chip stores this logical address in non-volatile memory as an identifier for subsequent communication.

[0038] System resource map update: After successfully allocating all addresses, the first control unit updates its maintained "global drug storage slot map," initializing all slots corresponding to the new logical addresses to an "available" state, and synchronously updating the system's total capacity information. This map records the physical location, drug information, and status corresponding to each logical address, and is the basis for unified system scheduling.

[0039] Communication Protocol Guarantee: All command interactions in the aforementioned automatic identification process rely on a rigorously defined communication protocol. The data link layer frame structure of this protocol includes a frame header, destination / source address, command code, data length, data fields, CRC16 checksum, and frame trailer, ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the commands. The application layer defines core command sets such as enumeration, address allocation, drug dispensing, and status query. The protocol also includes a timeout retransmission mechanism (waiting for confirmation after command issuance, automatically retrying upon timeout), a slave device acknowledgment mechanism, and fault isolation capabilities, collectively forming a highly reliable communication guarantee.

[0040] Through this embodiment, the system achieves linear and seamless capacity expansion without the need for complex manual network configuration or system reconfiguration. After physical connection and power-on, all resources of newly connected expansion modules can be automatically identified, addressed, and integrated into the global control diagram by the main system within tens of seconds, achieving true "plug and play".

[0041] Example 2 This embodiment aims to explain in detail the mechanical structure of the extended dispensing module, the construction method of the drug storage tank, and how to achieve flexible customization of the total system length through structural design, so as to accurately adapt to the installation space of different pharmacies and fundamentally solve the problem of wasted installation space or inability to install due to fixed-size modules.

[0042] like Figures 2-4 As shown, the second medicine rack 2 of the extended dispensing module is completely consistent with the first medicine rack 1 of the main dispensing module (as described in Embodiment 1) in terms of core functional interfaces (including mechanical splicing interfaces, electrical communication interfaces and control chip architecture), but its main support structure has been optimized to meet the needs of flexible customization.

[0043] The medicine storage compartments 13 on the first medicine shelf 1 and the second medicine shelf 2 have the same basic structural units, both consisting of multiple horizontal shelves 11 and vertical partitions 12 detachably installed between the horizontal shelves. The specific construction and adjustment methods are as follows: Installation and height adjustment of the horizontal shelf 11: The horizontal shelf 11 is fixed by pre-set latches or mounting holes at both ends, engaging with corresponding vertical slots or threaded holes on the side panel 15 or upright 21 of the medicine rack. The side panel 15 or upright 21 has multiple sets of equally spaced mounting positions, or positions distributed according to common medicine box height specifications, allowing the horizontal shelf 11 to be fixed at different heights, thus achieving flexible adjustment of the inter-layer distance to accommodate the stacking of medicine boxes of different heights.

[0044] Installation and width adjustment of vertical partitions 12: To create independent medicine storage compartments 13, multiple parallel vertical partitions 12 are installed between the upper and lower horizontal shelves 11. The upper surface of each horizontal shelf 11 has a series of continuous slots or T-shaped slide rails along its length. The bottom of each vertical partition 12 has matching feet or sliders that can be inserted into the slots or slid into the slide rails. By fixing the vertical partitions 12 to different slot positions or slide rail markings, the spacing between adjacent partitions can be easily adjusted, thus forming a medicine storage compartment 13 with variable width to accommodate medicine boxes of different widths. A back plate 18 is provided on the back of the medicine storage compartment 13. A medicine outlet 19 is reserved between the back plate 18 and the rear edge of the horizontal shelf 11. The vertical height of the medicine outlet 19 is set to allow only one standard medicine box to pass through at a time. Each medicine storage tank 13 is equipped with an independent dispensing mechanism 14 (such as an electric push rod, electromagnetic lever, etc.) on the lower front or bottom, which is used to push out the bottom one of the vertically stacked medicine boxes from the dispensing port 19.

