Apparatus and method for binding drug capsules.

Abstract

Automatically and appropriately joining multiple drug packaging continuums. [Solution] The drug packaging binding device is a drug packaging binding device for binding multiple drug packaging continuums, and comprises a storage groove (2) having an insertion opening (2a) at one end and an outlet (2b) at the other end, for accommodating multiple drug packaging continuums (9) stacked with the orientation of the sealing portion 9a aligned; a transport mechanism (3) for transporting the multiple drug packaging continuums inserted into the storage groove from the insertion opening toward the outlet side; and a crimping mechanism (4) having a pair of finger portions (41) for gripping the sealing portions of the multiple drug packaging continuums in the storage groove, for crimping the sealing portions of the multiple drug packaging continuums by opening and closing the pair of finger portions in conjunction with the transport operation of the transport mechanism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drug package binding device and method for binding a plurality of drug package continua.

Background Art

[0002] Drugs provided to patients in hospitals and pharmacies are packaged by being partitioned into single-dose portions on a long drug package continuum. When taking the medicine, a single-dose drug package is separated from the long drug package continuum. When taking a plurality of drugs, there will be a plurality of separated sub-packages.

[0003] When there are a plurality of prescribed drugs, in order to prevent accidental ingestion or forgetting to take them, the operation of binding a plurality of drug package continua together for each dose using a stapler or tape has been carried out in advance. However, such work is laborious and has been a burden on pharmacists and nurses. Also, when using a stapler, there were problems such as injury by the needle and damage to the drug package.

[0004] In order to solve such problems, a drug package binding machine configured to bind a plurality of drug packages with a rotatable first gear and second gear has been proposed conventionally (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-195765 (Patent Document 1)).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In a configuration like the medicine packaging binding machine described in Patent Document 1, where multiple continuous medicine packaging units are fed downstream and crimped together by the meshing of crimping rollers (gears), twisting and misalignment of the continuous medicine packaging units are likely to occur unless the operator pulls them by hand. Therefore, there has been a need for a technology that can properly join multiple continuous medicine packaging units while reducing the amount of work required compared to conventional methods.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its objective is to provide a drug packaging binding device and method that can automatically and appropriately bind multiple drug packaging continuums. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A drug packaging binding device according to a certain aspect of this invention is a drug packaging binding device for binding multiple drug packaging continuums, comprising: a storage groove having an insertion port at one end and an outlet port at the other end, for accommodating multiple drug packaging continuums stacked with the orientation of the sealing portions aligned; a transport mechanism for transporting the multiple drug packaging continuums inserted into the storage groove from the insertion port toward the outlet port side; and a crimping mechanism having a pair of finger portions for gripping the sealing portions of the multiple drug packaging continuums in the storage groove, for crimping the sealing portions of the multiple drug packaging continuums by opening and closing the pair of finger portions in conjunction with the transport operation of the transport mechanism.

[0009] The transport mechanism includes a pair of pressing members that hold multiple continuous drug packets stacked in the thickness direction, and the crimping mechanism performs opening and closing operations of a pair of finger parts while the sealed portion is held by the pair of pressing members.

[0010] The transport mechanism includes an opening / closing drive means for opening and closing a pair of pressing members, and a moving drive means for reciprocating the pair of pressing members along a housing groove. The crimping mechanism maintains the closed state of the pair of finger portions for the period after the pair of pressing members, which have been opened, have returned to the insertion side.

[0011] One opposing surface of a pair of finger portions has at least one protrusion projecting toward the other opposing surface, and the other opposing surface of the pair of finger portions has a contact surface that receives the load of the protrusion.

[0012] The contact surface is composed of the tip surface of the protrusion, which has a width dimension larger than the protrusion itself.

[0013] The crimping mechanism includes an arm portion rotatably connected to one of a pair of finger portions, a connecting portion rotatably connected to the other of the pair of finger portions, a fixed bracket having an elongated hole for receiving a shaft portion that passes through the arm portion and the connecting portion, and a lifting drive means for moving the base end of the arm portion up and down.

