Medicine container, medicine container holder, antenna device, and radio tag information reading system

Abstract

To prevent reading of information on a radio tag when a metal packaged medicine is stored in a medicine storage part from becoming impossible.SOLUTION: A medicine container 34 includes a medicine storage part R capable of storing one or more medicines 2, and a tag support part 35a for supporting a radio tag 37. When a medicine (metal packaged medicine 2F) wrapped in a packaging material containing a material that interferes with radio communication of the radio tag is stored in the medicine storage part, the medicine storage part and the tag support part are arranged such that the number of magnetic flux lines passing through an antenna 37a of the radio tag supported by the tag support part is secured to be equal to or greater than the number required for radio communication by the radio tag.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a medicine container, a medicine container holder, an antenna device, and a wireless tag information reading system. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a medicine container is known that has a medicine storage section capable of storing one or more medicines and a tag support section that supports a wireless tag. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a medicine bag (medicine container) that stores one or more medicines taken by a patient in units of dosage. This medicine bag is made by folding a translucent material in half and crimping the periphery to form a bag, and the medicine is stored inside the bag (medicine storage section). An RFID tag (wireless tag) that stores an ID (information) associated with user identification information or the like that identifies the user of the medicine is provided on the outer surface of the bag (tag support section) of this medicine bag. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] However, with conventional medicine containers equipped with wireless tags, it was sometimes impossible to read the information on the wireless tag. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a medicine container having a medicine storage section capable of storing one or more medicines, and a tag support section that supports a wireless tag, wherein the medicine storage section and the tag support section are arranged so that when medicine packaged in a packaging material containing a material that inhibits wireless communication of the wireless tag is stored in the medicine storage section, the number of magnetic flux lines passing through the antenna of the wireless tag supported in the tag support section is greater than or equal to the number required for wireless communication of the wireless tag. Effect of the Invention

[0005] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the information on the wireless tag from becoming unreadable when a metal-packaged medicine is stored in a medicine storage section. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] 1A is a front view of a main part of a medication dispensing device constituting a medication support device according to an embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a side view of FIG. [Diagram 2] (a) is a plan view of a single unit-dose drug pack, (b) is a side view of the unit-dose drug pack in (a) as viewed from the direction of arrow A, (c) is a side view of a combined unit-dose drug pack, and (d) is a diagram showing the general shape of a pack continuum. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing one configuration example of a medicine distribution tray. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a subdivision box according to an embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1A is a longitudinal sectional view of an example of a cartridge, and FIG. [Figure 6] 5(a) is a vertical sectional view of a cartridge of another example different from that of FIG. 5(a), and FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view of a main part showing a cartridge mounting / removal mechanism provided in the drawer section. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view illustrating an identification configuration for a cartridge provided in the drawer section. [Figure 9] FIG. 1A is a front view showing the configuration of the carriage, and FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a front view showing the transition of the operation of the carriage. [Figure 11] 11 is a front view showing the progress of the carriage operation following FIG. 10. [Figure 12] 12 is a front view showing the progress of the carriage operation following FIG. 11. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a front view showing the operation of reading medication-related information displayed on the cartridge. [Figure 14] FIG. 1A is a front view showing the main configuration of the transfer section, and FIG. [Figure 15]FIG. 2 is a control block diagram showing the main control configuration of the medication dispensing device. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the medication support device. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a management application screen display. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a medication table as an example of a medication information file. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a management application screen display. [Figure 20] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a management application screen display. [Figure 21] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a modification of the display screen example of FIG. 21. [Figure 23] A figure showing a medication distribution table printed from the medication distribution management list of Figure 21. [Figure 24] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a medication confirmation assistance device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 25] 13 is an explanatory diagram for explaining wireless communication between the antenna device in the medication distribution confirmation auxiliary device and the RFID tag of the subdivision box on the medication distribution tray. FIG. [Figure 26] An explanatory diagram showing an example of a dispensing box in which the coil surface of the antenna coil of the antenna stand and the coil surface of the antenna coil of the RFID tag are parallel when a medication distribution tray is placed on the mounting surface of the antenna stand, and an example of a dispensing box in which the coil surface of the antenna coil of the antenna stand and the coil surface of the antenna coil of the RFID tag are perpendicular. [Figure 27] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a comparative example of a dispensing box in which metal-packaged medicines may be positioned so as to block the antenna coil of the RFID tag of the dispensing box. [Figure 28] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which wireless communication of an RFID tag in the subdivision box of the comparative example is interrupted. [Figure 29] 5 is a side view showing the portioning box according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4. [Diagram 30] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which each subdivision box is configured to be individually detachable from each compartment of the medication tray. [Diagram 31]6A is a perspective view showing another example of a subdivision box according to an embodiment, and FIG. 6B is a side view of FIG. [Diagram 32] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing another example of a medication tray according to the embodiment. [Diagram 33] 13A is a perspective view showing yet another example of a subdivision box according to an embodiment, and FIG. 13B is a side view of FIG. [Diagram 34] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing another example of the antenna device according to the embodiment. [Diagram 35] FIG. 11 is a side view showing yet another example of the subdivision box according to the embodiment. [Diagram 36] FIG. 11 is a side view showing yet another example of the subdivision box according to the embodiment. [Figure 37] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a wall-hanging medication sheet according to the first modified example. [Figure 38] 1A is a perspective view showing an example of a portioning box held on the medication wall-hanging sheet, and FIG. 1B is a side view of FIG. [Figure 39] An explanatory diagram showing a medication confirmation assistance device that uses the medication wall-hanging sheet and an antenna device of an embodiment to assist nurses, medication assistants, etc. in confirming medication. [Diagram 40] 13A is a perspective view showing another example of the subdivision box according to the first modified example, and FIG. 13B is a side view of FIG. [Diagram 41] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing wireless communication of the RFID tag of the same subdivision box. [Diagram 42] 13A is a perspective view showing still another example of the subdivision box according to the first modified example, and FIG. 13B is a side view of FIG. [Diagram 43] FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a main part of an antenna device according to a second modified example. [Diagram 44] FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a spacer member of the antenna device is in use, and FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the spacer member is not in use. [Diagram 45] 13A is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a spacer member according to another example of the antenna device is in use, and FIG. 13B is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the spacer member is not in use. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a description will be given of an example of a medication dispensing device of a medication support device used for preparing medication for nurses, caregivers, etc. in nursing care facilities, etc. The medication dispensing device of the medication support device in this embodiment aims to reduce the work time and workload in preparing medication, and to prevent medication errors.

[0008] Specifically, in order to reduce the work time of nurses working in nursing facilities and prevent medication errors, at a specified time, the medication packs of each resident (medicine recipient) are placed in the respective resident's subdivision boxes (medicine containers) set on the medication tray. At this time, the timing of taking the medication (morning, afternoon, evening, before going to bed, etc.) may change depending on the resident's health condition and other circumstances. Therefore, nurses are required to check the medication distribution to confirm whether there are any mistakes in the current medication distribution work (whether there are any medication errors) according to the latest medication timing of each resident. For example, if a resident's medication pack is not administered in the morning due to poor physical condition, if the medication pack is mistakenly placed in the resident's subdivision box and distributed, the nurse who notices this may have to take the time to manually remove the medication after the medication distribution is completed, or a medication error may occur due to forgetting to remove the medication.

[0009] First, a medication distribution device constituting the medication support device in this embodiment will be described. FIG. 1(a) is a front view showing a schematic diagram of the main configuration of the main part of the medicine dispensing device, and FIG. 1(b) is a side view showing a schematic diagram of the side configuration of FIG. 1(a). In Figure 1, the left-right direction or horizontal direction (also the width direction) of the medication dispensing device 200 is the X direction, the front-back direction or depth direction is the Y direction, and the up-down direction or vertical direction (also the vertical direction) is the Z direction (the same applies to the figures described below).

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, the main parts of the medication dispensing device 200 include a cartridge 10, also called a first storage section, a cartridge tray 20, also called a second storage section, a drawer section 80, a medication dispensing tray 30 as a medicine container holder, a carriage 50, also called an ejection section, a transport section 90, and first entrance / exit section 41 to fourth entrance / exit section 44.

[0011] The cartridge 10 functions as a first storage means for storing, in layers, a single-dose drug pack (hereinafter also simply referred to as a "pack"), which is a drug pack in which a drug is packaged in one package, a combined pack in which a plurality of single-dose drug packs are connected, etc. A plurality of cartridges 10 are arranged via cartridge trays 20 in the middle and lower tiers of a main body frame 199, which serves as the device main body of the medication dispensing device 200. The cartridges 10 are configured to be freely attached and detached to the cartridge tray 20. Here, "storing in layers" means storing the packs in a substantially horizontal state or in a flat-stacked state.

[0012] As will be described later, the cartridge tray 20 is configured to be able to position and store a plurality of cartridges 10, and is provided integrally with the drawer section 80. The cartridge tray 20 functions as a second storage means for placing and holding at least one cartridge 10.

[0013] A plurality of cartridges 10 are arranged in a drawer section 80 via cartridge trays 20 provided at the bottom and center of a main body frame 199 as the main body of the drug dispensing device 200. In the example of FIG. 1, 4×5=20 cartridges 10 are placed and held in one drawer section 80 (cartridge tray 20) (see FIG. 7 described later). Hereinafter, for the sake of simplicity, the drawer section 80 may be referred to as the cartridge tray 20.

[0014] Each of the multiple cartridges 10 is placed and stored within a lattice-like partitioned side wall and bottom wall of the cartridge tray 20. The bottom wall of the cartridge tray 20 corresponding to each cartridge 10 is formed with a rectangular through opening 21 (see FIG. 7 described later) for removing the pack from below the cartridge 10 by utilizing the elasticity or free deformation of the pack, as described in the operation described later.

[0015] The drawer section 80 is configured to be able to position and hold the cartridge tray 20. A pair of slide rails 81 are attached to the outer walls of the drawer section 80, and a main body rail is provided on the main body frame 199 so as to be able to fit with the slide rails 81 of the drawer section 80. With this kind of fitting configuration between the main body rails and the slide rails 81, the drawer section 80, in which the cartridge tray 20 is stored and held, can be pulled out from the main body frame 199.

[0016] The medicine distribution tray 30 is a medicine distribution means for arranging a specific pack transferred by the transfer section 90, and functions as a medicine container holder having a plurality of medicine containers each having a medicine storage section capable of storing a medicine pack containing one or more medicines. As shown in FIG. 1, two medicine distribution trays 30 are arranged in a state of being arranged further above the cartridge 10 mounted on the cartridge tray 20 in the uppermost drawer section 80. Hereinafter, the installation site of the medicine distribution tray 30 (meaning the location where the pack is handed over to the medicine distribution tray 30 for automatic medicine distribution) is referred to as the medicine distribution section 29.

[0017] The carriage 50 is an ejection section for ejecting a specific pack from the cartridge 10, and functions as an ejection means. The transport section 90 functions as a transport means for transporting the pack removed from the cartridge 10 by the carriage 50 .

[0018] The first entrance / exit section 41 and the second entrance / exit section 42 function as a storage means entrance / exit section for allowing the cartridge 10 and the cartridge tray 20 to enter and exit the main body frame 199 via the drawer section 80. The cartridge 10 is inserted and set in the main body frame 199 through the first entrance / exit section 41 and the second entrance / exit section 42, respectively. The doors of the first entrance / exit section 41 and the second entrance / exit section 42 are opened, and the drawer section 80 equipped with the cartridge tray 20 is pulled out towards the front, and the cartridge 10 or the cartridge tray 20 is attached or detached.

[0019] The third entrance / exit section 43 and the fourth entrance / exit section 44 function as entrance / exit means for the medicine dispensing means that allows each of the two medicine dispensing trays 30 arranged side by side on the top level of the medicine dispensing device 200 to enter and exit the main body frame 199. The third entrance / exit section 43 and the fourth entrance / exit section 44 are provided so that a pack can be removed immediately after being placed on the medicine dispensing tray 30 (hereinafter also referred to as "set" or "inserted").

[0020] In the medicine dispensing device 200 of this embodiment, two medicine dispensing trays 30 are arranged, and as described later, a medicine dispensing tray is arranged for each medicine taking timing, such as morning, afternoon, evening, before going to bed, etc. Since a third entrance / exit section 43 and a fourth entrance / exit section 44 for the medicine dispensing tray are also provided for each medicine dispensing tray, it is possible to take out another medicine dispensing tray even while a medicine dispensing operation is being performed on another medicine dispensing tray.

[0021] At the bottom of the medication dispensing device 200, a retreat section 40 is provided for retreating a pack removed from the cartridge 10 when the pack should not be placed on the medication dispensing tray 30 (for example, when it is an incorrect pack).

[0022] 1 is provided in two locations, one above the other, below the topmost medicine distribution tray 30, but is not limited to this and may be provided in the upper or lower locations. Depending on the number of people in the care facility, the cartridge trays 20 may be arranged in three levels to obtain the same effect.

[0023] Next, an overview of the single-dose drug pack (medicine pack) will be described. Fig. 2(a) is a plan view showing a typical form of a single drug package, Fig. 2(b) is a side view of the drug package of Fig. 2(a) as seen from the direction of arrow A, Fig. 2(c) is a side view of a combined pack in which drug package packs are stacked, and Fig. 2(d) is a diagram showing a typical form of a continuous pack. Note that the drug is not shown in Fig. 2(b) and Fig. 2(c).

[0024] The form of the medicine pack includes a single unit-dose drug pack 2, and a pack combination 2A in which multiple unit-dose drug packs 2 (two in Figure 2(c)) are stacked in the stacking direction and joined together, for example by stapling.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 2(a), one single-dose drug pack 2 is made of, for example, a resin film, and contains drugs 3 such as capsules or tablets. The single-dose drug pack 2 has a bag portion 2a that covers the drug 3, and a crimped portion 4 in which three sides shown by hatching in the figure are crimped or welded. The side on the bag portion 2a side is usually folded in half, with the drug 3 sandwiched between them, and the crimped portion 4 forms a leak prevention portion that prevents the drug 3 from leaking from the bag portion 2a. The drug 3 in one single-dose drug pack 2 is usually a unit for one dose for a patient.

[0026] The single-dose drug packs 2 are made (packaged) by a drug packaging machine installed in a pharmacy or the like. The packaging paper (packaging sheet) used for packaging the exterior part is a long rolled sheet that is rolled in a folded and overlapped state, and the drug 3 to be taken is sandwiched between the sheets. The three sides other than the folds around the drug 3 are sealed and divided into multiple doses by a crimping part 4, and the single-dose drug packs 2 for the required number of doses are made into a continuous sheet. This continuous sheet-like single-dose drug pack is called a "continuous pack." The continuous pack 1 shown in Figure 2(d) is a state in which multiple single-dose drug packs 2 (three doses in the example shown in the figure) are connected in a strip shape. The pack series 1 is a general form that is usually provided and sold at pharmacies and the like to users (including those who actually take the medicine in the single-dose drug pack, and the assistants and supporters who assist and support the taking of the medicine, as well as staff of various nursing care facilities and medical facilities (a concept that includes pharmacists, nurses, caregivers, and medication supporters)). For the sake of simplicity, the following explanation illustrates one pack containing medicines of the same form (capsules, tablets, etc.), but it goes without saying that different medicines may be used in one pack depending on the user's use and purpose, etc.