[0045] Customized design for the length of the extended dispensing module (second medicine shelf 2): The main body of the second medicine rack 2 is a simplified support structure with a customizable length, and its core includes: Standardized end connection columns 21: Each second medicine shelf 2 has one (or a set of) vertical columns 21 at each end, serving as the core load-bearing and connecting components of the module. The bottom of the column 21 is precisely machined with a standardized interface that fully matches the mechanical connection interface on the side plate 15 of the first medicine shelf 1, such as: male / female snap fasteners, a combination of positioning pin holes and locking screw holes, or a compatible slide rail and locking tongue system.

[0046] The variable-length intermediate support section: Connecting the two end columns 21 are several horizontal shelf panels 11 with customizable lengths. Methods for achieving length customization include, but are not limited to: Segmented splicing type: The horizontal shelf 11 is spliced ​​together by multiple short segments of standard length through connectors, and the total length can be changed by increasing or decreasing the number of segments.

[0047] Continuously adjustable: It adopts a telescopic structure similar to drawer slides. The shelf consists of an inner shelf and an outer shelf. The relative positions are fixed by locking screws to achieve stepless length adjustment.

[0048] On-demand production: Based directly on the space dimensions measured on-site by the user, non-standard shelf panels 11 of fixed length and back panels 18 of corresponding length are produced.

[0049] Regardless of the method used, the fixing interfaces (such as slots and screw holes) between the horizontal shelf 11 and the column 21 are always kept consistent to ensure the stability of the structure and the ease of installation.

[0050] Unified internal cabling: The system communication bus (such as RS-485 cable) is pre-embedded in the cable trays of the uprights 21 and / or the horizontal shelves 11. For shelves of variable length, the bus uses flexible cables, connectors for segmented connections, or with sufficient slack to ensure that the control chip of each medicine storage tank can be reliably connected in parallel to the bus at any custom length.

[0051] System splicing and spatial adaptation process: Site Measurement and Module Customization: First, measure the precise length L of the reserved installation location in the pharmacy. Based on the basic capacity requirements and length L, determine the number of expansion modules to be spliced ​​and their individual lengths. For example, if the main dispensing module has a length of L0, one or more expansion dispensing modules can be customized so that the total length L0 + L1 + L2 + … ≈ L, maximizing space utilization.

[0052] Module assembly: Fix the main dispensing module (first medicine rack 1) at the predetermined starting position.

[0053] Remove the side panel 15 (usually the right side panel) of the first medicine rack 1, which is intended for splicing, to expose the standardized mechanical connection interface.

[0054] Align the connecting mechanism at the bottom of the column 21 of the first extended dispensing module (second medicine shelf 2) with the connecting interface of the side plate of the first medicine shelf 1.

[0055] Mechanical splicing is completed by pressing, sliding, or tightening (depending on the interface design) to securely lock the interfaces of both parties together.

[0056] Connect the internal bus plug of the extended dispensing module to the bus socket of the main dispensing module to complete the electrical connection.

[0057] Install the original first medicine rack 1 side panel 15 (or an identical standard side panel) that was removed onto the outside of the extended medicine dispensing module to keep the outside of the assembled medicine rack flat and aesthetically pleasing.

[0058] Repeated Expansion: To connect more expansion modules, repeat the above steps. Each new module only requires a one-sided connection to its adjacent module; the operation process is the same.

[0059] System Integration: After completing all physical and electrical connections, power on the system. The main control unit (first control unit) will automatically identify the control chips in all newly connected expansion modules, update the system resource map, and complete the logical integration, as described in Example 1.

[0060] The key beneficial effect of this embodiment is as follows: Precise spatial adaptability: By customizing the length of the dispensing module, the total system length can vary continuously or quasi-continuously, rather than being an integer multiple of a fixed module. This allows the system to be perfectly integrated into pharmacy spaces of various sizes, eliminating dead space waste and solving the problem of "space waste or inability to install" in the background technology.

[0061] Plug-and-play functionality is maintained: Although the length of the extended dispensing module is variable, its standardized mechanical and electrical interfaces at both ends, internal distributed control chip architecture, and communication protocol are completely unified. Therefore, length customization does not affect the implementation of the "plug-and-play" function, and the system can still automatically identify and integrate extended modules of any size.

[0062] Economic efficiency in production and maintenance: The fully standardized support structure (column 21) and interface components facilitate mass production and reduce costs. Customizable parts are mainly concentrated in linear components such as shelves and back plates, which have simple manufacturing processes. At the same time, standardized interfaces also facilitate the rapid replacement of faulty modules.

