Medicine classification device and container support mechanism

Abstract

To reduce a horizontal arrangement area of the whole of a plurality of containers that are classification destinations of a medicine.SOLUTION: A medicine classification device 1 includes: a storage part 20 that stores a plurality of medicines to be classified; a classification part 30 that classifies each of the plurality of medicines stored in the storage part into any one of a plurality of containers; a plurality of support devices 80 that support some of the plurality of containers; and a movement mechanism 70 that moves the plurality of support devices in a path in which two or more of the plurality of support devices overlap with each other when viewed in a vertical direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a medicine sorting device and a container support mechanism. [Background technology]

[0002] Medicines dispensed by a packaging machine or the like may be returned to a dispensing room or the like without being used due to shortages, packaging errors, or other reasons. Patent Document 1 discloses a device that sorts such medicines into one of a number of containers prepared in advance. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-049484 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the device described in Patent Document 1, multiple containers into which medicines are sorted are arranged in a horizontal matrix, so the horizontal area required to arrange the multiple containers is large, which leads to a large footprint for the entire medicine sorting device.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to reduce the horizontal area required for arranging a plurality of containers into which medicines are sorted. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The drug sorting device of the present invention comprises a storage section that stores a plurality of drugs to be sorted, a sorting section that sorts each of the plurality of drugs stored in the storage section into one of a plurality of containers, a plurality of support devices, each of which supports a portion of the plurality of containers, and a moving mechanism that moves the plurality of support devices along a path in which two or more of the plurality of support devices overlap when viewed from above and below.

[0007] The container support mechanism of the present invention comprises a plurality of support devices, each of which supports some of a plurality of containers into which medicines are to be sorted, and a moving mechanism for moving the plurality of support devices along a path in which two or more of the plurality of support devices overlap when viewed from the vertical direction. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, the horizontal area required for arranging a plurality of containers into which the medicines are sorted is reduced. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a medicine sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the workbench seen from above. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of the inside of the lower housing as viewed from above. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing the main part of the transfer mechanism. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing the main parts of the imaging mechanism. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the buffer. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the shutter mechanism in the closed state. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the shutter mechanism in the open state. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a horizontal elevation view of the buffer. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the moving mechanism, the support device, etc. as viewed from the horizontal direction. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a rear view of the support device, the container, and the opening / closing mechanism as seen from the rear. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the configuration of the supporting device. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the state of the buffer and the container in a closed state. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the buffer and the container in an open state. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a flowchart of the distribution process. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the distribution process. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a state in which the holding device hits the medicine. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing how the holding device places the medicine on the placement platform of the storage unit. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing the state in which the orientation of a capsule drug is aligned with the orientation of the imaging table. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a flow chart of the process when the sorting process for each medicine is performed in parallel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, a medicine sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the up-down direction is the top-bottom direction, and the front of the front-rear direction is the user side using the medicine sorting device. The left-right direction is the left-right direction seen from the user side when the user faces the medicine sorting device from the front side to use the medicine sorting device. The front-rear, left-right directions are horizontal directions.

[0011] 1 to 3, the medicine sorting device 1 includes a housing 10, a storage section 20, a sorting section 30 (a transfer mechanism 40, an imaging mechanism 50, and a buffer 60), a moving mechanism 70, a plurality of support devices 80, an opening / closing mechanism 90, a plurality of containers 100, and a controller C. The controller C controls the operation of the medicine sorting device 1, more specifically, the operations of the sorting section 30, the moving mechanism 70, and the opening / closing mechanism 90. Each operation described below is realized by the control of the controller C.

[0012] The housing 10 includes a box-shaped upper housing 11, a workbench 12 disposed below the upper housing 11 with a gap therebetween, and a box-shaped lower housing 13 disposed below the workbench 12 with a gap therebetween. The housing 10 further includes a support 14 fixed to the lower housing 13 and supporting the workbench 12 and the upper housing 11.

[0013] The storage unit 20 is provided on the workbench 12, and stores multiple types of medicine M added by a user (see FIG. 4). The storage unit 20 includes multiple cup-shaped storage containers 21 and a dish-shaped mounting table 22. The storage containers 21 are charged with the medicine M and store the charged medicine M. The mounting table 22 temporarily mounts multiple medicines M taken out of the storage containers 21 by the transfer mechanism 40. The sorting unit 30 sorts the medicine M added to the storage containers 21 into one of multiple containers 100 prepared for each type of medicine M.

[0014] The sorting section 30 includes a transport mechanism 40, an imaging mechanism 50, and a buffer 60, and is configured to sort each of the multiple drugs M stored in the storage section 20 into one of the multiple containers 100.

[0015] The transfer mechanism 40 is configured to transfer one or more drugs M. The transfer mechanism 40 includes a holding device 41 that holds the drug M, a three-axis movement mechanism 42 that moves the holding device 41 in the up-down, left-right, and front-back directions, and a camera 43 that captures an image below the holding device 41.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 4, the holding device 41 includes a holding device main body 41A that performs suction from the lower end. The holding device main body 41A includes a fan therein, and performs suction from the lower end by rotation of the fan. The holding device main body 41A is connected to an external suction device (not shown) via a flexible tube, and the suction force of the holding device main body 41A may be supplied from the suction device.

[0017] The lower end of the holding device main body 41A is formed in a downwardly convex quadrangular pyramid shape. The bottom surface 41AA, which corresponds to the bottom of the quadrangular pyramid, and the annular surface 41AB, which corresponds to the side surface of the truncated cone, are provided with a number of suction ports (not shown) for sucking in air. In other words, the holding device main body 41A can adsorb and hold one or more drugs M by its bottom surface 41AA and annular surface 41AB (details will be described later). The lower end of the holding device main body 41A may be in a truncated cone shape or a polygonal pyramid shape other than a quadrangular pyramid shape, such as a triangular pyramid shape. However, the polygonal pyramid shape has flat sides and is more likely to successfully adsorb and hold the drug M on the sides than the truncated cone shape. The bottom of the storage container 21 of the storage section 20 has a concave shape facing the lower end of the holding device main body 41A so that the holding device main body 41A can easily adsorb the drug M.

[0018] The holding device 41 further includes a rod 41B extending upward from the holding device main body 41A, and a flange 41C protruding from the upper end of the rod 41B. These will be described later.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the three-axis movement mechanism 42 includes a support member 42A that supports the holding device 41, and an actuator 42B such as a linear motor that moves the support member 42A in the vertical direction.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 4, the support member 42A includes a cylindrical portion 42AA through which the rod 41B of the holding device 41 passes, and a support main body 42AB that supports the cylindrical portion 42AA.

[0021] The rod 41B is movable up and down relative to the cylindrical portion 42AA. The flange 41C is configured to abut against the upper end surface of the cylindrical portion 42AA and functions as a retainer to prevent the rod 41B from slipping out downward from the cylindrical portion 42AA. The retaining device 41 is located at the lowest position suspended from the cylindrical portion 42AA by its own weight.

