Drug container

Abstract

To provide a medicine feeder that can automatically measure out a specified amount of powdered medicine from a medicine bottle.SOLUTION: A medicine feeder 1 is composed of a drug container 2 and a main body device 3. A semi-cylindrical portion 16 is provided at the bottom of a container body 8, and a helical member 12 is inserted therein. A passive member 13 engages with an engagement portion 30 of the helical member 12 protruding from the container body 8. The passive member 13 is a cylindrical magnet. A driving member accommodating portion 75 is provided inside the mounting table 60, and a driving side member 63 is built into the driving member accommodating portion 75. The driving side member 63 is a cylindrical magnet. When the motor 65 is rotated, the passive member 13 rotates under the influence of the magnetic force of the driving side member 63, and the helical member 12 connected to the passive member 13 rotates in the semi-cylindrical portion 16 in the container body 8.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drug feeder that measures and discharges a predetermined amount of a drug. The drug feeder of the present invention is suitably used as a device for supplying bulk drugs to a bulk drug dispensing device that distributes bulk drugs. Further, the drug feeder of the present invention is suitable as a device incorporated in a drug dispensing device having a function of dispensing bulk drugs by the bulk drug dispensing device and further individually packaging them. The present invention also relates to a drug dispensing device incorporating a drug feeder.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, drug dispensing devices having a bulk drug packaging function have been introduced in large hospitals and large-scale and small- and medium-scale pharmacies. This type of drug dispensing device incorporates a bulk drug dispensing device and a drug packaging device, and is also referred to as a bulk drug packaging device. The bulk drug packaging device is a drug dispensing device having a function of individually packaging drugs and the like by one dose, as in the device disclosed in Patent Document 1. The present invention also relates to a drug dispensing device incorporating a drug feeder. By the way, all of the practically used bulk drug packaging devices can be said to be semi-automatic devices, and manual work is required. That is, the practically used bulk drug packaging devices are not automated up to the operation of weighing out a predetermined amount of bulk drugs from a medicine bottle and putting them into a hopper or the like of the bulk drug dispensing device. Therefore, even when using a bulk drug packaging device, a pharmacist has to check a doctor's prescription, take out a medicine bottle containing the prescribed bulk drugs from the medicine shelf, and further use a scale such as a balance to weigh the total weight of the prescribed specific bulk drugs, and is forced to spend time and labor to put this into a hopper or the like.

[0003] Of course, it is desirable that the operation of weighing out bulk drugs and putting them into a hopper or the like of the bulk drug dispensing device can be performed automatically, and a bulk drug packaging device having this function has been proposed in the past (Patent Document 2). However, the bulk drug packaging device disclosed in Patent Document 2 has not been put into practical use as far as the inventors know.

[0004] The structure and function of the powder dispensing device 200 disclosed in Patent Document 2 will be described below. The powder dispensing device 200 disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a powder storage compartment 201 and a dispensing device 202, as shown in Figure 18.

[0005] The powder storage unit 201 consists of numerous drug cassettes 205 attached to an endless track 203 such as a chain. The stock section 206 of the drug cassette 205 is a vertically oriented cylindrical shape, as shown in Figure 20. A stirring blade 207 is provided inside the stock section 206. At the lower front of the stock section 206 is a horizontally oriented cylindrical section 208 that runs along its radial direction. The cylindrical section 208 has a small diameter. The screw 210 is located inside the cylindrical section 208. The rotation axis 211 of the screw 210 protrudes to the rear, as shown in Figure 19.

[0006] The dispensing and packaging machine 202 has two dispensing / dispensing devices 221, as shown in Figure 18. Each dispensing / dispensing device 221 is equipped with a rotating body 226 that has an annular groove 225 with an arc-shaped recess in cross-section.

[0007] In the powder dispensing device 200 disclosed in Patent Document 2, specific locations near the dispensing / dividing device 221 are defined as supply positions 212a and 212b. As shown in Figure 18, a weighing device 213 is provided at each of the supply positions 212a and 212b. A vibrating feeder 215 is also provided at the weighing device 213. In the powder dispensing device 200 disclosed in Patent Document 2, the weighing device 213 moves between a weighing position, a dispensing position, and a cleaning position. Furthermore, motors 217 are installed at supply positions 212a and 212b, and couplings 220 are provided on the output shafts of the motors 217.