[0014] A method for joining multiple continuous units of pharmaceutical packaging according to a certain aspect of this invention is a method for joining multiple continuous units of pharmaceutical packaging, and includes the steps of: inserting multiple continuous units of pharmaceutical packaging, stacked with their sealing portions aligned, into a receiving groove having an insertion port at one end and an outlet port at the other end; transporting the multiple continuous units of pharmaceutical packaging inserted into the receiving groove toward the outlet port side; and pressing and securing the sealing portions of the multiple continuous units of pharmaceutical packaging in the receiving groove by opening and closing a pair of finger portions. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, multiple drug encapsulation continuums can be automatically and appropriately joined together. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a schematic front view showing the main part of a drug packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic top view showing the main parts of a drug packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a schematic side view showing the main part of a drug packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the main part of a drug packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5]It is a front view showing an enlarged main part of the crimping mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a top view showing an enlarged main part of the crimping mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a plan view showing a pair of finger parts mounted on the crimping mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention separated from each other. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the shape of the claw parts (protrusions) formed on each of the pair of finger parts. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state where the sealing parts of a plurality of medicine packet continua are crimped by a pair of finger parts. [Figure 10] It is a flowchart showing the continuous crimping process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a view schematically showing changes in the operating states of a pair of pressing members and a pair of finger parts during the continuous crimping process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] It is a view schematically showing the crimping locations of the medicine packet continua by the continuous crimping process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] It is a cross-sectional view showing a comparative example of the claw part (protrusion) in an embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0017] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail while referring to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0018] <Schematic Configuration> Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the schematic configuration of the drug packaging binding device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 1 is a front view showing the main part of the drug packaging binding device 1, and Figure 2 is a top view showing the main part of the drug packaging binding device 1. In each figure, the width direction (left-right direction) of the drug packaging binding device 1 as seen from the front is represented by the x direction, the depth direction as seen from the front is represented by the y direction, and the height direction is represented by the z direction. Note that in Figures 1 and 2, the crimping mechanism 4 is shown in a simplified form to avoid making the drawings complicated.

[0019] A continuous drug packaging sheet 9 is a long drug packaging sheet (packaging paper) formed by dividing multiple individual packets 90 by vertical perforations 9b, and is typically made of a resin sheet such as polyethylene. A sealing portion 9a is provided on one of the long sides of the continuous drug packaging sheet 9. In each figure, when it is not necessary to distinguish each individual continuous drug packaging sheet 9, or when showing a combined continuous drug packaging sheet 9, the continuous drug packaging sheet 9 is shown with a thick line. Figure 2 shows an example of combining two continuous drug packaging sheets 9.

[0020] The drug packaging binding device 1 mainly comprises a storage groove 2 for accommodating multiple continuous drug packaging units 9 stacked with their sealing portions 9a aligned, a transport mechanism 3 for transporting the multiple continuous drug packaging units 9 along the longitudinal direction (x direction) of the storage groove 2, and a crimping mechanism 4 for crimping the sealing portions 9a of the multiple continuous drug packaging units 9 in the storage groove 2.

[0021] The storage groove 2 is composed of a bottom portion extending along the x-direction and a pair of side portions, and has an insertion opening 2a at one end in the longitudinal direction and an outlet opening 2b at the other end. The storage groove 2 has a groove width that allows multiple continuous drug packets 9 to be stored upright. The height dimension of the storage groove 2 is smaller than the vertical dimension of the continuous drug packets 9, and the sealing portion 9a of the continuous drug packets 9 protrudes upward from the upper end opening of the storage groove 2. The longitudinal dimension (length in the x-direction) of the storage groove 2 is long enough to accommodate multiple individual packets 90, for example, it can accommodate five or more individual packets 90.

[0022] The transport mechanism 3 transports multiple continuous drug packets 9 inserted into the storage groove 2 from the insertion port 2a toward the discharge port 2b. The transport mechanism 3 has a pair of holding members 31 that stack the multiple continuous drug packets 9 in the thickness direction and transports the continuous drug packets 9 held by the holding members 31 toward the downstream side. In each figure, the transport direction (downstream side) of the continuous drug packets 9 is indicated by arrow A. Also, the far side when viewed from the front is indicated by arrow B.

[0023] The crimping mechanism 4 has a pair of finger portions 41 that grip the sealing portions 9a of multiple continuous drug packaging 9 within the storage groove 2. The opening and closing operation of the pair of finger portions 41, which is linked to the transport operation of the transport mechanism 3, crimps the sealing portions 9a of the multiple continuous drug packaging 9. The pair of finger portions 41 constitute a clamping member 40 and are arranged adjacent to each other in the y-direction in the space above the storage groove 2. In Figure 1, the arrangement position of the pair of finger portions 41 in the x-direction is shown as the crimping position P of the multiple continuous drug packaging 9.

