Medicine dispenser

Abstract

To efficiently dispense medicines.SOLUTION: A medicine dispensing cassette (1) includes: a second rotary body (13) for conveying medicines by rotation; and a first displacement member (16A) and second displacement member (16B) with which the medicines to be conveyed on the second rotary body by the second rotary body contact with. The second rotary body can perform a forward feed operation and a reverse feed operation. When a count sensor does not detect the medicines for a first predetermined time, the second rotary body temporarily switches the forward feed operation into the reverse feed operation, so as to perform a first switch operation for reversely feeding the medicines on a medicine passage route for the portion of a first distance.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a medicine dispensing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an example of an unspecified cassette that can dispense any type of medicine (e.g., tablets, capsules) in unit amounts (e.g., one tablet at a time) by changing the drive conditions. The unspecified cassette of Patent Document 1 comprises a first rotor, a second rotor, a height restricting body, and a width restricting body. In the unspecified cassette, medicines inserted are discharged from the first rotor to the second rotor by the rotation of the first rotor, and then transported toward the dispensing outlet by the rotation of the second rotor. The medicines on the second rotor are transported to the dispensing outlet by the height restricting body and width restricting body, lined up one tablet at a time circumferentially on the second rotor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2017 / 159819 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The upstream side of the dispensing outlet (the medicine guide area that guides the medicine to the dispensing outlet) is defined to a predetermined width by a width restrictor and a side wall member disposed opposite the width restrictor so that the medicines are dispensed in a line, one tablet at a time. In Patent Document 1, the side wall member is a fixed member. Therefore, depending on the shape of the medicine, the medicine may get caught on the fixed member, hindering the transport of the medicine, or the medicine may be damaged by contact with the fixed member.

[0005] An object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a medicine dispensing device that can efficiently dispense medicines. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A drug dispensing device according to one aspect of the present invention is a drug dispensing device that transports a drug to a dispensing outlet and dispenses the drug from the dispensing outlet, and comprises a rotating member that rotates to transport the drug to the dispensing outlet, and a displacement member that is displaced when the drug transported by the rotating member comes into contact with the rotating member and exerts a force on the drug in a direction that cancels out the displacement, thereby adjusting the orientation or position of the drug and assisting the transport of the drug downstream, defined by a predetermined width on the rotating member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the medicine dispensing device according to one aspect of the present invention, medicines can be efficiently dispensed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1(a) is a perspective view showing a state in which a medicine dispensing cassette is attached to a motor base, FIG. 1(b) is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the motor base, and FIG. 1(c) is a diagram showing an example of the placement of a count sensor. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a medicine dispensing cassette. [Figure 3] FIG. 2(a) is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the medicine dispensing cassette with the cover removed, and FIG. 2(b) is a plan view showing a part of the medicine dispensing cassette in this state. [Figure 4] FIG. 2(a) is a cross-sectional view of a first rotating body and a second rotating body, and FIG. 2(b) is a diagram showing an example of the periphery of the first rotating body. [Figure 5] 1(a) is a perspective view showing a comparative example of the second rotating body, and FIG. 1(b) is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the second rotating body 13. FIG. [Figure 6] 10(a) and 10(b) are diagrams showing configuration examples of a height restricting body and a width restricting body. [Figure 7] 10(a) and 10(b) are diagrams for explaining how to prevent dividable tablets from overlapping near the dispensing opening. [Figure 8] 10(a) and 10(b) are diagrams for explaining an example of adjusting the transfer height and transfer width. [Figure 9] FIG. 2(a) is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a guide member, and FIG. 2(b) is a plan view showing an example of the configuration of a first displacement member and a second displacement member. [Figure 10] 10(a) and 10(b) are diagrams for explaining an example of conveying a dividable tablet when the cross-sectional shape of the first displacement member is D-shaped. [Figure 11] 10(a) to 10(c) are diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of the second rotating body. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a comparative example of a guide member. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a medicine dispensing cassette and a motor base. [Figure 14] 10(a) and 10(b) are diagrams for explaining an example of the operation of the second rotating body. [Figure 15] 10(a) and 10(b) are diagrams for explaining an example of the operation of the second rotating body. [Figure 16] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing in the medicine dispensing cassette. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a medicine dispensing cassette according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] [Embodiment 1] An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 16. First, a state in which a medicine dispensing cassette 1 (a medicine dispensing device) is attached to a motor base 10 will be described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1(a) is a perspective view showing a state in which the medicine dispensing cassette 1 is attached to the motor base 10, Figure 1(b) is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the motor base 10, and Figure 1(c) is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of a count sensor 101.

[0010] As shown in (a) of Figure 1, when the medicine dispensing cassette 1 is connected to the motor base 10, the medicine dispensing cassette 1 is controlled by the motor base 10 to perform the dispensing process of the dividable tablet. The medicine dispensing cassette 1 is a component that feeds the inserted dividable tablet sequentially to a dispensing outlet 17 (see (c) of Figure 1), thereby dispensing the dividable tablet from the dispensing outlet 17. The motor base 10 is a component that controls the operation of the medicine dispensing cassette 1 when the medicine dispensing cassette 1 is placed on it and connected to it.

[0011] The medicines to be dispensed by the medicine dispensing cassette 1 do not refer to medicines contained in medicine containers that cannot be ingested (e.g., ampoules or vials), but rather to medicines that are not contained in medicine containers that cannot be ingested, or medicines themselves that are not packaged in packaging that cannot be ingested. In this specification, the medicines to be dispensed are described as divided tablets (e.g., tablets divided into approximately half (half tablets)) (hereinafter referred to as divided tablets). Note that the medicine dispensing cassette 1 may also dispense undivided tablets (single tablets) or capsules, but functions effectively when handling medicines that are easily damaged or breakable. These points also apply to the medicine dispensing cassettes in the following embodiments.

[0012] This specification will be described with an example of a medicine dispensing cassette that dispenses any type of medicine in unit amounts by changing the driving conditions. That is, the description will be given with an example of a medicine dispensing cassette that is provided in a medicine packaging device that packages medicines, together with a fixed cassette that dispenses predetermined types of medicines and a manual dispensing unit that manually distributes medicines. However, the functions of the medicine dispensing cassette described in this specification can also be applied to a medicine dispensing device that, for example, sequentially feeds multiple input medicines and counts and dispenses at least a portion of the fed medicines.

[0013] [Motor base configuration] As shown in FIG. 1(b), the motor base 10 includes a count sensor 101, a connector 102, and driving members 103 to 106.

[0014] As shown in (c) of FIG. 1, the count sensor 101 is a sensor that detects dividable tablets that have been dispensed from the second rotor 13 of the medicine dispensing cassette 1 and have passed (fallen) through the dispensing outlet 17. The count sensor 101 counts the number of dividable tablets by detecting the dividable tablets that have passed through the dispensing outlet 17. The count sensor 101 is positioned so that a detection range for the target is formed on the path along which the dividable tablets dispensed from the second rotor 13 pass (see "optical axis" in (c) of FIG. 1).

[0015] The count sensor 101 is a so-called light-receiving sensor that determines the presence or absence of an object within a detection range by receiving (or not receiving) light emitted from a light-emitting unit with a light-receiving unit located opposite the light-emitting unit. However, the count sensor 101 may also be a so-called reflection-type sensor that determines the presence or absence of an object within a detection range by receiving (or not receiving) light emitted from the light-emitting unit by reflecting the light off the object with the light-receiving unit. In this case, the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit are arranged side by side.

[0016] The connector 102 is connected to a connector (not shown) of the medicine dispensing cassette 1 to supply power to the medicine dispensing cassette 1. The driving members 103 and 104 are connected to a first rotation mechanism that rotates the first rotor 12 of the medicine dispensing cassette 1 shown in Fig. 2 and a second rotation mechanism that rotates the second rotor 13, respectively, and supply power to the first rotation mechanism and the second rotation mechanism. The driving members 105 and 106 are connected to a height restriction body moving mechanism that moves the height restriction body 14 of the medicine dispensing cassette 1 shown in Fig. 2 and a width restriction body moving mechanism that moves the width restriction body 15, respectively, and supply power to the height restriction body moving mechanism and the width restriction body moving mechanism.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 13, the motor base 10 also includes a control unit 50 and a storage unit 60, which will be described later.

[0018] Note that, although the motor base 10 is described as including the control unit 50 and the memory unit 60, this is not limiting. For example, the control unit 50 and the memory unit 60 may be realized by a control device that is provided separately from the motor base 10 and the medicine dispensing cassette 1 and controls the operation of the medicine dispensing cassette 1. In this case, the control device is connected to the motor base 10 and controls the operation of the motor base 10, thereby controlling the operation of the medicine dispensing cassette 1.

[0019] Although the medicine dispensing cassette 1 and the motor base 10 are separate mechanisms, they may be integrated. In this case, for example, the medicine dispensing cassette 1 may include the count sensor 101, the control unit 50, and the memory unit 60.

[0020] [Configuration of drug dispensing cassette] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of the medicine dispensing cassette 1. Fig. 3(a) is a perspective view showing a configuration example of the medicine dispensing cassette 1 in a state where the cover part 11 is removed, and Fig. 3(b) is a plan view showing a part of the medicine dispensing cassette 1 in that state.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the medicine dispensing cassette 1 mainly includes a cover part 11, a first rotating body 12, a second rotating body 13, a height restricting body 14, a width restricting body 15, and a guide member 16.