[0008] In the powder dispensing device 200 disclosed in Patent Document 2, the endless track 203 of the powder storage compartment 201 is operated to move the drug cassette 205 along the endless track 203, and the drug cassette 205 containing the desired powder is moved to the supply position 212a,b. Then, the coupling 220 of the motor 217 is engaged with the drug cassette 205, which remains connected to the endless track 203, and the screw 210 and stirring blade 207 are rotated to discharge the drug from the drug cassette 205.

[0009] At this time, the weighing device 213 is moved to the weighing position, and the drug discharged from the drug cassette 205 is weighed by the weighing device 213. Once the predetermined amount has been weighed, the motor 217 is stopped. Then the weighing device 213 is moved to the distribution position, and the vibrating feeder 215 is operated to feed the drug into the rotating body 226 of the distribution / dividing device 221. Specifically, the rotating body 226 of the distribution / dividing device 221 rotates at a constant speed, and the drug is gradually fed from the vibrating feeder 215 into the grooves 225 of the rotating body 226. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-85703 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-80043 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] As mentioned above, the powder dispensing device 200 disclosed in Patent Document 2 has not been put into practical use to the best of the inventors' knowledge. The problems of the powder dispensing device 200 disclosed in Patent Document 2 will be explained below.

[0012] In the powder dispensing device 200 disclosed in Patent Document 2, the drug is discharged by rotating the rotation axis 211 of the screw 210 while the drug cassette 205 remains connected to the endless track 203. Therefore, the drug cassette 205 cannot be brought close to the dispensing / dividing device 221, and a separate device for transporting the drug is required. Therefore, the powder dispensing device 200 disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a large number of parts and requires space to install the transport equipment, resulting in a large overall shape.

[0013] Furthermore, in the powder dispensing device 200 disclosed in Patent Document 2, the drug cassette 205 is moved to supply positions 212a and 212b to discharge the drug, but the destination of the drug discharge is the weighing device 213. Therefore, in the powder dispensing device 200 disclosed in Patent Document 2, when the device is viewed from above, an area occupied by the weighing device 213 is required, and the powder dispensing device 200 itself inevitably becomes large.

[0014] Furthermore, in the powder dispensing device 200 disclosed in Patent Document 2, the stock section 206 of the drug cassette 205 is a vertically oriented cylindrical shape. Therefore, the screw 210, which is the device for dispensing the drug, occupies only a part of the bottom surface of the stock section 206, as shown in Figure 20. According to the specification, as shown in Figure 20, the bottom of the stock section 206 of the drug cassette 205 is circular, and the screw 210 is linear. Therefore, a method is necessary to scoop the drug accumulated on the bottom surface of the stock section 206 into the screw 210. For this reason, the drug cassette 205 has a stirring blade 207 built into the inside of the stock section 206. As the drug cassette 205 has a stirring blade 207 and a screw 210 built inside, cleaning is difficult.

[0015] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 19, the drug cassette 205 disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a screw portion 210 that is shorter than the diameter of the bottom surface of the stock portion 206. As a result, the amount of drug discharged from the drug cassette 205 varies. In contrast, the drug input to the concave groove 225 of the rotating body 226 of the dispensing / splitting device 221 needs to be performed so that the input amount per unit time is constant. That is, it is necessary to evenly input the drug to the concave groove 225 of the rotating body 226. Therefore, the drug cannot be directly input from the drug cassette 205 disclosed in Patent Document 2 to the concave groove 225 of the rotating body 226. Therefore, in the powder dispensing device 200 disclosed in Patent Document 2, a vibration feeder 215 is interposed between the drug cassette 205 and the dispensing / splitting device 221, and the vibration feeder 215 is configured such that the input amount per unit time is constant.

[0016] Further, in the drug cassette 205 disclosed in Patent Document 2, the rotation shaft 211 of the screw 210 protrudes from the rear end portion. Then, the coupling 220 provided on the output shaft of the motor 217 is advanced, and the coupling 220 is engaged with the rotation shaft 211 to rotate the screw 210. In this way, since the drug cassette 205 disclosed in Patent Document 2 mechanically engages the coupling 220 to transmit power, debris and dust are generated due to friction and wear. Further, the position where debris and dust are generated is a position close to the rotating body 226 of the dispensing / splitting device 221. On the other hand, the concave groove 225 of the rotating body 226 is a groove that is always open. Therefore, there is a concern that debris and dust due to friction and wear may be mixed into the concave groove 225. The powder dispensing device 200 described in Patent Document 2 has many problems and has not been put into practical use.