[0024] As described later, claw portions 51 and 52 facing each other are formed at the lower ends of a pair of finger portions 41. The drug packaging coupling device 1 intermittently transfers a plurality of drug packaging continuums 9 downstream by the transport mechanism 3, and opens and closes the pair of finger portions 41 at the crimping position P, thereby intermittently crimping the sealing portions 9a of the plurality of drug packaging continuums 9 and coupling (integrating) the plurality of drug packaging continuums 9.

[0025] The following describes specific configuration examples of the conveying mechanism 3 and the crimping mechanism 4.

[0026] <Example of a conveying mechanism configuration> Referring further to Figure 3, an example of the configuration of the transport mechanism 3 will be explained. Figure 3 is a side view of the main part of the drug packaging device 1, schematically showing the drug packaging device 1 as seen from direction III in Figure 1. In Figure 3, for the purpose of facilitating understanding, the fixed elements (immovable elements), including the mounting base 81, are shown in gray. The same applies to Figures 4 to 6 described later.

[0027] The transport mechanism 3 includes a pair of pressing members 31 that hold multiple continuous drug packets 9 stacked in the thickness direction, an actuator (hereinafter referred to as "clamping actuator") 34 that opens and closes the pair of pressing members 31, and an actuator (hereinafter referred to as "sliding actuator") 33 that slides (reciprocates) the pair of pressing members 31 along the housing groove 2.

[0028] The pair of retaining members 31 are positioned slightly above the housing groove 2 and slightly below the pair of finger portions 41. As a result, the lower part of the sealing portion 9a that protrudes upward from the housing groove 2 (which may be slightly below the sealing portion 9a) is held by the pair of retaining members 31. The opposing surfaces (faces facing each other) of the pair of retaining members 31 are typically flat vertical surfaces. The retaining members 31 are typically made of metal. In this embodiment, the retaining members 31 are made of plate-shaped members that are elongated in the x-direction and arranged horizontally.

[0029] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, it is desirable that the pair of pressing members 31 extend in the x-direction, overlapping the crimping position P (the position where the pair of finger portions 41 are arranged). Specifically, it is desirable that the x-direction length of each pressing member 31 spans across multiple individual packets 90. This prevents twisting of the continuous array of multiple drug packets 9 that are stored upright in the storage groove 2, and maintains the proper posture of the continuous array of drug packets 9.

[0030] A first member 321 is connected to both ends of one of the pair of retaining members 31 (the rear retaining member 31). A second member 322 is connected to both ends of the other of the pair of retaining members 31 (the front retaining member 31). The clamping actuator 34 functions as an opening and closing drive means, opening and closing the pair of retaining members 31 via the first member 321 and the second member 322. The clamping actuator 34 may be composed of, for example, a fluid pressure cylinder such as an air cylinder or an electric actuator.

[0031] In this embodiment, clamp actuators 34 are provided on both sides in the x-direction, and a pair of support members 323 on which the clamp actuators 34 are mounted are connected by a connecting member 324.

[0032] The slide actuator 33 functions as a moving drive means, and moves the pair of retaining members 31 to both the downstream side (discharge port 2b side) and the upstream side (insertion port 2a side) by reciprocating the connecting member 324 along the x-direction. The slide actuator 33 may also be composed of, for example, a fluid pressure cylinder such as an air cylinder or an electric actuator.

[0033] <Example of a crimping mechanism configuration> The configuration examples of the crimping mechanism 4 will be explained with further reference to Figures 4 to 6. Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main part of the drug packaging binding device 1, with Figure 4(A) showing the finger portion 41 in the open state and (B) showing the finger portion 41 in the closed state. Figure 5 is an enlarged front view showing the main part of the crimping mechanism 4. Figure 6 is an enlarged top view showing the main part of the crimping mechanism 4. Note that the cross-section in Figure 4 corresponds to the cross-section along the line IV-IV in Figure 1.

[0034] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the crimping mechanism 4 of this embodiment includes an arm portion 42 rotatably connected to the upper end of one of a pair of finger portions 41 (the rear finger portion 41a), a connecting portion 43 rotatably connected to the upper end of the other of the pair of finger portions 41 (the front finger portion 41b), a fixed bracket 45 having an elongated hole 450 formed therein to receive a shaft portion 44 that passes through the arm portion 42 and the connecting portion 43, and an actuator (hereinafter referred to as "lifting actuator") 46 that moves the base end portion 421 of the arm portion 42 up and down. The fixed bracket 45 is fixed to the upper end of a vertical wall (a wall portion rising from the installation base 81) 82 located on the back side of the housing groove 2.