[0027] In the example shown in FIG. 2, the single-drug package 2 has a rectangular shape in plan view. The packaging method of sealing by crimping three sides as in this example is generally called three-sided packaging, and most of the drug packaging machines on the market use this method to make packs. The crimped part 4 has a strip-like width of about 10 to 15 mm, and is more rigid than the transparent or semi-transparent film-like bag part 2a where the drug 3 can be seen. In the production (packaging) of the drug packaging machine, a boundary part 2b with a perforation 5 is formed in the center of the crimped part 4 of the single-drug package 2, where the multiple single-drug package packs 2 constituting the pack continuum 1 are adjacent to each other in a continuous manner from the upstream side to the downstream side. Users who have good hand mobility can obtain one single-drug package 2 by tearing it by hand along the perforation 5 or cutting it near the perforation 5 with scissors or a dedicated cutter.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 2(c) as an example, a pack assembly 2A may be used. The pack assembly 2A may be a combination of a plurality of (two shown in Fig. 2(c)) single-dose drug packs 2 fastened at the center of the three sides of the pressure-bonded portions 4 by a stapler 8 (see Fig. 2(c)), or may be integrated by tape, or may be an integrated package of a Chinese medicine pack or a PTP (Press Through Pack) packaging sheet.

[0029] First medication-related information is added to the surface of the bag portion 2a of the one-package medicine pack 2 as information related to medication such as the name of the recipient and the timing of taking the medicine. In the pack 2 shown in Fig. 2, the first medication-related information includes medication-related information 6a in which the name of the recipient who takes the medicine 3 in the pack 2 is expressed as a character string, medication-related information 6b in which the time (timing of taking the medicine) to take the medicine 3 is expressed as a character string, and medication-related information 6c in which the name of the recipient and the timing of taking the medicine are expressed as a QR code (registered trademark). In the pack 2 shown in Fig. 2, the medication-related information 6a and 6b in the form of character strings and the medication-related information 6c in the form of a QR code are added, but this is not limiting, and only one of these may be used, or an RFID tag or the like used when tag information is read using a barcode or short-range wireless communication may be used.

[0030] The first medication-related information may also include the type of medication (including the shape of the medication) and the number of tablets in pack 2, and information imprinted on the medication itself. The first medication-related information may be obtained and used by acquiring and using only individual pieces of information, or may be obtained and used in combination with multiple pieces of information. For example, when only confirming the person taking the medication, only the name of the person taking the medication is sufficient, and when preventing forgetting to take an important medication, the name of the person taking the medication and the number of tablets and shape of the medication in the pack may be confirmed together. In other words, the medication-related information includes at least one piece of information among the name of the person taking the medication, the time when the medication in the pack is taken (timing of taking the medication), and the type and number of tablets of the medication prescribed in the pack.

[0031] Next, the medication tray 30 will be described. FIG. 3 is an external perspective view showing one configuration example of the medicine distribution tray 30. As shown in FIG. As shown in Fig. 3, the medication tray 30 has partition walls 31, which are partition members serving as a plurality of partitions for arranging specific packs, and is divided by four erected partition walls 31. The 20 compartments 33 formed on the medication tray 30 can be expressed as elements of a matrix consisting of 5 columns in the X direction (row feed direction) and 4 rows in the Y direction (character feed direction). As a result, each of the 20 compartments 33 on the medication tray 30 can be uniquely identified by the elements and addresses of the 5-column, 4-row matrix.

[0032] The medication tray 30 has a bottom wall 32 on which the packs 2 dispensed in each compartment 33 are placed. The medication tray 30 is configured so that the packs 2 can be stored in the corresponding compartments 33, which are divided by the partition walls 31 and the common bottom wall 32, and thus can be managed separately from other packs (other people's packs).

[0033] In the medication distribution tray 30 shown in Figure 3, the "Floor A After-Lunch Medication Tray" displayed on the front outer wall indicates that this is a medication distribution tray to which medication packs are distributed to be taken after lunch by multiple residents (medication users) residing on the same floor A in a nursing home, for example.

[0034] In the medicine distribution tray 30 of this embodiment, a subdivision box 34 serving as a removable medicine container is set in each compartment 33. The subdivision box 34 stores packs 2 each containing medicine to be taken after lunch for a total of 20 people, for example, Mr. A to Mr. T, who are residents of a care facility or the like. That is, the medicine distribution tray 30 of this embodiment holds packs 2 via the subdivision box 34 in each compartment 33 separated by a partition wall 31.

[0035] In addition, the packs 2 may be distributed to the distribution tray 30 without using the subdivision box 34. In this case, each compartment 33 functions as a medicine container, and the packs 2 are directly stored in each compartment 33.

[0036] Next, the subdivision box 34 of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a dispensing box 34 held in the medication tray 30. As shown in FIG. In this embodiment, each subdivision box 34 is prepared for each resident (person taking the medicine) and stores the corresponding resident's packaged medicine pack 2. For example, as shown in Fig. 4, the packaged medicine pack 2 of person A who takes the medicine after lunch is distributed and stored in the subdivision box 34 to which the text information "person A, lunchtime" (first medicine-related information) is added.

[0037] The subdivision box 34 in this embodiment is configured as a box-shaped container structure made of a material (such as a plastic material) that is electromagnetically transmissible, such as plastic or paper. In detail, as shown in Fig. 4, the subdivision box 34 has a transparent structure 35 in the shape of a hollow cube or hollow rectangular parallelepiped with an open top, and the internal space of the structure 35 functions as a medicine storage section in which the packs 2 are stored.

[0038] In addition, in the subdivision box 34 of this embodiment, the rear wall of the structure 35 is formed higher than the front wall and both side walls. A label 36 displaying text information (first medication-related information) reading "Mr. A, afternoon" is attached to the upper part of the rear wall of the structure 35. Medication is distributed by the above-mentioned medication distribution device 200 so that the medication-related information displayed on this label 36, such as the name of the recipient and the timing of medication, matches with the resident (medicine recipient) and timing of medication corresponding to the single-dose drug pack 2 stored in the subdivision box 34.

[0039] Further, an RFID tag 37 serving as a wireless tag is provided on the bottom wall 35a of the subdivision box 34 of this embodiment. Therefore, the bottom wall 35a of the subdivision box 34 functions as a tag support section that supports the RFID tag 37. Information associated with (linked to) the subdivision box 34 to which the RFID tag 37 is attached is written on the RFID tag 37. Information on the RFID tag 37 is rewritable, and information can be freely written to the RFID tag 37 in accordance with the method of the facility in which it is used.

[0040] As a specific example, information associated (linked) with the information on "Mr. A, lunch" (first medication-related information) is written into the RFID tag 37 of the subdivision box 34 to which the label 36 of "Mr. A, lunch" is affixed. At this time, the information written into the RFID tag 37 may be, for example, the information on the label 36, "Mr. A" and "Lunch", itself, or may be identification information, such as a unique ID, of the RFID tag 37. When the information written into the RFID tag 37 is identification information, such as a unique ID, the information on the RFID tag 37 and the information on the label 36 of the subdivision box 34 to which the RFID tag 37 is attached are associated (linked) with each other by referring to a database or the like that associates the identification information with the information on the label 36, "Mr. A" and "Lunch".

[0041] The information of the RFID tag 37 attached to each subdivision box 34 is read, for example, by a tag information reader 67 of the carriage 50 described later. At this time, for example, by associating (linking) the coordinates of the X and Y positions, which are the position information of the carriage 50, with the information of the RFID tag 37 (the name of the person taking the medicine, the timing of taking the medicine), it becomes possible to distribute the pack 2 taken out of the cartridge 10 to an appropriate subdivision box 34.

[0042] In addition, when each compartment 33 of the medication tray 30 is determined for each resident (medicine recipient), the RFID tag 37 may be attached to each compartment 33 of the medication tray 30, instead of each subdivision box 34. In other words, the multiple compartments 33 in the medication tray 30 may be assigned to each medication recipient at the same medication timing, and when a specific medication recipient does not take medication at a specific medication timing, it is also possible to prevent the pack 2 of the specific medication recipient from being placed at the specific medication timing.

[0043] In addition, the plurality of sections 33 of the medicine distribution tray 30 may be allocated for each timing of taking medicine of each medicine recipient. Specifically, the plurality of sections 33 may be allocated for each timing of taking the pack 2, that is, morning, midday, evening, and before going to bed, and for each medicine recipient. In such an example of the medicine distribution tray 30, the medicine distribution tray 30 can be managed for each floor or room in which multiple medicine recipients reside, and the packs 2 for that day (or several days) can be distributed in advance to the medicine distribution tray 30.

[0044] According to the above example, by allocating each section according to the timing of taking medicine, such as morning, afternoon, evening, before going to bed, etc., it is possible to prevent mistakes in the timing of taking medicine for each person. Not limited to the above-mentioned configuration example of the medicine distribution tray 30, various examples can be considered in combination with the medicine recipient and the timing of taking medicine.

[0045] Next, the cartridge 10 will be described. FIG. 5(a) is a longitudinal sectional view of a cartridge, FIG. 6(a) is a longitudinal sectional view of a cartridge different from that of FIG. 5(a), and FIG. 5(b) and FIG. 6(b) are bottom views of the cartridge of FIG. 5(a) and FIG. 6(a). In addition, in each of the longitudinal cross-sectional views of Figure 5(a) and Figure 6(a), in order to simplify the drawings, the pack 2 is shown diagrammatically with the crimping portion 4 (see Figure 2) of the pack 2 stored in the cartridge 10 omitted. Also, the cross-sectional hatching of the support portions (right support portion 12, left support portion 13, etc.) is omitted and shown diagrammatically.

[0046] 5 and 6 have the same configuration with respect to shape, etc., but differ in the display position and display member of the QR code related to the medication-related information 6c. The configuration with respect to shape, etc. will be described representatively with reference to FIG. 5.

[0047] The cartridge 10 is mainly composed of a case portion 11, a lid portion 14, a pack removal opening 17, a movable plate 16, a pack orientation maintaining portion 15, and a right support portion 12 and a left support portion 13 serving as supports.

[0048] The case portion 11 has a function of storing a plurality of packs 2 and a pack combination 2A (hereinafter, the pack 2 will be described as a representative). The case portion 11 is formed integrally or separately, for example, using resin. The lid portion 14 has a function of allowing the pack 2 to be inserted. The pack removal opening 17 is formed in the lower portion or bottom of the case portion 11, and is an opening for removing the pack 2 from the cartridge 10, and has a function of passing the pack 2 removed from the cartridge 10 by the carriage 50 (see Figures 1, 9, etc.).

[0049] The movable plate 16 has a function of preventing the packs 2 from falling over, and after the first pack of the maximum number of packs 2 that can be stored in the case part 11 has been taken out, moves the lowest pack 2 to the vicinity of the pack removal opening 17. The pack posture maintaining part 15 has a function of maintaining the posture of the pack 2. The right support part 12 and the left support part 13 also have a function of supporting or holding the pack 2 in the case part 11.

[0050] In this embodiment, the portion to be removed of the pack 2 removed from the cartridge 10 by the carriage 50 is provided at the lower portion or bottom portion within the cartridge 10. That is, the portion to be removed is configured to include a right support portion 12 and a left support portion 13 as support portions or support members that support the pack 2 removed from the cartridge 10 at multiple points, and a pack removal opening 17.

[0051] When the pack 2 is to be removed from the cartridge 10 by the carriage 50, the right support portion 12 and the left support portion 13 are configured to allow the passage of the pack 2. On the other hand, when the pack 2 is not to be removed from the cartridge 10, the right support portion 12 and the left support portion 13 are configured to restrict the passage of the pack 2 so that a plurality of packs 2 are stored and held within the case portion 11.

[0052] As described above, the right support part 12 and the left support part 13 are support parts that support or hold the pack 2 in the cartridge 10, and are also provided in an immovable state so that the removal operation of the pack 2 from the cartridge 10 by the carriage 50 can be stabilized. The right support part 12 and the left support part 13 are fixed members that are fixed or secured to the bottom wall inner surfaces 11e of the right and left bottom wall ends of the pack removal opening 17, respectively.

[0053] The pack removal opening 17 has a function of passing a suction pad 52 of a carriage 50 shown in Fig. 9 etc. described later in order to remove the pack 2, and also has a function of passing the removed pack 2 and the suction pad 52. In other words, the pack removal opening 17 and the right bottom wall end and the left bottom wall end provided in a state surrounding the pack removal opening 17 function as pack removal passages.

[0054] In the cartridge 10 in FIG. 5, a position 52' (hereinafter also referred to as "suction pad position") where the suction pad 52 (see FIG. 11(d) described later) suctions the pack 2 stored in the cartridge 10 is indicated by a circular two-dot chain line in FIG. 5(b). The right support part 12 and the left support part 13 support the pack 2 in the cartridge 10 so that the pack 2 in the cartridge 10 does not fall from the pack removal opening 17. As will be described in the operation of the carriage 50 described later, when the pack 2 at the bottom of the cartridge 10 is removed while being sucked by the suction pad 52, the suction pad 52 is positioned to suck the pack 2 at two suction pad positions in the Y direction near both ends of the right support part 12. When the pack 2 at the bottom of the cartridge 10 is removed by the suction pad 52, the two suction pads 52 pass near both ends of the right support part 12 in the Y direction to suck and hold the pack 2.

[0055] As shown in Fig. 5, by locating suction pad positions at two locations near both ends of the right support portion 12 in the Y direction, it is possible to prevent the packs 2 from being unable to be sucked by the suction pads 52 and remove the packs. That is, since the packs 2 on both sides in the Y direction are sucked by the suction pads 52, the film bag portion 2a of the pack 2 is stretched by the suction of the two suction pads and can withstand deformation. This makes it possible to reliably support or hold the pack 2 in the cartridge 10 while also making it easy to smoothly remove the pack 2.

[0056] The pack posture maintaining portion 15 is made of sponge rubber having appropriate elasticity. The movable plate 16 is made of, for example, resin or metal. The pack posture maintaining portion 15 and the movable plate 16 also properly maintain the posture of the multiple packs 2 stored in the case portion 11 (as shown in FIG. 5(a) , they also maintain the posture of the packs 2 in an orderly and substantially horizontal state along the Z direction). In order to fulfill the above-mentioned function, the movable plate 16 is set to reliably move at least one pack 2 remaining in the case portion 11 to the vicinity of the pack removal opening 17 by descending downward in the Z direction within the case portion 11 by its own weight.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 5(a), a long groove 11a is formed in the side wall of the case 11, extending in the Z direction with a predetermined width in the X direction. A flanged shaft 16a is provided at one end of the movable plate 16 so as to protrude from the long groove 11a. The movable plate 16 can hold the position of the pack 2 in the Z direction by guiding the shaft 16a along the long groove 11a in the Z direction. In FIG. 5, the packs 2 in the cartridge 10 are stacked in a substantially horizontal state, and are stored with the drug-encapsulated portion on the left side of the figure in a bulging position, but the detailed state of these packs 2 is omitted.

[0058] The packs 2 are set in the case 11 in order from the pack removal openings 17 on the right support 12 and left support 13 sides toward the top. The timing for refilling the cartridge 10 with packs 2 may be, for example, when a user (resident) at a nursing facility or the like is examined (usually every two weeks) or when the packs 2 in the cartridge 10 run out. If there are packs 2 remaining in the cartridge 10 when refilling, refilling is performed from behind the remaining packs 2. Setting the packs 2 in the cartridge 10 and refilling the packs 2 are performed by staff at a nursing facility or the like, but this is not limited to a configuration in which the storage section is made into a cartridge and this is performed automatically.

