Medicine preparation part

Abstract

To suppress bouncing of a tablet when the tablet collides with a medicine preparation part, due to an impact of the collision.SOLUTION: A medicine preparation part (10) is formed with a buffer region (Ba) being a region that elastically deforms to relax an impact when the medicine preparation part (10) collides with a tablet (2) that has passed a tablet passage path (30) and has been discharged.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a drug preparation unit in a drug dispensing device that stores one packet of tablets discharged through a tablet passing path in each of a plurality of storage units and supplies the packets of tablets to a packaging unit that packages them into packaging paper. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a drug dispensing device that packs a packet of tablets into a packing paper is known. For example, the following patent document 1 discloses the following drug dispensing device. That is, the drug dispensing device of patent document 1 includes a drug preparation unit having a plurality of storage units. In the drug dispensing device of patent document 1, a packet of tablets is discharged through a hopper (tablet passage) into each of the plurality of storage units of the drug preparation unit. Then, a packet of tablets is supplied from each of the plurality of storage units to a packing unit that packs the tablets into packing paper, and the tablet packet is packed into the packing paper.

[0003] The medicine preparation unit of Patent Document 1 includes a partition forming body in which a plurality of storage sections are formed, and a medicine preparation unit main body capable of housing the partition forming body. The partition forming body is housed in the medicine preparation unit main body in a freely rotatable state. An opening is formed in the bottom surface of the medicine preparation unit main body. When the storage section reaches a position corresponding to the opening, a shutter provided in the storage section opens, and the tablets in the storage section are supplied to the packaging section. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication 2009-100911 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the conventional technology as described above, if the tablet discharged through the tablet passageway bounces due to the impact of the collision with the medicine preparation unit, the following situation may occur: That is, if the tablet bounces due to the impact of the collision, the timing of storing the tablet in the desired storage unit among the multiple storage units where the tablet should be stored may be delayed, and the tablet may be stored in a storage unit other than the desired storage unit.

[0006] In the above-mentioned conventional technology, if at least one of powder and fragments generated from the tablet retained in the storage section is present outside the storage section on the bottom surface of the medicine preparation section main body, the following situation may occur: That is, at least one of powder and fragments present outside the storage section on the bottom surface of the medicine preparation section main body may be supplied to the packet section through an opening formed on the bottom surface of the medicine preparation section main body, for example, as the partition forming body rotates.

[0007] An aspect of the present invention aims to prevent a tablet discharged through a tablet passage from bouncing due to the impact of a collision with a medicine preparation section in a medicine dispensing device.

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention aims to reduce the possibility that at least one of tablet powder and fragments retained in the storage section will be packaged separately. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, a drug preparation unit in one embodiment of the present invention is a drug preparation unit in a drug dispensing device that retains one packet of tablets discharged through a tablet passing path in each of a plurality of storage sections and supplies the packets of tablets to a packaging section that packages the tablets into packaging paper, and is formed with a buffer area that elastically deforms to cushion the impact when it collides with the tablets discharged through the tablet passing path.

[0010] In addition, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a medicine preparation unit according to another embodiment of the present invention is a medicine preparation unit in a medicine dispensing device, which retains one packet of tablets discharged through a tablet passing path in at least one storage section and supplies the one packet of tablets to a packaging section which packages the tablets in packaging paper, and which comprises: a partition forming body in which the storage section with an open bottom is formed; a bottom plate which is provided vertically below the partition forming body and moves relatively to the partition forming body, the bottom plate having a portion capable of blocking the bottom of the storage section and an opening capable of supplying the tablets retained in the storage section to the packaging section; and a removal section which removes at least one of powder and fragments generated from the tablets from an area along the movement path on the bottom plate of the tablets retained in the storage section, the area having a width corresponding to the width of the opening in a direction perpendicular to the movement path. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, in a medicine dispensing device, it is possible to prevent a tablet discharged through a tablet passage from bouncing due to the impact of a collision with a medicine preparation section.

[0012] Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the possibility that at least one of powder and fragments of the tablet retained in the storage section will be packaged separately. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is an external perspective view showing an overall outline of a medicine preparing section according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an outline of a medicine dispensing device including the medicine preparation unit of FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 is a top view of the medicine preparation unit of FIG. 1 viewed vertically from above. [Figure 4] 2 is a bottom view of the medicine preparation unit of FIG. 1 as viewed vertically from below. [Diagram 5] 2 is a top view of the top plate and the partition forming body of the medicine preparation unit of FIG. 1 viewed vertically from above. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an image of a cross section taken along the line X1-X2 of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an image of a cross section taken along the line Y1-Y2 of FIG. 5. [Figure 8] 6 is a bottom view of the compartment formation body of FIG. 5 viewed vertically from below. [Figure 9] 2 is a top view of a bottom plate of the medicine preparation unit of FIG. 1 viewed vertically from above. [Figure 10] 10 is a bottom view of the bottom plate of FIG. 9 viewed vertically from below. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an image of a cross section taken along the line Z1-Z2 of FIG. [Figure 12] 13 is a diagram illustrating the position of a tablet discharged through a tablet passing path. FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is a diagram illustrating how tablets are stored in a storage section. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the whole of a medicine dispensing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a tablet waiting section according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] 4 is an enlarged view of a rib provided in the tablet waiting section. FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a top view of the medicine preparation section viewed vertically from above. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the medicine preparation section viewed vertically from below. [Figure 19] 1 is a top view of the bottom plate of the medicine preparation section viewed vertically from above. FIG. [Figure 20] This is a bottom view of the partition formation body as viewed vertically from below. [Figure 21] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the partition formation body and the bottom plate in a plan view. FIG. [Figure 22] FIG. 2 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the drug preparation in a plane parallel to the axis. [Figure 23] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the structure around the removed portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] [Embodiment 1] An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof will not be repeated. In the following description, "n" and "m" each indicate an integer equal to or greater than "1". In addition, when it is necessary to distinguish a plurality of members having the same member number from one another, they may be distinguished from one another by adding a capital letter of the alphabet, for example, by notating them as "storage section 100A", "storage section 100B", ..., and "storage section 100Z". In addition, when it is not necessary to particularly distinguish between "storage section 100A", "storage section 100B", ..., and "storage section 100Z", they may simply be described as "storage section 100".

[0015] To facilitate understanding of the medicine preparing section 10 (medicine preparing unit) according to one embodiment of the present invention, first, an overview of the medicine dispensing device 1 including the medicine preparing section 10 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0016] (Overview of the medicine dispensing device) Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining an overview of the medicine dispensing device 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the medicine dispensing device 1 is a device for packaging tablets 2 in packaging paper, and in particular, a device for packaging one packet of tablets 2 in packaging paper. The medicine dispensing device 1 includes a medicine preparation section 10, a plurality of cassettes 20, a tablet passage 30, and a packaging section 40.

[0017] The cassette 20 stores one or more tablets 2, and in particular, each of the multiple cassettes 20 stores one or more (e.g., multiple) tablets 2. Specifically, the cassette 20A stores one type of tablets 2 (e.g., tablets 2A-1, 2A-2, . . ., 2A-n), and similarly, the cassette 20B stores another type of tablets 2 (e.g., tablets 2B-1, 2B-2, . . ., 2B-m).

[0018] The tablet passage path 30 is a path through which the tablets 2 stored in the cassette 20 pass when being discharged to the medicine preparation section 10.

[0019] The medicine preparation unit 10 includes a plurality of storage units 100, and stores one packet of tablets 2 (particularly, one packet of tablets 2) discharged through the tablet passage 30 in each of the plurality of storage units 100, and supplies the tablets 2 to the packaging unit 40. That is, the tablets 2 stored in each of the plurality of cassettes 20 are discharged through the tablet passage 30 into each of the plurality of storage units 100.

[0020] Here, all of the "packets of tablets 2" stored in the storage unit 100 may be the same type of tablets 2. For example, when all of the "packets of tablets 2" stored in the storage unit 100A are a certain type of tablets 2, the tablets 2 stored in the cassette 20 are discharged to the storage unit 100A through the tablet passing path 30 as follows. That is, for example, tablets 2 of a certain type (e.g., tablets 2A-1, 2A-2, . . . , 2A-n) stored in the cassette 20A are discharged to the storage unit 100A through the tablet passing path 30.

[0021] In addition, the "packet of tablets 2" stored in the storage unit 100 may include a plurality of different types of tablets 2. For example, when the "packet of tablets 2" stored in the storage unit 100B includes a certain type of tablets 2 and another type of tablets 2, the tablets 2 stored in the cassette 20 are discharged to the storage unit 100B through the tablet passage path 30 as follows. That is, for example, a certain type of tablets 2 stored in the cassette 20A and another type of tablets 2 stored in the cassette 20B are discharged to the storage unit 100B through the tablet passage path 30. For example, a certain type of tablets 2A-1, 2A-2, ..., 2A-n stored in the cassette 20A and another type of tablets 2B-1, 2B-2, ..., 2B-m stored in the cassette 20B are discharged to the storage unit 100B through the tablet passage path 30. When multiple types of tablets 2 are packaged in one package, the cassettes 20 (for example, the above-mentioned cassettes 20A and 20B) corresponding to each type of tablet 2 discharge each type of tablet 2 into the storage section 100. Then, in the storage section 100, the multiple types of tablets 2 are collected into one package of tablets 2.

[0022] The packaging unit 40 packages the tablets 2 in packaging paper, and in particular packages one packet of tablets 2 in the packaging paper. For example, the packaging unit 40 packages one packet of tablets 2 (e.g., tablets 2A-1, 2A-2, ..., 2A-n) stored in the storage unit 100A in packaging paper. Similarly, the packaging unit 40 packages another packet of tablets 2 (e.g., tablets 2B-1, 2B-2, ..., 2B-m) stored in the storage unit 100B in packaging paper.

[0023] Before describing the details of the medicine preparation unit 10 based on Fig. 1 etc., an overview of the medicine preparation unit 10 will be described as follows. That is, in the medicine dispensing device 1, the medicine preparation unit 10 stores one packet of tablets 2 discharged through the tablet passage path 30 in each of the multiple storage units 100, and supplies one packet of tablets 2 to the packaging unit 40. The medicine preparation unit 10 is formed with a buffer area Ba, which is an area that elastically deforms and cushions impact when it collides with the tablets 2 discharged through the tablet passage path 30.

[0024] When the buffer area Ba collides with the tablet 2, a relatively narrow area centered on the position of collision with the tablet 2 may be deformed suddenly into a concave shape (U-shape), or a relatively wide area centered on the position of collision with the tablet 2 may be deformed so as to be gently dented. In other words, when the buffer area Ba collides with the tablet 2, the position of the buffer area Ba that collided with the tablet 2 is deformed in the moving direction of the tablet 2 before colliding with the buffer area Ba (for example, approximately vertically downward), and the surrounding area is deformed suddenly or gently.

[0025] The buffer area Ba elastically deforms when colliding with the tablet 2, thereby absorbing the impact of the collision with the tablet 2 and reducing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing off due to the impact of the collision.

[0026] Therefore, the medicine preparing section 10 has an effect of suppressing the possibility that the tablet 2 will bounce due to the impact of the tablet 2 colliding with the medicine preparing section 10 (particularly the buffer area Ba) by the buffer area Ba.

[0027] Here, if the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passage path 30 bounces due to the impact of the collision with the medicine preparation section 10, for example, if the tablet 2 bounces up into the air above the compartment forming body 11, the following situation may occur. That is, if the tablet 2 bounces up into the air above the compartment forming body 11 due to the impact of the collision, the timing at which the tablet 2 is stored in the desired storage section 100 (for example, storage section 100B) among the multiple storage sections 100 in which the tablet 2 should be stored is delayed.

[0028] Although the details will be described later, the compartment forming body 11 having a plurality of storage sections 100 rotates around a vertical axis 16. Therefore, while the tablet 2 is jumping up into the air above the compartment forming body 11 (in other words, while the timing of storing the tablet 2 in the storage section 100B is delayed), the compartment forming body 11 may rotate. As a result, the tablet 2 may be stored in a storage section 100 (for example, storage section 100C) different from the desired storage section 100B.

[0029] Therefore, the medicine preparing section 10 absorbs the impact of a collision with the tablet 2 by using the buffer area Ba, thereby reducing the possibility that the tablet 2 will bounce due to the impact of the collision.

[0030] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 has the further effect of being able to avoid a situation in which "the tablet 2 bounces due to the impact of a collision, delaying the timing at which the tablet 2 is stored in the desired storage section 100B, and the tablet 2 ends up being stored in a storage section 100C other than the desired storage section 100B."

[0031] The buffer area Ba elastically deforms upon impact with the tablet 2 to absorb the impact, and then returns to its original state, that is, to the state before deformation.

[0032] (Overview of the Drug Preparation Department) The drug preparation section 10, which will be described below with reference to FIG. 1 etc., comprises a compartment forming body 11 having a plurality of storage sections 100, a top plate 12, and a bottom plate 14. In the drug preparation section 10, the compartment forming body 11 is located between the top plate 12, which is disposed substantially horizontally, and the bottom plate 14, which is also disposed substantially horizontally. In the compartment forming body 11, the storage sections 100 are open vertically upward (toward the top plate 12) and vertically downward (toward the bottom plate 14), and the bottom of the storage sections 100 is closed by the bottom plate 14.

[0033] (Outline of compartment formation body and top panel) FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an overall outline of the medicine preparation section 10. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of storage sections 100 are formed in the compartment forming body 11. As exemplified in FIG. 1, the compartment forming body 11 has, for example, a substantially disk-like external shape, specifically, a cylindrical shape having a "vertical height sufficiently larger than the dimensions of the tablet 2". A plurality of storage sections 100 are formed along the outer periphery of the compartment forming body 11, inside the outer periphery of the compartment forming body 11. For example, the plurality of storage sections 100 may be formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction along the outer periphery of the compartment forming body 11.

[0034] The compartment forming body 11 illustrated in Fig. 1 has six storage sections 100, each of which accommodates one packet of tablets 2, specifically, storage sections 100A to 100F. In this embodiment, an example in which the compartment forming body 11 has six storage sections 100 will be described, but it is not essential that the number of storage sections 100 formed in the compartment forming body 11 is six. The number of storage sections 100 formed in the compartment forming body 11 is arbitrary.