[0035] The lifting actuator 46 functions as a lifting drive means, moving the base end 421 of the arm portion 42 up and down between a standby height H1 and an operating height H2. The arm portion 42 is a horizontal arm extending in the y direction. In this embodiment, the lifting actuator 46 is composed of an air cylinder including a lifting rod 461 and a cylinder 462 connected to the base end 421 of the arm portion 42.

[0036] The base end 421 of the arm portion 42 has an arc-shaped elongated hole 422 for receiving a pin 464 that passes through the upper end 463 of the lifting rod 461. This allows the y-direction position of the tip of the arm portion 42 to be fixed regardless of the vertical position of the base end 421. The lifting actuator 46 may be a fluid pressure cylinder using a fluid other than air, or it may be configured as an electric actuator or the like.

[0037] Each finger portion 41 is formed from a plate-like member having a predetermined thickness, and is arranged so that the thickness direction coincides with the x-direction. As shown in Figures 4(A) and (B), claw portions 51 and 52 are formed at the lower ends of the inner surfaces (opposing surfaces) of a pair of finger portions 41, which are spaced apart from each other when in the open state and in contact with each other when in the closed state. When the base end portion 421 of the arm portion 42 is at the standby height H1, the claw portions 51 and 52 are in an open state with spaced apart, and when the base end portion 421 of the arm portion 42 is at the operating height H2, the claw portions 51 and 52 are in a closed state with contact. In this embodiment, the operating height H2 is above the standby height H1.

[0038] In the following description, when it is necessary to distinguish between the two pairs of finger portions 41, the rear finger portion 41 will be referred to as the first finger portion 41a, and the front finger portion 41 as the second finger portion 42b. Details of the claw portions 51 and 52 will be described later.

[0039] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, both ends of the shaft portion 44 extending in the x-direction are supported by a pair of fixed brackets 45 so as to be movable vertically. The tip of the arm portion 42 is formed in a bifurcated shape, and the bifurcated portion 423 and the upper end of the first finger portion 41a are connected by a pin 61 extending in the x-direction. The upper end of the second finger portion 41b and a pair of connecting portions 43 located on either side of the second finger portion 41b are connected by a pin 62 extending in the x-direction. In addition, the vertical center of the first finger portion 41a and the vertical center of the second finger portion 41b are each connected to the fixed brackets 45 on both sides by pins 63 extending in the x-direction.

[0040] By moving the lifting rod 461 of the lifting actuator 46 in the vertical direction, the lower ends of the pair of finger portions 41 can be opened and closed in the y direction via a link mechanism (slider crank mechanism) including the arm portion 42 and the connecting portion 43. The finger portions 41, arm portion 42, connecting portion 43, and fixing bracket 45 are formed from a rigid material such as metal.

[0041] <Example of finger section configuration> Referring to Figures 7 and 8, an example of the configuration of the first finger portion 41a and the second finger portion 41b will be described. Figure 7 is a plan view (viewed in the x-direction) showing the first finger portion 41a and the second finger portion 41b, which constitute the clamping member 40, separated. In Figure 7, the position of the first finger portion 41a and the second finger portion 41b when in the closed state (hereinafter referred to as the "operating position") is shown by solid lines, and the position of the first finger portion 41a and the second finger portion 41b when in the open state (hereinafter referred to as the "standby position") is shown by dashed lines. For convenience, the distance between the two is shown enlarged in Figure 7. Figure 8(A) is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the shape of the claw portion 51 of the first finger portion 41a, showing a cross section along the line VIIIA-VIIIA in Figure 7. Figure 8(B) is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the shape of the claw portion 52 of the second finger portion 41b, and shows a cross-section along the line VIIIB-VIIIB in Figure 7.

