Sorting device for sorting medications and method for operating a sorting device

Abstract

The approach presented here relates to a sorting device (100) for sorting medications (105). The sorting device (100) comprises a feed unit (107), an allocation unit (110), and a storage unit (115). The feed unit (107) is configured to feed at least one medication (105) into the sorting device (100). The allocation unit (110) is configured to assign the medication (105) fed into the sorting device (100) to a transfer path (120) connected to the allocation unit (110) to a position (125) of the storage unit (115) and / or to move the transfer path (120) to the position (125) of the storage unit (115).The storage unit (115) is designed to store the drug (105) in the sorting device (100), in particular wherein the storage unit (115) has at least one receiving unit (130) connected or connectable to the transfer path (120), which is shaped to receive at least one receiving container (135) for receiving the drug (105) in order to enable the storage of the drug (105) in the receiving container (135).

Description

State of the art

[0001] The approach is based on a device or method according to the class of the independent claims. The present approach also relates to a computer program.

[0002] In most known cases in Europe, the dispensing of medication in nursing homes is done manually without automation. Disclosure of the invention

[0003] Against this background, the approach presented here presents a sorting device for sorting medications, a method for operating a sorting device, and a corresponding computer program according to the main claims. The measures listed in the dependent claims allow advantageous further developments and improvements of the method specified in the independent claim.

[0004] The advantages achievable with the presented approach are that it enables at least partially automated redistribution of medications in order to avoid time-consuming and error-prone manual distribution.

[0005] A sorting device for sorting medications is presented. The sorting device has a feed unit, an allocation unit and a storage unit. The feed unit is designed to feed at least one medication into the sorting device. The allocation unit is designed to allocate the medication fed into the sorting device to a transfer path connected to the allocation unit to a position of the storage unit and / or to move the transfer path to the position of the storage unit. The storage unit is designed to store the medication in the sorting device, in particular wherein the storage unit has at least one receiving unit connected or connectable to the transfer path, which is shaped to have at least one receiving container for receiving e of the medication to enable storage of the medication in the receptacle.

[0006] The medication may be at least partially in the form of pieces, such as a pill or tablet. The feed unit may be configured to feed the medication semi-automatically or fully automatically. The allocation unit may also be referred to as a sorting unit and may be configured to sort the medication based on a characteristic of the medication. For example, the allocation unit may be configured to allocate the medication based on a type of medication, wherein the type can be identified, for example, from a size, weight, and / or shape of the medication. The allocation unit may be configured to allocate the medication fed into the sorting device to the transfer path in response to an allocation signal and / or to move the transfer path to the position of the storage unit in response to the allocation signal.For example, the allocation signal can represent information about a patient and / or the medication they require in order to fill the receptacle container accordingly. The allocation unit can be directly connected to the transfer path. The storage unit can be detachably formed from the sorting device and / or can be understood as a receptacle container unit. The receptacle container can be a container that can be manually inserted into the receptacle unit of the storage unit, such as a box, a crate, for example a pill box, or a sack. The position can correspond to a position of the receptacle container in the storage unit. During operation of the sorting device, the medication can be conveyed into the designated receptacle container after passing through the feed unit and allocation unit via the transfer path.Such a sorting device makes it possible to transport at least one medication, at least semi-automatically or even fully automatically, into a container accessible to a patient or nursing staff. Accordingly, a plurality of required medications can be transported into the container and made available for patient treatment. The sorting device thus advantageously saves nursing staff time spent manually sorting medications.

[0007] The sorting device can further comprise an intermediate storage unit designed to temporarily store the medication upstream of the allocation unit. The intermediate storage unit, which can also be referred to as a “buffer,” can be arranged between the feed unit and the allocation unit, or even upstream of the feed unit. According to one embodiment, several medications of the same size and shape can be stored in the intermediate storage unit. The intermediate storage unit can be designed as a unit with several compartments and separate cells for different types of medication. Alternatively, the intermediate storage unit can also be implemented with a single compartment into which one medication can be placed at a time, or into which all medications can be poured at the same time. Such an intermediate storage unit can be used for pre-sorting the medications and / or can implement storage prior to allocation.