[0022] In the medicine dispensing cassette 1, the dividable tablet is fed into the first rotor 12. Thereafter, the dividable tablet is transferred from the first rotor 12 to the second rotor 13 in the transfer area Ar1 as the first rotor 12 rotates, and then falls from the second rotor 13 into the dispensing outlet 17 as the second rotor 13 rotates. The dividable tablets on the second rotor 13 are aligned in a row by the height restrictor 14 and the width restrictor 15. Each component will be described in detail below.

[0023] <Cover section / discharge outlet> The cover part 11 is a part of the housing provided on the upper part (the input side of the dividable tablet) of the medicine dispensing cassette 1, and protects the inside of the medicine dispensing cassette 1. The dispensing outlet 17 is an opening through which the dividable tablet transported by the second rotating body 13 falls.

[0024] <First rotating body and second rotating body> The first rotating body 12 and the second rotating body 13 will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4(a) is a cross-sectional view of the first rotating body 12 and the second rotating body 13, and Figure 4(b) is a diagram showing an example of the peripheral portion of the first rotating body 12. Figure 5(a) is a perspective view showing a comparative example of the second rotating body 13, and Figure 5(b) is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the second rotating body 13.

[0025] The first rotor 12 and the second rotor 13 function as a medicine transport mechanism that transports the inserted dividable tablet to the dispensing outlet 17. Specifically, in the case of forward feeding, the first rotor 12 and the second rotor 13 transport the inserted dividable tablet toward the dispensing outlet 17. In the case of reverse feeding, the second rotor 13 transports the dividable tablet placed on the second rotor 13 in the direction opposite to the forward feeding direction. In other words, the second rotor 13 is switchable between a forward feeding operation that feeds the dividable tablet forward and a reverse feeding operation that feeds the dividable tablet backward. However, like the second rotor 13, the first rotor 12 may also be switchable between a forward feeding operation and a reverse feeding operation. Note that forward feeding may be referred to as forward rotation, and reverse feeding may be referred to as reverse rotation.

[0026] The first rotor 12 is a rotating member (inner disk, inner ring) that rotates to move the inserted dividable tablet toward the outer periphery (radially outward). Specifically, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the first rotor 12 is a disk-shaped rotating member that rotates around a first shaft portion 12A.

[0027] 2, 3(a), and 4(a), a partition wall 18 is erected along the outer periphery of the first rotor 12. This allows the inserted dividable tablet to be placed on the first rotor 12. Specifically, the inserted dividable tablet is contained in a storage space partitioned by the first rotor 12 and the partition wall 18.

[0028] 4(a), the first rotor 12 is disposed so as to be inclined with respect to the XY plane (e.g., the mounting surface of the medicine dispensing cassette 1). In other words, the first shaft portion 12A of the first rotor 12 is disposed so as to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the Z-axis direction (vertical direction).

[0029] 2 to 4, a plurality of ridges 12B for preventing the dividable tablet fed into the first rotor 12 from rolling on the upper surface are radially provided on the upper surface of the first rotor 12. The dividable tablet fed into the first rotor 12 moves toward the outer periphery due to the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the first rotor 12.

[0030] As shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), the side surface 12C at the peripheral end of each ridge portion 12B is inclined so as to be approximately parallel to the surface of the second rotor 13 on which the dividable tablet is placed. This prevents the dividable tablet from being damaged when it moves between the first rotor 12 and the second rotor 13. In particular, this prevents the dividable tablet from being damaged when it is returned from the second rotor 13 to the first rotor 12 during reverse feeding.

[0031] Generally, tablets are coated with a protective film around them to make them less likely to break. However, in the case of dividable tablets, no protective film is coated on the divided surface. Therefore, dividable tablets are more vulnerable to external impacts and more likely to break than undivided tablets. In other words, dividable tablets are more likely to generate powder or fragments from the divided surface. Therefore, in a medicine dispensing cassette 1 that handles dividable tablets, it is useful for the side surface 12C to have the above-mentioned inclination.

[0032] The sizes and positional relationship between the first rotating body 12 and the second rotating body 13 are specified so that gaps are formed at least in the transfer region Ar1 and the opposing region Ar2. The transfer region Ar1 is the region where the dividable tablet transfers from the first rotating body 12 to the second rotating body 13. The opposing region Ar2 is the region adjacent to the lower part of the partition wall 18, opposing the transfer region Ar1.

[0033] Generally, a gap is provided between the first rotor 12 and the second rotor 13 such that the first rotor 12 does not come into contact with the second rotor 13. However, the first rotor 12 and the second rotor 13 are not designed to intentionally provide a gap, taking into consideration the transfer of medicines in the transfer area Ar1. When handling dividable tablets, as in the medicine dispensing cassette 1, powder or fragments are likely to be generated, as described above. Therefore, by intentionally providing a gap (at least making it larger than conventional), it becomes possible for the powder or fragments to fall below the first rotor 12 and be collected.

[0034] For example, consider the case where a divisible tablet (first divisible tablet) is dispensed, followed by a divisible tablet (second divisible tablet) of a different type from the first divisible tablet. Without a gap, more powder or fragments of the first divisible tablet remain on the first rotor 12 and the second rotor 13 than when a gap is present. Therefore, without a gap, there is a higher chance that powder or fragments of the first divisible tablet will be dispensed together with the second divisible tablet than when a gap is present. From a safety perspective, it is undesirable for the medicine to be dispensed to be dispensed together with powder or fragments of other medicines. Therefore, it is useful to provide a gap in a medicine dispensing cassette 1 that handles divisible tablets. However, the gap is limited to a size that prevents the divisible tablet from falling.

[0035] In addition, a collecting section 19 (storage section) is provided at the bottom of the movement area Ar1 to collect powder or fragments that have fallen through the gap. By providing the collecting section 19, the collected powder or fragments can be easily collected, for example, when the medicine dispensing cassette 1 is disassembled and cleaned. Therefore, the effort required for cleaning the medicine dispensing cassette 1 can be reduced. The collecting section 19 may be detachably provided at the bottom of the movement area Ar1. Alternatively, the collecting section may be provided at the bottom of the opposing area Ar2. Alternatively, the collecting section may be provided along the bottom of at least one of the inner and outer circumferential sections of the second rotor 13.

[0036] The medicine dispensing cassette 1 also incorporates a first rotation mechanism that rotates the first rotor 12. The first rotation mechanism is realized by, for example, a first shaft 12A and a drive member (not shown) that rotates the first shaft 12A around the first rotation axis of the first shaft 12A. The drive member 103 of the motor base 10 is connected to the drive member of the first rotation mechanism, so that the first rotor 12 rotates by receiving power from the motor base 10. The drive of the first rotation mechanism is controlled by a rotor control unit 51 (see FIG. 13).

[0037] 2 to 4, the second rotating body 13 is an annular rotating member and is disposed so as to be located above the first rotating body 12 (in the +Z-axis direction). The second rotating body 13 is disposed horizontally so that the second rotation axis of the second rotating body 13 extends in the ±Z-axis directions and the upper surface thereof is approximately parallel to the XY plane. In other words, the second rotation axis of the second rotating body 13 extends in a different direction from the first rotation axis of the first rotating body 12.

[0038] Furthermore, when viewed from the axial direction of the second rotating shaft (+Z axis direction), the second rotating body 13 is arranged along the outer periphery of the first rotating body 12, and is a rotating member (outer disk, outer ring) that rotates to transport a divided tablet placed on the second rotating body 13, for example, to the dispensing outlet 17.

[0039] During forward feeding, the first rotor 12 and the second rotor 13 rotate in the same direction so that the inserted dividable tablet is transported toward the dispensing outlet 17. At least some of the dividable tablets that have transferred from the first rotor 12 to the second rotor 13 in the transfer area Ar1 are forward fed to the dispensing outlet 17, and the remaining dividable tablets are dropped toward the first rotor 12 by the height regulating body 14, the width regulating body 15, and the guide member 16 (first displacement member 16A and second displacement member 16B).

[0040] The medicine dispensing cassette 1 incorporates a second rotation mechanism that rotates the second rotor 13. The second rotation mechanism is realized, for example, by a gear member 13A (see FIG. 5(b)) provided along the side surface of the second rotor 13. The driving member 104 of the motor base 10 is fitted into the gear member 13A, so that the second rotor 13 receives power from the motor base 10 and rotates. The driving of the second rotation mechanism is also controlled by the rotor control unit 51.

[0041] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the medicine dispensing cassette 1 does not have ribs around the entire inner and outer peripheries of the second rotor 13. As mentioned above, dividable tablets are prone to breakage. If ribs 130A are provided on the inner periphery of the second rotor 13 as shown in FIG. 5(a), when a dividable tablet is returned from the second rotor 13 to the first rotor 12, the dividable tablet may come into contact with the rib 130A and be broken. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5(a), if ribs 130B are provided on the outer periphery of the second rotor 13, when the dividable tablet is transported from the second rotor 13 to the dispensing outlet 17, the dividable tablet may come into contact with the rib 130B and be broken. Furthermore, if the transport of a dividable tablet is hindered by ribs 130A or 130B, a subsequent dividable tablet may ride up on the dividable tablet. This is due to the fact that dividable tablets are not rounded like undivided tablets and have a special shape with a partially flattened shape.

[0042] In the medicine dispensing cassette 1, no ribs are provided on the inner and outer peripheries of the second rotor 13, thereby preventing breakage of the dividable tablet and facilitating transport to the first rotor 12 or the dispensing outlet 17. Furthermore, no ribs are provided on the inner and outer peripheries of the second rotor 13, making it easier for powder or fragments of the dividable tablet on the second rotor 13 to fall from the inner or outer periphery of the second rotor 13 to its lower part (e.g., a storage section).

