Weighing mechanism and automatic dosing device

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of weighing mechanism and automatic dispensing equipment, it is related to medicine dispensing equipment technical field, and weighing mechanism includes mounting seat, upper shell, material conveying mechanism and weighing assembly. Upper shell is equipped with with inner cavity communication's feeding port and bottom unloading port. Weighing assembly is located below material conveying mechanism, including weighing part and weighing hopper. Weighing hopper is made of lower shell and rotatable bearing plate, lower shell top is equipped with feed port, bottom is equipped with discharge port, bearing plate cover is equipped with discharge port, with first, second working position. First position closes discharge port, and the medicinal material conveyed by material conveying mechanism is received;Second position opens discharge port, and the medicinal material is guided downward. Medicine replenishing mechanism is supplemented from feeding port to upper shell, and is sent into weighing hopper through unloading port, material conveying mechanism, and weighing part is weighed in real time, when reaching prescription weight, bearing plate switches to second position, and medicinal material falls into medicine bucket assembly, realizes single medicinal material independent weighing and on-demand release, and avoids mixed weighing error.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of pharmaceutical dispensing equipment technology, and in particular to a weighing mechanism and an automatic dispensing device. Background Technology

[0002] The preparation of traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions requires mixing various medicinal materials according to the prescribed dosage. Traditional Chinese medicine pharmacies rely on manual labor to weigh, dispense, and verify the medicines multiple times, which is cumbersome, inefficient, and has problems such as low weighing accuracy, easy errors, and high labor intensity.

[0003] To improve automation, existing technologies have adopted feeding mechanisms equipped with weighing hoppers to replace manual dispensing of medicines. However, due to the wide variety of Chinese medicinal herbs and their significant differences in morphology, density, and flowability, existing equipment has poor adaptability when conveying herbs with different properties, easily leading to blockages, residues, or uneven feeding, resulting in inaccurate weighing and insufficient versatility. Furthermore, most equipment lacks automatic replenishment functions, requiring frequent manual intervention and hindering continuous and intelligent dispensing. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a Chinese medicine dispensing device capable of automatically distributing, accurately weighing, and automatically replenishing Chinese medicinal herbs based on prescription information, in order to improve dispensing efficiency, accuracy, and automation. Utility Model Content

[0004] The main purpose of this invention is to propose a weighing mechanism and an automatic dispensing device, which aims to provide a traditional Chinese medicine dispensing device that can automatically complete the distribution, accurate weighing and automatic replenishment of medicinal materials according to prescription information.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the weighing mechanism proposed in this utility model includes:

[0006] Mounting base;

[0007] An upper housing is mounted on the mounting base. The upper housing has a feeding port and a discharging port that communicate with its inner cavity. The discharging port is located at the bottom of the upper housing.

[0008] The material conveying mechanism is located below the upper housing;

[0009] A weighing assembly is located below the conveying mechanism. The weighing assembly includes a weighing section and a weighing hopper. The weighing section is used to weigh the weighing hopper. The weighing hopper includes a lower shell and a support plate. The top of the lower shell is provided with a feed inlet, and the bottom is provided with a discharge outlet. The support plate is rotatably covered on the discharge outlet to have a first working position and a second working position. In the first working position, the support plate closes the discharge outlet and receives the medicinal materials that the conveying mechanism drops from the discharge outlet and conveys to the feed inlet. In the second working position, the support plate opens the discharge outlet, allowing the medicinal materials on the support plate to be discharged downwards.

[0010] In one embodiment, the weighing mechanism further includes:

[0011] A first drive motor, connected to the support plate, is used to drive the support plate to rotate; and

[0012] A control device, electrically connected to the first drive motor and the weighing unit, is used to control the first drive motor to operate according to the weighing unit.

[0013] In one embodiment, the support plate is rotatably disposed about a first rotation axis extending in a first horizontal direction, and the support plate is further provided with a limiting post extending in the first horizontal direction.

[0014] The weighing assembly also includes a limiting plate fixedly connected to the mounting base. The limiting plate is provided with a limiting groove, which is located on the periphery of the first rotation axis and extends circumferentially along the first rotation axis, having a first end and a second end in its circumferential direction.

[0015] The limiting post passes through the limiting groove to limit and cooperate with the limiting groove. When the limiting post moves to the first end of the limiting groove, the bearing plate is in the first working position. When the limiting post moves to the second end of the limiting groove, the bearing plate is in the second working position.

[0016] In one embodiment, the weighing part includes a weighing sensor having a first end and a second end disposed opposite to each other. The first end of the weighing part is fixedly connected to the mounting base, and the second end of the weighing part is fixedly connected to the lower housing.

[0017] In one embodiment, the discharge port and the feed port are arranged at intervals in the second horizontal direction;

[0018] The material conveying mechanism includes a first material conveying component, the first material conveying component comprising:

[0019] The two first transmission wheels are rotatably arranged around a rotation axis extending in the first horizontal direction, and are spaced apart in the second horizontal direction;

[0020] A first conveyor belt, wound around the two first drive wheels for transmission connection, is used to transport the medicinal materials falling from the discharge port along the second horizontal direction; and...

