Drug feeder and drug dispensing device

Abstract

To provide a medicine feeder that can accurately detect the vibration when discharging powdered medicine, and to provide a medicine put-out device equipped with such a medicine feeder.SOLUTION: A medicine feeder includes a medicine container 20 in which powdered medicine is stored and a container support part 23 (support member) for holding the medicine container 20, and can discharge powdered medicine from the medicine container 20. The medicine container 20 includes a vibration detection sensor 71 for detecting the vibration of itself.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a medicine feeder that measures and dispenses a predetermined amount of medicine, and also to a medicine dispensing device equipped with such a medicine feeder. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, large hospitals and large pharmacies have introduced powdered medicine packaging devices and medicine dispensing devices equipped with a powdered medicine packaging function. The conventional medicine dispensing device disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires a person to manually retrieve a medicine bottle containing the prescribed powdered medicine from a medicine shelf and measure the total weight of the prescribed specific powdered medicine using a scale such as a balance, and therefore cannot be said to be a fully automated device. In order to address this problem, the applicant has put into practical use the medicine dispensing device disclosed in Patent Document 2.

[0003] The drug dispensing device disclosed in Patent Document 2 incorporates a container storage device that stores a large number of drug containers, a robot that transports the drug containers, a container mounting device that vibrates the drug containers to eject the drug from the drug containers, and a distribution tray. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-85703 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2015 / 076267 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Here, in the conventional medicine dispensing device, there is room for improvement in terms of accurately detecting vibrations that occur when powdered medicine is discharged from the medicine feeder.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a medicine feeder that can accurately detect vibrations when dispensing powdered medicine, and a medicine dispensing device equipped with such a medicine feeder. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention for solving the above problem is a drug feeder that has a drug container that contains powdered medicine and a holding member that holds the drug container, and is capable of discharging powdered medicine from the drug container, wherein the drug container has a vibration detection sensor that detects vibrations of the drug container itself.

[0008] In the medicine feeder of this aspect, the medicine container containing the powdered medicine has a vibration detection sensor, and when the powdered medicine is discharged, the vibration detection sensor can detect its own vibration. In other words, it is possible to detect the vibration when discharging the powdered medicine at a position close to the powdered medicine to be discharged, thereby improving the detection accuracy.

[0009] In the above-mentioned aspect, it is preferable that the holding member has a holding side engagement portion, the vibration detection sensor has a sensor side engagement portion, and by holding the drug container on the holding member, the holding side engagement portion and the sensor side engagement portion come into contact and are electrically connected, making it possible to send and receive signals between the vibration detection sensor and other circuits.

[0010] According to this aspect, vibrations can be detected without extending wiring members from the drug container to the outside, thereby improving detection accuracy without complicating the attachment and detachment of the drug container to the holding member.

[0011] The above-mentioned preferred aspect is to perform an attachment detection operation to determine whether the drug container is held by the holding member, and it is even more preferable that the attachment detection operation determines that the drug container is held by the holding member on the condition that the signal output from the vibration detection sensor is input to another circuit.

[0012] According to this aspect, the attachment detection operation of the medicine container can be performed without providing a separate sensor or the like for detecting whether the medicine container is being held, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0013] In the above aspect, the vibration detection sensor is capable of detecting vibrations in multiple directions, including the vertical direction and directions intersecting the vertical direction, and the detection value of the vertical vibration detected by the vibration detection sensor is amplified and output, and the value of the offset voltage that amplifies the detection value is determined based on the effect of gravity on the vibration detection sensor, and it is preferable that the value of the offset voltage that amplifies the detection value of the vertical vibration and the detection value of the vibration in a direction intersecting the vertical direction are the same.

[0014] According to this aspect, highly accurate vibration detection is possible with an inexpensive configuration.

[0015] In the above aspect, it is preferable that the vibration detection sensor is an acceleration sensor.

[0016] Another aspect of the present invention is a drug dispensing device comprising the drug feeder described above.

[0017] In this aspect, the accuracy of detecting vibrations when powdered medicine is being discharged can also be improved. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] The present invention provides a medicine feeder that can accurately detect vibrations that occur when powdered medicine is discharged, and also provides a medicine dispensing device that includes such a medicine feeder. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a medicine dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, with the top cover open; FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the periphery of a distribution tray of the medicine dispensing device shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the medicine feeder of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the medicine feeder of FIG. 3 with information read / write means omitted. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the medicine feeder as viewed from a different direction from that shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the medicine feeder (feeder body) with the medicine containers removed from the holding member, with the connector contact portions omitted. [Figure 7] 7 is a perspective view showing the medicine feeder of FIG. 6 as viewed from another direction, with connector pins omitted. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is a side view showing the feeder body of FIG. 6. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a side view showing a model of the feeder body of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] 10(a) is a perspective view showing a simpler model of the container support part shown in FIG. 9, and (b) is a perspective view showing a simpler model of the medicine container shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram of the vibration detection sensor of FIG. [Figure 12] (a) is a logic table showing the inspection mode when inspecting the vibration state of a medicine feeder, (b) is a circuit diagram for switching the vibration detection sensor, showing the connection state of each switch when the inspection mode is N, and (c) is a circuit diagram for switching the vibration detection sensor, showing the connection state of each switch when the inspection mode is F1. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are perspective views showing a drug container according to an embodiment different from the above-described embodiment, in which (a) shows the state in which the lid member is in a closed state, and (b) shows the state in which the lid member is in an open state. [Figure 14] 13(b) is a cross-sectional view of the medicine container shown in FIG. 13(a), showing the state in which the cover member and other parts are cut along different cutting planes. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Hereinafter, a medicine dispensing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the vertical positional relationship will be described based on the normal installation state (the state in FIG. 1). For ease of understanding, the outline and general operation of the medicine dispensing device 1 will be explained first, and then each component and device will be explained in detail.

[0021] 1, the medicine dispensing device 1 of this embodiment is surrounded by a housing 2, the interior of which is divided into a tablet manual distribution area 300, a powder medicine dividing area 301, and a medicine packaging area 302. In addition, a top cover formed to be able to swing freely is provided on the top of the housing 2.