[0035] In the compartment forming body 11, the storage section 100 is an area that is open vertically upward and downward, and is formed as an area surrounded on the periphery (horizontal periphery) by the side walls of the storage section 100. The vertical height of the storage section 100 is designed to be sufficient to hold the tablet 2, in other words, sufficiently larger than the dimensions of the tablet 2.

[0036] The top plate 12 is a thin plate provided approximately vertically above the compartment forming body 11, and faces the outlet of the tablet passage path 30. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the top plate 12 is, for example, a disk-shaped thin plate. The top plate 12 may be joined (glued) to the compartment forming body 11, and for example, the top plate 12 and the compartment forming body 11 may be formed integrally. However, it is not essential that the top plate 12 and the compartment forming body 11 are joined, and the top plate 12 may be joined to a shaft 16 described later.

[0037] The top panel 12 is formed with an opening 1201 that is an opening surrounded by an edge portion 1211, and in particular, a plurality of openings 1201 are formed, each surrounded by a plurality of edge portions 1211. For example, the opening 1201A is surrounded by an edge portion 1211A, and similarly, the opening 1201B is surrounded by an edge portion 1211B.

[0038] Each of the multiple openings 1201 of the top panel 12 corresponds to each opening of the multiple storage sections 100 of the compartment forming body 11, for example, the opening 1201A corresponds to the opening of the storage section 100A, and similarly, the opening 1201B corresponds to the opening of the storage section 100B. The storage section 100 is capable of receiving the tablets 2 discharged through the tablet passage path 30 via the opening 1201 provided in the top panel 12. The top panel 12 rotates together with the compartment forming body 11 around an axis 16 described later so that each of the multiple openings 1201 is located at a position corresponding to each of the multiple storage sections 100 of the compartment forming body 11.

[0039] A gap 13 is provided immediately below the edge portion 1211. By providing the gap 13 immediately below the edge portion 1211, the edge portion 1211 is more likely to elastically deform than when the gap 13 is not provided. For example, when the edge portion 1211 collides with the tablet 2, the position of the edge portion 1211 where the edge portion 1211 collides with the tablet 2 is deformed in the moving direction of the tablet 2 before colliding with the edge portion 1211 (for example, substantially vertically downward), and the surrounding area is deformed suddenly or gently. For example, a gap 13A is provided immediately below the edge portion 1211A, and similarly, a gap 13B is provided immediately below the edge portion 1211B.

[0040] The compartment forming body 11 is capable of rotating about an axis 16 in the vertical direction (in other words, in the thickness direction of the compartment forming body 11) by receiving power transmitted via a drive mechanism (not shown), for example. In particular, the compartment forming body 11 rotates together with the top plate 12 relative to the bottom plate 14 about the axis 16. The axis 16 may be located approximately in the center of the compartment forming body 11, that is, at a position that is approximately equidistant from each of the multiple storage sections 100.

[0041] Specifically, an external gear-shaped flange portion 17 is provided on the outer periphery of the compartment forming body 11 illustrated in FIG. 1, and the teeth formed on the flange portion 17 are engaged with a gear that rotates by receiving power from a motor (not shown). Therefore, when the motor operates, the power is transmitted to the flange portion 17 via the gear, and the compartment forming body 11 joined to the flange portion 17 rotates around the shaft 16. When the compartment forming body 11 and the top plate 12 are joined, the two rotate integrally around the shaft 16. However, in the medicine preparation section 10, it is not essential to provide the flange portion 17 on the outer periphery of the compartment forming body 11, and it is sufficient that the compartment forming body 11 can rotate around the shaft 16.

[0042] 3 is a top view of the medicine preparation unit 10 as viewed vertically from above. The compartment formation body 11 rotates together with the top plate 12 about an axis 16, for example, counterclockwise as shown in FIG.

[0043] The top panel 12 is formed with a first region 121 which is an area that may collide with a tablet 2 discharged from the tablet passing path 30, in other words, an area that may face the outlet of the tablet passing path 30. The top panel 12 further includes a second region 122 which is an area other than the first region 121. In the top panel 12, the first region 121 and the second region 122 are made of the same material. The first region 121 also includes an edge portion 1211.

[0044] As described above, in the compartment formation body 11, the storage section 100 is open vertically upward and vertically downward. In the compartment formation body 11, the side walls surrounding the storage section 100 are roughly divided into a front wall 111, which is the front side wall with respect to the rotation direction of the compartment formation body 11, and a rear wall 112, which is the rear side wall with respect to the rotation direction of the compartment formation body 11. For example, the storage section 100A is surrounded by a side wall including a front wall 111A and a rear wall 112A, and similarly, the storage section 100B is surrounded by a side wall including a front wall 111B and a rear wall 112B.

[0045] 3, the front wall 111 is flat, and the rear wall 112 is curved. That is, the horizontal cut surface of the rear wall 112 is arc-shaped, and the horizontal cut surface of the front wall 111 approximately corresponds to a chord connecting both ends of the arc that is the horizontal cut surface of the rear wall 112. The front wall 111 and the rear wall 112 are integrated to form side walls that surround the storage section 100 on all four sides.

[0046] That is, in the medicine preparation section 10, at least one side wall (e.g., the front wall 111) of the storage section 100 is flat. According to the above configuration, the medicine preparation section 10 has an effect of suppressing a situation in which the tablet 2 rotates inside the storage section 100 along the side wall of the storage section 100, causing a delay in the timing of supplying the tablet 2 from the storage section 100 to the packaging section 40.

[0047] Here, if the tablet 2 rotates inside the storage section 100 along the side wall of the storage section 100, the timing of supplying the tablet 2 from the storage section 100 to the packaging section 40 may be delayed for the following reasons.

[0048] That is, although details will be described later, the compartment forming body 11 having a plurality of storage sections 100 rotates relatively to the bottom plate 14 around a vertical axis 16. Then, when the bottom of the storage section 100 comes to a position corresponding to the supply port 1401 formed in the bottom plate 14, one packet of tablets 2 retained in the storage section 100 is supplied to the packaging section 40 through the supply port 1401. That is, when the supply port 1401 formed in the bottom plate 14 comes to a position corresponding to the bottom of the storage section 100, the tablets 2 at the bottom of the storage section 100 are supplied to the packaging section 40 through the supply port 1401.

[0049] However, if the tablet 2 rotates inside the storage section 100 along the side wall of the storage section 100, the timing at which the tablet 2 reaches the bottom of the storage section 100 may be delayed. And, the delay in the timing at which the tablet 2 reaches the bottom of the storage section 100 will also delay the timing at which "the tablet 2 is supplied to the packaging section 40 through the supply port 1401 located at the bottom of the storage section 100."

[0050] (Outline of the bottom panel) 4 is a bottom view of the medicine preparation section 10 as viewed from vertically below. The bottom plate 14 is a thin plate provided substantially vertically below the compartment forming body 11, and closes the bottom of the storage section 100 that opens in the compartment forming body 11. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the bottom plate 14 is, for example, a disk-shaped thin plate. The bottom plate 14 is not bonded to the compartment forming body 11. The compartment forming body 11 and the top plate 12 rotate together with respect to the bottom plate 14 around the axis 16, for example, counterclockwise relative to the bottom plate 14.

[0051] A supply port 1401, which is an opening, is formed in the bottom plate 14. The tablets 2 stored in the storage section 100 are supplied from the supply port 1401 to the packaging section 40. That is, the partition forming body 11 rotates relative to the bottom plate 14 around the axis 16. Then, when the bottom of the storage section 100 formed in the partition forming body 11 comes to a position corresponding to the supply port 1401, one packet of tablets 2 stored in the storage section 100 is supplied to the packaging section 40.

[0052] For example, when the bottom of the storage unit 100A reaches a position corresponding to the supply port 1401, a packet of tablets 2 (e.g., tablets 2A-1, 2A-2, ..., 2A-n) stored in the storage unit 100A is supplied to the packing unit 40 through the supply port 1401. Similarly, when the bottom of the storage unit 100B reaches a position corresponding to the supply port 1401, another packet of tablets 2 (e.g., tablets 2B-1, 2B-2, ..., 2B-m) stored in the storage unit 100B is supplied to the packing unit 40 through the supply port 1401.

[0053] The bottom plate 14 is formed with a fifth region 141 which is a region where the tablet 2 discharged from the tablet passing path 30 may collide. The bottom plate 14 further includes a sixth region 142 which is a region other than the fifth region 141. In the bottom plate 14, the fifth region 141 and the sixth region 142 are made of the same material. The fifth region 141 is provided, for example, at a position where the approximate center of the fifth region 141 faces the exit of the tablet passing path 30 via the partition forming body 11.

[0054] Here, as described above, the compartment forming body 11 and the top plate 12 rotate integrally with respect to the bottom plate 14 around the axis 16. Therefore, the position at which the fifth region 141 is provided on the bottom plate 14 can also be expressed as follows. That is, the fifth region 141 is provided on the bottom plate 14 at a position facing the opening 1201 (i.e., a position corresponding to the bottom of the storage section 100) when the opening 1201 of the top plate 12 and the storage section 100 come to a position facing the outlet of the tablet passing path 30.

[0055] 4 is further provided with a discharge port 15 capable of discharging powder generated from the tablet 2 and having a size that does not allow the tablet 2 to pass through. The discharge port 15 may further be capable of discharging fragments generated from the tablet 2.

[0056] It is not essential that the discharge port 15 is provided on the bottom plate 14, and the discharge port 15 may be provided on the side wall of the storage portion 100. Also, the discharge port 15 may be provided on both the bottom plate 14 and the side wall of the storage portion 100.

[0057] That is, the medicine preparation section 10 is provided with an outlet 15 on at least one of the side wall and bottom panel 14 of the storage section 100, which is capable of discharging powder (or "powder and fragments") generated from the tablet 2, but is of a size that does not allow the tablet 2 to pass through.

[0058] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the medicine preparing section 10 has an effect of suppressing the occurrence of a situation in which powder generated from the tablet 2 remains in the storage section 100.

[0059] (Details of the compartment formation and top panel) 5 is a top view of the top plate 12 and the compartment forming body 11 of the medicine preparation section 10, viewed vertically from above. As described above, the top plate 12 including the first region 121 and the second region 122 rotates integrally with the compartment forming body 11 relative to the bottom plate 14 around the axis 16. In addition, the vertically upward opening of the storage section 100 of the compartment forming body 11 corresponds to the opening 1201 of the top plate 12, and the storage section 100 is surrounded by side walls formed integrally by the front wall 111 and the rear wall 112.

[0060] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an image of a cross section taken along line X1-X2 of Fig. 5. In Fig. 6, the scale of each member and gap 13 is exaggerated so that the relationship between each member and gap 13 can be easily understood.

[0061] 6, in the compartment forming body 11, the rear wall 112 is generally hanging down. In contrast, the front wall 111 is inclined toward the rear wall 112 from the side of the top panel 12 (top side) to a midway point toward the side of the bottom panel 14 (bottom side), and is generally hanging down from this midway point. That is, the front wall 111 includes a front wall 111(SL) which is "an inclined wall inclined with respect to the vertical direction so that the area of ​​the horizontal surface surrounded by the side walls of the storage section 100 becomes smaller toward the vertically downward side," and a front wall 111(VE) which is a vertical wall extending in the vertical direction.

[0062] However, it is not essential that the front wall 111 includes the front wall 111(SL) and the front wall 111(VE). The front wall 111 may be composed of only the front wall 111(SL), and for example, the entire front wall 111 may be inclined so as to approach the rear wall 112 from the top surface side toward the bottom surface side. In other words, the front wall 111 does not have to include the front wall 111(VE), which is a vertical wall.

[0063] The side wall of the storage section 100 is formed by a side wall plate which is a thin plate. The side wall plate which forms the side wall of the storage section 100 includes a third side wall plate 1111 which is a thin plate which forms the front wall 111 (SL), and a fourth side wall plate 1112 which is a thin plate which forms each of the front wall 111 (VE) and the rear wall 112. However, the front wall 111 (VE) may also be formed by the third side wall plate 1111, and only the rear wall 112 may be formed by the fourth side wall plate 1112. In addition, when the front wall 111 does not include the front wall 111 (VE), that is, when the front wall 111 is composed of only the front wall 111 (SL), the front wall 111 is formed by the third side wall plate 1111.

[0064] The third side wall plate 1111 and the fourth side wall plate 1112 are made of the same material. The thickness of the third side wall plate 1111 constituting the front wall 111(SL) is thinner than the thickness of the fourth side wall plate 1112 constituting the side wall (e.g., the rear wall 112) of the storage section 100 other than the front wall 111(SL).

[0065] As shown in FIG. 6, the gap 13 is provided between the front wall 111 and the top panel 12. That is, the portion where the front wall 111 and the top panel 12 are not in contact with each other is formed as the gap 13. For example, the gap 13 is provided as a through hole that penetrates a portion located directly below the edge portion 1211 of the side wall plate (particularly, the third side wall plate 1111) constituting the side wall of the storage section 100 in a substantially horizontal direction. By providing the gap 13 between the front wall 111 and the top panel 12, when the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passage 30 collides with the edge portion 1211, the edge portion 1211 is more likely to be elastically deformed by providing the gap 13 than when the gap 13 is not provided.

[0066] For example, when the edge portion 1211 collides with the tablet 2, the position of the edge portion 1211 where the tablet 2 collided is deformed in the moving direction of the tablet 2 before the collision with the edge portion 1211 (for example, substantially vertically downward), and the surrounding area is deformed suddenly or gradually. The vertical width of the gap 13 is a dimension that does not allow the tablet 2 to pass through.

[0067] The gap 13 may be provided at any position (height) of the side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100. For example, the gap 13 may be provided at a position of the side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100 close to the bottom of the storage section 100. By providing the gap 13 at any position of the side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100, the edge portion 1211 is more likely to be elastically deformed when colliding with the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passage 30 than when the gap 13 is not provided. However, the edge portion 1211 is most likely to be elastically deformed when the gap 13 is provided at a portion of the side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100 located directly below the edge portion 1211. That is, when the gap 13 is provided between the front wall 111 and the top panel 12, the edge portion 1211 is most likely to be elastically deformed.