[0008] It is further advantageous if the sorting device according to one embodiment has a removal unit designed to remove the medication from a package. The removal unit can be designed as a deblistering unit designed to press medications such as tablets out of a blister pack. The removal unit can be arranged upstream of the allocation unit, for example, in the feed unit. Such a removal unit enables further automation in the allocation of medications, so that no nursing staff is required for deblistering.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the sorting device comprises at least one mechanical, electronic, acoustic, magnetic, and / or optical monitoring device for monitoring at least one function of the feed unit, allocation unit, and / or storage unit, in particular comprising at least one switch, position detector, scale, and / or mechanical contact sensor, microphone, Hall sensor, optical gate, photocell, and / or camera. The mechanical contact sensor can be a resistive or capacitive touch sensor. Such a monitoring device can be used, for example, to monitor the medication in the sorting device, for example to prevent errors.

[0010] It is further advantageous if the sorting device according to one embodiment further comprises a documentation device configured to perform documentation, logging, error detection and prediction, diagnosis, and / or maintenance of the supply unit, allocation unit, and / or storage unit. For example, the documentation device can be configured to perform documentation, logging, error detection and prediction, diagnosis, and / or maintenance of the supply unit, allocation unit, and / or storage unit using the monitoring device. The documentation device can be configured to perform documentation of the supply, redistribution / allocation, and / or dispensing of the medication.

[0011] The allocation unit can be configured to allocate the medication mechanically, electrically, magnetically, hydraulically, pneumatically, and / or optically. For example, the allocation unit can be configured to create a vacuum for sorting the medication. The sorting device can use passive and / or active mechanisms for redistribution, with or without computer control, or can also be at least partially manually operated. Transfer of the medication can preferably be realized by a mechanism that utilizes gravity, for example, with optional nudging or a pneumatic booster. This allows one type of medication to be distinguished from another type.

[0012] The sorting device can further comprise at least one transport path for transporting the medication between the supply unit and the allocation unit and / or between the allocation unit and the storage unit. At least one transport path can be movable, for example, the transfer path between the allocation unit and the storage unit, in order to move the transfer path between different positions of the storage unit in order to fill receptacles at different positions with medication. Alternatively, the sorting device can comprise a dedicated transfer path between the allocation unit and the storage unit for each receptacle / position of the storage unit. This allows the medication to move from the supply unit inside the sorting device on special, but partially changeable / movable, paths to the exits of the storage unit.Alternatively, the objects move on dedicated paths to each individual exit or on non-dedicated paths.

[0013] The storage unit can further comprise a closure unit configured to close the receptacle accommodated in the storage unit after filling. For example, the closure unit can close the receptacle after filling with the medication or after filling with all required medications. Additionally or alternatively, the closure unit can be configured to open the receptacle upon insertion into the storage unit. This allows the opening and / or closing of the receptacle to be automated.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the receiving unit of the storage unit can be configured as at least one magazine and / or a rotating plate. The magazine can be single-row or multi-row and / or configured as a drum magazine. Thus, one or more receiving containers can be mounted fixedly or rotatably.

[0015] The sorting device can further comprise a reject collection unit connected or connectable to the allocation unit, wherein the allocation unit is configured to allocate the medication to the reject collection unit when no allocation signal is present or when the medication is damaged. Thus, excess or damaged medication can be sorted out of the allocation unit.

[0016] It is further advantageous if the sorting device according to one embodiment has an electronic operating device for reading in operating inputs from a user to control at least one function of the feed unit, allocation unit and / or storage unit. The operating device can serve as a so-called "human interface unit", i.e., a human-machine interface. Thus, using the operating device according to one embodiment, information about required medications for one or more patients can be stored electronically. Furthermore, according to one embodiment, using the operating device, a patient with their associated medication plan can be selected in order to generate a corresponding allocation signal for dispensing the corresponding medications into the receiving container.

[0017] A method for operating a sorting device in one of the variants described above comprises a feeding step, an allocation step, and a storage step. In the feeding step, at least one medicament is fed into the sorting device. In the allocation step, the medicament fed into the sorting device is allocated to a transfer path connected to the allocation unit to a position of the storage unit and / or the transfer path is moved to the position. In the storage step, the medicament is stored.