[0021] The second driving device is used to drive at least one of the two first transmission wheels to rotate.

[0022] In one embodiment, the feeding mechanism further includes a second feeding assembly located below the first feeding assembly, the second feeding assembly comprising:

[0023] Two second transmission wheels are rotatably arranged about a rotation axis extending in a first horizontal direction, and are spaced apart in the second horizontal direction; and,

[0024] A second conveyor belt, wound around the periphery of the two second drive wheels, is used to drive the two second drive wheels. The second conveyor belt transports the medicinal materials falling from the first conveyor belt along the second horizontal direction to the feed inlet below; and...

[0025] A third driving device is used to drive at least one of the two second transmission wheels to rotate;

[0026] The rotational speed difference between the third drive device and the second drive device is set.

[0027] This utility model also provides an automatic dispensing device, the automatic dispensing device comprising:

[0028] A frame on which multiple workstations are provided, including multiple adjustment workstations;

[0029] Multiple sets of dispensing components are respectively set up with the multiple dispensing stations, and each set of dispensing components includes multiple weighing mechanisms as described in any one of the above.

[0030] A tonic dispensing mechanism, used to dispense Chinese medicinal herbs into the feeding ports of corresponding weighing mechanisms; and,

[0031] A flow assembly is used to transport multiple medicine barrel assemblies to the corresponding multiple dispensing stations. Each medicine barrel assembly is used to receive multiple medicinal materials falling from the multiple discharge ports of the multiple weighing mechanisms at the corresponding dispensing station.

[0032] In one embodiment, the automatic dispensing equipment further includes multiple guide hoppers, which are respectively arranged corresponding to the multiple dispensing stations and located below the dispensing component;

[0033] The material guiding channels of each of the aforementioned hoppers are arranged to gradually narrow from top to bottom. The upper port of the hopper is used to receive various medicinal materials falling from the multiple discharge ports of the multiple weighing mechanisms corresponding to the dispensing station. The lower port of the hopper is arranged to correspond to the opening of the medicine barrel assembly that is conveyed to the dispensing station.

[0034] In one embodiment, the tonic mechanism includes a tonic box, which is rotatably configured to replenish the medicinal materials in its inner cavity through the opening of the tonic box to the feeding port corresponding to the weighing mechanism during its rotational stroke.

[0035] In one embodiment, the plurality of dispensing stations are spaced apart in a first horizontal direction, and the plurality of stations further include a plurality of dispensing stations spaced apart in the first horizontal direction. The dispensing stations and the dispensing stations are spaced apart in a second horizontal direction.

[0036] The automatic dispensing equipment also includes a conveying component, which comprises:

[0037] The first linear drive module has a first linear drive unit that is movably disposed along a first horizontal direction;

[0038] A second linear drive module is installed on the first linear drive unit, and the second linear drive module has a second linear drive unit that is movably disposed in the vertical direction.

[0039] A third linear drive module is mounted on the second linear drive unit, the third linear drive module having a third linear drive unit movably disposed along a second horizontal direction; and...

[0040] The flipping mechanism, installed on the third linear drive unit, has a rotating part that is rotatably arranged around the rotation axis in the first horizontal direction, and the rotating part is fixedly connected to the medicine box.

[0041] In this invention, the medicinal materials are fed into the upper housing via a feeding port through a replenishing mechanism, and then transported to the weighing hopper via a conveying mechanism. The weighing unit can acquire weight information in real time. When the required weight is reached, the support plate switches from the first working position to the second working position, allowing the medicinal materials to be discharged from the outlet into the medicine barrel assembly. This achieves independent weighing and controlled release of the medicinal materials, avoiding the accumulation of errors caused by weighing multiple medicinal materials together. Attached Figure Description

[0042] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model 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 this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0043] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the weighing mechanism provided by this utility model;

[0044] Figure 2 and Figure 3 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the weighing mechanism provided by this utility model;

[0045] Figure 4A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the automatic dispensing equipment provided by this utility model;

[0046] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of some parts of the automatic dispensing equipment;

[0047] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A side view of a portion of the automatic dispensing equipment;

[0048] Figure 7 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the middle-flow water assembly and the regulating assembly;

[0049] Figure 8 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the delivery components and the drug replenishment mechanism;

[0050] Figure 9 for Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of a traditional Chinese medicine tonic.

[0051] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0052] 100. Weighing mechanism; 1. Mounting base; 2. Upper housing; 2a. Feeding port; 2b. Discharge port; 3. Conveying mechanism; 31. First conveying assembly; 311. First transmission wheel; 312. First conveyor belt; 313. Second drive device; 32. Second conveying assembly; 321. Second transmission wheel; 322. Second conveyor belt; 323. Third drive device; 4. Weighing assembly; 41. Weighing part; 42. Weighing hopper; 421. Lower housing; 421a. Feed inlet; 421b. Discharge port; 422. Bearing plate; 423. Limiting post; 43. Limiting plate; 43a. Limiting groove; 5. First drive motor;

[0053] 200. Automatic dispensing equipment; 10. Frame; 20. Dispensing component; 30. Replenishment mechanism; 301. Replenishment box; 40. Flow assembly; 50. Guide hopper; 60. Conveying component; 601. First linear drive module; 602. Second linear drive module; 603. Third linear drive module; 604. Tilting mechanism;

[0054] 300. Medicine barrel assembly.

