Drug packaging device

Abstract

To properly capture an image of the inside of the hopper. [Solution] The drug packaging device 100 includes a hopper 4 having an upper opening 41 into which the drug is introduced and a lower opening 42 for discharging the drug into the packaging material S; an imaging device 31 that images the inside of the hopper 4 from the upper opening 41; a shielding device 5 that includes a shielding body 51 that shields the background inside the lower opening 42 of the hopper 4 when viewed from the imaging device 31, and switches the shielding body 51 between a shielded state that shields the background inside the lower opening 42 and an open state that does not shield the background inside the lower opening 42; and a control device 7 that controls the shielding device 5. The control device 7 opens the shielding body 51 when the drug is discharged from the hopper 4, and closes the shielding body 51 when the imaging device 31 images the inside of the hopper 4.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed herein relates to a drug packaging device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a drug packaging device for packaging drugs with a packaging material has been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a drug packaging device that collects necessary drugs from a plurality of drugs and packages the collected drugs with a packaging material. In this drug packaging device, imaging devices are arranged at a plurality of locations, and the drugs are imaged by the imaging devices.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in a drug packaging device, the collected drugs may be discharged to a packaging material through a hopper. In such a configuration, it is conceivable to image the inside of the hopper for various purposes. In that case, regardless of the purpose, it is required to appropriately image the image of the inside of the hopper.

[0005] The technology disclosed herein has been made in view of such a point, and the object thereof is to appropriately image the image of the inside of the hopper.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The pharmaceutical packaging apparatus of this disclosure comprises a hopper having an upper opening into which pharmaceuticals are introduced and a lower opening for discharging pharmaceuticals into packaging material; an imaging device for imaging the inside of the hopper from the upper opening; a shielding body that, when viewed from the imaging device, shields the background inside the lower opening of the hopper, and a shielding device that switches the shielding body between a shielded state in which the background inside the lower opening is shielded and an open state in which the background inside the lower opening is not shielded; and a control device for controlling the shielding device, wherein the control device sets the shielding body to the open state when pharmaceuticals are discharged from the hopper, and sets the shielding body to the shielded state when the imaging device images the inside of the hopper. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the aforementioned drug packaging device, an image of the inside of the hopper can be appropriately captured. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a drug packaging device. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a magnified view of a portion of a drug packaging device. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the distributor. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a plan view of the distributor with the upper shutter open. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a plan view of the distributor with the upper shutter closed. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the distributor on the VI-VI line in Figure 5 when the shielding is open. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the distributor, corresponding to Figure 6, when the shielding is in the shielded state. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a plan view of the distributor when the shielding is in the shielded state. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a side view of the distributor, seen from the downstream side in the transport direction. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a view of the shield in its open state, seen from above. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a plan view of the hopper. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the first control device. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the second control device. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the third control device. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the processor of the first control device. [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the processor of the second control device. [Figure 17] Figure 17 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the processor of the third control device. [Figure 18] Figure 18 is a time chart showing the operation of the drug packaging device.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a drug packaging device 100.

[0010] The drug packaging device 100 divides the drug into small portions and packages the divided drugs with a packaging material S. The drug packaging device 100 includes a hopper 4 into which the drug is input and the input drug is discharged to the packaging material S. In addition to the hopper 4, the drug packaging device 100 further includes an imaging device 31 that images the inside of the hopper 4, a shielding device 5 that shields the background inside the hopper 4 as seen from the imaging device 31, and a control device 7 that controls the shielding device 5. When the imaging device 31 images the inside of the hopper 4, the control device 7 causes the shielding device 5 to shield the background inside the hopper 4.

[0011] In addition to the hopper 4, the drug packaging device 100 further includes a protrusion 6 disposed inside the hopper 4 or below the hopper 4. The protrusion 6 changes the posture of the drug discharged from the hopper 4 to the packaging material S.

[0012] Specifically, the drug packaging device 100 includes a drug supply device 1 that supplies drugs, and a drug packaging device 2 that packages the drugs supplied from the drug supply device 1. The drug packaging device 2 includes a dispenser 3 that distributes the drugs supplied from the drug supply device 1 to the packaging material S. The imaging device 31, the hopper 4, the protrusion 6, the shielding device 5, and the control device 7 are part of the dispenser 3. That is, the imaging device 31, the hopper 4, the protrusion 6, the shielding device 5, and the control device 7 are also part of the drug packaging device 2.

[0013] For example, the drug is a solid drug. Specifically, the drug is a tablet, a pill, a capsule, or a powder. Note that the powder includes granules.

[0014] [Drug supply device] The drug supply device 1 stores a plurality of drugs. The drug supply device 1 collects a single-dose drug from the stored drugs based on drug information and supplies it to the drug packaging device 2. For example, the drug information may include the drug name or type, dosage, usage method, and volume. The drug information may be the information included in a prescription. The drug information is input into the drug packaging device 100 from the outside.

[0015] The drug supply device 1 once collects a single-dose drug. The drug supply device 1 supplies the single-dose drugs to the drug packaging device 2 together. Note that the drug supply device 1 may supply the drugs to the drug packaging device 2 in order from the drugs for which the extraction has been completed instead of supplying them together.

[0016] [Drug packaging device] FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged view of the drug packaging device 2. The drug packaging device 2 once receives the drugs supplied from the drug supply device 1. Specifically, the dispenser 3 receives the drugs. The dispenser 3 supplies a single-dose drug to the packaging material S together. While transporting the packaging material S, the drug packaging device 2 seals the packaging material S for each single-dose drug. In addition to the dispenser 3, the drug packaging device 2 further includes a transporter 22 that transports the packaging material S and a sealer 23 that seals the packaging material S.

[0017] The packaging material S is a long sheet. The packaging material S is folded in half widthwise at the center in the width direction. For the sake of explanation, each overlapping part of the packaging material S will be referred to as a sheet. In other words, the packaging material S is in a state where two sheets are overlapping. In reality, the two sheets are composed of a single sheet. One edge in the width direction of the packaging material S is a fold, so one edge in the width direction of the two sheets is closed. On the other hand, the other edge in the width direction of the packaging material S, i.e., the other edge in the width direction of the two sheets, is in a state where it can be opened. Hereinafter, the closed edge in the width direction of the packaging material S and the two sheets will be referred to as the first edge s1, and the edge that can be opened will be referred to as the second edge s2. As shown in Figure 1, the packaging material S is wound around a core tube to form a roll. The rolled packaging material S will be referred to as the roll R.

[0018] The conveyor 22 supports the roll R so that it can rotate around the axis of the core tube. Furthermore, the conveyor 22 has a first motor 24 that rotates the roll R, a conveyor roller 25 that pulls the packaging material S from the roll R, and a second motor 26 that rotates the conveyor roller 25. The conveyor 22 further has a guide 27 that guides the packaging material S between the roll R and the conveyor roller 25.