[0022] The tablet manual distribution area 300 is provided with a tablet manual distribution device 303 . The manual tablet distribution device 303 is well known and will not be described in detail here. The manual tablet distribution device 303 is located above the distribution tray 3, the medicine feeder 5, etc., which will be described later.

[0023] Medicine packaging area 302 has a medicine packaging device 305 built in, as conceptually shown in Figure 2. Medicine packaging device 305 is a machine that packages medicines into individual doses, and has a packaging paper supply device 306 (packaging paper supply unit) and a packaging device 308 (sealing unit). Medicine packaging device 305 also has a powder medicine input hopper 310 above packaging device 308, into which medicines are input. For ease of drawing, the powdered medicine hopper 310 is shown at a position away from the distribution tray 3, but in reality, the upper end of the powdered medicine hopper 310 is located at the equipment storage opening 15 of the distribution tray 3.

[0024] Medicine packaging device 305 is used by mounting roll paper on a mounting portion of the main body (not shown) of packaging paper supply device 306. Roll paper is formed by winding strip-shaped packaging paper (wrapping paper) around a tubular core member. Although not particularly limited, the roll paper in this embodiment is formed by rolling up a strip-shaped packaging paper that has been folded in half. Furthermore, the medicine packaging device 305 has a printing mechanism (printing unit) not shown. In the medicine packaging device 305, the packaging paper unwound from the roll paper is introduced into a printing mechanism, where information such as the patient's name, medicine name, and date and time of administration (information about the prescription, and information about the medicine to be provided) is printed. The packaging paper with the predetermined information printed on it is then opened upward. In this state, it receives the medicine (powdered medicine) dropped (supplied) from the powdered medicine input hopper 310. The packaging paper containing the medicines is then introduced into the sealing section (packaging device 308), where it is sealed vertically and horizontally, packaging the medicines one by one. This forms a medicine package containing a single dose of medicine, and the medicine package is transported to the outside of the device. At this time, the medicine packages form a continuous medicine package band and are transported to the outside of the device. However, instead of a medicine package band, one or more individual medicine packages may be formed and transported to the outside of the device. The horizontal direction is the direction in which the packaging paper is dispensed (sent out), and the vertical direction is the direction that intersects (is perpendicular to) the direction in which the packaging paper is dispensed.

[0025] The core member of the above-mentioned roll paper may also be equipped with an identifier. The identifier is a storage means that stores information that can individually identify the roll paper (information about the manufacturer (such as the manufacturer's name), information about the date of manufacture, the type of roll paper wound on the core, the order number, the shipping date, customer information about the delivery destination, the model name and model code of the packaging machine into which the roll paper will be installed, other IDs, etc.), and may be, for example, a memory such as an IC tag. The identifier may also be a code such as a one-dimensional code (barcode) or a two-dimensional code, and if a code is used, it may be attached to a label. When the roll paper is loaded into packaging paper supplying device 306, it may be checked against the device to which it is being loaded, i.e., it may be determined whether the specified roll paper is being loaded correctly into the device. Alternatively, information for identifying that the roll paper is unused may be stored in the identifier, and when loading the roll paper, it may be determined whether the roll paper is unused. Furthermore, information regarding the remaining amount of packaging paper when the roll paper (packaging paper roll) is loaded into the main body of packaging paper supplying device 306 may be stored. Furthermore, when a packaging operation to package medicines is performed, the remaining amount at an appropriate time during the packaging operation may be stored. This information regarding the remaining amount may be stored, for example, during the packaging operation. Alternatively, the remaining amount at the end of the packaging operation may be stored after the packaging operation. In other words, information regarding the remaining amount may be stored at appropriate times when medicine dispensing device 1 is operated.

[0026] 2, powdered medicine dividing area 301 is an area where distribution tray 3 is installed, and around it, medicine feeder 5 and cleaning device 7 are arranged. Powdered medicine dividing area 301 is also provided with scraping device 8. The distribution dish 3 and the scraping device 8 are known and will only be briefly described. The distribution plate 3 is a disc-shaped member provided with a drug insertion groove 13, also called a "recess." The drug insertion groove 13 surrounds the outer edge of the distribution plate 3 in a ring shape. The distribution plate 3 has an equipment storage opening 15 in its center. Note that in Figure 2, most of the opening is covered with a lid. The powdered medicine feeding hopper 310 described above is installed in the equipment storage opening 15. The distribution plate 3 can be rotated at a constant speed or by a predetermined angle.

[0027] The scraping device 8 has a rotating plate 12 at the tip of a scraping arm. Specifically, a mounting base (not shown) that can be rotated by a motor is provided at the tip of the scraping arm, and the rotating plate 12 having a scraper plate and the like (not shown) is attached to this mounting base. In other words, the rotating plate 12 rotates by the power of the motor. The base of the scraping device 8 is installed on a turntable (not shown) inside the equipment storage opening 15 of the distribution tray 3. The entire scraping device 8 can be rotated by rotating the turntable, and the scraping arm can swing up and down. Note that the scraping device 8 may not be provided with a turntable, and may not be rotated as a whole, but the scraping arm may be swingable.

[0028] 2, in the medicine dispensing device 1 of this embodiment, the upper opening serving as the medicine inlet of the powdered medicine feeding hopper 310 is located inside the distribution tray 3. That is, the distribution tray 3 is continuous in an annular (ring-shaped) shape outside the powdered medicine feeding hopper 310, and the powdered medicine feeding hopper 310 is located in the area surrounded by the distribution tray 3 in a plan view. The scraping device 8 is also located inside the distribution tray 3. When the scraping device 8 scrapes out the powdered medicine on the distribution tray 3 and deposits it into the powdered medicine feeding hopper 310, it scrapes the powdered medicine toward the inside of the distribution tray 3. In other words, the rotating plate 12 is rotated to move the scraper so as to move the powdered medicine on the distribution tray 3 toward the inside of the distribution tray 3 (the rotating plate 12 is rotated so that the scraper moves in a direction crossing from the outer edge side to the inner edge side of the distribution tray 3). In this embodiment, the scraping device 8 is provided inside the distribution tray 3, and scrapes the powdered medicine toward the inside of the distribution tray 3, thereby reducing the number of components outside the distribution tray 3. In other words, a large space is secured outside the distribution tray 3 around the medicine feeder 5, making it easier to manually attach and detach the medicine container 20 to and from the feeder body 10 and contributing to the miniaturization of the entire medicine dispensing device 1.