[0059] The lid portion 14 is intended to enable staff at a care facility or the like to insert and remove the pack 2 stored in the cartridge 10, and is formed long in the Z direction of the case portion 11 and with a predetermined opening width, as shown in Figure 5(a).

[0060] As shown in Fig. 5(b), the types of packs 2 in the cartridge 10 are divided according to the timing of taking the medicine, for example, 14 days' worth of medicine to be taken in the afternoon for person A. Therefore, if person A has medicine to take in the morning, evening, and before going to bed in addition to the afternoon, a total of four cartridges 10 are required. The above example is not limiting, and for example, a single cartridge 10 set for each medicine taker (person) may be used, and the packs may be arranged in the order of morning → afternoon → evening → before going to bed → morning → afternoon → evening, etc. on the first day, moving upward from the pack removal opening 17, which is the pack removal direction of the cartridge 10.

[0061] In this embodiment, the right support part 12 and the left support part 13 are fixed as fixed members to the bottom wall inner surface 11e of the pack removal opening 17 of the case part 11 so that the removal operation of the pack 2 from the cartridge 10 by the carriage 50 is always stable. In other words, the right support part 12 and the left support part 13 are arranged in the pack removal opening 17 at the bottom of the cartridge 10 in a fixed state, with the right support part 12 and the left support part 13 for holding both ends of a medicine pack (such as the pack 2 or the combined pack 2A).

[0062] The end support part of the pack 2 on the side to be adsorbed is supported by the right support part 12, and the opposite end support part is supported by the left support part 13, so that the pack 2 stored and set in the cartridge 10 does not fall in the set state. The right support part 12 and the left support part 13 have different support lengths for the pack 2, with the right support part 12 having a shorter support length. When the bottommost pack 2 stored in the cartridge 10 is adsorbed by the suction pad 52 and pulled out of the cartridge 10, the configuration and operation are such that the medicine pack such as the pack 2 bends due to elasticity or free deformation and is easy to pull out (see FIG. 11(d) described later).

[0063] At this time, because the support parts (right support part 12 and left support part 13) are fixed, they can securely hold the tip of the next pack 2 and it will not fly out or fall due to being pulled by the previous pack 2. In addition, because the support parts (right support part 12 and left support part 13) do not swing or rotate, the pack 2 will not get pinched during the return movement or deformed when pushed in, and it will be held in a stable state.

[0064] As shown in Fig. 5, medication-related information 6a, 6b, and 6c displayed on the medicine packs (pack 2, combined packs 2A, etc.) are exposed from the pack removal opening 17 of the cartridge 10, and the medication-related information 6c on the medicine packs can be read by a QR code reader mounted on the carriage 50 as shown in Fig. 9, which will be described later. In Fig. 5, for the sake of simplicity, the medication-related information 6c is displayed only on the packs 2, combined packs 2A, etc. stored at the bottom of the cartridge 10, but it goes without saying that the medication-related information 6c is displayed on all packs 2, combined packs 2A, etc. stored in the cartridge 10.

[0065] Also, in cases where it is not possible to provide medication-related information 6c such as a QR code to a medicine pack (pack 2, combined packs 2A, etc.) (for example, when a packaging machine that produces packs 2, etc. is not capable of printing QR codes), a method as shown in FIG. 6 may be used. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, a label with a QR code related to medication-related information 6c is attached to the bottom surface of the left support part 13 near the pack removal opening 17. This makes it possible to obtain the medication-related information 6c of the medicine pack (pack 2, combined packs 2A, etc.) stored in the cartridge 10. Note that, to obtain the medication-related information 6c, the QR code may be directly printed on the cartridge 10 instead of attaching a label.

[0066] Next, the mechanism and operation of the cartridge 10 set in the drawer section 80 will be described. FIG. 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the essential parts, showing the attachment / detachment mechanism of the cartridge 10 set in the drawer section 80. As shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view illustrating a cartridge identification structure provided in the drawer section 80. As shown in FIG.

[0067] As shown in Fig. 7, the drawer section 80 is configured to allow a plurality of cartridges 10 to be attached and detached via the cartridge tray 20. The drawer section 80 is configured integrally with the cartridge tray 20 to hold the cartridge tray 20. Slide rails 81 are provided on the left and right outer wall surfaces of the case section 22 of the cartridge tray 20 in the drawer section 80, respectively, and each slide rail 81 is slidable on a main body rail disposed on the main body frame 199 side. As a result, the drawer section 80 (cartridge tray 20) can be attached and detached by being pulled out from inside the main body frame 199 via the engagement between the slide rails 81 and the main body rails.

[0068] 7, the cartridge 10 is attached to and detached from the cartridge tray 20 of the drawer section 80 via engagement and disengagement between a pair of protrusions 23a formed on the inner wall surface of the case section 22 of the drawer section 80 so as to protrude inward and a pair of recesses 11c formed on the outer wall surface of the case section 11 of the cartridge 10, and engagement and disengagement between the inner wall surface of the case section 22 and four hemispherical protrusions 11d formed on the outer wall surface of the case section 11. This configuration for attaching and detaching the drawer section 80 allows the attachment and detachment of multiple cartridges 10 to be performed simply and with good operability.

[0069] In this embodiment, the connector is detachable through the fitting and engagement of the concave and convex parts. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The same effect can be obtained by providing an elastic material in the gap between the inner wall surface of the case part 22 and the outer wall surface of the case part 11, by using a magnetic structure, or by using a snap-fit ​​structure.

[0070] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, an opening 21 is formed through the bottom wall of the cartridge tray 20 of the drawer section 80, and communicates with the pack removal opening 17 (see Figures 5 and 6) of the cartridge 10 when each cartridge 10 is attached to each storage section 23 of the cartridge tray 20.

[0071] 8, the cartridge tray 20 of the drawer section 80 has a storage section 23 for storing 20 cartridges 10 arranged in four horizontal columns A to D and five vertical rows 1 to 5. The drawer section 80 is provided with guide display sections such as LEDs (light emitting diodes) 25a1 to 25d5 that indicate the locations of the multiple cartridges 10 near the handle 26 that is gripped by hand when performing an attachment / detachment operation. This allows the user to know at a glance where the target cartridge 10 is located within the drawer section 80, cartridge tray 20.

[0072] 8, each storage section 23 is provided with a detection means such as a sensor or a switch for detecting whether a cartridge 10 is attached to the storage section 23. The LED 25a1 corresponds to the storage section 23 of the cartridge tray 20 corresponding to the address A1 (representing a portion or section uniquely determined by vertical columns and horizontal rows), and notifies the presence or absence of a cartridge 10 in the storage section 23 based on the result of the detection means of the storage section 23 of the address A1. Similarly, the LED 25a2 corresponds to the storage section 23 of the address A2, the LED 25a3 corresponds to the storage section 23 of the address A3, the LED 25a4 corresponds to the storage section 23 of the address A4, and the LED 25a5 corresponds to the storage section 23 of the address A5. Similarly, for the storage sections 23 corresponding to the addresses 1 to 5 of columns B to D, as shown in FIG. 8, LEDs for notifying the presence or absence of a cartridge 10 to be attached to or detached from each storage section 23 are provided in correspondence with each storage section 23.

[0073] In the case of guidance display units such as LEDs 25a1-25d5, there is a risk that a person who mounts cartridge 10 in storage unit 23 may mount cartridge 10 in a storage unit other than the storage unit 23 to which it should be mounted (risk of erroneous mounting). In such a case, for example, each cartridge 10 may be configured to be mountable only in the corresponding storage unit 23 (and not mountable in an incompatible storage unit 23).

[0074] Next, the configuration and operation of the carriage 50 (ejection section, ejection means) will be described. Fig. 9(a) is a front view showing the carriage configuration, and Fig. 9(b) is a plan view of Fig. 9(a). In order to simplify the drawings, the connection relationship diagram of the negative pressure generator 45 and the like in the carriage configuration is shown only in Fig. 9(a) and is omitted in Figs. 10, 13, etc. described later.

[0075] As shown in Fig. 9, the carriage 50 has an adsorption unit 51 that removes and holds the pack 2 from the cartridge 10. The adsorption unit 51 has a function of adsorbing and peeling off the pack 2. When adsorbing the pack 2, the adsorption unit 51 has a function of adsorbing the pack 2 by using negative pressure air converted by a negative pressure generator 45 serving as a negative pressure switching means. Also, when peeling off the pack 2, the adsorption unit 51 has a function of peeling off the pack 2 by using pressurized air converted by the negative pressure generator 45.

[0076] As shown in Fig. 9(a), the suction unit 51 converts the positive pressure from the air compressor 46, which is an air compression means, into negative pressure in the negative pressure generator 45 via the air tank 47, thereby creating a negative pressure state and suctioning the packs 2. The air compressor 46 is installed outside the transfer unit 90, and is connected to the suction unit 51 by communication members such as an air pipe 49 via the air tank 47 and the negative pressure generator 45. The air pipe 49 between the negative pressure generator 45 and the suction unit 51 is configured so that it can be determined that the suction unit 51 has suctioned the packs 2 when the negative pressure measured by a pressure sensor that measures the negative pressure falls to a predetermined value or less.

[0077] The air piping 49 is provided through a cable pair or the like together with a harness or the like so that the carriage 50 does not become taut even when it moves inside the drug dispensing device 200. That is, as shown in Fig. 1(a) and Fig. 1(b), the air piping 49 has a path of one turn each in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. The air piping 49 is first extended from the negative pressure generator 45 along the Z-axis direction and makes one turn, then extended along the X-axis and makes one turn, and finally extended along the Y-axis and makes one turn to be connected to the suction part 51.

[0078] The suction section 51 also has a suction pad 52 that suctions the pack 2, and a suction duct 53 connected to the suction pad 52. The negative pressure generator 45 is also called a vacuum ejector valve, and is connected to the suction duct 53 via an air pipe 49. The suction pad 52 functions as an air suction means or suction member that suctions and removes the pack 2 from the cartridge 10. One end of the suction pad 52, the upper end in FIG. 9(a), is disposed to suction the pack 2. The other end of the suction pad 52, the lower end in FIG. 9(a), is attached and fixed to one end of the suction duct 53, the upper end in FIG. 9(a). The other end of the suction duct 53, the lower end in FIG. 9(a), is attached and fixed to a suction pad support member 54. The suction pad 52 and the suction duct 53 are provided in pairs in the Y direction.

[0079] The carriage 50 also has a position changing means for changing the position of the pack 2 removed from the cartridge 10 to a substantially vertical position. The position changing means in the carriage 50 includes, as main components, a suction pad support member 54 connected to a suction portion base member 57 via a rotating shaft 55, a guide member 59 in which a uniquely shaped guide groove 59a is formed, a guide shaft 56 which is always fitted into the guide groove 59a of the guide member 59 to guide the suction pad support member 54, and a suction portion up and down movement portion.

[0080] The suction pad support member 54 is connected to the suction unit base member 57 via a rotation shaft 55. The suction pad support member 54 may be provided so as to be rotatable (i.e. swingable) within a predetermined angle range around the rotation shaft 55 fixed to the suction pad support member 54, or may be provided so as to be swingable around the rotation shaft 55 fixed to the suction unit base member 57. In other words, in Fig. 9, the distance connecting the center of the rotation shaft 55 and the center of a guide rod 58 (described later) in the X direction is set so as to be always kept constant when the suction unit base member 57 moves in the vertical direction Z along the guide rod 58.

[0081] The suction unit vertical movement part has a pair of guide rods 58 provided in the Y direction to guide the suction unit base member 57 in the Z direction, an endless belt 62 wound around a drive pulley 60 and a driven pulley 61, and a drive motor 63 connected to the drive pulley 60 via a drive transmission member such as a gear or a belt. The drive motor 63 is a drive means or drive source of the suction unit vertical movement part.

[0082] The suction base member 57 is connected and fixed to the belt 62 by a belt gripper 62a fixed to the right end of the suction base member 57. A pair of guide rods 58 extend in the Z direction and are provided in the Y direction, and their lower ends are fixed to the bottom frame 50b of the take-out frame 50a provided on the carriage 50. A guided hole 57a into which the guide rod 58 is inserted is formed on the right end side of the suction base member 57. The drive pulley 60 and the driven pulley 61 are each rotatably supported by a stationary member on the take-out frame 50a side. The drive motor 63 is fixed to a stationary member on the take-out frame 50a side of the carriage 50.

[0083] When the suction unit base member 57 moves up and down by the operation of the drive motor 63, the suction unit base member 57 moves in the Z direction along each guide rod 58, so that it is possible to keep the posture of the suction unit base member 57 in the XY plane constant in a substantially horizontal state. Note that the suction unit up and down movement unit is not limited to the above-mentioned belt-driven up and down reciprocating motion mechanism, and may be a reciprocating linear motion mechanism using a rack and pinion or the like.

[0084] A pair of guide members 59 are provided on both sides of the suction portion 51 in the Y direction with the suction pad support member 54 in between, and their lower ends are fixed to the bottom frame 50b. The guide shafts 56 are provided to protrude from both ends of the suction pad support member 54 in the Y direction and are provided to always fit into guide grooves 59a of the guide members 59 to guide the suction pad support member 54. As shown in Fig. 9(a), the guide shafts 56 are provided below the rotation shaft 55 of the suction pad support member 54 in the Z direction with a certain distance from the rotation shaft 55.

[0085] When the suction unit base member 57 moves in the Z direction by operating the drive motor 63, the posture of the suction unit base member 57 in the XY plane is kept constant in an approximately horizontal state, and the guide shaft 56 of the suction pad support member 54 moves in the Z direction along the uniquely shaped guide groove 59a, so that the posture of the suction pad 52 can be rotated approximately 90 degrees (in FIG. 9(a) , the state when the suction unit 51 is rotated approximately 90 degrees is shown by a thick dashed line). Here, the approximately horizontal state includes the horizontal state, and also means being within a predetermined angle tolerance range with respect to the horizontal.

[0086] The uniquely shaped guide groove 59a comprises a first guide groove portion formed to extend relatively far in the Z direction so as to maintain the orientation of the suction pad 52 facing upward as shown by the solid line in Figure 9(a) via the suction pad support member 54 in a substantially horizontal state by the guidance of the guide shaft 56, and a second guide groove portion which communicates with and connects to this first guide groove portion and is formed to gradually draw a gentle arc to the right as it goes downward, thereby rotating the orientation of the suction pad support member 54 and the suction pad 52 by approximately 90 degrees.

[0087] As shown in Fig. 9, the carriage 50 is equipped with a QR code reader 66 as a medication-related information reading unit or medication-related information reading means that reads the medication-related information 6c (see Fig. 5) in the form of a QR code displayed on the pack 2 or the like stored in the cartridge 10. This QR code reader 66 has a code reading unit 66a at its top that reads the medication-related information 6c, and also functions as a medication-related information reading unit 65 (see Figs. 15 and 16 described below).

[0088] The QR code reader 66 is attached to the side of the carriage 50. The QR code reader 66 is also used to read a QR code related to the medication-related information 6c displayed on a label (see FIG. 6) affixed to the left support portion 13 of the pack removal opening 17 of the cartridge 10. The operation of reading the QR code related to the medication-related information 6c by the code reading portion 66a of the QR code reader 66 will be described as being performed immediately before the carriage 50 removes the pack 2 from the cartridge 10.