[0019] The conveyor 22 pulls the packaging material S from the roll R mostly upwards, and then conveys the packaging material S in the conveying direction X. The conveying direction X is inclined diagonally downwards with respect to the horizontal direction, with the downstream side being lower. When the conveyor 22 conveys the packaging material S in the conveying direction X, it conveys the packaging material S with the first edge s1 at the bottom and the second edge s2 at the top. The agent is supplied from the dispenser 3 to the packaging material S being conveyed in the conveying direction X. That is, the dispenser 3 is positioned in the section where the packaging material S is conveyed in the conveying direction X.

[0020] The first motor 24 rotates the roll R, thereby feeding the packaging material S from the roll R. The conveyor roller 25 holds the packaging material S downstream of the sealer 23 in the conveying direction X. The conveyor roller 25 conveys the packaging material S by rotating. The second motor 26 rotates the conveyor roller 25, thereby conveying the packaging material S downstream in the conveying direction X.

[0021] The sealing device 23 seals the packaging material S after the drug has been supplied. The sealing device 23, for example, welds the packaging material S by heat. The sealing device 23 seals the folded packaging material S into a bag shape. Specifically, the sealing device 23 is positioned downstream of the distributor 3 in the transport direction X of the packaging material S. The sealing device 23 seals the portion of the packaging material S that contains the drug supplied from the distributor 3. The sealing device 23 welds the second edges s2 of the two sheets of packaging material S together and also welds the two sheets in a striped pattern in the width direction, thereby dividing the space between the two sheets into a compartment for containing the drug. In addition, the sealing device 23 forms perforations extending in the width direction in the portion where the two sheets are welded in a striped pattern in the width direction.

[0022] Guide 27 unfolds the folded packaging material S during transport. Guide 27 is positioned upstream of hopper 4 in the transport direction X. Guide 27 enters between the two sheets of packaging material S from the second edge s2 of the packaging material S being transported in the transport direction X. Guide 27 is formed in a plate shape. Guide 27 has an outer shape that tapers downwards when viewed in the transport direction X (see Figure 9). The portion of the packaging material S into which guide 27 enters is generally open in a V-shape in a cross section perpendicular to the transport direction X. The packaging material S is transported in the transport direction X while sliding along guide 27. Therefore, the packaging material S is open both before and after guide 27 in the transport direction X.

[0023] [Distributor] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the distributor 3. Figure 4 is a plan view of the distributor 3 with the upper shutter 33 open. Figure 5 is a plan view of the distributor 3 with the upper shutter 33 closed. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the distributor 3 along the line VI-VI in Figure 5 when the shielding body is open. In addition to the aforementioned imaging device 31, hopper 4, projection 6, shielding device 5, and control device 7, the distributor 3 includes an illumination device 32 and an upper shutter 33. Note that the imaging device 31, illumination device 32, and control device 7 are omitted in Figures 3 to 6. The upper shutter 33 is omitted in Figure 3.

[0024] [Hoppa] The hopper 4 has an upper opening 41 into which the drug is introduced and a lower opening 42 for discharging the drug to the packaging material S. The hopper 4 has a passage 43 through which the drug flows from the upper opening 41 to the lower opening 42. The hopper 4 is formed in a cylindrical shape. That is, the hopper 4 is formed by a cylindrical peripheral wall 44. The internal space of the hopper 4, i.e., the internal space of the peripheral wall 44, is the passage 43. The upstream end of the passage 43 is the upper opening 41, and the downstream end of the passage 43 is the lower opening 42. The passage 43 extends from top to bottom. The passage 43 narrows from top to bottom. The passage 43 extends at an incline with respect to the vertical direction such that the lower part is located further upstream in the transport direction X. The drug is introduced into the upper opening 41 of the hopper 4. The drug introduced into the hopper 4 is discharged from the lower opening 42 of the hopper 4.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, the hopper 4 discharges the drug into the packaging material S being transported in the transport direction X. The lower opening 42 is located inside the packaging material S. Specifically, at the position corresponding to the hopper 4, the second edge s2 of the folded packaging material S is open. In this example, the guide 27 guides the packaging material S so that the second edges s2 of the two sheets of packaging material S are open. The lower end of the hopper 4 is located between the guide 27 and the sealer 23 in the transport direction X of the packaging material S, where the folded packaging material S is open.

[0026] As shown in Figure 6, the hopper 4 has an inclined wall 44a located at least at the bottom of the hopper 4, which is inclined with respect to the vertical so that the lower part is closer to the center of the lower opening 42. Here, the bottom of the hopper 4 is the lower part when the hopper 4 is divided into two equal parts in the vertical direction. Specifically, the inclined wall 44a is the relatively lower part of the peripheral wall 44 that is downstream in the conveying direction X of the packaging material S. The inclined wall 44a is inclined with respect to the vertical so that the lower part is located upstream in the conveying direction X.

[0027] Furthermore, the surrounding wall 44 may have other inclined walls inclined with respect to the vertical direction besides the inclined wall 44a. In that case, the inclined wall 44a may be the inclined wall within the surrounding wall 44 that has the largest angle of inclination with respect to the vertical direction.

[0028] As shown in Figure 4, the lower opening 42 has a planar shape that narrows in width toward the downstream side in the conveying direction X. Here, the width is a dimension perpendicular to both the conveying direction X and the vertical direction. At least at the lower end of the hopper 4, the width of the passage 43 is wider upstream than downstream in the conveying direction X.

[0029] [Imaging device] As shown in Figure 2, the imaging device 31 images the inside of the hopper 4 from the upper opening 41. More specifically, the imaging device 31 is positioned above the hopper 4. The imaging device 31 acquires a still, two-dimensional image of the inside of the hopper 4.

[0030] [illumination] The illumination 32 irradiates light into the hopper 4. Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the illumination 32 is positioned above the hopper 4. By irradiating the inside of the hopper 4, the illumination 32 makes the image taken by the imaging device 31 clearer.

[0031] [Top shutter] The upper shutter 33 opens and closes the upper opening 41 of the hopper 4, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The upper shutter 33 temporarily receives the chemical supplied from the chemical dispenser 1 before it is put into the hopper 4. More specifically, the upper shutter 33 is located above the hopper 4. The upper shutter 33 is configured to be switchable between a closed state, where the upper opening 41 is closed, and an open state, where the upper opening 41 is open. In this example, the upper shutter 33 includes a plate-shaped shutter body 33a having an outer shape that closes the upper opening 41. The shutter body 33a is supported so as to be movable between the open and closed states. For example, the shutter body 33a is supported so as to be movable in the direction in which the shutter body 33a expands. The upper shutter 33 further includes a drive device (not shown) that switches the shutter body 33a between the closed and open states. The drive device includes, for example, an electric motor and a rack and pinion. The rack is attached to the shutter body 33a. The pinion is rotationally driven by an electric motor. The chemical supplied from the chemical dispenser 1 is placed on the closed shutter body 33a. When the shutter body 33a, with the chemical on it, is switched from the closed state to the open state, the chemical is fed from the shutter body 33a into the upper opening 41 of the hopper 4.