[0029] As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5, drug feeder 5 has feeder section 22 provided with weight calibration section 21. Drug feeder 5 also has information read / write means 66 (see Figure 3) that can read and write information from / to information storage means 65 (see Figure 4), which will be described later. Feeder section 22 has drug container 20 that stores powdered medicine, and feeder body 10 that holds drug container 20, as shown in Figures 6 and 8. As shown in FIG. 9, the feeder body 10 is mechanically divided into a container support section 23 (holding member), a weight measuring section 24, and a base section 26. The container support part 23 has a support base 27, a vibrating member 16, and vibration means 30a and 30b. The vibration means 30a and 30b are piezoelectric elements and have a plate shape.

[0030] Both the support base 27 and the vibration member 16 are members with an "L"-shaped side surface and have a horizontal portion and a vertical wall portion. That is, the support base 27 has a support-side horizontal portion 30 and a support-side vertical wall portion 31, as shown in Figures 8 and 9. The vibration member 16 also functions as a container holder, and has a vibration-side horizontal portion 32 and a vibration-side vertical wall portion 33. The vibration-side vertical wall portion 33 is provided with engagement portions (two portions: a groove-shaped engagement portion 48 (trapezoidal engagement portion 47) and an engagement piece 50; see Figure 7) that engage with the drug container 20.

[0031] 7, the engaging portion 47 has a trapezoidal shape that is close to a rectangle when viewed from the front, and has a bulge 58 below one of the oblique sides. In addition, a groove-shaped engaging portion 48 is formed on the side of the trapezoid that corresponds to the oblique side. Furthermore, a substantially rectangular opening 51 is provided in the lower part of the front of the engaging portion 47. An engaging piece 50 is housed in the opening 51. The engaging piece 50 is connected to an insertion / removal mechanism, and extends and retracts through the opening 51. 7, a shutter opening / closing mechanism 55 is provided on one side of vibration-side horizontal portion 32. Shutter opening / closing mechanism 55 is an opening / closing mechanism for discharging a fixed amount of powdered medicine from medicine container 20.

[0032] Two vibration means 30a and 30b connect the support base 27 and the vibration member 16. There is substantially no contact between the vibration-side horizontal portion 32 and the support-side horizontal portion 30. Therefore, when electricity is applied to the vibration means 30a and 30b, the vibration member 16 vibrates.

[0033] A weight measuring unit 24 is disposed below the container support unit 23. The weight measuring unit 24 includes a weight measuring means 25 and a vibration isolating means 18. The weight measuring means 25 is a known load cell. The vibration isolating means 18 includes a vibration isolating member 28. The container support part 23 (support stand 27, vibrating member 16, and vibrating means 30a and 30b) is connected to the detection part of the weight measuring means 25. The base part 26 supports the upper members (support stand 27, vibrating member 16, and vibrating means 30a and 30b) via the vibration-proof member 28 of the weight measuring part 24. The weight of the container support part 23 is detected by the weight measuring means 25. The weight of the vibration isolation means 18 is applied to the base part 26, but is not applied to the weight measuring means 25. Therefore, the weight of the container support part 23 (support base 27, vibrating member 16, and vibrating means 30a, 30b) is detected (measurable) by the weight measuring means 25.

[0034] Medicine container 20 is a container filled with powdered medicine, and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with a substantially square side surface. As shown in FIGS. 6, 8 and 9, the drug container 20 is surrounded by a front wall 35, a rear wall 36, left and right side walls 37, a top wall 38 and a bottom wall 40. The drug container 20 has a powdered drug discharge portion on its bottom wall 40 near the front wall 35 that can be opened and closed. Also, there are engagement portions (engagement groove 130, engagement recess 131, see FIG. 6) on the vertical side of rear wall 36 and on the bottom.

[0035] 6, the rear wall 36 is provided with a pair of engagement grooves 130 and one engagement recess 131. The engagement grooves 130 are vertical grooves that open inward and are provided along the left and right vertical sides of the rear wall 36. The engagement recess 131 is a depression provided in the lower part of the rear wall 36. The engagement groove 130 is a portion that engages with the engagement portion 48 (see FIG. 7). That is, by inserting the rear wall 36 of the drug container 20 from above along the vibration-side vertical wall portion 33 of the feeder body 10, the engagement groove 130 and the engagement portion 48 engage with each other. The engaging recess 131 is a portion that engages with the engaging piece 50 (see FIG. 7). More specifically, when the drug container 20 is attached to the feeder body 10 (inserted from above along the vibration-side vertical wall portion 33 of the feeder body 10), the engaging piece 50 is retracted into the opening 51. When the drug feeder 5 is driven, the engaging piece 50 protrudes outward from the opening 51, and the engaging piece 50 is inserted into the engaging recess 131, thereby engaging with the engaging piece 50 and the engaging recess 131.

[0036] Furthermore, information storage means 65 (an information recording member, which in this embodiment is an RFID tag) is attached to one of the two left and right side walls 37 (see FIG. 4). This information storage means 65 stores information about medicine container 20 (information about the powdered medicine contained in medicine container 20). For example, identification information (information such as the medicine name and various codes) that identifies the contained medicine and remaining amount information about the current remaining amount of the contained medicine are stored. The information stored in information storage means 65 is information that can be used in association with prescription data, etc., and by acquiring the information stored in information storage means 65, it is possible to perform operations such as identifying the type of powdered medicine contained in medicine container 20. This information storage means 65 may be a memory such as an IC tag. Alternatively, it may be a code such as a one-dimensional code (barcode) or a two-dimensional code. If a code is used, it may be attached to a label.