[0043] <Height and width regulation bodies> The height regulating body 14 and the width regulating body 15 will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 8. Figure 6(a) and (b) are diagrams showing configuration examples of the height regulating body 14 and the width regulating body 15. Figure 7(a) and (b) are diagrams for explaining prevention of overlapping of dividable tablets near the dispensing outlet 17. Figure 8(a) and (b) are diagrams for explaining an example of adjustment of the transfer height W1 and the transfer width W22.

[0044] The height restricting body 14 and the width restricting body 15 are restricting bodies that define the width of the passage path for the dividable tablets to restrict the passage of the dividable tablets fed in sequence by the first rotor 12 and the second rotor 13 according to the size of the dividable tablets, and are movable to change the width of the passage path. The height restricting body 14 and the width restricting body 15 define a passage path Ro for the dividable tablets on the second rotor 13, along which the dividable tablets can be transported to the dispensing outlet 17 in a single row.

[0045] The height restricting body (height guide) 14 restricts the width of the passageway to a transfer height W1 shown in FIG. 6(a). The width restricting body 15 restricts the width of the passageway to transfer widths W21 and W22 shown in FIG. 3(b). The transfer height W1 is the distance between the lower surface of the first height restricting portion 14A of the height restricting body 14 and the upper surface of the second rotating body 13. In other words, the transfer height W1 is the distance from the surface of the passageway Ro to the height restricting body 14. The transfer width W21 is the distance from the inner periphery of the second rotating body 13 to the first wall surface 15S1 of the width restricting body 15, and the transfer width W22 is the distance from the guide member 16 to the second wall surface 15S2 of the width restricting body 15.

[0046] As shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(b), the height restricting body 14 includes a first height restricting portion 14A and a second height restricting portion 14B. The first height restricting portion 14A is a member that prevents the dividable tablets placed on the second rotating body 13 from being transported to the dispensing outlet 17 while overlapping in the height direction (+Z axis direction) during forward feeding. The first height restricting portion 14A is disposed so as to be located downstream of the movement region Ar1 in the drug transport direction during forward feeding and above the second rotating body 13. As shown in Figure 6(a), the first height restricting portion 14A extends from the outer periphery to the inner periphery of the second rotating body 13 and along the drug transport direction.

[0047] The height restrictor 14 moves in the ±Z-axis directions to define the transfer height W1 on the upper surface of the second rotor 13. The medicine dispensing cassette 1 has a built-in height restrictor moving mechanism that controls the movement of the first height restrictor 14A. The height restrictor moving mechanism includes, for example, a screw member 14C. As shown in FIG. 6(a), the screw member 14C is provided to engage with a screw receiving portion formed on the height restrictor 14. In this embodiment, the screw member 14C is connected to the drive member 105 of the motor base 10, and the screw member 14C rotates upon receiving power from the motor base 10, causing the height restrictor 14 to move in the ±Z-axis directions. This adjusts the transfer height W1 to match the size of the inserted dividable tablet. The drive of the height restrictor moving mechanism is controlled, for example, by the restrictor control unit 52 (see FIG. 13).

[0048] Similar to the first height restricting unit 14A, the second height restricting unit 14B is a member that prevents the dividable tablets placed on the second rotating body 13 from being conveyed to the dispensing outlet 17 in a state where they are stacked in the height direction during forward feeding. The second height restricting unit 14B is disposed so as to be located upstream of the dispensing outlet 17 in the drug transport direction during forward feeding and above the second rotating body 13. In other words, the second height restricting unit 14B is provided at the tip of the height restricting body 14. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7(b), a step 14B1 is formed in the second height restricting unit 14B so that the height is slightly lower in the drug transport direction during forward feeding.

[0049] As shown in (a) of Figure 7, consider a state in which the conveyance of dividable tablet MD1 is hindered by guide member 16 during forward feeding. In Figure 7, the shapes of dividable tablets MD1, MD2, and MD3 are substantially the same, but the orientations of dividable tablets MD1, MD2, and MD3 are different from one another. Therefore, in Figure 7, the shapes of dividable tablets MD1, MD2, and MD3 are illustrated as being different from one another.

[0050] If forward feeding continues while the conveyance of the dividable tablet MD1 is obstructed, the dividable tablet MD2 may be pushed by the dividable tablet MD3 and run onto the dividable tablet MD1 stopped by the guide member 16.

[0051] When a dividable tablet MD2 is transported to the dispensing outlet 17 while sitting on top of the dividable tablet MD1, two dividable tablets are dispensed at a time from the dispensing outlet 17. When two dividable tablets are dispensed at a time, the count sensor 101 may erroneously count the two tablets as one dividable tablet. By providing the second height restrictor 14B, as shown in FIG. 7(b), the dividable tablet MD2 on top of the dividable tablet MD1 can be caused to come into contact with a step 14B1 and fall. This prevents dividable tablets from being dispensed in a stacked state, thereby preventing the above-mentioned miscounting from occurring.

[0052] As shown in Figures 3(b) and 6(a), the width restrictor (width guide) 15, together with the height restrictor 14, is disposed downstream of the transfer area Ar1 in the direction of drug transfer during forward feeding and above the second rotor 13. As shown in Figure 3(b), the width restrictor 15 has a first wall surface 15S1 (curved surface) having a diameter larger than the diameter of the inner periphery of the second rotor 13, and a second wall surface 15S2 located downstream of the first wall surface 15S1 in the direction of drug transfer during forward feeding. The transfer widths W21 and W22 can be adjusted by moving the width restrictor 15 approximately in the ±Y-axis direction. The positional relationship between the width restrictor 15 and the second rotor 13 is determined so that the minimum transfer width W21 can be formed in a portion of the circumferential direction of the first wall surface 15S1.

[0053] The width restrictor 15 moves substantially in the ±Y-axis direction to define the transfer widths W21 and W22 on the upper surface of the second rotor 13. As shown in Fig. 3(a), the medicine dispensing cassette 1 has a built-in width restrictor moving mechanism that controls the movement of the width restrictor 15. As shown in Fig. 3(a), the width restrictor moving mechanism includes, for example, a screw member 15A1 and a piston portion 15A2.

[0054] The piston portion 15A2 moves the width limiter 15 along the piston portion 15A2. In this embodiment, the screw member 15A1 is connected to the drive member 106 of the motor base 10, and the screw member 15A1 rotates upon receiving power from the motor base 10. Power generated by the rotation of the screw member 15A1 is transmitted to the piston portion 15A2, and the width limiter 15 connected to the piston portion 15A2 is moved by this power. As a result, the transport widths W21 and W22 are adjusted according to the size of the inserted dividable tablet. The drive of the width limiter movement mechanism is controlled, for example, by the limiter control unit 52.

[0055] 6(b), the width restrictor 15 is provided with an opening 15B that accommodates a portion of the second height restrictor 14B so that the second height restrictor 14B can move in the ±Z-axis directions. The provision of the opening 15B allows the second height restrictor 14B to be positioned on the passage path Ro regardless of fluctuations in the transport width W22. Therefore, even when two dividable tablets are transported overlapping each other, the second height restrictor 14B can reliably drop the upper dividable tablet.

[0056] (Adjustment of transfer height and transfer width) As a pre-processing step for dispensing a dividable tablet, a process is performed to adjust the transfer height W1, transfer widths W21, and W22. The transfer height W1 and transfer width W22 are calculated based on the type of dividable tablet being inserted. Specifically, the transfer height W1 and transfer width W22 are calculated based on the diameter and thickness of the tablet (approximately circular shape) before being divided into the dividable tablet, which are included in the drug data for the dividable tablet being inserted. This calculation may be performed by a host system of the drug dispensing cassette 1 or by the control unit 50 of the drug dispensing cassette 1.

[0057] An example of calculating the transport height W1 and transport width W22 will be described below. The transport width W22 does not depend on the thickness (B) of the dividable tablet, and may be set to a value that allows multiple dividable tablets to be transported to the dispensing outlet 17 in a single row.

[0058] From this perspective, the transport width W22 is set to, for example, more than 1 and less than 2 times the radius (A) of the dividable tablet. The radius of the dividable tablet is determined by dividing the diameter of the tablet before dividable by 2, which is included in the drug data for the dividable tablet to be inserted.

[0059] By setting the distance greater than one time the radius of the dividable tablet, dividable tablets in a lying state can be transported to the dispensing outlet 17. The lying state refers to a state in which the divided surface does not face the surface of the second rotor 13 (a state in which the dividable tablet is not standing up). In addition, by setting the distance less than two times the radius of the dividable tablet, dividable tablets in a lying state can be prevented from being transported in two rows.

[0060] Dividable tablets are divided evenly so that the tablet is roughly halved, but in some cases, the division may not be equal (e.g., one tablet is divided 4:6). In this case, the transport width W22 must be set to be greater than 1x the radius of the dividable tablet so that the larger divided tablet can also be transported in a lying position. Therefore, the transport width W22 is set to be greater than 1x the radius of the dividable tablet.

[0061] Furthermore, as shown in (b) of FIG. 8, when the thickness of a dividable tablet is relatively thick (greater than or equal to a predetermined thickness), there is a possibility that multiple dividable tablets will be conveyed upright along the second rotor 13 in a line along the direction of the conveying width W22. Taking this into consideration, when the thickness of a dividable tablet is greater than or equal to a predetermined thickness, the conveying width W22 may be set to less than twice the thickness of the dividable tablet. Setting the conveying width W22 to less than twice the thickness of the dividable tablet prevents multiple upright dividable tablets from being conveyed in a line along the direction of the conveying width W22. The predetermined thickness may be set through experiments, etc. In the example of FIG. 8, the thickness of a dividable tablet is considered to be greater than or equal to a predetermined thickness when twice the thickness of the dividable tablet is greater than or equal to 1.3 times the radius of the dividable tablet.