[0017] An object of the present invention is to develop a new drug feeder that can automatically perform the operation of weighing out a predetermined amount of powder from a medicine bottle, and to propose a more practical drug feeder. Further, the present invention proposes a drug dispensing device with higher practicality. Further, the present invention proposes a drug container with higher practicality.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0018] One aspect of the present invention developed to solve the above problems is a pharmaceutical container provided with a container body having a powder medicine inside, the container body having a main body portion and an attachment member provided at the tip of the main body portion, and inside the attachment member, there is a spiral member provided at the center of the container body, and the container body has a medicine discharge portion that opens at the tip of the spiral member The tip of the spiral member reaches an open drug discharge section, and the spiral member rotates inside the container body, scraping out the powder inside the container body, which is then discharged to the outside of the drug container through the drug discharge section. It is a pharmaceutical container. A preferred aspect is a pharmaceutical container in which the main body portion and the attachment member are cylindrical and provided concentrically. A more preferred aspect is a pharmaceutical container in which the diameter of the attachment member is smaller than the diameter of the main body portion. A more preferred aspect is a pharmaceutical container in which the main body portion has a hollow inside and serves as the main storage portion for the powder medicine. A more preferred aspect is a pharmaceutical container in which the diameter of the spiral member on the medicine discharge portion side is smaller than the diameter of the spiral member on the main storage portion side. A more preferred aspect is a pharmaceutical container in which the spiral member has a rotation axis. A more preferred aspect is a pharmaceutical container in which the spiral member rotates inside the container body and scrapes out the powder medicine inside the container body from the medicine discharge portion. A more preferred aspect is a pharmaceutical container in which the attachment member is a base member. Another aspect of the present invention, developed to solve the above problems, is a drug dispensing device comprising a drug container containing a drug, a main body device having a mounting platform, a vibrating feeder, and a drug packaging device having an input hopper, wherein the drug container is detachably attached to the mounting platform, the drug container has a drug discharge port for discharging the drug and a spiral member that rotates inside the drug container, the main body device has a drive side member that rotates the spiral member, and when the drug container is placed on the mounting platform, the drive side member can rotate the spiral member and stop the rotation, and by repeating this operation, it is possible to discharge one dose of drug from the drug container, the vibrating feeder is positioned between the drug discharge port and the input hopper, the vibrating feeder is supplied with one dose of drug discharged from the drug discharge port and puts the supplied one dose of drug into the input hopper, and the one dose of drug put into the input hopper by the vibrating feeder is packaged into one dose by the drug packaging device. A preferred embodiment is a drug dispensing device further comprising another spiral member, wherein the diameter of the other spiral member is smaller than the diameter of the first spiral member, and the amount of drug discharged when the other spiral member rotates is less than the amount of drug discharged when the first spiral member rotates. Another aspect of the present invention, developed to solve the above problems, is a drug dispensing device comprising a drug container containing a drug, a drug feeder composed of a main body device, a drug container moving device, and a control device, wherein the drug container has a drug storage section for containing powdered drugs, a drug discharge section for discharging powdered drugs, and a drug moving member disposed inside the drug container, and is covered by a surface except for the drug discharge section, the drug container is detachable from the main body device, the drug container moving device places or detaches a drug container selected by the control device based on a prescription onto the main body device, the drug moving member has a rotating shaft and a spiral structure provided around the rotating shaft, and is capable of moving the powdered drugs in the drug storage section by rotating the spiral structure, the main body device has a weight measuring means for directly or indirectly measuring the weight of the drug container, and is a drug dispensing device capable of operating the drug moving member to move the powdered drugs in the drug storage section to the drug discharge section side, discharging the powdered drugs from the drug discharge section, and detecting the amount of powdered drugs discharged by the weight measuring means. A preferred embodiment is a drug feeder in which the main body device has a drive source and a power transmission member that transmits power without contact, and the drug transfer member receives power from the drive source via the power transmission member and operates within the drug storage section. A more preferred embodiment is a drug dispensing device in which the main body device has a drive source and a drive-side member that moves by receiving power transmission from the drive source, and the drug container has a passive member that transmits power to a drug transfer member to operate the drug container side, the passive member is located in a position covered by the partition wall of the drug container and is not in contact with the drive-side member, and the motion of the drive-side member is transmitted to the passive-side member by magnetic force. A more preferred embodiment is a drug dispensing device in which the passive member is located outside the drug storage section and the partition wall is detachable from the drug storage section. A more preferred embodiment is a drug dispensing device in which the drug container is cylindrical with a drug inlet at one end, the drug container is placed horizontally on the main body device, the drug transfer member is located on the bottom side of the drug container with reference to the orientation in which the drug container is placed on the main body device, and the spiral structure has a length of 80 to 120 percent of the length of the bottom surface of the drug storage section. A more preferred embodiment is a drug dispensing device in which the drug transfer member has blades or grooves arranged spirally around a rotating shaft. A more preferred embodiment is a drug dispensing device provided with multiple blades or grooves. A more preferred embodiment is a drug dispensing device having a missing portion on the wall surface of the blade or groove. A more preferred embodiment is a drug dispensing device having a mobile member storage chamber that communicates with the drug storage section and houses a drug transfer member, wherein, when the drug container is placed on the main body device, the mobile member storage chamber is located on the bottom side of the drug container, and there is an opening / closing part at the end of the mobile member storage chamber, and it is possible to remove the drug transfer member from the mobile member storage chamber by opening the opening / closing part. Another aspect of the present invention, developed to solve the above problems, comprises a drug feeder composed of a drug container and a main body device, a drug container storage shelf for storing a plurality of the drug containers in a stationary horizontal position, and a drug container moving device that holds the drug container and moves it in the vertical direction on a vertical lifting axis and in the horizontal direction on a horizontal moving arm, and holds the drug container with a hand part and moves the drug container from the drug container storage shelf to the main body device with the hand part, wherein the drug container comprises a drug storage section for containing the drug, a drug discharge section for discharging the drug, and the drug The drug dispensing device has a movable member, the drug movable member is partially or entirely located within or in a part communicating with the drug storage section, the drug container is detachably attached to the main body device, the main body device has a weight measuring means for directly or indirectly measuring the weight of the drug container, the drug container movable device places the drug container, which was detached from the main body device, onto the main body device, operates the drug movable member to move the drug from the drug storage section to the drug dispensing section, dispenses the drug from the drug dispensing section, and the weight measuring means can detect the amount of drug dispensed. A preferred embodiment is a drug dispensing device in which the main body-side devices of the drug feeder are multiple, and a drug container transfer device is used to place one of the multiple drug containers stored in a drug container storage shelf that has been detached from the main body-side devices onto one of the multiple main body-side devices, the drug is discharged from the drug discharge section, and the amount of drug discharged is detected by a weight measuring means. A more preferred embodiment is a drug dispensing device in which the drug container transfer device is located near the drug container storage shelf. A more preferred embodiment is a drug dispensing device that, when moving the drug container, selects the drug container from among a plurality of drug containers arranged on a drug container storage shelf, and moves the selected drug container using a drug container moving device. Another aspect of the present invention, developed to solve the above problems, is a drug feeder comprising a drug container and a main unit device, wherein the drug container has a drug storage section for storing drugs, a drug discharge section for discharging drugs, and a drug moving member, the drug moving member being partially or entirely located within the drug storage section or in a part communicating with the drug storage section, the drug container being detachable from the main unit device, the main unit device having a weight measuring means for directly or indirectly measuring the weight of the drug container, and the drug feeder being able to place a drug container that was detached from the main unit device onto the main unit device, operate the drug moving member to move the drugs in the drug storage section to the drug discharge section, discharge the drugs from the drug discharge section, and detect the amount of drugs discharged by the weight measuring means.