[0037] As described above, the medicine feeder 5 has information read / write means 66 (see FIG. 3) that can read and write information from and to the information storage means 65. In this embodiment, an RFID reader / writer is used as the information read / write means 66, and information can be read from and written to the information storage means 65 via wireless communication. The information storage means 66 is capable of reading cassette information from the information storage means 65 and writing (rewriting) the remaining amount after dispensing powdered medicine from the medicine container 20. The cassette information is information related to the medicine container 20, such as the name of the medicine and the remaining amount. This information reading / writing means 66 is located outside the information storage means 65 when the drug container 20 is attached to the feeder body 10, and is disposed at a position slightly away from the information storage means 65 (see Figures 3 and 4). Note that instead of the information reading / writing means 66, it is also possible to provide an information reading means, an information writing means, etc. that can read and write information.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 7 , the drug container 20 also has a shutter structure 60. The shutter structure 60 has a shutter member 61 and a transmission member 62. When the drug container 20 is held in the feeder body 10, the transmission member 62 and the shutter opening / closing mechanism 55 engage with each other. Then, when the transmission member 62 is moved linearly by the shutter opening / closing mechanism 55, the shutter member 61 moves linearly, and an opening (powdered medicine discharge portion) provided on the lower side of the drug container 20 is brought into an open state in which the opening (powdered medicine discharge portion) is in communication with the outside. When the powdered medicine is to be discharged from the drug container 20, the drug container 20 is brought into a closed state from the closed state to the open state.

[0039] The drug container 20 is filled with powdered medicine and fixed to the feeder body 10 as shown in FIG. 5. That is, the back wall 36 (see FIG. 6) of the drug container 20 contacts the vibration-side vertical wall portion 33 of the vibrating member 16, which serves as the container holder, and the back wall 36 side (see FIG. 6) of the bottom wall 40 of the drug container 20 contacts the vibration-side horizontal portion 32, so that the drug container 20 is fixed to the feeder body 10 in a cantilevered state with most of the drug container 20 protruding. In addition, the engaging portions of the drug container 20 (engagement groove 130 and engaging recess 131, see FIG. 6) are respectively engaged with two engaging portions of the vibrating member 16 (groove-shaped engaging portion 48 (trapezoidal engaging portion 47) and two engaging pieces 50, see FIG. 7). Therefore, the drug container 20 is integrated with the vibrating member 16 and vibrates together with the vibrating member 16.

[0040] The weight calibration unit 21 detects whether the weight measuring means 25 is normal or not. As shown in Fig. 4, the weight calibration unit 21 has a weight 42, a weight placement member 43 on which the weight 42 is placed, and a weight support member that lifts the weight 42 into the air. The weight placement member 43 is fixed to the container support portion 23 of the feeder body 10 via a mounting member. Therefore, the weight of the weight placement member 43 is added to the weight measuring means 25. On the other hand, the weight support member is disposed so that a load is applied to the base portion 26 of the feeder body 10. Therefore, the weight of the weight support member is not applied to the weight measuring means 25.

[0041] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, six medicine feeders 5 are fixed around the distribution tray 3. The front wall 35 side (see Fig. 6, etc.) of the medicine container 20 protrudes toward the distribution tray 3, and the powdered medicine discharge portion is located directly above the medicine input groove 13.

[0042] In the medicine dispensing device 1 of this embodiment, the medicine containers 20 of the medicine feeders 5 are filled with different medicines in advance. Based on the prescription (prescription data, which is information related to the prescription), a specific medicine feeder 5 is driven, and powdered medicine is dispensed into the distribution tray 3. Specifically, a signal from a control device (not shown) causes a current of a fixed frequency to flow through the vibration means 30a, 30b of the specific medicine feeder 5 to generate vibrations, which in turn vibrate the vibration member 16. Also, the distribution tray 3 is rotated around the time when the vibration starts.

[0043] Also, around the time when vibration starts, the weight of medicine container 20 is measured. The weight of medicine container 20 is the weight detected by weight measuring means 25 minus a fixed value. More specifically, the weight of medicine container 20 is the weight detected by weight measuring means 25 minus the weight of components including container support section 23 and part of weight calibration section 21 (components to which a load is applied to weight measuring means 25). The weight of medicine container 20 before the powdered medicine is discharged is stored as original weight G. Furthermore, the weight of medicine container 20 is constantly monitored. That is, the current weight of medicine container 20 is monitored as current weight g.

[0044] When vibrating member 16 starts vibrating, drug container 20 vibrates along with it. In this embodiment, drug container 20 is firmly joined to vibrating member 16 by engagement portions (engagement groove 130 and engagement recess 131, see FIG. 6) provided at two locations, and the degree of adhesion with vibrating member 16 is also high, so drug container 20 vibrates at the same frequency as vibrating member 16. As a result, the powdered medicine stored in drug container 20 moves slowly toward the powdered medicine discharge portion side (shutter structure portion 60 side, see FIG. 7) provided on bottom wall 40. The powdered medicine then falls from the powdered medicine discharge section, which is an opening provided on the lower side of medicine container 20, and enters medicine input groove 13 of distribution tray 3 below.

[0045] The fact that the powdered medicine is falling is confirmed by a decrease in the weight of medicine container 20. That is, in this embodiment, even while the powdered medicine is falling from medicine container 20, the current weight of medicine container 20 is continuously monitored as the current weight (g). The original weight (G) of medicine container 20 immediately after installation on vibrating member 16 is compared with the current weight (g), and the falling amount (H) of the powdered medicine (the amount of powdered medicine discharged, G minus g) is constantly calculated. When the total falling amount (H) of the powdered medicine (total discharged) reaches the desired weight, the vibration of vibrating member 16 is stopped.

[0046] The next operation is to drop the rotating plate 12 of the scraping device 8 into the medicine input groove 13 of the distribution tray 3. After that, the distribution tray 3 is further rotated by an angle corresponding to the number of dispensed medicines, and one dose of powdered medicine is collected on the front side of the rotating plate 12. The rotating plate 12 is then rotated, and the powdered medicine is scraped out of the distribution tray 3 by a scraper plate (not shown), and is then inserted into the powdered medicine input hopper 310 one dose at a time. The powdered medicine that falls from the powdered medicine input hopper 310 is introduced into the medicine packaging device 305. As described above, the medicine dispensing device 1 of this embodiment is capable of packaging medicines in single doses, similar to known medicine dispensing devices. In addition, the container support part 23 functions as a powder medicine discharging means for discharging powder medicine from the medicine container 20.