[0062] Furthermore, the transport width W21 may be set large enough to transport a relatively thick dividable tablet in an upright state. This is because, even if a relatively thick dividable tablet is upright, the above-described setting of the transport width W22 prevents multiple dividable tablets from lining up in the direction of the transport width W22 on the passage path Ro of the transport width W22.

[0063] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 8(a), when the thickness of the dividable tablet is relatively thin (less than a predetermined thickness), it is unlikely that multiple dividable tablets will be lined up in an upright state along the transport width W22 and transported on the second rotor 13. Therefore, it is not necessary to set the transport width W22 taking into account the uprightness of the dividable tablet (i.e., the thickness of the dividable tablet).

[0064] In the examples of (a) and (b) of FIG. 8, the transport width W22 is set to, for example, 1.3 times the radius of the dividable tablet (1.3A).

[0065] Furthermore, when the thickness of the dividable tablet is less than a predetermined value, the transfer height W1 is set to a value greater than one time the thickness of the dividable tablet and less than two times the thickness. In other words, in this case, the transfer height W1 is set according to the dimension of the dividable tablet in the thickness direction. Furthermore, when the thickness of the dividable tablet is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the transfer height W1 is set to a value greater than one time the radius of the dividable tablet and less than two times the thickness of the dividable tablet. In other words, in this case, the transfer height W1 is set taking into consideration the dimensions of the dividable tablet in directions other than the thickness direction (the radius in the case of a tablet with a circular cross section).

[0066] As described above, if a dividable tablet is relatively thin, it is unlikely that the dividable tablet will be transported in an upright state. Therefore, the transport height W1 may be set to a value that prevents two overlapping dividable tablets from being transported on the second rotor 13 (a value that ensures that one dividable tablet is transported) without taking into consideration that the dividable tablet will be transported in an upright state on the second rotor 13.

[0067] For example, as shown in (a) of Figure 8, if twice the thickness of the dividable tablet is less than the transport width W22 (in the example of Figure 8, less than 1.3 times the radius of the dividable tablet), the transport height W1 is set to 1.1 times the thickness of the dividable tablet (1.1B).

[0068] However, if a relatively thin dividable tablet were to stand upright, the dividable tablets would be conveyed in a line in the direction of the transport width W22 and dispensed from the dispensing outlet 17. Therefore, it is preferable that relatively thin dividable tablets be conveyed to the dispensing outlet 17 in a lying state. If the transport width W22 were set taking into consideration the possibility that a relatively thin dividable tablet would be dispensed in an upright state, the transport width W22 would be too small, making it impossible to convey a lying dividable tablet to the dispensing outlet 17. Therefore, the transport width W22 is set as described above, assuming that a relatively thin dividable tablet is unlikely to stand upright (i.e., allowing it to stand up). To reliably prevent a relatively thin dividable tablet from being dispensed in an upright state, the transport height W1 may be set even smaller than the radius of the dividable tablet if the thickness of the dividable tablet is less than a predetermined value.

[0069] On the other hand, if the dividable tablet is relatively thick, it may be transported in an upright state. Therefore, the transfer height W1 is set to a value greater than the radius of the dividable tablet so that the dividable tablet can be transported on the second rotor 13 even in an upright state. On the other hand, since it is necessary to prevent two dividable tablets from being transported on the second rotor 13 in a vertically overlapping state, the transfer height W1 is set to a value less than twice the thickness of the dividable tablet.

[0070] For example, as shown in (b) of Figure 8, if the transport width W22 is twice the thickness of the dividable tablet or more (in the example of Figure 8, this is 1.3 times the radius of the dividable tablet or more), the transport height W1 is set to 1.1 times the radius of the dividable tablet (1.1A).

[0071] In a typical medicine dispensing cassette, the transfer height W1 is set to be more than 1x but less than 2x the thickness of the medicine, and the transfer width W22 is set to be more than 1x but less than 2x the diameter of the medicine, assuming that the medicine will be dispensed in a lying state. This is because medicines that are not dividable tablets tend to lie flat.

[0072] On the other hand, the medicine dispensing cassette 1 handles dividable tablets. Therefore, the transfer height W1 and transfer width W22 must be set taking into consideration the possibility that the dividable tablets may be dispensed in an upright state. By setting the transfer height W1 and transfer width W22 as described above, regardless of the state in which the dividable tablets are transported on the second rotor 13, the dividable tablets can be aligned in a row at least on the passage path Ro from the guide member 16 to the dispensing outlet 17.

[0073] Therefore, the medicine dispensing cassette 1 can dispense not only dividable tablets in a lying position but also dividable tablets in an upright position one by one. Because it can dispense upright dividable tablets, it can improve the efficiency of dispensing dividable tablets. It can also prevent two dividable tablets from being dispensed overlapping each other.

[0074] Although the above describes an example of calculating the transfer height W1 and transfer width W22 using the thickness and radius of the dividable tablet, this is not limiting. The thickness of the dividable tablet used in the calculation can be the first part having the smallest dimension (also referred to as the short side) of the length (diameter), width (radius), and height (thickness) of the dividable tablet. Furthermore, the radius of the dividable tablet used in the calculation can be the second part (also referred to as the middle side) having the second smallest dimension of the length, width, and height of the dividable tablet.

[0075] In other words, the transport width W22 may be set to be greater than one time the length of the second portion of the dividable tablet and less than two times the length of the second portion. If the first portion of the dividable tablet is equal to or greater than a predetermined length (e.g., the thickness of the dividable tablet is equal to or greater than a predetermined thickness), the transport width W22 may also be set to be less than two times the length of the first portion of the dividable tablet.

[0076] Furthermore, when the first portion of the dividable tablet is less than a predetermined value (e.g., first portion × 2 < transport width W22, i.e., first portion < transport width W22 / 2), the transport height W1 may be set to a value greater than 1 time the first portion and less than 2 times the first portion. Furthermore, when the first portion of the dividable tablet is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (e.g., first portion × 2 ≧ transport width W22, i.e., first portion ≧ transport width W22 / 2), the transport height W1 may be set to a value greater than 1 time the second portion of the dividable tablet and less than 2 times the first portion.

[0077] Furthermore, in the above example, when twice the thickness of the dividable tablet is the same as the transport width W22 (1.3 times the radius of the dividable tablet), the transport height W1 is set using the setting method shown in Figure 8(b), but the transport height W1 may also be set using the setting method shown in Figure 8(a).

[0078] <Guide parts> The guide member 16 will be described with reference to Figures 9 to 12. Figure 9(a) is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the guide member 16, and Figure 9(b) is a plan view showing an example of the configuration of the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B. Figures 10(a) and 10(b) are views for explaining an example of conveying a dividable tablet when the cross-sectional shape of the first displacement member 16A is D-shaped. Figure 11(a) to (c) are views for explaining an example of the operation of the second rotating body 13. Figure 12 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a guide member 160 as a comparative example.

[0079] As shown in (a) of FIG. 9, the medicine dispensing cassette 1 is provided with a guide member 16 near the dispensing outlet 17, which defines a portion of the passage path Ro for the dividable tablet formed by the second rotating body 13 connected to the dispensing outlet 17 and guides the dividable tablet to the dispensing outlet 17. As shown in (b) of FIG. 3, the guide member 16 is erected at a position facing the second wall surface 15S2 of the width restrictor 15 and defines a portion of the passage path Ro together with the second wall surface 15S2. The passage path Ro defined by the guide member 16 can also be said to be an end region (medicine guide region) on the second rotating body 13 where the dividable tablet that has passed through the first wall surface 15S1 is guided to the dispensing outlet 17.

[0080] The guide member 16 includes a first displacement member 16A, a second displacement member 16B, a fixed member 16C, and a support member 16D.

[0081] (fixing member) The fixed member 16C is a non-displaceable member installed on the second rotating body 13, and is a sidewall member (first sidewall member) that defines the sidewall of the passage path Ro. Note that the width restrictor 15 can also be said to be a sidewall member (second sidewall member) that defines the sidewall.

[0082] (support member) The support member 16D extends upstream from the fixed member 16C, and supports the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B so as to be suspended below the support member 16D.

[0083] (displacement member) The first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B are suspended from the support member 16D, and are displaced when the dividable tablet conveyed by the second rotor 13 comes into contact with them, and exert a force on the dividable tablet in a direction that cancels out the displacement. As a result, the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B adjust the orientation or position of the dividable tablet, and assist in conveying the dividable tablet to the downstream side (medicine guide region) defined by a predetermined width (transport width W22).

[0084] The displacement (swing) of the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B can absorb the impact on the dividable tablet. This prevents breakage of the dividable tablet. Furthermore, the force applied to the dividable tablet can correct its orientation (posture). Furthermore, the position of the dividable tablet can be corrected so that the fixing member 16C does not interfere with the conveyance of the dividable tablet. This prevents the dividable tablet from clogging the fixing member 16C.

[0085] Specifically, the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B are disposed upstream of the fixed member 16C. This allows the progressively fed dividable tablet to come into contact with the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B before coming into contact with the fixed member 16C. This prevents the dividable tablet from being damaged by contact with the fixed member 16C.