[0019] In the drug feeder of this embodiment, some or all of the drug transport member is located inside the drug storage section or in a part that communicates with the drug storage section. Therefore, by driving the drug transfer member, the drug in the drug container can be discharged from the drug discharge section. Furthermore, the drug feeder in this embodiment has a weight measuring means for directly or indirectly measuring the weight of the drug container. The drug container, which was detached from the main unit, is placed back onto the main unit, the drug is discharged from the drug discharge section, and the amount of drug discharged can be detected by the weight measuring means. In other words, the drug cassette 205 disclosed in the aforementioned Patent Document 2 discharged the drug by rotating the screw 210 while it remained connected to the endless track 203, so a considerable portion of the weight of the drug container was supported by the endless track 203. Therefore, in the drug cassette 205 disclosed in Patent Document 2, the change in the weight of the drug container and the amount of drug discharged did not coincide. For this reason, in Patent Document 2, it was necessary to measure the weight of the drug discharged from the drug cassette 205 using a separate device. In contrast, the above embodiment involves placing the drug container, which was detached from the main unit, onto the main unit and detecting the weight of the drug container. This eliminates the burden of weight on other parts, allowing for accurate measurement of the total weight of the drug container and the drug remaining inside. Therefore, a separate weighing device 213 is not required, and the area occupied by the weighing device 213 is unnecessary. Consequently, adopting the drug feeder described above makes it possible to reduce the overall external shape of the drug dispensing device.