[0089] 9, the carriage 50 also has a tag information reader 67 mounted thereon that reads information from the RFID tag 37 attached to the subdivision box 34 described in FIG. 4. This tag information reader 67 has a tag reader 67a at its lower portion that also functions as the medication-related information reader 65, and is attached to the side of the carriage 50 below the QR code reader 66. The operation of reading information (medication-related information 6c) from the RFID tag 37 of the subdivision box 34 by the tag reader 67a of the tag information reader 67 will be described as being performed immediately before the drug distribution operation of the pack 2 removed from the cartridge 10 to the subdivision box 34 of the drug distribution tray 30.

[0090] Next, the operation of the carriage 50 will be described. 10 to 12 are front views showing the progress of the operation of the carriage 50. FIG. In order to simplify the explanation and make it easier to understand, it is assumed that the carriage 50 is moved by the movement of the transport unit 90 in Fig. 1 to be located in the vicinity of the lower side of the cartridge tray 20 held in the upper one of the two drawer units 80 arranged above and below the main body frame 199 in Fig. 1. It is also assumed that the cartridge 10 shown in Fig. 5 and the cartridge tray 20 shown in Fig. 1 are used. In order to simplify the explanation and make it easier to understand, the QR code reader 66 and the tag information reading device 67 are intentionally omitted from Figs. 11(b) to 11(g) and Figs. 12(i) and 12(j).

[0091] In FIG. 10(a), the carriage 50 can be moved in the X and Y directions in the lower area of ​​the cartridge 10 and the cartridge tray 20 by the transport unit 90 in FIG. 1. First, as shown in the figure, the carriage 50 moves to below the cartridge tray 20 holding the cartridge 10 storing the pack 2 to be removed. Then, the carriage 50 takes a position where the code reading unit 66a of the QR code reader 66 of the carriage 50 is substantially directly below the cartridge tray 20 and the cartridge 10 (reading range 9 from the opening 21 of the cartridge tray 20 to the QR code related to the medication-related information 6c of the pack 2 stored at the bottom inside the cartridge 10 can be read). After that, the carriage 50 reads the QR code related to the medication-related information 6c displayed on the pack 2 by the code reading unit 66a of the QR code reader 66.

[0092] Next, the carriage 50 is moved slightly from the position shown in FIG. 10(a) to one end side (the right side in the figure) in the X direction as shown in FIG. 11(b) by the transfer unit 90 shown in FIG. 1 to a position where the lowest pack 2 can be taken out from the same cartridge 10. At this time, the drive motor 63 of the suction unit vertical movement unit is stopped, and the suction pad 52 is located below the upper surface position of the take-out unit (meaning the upper surface position of the take-out frame 50a of the carriage 50). Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 11(c), the drive motor 63 is operated to move the suction pad 52 upward, enter through the pack take-out opening 17 between the right support unit 12 and the left support unit 13, come into contact with the pack 2 located at the lowest position of the cartridge 10, and simultaneously suck the pack 2. At this time, the negative pressure generator 45 has been driven in advance to generate negative pressure, and is in a state where the suction operation of the pack 2 can be performed.

[0093] Next, as shown in FIG. 11(d), the drive motor 63 rotates in the reverse direction, causing the suction pad 52 to move downward while suctioning the pack 2, thereby pulling out the tip side (meaning the side that is suctioned by the suction pad 52; the same applies below) of the pack 2 from within the cartridge 10.

[0094] Next, as shown in FIG. 11(e), the carriage 50 is moved in the lateral X direction by the operation of the transport unit 90 to pull out the rear end side of the pack 2 from the cartridge 10. Immediately after that, as shown in FIG. 11(f) to FIG. 11(g), the drive motor 63 is operated to rotate the pack 2, which is held by suction on the suction pad 52, from its substantially horizontal state by approximately 90 degrees to a substantially vertical state (hereinafter also referred to as a substantially vertical state) from the substantially horizontal state. The rotational movement at this time is performed by the guide shaft 56 provided on the suction pad support member 54 moving along the guide groove 59a of the guide member 59. The drive source at this time can be a series of operations of the single drive motor 63.

[0095] In this embodiment, when removing the pack 2 from the cartridge 10, the carriage 50 is positioned below the cartridge 10 and the cartridge tray 20, and the pack 2 is removed from below the cartridge 10. In this way, by removing the pack 2 from below the cartridge 10, the next pack 2 automatically moves downward (towards the pack removal opening 17) due to the weight of the pack 2 remaining in the cartridge 10 and the movable plate 16, so that the carriage 50 can perform the same operation with a simple configuration regardless of the remaining amount of packs 2 in the cartridge 10.

[0096] 12(h), the carriage 50 equipped with the suction pad 52 holding the pack 2 in a substantially vertical position is carried to a predetermined position by the transport unit 90. Then, when the tag reading unit 67a of the tag information reading device 67 of the carriage 50 reaches the predetermined position within a range where wireless communication with the RFID tag 37 provided at the bottom of a predetermined subdivision box 34 (or a predetermined section 33) of the medication tray 30 is possible (a range where the number of magnetic flux lines I passing through the antenna of the RFID tag 37 is equal to or greater than the number required for wireless communication of the RFID tag 37), the tag reading unit 67a reads information (medication-related information) from the RFID tag 37.

[0097] Next, the carriage 50 is moved slightly from the position in FIG. 12(h) to the other end side in the X direction (left side in the figure) as shown in FIG. 12(i) by the transfer unit 90 in FIG. 1, so as to move to a position where the removed pack 2 can be inserted into the subdivision box 34 (or the predetermined compartment 33) from which the information of the RFID tag 37 has been read. Then, when the carriage 50 moves to a position where the pack 2 can be inserted (substantially directly above the subdivision box 34 (or the predetermined compartment 33)), the negative pressure generator 45 is driven for a short time to generate a positive pressure (positive pressure) from the negative pressure. This releases the suction and holding of the pack 2 by the suction pad 52, and the pack 2 is inserted into the predetermined subdivision box 34 (or the predetermined compartment 33) and stored (see FIG. 12(j)).

[0098] After repeating the above steps multiple times and storing the required packs 2 in the designated subdivision boxes 34 (or designated compartments 33) of the medication tray 30, the medication tray 30 is ejected from the device through the third entrance / exit section 43 (see Figure 1) and is received by staff at a care facility or a medication support person.

[0099] Next, the operation of reading the QR code relating to the medication-related information 6c of the cartridge 10 shown in FIG. 6 by the code reading unit 66a of the QR code reader 66 shown in FIG. 9 will be described. The cartridge 10 shown in Figure 6 differs from the cartridge 10 shown in Figure 5 only in that the display position of the QR code relating to the medication-related information 6c has been changed from the bag portion 2a of the pack 2 to the bottom wall surface of the left support portion 13 of the cartridge 10.

[0100] 13, in order to read the QR code relating to the medication-related information 6c displayed on the bottom wall surface of the left support section 13 of the cartridge 10, the carriage 50 is moved to a position where the code reading section 66a of the QR code reader 66 of the carriage 50 is in a reading range 9 where the QR code relating to the medication-related information 6c displayed on the bottom wall surface of the left support section 13 of the cartridge 10 can be read. Then, the carriage 50 reads the QR code relating to the medication-related information 6c displayed on the bottom wall surface of the left support section 13 of the cartridge 10 by the code reading section 66a of the QR code reader 66. The other operations of the carriage 50 are the same as those described in FIGS. 11(b) to 11(g) and 12(h) to 12(i).

[0101] Next, the configuration and operation of the transport unit 90 will be described. FIG. 14(a) is a front view showing the main configuration of the transfer section 90, and FIG. 14(b) is a side view of FIG. 14(a). 1, the cartridges 10 are arranged on a plane below the drug distribution tray 30 arranged at the top of the main body frame 199, and the drug distribution tray 30 is located above the upper cartridge 10, so the carriage 50 moves in three directions, the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction. In this way, the transport unit 90 has a configuration for moving the carriage 50 in the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction in order to transport the pack 2 removed from the cartridge 10 by the carriage 50 to be delivered to the drug distribution tray 30.

[0102] The configuration for moving the carriage 50 in the X direction is the X-direction transport section 91, the configuration for moving the carriage 50 in the Y direction is the Y-direction transport section 101, and the configuration for moving the carriage 50 in the Z direction is the Z-direction transport section 111, and each has a similar configuration.

[0103] The X-direction transport section 91 has an X adapter 96 attached to the carriage 50, an X guide member 97 that guides the carriage 50 in the X direction via the X adapter 96, an endless belt 94 wound around a drive pulley 92 and a driven pulley 93, and a drive motor 95 for X-direction transport that is connected to the drive pulley 92 via a drive force transmission member such as a gear or a belt. Three rollers 98 (two of the three are hidden by the carriage 50 and cannot be seen) are attached to the X adapter 96 so as to be able to roll while clamping the X guide member 97. The X adapter 96 is also connected and fixed to the endless belt 94 via a belt gripping section.

[0104] With the above-described configuration of the X-direction transport unit 91, when the drive motor 95 is driven, the drive force is transmitted to the endless belt 94 via the drive force transmission member and the drive pulley 92, so that the endless belt 94 rotates and moves, and the carriage 50 moves in the X direction along the X guide member 97 together with the X adapter 96.

[0105] Y-direction transport unit 101 has a Y adapter 106 attached to carriage 50, a Y guide member 107 that guides carriage 50 in the Y direction via Y adapter 106, an endless belt 104 wound around drive pulley 102 and driven pulley 103, and a drive motor 105 for transport in the Y direction that is connected to drive pulley 102 via a driving force transmission member such as a gear or a belt. Three rollers 108 are attached to Y adapter 106 so as to be able to roll while clamping Y guide member 107. In addition, Y adapter 106 is connected and fixed to endless belt 104 via belt gripping portion 104a.

[0106] With the above-described configuration of the Y-direction transport section 101, when the drive motor 105 is driven, the drive force is transmitted to the endless belt 104 via the drive force transmission member and the drive pulley 102, causing the endless belt 104 to rotate and run, and the carriage 50 moves in the Y direction along the Y guide member 107 together with the Y adapter 106.

[0107] The Z-direction transfer section 111 includes a pair of Z adapters 116 attached to both ends of the X-direction of the X-guide member 97, a pair of Z guide members 117 that guide the carriage 50 in the Z direction via the X-guide member 97 and the pair of Z adapters 116, an endless belt 114 wound around a driving pulley 112 and a driven pulley 113, and a drive motor 115 for Z-direction transfer that is connected to the driving pulley 112 via a driving force transmission member such as a gear or a belt. In the Z-direction transfer section 111, the driving pulley 112, the driven pulley 113, and the endless belt 114 are provided on both sides in the X direction, but the drive motor 115 is provided only on one of the driving pulleys 112. Three rollers 118 are attached to each of the Z adapters 116 so as to be rotatable while clamping the Z guide member 117. Also, each of the Z adapters 116 is connected and fixed to each of the endless belts 114 via each of the belt gripping parts 114a.

[0108] With the above-described configuration of the Z-direction transport section 111, when the drive motor 115 is driven, the drive force is transmitted to the endless belt 114 via the drive force transmission member and the drive pulley 112, causing the endless belt 114 to rotate and move, and the carriage 50 moves in the Z direction along the Z guide member 117 together with the X guide member 97 and the Z adapter 116.

[0109] In FIG. 14, the carriage 50 moves in three axial directions, the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis. However, in a configuration in which, for example, the cartridge 10 is arranged on the upper side of the carriage 50 and the medication tray 30 is arranged on the lower side, the carriage 50 only needs to move in the X-axis and the Y-axis, thereby reducing the number of axes of movement by one.

[0110] Next, the control configuration of the medicine dispensing device 200 will be described. FIG. 15 is a control block diagram showing a main control configuration of the medicine dispensing device 200. As shown in Fig. 15, the drug dispensing device 200 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) having a function as a control unit 150, which is a control means for controlling the operation of each part of the drug dispensing device 200. The CPU includes a memory unit 152 and a timer unit 153. The CPU issues a notification to staff or an instruction for the operation of the device at a timing according to a program based on various inputs including those from a sensor described later.

[0111] The CPU may have a timer (timekeeping) function in addition to the calculation and control functions. The storage unit 152 on the control unit 150 side has a RAM (a memory that can be read and written at any time), also called a main storage device (main memory), and a ROM (read only memory). The ROM stores in advance programs that the CPU can read (for example, programs that execute processes such as control flowcharts described later) and various data. The various data include, for example, data on the relationship between the sections 33 and subdivision boxes 34 of the medicine distribution tray 30 assigned to each user and the medicine packs 2, data on the relationship between the sections 33 and subdivision boxes 34 of the medicine distribution tray 30 assigned to each medication timing and the medicine packs 2, and data on the relationship between the sections 33 and subdivision boxes 34 of the medicine distribution tray 30 assigned to each medication order and the medicine packs 2.

[0112] A touch panel 151 serving as a user interface is electrically connected to an input / output port of the control unit 150. The user interface is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a combination of an input unit and a display unit that are separate (a keyboard and an LED display unit).

[0113] In addition, the input port of the control unit 150 is electrically connected to various sensors, including a medicine distribution tray detection sensor 156 that detects the type of medicine distribution tray 30 stored in the device and the presence or absence of the medicine distribution tray 30, and a cartridge detection sensor 157 that detects the presence or absence of the cartridge 10. In addition, the input port of the control unit 150 is electrically connected to various sensors, including drawer entrance opening / closing sensors 159a and 159b that detect the opening and closing of the first entrance / exit section 41 and the second entrance / exit section 42, and medicine distribution tray entrance / exit section opening / closing sensors 160a and 160b that detect the opening and closing of the third entrance / exit section 43 and the fourth entrance / exit section 44. The medicine distribution tray detection sensor 156, the cartridge detection sensor 157, the drawer entrance / exit section opening / closing sensors 159a and 159b, and the medicine distribution tray entrance / exit section opening / closing sensors 160a and 160b are shown only in FIG. 15.

[0114] Also electrically connected to the input port of the control unit 150 are an HP sensor 99 for an HP sensor X that detects a home position (hereinafter abbreviated as "HP") of the X-direction transport portion 91 of the carriage 50, an HP sensor 109 for an HP sensor Y that detects the HP of the Y-direction transport portion 101 of the carriage 50, and an HP sensor 119 for an HP sensor Z that detects the HP of the Z-direction transport portion 111 of the carriage 50. Also electrically connected to the input port of the control unit 150 is an HP sensor 158 for an HP sensor P that detects the HP of the suction portion 51 (particularly the suction pad 52) of the carriage 50.

[0115] Furthermore, the input port of the control unit 150 is electrically connected to a QR code reader 66 (code reading unit 66a) as a medication-related information reading unit 65 arranged on the carriage 50, and a tag information reading device 67 (tag reading unit 67a) as a medication-related information reading unit 65.

[0116] The output port of the control unit 150 is electrically connected, via various motor drivers X to Z, P, to a drive motor 95 of the X-direction transfer unit 91, a drive motor 105 of the Y-direction transfer unit 101, a drive motor 115 of the Z-direction transfer unit 111, and a drive motor 63 for changing the attitude of the suction pad 52. The output port of the control unit 150 is also electrically connected, via a negative pressure generator driver, to a negative pressure generator (ejector valve) 45 which is an actuator for the negative pressure generator.

[0117] An alarm unit may be electrically connected to the output port of the control unit 150. This alarm unit notifies the state of each unit of the device by light such as an LED, sound including voice, or vibration. It is equipped with a speaker, light, etc. to notify the staff of the timing of taking medicine even if they are away from the device.

[0118] External medicine information is also input to the control unit 150 through the I / O, stored in the memory unit 152, and used for allocating medicines to recipients, etc. The LEDs 25a1 to 25d5 of the drawer unit 80 may be electrically connected.

