Drug packaging device

Abstract

To provide a medicine packaging apparatus having an orderly configuration without deteriorating workability by providing a dispensing part capable of collecting and preparing a plurality of medicines prior to the dispensing and sequentially dispensing an amount of medicines necessary for the packaging.SOLUTION: A medicine packaging apparatus 10 comprises a dispensing section 20 and a packaging section 60. The dispensing section 20 includes a first dispensing part 22 having a plurality of medicine cassettes 26, and a second dispensing part 24 receiving medicines prepared separately from the medicines stored in the first dispensing part 22 and capable of dispensing them. The second dispensing part 24 includes a first storage / dispensing part 32 and a second storage / dispensing part 34. The second storage / dispensing part 34 is configured to dispense an amount of medicines necessary for the packaging from the plurality of medicines collectively put therein. Alternatively, the first storage / dispensing part 32 and the second storage / dispensing part 34 are vertically disposed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drug packaging device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a drug packaging device as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below has been provided. This drug packaging device has a plurality of cassette units and a manual dispensing unit provided on the outer surface of a substantially cylindrical drum, and can package the drugs dispensed from these.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the drug packaging device of Patent Document 1 described above, it is possible to improve the assembly workability and flexibly respond to size changes. However, in recent years, not only is it possible to pour and dispense drugs one by one into each cell (drug storage tray) provided in a plurality, such as a manual dispensing unit, but also by collecting and pouring in a plurality of drugs in advance and preparing them, it is desired to have a dispensing unit that can sequentially dispense the amount of drugs required for packaging according to prescription information. In addition, there is also a desire to provide a dispensing unit having such a function with an orderly configuration without impairing workability.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a drug packaging device having an orderly configuration without impairing workability, while providing a dispensing unit that can sequentially dispense the amount of drugs required for packaging according to prescription information by collecting and pouring in a plurality of drugs in advance.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The drug packaging device of the present invention provided to solve the above problems includes a first dispensing unit having a plurality of drug cassettes for storing drugs and individually dispensing the stored drugs according to prescription information, a second dispensing unit for receiving drugs prepared separately from the drugs stored in the first dispensing unit and dispensing them according to prescription information, and a delivery unit provided in a moving path of the drugs that moves the drugs dispensed in the first dispensing unit and the second dispensing unit toward the packaging unit. The second dispensing unit arranges a plurality of drug storage bins vertically and horizontally, stores drugs in each drug storage bin according to prescription information, prepares them for dispensing, and has a first storage and dispensing unit capable of dispensing drugs for each drug storage bin, and a second storage and dispensing unit for collectively storing a plurality of the same type of drugs and dispensing the amount of drugs required for packaging according to prescription information. The first storage and dispensing unit and the second storage and dispensing unit are arranged vertically. The delivery unit moves and collects part or all of the drugs dispensed and dropped in the first dispensing unit and the second dispensing unit in a direction intersecting the dropping direction, and is capable of dispensing them toward the packaging unit.

[0007] The drug packaging device of the present invention includes, as a dispensing unit, in addition to a first dispensing unit having a plurality of drug cassettes, a second dispensing unit. Further, the second dispensing unit is provided with a first storage and dispensing unit so that drugs can be prepared and dispensed for each of the plurality of provided containers, and is also provided with a second storage and dispensing unit so that the drugs collectively stored and prepared can be sequentially dispensed for packaging. Therefore, according to the drug packaging device of the present invention, a user can, for example, in the case of drugs not mounted on the first dispensing unit, simply prepare the drugs collectively in the second storage and dispensing unit and then package them, thereby improving the working efficiency. Also, according to the drug packaging device of the present invention, a user can appropriately use the first storage and dispensing unit and the second storage and dispensing unit in consideration of the characteristics of the drugs. As a result, the user can further consider the characteristics of the drugs in the packaging operation and improve the efficiency of the packaging operation.

[0008] In addition, the drug packaging device of the present invention is provided with a delivery unit, which moves part or all of the drugs dispensed and dropped in the first dispensing unit and the second dispensing unit in a direction intersecting the dropping direction, and gathers them in a specific direction as much as possible, such as the direction of the center of the main body, so that they can be dispensed toward the packaging unit. Therefore, in the drug packaging device of the present invention, the degree of freedom in setting the movement path of the drug in the device is high. Even if a plurality of drug dispensing units with multiple configurations such as the first dispensing unit and the second dispensing unit are arranged in the device, none of these dispensing units will protrude from the device housing, and a neatly arranged and well-organized drug packaging device can be provided.

[0009] In the drug packaging device of the present invention, the first storage and dispensing unit and the second storage and dispensing unit are arranged vertically. Therefore, the user can efficiently perform the preparation work of the drug for the first storage and dispensing unit and the second storage and dispensing unit without moving or the like. In addition, when the first storage and dispensing unit and the second storage and dispensing unit are arranged horizontally or the like, there is a concern that the drug packaging device will become larger in the width direction. However, in the present invention, since the first storage and dispensing unit and the second storage and dispensing unit are arranged vertically, such problems do not occur. Therefore, according to the present invention, a neatly structured drug packaging device can be provided.

[0010] The above-described drug packaging device of the present invention has an upper hopper that collects the drugs dispensed above the delivery unit and supplies them to the delivery unit. The upper hopper is provided with an inclined portion whose peripheral surface is inclined so that the opening area narrows from top to bottom. It is desirable that a part or all of the second dispensing unit is arranged to penetrate into the area below the inclined portion.

[0011] According to such a configuration, the area that can be formed below the inclined portion of the upper hopper can be effectively used as the installation space of the second dispensing unit without being used as a dead space. Thereby, the configuration of the drug packaging device can be made even more orderly.

[0012] Here, when the drug discharged from the dispensing unit in the above-described drug packaging device is to be dropped, collected, and packaged, by minimizing the bounce of the drug, problems such as an improvement in the drug collection speed and packaging defects due to drug loss can be minimized. Therefore, in the above-described drug packaging device, it is preferable that sufficient consideration is given to the bounce of the drug falling from the dispensing unit. Particularly in a device equipped with a plurality of drug preparation and dispensing mechanisms as in the present application, it is likely to be difficult to improve the collection speed, and it is necessary to minimize the bounce of the drug in consideration of the positional relationship of each drug preparation and dispensing mechanism.

[0013] Based on such findings, it is desirable that the drug packaging device of the present invention described above has a storage unit in the movement path of the drug moving toward the packaging unit, which can temporarily receive part or all of the drugs prepared for sub-packaging and discharge them toward the packaging unit.

[0014] Thereby, problems such as the drug discharged from the dispensing unit bouncing to an unexpected place can be solved.

[0015] The drug packaging device of the present invention described above may be characterized in that the second storage and dispensing unit can supply drugs by pulling them out from the device main body of the drug packaging device and can dispense drugs by pushing them into the device main body.

[0016] In the drug packaging device of the present invention, an operation of pulling out the second storage and dispensing unit forward from the device main body to supply drugs can be performed. Therefore, in the drug packaging device of the present invention, it is easy for the user to perform the operation of supplying drugs to the second storage and dispensing unit. Further, in the drug packaging device of the present invention, the second storage and dispensing unit can be in a state of being pushed into the device main body. Therefore, the drug packaging device of the present invention can minimize the state where the second storage and dispensing unit protrudes from the device main body. Further, by pushing the second storage and dispensing unit into the device main body, drugs can be dispensed. Thereby, problems that can be assumed due to the second storage and dispensing unit being exposed outside the device main body, such as the operator accidentally touching the part that operates to dispense drugs from the second storage and dispensing unit or dust etc. getting into the second storage and dispensing unit, can be minimized.

[0017] The above-described drug packaging device of the present invention has a delivery unit that has a first opening and closing mechanism unit provided with a first opening and closing body that can be opened and closed, and can temporarily receive the falling drugs in the first opening and closing mechanism unit and discharge them downward. Part or all of the surface where the drugs falling from the dispensing unit collide in the first opening and closing mechanism unit may have a multilayer structure in which plate bodies are arranged side by side via a clearance.

[0018] By making part or all of the surface where the drugs falling from the dispensing unit collide in the first opening and closing mechanism unit have a multilayer structure in this way, the impact caused by the collision of the drugs can be absorbed, and the bouncing of the drugs can be minimized.

[0019] The above-described drug packaging device of the present invention has a delivery unit that has a second opening and closing mechanism unit provided with a second opening and closing body that can be opened and closed, and can temporarily receive the falling drugs in the second opening and closing mechanism unit and discharge them downward. Part or all of the surface where the drugs falling from above collide in the second opening and closing mechanism unit may be thinner than the others.

[0020] By making part or all of the surface that the drug falling from the dispensing part collides with in the second opening / closing mechanism part thinner than the others, the bouncing of the drug due to the collision can be minimized.

[0021] The drug packaging device of the present invention described above may be provided with a transfer mechanism in which the delivery part moves the drug dispensed and dropped in the dispensing part in a direction intersecting the dropping direction.

[0022] According to such a configuration, it is possible to move the drug dispensed from the dispensing part not only in the dropping direction but also in a direction intersecting the dropping direction. As a result, the degree of freedom in setting the passage path of the drug is improved, which can contribute to the compactification of the drug packaging device. Furthermore, even in a device equipped with a plurality of drug preparation dispensing mechanisms as in the present application, the collection speed can be suitably improved.

[0023] The drug packaging device of the present invention described above is provided with a hopper that collects drugs from the upstream side and sends them to the downstream side. The hopper has a hopper body whose opening area narrows from above to below, a cylindrical part communicating with the lower part of the hopper body, and a neck part provided between the hopper body and the cylindrical part. In the neck part, the hopper body and the cylindrical part are curved so as to be smoothly connected, and the part below the neck part may be formed of a softer material than the upper part.

[0024] By curving the hopper body and the cylindrical part so as to be smoothly connected at the neck of the hopper in this way, and forming the part below the neck with a softer material than the upper part, the bouncing of the drug introduced into the hopper can be minimized.

[0025] The above-described drug packaging device of the present invention has a second storage and dispensing unit including a cassette capable of storing and dispensing drugs, and a base unit for applying power required for dispensing drugs to the cassette. The cassette includes a peripheral wall structure constituting the peripheral wall of a drug storage unit in which drugs are stored, a first rotating body disposed to incline from the bottom side to the upper end side of the peripheral wall structure and rotatable about a first rotation axis inclined with respect to the axis of the peripheral wall structure, a second rotating body disposed on the outer periphery of the upper end side of the peripheral wall structure and rotatable about a second rotation axis, and a drug discharge unit for discharging drugs. The drugs prepared in the drug storage unit can be transferred to the second rotating body by the rotation of the first rotating body and transferred to the downstream side in the rotation direction of the second rotating body, and may be discharged from the drug discharge unit.