[0047] The series of medicine discharging operations described above is performed in a state in which weight 42 is held up by the weight support member of weight calibration section 21. Therefore, the weight of weight 42 is not detected by weight measurement means 25. When determining whether the weight measuring means 25 is normal, the weight support member is operated to place the weight 42 on the weight placing member 43. As a result, the weight of the weight 42 is applied to the weight measuring means 25, and the weight of the weight 42 is detected. Here, since the weight of weight 42 is known, if the increase in detected weight due to the placement of weight 42 is equal to the weight of weight 42, it can be said that weight measuring means 25 is normal. Conversely, if the increase in detected weight due to the placement of weight 42 is different from the weight of weight 42, it can be said that weight measuring means 25 is malfunctioning.

[0048] As shown in Fig. 10, drug feeder 5 of this embodiment is characterized in that it is provided with vibration detection means 70 for detecting vibration of drug container 20. Vibration detection means 70 has a vibration detection sensor 71 provided integrally with drug container 20. By holding drug container 20 on container support part 23, vibration of drug container 20 can be detected as an electrical signal.

[0049] In this embodiment, an acceleration sensor capable of detecting vibrations along three axes is used as the vibration detection sensor 71. More specifically, two axes extending parallel to a horizontal plane and perpendicular to each other are defined as the X-axis and Y-axis, and an axis extending perpendicular to the two axes is defined as the Z-axis, making it possible to detect three axes consisting of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. In other words, in this embodiment, one axis of the three-axis acceleration sensor is capable of detecting vibrations in the vertical direction (up and down direction), and the other axis is capable of detecting vibrations in a direction parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0050] The vibration detection sensor 71 has a connector contact portion 71a that comes into contact with a connector pin 72 (holding side engaging portion, see FIG. 10(a)) provided on the vibrating member 16 (feeder body 10). The connector contact portion 71a (sensor side engaging portion) is made of metal and has a flat plate-like outer shape, and multiple (three) connector contact portions 71a are provided in this embodiment. Vibration detection sensor 71 is attached such that connector contact portion 71a of the substrate constituting the sensor is exposed to the outside, and most of the other portions are not visible from the outside. Specifically, connector contact portion 71a is exposed to the outside from each of a plurality of through-holes provided in rear wall 36 of drug container 20, and other portions are not exposed to the outside.

[0051] As described above, by properly holding drug container 20 on container support part 23, connector contact part 71a of vibration detection sensor 71 comes into contact with connector pin 72, and they are electrically connected. That is, connector contact part 71a and connector pin 72 function as a pair of engaging parts that can be electrically connected. Then, when the connector contact portion 71a and the connector pin 72 are electrically connected, the vibration detection sensor 71 and a control device (not shown) (hereinafter referred to as the circuit on the container support portion 23 side (a circuit including a communication circuit, a power supply circuit, a signal processing circuit, etc.)) are electrically connected. This makes it possible to supply power to the vibration detection sensor 71 and to send and receive signals between the vibration detection sensor 71 and the circuit on the container support portion 23 side. In other words, the vibration detection sensor 71 is connected to an external circuit provided on the container support portion 23 side via members that serve as signal lines and power supply lines.

[0052] The connector pin 72 may be attached to the vibration member 16 (container support portion 23) in a state in which a part or the whole of the connector pin can move inward and outward. For example, a trigger piece that can move inward and outward may be provided on the vibration-side horizontal portion 32, and when the drug container 20 is placed on the vibration-side horizontal portion 32, the trigger piece is pushed downward, and in conjunction with this, the connector pin 72 protrudes. In other words, the connector pin 72 may protrude outward when the drug container 20 is held. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the connector pin 72 is used as the holding-side engaging portion, but the present invention is not limited to this. The outer shape is not limited to a terminal with a protruding shape (rod-like or needle-like), and it may be, for example, a flat portion. In other words, it is sufficient if it is a terminal portion that pairs with the terminal portion (connector contact portion 71a) of the vibration detection sensor 71 and is capable of electrical contact.

[0053] The medicine feeder 5 of this embodiment is capable of an attachment determination operation for determining whether the medicine container 20 is correctly attached to the container support portion 23 (whether the medicine container 20 is correctly held). The attachment determination operation determines that drug container 20 is correctly attached to container support part 23 on the condition that an input voltage (input signal) is input from vibration detection sensor 71 to the circuit on the container support part 23 side. Conversely, if an input voltage (input signal) is not input to the circuit on the container support part 23 side, there is a high possibility that connector contact part 71a and connector pin 72 are not in correct contact. Therefore, in this case, it is determined that drug container 20 is not correctly attached.

[0054] Here, when the output voltage (output signal) from vibration detection sensor 71 is input to an external circuit as an input voltage (input signal), it may be necessary to amplify the input voltage depending on the type of acceleration sensor used. For example, if an analog output acceleration sensor with a large scale (low detection sensitivity) is used as vibration detection sensor 71, there is a possibility that the input voltage will only change slightly even when drug container 20 vibrates to the maximum. In this case, it will be difficult to accurately detect vibrations unless the input voltage is amplified. However, providing an offset voltage (offset adjustment circuit) for each of the three axes and amplifying the input voltage would result in an expensive circuit configuration. Furthermore, in this case, the offset voltage used to correct each axis varies and may be affected by temperature characteristics, gravity, and other environmental factors. One way to prevent the offset voltage from deviating from the set value and causing the amplified waveform to exceed the measurement range is to provide a volume-adjustable sensor board for the vibration detection sensor 71. However, this is undesirable because it requires adjustment before shipping. To solve this problem, it is recommended to use the same offset voltage when amplifying the signals from the three-axis vibration detection sensor 71, and further set the offset voltage so that the amplified waveform does not exceed the measurement range. Here, the sensor axis that detects vibration in the vertical direction (up and down direction) among the three sensor axes has the maximum output voltage from the vibration detection sensor 71. Therefore, the offset voltage when amplifying the vibration detection sensor 71 is set to a high value within the measurement range so that the amplified signal of the vibration detection sensor 71 that detects vibration in the vertical direction (up and down direction) among the three sensor axes falls within the measurement range.