[0018] This method can be implemented, for example, in software or hardware or in a mixed form of software and hardware, for example in a control unit.

[0019] The approach presented here further creates a control unit configured to perform, control, or implement the steps of a variant of a method presented here in corresponding devices. This variant of the approach in the form of a control unit also allows the task underlying the approach to be solved quickly and efficiently.

[0020] For this purpose, the control unit can have at least one computing unit for processing signals or data, at least one memory unit for storing signals or data, at least one interface to a sensor or actuator for reading sensor signals from the sensor or for outputting data or control signals to the actuator, and / or at least one communication interface for reading or outputting data embedded in a communication protocol. The computing unit can be, for example, a signal processor, a microcontroller, or the like, wherein the memory unit can be a flash memory, an EEPROM, or a magnetic storage unit.The communication interface can be designed to read in or output data wirelessly and / or wired, wherein a communication interface that can read in or output wired data can read this data, for example, electrically or optically from a corresponding data transmission line or output it to a corresponding data transmission line.

[0021] In this context, a control unit can be understood as an electrical device that processes sensor signals and outputs control and / or data signals depending on them. The control unit can have an interface that can be implemented in hardware and / or software. In a hardware implementation, the interfaces can, for example, be part of a so-called system ASIC, which contains a wide variety of functions of the control unit. However, it is also possible for the interfaces to be separate integrated circuits or to consist at least partially of discrete components. In a software implementation, the interfaces can be software modules that are present, for example, on a microcontroller alongside other software modules.

[0022] Also advantageous is a computer program product or computer program with program code that can be stored on a machine-readable carrier or storage medium such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk memory or an optical memory and is used to carry out, implement and / or control the steps of the method according to one of the embodiments described above, in particular when the program product or program is executed on a computer or a device / control unit.

[0023] Examples of the approach presented here are shown in the drawings and explained in more detail in the following description. It shows: Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a sorting device according to an embodiment for sorting medicines; Fig. 2 a schematic representation of a sorting device according to an embodiment; Fig. 3 a schematic representation of a sorting device according to an embodiment; Fig. 4 a schematic representation of a feed unit of a sorting device according to an embodiment; Fig. 5 a schematic representation of a feed unit and an allocation unit of a sorting device according to an embodiment; Fig. 6 a schematic representation of a storage unit of a sorting device according to an embodiment; Fig. 7 a schematic representation of a storage unit of a sorting device according to an embodiment; and Fig. 8 a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment for operating a sorting device.

[0024] In the following description of advantageous embodiments of the present approach, the same or similar reference numerals are used for the elements shown in the various figures and having a similar effect, whereby a repeated description of these elements is omitted.

[0025] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a sorting device 100 according to an embodiment for sorting medications 105.

[0026] The sorting device 100 has a feed unit 107, an allocation unit 110, and a storage unit 115. The feed unit 107 is designed to feed at least one medicament 105 into the sorting device 100. The allocation unit 110 is designed to allocate the medicament 105 fed into the sorting device 100 to a transfer path 120 connected to the allocation unit 110 to a position 125 of the storage unit 115 and / or to move the transfer path 120 to the position 125 of the storage unit 115. The storage unit 115 is designed to store the medicament 105 in the sorting device 100. According to this embodiment, the storage unit 115 has at least one receiving unit 130 connected or connectable to the transfer path 120, which is shaped to receive at least one receiving container 135 for receiving the medicament 105 in order to enable the storage of the medicament 105 in the receiving container 135.According to this embodiment, the receiving container 135 is arranged at position 125.

[0027] Furthermore, Fig. 1 shows a control unit 140 which is configured to Fig. 8 of a method for operating the sorting device 100 using at least one output unit 142 of the control unit 140. For this purpose, the control unit 140 is designed, according to one exemplary embodiment, to output a feed signal 145 to the feed unit 107, wherein the feed signal 145 is designed to cause the medicament 105 to be fed into the sorting device 100. Furthermore, the control unit 140 is designed to output an assignment signal 150 to the assignment unit 110, wherein the assignment signal 150 is designed to assign the medicament 105 fed into the sorting device 100 to the transfer path 120 connected to the assignment unit 110 to the position 125 of the storage unit 115 and / or to move the transfer path 120 to the position 125 of the storage unit 115.Furthermore, the control unit 140 is configured to output a storage signal 155 to the storage unit 115, wherein the storage signal 155 is configured to store the medicament 105 in the sorting device 100.