[0032] [Shielding device] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the shielding device 5 includes a shielding body 51 that shields the background inside the lower opening 42 of the hopper 4 when viewed from the imaging device 31. The shielding device 5 switches the shielding body 51 between a shielded state in which the background inside the lower opening 42 is shielded and an open state in which the background inside the lower opening 42 is not shielded. The shielding device 5 further includes a drive device 54 that drives the shielding body 51.

[0033] As shown in Figure 6, the shielding body 51 is supported outside the lower opening 42 so as to be rotatable around a predetermined axis of rotation A. By rotating around axis of rotation A, the shielding body 51 switches between a shielded state and an open state. The shielding body 51 is supported by a bracket fixed to the housing (not shown) so as to be rotatable around axis of rotation A. The axis of rotation A is located below the lower opening 42. Furthermore, axis of rotation A is located upstream of the lower opening 42 in the conveying direction X of the packaging material S. The axis of rotation A is horizontal and extends in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction X. The shielding body 51 is positioned between the folded packaging material S, similar to the lower opening 42 of the hopper 4.

[0034] The shielding body 51 has substantially the same external shape as the lower opening 42. The shielding body 51 is plate-shaped. The shielding body 51 is made of an opaque material. For example, the shielding body 51 is made of green resin.

[0035] As shown in Figure 6, the shielding body 51 has a connecting piece 52 to which the drive unit 54 is connected. A connecting groove 52a is formed in the connecting piece 52. The drive unit 54 has a motor 55 and a crank 56 that transmits the rotational driving force of the motor 55. The motor 55 is shown in Figures 4 and 5. The motor 55 is an electric motor. The crank 56 is connected to the output shaft of the motor 55 and is rotated by the motor 55 around the rotation axis B. The rotation axis B is approximately parallel to the rotation axis A. A roller 56a is rotatably mounted on the tip of the crank 56 around the rotation axis C. The rotation axis C is approximately parallel to the rotation axis B. The roller 56a is movably fitted into the connecting groove 52a of the shielding body 51. When the motor 55 rotates the crank 56 around the rotation axis B, the roller 56a also rotates around the rotation axis B. Since the roller 56a is fitted into the connecting groove 52a, the roller 56a moves relatively within the connecting groove 52a, causing the shielding body 51 to rotate around the rotation axis A. The motor 55 can adjust the rotation angle of the shielding body 51 by controlling the rotation angle of the crank 56. By adjusting the rotation angle of the shielding body 51, the shielding body 51 can be switched between an open state and a shielded state.

[0036] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the distributor 3 corresponding to Figure 6 when the shielding body 51 is in the shielded state. Figure 8 is a plan view of the distributor 3 when the shielding body 51 is in the shielded state. Note that in Figures 7 and 8, the upper shutter 33 is open. In the shielded state, the shielding body 51 covers the lower opening 42 from below. As a result, when viewed from the imaging device 31, the background inside the lower opening 42 of the hopper 4 is shielded by the shielding body 51. Note that in the shielded state, the shielding body 51 may or may not be in contact with the opening edge of the lower opening 42 of the hopper 4.

[0037] In the open state, the shielding body 51 hangs downward from the rotation axis A, as shown in Figure 2. At least in the open state, the shielding body 51 is located inside the packaging material S from which the chemical is discharged from the hopper 4. The shielding body 51 has a shape that tapers towards the tip from the rotation axis A, as shown in Figure 9. Figure 9 is a side view of the distributor 3 as seen from the downstream side in the conveying direction X. Specifically, the portion of the packaging material S from which the chemical is discharged from the hopper 4 has an open second edge s2. The first edge s1 is a fold in the packaging material S, so the portion of the packaging material S from which the chemical is discharged from the hopper 4 is generally open in a V-shape in a cross section perpendicular to the conveying direction X. Because the shielding body 51 tapers towards the tip from the rotation axis A, the shielding body 51 in the open state easily fits inside the packaging material S without significantly affecting the packaging material S.

[0038] [protrusion] As shown in Figure 6, projection 6 protrudes inward into the extended region E, which is the projection of the lower opening 42 downward. When viewed from the vertical, as shown in Figure 10, the width W of projection 6 is smaller than the projection length L of projection 6 inward into the extended region E. Figure 10 is a view of the shielding body 51 in the open state, seen from above. In Figure 10, the connecting piece 52 is omitted, and the shielding body 51 is simplified. Here, the width W of projection 6 is the dimension in the direction perpendicular to the projection direction, or more specifically, the dimension in the direction perpendicular to both the projection direction and the vertical direction.

[0039] In this example, the projection 6 is plate-shaped. The projection 6 is positioned so that its thickness direction is generally horizontal. That is, the thickness of the plate is the width W of the projection 6. In a side view, the projection 6 is generally triangular in shape, as shown in Figure 6. The upper end surface 61 of the projection 6 is inclined so that it is located lower towards the inside of the extension region E.

[0040] Figure 11 is a plan view of the hopper 4. Figure 11 also shows the projection 6 when the shielding body 51 is open. In a plan view, the projection 6 is located upstream of the center G of the lower opening 42 in the conveying direction. Here, the center G of the lower opening 42 in a plan view is the center of the lower opening 42 in the conveying direction X and the center of the lower opening 42 in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction X. In other words, in a plan view, the projection 6 is located inside the lower opening 42, relatively upstream in the conveying direction.

[0041] Furthermore, in a plan view, projection 6 is positioned on the opposite side of the inclined wall 44a from the center of the lower opening 42. In other words, in a plan view, projection 6 is positioned inside the lower opening 42, facing the inclined wall 44a.

[0042] [Control device] The control device 7 controls the entire drug packaging device 100. The control device 7 controls the drug dispenser 1 and the drug packaging device 2 to package the drug into individual doses in the packaging material S. As shown in Figure 1, the control device 7 includes a first control device 71 and a second control device 72. The first control device 71 and the second control device 72 share the responsibility of controlling the drug packaging device 100. The first control device 71 mainly controls the drug dispenser 1, etc. The second control device 72 mainly controls the drug packaging device 2, etc. In this example, the control device 7 may further include a third control device 73 that determines the internal conditions of the hopper 4 based on images acquired by the imaging device 31. The first control device 71 and the second control device 72 are configured integrally with the drug packaging device 100, for example. The third control device 73 is externally attached to the drug packaging device 100, for example.

[0043] Figure 12 shows the hardware configuration of the first control unit 71. Figure 13 shows the hardware configuration of the second control unit 72. Figure 14 shows the hardware configuration of the third control unit 73. The first control unit 71 has a processor 71a, memory 71b, and storage 71c. The second control unit 72 has a processor 72a, memory 72b, and storage 72c. The third control unit 73 has a processor 73a, memory 73b, and storage 73c.