[0068] In particular, if the vertical thickness of the first region 121 including the edge portion 1211 is made thinner to make the edge portion 1211 more susceptible to elastic deformation, providing a gap 13 directly below the edge portion 1211 makes the edge portion 1211 more susceptible to elastic deformation.

[0069] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an image of a cross section taken along the line Y1-Y2 in FIG. 5. In FIG. 7, the scale of each member is exaggerated so that the relationship between each member can be easily understood. As shown in FIG. 7, the top plate 12 is a thin plate, and includes a first region 121 which is a region that may collide with the tablet 2 discharged from the tablet passage path 30, and a second region 122 which is a region other than the first region 121. The vertical thickness of the first region 121 is thinner than the vertical thickness of the second region 122. Since the vertical thickness of the first region 121 is thinner than the vertical thickness of the second region 122, the first region 121 is more likely to be elastically deformed when colliding with the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passage path 30 than the second region 122, that is, it is easier to absorb the impact of the collision.

[0070] For example, when the first region 121 collides with the tablet 2, the position of the first region 121 where the tablet 2 collides is deformed in the moving direction of the tablet 2 before the collision with the first region 121 (for example, substantially vertically downward), and the surrounding region is deformed suddenly or gradually. By making the thickness of the first region 121, which is the region that may collide with the tablet 2, thinner than the thickness of the second region 122, which is the region other than the first region 121, in the top plate 12, it is possible to prevent the tablet 2 from bouncing due to the impact of the collision when the tablet 2 collides with the top plate 12.

[0071] Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the partition formation body 11 viewed vertically from below. Fig. 8 shows an example in which six storage sections 100 (specifically, storage sections 100A to 100F) are formed in the circumferential direction along the outer periphery of the partition formation body 11. The multiple storage sections 100 may be formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction along the outer periphery of the partition formation body 11.

[0072] In the compartment forming body 11, the bottom of the storage section 100 is open, and the storage section 100 is surrounded by side walls consisting of a flat front wall 111 and a curved rear wall 112. The rear wall 112 hangs down approximately from the side of the top panel 12 (top side) to the side of the bottom panel 14 (bottom side), and the front wall 111 includes a portion (i.e., the front wall 111(SL)) that is inclined toward the rear wall 112 from the top side to a midpoint toward the bottom side.

[0073] (Bottom panel details) 9 is a top view of the bottom plate 14 of the medicine preparation unit 10 as viewed vertically from above. The bottom plate 14, which is a thin plate, is provided with a supply port 1401 for supplying one packet of tablets 2 stored in the storage unit 100 to the packaging unit 40, and a discharge port 15 for discharging powder generated from the tablets 2. As described above, the discharge port 15 may be provided in the side wall of the storage unit 100 instead of the bottom plate 14, or may be provided in both the bottom plate 14 and the side wall of the storage unit 100.

[0074] Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the bottom plate 14 viewed vertically from below. As shown in Fig. 10, in addition to the supply port 1401 and the discharge port 15, the bottom plate 14 is further provided with a fifth region 141 at a position where the tablet 2 discharged from the tablet passing path 30 may collide with the tablet 2. The region of the bottom plate 14 other than the fifth region 141 is referred to as a sixth region 142.

[0075] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an image of a cross section taken along the Z1-Z2 arrow in FIG. 10. In FIG. 11, the scale of each member is exaggerated so that the relationship between each member can be easily understood. As shown in FIG. 11, the vertical thickness of the fifth region 141 provided at a position where the tablet 2 discharged from the tablet passage 30 may collide with the bottom plate 14 is thinner than the vertical thickness of the sixth region 142, which is a region other than the fifth region 141. Since the vertical thickness of the fifth region 141 is thinner than the vertical thickness of the sixth region 142, the fifth region 141 is more likely to be elastically deformed when colliding with the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passage 30 than the sixth region 142, that is, it is easier to absorb the impact of the collision.

[0076] For example, when the fifth region 141 collides with the tablet 2, the position of the fifth region 141 where the tablet 2 collides is deformed in the moving direction of the tablet 2 before the collision with the fifth region 141 (for example, substantially vertically downward), and the surrounding region is deformed suddenly or gradually. By making the thickness of the fifth region 141, which is the region that may collide with the tablet 2, thinner than the thickness of the sixth region 142, which is the region other than the fifth region 141, when the tablet 2 collides with the bottom plate 14, it is possible to prevent the tablet 2 from bouncing due to the impact of the collision.

[0077] (Location where the buffer area will be formed) Regarding the medicine preparation section 10 described thus far, the position at which the buffer area Ba is formed, which is "an area that elastically deforms to cushion the impact when it collides with the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passage 30," can be summarized as follows.

[0078] (1. Create a buffer area on the top panel) In the medicine preparation section 10, the multiple storage sections 100 are formed along the outer periphery of the partition forming body 11 and inside the outer periphery of the partition forming body 11. In the medicine preparation section 10, a top plate 12 facing an outlet of the tablet passing path 30 is provided approximately vertically above the partition forming body 11. Each of the multiple storage sections 100 is capable of receiving the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passing path 30 via each of a plurality of openings 1201 provided in the top plate 12. In the medicine preparation section 10, a buffer area Ba is formed in the top plate 12.

[0079] The buffer area Ba formed on the top panel 12 elastically deforms when colliding with the tablet 2, thereby absorbing the impact of the collision with the tablet 2 and reducing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing off due to the impact of the collision.

[0080] Therefore, according to the above-mentioned configuration, the medicine preparation section 10 has the effect of absorbing the impact when the tablet 2 collides with the top panel 12 by the buffer area Ba formed in the top panel 12, thereby reducing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing off due to the impact when colliding with the top panel 12.

[0081] If the tablet 2 bounces due to the impact of the collision, the timing at which the tablet 2 is stored in the desired storage section 100 (for example, storage section 100B) where the tablet 2 should be stored is delayed. The compartment forming body 11 having the multiple storage sections 100 rotates together with the top plate 12 about a vertical axis 16. Therefore, if the timing at which the tablet 2 is stored in the storage section 100B is delayed, the compartment forming body 11 and the top plate 12 rotate during that time, and as a result, the tablet 2 may be stored in a storage section 100 (for example, storage section 100C) different from the storage section 100B.

[0082] Therefore, when the compartment forming body 11 and the top plate 12 rotate around the vertical axis 16 relative to the outlet of the tablet passage path 30 and the bottom plate 14, the medicine preparation unit 10 further achieves the following effect by forming the buffer area Ba in the top plate 12. That is, the medicine preparation unit 10 achieves the effect of preventing the tablet 2 from being stored in the storage unit 100C different from the storage unit 100B, because the tablet 2 bounces due to the impact of the collision with the top plate 12, and the timing at which the tablet 2 is stored in the storage unit 100B is delayed.

[0083] (1.1. The first area of ​​the top panel is the buffer area.) The top panel 12 includes a first region 121 which is a region where the tablet 2 discharged from the tablet passing path 30 may collide with, and a second region 122 which is a region other than the first region 121. The first region 121 and the second region 122 are made of the same material. The first region 121 is formed as a buffer region Ba by making the vertical thickness of the first region 121 thinner than the vertical thickness of the second region 122.

[0084] According to the above configuration, the medicine preparation unit 10 has an effect that the first region 121 formed as the buffer region Ba in the top panel 12 absorbs the impact when the tablet 2 collides with the first region 121, thereby suppressing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing due to the impact. That is, in the top panel 12, the thickness of the first region 121 is thinner than the thickness of the second region 122 and is more likely to be elastically deformed, so the first region 121 can suppress the tablet 2 from colliding with the top panel 12 and bouncing.

[0085] Furthermore, when the compartment forming body 11 and the top plate 12 rotate around the vertical axis 16, the first region 121 having a small thickness allows the medicine preparing section 10 to achieve the following additional effect: That is, the medicine preparing section 10 can prevent the tablet 2 from bouncing due to the impact of the collision with the top plate 12, delaying the timing of storing the tablet 2 in the desired storage section 100 (e.g., storage section 100B), and preventing the tablet 2 from being stored in storage section 100C.

[0086] Here, as a method for reducing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing off due to the impact of colliding with the top panel 12 (first region 121), it may be possible to provide a separate shock absorbing material such as a sponge in the first region 121.

[0087] However, if an additional member such as an impact absorbing material is provided in an area where it may collide with the tablet 2, the additional member may be damaged, peeled off, etc. for some reason, and the additional member may be packaged in the packaging paper along with the tablet 2.

[0088] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 reduces the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing off due to the impact of a collision by making the vertical thickness of the first region 121 thinner than the vertical thickness of the second region 122 without using additional components such as shock absorbing materials.

[0089] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 has the effect of preventing something other than the tablet 2 from being packaged in the packaging paper together with the tablet 2, while suppressing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing off due to the impact of a collision.

[0090] Furthermore, when additional components such as shock absorbing materials are provided, additional costs are incurred, such as the cost of the additional components, but the medicine preparation section 10 does not require such additional components to prevent the tablet 2 from bouncing off due to the impact of colliding with the top panel 12.

[0091] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 has the effect of reducing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing due to the impact of a collision while reducing the costs required for implementation compared to the case where an additional member is provided to suppress the tablet 2 bouncing.

[0092] (1.2. The edge of the top panel is the buffer area.) In the medicine preparation section 10, a gap 13 is provided between the top panel 12 and the side wall of the storage section 100, which facilitates elastic deformation of the edge portion 1211 when the edge portion 1211 collides with the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passage 30.

[0093] That is, compared to a case where the gap 13 is not provided, the gap 13 makes the edge portion 1211 in the medicine preparation section 10 more susceptible to elastic deformation when the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passing path 30 collides with the edge portion 1211. For example, when the edge portion 1211 collides with the tablet 2, the position of the edge portion 1211 where the edge portion 1211 collides with the tablet 2 deforms in the moving direction of the tablet 2 before colliding with the edge portion 1211 (for example, substantially vertically downward), and the surrounding area deforms rapidly or gradually.

[0094] By making edge portion 1211 easier to deform elastically by means of gap 13, edge portion 1211 can better absorb the impact upon collision with tablet 2 than in the case where gap 13 is not provided, i.e., tablet 2 can be better prevented from bouncing upon collision with edge portion 1211.

[0095] Therefore, by providing the gap 13, the medicine preparation section 10 has the effect of preventing the tablet 2 from bouncing off due to the edge portion 1211 more easily elastically deforming upon collision with the tablet 2, compared to when the gap 13 is not provided.

[0096] Furthermore, when the compartment forming body 11 and the top panel 12 rotate around the vertical axis 16, the gap 13 allows the medicine preparing section 10 to achieve the following additional effect: That is, the medicine preparing section 10 can avoid a situation in which the tablet 2 bounces due to the impact of the collision with the edge portion 1211, delaying the timing of storing the tablet 2 in the desired storage section 100 (e.g., storage section 100B), and the tablet 2 ends up being stored in storage section 100C.

[0097] Here, it is particularly desirable that the thickness of the top panel 12 (for example, the vertical thickness of the first region 121) is thinner than the thickness of the side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100 (specifically, the thickness of at least one of the third side wall plate 1111 and the fourth side wall plate 1112 described later). When the vertical thickness of the first region 121 is thinner than the thickness of the side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100, by providing a gap 13 between the top panel 12 and the side wall of the storage section 100, the tablet 2 can be further prevented from colliding with the edge portion 1211 and bouncing, compared to when the gap 13 is not provided. That is, by reducing the vertical thickness of the first region 121 including the edge portion 1211, the edge portion 1211 becomes more easily elastically deformed, and further, by providing the gap 13, the edge portion 1211 becomes more easily elastically deformed, compared to when the gap 13 is not provided.

[0098] In the medicine preparation section 10, the gap 13 is a portion where the top plate 12 and the side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100 are not in contact with each other, that is, the gap 13 is provided between the top plate 12 and the side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100. For example, the top plate 12 and the side wall of the storage section 100 may be joined together except for the gap 13. The gap 13 may be a through hole that passes through the side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100 in a substantially horizontal direction, and may be a through hole provided in a portion of the side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100 located directly below the edge portion 1211.

[0099] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the gap 13 makes the edge portion 1211 of the medicine preparing section 10 more susceptible to elastic deformation than a case in which the gap 13 is not provided. For example, when the edge portion 1211 collides with the tablet 2, the position of the edge portion 1211 where the edge portion 1211 collides with the tablet 2 deforms in the moving direction of the tablet 2 before the collision with the edge portion 1211 (for example, substantially vertically downward), and the surrounding area deforms rapidly or gradually.

[0100] The edge portion 1211, which is made more susceptible to elastic deformation by the voids 13, can better absorb the impact upon collision with the tablet 2 than in a case where the voids 13 are not provided, that is, the tablet 2 can be better prevented from bouncing upon collision with the edge portion 1211.

[0101] Therefore, by providing the gap 13, the medicine preparation section 10 has the effect of preventing the tablet 2 from bouncing off due to the edge portion 1211 more easily elastically deforming upon collision with the tablet 2, compared to when the gap 13 is not provided.

[0102] Furthermore, when the compartment forming body 11 and the top plate 12 are rotating around the vertical axis 16, the gap 13 provided between the top plate 12 and the side wall of the storage section 100 allows the medicine preparation section 10 to achieve the following effect: That is, the medicine preparation section 10 further achieves the effect of being able to avoid a situation in which the tablet 2 bounces due to the impact of the collision with the edge portion 1211, delaying the timing at which the tablet 2 is stored in the desired storage section 100 (e.g., storage section 100B), and the tablet 2 ends up being stored in storage section 100C.

[0103] Here, as a method for preventing the tablet 2 from bouncing off due to the impact of the impact with the edge portion 1211, it may be possible to provide a shock absorbing material such as a sponge on the edge portion 1211 separately.