[0055] Therefore, in the drug feeder 5 of this embodiment, the Z-axis, one of the three sensor axes, is set to a state in which it can detect in the vertical direction (up and down direction), thereby reducing the influence of gravity during detection. That is, by reducing the error in the detection value due to the influence of gravity, the influence when the error is amplified is reduced. Furthermore, the effect of gravity is reflected in the value of the offset voltage that corrects the detected value on the Z axis.

[0056] Specifically, measurements are taken in a predetermined temperature range (e.g., 0°C to 40°C) with the drug container 20 not vibrating and the Z axis set to a state where vertical detection is possible. This measurement obtains the effect of gravity per 1 g on the detected value of the Z axis at a predetermined power supply voltage (e.g., 3 V) (the magnitude of the error that occurs, i.e., the change in output voltage). The inventors measured the detected value of the Z axis (voltage measurement) under the effects of gravity of 1 g, 0 g, and -1 g when the drug feeder 5 was stationary and not vibrating, and obtained the results shown in Table 1 below. In this way, by measuring the Z-axis detection value before amplification and the detection value after amplification under the influence of each gravity, it is possible to obtain the magnitude of the error in the detection value caused by the influence of a given gravity and the effect of amplification on the magnitude of the error. Note that the "effect of amplification on the magnitude of the error" refers to the magnitude of the error in the detection value after amplification, and is the amount of change in the detection value (output voltage) after amplification. Measurements conducted by the inventors have revealed that the detection value after amplification changes by a maximum of about 0.2 V per 1 g of gravity. [Table 1]

[0057] Then, based on the amount of change in the acquired amplified detected value and the measurement range of the input circuit, the offset voltage value that corrects the Z-axis detected value (to be included in the output voltage) is determined. Specifically, the offset voltage value is determined by adjusting the resistance values ​​of R1 and R2 in Figure 11 and adjusting the bias voltage.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the detected values ​​of the X-axis and Y-axis are corrected with offset voltages, the values ​​of the offset voltages for correcting the detected values ​​of the X-axis and Y-axis are set to values ​​that match the value of the offset voltage for correcting the detected value of the Z-axis, as shown in Fig. 11. That is, as shown in Fig. 11, this embodiment is provided with an amplifier circuit (op-amp) that corrects (amplifies) the detected values ​​of each of the three axes consisting of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. Then, a similar offset adjustment circuit (offset adjustment op-amp) is used to correct the detected values ​​of each of the three axes. As mentioned above, the offset voltage used to correct the detected value reflects the effects of gravity. Because the detected values ​​for the X and Y axes are not affected by gravity, correcting them with the same offset voltage as the detected value for the Z axis will result in a deviation from the set value when correcting for the Z axis. However, because the amplitude in the X and Y directions is smaller than the amplitude in the Z direction, even if an offset voltage is used to match the Z axis (even if the same bias voltage as the Z axis is used as the reference), there is little chance of problems such as going outside the measurement range occurring. That is, the vibration detection sensor 71 of this embodiment has an amplifier circuit that amplifies the output voltage, and the offset voltages for correcting the detection values ​​of each of the three axes are set to an offset voltage appropriate for correcting the detection value of the Z axis. By setting the offset voltage to the axis (Z axis) predicted to vibrate the most in this way, maximum vibration can be detected with high accuracy. It is preferable to separately correct the detection values ​​of the X axis and the Y axis based on measurements performed in advance, as with the Z axis, in order to improve detection accuracy. However, as described above, separately correcting each of the three axes increases manufacturing costs. Therefore, as described above, correcting the detection values ​​of the X axis and the Y axis to match the Z axis is unlikely to cause problems and is considered to be capable of achieving sufficient detection accuracy. Therefore, the detection values ​​of the X axis and the Y axis are corrected to match the Z axis. As described above, according to this embodiment, highly accurate vibration detection is possible with an inexpensive circuit configuration.

[0059] The vibration state may be monitored by the vibration detection means 70 at all times for all vibration axes (X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis), but it may also be monitored at all times for only representative vibration axes, and the vibration state of all vibration axes may be checked when any abnormality is detected or at regular times such as before work begins.

[0060] For example, as shown in Fig. 12(a), the inspection modes may be N, F1, F2, and F3. For ease of explanation, Fig. 12 assumes that there are three drug feeders 5, but the number of drug feeders 5 is arbitrary. Mode N is a monitoring mode during normal operation. It is a detection mode that is performed more carefully than modes F1, F2, and F3, and is a mode that individually inspects the vibration state of all vibration axes (X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis) of each drug feeder 5. 12(b) and 12(c) are circuit diagrams for switching the vibration detection sensor depending on the inspection mode. The circuits shown in Fig. 12(b) and 12(c) have an input section 100, a switch group 101, and an output section 102. The input unit 100 receives output voltages (output signals) directly or after being amplified from the vibration detection sensors 71 for the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis of each of the drug feeders (F1), (F2), and (F3). That is, X1 is the output of the vibration detection sensor for the X-axis of the drug feeder (F1), Y1 is the output of the vibration detection sensor for the Y-axis of the drug feeder (F1), and Z1 is a terminal to which the output of the vibration detection sensor for the Z-axis of the drug feeder (F1) is input. Similarly, X2, Y2, and Z2 are terminals to which the output of the vibration detection sensor for the drug feeder (F2) is input. Similarly, X3, Y3, and Z3 are terminals to which the output of the vibration detection sensor for the drug feeder (F3) is input.