[0028] According to this exemplary embodiment, the medicament is an at least partially lumpy / solid medicament such as a pill or tablet. According to this exemplary embodiment, the feed unit 107 is designed to feed the medicament 105 / the medicaments semi-automatically or fully automatically. According to an alternative exemplary embodiment, the medicament is manually inserted into the feed unit 107 by a person. According to this exemplary embodiment, the allocation unit 110 is designed to sort the medicament 107 with regard to a characteristic of the medicament 105. For example, according to this exemplary embodiment, the allocation unit 110 is designed to assign the medicament 105 with regard to a type of medicament 105, wherein the type is recognized, for example, from a size, a weight, and / or a shape of the medicament 105.According to this exemplary embodiment, the allocation unit 110 is designed to allocate the medicament 105 supplied into the sorting device 100 to the transfer path 120 in response to the allocation signal 150 and / or to move the transfer path 120 to the position 125 of the storage unit 115 in response to the allocation signal 150. For example, according to one exemplary embodiment, the allocation signal 150 represents information about a patient and / or the medication 105 required by the patient in order to fill the receiving container 135 accordingly. According to this exemplary embodiment, the allocation unit 110 is directly connected to the transfer path 120. According to this exemplary embodiment, the storage unit 115 is designed to be removable from the sorting device 115.According to this exemplary embodiment, the receiving container 135 is a container that can be manually inserted into the receiving unit 130 of the storage unit 115, such as a box, a crate, for example a pill box, or a bag. During operation of the sorting device 100, the medication 105, after passing through the feed unit 107 and allocation unit 110, is conveyed via the transfer path 120 into the designated receiving container 135. Accordingly, according to one exemplary embodiment, a plurality of required medications 105 of one or different types are conveyed into the receiving container 135 and made available for patient treatment.

[0029] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a sorting device 100 according to an embodiment. This can be the Fig. 1, with the difference that the sorting device 100 according to this embodiment additionally has a documentation device 200 and / or an electronic operating device 205.

[0030] The documentation device 200 is designed to perform documentation, logging, error detection and prediction, diagnosis and / or maintenance of the supply unit 107, allocation unit 110 and / or storage unit 115. According to this embodiment, the documentation device 200 is designed to perform documentation of the supply, allocation / redistribution and / or dispensing of the medication. For example, according to one embodiment, the documentation device 200 is designed to, using a Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5 and Fig. 7, the monitoring device of the sorting device 100 is used to carry out the documentation, logging, error detection and prediction, diagnosis, and / or maintenance of the feed unit 107, allocation unit 110, and / or storage unit 115. According to one embodiment, the documentation device 200 has one or more databases of various types for this purpose.

[0031] The electronic operating device 205 is designed to read in operating inputs from a user to control at least one function of the supply unit 107, allocation unit 110, and / or storage unit 115. The operating device serves as a so-called "human interface unit," i.e., a human-machine interface. Thus, using the operating device 205 according to this exemplary embodiment, information about required medications for one or more patients can be stored electronically. Furthermore, according to this exemplary embodiment, using the operating device 205, a patient and their associated medication plan can be electronically selected in order to generate a corresponding allocation signal for dispensing the corresponding medications into the receiving container.

[0032] The sorting device 100 presented here implements a dispensing mechanism for, for example, medications. In most known cases in Europe, medications are dispensed manually and without automation in retirement homes / nursing homes. Thanks to the sorting device 100, the dispensing / provision of medications and their documentation are no longer predominantly performed manually by trained personnel, for example, and are thus advantageously no longer, or at least hardly, prone to errors.