[0020] A preferred embodiment is a drug feeder in which the main body device has a drive source and a power transmission member that transmits power without contact, and the drug transfer member receives power from the drive source via the power transmission member and operates within the drug storage section.

[0021] In this embodiment, the drug feeder is powered non-contactually from the drive source. Therefore, no residue or dust is generated due to friction or wear, and the chances of foreign matter contamination of the drug are reduced.

[0022] A more preferred embodiment is a drug feeder in which the main body device has a drive source and a drive-side member that moves by receiving power transmission from the drive source, and the drug container has a passive member that transmits power to a drug transport member to operate the drug container, the passive member is located in a position covered by the partition wall of the drug container and is not in contact with the drive-side member, and the movement of the drive-side member is transmitted to the passive-side member by magnetic force.

[0023] In this embodiment, the drug feeder is powered by magnetic force. Therefore, no residue or dust is generated due to friction or abrasion, and the chances of foreign matter contamination of the drug are reduced. Furthermore, in this embodiment of the drug feeder, the passive member is positioned within the partition wall of the drug container. This prevents debris generated from the bearings of the passive member from scattering to the outside, thus reducing the chance of foreign matter contamination of the drug.

[0024] A more preferred embodiment is a drug feeder in which the passive member is located outside the drug storage section and the partition wall is detachable from the drug storage section.

[0025] According to this embodiment, the partition covering the passive member can be removed. This allows for cleaning of debris generated from the bearings of the passive member, etc. Furthermore, any chemicals that have entered the passive member for any reason can be cleaned and removed.

[0026] A more preferred embodiment is a drug feeder in which the drug transfer member has a spiral structure and moves the drug in the drug storage section by rotating the spiral structure.

[0027] The drug feeder in this embodiment has a spiral structure in the drug transport member. By rotating the spiral structure, the drug is drawn in or pushed, thereby moving the drug in the drug storage section, and the drug in the drug container can be discharged from the drug discharge section.

[0028] A more preferred embodiment is a drug container that is cylindrical with a drug inlet at one end, the drug container is placed horizontally on the main unit device, the drug transfer member is located on the bottom side of the drug container with respect to the orientation in which the drug container is placed on the main unit device, and the spiral structure is a drug feeder having a length of 80 to 120 percent of the length of the bottom surface of the drug storage section.

[0029] The drug cassette 205 disclosed in the aforementioned Patent Document 2 is cylindrical and installed in a vertical position. In contrast, the drug feeder of the present invention has the drug container placed horizontally on the main unit device. Therefore, based on the orientation in which it is mounted on the main unit, the difference between the area occupied by the drug transfer member and the bottom surface of the drug container is small. As a result, the drug feeder of the present invention does not necessarily require a mechanism for scraping up the drug from the bottom (stirring blade 207 in Patent Document 2). Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the length of the spiral structure is long, there are many opportunities for the drug to be introduced into the spiral, and the drug is densely packed into the spiral, reducing the gaps. As a result, the amount of drug discharged during one rotation of the spiral member is stable. In other words, the amount of drug discharged per unit time is made uniform.

[0030] The drug transfer component is recommended to have blades or grooves arranged spirally around a rotating axis.

[0031] A more preferred embodiment is a drug feeder having multiple blades or grooves.

[0032] According to the inventors' experiments, the amount of drug discharged during one rotation of the spiral member is stabilized by providing multiple blades or grooves. In other words, the amount of drug discharged per unit time is made uniform.

[0033] A more preferred embodiment is a drug feeder having a missing portion on the wall surface of the blade or groove.

[0034] The chemical feeder in this embodiment has a gap in the wall surface of the blade or groove. Therefore, during the process of extruding the chemical, some of the chemical enters the gap and is subjected to shear force. As a result, the chemical is less likely to form clumps.