[0119] When input information from the touch panel 151, various signals from the various HP sensors 99, 109, 119, 158, and various sensors are input to the control unit 150, the following command signals are output from the CPU of the control unit 150. That is, the CPU outputs instructions to the sound device and light device of the display device (including the notification unit) of the touch panel 151, the LEDs 25a1 to 25d5, the negative pressure generator 45, the drive motor 63, the drive motor 95, the drive motor 105, the drive motor 115, or drivers corresponding to the LEDs.

[0120] An HP sensor 158 for the HP sensor P and a drive motor 63 outputted via a motor driver P are used to drive and control the suction part up and down movement mechanism. The CPU of the control unit 150 has a function of executing various control operations described below and shown in the control flowcharts.

[0121] Next, the control of the medication support device according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 16 is a control block diagram of the medication support device of this embodiment. The medication support device 300 of this embodiment is composed of the above-mentioned medication distribution device 200 and a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as "PC") 210 connected to the medication distribution device 200 so as to be able to communicate (transmit and receive data). The PC 210 mainly consists of five well-known device configurations. That is, the PC 210 is composed of a control device, a calculation device, a storage device, an input device, and an output device. The control device of the PC 210 has a CPU, and executes programs and issues instructions to other devices. The calculation device of the PC 210 executes programs and performs calculations. The PC 210 storage device has a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device, and stores data such as programs and text. The input device of the PC 210 has a mouse, keyboard, microphone, etc., and transmits data and instructions to the computer. The output device of the PC 210 has a display, printer, speaker, etc., and outputs data from the computer.

[0122] The PC 210 performs a function that can be called a host computer that manages and supports the medication dispensing device 200. The PC 210 is connected to a pharmacy or the like that supplies medication via a communication network.

[0123] The pack information management system 212, which is realized by the execution of a management application (hereinafter referred to as the "management app") 211 by the PC 210, reads and manages medication-related information of the medicine pack 2. Also, the medication distribution information management system 213, which is realized by the management app 211, reads and manages medication distribution information including at least the name of the recipient and the timing of medication administration. Note that the medication distribution confirmation assistance system 230, which is realized by the management app 211, assists in the medication distribution confirmation work performed by nurses, medication assistants, etc. after the medication distribution work to the medication distribution tray 30 is completed, and constitutes a medication distribution confirmation assistance device 400, which will be described later.

[0124] The management application 211 reads a medication distribution information file 219 that includes medication information for each recipient, medication distribution timing, etc., generated externally (for example, at a pharmacy that supplies medication based on a prescription issued by a doctor, etc.). The management application 211 also reads data input from a setting file 217 that records setting information, etc., that was set once in the PC 210.

[0125] Data output from the management application 211 as needed includes a file output as a log file 216 according to the change contents, a medication distribution history file 215 that summarizes the medication distribution history, etc. Furthermore, as needed, each form 218 is output from the PC 210 via the management application 211. Note that the functions of the management application 211 of the PC 210, etc. may be provided in the medication distribution device 200.

[0126] In the medication distribution information management system 213, by storing the results of medication distribution and change history as records, the actual results of medication distribution can be stored as traceability information, which can be reviewed in the event of a problem.

[0127] The pack information management system 212 manages medication-related information of the medicine pack, including at least the name of the recipient and the timing of medication, and the operation of the above-mentioned medication dispensing device 200 is further explained as follows. As shown in Fig. 9, the medication dispensing device 200 has a QR code reader 66 and a tag information reading device 67 mounted on a carriage 50. The carriage 50 moves to the vicinity of the cartridge 10 that stores the medicine pack (the unit-drug pack 2 or the combined pack 2A), and the code reading unit 66a of the QR code reader 66 can read the QR code related to the medication-related information 6c.

[0128] When the medication-related information 6c is displayed on the surface of the medicine pack as shown in Fig. 5, the QR code is visible from the pack removal opening 17 as shown in Fig. 10(a) and can be read by the code reading unit 66a of the QR code reader 66. Even when the medication-related information 6c is displayed on the left support portion 13 of the bottom wall surface of the cartridge 10 as shown in Fig. 6, the medication-related information 6c is displayed at the pack removal opening 17, so the QR code relating to the medication-related information 6c can be similarly read by the code reading unit 66a of the QR code reader 66.

[0129] 12(h), when the carriage 50 moves to the subdivision box 34 of the medicine distribution tray 30 while holding the pack 2 removed from the cartridge 10, the information of the RFID tag 37 can be read by the tag reading unit 67a of the tag information reading device 67. The information thus read by the QR code reader 66 or the tag information reading device 67 is transmitted to the pack information management system 212 in the PC 210 via the communication module 214.

[0130] Since the QR code reader 66 and the tag information reading device 67 are mounted on the carriage 50, it is possible to detect the name of the recipient and the location of the cartridge 10 in which the medicine pack to be taken by the recipient is stored by moving the carriage 50 in the medicine dispensing device 200 (see FIG. 1, etc.). In other words, by reading the QR code with the QR code reader 66 at the position coordinates (e.g., X: row, Y: column, Z: row) of the cartridge 10 corresponding to the location of the cartridge 10 in the medicine dispensing device 200, it is possible to link the position coordinates of the carriage 50 corresponding to the location of the cartridge 10 with the QR code related to the medicine-taking-related information 6c.

[0131] Next, the contents of the management application screen displayed on the display screen 220 of the PC 210 will be described. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a management application screen displayed on the display screen of the PC 210. As shown in FIG. As shown in Fig. 17, the name of each resident (medicine recipient) and the medication timing corresponding to each medication recipient are displayed in a matrix table, and the position coordinates of the cartridge 10 in which the medicine pack to be taken is stored are displayed. This makes it possible to manage the medication recipient, the medication timing corresponding to this medication recipient, and the position coordinates of the cartridge 10 in which the medicine pack to be taken is stored.

[0132] In the example of Figure 17, for example, in the case of a resident (medicine recipient) "Mr. A," when the medication timing is noon, the carriage 50 indicates that the medicine in the medicine pack 2 of the cartridge 10 located at the corresponding position coordinates [(1 (column)-1 (column)-1 (row))] is supplied to the resident to take the medicine.

[0133] The above also applies to which compartment 33 (or subdivision box 34) of the medication tray 30 the medicine pack 2 removed from the cartridge 10 located at the corresponding position coordinates should be inserted into, so the explanation will be omitted.

[0134] The medication distribution information management system 213 will be described below with reference to the medication table shown in FIG. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a medication table as an example showing the contents of a medication distribution information file. In nursing facilities, medication is generally managed in a list such as the medication chart shown in Figure 18 so that it is clear who should take what and when. In the medication chart shown in Figure 18, a row is created for each resident, and in each row, a "X" is displayed on the date and timing for each resident to take the medication (medicine stored in a medicine pack).

[0135] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a management application screen that is displayed on the display screen when the contents of the medication distribution information file are read into the medication distribution information management system 213. As shown in FIG. The medication distribution information management system 213 reads the contents of the medication distribution information file shown in the medication table in Fig. 18, and thereby it becomes possible to compare the medication distribution information with the medication-taking-related information. As shown in Fig. 19, a page for reading the medication distribution information file 219 on the management application 211 is prepared on the display screen 220. On this screen display, a file containing medication distribution information can be read into the medication distribution information management system 213 by dragging and dropping it with a mouse operation. This reading is performed by recognizing and storing the numerical values ​​corresponding to each matrix position of the table on the application, since the resident information file is used as the format.

[0136] 20(a) to 20(d) are diagrams for explaining management application screen displays when the read medication distribution information is expanded by period. FIG. 20(a) is an example of a designation operation for extending the read-in medication distribution information to a specified date. By performing registration on a monthly basis to be managed, medication distribution management data for that month is generated. Instead of extending the read-in medication distribution information to a specified date on a monthly basis (FIG. 20(a)), a calendar display may be displayed as shown in FIG. 20(b) to allow the date to be specified, or a calendar display may be displayed as shown in FIG. 20(c) to allow the selection of two periods, a start period and an end period. Furthermore, a method of setting a period may be used as shown in FIG. 20(d).

[0137] Fig. 21 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen on which the generated medication management data is displayed after the number of registration days is specified. Fig. 22 is a diagram showing that, on the display screen shown in Fig. 21, if there is a change in the execution of medication for each medication recipient before the medication execution operation, the change can be made. On the display screen 220 shown in FIG. 22, if there is a change in the medication distribution for each patient before the medication distribution operation, the setting can be changed to "Distribute medication" or "Do not distribute medication" (displayed on the right side of the display screen 220 in FIG. 22).

[0138] To execute medication distribution, when the execute button 221 on the display screen 220 in FIG. 21 is clicked with the mouse, the medication-taking related information is compared with the medication-distribution related information, and after it is confirmed that the medication-taking related information and the medication-distribution related information match, the medication is distributed.

[0139] For example, in the display screen 220 of Fig. 21, when dispensing medicine for 7 / 15 (Thursday), the name of the recipient (Mr. A) and the timing of taking medicine (afternoon), which are the medicine dispensing-related information marked with a black circle, are recognized, and the carriage 50 moves to the corresponding position coordinate (1-1-1) of the cartridge 10 in which the medicine pack 2 is stored based on the medicine-taking-related information of Fig. 17, and takes out the medicine pack 2. Next, based on the medicine-taking-related information of Fig. 17, the carriage 50 moves to the position coordinate (1-1-1) of the specified section 33 (or subdivision box 34) of the medicine dispensing tray 30, and stores the medicine pack 2. By repeating this operation for the items marked with a black circle, the storage (medication dispensing work) of the medicine pack 2 in each subdivision box 34 of the specified medicine dispensing tray 30 can be completed.

[0140] In addition, on the display screen 220 on which the medication distribution management list shown in Fig. 21 is displayed, the medication distribution management list can be printed by clicking a print button 222 with a mouse. A medication distribution list printed from the medication distribution management list in Fig. 21 is shown in Fig. 23. Based on this printed medication distribution list, a nurse or the like can make a final check of the results of the medication distribution work (medication distribution confirmation work) by comparing it with the medicine packs 2 in each subdivision box 34 of the medication distribution tray 30 on which medication has been distributed, and by handing over the medication distribution list in Fig. 23 to the caregiver who will assist with medication administration, the caregiver can also confirm the medication distribution work by assisting with medication. Methods of confirmation include filling in the circles or drawing diagonal lines to make it easier to understand.

[0141] Next, a description will be given of a medication distribution confirmation assistance device 400 serving as a wireless tag information reading system that assists the above-mentioned medication distribution confirmation work by nurses, medication assistants, and the like. FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram that shows a schematic configuration of the medication confirmation auxiliary device 400 in this embodiment. The medication confirmation assistance device 400 of this embodiment is composed of the above-mentioned PC 210, the above-mentioned medication tray 30, an antenna device 410, and a reader / writer 420. The PC 210 functions as a medication confirmation assistance system 230 by a management application 211, and executes a process to assist a nurse or a medication assistant in confirming medication after the medication has been distributed to the medication tray 30.

[0142] FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram for explaining wireless communication between the antenna device 410 in the medication distribution confirmation auxiliary device 400 of this embodiment and the RFID tag 37 of the subdivision box 34 on the medication distribution tray 30. The antenna device 410 includes an antenna stand 411 as an antenna member that reads information from the RFID tag 37 provided in each subdivision box 34 set in the medicine distribution tray 30. The antenna stand 411 has a mounting surface 411a on the upper surface on which the medicine distribution tray 30 can be placed, and an antenna coil 412 is disposed inside the antenna stand 411.

[0143] The antenna coil 412 of this embodiment is a planar coil wound a predetermined number of times along the outer periphery of the mounting surface 411a in a plane parallel to the mounting surface 411a, and is connected to the antenna substrate 413. The antenna substrate 413 passes a predetermined current through the antenna coil 412 to generate magnetic flux (magnetic flux lines I) inside the antenna coil 412. As a result, the magnetic flux lines I pass through a magnetic flux passing area S (inside the coil) of the antenna coil 37a, which is the antenna of the RFID tag 37, causing the RFID tag 37 to generate power.

[0144] In addition, the antenna substrate 413 receives information from the RFID tag 37 by magnetic flux changes caused by wireless communication of the RFID tag 37, and controls the current flowing through the antenna coil 412 to cause a predetermined magnetic flux change in the antenna coil 412 and transmit information to be written to the RFID tag 37.

[0145] The reader / writer 420 is connected to the antenna board 413 of the antenna stand 411, and controls the antenna board 413. Specifically, the reader / writer 420 controls the reading of information from the RFID tag 37 by the antenna coil 412 via the antenna board 413 and the writing of information to the RFID tag 37.

[0146] The reader / writer 420 is communicably connected to the PC 210. This allows the reader / writer 420 to be controlled from the PC 210, which functions as the medication distribution confirmation assistance system 230 by the management application 211. A worker such as a nurse or a medication assistant who performs medication distribution confirmation work after the medication distribution work to the medication distribution tray 30 is completed can operate the PC 210 to cause the medication distribution confirmation assistance system 230 of the PC 210 to read information on the RFID tag 37 of the subdivision box 34 on the medication distribution tray 30.

[0147] In this embodiment, while the medicine distribution confirmation auxiliary system 230 of the PC 210 is running, the medicine distribution tray 30 with the medicines distributed is placed on the placement surface 411a of the antenna stand 411 of the antenna device 410 as shown in Fig. 24. As a result, the magnetic flux line I generated by the antenna coil 412 of the antenna device 410 passes through the magnetic flux passing area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 of all the subdivision boxes 34 set on the medicine distribution tray 30, and power is supplied to the RFID tag 37. Then, the RFID tag 37 transmits predetermined information on the magnetic flux from the antenna coil 37a, and the information is received by the reader / writer 420 via the antenna coil 412 of the antenna stand 411 and read by the medicine distribution confirmation auxiliary system 230 of the PC 210.

[0148] The medication confirmation assistance system 230 of the PC 210 collates the read information (information on the RFID tags 37 of all the subdivision boxes 34 set on the medication tray 30) with the medication information managed by the medication information management system 213. In detail, in this embodiment, the system collates whether the name of the recipient and the timing of medication to be dispensed on the medication tray 30, which are specified based on the medication information, match with the name of the recipient and the timing of medication corresponding to the subdivision box 34 set on the medication tray 30, which are specified from the read information.

[0149] When the recipient's name and the timing of taking the medicine in the read information match with the recipient's name and the timing of taking the medicine in the medicine-related information, the medicine-distribution confirmation assistance system 230 notifies the worker, for example, by displaying text information such as "All medicines are available" on the display screen of the PC 210. On the other hand, when the recipient's name and the timing of taking the medicine in the read information do not match with the recipient's name and the timing of taking the medicine in the medicine-related information, the medicine-distribution confirmation assistance system 230 notifies the worker, for example, by displaying text information such as "There is no medicine for Mr. XX" or "There is extra medicine for Mr. XX" on the display screen of the PC 210 according to the content of the mismatch.

[0150] According to the medicine distribution confirmation assistance device 400 of this embodiment, it is possible to instantly confirm whether or not all of the medicine packs 2 (division boxes 34 containing medicine packs 2) of all recipients to be distributed on the medicine distribution tray 30 are actually distributed on the medicine distribution tray 30. Therefore, instead of or in addition to the work previously performed by an operator while looking at a printed medicine distribution list (FIG. 23), the medicine distribution confirmation assistance device 400 can assist in the medicine distribution confirmation work, thereby easily increasing the reliability of the medicine distribution confirmation work and reducing the workload of the operator.