[0026] Accordingly, if drugs are prepared in the drug storage unit, by controlling the rotation of the first rotating body and the second rotating body, drugs can be discharged one by one from the second storage and dispensing unit appropriately and smoothly. Thereby, for example, the usage frequency of the first storage and dispensing unit can be minimized, the burden on the user required for supplying drugs to each storage unit (drug storage tray) of the first storage and dispensing unit by manual scattering work can be reduced, and the occurrence of human errors due to manual work can be minimized.

[0027] Further, the above-described drug packaging device of the present invention has a drawer unit that can be pulled out from the device main body of the drug packaging device. By pulling out the drawer unit, the cassette is held by the drawer unit and pulled out from the device main body in a state separated from the base unit. By returning the drawer unit to the device main body side, it is desirable that the cassette is returned to the device main body side and connected to the base unit.

[0028] According to such a configuration, by pulling out the drawer unit, the cassette can be pulled out from the device main body in a state separated from the base unit to perform various operations. Further, by performing an operation of returning the drawer unit to the device main body, the cassette can be connected to the base unit and returned to a state where drugs can be dispensed.

[0029] The above-described drug packaging device of the present invention preferably includes an identification information reading unit capable of reading the identification information of the drug attached to the original box of the drug, a specific information display unit capable of displaying specific information for specifying the drug stored in the second storage and dispensing unit, a collation unit that collates the drug specified from the specific information displayed on the specific information display unit with the drug specified from the identification information read by the identification information reading unit.

[0030] According to such a configuration, when replenishing the drug into the second storage and dispensing unit, the identification information is read from the original box, and the collation unit can collate whether the specific information displayed on the specific information display unit matches the identification information in order to identify the drug stored in the second storage and dispensing unit. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the mistake of the drug to be replenished into the second storage and dispensing unit.

[0031] Here, there are cases where drugs must be packaged for special prescriptions that are taken at a predetermined cycle, such as drugs to be taken every predetermined number of days or on a predetermined day of the week. In such a case, there is a problem that, prior to the packaging of the drug, a pharmacist or the like must perform complicated operations such as calculating the quantity of the drug required for the prescription. From the viewpoints of reducing the work of pharmacists and the like and suppressing dispensing errors, there is a desire to eliminate such complicated operations as much as possible.

[0032] The drug packaging method of the present invention provided to solve the above-described problems is a method for dispensing and packaging drugs according to prescription information. When a drug is prescribed to be taken at a predetermined dosing cycle, the number of days of taking the drug during the dosing period is derived by specifying the dosing cycle and the dosing period from the start date of dosing to the end date of dosing, and the drug for the number of days of taking is sub-packaged.

[0033] According to the method for packaging a drug of the present invention, even when the drug should be packaged according to a special prescription such that it is to be taken at predetermined intervals (for example, every other day or every two days) or on predetermined days of the week, etc., it is not necessary for a pharmacist or the like to perform complicated operations such as calculating the number of days the drug is to be taken. That is, according to the present invention, even if a drug to be taken at predetermined intervals is prescribed, not only the total number of days when the drug should be taken every day during the taking period (in the case of continuous taking), but also considering the total number of days of the days or days of the week designated as the days when the drug should be taken, etc., the sum of the days when the drug should be taken within the period designated as the taking period can be derived as the number of taking days and packaged. Therefore, according to the method for packaging a drug of the present invention, it is not necessary for a pharmacist or the like to perform the operation of deriving the number of taking days by themselves, which can contribute to reducing the work of pharmacists or the like and suppressing dispensing errors.

[0034] Further, the program of the present invention is used in a drug packaging device that dispenses and packages drugs according to prescription information, and when a drug is prescribed to be taken at a predetermined taking cycle, by designating the taking cycle and the taking period from the start date of taking to the end date of taking, a process of calculating the number of days the drug is to be taken during the taking period is realized in the drug packaging device.

[0035] According to the program of the present invention, even when the drug should be packaged according to a special prescription such that it is to be taken at a predetermined cycle, the drug packaging device can be made to derive the number of days the drug is to be taken. Therefore, according to the program of the present invention, it is not necessary for a pharmacist or the like to perform the operation of deriving the number of taking days by themselves, which can contribute to reducing the work of pharmacists or the like and suppressing dispensing errors.

[0036] The drug packaging device of the present invention has a dispensing unit capable of individually dispensing drugs according to prescription information, a packaging unit for packaging drugs, and a control device, and dispenses and packages drugs according to prescription information. When the control device determines that a drug is prescribed to be taken at a predetermined dosing cycle, the control device derives the number of days the drug is to be taken during the dosing period by specifying the dosing cycle and the dosing period from the start date to the end date of dosing, and causes the dispensing unit to dispense the drug for the number of days and package it in the packaging unit.

[0037] According to such a configuration, when packaging drugs with a special prescription for taking at a predetermined cycle, the number of days the drug is to be taken can be determined without relying on the manual work of a pharmacist or the like. Therefore, according to the drug packaging device of the present invention, the burden on a pharmacist or the like required for deriving the number of days of taking can be reduced, contributing to suppression of dispensing errors and the like.

Advantages of the Invention

[0038] According to the present invention, there is provided a drug packaging device that stores a plurality of types of drugs in a plurality of types of dispensing units corresponding to their uses and / or management, and can sequentially dispense the required amount of drugs from various dispensing units according to prescription information. In particular, by providing a dispensing unit that supplies drugs together and can sequentially dispense the required amount of drugs one tablet at a time, a drug packaging device with an orderly configuration can be provided without sacrificing workability.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0039]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0040] Hereinafter, the drug packaging device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the drug packaging device 10 is provided with a dispensing unit 20, a delivery unit 40, a packaging unit 60, a sub-dispensing unit 80, etc. with respect to the device main body 12.

[0041] The apparatus main body 12 is in the shape of a vertically long cube or rectangular parallelepiped, and has doors 12a and 12b at the upper and lower parts of the front surface. Further, at the middle part in the height direction of the apparatus main body 12, in addition to the first storage and dispensing part 32 and the second storage and dispensing part 34 that constitute the second dispensing part 24 of the dispensing part 20 to be described in detail later, a cassette placement part 14 is provided so as to be pullable.

[0042] The upper door 12a of the apparatus main body 12 has an operation panel 12c and a journal printer 12d for printing data of drugs and the like when using the first storage and dispensing part 32. The lower door 12b is provided with a discharge port 12e for discharging the medicine band formed by the packaging part 60. The upper door 12a is further provided with a barcode reader 12f. When the barcode of the original box of the drug is held in front of the barcode reader 12f, the drug cassette 26 to be described later moves to the front side of the door 12a.

[0043] The cassette placement part 14 is a part for placing the drug cassette 26 to be described in detail later. The cassette placement part 14 functions as a workbench for placing and working on the drug cassette 26. The cassette placement part 14 can be pulled out from the apparatus main body 12 or pushed into the apparatus main body 12 for storage as needed. The cassette placement part 14 has a depression for placing the drug cassette 26. When the drug cassette 26 is fitted into this depression, a reader / writer (not shown) provided on the cassette placement part 14 comes to a position facing a tag (not shown) provided on the bottom surface of the drug cassette 26. The reader / writer corresponds to a communication format called RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), and can communicate with the tag of the drug cassette 26 to read and write necessary data.

[0044] The dispensing part 20 is prepared so that drugs can be dispensed. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the dispensing part 20 has a first dispensing part 22 and a second dispensing part 24.

[0045] The first dispensing unit 22 includes a plurality of medicine cassettes 26. Each medicine cassette 26 stores medicine and is capable of individually dispensing the stored medicine. The first dispensing unit 22 may be any device having such a function, but in this embodiment, it is as shown in FIG. 5. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the first dispensing unit 22 has a drum 28 whose upper and lower ends are rotatably attached to the apparatus main body 12. On the outer surface of the drum 28, support bases 30 on which the medicine cassettes 26 are mounted are arranged in the circumferential direction and are arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction. The medicine cassette 26 has a known structure in which medicine is stored inside and the medicine can be discharged one by one by the rotation of a rotor. The medicine discharged from the medicine cassette 26 is guided to a first medicine collection hopper 42 described later through a passage provided on the inner surface of the drum 28.

[0046] The second dispensing unit 24 is capable of receiving and dispensing medicine prepared separately from the medicine stored in the first dispensing unit 22. The second dispensing unit 24 has a first storage and dispensing unit 32 and a second storage and dispensing unit 34. The first storage and dispensing unit 32 and the second storage and dispensing unit 34 are arranged vertically on the front side of the apparatus main body 12. Specifically, the second storage and dispensing unit 34 is arranged above the first storage and dispensing unit 32.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 6, the first storage and dispensing unit 32 has a plurality of prepared storage parts 32a. By pouring medicine into each storage part 32a according to the taking time based on the prescription information, it is possible to dispense the medicine for each storage part 32a. That is, the first storage and dispensing unit 32 (storage unit) has a function of temporarily receiving the medicine prepared by pouring for sub-packaging and then discharging it toward the packaging unit 60. The first storage and dispensing unit 32 can be effectively used for purposes such as setting half tablets of medicine, medicines with low usage frequency, etc. into the grid-shaped storage parts 32a by hand and then packaging them in the packaging unit 60. The first storage and dispensing unit 32 is located on the front side of the apparatus main body 12 and can be pulled forward to make the medicine in a state where it can be poured by hand. After preparing the medicine in the first storage and dispensing unit 32 by pouring it by hand and then returning it into the apparatus main body 12, the medicine prepared by pouring can be sequentially dispensed according to the prescription.

[0048] The second storage and dispensing unit 34 can sequentially dispense the amount of medicine required for sub-packaging by collecting and preparing a plurality of the same kind of medicine in advance. The second storage and dispensing unit 34 may be any one as long as it has such a function, and for example, it is as shown in Fig. 10 etc.