[0086] Furthermore, the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B change the orientation or position of the dividable tablet so as to prevent the dividable tablet from contacting one end (the upstream end) of the fixed member 16C. By changing the orientation or position in this manner, damage to the dividable tablet due to contact with the one end of the fixed member 16C can be prevented, and clogging of the dividable tablet at that end can be prevented.

[0087] Furthermore, by providing two displacement members, the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B, the orientation or position of the dividable tablet can be changed in stages, which can efficiently prevent clogging of the dividable tablet.

[0088] As described above, dividable tablets are easily broken. Therefore, in a medicine dispensing cassette 1 that handles dividable tablets, it is beneficial to provide a first displacement member 16A and a second displacement member 16B on the guide member 16 so that the dividable tablet can be transported to the dispensing outlet 17 while preventing breakage of the dividable tablet.

[0089] Furthermore, unlike rounded tablets, dividable tablets have a special shape (a shape including the divided surface). Therefore, when the corners of the divided surface come into contact with the width regulating body 15 and the fixing member 16C, the conveyance of the dividable tablet is hindered, and the dividable tablet is prone to clogging. Therefore, from this perspective as well, it is beneficial to provide the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B.

[0090] 9(a), the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B are connected to the fixed member 16C so that they are arranged in the order of the fixed member 16C, the first displacement member 16A, and the second displacement member 16B when viewed from the dispensing outlet 17. That is, the medicine dispensing cassette 1 includes, as displacement members, the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B, which is arranged upstream of the first displacement member 16A (at a position farther from the dispensing outlet 17).

[0091] As shown in FIG. 9(b), the contact surface 16AS1 (upstream contact surface) of the first displacement member 16A, with which the dividable tablet comes into contact during forward feeding, has a shape that does not impede the movement of the dividable tablet. In this case, damage to the dividable tablet when it comes into contact with the first displacement member 16A during forward feeding can be prevented. Furthermore, the contact surface 16AS2 (downstream contact surface) of the first displacement member 16A, with which the dividable tablet comes into contact during reverse feeding, also has a shape that does not impede the movement of the dividable tablet. In this case, damage to the dividable tablet when it comes into contact with the first displacement member 16A during reverse feeding can be prevented.

[0092] In this embodiment, both contact surfaces 16AS1 and 16AS2 are curved, and the cross-sectional shape of the first displacement member 16A is circular. However, the first displacement member 16A may have any shape (e.g., polygonal) as long as at least the contact surfaces 16AS1 and 16AS2 do not hinder the movement of the dividable tablet. However, if the cross-sectional shape of the first displacement member 16A is circular, it is easy to manufacture a first displacement member 16A that prevents breakage of the dividable tablet.

[0093] Here, consider the case where either contact surface 16AS1 or 16AS2 does not have the above-mentioned shape (i.e., a surface shape (e.g., a flat shape) that hinders the movement of the dividable tablet). In this case, the corners of the divided surface are likely to get caught on contact surface 16AS1 or 16AS2, which will likely hinder the transportation of the dividable tablet.

[0094] When the contact surface 16AS2 has a flat shape as shown in Fig. 10(a), the dividable tablet MD is likely to become stuck between the fixing member 16C and the contact surface 16AS2 during reverse feeding as shown in Fig. 10(b). In this case, it is difficult to release the dividable tablet from the stuck state by the forward feeding and reverse feeding operations of the second rotor 13 alone.

[0095] From this viewpoint, it is preferable that the shape of the first displacement member 16A is such that at least the contact surfaces 16AS1 and 16AS2 do not hinder the movement of the dividable tablet. For example, it is preferable that the contact surfaces 16AS1 and 16AS2 are arc-shaped or polygonal with a relatively large interior angle (e.g., a shape with an interior angle at least greater than 90°).

[0096] Furthermore, the positional relationship between the first displacement member 16A and the fixed member 16C is specified so that the distance W3 between them is large enough to prevent a dividable tablet from getting stuck. In a positional relationship that allows a dividable tablet to get stuck, for example, during forward feeding, the corners of the divided surface are likely to come into contact with the fixed member 16C, making it more likely that the movement of the dividable tablet will be hindered. Furthermore, the dividable tablet may rotate around the first displacement member 16A as the rotation axis and fall toward the first rotor 12. To prevent these problems, the positional relationship is specified as described above.

[0097] Furthermore, the contact surface 16BS1 (upstream contact surface) of the second displacement member 16B, which the dividable tablet comes into contact with when it is fed forward, has a shape that does not impede the movement of the dividable tablet, thereby preventing breakage of the dividable tablet when it comes into contact with the second displacement member 16B during forward feeding.

[0098] On the other hand, the second displacement member 16B has an inhibiting surface 16BS2 (downstream contact surface) that inhibits the movement of a divided tablet that has come into contact with the first displacement member 16A when the divided tablet is fed backward.

[0099] As shown in (a) of Figure 11, even if a dividable tablet MD is transported in a state where it gets caught on the guide member 16, the orientation or position of the dividable tablet MD is corrected by contacting the first displacement member 16A. This prevents the dividable tablet MD from getting caught on the guide member 16, allowing the medicine dispensing cassette 1 to efficiently dispense the dividable tablet MD. The second displacement member 16B also has the same effect. In other words, by providing the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B, the orientation or position of the dividable tablet MD can be corrected in two stages.

[0100] However, depending on the orientation or position of the dividable tablet MD11, the orientation or position of the dividable tablet MD11 may not be fully corrected by the first displacement member 16A during forward feeding, causing the dividable tablet MD11 to get caught on the fixing member 16C, as shown in Figure 11(b). In this case, the movement of the dividable tablet MD12 is hindered by the dividable tablet MD11.

[0101] In this state, when the second rotor 13 performs a reverse feed operation, it can move the dividable tablet MD12 in the direction of the first height restrictor 14A while hooking the dividable tablet MD11 on the suppression surface 16BS2 of the second displacement member 16B, as shown in (c) of Figure 11. In other words, it is possible to widen the gap between the dividable tablets MD11 and MD12.

[0102] In this state, when the second rotating body 13 performs the forward feeding operation again, the dividable tablet MD11 can be brought into contact with the first displacement member 16A without the dividable tablet MD12 being in contact, as shown in (a) of Figure 11, so that the orientation or position of the dividable tablet MD11 can be corrected.

[0103] Furthermore, when the dividable tablet MD11 gets caught on the second displacement member 16B during reverse feeding, the orientation or position of the dividable tablet MD11 is likely to be changed to an orientation or position different from that when it gets caught on the fixed member 16C. Therefore, by bringing the dividable tablet MD11 into contact with the first displacement member 16A again, the orientation or position of the dividable tablet MD11 is more likely to be corrected to an extent that it can pass through the passage route Ro.

[0104] 9(b), the cross-sectional shape of the second displacement member 16B is a D-shape in which the suppression surface 16BS2 is flat and the contact surface 16BS1 is curved. The shape of the second displacement member 16B is not limited to this, and any shape may be used as long as at least the contact surface 16BS1 and the suppression surface 16BS2 have the shapes described above. When the cross-sectional shape of the second displacement member 16B is approximately D-shaped, it is possible to easily manufacture a second displacement member 16B that prevents breakage of the dividable tablet during forward feeding and temporarily suppresses movement of the dividable tablet during reverse feeding.

[0105] However, the suppression surface 16BS2 may have a curved shape (i.e., the cross-sectional shape of the second displacement member 16B may be circular). In this case, the force of suppressing the movement of the dividable tablet during reverse feeding will be weaker than when the suppression surface 16BS2 has a flat shape, but it is still possible to suppress the movement.

[0106] Here, consider a case where the guide member 16 does not include the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B. For example, consider a case where a guide member 160 is provided instead of the guide member 16, as shown in Figure 12. The guide member 160 has an inclined contact portion 160A with which the dividable tablet comes into contact when being fed forward, in order to prevent the dividable tablet from getting caught on the guide member 160.

[0107] Because the guide member 160 is fixed, it is difficult to change the orientation of the dividable tablet. As mentioned above, because dividable tablets have a special shape, they are easily caught on the contact portion 160A and easily climb up. If a dividable tablet climbs up the contact portion 160A, it may fall onto the subsequent dividable tablet, and two dividable tablets may be dispensed from the dispensing opening 17 in an overlapping state. Furthermore, dividable tablets are easily damaged by contact with the contact portion 160A.

[0108] The guide member 16 is provided with the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B, which makes it easier to correct the orientation or position of the dividable tablet, thereby preventing the dividable tablet from getting caught. Furthermore, the dividable tablet does not climb onto the fixing member 16C as described above, preventing the two dividable tablets from overlapping each other due to such climbing. Furthermore, the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B prevent the dividable tablet from being damaged.

[0109] Therefore, by providing the guide member 16, it is possible to suppress clogging of the dividable tablet while suppressing the load on the dividable tablet. As a result, the dividable tablet can be efficiently dispensed. Furthermore, these effects can be achieved with a simple configuration in which the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B are provided and the second rotor 13 is switched between forward and reverse feeding.

[0110] (Variation) In this embodiment, the guide member 16 is described as including a first displacement member 16A and a second displacement member 16B as displacement members, but the number of displacement members is not limited to two. For example, a single displacement member may be used. Even in this case, it is possible to prevent breakage of the dividable tablet while also preventing clogging of the dividable tablet. However, when only one displacement member is provided, it is preferable to provide the first displacement member 16A from the viewpoint of correcting the orientation or position of the dividable tablet and efficiently transporting the dividable tablet.