[0044] Processors 71a, 72a, and 73a each perform various arithmetic operations. For example, processors 71a, 72a, and 73a are each formed by a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). Processors 71a, 72a, and 73a may also be formed by an MCU (Micro Controller Unit), MPU (Micro Processor Unit), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), system LSI, etc.

[0045] Memory 71b, memory 72b, and memory 73b each temporarily store data, etc. For example, memory 71b, memory 72b, and memory 73b are each formed of volatile memory.

[0046] Storage devices 71c, 72c, and 73c each store programs and various data executed by processors 71a, 72a, and 73a, respectively. For example, storage devices 71c, 72c, and 73c each store control programs. Note that all or part of storage devices 71c, 72c, and 73c may be common storage devices. For example, storage devices 71c and 72c may be common storage devices.

[0047] An input device 74 and a display device 75 are connected to the first control device 71. In this example, the input device 74 and the display device 75 are integrated and specifically constitute a touch panel. Drug information is input to the first control device 71 from an external source. Figure 15 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the processor 71a of the first control device 71. The processor 71a realizes various functions by reading a control program from the storage 71c into the memory 71b and expanding it. Specifically, the processor 71a functions as a receiver 81 that receives drug information and a supply controller 82 that supplies the necessary drugs to the drug packaging device 2 based on the drug information.

[0048] The reception unit 81 receives drug information from an external source. For example, the reception unit 81 receives a prescription from an external source and extracts drug information from the prescription.

[0049] The supply controller 82 controls the drug dispenser 1 to collect one packet of drug based on drug information and supply one packet of drug to the dispenser 3 of the drug packaging device 2.

[0050] Figure 16 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the processor 72a of the second control device 72. The processor 72a realizes various functions by reading the control program from the storage 72c into the memory 72b and loading it. Specifically, the processor 72a functions as an imaging controller 83 that performs imaging inside the hopper 4, a transport controller 84 that controls the transport of the packaging material S, and a distribution controller 85 that controls the distribution of the drug to the packaging material S.

[0051] The imaging controller 83 instructs the imaging device 31 to perform imaging of the inside of the hopper 4. At this time, the imaging controller 83 turns on the illumination 32. When imaging is complete, the imaging controller 83 saves the acquired image to the storage 72c and turns off the illumination 32. The imaging controller 83 saves the packaging date and time corresponding to the image, and identification information for identifying the packaging section of the packaging material S, to the storage 72c, linking the image to the image. The imaging controller 83 may also output the acquired image, packaging date and time, identification information, etc. to the third control device 73.

[0052] The transport controller 84 causes the transporter 22 and the sealer 23 to transport and seal the packaging material S. Specifically, the transport controller 84 operates the first motor 24 and the second motor 26 to transport the packaging material S. The first motor 24 and the second motor 26 intermittently transport the packaging material S in conjunction with the supply of the drug from the distributor 3 and the sealing of the packaging material S by the sealer 23. After one packet of drug has been supplied to the packaging material S from the distributor 3, the transport controller 84 causes the sealer 23 to seal the portion of the packaging material S that contains the drug.

[0053] The distribution controller 85 controls the shielding device 5 in accordance with the imaging device 31. In addition, it controls the supply of the drug from the distributor 3 to the packaging material S by controlling the opening and closing of the upper shutter 33.

[0054] In detail, the distribution controller 85 closes the upper shutter 33 before supplying the drug from the drug supplier 1. As a result, the upper opening 41 of the hopper 4 is closed by the upper shutter 33. When the drug is supplied from the drug supplier 1 in this state, the supplied drug is placed on the shutter body 33a and is not put into the hopper 4. Subsequently, the distribution controller 85 opens the upper shutter 33. When the upper shutter 33 opens, the drug on the shutter body 33a is put into the hopper 4 from the upper opening 41. The drug put into the hopper 4 falls due to gravity and is discharged from the lower opening 42. Since the lower opening 42 is located inside the open packaging material S, the drug is discharged into the packaging material S.

[0055] The distribution controller 85 opens the shielding body 51 when discharging the drug from the hopper 4, and closes the shielding body 51 when the imaging device 31 images the inside of the hopper 4. Specifically, when the distribution controller 85 opens the upper shutter 33 to put the drug into the hopper 4, it controls the drive device 54 to open the shielding body 51. When the shielding body 51 is open, it hangs downward from the rotation axis A. This allows the drug put into the hopper 4 to fall smoothly from the lower opening 42 into the packaging material S. When the imaging device 31 images the inside of the hopper 4, the distribution controller 85 controls the drive device 54 to close the shielding body 51. When the shielding body 51 is closed, it shields the background inside the lower opening 42 of the hopper 4 as seen from the imaging device 31. Imaging by the imaging device 31 is performed after the drug has been discharged into the packaging material S. Therefore, the distribution controller 85 sets the shielding body 51 to a shielded state after the discharge of the drug into the packaging material S is complete.

[0056] The third control device 73 is connected to an input device 76 and a display device 77. For example, the input device 76 is a mouse and a keyboard. The display device 77 is a liquid crystal or organic EL display. Figure 17 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the processor 73a of the third control device 73. The processor 73a realizes various functions by reading a control program from the storage 73c into the memory 73b and expanding it. Specifically, the processor 73a functions as a determination device 86 that determines the internal status of the hopper 4 based on an image acquired by the imaging device 31, and an image generator 87 that generates a display image for display on the display device 77.

[0057] The detector 86 analyzes the image of the hopper 4 acquired by the imaging device 31 (hereinafter referred to as the "hopper image") to determine the condition inside the hopper 4. For example, the detector 86 determines whether or not there is residual drug inside the hopper 4. The detector 86 performs image processing on the hopper image to search for the drug inside the hopper 4. For example, the detector 86 compares the hopper image with an image in which no drug is present inside the hopper 4 (hereinafter referred to as the "reference image") to determine whether there is residual drug inside the hopper 4. For example, the reference image is acquired in advance by the imaging device 31 and stored in the storage 73c. ​​The detector 86 reads the hopper image from the storage 72c and the reference image from the storage 73c. ​​The detector 86 determines that there is residual drug inside the hopper 4 if an object that is not present in the reference image is detected in the hopper image. On the other hand, the detector 86 determines that no drug remains inside the hopper 4 if no objects that are not present in the reference image are detected in the hopper image. The detector 86 saves the hopper image and other data read from the storage 72c to the storage 73c, and also saves the determination result to the storage 73c, linked to the hopper image.