[0063] Example 3 This embodiment aims to illustrate how the extended system can efficiently perform parallel drug delivery tasks as a whole.

[0064] Assume the system has been connected to an extended dispensing module as described in Example 1. At this time, the system receives a prescription instruction from the hospital's HIS system, requesting the simultaneous dispensing of medications A, B, and C. Medications A and B are located in different storage slots of the main dispensing module, while medication C is located in a storage slot of the extended dispensing module.

[0065] The system's workflow is as follows: Command reception and parsing: The first control unit receives the prescription and parses out the required medicines and quantities.

[0066] Task scheduling: The first control unit queries the global drug storage tank map and locates the logical addresses of the control chips corresponding to drugs A, B, and C (e.g., Addr_A, Addr_B, Addr_C).

[0067] Parallel instruction issuance: The first control unit issues "drug dispensing" drive instructions to the three addresses Addr_A, Addr_B, and Addr_C almost simultaneously via the system communication bus. This is a parallel process, not a sequential execution.

[0068] Collaborative execution: Within the main dispensing module, control chip A and control chip B receive instructions and drive their respective dispensing mechanisms to eject medicines A and B.

[0069] At the same time, within the extended dispensing module, the control chip C also receives instructions, driving its dispensing mechanism to push out drug C.

[0070] Status monitoring and completion: After all target control chips have completed their execution, they report their status to the first control unit. Once the first control unit confirms that all medicines have been successfully dispatched, it updates the inventory database and reports task completion to the HIS system.

[0071] This embodiment fully demonstrates the cross-module parallel drug dispensing capability achieved by the present invention through a distributed control architecture. For the user, the entire assembled system is a unified, larger-capacity, and more efficient drug dispensing device.

[0072] Example 4 This embodiment describes in detail the core sub-module that constitutes the entire system—the plug-and-play medicine shelf module. Depending on its role in the system, this medicine shelf module manifests in two physical forms, but maintains the same core functionality: The main body of the dispensing module (i.e., the first dispensing unit 1) has a complete frame structure, mainly including two oppositely arranged side plates 15, multiple horizontal shelves 11 fixedly connected to the side plates 15, and a top plate 16 and a bottom plate 17. The inner side of the side plates 15 is pre-set with slots for fixing the shelves 11 and standardized mechanical splicing interfaces.

[0073] The main body of the medicine rack (i.e., the second medicine rack 2), which serves as an extension of the dispensing module, has a simplified support structure, mainly consisting of one or more vertical columns 21 and multiple horizontal shelves 11 fixedly connected to the columns 21. The vertical columns 21 are equipped with a standardized mechanical splicing mechanism that perfectly matches the interface of the main medicine rack side panel 15.

[0074] Regardless of its intended role, this medicine shelf module contains the following core features: Multiple medicine storage slots are provided on the horizontal shelf 11 of the medicine rack body. Each medicine storage slot 13 is equipped with an independent dispensing mechanism 14 and a control chip for driving the dispensing mechanism.

[0075] The medicine rack body is pre-installed with a system communication bus, and all the control chips are connected in parallel to this bus.

[0076] The medicine rack body is equipped with the standardized mechanical splicing mechanism (the main medicine rack is on the side plate 15, and the extended medicine rack is on the column 21) for quick and detachable physical connection with another identical medicine rack module.

[0077] The function of this medicine rack module is as follows: When the main drug rack structure is adopted and the first control unit is integrated, it serves as the main drug dispensing module of the system, managing itself and all expansion modules.

[0078] When an extended medicine shelf body structure is adopted, its control chip is configured such that after the physical and electrical connection is completed through the mechanical splicing mechanism, it can be automatically identified, assigned a logical address, and directly controlled by the external main control unit (i.e., the first control unit).

[0079] As can be seen from this embodiment, the medicine rack module of this system maintains strict standardization and consistency in its core functions (medicine storage, dispensing, and control), electrical interfaces (system bus), and mechanical splicing interfaces, while the main support structure adopts an optimized design according to its role. This "unified function and adaptable structure" design ensures seamless integration and intelligent control while balancing the stability of the main module with the cost and flexibility of the expansion modules. It serves as the physical carrier for achieving high-performance and cost-effective linear expansion of the system.