[0042] As shown in Figure 7, the upper ends of the first finger portion 41a and the second finger portion 41b are provided with circular holes 411 that penetrate in the thickness direction of the plate. The circular holes 411 are for passing the pins 61 and 62 mentioned above. The central parts of the first finger portion 41a and the second finger portion 41b are also provided with circular holes 412 that penetrate in the thickness direction of the plate. The circular holes 412 are for passing the pin 63 mentioned above. The first finger portion 41a and the second finger portion 41b are formed to be substantially symmetrical when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the housing groove 2 (viewed in the thickness direction) when installed. The first finger portion 41a and the second finger portion 41b rotate symmetrically with the position of the central circular hole 412 as the center of rotation. The first finger portion 41a and the second finger portion 41b function as opening and closing arms. The inner surface of the first finger portion 41a and the inner surface of the second finger portion 41b constitute the opposing surface 413.

[0043] As shown in Figure 8(A), a claw portion (protrusion) 51 is provided at the lower end of the opposing surface 413 of the first finger portion 41a, projecting toward the mating side (the opposing surface 413 of the second finger portion 41b). As shown in Figure 8(B), a claw portion (protrusion) 52 is also provided at the lower end of the opposing surface 413 of the second finger portion 41b, projecting toward the mating side (the opposing surface 413 of the first finger portion 41a). In this embodiment, two claw portions 51 are provided vertically within the thickness range of the first finger portion 41a. Two claw portions 52 are also provided vertically within the thickness range of the second finger portion 41b.

[0044] As shown in Figure 7, the claw portion 51 protrudes horizontally from the reference surface 53 at the lower end of the opposing surface 413 at a constant height and width. The two claw portions 51 are spaced apart in the left-right direction (x direction). The claw portion 52 protrudes horizontally from the reference surface 54 at the lower end of the opposing surface 413 at a constant height and width. The two claw portions 52 are spaced apart in the left-right direction (x direction). The height L1 of the claw portions 51 and 52 is the same, and is 4 mm as an example.

[0045] The protrusion dimensions of the claw portions 51 and 52 from the reference surfaces 53 and 54 may be the same, for example, 1.5 mm or more. In this embodiment, the protrusion dimensions of the claw portions 51 and 52 are set to 2 mm. The width dimension W11 of the claw portion 51 is greater than the width dimension W12 of the claw portion 52. The width dimension W12 of the narrower claw portion 52 is less than 2 mm, preferably less than 1.5 mm, and more preferably less than 1.2 mm. The width dimension W11 of the wider claw portion 51 is preferably 1.5 times or more the width dimension W12 of the claw portion 52. In this embodiment, the width dimension W12 of the claw portion 52 is 1 mm, and the width dimension W11 of the claw portion 51 is set to 2 mm.

[0046] The cross-sectional shape of the claw portions 51 and 52 is not limited to the rectangular shape shown in the figure, but may also be a trapezoidal shape, for example, tapering towards the tip. In this case, the respective width dimensions W11 and W12 represent the width dimensions of the tip surface (contact surface).

[0047] The thickness dimension T of the finger portions 41a and 41b is preferably 5 mm or more, and in this embodiment it is set to 6 mm. In this case, the distance W12 between the two claw portions 51 of the first finger portion 41a (width dimension of the reference surface 53) is, for example, 2 mm, and the distance W22 between the two claw portions 52 of the second finger portion 41b (width dimension of the reference surface 54) is, for example, 3 mm. Note that the distances W12 and W22 should be determined so that the width centers of the claw portions 51 and 52 coincide. Each reference surface 53 and 54 may be flush with the inner surface (opposing surface 413) of each finger portion 41a and 41b.

[0048] The reference surfaces 53 and 54, and the tip surfaces (contact surfaces) 510 and 520 of the claw portions 51 and 52, are approximately vertical in the operating position. As a result, when the pair of finger portions 41 are moved from the open to the closed position, the pressing force of the thin claw portion 52 is received by the tip surface 510 of the thick claw portion 51, and as shown in Figure 9, the thin claw portion 52 is embedded (bites into) the multiple overlapping sealing portions 9a. In this way, the embedded portion of the sealing portion 9a is partially damaged, and the multiple sealing portions 9a are joined together. The tip surface 510 of the thicker claw portion 51 serves as a base and functions as a pressure-receiving surface that receives the pressure of the thinner claw portion 52. In addition, the recess between the pressure-receiving claw portions 51 functions as a relief area when the claw portion 52 is embedded into the sealing portion 9a, thus enabling a good crimping finish.

[0049] <Functional Configuration> Referring to Figure 3, the functional configuration of the drug packaging device 1 will be explained.

[0050] The drug packaging device 1 includes a control unit 10 electrically connected to the aforementioned lifting actuator 46, sliding actuator 33, and clamping actuator 34. The control unit 10 is composed of a computer including a processor and memory. The control unit 10 is housed in a control box (not shown) together with an air compressor and the like.