[0058] The image generator 87 generates a confirmation image to be displayed, which is used to check for residual drug. The confirmation image includes a hopper image. The image generator 87 reads the hopper image, the packaging date and time corresponding to the hopper image, and identification information for identifying the packaging section of the packaging material S corresponding to the hopper image from the storage 73c. ​​The confirmation image includes the hopper image, the packaging date and time, the identification information, and the judgment result of the determination device 86, all of which are appended to the hopper image. The confirmation image contains multiple sets of hopper images, packaging date and time, packaging section identification information, and judgment results. In the confirmation image, multiple hopper images are arranged in the order in which the packaging was performed. If there are many hopper images, the confirmation image contains multiple pages. Each page contains a predetermined number of hopper images.

[0059] The image generator 87 displays a confirmation image on the display device 77. The user can select any hopper image from the confirmation images displayed on the display device 77. The image generator 87 receives the selection of a hopper image from the user via the input device 76. Upon receiving the selection of a hopper image, the image generator 87 generates an enlarged image of the selected hopper image. The image generator 87 displays the generated enlarged image on the display device 77. The user can examine the residual drug inside the hopper 4 by viewing the enlarged image on the display device 77. The image generator 87 receives additional information from the user regarding the hopper image via the input device 76. For example, additional information may include information indicating that the visual inspection of the enlarged image has been completed, information indicating that drug residue has been visually confirmed, or information indicating that it has been visually confirmed that no drug residue remains. The image generator 87 adds the additional information to the confirmation image. The image generator 87 stores the additional information in storage 73c, linking it to the hopper image.

[0060] Next, the operation of the drug packaging device 100 will be explained. Figure 18 is a time chart showing the operation of the drug packaging device 100.

[0061] First, at time t1, the drug dispenser 1 supplies one packet of drug to the drug packaging unit 2. More specifically, the supply controller 82 collects one packet of drug based on the drug information and supplies the collected drug to the dispenser 3. At this time, the upper shutter 33 closes the upper opening 41 of the hopper 4. The shielding device 5 has its shielding body 51 in an open state. The supplied drug is placed on the shutter body 33a of the upper shutter 33.

[0062] When the supply of the chemical is complete at time t2, the upper shutter 33 opens the upper opening 41 of the hopper 4. Specifically, the distribution controller 85 opens the shutter body 33a. As a result, the chemical placed on the shutter body 33a is supplied to the hopper 4 from the upper opening 41. The chemical falls through the passage 43 of the hopper 4. Since the shielding body 51 is open, the chemical is discharged into the packaging material S from the lower opening 42.

[0063] When a predetermined time has elapsed since the upper shutter 33 was opened, i.e., at time t3, the conveyor 22 conveys an amount of packaging material S equivalent to one package. Specifically, the predetermined time is longer than the time it is assumed that the drug will have finished falling from the upper shutter 33 into the packaging material S. The conveyor controller 84 operates the second motor 26 to rotate the conveyor roller 25. The rotation of the conveyor roller 25 moves the packaging material S downstream in the conveying direction X. The portion of the packaging material S that contains the drug from the hopper 4 moves to a position corresponding to the sealer 23. When the conveyor controller 84 has conveyed an amount of packaging material S equivalent to one package, i.e., at time t7, it stops conveying the packaging material S.

[0064] The sealing unit 23 seals the packaging material S after it has been transported. Specifically, the transport controller 84 starts the operation of the sealing unit 23 before stopping the transport of the packaging material S. After stopping the transport of the packaging material S, the transport controller 84 causes the sealing unit 23 to press the packaging material S against it. The sealing unit 23 seals the compartment of the packaging material S that contains one packet of medicine by welding. When the sealing of the packaging material S is complete, i.e., at time t10, the transport controller 84 stops the sealing unit 23.

[0065] When a predetermined time has elapsed since the upper shutter 33 was opened, i.e., at time t4, the shielding device 5 switches the shielding body 51 to the shielded state. Specifically, the predetermined time is longer than the time it is assumed that the drug will have finished falling from the upper shutter 33 into the packaging material S. Time t4 is later than time t3, when the conveyor 22 starts conveying the packaging material S. In other words, the distribution controller 85 sets the shielding body 51 of the shielding device 5 to the shielded state after the drug has finished falling from the upper shutter 33 into the packaging material S and the portion of the packaging material S containing the drug has been conveyed downstream. Since the drug has finished falling from the upper shutter 33 into the packaging material S, the shielding body 51 does not obstruct the drug's fall. Furthermore, since the portion of the packaging material S containing the drug has been conveyed downstream, there is a low possibility that the shielding body 51 will come into contact with the drug inside the packaging material S when it transitions from the open state to the shielded state.

[0066] After the shielding body 51 is in the shielding state, that is, at time t6, the imaging device 31 images the inside of the hopper 4. Specifically, the imaging controller 83 turns on the illumination 32 and causes the imaging device 31 to image the inside of the hopper 4. At this time, the upper shutter 33 opens the upper opening 41 of the hopper 4. Therefore, the illumination 32 illuminates the inside of the hopper 4 from the upper opening 41. The imaging device 31 images the inside of the hopper 4 from the upper opening 41. Furthermore, the background inside the lower opening 42 as seen from the imaging device 31 is shielded by the shielding body 51. Packaging material S is located below the lower opening 42. However, because the shielding body 51 shields the background inside the lower opening 42, the packaging material S inside the lower opening 42 is hardly captured in the image of the imaging device 31.

[0067] Once imaging by the imaging device 31 is complete, the shielding device 5 switches the shielding body 51 to an open state in preparation for packaging the next dose of medication, and the upper shutter 33 closes the upper opening 41 of the hopper 4. Specifically, at time t8 after imaging by the imaging device 31 is complete, the distribution controller 85 opens the shielding body 51 of the shielding device 5. At time t9 after imaging by the imaging device 31 is complete, the distribution controller 85 closes the shutter body 33a.

[0068] In this example, time t9 is later than time t8, and time t10 is later than time t9. In other words, the sealing of the packaging material S by the sealer 23 is completed later than the closing of the upper shutter 33 and the opening of the shielding body 51. Therefore, once the sealing of the packaging material S by the sealer 23 is completed, the packaging process for one dose of the drug is completed. After the packaging process for one dose of the drug is completed, i.e., at time t11, the packaging process for the next dose of the drug is started. That is, at time t11, the operation of the drug dispenser 1 at time t1 is started again. In this way, the packaging process for one dose of the drug is repeatedly performed.

[0069] The hopper image thus acquired is analyzed by the third control device 73. The determination device 86 of the third control device 73 determines the condition inside the hopper 4 based on the hopper image. Specifically, the determination device 86 determines whether or not there is any residual drug inside the hopper 4 based on the hopper image. In addition to the determination by the determination device 86, the user can visually check the hopper image. In other words, the hopper image is also used for visual confirmation by the user.