[0022] The actuator 42B moves the holding device 41 in the up-down direction via the support member 42A. The three-axis moving mechanism 42, the entirety of which is shown in Fig. 1, moves the actuator 42B in the front-rear direction by a first driving mechanism such as a ball screw, and moves the first mechanism in the left-right direction by a second driving mechanism such as a linear motor. With this configuration, the three-axis moving mechanism 42 moves the holding device 41 in three mutually perpendicular axial directions, the up-down direction, the left-right direction, and the front-rear direction.

[0023] 4 moves the support member 42A downward, the holding device 41 also moves downward accordingly. If the support member 42A continues to move downward after the holding device 41 hits something, the holding device 41 cannot move downward any further and therefore moves upward relative to the support member 42A (see also FIG. 17).

[0024] The transfer mechanism 40 further includes a position sensor 44 provided on the support body 42AB. The position sensor 44 is disposed at a position facing a flange 41C that is a part of the holding device 41 that has moved upward relative to the support member 42A. The position sensor 44 detects that the flange 41C has reached a position facing the sensor 44 (see also FIG. 17), that is, that the amount of relative upward movement of the holding device 41 has reached a predetermined value.

[0025] The camera 43 is fixed to a driving body 42BB that drives a driving shaft 42BA of the actuator 42B that moves the support member 42A downward. The camera 43 photographs the area below the holding device 41 to photograph the drug M that the holding device 41 is trying to hold. Since the camera 43 is fixed to the driving body 42BB, i.e., the stator side, rather than the driving shaft 42BA, i.e., the mover side, the camera 43 can be moved in the front-rear and left-right directions while maintaining a constant height.

[0026] The transfer mechanism 40 transfers the drug M from any one of the multiple storage containers 21 of the storage unit 20 to the mounting table 22. Furthermore, the transfer mechanism 40 transfers the drug M from the mounting table 22 to the imaging mechanism 50. Furthermore, the transfer mechanism 40 transfers the drug M from the imaging mechanism 50 to the buffer 60. Each transfer operation will be described later.

[0027] 1 photographs the drug M to identify the type of the drug M. The photographing mechanism 50 includes an imaging stand 51 (see also FIG. 2) on which the drug M is placed for imaging, an actuator 52 such as a motor that rotates the imaging stand 51, a camera 53 that photographs the drug M placed on the imaging stand 51, an illumination device 54 that illuminates the drug M, and a camera moving mechanism 55 that moves the camera 53 and the illumination device 54.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, the imaging table 51 includes four placement tables 51A-51D on which the medicine M is placed, and a support member 51E which is cross-shaped and supports the placement tables 51A-51D at each end of the cross and is rotated by an actuator 52.

[0029] The mounting tables 51A and 51B are disposed at positions facing each other with the support member 51E interposed therebetween, and the mounting tables 51C and 51D are also disposed at positions facing each other with the support member 51E interposed therebetween in a direction perpendicular to the opposing direction of the mounting tables 51A and 51B. The mounting tables 51A and 51B are formed in a dish shape and are transparent. The mounting tables 51C and 51D have two opposing rollers R1 and R2, and the capsule drug M is disposed between the rollers R1 and R2. The capsule drug M placed on the mounting table 51C or 51D rotates around a central axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the drug M by the rotation of the rollers R1 and R2. The rotation of the rollers R1 and R2 is performed by an actuator (not shown) provided on each of the mounting tables 51C and 51D. The number of mounting tables provided on the imaging table 51 is arbitrary and may be other than four.

[0030] The mounting tables 51A to 51D and the support member 51E are placed on the workbench 12. The actuator 52 rotates the support member 51E around a central axis extending in the vertical direction, thereby rotating the mounting tables 51A to 51D supported by the support member 51E. Any of the rotating mounting tables 51A to 51D is placed on a through hole 12A provided in the workbench 12. The mounting table located on the through hole 12A is also referred to as a mounting table 51X below. The mounting table 51X is a mounting table placed at an imaging position as described later.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, a camera 53 and an illumination device 54 are disposed above the through hole 12A. The illumination device 54 is formed in a ring shape, and the camera 53 photographs the medicine M placed on the mounting table 51X through a hollow space surrounded by the illumination device 54. When the medicine M is placed on any of the mounting tables 51A to 51D by the transport mechanism 40, the imaging table 51 rotates, and the mounting table on which the medicine M is placed moves to a position (i.e., an imaging position) above the through hole 12A to become the mounting table 51X. By such a movement, the medicine M can be placed on any of the mounting tables 51A to 51D at a location other than the imaging location where the camera 53 is located, so that interference between the transport mechanism 40 (particularly the holding device 41) and the camera 53 is suppressed.

[0032] 5, the camera moving mechanism 55 rotates the unit of the camera 53 and the lighting device 54 around a rotation axis extending in the front-rear direction and around the mounting table 51X. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 5, the camera moving mechanism 55 includes an actuator 55A such as a motor, and an arm 55B connected to a drive shaft 55AA of the actuator 55A, extending in a direction perpendicular to the drive shaft 55AA, and to which the camera 53 and the lighting device 54 are fixed.

[0033] The camera moving mechanism 55 rotates the camera 53 and the lighting device 54 as a unit, so that the camera 53 and the lighting device 54 can be moved to a first photographing position where the mounting table 51X is photographed from above, and a second photographing position where the mounting table 51X is photographed from below. In this way, when the mounting table 51X is the mounting table 51A or 51B, the tablet medicine M placed on the transparent mounting table 51X can be photographed from above and below by the camera 53. With this configuration, photographing from multiple directions can be achieved with one camera.

[0034] The buffer 60 in FIG. 1 is transported from the imaging mechanism 50 by the transport mechanism 40, and holds the drug M contained in one of the multiple containers 100, as described below, until the container 100 containing the drug M is moved to a desired position by the moving mechanism 70.

[0035] 6, the buffer 60 includes a buffer member 61 (see also FIGS. 1 and 3) having multiple buffer passages 61A-61H that guide a drug M, the type of which is identified on the workbench 12 as described below, to a container 100 contained in the lower housing 13, and a shutter mechanism 62 that opens and closes the multiple buffer passages 61A-61H. The buffer member 61 penetrates the workbench 12 and reaches the inside of the lower housing 13 (see also FIG. 9).

[0036] Each of the buffer passages 61A to 61H is formed by a through hole that penetrates the buffer member 61 in the vertical direction. The upper end openings of the buffer passages 61A to 61H, i.e., the inlets of the medicine M, are open on the upper surface of the work table 12 (see FIG. 2). The inlets of the medicine M are aligned in a straight line along the left-right direction. On the other hand, the lower end openings of the buffer passages 61A to 61H, i.e., the outlets of the medicine M, are aligned in a direction D1 that is oblique to the left-right direction and are shifted in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower end openings of the buffer passages 61A to 61H are arranged on each of rows A to H that divide all the containers 100 into a plurality of containers 100 aligned along the movement direction of the containers 100.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the shutter mechanism 62 includes overlapping shutter plates 62A and 62B, an actuator 62C that moves the shutter plates 62A and 62B relatively to each other, and fixing pins 62D and 62E.

[0038] The shutter plates 62A and 62B are disposed inside the lower housing 13. The actuator 62C and the fixing pins 62D and 62E are fixed to the inner surface of the lower housing 13.