[0049] Specifically, the second storage and dispensing unit 34 includes a cassette 34x and a motor base 34y. The second storage and dispensing unit 34 is configured such that the cassette 34x is detachable from the motor base 34y. The cassette 34x has a peripheral wall structure 34a, a first rotating body 34b, a second rotating body 34c, and a drug dispensing unit 34d. The peripheral wall structure 34a constitutes the peripheral wall of a drug storage unit 34e in which drugs are stored. The first rotating body 34b is disposed so as to incline from the bottom side to the upper end side of the peripheral wall structure 34a. The first rotating body 34b is configured to receive power from a motor (not shown) or the like and is rotatable about a first rotation axis 34f inclined with respect to the axis of the peripheral wall structure 34a. The second rotating body 34c is disposed on the outer periphery of the upper end side of the peripheral wall structure 34a. The second rotating body 34c is configured to receive power from a motor built in the motor base 34y and is rotatable about a second rotation axis. The drug dispensing unit 34d is for discharging drugs from the second storage and dispensing unit 34.

[0050] By rotating the first rotating body 34b, the second storage and dispensing unit 34 can scrape up the drugs prepared in the drug storage unit 34e and transfer them to the second rotating body 34c. Further, by rotating the second rotating body 34c, the second storage and dispensing unit 34 can transfer the drugs transferred from the first rotating body 34b as described above to the downstream side in the rotation direction and discharge them from the drug dispensing unit 34d. Therefore, based on detection information from a sensor (not shown) or the like, by controlling the rotation of the first rotating body 34b and the second rotating body 34c, the drugs prepared in the drug storage unit 34e can be discharged one by one from the drug dispensing unit 34d.

[0051] The second storage and dispensing unit 34 is arranged to be vertically aligned with the first storage and dispensing unit 32. In the present embodiment, the second storage and dispensing unit 34 is arranged above the first storage and dispensing unit 32. Also, the second storage and dispensing units 34 are arranged in a state where a plurality (four in the present embodiment) are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction (the left - right direction as viewed from the front of the apparatus main body 12). The second storage and dispensing unit 34 can supply the drug by being individually pulled out from the apparatus main body 12, and can dispense the drug by being pushed into the apparatus main body 12. The second storage and dispensing units 34 can be pulled out or pushed into the apparatus main body 12 integrally in a group of a plurality (four in the present embodiment).

[0052] Specifically, the second storage and dispensing unit 34 has a drawing member 34h provided so as to be slidable in and out with respect to the apparatus main body 12 on the front side of the apparatus main body 12. The drawing member 34h has a plate - shaped drawing main body 34i, a gripping portion 34j, and an operating piece 34k. The drawing main body 34i is supported so as to be slidable below the motor base 34y along a guide rail arranged in the depth direction of the apparatus main body 12.

[0053] The gripping portion 34j is a portion that the user grips when performing the sliding operation of the drawing member 34h. The gripping portion 34j is provided so as to rise upward from the drawing main body 34i. The gripping portion 34j has a size and shape that fit into a notch 34m provided on the front side of the motor base 34y. The gripping portion 34j is engaged with a depression provided on the bottom surface on the front side of the cassette 34x. Thereby, the cassette 34x is supported by the gripping portion 34j. Also, when the user holds the gripping portion 34j and slides the drawing member 34h, the cassette 34x can be slid with respect to the motor base 34y.

[0054] Also, the actuating piece 34k is provided at a position away from the gripping part 34j in the back side (the back side of the apparatus main body 12) in the above-described sliding direction. The actuating piece 34k is a member that operates in conjunction with the sliding operation of the drawing-out member 34h. Specifically, the actuating piece 34k falls in conjunction with the operation of retracting the drawing-out main body 34i into the apparatus main body 12, and is in a state of being accommodated in a cavity provided in the apparatus main body 12. Therefore, when the drawing-out member 34h is retracted into the apparatus main body 12, the actuating piece 34k does not interfere with the motor base 34y.

[0055] On the other hand, when the drawing-out main body 34i is moved so as to exit from the apparatus main body 12, the actuating piece 34k is biased upward and protrudes from the opening provided on the top surface of the drawing-out main body 34i, and eventually stands upright. Also, the actuating piece 34k is shaped to fit into a recess provided on the bottom surface of the cassette 34x. Therefore, even when the drawing-out main body 34i is pulled out and the cassette 34x is separated from the motor base 34y, the part on the back side (the back side of the apparatus main body 12) of the cassette 34x can be supported from below.

[0056] Further, the second storage and dispensing unit 34 can be arranged by effectively utilizing the space formed below a hopper (upper hopper) for collecting the drug dispensed above the delivery unit 40 (the first dispensing unit 22 in this embodiment) and supplying it to the delivery unit 40. Specifically, as will be described in detail later, in this embodiment, as the upper hopper, a first drug collection hopper 42 for collecting the drug dispensed from the first dispensing unit 22 above the delivery unit 40 is provided. As shown in FIG. 17, the first drug collection hopper 42 has a hopper body 42a, a cylindrical portion 42b, and a neck portion 42c. The hopper body 42a has an inclined portion 42d inclined such that the opening region narrows from top to bottom. The inclined portion 42d has an outer shape formed by an outer peripheral surface 42e provided over substantially the entire circumference of the hopper body 42a. When the second storage and dispensing unit 34 is slid and pushed into the apparatus main body 12, it is arranged in a state where at least a part thereof penetrates into the space below the inclined portion 42d. By arranging the second storage and dispensing unit 34 in this way, the space formed below the first drug collection hopper 42 is effectively utilized.

[0057] The delivery unit 40 is provided midway in the movement path of the drug dispensed from the dispensing unit 20 described above and moving toward the packaging unit 60. The delivery unit 40 can receive the drug dropped from the dispensing unit 20 once and then discharge it toward the packaging unit 60. The delivery unit 40 may be any one as long as it has such a function, but in this embodiment, it is as shown in FIG. 12.

[0058] Specifically, the delivery unit 40 includes five hoppers, namely, a first drug collection hopper 42, a second drug collection hopper 44, a third drug collection hopper 46a, a fourth drug collection hopper 46b, and a fifth drug collection hopper 48. These hoppers can collect the drugs dispensed from the first dispensing unit 22, the second dispensing unit 24, and the auxiliary dispensing unit 80 described later. The delivery unit 40 is also provided with a shutter mechanism unit 50 (first opening and closing mechanism unit) and first and second moving mechanisms 52, 54 (second opening and closing mechanism unit), and can dispense the drugs collected by the above-mentioned hoppers toward a collection hopper 56 provided below the delivery unit 40 while timing appropriately.

[0059] The first drug collection hopper 42 is a hopper disposed below the first dispensing unit 22. The first drug collection hopper 42 collects the drugs that have fallen from each drug cassette 26 forming the first dispensing unit 22. The lower end of the first drug collection hopper 42 is connected to the shutter mechanism unit 50. Therefore, the first drug collection hopper 42 can gather the drugs discharged from the drug cassette 26 and supply them to the shutter mechanism unit 50.

[0060] As shown in FIGS. 14(a) and (b), the first drug collection hopper 42 has a hopper body 42a, a cylindrical portion 42b, and a neck portion 42c. The hopper body 42a has an outer shape formed by an outer peripheral surface 42e as described above. Also, an inner peripheral surface 42f is provided at a substantially central portion in the radial direction of the hopper body 42a. The region radially inside the inner peripheral surface 42f is closed at the lower end side as shown in FIG. 16(a). In the first drug collection hopper 42, a space 42g formed between the outer peripheral surface 42e and the inner peripheral surface 42f penetrates in the vertical direction. The space 42g communicates with the neck portion 42c at the lower end side, and the inside is made passable for the drugs.

[0061] The space 42g is partitioned in the circumferential direction into a plurality (four in this embodiment) of regions by a partition 42h provided across the outer circumferential surface 42e and the inner circumferential surface 42f. As shown in FIGS. 15(a) and 15(c), the partition 42h is formed so as to curve greatly at the base side portion (the portion continuous with the outer circumferential surface 42e). By doing so, for example, compared with the configuration in which the base of the partition 42h is not curved as shown in FIG. 15(b), the contact points (indicated by black circles in FIGS. 15(b) and 15(c)) with the drug (illustrated by a two-dot chain line in the figure) passing through the space 42g can be minimized. That is, in the case of the configuration as shown in FIG. 15(b), a case is assumed where the drug falls within the space 42g while contacting at two locations indicated by black circles. On the other hand, in the case of the configuration as shown in FIG. 15(c), even when the drug falls while contacting the outer circumferential surface 42e, only one contact location indicated by a black circle is sufficient. Here, generally, when the drug moves while contacting other members, there is a concern that the drug may stick to the other members due to the influence of static electricity or the like. Therefore, with the configuration as shown in FIG. 15(c), by minimizing the contact of the drug passing through the space 42g, the drug can smoothly fall without sticking to the first drug collection hopper 42.

[0062] The cylindrical portion 42b of the first drug collection hopper 42 is provided so as to communicate with the lower side of the hopper main body 42a. Further, the neck portion 42c is provided between the hopper main body 42a and the cylindrical portion 42b. The first drug collection hopper 42 is curved at the neck portion 42c so that the hopper main body 42a and the cylindrical portion 42b are smoothly connected. Also, in the first drug collection hopper 42, the lower portion (the cylindrical portion 42b and the neck portion 42c) from the neck portion 42c is formed of a softer material than the upper portion (the hopper main body 42a). Specifically, the hopper main body 42a is formed of an ABS resin with a thickness of 1.5 mm, and the neck portion 42c is formed of a PET resin with a thickness of 0.3 mm.

[0063] As shown in FIGS. 16(a) and 16(b), one or more (two in this embodiment) ribs 42i are provided inside the first chemical collecting hopper 42 from the neck portion 42c to the cylindrical portion 42b. The ribs 42i are provided so as to project radially inward. By providing the ribs 42i, it is possible to suppress problems such as the chemicals swirling along the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 42b and not easily falling down.

[0064] The second chemical collecting hopper 44 is a hopper disposed below the first storage and dispensing portion 32 of the second dispensing portion 24. The second chemical collecting hopper 44 can collect the chemicals dispensed from the first storage and dispensing portion 32 and dispense them toward the collecting hopper 56 provided below.

[0065] The third chemical collecting hopper 46a and the fourth chemical collecting hopper 46b are hoppers through which the chemicals dispensed from the second storage and dispensing portion 34 of the second dispensing portion 24 pass. The third chemical collecting hopper 46a collects the chemicals dispensed from the first and second second storage and dispensing portions 34 when viewed from the front side of the apparatus main body 12. Also, the fourth chemical collecting hopper 46b collects the chemicals dispensed from the first and second second storage and dispensing portions 34 when viewed from the right side of the apparatus main body 12. The lower ends of the third chemical collecting hopper 46a and the fourth chemical collecting hopper 46b are respectively connected to the first and second moving mechanisms 52, 54.