[0070] With this operation of the drug packaging device 100, when the imaging device 31 images the inside of the hopper 4 from the upper opening 41, the background inside the lower opening 42 is shielded by the shielding body 51. This improves the accuracy of the hopper image acquired by the imaging device 31. Specifically, the packaging material S is located below the lower opening 42. The packaging material S can reflect light. The degree of reflection depends on the material of the packaging material S. If the packaging material S is reflected inside the lower opening 42 in the captured image, the image inside the lower opening 42 may change depending on the reflection of light. Furthermore, the image of the inner surface of the hopper 4 may also be affected by the reflection of light by the packaging material S. If the hopper image changes depending on the degree of light reflection by the packaging material S, it becomes difficult to determine the situation inside the hopper 4 based on the hopper image. However, because the shielding body 51 shields the background inside the lower opening 42, the packaging material S inside the lower opening 42 is hardly visible in the captured image, and furthermore, the inner surface of the hopper 4 is hardly affected by the reflection of light from the packaging material S. Therefore, the effect of light reflection from the packaging material S on the hopper image can be reduced. Consequently, the conditions inside the hopper 4 can be accurately determined based on the hopper image. Moreover, since the shielding body 51 is open when the drug is being discharged, the shielding body 51 does not obstruct the discharge of the drug.

[0071] Since the shielding body 51 is made of an opaque material, it can further suppress the reflection of the packaging material S inside the lower opening 42 in the captured image. Furthermore, it can further reduce the effect of light reflection from the packaging material S on the inner surface of the hopper 4.

[0072] The shielding body 51 is supported below the lower opening 42 so as to be rotatable around a predetermined rotation axis A, and can switch between a shielded state and an open state by rotating around rotation axis A. Since the state can be transitioned simply by rotating the shielding body 51, the configuration of the shielding device 5 can be simplified, and the space required for the state transition of the shielding body 51 can be reduced. In particular, the planar space required for the state transition can be reduced.

[0073] The shielding body 51 is located inside the packaging material S from which the drug is discharged from the hopper 4, at least in the open state. The portion of the packaging material S from which the drug is discharged from the hopper 4 has two sheets that are open to receive the drug. The packaging material S is located to the side of the lower opening 42, relatively close to the lower opening 42. The shielding body 51 is thus positioned in a relatively narrow space. Reducing the planar space required for the state transition of the shielding body 51 is particularly effective in this environment. The shielding body 51 can switch between an open state and a shielded state without significantly affecting the surrounding packaging material S.

[0074] Furthermore, the open shield 51 hangs downward from the rotation axis A. The packaging material S is located below the lower opening 42. However, there tends to be a certain amount of space between the lower opening 42 and the bottom of the packaging material S directly below the lower opening 42 to receive the drug. On the other hand, the packaging material S is located relatively close to the lower opening 42 on its side. By having the open shield 51 hang downward from the rotation axis A, the influence of the shield 51 on the packaging material S when the drug is discharged from the hopper 4 into the packaging material S can be reduced.

[0075] In addition, since the shielding body 51 tapers from the rotation axis A towards the tip, the influence of the open shielding body 51 on the packaging material S can be further reduced. Specifically, the part of the packaging material S where the lower opening 42 is located consists of two sheets that are open. Since the two sheets are connected at the bottom, the gap between the two sheets narrows towards the bottom. By forming the shielding body 51 in a tapered shape, the shielding body 51 in the open state becomes thinner towards the bottom. This further reduces the influence of the open shielding body 51 on the packaging material S.

[0076] From a perspective other than imaging the inside of the hopper 4, the placement of the projection 6 inside or below the hopper 4 can stabilize the orientation of the drug discharged from the hopper 4 to the packaging material S. Specifically, when the drug is introduced from the upper opening 41 of the hopper 4, it passes through the passage 43 and is introduced into the packaging material S from the lower opening 42. The falling drug can take on various orientations as it falls. In this example, the projection 6 is positioned below the lower opening 42 of the hopper 4. The projection 6 protrudes inward from the extended region E, which is the downward projection of the lower opening 42 of the hopper 4. Specifically, the projection 6 is provided on the shielding body 51. When the drug is discharged from the hopper 4 to the packaging material S, the shielding body 51 is in an open state. When the shielding body 51 is in an open state, the projection 6 is located within the extended region E. More specifically, when the shielding body 51 is open, it hangs downward on or near the outer edge of the extended region E. The projection 6 protrudes inward from the outer edge or near the outer edge of the extension region E.

[0077] This projection 6 reduces the possibility of the drug falling in a horizontal orientation. A horizontal orientation is an orientation in which the horizontal dimension perpendicular to the transport direction X, that is, the dimension in the direction in which the two sheets of packaging material S face each other, is relatively long. In the case of drugs with a longitudinal direction, it is an orientation in which the longitudinal direction generally faces the direction in which the two sheets face each other. In the case of flat drugs such as disc-shaped and lens-shaped drugs (drugs with a thin thickness), it is an orientation in which the spreading direction, which is perpendicular to the thickness direction, generally faces the direction in which the two sheets face each other.

[0078] In more detail, if there were no protrusion 6, the drug in a horizontal orientation could fall while maintaining that horizontal orientation, as long as the drug did not come into contact with the inner surface of the hopper 4. If the drug falls into the packaging material S while maintaining its horizontal orientation, the drug may be bridged between the two open sheets, that is, the two sheets may be greatly spread out by the drug. In such a case, there is a risk that wrinkles may form in the packaging material S when it is sealed by the sealer 23. As a result, there is a risk that the packaging material S corresponding to one section may not be properly sealed.

[0079] The cross-sectional shape of the extension region E is such that, due to the presence of the protrusion 6, it is difficult for a horizontally oriented drug to pass through it directly. When the protrusion 6 is located in the extension region E, the falling drug may come into contact with the protrusion 6. A horizontally oriented drug falls while occupying a relatively large area in a plan view. Therefore, a horizontally oriented drug is more likely to come into contact with the protrusion 6. When the drug comes into contact with the protrusion 6, its orientation may change. In other words, the orientation of a horizontally oriented drug may change to an orientation other than horizontal. As a result, the possibility of the drug entering the packaging material S in a horizontal orientation is reduced. Consequently, the drug is contained within the packaging material S without significantly expanding it. It should be noted that a vertically oriented drug, where the longitudinal direction or spreading direction is generally oriented vertically, may also come into contact with the protrusion 6. However, since a vertically oriented drug has a smaller area in a plan view, the possibility of it coming into contact with the protrusion 6 is lower than that of a horizontally oriented drug.

[0080] In addition, regarding the circumferential position of the lower opening 42, the projection 6 is positioned opposite the inclined wall 44a in a plan view. This allows the inclined wall 44a to guide the drug toward the projection 6, promoting contact between the drug and the projection 6. Specifically, the passage 43 of the hopper 4 narrows toward the lower opening 42. Therefore, part or all of the circumferential wall 44 of the hopper 4 is inclined with respect to the vertical. Of the circumferential wall 44, the inclined wall 44a, which is located relatively low on the downstream side of the transport direction X, has a larger angle of inclination with respect to the vertical than other parts of the circumferential wall 44. Therefore, the drug passing through the passage 43 tends to fall in a direction slightly inclined toward the upstream side of the transport direction X rather than in the vertical direction. Since the projection 6 is positioned opposite the inclined wall 44a in a plan view, the drug is guided toward the projection 6, increasing the likelihood of contact with the projection 6. As a result, the possibility of the drug falling into the packaging material S in a horizontal orientation is further reduced.