[0039] The shutter plate 62A has a pair of elongated holes 62AA and 62AB that are elongated in the movement direction of the shutter plate 62A, and also has a pair of elongated holes 62AC and 62AD that are elongated in a direction different from the movement direction and the direction perpendicular thereto. The shutter plate 62B also has a pair of elongated holes 62BA and 62BB that are elongated in the movement direction of the shutter plate 62B, and also has a pair of elongated holes 62AC and 62AC that are elongated in a direction different from the movement direction and different from the elongated holes 62BC and 62BD.

[0040] The long holes 62AA and 62BA are formed in a position where they partially overlap when viewed from above, and the long holes 62AB and 62BB are formed in a position where they partially overlap when viewed from above. When viewed from above, the long holes 62AC and 62BC intersect, and the long holes 62AD and 62BD intersect. Drive pins 62CA and 62CB of the actuator 62C are inserted into the region where the long holes 62AC and 62BC intersect, and into the region where the long holes 62AD and 62BD intersect, respectively.

[0041] The actuator 62C includes a linear motor that moves the drive pins 62CA and 62CB linearly along a direction D1 that is perpendicular to the movement direction of the shutter plates 62A and 62B.

[0042] When the drive pins 62CA and 62CB moved by the actuator 62C are in the first position, the through hole 62BE formed in the shutter plate 62B is covered by the shutter plate 62A. This closes the lower end openings of the buffer passages 61A to 61H, that is, the outlets for the drug M. In this case, the drug M introduced into any of the buffer passages 61A to 61H is held in the buffer passage by the shutter mechanism 62 in the closed state.

[0043] When the driving pins 62CA and 62CB move to the second position, the driving pins 62CA and 62CB push the inner walls of the inserted slots 62AC and the like, and move the shutter plates 62A and 62B along the direction D2. This movement causes the through hole 62BE of the shutter plate 62B to be in a state where it is not covered by the shutter plate 62A. When viewed from above, the through hole 62BE at this time overlaps with each lower end opening so as to include each lower end opening of the buffer passages 61A to 61F. This causes each lower end opening of the buffer passages 61A to 61F, that is, each outlet of the drug M, to be in an open state. In this case, the drug M falls into the inside of the lower housing 13 through one of the buffer passages 61A to 61F. As described later, a container 100 corresponding to the type of the drug M has moved to the drop position of the drug M, and the drug M is contained in the container 100.

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a moving mechanism 70, a plurality of support devices 80, an opening / closing mechanism 90, and a plurality of containers 100 are housed in the lower housing 13 of the housing 10.

[0045] The moving mechanism 70 moves the multiple support devices 80 in a circular manner. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 10, the moving mechanism 70 includes a pair of annular members 71 and 72 that face each other in the left-right direction with the multiple support devices 80 sandwiched therebetween, multiple rotating members 73A-73G that support and rotate the annular member 71, and multiple rotating members 74A-74G (however, the rotating members 74A-74G are not shown) that support and rotate the annular member 72. The rotating members 73A-73G and 74A-74G are collectively referred to as rotating members 73 and 74, respectively. The annular members 71 and 72 are made of, for example, a chain or a belt. When a chain is used, the rotating members 73 and 74 are made of gears. When a belt is used, the rotating members 73 and 74 are made of pulleys. In the enlarged views surrounded by dotted lines in FIG. 3 and FIG. 10, a chain is used.

[0046] The rotating members 73A-73G and the rotating members 74A-74G face each other in the left-right direction in a one-to-one relationship. For example, the rotating member 73A faces the rotating member 74A. The moving mechanism 70 further includes driving devices 75 and 76 (however, the driving device 76 is not shown) that rotate the rotating members 73F and 74F, respectively. The driving device 75 includes an actuator 75A such as a motor, and a plurality of gears 75B that transmit the rotation of the actuator to the rotating member 73F. The number of gears 75 is arbitrary. Similarly, the driving device 76 also includes an actuator and a gear.

[0047] 3, 10, and 11, the annular members 71 and 72 each have a plurality of cylindrical pins 71A and 72A that protrude toward the opposing annular member. Each pin 71A and each pin 72A face each other in the left-right direction. The pair of pins 71A and 72A facing each other in the left-right direction supports a support device 80 as described below.

[0048] Each of the rotating members 73A to 73F is rotatably supported by a shaft member protruding leftward from the right inner wall surface of the lower housing 13, and the rotating member 73G is supported by an actuator 75 fixed to the right inner wall surface of the lower housing 13. The actuator 75 rotates the rotating member 73G, thereby rotating the annular member 71. The rotating members 73A to 73F rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the annular member 71.

[0049] The annular member 72, the rotating member 74, and the actuator 76 are provided symmetrically with the annular member 71, the rotating member 73, and the actuator 75 across the support device 80, and have the same configurations as the annular member 71, the rotating member 73, and the actuator 75. Each of the actuators 75 and 76 may be configured to rotate a plurality of rotating members.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 10 to FIG. 12, each of the multiple support devices 80 is movably supported by the moving mechanism 70 and supports some of all the containers 100. Here, the multiple support devices 80 support all the containers 100 in groups of eight containers 100. The support device 80 includes a support device main body 81 and a holding member 85 that is removably attached to the support member main body and holds the eight containers. The support device main body 81 includes a plate-shaped plate portion 82 that supports the holding member 85, and a right end portion 83 and a left end portion 84 that are connected to both left and right ends of the plate portion 82 and are connected to the annular members 71 and 72, respectively. The number of containers 100 supported by the support device 80 is arbitrary. The support device 80 may support one or more containers 100. The number of containers 100 supported by each support device 80 may differ.

[0051] The holding member 85 has through holes 85A-85H into which the eight containers 100 are respectively inserted. The lower part of the container 100 has a smaller cross-sectional area than the upper part, and each of the through holes 85A-85H is formed to a size that only the lower part of the container 100 passes through. Thus, the holding member 85 holds the eight containers 100 by inserting the lower parts of the eight containers 100 into the through holes 85A-85H, respectively. The through holes 85A-85H are holding portions that hold the containers 100. The through holes 85A-85H are also collectively referred to as through hole 85Y.

[0052] It is uniquely determined which through-hole 85Y of which supporting device 80 each container 100 is inserted into. As shown in Fig. 12, only in a correct combination of a container 100 and a through-hole 85Y, the outer peripheral surface shape of the portion of the container 100 that is inserted into the through-hole 85Y matches the inner peripheral surface shape of the through-hole 85Y. The shapes and numbers of convex portions of the outer peripheral surface shape and concave portions of the inner peripheral surface shape are made different for each correct combination of a container 100 and a through-hole 85Y.

[0053] The holding member 85 is placed on the plate portion 82. The plate portion 82 has through holes 82A into which the lower portions of the eight containers 100 held by the holding member 85 are inserted. The plate portion 82 has one or more pins 82P protruding upward on its upper surface. The holding member 85 has one or more positioning holes 85P into which one or more pins 82P are inserted. When the holding member 85 is placed on the plate portion 82, the pins 82P are inserted into the positioning holes 85P, and the holding member 85 is positioned. This allows the holding member 85 to be detachably attached to the plate portion 82. Here, the plate portion 82 on which the holding member 85 is placed is uniquely determined. Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the number and positions of each set of pins 82P and positioning holes 85P are different for each support device 80.

