Automatic frame placing machine for traditional Chinese medicine dispensing system

Abstract

The application provides an automatic frame placing machine for a traditional Chinese medicine dispensing system, which comprises a supporting frame, a frame separating mechanism and a conveying mechanism; a medicine frame channel is formed in the middle of the supporting frame, and stacked medicine frames are placed in the channel; the frame separating mechanism is arranged below the supporting frame, used to receive the medicine frames in the medicine frame channel and separate the stacked medicine frames one by one; and the conveying mechanism is arranged below the frame separating mechanism, used to receive the separated medicine frames and convey the medicine frames to medical staff. The application realizes the full-process automation from stacked frame storage, automatic frame separation to automatic frame conveying, and medical staff do not need to manually supplement or separate medicine frames frequently. This not only greatly reduces the labor intensity of medical staff, but also reduces the pollution risk caused by manual operation, and improves the intelligent management level and work efficiency of the whole pharmacy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of medical equipment, and in particular relates to an automatic box-feeding machine for traditional Chinese medicine dispensing systems. Background Technology

[0002] With the advancement of modern medical technology and the progress of hospital information technology, automated pharmacy systems are being used more and more widely in medical institutions at all levels. Automated pharmacies not only improve the efficiency and accuracy of drug dispensing but also effectively reduce the workload of pharmacy staff and minimize human error. In the dispensing process, the plastic or paper medicine boxes that hold medications are a crucial link between the pharmacy and the patient. Typically, pharmacies pre-stock a large number of stacked medicine boxes. After a doctor writes a prescription, the system automatically allocates an empty medicine box to the dispensing station for subsequent dispensing by robotic arms or manual labor.

[0003] Currently, in existing automated pharmacy designs, medicine dispensers are mostly handled using simple robotic arms for gripping or bottom lifting. However, these methods still have many shortcomings in practical applications: First, due to manufacturing precision or electrostatic adsorption, stacked medicine frames often fit tightly together. Traditional lifting and separating methods can easily lead to multiple frames being lifted simultaneously, or uneven force causing frames to tilt or jam. Second, many existing devices lack protective clamping structures for the corners of the medicine frames, making them prone to scratching or deformation during separation. Third, existing conveyor mechanisms are mostly flat belt conveyors, which offer poor stability for medicine frames that only grip the edges and are difficult to adapt to frames of different sizes. Furthermore, frequent manual replenishment and separation of medicine frames is not only inefficient but can also cause congestion in the dispensing process during peak hours. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention aims to propose an automatic box-laying machine for a traditional Chinese medicine dispensing system, which realizes full automation from stacking and storing boxes, automatic box separation to automatic box transfer, eliminating the need for medical staff to frequently manually replenish or separate boxes. This not only significantly reduces the labor intensity of medical staff, but also reduces the risk of contamination from manual operation, and improves the overall intelligent management level and work efficiency of the pharmacy.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is implemented as follows: The Chinese medicine dispensing system uses an automatic frame-laying machine, which includes a support frame, a frame-separating mechanism, and a conveying mechanism; The middle part of the support frame forms a medicine frame channel, into which stacks of medicine frames are placed; The separating mechanism is located below the support frame and is used to receive the medicine frames in the medicine frame channel and separate the stacked medicine frames one by one. The conveying mechanism is located below the separating mechanism and is used to receive the separated medicine boxes and convey them to the medical staff.

[0006] Furthermore, the framing mechanism is provided in two sets, with the two sets of framing mechanisms respectively arranged on both sides of the medicine frame channel; each set includes two medicine frame fixing components and one medicine frame separating component. The medicine frame separation assembly is positioned between two medicine frame fixing assemblies, and the four medicine frame fixing assemblies are used to support the stacked medicine frames; the two separation mechanisms are used to separate the bottom medicine frame and allow it to fall onto the conveying mechanism.

[0007] Furthermore, the medicine frame fixing assembly includes a fixing mechanism support frame, a fixing cylinder, and a fixing plate; The fixed cylinder is mounted to the support frame via a fixed mechanism support bracket, and the fixed plate is mounted to the output end of the fixed cylinder to drive the extension and retraction of the fixed plate; The fixed plate is provided with a card block for holding the medicine frame.

[0008] Furthermore, the drug frame separation assembly includes a linear module, a separation cylinder, and a separation plate; The linear module is installed on the support frame, and the separation cylinder is installed on the moving end of the linear module through a connector to drive the separation cylinder to move up and down. The separation plate is connected to the output end of the separation cylinder, and the separation plate is equipped with separation claws for separating the medicine frame.

[0009] Furthermore, the separation claw has a U-shaped cross-section, with a groove formed in the middle of the separation claw. The separation claw acts on the edge of the medicine frame, gripping and holding the medicine frame, and then the separation of the medicine frame is completed through the linear module.

[0010] Furthermore, both the top of the fixed plate and the top of the separating plate are provided with guide plates to guide the medicine frames in the medicine frame channel and allow them to fall into the separating mechanism.