[0035] A more preferred embodiment is a drug feeder having a mobile member storage chamber that communicates with the drug storage section and houses a drug transfer member, wherein, when the drug container is placed on the main body device, the mobile member storage chamber is located on the bottom side of the drug container, and there is an opening / closing part at the end of the mobile member storage chamber, which can be opened to remove the drug transfer member from the mobile member storage chamber.

[0036] In this embodiment of the drug feeder, the drug transfer member can be removed from the transfer member storage chamber. Therefore, cleaning of the drug transfer member is easy.

[0037] A more preferred embodiment is a drug feeder in which the drug container has a main storage section with a large cross-sectional area, a drug discharge section on the front end of the drug container, the cross-sectional area near the drug discharge section is smaller than that of the main storage section, the drug transport member has a spiral structure, the spiral structure is positioned to straddle the area from the main storage section to the vicinity of the drug discharge section, and the diameter of the spiral structure on the drug discharge side is smaller than the diameter of the spiral structure on the main storage section side.

[0038] According to the drug feeder of this embodiment, the drug in the drug container can be agitated and then discharged from the drug discharge section. In other words, in the drug feeder of this embodiment, the drug transport member has a helical structure. Here, the diameter of the helical structure used in the present invention differs depending on the part, with a larger diameter on the drug storage side and a smaller diameter on the drug discharge side. As a result, the helical structure on the drug storage side stirs the drug inside the drug storage, preventing the drug from forming clumps.

[0039] The drug transfer member should have a spiral structure, and it is desirable that the diameter of the spiral structure gradually decreases from the drug storage side to the drug discharge side.

[0040] A more preferred embodiment is a drug feeder in which the drug container is cylindrical, the drug discharge section is located at the tip of the drug container, and the drug container is placed on the main unit device in an inclined position with the drug discharge section facing downwards.

[0041] In this embodiment of the drug feeder, the drug container is placed on the main unit device in an inclined position with the drug discharge section facing downwards. Therefore, even when the amount of drug remaining in the drug storage section becomes low, the drug can be discharged smoothly.

[0042] A more preferred embodiment is a drug feeder equipped with a weighing function that measures the original weight of the drug container before the drug is discharged using a weight measuring means, monitors the weight of the drug container using the weight measuring means when the drug transfer member is operated to discharge the drug from the drug discharge section, and stops the operation of the drug transfer member when the current weight of the drug container matches or approximately matches the value obtained by subtracting the target discharge amount from the original weight.

[0043] Regarding the means for measuring the weight of the drug container, it should be noted that the measurement of the drug container's weight can be direct or indirect. That is, the weight of the drug container alone may be measured directly, or the weight may include the weight of any component of the main unit device. In this embodiment of the drug feeder, the original weight of the drug container before drug discharge and the current weight of the drug container are utilized, and the drug transfer member is stopped when the current weight matches the value obtained by subtracting the target discharge amount from the original weight. Alternatively, the weight of the drug being discharged is taken into consideration, and the drug transfer member is stopped when the current weight is slightly more than the value obtained by subtracting the target discharge amount from the original weight, and approximately matches. Therefore, after the target amount of drug has been discharged, the drug transfer member is stopped, and the discharge of the drug stops.

[0044] A more preferred embodiment is a drug feeder in which the drug transfer member repeatedly switches between operating and stopped states, and is capable of dispensing drug one dose at a time.

[0045] Since the drug feeder in this embodiment dispenses the drug one dose at a time, a powder dispensing device can be omitted. In other words, in conventional technology, the drug is supplied from a drug feeder to a powder dispensing device, where the powder is divided into individual doses. The divided powder is then supplied to a drug packaging device and individually packaged. In contrast, the drug feeder of this embodiment can dispense the drug in single doses, allowing the drug to be supplied directly to the drug packaging device without passing through a powder dispensing device, and packaged individually.

[0046] A more preferred embodiment is a drug dispensing device comprising a container storage section for storing multiple drug containers, a drug feeder, a container moving means for taking a predetermined drug container from the container storage section and placing it on the main body side device of the drug feeder, an input means for inputting the type and amount of drug to be dispensed, and a storage means for storing the type and remaining amount of drug stored in the container storage section, a drug container containing the drug entered in the input means is selected and placed on the main body side device by the container moving means, a dispensing operation is performed by rotating the spiral structure to discharge the prescribed amount of drug entered in the input means, and if the remaining amount of the drug to be prescribed stored in the container storage section is insufficient for the prescribed amount, a predetermined notification is given prior to the dispensing operation.