[0054] A specific type of medicine M is sorted into each container 100. As described above, the through-hole 85Y into which the container 100 is inserted and the location where the holding member 85 having the through-hole 85Y is placed are uniquely determined, so that the position of the allocation destination of the medicine M is uniquely determined.

[0055] A hole 83A into which the pin 71A of the annular member 71 is rotatably inserted is opened on the right surface of the right end portion 83. A hole 84A into which the pin 72A of the annular member 72 is rotatably inserted is opened on the left surface of the left end portion 84. The support device 80 is rotatably supported by the annular members 71 and 72 by the pins 71A and 72A. As a result, even if the moving direction of the support device 80 is changed by the rotating member 74A or the like, the support device 80 can move while maintaining the attitude of the container 100 that it supports so that a lid 102 (described later) of the container 100 is always positioned upward.

[0056] A pin 83B protruding to the right is provided on the right surface of the right end portion 83. The pin 83B is guided by guide portions 13D-13E provided in the lower housing 13 during the movement of the support device 80. More specifically, the guide portion 13D is composed of two guide members DA and DB into which the pin 83B fits. The guide portion 13E is composed of two guide members EA and EB into which the pin 83B fits. These two guide members DA and DB or EA and EB restrict the movement of the pin 83B that fits between them. As a result, the guide portion 13E guides the movement of the support device 80 and reduces the shaking of the support device 80. The guide portion 13D is disposed at the opening / closing position of the container 100 and extends in the front-rear direction in order to reduce the shaking of the container 100 and the support device 80 when the lid 102 of the container 100 is opened and closed (details will be described later). The guide portion 13E extends in the vertical direction and reduces the shaking of the support device 80 that moves in the vertical direction. The pin 71A also passes between the two guide members EA and EB of the guide section 13E. The guide section may be provided at any location where the support device 80 is likely to shake. Since the support device 80 is particularly likely to shake when its moving direction is changed, at least a part of the guide section may be located at a location where the moving direction of the support device 80 changes or in the vicinity thereof (for example, see the front end of the guide section 13D and both upper and lower ends of the guide section 13E). Although illustration and detailed description are omitted, a pin 84B (not shown) similar to the pin 83B is also formed at the left end section 84, and the pin 84B may be guided by a guide section similar to the guide sections 13D and 13E.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 10, the moving mechanism 70 moves the support devices 80 along a path where two or more of the multiple support devices 80 overlap when viewed from the top-bottom direction. The moving path of the support devices 80 by the moving mechanism 70 includes at least a path extending in the top-bottom direction and a path extending in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, the path has a meandering path when viewed from the horizontal direction. As a result, the containers 100 are arranged three-dimensionally. Therefore, the horizontal area required to arrange multiple containers 100 is reduced compared to when the same number of containers 100 are arranged in a matrix in the horizontal direction.

[0058] The container 100 supported by the support device 80 includes a container body 101 having a cup shape with a rectangular cross section, a lid 102 that closes the upper opening of the container body 101, and an opening / closing device 103 that opens and closes the lid 102. The lid 102 is connected to one side of the upper end opening of the container body 101 via a hinge so as to be able to open and close.

[0059] The opening and closing device 103 includes a pin 103A that is movable in the vertical direction, an elastic body 103B such as a spring that urges the pin 103A upward, and a link mechanism 103C that pushes up the lid 102 from below in conjunction with the downward movement of the pin 103A. Note that the mechanism for opening and closing the lid 102 is not limited to the opening and closing device 103. The container 100 may be configured such that the lid 102 opens when a predetermined portion such as the pin 103A is pressed.

[0060] The opening and closing of the lid 102 by the opening and closing device 103 of the container 100 is performed by an opening and closing mechanism 90. As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 11, the opening and closing mechanism 90 includes a belt-shaped pusher 91 for pressing the pin 103A of the opening and closing device 103 to open the lid 102 of the container 100, and an actuator 92 such as a linear motor for moving the pusher 91 in the vertical direction.

[0061] The actuator 92 is fixed to the ceiling surface of the lower housing 13 and connected to the center of the pusher 91. The pusher 91 has an inverted T-shaped cross section so as not to bend due to gravity, but the cross-sectional shape of the pusher 91 is arbitrary. The longitudinal direction of the pusher 91 extends along a D1 direction inclined with respect to the left-right direction. As a result, the pusher 91 is configured to push the pin 103A of one container 100 when it moves downward, but not the pin 103A of the other containers 100. The pusher 91 extends parallel to the direction in which the outlets of the buffer passages 61A to 61G of the buffer 60 are aligned. The container 100 whose lid 102 has been opened by the pusher 91 pushing the pin 103A is located directly below one of the outlets of the buffer passages 61A to 61G.

[0062] As shown in Figures 13 and 14, by moving the pusher 91 downward, the pin 103A of the container 100 is pressed downward. When the pin 103A moves downward due to this pressing, the link mechanism 103C pushes up the lid 102 to open the lid 102. Here, in conjunction with this opening operation, the shutter mechanism 62 of the buffer 60 is also controlled to an open state. As a result, the drug M held in the buffer member 61 falls into the container 100.

[0063] When the pusher 91 moves upward, the pin 103A returns upward by the biasing force of the elastic body 103B, and the link mechanism 103C also returns to its original state. This closes the lid 102. In conjunction with this operation, the shutter mechanism 62 of the buffer 60 is also controlled to be in an open state.

[0064] In addition, when the pusher 91 pushes down the pin 103A and when the pin 103A returns to the upper position, there is a risk that the container 100 may shake together with the support device 80, but the pin 83B hits the guide members 13DA and 13DB of the guide section 13D, thereby prohibiting further downward and upward movement of the support device 80. The same applies to the pin 84B on the opposite side. In this way, the pins 83B and 84B function as movement restriction parts that restrict the downward and upward movement of the support device 80 by hitting the members above or below them, thereby suppressing inconveniences such as the container 100 shaking unnecessarily with the lid 102 open, causing the medicine M inside to splash out.

[0065] The controller C is realized by various computers. At least a part of the controller C may be configured by an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The controller C controls the operation of the medicine sorting device 1. A user puts multiple types of medicines M into one or multiple storage containers 21 of the storage section 20, and inputs a command to start sorting via a user interface (not shown) of the device 1. In response to this command, the controller C executes the sorting process shown in Figs. 15 and 16.

[0066] The controller C controls the transfer mechanism 40 to move the holding device 41 above any storage container 21 (step S11 in FIG. 15), and then moves the holding device 41 downward (step S12). Step S12 continues until the holding device 41 moving downward hits the drug M in the storage container 21 or the bottom of the storage container 21 and the flange 41C is detected by the position sensor 44 (step S13). The state when the flange 41C is detected is shown in FIG. 17.