[0104] However, if an additional member such as an impact absorbing material is provided separately on edge portion 1211, the additional member may be damaged, peeled off, etc. for some reason, and the additional member may be packaged in the packaging paper together with tablet 2.

[0105] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 provides a gap 13 without using additional components such as shock absorbing materials, making the edge portion 1211 easier to deform elastically, thereby reducing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing off due to the impact when it collides with the edge portion 1211.

[0106] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 has the effect of eliminating the possibility of something other than the tablet 2 being packaged in the packaging paper together with the tablet 2, while suppressing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing off due to the impact of colliding with the edge portion 1211.

[0107] Furthermore, if additional components such as shock absorbing materials are provided, additional costs will be incurred, such as the cost of the additional components, but the medicine preparation section 10 does not require such additional components to prevent the tablet 2 from bouncing off due to the impact of colliding with the edge portion 1211.

[0108] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 has the effect of reducing the cost required for implementation compared to the case where an additional member is provided to prevent the tablet 2 from bouncing, while reducing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing due to the impact of colliding with the edge portion 1211.

[0109] The gap 13 as a through hole penetrating the side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100 in a substantially horizontal direction may be provided at any position (height) of the side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100. For example, the gap 13 may be provided at a position of the side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100 close to the bottom of the storage section 100. By providing the gap 13 (i.e., a through hole penetrating the side wall plate in a substantially horizontal direction) at any position of the side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100, the edge portion 1211 becomes more likely to elastically deform when colliding with the tablet 2 compared to when the gap 13 is not provided. However, the edge portion 1211 becomes most likely to elastically deform when the gap 13 is provided directly below the edge portion 1211 of the side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100, that is, when the gap 13 is provided between the top panel 12 and the side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100.

[0110] The vertical width of the gap 13 is a dimension that does not allow the tablet 2 to pass through. According to the above configuration, in the medicine preparation section 10, the vertical width of the gap 13 is a dimension that does not allow the tablet 2 to pass through, so that the medicine preparation section 10 has an effect of preventing the tablet 2 from passing through the gap 13 and going outside the storage section 100.

[0111] The compartment forming body 11 rotates around a vertical axis 16. The tablet 2 is discharged through the tablet passage path 30 between the "rear wall 112B of the desired storage section 100 (e.g., storage section 100B)" and the "rear wall 112A of storage section 100A, which is the storage section 100 immediately before storage section 100B with respect to the rotation direction of the compartment forming body 11." The gap 13 is provided between the front wall 111 of the storage section 100 and the top panel 12.

[0112] Since the tablet 2 is discharged between the rear wall 112B of the desired storage section 100B and the rear wall 112A of the storage section 100A immediately preceding the desired storage section 100B, there is a possibility that the tablet 2 may collide with the edge portion 1211B of the top panel 12, which is vertically above the "front wall 111B of the desired storage section 100B."

[0113] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 provides the gap 13 in the "front wall 111 of the storage section 100" to make the edge portion 1211B located vertically above the "front wall 111B of the desired storage section 100B" more elastically deformable than when the gap 13 is not provided. In other words, the edge portion 1211B located vertically above the "front wall 111B of the desired storage section 100B" is more elastically deformable than when the gap 13B is not provided due to the gap 13B. Therefore, compared to when the gap 13B is not provided, the edge portion 1211B when the gap 13B is provided is more elastically deformable when colliding with the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passage path 30, that is, it absorbs the impact of the collision with the tablet 2 more.

[0114] Therefore, by providing a gap 13 in the "front wall 111 of the storage section 100," the medicine preparation section 10 makes the edge portion 1211B more easily elastically deformable than when the gap 13 is not provided, thereby achieving the effect of preventing the tablet 2 from bouncing due to the impact of a collision.

[0115] In addition, the medicine preparation section 10 has the further effect of preventing a situation in which the tablet 2 bounces due to the impact of collision with the edge portion 1211B, delaying the timing at which the tablet 2 is stored in the desired storage section 100B, and the tablet 2 ends up being stored in the storage section 100C.

[0116] (2. The inclined wall of the storage section 100 serves as a buffer area) At least a part (e.g., front wall 111(SL)) of a side wall (e.g., front wall 111) of storage section 100 is an inclined wall that is inclined so that the area of ​​the horizontal surface surrounded by the side wall of storage section 100 becomes smaller toward the vertically downward side. The buffer area Ba is formed in the inclined wall (e.g., front wall 111(SL)).

[0117] According to the above-mentioned configuration, in the medicine preparation section 10, the front wall 111(SL) is inclined so that the area of ​​the horizontal plane surrounded by the side walls of the storage section 100 becomes smaller vertically downward. For example, the front wall 111(SL) is inclined toward the rear wall 112 opposed to the front wall 111(SL). Therefore, the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passing path 30 may collide with the front wall 111(SL).

[0118] The medicine preparation section 10 has a buffer area Ba formed in the front wall 111 (SL) that absorbs the impact when the tablet 2 collides with the front wall 111 (SL), thereby reducing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing off due to the impact when colliding with the front wall 111 (SL).

[0119] Furthermore, when the compartment forming body 11 rotates around the vertical axis 16, the medicine preparing section 10 further achieves the following effect by using the inclined wall (e.g., the front wall 111(SL)) of the storage section 100 as the buffer area Ba. That is, the medicine preparing section 10 further achieves the effect that the tablet 2 bounces due to the impact of the collision with the front wall 111(SL), delaying the timing of storing the tablet 2 in the desired storage section 100 (e.g., storage section 100B), and thus it is possible to avoid the situation in which the tablet 2 is stored in storage section 100C.

[0120] In the medicine preparing section 10, the thickness of the third side wall plate 1111 which is a thin plate constituting the front wall 111(SL) is thinner than the thickness of the fourth side wall plate 1112 which is a thin plate constituting the side wall of the storage section 100 other than the front wall 111(SL). That is, in the medicine preparing section 10, the front wall 111(SL) is formed as a buffer area Ba.

[0121] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the medicine preparation section 10 absorbs the impact when the tablet 2 collides with the front wall 111(SL) by the front wall 111(SL) formed as the buffer area Ba, and suppresses the possibility that the tablet 2 will bounce due to the impact at the time of the collision. The thickness of the third side wall plate 1111 constituting the front wall 111(SL) is thinner and more easily elastically deformed than the thickness of the fourth side wall plate 1112 constituting the side wall of the storage section 100 other than the front wall 111(SL). Therefore, compared to the side walls of the storage section 100 other than the front wall 111(SL), the front wall 111(SL) suppresses the tablet 2 from colliding with the front wall 111(SL) and bouncing.

[0122] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 has the effect that the front wall 111 (SL) formed as the buffer area Ba elastically deforms upon collision with the tablet 2 to absorb the impact of the collision, thereby preventing the tablet 2 from bouncing off the front wall 111 (SL).

[0123] Furthermore, when the compartment forming body 11 rotates around the vertical axis 16, the front wall 111 (SL) formed as the buffer area Ba provides the medicine preparing section 10 with the following additional effect: The medicine preparing section 10 further provides the effect that the tablet 2 bounces due to the impact of the collision with the front wall 111 (SL), delaying the timing at which the tablet 2 is stored in the desired storage section 100 (e.g., storage section 100B), thereby preventing the tablet 2 from being stored in storage section 100C.

[0124] Here, as a method for preventing the tablet 2 from bouncing off due to the impact of colliding with the front wall 111 (SL), it may be possible to provide a shock absorbing material such as a sponge on the front wall 111 (SL).

[0125] However, if an additional member such as an impact absorbing material is provided separately on the front wall 111 (SL), the additional member may be damaged, peeled off, etc. for some reason, and the additional member may be packaged in the packaging paper together with the tablet 2.

[0126] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 reduces the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing off due to the impact of colliding with the front wall 111 (SL) by making the thickness of the third side wall panel 1111 thinner than the thickness of the fourth side wall panel 1112 without using additional components such as shock absorbing materials.

[0127] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 has the effect of eliminating the possibility of something other than the tablet 2 being packaged in the packaging paper together with the tablet 2, while suppressing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing off due to the impact of colliding with the front wall 111 (SL).

[0128] Furthermore, if additional components such as shock absorbing materials are provided, additional costs will be incurred, such as the cost of the additional components, but the medicine preparation section 10 does not require such additional components to prevent the tablet 2 from bouncing off due to the impact of collision with the front wall 111 (SL).

[0129] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 has the advantage of being able to reduce the cost required for implementation compared to the case where an additional member is provided to suppress the tablet 2 from bouncing, while also reducing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing due to the impact of colliding with the front wall 111 (SL).

[0130] (3. Form a buffer area on the bottom panel) In the compartment forming body 11, the bottom of the storage section 100 is open. The medicine preparation section 10 has a bottom plate 14 that constitutes the bottom of the multiple storage sections 100, located approximately vertically below the compartment forming body 11. The compartment forming body 11 rotates relatively to the bottom plate 14 about a vertical axis 16, so that the tablets 2 retained in the storage section 100 are supplied to the packaging section 40 from a supply port 1401, which is an opening provided in the bottom plate 14. In the medicine preparation section 10, the buffer area Ba is formed in the bottom plate 14.

[0131] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the medicine preparation section 10 has the effect of absorbing the impact when the tablet 2 collides with the bottom plate 14 by the buffer area Ba formed in the bottom plate 14, thereby reducing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing off due to the impact when colliding with the bottom plate 14.

[0132] In addition, the medicine preparation section 10 has the further effect of preventing the tablet 2 from bouncing due to the impact of collision with the bottom plate 14, which would delay the timing at which the tablet 2 is stored in the desired storage section 100 (e.g., storage section 100B), and thus preventing the tablet 2 from being stored in storage section 100C.

[0133] The bottom plate 14 includes a fifth region 141 which is a region that may collide with the tablet 2 discharged from the tablet passing path 30, and a sixth region 142 which is a region other than the fifth region 141. The fifth region 141 and the sixth region 142 are made of the same material. The fifth region 141 is formed as a buffer region Ba by making the vertical thickness of the fifth region 141 thinner than the vertical thickness of the sixth region 142.

[0134] According to the above configuration, the medicine preparing section 10 uses the fifth region 141 formed as the buffer region Ba in the bottom plate 14 to absorb the impact when the tablet 2 collides with the fifth region 141, thereby suppressing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing due to the impact at the time of collision. That is, in the bottom plate 14, the thickness of the fifth region 141 is thinner than the thickness of the sixth region 142 and is more likely to be elastically deformed, so that the fifth region 141 has the effect of suppressing the tablet 2 from colliding with the bottom plate 14 and bouncing.

[0135] In addition, the medicine preparation section 10 has the further effect of preventing the tablet 2 from bouncing due to the impact of collision with the bottom plate 14, which would delay the timing at which the tablet 2 is stored in the desired storage section 100 (e.g., storage section 100B), and thus preventing the tablet 2 from being stored in storage section 100C.

[0136] Here, as a method for preventing the tablet 2 from bouncing off due to the impact of colliding with the bottom panel 14 (fifth region 141), it may be possible to provide a separate shock absorbing material such as a sponge in the fifth region 141.

[0137] However, if an additional member such as an impact absorbing material is provided separately in the fifth region 141, the additional member may be damaged, peeled off, etc. for some reason, and the additional member may be packaged in the packaging paper together with the tablet 2.

[0138] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 reduces the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing off due to the impact of a collision by making the vertical thickness of the fifth region 141 thinner than the vertical thickness of the sixth region 142 without using additional components such as shock absorbing materials.

[0139] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 has the effect of preventing something other than the tablet 2 from being packaged in the packaging paper together with the tablet 2, while suppressing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing off due to the impact of a collision.

[0140] Furthermore, when additional components such as shock absorbing materials are provided, additional costs are incurred, such as the cost of the additional components, but the medicine preparation section 10 does not require such additional components to prevent the tablet 2 from bouncing off due to the impact of collision with the bottom plate 14.

[0141] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 has the effect of reducing the cost required for implementation compared to the case where an additional member is provided to suppress the tablet 2 from bouncing, while reducing the possibility of the tablet 2 bouncing due to the impact of colliding with the bottom plate 14.

[0142] (Regarding the tablet ejection position and storage in the tablet storage section) Fig. 12 is a diagram for explaining the position of the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passing path 30. In particular, Fig. 12 illustrates the position of the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passing path 30 when the "desired storage section 100 in which the tablet 2 should be stored" is the storage section 100A.

[0143] 12, in the medicine dispensing device 1, the tablet 2 is already discharged from the tablet passing path 30 to the top panel 12 before the vertically upper opening of the desired storage section 100A (i.e., the opening 1201A of the top panel 12) comes to a position facing the outlet of the tablet passing path 30. Specifically, the tablet 2 is discharged through the tablet passing path 30 between the "rear wall 112A of the desired storage section 100A" and the "rear wall 112B of storage section 100B, which is the storage section 100 immediately preceding storage section 100A with respect to the rotation direction of the partition forming body 11."

[0144] Therefore, the drug dispensing device 1 can accelerate the timing at which the tablet 2 is stored in the desired storage section 100A compared to when the tablet 2 is discharged into the drug preparation section 10 after the vertically upward opening of the desired storage section 100A reaches a position opposite the exit of the tablet passage path 30.

[0145] Fig. 13 is a diagram for explaining how the tablet 2 is stored in the storage section 100. Like Fig. 12, Fig. 13 explains how the tablet 2 is stored in the desired storage section 100A when the "desired storage section 100 in which the tablet 2 should be stored" is the storage section 100A.

[0146] 13(A), in the medicine dispensing device 1, the tablet 2 is discharged from the tablet passing path 30 to the top plate 12 before the vertically upper opening of the desired storage section 100A comes to a position facing the outlet of the tablet passing path 30. Specifically, the tablet 2 is discharged through the tablet passing path 30 between the "rear wall 112A of the desired storage section 100A" and the "rear wall 112B of storage section 100B, which is the storage section 100 immediately preceding storage section 100A with respect to the rotation direction of the partition forming body 11."