[0151] In this embodiment, the RFID tag 37 is provided on the bottom wall 35a of the subdivision box 34 so that the coil surface (antenna surface) of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 is parallel to the bottom surface of the subdivision box 34. Also, each subdivision box 34 is set in each section 33 of the medicine distribution tray 30 so that the bottom surface of the subdivision box 34 is parallel to the bottom surface of each section 33 of the medicine distribution tray 30. Therefore, in the medicine distribution confirmation auxiliary device 400 of this embodiment, when the medicine distribution tray 30 is placed on the placement surface 411a of the antenna stand 411, the coil surface (antenna surface) of the antenna coil 412 of the antenna stand 411 and the coil surface (antenna surface) of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 in each subdivision box 34 are parallel to each other.

[0152] According to this configuration, more magnetic flux lines I generated by the antenna coil 412 of the antenna stand 411 can pass through the magnetic flux passing area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37. For example, in the case where the RFID tag 37 is provided on the rear wall (side wall) of the subdivision box 34'' as in the subdivision box 34'' shown in FIG. 26, in the medicine distribution confirmation auxiliary device 400 of this embodiment, when the medicine distribution tray 30 is placed on the placement surface 411a of the antenna stand 411, the coil surface (antenna surface) of the antenna coil 37a of the subdivision box 34'' is perpendicular to the coil surface (antenna surface) of the antenna coil 412 of the antenna stand 411. In the subdivision box 34 of this embodiment, the magnetic flux lines I generated by the antenna coil 412 of the antenna stand 411 can pass through more of the magnetic flux passing area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 than in the subdivision box 34'', and more stable wireless communication of the RFID tag 37 is possible.

[0153] Here, some medicines are packaged in packaging materials that contain materials (such as metals) that block wireless communication of the RFID tag 37 (hereinafter referred to as "metal-packaged medicines"). When such metal-packaged medicines are stored in a subdivision box 34' of a comparative example as shown in FIG. 27, the metal-packaged medicine 2F may be positioned so as to block the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 of the subdivision box 34. That is, in the subdivision box 34' of the comparative example, the internal space R' (medicine storage section) of the structure 35 in which the metal-packaged medicine 2F (medicine pack 2) is stored faces the bottom wall section 35a that supports the RFID tag 37. Therefore, the metal-packaged medicine 2F may be stored in the internal space R' such that the surface of the metal-packaged medicine 2F is in contact with the bottom surface of the internal space R', and in that case, the metal-packaged medicine 2F may be positioned so as to block the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 of the subdivision box 34'.

[0154] If the metal-packaged medicine 2F is positioned so as to block the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 in the subdivision box 34', as shown in Fig. 28, the magnetic flux lines I generated in the antenna coil 412 of the antenna device 410 are cancelled out by eddy currents generated when passing through the metal-packaged medicine 2F, and the magnetic flux lines I that should pass through the magnetic flux passing area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 disappear. In this case, wireless communication between the antenna coil 412 of the antenna stand 411 of the antenna device 410 and the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 becomes impossible, and the information on the RFID tag 37 cannot be read by the antenna device 410.

[0155] Even in this case, it is possible to use an expensive wireless tag that has been designed to counter metal, making it possible to read the information in the wireless tag. However, this method is costly, making it difficult to read the information in the wireless tag.

[0156] FIG. 29 is a side view showing an example of the subdivision box 34. As shown in FIG. As shown in Figures 4 and 29, the subdivision box 34 of this embodiment is configured so that when a metal-packaged medicine 2F is stored in the internal space R (drug storage section) of the structure 35, the number of magnetic flux lines I passing through the magnetic flux passage area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 supported on the bottom wall portion 35a (tag support section) that supports the RFID tag 37 is greater than or equal to the number required for wireless communication of the RFID tag 37.

[0157] 4 and 29, a partition 35b serving as an isolating member is provided inside the structure 35 of the subdivision box 34, and the internal space R serving as a medicine storage section in which the medicine packs 2 (metal-packaged medicine 2F) are stored is isolated from the bottom wall 35a supporting the RFID tag 37. The partition 35b is made of a material (such as a material that transmits magnetic flux lines I, an insulator, etc.) that does not impede wireless communication of the RFID tag 37, and is formed integrally with the structure 35 in this embodiment.

[0158] According to this, the partition portion 35b allows the bottom wall portion 35a supporting the RFID tag 37 to be positioned away from the internal space R (medicine storage portion) in the antenna surface normal direction (Z direction) of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37. As a result, the separation distance in the antenna surface normal direction (Z direction) between the antenna surface of the RFID tag 37 supported by the bottom wall portion 35a and the metal-packaged medicine 2F stored in the internal space R is ensured to be equal to or greater than a predetermined distance required to ensure that the number of magnetic flux lines I passing through the magnetic flux passing area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 is equal to or greater than the number required for wireless communication of the RFID tag 37.

[0159] According to this, no matter what state the metal-packaged medicine 2F is stored in the internal space R (medicine storage section) of the structure 35, the metal-packaged medicine 2F will not be positioned so as to block the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 in the subdivision box 34. As a result, the number of magnetic flux lines I passing through the magnetic flux passing area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 is ensured to be equal to or greater than the number required for wireless communication of the RFID tag 37.

[0160] 4 and 29, the metal-packaged medicine 2F stored in the internal space R (medicine storage section) of the structure 35 may be positioned in the XY plane so as to overlap the entire magnetic flux passing area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37. However, even when positioned in this manner, the Z-direction distance between the metal-packaged medicine 2F and the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 is ensured to be greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, so that the magnetic flux lines I approaching from an oblique direction can pass through the magnetic flux passing area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37, ensuring the passage of the required number of magnetic flux lines I.

[0161] 30, in this embodiment, each subdivision box 34 is configured to be individually detachable from each compartment 33 of the medicine distribution tray 30. With this configuration, for example, when wireless communication is to be performed only with the RFID tags 37 of some of the subdivision boxes 34, only the part of the subdivision boxes 34 can be removed from the compartment 33 of the medicine distribution tray 30 and placed on the mounting surface 411a of the antenna stand 411 of the antenna device 410, thereby making it possible to perform wireless communication only with the RFID tags 37 of the part of the subdivision boxes 34.

[0162] In particular, when writing information about a new user to the RFID tag 37 of each subdivision box 34, it is necessary to write the information one by one to the target subdivision box 34. Even in such a case, the information about the new user can be easily written to the RFID tag 37 of each subdivision box 34 by removing the target subdivision box 34 from the medication tray 30, placing the subdivision box 34 on the mounting surface 411a of the antenna stand 411, and writing the information.

[0163] In addition, in the subdivision box 34 of this embodiment, the upper surface of the internal space R that serves as the medicine storage section is opened as a medicine inlet / outlet for inserting and removing the medicine packs 2 (metal-packaged medicine 2F) into and from the internal space R. As shown in Figures 31(a) and (b), each subdivision box 34 of this embodiment may be provided with an opening / closing lid 34c that opens and closes the medicine inlet / outlet.

[0164] In this embodiment, the association (linking) of the dispensing information of the recipient's name and the dose timing related to the information of the RFID tag 37 with the medicine pack 2 corresponding to the recipient's name and the dose timing is realized by storing (dispensing) the medicine pack 2 in the subdivision box 34 provided with the RFID tag 37. Therefore, if the medicine pack 2 stored in the subdivision box 34 falls out of the subdivision box 34 or another medicine is placed in the subdivision box 34 for some reason after dispensing, even if the medicine dispensing confirmation operation is assisted by the medicine dispensing confirmation assistance device 400, a medicine error may occur.

[0165] 31(a) and (b), by providing each subdivision box 34 with an opening / closing lid 34c, it is possible to prevent the medicine pack 2 from falling out of the subdivision box 34 or other medicine from entering the subdivision box 34, thereby preventing the occurrence of medication errors. Furthermore, if each subdivision box 34 is provided with an opening / closing lid 34c, it is possible to reduce the risk of losing medicine when only the subdivision box 34 is removed from the medicine distribution tray 30 and carried around.

[0166] As shown in Fig. 32, the medicine distribution tray 30 may be provided with an opening / closing cover 38 that opens and closes the top of the multiple subdivision boxes 34. In this case, the medicine pack 2 is prevented from coming out of the subdivision box 34, and other medicines are prevented from entering the subdivision box 34, thereby preventing the occurrence of medication errors. Moreover, since the multiple subdivision boxes 34 (in the example of Fig. 32, all the subdivision boxes 34 set on the medicine distribution tray 30) are covered with one opening / closing cover 38, fewer opening and closing operations are required compared to the case where the opening / closing lids 34c are provided on each subdivision box 34, and the workload can be reduced.

[0167] In addition, as described above, when the opening and closing lid 34c is provided to each subdivision box 34, for example, as shown in Figures 33(a) and (b), the RFID tag 37 may be supported by the opening and closing lid 34c, and the opening and closing lid 34c may function as a tag support part. In this case, for example, a spacer 35d as shown in Figures 33(a) and (b) is provided on the bottom surface of the opening and closing lid 34c, and when the opening and closing lid 34c is closed, the spacer 35d pushes the metal-packaged medicine 2F in the internal space R (medicine storage section) away from the opening and closing lid 34c by a predetermined distance or more. With this configuration, the opening and closing lid 34c supporting the RFID tag 37 can be positioned away from the metal-packaged medicine 2F stored in the internal space R (medicine storage section). As a result, regardless of the state in which the metal-packaged medicine 2F is stored within the internal space R of the structure 35, the metal-packaged medicine 2F will not be positioned so as to block the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 in the subdivision box 34, and the number of magnetic flux lines I passing through the magnetic flux passage area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 is ensured to be greater than or equal to the number required for wireless communication of the RFID tag 37.

[0168] However, when the RFID tag 37 is provided on the opening / closing lid 34c of the subdivision box 34, when the medicine distribution tray 30 in which the subdivision box 34 is set is placed on the placement surface 411a of the antenna stand 411, or when the subdivision box 34 is placed directly on the placement surface 411a of the antenna stand 410, the distance between the antenna coil 412 of the antenna stand 411 and the RFID tag 37 on the opening / closing lid 34c of the subdivision box 34 is too far, and the information reading of the RFID tag 37 may become unstable. In that case, it is preferable to use a handheld antenna device 430 as shown in FIG. 34 instead of the above-mentioned antenna device 410.

[0169] That is, an operator holding a handheld antenna device 430 brings an antenna member 431 of the antenna device 430 close to the opening / closing lid 34c of the subdivision box 34 from above the subdivision box 34. When the operator presses an operation button 432, the antenna device 430 performs wireless communication via magnetic flux (magnetic flux line I) with the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 on the opening / closing lid 34c of the subdivision box 34, and reads information from the RFID tag 37.

[0170] In addition, in the subdivision box 34 shown in Figures 4 and 29, a partition portion 35b is provided inside the box-shaped structure 35, which is arranged parallel to the surface of the bottom wall portion 35a of the structure 35, thereby isolating the internal space R, which serves as the medicine storage section in which the medicine packs 2 (metal-packaged medicine 2F) are stored, from the bottom wall portion 35a that supports the RFID tag 37, but this configuration is not limited to this.

[0171] For example, a diagonal rib member 35e as shown in Fig. 35 may be provided as an isolation member inside a box-shaped structure 35. This diagonal rib member 35e is a triangular prism-shaped member that is detachably set inside the structure 35, and is disposed so that one side surface of the triangular prism is in contact with the bottom surface of the structure 35. Note that, like the structure 35, the diagonal rib member 35e is formed of a material that does not impede wireless communication of the RFID tag 37 (such as a material that transmits magnetic flux lines I or an insulator).

[0172] By setting the oblique rib member 35e inside the structure 35, the bottom surface of the internal space R serving as the medicine storage section becomes an inclined surface 35e1 facing obliquely upward, as shown in Fig. 35. Even in this configuration, the separation distance in the antenna surface normal direction (Z direction) between the antenna surface of the RFID tag 37 supported by the bottom wall portion 35a and the metal-packaged medicine 2F stored in the internal space R is ensured to be equal to or greater than a predetermined distance required to ensure that the number of magnetic flux lines I passing through the magnetic flux passing area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 is equal to or greater than the number required for wireless communication of the RFID tag 37.

[0173] 35, the bottom surface of the internal space R is an inclined surface 35e1, and the medicine packs can be easily stored in the internal space R with their faces facing diagonally upward. This makes it easy for an operator to visually check information such as the name of the recipient and the timing of taking the medicine, which is displayed on the surface of the bag portion 2a of the medicine packs 2 stored in each subdivision box 34, when the subdivision box 34 is set on the medicine distribution tray 30.

[0174] 36, a flexible porous member (such as a sponge) 35f may be detachably provided as an isolating member inside the box-shaped structure 35. The porous member 35f is also made of a material that does not impede wireless communication of the RFID tag 37 (such as a material that transmits magnetic flux lines I, an insulator, etc.).

[0175] 36, by setting the porous member 35f inside the structure 35, the upper surface of the porous member 35f forms the bottom surface of the internal space R that becomes the medicine storage section, and the bottom wall section 35a supporting the RFID tag 37 can be positioned away from the internal space R (medicine storage section) in the antenna surface normal direction (Z direction) of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37. As a result, the separation distance in the antenna surface normal direction (Z direction) between the antenna surface of the RFID tag 37 supported by the bottom wall section 35a and the metal-packaged medicine 2F stored in the internal space R is ensured to be equal to or greater than a predetermined distance required to ensure that the number of magnetic flux lines I passing through the magnetic flux passing area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 is equal to or greater than the number required for wireless communication of the RFID tag 37.

[0176] 36, the flexibility of the porous member 35f makes it easier to attach and detach the subdivision box 34 to and from the structure 35 compared to the above-mentioned diagonal rib member 35e. This has the advantage that it becomes easier to replace the RFID tag 37 when it is broken, for example.

[0177] [Variation 1] Next, a modification of the medicine container holder in the above-described embodiment (hereinafter referred to as "Modification 1") will be described. The medicine container holder in the above-mentioned embodiment was a medicine distribution tray 30 that holds a plurality of subdivision boxes 34 arranged on the surface (horizontal surface) of the bottom wall 32, which is a holding member. The medicine container holder in this modified example 1 is a wall-hanging (calendar-type) medicine distribution wall-hanging sheet 130 that holds a plurality of subdivision boxes 34 arranged on a vertical surface. Note that in this modified example 1, the same explanation as in the above-mentioned embodiment will be omitted as appropriate.

[0178] FIG. 37 is a perspective view showing a wall-hanging medicine distribution sheet 130 of the first modified example. The medicine-distribution wall-hanging sheet 130 of this modified example 1 includes a base sheet 132 with a wall-hanging string 141 at the top that can be hung from a hook 140 provided on the wall surface (vertical surface) of a room, for example. The base sheet 132 has partition pockets 131 that are partition members serving as a plurality of partitions for arranging specific packs. The medicine-distribution wall-hanging sheet 130 has 20 partition pockets 131 that form 20 sections 133 that can be expressed as components of a matrix consisting of 4 columns in the X direction and 5 rows in the Y direction.