[0080] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A modular and expandable automated dispensing system, characterized in that, include: A main dispensing module includes a first medicine rack and a first control unit that serves as the system's overall control unit. The first medicine rack is provided with multiple medicine storage slots for storing medicine boxes. At least one extended dispensing module includes a second medicine rack; the second medicine rack is provided with multiple medicine storage slots for storing medicine boxes; Each of the medicine storage slots on the first medicine rack and the second medicine rack is equipped with an independent dispensing mechanism and a control chip for driving the dispensing mechanism. A system communication bus is deployed in the main dispensing module and the extended dispensing module; All control chips on the first medicine shelf and all control chips on the second medicine shelf are connected in parallel to the system communication bus and communicate with the first control unit via the bus. A mechanical splicing mechanism is used to detachably and physically connect the second medicine rack of the extended dispensing module to the first medicine rack of the main dispensing module to form an overall medicine rack with a larger medicine storage capacity. The mechanical splicing mechanism includes detachable side plates. The first medicine rack and the second medicine rack have a symmetrical structure and can be laterally spliced ​​through the side plates. The first medicine rack is fixed at a predetermined starting position. The side plate of the first medicine rack intended for splicing is removed to expose a standardized mechanical connection interface. The connection mechanism at the bottom of the column of the second medicine rack is aligned with the connection interface of the side plate of the first medicine rack, so that the interfaces of both parties are firmly locked to complete the mechanical splicing. The bus plug inside the extended dispensing module is connected to the bus socket of the main dispensing module to complete the electrical connection. The removed original side plate of the first medicine rack is installed on the outside of the extended dispensing module to keep the outside of the overall medicine rack flat and aesthetically pleasing after splicing. When the extended drug dispensing module completes its physical connection through the mechanical splicing mechanism and connects its control chip to the system communication bus, the first control unit can automatically identify and configure all newly connected control chips, so that the main drug dispensing module and the at least one extended drug dispensing module constitute a controlled system that is uniformly scheduled and controlled by the first control unit.

2. The modular and expandable automated dispensing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length of the second medicine rack is customizable, so that the total length of the assembled medicine rack can be adapted to different installation space dimensions.

3. The modular and expandable automated dispensing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first control unit is configured to send instructions to any one of the control chips via the system communication bus to achieve parallel drug dispensing operations on multiple drug storage slots in the main drug dispensing module and the at least one extended drug dispensing module.

4. The modular and expandable automated dispensing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The medicine storage tank consists of multiple horizontal shelves arranged on the first and second medicine shelves, and vertical partitions detachably installed between the horizontal shelves.

5. The modular and expandable automated dispensing system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The horizontal shelves are fixed to the uprights of the medicine rack by slots or screws, and the spacing between the shelves is adjustable; the vertical partitions are fixed by inserting into the reserved slots on the horizontal shelves or by clamps, and their spacing is adjustable to accommodate medicine boxes of different widths.

6. The modular and expandable automated dispensing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the control chips has a unique logical address, and the first control unit addresses and controls each medicine storage tank by identifying the logical address.

7. The modular and expandable automated dispensing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the first control unit automatically identifies a newly connected control chip, it will update the overall slot map and drug inventory information of the system.

8. The modular and expandable automated dispensing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system communication bus is a bus based on a serial communication protocol.

9. A medicine rack module for use in the modular and expandable automated dispensing system as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, include: A medicine shelf itself; Multiple medicine storage slots are provided on the main body of the medicine rack; Each of the drug storage tanks is equipped with an independent dispensing mechanism and a control chip for driving the dispensing mechanism; The medicine rack body is pre-installed with a system communication bus, and all the control chips are connected in parallel to this bus. The medicine rack body is provided with the mechanical splicing mechanism for detachable physical connection with another identical medicine rack module; The control chip is configured such that when the medicine rack module is used as an extended dispensing module, it can be automatically identified and controlled by an external main control unit through the system communication bus.

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