[0047] The drug dispensing device in this embodiment includes a container moving means for taking a predetermined drug container from the container storage section and placing it on the main body device of the drug feeder. Therefore, the process from selecting the drug container to placing it on the drug feeder is also automated. Furthermore, the drug dispensing device in this embodiment is equipped with a function for managing the drug inventory. In addition, if the remaining amount of the prescribed drug stored in the container storage section is insufficient compared to the prescribed amount, a predetermined notification is given prior to the dispensing operation, informing the user of this fact.

[0048] A more preferred embodiment is a drug dispensing device having a drug dispensing device for dispensing powdered drugs, a vibrating table, and the drug feeder, wherein the vibrating table is provided between the drug feeder and the drug dispensing device, and the drug is supplied from the drug feeder to the vibrating table, and then from the vibrating table to the drug dispensing device.

[0049] The drug dispensing device of this embodiment includes, for example, a powder dispensing device as described in the prior art. Therefore, the efficiency-enhancing effect of the powder dispensing device and the function of the drug feeder of the present invention combine to achieve a high level of automation and enable highly efficient packaging of powdered drugs. Furthermore, in this embodiment of the drug dispensing device, a vibrating platform is provided between the drug feeder and the powder dispensing device. The drug is first supplied from the drug feeder to the vibrating platform, and then supplied from the vibrating platform to the powder dispensing device. As a result, the variation in the amount of drug supplied per unit time is reduced, and the drug can be supplied uniformly to the powder dispensing device.

[0050] A more preferred embodiment is a drug dispensing device having a drug packaging device for packaging drugs and the drug feeder, wherein the drug feeder repeatedly operates and stops to dispense drugs one dose at a time, and the drug packaging device is capable of packaging the drugs one dose at a time.

[0051] According to this embodiment, the powder dispensing device, which was previously essential, can be omitted.

[0052] The drug transfer member may have a rotating member that moves the drug in the drug storage section toward the drug discharge section by rotational force.

[0053] The drug transfer member may have a vibrating member that vibrates the drug in the drug storage section to move it towards the drug discharge section.

[0054] The drug transfer member may have a member that moves in the front-rear direction and apply force to the drug in the drug storage section to move it toward the drug discharge section.

[0055] The drug transfer member may have a member that performs a wave-like motion, and move the drug in the drug storage section to the drug discharge section by riding on the waves.

[0056] The drug transfer member may have a blowing member that moves the drug in the drug storage section towards the drug discharge section by blowing air. [Effects of the Invention]

[0057] The drug feeder of the present invention is practical because it requires fewer auxiliary devices when used in high-performance drug dispensing equipment. Furthermore, when used in high-performance drug dispensing equipment, the overall shape of the device can be kept to a practical size. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0058] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a drug feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention, observed from the drug discharge side (front side). [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the inside of a drug feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention, observed from the drug discharge side (front side). [Figure 3] Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the drug feeder in direction AA and an enlarged view of the area within the circle. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the drug feeder in the BB direction. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the drug feeder observed from the drug discharge side (front side), showing the drug container detached from the main unit device. [Figure 6] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the drug feeder observed from the drive unit (rear side), showing the drug container detached from the main unit. [Figure 7] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the drug container of the drug feeder. [Figure 8] (a) is a perspective view of the screw inserted into the drug container, (b) shows the first thread of the screw as a solid line and the other two threads as dashed lines, (c) shows the second thread of the screw as a solid line and the other two threads as dashed lines, and (d) shows the third thread of the screw as a solid line and the other two threads as dashed lines. [Figure 9] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the main unit of the drug feeder. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram of a drug dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] Figure 10 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the drug dispensing device of the drug dispensing apparatus. [Figure 12]This is a perspective view of a drug feeder according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] Figure 12 is a perspective view of the inside of a drug feeder, observed through a translucent lens. [Figure 14] This is a cross-sectional view of the drug feeder and its vicinity in a drug dispensing device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] This is a cross-sectional view of the drug feeder and its vicinity in a drug dispensing device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] This is a cross-sectional view of the drug feeder and its vicinity in a drug dispensing device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] This is an exploded perspective view of a drug feeder according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] This is a plan view of the powder dispensing machine disclosed in Figure 2 of Patent Document 2. [Figure 19] This is a cross-sectional view of the drug feeder disclosed in Figure 1 of Patent Document 2. [Figure 20] This is a reference perspective view of the drug feeder in Figure 19, redrawn in 3D based on the description in Patent Document 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0059] The embodiments of the present invention will be described further below. The drug feeder 1 in this embodiment constitutes, for example, a part of a powder dispensing device or a drug dispensing device 100 equipped with a powder dispensing function, as shown in Figure 11. The drug feeder 1 of this embodiment is composed of a drug container 2 and a main body device 3, as shown in Figures 1 and 6. The drug container 2 and the main body device 3 are completely independent parts, as shown in Figure 6, and there are no members that mechanically fasten them together.