[0067] When the controller C detects the flange 41C using the position sensor 44, it stops the downward movement of the holding device 41 and determines the downward movement distance of the drive shaft 42BA (i.e., the movement distance of the holding device 41) using a linear encoder (not shown) provided in the three-axis movement mechanism 42 (step S14).

[0068] When the moving distance is equal to or greater than the threshold (step S15; Yes), the bottom surface 41AA of the holding device 41 hits the bottom of the storage container 21. In this case, the controller C determines that the current storage container 21 is empty, and moves the holding device 41 above any storage container 21 that is not empty (step S17) on the condition that the other storage containers 21 are not empty (step S16; No), that is, all the other storage containers 21 are not determined to be No in step S15. In this case, step S12 is executed again. When all the other storage containers 21 are also empty (step S16; Yes), the sorting of the medicine M in all the storage containers 21 is completed, and the sorting process ends.

[0069] When the moving distance is less than the threshold value (step S15; No), it means that the holding device 41 hits against the drug M contained in the storage container 21. In such a case, the controller C starts suction by the holding device 41 (step S18). As a result, one or more drugs M are adsorbed and held by the holding device 41. Note that since there may be a time lag between the start of suction and the time when a desired suction force is obtained, the start of suction may be before step S18, for example, when step S11 or S12 is executed.

[0070] Thereafter, the controller C moves the holding device 41 onto the mounting table 22 (step S19), and then ends the suction of the holding device 41 (step S20). As a result, one or more drugs M that have been held drop onto the mounting table 22. As a result of this drop, one or more drugs M are placed on the mounting table (see FIG. 18). Note that suction may be performed at all times.

[0071] Thereafter, the controller C photographs the area below the holding device 41, i.e., the mounting table 22, with the camera 43, and identifies the positions (coordinates) and types of one or more drugs M on the mounting table 22 by image recognition such as pattern matching (step S21 in FIG. 16). The type here is either a capsule or a tablet. When the type is a capsule, the orientation of the drug M in the longitudinal direction (for example, the inclination relative to the left and right direction) is also identified. The controller C registers the identified information on the position, type, and orientation of each drug in the case of a capsule in a mounting table prepared in the storage unit. Each record registered in this mounting table is data in which the position (coordinates), type, and orientation information (in the case of a capsule) of the drug are associated with each other.

[0072] The controller C reads out one record from the mounting table, and controls the transport mechanism 40 to transport the drug M of the record to the imaging table 51 based on the record (step S22). This control includes control of moving the holding device 41 and control of adsorption / non-adsorption by the holding device 41 (hereinafter, the same applies to the control of transport). The controller C moves the holding device 41 to the position (coordinates) included in the read record, and causes the holding device 41 to hold the drug M at the position. The controller C places the drug M of the type of tablet included in the read record on the mounting table 51A or 51B of the imaging table 51, and places the drug M of the type of capsule on the mounting table 51C or 51D. The controller C identifies the rotation angle of the imaging table 51 based on a feedback value from a rotary encoder (not shown) provided in the actuator 52, and grasps the positions of the mounting tables 51A to 51D. After the placement of the medicine M is completed, the controller C deletes the record to be processed this time from the placement table.

[0073] When the drug M is a capsule, the controller C may rotate the imaging table 51 so that the orientation of the rotation axis direction of the rollers R1 and R2 of the mounting table 51C or 51D (e.g., the inclination with respect to the left and right direction) is within a certain range (e.g., within 30 degrees) from the orientation of the longitudinal direction of the drug M specified above (see FIG. 19). The controller C rotates the imaging table 51 by referring to, for example, a table prepared in advance that indicates the relationship between the orientation of the longitudinal direction of the drug M and the rotation angle of the actuator 52, etc. The control of the rotation angle of the imaging table 51 may be performed, for example, based on the feedback value. By such rotation of the imaging table 51, the drug M, which is a capsule, is appropriately positioned between the rollers R1 and R2.

[0074] The controller C rotates the imaging table 51 so as to move one of the mounting tables 51A to 51D on which the drug M is currently mounted to an imaging position above the through-hole 12A of the work table 12 for imaging the drug M (step S23). The mounting table moved to the imaging position is also referred to as the mounting table 51X as described above.

[0075] Thereafter, the controller C controls the camera 53 and the lighting device 54 to photograph the medicine M placed on the placement table 51X, and identifies the type of medicine M (such as the name of the medicine) based on the photographed image (step S24). The medicine M is illuminated by the lighting device 54. When the medicine M is a tablet, the controller C photographs it from above and below. Photographing from below is performed through the transparent placement table 51X. The controller C controls the camera moving mechanism 55 to rotate the unit of the camera 53 and the lighting device 54 to the upper position and the lower position. The controller C identifies the type of medicine M based on the two images photographed from the upper position and the lower position, for example, by image recognition such as pattern matching. When the medicine M is a capsule, the controller C photographs the medicine M multiple times while rotating the rollers R1 and R2. The controller C stitches together the images obtained by capturing multiple images like a panoramic image, and identifies the type of drug M based on the stitched image by image recognition such as pattern matching.

[0076] When continuously sorting (photographing) a plurality of tablet medicines M, for example, when the type of medicine M included in the records continuously read from the mounting table indicates a tablet, the controller C may start photographing the medicine M from the photographing position for the previous medicine M. For example, photographing is performed in the following order: photographing the first medicine M from above → photographing the first medicine M from below → photographing the second medicine M from below → photographing the second medicine M from above. This can reduce the number of times the unit of the camera 53 and the lighting device 54 rotates.

[0077] After step S24, the controller C calls the container 100 to which the specified type of medicine M is to be sorted (step S25). Here, the container 100 to which the medicine M is to be sorted is also referred to as a container 100X. The controller C stores the positions of all the containers 100, that is, information on the row to which each container 100 belongs and the support device 80, in a table or the like. Based on the stored information, the controller C specifies the row to which the container 100X belongs (hereinafter, this row is also referred to as row X) among rows A to H (FIG. 3) along the movement direction of the multiple containers 100. The controller C causes the movement mechanism 70 to circulate the multiple support devices 80 so that the container 100X is placed under the buffer passage (hereinafter, this buffer passage is also referred to as 61X) corresponding to the specified row X among the buffer passages 61A to 61H of the buffer member 61. The movement is controlled, for example, using the rotation angle of the rotating member 74F measured by an encoder (not shown) or the like as a feedback value. A two-dimensional code or the like for identifying each supporting device 80 may be given to each supporting device 80, and the controller C may grasp the position of each supporting device 80 by photographing the two-dimensional code with a camera at a predetermined position.

[0078] The controller C executes the process of step S26 in parallel with step S25. In step S26, the controller C rotates the imaging table 51 to move the mounting table 51X to a location other than the imaging position, and controls the transport mechanism 40 and the imaging mechanism 50 to feed the medicine M on the mounting table 51X after the movement into the buffer passage 61X (step S26). When the medicine M is fed into the buffer passage 61X, the shutter mechanism 62 remains in the closed state, so that the medicine M is held in the buffer passage 61X.