[0179] The wall-hanging drug distribution sheet 130 is configured so that each compartment 133 can store a corresponding medicine pack 2, allowing the packs to be managed separately from other packs (other people's packs). In the wall-hanging drug distribution sheet 130 of this modification 1, a subdivision box 134 is set in each compartment 133 as a removable medicine container. The subdivision box 134 of this modification 1 also stores packs 2 containing medicines to be taken after lunch for a total of 20 people, for example, from Mr. A to Mr. T, who are residents of a nursing home or the like. That is, the wall-hanging drug distribution sheet 130 of this modification 1 holds packs 2 via the subdivision box 134 in each compartment 133 separated by a partition pocket 131.

[0180] In addition, the packs 2 may be distributed to the wall-hanging sheet 130 without using the subdivision box 134. In this case, each compartment 133 functions as a medicine container, and the packs 2 are directly stored in each compartment 133.

[0181] Next, the subdivision box 134 of the first modified example will be described. FIG. 38(a) is a perspective view showing an example of a dispensing box 134 held by the wall-hanging medication sheet 130, and FIG. 38(b) is a side view of the same dispensing box 134. The subdivision box 134 in this first modified example is prepared for each resident (user) in the same manner as the subdivision box 34 in the above-described embodiment, and stores the unit dose drug packs 2 for the corresponding resident.

[0182] The subdivision box 134 of this first modified example is also configured as a box-shaped container structure made of a material (such as a plastic material) that is electromagnetically transmissible, such as plastic or paper. In detail, as shown in Figures 38(a) and (b), the subdivision box 134 has a transparent structure 135 in the shape of a hollow cube or hollow rectangular parallelepiped with an open top, and the internal space of the structure 135 functions as a medicine storage section in which the packs 2 are stored. The opening on the top surface of the structure 135 serves as a medicine entrance / exit for inserting and removing the medicine packs 2 (metal-packaged medicine 2F) into and from the internal space R that serves as the medicine storage section.

[0183] The subdivision box 134 of the first modification is provided with an opening / closing lid 134c for opening and closing the medicine inlet / outlet. The opening / closing lid 134c is provided with a hanging portion 134d that extends to a position that covers the front (side) of the structure 135. A label 36 displaying text information (first medicine-taking related information) such as "Mr. A, afternoon" is affixed to the hanging portion 134d. The medicine is dispensed by the medicine dispensing device 200 described above so that the information related to taking medicine, such as the name of the person taking the medicine and the timing of taking the medicine, displayed on the label 36, matches the resident (medicine taker) and the timing of taking the medicine corresponding to the one-dose medicine pack 2 stored in the subdivision box 34.

[0184] Similarly to the subdivision box 34 of the above-described embodiment, an RFID tag 37 serving as a wireless tag is provided on the rear wall 135a of the subdivision box 134 of this modified example 1. Therefore, the rear wall 135a of the subdivision box 134 functions as a tag support portion that supports the RFID tag 37.

[0185] In addition, when each section 133 of the medication wall-hanging sheet 130 is determined for each resident (medicine recipient), the RFID tag 37 may be attached to each section 133 of the medication wall-hanging sheet 130, instead of each subdivision box 134. In other words, the multiple sections 133 in the medication wall-hanging sheet 130 may be assigned to each medicine recipient at the same medication timing, and when a specific medicine recipient does not take medicine at a specific medicine timing, it is also possible to prevent the pack 2 of the specific medicine recipient from being placed at the specific medicine timing.

[0186] FIG. 39 is an explanatory diagram showing a medication distribution confirmation assistance device 400 that uses the medication distribution wall-hanging sheet 130 in this modified example 1 and utilizes the antenna device 410 described above to assist nurses, medication assistants, etc. in the medication distribution confirmation work. In this modified example 1, while the medicine distribution confirmation assistance system 230 of the PC 210 is running, the medicine distribution wall-hanging sheet 130 that has been distributed is placed on the placement surface 411a of the antenna stand 411 of the antenna device 410 as shown in Fig. 39. At this time, the medicine distribution wall-hanging sheet 130 is placed on the placement surface 411a so that the back surface of the medicine distribution wall-hanging sheet 130 (the surface of the medicine distribution wall-hanging sheet 130 that faces the wall when the medicine distribution wall-hanging sheet 130 is hung on the hook 140 on the wall as shown in Fig. 37) faces the placement surface 411a of the antenna stand 411.

[0187] As a result, magnetic flux lines I generated by the antenna coil 412 of the antenna device 410 pass through the magnetic flux passing area S of the antenna coils 37a of the RFID tags 37 of all the subdivision boxes 134 set on the medication wall-hanging sheet 130, supplying power to the RFID tags 37. Then, the RFID tag 37 transmits predetermined information on the magnetic flux from the antenna coil 37a, and the information is received by the reader / writer 420 via the antenna coil 412 of the antenna stand 411 and read by the medication distribution confirmation auxiliary system 230 of the PC 210.

[0188] The subdivision box 134 of this variant example 1 is also configured so that when metal-packaged medicine 2F is stored in the internal space R (drug storage section) of the structure 135, the number of magnetic flux lines I passing through the magnetic flux passage area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 supported on the rear wall section 135a (tag support section) that supports the RFID tag 37 is greater than or equal to the number required for wireless communication of the RFID tag 37.

[0189] 38(a) and (b), a partition 135b serving as an isolating member is provided inside the structure 135 of the subdivision box 134, so that the internal space R serving as the medicine storage section in which the medicine packs 2 (metal-packaged medicines 2F) are stored is isolated from the rear wall 135a supporting the RFID tag 37. The partition 135b is made of a material (such as a material that passes magnetic flux lines I, an insulator, etc.) that does not impede wireless communication of the RFID tag 37, and is integrally formed with the structure 135.

[0190] According to the present modified example 1, the partition 135b allows the rear wall 135a supporting the RFID tag 37 to be positioned away from the internal space R (medicine storage section) in the direction normal to the antenna surface of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37. As a result, the distance in the direction normal to the antenna surface between the antenna surface of the RFID tag 37 supported by the rear wall 135a and the metal-packaged medicine 2F stored in the internal space R is ensured to be equal to or greater than a predetermined distance required to ensure that the number of magnetic flux lines I passing through the magnetic flux passing area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 is equal to or greater than the number required for wireless communication of the RFID tag 37.

[0191] This ensures that the metal-packaged medicine 2F will not be positioned to block the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 in the subdivision box 134, regardless of the state in which the metal-packaged medicine 2F is stored in the internal space R (medicine storage section) of the structure 135. As a result, the number of magnetic flux lines I passing through the magnetic flux passing area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 is greater than or equal to the number required for wireless communication of the RFID tag 37.

[0192] In the subdivision box 134 shown in Figures 38(a) and (b), a partition 135b is provided inside the box-shaped structure 135, which is arranged parallel to the surface of the rear wall 135a of the structure 135, thereby isolating the internal space R, which serves as the medicine storage section in which the medicine packs 2 (metal-packaged medicine 2F) are stored, from the rear wall 135a that supports the RFID tag 37, but this configuration is not limited to this.

[0193] For example, as shown in Fig. 40, a partition 135d is provided inside a box-shaped structure 135, which is arranged perpendicular to the surface of a rear wall 135a of the structure 135, so that the internal space R serving as the medicine storage section in which the medicine pack 2 (metal-packaged medicine 2F) is stored may be isolated from the rear wall 135a supporting the RFID tag 37. In this case, at least a part of the rear wall 135a supporting the RFID tag 37 is configured to be positioned outside the internal space R serving as the medicine storage section in a direction parallel to the antenna surface of the antenna coil 37a. With this configuration, the area of ​​the antenna surface (magnetic flux passing area S) of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 supported by the rear wall 135a that does not overlap with the metal-packaged medicine 2F stored in the internal space R serving as the medicine storage section as viewed from the normal direction of the antenna surface of the antenna coil 37a is configured to be equal to or greater than a predetermined area.

[0194] In the example shown in Fig. 40, in a plane direction parallel to the antenna plane of the antenna coil 37a (when viewed from the normal direction of the antenna plane of the antenna coil 37a), a part of the rear wall 135a supporting the RFID tag 37 overlaps with the internal space R serving as the medicine storage section, and another part of the rear wall 135a is configured to be outside the internal space R serving as the medicine storage section. This ensures that at least the number of magnetic flux lines I passing through the antenna surface (magnetic flux passing area S') that does not overlap with the metal-packaged medicine 2F is equal to or greater than the number required for wireless communication of the RFID tag 37, as shown in Fig. 41.

[0195] That is, no matter what state the metal-packaged medicine 2F is stored in the internal space R (medicine storage section) of the structure 135, it is possible to prevent the metal-packaged medicine 2F from completely blocking the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 in the subdivision box 134. As a result, as shown in Fig. 41, the number of magnetic flux lines I passing through the magnetic flux passing area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 is ensured to be equal to or greater than the number required for wireless communication of the RFID tag 37.

[0196] The medicine dispensing wall-hanging sheet 130 of this modified example 1 has a thin structure compared to the medicine dispensing tray 30 of the above-mentioned embodiment, and therefore has the advantage of being able to save space in the storage area. In particular, by using a subdivision bag 234 in which the internal space R serving as the medicine storage section is expandable and contractible as shown in FIG. 42 instead of the subdivision box 134, the medicine dispensing wall-hanging sheet 130 including the subdivision bag 234 can be made even thinner. The subdivision bag 234 is made by folding a sheet material 235 serving as a container structure in two and crimping the periphery to form a bag, and when the medicine pack 2 (metal-packaged medicine 2F) is not stored, the two facing sheet material parts 235A and 235B come into contact with each other, and the internal space R serving as the medicine storage section is substantially eliminated.

[0197] The subdivision bag 234 shown in Fig. 42 also has an opening / closing lid 234c for opening and closing the medicine inlet / outlet. In addition, a partition 235b is provided by crimping the internal area sandwiched between the two sheet materials constituting the subdivision bag 234, and the internal space R serving as the medicine storage section in which the medicine pack 2 (metal-packaged medicine 2F) is stored is isolated from the tag support section 235a supporting the RFID tag 37. This prevents the metal-packaged medicine 2F from being positioned so as to block the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 of the subdivision bag 234, regardless of the state in which the metal-packaged medicine 2F is stored in the internal space R (medicine storage section) of the subdivision bag 234. As a result, the number of magnetic flux lines I passing through the magnetic flux passage area S of the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37 is ensured to be greater than or equal to the number required for wireless communication of the RFID tag 37.

[0198] In addition, in this modified example 1, the same antenna device 410 as in the above embodiment is used, and the medicine distribution wall-hanging sheet 130 is placed on the mounting surface 411a of the antenna stand 411 to read the information of the RFID tag 37, but the medicine distribution wall-hanging sheet 130 may be hung so as to face the antenna member of the antenna device hung on a wall or hanger rack according to the usage form of the medicine distribution wall-hanging sheet 130, and the information of the RFID tag 37 may be read. According to this, the information of the RFID tag 37 can be read while the medicine distribution wall-hanging sheet 130 is in the usage state of hanging on the hook 140 on the wall, and the work can be simplified.

[0199] [Modification 2] Next, a modification of the antenna device 410 in the above-described embodiment (hereinafter referred to as "Modification 2") will be described. FIG. 43 is a perspective view that diagrammatically shows a main part of an antenna device 410 according to the second modification. The antenna device 410 of the present second modification is provided with a spacer member 415 for separating the antenna stand 411 from the installation surface on which the antenna stand 411 is installed.

[0200] Just as wireless communication between the RFID tag 37 and the antenna device 410 is blocked when a metal-packaged medicine 2F is located near the antenna coil 37a of the RFID tag 37, wireless communication between the RFID tag 37 and the antenna device 410 is blocked when a member made of a material (such as a metal) that blocks wireless communication of the RFID tag 37 is placed near the antenna coil 412 of the antenna device 410. For example, as shown in Fig. 43, when the legs 501 of a desk 500 on which an antenna stand 411 of the antenna device 410 is placed are made of metal, the antenna coil 412 of the antenna stand 411 is affected by the metal of the legs 501, blocking wireless communication between the RFID tag 37 and the antenna device 410, and there is a risk of the antenna coil 412 deteriorating the function of reading information from the RFID tag 37.

[0201] Therefore, in the present modified example 2, a spacer member 415 is disposed between the antenna stand 411 and a desk surface (installation surface) 500a of the desk 500 on which the antenna stand 411 is placed, thereby ensuring a distance between the antenna stand 411 and the legs 501 of the desk 500. With this, even if a member made of a material that blocks wireless communication of the RFID tag 37 (metal legs 501) is present in the place where the antenna stand 411 is installed, wireless communication between the RFID tag 37 and the antenna device 410 is less likely to be blocked, and a decrease in the information reading function of the RFID tag 37 by the antenna coil 412 can be suppressed. Note that it is preferable to ensure a distance of, for example, 10 cm or more between the installation location containing metal and the antenna coil 412.

[0202] It is preferable that the spacer member 415 has a box shape (container shape) with an opening at the bottom when in use as shown in Fig. 44(a), and when not in use, the inside becomes an antenna storage section T capable of storing the antenna stand 411 as shown in Fig. 44(b). In this way, by storing the antenna stand 411 and other accessories inside the spacer member 415 when not in use, it is possible to save space required for storing the antenna device 410.

[0203] During use, the antenna stand 411 is removed from the antenna housing section T inside the spacer member 415, and the spacer member 415 is placed so that the opening of the spacer member 415 faces downward, as shown in Fig. 44(a). At this time, the upper surface 415a of the spacer member 415 functions as an antenna placement section where the antenna stand 411 is placed.

[0204] 45(a) and (b), the spacer member 415 may be configured as a folding desk having foldable legs 415b. By doing so, the spacer member 415 can be made thinner by folding the legs 415b when not in use, and the storage space for the antenna device 410 can be saved.

[0205] The above description is merely an example, and each of the following aspects provides unique effects. [First aspect] The first aspect is a medicine container (e.g., subdivision box 34, 134, subdivision bag 234) having a medicine storage section (e.g., internal space R) in which one or more medicines (e.g., medicine pack 2 (including metal-packaged medicine 2F)) can be stored, and a tag support section (e.g., bottom wall section 35a, opening / closing lid 34c, rear wall section 135a, etc.) that supports a wireless tag (e.g., RFID tag 37), characterized in that when medicine (e.g., metal-packaged medicine 2F) packaged in a packaging material containing a material (e.g., metal) that inhibits wireless communication of the wireless tag is stored in the medicine storage section, the medicine storage section and the tag support section are arranged so that the number of magnetic flux lines I passing through the antenna (e.g., antenna coil 37a) of the wireless tag supported by the tag support section is greater than or equal to the number required for wireless communication of the wireless tag. In general, some medicines are packaged in packaging materials that contain materials (such as metals) that block wireless communication of the wireless tag. In conventional medicine containers, when such medicines (hereinafter referred to as "metal-packaged medicines") are stored in a medicine storage section, there is a risk that the metal-packaged medicines may be positioned so as to block the antenna of the wireless tag of the medicine container. In this case, the magnetic flux that should pass through the antenna of the wireless tag is blocked by the metal-packaged medicine, and as a result, wireless communication between the antenna member of a reading device that reads information on the wireless tag and the antenna of the wireless tag becomes impossible, and the information on the wireless tag cannot be read. Even in this case, a method of using an expensive wireless tag that has been designed to counter metals to enable reading of information on the wireless tag is conceivable, but this method is expensive, and in that respect it is difficult to realize reading of information on the wireless tag. According to the medicine container of this embodiment, the medicine storage section and the tag support section are arranged so that when a metal-packaged medicine is stored in the medicine storage section, the number of magnetic flux lines passing through the antenna of the wireless tag supported by the tag support section is greater than or equal to the number required for wireless communication of the wireless tag. By arranging the medicine storage section and the tag support section in this manner, even when a metal-packaged medicine is stored in the medicine storage section, more than the number of magnetic flux lines required for wireless communication can pass through the antenna of the wireless tag, ensuring wireless communication of the wireless tag. Therefore, even if an expensive wireless tag with metal countermeasures is not used, the information on the wireless tag will not become unreadable when a metal-packaged medicine is stored in the medicine storage section.