[0111] [Motor base (control unit / storage unit) configuration] The control unit 50 and the storage unit 60 of the motor base 10 will be described with reference to Figs. 13 to 15. Fig. 13 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the medicine dispensing cassette 1 and the motor base 10. Figs. 14(a) and 14(b) and Figs. 15(a) and 15(b) are diagrams for explaining an operation example of the second rotor 13.

[0112] As shown in Fig. 13, the motor base 10 includes a control unit 50 and a storage unit 60 in addition to the above-mentioned components. The control unit 50 comprehensively controls the motor base 10 and each unit of the medicine dispensing cassette 1. The functions of the control unit 50 may be realized by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing programs stored in the storage unit 60. The storage unit 60 stores various programs executed by the control unit 50 and data used by the programs.

[0113] The control unit 50 mainly includes a rotating body control unit 51, a regulating body control unit 52, and a timing unit 53.

[0114] The rotating body control unit 51 drives the first rotation mechanism by controlling the driving of the drive member 103, thereby controlling the rotation of the first rotating body 12. The rotating body control unit 51 also drives the second rotation mechanism by controlling the driving of the drive member 104, thereby controlling the rotation of the second rotating body 13. The rotating body control unit 51 controls, for example, the rotation direction and rotation speed of the first rotating body 12 and the second rotating body 13.

[0115] The rotor control unit 51 independently controls the first rotor 12 and the second rotor 13. The rotor control unit 51 constantly rotates the first rotor 12 in the forward direction at a constant speed, for example, during the dispensing process of the dividable tablet. On the other hand, the rotor control unit 51 switches the second rotor 13 between forward and reverse operation. The rotation speed of the second rotor 13 during forward and reverse feed is set individually. For example, the rotation speed during forward feed and the rotation speed during reverse feed can each be set to multiple levels (e.g., seven levels). The rotation speed during forward feed is set according to the size of the dividable tablet (diameter of the dividable tablet). For example, the rotation speed during forward feed is set to increase as the size of the dividable tablet increases.

[0116] When the count sensor 101 does not detect a dividable tablet for a predetermined time (first predetermined time), the rotating body control unit 51 temporarily switches the forward feeding operation to a reverse feeding operation. In this case, the second rotating body 13 is fed backward by a first distance. In other words, the second rotating body 13 feeds the dividable tablet on the passage path Ro backward by the first distance. This switching operation is referred to as the first switching operation (reverse operation 1).

[0117] 11(b), when the movement of the dividable tablet MD11 is hindered by the fixed member 16C, the dispensing of the dividable tablet MD11 from the dispensing opening 17 is stopped. When this stopped state continues for a first predetermined time, the rotor control unit 51 determines that the movement of the dividable tablet MD11 is hindered by the fixed member 16C, temporarily switches the forward feeding operation to a reverse feeding operation, and feeds the second rotor 13 backward by a first distance.

[0118] The first distance corresponds to the distance from the first displacement member 16A to the second displacement member 16B. In this embodiment, the rotor control unit 51 realizes the reverse feed operation of the first distance by, for example, rotating the second rotor 13 by approximately 15° around the second rotation axis. Furthermore, the first predetermined time is set to a time sufficient for the dividable tablet present near the first displacement member 16A to be dispensed from the dispensing opening 17 when the rotation speed of the second rotor 13 during forward feed is the slowest.

[0119] As shown in (b) of Fig. 11, when a first predetermined time has elapsed after the movement of the dividable tablet MD11 is prevented by the fixing member 16C, a first switching operation is performed, and the dividable tablets MD11 and MD12 are fed backward. Because the first distance is defined as above, when the first switching operation is performed, the movement of the dividable tablet MD11 is prevented by the second displacement member 16B, as shown in (a) of Fig. 14. Meanwhile, the dividable tablet MD12 moves beyond the second displacement member 16B toward the first height restriction member 14A. In other words, the distance between the dividable tablets MD11 and MD12 can be increased.

[0120] The rotation speed during reverse feeding is set to be relatively high. Therefore, even if the dividable tablet MD12 comes into contact with the second displacement member 16B, the dividable tablet MD12 can move toward the first height regulating portion 14A. As for the dividable tablet MD11, since the first distance is specified as described above, the rotation speed in the reverse feeding direction is reduced when the dividable tablet MD11 moves close to the second displacement member 16B. Therefore, the movement of the dividable tablet MD11 in the reverse feeding direction is prevented by the second displacement member 16B.

[0121] Thereafter, when the second rotor 13 is fed forward again, the dividable tablet MD11 can be brought into contact with the first displacement member 16A without being in contact with the dividable tablet MD12. Therefore, as shown in Figure 11(a), the orientation or position of the dividable tablet MD11 is corrected, and the dividable tablet MD11 can be dispensed from the dispensing opening 17.

[0122] Furthermore, if the count sensor 101 does not detect the dividable tablet for an additional predetermined time (second predetermined time), the rotating body control unit 51 temporarily switches the forward feeding operation to a reverse feeding operation. In this case, the second rotating body 13 is fed backward a second distance that is longer than the first distance. In other words, the second rotating body 13 feeds the dividable tablet on the passage path Ro backward the second distance. This switching operation is referred to as the second switching operation (reverse operation 2).

[0123] Specifically, even if the dividable tablet MD11 is brought into contact with the first displacement member 16A again after the first switching operation, the dividable tablet MD11 may get caught on the fixed member 16C again. If this situation occurs, the dispensing of the dividable tablet MD11 is stopped for a second predetermined time in addition to the first predetermined time. If this stopped state continues for the first predetermined time and the second predetermined time, the rotor control unit 51 determines that the movement of the dividable tablet MD11 continues to be hindered by the fixed member 16C, temporarily switches the forward feed operation to a reverse feed operation, and feeds the second rotor 13 backward by the second distance.

[0124] The second distance is longer than the distance from the first displacement member 16A to the second displacement member 16B. As described above, the rotation speed during reverse feeding is set relatively high. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 14(b), even if the dividable tablet MD11 as well as the dividable tablet MD12 come into contact with the second displacement member 16B, they can move beyond the second displacement member 16B and toward the first height restrictor 14A. In this embodiment, the rotor control unit 51 realizes the reverse feeding operation of the second distance by, for example, rotating the second rotor 13 by approximately 30° to 50° around the second rotation axis. This rotation angle is set based on the rotation speed of the second rotor 13 during reverse feeding. In other words, this rotation angle is set to a degree that causes the second rotor 13 to be reverse fed by the second distance, which is longer than the first distance.

[0125] After the movement of the severable tablet MD11 is prevented by the fixing member 16C, when a second predetermined time has elapsed, a second switching operation is performed, and the severable tablets MD11 and MD12 are fed backward. Because the second distance is specified as described above, when the second switching operation is performed, the severable tablets MD11 and MD12 move beyond the second displacement member 16B and toward the first height regulating unit 14A, as shown in FIG. 14(b). In other words, when the operation is switched back to the forward feeding operation, the orientation or position of the severable tablets MD11 and MD12 can be corrected by contacting both the second displacement member 16B and the first displacement member 16A. Therefore, when the second switching operation is performed, there is a higher possibility that the orientation or position of the severable tablet MD11 can be corrected so that its movement is not prevented by the fixing member 16C, compared to the first switching operation.

[0126] In this embodiment, the second switching operation is performed when the count sensor 101 fails to detect a dividable tablet after the first switching operation, but this is not limiting. The second switching operation may be performed after the first switching operation is performed several times.

[0127] Furthermore, if the count sensor 101 detects a dividable tablet within the first predetermined time, the rotating body control unit 51 also temporarily switches the forward feeding operation to a reverse feeding operation. In this case, the second rotating body 13 is fed backward by a third distance. In other words, the second rotating body 13 feeds the dividable tablet on the passage path Ro backward by the third distance. This switching operation is referred to as a third switching operation (reverse operation 3).

[0128] As shown in (a) of Figure 15, consider the case where dividable tablets MD11 and MD12 are successively dispensed from the dispensing outlet 17. In this case, if the forward feeding operation continues even after dividable tablet MD11 is dispensed from the dispensing outlet 17, dividable tablet MD12 may be dispensed from the dispensing outlet 17 following dividable tablet MD11. In this case, the count sensor 101 may erroneously count dividable tablets MD11 and MD12 as a single dividable tablet.

[0129] When the rotating body control unit 51 receives a detection result from the count sensor 101 indicating that the dividable tablet MD11 has been counted, it executes the third switching operation. As a result, the second rotating body 13 is temporarily fed in reverse, and the falling interval between the dividable tablet MD11 and the dividable tablet MD12 can be increased as shown in Fig. 15(b). This prevents the above-mentioned erroneous counting.

[0130] The third distance may be set through experiments, etc., to a distance that does not cause the above-mentioned erroneous counting. In this embodiment, the rotating body control unit 51 realizes the reverse feed operation of the third distance by, for example, rotating the second rotating body 13 by about 5° around the second rotation axis.

[0131] The restrictor control unit 52 drives the height restrictor movement mechanism by controlling the drive of the drive member 105. This controls the movement of the height restrictor 14 in the ±Z axis directions. The restrictor control unit 52 also drives the width restrictor movement mechanism by controlling the drive of the drive member 106. This controls the movement of the width restrictor 15 in the direction in which the piston portion 15A2 extends. As described above, the restrictor control unit 52 controls the movement of the height restrictor 14 and the width restrictor 15 when adjusting the transfer height W1 and transfer widths W21 and W22 as pre-processing for the dispensing process of the dividable tablet. The restrictor control unit 52 also independently controls the movement of the height restrictor 14 and the width restrictor 15.