[0033] The sorting device 100 increases the throughput of medication dispensing for nursing staff, reduces the overall time required to dispense medication for all residents of a nursing home, automates a currently manual task, frees up the time of trained staff for patient care, reduces the number of human errors, reduces the rate of administering incorrect medications, for example, not administering the right pill for the right patient or at the right time of day, enables digitalized documentation of the process, which increases both the accountability of medication administration and patient confidence, confidence that they have received the correct medication.

[0034] The sorting device 100 is implemented by an assembly of interacting subassemblies that, during operation, dispenses medications such as tablets for a large number of patients simultaneously. According to one embodiment, the sorting device temporarily stores the patient's receptacles / tablet boxes in the storage unit 115, prompts the trained nursing staff / nurses to insert the required quantity of prescribed tablets, for example, grouped and separated by type, into the receptacle, and transports the tablets from the receptacle in the form of the feed unit 107 to the corresponding patient receptacle unit 130, which can also be referred to as a "tablet box cell." The medications are also referred to below as "items," "pills," "tablets," "capsules," "lozenges," or "medicine."

[0035] The sorting device 100, which can also be referred to as a “dispenser,” has, according to this embodiment, an assembly consisting of the following components: - a human-machine interface in the form of the electronic control device 205 - the documentation device 200, which can also be referred to as a “documentation unit” - a feeding unit in the form of the feed unit 107 - the allocation unit 110 / sorting unit; and - the storage unit 115, which can also be referred to as the “collection container unit”

[0036] Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of a sorting device 100 according to an embodiment. This can be the Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 described sorting device 100.

[0037] The structure and function of the sorting device 100 are shown here in Fig. 3 as a morphological box. The sorting device 100 according to this embodiment further comprises an inlet unit 300, a collection container 305 for rejected medications, an electronic control unit 310, a monitoring device 315, a transfer unit 320, a path definition unit 325, an intermediate storage unit 330 / buffer unit and a storage transfer unit 335. The electronic control unit 310 according to this embodiment comprises at least the Fig. 1 described control unit.

[0038] The sorting device 100 enables the redistribution of items such as medications from an input location to one or more output locations. This is achieved by integrating one or more of the devices 107, 110, 115, 200, 205, 300, 305, 310, 315, 320, 325, 330, 335 shown here and their various functions.

[0039] Fig. Figure 4 shows a schematic representation of a feed unit 107 of a sorting device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. This may be the feed unit 107 described in one of the preceding figures.

[0040] According to this exemplary embodiment, the feed unit 107 has a support surface 405 for placing the medicament 105. According to this exemplary embodiment, the feed unit 107 further has a removal unit 410 designed to remove the medicament 105 from a package 415. According to this exemplary embodiment, the removal unit 410 is designed as a deblistering unit designed to press medicaments 105, such as tablets, out of a blister pack. According to this exemplary embodiment, the removal unit 410 is designed to remove the pills individually and / or semi-automatically.

[0041] According to this exemplary embodiment, the sorting device 100 has at least one mechanical, electronic, acoustic, magnetic, and / or optical monitoring device for monitoring at least one function of the feed unit 107, allocation unit, and / or storage unit. According to this exemplary embodiment, the monitoring device comprises at least one optical gate 420 and / or an optical camera 425, which, according to this exemplary embodiment, are part of the feed unit 107. According to this exemplary embodiment, the camera 425 serves to document the amount of medication fed into the feed unit 107. According to one exemplary embodiment, the monitoring device additionally or alternatively has at least one switch, position detector, scale, and / or mechanical contact sensor, a microphone, a Hall sensor, and / or a photocell at any location on the sorting device 100.

[0042] According to this exemplary embodiment, the supply unit 107 further comprises the intermediate storage unit 330, which is designed to temporarily store the medicament 105 upstream of the allocation unit. The intermediate storage unit 330, which can also be referred to as a "buffer," is arranged, according to this exemplary embodiment, merely by way of example, between the supply unit 107 and the allocation unit, or, according to an alternative exemplary embodiment, is arranged upstream of the supply unit 107. The intermediate storage unit 330 is designed to store a plurality of medicaments 105 of the same size and shape.

[0043] According to this embodiment, the intermediate storage unit 330 is designed as a turret head. The intermediate storage unit 330 enables the parallel dosing and delivery of the medication 105.