[0206] [Second aspect] The second aspect is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the medicine storage section and the tag support section are arranged so that at least a portion of the tag support section (e.g., rear wall section 135a) is positioned outside the medicine storage section (e.g., internal space R) in a direction parallel to the antenna surface of the antenna, and the medicine storage section and the tag support section are arranged so that the area of ​​the antenna surface of the wireless tag supported by the tag support section that does not overlap with the medicine stored in the medicine storage section when viewed from the normal direction of the antenna surface of the antenna (the area of ​​the magnetic flux passing area S') is greater than or equal to a predetermined area. According to this, even in a configuration in which the tag support section forms part of the medicine storage section, wireless communication of the wireless tag can be ensured when metal-packaged medicine is stored in the medicine storage section.

[0207] [Third aspect] The third aspect is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the medicine storage section and the tag support section are arranged so that the tag support section (e.g., bottom wall section 35a, opening / closing lid 34c) is positioned away from the medicine storage section (e.g., internal space R) in the direction normal to the antenna plane of the antenna, and the medicine storage section and the tag support section are arranged so that the distance in the direction normal to the antenna plane between the antenna surface of the wireless tag supported by the tag support section and the medicine stored in the medicine storage section is ensured to be a predetermined distance or more. According to this, even in a configuration in which the tag support section forms part of the medicine storage section, wireless communication of the wireless tag can be ensured when metal-packaged medicine is stored in the medicine storage section.

[0208] [Fourth aspect] The fourth aspect is characterized in that, in any of the first to third aspects, it has a container structure (e.g., structure 35, 135, sheet material 235) that forms the tag support portion and the medicine storage portion, and the container structure has a box-shaped portion whose internal space R becomes the medicine storage portion. This makes it possible to provide a medicine container that allows easy insertion and removal of medicine.

[0209] [Fifth aspect] The fifth aspect is characterized in that, in the fourth aspect, the box-shaped portion is provided with a medicine inlet / outlet for inserting and removing medicine from the medicine storage portion, and the container structure is provided with an opening / closing lid 34c, 134c, 234c for opening and closing the medicine inlet / outlet. This reduces the risk of losing the medicine stored in the medicine storage section of the medicine container. In addition, the medicine stored in the medicine container is prevented from falling out of the medicine container or from entering another medicine into the medicine container, thereby preventing the occurrence of medicine errors.

[0210] [Sixth aspect] A sixth aspect is the fifth aspect, characterized in that the tag support part is provided on the opening and closing cover. This makes it easier to read information from the wireless tag from above the medicine container using the handheld antenna device 430, for example.

[0211] [Seventh aspect] The seventh aspect is characterized in that, in the fourth or fifth aspect, the tag support portion is provided on a wall portion of the box-shaped portion (e.g., bottom wall portion 35a, opening / closing lid 34c, rear wall portion 135a, etc.), and inside the box-shaped portion, an isolation member (e.g., partition portion 35b, 135b, 235b, spacer 35d, diagonal rib member 35e, porous member 35f, partition portion 135d) is provided to isolate the internal space R, which becomes the medicine storage portion, from the wall portion on which the tag support portion is provided. According to this, in a configuration in which the tag support portion is provided on the wall portion of the box-shaped portion, when metal-packaged medicine is stored in the medicine storage portion, it becomes easy to ensure that the number of magnetic flux lines passing through the antenna of the wireless tag supported by the tag support portion is greater than or equal to the number required for wireless communication of the wireless tag.

[0212] [Eighth aspect] An eighth aspect is characterized in that in the seventh aspect, the isolation member is a flexible porous member 35f that is detachable from the container structure. This makes it easier to attach and detach the isolation member to and from the container structure.

[0213] [Ninth aspect] A ninth aspect is characterized in that in any one of the fourth to ninth aspects, the container structure (for example, the bag-shaped sheet material 235) is configured so that the internal space R can be expanded and contracted. According to this, by reducing the internal space of the medicine storage section when not in use, it is possible to save storage space when not in use.

[0214] [Tenth aspect] The tenth aspect is a medicine container holder (e.g., medicine distribution tray 30, medicine distribution wall-hanging sheet 130) having a plurality of medicine containers (e.g., subdivision boxes 34, 134, subdivision bags 234) each having a medicine storage section (e.g., internal space R) capable of storing one or more medicines (e.g., medicine packs 2 (including metal-packaged medicine 2F)), and a holding member (e.g., bottom wall 32 of medicine distribution tray 30, partition pocket 131 of medicine distribution wall-hanging sheet 130) for holding the plurality of medicine containers, characterized in that the medicine containers are any of the medicine containers of the first to ninth aspects. According to this aspect, a medicine container holder can be provided that does not require the use of expensive wireless tags with metal countermeasures, and that prevents the information on the wireless tag from becoming unreadable when metal-packaged medicine is stored in the medicine storage section.

[0215] [Eleventh aspect] An eleventh aspect is the tenth aspect, characterized in that each of the plurality of medicine containers is configured to be detachable from the holding member. This facilitates the operation when wireless communication is desired to be performed only with the wireless tags of some of the medicine containers among a plurality of medicine containers.

[0216] [12th aspect] The 12th aspect is characterized in that, in the 10th or 11th aspect, the multiple medicine containers have medicine inlet / outlet ports on their upper surfaces for inserting and removing medicine from the medicine storage section, and the holding member holds the multiple medicine containers in a state arranged on a horizontal plane. According to this, a tray-type medicine container holder (medication distribution tray 30) can be provided.

[0217] [13th aspect] A thirteenth aspect is the twelfth aspect, characterized in that the holding member includes an opening and closing cover 38 that opens and closes the plurality of upper portions. This reduces the risk of losing medicines stored in the medicine storage section of the medicine container. In addition, the medicine stored in the medicine container is prevented from falling out of the medicine container or other medicines being put into the medicine container, so the occurrence of medicine errors is reduced. Moreover, compared to when an opening and closing lid is provided on each medicine container, the opening and closing operation is reduced, and the workload can be reduced.

[0218] [14th aspect] A 14th aspect is characterized in that, in the 10th or 11th aspect, the multiple medicine containers have medicine inlets and outlets on their upper surfaces for inserting and removing medicine from the medicine storage section, and the holding member holds the multiple medicine containers in a state arranged on a vertical plane. This makes it possible to provide a wall-hanging (calendar-type) medicine container holder (wall-hanging medicine distribution sheet 130).

[0219] [15th aspect] The 15th aspect is an antenna device characterized in that it includes an antenna member (e.g., antenna stand 411) that reads information of the wireless tag in a medicine container of any of the 1st to 9th aspects or a medicine container holder of any of the 10th to 14th aspects. According to this aspect, even if an expensive wireless tag with metal countermeasures is used, when a metal-packaged medicine is stored in the medicine storage section, the information in the wireless tag can be read.

[0220] [16th aspect] The 16th aspect is characterized in that, in the 15th aspect, the antenna member has a mounting surface 411a on which the medicine container or the medicine container holder is placed so that the antenna surface of the antenna member and the antenna surface of the wireless tag are parallel to each other. This allows more magnetic flux lines generated by the antenna of the antenna member to pass through the magnetic flux passing area of ​​the antenna of the wireless tag, enabling more stable wireless communication of the wireless tag.

[0221] [17th aspect] The 17th aspect is characterized in that in the 15th or 16th aspect, a spacer member 415 is provided that separates the antenna member from the installation surface on which the antenna member is installed (e.g., the desk surface 500a of the desk 500). As a result, even if the location where the antenna member is installed is made of a material that inhibits the wireless communication of the wireless tag (such as the metal leg 501), the wireless communication between the wireless tag and the antenna device is less likely to be inhibited, and deterioration of the information reading function of the wireless tag can be suppressed.

[0222] [18th aspect] The 18th aspect is characterized in that, in the 17th aspect, an antenna accommodating section T capable of accommodating the antenna member when not in use is provided inside the spacer member, and an antenna arrangement section in which the antenna member is arranged when in use is provided on an outer wall surface of the spacer member (for example, an outer wall surface that becomes the upper surface 415a of the spacer member when in use). According to this, by storing the antenna member and other accessories inside the spacer member when not in use, it is possible to save space required for storing the antenna device.

[0223] [19th aspect] The 19th aspect is characterized in that, in the 17th aspect, the spacer member has an antenna arrangement portion (e.g., an upper surface 415a of the spacer member) on which the antenna member is arranged, and foldable legs 415b that are placed on the installation surface. According to this, by folding the legs when not in use, the spacer member can be made thinner, thereby enabling space saving in storage of the antenna device.

[0224] [20th aspect] A 20th aspect is a radio tag information reading system characterized in having a medicine container of any of the 1st to 9th aspects, or a medicine container holder of any of the 10th to 14th aspects, and an antenna device of any of the 15th to 19th aspects. According to this aspect, even if an expensive wireless tag with metal countermeasures is used, when a metal-packaged medicine is stored in the medicine storage section, the information in the wireless tag can be read. [Explanation of symbols]

[0225] 1: Pack Continuum 2: Medicine Pack 2A: Pack combination 2F: Metal-packaged medicines 6a-6c: Medication-related information 10: Cartridge 20: Cartridge tray 30: Medication tray 31: Partition wall 32: Bottom wall 33,133: Section 34, 34', 34'', 134, 234: Small box 34c, 134c: Opening / closing lid 35,135:Structure 35a: Bottom wall part 35b, 135b, 135d: Partition 35d: Spacer 35e: Rib member 35f: Porous material 36: Label 37: RFID tags 37a: Antenna coil 38: Opening and closing cover 40: Evacuation area 50: Carriage 51: Adsorption part 52: Suction pad 65: Medication-related information reading unit 66: QR code reader 66a: Code reader 67: Tag information reader 67a: Tag reader 80: Drawer section 90: Transfer section 130: Medication wall hanging sheet 131: Divider pocket 132: Base sheet 134d: Hanging part 135a: Rear wall 140: Hook 141: Wall hanging cord 150: Control section 151: Touch panel 152: Storage section 153: Timer section 200: Medicine distribution device 210: PC 211: Management app 212: Pack information management system 213: Medication Information Management System 230: Medication confirmation support system 234: Small bags 234c: Opening / closing lid 235a: Tag support part 235b: Partition 300: Medication support device 400: Medication confirmation assistant device 410, 430: Antenna equipment 411: Antenna stand 411a: Placement surface 412: Antenna coil 413: Antenna board 415: Spacer member 415a:Top surface 415b: Legs 420: Reader / writer 431: Antenna components 432: Operation button 500: desk 501: Legs I: Magnetic flux lines R,R':Internal space S, S': Area through which magnetic flux passes T: Antenna housing [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0226] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6924638

Claims

1. A medicine storage section capable of storing one or more medicines; and a tag support portion for supporting a wireless tag, A medicine container characterized in that the medicine storage section and the tag support section are arranged so that when medicine packaged in a packaging material containing a material that inhibits wireless communication of the wireless tag is stored in the medicine storage section, the number of magnetic flux lines passing through the antenna of the wireless tag supported on the tag support section is greater than or equal to the number required for wireless communication of the wireless tag.

2. The medicine container according to claim 1 , The medicine storage unit and the tag support unit are arranged so that at least a part of the tag support unit is positioned away from the medicine storage unit in a direction parallel to an antenna surface of the antenna, A medicine container characterized in that the medicine storage section and the tag support section are arranged so that the area of ​​the antenna surface of the wireless tag supported by the tag support section that does not overlap with the medicine stored in the medicine storage section when viewed from the normal direction of the antenna is greater than or equal to a predetermined area.

3. The medicine container according to claim 1 , The medicine storage unit and the tag support unit are arranged so that the tag support unit is positioned away from the medicine storage unit in a normal direction to an antenna surface of the antenna, A medicine container characterized in that the medicine storage section and the tag support section are arranged so that the distance in the direction normal to the antenna surface between the antenna surface of the wireless tag supported by the tag support section and the medicine stored in the medicine storage section is maintained at a predetermined distance or more.

4. The medicine container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, a container structure that forms the tag support portion and the drug storage portion; The medicine container, wherein the container structure has a box-shaped portion whose internal space serves as the medicine storage portion.

5. The medicine container according to claim 4, The box-shaped portion is provided with a medicine inlet / outlet for putting medicine in and taking medicine out of the medicine storage portion, The medicine container, wherein the container structure is provided with an opening / closing lid for opening and closing the medicine inlet / outlet.

6. The medicine container according to claim 5, The medicine container, wherein the tag support portion is provided on the opening / closing lid.

7. The medicine container according to claim 4, The tag support portion is provided on a wall portion of the box-shaped portion, A medicine container characterized in that an isolation member is provided inside the box-shaped portion to isolate the internal space that serves as the medicine storage portion from a wall portion on which the tag support portion is provided.

8. The medicine container according to claim 7, The medicine container according to claim 1, wherein the isolating member is a flexible porous member that is detachable from the container structure.

9. The medicine container according to claim 4, The medicine container, wherein the container structure is configured so that the internal space is expandable and contractable.

10. A plurality of medicine containers each including a medicine storage section capable of storing one or more medicines; A medicine container holder having a holding member for holding the plurality of medicine containers, A medicine container holder, comprising the medicine container according to claim 1 .

11. The medicine container holder according to claim 10, The medicine container holder, wherein each of the plurality of medicine containers is configured to be detachable from the holding member.

12. The medicine container holder according to claim 10, The plurality of medicine containers each have a medicine inlet / outlet through which medicine is introduced into and removed from the medicine storage unit, The medicine container holder is characterized in that the holding member holds the plurality of medicine containers in a state in which they are arranged on a horizontal plane.

13. The medicine container holder according to claim 12, The medicine container holder is characterized in that the holding member is provided with an opening / closing cover that opens and closes the upper part of the plurality of medicine containers.

14. The medicine container holder according to claim 10, The plurality of medicine containers each have a medicine inlet / outlet through which medicine is introduced into / removed from the medicine storage unit provided on an upper surface thereof, The medicine container holder is characterized in that the holding member holds the plurality of medicine containers in a state in which they are arranged on a vertical plane.

15. 4. An antenna device comprising an antenna member for reading information of the wireless tag in the medicine container according to claim 1.

16. 16. The antenna device according to claim 15, The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna member has a mounting surface on which the medicine container is mounted so that an antenna surface of the antenna member and an antenna surface of the wireless tag are parallel to each other.

17. 16. The antenna device according to claim 15, An antenna device comprising: a spacer member for separating the antenna member from a mounting surface on which the antenna member is mounted.

18. 18. The antenna device according to claim 17, an antenna housing portion capable of housing the antenna member when not in use is provided inside the spacer member; The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein an antenna arrangement portion is provided on an outer wall surface of the spacer member, in which the antenna member is arranged during use.

19. 18. The antenna device according to claim 17, The spacer member comprises an antenna arrangement portion on which the antenna member is arranged, and foldable legs to be placed on the installation surface.

20. A medicine container according to any one of claims 1 to 3; A radio tag information reading system comprising: the antenna device according to claim 15.

Images