[0011] Furthermore, the conveying mechanism is equipped with two conveyor belts for holding the edges of the medicine frame and completing the conveying.

[0012] Compared with existing technologies, the automatic box-feeding machine for the traditional Chinese medicine dispensing system described in this invention has the following advantages: (1) The automatic frame-laying machine for dispensing Chinese medicine described in this invention adopts a two-part frame-laying mechanism to work together. The weight of the entire stack of frames is supported by four frame-laying components. Then, the separation mechanism is used to precisely position the second to last frame, allowing only the bottom frame to fall. This "upper support and lower block" separation logic effectively overcomes the problem of adhesion between frames caused by electrostatic adsorption or friction, ensuring that only one frame is separated at a time, which greatly improves the accuracy and reliability of frame separation.

[0013] (2) The automatic frame-laying machine for the Chinese medicine dispensing system described in this invention has a U-shaped groove structure for the separation claw, which can cover and engage the edges of the medicine frame during the separation action, resulting in a larger contact area and more uniform force distribution, thus avoiding stress concentration and plastic deformation on the side wall of the medicine frame during the separation process. At the same time, the guide plate design on the fixed plate and the separation plate guides the medicine frame to fall smoothly, reducing hard collisions.

[0014] (3) The automatic frame-laying machine used in the Chinese medicine dispensing system of the present invention has two sets of four frame-fixing components that support the frames synchronously from four directions, ensuring the verticality of the stacked frames in the channel and preventing the frames from tilting or getting stuck during descent. This symmetrical support structure can accommodate frames with different dimensional tolerances, enhancing the equipment's fault tolerance and versatility. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an automatic frame-feeding machine used in the traditional Chinese medicine dispensing system described in this embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an automatic frame-feeding machine used in the traditional Chinese medicine dispensing system described in this embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the frame-splitting mechanism described in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 As described in the embodiments of the present invention Figure 3 A magnified view of a portion of the image; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the interaction between the card block, the separation claw, and the edge of the medicine frame as described in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Support frame; 2. Separating mechanism; 21. Medicine frame fixing component; 211. Fixing mechanism support frame; 212. Fixing cylinder; 213. Fixing plate; 214. Clamping block; 22. Medicine frame separating component; 221. Linear module; 222. Separating cylinder; 223. Separating plate; 224. Separating claw; 23. Guide plate; 3. Conveying mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0017] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0018] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0019] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0020] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0021] The traditional Chinese medicine dispensing system uses an automatic crating machine, such as... Figures 1-5 As shown, it includes a support frame 1, a frame-splitting mechanism 2, and a conveying mechanism 3; The middle part of the support frame 1 forms a medicine frame channel, into which stacks of medicine frames are placed; The separating mechanism 2 is located below the support frame 1 and is used to receive the medicine frames in the medicine frame channel and separate the stacked medicine frames one by one. The conveying mechanism 3 is located below the separating mechanism 2 and is used to receive the separated medicine frames and convey them to the medical staff.

[0022] Preferably, the framing mechanism 2 is provided in two sets, and the two sets of framing mechanisms 2 are respectively arranged on both sides of the medicine frame channel; each set includes two medicine frame fixing components 21 and one medicine frame separating component 22; The medicine frame separation component 22 is disposed between two medicine frame fixing components 21, and the four medicine frame fixing components 21 are used to support the stacked medicine frames; the two separation mechanisms are used to separate the bottom medicine frame and let it fall onto the conveying mechanism 3.

[0023] The four medicine frame fixing components 21 are arranged in a rectangle, supporting the edges of the medicine frame from four points simultaneously. Compared with single-sided or two-point support, this can effectively prevent stacked medicine frames from tilting or getting stuck in the channel, ensuring that the medicine frames always maintain a vertical falling posture.

[0024] Preferably, the medicine frame fixing assembly 21 includes a fixing mechanism support frame 211, a fixing cylinder 212, and a fixing plate 213; The fixed cylinder 212 is installed on the support frame 1 via the fixed mechanism support frame 211, and the fixed plate 213 is installed on the output end of the fixed cylinder 212 to realize the extension and retraction of the fixed plate 213; The fixed plate 213 is provided with a card block 214 for holding the medicine frame.

[0025] Preferably, the medicine frame separation assembly 22 includes a linear module 221, a separation cylinder 222, and a separation plate 223; The linear module 221 is installed on the support frame 1, and the separation cylinder 222 is installed on the moving end of the linear module 221 through a connector to drive the separation cylinder 222 to move up and down. The separation plate 223 is connected to the output end of the separation cylinder 222, and the separation plate 223 is provided with separation claws 224 for separating the medicine frame.

[0026] Preferably, the separating claw 224 has a U-shaped cross-section, with a groove formed in the middle. The separating claw 224 acts on the edge of the medicine frame, gripping and holding the medicine frame, and then the medicine frame is separated by the linear module 221. The U-shaped groove design of the separating claw 224 can cover and engage the edge of the medicine frame during the separation action, resulting in a larger contact area and more uniform force distribution, avoiding stress concentration and plastic deformation on the side wall of the medicine frame during the separation process. At the same time, the guide plate 23 on the fixing plate 213 and the separating plate 223 guides the medicine frame to fall smoothly, reducing hard impacts.