[0044] According to various embodiments, the intermediate storage unit 330 is designed as a unit with multiple compartments and separate cells for different types of medications 105, or has only a single compartment into which one medication 105 can be placed at a time, or into which many medications can be poured simultaneously. Another gate 435 of the sorting device transfers the pills all at once to the allocation unit after they have been photographed.

[0045] In one application example, the medications 105 are added individually or in larger quantities to the feed unit 107. The objects placed into the feed unit 107 can be of different sizes and shapes, but the objects are placed into the receptacle grouped by size and shape so that only objects of the same size and shape are placed into the feed unit 107 within a certain interval. The placement of the objects into an inlet of the feed unit 107 is carried out semi-automatically according to one embodiment, but can alternatively also be carried out manually or automatically. The inlet of the feed unit 107 is designed as an opening with a closable passage according to one embodiment, or with a non-closable passage or without a passage according to an alternative embodiment.The intermediate storage unit 330 serves the function of temporarily storing items of the same size and shape and is placed anywhere between the inlet and the outlets, or even in front of the feed unit 107. According to one embodiment, the intermediate storage unit 330 is designed as a unit with multiple compartments and separate cells for different types of items / medicines. Alternatively, the intermediate storage unit 330 is implemented with a single compartment into which one item is placed at a time, or all items are poured into the container at the same time. Implementation without the intermediate storage unit 330 is also possible. The redistribution performed in the allocation unit is described in . Fig. 5 described.

[0046] Fig. Figure 5 shows a schematic representation of a feed unit 107 and an allocation unit 110 of a sorting device according to one exemplary embodiment. This may be the feed unit 107 and allocation unit 110 described in one of the preceding figures.

[0047] According to this exemplary embodiment, the allocation unit 110 is designed to mechanically, electrically, magnetically, hydraulically, pneumatically, and / or optically allocate and / or sort the medication 105. For example, according to this exemplary embodiment, the allocation unit 110 is designed to generate a vacuum for sorting the medication 105. For this purpose, the allocation unit 110 according to this exemplary embodiment has a vacuum generation device 500.

[0048] The sorting device further comprises at least one transport path for transporting the medicament 105 between the supply unit 107 and the allocation unit 110 and / or between the allocation unit 110 and the storage unit 115. According to one exemplary embodiment, at least one transport path is designed to be movable, here, for example, the transfer path 120 between the allocation unit 110 and the storage unit 115, in order to move the transfer path 120 between different positions of the storage unit 115 in order to be able to fill receiving containers 135 at different positions with medicaments 105. Alternatively, the sorting device has a separate, assigned transfer path 120 between the allocation unit 110 and the storage unit 115 for each receiving unit / position of the storage unit 115.Thus, the medications 105 move from the feed unit 107 inside the sorting device on dedicated, but partially changeable / movable tracks to the exits of the storage unit 115. Alternatively, the items move on dedicated tracks to each individual exit or on non-dedicated tracks.

[0049] According to this exemplary embodiment, the sorting device further comprises a reject collection unit 510 connected or connectable to the allocation unit 110. The allocation unit 110 is configured to assign the medication 105 to the reject collection unit 510 when no allocation signal is present or when the medication 105 is damaged. Thus, excess or damaged medications 105 can be sorted out of the allocation unit 110. The reject collection unit 510 is connected to at least one collection container 305 for collecting the excess and / or damaged medications 105.

[0050] The allocation / redistribution of the medications 105 is realized in the allocation unit 110 by a mechanism that can be mechanical, electrical, magnetic, hydraulic, pneumatic, or optical, or a combination thereof. The mechanism shown here as an example utilizes a vacuum. The redistribution is performed by passive or active mechanisms, with or without computer control, or manually. The transfer of objects / medications 105 is preferably realized by a mechanism that utilizes gravity, with optional nudging 502, pneumatic booster, and / or vibrator. Alternative embodiments of the allocation unit 110 are realized purely mechanically or with one or more electronic control units.