[0132] The timing unit 53 measures a first predetermined time or a second predetermined time. For example, the timing unit 53 measures the time since the count sensor 101 detected the dividable tablet. Furthermore, when the timing unit 53 measures the first predetermined time or the second predetermined time, it notifies the rotating body control unit 51 that the time has elapsed.

[0133] [Processing in the medicine dispensing cassette] Next, a processing example in the medicine dispensing cassette 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 16. Fig. 16 is a flowchart showing a processing example in the medicine dispensing cassette 1. In this embodiment, the rotation speed of the second rotor 13 can be set to seven stages from stage 1 (lowest speed) to stage 7 (highest speed).

[0134] After the dividable tablet is fed into the first rotor 12 (inner ring), the dispensing process of the dividable tablet is initiated, and the restrictor control unit 52 adjusts the transfer height W1 and the transfer widths W21 and W22 by controlling the height restrictor 14 and the width restrictor 15. Thereafter, the rotor control unit 51 rotates the first rotor 12 to start the operation of lifting up the dividable tablet, transferring the dividable tablet from the first rotor 12 to the second rotor 13 (outer ring) (S1).

[0135] Thereafter, the rotor control unit 51 causes the second rotor 13 to rotate in a sequential manner (S2). The rotation speed is set to, for example, one of stages 1 to 3 based on the size of the inserted dividable tablet. At this time, the timer unit 53 starts counting a first predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds).

[0136] If the count sensor 101 detects a dividable tablet and acquires the detection result within a first predetermined time after the timing unit 53 starts timing, the rotating body control unit 51 executes a third switching operation (reverse operation 3). That is, the rotating body control unit 51 reverses the second rotating body 13 by a third distance (e.g., 5°) (S3). Furthermore, the timing unit 53 resets the timing of the first predetermined time and then starts timing the first predetermined time again. In this embodiment, the rotation speed during reverse feeding is uniformly set to stage 7.

[0137] That is, the rotating body control unit 51 repeats the processes of S2 and S3 while obtaining the detection result from the count sensor 101 within the first predetermined time. The processes of S2 and S3 are also referred to as a normal dispensing operation, which is a dispensing operation when no clogging occurs in the fixed member 16C.

[0138] On the other hand, if the rotating body control unit 51 does not receive a detection result from the count sensor 101 within a first predetermined time after the timing unit 53 starts timing (if it receives a notification from the timing unit 53 that the first predetermined time has elapsed), it executes a first switching operation (reverse operation 1). That is, the rotating body control unit 51 feeds the second rotating body 13 backward by a first distance (e.g., 15°) (S4). After processing S4, the rotating body control unit 51 feeds the second rotating body 13 forward again (S5). Furthermore, when the forward feeding starts, the timing unit 53 resets the timing of the first predetermined time and starts timing a second predetermined time (e.g., 4 seconds).

[0139] Thereafter, if the rotating body control unit 51 acquires a detection result from the count sensor 101 within the second predetermined time, it determines that the jam in the fixed member 16C has been cleared and proceeds to the process of S3, i.e., the normal dispensing operation is resumed.

[0140] On the other hand, if the rotating body control unit 51 does not receive a detection result from the count sensor 101 within the second predetermined time (if it receives a notification from the timing unit 53 that the second predetermined time has elapsed), it executes a second switching operation (reverse operation 2). That is, the rotating body control unit 51 feeds the second rotating body 13 backward by a second distance (e.g., 30° to 50°) (S6). Thereafter, the process returns to S5. At this time, the timing unit 53 resets the counting of the second predetermined time and starts counting the second predetermined time.

[0141] That is, the rotating body control unit 51 repeats the processes of S5 and S6 while it has not obtained a detection result from the count sensor 101 within the second predetermined time. The processes of S5 and S6 are also referred to as a return operation in which the dividable tablet jammed in the fixed member 16C is returned to the front of the second displacement member 16B, and then the dividable tablet is dispensed again.

[0142] The restrictor control unit 52 executes the process of S6 a predetermined number of times (e.g., five times), and if no detection result is obtained from the count sensor 101 within a second predetermined time after the process of S5, it returns the height restrictor 14 and the width restrictor 15 to their initial positions. The initial positions refer to the positions where the transfer height W1, transfer widths W21, and W22 are at their maximum values ​​and the height restrictor 14 and width restrictor 15 are fully open. Thereafter, the rotor control unit 51 performs a reverse feed operation for a predetermined time to return the dividable tablet on the second rotor 13 to the first rotor 12 (S7). This predetermined time may be set to a time sufficient for the dividable tablet on the second rotor 13 to be returned to the first rotor 12. At this time, the timer unit 53 resets the second predetermined time.

[0143] Thereafter, similar to S1, the restrictor control unit 52 adjusts the transfer height W1 and the transfer widths W21 and W22 by controlling the height restrictor 14 and the width restrictor 15. The rotor control unit 51 also starts the operation of lifting up the dividable tablet by rotating the first rotor 12 (S8). The processes of S7 and S8 are also referred to as reset operations that reset the dispensing process of the dividable tablet.

[0144] Thereafter, a return operation is executed (S9 and S10) in the same manner as in S5 and S6. If the rotating body control unit 51 acquires a detection result from the count sensor 101 within a second predetermined time after the start of forward feeding in S9, it proceeds to the processing of S3. That is, it returns to the normal dispensing operation. On the other hand, after the processing of S9 and S10 has been executed a predetermined number of times (e.g., twice), it performs the processing of S7 and then terminates this processing. This is because there is a high possibility that the dividable tablet will not be able to be efficiently dispensed even if the return operation is executed any further.

[0145] Through the above process, the medicine dispensing cassette 1 can efficiently dispense dividable tablets.

[0146] [Embodiment 2] Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below. For ease of explanation, the same reference numerals will be used to designate components having the same functions as those described in the above embodiment, and the description thereof will not be repeated. The same applies to the following embodiments.

[0147] Fig. 17 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a medicine dispensing cassette 1A which is a modified example of the medicine dispensing cassette 1. As shown in Fig. 17, the medicine dispensing cassette 1A, like the medicine dispensing cassette 1, comprises a first rotor 12, a second rotor 13, a height regulating member 14 and a width regulating member 15. However, the medicine dispensing cassette 1A comprises a conveying member 31 which conveys the dividable tablet MD that has dropped from the dispensing outlet 17 to the dispensing outlet 17A. Furthermore, unlike the medicine dispensing cassette 1, the medicine dispensing cassette 1A does not have a guide member 16 (at least the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B) provided on the second rotor 13.

[0148] The conveying member 31 is a strip-shaped member extending below the dispensing outlet 17 to the dispensing outlet 17A for counting the number of dividable tablets dispensed. That is, a count sensor (not shown) is provided near the dispensing outlet 17A. In this embodiment, the conveying member 31 extends in the ±X-axis directions. The conveying member 31 may be realized, for example, by a belt conveyor.

[0149] On the second rotor 13, the dividable tablets MD are aligned in a row by the height restricting members 14 and width restricting members 15. In this state, the dividable tablets MD fall one by one from the dispensing outlet 17 to the conveying member 31. The dividable tablets MD that have fallen into the conveying member 31 are conveyed by the conveying member 31 to the dispensing outlet 17A.

[0150] The conveying member 31 is also provided with a side wall 31A for preventing the dividable tablet MD that has dropped from the dispensing outlet 17 from falling at a location other than the dispensing outlet 17A. The side wall 31A is provided on the side of the conveying member 31 opposite to the side on which the first displacement member 16A and the second displacement member 16B are provided. The relative position of the second rotor 13 and the conveying member 31 is determined so that the dividable tablet MD that has dropped from the dispensing outlet 17 is conveyed on the conveying member 31 along the side of the side wall 31A.

[0151] In this embodiment, the control unit 50 controls the forward and reverse operations of the conveying member 31. The control unit 50 controls the operation of the conveying member 31 in the same manner as the control of the second rotating body 13 by the rotating body control unit 51 in embodiment 1. In other words, the conveying member 31 functions as a medicine conveying mechanism that conveys the dividable tablet MD forward or backward.

[0152] In addition, the second rotating body 13 performs a forward feed operation at a rotation speed according to the size of the divided tablet, and, for example, when a reverse feed operation is performed on the conveying member 31, the forward feed operation may be temporarily stopped or a third switching operation may be performed.

[0153] Furthermore, the medicine dispensing cassette is not limited to the medicine dispensing cassettes 1 and 1A. As long as a displacement member (first displacement member 16A and / or second displacement member 16B) is provided near the dispensing outlet 17 or 17A, the other members may be realized with any materials. For example, in the medicine dispensing cassette, the first rotor 12 may not have a predetermined inclination, and the heights of the first rotor 12 and the second rotor 13 may be approximately the same. Furthermore, the first rotor 12 and the second rotor 13 may be integrated. Furthermore, the medicine dispensing cassette may not have a rotor, and may be realized with a strip-shaped transport member from the input portion where the dividable tablet is input to the dispensing outlet.

[0154] [Embodiment 3] As described in the first embodiment, the transfer height W1 and transfer width W22 are calculated based on the diameter of the dividable tablet to be inserted, which is included in the drug data for the dividable tablet, and the positions of the height restrictor 14 and width restrictor 15 are adjusted based on the calculation results. Therefore, the drug dispensing cassette 1 is capable of dispensing multiple types of dividable tablets. In other words, the drug dispensing cassette 1 functions not as a drug dispensing cassette dedicated to dispensing any one dividable tablet, but as a drug dispensing cassette capable of dispensing multiple types of dividable tablets.