[0027] Preferably, both the top of the fixed card plate 213 and the top of the separating card plate 223 are provided with guide plates 23, which are used to guide the medicine frames in the medicine frame channel and drop them into the separating mechanism 2.

[0028] Preferably, the conveying mechanism 3 is equipped with two conveyor belts to support the edges of the medicine frame and complete the conveying process. The conveying mechanism 3 adopts a dual-belt design, specifically designed to support the bottom edges of the medicine frame for transport. This design not only saves materials and reduces equipment weight, but more importantly, it allows for seamless integration with the upstream and downstream processes of an automated pharmacy.

[0029] Working principle: In the initial state, the four medicine box fixing components 21 of the separating mechanism 2 are in the extended state, the two medicine box separating components 22 are in the retracted state, and the two tracks of the conveying mechanism 3 are in the standby state. Medical staff or upstream equipment vertically place a stack of medicine frames into the medicine frame channel in the middle of the support frame 1; the medicine frames fall under the action of gravity and are supported by the locking blocks 214 on the four extended fixing plates 213. The weight of the entire stack of medicine frames is borne by the four medicine frame fixing components 21; the guide plates 23 on the top of the fixing plates 213 and the separation plates 223 play a role in straightening and guiding the medicine frames during the falling process, preventing them from being stacked crookedly. The two separation components move synchronously: the separation cylinder 222 drives the separation plate 223 to extend, causing the U-shaped separation claw 224 to cover the edge of the bottommost medicine box. At this time, the fixing plates 213 of the four medicine frame fixing components 21 retract; the separation plate 223 completes the support function for the medicine frame; the linear module 221 drives the separation plate 223 to move downward to the designated position, at which time the fixing plates 213 of the four medicine frame fixing components 21 extend and are locked between the bottom medicine frame and the second to last medicine frame. The linear module 221 continues to work, detaching the bottommost medicine frame from the stacked medicine frames and sending it to the conveyor mechanism 3, which smoothly transports the medicine frame to the dispensing station for medical staff or robotic arms to dispense the medicine; the above steps are repeated to complete the separation of other medicine frames.

[0030] 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. An automatic box-feeding machine for dispensing traditional Chinese medicine, characterized in that: Includes a support frame, a frame-splitting mechanism, and a conveying mechanism; The middle part of the support frame forms a medicine frame channel, into which stacks of medicine frames are placed; The separating mechanism is located below the support frame and is used to receive the medicine frames in the medicine frame channel and separate the stacked medicine frames one by one. The conveying mechanism is located below the separating mechanism and is used to receive the separated medicine boxes and convey them to the medical staff.

2. The automatic frame-laying machine for the traditional Chinese medicine dispensing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The framing mechanism is provided in two sets, with the two sets of framing mechanisms respectively located on both sides of the medicine frame channel; each set includes two medicine frame fixing components and one medicine frame separating component. The medicine frame separation assembly is positioned between two medicine frame fixing assemblies, and the four medicine frame fixing assemblies are used to support the stacked medicine frames; the two separation mechanisms are used to separate the bottom medicine frame and allow it to fall onto the conveying mechanism.

3. The automatic frame-feeding machine for the traditional Chinese medicine dispensing system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The medicine frame fixing assembly includes a fixing mechanism support frame, a fixing cylinder, and a fixing plate; The fixed cylinder is mounted to the support frame via a fixed mechanism support bracket, and the fixed plate is mounted to the output end of the fixed cylinder to drive the extension and retraction of the fixed plate; The fixed plate is provided with a card block for holding the medicine frame.

4. The automatic frame-feeding machine for the traditional Chinese medicine dispensing system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The drug frame separation assembly includes a linear module, a separation cylinder, and a separation plate; The linear module is installed on the support frame, and the separation cylinder is installed on the moving end of the linear module through a connector to drive the separation cylinder to move up and down. The separation plate is connected to the output end of the separation cylinder, and the separation plate is equipped with separation claws for separating the medicine frame.

5. The automatic frame-feeding machine for the traditional Chinese medicine dispensing system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The separation claw has a U-shaped cross-section, with a groove formed in the middle of the separation claw. The separation claw acts on the edge of the medicine frame, gripping and holding the medicine frame, and then the separation of the medicine frame is completed through the linear module.

6. The automatic frame-feeding machine for the traditional Chinese medicine dispensing system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The top of both the fixed plate and the separating plate is equipped with a guide plate to guide the medicine frames in the medicine frame channel and allow them to fall into the separating mechanism.

7. The automatic frame-feeding machine for the traditional Chinese medicine dispensing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conveying mechanism is equipped with two conveyor belts to hold the edges of the medicine box and complete the conveying.

Images