[0066] The fifth chemical collecting hopper 48 is a hopper through which the chemicals dispensed from the sub-dispensing portion 80 pass. The lower end of the fifth chemical collecting hopper 48 is connected to the second moving mechanism 54.

[0067] As shown in FIGS. 18(a) and (b), the shutter mechanism unit 50 (first opening / closing mechanism unit / storage unit) includes a shutter mechanism main body 50a and a discharge unit 50b. The shutter mechanism unit 50 has a function of receiving the drug that is dispensed at the first dispensing unit 22 forming the dispensing unit 20 and is prepared for sub-packaging, and then discharging it toward the packaging unit 60. The shutter mechanism main body 50a includes a shutter case 50c, a shutter 50d (first opening / closing body), and a drive mechanism 50e. The shutter case 50c may be any case as long as it can receive and pass the drug from the first drug collection hopper 42. In this embodiment, it is a case that communicates vertically and has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and is cylindrical.

[0068] Also, the shutter 50d (first opening / closing body) is configured to be able to open and close the passage formed in the shutter case 50c. The shutter 50d may be any one as long as it has such a function. However, it is rotatable about the rotation shaft 50f at the base end portion, and the tip portion can be appropriately switched between a closed state where it abuts against the inner surface of the shutter case 50c to receive the drug and an open state where the tip portion is separated from the inner surface of the shutter case 50c to allow the drug to fall. Therefore, by keeping the shutter 50d in the closed state, the drug falling from the first drug collection hopper 42 can be received once, and then by opening the shutter 50d, the drug can be discharged downward. The drive mechanism 50e is connected to the rotation shaft 50f of the shutter 50d. Therefore, by controlling the operation of the drive mechanism 50e, the opening and closing of the shutter 50d can be controlled.

[0069] Here, in order to prevent the chemical agent from bouncing to a height beyond expectation, such as bouncing in an unexpected direction when the chemical agent falls onto the shutter 50d, it is desirable to optimize the configurations of each part including the shutter 50d. When the shutter 50d is made of rubber, while it can be expected to absorb impact to some extent, it is difficult to stabilize the bouncing direction of the chemical agent that has fallen onto the shutter 50d because the shutter 50d has a curved cross-sectional shape. Also, when the shutter case 50c has a cross-sectional shape that expands in a tapered manner upward, the bouncing up of the chemical agent that has fallen onto the shutter 50d cannot be suppressed. Further, if the axis of the rotation axis 50f of the shutter 50d is in the middle part inside the shutter case 50c, there is also a concern that the falling chemical agent may collide with the rotation axis 50f and the chemical agent may scatter in an unexpected direction.

[0070] Assuming such concerns, in the present embodiment, the following configuration is adopted. First, as the first configuration, in the shutter 50d, part or all of the surface where the chemical agent falling from above collides in the shutter case 50c and the shutter 50d has a multi-layer structure. In the present embodiment, the shutter case 50c and the shutter 50d are each formed by processing a metal plate, and have a two-layer structure formed such that the metal plates are arranged with a predetermined clearance. The clearance between the metal plates can be appropriately set by experiments, theoretical calculations, etc. In the present embodiment, the clearance between the metal plates forming the shutter case 50c and the shutter 50d is set to be about 0.1 to 0.2 mm. With such a configuration, the metal plate on the surface side (the side where the falling chemical agent collides) serves as a spring material, and it is possible to suppress the chemical agent that has collided from bouncing up more than expected.

[0071] As a configuration other than those described above, the shutter 50d is formed of a flat plate, and the axis of the rotation shaft 50f is disposed near the inner peripheral wall of the shutter case 50c. By arranging the shutter 50d at a predetermined angle, the bouncing direction of the drug that has fallen onto the shutter 50d is stabilized. Further, in the present embodiment, the shutter 50d is in a closed state while being inclined in the range of 45 degrees or more and less than 90 degrees. Thereby, the bouncing direction of the drug is made to face downward from the horizontal direction. Furthermore, by disposing the rotation shaft 50f near the inner peripheral wall of the shutter case 50c, the possibility that the falling drug collides with the rotation shaft 50f and the drug scatters in an unexpected direction is significantly reduced.

[0072] Furthermore, with respect to the surface erected in the shutter case 50c, by forming it so as to expand in a tapered shape as it goes vertically or downward (discharge side), the bouncing direction of the drug is guided so that the bouncing direction is on the lower side than the horizontal.

[0073] The discharge part 50b is a cylindrical one provided so as to communicate with the lower end side of the shutter case 50c. The discharge part 50b can discharge the drug that has fallen from the shutter case 50c toward the collective hopper 56 by opening the shutter 50d.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 19, the first moving mechanism 52 (second opening / closing mechanism part / storage part) includes a guide rail 52a, a slide container 52b, a link mechanism 52c, and a motor 52d. The first moving mechanism 52 has a function of receiving the medicine dispensed in the second storage and dispensing part 34 and prepared for sub-packaging, and then discharging it toward the packaging part 60. The guide rail 52a has a groove-shaped cross-section protruding laterally from the base 52e. The slide container 52b is a rectangular container slidably provided on the guide rail 52a. The slide container 52b is open upward and has an opening 52f formed at the bottom. Above the slide container 52b, a frame 52g with which the lower end opening of the third medicine collection hopper 46a engages is attached to the guide rail 52a. The link mechanism 52c is for sliding the slide container 52b along the guide rail 52a. The link mechanism 52c can be driven by the power input from the motor 52d.

[0075] As shown in Fig. 19(b), when the slide container 52b of the first moving mechanism 52 is retracted, the drug can be stored in the slide container 52b. When the motor 52d is driven to move the slide container 52b forward via the link mechanism 52c and the opening 52f of the slide container 52b is separated from the guide rail 52a (hereinafter also referred to as the "forward state"), the drug in the slide container 52b drops from the opening 52f and is collected in the collective hopper 56. Further, in the forward state, the area surrounded by the frame 52g is blocked by the slide container 52b (hereinafter also referred to as the "blocked state"). In this state, the lower end of the third drug collection hopper 46a is blocked by the top surface of the slide container 52b in the area surrounded by the frame 52g. Also, when the slide container 52b changes from the forward state to the retracted state (hereinafter also referred to as the "retracted state"), the lower end of the third drug collection hopper 46a, which was blocked by the top surface of the slide container 52b, opens, and it becomes possible to put the drug from the third drug collection hopper 46a into the slide container 52b. Therefore, the first moving mechanism 52 functions as an opening and closing mechanism (second opening and closing mechanism part) for opening and closing the third drug collection hopper 46a by the slide container 52b. Further, the first moving mechanism 52 also functions as a horizontal moving mechanism for moving the dispensed and dropped drug in a direction intersecting the dropping direction (horizontal direction in this embodiment).

[0076] The second transfer mechanism 54 (second opening / closing mechanism section / storage section) has a function of discharging the drug that has been dispensed in the second storage and dispensing section 34 and once received for sub-packaging, toward the packaging section 60. The second transfer mechanism 54 operates on the same operating principle as the first transfer mechanism 52 described above. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 20, the second transfer mechanism 54 includes a guide rail 54a, a slide container 54b, a link mechanism 54c, and a motor 54d. The guide rail 54a projects laterally from the base 54e and has a groove-shaped cross-section. The slide container 54b is a rectangular container slidably provided on the guide rail 54a. The slide container 54b is open upward and has an opening 54f formed at the bottom. Above the slide container 54b, frames 54g and 54h with which the lower end openings of the fourth drug collection hopper 46b and the fifth drug collection hopper 48 are engaged are attached to the guide rail 54a. The link mechanism 54c is for sliding the slide container 54b along the guide rail 54a. The link mechanism 54c can be driven by the power input from the motor 54d.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 20(b), when the slide container 54b of the second moving mechanism 54 is retracted, the drug can be stored in the slide container 54b. When the motor 54d is driven to move the slide container 54b forward via the link mechanism 54c and the opening 54f of the slide container 54b is separated from the guide rail 54a (hereinafter also referred to as the "forward state"), the drug in the slide container 54b drops from the opening 54f and is collected in the collective hopper 56. Further, in the forward state, the area surrounded by the frames 54g and 54h is closed by the slide container 54b. In this state, the lower ends of the fourth drug collection hopper 46b and the fifth drug collection hopper 48 are closed by the top surface of the slide container 54b in the area surrounded by the frames 54g and 54h (hereinafter also referred to as the "closed state"). Further, when the slide container 54b is retracted from the forward state (hereinafter also referred to as the "retracted state"), the lower ends of the fourth drug collection hopper 46b and the fifth drug collection hopper 48 that were closed by the top surface of the slide container 54b open, and the drug can be loaded. Therefore, the second moving mechanism 54 functions as an opening and closing mechanism (second opening and closing mechanism section) for opening and closing the fourth drug collection hopper 46b and the fifth drug collection hopper 48, and the slide container 54b functions as a second opening and closing body. Further, the second moving mechanism 54 also functions as a horizontal moving mechanism for moving the dispensed and dropped drug in a direction intersecting the dropping direction (horizontal direction in this embodiment).

[0078] As shown in FIG. 3, a collective hopper 56 (hopper) and a packaging hopper 58 are provided between the delivery unit 40 and the packaging unit 60 described above. The collective hopper 56 is for collecting the drug discharged from the delivery unit 40 side and sending it to the packaging unit 60 side.

[0079] The packaging hopper 58 is detachably provided below the collective hopper 56. The packaging hopper 58 introduces the drug dropping from the collective hopper 56 into a sub-packaging paper described later.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 3, the packaging unit 60 is disposed further below the delivery unit 40 described above. In the packaging unit 60, the sub-packaging paper prepared in a rolled state in a two-folded state is fed out while being supplied. The sub-packaging paper is guided by a guide 62 and supplied in an upwardly open state, and receives the medicine from the packaging hopper 58. The sub-packaging paper that has received the medicine is guided to a heater roller 64. The sub-packaging paper is sealed in the vertical and horizontal directions for each single dose according to the prescription information in the heater roller 64, and sequentially packages the received medicine. As a result, sub-packaging bags obtained by sub-packaging the medicine form a packaging band that is continuous, for example, in units of patients, dosing times, medicine types, etc., and is fed out obliquely downward. The packaging band is conveyed obliquely upward by a conveyor (not shown) and discharged from a discharge port 12e provided in the door.