[0055] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this utility model will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0056] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0057] It should be noted that if the embodiments of this utility model involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0058] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this utility model involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

[0059] This utility model proposes a weighing mechanism, aiming to provide a traditional Chinese medicine dispensing device that can automatically complete the distribution, accurate weighing, and automatic replenishment of medicinal materials based on prescription information.

[0060] Please see Figures 1 to 3In one embodiment of this utility model, the weighing mechanism 100 includes a mounting base 1, an upper housing 2, a feeding mechanism 3, and a weighing component 4. The upper housing 2 is mounted on the mounting base 1 and has a feeding port 2a and a discharging port 2b communicating with its inner cavity. The discharging port 2b is located at the bottom of the upper housing 2. The feeding mechanism 3 is located below the upper housing 2. The weighing component 4 is located below the feeding mechanism 3 and includes a weighing part 41 and a weighing hopper 42. The weighing part 41 is used to weigh the weighing hopper 42. The weighing hopper 42 includes a lower housing 421 and a support plate. 422, the lower housing 421 has an inlet 421a at its top and an outlet 421b at its bottom. The support plate 422 is rotatably covered by the outlet 421b to have a first working position and a second working position. In the first working position, the support plate 422 closes the outlet 421b and receives the medicinal materials that the feeding mechanism 3 drops from the discharge port 2b and conveys to the inlet 421a. In the second working position, the support plate 422 opens the outlet 421b and allows the medicinal materials on the support plate 422 to be discharged downwards.

[0061] Understandably, the mounting base 1 is used to fix the upper housing 2 and the frame 10 of the automatic dispensing equipment 200, among other components. The upper housing 2 is fixed to the mounting base 1, and its interior forms a cavity with a certain volume. This cavity connects to the external medicine replenishment mechanism 30 through the top feeding port 2a to receive the Chinese medicinal materials replenished from above. The bottom of the upper housing 2 is provided with a discharge port 2b, which communicates with the cavity, allowing the medicinal materials to be discharged downwards from the cavity through the discharge port 2b. The upper housing 2 can temporarily store a certain amount of medicinal materials and guide them to fall stably into the conveying mechanism 3 below.

[0062] The conveying mechanism 3 is located below the discharge port 2b of the upper shell 2. It is used to receive the medicinal materials falling from the discharge port 2b and convey them to the inlet 421a of the weighing hopper 42. The conveying mechanism 3 can adopt a screw conveyor, a vibrating feeder, or a belt conveyor assembly, etc. The specific structure can be selected according to the flowability and particle characteristics of the medicinal materials. For example, for powdery medicinal materials that are prone to caking, a screw structure with a disturbance function can be used; for granular medicinal materials, a low-amplitude vibrating feeding method can be used to ensure that the medicinal materials are conveyed evenly and continuously to the weighing hopper 42, avoiding impact falling and affecting the weighing accuracy.

[0063] The weighing component 4 is located downstream of the conveying mechanism 3 and is used to detect the weight of the medicinal materials. The weighing component 4 includes a weighing part 41 and a weighing hopper 42.

[0064] The weighing unit 41 can be a high-precision weighing sensor, such as a strain gauge sensor or an electromagnetic force balance sensor, and its output is connected to the control system to provide real-time feedback of the weight signal of the weighing hopper 42 and its contents.

[0065] The weighing hopper 42 includes a lower housing 421 and a support plate 422. The lower housing 421 has an inlet 421a at the top for receiving medicinal materials conveyed by the conveying mechanism 3, and an outlet 421b at the bottom for releasing the medicinal materials after weighing. The support plate 422 is rotatably mounted on the bottom of the lower housing 421 and can be opened and closed relative to the outlet 421b via a pivot or hinge structure. In the first working position, the support plate 422 covers the outlet 421b, forming a closed state. At this time, the weighing hopper 42 is in the weighing stage, and the medicinal materials are supported by the support plate 422 and remain inside the lower housing 421. The control system compares the weight data fed back by the weighing unit 41 in real time according to the prescription setting value. When the target weight is reached, the drive mechanism is triggered.

[0066] The support plate 422 switches from the first working position to the second working position under the action of the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism can be a motor, cylinder, or electromagnet, etc., which drives the support plate 422 to rotate through a connecting rod, cam, or direct shaft drive. In the second working position, the support plate 422 is offset from the discharge port 421b, so that the discharge port 421b is fully opened. Under the action of gravity, the medicinal material is discharged downward from the lower shell 421 through the discharge port 421b and falls into the medicine barrel assembly 300 set below. The medicine barrel assembly 300 can be a movable medicine receiving box or a fixed medicine hopper, used to collect the weighed single medicinal material.