[0147] The tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passage path 30 between the "rear wall 112A of the desired storage section 100A" and the "rear wall 112B of storage section 100B" collides with the area between the rear wall 112A and the rear wall 112B of the top panel 12, as shown in (B) of Figure 13, for example.

[0148] As the compartment forming body 11 rotates, the tablet 2 on the "area between rear wall 112A and rear wall 112B of the top panel 12" is pushed by the "inner wall of the tablet passage path 30 on the rear side in the direction of rotation of the compartment forming body 11" and moves on the top panel 12, approaching the opening 1201A.

[0149] Then, as shown in (C) of Figure 13, the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passage path 30 between the "rear wall 112A of the desired storage section 100A" and the "rear wall 112B of the storage section 100B" is inserted into the desired storage section 100A through the opening 1201A.

[0150] As shown in (D) of FIG. 13, at the timing when the tablet 2 reaches the bottom of the desired storage section 100A, the following situation is realized with respect to the bottom plate 14 that blocks the bottom of the desired storage section 100A. That is, at the timing when the tablet 2 reaches the bottom of the desired storage section 100A, the fifth region 141, which has a vertical thickness thinner than the vertical thickness of the sixth region 142, blocks the bottom of the desired storage section 100A. Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 absorbs the impact when the tablet 2 collides with the fifth region 141 by the fifth region 141 formed as a buffer region Ba in the bottom plate 14, and suppresses the possibility that the tablet 2 will bounce due to the impact at the time of collision.

[0151] Even if the tablet 2 collides with the bottom plate 14, it does not bounce due to the impact of the collision, and therefore the medicine preparation section 10 can avoid a situation in which the timing at which the tablet 2 is stored in the desired storage section 100A is delayed, resulting in the tablet 2 being stored in a storage section 100F other than the desired storage section 100A.

[0152] Here, the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passing path 30 between the "rear wall 112A of the desired storage section 100A" and the "rear wall 112B of the storage section 100B" does not necessarily collide with the region between the rear wall 112A and the rear wall 112B of the top panel 12. For example, the tablet 2 discharged between the "rear wall 112A of the desired storage section 100A" and the "rear wall 112B of the storage section 100B" may collide with the edge portion 1211A located vertically above the "front wall 111A of the desired storage section 100A."

[0153] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 provides the gap 13 in the "front wall 111 of the storage section 100" to make the edge portion 1211A located vertically above the "front wall 111A of the desired storage section 100A" more elastically deformable than when the gap 13 is not provided. In other words, the edge portion 1211A located vertically above the "front wall 111A of the desired storage section 100A" is more elastically deformable due to the gap 13A. When the edge portion 1211A collides with the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passage path 30, it elastically deforms to absorb the impact of the collision, thereby suppressing the tablet 2 from bouncing due to the impact of the collision.

[0154] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 can prevent a situation in which the tablet 2 bounces due to the impact of colliding with the edge portion 1211A, delaying the timing at which the tablet 2 is stored in the desired storage section 100A, and the tablet 2 ends up being stored in a storage section 100F other than the desired storage section 100A.

[0155] In addition, a tablet 2 discharged between the "rear wall 112A of the desired storage portion 100A" and the "rear wall 112B of storage portion 100B" may collide with the front wall 111 (SL) "which is inclined toward the rear wall 112 in the storage portion 100."

[0156] Therefore, in the medicine preparation section 10, the thickness of the third side wall plate 1111 constituting the front wall 111(SL) is made thinner than the thickness of the fourth side wall plate 1112 constituting the side wall of the storage section 100 other than the front wall 111(SL). In other words, in the medicine preparation section 10, the front wall 111(SL) which may collide with the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passing path 30 is easily elastically deformed. When the front wall 111(SL) collides with the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passing path 30, it elastically deforms to absorb the impact of the collision, thereby suppressing the tablet 2 from bouncing due to the impact of the collision.

[0157] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 can prevent a situation in which the tablet 2 bounces due to the impact of colliding with the front wall 111 (SL), delaying the timing at which the tablet 2 is stored in the desired storage section 100A, and the tablet 2 ends up being stored in a storage section 100F other than the desired storage section 100A.

[0158] Furthermore, tablet 2 discharged through tablet passage path 30 between the "rear wall 112A of the desired storage portion 100A" and the "rear wall 112B of storage portion 100B" may collide with bottom plate 14 covering the bottom of storage portion 100.

[0159] Therefore, in the medicine preparation section 10, the vertical thickness of the fifth region 141, which is a region that may collide with the tablet 2 discharged from the tablet passing path 30, is made thinner than the vertical thickness of the sixth region 142, which is a region other than the fifth region 141, in the bottom plate 14. In other words, in the medicine preparation section 10, the fifth region 141, which may collide with the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passing path 30, is more likely to elastically deform than the sixth region 142. When the fifth region 141 collides with the tablet 2 discharged through the tablet passing path 30, it elastically deforms to absorb the impact of the collision, thereby suppressing the tablet 2 from bouncing due to the impact of the collision.

[0160] Therefore, the medicine preparation section 10 can prevent a situation in which the tablet 2 bounces due to the impact of colliding with the bottom panel 14, delaying the timing at which the tablet 2 is stored in the desired storage section 100A, and the tablet 2 is stored in a storage section 100F other than the desired storage section 100A.

[0161] For example, the vertical thickness of the first region 121 and the vertical thickness of the second region 122 are each 0.1 millimeters (hereinafter abbreviated as "mm") to 10 mm. As described above, the vertical thickness of the first region 121 is thinner than the vertical thickness of the second region 122.

[0162] For example, the thickness of the third side wall 1111 and the thickness of the fourth side wall 1112 are each 0.1 mm to 10 mm. As described above, the thickness of the third side wall 1111 is thinner than the thickness of the fourth side wall 1112.

[0163] It is desirable that the vertical thickness of the first region 121 is thinner than the thickness of the third side wall plate 1111. The first region 121, whose vertical thickness is thinner than the thickness of the third side wall plate 1111, is more easily elastically deformed than the third side wall plate 1111, and therefore the edge portion 1211 included in the first region 121 is more easily elastically deformed than the third side wall plate 1111. Furthermore, by providing the gap 13 directly below the edge portion 1211 of the first region 121, the edge portion 1211 is more easily elastically deformed than in a case where the gap 13 is not provided.

[0164] Furthermore, for example, the vertical thickness of the fifth region 141 and the vertical thickness of the sixth region 142 are each 0.1 mm to 10 mm. As described above, the vertical thickness of the fifth region 141 is thinner than the vertical thickness of the sixth region 142.

[0165] [Embodiment 2] FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the whole of the medicine dispensing device 1A according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 14, the medicine dispensing device 1A includes a medicine preparation section 10A, a plurality of cassettes 20, a tablet passageway 30, a packing section 40, a tablet standby section 50, a manual distribution unit 60, a touch panel 70, and a control section 80. The cassette 20 is a fixed cassette in which the type of the tablets 2 to be stored is fixed. However, the medicine dispensing device 1A may include, as the cassette 20, a variable cassette in which the type of the tablets 2 to be stored is changeable. The medicine preparation section 10A is located below the tablet standby section 50. In addition, in FIG. 14, in order to illustrate the tablet standby section 50, the medicine dispensing device 1A is shown in a state in which the tablet standby section 50 and the like are pulled forward from their original positions.

[0166] The control unit 80 is a control circuit that controls the overall operation of the medicine dispensing device 1A. Although the control unit 80 is arranged outside the medicine dispensing device 1A for convenience of illustration, it may be actually built into the medicine dispensing device 1A. The packing unit 40, the manual dispensing unit 60, and the touch panel 70 will be described in another embodiment described later.

[0167] FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the tablet standby section 50. As shown in FIG. 15, the tablet standby section 50 holds the tablets 2 until one packet of tablets 2 is supplied from the cassette 20 through the tablet passage path 30, and includes a standby hopper 51, a movable lid 52, and a rib 53. The standby hopper 51 is a funnel-shaped member having an opening 51a at the center and inclining so as to become lower toward the center. The movable lid 52 is a lid that opens and closes the opening 51a. The movable lid 52 opens and closes the opening 51a by moving up and down by an operating mechanism (not shown). When the opening 51a is closed, the tablet standby section 50 holds the tablets 2 supplied from the cassette 20 in the standby hopper 51. When the opening 51a is open, the tablet standby section 50 supplies the tablets 2 held in the standby hopper 51 from the opening 51a to the medicine preparation section 10A.

[0168] The rib 53 is a partition for preventing the tablets 2 from rotating and moving in the circumferential direction of the standby hopper 51 in the standby hopper 51 when the opening 51a is in a closed state. In the example shown in Fig. 15, four ribs 53 are provided between the standby hopper 51 and the movable lid 52 at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction of the standby hopper 51 and the movable lid 52. However, the number and positions of the ribs 53 are not limited to this.

[0169] Fig. 16 is an enlarged view of the rib 53. As shown in Fig. 16, slits 53a and 53b are formed near the upper portion of the rib 53. The slit 53a is formed from the side of the rib 53 facing the standby hopper 51. The slit 53b is formed from the side of the rib 53 facing the movable lid 52. In Fig. 16, the slit 53a is formed longer than the slit 53b. However, the rib 53 may have slits with different positions, shapes and numbers from the slits 53a and 53b as long as the effects described below are achieved.

[0170] By providing the slits 53a and 53b, the portion of the rib 53 above the slit 53a bends when the tablet 2 collides with the upper end of the rib 53, thereby absorbing the impact of the tablet 2 colliding with it.

[0171] Here, if the tablet 2 supplied from the cassette 20 collides with the upper end of the rib 53 and jumps up into the air above the tablet standby section 50, the timing at which the tablet 2 waits at the bottom of the tablet standby section 50 is delayed. The control section 80 operates the movable lid 52 to discharge the tablet 2 from the opening 51a to the medicine preparation section 10A after a predetermined time has elapsed after one packet of tablets 2 has been dispensed from the cassette 20 (after the time has elapsed that can be determined as one packet of tablets 2 being contained in the tablet standby section 50). Therefore, while the tablet 2 jumps up into the air above the tablet standby section 50, the movable lid 52 may operate to open and close the opening 51a. As a result, there is a possibility that the tablet 2 that should be discharged from the tablet standby section 50 to the medicine preparation section 10A at the timing of the opening and closing may not be discharged.

[0172] Therefore, the rib 53 absorbs the impact of the tablet 2 colliding with the upper end by the slits 53a and 53b, reducing the possibility that the tablet 2 will bounce due to the impact. Therefore, the tablet standby section 50 has the effect of reducing the possibility that the tablet 2 that should be discharged from the tablet standby section 50 to the medicine preparation section 10A at the desired timing will not be discharged due to the tablet 2 bouncing due to the impact of the collision with the rib 53.

[0173] The width of the slits 53a and 53b may be set to a degree that provides the above-mentioned effects, for example, 1.5 mm or less. The width may be set in consideration of the material of the tablet waiting section 50, the arrangement position of the slits, the number of slits, etc.

[0174] In the example shown in FIG. 16, the rib 53 is a single member having slits 53a and 53b. However, the rib 53 may have an upper member and a lower member arranged with a gap therebetween. The gap between the upper member and the lower member may also be set to, for example, 1.5 mm or less. When the tablet 2 collides with the upper member, the upper member can move relative to the lower member by the gap. In this case, the impact caused by the tablet 2 colliding with the upper member of the rib 53 is absorbed by the movement of the upper member, so that the same effect as the rib 53 having slits 53a and 53b is achieved.

[0175] FIG. 17 is a top view of the medicine preparation unit 10A viewed vertically from above. FIG. 18 is a bottom view of the medicine preparation unit 10A viewed vertically from below. The medicine preparation unit 10A has a partition forming body 11A instead of the partition forming body 11. The partition forming body 11A has a storage unit 100 with an open bottom, similar to the above-mentioned partition forming body 11. In addition, the medicine preparation unit 10A has a bottom plate 14A instead of the bottom plate 14. Similar to the above-mentioned bottom plate 14, the bottom plate 14A has a portion capable of closing the bottom of the storage unit 100 and a supply port 1401 capable of supplying the tablets 2 stored in the storage unit 100 to the packaging unit 40.

[0176] As with the medicine preparation unit 10, the medicine preparation unit 10A stores tablets 2 in a plurality of storage units 100, one packet at a time, and supplies the tablets 2 to the packaging unit 40, which packages the tablets 2 in packaging paper. The medicine preparation unit 10A supplies the tablets 2 stored in the storage units 100 to the packaging unit 40 by the relative movement of the partition forming body 11A with respect to the bottom plate 14A. Specifically, the partition forming body 11A rotates around the axis 16 while the bottom plate 14A is stationary. However, in the medicine preparation unit 10A, the bottom plate 14A may rotate around the axis 16 while the partition forming body 11A is stationary. In either case, the tablets 2 stored in the storage unit 100 move relative to the bottom plate 14A and are supplied to the packaging unit 40 from a supply port 1401 (see FIG. 19) provided on the bottom plate 14A.

[0177] FIG. 19 is a top view of the bottom plate 14A of the medicine preparation section 10A viewed vertically from above. In FIG. 19, the region 15C is an area facing the storage section 100, and is an area where the tablet 2 placed in the storage section 100 can move with the relative movement of the partition forming body 11A with respect to the bottom plate 14A. The region 15C is defined by a moving path along which the tablet 2 can move with the relative movement, and may have a width corresponding to the width of the supply port 1401 in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction of the medicine preparation section 10A. For example, when the width of the region between the grooves 15A and 15B corresponds to the width of the supply port 1401, the width of the region between the grooves 15A and 15B is equal to the width of the region 15C.

[0178] Unlike the bottom plate 14, the bottom plate 14A does not have a discharge port 15 on the moving path along which the tablet 2 moves as the compartment forming body 11 rotates. The bottom plate 14A has annular grooves 15A and 15B in the outer region of the region 15C. Specifically, the groove 15A is provided at a position farther from the axis 16 than the region 15C. The groove 15B is provided at a position closer to the axis 16 than the region 15C. In other words, the region 15C is the inner region of the grooves 15A and 15B. The grooves 15A and 15B will be described later.