[0051] After the medications 105 have passed the allocation unit 110 according to one embodiment, the medications 105 arrive at the dispensing points where the receiving containers 135 are located, in which the shipments arrive after redistribution / dispensing. According to this embodiment, the receiving containers 135 are boxes / cartons. Instead of cartons, bags or pouches, sacks, cans, cups, or other containers are also possible according to an alternative embodiment. According to one embodiment, the receiving containers 135 are provided with a locking mechanism that prevents the items / medications 105 from escaping from the receiving containers 135; see also Fig. 7. Container units can consist of a single compartment or multiple compartments. According to one embodiment, one or more receptacles 135 are grouped, held together, enclosed, and / or temporarily stored in a receptacle unit. According to one embodiment, the insertion of the receptacles 135 into the receptacle unit is semi-automatic; alternatively, however, automatic insertion or manual insertion is also possible. Preferably, the receptacle unit containing the receptacles 135 does not move, i.e., is stationary. According to an alternative embodiment, the receptacle unit moves continuously and in a targeted manner.The receiving container unit containing the receiving containers 135 is configured as a multi-row magazine according to one embodiment. Alternatively, individual receiving units or receiving containers 135 can be arranged on a turntable, in a single-row magazine, in a drum magazine, or in other receiving unit arrangements. The sorting device can include one or more receiving container units arranged in different ways. According to one embodiment, the receiving container unit or the entire storage unit 115 is configured to be removable from the rest of the sorting device, but it can also be configured as a non-removable part.

[0052] The sorting device optionally includes the reject collection unit 510, which preferably has multiple collection containers 305, but optionally also has only a single collection disposal container. Alternatively, the person operating the sorting device can manually remove the excess parts / rejected parts, and no reject collection unit 510 is present.

[0053] According to one embodiment, one or more monitoring elements are located inside or outside various subunits of the sorting device. These can be mechanical, such as switches / relays 517, position detectors, or scales for weighing, or electronic, for example, mechanical contact sensors such as resistive or capacitive touch sensors, or acoustic, such as microphones, or magnetic, such as Hall sensors, or optical, such as optical gates 520, photocells or cameras 525, or of another type. According to one embodiment, the monitoring elements 517, 520, 525 are also used for output documentation and can also be used for logging, error detection and prediction, diagnostics, maintenance, and other purposes. Implementation without monitoring elements 517, 520, 525 is also possible.The documentation of the redistribution / transfer is carried out by a special electronic unit, which is part of one of the electronic control units or represents a separate unit.

[0054] A typical use case for the sorting device presented here is supporting nurses or other caregivers in dispensing medications to multiple patients and / or, for example, elderly nursing home residents. The sorting device can increase their productivity by automating part of their work, such as dispensing and / or documentation, enabling parallelization of some of the tasks, and eliminating or at least reducing the number of repetitive tasks, such as removing medication boxes from the shelf and returning them. On a larger scale, such a sorting device could later prove useful for other purposes.

[0055] According to this embodiment, the allocation unit 110 further comprises a slide rail 530 that connects the further gate 435 to the allocation unit 110. According to this embodiment, the intermediate storage unit 330 and / or the vacuum generating device 500 are each driven using a stepper motor 535.

[0056] Fig. Figure 6 shows a schematic representation of a storage unit 115 of a sorting device 100 according to one exemplary embodiment. This may be the storage unit 115 described in one of the preceding figures.

[0057] According to this exemplary embodiment, the receiving unit 130 of the storage unit 115 is designed as at least one magazine and / or a turntable. According to different exemplary embodiments, the magazine is designed as a single-row or multi-row magazine and / or as a drum magazine. According to this exemplary embodiment, the storage unit 115 has at least five receiving units 130 arranged one below the other, each of which is designed to receive / clamp four receiving containers 135 that can be arranged one behind the other. A large number of receiving containers 135 increases the efficiency of the automatic dispensing. According to one exemplary embodiment, the storage unit 115 is loaded manually, for example, from the side and / or from the rear, thus eliminating the need for expensive automatic movements. A multi-row magazine shown here realizes a simple design.According to this embodiment, the lids of the receiving containers 135 are opened when inserted into the receiving units 130, see also . Fig. 7.

[0058] Fig. Figure 7 shows a schematic representation of a storage unit 115 of a sorting device 100 according to one exemplary embodiment. This may be the storage unit 115 described in one of the preceding figures.