[0067] This specification does not limit the specific implementation of the drive mechanism. It can be a stepper motor with gear transmission, or a pneumatic push rod linked to a rotating arm; no limitation is made here. Similarly, the shape of the lower housing 421 can be square, circular, or polygonal. The size ratio of the inlet 421a to the outlet 421b can be designed according to the maximum single weighing dose. The specific structure can be adjusted according to the actual assembly space and the characteristics of the medicinal materials. The embodiments in this specification do not limit this.

[0068] The medicinal materials are added to the upper housing 2 through the feeding port 2a via the replenishing mechanism 30, and then conveyed to the weighing hopper 42 via the conveying mechanism 3. The weighing unit 41 can acquire weight information in real time. When the weight required by the prescription is reached, the support plate 422 switches from the first working position to the second working position, so that the medicinal materials are discharged from the discharge port 421b to the medicine barrel assembly 300. This achieves independent weighing and controlled release of the medicinal materials, avoiding the accumulation of errors caused by the mixed weighing of multiple medicinal materials.

[0069] Specifically, please refer to Figure 1 In this embodiment, the weighing mechanism 100 further includes a first drive motor 5 and a control device. The first drive motor 5 is drivenly connected to the support plate 422 and is used to drive the support plate 422 to rotate. The control device is electrically connected to the first drive motor 5 and the weighing part 41 and is used to control the first drive motor 5 to work according to the weighing part 41.

[0070] The first drive motor 5 is connected to the support plate 422 and is used to drive its rotation. The first drive motor 5 can be a stepper motor, a servo motor, or a DC geared motor. Its output shaft drives the rotating shaft of the support plate 422 through a coupling, gear set, or linkage mechanism to realize the transmission of rotational motion. The motor starts and stops under the action of a control signal and controls the rotation angle so that the support plate 422 switches between a first working position and a second working position. When an opening command is received, the motor rotates a certain angle, driving the support plate 422 to open the discharge port 421b; after the material is discharged, it can reverse to reset it. This specification does not limit the specific type and transmission method of the first drive motor 5. It can be a direct shaft drive, belt drive, or cam push, etc., which will not be described in detail here.

[0071] The control device is electrically connected to the first drive motor 5 and the weighing unit 41, and is used to receive the weight signal from the weighing unit 41 and compare it with the prescription setting value. When the weight reaches the target value, the control device outputs a drive signal to the first drive motor 5 to start it and drive the support plate 422 to switch to the second working position, thereby releasing the medicinal materials.

[0072] It should be noted that the control device can be configured with thresholds, delays, or compensation algorithms to address the effects of inertia or vibration during the material feeding process. The control device can be a microcontroller, PLC, or embedded controller, and its specific structure and communication method can be determined according to system requirements. This specification does not limit these aspects in the embodiments.

[0073] By cooperating with the first drive motor 5 and the control device, the weighing signal can be used to directly control the discharge action, so that the opening timing of the bearing plate 422 matches the actual weight status, thereby releasing the medicinal materials as needed and improving the weighing accuracy.

[0074] Furthermore, to ensure that the bearing plate 422 has reliable positional limiting during rotation and to avoid incomplete opening and closing, please refer to [the relevant documentation]. Figure 1 In this embodiment, the support plate 422 is rotatably disposed around a first rotation axis extending in a first horizontal direction. A limiting post 423 extending in the first horizontal direction is also disposed on the support plate 422. The weighing assembly 4 further includes a limiting plate 43 fixedly connected to the mounting base 1. The limiting plate 43 is provided with a limiting groove 43a, which is located around the first rotation axis and extends circumferentially along the first rotation axis, having a first end and a second end in its circumferential direction. The limiting post 423 passes through the limiting groove 43a to limit and cooperate with it. When the limiting post 423 moves to the first end of the limiting groove 43a, the support plate 422 is in the first working position. When the limiting post 423 moves to the second end of the limiting groove 43a, the support plate 422 is in the second working position.

[0075] It is understood that the arc length of the limiting groove 43a corresponds to the rotation angle of the bearing plate 422, and its shape can be an arc or a polygon, with a cross-section that can be circular or polygonal, depending on the motion trajectory and assembly requirements. An appropriate gap is maintained between the limiting post 423 and the groove to allow for smooth sliding. This specification does not limit the specific structural form of the limiting post 423 and the limiting groove 43a; alternative solutions such as cam grooves and stops can also be used, depending on the actual layout. This specification does not limit the specific structural form of the limiting post 423 and the limiting groove 43a.

[0076] The limiting post 423 passes through the limiting groove 43a, forming a sliding limiting engagement. When the support plate 422 rotates, the limiting post 423 slides along the arc-shaped path of the limiting groove 43a, and its range of motion is constrained between the first end and the second end. When the limiting post 423 abuts against the first end of the limiting groove 43a, the support plate 422 completely covers the discharge port 421b, and is in the first working position; when the limiting post 423 abuts against the second end of the limiting groove 43a, the discharge port 421b is fully opened, and the support plate 422 is in the second working position.

[0077] By cooperating with the limiting post 423 and the limiting groove 43a, the rotation range of the bearing plate 422 is constrained so that its opening and closing action has a definite endpoint position, preventing over-positioning or under-positioning.