[0179] In addition, bottom plate 14A may have fifth region 141, similar to bottom plate 14. However, fifth region 141 is not essential in bottom plate 14A. Also, first region 121 is not essential in top plate 12 provided in medicine preparation unit 10A. In addition, buffer region Ba provided in medicine preparation unit 10, such as gap 13 formed between top plate 12 and storage section 100, is not essential in medicine preparation unit 10A.

[0180] Fig. 20 is a bottom view of the partition formation body 11A viewed vertically from below. As shown in Fig. 20, the partition formation body 11A further includes a removal unit 18 in addition to the configuration of the partition formation body 11. The removal unit 18 is a block-shaped member disposed on the bottom surface of the partition formation body 11A. The removal unit 18 rotates around the axis 16 together with the partition formation body 11A while being in contact with the bottom plate 14A.

[0181] Fig. 21 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the compartment forming body 11A and the bottom plate 14A in a plan view. As shown in Fig. 21, the removal unit 18 is provided at a position facing the movement path (i.e., area 15C) of the tablet 2 stored in the storage unit 100. In addition, the removal unit 18 is provided on the rear side of the storage unit 100 when the movement direction of the compartment forming body 11A relative to the bottom plate 14A (i.e., the movement direction of the tablet 2 stored in the storage unit 100) is defined as the front side.

[0182] In FIG. 21, a part of the removal section 18 faces the groove 15A, and another part of the removal section 18 faces the groove 15B. In this case, at least one of the powder and the fragments (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as powder, etc.) generated from the tablet 2 present in the region 15C can be guided along the removal section 18 to the groove 15A or 15B. Therefore, the powder, etc. can be more reliably contained in the groove 15A or 15B. Such powder, etc. is generated, for example, by the collision of the tablet 2 with the wall surface in the process of passing through the tablet passage path 30, or by friction between the tablet 2 placed in the storage section 100 and the bottom plate 14.

[0183] In drug preparation section 10A, at least a part of removal section 18 may face groove 15A or 15B in the vertical direction. In other words, at least a part of removal section 18 may be located vertically above groove 15A or 15B. In this case, removal section 18 can guide powder or the like present in region 15C along removal section 18 to groove 15A or 15B. Therefore, powder or the like can be more reliably contained in groove 15A or 15B.

[0184] The removal section 18 has a contact surface 18a with which powder and the like come into contact due to the relative movement of the compartment formation body 11A with respect to the bottom plate 14A. The contact surface 18a may be inclined with respect to a straight line PL perpendicular to the movement path of the tablet 2 when the compartment formation body 11A is viewed in a plan view from the bottom side of the storage section 100. In this embodiment, the straight line PL is a straight line perpendicular to the grooves 15A and 15B that extends from the center of the medicine preparation section 10A along the radial direction of the medicine preparation section 10A. Since the contact surface 18a is inclined with respect to the straight line PL in this manner, powder and the like can be accurately removed to the outside of the region 15C.

[0185] In this embodiment, the contact surface 18a is spaced away from the straight line PL in the rotation direction of the partition forming body 11A as it moves from the inside to the outside of the medicine preparation section 10A (i.e., from the groove 15B side to the groove 15A side). Therefore, due to the relative movement of the partition forming body 11A with respect to the bottom plate 14A, the powder, etc. discharged from the storage section 100 is pushed to the groove 15A side or bounced off by contacting the removal section 18. Specifically, the angle that the contact surface 18a forms with respect to the straight line PL in the above plan view may be greater than 0° and equal to or less than 4.5°. By making the angle greater than 0°, the contact surface 18a can be directed toward the outer periphery of the medicine preparation section 10A, so that the powder, etc. is more likely to be pushed or bounced off toward the outer periphery of the region 15C. In addition, 4.5° is the maximum angle when the positional relationship between the removal section 18 and the peripheral parts (e.g., the storage section 100) in the medicine preparation section 10A is taken into consideration. The closer the angle is to the maximum angle, the more likely it is that powder or the like will be pushed out or bounced off to the outer periphery of region 15C.

[0186] The contact surface 18a may be spaced from the outside to the inside of the medicine preparation section 10A (i.e., from the groove 15A side to the groove 15B side) toward the rear side in the rotation direction of the partition formation body 11A with respect to the straight line PL. In this case, the powder or the like discharged from the storage section 100 is pushed out toward the groove 15B side or is repelled by contacting the removal section 18.

[0187] FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a cross section of the medicine preparation unit 10A in a plane parallel to the axis 16. As shown in FIG. 22, in the medicine preparation unit 10A, a gap 143 having a dimension that makes it difficult for the tablet 2 to pass through is formed between the storage unit 100 and the bottom plate 14A. The height of the gap 143 is appropriately adjusted, for example, in the range of 0.3 mm to 1 mm according to the thickness of the tablet 2 during the manufacture of the medicine dispensing device 1A. Powder, etc. is discharged from the storage unit 100 through the gap 143 by the relative movement of the partition formation body 11A with respect to the bottom plate 14A. The removal unit 18 removes the powder, etc. from the region 15C by contacting the powder, etc. generated from the tablet 2 and discharged from the storage unit 100 by the relative movement of the partition formation body 11A with respect to the bottom plate 14A. The powder, etc. that has come into contact with the removal unit 18 is pushed or repelled by the removal unit 18 by the above-mentioned relative movement. This makes it possible to remove powder and the like that exists outside storage portion 100 from area 15C.

[0188] The removal portion 18 is made of a material that has a higher sliding property with respect to the bottom plate 14A than the material of the partition formation body 11A. For example, the bottom surface of the partition formation body 11A is made of aluminum, and the side wall of the storage portion 100 is made of ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). The removal portion 18 is made of a polymer. The bottom plate 14A is made of POM (Polyoxymethylene). By making the removal portion 18 and the bottom plate 14A out of such materials, wear of the removal portion 18 and the bottom plate 14A can be reduced.

[0189] The above-mentioned grooves 15A and 15B are grooves in which powder, etc., removed by removal unit 18 is accommodated. In medicine preparation unit 10A, grooves 15A and 15B are provided in bottom plate 14A, so that the possibility that powder, etc., removed from area 15C by removal unit 18 is supplied to packing unit 40 from supply port 1401 can be further reduced. To clean grooves 15A and 15B containing powder, etc., bottom plate 14A can be removed and wiped dry. However, grooves 15A and 15B are not essential to medicine preparation unit 10A, and one or both may be omitted.

[0190] Fig. 23 is a schematic diagram showing the structure around the removal unit 18. As shown in Fig. 23, the partition formation body 11A includes a pressing unit 19 that presses the removal unit 18 against the bottom plate 14A. By pressing the removal unit 18 against the bottom plate 14A by the pressing unit 19, powder and the like present on the surface of the bottom plate 14A can be more reliably brought into contact with the removal unit 18.

[0191] 23, the pressing unit 19 includes a pin 19a that fixes the position of the removal unit 18 in a plan view, and a spring 19b (elastic member) that expands and contracts in the vertical direction. The removal unit 18 is movable in the vertical direction relative to the pin 19a. The spring 19b biases the removal unit 18 when the partition formation body 11A is attached to the bottom plate 14A. This allows the removal unit 18 to be pressed against the bottom plate 14A more reliably.

[0192] It should be noted that the medicine preparation section 10A does not necessarily have to include a plurality of storage sections 100, and may have a single storage section 100. Moreover, the partition forming body 11A does not necessarily have to rotate around the axis 16. For example, the partition forming body 11A may be configured such that the storage section 100 moves linearly along a predetermined axis within a region including the supply port 1401.

[0193] In addition, in medicine preparation section 10A, there are cases where even removal section 18 cannot completely remove powder, etc. from region 15C. However, in such cases, the powder, etc. on region 15C pushed or flipped away by removal section 18 will be packaged in the same packaging paper as tablet 2, which is the source of the powder, etc. Therefore, when medicine preparation section 10A includes multiple storage sections 100, it is possible to reduce the possibility that powder, etc. generated from tablet 2 contained in one storage section 100 will be mixed into packaging paper for tablet 2 contained in another storage section 100 and packaged.

[0194] Moreover, medicine preparation unit 10A does not need to be realized by the above-mentioned block as removal unit 18. For example, medicine preparation unit 10A may be provided with a suction mechanism for sucking powder and the like instead of the above-mentioned block as removal unit 18. Such removal unit 18 can also remove powder and the like present outside storage unit 100 in region 15C from region 15C. In this case, it is not necessary to provide grooves 15A and 15B in bottom plate 14A.

[0195] [Embodiment 3] The rotation of the partition forming body 11A in the medicine preparation section 10A will be described below. The following description is also applicable to the rotation of the partition forming body 11 in the medicine preparation section 10. In addition, in this embodiment, the partition forming body 11A is described as rotating relative to the bottom plate 14, but the same description can be applied even if the bottom plate 14 rotates relative to the partition forming body 11A.

[0196] In the medicine preparation section 10A, the partition formation body 11A rotates around the axis 16 at 60 degree increments. That is, the rotation of the partition formation body 11A has a stop position at every 60 degree. However, this angle is an example, and may be changed as appropriate depending on the number of storage sections 100 included in the medicine preparation section 10A.

[0197] When the partition forming body 11A is at a stop position, the bottom of any of the storage parts 100 is at a position on the bottom plate 14 that does not correspond to the supply port 1401. While the partition forming body 11A rotates 60 degrees from one stop position to the next stop position, the bottom of any of the storage parts 100 passes through a position corresponding to the supply port 1401, and the tablet 2 passes through the supply port 1401. This allows the tablet 2 to be supplied from the storage part 100 to the packaging part 40.

[0198] In this embodiment, the control unit 80 temporarily stops the rotation of the partition forming body 11 at the timing when the bottom of any of the storage units 100 passes a position corresponding to the supply port 1401. If the partition forming body 11 does not temporarily stop the rotation at the timing when the bottom of any of the storage units 100 passes a position corresponding to the supply port 1401, the following situation may occur. That is, the bottom of the storage unit 100 moves to a position that does not correspond to the supply port 1401 before all the tablets 2 retained in the storage unit 100 are supplied to the supply port 1401 due to the rotation of the partition forming body 11. In other words, the tablets 2 retained in the storage unit 100 do not fall from the supply port 1401, but pass directly above the supply port 1401. As a result, there is a possibility that the tablets 2 to be packaged remain in the storage unit 100 and are not packaged. In addition, after the partition forming body 11 makes one revolution, the tablets 2 remaining in the storage unit 100 are supplied to the supply port 1401, and packaging different from the prescription may be performed.

[0199] Therefore, the control unit 80 temporarily stops the rotation of the partition forming body 11 at the timing when any of the storage parts 100 passes a position corresponding to the supply port 1401. This has the effect of reducing the possibility that the tablets 2 to be packaged will remain in the storage parts 100 and will not be packaged, and that the tablets will be packaged in a manner different from that prescribed.

[0200] In the compartment formation body 11, the rotation speed from when rotation starts from a stop position until any of the storage sections 100 reaches a position corresponding to the supply port 1401 is defined as the first rotation speed. In addition, the rotation speed from when any of the storage sections 100 reaches a position corresponding to the supply port 1401 and temporarily stops rotation, until the next stop position is reached after rotation is resumed is defined as the second rotation speed. At this time, it is preferable that the first rotation speed is set to a speed slower than the second rotation speed.

[0201] If the compartment forming body 11 temporarily stops rotating when the storage section 100 passes through a position corresponding to the supply port 1401, the tablets 2 stored in the storage section 100 may collide with each other, causing the tablets 2 to bounce wildly. This phenomenon occurs particularly when a large tablet 2 and a small tablet 2 are present in the storage section 100. Specifically, the large tablet 2 collides with the small tablet 2, causing the small tablet 2 to bounce wildly. Furthermore, the compartment forming body 11 may resume rotation before the tablet 2 falls to the bottom of the storage section 100 again, causing the tablet 2 to not pass through the supply port 1401.

[0202] By setting the first rotation speed to a speed slower than the second rotation speed, it is possible to reduce the jumping of the tablets 2 when the rotation of the compartment forming body 11 is temporarily stopped. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the tablets 2 will not be supplied to the supply port 1401 due to the jumping. Furthermore, by setting the second rotation speed to a speed faster than the first rotation speed, it is possible to increase the number of times per unit time that the tablets 2 are supplied from the storage section 100 to the packaging section 40 via the supply port 1401 while reducing the above possibility. In other words, it is possible to increase the number of tablets 2 packaged per unit time.

[0203] [Embodiment 4] The medicine dispensing device 1A holds information on the expiration date of the stored tablets 2 and the expiration date arbitrarily determined by the user for the stored tablets 2 for each of the multiple cassettes 20. Even tablets 2 of the same type are stored in different cassettes 20 when the expiration date or expiration date is different. The expiration date is generally set to a date earlier than the expiration date, but is not limited to this.

[0204] When dispensing the tablets 2, the control unit 80 judges whether the expiration date or the use-by date of each cassette 20 storing the tablets 2 is the same as or later than the last day of the planned period of taking the tablets (last day of taking the tablets). The user of the medicine dispensing device 1A may arbitrarily set whether to judge the expiration date or the use-by date by inputting operation.

[0205] The information indicating the planned period of administration is included in the prescription data transmitted from a dispensing command device (not shown) to the medicine dispensing device 1A. However, the prescription data may be read into the medicine dispensing device 1A by a two-dimensional code written on a prescription. The prescription data may also be manually input by a user to the medicine dispensing device 1A via, for example, the touch panel 70. The date of administration may be calculated by the control unit 80 based on the information.

[0206] The dispensing command device creates prescription data indicating prescription contents input by a user and including information on drugs to be dispensed from at least one drug dispensing device communicably connected to the dispensing command device. The dispensing command device transmits the created prescription data to a drug dispensing device that dispenses the drugs indicated by the prescription data. In this embodiment, the dispensing command device is communicably connected to the drug dispensing device 1A, creates prescription data including information on tablets 2 to be dispensed from the drug dispensing device 1A, and transmits it to the drug dispensing device 1A. The drug dispensing device 1A dispenses tablets 2 based on the received prescription data.