[0059] According to this exemplary embodiment, the storage unit 115 has a closure unit 700 which is designed to close the receiving container 130 accommodated in the storage unit 115. For example, the closure unit 700 is designed to close the receiving container 135 after it has been filled with the medication or after it has been filled with all the required medications. Additionally or alternatively, according to one exemplary embodiment, the closure unit 700 is designed to open the receiving container 135 upon being accommodated in the storage unit 115. For this purpose, according to one exemplary embodiment, the receiving container 135 is simply opened using guides, notches and / or grooves of the closure unit 700. According to this exemplary embodiment, the documentation device further has an additional optional camera 705 which monitors the storage unit 115, for example the closure unit 700.

[0060] Fig. Figure 8 shows a flowchart of a method 800 according to an embodiment for operating a sorting device. This can be a method 800 that can be executed by one of the sorting devices described with reference to the preceding figures. According to an embodiment, the method 800 is different from the one shown in Fig. 1 described control unit.

[0061] The method 800 comprises a supply step 805, an allocation step 810, and a storage step 815. In the supply step 805, at least one medication is supplied to the sorting device. In the allocation step 810, the medication supplied to the sorting device is allocated to a transfer path connected to the allocation unit to a position of the storage unit and / or the transfer path is moved to the position. In the storage step 815, the medication is stored.

[0062] The procedural steps presented here can be repeated and carried out in a different order than described.

[0063] If an embodiment comprises an “and / or” link between a first feature and a second feature, this is to be read as meaning that the embodiment according to one embodiment has both the first feature and the second feature and according to another embodiment has either only the first feature or only the second feature.

Claims

[1] Sorting device (100) for sorting medicines (105), the sorting device (100) having the following features: a feed unit (107) for feeding at least one medicament (105) into the sorting device (100), an allocation unit (110) designed to allocate the medicament (105) fed into the sorting device (100) to a transfer path (120) connected to the allocation unit (110) to a position (125) of a storage unit (115) and / or to move the transfer path (120) to the position (125) of the storage unit (115), and the storage unit (115) for storing the medicament (105) in the sorting device (100), in particular wherein the storage unit (115) has at least one receiving unit (130) connected or connectable to the transfer path (120), which is shaped to receive at least one receiving container (135) for receiving the medicament (105) in order to enable the medicament (105) to be stored in the receiving container (135). [2] Sorting device (100) according to claim 1, comprising an intermediate storage unit (330) which is designed to temporarily store the medicament (105) in front of the allocation unit (110). [3] Sorting device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a removal unit (410) which is designed to remove the medicament (105) from a packaging (415). [4] Sorting device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, with at least one mechanical, electronic, acoustic, magnetic and / or optical monitoring device (315) for monitoring at least one function of the feed unit (107), allocation unit (110) and / or storage unit (115), in particular with at least one switch (517), position detector, a scale and / or a mechanical contact sensor, microphone, Hall sensor, optical gate (420; 520), a photocell and / or camera (425; 525; 705). [5] Sorting device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, with a documentation device (200) which is designed to carry out documentation, logging, error detection and prediction, diagnosis and / or maintenance of the feed unit (107), allocation unit (110) and / or storage unit (115). [6] Sorting device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the allocation unit (110) is designed to allocate the medicament (105) mechanically, electrically, magnetically, hydraulically, pneumatically and / or optically. [7] Sorting device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, with at least one transport path for transporting the medicament (105) between the supply unit (107) and the allocation unit (110) and / or between the allocation unit (110) and the storage unit (115). [8] Sorting device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the storage unit (115) has a closure unit (700) which is designed to close the receiving container (135) accommodated in the storage unit (115). [9] Sorting device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the storage unit (115) is formed as at least one magazine and / or a turntable. [10] Method (800) for operating a sorting device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the method (800) comprises the following steps: Feeding (805) at least one medicament (105) into the sorting device (100); Assigning (810) the medicament (105) supplied into the sorting device (100) to a transfer path (120) connected to the assignment unit (110) to a position (125) of the storage unit (115) and / or moving the transfer path (120) to the position (125) of the storage unit (115); and Storage (815) of the medication (105).

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