[0078] For details, please continue reading Figure 1 In this embodiment, the weighing part 41 includes a weighing sensor, which has a first end and a second end disposed opposite to each other. The first end of the weighing part 41 is fixedly connected to the mounting base 1, and the second end of the weighing part 41 is fixedly connected to the lower housing 421.

[0079] The load cell can be strain gauge, piezoresistive, or electromagnetically compensated, and the specific type is selected according to the weighing range and accuracy requirements. The connection at both ends of the load cell can be achieved by threaded fastening, flange connection, or pin engagement, ensuring a reliable connection and preventing loosening or slippage.

[0080] Through this connection method, the weight of the medicinal materials carried inside the lower housing 421 is transferred to the lower housing 421 via the bearing plate 422, and then directly acts on the second end of the weighing sensor from the lower housing 421, forming a clear force transmission path.

[0081] This manual does not limit the specific model and connection structure of the load cell. Cantilever beam, S-type, or column-type load cells can also be used, depending on the spatial layout and stress conditions. The load cell can be installed vertically or at an angle, as long as a flexible connection between the lower housing 421 and the mounting base 1 can be achieved and the weight can be accurately transmitted. This manual does not limit the embodiments in this way.

[0082] By fixing one end of the weighing sensor to the mounting base 1 and the other end to the lower housing 421, an independent weighing unit is formed, so that the weight of the medicinal material directly acts on the sensor, thereby accurately reflecting the actual weight of the material in the weighing hopper 42.

[0083] Specifically, please refer to Figure 1 In this embodiment, the discharge port 2b and the feed port 421a are spaced apart in the second horizontal direction; the conveying mechanism 3 includes a first conveying component 31, which includes two first transmission wheels 311, a first conveyor belt 312, and a second driving device 313. The two first transmission wheels 311 are rotatably arranged around a rotation axis extending in the first horizontal direction and are spaced apart in the second horizontal direction; the first conveyor belt 312 is wrapped around the periphery of the two first transmission wheels 311 to drive the two first transmission wheels 311. The first conveyor belt 312 is used to convey the medicinal materials falling from the discharge port 2b along the second horizontal direction; the second driving device 313 is used to drive at least one of the two first transmission wheels 311 to rotate.

[0084] Thus, after the medicinal materials fall vertically from the discharge port 2b of the upper shell 2, they fall directly into the carrying section of the first conveyor belt 312, and then move along the second horizontal direction under the drive of the conveyor belt, and finally are transported to the feed port 421a of the weighing hopper 42 and fall into the lower shell 421.

[0085] The second drive device 313 is used to drive at least one first transmission wheel 311 to rotate, thereby driving the first conveyor belt 312 to run. The second drive device 313 can be a motor, and its output shaft is connected to one of the first transmission wheels 311 through a coupling, gear, or belt to realize power input. The second drive device 313 can operate intermittently, for example, starting after a replenishment command is issued and stopping after the medicinal materials are completely transferred; it can also operate continuously at low speed, cooperating with upstream material feeding control to achieve quantitative conveying. This specification does not limit the specific form of the second drive device 313, which can be a stepper motor, servo motor, or geared motor. Its installation position and transmission method can be adjusted according to the spatial layout, and the embodiments in this specification do not limit this.

[0086] To accommodate the varying delivery precision requirements of different medicinal materials, especially for small doses requiring precise weighing, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 2 and Figure 3In this embodiment, the feeding mechanism 3 further includes a second feeding assembly 32 located below the first feeding assembly 31. The second feeding assembly 32 includes two second transmission wheels 321, a second conveyor belt 322, and a third driving device 323. The two second transmission wheels 321 are rotatably arranged around a rotation axis extending in a first horizontal direction and are spaced apart in the second horizontal direction. The second conveyor belt 322 is wrapped around the periphery of the two second transmission wheels 321 to drive the two second transmission wheels 321. The second conveyor belt 322 is used to transport the medicinal materials falling from the first conveyor belt 312 along the second horizontal direction to the feed inlet 421a below. The third driving device 323 is used to drive at least one of the two second transmission wheels 321 to rotate. The rotational speeds of the third driving device 323 and the second driving device 313 are set differently.

[0087] Thus, the second conveyor belt 322 is arranged around the two second drive wheels 321 to form a lower conveying path. After the medicinal materials fall from the end of the first conveyor belt 312, they fall into the carrying section of the second conveyor belt 322. Then, driven by the second conveyor belt 322, they continue to move along the second horizontal direction and are finally conveyed to the top of the feed inlet 421a and fall into the lower housing 421.

[0088] The third drive unit 323 drives at least one second drive wheel 321 to rotate, thereby driving the second conveyor belt 322 to run. The third drive unit 323 and the second drive unit 313 are controlled independently, and their output speeds are different. In the case of working conditions requiring precise weighing, the speed of the third drive unit 323 is set to be lower than the speed of the second drive unit 313, so that the running speed of the second conveyor belt 322 is slower than that of the first conveyor belt 312.

[0089] By setting the rotation speed difference, the system can automatically adjust according to the type of medicinal material and the target weight. For example, for medicinal materials with a large gram weight and good flowability, the speed of the second conveyor belt 322 can be increased to improve efficiency; for fine powder or small-dose medicinal materials, the speed of the second conveyor belt 322 can be decreased to achieve fine feeding. The control system can automatically match the corresponding conveying mode according to the prescription information.