[0207] The control unit 80 supplies the tablets 2 from the cassette 20 to the tablet standby unit 50 only when the expiration date or use-by date of the tablets 2 is the same as or later than the last day of taking the tablets 2. This allows the medicine dispensing device 1A to dispense the tablets 2 that are within the expiration date or use-by date. That is, the medicine dispensing device 1A can package the tablets 2 in consideration of the time when the patient will take the tablets 2. This reduces the possibility of handing over tablets 2 that have passed their expiration date or use-by date to the patient.

[0208] When there are a plurality of cassettes 20 of the same drug type in which the expiration date or expiration date of the tablets 2 is the same as or later than the last day of taking the tablets 2, the medicine dispensing device 1A supplies the tablets 2 to the tablet waiting unit 50 from the cassette 20 whose expiration date or expiration date is closest in time to the planned period of taking the tablets. This allows the medicine dispensing device 1A to dispense the tablets 2 from the cassette 20 whose expiration date or expiration date is closest in time to the planned period of taking the tablets. However, if this point is not taken into consideration, the control unit 80 may specify any one of the plurality of cassettes 20 in which the expiration date or expiration date of the tablets 2 is the same as or later than the last day of taking the tablets 2 as the cassette 20 from which the tablets 2 are to be dispensed.

[0209] In addition, if there is no cassette 20 in which the expiration date or use-by date of the tablet 2 is the same as or later than the last day of taking the tablet 2, the drug dispensing device 1A supplies the tablet 2 manually prepared using the manual preparation unit 60 described later to the tablet waiting section 50.

[0210] Here, an example of determining whether or not to dispense the tablet 2 based on the expiration date and the last administration date will be described. For example, Tablet 2 in cassette 20 of cassette number 1 has an expiration date of March 19, 2021. Tablet 2 in cassette 20 of cassette number 2 has an expiration date of March 23, 2021. Tablet 2 in cassette 20 of cassette number 3 has an expiration date of March 26, 2021. Let us assume that.

[0211] For example, if the last dose date is March 19, 2021, the expiration dates of the tablets 2 stored in the cassettes 20 with cassette numbers No. 1 to No. 3 are the same as or later than the last dose date. Therefore, the control unit 80 can specify the cassettes 20 with cassette numbers No. 1 to No. 3 as the cassettes from which the tablets 2 are to be dispensed, but in this embodiment, the control unit 80 specifies the cassette 20 with cassette number No. 1, whose expiration date or use-by date is closest in time to the planned period of administration, as the cassette 20 from which the tablets 2 are to be dispensed.

[0212] Furthermore, for example, if the last taking date is March 22, 2021, the control unit 80 can identify cassettes 20 with cassette numbers No. 2 to No. 3 as the cassettes from which tablets 2 are to be dispensed, but in this embodiment, it identifies cassette 20 with cassette number No. 2, whose expiration date or use-by date is closest in time to the planned taking period, as the cassette 20 from which tablets 2 are to be dispensed.

[0213] The manual distribution unit 60 is a unit for a user to manually distribute the tablets 2. The manual distribution unit 60 includes a plurality of compartments 61 into which the tablets 2 are manually distributed, and indicators 62 corresponding to each of the plurality of compartments 61. The indicators 62 are, for example, LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes).

[0214] The touch panel 70 is an input / output device that allows the control unit 80 to display information to the user and allows the user to input information to the drug dispensing device 1A. For example, the control unit 80 causes the touch panel 70 to display an image for the user to input information about the tablets 2 to be manually distributed. The user inputs information about the tablets 2 to be manually distributed (information that associates the tablets 2 to be manually distributed with the compartments 61 that accommodate the tablets 2) to the image displayed on the touch panel 70. The drug dispensing device 1A displays an image showing the compartments 61 that accommodate the tablets 2 in accordance with the input information, and lights up the indicators 62 corresponding to the compartments 61. Therefore, the user can distribute the tablets 2 in the appropriate compartments 61.

[0215] The control unit 80 may accept input of information indicating the expiration date of the tablets 2 to be manually distributed by the user in the manual distribution unit 60. For example, when the control unit 80 accepts input of the GS1 code given to the tablets 2 to be manually distributed, the control unit 80 compares the expiration date of the tablets 2 indicated by the GS1 code with the last day of administration.

[0216] The GS1 code is an example of information for identifying the type and expiration date of the tablets 2, and is printed on the PTP sheet or outer box of the tablets 2 to be manually distributed. The medicine dispensing device 1A includes, for example, a reading unit 75 (see FIG. 14) that reads the GS1 code, and the control unit 80 accepts input of the GS1 code via the reading unit 75. For example, when the GS1 code is printed on the PTP sheet or the like in barcode format, the reading unit 75 may be a barcode reader.

[0217] When the control unit 80 determines that the expiration date of the tablets 2 to be manually distributed is the same as or later than the last day of administration, it permits the acceptance of the manually distributed tablets 2 for all planned days of administration. That is, the control unit 80 displays on the touch panel 70 the compartments 61 for receiving tablets 2 up to the last day of administration, and lights up the indicators 62 corresponding to the compartments 61. After that, when the control unit 80 receives an instruction via the touch panel 70, for example, that the tablets 2 have been accommodated in all the compartments 61 for receiving the tablets 2, it causes the packaging unit 40 to package the manually distributed tablets 2.

[0218] When the control unit 80 determines that the expiration date of the tablets 2 is before the final day of administration, it permits the acceptance of the tablets 2 to be manually distributed only for the planned dates of administration up to the expiration date. After that, when the control unit 80 receives an instruction via, for example, the touch panel 70, that the tablets 2 have been accommodated in all the compartments 61 that receive the tablets 2, it causes the packaging unit 40 to package the manually distributed tablets 2.

[0219] The control unit 80 requests the user to manually distribute other tablets 2 of the same drug type for the period past the expiration date of the tablets 2 to be manually distributed. However, if the expiration date of the tablets 2 is before the last day of administration, the control unit 80 may not accept the manual distribution of the tablets 2 to be manually distributed at all, and may request the user to manually distribute other tablets 2 whose expiration date is the same as or later than the last day of administration.

[0220] The control unit 80 also performs the above-mentioned determination for other tablets 2. This allows the user to manually distribute tablets 2 within the expiration date as tablets 2 until the last day of use. Furthermore, the control unit 80 does not allow the packaging unit 40 to package all tablets 2 to be manually distributed, determining that the collation result is inappropriate until those within the expiration date are distributed until the last day of use. However, the control unit 80 may have a function to skip the above-mentioned determination by user input. By having this function, the control unit 80 can accept manual distribution of tablets 2 that do not have a GS1 code. In this case, the user only needs to check the expiration date of the tablets 2.

[0221] [Embodiment 5] The packaging unit 40 is a device that packages the tablets 2 in packaging paper. The packaging unit 40 has a supply device that supplies packaging paper. The packaging paper is attached to the supply device in the form of a roll of paper. The roll paper is a strip-shaped packaging paper (wrapping paper) wound around a tubular core member to form a roll. The roll paper of this embodiment is a strip-shaped packaging paper that is folded in half and then rolled into a roll. However, the roll paper attached to the packaging unit 40 is not limited to this.

[0222] The packing unit 40 also has a printing mechanism (not shown). In the packing unit 40, packing paper fed from a paper roll is introduced into the printing mechanism. The printing mechanism prints information (information about the prescription, and information about the tablets 2 to be provided) such as the patient's name, the name of the tablets 2, and the time of taking the tablets (date and time of taking the tablets) on the packing paper. The packing paper on which this information has been printed is then opened upward. In this state, it receives the tablets 2 that have dropped (supplied) from the supply port 1401.

[0223] Furthermore, the packaging unit 40 has a sealing mechanism (not shown). In the packaging unit 40, the packaging paper that has received the tablets 2 is introduced into the sealing mechanism. The sealing mechanism seals the packaging paper that has received the tablets 2 in the vertical and horizontal directions, thereby sequentially packaging the received tablets 2. The horizontal direction is the payout direction (discharge direction) of the packaging paper. Furthermore, the vertical direction is the direction that intersects (is perpendicular to) the payout direction of the packaging paper. In this way, a package containing a single dose of the tablets 2 is formed. Furthermore, the packaging unit 40 has a transport mechanism that transports the package to the outside of the packaging unit 40.

[0224] The conveying mechanism of the packaging unit 40 conveys the packaged products in a state of a group of multiple consecutive packaged products to the outside of the packaging unit 40. However, the conveying mechanism may also convey one or more individual packaged products to the outside of the packaging unit 40.

[0225] An identifier may be provided to the core member of the roll paper. The identifier is, for example, a storage element that stores information that can individually identify the roll paper. Examples of information that can individually identify the roll paper include information about the roll paper manufacturer (such as the manufacturer's name), information about the date of manufacture, or the type of roll paper wound around the core member. Other examples of information that can individually identify the roll paper include the order number of the roll paper, the shipping date, customer information about the delivery destination, the model name, model code, or other ID (Identification) of the packing unit 40 to which the roll paper is attached. A specific example of such an identifier is a memory such as an IC tag. The identifier may also be a code such as a one-dimensional code (barcode) or a two-dimensional code. When a code is used as the identifier, the identifier may be attached to the label of the roll paper.

[0226] When the roll paper is loaded into the packing unit 40, the control unit 80 may determine whether or not the roll paper is correct to be loaded into the packing unit 40. The identifier may also store information for identifying that the roll paper is unused. In this case, when the roll paper is loaded into the packing unit 40, the control unit 80 may determine whether or not the roll paper is unused.

[0227] Furthermore, the identifier may store information regarding the remaining amount of packaging paper. In this case, the control unit 80 may store, in the identifier, the remaining amount of packaging paper during the packaging operation in which the packaging unit 40 packages the tablets 2. The control unit 80 may also store, in the identifier, the remaining amount of packaging paper after the packaging operation by the packaging unit 40 is completed. That is, the control unit 80 may store information regarding the remaining amount of packaging paper at any timing during the packaging operation by the packaging unit 40.

[0228] The packaging unit 40 also has a forward packaging function for packaging the tablets 2 in a state where the packaged products are connected in the order in which the tablets 2 are to be taken. Furthermore, the packaging unit 40 has a reverse packaging function for packaging the tablets 2 in a state where the packaged products are connected in the reverse order in which the tablets 2 are to be taken. The packaged products are medicine packets in which the tablets 2 are accommodated in packaging paper.

[0229] For example, consider a case where tablets 2 to be taken three times a day, in the morning, midday, and evening, are packaged. In the forward packaging function, the packaging unit 40 packages the tablets 2 in the order of a morning dose, a midday dose, and an evening dose, starting from the first day of the taking period. On the other hand, in the reverse packaging function, the packaging unit 40 packages the tablets 2 in the order of an evening dose, a midday dose, and a morning dose, starting from the last day of the taking period.

[0230] When multiple types of tablets 2 are packaged in the same package, depending on the combination of the types of tablets 2, pharmaceutical changes may occur between the tablets. Examples of pharmaceutical changes include coloring or discoloration. To avoid such changes, multiple types of tablets 2 that are for the same patient, on the same date of administration, and at the same time of administration may be packaged in multiple different packages.

[0231] Usually, the packaging unit 40 prints information about the tablets 2 contained in the package only on one side of the package. For this reason, a plurality of packaged products having the same patient, date of administration, and time of administration may be crimped using a crimping machine with the side on which the information is printed facing outward. Specifically, one of a plurality of packaged product groups having the same patient, date of administration, time of administration, etc. is set as a base packaged product group. Then, the other packaged product groups having the same patient, date of administration, time of administration, etc. are superimposed on the side of the base packaged product group on which information is not printed, and crimped in such a state that the side on which information is not printed faces the base packaged product group.

[0232] When the tablets 2 are packaged in a plurality of package groups in the order of administration, in order to perform the above-mentioned crimping, it is necessary to separate the packages individually and then crimp the packages for the same patient, date of administration, time of administration, etc. For this reason, the separation work is required and the number of crimping operations increases, which requires a huge amount of work time and effort.

[0233] In this embodiment, the control unit 80 causes the packaging unit 40 to package, for example, only the base package group among a plurality of package groups having the same patient, date of administration, and time of administration, using the forward packaging function, and package the other package groups using the reverse packaging function. When the control unit 80 receives an instruction to package tablets 2 prescribed for a certain patient using the reverse packaging function, for example, via the touch panel 70, the control unit 80 causes the packaging unit 40 to package the tablets 2 using the forward packaging function and the reverse packaging function as described above. As a result, even if the packaged products are in a continuous state, the base package group and the other package groups can be crimped with the opposite sides to the printed surfaces facing each other so that the times of administration correspond between the base package group and the other package groups. For this reason, no separation work is required and the number of crimping operations is reduced, thereby reducing work time and labor.

[0234] In addition, in the packets that have been crimped in this way, the printed surfaces of both the base packet group and the other packets can be visually confirmed with the tops and bottoms aligned with each other, making it easy to determine whether all of the crimped packets belong to the same patient and whether the dates and times of use are the same.

[0235] In addition, the contents of the package (the type or number of tablets 2 to be packaged) may differ depending on the time of taking the tablets. In other words, the contents of the package may be uneven. When tablets 2 with uneven contents are manually distributed by the manual distribution unit 60, different tablets 2 are distributed in each section 61, so there is a possibility of misdistribution. Such misdistribution is highly likely to occur when the user refers to an instruction manual in which the types and numbers of tablets 2 to be manually distributed are written in the order of taking the tablets, and manually distributes the tablets 2 in the reverse order to the instructions.

[0236] For this reason, the control unit 80 judges whether the contents of the divided packages are uneven. When the control unit 80 judges that the contents of the divided packages are uneven, the control unit 80 causes a printer (not shown) to print an instruction sheet describing the types and numbers of the tablets 2 to be manually dispersed in the reverse order of the order of taking, or displays the contents of the instruction sheet on the touch panel 70. By having the user manually distribute the tablets 2 according to the order of the instruction sheet, the possibility of misdistributing the tablets can be reduced.