[0061] The inspection mode N is the connection state shown in FIG. 12(b), in which the input terminals of the Z-axis of each of the drug feeders (F1), (F2), and (F3) are connected to the output terminals. In the connection state shown in Fig. 12(b), an output voltage (output signal) from Z-axis vibration detection sensor 71 of drug feeder (F1) is output to output terminal S1. An output voltage (output signal) from Z-axis vibration detection sensor 71 of drug feeder (F2) is output to output terminal S2. An output voltage (output signal) from Z-axis vibration detection sensor 71 of drug feeder (F3) is output to output terminal S3.

[0062] The inspection mode F1 is a connection state shown in FIG. 12(c), in which the input terminals of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis of the medicine feeder (F1) are connected to the output terminals. In the connection state shown in Fig. 12(c), an output voltage (output signal) from the X-axis vibration detection sensor 71 of the drug feeder (F1) is output to output terminal S1. An output voltage (output signal) from the Y-axis vibration detection sensor 71 of the drug feeder (F1) is output to output terminal S2. An output voltage (output signal) from the Z-axis vibration detection sensor 71 of the drug feeder (F1) is output to output terminal S3. Although illustration of the switch connection status in other test modes is omitted, in test mode F2, the input terminals of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis of the medicine feeder (F2) are connected to the output terminals, and in test mode F3, the input terminals of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis of the medicine feeder (F3) are connected to the output terminals.

[0063] The drug feeder of the present invention may employ a drug container 380 shown in Fig. 13 instead of the drug container 20 described above. Similar to the drug container 20 described above, this drug container 380 has a structure that is detachable from the feeder body 10. In other words, it constitutes a drug feeder together with the feeder body 10 described above.

[0064] This drug container 380 is also surrounded by a front wall 391, a back wall 392, two side walls 393, a top wall 394, and a bottom wall 395. Here, the two side walls 393 are large-area side surfaces that are larger in area than the front wall 391 and the back wall 392. In contrast, the front wall 391 and the back wall 392 are small-area side surfaces. In other words, the drug container 380 is a long, narrow box-shaped member when viewed from the front wall 391 side. In other words, the drug container 380 is a vertically elongated container whose height is greater than its width (narrow width and tall height). In addition, the side shape is a rectangular parallelepiped that is approximately square. Furthermore, medicine container 380 has an openable and closable medicine discharge portion 397 (powdered medicine discharge portion, see FIG. 13) at a position on bottom wall 395 near front wall 391. Medicine container 380 also has a shutter structure portion 412.

[0065] The shutter structure 412 has a shutter member 412a having a closing wall and a transmission member (not shown). As in the above-described embodiment, the linear movement of the transmission member moves the shutter member 412a, thereby opening and closing the medicine discharge portion 397. That is, as in the above-described embodiment, a portion of the transmission member on the rear wall 392 side is exposed to the outside (detailed illustration omitted), and by holding the medicine container 380 in the feeder body 10, it engages with the shutter opening / closing mechanism 55.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 13 , the drug container 380 of this embodiment differs from the drug container 20 described above in that the lid member 401 constitutes the top wall 394 among the walls. That is, in the drug container 20 described above, the lid member constitutes the left and right side walls 37, and opening the large-area side allows filling of powdered medicine. In contrast, the drug container 380 has the lid member 401 attached to a box body with an open top, and the lid member 401 can swing by a hinge. The powdered medicine can be filled from above by opening the lid member 401, and the drug container 380 can be sealed by closing the lid member 401. The drug container 380 of this embodiment can be filled with powdered medicine while it is held in the feeder body 10.

[0067] 13, the lid member 401 of this embodiment has a lid main body part 402 and a small lid part 403. The small lid part 403 is attached to the underside of the lid main body part 402 (the underside when in the closed state) and is able to swing by a hinge. Here, lid member 401 has an internal lid storage section 404 capable of storing a desiccant or the like. In this embodiment, internal lid storage section 404 is a space in which a humidity control agent is placed. Internal lid storage section 404 can be opened and closed by swinging small lid section 403. In other words, internal lid storage section 404 is a space formed between lid main body section 402 and small lid section 403. More specifically, when lid member 401 is in the closed position and small lid section 403 is in the closed position, this space is located above most of small lid section 403.

[0068] 14, this medicine container 380 has a partition plate portion 410 (partition member) therein. Partition plate portion 410 is a flat portion arranged at the boundary between a storage space 439 that stores the powdered medicine and powdered medicine passage 440. Powdered medicine passage 440 is a portion through which the powdered medicine passes when the powdered medicine is discharged, and is a space located below partition plate portion 410 and including the portion between partition plate portion 410 and bottom wall 395.

[0069] The partition plate portion 410 is a portion that assumes a horizontal position when the drug container 380 is held in the feeder body 10. The partition plate portion 410 has a plurality of small holes that penetrate the partition plate portion 410 in the vertical direction (thickness direction). The portion adjacent to the partition plate portion 410 also has a large inclined portion 415 and a small inclined portion 416.

[0070] When the drug container 380 is held in the feeder body 10, the large inclined portion 415 and the small inclined portion 416 together form an inclined surface that slopes toward the partition plate portion 410. The large inclined portion 415 is longer than the small inclined portion 416, and the inclination angles of the large inclined portion 415 and the small inclined portion 416 are the same. In other words, the space between the large inclined portion 415 and the small inclined portion 416 (the lower portion of the storage space 439) converges toward the partition plate portion 410.

[0071] When discharging medicine from medicine container 380, medicine discharge section 397 is opened while medicine container 380 is held by feeder body 10, and medicine container 380 is vibrated. At this time, when the amount of powdered medicine in powdered medicine passage 440 decreases due to discharge, the powdered medicine in medicine container 380 moves from storage space 439, which is the space above partition plate section 410, to powdered medicine passage 440 and proceeds toward medicine discharge section 397. Then, the powdered medicine is discharged from medicine discharge section 397. Here, when medicine container 380 is vibrated, the powdered medicine in medicine container 380 is stirred in storage space 439, which is the space above partition plate portion 410. At this time, a portion of the stored powdered medicine moves upward along large inclined portion 415, and moves upward above partition plate portion 410 toward partition plate portion 410. Therefore, a force pressing downward from above due to the powdered medicine is unlikely to be applied to the small holes (slits) of partition plate portion 410, and the powdered medicine flowing due to stirring falls appropriately from the small holes (slits), allowing for smooth discharge of the powdered medicine.