[0051] The control unit 10 operates the lifting actuator 46 of the crimping mechanism 4 and the sliding actuator 33 and clamping actuator 34 of the transport mechanism 3 at predetermined timings, thereby transporting the continuous pharmaceutical packaging 9 downstream while repeatedly performing the crimping process with the claws 51 and 52. In other words, the control unit 10 performs a "continuous crimping process" that continuously (intermittently) crimps the sealing portion 9a of the continuous pharmaceutical packaging 9 along its longitudinal direction.

[0052] The control unit 10 is also electrically connected to the infrared sensors 71 and 72 shown in Figure 1. The infrared sensors 71 and 72 are provided on the side of the housing groove 2 and detect the presence or absence of the continuous drug packaging 9. The upstream infrared sensor 71 is located upstream of the pressing member 31 (towards the insertion opening 2a), and the downstream infrared sensor 72 is located in a position overlapping the pressing member 31 and near the crimping position P.

[0053] <Continuous crimping process> The continuous crimping process performed by the control unit 10 will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. Figure 10 is a flowchart of the continuous crimping process. Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing the changes in the operating state of the pair of pressing members 31 and the pair of finger parts 41 during the continuous crimping process. Note that in Figure 11, only both ends of each pressing member 31 are shown. In addition, multiple continuous packing bodies 9 are shown with a single thick line.

[0054] First, the operator (such as a pharmacist) turns on the power and then inserts multiple continuous drug packets 9, stacked with the sealing portion 9a facing upwards, between the pair of pressing members 31 from the insertion opening 2a side of the storage groove 2. At the start of the continuous crimping process, both the pair of pressing members 31 and the pair of finger portions 41 are in the open state, and the pair of pressing members 31 are positioned at the origin in the x-direction.

[0055] When the control unit 10 detects the insertion of the continuous drug packaging 9 based on a signal from the upstream infrared sensor 71 (YES in step S1), it activates the transport mechanism 3 to transport the continuous drug packaging 9 downstream (step S2). Specifically, it drives the clamp actuator 34 to close the pair of retaining members 31 and drives the slide actuator 33 to slide the pair of retaining members 31 downstream. At this time, as will be described later, the continuous drug packaging 9 may be transported downstream while the pair of retaining members 31 are moved back and forth.

[0056] Assuming that the first packet of the continuous drug packaging 9 has reached the crimping position P, the control unit 10 drives the lifting actuator 46 of the crimping mechanism 4 to close the pair of finger parts 41, thereby crimping the sealing portion 9a of the first packet with the pair of claw parts 51, 52 (step S3). At this time, under the control of the control unit 10, the crimping mechanism 4 performs the opening and closing operation of the pair of finger parts 41 while the sealing portion 9a (or the part below it) is held by the pair of pressing members 31, as shown in Figure 11(A). This makes it possible to crimp multiple sealing portions 9a while maintaining the proper posture of multiple continuous drug packaging assemblies.

[0057] The magnitude of the load received by the tip surface 520 of the claw portion 52 when the pair of finger portions 41 are closed may be determined according to the material and number of sheets of the continuous pharmaceutical packaging to be joined. In this embodiment, the air pressure of the lifting actuator 46 was set to 0.2 to 0.3 kg and the thrust to 600 kg, so that the load received by the tip surface 520 was approximately 1 ton. This makes it possible to properly crimp the sealing portion 9a regardless of the number of sheets.

[0058] Once the first crimping process is complete, the control unit 10 opens the pair of finger sections 41 as shown in Figure 11(B) and shifts the continuous drug packaging 9 downstream by a predetermined distance as shown in Figure 11(C). The transfer of the continuous drug packaging 9 and the crimping by the claw sections 51 and 52 are repeatedly performed until the continuous drug packaging 9 is no longer detected by the downstream infrared sensor 72 (NO in step S4).

[0059] According to this embodiment, multiple continuous packing units 9 can be automatically transported downstream without any misalignment, so that multiple continuous packing units 9 can be joined together in a neat state without the operator having to pull them by hand.