[0079] When the container 100X is placed directly below the lower end of the buffer passage 61X, the controller C moves the pusher 91 of the opening / closing mechanism 90 downward to open the lid 102 of the container 100X and opens the shutter mechanism 62 (step S27). By such control, the drug M is contained in the container 100X.

[0080] Thereafter, the controller C moves the pusher 91 upward to close the lid 102 of the container 100X, and at the same time, closes the shutter mechanism 62 (step S28).

[0081] After the process of step S28, the controller C judges whether one or more drugs M remain on the mounting base 22 (step S29). For example, the controller C judges whether a record remains on the mounting base table, and judges that the drug M remains on the mounting base 22 if the record remains. The controller C may move the holding device 41 and the camera 43 to the mounting base 22, photograph the mounting base 22 again with the camera 43, and judge whether the drug M remains on the mounting base 22 by image recognition or the like. In this case, the mounting base table may not be necessary. If one or more drugs M remain on the mounting base 22 (step S29; Yes), the process of step S22 and thereafter is performed. If the drug M does not remain on the mounting base 22 (step S29; No), the holding device 41 is moved above the storage container 21 from which the drug M is currently being taken out since the drug M does not remain on the mounting base 22 (step S30), and then the process of step S12 and thereafter is performed.

[0082] In addition, the multiple containers 100 are prepared for each type of medicine M that can be sorted, but at least one of the containers 100 may be prepared as a container for storing all medicines that cannot be sorted. In other words, the above types may include one or more types that are not registered in advance and are difficult to sort (the type may include medicines with missing parts, etc.). In addition, the container 100 that stores the type of medicine M that is frequently sorted may be larger than the other containers.

[0083] The above series of processes are carried out for each drug M: transfer of drug M to imaging stand 51 → rotation of imaging stand 51 (movement of drug M to imaging position) → imaging of drug M (including rotation of camera 53, etc.) → identification of type of drug M → rotation of imaging stand 51 (movement of drug M from imaging position) → transfer of drug M to buffer 60 and calling of container 100 → opening and closing of container 100 and shutter mechanism 62. This series of processes carried out for each of a plurality of drugs M may be executed in parallel.

[0084] For example, as shown in FIG. 20, the transfer (step S22-2 (or S22-3)) of the second or subsequent drug M, such as the second (or third) drug M, to the imaging table 50 may be performed during the execution of the process of photographing and identifying the type of the previous drug M, such as the first (or second) drug M (step S24-1 (or S24-2)). However, when the drug M is a capsule, the above-mentioned control of the rotation angle of the imaging table 51 (see FIG. 19) is performed during the identification of the type of the previous drug M so as not to affect the photographing of the drug M. The transfer may include, as described above, photographing the mounting table 22 again by the camera 43, determining whether the drug M remains on the mounting table 22 by image recognition, etc.

[0085] The rotation of the imaging table 51 (step S26-1 (or S26-2)) after identifying the type of the previous drug M, such as the first (or second) drug M, includes rotation (step S23-2 (or S23-3)) for moving the next drug M, such as the second (or third) drug M, to the imaging position. In this case, the previous drug M (e.g., the first (or second) drug M) is transferred to the buffer 60 from the imaging table 51 at the rotation position where the drug M (e.g., the second (or third) drug M) has been moved to the imaging position.

[0086] After the rotation of the imaging table 51 (step S26-1 (or S26-2)), imaging of the next drug M and identification of the type (step S24-2 (or S24-3)) may be performed in parallel with reading the container containing the previous drug M and transferring the drug M to the buffer 60 (steps S25-1 to S28-1 (or S25-2 to S28-2)). That is, the process of photographing the second or subsequent medicine M and identifying the type of medicine M (step S24-2 (or S24-3)) may be performed during the execution of each process of calling the container 100 containing the previous medicine M (step S25-1 (or S25-2)), transferring the medicine M to the buffer 60 (step S26-1 (or S26-2)), and opening and closing the container 100 and the shutter mechanism 62 (steps S27-1 and S28-1 (or S27-2 and S28-2)). Note that during this execution period (steps S25-1 to S28-1), the transfer of the next medicine M to the imaging stand 50 (step S22-3) is also performed.

[0087] In this way, the controller C performs parallel processing of a part of the sorting operation for each drug M, thereby shortening the sorting time for all drugs M. In particular, the controller C causes the sorting unit 30 to perform an operation (such as photographing the drug M, which may include transporting the drug M to the photographing stand 50) for sorting another drug M (the drug M to be sorted next) during the period in which the buffer 60 holds the drug M to be sorted (the call period of the container 100). As a result, the sorting process for the other drug M is performed during the call period of the container 100, thereby effectively shortening the sorting time. In addition, the operation efficiency is improved and downtime is reduced. It is arbitrary which processes are to be processed in parallel, and it is sufficient that the parallel processing is performed within a range in which the sorting operations for each drug do not interfere with each other.

[0088] Apart from the above sorting process, when a user wishes to take out any container 100, one or more types of medicine to be taken out are input via a user interface (not shown). The multiple types may be included in the types of medicine M contained in each of the eight containers 100 supported by one support device 80. The controller C receives the input of the types and performs call control to move the support device 80 supporting the container 100 containing the type of medicine M to the take-out port 13H, which is an opening of the lower housing 13 in FIG. 1. The user takes out the desired container 100 alone or together with the holding member 85 through the take-out port 13H.

[0089] The specific configurations of the storage unit 20, the transport mechanism 40, and the imaging mechanism 50 are arbitrary, and for example, the conventional mechanisms described in Patent Document 1 can be adopted.

[0090] (Characteristic configurations and effects disclosed in this specification) The following describes the characteristic configurations understood from the above embodiment and the effects of the configurations, but the following characteristic configurations are not limited to the detailed configurations of this embodiment. In other words, the detailed aspects of the following characteristic configurations are arbitrary. For ease of understanding, the elements of the following characteristic configurations are appropriately labeled with the reference symbols of the above embodiment in parentheses, but the parentheses are not intended to limit the elements to the specific configurations of the above embodiment.

[0091] (Characteristic Configuration 1) (1) a storage unit (20) for storing a plurality of medicines to be sorted; a sorting section (30) that sorts each of the plurality of medicines (M) stored in the storage section into one of a plurality of containers (100); a plurality of support devices (80) each for supporting a portion of the plurality of containers; a moving mechanism (70) that moves the plurality of support devices along a path in which two or more of the plurality of support devices overlap when viewed from above and below; A medicine sorting device (1) comprising:

[0092] According to such a configuration, the horizontal area required to arrange multiple containers is smaller than when the same number of containers are arranged in a horizontal matrix (Patent Document 1). Therefore, the footprint of the medicine sorting device can be reduced, and a wide movement line of a user (pharmacist) in, for example, a dispensing room can be secured. In addition, for example, the front-to-rear dimensions of the medicine sorting device can be matched with other devices installed in the dispensing room, thereby eliminating the inconvenience of the medicine sorting device encroaching on the movement line of a user more than other devices.

[0093] (2) The path includes a path extending in the vertical direction and a path extending in the horizontal direction.

[0094] With this configuration, the containers can be stacked vertically, reducing the horizontal area required to accommodate multiple containers.