[0081] As shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, the dispensing unit 80 includes a main body 82 and a drawer body 84.

[0082] The main body 82 has a height and depth similar to those of the apparatus main body 12, while having a vertically long rectangular parallelepiped appearance shape with a width narrower than that of the apparatus main body 12. In the present embodiment, the main body 82 is attached to the right side surface of the apparatus main body 12, but it may be attached to the left side surface. A door 82a is provided in the upper half of the front surface of the main body 82.

[0083] The lead-out body 84 has a first support plate 84a parallel to the lead-out direction and a second support plate 84b orthogonal to the first support plate 84a. In the lead-out body 84, a support base 30 for mounting the drug cassette 26 is arranged in the front-rear direction on the left surface of the first support plate 84a and is arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction. On the front surface of the second support plate 84b as well, support bases 30 for mounting the drug cassette 26 are arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction. The drug cassette 26 has the same structure as the drug cassette 26 of the first dispensing unit 22. The drug discharged from the drug cassette 26 is guided to the shutter mechanism unit 86 (see FIG. 12) through a passage provided on the back surfaces of the first support plate 84a and the second support plate 84b. The shutter mechanism unit 86 (storage unit) has a function of temporarily receiving the drug dispensed for packaging in the sub-dispensing unit 80 forming the dispensing unit 20 and discharging it toward the packaging unit 60. Since the shutter mechanism unit 86 has the same configuration as the shutter mechanism unit 50 described above, detailed description thereof will be omitted. Also, a fifth drug collection hopper 48 is connected to the discharge side (lower side) of the shutter mechanism unit 86. Therefore, the drug discharged from the sub-dispensing unit 80 is delivered to the delivery unit 40 on the apparatus main body 12 side via the fifth drug collection hopper 48 and is then packaged.

[0084] As described above, the drug packaging apparatus 10 of the present embodiment includes, as the dispensing unit 20, in addition to the first dispensing unit 22 having a plurality of drug cassettes 26, a second dispensing unit 24. Further, the second dispensing unit 24 is provided with not only the first storage and dispensing unit 32 but also the second storage and dispensing unit 34, so that the drugs prepared by being collectively supplied to the second storage and dispensing unit 34 can be sequentially dispensed for packaging. Therefore, according to the drug packaging apparatus 10, the user can package simply by collectively preparing the necessary drugs based on the prescription information in the second storage and dispensing unit 34, and the working efficiency can be improved. Also, according to the drug packaging apparatus 10, the user can appropriately use the first storage and dispensing unit 32 and the second storage and dispensing unit 34 separately. Thereby, the user can further perform a packaging operation considering the characteristics of the drug and improve the efficiency of the packaging operation.

[0085] In the drug packaging device 10, the first storage and dispensing unit 32 and the second storage and dispensing unit 34 are arranged side by side in close proximity vertically. Therefore, the user can efficiently perform the operation of supplying drugs to the first storage and dispensing unit 32 and the second storage and dispensing unit 34 without moving, etc. Also, by arranging the first storage and dispensing unit 32 and the second storage and dispensing unit 34 side by side in close proximity vertically, the width of the drug packaging device 10 can be minimized. Therefore, the drug packaging device 10 of the present embodiment is compact and well-organized. As a result, the user can install the drug packaging device 10 even in a limited space such as a pharmacy and improve the efficiency of the dispensing operation.

[0086] In addition, in the present embodiment, a configuration in which the first storage and dispensing unit 32 and the second storage and dispensing unit 34 are arranged vertically is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this, and they may be arranged in a horizontal direction such as the width direction. Also, in the present embodiment, an example in which a plurality of second storage and dispensing units 34 are provided is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this, and only one unit may be provided. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a configuration in which a plurality of second storage and dispensing units 34 are arranged side by side in a substantially horizontal direction is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of them may be arranged vertically.

[0087] In the above-described drug packaging device 10, if the second storage and dispensing unit 34 is pulled out from the device main body 12 to the front, the operation of supplying drugs can be performed. Therefore, in the drug packaging device 10, the user can easily perform the operation of supplying drugs to the second storage and dispensing unit 34. Also, in the drug packaging device 10, the second storage and dispensing unit 34 can be pushed into the device main body 12. Therefore, it is possible to minimize the state in which the second storage and dispensing unit 34 protrudes from the device main body 12. Also, by pushing the second storage and dispensing unit 34 into the device main body 12, it becomes possible to dispense the drugs prepared in the second storage and dispensing unit 34. As a result, problems that may be assumed due to the second storage and dispensing unit 34 being exposed outside the device main body 12, such as the operator accidentally touching the part that operates to dispense the drugs from the second storage and dispensing unit 34 or dust, etc. getting into the second storage and dispensing unit 34, can be minimized.

[0088] In addition, in the present embodiment, an example is shown in which the second storage and dispensing unit 34 can be inserted into and removed from the apparatus main body 12. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, part or all of the second storage and dispensing unit 34 may be used in an exposed state without being housed in the apparatus main body 12.

[0089] As in the second storage and dispensing unit 34 described above, if the drug prepared in the drug storage unit 34e is transferred to the second rotating body 34c by the rotation of the first rotating body 34b and is transferred to the downstream side in the rotation direction of the second rotating body 34c and can be discharged from the drug dispensing unit 34d, if the drug is prepared in the drug storage unit 34e, by controlling the rotation of the first rotating body 34b and the second rotating body 34c, the drugs can be discharged one by one from the second storage and dispensing unit 34 in accordance with the prescription information appropriately and smoothly. As a result, for example, the usage frequency of the first storage and dispensing unit 32 can be minimized, the burden on the user required to supply the drug to each container 32a (drug storage tray) of the first storage and dispensing unit 32 by manual scattering work can be reduced, and the occurrence of human errors due to manual work can be minimized.

[0090] In addition, in the present embodiment, the second storage and dispensing unit 34 having the above-described configuration is exemplified. However, other configurations may be used as long as the same operational effects can be obtained.

[0091] The above-described drug packaging apparatus 10 includes a delivery unit 40, and can receive the drug dispensed by the dispensing unit 20 and moving toward the packaging unit 60 once, and then discharge it toward the packaging unit 60. As a result, problems such as the drug dispensed by the dispensing unit 20 bouncing to an unexpected place can be solved.

[0092] In addition, in this embodiment, an example in which the delivery unit 40 is provided in the drug packaging device 10 has been shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the delivery unit 40 may not be provided. Further, in the drug packaging device 10 of the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which the delivery unit 40 collects the drugs dispensed from each part of the dispensing unit 20 at the delivery unit 40 and makes them dispensable for packaging. However, for example, a corresponding delivery unit 40 for delivering the drugs dispensed from each part of the dispensing unit 20 for packaging may be provided separately.

[0093] In the drug packaging device 10 of the present embodiment, in the shutter mechanism unit 50 and the shutter mechanism unit 86 provided in the delivery unit 40, the surface where the drug falling from the dispensing unit 20 collides has a multilayer structure in which plates are arranged side by side with a predetermined clearance. Thereby, the impact caused by the collision of the drug can be absorbed, and the bounce of the drug can be minimized. In addition, in this embodiment, an example in which the shutter mechanism unit 50 and the shutter mechanism unit 86 have a multilayer structure has been shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and one or both of the shutter mechanism unit 50 and the shutter mechanism unit 86 may have a different configuration.

[0094] In the drug packaging device 10, the dropped drug is once received by the first moving mechanism 52 and the second moving mechanism 54 that form the second opening / closing mechanism unit, and then can be discharged downward. Further, in a situation where the first moving mechanism 52 and the second moving mechanism 54 are in a closed state, a part or all of the surface where the drug dropped from above collides is thinner than the others. Specifically, when the drug drops from above in a situation where the first moving mechanism 52 and the second moving mechanism 54 are in a closed state, the drug collides with the top surface of the slide containers 52b and 54b in a region surrounded by the frames 52g, 54g, and 54h. In order to alleviate the dropping impact of such a drug and suppress the bouncing of the drug, the portions of the slide containers 52b and 54b where the drug may collide are made thinner. More specifically, for example, when the drug is being dispensed from the sub-dispensing unit 80, as shown in Fig. 20(a), the receiving port formed in the portion surrounded by the frame 54h of the second moving mechanism 54 is open. In this state, since the receiving port surrounded by the frame 54g is closed, when there is a dispensing of the drug from the second storage and dispensing unit 34, the drug collides with the top surface of the slide container 54b. In order to prevent the drug from bouncing due to the dropping impact at this time, the top surface of the slide container 54b is made thinner. Also, in order to prevent the drug received in the slide container 54b through the frame 54h of the second moving mechanism 54 from bouncing and jumping out, the bottom surface of the slide container 54b is also made thinner to absorb the dropping impact. The first moving mechanism 52 has the same configuration as the second moving mechanism 54. Thereby, in the first moving mechanism 52 and the second moving mechanism 54, the occurrence of bouncing due to the collision of the drug can be minimized.

[0095] In addition, in the present embodiment, an example is shown in which a part of the top surface of the slide containers 52b and 54b is made thinner as a countermeasure against the bouncing of the drug in the first moving mechanism 52 and the second moving mechanism 54. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Specifically, instead of providing a thin portion on the top surface of the slide containers 52b and 54b, other countermeasures against bouncing may be taken, or a configuration without taking countermeasures against bouncing may be adopted.

[0096] Also, as described above, in the drug packaging device 10, by providing the delivery unit 40 with the first moving mechanism 52 and the second moving mechanism 54, the drug can be moved in a direction (substantially horizontal direction) intersecting the dropping direction. Therefore, the drug packaging device 10 has a high degree of freedom in setting the passage route of the drug, and the device configuration can be made compact.

[0097] In addition, in this embodiment, an example in which the first moving mechanism 52 and the second moving mechanism 54 are provided is shown. However, it is also possible not to provide either one or both of the first moving mechanism 52 and the second moving mechanism 54. Further, the first moving mechanism 52 and the second moving mechanism 54 are merely examples of configurations for moving the drug in a substantially horizontal direction, and the drug may be moved in a substantially horizontal direction by other configurations.

[0098] As described above, the collecting hopper 56 that collects the drug dispensed from the dispensing unit 20 and sends it toward the packaging unit 60 is curved at the neck portion 42c so that the hopper body 42a and the cylindrical portion 42b are smoothly connected. Further, the collecting hopper 56 is formed of a softer material for the portion below the neck portion 42c than for the upper portion. Thereby, the bouncing of the drug introduced into the collecting hopper 56 can be minimized and it can be smoothly introduced into the packaging hopper.