[0090] This utility model also provides an automatic dispensing device 200, please refer to [link / reference]. Figures 4 to 8 The automatic dispensing device 200 includes a frame 10, multiple dispensing components 20, a replenishment mechanism 30, and a flow assembly 40. The specific structure of the weighing mechanism 100 is as described in the above embodiments. Since this automatic dispensing device 200 adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

[0091] The machine frame 10 is equipped with multiple workstations, including multiple dispensing workstations; multiple sets of dispensing components 20 are respectively set with the multiple dispensing workstations, and each set of dispensing components 20 includes a weighing mechanism 100; a medicine replenishing mechanism 30 is used to distribute Chinese medicinal materials to the feeding port 2a of the corresponding weighing mechanism 100; a water flow component 40 is used to transport multiple medicine barrel components 300 to the corresponding multiple dispensing workstations, and each medicine barrel component 300 is used to receive multiple medicinal materials falling from the multiple discharge ports 421b of the multiple weighing mechanisms 100 at the corresponding dispensing workstation.

[0092] Each dispensing station is distributed along the conveyor path of the assembly line 40, forming a parallel operation unit. Each dispensing station corresponds to a set of dispensing components 20, which are used to complete the dispensing of multiple medicinal materials in a single prescription.

[0093] Multiple dispensing components 20 are set up one-to-one with multiple dispensing stations. Each dispensing component 20 includes multiple weighing mechanisms 100, each weighing mechanism 100 being used to process one medicinal material. The multiple weighing mechanisms 100 are arranged in a preset layout within the dispensing station, with their discharge ports 421b facing the medicine barrel assembly 300 below, so that each medicinal material can fall into the same medicine barrel sequentially or simultaneously.

[0094] The dispensing mechanism 30 is used to distribute Chinese medicinal materials from the storage unit to the feeding port 2a of the corresponding weighing mechanism 100. The dispensing mechanism 30 may include multiple storage bins, feeding channels, and dispensing valves, and can deliver designated medicinal materials into the upper housing 2 of the target weighing mechanism 100 via a robotic arm, rotary table, or pipeline conveying method. This specification does not limit the specific structural form of the dispensing mechanism 30, which is determined according to the pharmacy size and dispensing speed requirements. The embodiments in this specification do not limit this.

[0095] The flow assembly 40 is mounted on the frame 10 and is used to carry and transport the medicine barrel assembly 300. The medicine barrel assembly 300 can be an independent medicine box, medicine bag tray, or combined medicine receiving container, which passes through each dispensing station sequentially along the running direction of the flow assembly 40. When a medicine barrel assembly 300 runs to the designated dispensing station, the multiple weighing mechanisms 100 at that station weigh and dispense each herb sequentially or simultaneously according to the prescription instructions. The herbs fall from the discharge port 421b and enter the medicine barrel assembly 300. After all the herbs have been dispensed, the flow assembly 40 transports the medicine barrel assembly 300 to the next process, such as soaking or decoction.

[0096] The flow assembly 40 can be a belt conveyor, chain conveyor, or stepper conveyor, and its operation mode can be continuous or intermittent.

[0097] By feeding the medicinal materials into the weighing mechanism 100 through the supplementing mechanism 30, and after being accurately weighed by the weighing mechanism 100, the materials are released from the discharge port 421b and fall into the medicine barrel assembly 300 located on the water flow assembly 40, thereby realizing the automated and orderly dispensing of multiple medicinal materials and improving the overall efficiency and accuracy of traditional Chinese medicine dispensing.

[0098] Furthermore, to reduce spillage and dispersion of multiple medicinal herbs when falling, please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 5 In this embodiment, the automatic dispensing device 200 further includes a plurality of guide hoppers 50, which are respectively arranged corresponding to the plurality of dispensing stations and located below the dispensing component 20; the guide channels of each guide hopper 50 are arranged to gradually narrow from top to bottom, the upper port of the guide hopper 50 is used to receive various medicinal materials falling from the plurality of discharge ports 421b of the plurality of weighing mechanisms 100 at the dispensing station, and the lower port of the guide hopper 50 is arranged to correspond to the opening of the medicine barrel component 300 that is transported to the dispensing station.

[0099] Understandably, multiple feed hoppers 50 correspond one-to-one with multiple dispensing stations, located below the dispensing assembly 20. The upper port of the feed hopper 50 is open, covering the discharge range of all weighing mechanisms 100 outlets 421b below that station, used to receive various medicinal materials. The feed channel gradually narrows from top to bottom, with the inner wall converging towards the center; it can be conical or funnel-shaped, guiding the medicinal materials to gather towards the center. The lower port is smaller than the upper port, and its position corresponds to the opening of the medicine barrel assembly 300, allowing the medicinal materials to fall smoothly into the medicine barrel.

[0100] The inclination angle of the feeding channel is set to ensure smooth flow of the medicinal materials and avoid blockage. The feeding hopper 50 can be made of metal or plastic, and its specific shape, material and inner wall treatment can be selected according to actual needs. This specification does not limit this aspect in the embodiments.