[0237] In addition, when the number of packaged products differs between the base packaged product group and other packaged product groups, the packaging section 40 may match the number of packaged products by adding blank packets not containing tablets 2 to the smaller packaged product group.

[0238] In this case, the control unit 80 judges whether the number of packaged products is the same between the base packaged product group to be generated and the other packaged product groups. That is, the control unit 80 judges whether the intake time included in the prescription content for generating the base packaged product group is the same as the intake time included in the prescription content for generating the other packaged product groups. When the control unit 80 judges that the number of packaged products is not the same between the base packaged product group to be generated and the other packaged product groups, it determines the position to add an empty packet in the packaged product group with fewer packaged products based on the above two prescription contents. Then, when generating the packaged product group with fewer packaged products, the control unit 80 adds an empty packet to the determined position. That is, the control unit 80 adds an empty packet to the packaged product group with fewer packaged products at a position that corresponds to the intake time that is present in the prescription content for generating the packaged product group with more packaged products and that is not present in the prescription content for generating the packaged product group with fewer packaged products.

[0239] For example, consider a case where the tablets 2 included in the base package group are to be taken in the morning, midday, and evening, and the tablets 2 included in the other package groups are to be taken only in the morning and evening. In this case, the packaging unit 40 packages the tablets 2 for the other package groups so that blank packets are connected between the packages containing the tablets 2 to be taken in the morning and the packages containing the tablets 2 to be taken in the evening.

[0240] This allows the base packet group and the other packet groups to be crimped together so that the times for taking the base packet group and the other packet groups correspond, even if the numbers of packet products differ between the base packet group and the other packet groups, or even if the packet products remain connected together.

[0241] [Embodiment 6] A case where the medicine dispensing device 1A prepackages the tablets 2 contained in the cassette 20 (a case where packaging is performed for pre-packaging) will be described. In this case, the control unit 80 performs packaging for pre-packaging based on the medicine information received from a dispensing command device (not shown).

[0242] In the above-mentioned dispensing command device, when an instruction to perform packaging for preparation by the medicine dispensing device 1A is received, the dispensing command device transmits medicine information for preparation to the medicine dispensing device 1A. The medicine information for preparation includes, for example, information for identifying the type of tablets 2 to be prepared (e.g., information included in the GS1 code) and information indicating the number of tablets per package. The medicine information for preparation includes information indicating the contents printed on the medicine package, such as information indicating the number of tablets per package and the name of the tablets. The medicine information for preparation may also include the usage of the tablets 2. However, the dispensing command device does not transmit information included in normal prescription data (e.g., information such as the number of medicine packages in which the tablets 2 are packaged, the number of minutes indicating the number of times per day to be taken, and the number of days to be taken). The medicine information for preparation and an instruction to perform packaging for preparation may be inputted on the touch panel 70.

[0243] When the control unit 80 receives the medicine information for preparation, it identifies the cassette 20 that contains the tablets 2 indicated in the medicine information, and causes the packaging unit 40 to package the tablets 2 from the cassette 20. At this time, the control unit 80 packages the tablets by the number of tablets per package indicated in the medicine information for preparation. The control unit 80 causes the packaging unit 40 to continue packaging until the tablets 2 are out of stock.

[0244] The control unit 80 manages the number of tablets 2 accommodated in the cassette 20 for each cassette 20. When the control unit 80 determines that the number of tablets 2 accommodated in a cassette 20 accommodating tablets 2 to be pre-prepared has become 0 (out of stock), it ends the packaging operation by the packaging unit 40 without identifying an error state in which the tablets 2 cannot be packaged due to the shortage. The control unit 80 may not notify, for example, via the touch panel 70, that the cassette 20 is out of stock, but instead notify that packaging of the tablets 2 to be pre-prepared has been completed.

[0245] The above process reduces the burden on the user who creates a prescription for pre-packaging by taking into account the number of packages.

[0246] The tablets 2 to be prepared in advance may be dispensed from an unspecified cassette instead of the cassette 20 (fixed cassette). In this case, the medicine information for preparation includes size information of the medicine. When the control unit 80 receives the medicine information for preparation, the control unit 80 displays, for example, on the touch panel 70, information indicating that the tablets 2 to be prepared in advance are to be put into the unspecified cassette. After the user puts the tablets 2 into the unspecified cassette, when an instruction to start packaging is received via the touch panel 70, for example, the control unit 80 causes the packaging unit 40 to package the tablets 2 to be prepared in advance until the unspecified cassette runs out of stock.

[0247] By simply inserting a medicine bottle (whether new or partially used) containing tablets 2 (loose) that are not individually packaged into a variable cassette, a stock of tablets can be easily created for the number of tablets inserted.

[0248] [Software implementation example] The functions of the medicine dispensing device 1A can be realized by a program for making a computer function as the device, and a program for making a computer function as each control block (particularly the control unit 80) of the device. In this case, the device includes a computer having at least one control device (e.g., a processor) and at least one storage device (e.g., a memory) as hardware for executing the program. The control device and storage device execute the program to realize each function described in each of the above embodiments.

[0249] The program may be non-transitory and may be recorded in one or more computer-readable recording media. The recording media may or may not be included in the device. In the latter case, the program may be provided to the device via any wired or wireless transmission medium.

[0250] In addition, some or all of the functions of each of the control blocks can be realized by a logic circuit. For example, an integrated circuit in which a logic circuit that functions as each of the control blocks is formed is also included in the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, the functions of each of the control blocks can be realized by, for example, a quantum computer.

[0251] 〔others〕 A medicine preparation unit according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a medicine preparation unit in a medicine dispensing device, which retains one packet of tablets discharged through a tablet passage path in each of a plurality of storage units and supplies the packets of tablets to a packaging unit that packages the tablets in packaging paper, and which has a buffer area that elastically deforms to cushion an impact when colliding with the tablets discharged through the tablet passage path, and the plurality of storage units are formed inside the outer periphery of a partition forming body along the outer periphery, and a top plate facing an outlet of the tablet passage path is provided vertically above the partition forming body, and each of the plurality of storage units is capable of receiving the tablets discharged through the tablet passage path through each of a plurality of openings provided in the top plate, and a gap is provided between the top plate and a side wall of the storage unit to facilitate elastic deformation when an edge portion of the top plate forming the opening collides with the tablets discharged through the tablet passage path.

[0252] In the medicine preparation section according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the buffer area may be formed in the top panel.

[0253] In one embodiment of the drug preparation section of the present disclosure, the top panel includes a first region which is an area that may collide with the tablet discharged through the tablet passage path, and a second region which is an area other than the first region, and the first region and the second region are formed from the same material, and the first region may be formed as the buffer region by making the vertical thickness of the first region thinner than the vertical thickness of the second region.

[0254] In the medicine preparation section according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the gap may be provided between the top panel and a side wall panel that constitutes a side wall of the storage section.

[0255] In the medicine preparation section according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the vertical width of the gap may be such that the tablet cannot pass through.

[0256] In one embodiment of the drug preparation section of the present disclosure, the partition forming body rotates around a vertical axis, and the tablet is discharged through the tablet passing path between (A) a side wall of a desired storage section among the multiple storage sections that is rear in the direction of rotation of the partition forming body, and (B) a side wall of a storage section immediately preceding the desired storage section that is rear in the direction of rotation of the partition forming body, and the gap may be provided between a side wall of the storage section that is front in the direction of rotation of the partition forming body and the top panel.

[0257] In one aspect of the drug preparation section of the present disclosure, at least a portion of the side wall of the storage section is an inclined wall that is inclined so that the area of ​​the horizontal surface enclosed by the side wall of the storage section becomes smaller as it proceeds vertically downward, and the buffer region may be formed in the inclined wall.

[0258] In one embodiment of the drug preparation section of the present disclosure, the thickness of the third side wall plate, which is a side wall plate constituting the inclined wall, may be made thinner than the thickness of the fourth side wall plate, which is a side wall plate constituting the side wall of the storage section other than the inclined wall, so that the inclined wall may be formed as the buffer area.

[0259] In a drug preparation section according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the bottom of the storage section in the partition forming body is open, and a bottom plate constituting the bottoms of the multiple storage sections is provided approximately vertically below the partition forming body, and the partition forming body rotates relative to the bottom plate about a vertical axis, so that the tablets placed in the storage section are supplied to the packaging section from a supply port, which is an opening provided in the bottom plate, and the buffer area may be formed in the bottom plate.

[0260] In one embodiment of the drug preparation section of the present disclosure, the bottom plate includes a fifth region which is a region that may collide with the tablet discharged through the tablet passage path, and a sixth region which is a region other than the fifth region, and the fifth region and the sixth region are formed from the same material, and the fifth region may be formed as the buffer region by making the vertical thickness of the fifth region thinner than the vertical thickness of the sixth region.

[0261] In the medicine preparation section according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one of the side walls of the storage section may be flat.

[0262] In a drug preparation section according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the bottom of the storage section in the partition forming body is open, and a bottom plate constituting the bottoms of the multiple storage sections is provided approximately vertically below the partition forming body, and the partition forming body rotates relative to the bottom plate about a vertical axis, so that the tablets placed in the storage section are supplied to the packaging section from a supply port which is an opening provided in the bottom plate, and at least one of the side wall of the storage section and the bottom plate may be provided with an outlet capable of discharging powder generated from the tablets and which is of a size which does not allow the tablets to pass through.

[0263] A medicine preparation unit according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a medicine preparation unit in a medicine dispensing device, which stores one packet of tablets discharged through a tablet passing path in each of a plurality of storage sections and supplies the packets of tablets to a packaging section that packages them into packaging paper, the medicine preparation unit including a partition forming body having the plurality of storage sections formed along an outer periphery and rotating about a vertical axis, and a top plate located vertically above the partition forming body and facing an outlet of the tablet passing path, and the top plate is configured such that one of the plurality of storage sections faces the outlet of the tablet passing path. The top panel includes an area for receiving tablets discharged from the tablet passage path before the tablet reaches a position facing the tablet-receiving section, and each of the multiple storage sections is capable of receiving the tablets discharged through the tablet passage path through each of multiple openings provided in the top panel, and a gap is provided between the top panel and a side wall of the storage section to facilitate elastic deformation of the edge portion of the top panel which forms the opening and is part of the area when it collides with the tablet discharged through the tablet passage path.

[0264] A medicine preparation unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a medicine preparation unit in a medicine dispensing device, which retains one packet of tablets discharged through a tablet passing path in at least one storage section and supplies the one packet of tablets to a packaging section which packages the tablets in packaging paper, and which comprises: a partition forming body in which the storage section with an open bottom is formed; a bottom plate which is provided vertically below the partition forming body and moves relatively to the partition forming body, the bottom plate having a portion capable of blocking the bottom of the storage section and an opening capable of supplying the tablets retained in the storage section to the packaging section; and a removal section which removes at least one of powder and fragments generated from the tablets from a region along the movement path on the bottom plate of the tablets retained in the storage section, the region having a width corresponding to the width of the opening in a direction perpendicular to the movement path.

[0265] In one aspect of the drug preparation section of the present disclosure, the removal section is provided at a position on the partition forming body opposite the movement path, and is provided to the rear of the storage section when the movement direction of the partition forming body relative to the bottom plate is considered to be the front side, and a gap of a size that makes it difficult for the tablet to pass through is formed between the storage section and the bottom plate, and the removal section may remove at least one of the powder and fragments to the outside of the area by contacting at least one of the powder and fragments discharged from the storage section through the gap due to the relative movement of the partition forming body relative to the bottom plate.

[0266] In one embodiment of the drug preparation section of the present disclosure, the removal section has a contact surface with which at least one of the powder and the fragments come into contact due to the relative movement, and the contact surface may be inclined with respect to a straight line perpendicular to the movement path when the partition forming body is viewed in a planar view from the bottom side of the storage section.

[0267] In one aspect of the drug preparation section of the present disclosure, the partition forming body moves relative to the bottom plate by rotating relative to the bottom plate about a vertical axis, and the removal section may remove at least one of the powder and fragments that come into contact with the partition forming body due to the relative rotation with respect to the bottom plate, outside the area.

[0268] In one embodiment of the drug preparation section of the present disclosure, the bottom plate may be provided with at least one groove in an outer region of the area in which at least one of the powder and fragments removed by the removal section is accommodated.

[0269] The drug preparation portion according to claim 18, wherein a portion of the removed portion faces the groove.

[0270] The medicine preparation section according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include a pressing section that presses the removal section against the bottom plate.

[0271] In one aspect of the drug preparation section of the present disclosure, the pressing portion includes an elastic member that expands and contracts vertically, and the elastic member may bias the removal portion when the partition forming body is attached to the bottom plate.

[0272] [Additional Notes] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0273] 1, 1A Drug dispensing device 2 tablets 10, 10A Drug Preparation Section 11, 11A Compartment formation 12 Top plate 13 void 14, 14A Bottom plate 15 Outlet 15A, 15B groove 15C area 18 Removal section 18A contact surface 19 Pushing part 19b Elastic member 30 Tablet passage route 40 portions 100 Storage section 111 Front wall 111(SL) Front wall (slanted wall) 112 Back wall 121 1st area 122 Second area 141 5th area 142 Area 6 143 void 1111 3rd side wall panel 1112 4th side wall panel 1201 Opening 1211 Edge 1401 Supply port Ba buffer area

Claims

[Claim 1] In the medicine dispensing device, a medicine preparation unit stores tablets discharged through a tablet passage in each of a plurality of storage units, one packet at a time, and supplies the tablets to a packaging unit that packages the tablets in packaging paper, a buffer area is formed which is an area that elastically deforms to cushion the impact when colliding with the tablet discharged through the tablet passage, The plurality of storage sections are formed along an outer periphery of the compartment formation body, on the inside of the outer periphery, A top plate facing the outlet of the tablet passage is provided vertically above the compartment forming body, Each of the plurality of storage sections is capable of receiving the tablets discharged through the tablet passageway via each of a plurality of openings provided in the top panel, A gap is provided between the top plate and a side wall of the storage section, which facilitates elastic deformation of an edge portion of the top plate that forms the opening when the edge portion collides with the tablet discharged through the tablet passage. A medicine preparation section characterized by:

Images