[0099] In addition, in this embodiment, an example in which the collecting hopper 56 prevents the bouncing of the drug as described above is shown. However, the shape of the neck portion 42c connecting the hopper body 42a and the cylindrical portion 42b may be other shapes, or the portion below the neck portion 42c may have the same hardness as the upper portion. Further, the same configuration may be applied to another hopper instead of or in addition to the collecting hopper 56.

[0100] Further, the cassette placement unit 14 can be configured to incorporate a weighing instrument such as a scale capable of measuring weight. With such a configuration, by placing the drug cassette 26 and the cassette 34x of the second storage and dispensing unit 34 in the cassette placement unit 14, the quantity of the drugs stored therein can be determined through arithmetic processing. For example, the quantity of the drugs can be determined by dividing the weight obtained by subtracting the weights of the drug cassette 26 and the cassette 34x from the weight derived in the cassette placement unit 14 by the weight per drug stored therein. In addition to the weighing instrument described above, a recording medium such as an RF-ID can be provided on the drug cassette 26 and the cassette 34x, and a communication device capable of at least writing information can be provided in the cassette placement unit 14. Thereby, the quantity of the drugs derived by the arithmetic processing as described above can be written into the recording medium and effectively used for inventory management and the like. Further, in addition to the weighing instrument, a display device may be provided to display the quantity of the drugs derived by the weighing instrument on the display device.

[0101] The above-described drug packaging device 10 of the present invention is provided with a barcode reader 12f as an identification information reading unit capable of reading identification information such as a barcode attached to the original drug box. As shown in FIG. 23, for example, the drug packaging device 10 may further be configured to include a specific information display unit 100 for displaying a barcode or the like, which is specific information for identifying the drug stored in the second storage and dispensing unit 34. Specifically, for each cassette 34x that makes up the second storage and dispensing unit 34, it may be configured as a specific information display unit 100 by displaying identification information such as a barcode on a display device composed of a liquid crystal panel, electronic paper, or the like. In such a configuration, when replenishing the drug into the cassette 34x of the second storage and dispensing unit 34, the identification information is read from the original box to identify the drug to be replenished, and at the same time, the specific information is read from the specific information display unit 100 corresponding to the cassette 34x into which the drug is to be replenished to identify the drug stored in the cassette 34x, thereby suppressing the replenishment error of the drug for the cassette 34x. Further, as shown in FIG. 23, for example, a collation unit 110 capable of collating whether or not the drug identified by reading the identification information from the original box matches the drug identified by reading the specific information is provided in the control device or the like of the drug packaging device, so that the collation operation can be mechanized, and the replenishment error of the drug for the cassette 34x can be further suppressed.

[0102] Regarding the above-described second storage and dispensing unit 34, among the plurality of provided cassettes 34x, some or all of them may be fixedly used for the preparation and dispensing of specific drugs determined by the user. That is, the second storage and dispensing unit 34 may not be used in a usage method of inputting different drugs for each prescription or the like, but may be mounted on the device main body 12 so as to always have a specific drug defined in the same manner as the drug cassette 26 and be able to be dispensed as appropriate. Also, among the plurality of provided cassettes 34x, some or all of them may be used in a fluid usage method of appropriately changing the drugs to be prepared and dispensed.

[0103] Also, when a part or all of the cassette 34x is fixedly used for a specific drug as described above, it is desirable to be able to perform a verification operation to verify whether the drug filling operation into the cassette 34x to be fixedly used has been correctly performed. Here, as described above, a medium such as RF-ID is provided in the drug cassette 26, and since the cassette is recognized through such a medium, for example, the RF-ID number, the operator identification code consisting of a barcode or the like for identifying a pharmacist or the like as the operator, and the drug identification code (so-called JAN code, GS1 code, etc.) described on the original box of the drug are recognized separately and the verification operation at the time of drug filling is executed. The cassette 34x to be fixedly used may also be equipped with RF-ID in the same manner, but it is also expected that it will not be constantly fixedly used like the drug cassette 26. In that case, it is desirable to display a unique barcode as the cassette 34x to be fixedly used on the liquid crystal screen of the electronic paper mounted on the cassette 34x to be fixedly used, and to make the number of digits (length) of these code numbers different. By doing so, it is possible to determine by the number of digits whether the read code is the identification code of the drug cassette 26, the operator identification code, or the drug identification code. When providing the cassette 34x to be fixedly used, it is possible to easily identify whether it is a code related to the cassette 34x by making the number of digits (length) of the identification code for identifying the cassette 34x different from that of others. In addition to the unique barcode described above, the electronic paper of the cassette 34x may also display the drug name, patient name, number of tablets of the drug to be administered, symbols indicating the operating status of the cassette 34x, etc. simultaneously or selectively.

[0104] In addition, the drug packaging device 10 can manage the dispensing status of drugs for each type by outputting, for example, in the form of a document as shown in FIG. 24, the quantity of drugs dispensed from each part such as the first dispensing unit 22, the first storage and dispensing unit 32 forming the second dispensing unit 24, the second storage and dispensing unit 34, etc., as a screen display or a printed matter. Also, it may be possible to manage the dispensing status by classifying not only from the viewpoints of the drug dispensing route and quantity, but also from the viewpoint of the dispensing form. Specifically, for example, when it is possible to dispense drugs from the first storage and dispensing unit 32 in the form of half a tablet (half tablet), the quantity of drugs dispensed one by one from the first storage and dispensing unit 32 and the quantity of drugs dispensed in the state of half a tablet may be managed separately. Further, as described above, among the plurality of cassettes 34x provided in the second storage and dispensing unit 34, a part of them is fixedly used for a specific drug (also referred to as a fixed cassette 34x), and the remaining cassettes 34x are used in a flexible usage form in which the drug type and the like can be changed according to the user's request (non-fixed cassette 34x). In this case, it may be possible to totalize from which of the fixed cassette 34x or the non-fixed cassette 34x the drug has been dispensed.

[0105] Also, when some or all of the cassettes 34x provided in plurality in the second storage and dispensing unit 34 are fixedly used for a specific drug (fixed cassettes 34x), there is a concern that a drug of the same type as the drug already assigned to any of the drug cassettes 26 provided in the first storage and dispensing unit 22 may be redundantly set as a drug to be prepared in the fixed cassettes 34x. Conversely, there is a concern that a drug of the same type as the drug already assigned as a drug to be prepared in the fixed cassettes 34x may be redundantly set as a drug to be prepared in the drug cassette 26. Therefore, in order to avoid such redundant setting against the user's intention, when there is a concern about redundant setting, a warning display may be shown on the screen, or a warning sound, voice, etc. may be used to notify that there is a concern about redundant setting. Also, when registered in a database or the like as being assigned to one of the drug cassettes 26 or the fixed cassettes 34x provided in the first storage and dispensing unit 22, the registration information may be changed so that it can be registered on the other side of the drug cassette 26 or the fixed cassettes 34x.

[0106] In the above-described drug packaging device 10, when a drug accidentally drops in the first dispensing unit 22 or the second dispensing unit 24 that forms the dispensing unit 20, it is desirable that the operator can clearly and surely recognize that the accidental drop has occurred and can confirm whether there is no packaging error due to the accidental drop (hereinafter also referred to as "reconfirmation information notification function"). Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 25, when an accidental drop of a drug occurs during packaging, the drug packaging device 10 may notify the occurrence of the accidental drop by displaying it on the operation panel 12c when the prescription is completed. Also, after performing an operation to cancel the display indicating the occurrence of the accidental drop (in the example shown in the figure, pressing the "close" button), a journal showing details such as the name and number of packages of the accidentally dropped drug may be output by the journal printer 12d. In the drug packaging device 10, it is not preferable to stop the packaging operation when the accidental drop occurs. Therefore, it is preferable to continue the packaging without stopping it even while notifying the occurrence of the accidental drop.

[0107] ≪Regarding the first modification example of the hopper≫ The above-described drug packaging device 10 is provided with hoppers at various locations. Specifically, various hoppers are provided in the drug packaging device 10, such as a first drug collection hopper 42, a second drug collection hopper 44, a third drug collection hopper 46a, a fourth drug collection hopper 46b, a fifth drug collection hopper 48, a collection hopper 56, a packaging hopper 58, and the like. Here, when the drug packaging device 10 is configured such that the drug can be cut into small pieces (e.g., in half) and dispensed in the drug cassette 26 or the like, the powder generated during the cutting of the drug (hereinafter also referred to as "cutting powder") may interfere with packaging or the like in the packaging unit 60. Therefore, it is desirable that the hoppers used in the drug packaging device 10 take measures so that part or all of them can suppress the influence of the cutting powder.

[0108] Specifically, as in the hopper 100 shown in FIG. 26, a hopper provided with holes 102 that do not allow the drug to pass through but allow the cutting powder of the drug to pass through can be used. As shown in FIG. 26(a), the holes 102 can be formed as slits or openings having a smaller aperture diameter than the drug expected to be handled by the drug packaging device 10. Further, when using the hopper 100, it is desirable to provide a recovery member for receiving and recovering the cutting powder or the like that falls through the holes 102. Specifically, it is desirable to provide a tray or the like as a recovery member for powder or the like.

[0109] By adopting a configuration in which holes 102 for recovering cutting powder or the like are provided on the circumferential surface 104 as in the above-described hopper 100, it is possible to suppress an adverse effect on packaging or the like in the packaging unit 60. Further, by providing a recovery member for recovering the cutting powder or the like excluded from the hopper 100 through the holes 102, it is possible to suppress the cutting powder or the like excluded from the hopper 100 from scattering to an unexpected location inside the drug packaging device 10 and causing secondary adverse effects.

[0110] ≪Regarding the second modification of the hopper≫ As described above, the drug packaging device 10 is provided with various hoppers at various locations. In these hoppers, drugs may adhere due to the influence of static electricity, which may cause adverse effects on the dropping of drugs. Therefore, it is desirable that the hoppers used in the drug packaging device 10 take measures so that part or all of them can suppress the adhesion of drugs to the hoppers due to the influence of static electricity or the like.