[0060] Furthermore, if the number of claw portions 51 and 52 is small and the overall contact width is relatively small, the number of crimping steps for each package 90 may be multiple. In other words, as shown in Figure 12(A), there may be multiple crimping points C on the sealing portion 9a of each package 90. Each crimping point C will have vertical line-shaped marks 92 equal to the number of claw portions 51 (2 marks). Also, as shown in Figure 12(B), the crimping points C may be partially overlapped to increase the degree of bonding. If the number of claw portions 51 and 52 is large and the overall contact width is relatively large, as shown in Figure 12(C), there may be only one crimping point C on the sealing portion 9a of each package 90.

[0061] As shown in Figure 11(D), after the crimping process by the claws 51 and 52 is completed, when changing the holding position by the pair of retaining members 31 (when returning the retaining members 31 to the upstream side), it is desirable that the crimping mechanism 4 maintains the closed state of the pair of finger parts 41 for the period until the pair of retaining members 31, which were in the open state, return to the insertion opening 2a side, as shown in Figures 11(E) and (F). As a result, the multiple continuous drug packaging 9 is always held between at least one of the pair of retaining members 31 and the pair of finger parts 41, so that it can always maintain a straight posture with little to no distortion. As a result, the sealing portion 9a of the long continuous drug packaging 9 can be sealed while preventing misalignment of the cutting lines 91 of the multiple continuous drug packaging 9, so that one dose (one set of individual packets 90) can be easily separated from the long continuous drug packaging 9 when taking the medicine.

[0062] According to the drug packaging binding device 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to appropriately bind together two to six drug packaging continuums 9. Furthermore, because the binding is done by crimping, after separating one set of individual packets 90, they can be easily separated into multiple packets by hand. When the claw portions 51 and 52 are brought together and crimping is performed, it is difficult to appropriately bind together a small number of drug packaging continuums 9, such as two to three. However, by shaping the claw portions 51 and 52 as described above, it is possible to appropriately bind even a small number of drug packaging continuums 9.

[0063] <Comparative example of the nail area> Referring to Figure 13, a comparative example of the claw portions (protrusions) 51 and 52 formed on each of the pair of finger portions 41 in this embodiment will be described.

[0064] As shown in Figure 13(A), the finger portion 41A was configured so that the protrusions (teeth) 51A and 52A interlocked (without contact between the protrusions 51A and 52A), and continuous crimping was performed. In this comparative example, even when pressed with a pair of pressing members 31, wrinkles and creases occurred in the sealing portion 91a, and it was not possible to bond the sheets together regardless of the number of sheets.

[0065] As shown in Figure 13(B), the thickness of the finger portion 41B body was made thinner than the tip portion 41t which has multiple (for example, three each) claw portions 51B and 52B (body thickness: approximately 3-4 mm), and continuous crimping was performed. In the test, the claw width of claw portion 51B was set to 1.5 mm and the claw width of claw portion 52B was set to 1 mm. In this comparative example, because the load was not applied evenly to the multiple claw portions 52B (51B), it was not possible to properly bond a small number of continuous drug packaging 9 (2-3 pieces) (they peeled off immediately), and the desired bonding accuracy could not be obtained.

[0066] As shown in Figure 13(C) with the finger portion 41C, one of the claw portions 52C was made sharp, and continuous crimping was performed. The conditions other than the claw portion 52C were the same as those for the finger portion 41B in Figure 13(B). In this comparative example as well, it was not possible to properly join a small number of continuous drug encapsulation bodies 9 (2 to 3), and the desired joining accuracy could not be obtained.

[0067] As shown in Figure 13(D), no irregularities were provided on the contact surfaces of the pair of finger portions 41D, and the tip surface 41s of the 6 mm thick finger portion 41D was made a vertical flat surface. In this comparative example, since multiple sealing portions 9a were pressed together only by the pressing force between the tip surfaces 41s, the result was that they peeled off very quickly, especially when a small number of continuous drug packaging 9, such as 2 to 3, were used as the test subject.

[0068] As shown in Figure 13(E), one protrusion 51E and one protrusion 52E, which are wider (2-3 mm wide) than in the embodiment, were provided within the thickness range of the finger portion 41E, and continuous crimping was performed. In this comparative example as well, when a small number of continuous drug packets 9, 2-3 pieces, were used as the test subject, they peeled off immediately.

[0069] Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, if the width of the protrusion was too small (0.5 to 0.8 mm wide), it only created a hole in the sealing portion 9a, and bonding was not possible.