[0081] The upper end surface 61 of the projection 6 is inclined so that it is located lower the further inside the extension region E is from the projection 6, so that the drug that comes into contact with the projection 6 and bounces back is more likely to go downwards. If the drug that comes into contact with the projection 6 bounces back a large amount upwards, there is a risk that it may obstruct the fall of other drugs. The upper end surface 61 of the projection 6 is a part that drugs are likely to come into contact with. Because the upper end surface 61 is inclined downwards, the drug that comes into contact with the projection 6 is more likely to go downwards, and is less likely to obstruct the fall of other drugs.

[0082] Furthermore, in a plan view, the width W of the projection 6 is smaller than the projection length L of the projection 6. This reduces the area occupied by the projection 6 in the cross-section of the passage 43 or extension region E in a plan view. In other words, the projection 6 prevents the drug in a horizontal position from falling straight down, but does not significantly reduce the cross-sectional area of ​​the passage 43 or extension region E.

[0083] In this example, the projection 6 is positioned below the lower opening 42. This prevents the projection 6 from reducing the cross-sectional area of ​​the passage 43. In addition, since the drug comes into contact with the projection 6 after it has been discharged from the lower opening 42, the drug that bounces off the projection 6 can scatter in a relatively free direction within the packaging material S. As a result, it is prevented that the bounced drug will come into contact with the drug falling through the passage 43 or accidentally get caught in the passage 43.

[0084] Other embodiments As described above, the embodiments described herein have been presented as examples of the technology disclosed in this application. However, the technology in this disclosure is not limited thereto and can be applied to embodiments that have been modified, replaced, added, or omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, it is possible to combine the components described in the embodiments above to create new embodiments. In addition, the components described in the attached drawings and detailed description may include not only components essential for solving the problem, but also components that are not essential for solving the problem, in order to illustrate the technology. Therefore, the mere presence of such non-essential components in the attached drawings and detailed description should not be immediately assumed to mean that those non-essential components are essential.

[0085] For example, the collection and supply of drugs by drug dispenser 1 is just one example, and the method of supplying drugs to distributor 3 is arbitrary.

[0086] The configuration of the conveyor 22 and the sealer 23 is merely an example. For example, the conveyor roller 25 and the sealer 23 may be integrated into one unit. For example, the conveyor roller 25 may have the function of welding the packaging material S, and the conveyor roller 25 may also serve as the sealer 23. In that case, the conveyor roller 25 will weld the packaging material S while conveying it.

[0087] Guide 27 may be omitted.

[0088] The distributor 3 does not necessarily have an upper shutter 33. For example, the drug may be supplied directly from the drug supplier 1 to the upper opening 41 of the hopper 4.

[0089] The shape of the hopper 4 is merely an example. The hopper 4 can take any shape as long as it can discharge the supplied chemical into the packaging material S. For example, the planar shape of the hopper 4 may be generally circular, elliptical, or polygonal. The passage 43 of the hopper 4 may be inclined downstream in the conveying direction X with respect to the vertical direction. The passage 43 may be straight or curved.

[0090] The shape of the shielding body 51 can be any shape as long as it can generally shield the background inside the lower opening 41. The outer shape of the shielding body 51 may differ from the shape of the lower opening 41. The shielding body 51 is not limited to a plate shape, but may also be a block-shaped or sheet-shaped member.

[0091] The switching between the shielded and open states of the shielding body 51 does not necessarily have to be achieved by rotation around the rotation axis A. For example, the shielding body 51 may switch between the shielded and open states by, for example, translating in the transport direction X.

[0092] The drive unit 54 rotates the crank 56 with the motor 55 whether the shielding body 51 is in a shielded state or an open state. However, the rotational driving force of the motor 55 may be used only when switching the shielding body 51 to either the shielded state or the open state, and the elastic force of the spring may be used when switching to the other state.

[0093] The imaging device 31 can be placed anywhere as long as it can image the inside of the hopper 4 from the upper opening 41. The illumination device 32 can also be placed anywhere as long as it can illuminate the inside of the hopper 4 from the upper opening 41. However, if the inside of the hopper 4 is bright enough to be imaged, the illumination device 32 may be omitted.

[0094] The timing chart mentioned above is merely an example. In this example, time t9 is later than time t8, and time t10 is later than time t9. However, times t8, t9, and t10 do not have to be in this order. Times t8 and t9 can be set to any time after imaging by the imaging device 31 is completed. Time t10 can be set to any time after the sealing of the packaging material S is completed.

[0095] The purpose of capturing images of the inside of the hopper 4 is not limited to determining the presence of residual chemicals inside the hopper 4. For example, the purpose of capturing images of the inside of the hopper 4 may be to determine whether or not cleaning of the inside of the hopper 4 is necessary. If the chemical is in powder form, after the chemical is discharged from the hopper 4 to the packaging material S, some of the chemical may adhere to and remain on the inner surface of the hopper 4. By capturing images of the inside of the hopper 4 after the chemical has been discharged, it is possible to determine whether or not cleaning is necessary based on the images. In other words, this technology is not limited to the purpose of using hopper images.

[0096] The determination using the hopper image can be implemented in any way. For example, the detector 86 may use a determination model trained by machine learning to determine whether or not a drug is present inside the hopper 4. Alternatively, the detector 86 may determine whether or not a drug is present inside the hopper 4 by pattern matching.

[0097] Furthermore, from the standpoint of proper imaging of the inside of the hopper 4, the protrusion 6 may be omitted.

[0098] Alternatively, from the viewpoint of suppressing the drug getting caught in the packaging material S, the imaging device 31 and the shielding device 5 may be omitted. In this case, the shielding body 51 may be left in place and fixed in an open state. That is, the shielding body 51 may be fixed in a state where it hangs downward from the rotation axis A. In this case, the shielding body 51 does not have the function of shielding the background inside the lower opening 42 of the hopper 4. The shielding body 51 functions as the part where the projection 6 is placed, and also functions as a wall that prevents the drug from going upstream in the transport direction X relative to the extension region E.

[0099] The projection 6 may be located in a part other than the shielding body 51. For example, the projection 6 may be located in the passage 43 of the hopper 4. If the shielding body 51 is omitted, the projection 6 may be located in the guide 27 or in the housing of the pharmaceutical packaging device 100. The lower end of the hopper 4 may have a series of hanging walls formed integrally with the hopper 4 and hanging downwards in the downstream direction X of the conveying direction of the packaging material S, in which case the projection 6 may be located in the hanging wall. The projection 6 can be located in any location as long as it protrudes inward into the passage 43 or inward into the extended region E projected downward from the lower opening 42.