[0101] By using a gradually narrowing feed channel to collect multiple streams of medicinal materials, the materials fall in a concentrated manner, thereby reducing splashing and leakage during the dispensing process and improving the integrity and cleanliness of the dispensing.

[0102] Specifically, please refer to Figures 8 to 9 In this embodiment, the medicine replenishment mechanism 30 includes a medicine replenishment box 301, which is rotatably arranged to replenish the medicinal materials in its inner cavity from the opening of the medicine replenishment box 301 to the feeding port 2a of the corresponding weighing mechanism 100 during its rotation stroke.

[0103] During rotation, the opening of the medicine box 301 passes through the feeding position and the replenishing position in sequence. At the feeding position, the opening faces upward to receive the medicinal materials supplied from upstream; when rotating to the replenishing position, the opening is aligned with the feeding port 2a of the target weighing mechanism 100, and the medicinal materials fall into the feeding port 2a through the opening under the action of gravity.

[0104] This manual does not limit the specific shape, capacity, and driving method of the medicine box 301. Its structural parameters can be adjusted according to actual needs, and the embodiments in this manual do not limit this.

[0105] By rotating the medicine box 301, the medicinal materials are transferred from the medicine supply end to the area above the feeding port 2a for release, so that the medicine supply process can be carried out in sequence, thereby achieving accurate medicine supply to the target weighing mechanism 100.

[0106] Specifically, please refer to Figure 8 In this embodiment, the plurality of dispensing stations are spaced apart in a first horizontal direction, and the plurality of stations also include a plurality of dispensing stations spaced apart in the first horizontal direction. The dispensing stations and the dispensing stations are spaced apart in a second horizontal direction. The automatic dispensing device 200 also includes a transport component 60, which includes a first linear drive module 601, a second linear drive module 602, a third linear drive module 603, and a flipping mechanism 604. The first linear drive module 601 has a first linear drive portion that is movably arranged in the first horizontal direction. The second linear drive module 602 is installed on the first linear drive portion and has a second linear drive portion that is movably arranged in the vertical direction. The third linear drive module 603 is installed on the second linear drive portion and has a third linear drive portion that is movably arranged in the second horizontal direction. The flipping mechanism 604 is installed on the third linear drive portion and has a rotating portion that is rotatably arranged around a rotation axis in the first horizontal direction. The rotating portion is fixedly connected to the medicine box 301.

[0107] The first linear drive module 601 moves along the first horizontal direction, driving the entire unit to move between workstations. The second linear drive module 602 moves vertically, adjusting the height of the medicine box 301. The third linear drive module 603 moves along the second horizontal direction, used to align with the target feeding port 2a.

[0108] The flipping mechanism 604 is mounted on the third linear drive unit, and its rotating part can rotate around the rotation axis in the first horizontal direction. The medicine box 301 is fixed to the rotating part. When the medicine box 301 moves to the target position, the rotating part drives it to flip, so that the opening faces downward, and the medicine is poured into the feeding port 2a.

[0109] Each linear drive module can be a motor-driven slide or an electric cylinder, and the tilting mechanism 604 is driven by a motor or a pneumatic cylinder; the specific form is not limited. The control system coordinates the actions of each component to realize the material picking, positioning, and emptying of the medicine box 301.

[0110] Through multi-stage linear motion and flipping coordination, the medicine box 301 can reach above the weighing mechanism 100 at different positions and complete the feeding, so that it can adapt to the multi-station layout and thus flexibly and accurately replenish medicine for each station.

[0111] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present utility model and does not limit the patent scope of the present utility model. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the technical concept of the present utility model and the contents of the present utility model specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A weighing mechanism (100), characterized in that, include: Mounting base (1); The upper housing (2) is installed on the mounting base (1). The upper housing (2) has a feeding port (2a) and a discharging port (2b) that are connected to its inner cavity. The discharging port (2b) is located at the bottom of the upper housing (2). The material conveying mechanism (3) is located below the upper housing (2); A weighing assembly (4) is located below the conveying mechanism (3). The weighing assembly (4) includes a weighing part (41) and a weighing hopper (42). The weighing part (41) is used to weigh the weighing hopper (42). The weighing hopper (42) includes a lower housing (421) and a support plate (422). The top of the lower housing (421) is provided with an inlet (421a), and the bottom is provided with an outlet (421b). The support plate (422) is rotatably covered by the weighing hopper. The discharge port (421b) has a first working position and a second working position. In the first working position, the support plate (422) closes the discharge port (421b) and receives the medicinal materials that the feeding mechanism (3) drops from the discharge port (2b) and conveys to the feed port (421a). In the second working position, the support plate (422) opens the discharge port (421b) and allows the medicinal materials on the support plate (422) to be discharged downwards.

2. The weighing mechanism (100) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The weighing mechanism (100) further includes: A first drive motor (5) is connected to the support plate (422) for driving the support plate (422) to rotate; and, The control device is electrically connected to the first drive motor (5) and the weighing unit (41) and is used to control the first drive motor (5) to work according to the weighing unit (41).