[0155] The main components of such a medicine dispensing cassette are as follows: A medicine dispensing cassette that dispenses medicines from a dispensing outlet by sequentially feeding the medicines that have been input to the dispensing outlet, The medicine is a divided tablet, a restricting body that defines a passage path width for the dividable tablets to restrict the passage of the progressively fed dividable tablets in accordance with their sizes, and that is movable to change the passage path width; The regulating body is configured to move so that the width of the passageway becomes a value calculated based on the size of the dividable tablet to be inserted, which is included in the medicine data relating to the dividable tablet.

[0156] [Software implementation example] The control block of the motor base 10 (particularly the control unit 50) may be realized by a logic circuit (hardware) formed on an integrated circuit (IC chip) or the like, or may be realized by software.

[0157] In the latter case, the motor base 10 includes a computer that executes instructions from a software program that realizes each function. This computer includes, for example, one or more processors and a computer-readable recording medium storing the program. The object of the present invention is achieved when the processor in the computer reads and executes the program from the recording medium. The processor may be, for example, a central processing unit (CPU). The recording medium may be a "non-transitory tangible medium," such as a read-only memory (ROM), tape, disk, card, semiconductor memory, or programmable logic circuit. The computer may also include a random access memory (RAM) for storing the program. The program may be supplied to the computer via any transmission medium capable of transmitting the program (such as a communication network or broadcast waves). One aspect of the present invention may also be realized when the program is embodied in the form of a data signal embedded in a carrier wave, embodied by electronic transmission.

[0158] [Another expression according to one aspect of the present disclosure] A drug dispensing device according to one aspect of the present invention is a drug dispensing device that transports a drug to a dispensing outlet and dispenses the drug from the dispensing outlet, and is equipped with a drug transport mechanism that transports the drug, and a displacement member that is displaced upon contact with the drug transported by the drug transport mechanism and that applies a force to the drug in a direction that cancels out the displacement, thereby adjusting the orientation or position of the drug and assisting in the transport of the drug downstream within a specified width.

[0159] A drug dispensing device according to one aspect of the present invention is a drug dispensing device that transports a drug to a dispensing outlet and dispenses the drug from the dispensing outlet, and is equipped with a rotating member that transports the drug by rotating, and a displacement member that is displaced toward the center of rotation of the rotating member when the drug transported on the rotating member comes into contact with the rotating member, and the drug passage path on the rotating member that is located downstream of the displacement member is specified to have a predetermined width.

[0160] A drug dispensing device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a drug dispensing device that transports a drug to a dispensing outlet and dispenses the drug from the dispensing outlet, and is equipped with a first disk-shaped rotating body, a second annular rotating body that is arranged on the outer periphery of the first rotating body and transports the drug by rotating, and a displacement member that comes into contact with the drug transported on the second rotating body by the second rotating body, and the second rotating body is capable of performing a forward feed operation that forwards the drug and a reverse feed operation that reverses the drug in a direction opposite to the forward feed direction, and the drug passage path located downstream of the displacement member on the second rotating body is specified to have a predetermined width, and the displacement member is suspended upstream of a side wall member that defines the side wall of the passage path.

[0161] A drug dispensing device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a drug dispensing device that transports a drug to a dispensing outlet and dispenses the drug from the dispensing outlet, and includes a rotating member that transports the drug by rotating, and a displacement member that comes into contact with the drug transported on the rotating member by the rotating member, and the rotating member is capable of performing a forward feed operation that forwards the drug and a reverse feed operation that reverses the drug in a direction opposite to the forward feed direction, and the drug passage path located downstream of the displacement member on the rotating member is defined to a predetermined width, and the displacement member is suspended upstream of a side wall member that defines the side wall of the passage path, and when a sensor that detects the drug that has passed through the dispensing outlet does not detect the drug for a first predetermined time, the rotating member temporarily switches the forward feed operation to the reverse feed operation, thereby performing a first switching operation that reverses the drug on the drug passage path a first distance.

[0162] In one embodiment of the drug dispensing device of the present invention, the rotating member performs the first switching operation, then performs the forward feeding operation, and if the sensor does not detect the drug for a second predetermined time from the start of the forward feeding operation after performing the first switching operation, the rotating member may temporarily switch the forward feeding operation to the reverse feeding operation, thereby performing a second switching operation to reverse the drug on the passage path a second distance longer than the first distance.

[0163] A drug dispensing device according to one aspect of the present invention is a drug dispensing device that transports a drug to a dispensing outlet and dispenses the drug from the dispensing outlet, and is equipped with a rotating member that transports the drug by rotating, and a displacement member that comes into contact with the drug being transported on the rotating member by the rotating member, and the drug passage path located downstream of the displacement member on the rotating member is defined to a predetermined width, and the displacement member is suspended from above a horizontal plane that includes the rotating member.

[0164] A drug dispensing method according to one aspect of the present invention is a drug dispensing method using a drug dispensing device that transports a drug to a dispensing outlet and dispenses the drug from the dispensing outlet, and includes a step of transporting the drug by rotating a rotating member, and a step of adjusting the orientation or position of the drug by the drug being transported on the rotating member coming into contact with a displacement member, wherein the drug passage path on the rotating member that is located downstream of the displacement member is defined to a predetermined width, and the displacement member is suspended from above a horizontal plane that includes the rotating member.

[0165] A drug dispensing method according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of: loading a drug onto a first rotating body; moving the drug on the first rotating body onto a second rotating body arranged on the outer periphery of the first rotating body by rotating the first rotating body; and bringing the drug on the second rotating body into contact with a displacement member by rotating the second rotating body, and then dispensing the drug from a dispensing outlet, wherein the drug passage path located downstream of the displacement member on the second rotating body is defined to a predetermined width, and the displacement member is suspended from above a horizontal plane including the second rotating body.

[0166] In one embodiment of the drug dispensing method of the present invention, the second rotating body is capable of performing a forward feed operation to feed the drug on the second rotating body forward and a reverse feed operation to feed the drug on the second rotating body in a direction opposite to the forward feed direction, and in the process of dispensing the drug on the second rotating body from the dispensing outlet, the forward feed operation may be temporarily switched to the reverse feed operation each time a sensor that detects drug that has passed through the dispensing outlet detects drug dispensed from the second rotating body.

[0167] In one embodiment of the drug dispensing method of the present invention, the second rotating body is capable of performing a forward feed operation to feed the drug on the second rotating body forward and a reverse feed operation to feed the drug on the second rotating body in a direction opposite to the forward feed direction, and in the step of dispensing the drug on the second rotating body from the dispensing outlet, if a sensor that detects drug that has passed through the dispensing outlet does not detect the drug on the second rotating body for a predetermined period of time, the forward feed operation may be temporarily switched to the reverse feed operation to bring the drug on the second rotating body into contact with the displacement member, and after the reverse feed operation is performed, the operation may be switched to the forward feed operation.

[0168] A drug dispensing device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a first rotating body into which drugs are introduced, a second rotating body arranged on the outer periphery of the first rotating body and which receives drugs moved from the first rotating body by the rotation of the first rotating body, a displacement member which is contacted by drugs on the second rotating body by the rotation of the second rotating body, and a dispensing outlet which dispenses drugs on the second rotating body that have come into contact with the displacement member by the rotation of the second rotating body, wherein the drug passage path which is located downstream of the displacement member on the second rotating body is specified to a predetermined width, and the displacement member is suspended from above a horizontal plane including the second rotating body.

[0169] In one embodiment of the drug dispensing device of the present invention, the second rotating body is capable of performing a forward feed operation to feed the drug on the second rotating body forward, and a reverse feed operation to feed the drug on the second rotating body in a direction opposite to the forward feed direction, and the forward feed operation may be temporarily switched to the reverse feed operation each time a sensor that detects drug that has passed through the dispensing outlet detects drug dispensed from the second rotating body.

[0170] In one embodiment of the drug dispensing device of the present invention, the second rotating body is capable of performing a forward feed operation to feed the drug on the second rotating body forward, and a reverse feed operation to feed the drug on the second rotating body in a direction opposite to the forward feed direction, and if a sensor that detects the drug that has passed through the dispensing outlet does not detect the drug on the second rotating body for a predetermined period of time, the forward feed operation may be temporarily switched to the reverse feed operation to bring the drug on the second rotating body into contact with the displacement member, and after performing the reverse feed operation, the device may switch to the forward feed operation.

[0171] [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]

[0172] 1, 1A Drug dispensing cassette (drug dispensing device) 12 First rotating body (drug delivery mechanism) 13 Second rotating body (drug delivery mechanism) 14 Height Control Body 16A First displacement member (displacement member) 16B Second displacement member (displacement member) 16C Fixing member (side wall member) 16AS1, 16AS2 contact surface 16BS2 Suppression surface 16BS1 Contact surface 17, 17A Outlets 101 Count Sensor (Sensor) A Radius of the divided tablet (radius of the drug) B. Thickness of the divided tablet (thickness of the drug) MD, MD1-3, MD11, MD12 Dividable Tablets (Medicine) Ro Passage Route W1 Transfer height (passage path width)

Claims

[Claim 1] A medicine dispensing device that conveys a medicine to a dispensing outlet and dispenses the medicine from the dispensing outlet, a rotating member that rotates to transport the medicine to the dispensing outlet; A drug dispensing device comprising: a displacement member that displaces the drug transported by the rotating member upon contact with it and exerts a force on the drug in a direction that cancels out the displacement, thereby adjusting the orientation or position of the drug and assisting in the transport of the drug to a downstream side defined by a predetermined width on the rotating member.

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