[0100] The shape of the projection 6 is arbitrary. The projection 6 may be plate-shaped or rod-shaped. The width W of the projection 6 does not necessarily have to be smaller than the projection length L. The upper end surface 61 of the projection 6 may be inclined upward toward the inside of the passage 43, or it may extend horizontally.

[0101] The functions realized by the components described herein may be implemented in circuits or processing circuits, including general-purpose processors, application-specific processors, integrated circuits, ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), CPUs (a Central Processing Unit), conventional circuits, and / or combinations thereof, programmed to realize the functions described herein. A processor includes transistors and other circuits and is considered a circuit or processing circuit. A processor may be a programmable processor that executes a program stored in memory.

[0102] In this specification, circuits, units, and means are hardware programmed to perform or execute the functions described herein. Such hardware may be any hardware disclosed herein, or any hardware known to be programmed to perform or execute the functions described herein.

[0103] If the hardware is a processor that is considered to be a type of circuit, then the circuit, means, or unit is a combination of hardware and software used to constitute the hardware and / or processor.

[0104] [Aspect] The above-mentioned embodiment is a specific example of the following embodiment.

[0105] (Aspect 1) The drug packaging device 100 includes a hopper 4 having an upper opening 41 into which the drug is introduced and a lower opening 42 for discharging the drug into a packaging material S; an imaging device 31 that images the inside of the hopper 4 from the upper opening 41; a shielding device 5 that includes a shielding body 51 that shields the background inside the lower opening 42 of the hopper 4 when viewed from the imaging device 31, and switches the shielding body 51 between a shielded state in which the background inside the lower opening 42 is shielded and an open state in which the background inside the lower opening 42 is not shielded; and a control device 7 that controls the shielding device 5. The control device 7 sets the shielding body 51 to the open state when the drug is discharged from the hopper 4, and sets the shielding body 51 to the shielded state when the imaging device 31 images the inside of the hopper 4.

[0106] In this configuration, the drug introduced into the hopper 4 from the upper opening 41 is discharged into the packaging material S from the lower opening 42. At this time, the shielding body 51 is open, so the drug is discharged into the packaging material S without being obstructed by the shielding body 51. After the drug is discharged from the hopper 4, the inside of the hopper 4 is imaged by the imaging device 31. At this time, the shielding body 51 is in a shielded state. As seen from the imaging device 31, the background inside the lower opening 42 is shielded by the shielding body 51. The packaging material S is located below the lower opening 42. However, the background inside the lower opening 42, i.e., the packaging material S, is not reflected in the captured image. Therefore, the influence of reflected light from the packaging material S is reduced in the captured image. As a result, an image of the inside of the hopper 4 can be captured appropriately.

[0107] (Aspect 2) In the drug packaging device 100 described in Aspect 1, the shielding body 51 is supported so as to be rotatable about a predetermined rotation axis A below the lower opening 42, and switches between the shielded state and the open state by rotating about the rotation axis A.

[0108] With this configuration, switching between the shielded state and the open state of the shielding body 51 can be achieved with a simple operation of rotating the shielding body 51.

[0109] (Aspect 3) In the drug packaging device 100 described in Aspect 1 or Aspect 2, the shielding body 51 hangs downward from the rotation axis A in the open state.

[0110] This configuration allows for a reduction in the planar dimensions of the shielding body 51 when it is in the open state. This reduces the planar space required for the transition of the shielding body 51's state.

[0111] (Aspect 4) In the drug packaging apparatus 100 described in aspects 1 to 3, the shielding body 51 is located inside the packaging material S from which the drug is discharged from the hopper 4, at least in the open state.

[0112] In this configuration, the open shielding body 51 is positioned inside the packaging material S. As mentioned above, by allowing the open shielding body 51 to hang downward from the axis of rotation A, the influence of the open shielding body 51 on the packaging material S can be reduced. In other words, the packaging material S is located below the lower opening 42. However, there tends to be a certain amount of space between the lower opening 42 and the bottom of the packaging material S directly below the lower opening 42 to accommodate the drug. The open shielding body 51 can utilize this space to hang downward. As a result, the influence of the shielding body 51 on the packaging material S can be reduced.

[0113] (Aspect 5) In the drug packaging device 100 described in aspects 1 to 4, the shielding body 51 has a shape that tapers towards the tip from the rotation axis A.

[0114] This configuration further reduces the impact of the open shielding 51 on the packaging material S. In other words, the packaging material S is open upwards to receive the drug from the hopper 4. The cross-section of such packaging material S tends to be roughly V-shaped. The shielding 51, which tapers towards the tip from the rotation axis A, is more likely to fit into the roughly V-shaped opening of the packaging material S when it is hanging down from the rotation axis A in the open state.

[0115] (Aspect 6) In the drug packaging device 100 described in aspects 1 to 5, the shielding body 51 is made of an opaque material.

[0116] This configuration allows for a greater reduction in reflected light from the background inside the lower opening 42 during shooting. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0117] 100 Pharmaceutical packaging device 31 Imaging device 4 Hoppers 41 Upper opening 42 Lower opening 43 aisles 44a Slanted wall 5 Shielding device 51 Shield 6 protrusions A rotation axis E extension area G Center of the lower opening S Packaging material X Conveying direction

Claims

1. A hopper having an upper opening into which the drug is introduced and a lower opening into which the drug is discharged into the packaging material, An imaging device for imaging the inside of the hopper from the upper opening, A shielding device includes a shielding body that, when viewed from the imaging device, shields the background inside the lower opening of the hopper, and switches the shielding body between a shielded state in which the background inside the lower opening is shielded and an open state in which the background inside the lower opening is not shielded. The system includes a control device for controlling the shielding device, The control device is When discharging the chemical from the hopper, the shielding body is opened. A drug packaging device that, after the drug has been discharged from the hopper, sets the shielding body to the shielding state when the imaging device images the inside of the hopper.

2. In the drug packaging apparatus according to claim 1, The shielding body is supported below the lower opening so as to be rotatable around a predetermined axis of rotation, and the drug packaging device switches between the shielded state and the open state by rotating around the axis of rotation.

3. In the drug packaging apparatus according to claim 2, The aforementioned shielding body hangs downward from the rotation axis in the open state of the drug packaging device.

4. In the drug packaging apparatus according to claim 3, The shielding body is located inside the packaging material from which the drug is discharged from the hopper, at least in the open state, in a drug packaging device.

5. In the drug packaging apparatus according to claim 4, The shielding body is a drug packaging device having a shape that tapers towards the tip from the axis of rotation.

6. In a drug packaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The aforementioned shielding body is made of an opaque material and is used in drug packaging devices.

Images