[0070] Based on the test results described above, it was estimated that the following conditions should be met in order to obtain the desired coupling accuracy. (1) A protrusion (projection) shall be provided within the thickness range of the finger portion. (2) The width of one protrusion is 1 mm or more but less than 2 mm (preferably less than 1.5 mm), and the width of the other protrusion is greater than that. (3) The protrusions make surface contact with each other.

[0071] As a variation of condition (2), the contact surface (pressure-receiving surface) that receives the load of a protrusion less than 2 mm may be made of a tip surface 41s (see Figure 13(D)) with the same width as the finger part body. In other words, one opposing surface of a pair of finger parts 41 has at least one protrusion (claw part 52) ​​that projects toward the other opposing surface, and the other opposing surface of a pair of finger parts does not need to have a protrusion (claw part 51), as long as it has a contact surface that receives the load of the opposing protrusion.

[0072] Specifically, as shown in Figure 13(F), the configuration may involve surface contact between the tip surface 520 of the claw portion 52, which has a width of, for example, 1 mm, and the tip surface 41s of the main body of the finger portion 41F. Alternatively, the load of multiple claw portions 52 may be received by a single contact surface (which may be the tip surface of a convex portion).

[0073] As a variation of condition (3), minute irregularities may be added to the tip surfaces of the protrusions (claw portions 51, 52) by electrical discharge machining or the like to provide an anti-slip function.

[0074] In this embodiment, multiple pairs of finger sections that open and close by the drive of the lifting actuator 46 may be provided so that a wide area of ​​the sealing section 9a can be pressed at once.

[0075] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are intended to be included. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0076] 1. Packet binding device, 2. Storage groove, 3. Transport mechanism, 4. Crimping mechanism, 9. Continuous packet, 9a. Sealing part, 10. Control unit, 31. Pressing member, 33. Slide actuator, 34. Clamp actuator, 40. Clamping member, 41, 41a, 41b. Finger part, 42. Arm part, 43. Connecting part, 44. Shaft part, 45. Fixing bracket, 46. Lifting actuator, 51, 52. Claw part (protrusion), 71, 72. Infrared sensor.

Claims

1. A drug packaging device for connecting multiple drug packaging continuums, A storage groove having an insertion port at one end and an outlet port at the other, which accommodates multiple continuous drug packets stacked with the orientation of the sealing portions aligned, A conveying mechanism for transporting the multiple continuous drug packets inserted into the storage groove from the insertion opening toward the discharge opening, A drug packaging binding device comprising a pair of finger portions that grip the sealing portions of the plurality of drug packaging continuums within the storage groove, and a crimping mechanism that crimps the sealing portions of the plurality of drug packaging continuums by opening and closing the pair of finger portions in conjunction with the transport operation of the transport mechanism.

2. The transport mechanism includes a pair of pressing members that hold the plurality of continuous drug packets stacked in the thickness direction, The drug packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the crimping mechanism performs the opening and closing operation of the pair of finger portions while the sealing portion is held by the pair of pressing members.

3. The transport mechanism includes an opening / closing drive means for opening and closing the pair of retaining members, and a moving drive means for reciprocating the pair of retaining members along the housing groove. The drug packaging device according to claim 2, wherein the crimping mechanism maintains the closed state of the pair of finger portions for a period of time from when the pair of pressing members, which are in an open state, return to the insertion port side after the crimping mechanism has crimped the sealing portion with the pair of finger portions in a closed state.

4. One of the pair of finger portions has at least one convex portion that protrudes toward the other opposing surface. The drug packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the other opposing surface of the pair of finger portions has a contact surface that receives the load of the convex portion.

5. The drug packaging device according to claim 4, wherein the contact surface is composed of the tip surface of a protrusion having a width dimension larger than that of the protrusion.

6. The crimping mechanism is, An arm portion is rotatably connected to one of the pair of finger portions, A connecting portion is rotatably connected to the other of the pair of finger portions, A fixing bracket having an elongated hole formed therein for receiving the shaft portion that passes through the arm portion and the connecting portion, The drug packaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a lifting drive means for moving the base end of the arm portion up and down.

7. A method for joining multiple drug capsules in a continuum, The step of inserting a series of continuous drug packets, stacked with their sealing portions aligned, into a receiving groove having an insertion port at one end and an outlet port at the other end, The steps include transporting the multiple continuous drug packets inserted into the storage groove toward the discharge port, A method for joining drug packets, comprising the step of clamping and crimping the sealing portion of the plurality of drug packet continuum within the receiving groove by opening and closing a pair of finger portions.

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