[0095] (3) The path has a meandering path when viewed horizontally.

[0096] Such a configuration reduces the horizontal area required to accommodate multiple containers.

[0097] (4) The moving mechanism is A ring-shaped member (71 and / or 72) made of a chain or belt that supports the plurality of support devices; A plurality of rotating members (73A to 73G and / or 74A to 74G) on which the annular member is hung, the rotating members being rotatable around a central axis parallel to a left-right direction perpendicular to a front-rear direction with the user side using the medicine sorting device facing forward in the horizontal direction; and a drive unit (75 and / or 76) for rotating at least one of the plurality of rotating members.

[0098] With this configuration, the support device 80 can be moved smoothly.

[0099] (5) The plurality of support devices are rotatably supported by the annular member.

[0100] According to such a configuration, the posture of the support device 80 or the container 100 is maintained regardless of the direction of travel of the support device 80. In other words, the bottom end of the container 100 etc. is more likely to face toward the ground.

[0101] (6) Further comprising a controller (C) for controlling the sorting unit and the moving mechanism, The sorting unit is a buffer (60) having a plurality of buffer passages for guiding each of the plurality of medicines to a destination container among the plurality of containers, and a buffer for holding medicines to be sorted among the plurality of medicines in a buffer passage (61X) corresponding to a type identified by an identification unit (C) that identifies the type of medicine among the plurality of buffer passages (61A to 61H), The controller: The moving mechanism moves the plurality of support members to bring the container (100X) to be sorted among the plurality of containers to a position below the buffer passage that holds the medicines to be sorted; When the destination container reaches the lower position, the buffer is controlled to drop the medicines to be sorted from the buffer passage into the destination container.

[0102] According to such a configuration, the medicine M can be held in the buffer 60 until the container into which the medicine M to be sorted reaches the desired position. In the above embodiment, the identifying unit is the controller C, but the type of medicine may be identified by a server computer with which the controller C can communicate.

[0103] (7) The buffer comprises: a buffer member (61) in which the plurality of buffer passages are formed; a shutter mechanism (62) for simultaneously opening and closing the lower ends of the plurality of buffer passages; The controller controls the shutter mechanism to open, thereby causing the medicines to fall from the buffer passage into the destination container.

[0104] According to this configuration, the drug M can be held and supplied to the container with a simple configuration.

[0105] (8) The medicine sorting device further includes an opening / closing mechanism (90) for opening and closing lids (102) provided on each of the plurality of containers; the opening / closing mechanism includes a pusher (91) that opens a lid of any one of the plurality of containers by pressing a predetermined portion (103A) of the container, The direction in which the lower ends of the plurality of buffer passages are aligned and the direction in which the pusher extends are parallel to each other (see direction D1) and extend in a direction different from the direction in which the plurality of containers supported by each of the plurality of support devices are aligned; The pusher presses the predetermined location of only one container (100X) among the plurality of containers supported by a support device located below the pusher among the plurality of support devices.

[0106] According to such a configuration, it is possible to open the lid of only an arbitrary container among a plurality of containers supported by one supporting device using a small number of members.

[0107] (8) The moving mechanism includes annular members (71 and / or 72) each formed of a chain or belt that rotatably supports the plurality of support devices, The medicine sorting device further includes a guide portion (13D or 13E) that reduces shaking of a support device among the plurality of support devices by guiding a movement of the support device that passes through the guide portion.

[0108] According to such a configuration, shaking of the containers is reduced. In addition, when the medicine sorting device further includes an opening / closing mechanism (90) for opening and closing the lids (102) of the plurality of containers, and the opening / closing mechanism includes a pusher (91) for pressing a predetermined portion (103A) of any of the plurality of containers to open the lid of the container, by disposing the guide portion at the lid opening / closing position, the support device or the containers are prevented from shaking significantly due to the action of the pusher, and, for example, medicines are less likely to jump out of the containers.

[0109] (9) The controller causes the sorting unit to perform an operation for sorting other medicines among the plurality of medicines while the buffer is holding the medicines to be sorted.

[0110] According to this configuration, while the medicines are being held in the buffer, sorting of other medicines proceeds, thereby shortening the total time for sorting medicines.

[0111] (10) a workbench (12) on which the storage unit is disposed; a lower housing (13) disposed below the workbench and housing the movement mechanism; The lower housing includes an opening (13H) through which a user can remove at least one of the some of the containers held by any of the plurality of support devices.

[0112] With such a configuration, the user can easily remove the container, and what was previously dead space can be effectively utilized.

[0113] (11) The part of containers supported by at least one of the plurality of support devices is a plurality of containers, The at least one support device The part of the containers are supported in a state in which they are arranged in a left-right direction perpendicular to a front-rear direction with the user side of the medicine sorting and storage device facing forward in the horizontal direction, The part of the containers is configured so that each of the part of the containers can be taken out individually and the plurality of containers can be taken out at one time.

[0114] With this configuration, the number of containers to be removed can be changed depending on the purpose.

[0115] (12) The at least one supporting device includes a supporting device body (81) and a holding member (85) that is removably attached to the supporting device body and holds the some of the containers.

[0116] With this configuration, the number of containers to be removed can be changed depending on the purpose.

[0117] (13) At least a portion of the plurality of support devices includes a support device body and a holding member that is removably attached to the support device body and holds the portion of the containers; Each of the plurality of containers has a different shape, Each of the support device bodies and each of the holding members are formed in a shape that matches one-to-one (for example, shapes in which the positions of the pin 82P and the positioning hole 85P are different), Each of the holding members includes one or more holding portions (85A to 85H) that hold each of the some of the containers, Each of the one or more holding portions is formed in a shape that matches the shape of a container to be held among the portion of containers.

[0118] According to such a configuration, the location of the supporting device at which each container 100 is supported is uniquely determined, and erroneous placement of the containers 100 and the like are suppressed.

[0119] (14) a plurality of support devices (80) each supporting a portion of the plurality of containers into which the medicines are to be sorted; a moving mechanism (70) that moves the plurality of support devices along a path in which two or more of the plurality of support devices overlap when viewed from above and below; A container support mechanism comprising:

[0120] (Characteristic Configuration 2) (1) a storage unit (20) for storing a plurality of medicines to be sorted; a sorting unit (30) that sorts each of the plurality of medicines stored in the storage unit into one of a plurality of containers; A controller (C) for controlling the sorting unit, The sorting unit includes: an imaging table (51) on which a medicine to be sorted among the plurality of medicines is placed; an actuator (52) for rotating the imaging table around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction; a camera (53) that photographs the medicine placed on the imaging table at least from above and outputs an image for identifying the type of the medicine; a transfer mechanism (40) for transferring the medicine to the imaging table; The imaging table includes a placement table (51C and / or 51D) on which a capsule drug is placed, The mounting table includes a pair of rollers (R1 and R2) for rotating the placed capsule around a central axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the capsule, The controller: placing the capsule on the placement table by the transfer mechanism; The actuator rotates the imaging table to move the table on which the capsules are placed to a position for imaging by the camera; The pair of rollers are rotated when the camera is photographing, The transport mechanism includes a holding device (41) that holds and transports the capsules, The controller: Detecting a longitudinal direction of the capsule held by the holding device when viewed from above and below based on an image of the capsule; When the capsule is placed on the placement table, the actuator rotates the imaging table so that the detected longitudinal direction and the direction of the rotation axes of the pair of rollers when viewed from above and below are within a predetermined range. Drug sorting device.