[0072] The feeder section 22 described above has, as electrical components, vibration means 30a and 30b, a potentiometer (not shown), an actuator (not shown), a weight measuring section 24, and a vibration detection sensor 71. The potentiometer is a sensor capable of detecting the amount of movement and the angle of rotation, and is capable of detecting the amount of movement of a predetermined member (for example, a member constituting the shutter opening / closing mechanism 55). The actuator is a member that functions as a drive device for driving the predetermined member (a member constituting the shutter opening / closing mechanism 55), and is specifically a DC motor. The vibration applying means 30a, 30b, potentiometer, and actuator (not shown) are arranged so that a load is applied to the weight measuring unit 24. In addition to the vibration applying means 30a, 30b, potentiometer, and actuator (not shown), the weight measuring unit 24 and vibration detection sensor 71 are arranged so that a load is applied to the vibration isolating means 18 (vibration isolating member 28).

[0073] Here, the electrical components of the feeder unit 22 may be connected to a higher-level control device (a control device of the main body arranged in the housing 2 of the medicine dispensing device 1, not shown) via wiring members. In this case, the actuator may be connected to the higher-level control device via a motor driver. In addition, at least some of the electrical components of the feeder section 22 may be connected to a higher-level control device without using wiring. For example, potentiometers and actuators may be connected to the higher-level control device via wireless power supply or wireless communication. In this way, when the configuration is such that the device is connected to a higher-level control device without using wiring, it is possible to eliminate (reduce) the influence of wiring on the weight measurement operation by the weight measurement unit 24, enabling highly accurate weight measurement operations. Therefore, more accurate operations are possible when performing operations such as putting a small amount of powdered medicine into the distribution tray 3 (packaging a small amount of powdered medicine).

[0074] As shown in FIG. 4 and other figures, the drug feeder 5 includes a feeder section 22 having a vibrating member 16 and a weight calibration section 21 fixed to a middle plate (a base plate located outside the distribution tray 3; see FIG. 2 and other figures) that does not vibrate. When connecting the electrical components of the feeder section 22 to a higher-level control device via wiring, a thin, flat, strip-shaped wiring member (hereinafter referred to as a strip-shaped wiring member) such as an FFC (flexible flat cable) is preferably used. The strip-shaped wiring member is preferably arranged in a state (posture) extending in a rounded trajectory. That is, it is preferable for the wiring member to extend in an arc rather than extending linearly downward. The arc-shaped portion may include a portion that initially extends upward, a portion that extends downward while moving away from the feeder section 22, and a portion that extends downward while moving toward the feeder section 22. In this way, when a portion extending in an arc shape (loop) is formed, it is possible to improve the accuracy of the weight measurement operation when the weight measuring unit 24 performs a weight measurement operation while vibrating the vibrating member 16. In other words, it is possible to eliminate (reduce) the influence of changes in the tension of the wiring member due to vibration, movement of a part of the wiring member, etc., and it is possible to improve the accuracy of the weight measurement operation.

[0075] As described above, the feeder section 22 is equipped with a piezoelectric element (vibration means 30a, 30b). Here, a class D amplifier or a class AB amplifier may be used for the vibration circuit of this piezoelectric element. However, using a class AB amplifier is preferable for more appropriate control of the vibration operation. In other words, by using a class AB amplifier, the accuracy of the operation of dispensing powdered medicine into the distribution tray 3 can be improved. [Industrial Applicability]

[0076] The present invention is a device for dispensing medicines, which can achieve the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), which is to "ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages." The drug dispensing device of the present invention and a drug dispensing device incorporating the drug feeder of the present invention eliminate powder drug inspection tasks, such as weighing powdered drugs, which are normally performed by qualified personnel such as pharmacists, and can be performed by non-pharmacists such as technicians. Specifically, without being aware that the drug is a drug, the worker simply retrieves the drug container designated by the number based on the prescription information, or by a lamp if it is located on a shelf, and places it on the drug dispensing device to reliably perform and complete the packaging required for the prescription. This allows qualified pharmacists to shift from dispensing tasks, which are primarily physical tasks, to patient-facing tasks, and allows non-pharmacists, etc., to perform the necessary dispensing tasks, thereby achieving the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), "Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages." The present invention also reduces labor costs and improves economic productivity, which can also contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 1; medicine dispensing device, 5; medicine feeder, 20; medicine container, 23; container support portion (holding member), 71; vibration detection sensor, 71a; connector contact portion (sensor side engagement portion), 72; connector pin (holding side engagement portion)

Claims

1. A medicine feeder having a medicine container for storing powdered medicine and a holding member for holding the medicine container, and capable of discharging the powdered medicine from the medicine container, The medicine container has a vibration detection sensor that detects vibration of the medicine container itself, The holding member has a holding side engaging portion, the vibration detection sensor includes a sensor-side engagement portion, A drug feeder in which, by holding the drug container in the holding member, the holding side engagement portion and the sensor side engagement portion come into contact and are electrically connected, allowing signals to be sent and received between the vibration detection sensor and other circuits.

2. and performing a mounting detection operation to determine whether the medicine container is held by the holding member, 2. The drug feeder according to claim 1, wherein the attachment detection operation determines that the drug container is held by the holding member on the condition that a signal output from the vibration detection sensor is input to another circuit.

3. the vibration detection sensor is capable of detecting vibrations in a plurality of directions including a vertical direction and a direction intersecting the vertical direction; a detection value of vertical vibration detected by the vibration detection sensor is amplified and output, and a value of an offset voltage for amplifying the detection value is determined based on the effect of gravity on the vibration detection sensor; 3. The drug feeder according to claim 1, wherein the offset voltages for amplifying the detected value of the vibration in the vertical direction and the detected value of the vibration in the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction have the same value.

4. 4. The drug feeder according to claim 1, wherein the vibration detection sensor is an acceleration sensor.

5. A medicine dispensing device comprising the medicine feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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