[0111] Specifically, like the hopper 110 shown in FIG. 27, an air vent 114 may be provided in the inclined surface 112 where the dropped drug slides, and a gas supply device 116 for supplying a gas such as air to the air vent 114 may be provided, and it may be used instead of part or all of the above-described various hoppers. The air vent 114 is an opening smaller than the size of the drug, and a plurality of air vents 114 are provided in at least a part of the inclined surface 112. When the gas supply device 116 is operated, gas flows out from each air vent 114 as indicated by the arrow in the figure, and a gentle air current is generated on the surface of the inclined surface 112 toward the inside of the hopper 110. Due to the influence of this air current, the drug that has dropped toward the inclined surface 112 becomes slightly floating from the inclined surface 112 or the like, and smoothly drops without adhering to the inclined surface 112. Therefore, by using the hopper 110, it is possible to suppress the adhesion of drugs to the hopper 110 due to the influence of static electricity or the like.

[0112] <<Modification Example of Providing a Display Forming Device>> The above-described drug packaging device 10 can also be configured to attach a display that can easily make an appropriate determination according to the needs of the user to the sub-packaging bag in which the drug is sub-packaged. For example, the drug packaging device 10 can be configured to attach a display for determining the administration time for patients or a display for facilitating the determination of drugs for pharmacists.

[0113] Specifically, the drug packaging device 10 can be provided with a display forming device 120 as shown in FIGS. 28 and 29 as a device for attaching the above-described display. The display forming device 120 may be set at any location. For example, as shown in FIG. 28, it is provided in the vicinity of the heater roller 64 in the packaging unit 60.

[0114] As shown in FIG. 29, the display forming device 120 can set a plurality (four in this embodiment) of pens 122 of different colors in the holder 124. The display forming device 120 can draw a line on the wrapping paper by pressing the selected pen 122 from the pens 122 set in the holder 124 against the wrapping paper passing through the wrapping unit 60. The configuration of the holder 124 may be any, but for example, it can be as shown in FIG. 29(b). The holder 124 shown in FIG. 29(b) has a revolver-like shape and is configured to be able to mount a plurality (four in this embodiment) of pens 122 side by side in the circumferential direction. The display forming device 120 includes a mechanism for rotating the holder 124. The display forming device 120 can attach a mark of a desired color to the wrapping paper by rotating the pen 122 used for attaching the mark to a predetermined position. By providing such a display forming device 120, the drug packaging device 10 can be provided with a function of attaching a display that can easily perform an appropriate discrimination according to the needs of the user.

[0115] Here, when the display forming device 120 is provided as described above, there is a possibility that the pen 122 dries during standby and it may not be possible to attach a display properly when it should be attached. Therefore, when providing the display forming device 120, it is desirable to take measures to suppress problems such as the tip of the pen 122 drying and the display such as a line becoming faint. Specifically, the pen 122 assumed to be used in the following prescription is scribbled on the waste bag generated during the packaging of the previous prescription or the medicine inspection package formed before the packaging of the medicine for the next prescription, etc., and an operation (preliminary discharge) of preliminarily discharging the ink may be performed.

[0116] Also, when making a trial writing on a loss bag or a drug test package before the timing of making a display with the pen 122 as described above, it is desirable to select the pen 122 for making the trial writing in consideration of the usage status, usage prediction, characteristics of each pen 122, etc. from among the plurality of pens 122 provided. Specifically, if there is a prescription determined as follows and there is a pen 122 not used in this prescription, it is desirable to prioritize the trial writing for that pen 122. More specifically, for example, if the first prescription is to attach a red display to the morning sub-packaging bag, a blue display to the noon sub-packaging bag, and a green display to the evening sub-packaging bag, and the second prescription is to attach a black display to the sub-packaging bag before sleep, then for the loss bag formed continuously after the first prescription sub-packaging, a trial writing such as drawing a line with the black pen 122 used in the second prescription is performed. If the next prescription is not determined, a trial writing is performed with the pen 122 not used in this prescription. By performing the trial writing of the pen 122 based on a predetermined rule in this way, it is possible to suppress the defect caused by the pen tip of the pen 122 drying out.

[0117] Also, among the plurality of pens 122 provided, for example, if there is a tendency that the pen tip of a pen 122 of a specific color is likely to dry, it may be possible to preferentially perform a trial writing or the like on the pen 122 with a likely-to-dry pen tip to cause preliminary ejection of the ink. Thereby, it is possible to perform preliminary ejection at an optimal timing in consideration of the characteristics of each pen 122 provided in the display forming device 120.

[0118] ≪Information registration regarding the drug prepared in the first storage and dispensing unit 32 and the second storage and dispensing unit 34≫ The above-described first storage and dispensing unit 32 and second storage and dispensing unit 34, like the drug cassette 26 provided in the first dispensing unit 22, do not always have a predetermined drug prepared regardless of the prescription. Instead, the drugs selected according to the prescription are loaded and filled. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to ensure traceability by linking the prescribed drug with the patient information. For this reason, in the drug packaging device 10, it is desirable to be able to register information such as lot numbers (manufacturing numbers) and expiration dates for the drugs prepared in the first storage and dispensing unit 32 and the second storage and dispensing unit 34. Specifically, for example, it is desirable to display a user interface as shown in FIGS. 30 and 31 and allow information regarding the drugs to be input through these and registered in a database or the like.

[0119] Explaining in more detail, FIG. 30 shows an interface 130 provided for registering information such as lot numbers (manufacturing numbers) and expiration dates for the drugs prepared in the first storage and dispensing unit 32. In the example shown in FIG. 30, the basic information display unit 132 displays general information that does not change regardless of the drug name or the like of the drug prepared in the first storage and dispensing unit 32, such as the manufacturing lot of the drug, and information such as the number (number of packages) of the drug to be prepared in the first storage and dispensing unit 32.

[0120] In addition, the interface 130 is provided with a unique information display unit 134. The unique information display unit 134 can display information unique to the drug (unique information) based on the production lot, etc., such as the lot number (manufacturing number) and expiration date, and information such as the number of the cell where the drug is prepared. When the information such as unique information is not registered, as shown in Fig. 30(a), the unique information display unit 134 displays the unique information, etc. in a blank state. When the unique information display unit 134 is selected (touched in the case of a touch panel, for example) in the state of Fig. 30(a), an input screen 136 such as a pop-up screen as shown in Fig. 30(b) is displayed, and unique information such as the lot number (manufacturing number) and expiration date, and information such as the number of the cell where the drug is prepared can be input. Also, when the barcode of the drug is read while the input screen 136 is displayed, it is also possible to perform collation of the drug and reflect the information such as the lot number (manufacturing number) and expiration date included in the barcode. Also, when the barcode does not contain information such as the lot number (manufacturing number) and expiration date, or when the barcode is for a different drug, the information is not input. After the information is input using the input screen 136 in Fig. 30(b), when the registration button 138 is selected, the input value is registered in a database or the like. Accordingly, the input information is reflected in the unique information display unit 134 as shown in Fig. 30(c).

[0121] Fig. 31 shows an interface 140 provided for registering information such as the lot number (manufacturing number) and expiration date of the drug to be prepared in the second storage and dispensing unit 34. The interface 140 in Fig. 31 is substantially the same as the interface 130 in Fig. 30 and has substantially the same functions. The interface 140 is provided with a basic information display unit 142 and a unique information display unit 144, similar to the basic information display unit 132 and the unique information display unit 134 in the interface 130. Also, when the unique information display unit 144 is selected, the same input screen 136 as shown in Fig. 30(b) is displayed, and unique information such as the lot number (manufacturing number) and expiration date can be input. Also, after the information is input using the input screen 136, when the registration button 138 is selected, the input value is registered in a database or the like.

[0122] According to the above configuration, even if a drug selected according to a prescription is put in and filled, such as the first storage and dispensing unit 32 or the second storage and dispensing unit 34, by registering unique information such as lot numbers (manufacturing numbers) and expiration dates each time a prescription is made, traceability can be ensured by linking the prescribed drug with patient information.

[0123] <<Sub-packaging process considering special prescriptions>> When sub-packaging drugs in the above-described drug packaging device 10, there may be drugs that are taken at a predetermined cycle, such as not only drugs taken daily but also drugs to be taken every predetermined number of days or on predetermined weekdays. When trying to sub-package drugs for a period of X days, for drugs taken daily, it is only necessary to prepare X days' worth. However, for drugs to be taken at a predetermined cycle, it is not simply a matter of preparing X days' worth of drugs, but rather, an operator such as a pharmacist needs to calculate the quantity of drugs required for the prescription according to the cycle. Such work is extremely complicated and can easily cause mistakes. Specifically, for example, when prescribing drugs to be taken every other day from the start date of Monday until the Monday two weeks later, it is necessary to prepare drugs for 8 days, namely, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Monday. For a prescription like taking drugs every other day as in this example, it is still manageable, but when prescribing drugs with a complicated cycle such as taking the drugs for 3 days and then not taking them for 2 days, the work of deriving the number of days the drug is taken and the quantity of drugs required for the prescription is extremely complicated.

[0124] In order to solve such problems, when a drug is prescribed to be taken at a predetermined cycle, it is preferable to specify the dosing cycle and the period from the start date of dosing to the end date of dosing (dosing period), thereby deriving the number of days the drug is to be taken during the dosing period and deriving the required quantity of the drug so that it can be sub-packaged. Specifically, as in the interface 150 shown in FIG. 32, it is preferable to prepare one equipped with a cycle input unit 152 for inputting the dosing cycle and a dosing period input unit 154 for inputting the dosing period, and to derive the number of days the drug is to be taken during the dosing period by internal calculation and derive the required quantity of the drug so that it can be sub-packaged according to the prescription. In the example of FIG. 32, cycle designation buttons 152a, 152b, 152c are provided in the cycle input unit 152. The cycle designation button 152a is a button to be selected for drugs to be taken daily. The cycle designation button 152b is a button to be selected for drugs to be taken at predetermined intervals. Also, the cycle designation button 152c is a button to be selected for drugs to be taken on predetermined days of the week. Further, in the cycle input unit 152, when the cycle designation buttons 152b, 152c are selected, a numerical input unit 152d for inputting a numerical value for the cycle is provided. In FIG. 32, an example when the cycle designation button 152b is selected is shown. Thus, the cycle can be specified by a designation method such as "continuously for b days every a days" for drugs to be taken.

[0125] When the dosing cycle and the dosing period are specified as described above, the package for sub-packaging the drug is determined. In the example of FIG. 32, an example is shown in which a drug to be taken continuously for 3 days every 3 days is sub-packaged with a dosing period of 10 days. In FIG. 32, as shown in the area surrounded by the thick frame, the days on which the drug should be taken during the 10 days set as the dosing period are indicated by ■. The drug packaging device 10 sub-packages the drug into sub-packaging bags for the days selected as the days on which the drug should be taken. Thereby, the drug packaging device 10 can sub-package the drug so that it can be taken at a predetermined cycle.