3. The weighing mechanism (100) as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The support plate (422) is rotatably disposed around a first rotation axis extending in a first horizontal direction, and a limiting post (423) extending in the first horizontal direction is also disposed on the support plate (422). The weighing assembly (4) further includes a limiting plate (43) fixedly connected to the mounting base (1). The limiting plate (43) is provided with a limiting groove (43a). The limiting groove (43a) is located on the periphery of the first rotation axis and extends circumferentially along the first rotation axis, so as to have a first end and a second end in its circumferential direction. The limiting post (423) passes through the limiting groove (43a) to limit and cooperate with the limiting groove (43a). When the limiting post (423) moves to the first end of the limiting groove (43a), the bearing plate (422) is in the first working position. When the limiting post (423) moves to the second end of the limiting groove (43a), the bearing plate (422) is in the second working position.

4. The weighing mechanism (100) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The weighing part (41) includes a weighing sensor, which has a first end and a second end disposed opposite to each other. The first end of the weighing part (41) is fixedly connected to the mounting base (1), and the second end of the weighing part (41) is fixedly connected to the lower housing (421).

5. The weighing mechanism (100) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The discharge port (2b) and the feed port (421a) are arranged at intervals in the second horizontal direction; The feeding mechanism (3) includes a first feeding assembly (31), which includes: The two first transmission wheels (311) are rotatably arranged around a rotation axis extending in the first horizontal direction, and are spaced apart in the second horizontal direction; A first conveyor belt (312) is wound around the periphery of the two first drive wheels (311) to drive the two first drive wheels (311). The first conveyor belt (312) is used to transport the medicinal materials falling from the discharge port (2b) along the second horizontal direction; and, The second drive device (313) is used to drive at least one of the two first transmission wheels (311) to rotate.

6. The weighing mechanism (100) as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The feeding mechanism (3) further includes a second feeding assembly (32) located below the first feeding assembly (31), the second feeding assembly (32) comprising: Two second transmission wheels (321) are rotatably arranged about a rotation axis extending in a first horizontal direction, and are spaced apart in the second horizontal direction; and, A second conveyor belt (322) is wound around the two second drive wheels (321) to drive the two second drive wheels (321). The second conveyor belt (322) is used to transport the medicinal materials falling from the first conveyor belt (312) along the second horizontal direction to the feed inlet (421a) below; and, The third drive device (323) is used to drive at least one of the two second transmission wheels (321) to rotate; The rotational speed difference between the third drive device (323) and the second drive device (313) is set.

7. An automatic dispensing device (200), characterized in that, include: A frame (10) is provided with multiple workstations, including multiple adjustment workstations; Multiple sets of adjustment components (20) are respectively set up corresponding to the multiple adjustment stations, and each set of adjustment components (20) includes multiple weighing mechanisms (100) as described in any one of claims 1 to 6; A herbal dispensing mechanism (30) for dispensing Chinese medicinal materials to the feeding port (2a) of the corresponding weighing mechanism (100); and, A flow assembly (40) is used to transport multiple medicine barrel assemblies (300) to the corresponding multiple dispensing stations. Each medicine barrel assembly (300) is used to receive multiple medicinal materials falling from the multiple discharge ports (421b) of the multiple weighing mechanisms (100) at the corresponding dispensing station.

8. The automatic dispensing equipment (200) as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The automatic dispensing equipment (200) also includes a plurality of guide hoppers (50), which are respectively arranged corresponding to the plurality of dispensing stations and located below the dispensing component (20); The material guiding channels of each of the guide hoppers (50) are gradually narrowed from top to bottom. The upper port of the guide hopper (50) is used to receive various medicinal materials falling from the multiple discharge ports (421b) of the multiple weighing mechanisms (100) at the dispensing station. The lower port of the guide hopper (50) is set to correspond to the opening of the medicine barrel assembly (300) that is transported to the dispensing station.

9. The automatic dispensing equipment (200) as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The medicine replenishment mechanism (30) includes a medicine replenishment box (301), which is rotatably arranged to replenish the medicine in its inner cavity through the opening of the medicine replenishment box (301) to the feeding port (2a) corresponding to the weighing mechanism (100) during its rotation stroke.

10. The automatic dispensing equipment (200) as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The plurality of dispensing stations are spaced apart in the first horizontal direction, and the plurality of stations also include a plurality of dispensing stations spaced apart in the first horizontal direction. The dispensing stations and the dispensing stations are spaced apart in the second horizontal direction. The automatic dispensing device (200) further includes a conveying component (60), which comprises: The first linear drive module (601) has a first linear drive unit that is movably disposed along a first horizontal direction; A second linear drive module (602) is mounted on the first linear drive unit, and the second linear drive module (602) has a second linear drive unit that is movably disposed in the vertical direction; A third linear drive module (603) is mounted on the second linear drive unit, the third linear drive module (603) having a third linear drive unit movably disposed along a second horizontal direction; and, The flipping mechanism (604) is installed on the third linear drive unit and has a rotating part that is rotatably arranged about the rotation axis in the first horizontal direction. The rotating part is fixedly connected to the medicine box (301).

Images