[0121] According to this configuration, when the medicine is a tablet or a capsule, it is placed on an appropriate placement table and photographed.

[0122] According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent the capsules from being placed on the placement table without being placed between the pair of rollers.

[0123] The imaging table further includes a second mounting table (51C and / or 51D) on which a tablet medicine is placed and which moves to the imaging position by rotating the imaging table.

[0124] According to this configuration, it is possible to photograph tablets using a single imaging table.

[0125] (Scope of the present invention) The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment and modified examples. For example, the present invention includes various modifications to the above-mentioned embodiment and modified examples that can be understood by a person skilled in the art within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. The configurations listed in the above-mentioned embodiment and modified examples can be appropriately combined within a range without contradiction. In addition, it is also possible to delete any of the above-mentioned configurations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0126] Reference Signs List 1...drug sorting device, 10...housing, 11...upper housing, 12...workbench, 12A...through hole, 13...lower housing, 13D, 13E...guide member, 13H...opening, 14...support section, 20...storage section, 21...storage container, 22...mounting table, 30...sorting section, 40...transfer mechanism, 41...holding device, 41A...holding device main body, 41AA...bottom surface, 41AB...annular surface, 41B...rod, 41C...flange, 42...three-axis movement mechanism, 42A...support member, 42AA...cylindrical section, 42AB...support Main body, 42B... actuator, 42BA... drive shaft, 42BB... drive main body, 43... camera, 44... position sensor, 50... photographing mechanism, 51... photographing stand, 51A-51D, 51X... mounting stand, 51E... support member, 52... actuator, 53... camera, 54... lighting device, 55... camera moving mechanism, 55A... actuator, 55AA... drive shaft, 55B... arm, 59A... drive roller, 59B, 59C... actuator, 60... buffer, 61... buffer member, 61 A to 61H, 61X...buffer passage, 62...shutter mechanism, 62A...shutter plate, 62B...shutter plate, 62BE...through hole, 62C...actuator, 70...movement mechanism, 71...annular member, 71A...pin, 72...annular member, 72A...pin, 73, 73A to 73G, 74, 74A to 74G...rotating members, 75, 76...drive device, 80...support device, 81...support device main body, 82...plate portion, 82A...through hole, 82P...pin, 83...right end portion, 83A...hole, 83B...pin , 84...left end portion, 84A...hole, 84B...pin, 85...holding member, 85A-85H...through holes (holding portions), 85P...positioning holes, 85Y...through holes, 90...opening / closing mechanism, 91...pusher, 92...actuator, 100, 100X...container, 101...container body, 102...lid, 103...opening / closing device, 103A...pin (predetermined location), 103B...elastic body, 103C...link mechanism, C...controller, H1...through hole, M...drug, M1, M2...mirrors, R1, R2...rollers.

Claims

1. A storage unit for storing a plurality of medicines to be sorted; A sorting unit that sorts each of the plurality of medicines stored in the storage unit into one of a plurality of containers; A plurality of support devices, each of which supports a portion of the plurality of containers; a movement mechanism that moves the plurality of support devices along a path in which two or more support devices among the plurality of support devices overlap when viewed from above and below; A medicine sorting device comprising:

2. The path includes a path extending in the vertical direction and a path extending in a horizontal direction. The medicine sorting device according to claim 1.

3. The path has a meandering path when viewed horizontally. The medicine sorting device according to claim 1.

4. The moving mechanism includes: A ring-shaped member formed of a chain or belt that supports the plurality of support devices; A plurality of rotating members on which the annular member is hung, the rotating members being rotatable around a central axis parallel to a left-right direction perpendicular to a front-rear direction with the user side of the medicine sorting device facing forward in the horizontal direction; A drive device that rotates at least one of the plurality of rotating members. The medicine sorting device according to claim 1.

5. The plurality of support devices are rotatably supported by the annular member. The medicine sorting device according to claim 2.

6. A controller for controlling the sorting unit and the moving mechanism is further provided. the sorting unit is a buffer including a plurality of buffer passages for guiding each of the plurality of medicines to a destination container among the plurality of containers, and includes a buffer for holding medicines to be sorted among the plurality of medicines in a buffer passage corresponding to a type identified by an identification unit that identifies the type of medicine among the plurality of buffer passages; The controller: The moving mechanism moves the plurality of support members to allow the container to reach a lower position below the buffer passage that holds the medicines to be sorted. When the destination container reaches the lower position, the buffer is controlled to drop the medicines to be sorted from the buffer passage into the destination container. The medicine sorting device according to claim 1.

7. The buffer comprises: a buffer member in which the plurality of buffer passages are formed; a shutter mechanism for simultaneously opening and closing each of the lower ends of the plurality of buffer passages, The controller controls the shutter mechanism to open, thereby causing the medicines to fall from the buffer passage into the destination container. A medicine sorting device according to claim 6.

8. the moving mechanism includes an annular member formed of a chain or a belt that rotatably supports the plurality of support devices, The medicine sorting device further includes a guide unit that reduces shaking of the support device by guiding the movement of the support device passing through the guide unit among the plurality of support devices. The medicine sorting device according to claim 7.

9. The controller causes the sorting unit to perform an operation for sorting other medicines among the plurality of medicines during a period in which the buffer holds the medicines to be sorted. The medicine sorting device according to claim 6.

10. A workbench on which the storage unit is disposed; and a lower housing disposed below the workbench and housing the movement mechanism; the lower housing has an opening through which a user can remove at least one of the containers supported by any one of the plurality of support devices; The medicine sorting device according to claim 1.

11. The part of containers supported by at least one support device of the plurality of support devices is a plurality of containers, The at least one support device The part of the containers are supported in a state in which they are arranged in a left-right direction perpendicular to a front-rear direction with the user side of the medicine sorting and storage device facing forward in the horizontal direction, The part of the containers can be individually removed and the plurality of containers can be removed at one time. The medicine sorting device according to claim 1.

12. The at least one support device includes a support device body and a holding member that is removably attached to the support device body and holds the part of the containers. The drug sorting device according to claim 11.

13. Each of the plurality of support devices includes a support device body and a holding member that is removably attached to the support device body and holds the part of the containers, Each of the plurality of containers has a different shape, Each of the support device bodies and each of the holding members are formed into a shape that matches one-to-one with each other, Each of the holding members includes one or more holding portions that hold each of the some of the containers, Each of the one or more holding portions is formed into a shape that matches the shape of a container to be held among the portion of containers. The medicine sorting device according to claim 1.

14. a plurality of support devices each supporting some of the plurality of containers into which the medicines are to be sorted; a movement mechanism that moves the plurality of support devices along a path in which two or more support devices among the plurality of support devices overlap when viewed from above and below; A container support mechanism comprising:

Images