[0126] Incidentally, although the above prescription information can be set and input for each patient, it is even more effective especially when processing the prescriptions of multiple patients (inpatients) staying in a facility in a batch. For example, when subcontracting the prescriptions of all patients within a facility for a period of 10 days from a specified date, some patients may take the medicine daily, while some may have special prescriptions such as taking the medicine every other day or on a specified day of the week. In such a case, conventionally, after performing operations such as setting the taking date for each patient (inpatient) or separately calculating the total number of days to be taken and inputting the calculation result, the process of starting the operation of subcontracting all the prescriptions had to be carried out. However, if the above-described medicine packaging method can be realized in the medicine packaging device 10 by installing a program capable of realizing it in the control device, an operator such as a pharmacist can simply specify a common period for multiple patients (inpatients) without paying special attention to patients with special prescriptions, and automatically calculate the total number of days to be subcontracted based on the preset taking interval (cycle) setting information such as "every other day" or "specified day of the week" for each patient (inpatient), and then subcontract them.

[0127] <<Stock-Out Prediction Function>> Since the medicine packaging device 10 handles a large number of medicines, it takes a considerable amount of time for a pharmacist or the like to sequentially check for stock-outs of medicines. Therefore, if the medicine packaging device 10 can predict stock-outs of medicines and prompt preparations, the dispensing operation can be made even more efficient. To solve such a problem, it is desirable that the medicine packaging device 10 be equipped with a function (stock-out prediction function) capable of predicting stock-outs of the medicines installed at a predetermined timing such as when a prescription is issued.

[0128] The shortage prediction function can be realized in various ways. For example, at the time of prescription issuance, the inventory quantity is derived by referring to the installed drug master etc. provided in the control device of the drug packaging device 10, etc., and it can be realized by predicting whether the installed drug will be out of stock after prescription issuance. When data indicating that there is a drug that may be out of stock at the time of prescription issuance, or a drug whose inventory quantity is below the filling standard quantity, is output, information such as the name of the drug that will be out of stock before prescription issuance, the current inventory, the prescription quantity (number of dispensed items), the shortage quantity, the cassette number, etc. can be displayed to prompt filling. Also, when there are multiple drug packaging devices 10 that dispense drugs, it is desirable to display the unit number of the drug packaging device 10 for which a drug shortage is predicted. Further, when the drug packaging device 10 has a function of dispensing drugs in a divided manner, it is preferable to be able to display a classification as to whether the drug for which a shortage is predicted is to be dispensed in a divided manner or not.

[0129] Also, the shortage prediction function can further improve the prediction accuracy by adding up the prescription quantity at the time of prescription issuance and the prescription quantity (quantity waiting to be dispensed) of the prescriptions that have already been issued but not yet packaged. Also, when there is a drug cassette 26 having a function of dispensing drugs in a divided manner, it is possible to predict on the assumption that all of them will be used regardless of the number of such cassettes. Further, when there are multiple drug packaging devices 10 that dispense drugs, and there is a prescription for which the unit number has not been determined even after prescription issuance, it is predicted assuming that the drugs are dispensed in the drug packaging device 10 with the same unit number.

[0130] ≪Function enabling comparison between the immediately preceding prescription record and the current prescription≫ The drug packaging device 10 may be equipped with a function of accumulating the prescription records of drugs in a database for each patient and comparing the prescription records with the current prescription for the patient. For example, the number of prescriptions of drugs (hereinafter also referred to as "daily frequency") may be accumulated as prescription records based on the quantity of drugs, the number of days of taking, and the number of times of taking per day, and the control device may be able to compare the daily frequency of the previous prescription and the daily frequency of the current prescription (current prescription) for the person prescribed the drug. Further, as a result of the comparison, when the daily frequency has changed, an interface 160 as shown in FIG. 33 may be displayed, and a message for confirming with a pharmacist or the like whether only the daily frequency has changed may be displayed. In addition, when comparing the daily frequency, it is desirable to compare it with the prescription made immediately before within the same patient and the same department.

[0131] ≪Modification Example of Shutter Mechanism Section (First Opening and Closing Mechanism Section)≫ In the case where, like the shutter mechanism section 50 described above, the shutter 50d (first opening and closing body) can be closed by changing the posture of the shutter 50d so as to cross in the shutter case 50c forming the shutter mechanism main body 50a, from the viewpoint of preventing the passage of drugs, it is not always necessary to bring the end portion of the shutter 50d into contact with the shutter case 50c. Specifically, a state may be provided in which a gap through which drugs cannot pass is opened between the shutter case 50c and the end portion of the shutter 50d.

[0132] Here, as described above, when the drug can be cut into small pieces (for example, in a half-tablet state) and dispensed in the drug cassette 26 or the like, it is desirable to take measures against the cutting powder generated during the cutting of the drug. Specifically, when there is a gap between the shutter case 50c and the end portion of the shutter 50d, the cutting powder may leak through this gap, which may interfere with packaging or the like in the packaging section 60.

[0133] Specifically, when a seal is formed on the packaging paper to form a drug-containing section in order to package the drug at doses in the packaging unit 60, if cutting powder gets caught in the seal, it could cause packaging defects, etc. More specifically, for example, when the packaging unit 60 uses the heater roller 64 to form a horizontal seal that extends along the direction in which the packaging paper travels and a vertical seal that intersects with this, there is a concern that cutting powder may get caught in when the seals are formed.

[0134] Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the shutter mechanism part 50 may be configured to have a contact body 50g provided for the shutter 50d as shown in FIG. 34. The contact body 50g is provided so as to protrude further from the tip of the shutter 50d, and moves following the shutter 50d. When the shutter 50d is closed, the contact body 50g contacts the inner peripheral surface of the shutter mechanism main body 50a, and fills the gap between the tip of the plate body constituting the shutter 50d and the inner peripheral surface of the shutter mechanism main body 50a. This makes it possible to prevent cutting powder generated by cutting the medicine from unexpectedly passing through the shutter mechanism part 50.

[0135] When the contact body 50g is provided on the shutter mechanism portion 50 as described above, by adjusting the opening and closing timing of the shutter 50d, it is possible to suppress the cutting powder from being involved when forming a seal on the wrapping paper. Specifically, for example, when packaging a drug while forming a longitudinal seal between packages continuous in the advancing direction of the wrapping paper as described above, after a longitudinal seal is formed at the boundary between the drug encapsulation portion on the front side in the advancing direction of the wrapping paper and the drug encapsulation portion continuous on the rear side, the operation control of the shutter mechanism portion 50 is performed so that the shutter 50d opens around the start of the formation of the drug encapsulation portion on the rear side. The timing of opening the shutter 50d is preferably adjusted to open at a timing that does not affect the formation of the longitudinal seal even if the cutting powder has fallen, considering the positional relationship of the shutter mechanism portion 50 and the like. As described above, even if the packaging portion 60 does not include the heater roller 64 and is sealed by other configurations, it is similarly desirable to open the shutter 50d at a timing when the cutting powder is not caught or involved in the portion where the seal is formed. By providing the contact body 50g, even when cutting powder is generated, it can be adjusted so that the cutting powder falls at an optimal timing in consideration of the influence on the formation of the seal by the operation control of the shutter mechanism portion 50.

[0136] As described above, the typical embodiments of the drug packaging apparatus of the present invention have been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, various design changes are possible within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention described in the claims, and all of them are included in the present invention.

Industrial Applicability

[0137] The present invention can be suitably used in drug packaging apparatuses in general.

Explanation of Signs

[0138] 10 Drug packaging apparatus 12 Apparatus main body 20 Dispensing portion 22 First dispensing portion 24 Second dispensing portion 26 Drug cassette 32 First storage and dispensing section 32a Storage section 34 Second storage and dispensing section 34a Peripheral wall structure 34b First rotating body 34c Second rotating body 34d Drug dispensing section 34e Drug storage section 34f First rotation axis 40 Delivery section 50 Shutter mechanism section (first opening and closing mechanism section) 50d Shutter (first opening and closing body) 52 First moving mechanism (second opening and closing mechanism section) 52b Slide container (second opening and closing body) 54 Second moving mechanism (second opening and closing mechanism section) 54b Slide container (second opening and closing body) 56 Aggregate hopper (hopper) 42a Hopper body 42b Cylindrical part 42c Head part 60 Packaging section

Claims

1. First means capable of receiving input of information on a dosing cycle and a dosing period for designating each dosing day in a designation method in which the intervals between the dosing days when the drug is taken are not constant; Second means for deriving the number of dosing days based on the information on the dosing cycle and the dosing period received by the first means; Third means for dispensing the drug in an amount corresponding to the number of dosing days derived by the second means; comprising: The first means receives, as the information on the dosing cycle, the number of consecutive dosing days on which the drug should be taken continuously and the number of consecutive non-dosing days on which the drug is not taken continuously, separately; The second means, within the period from the start date to the end date of the dosing period, alternately repeats and specifies dosing days that continue for the number of consecutive dosing days and non-dosing days that continue for the number of consecutive non-dosing days, and derives the number of such dosing days as the number of dosing days; device.

2. The first means receives the dosing period common to a plurality of patients and the information on the dosing cycle corresponding to each patient; The second means derives the number of dosing days corresponding to each patient based on the information on the dosing cycle corresponding to each patient and the dosing period common to the plurality of patients; The third means dispenses the drug in an amount corresponding to the number of dosing days corresponding to each patient; The device according to Claim 1.

3. A program for causing a control device to execute: A first step of receiving input of information on a dosing cycle and a dosing period for designating each dosing day in a designation method in which the intervals between the dosing days when the drug is taken are not constant; A second step of deriving each dosing day based on the information on the dosing cycle and the dosing period received in the first step; A third step of dispensing the drug to be taken on each dosing day derived in the second step; wherein: The first step receives, as the information on the dosing cycle, the number of consecutive dosing days on which the drug should be taken continuously and the number of consecutive non-dosing days on which the drug is not taken continuously, separately; The second step, within the period from the start date to the end date of the dosing period, alternately repeats and specifies dosing days that continue for the number of consecutive dosing days and non-dosing days that continue for the number of consecutive non-dosing days, and derives the number of such dosing days as the number of dosing days; program.

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