[0060] The drug container 2 is further composed of a container assembly 5 and a lower cover 6, as shown in Figures 5 and 8. These will be explained in detail below. Although the drug container 2 has an elongated shape, it is used lying on its side, as shown in Figures 1 to 4. Therefore, regarding the explanation of drug container 2, the explanation of the vertical direction will be based on the position of drug container 2 lying on its side, as shown in Figures 1 to 4.

[0061] As shown in Figure 7, the container assembly 5 is composed of a container body 8, a lid member 10, an outlet forming member 11, a spiral member 12, and a passive member 13. The container body 8 is a horizontally elongated case made of resin, and is a cylindrical body having two open surfaces 15a and 15b on one end. In other words, the container body 8 is a cylindrical container in which powdered medicine can be placed inside, with all sides except the open surfaces 15a and 15b being closed. Of the two open surfaces 15a and 15b, the larger open surface 15a is the drug inlet. The smaller open surface 15b is the drug discharge port. The larger open surface 15a is referred to as the drug input port 15a, and the smaller open surface 15b is referred to as the drug discharge port 15b. The drug discharge port 15b is cylindrical.

[0062] The cross-sectional shape of the middle section of the container body 8 is roughly pentagonal, as shown in Figure 4, and is sloped so that the bottom side narrows when used. The center of the container body 8, which corresponds to the very bottom, is semi-cylindrical in shape. That is, the bottom of the container body 8 has a semi-cylindrical portion 16 that extends in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the inside of the container body 8 is divided into a large-volume main storage section 7 and a lower semi-cylindrical section 16. There is no partition between the main storage section 7 and the semi-cylindrical section 16, and the two are in communication, forming a single drug storage section 52. The semi-cylindrical portion 16 is in communication with the cylindrical drug discharge port 15b described above.

[0063] Turning our attention to the external appearance of the container body 8, as shown in Figure 3, the back surface 14 is an inclined surface 18, with a large section at the bottom being obliquely cut away. However, the part of the back surface 14 that connects to the aforementioned semi-cylindrical section 16 is a vertical wall 17, as shown in Figure 3. The inclined surface 18 and the vertical wall 17 are connected by a horizontal wall 19. Therefore, on the outside of the container body 8, near the back surface 14, there is a missing section 21 surrounded by the inclined surface 18, the horizontal wall 19, and the vertical wall 17. The missing portion 21 is the part that constitutes the passive member housing space 22, which will be described later, and the vertical wall 17 is provided with an axial insertion hole 23 as shown in Figure 4.

[0064] A magnetic plate 25 is provided at the bottom of the container body 8, as shown in Figures 3 and 7. The magnetic plate 25 is a plate mainly composed of magnetic materials such as iron and nickel, and in this embodiment, it is a steel plate containing ferrite.

[0065] The lid member 10 closes the drug inlet 15a of the container body 8. The lid member 10 has an engaging portion (not shown) and is detachable from the drug inlet 15a of the container body 8.

[0066] The discharge port forming member (opening / closing part) 11 is a member that closes the drug discharge port 15b of the container body 8. The discharge port forming member 11 has multiple slit-shaped drug discharge ports 24 arranged vertically for discharging powdered drug. The discharge port forming member 11 has an engaging part (not shown) and is detachable from the container body 8. The discharge port forming member 11 functions as an opening / closing part and can open the drug discharge port 15b when cleaning.

[0067] The helical member 12 is a screw, with blades 27a, 27b, and 27c arranged around the rotating shaft 26. In other words, the helical member 12 is a screw having three blades 27a, 27b, and 27c. As shown in Figure 8, the three blades 27a, 27b, and 27c are arranged such that a blade belonging to one system (e.g., blade 27a) is sandwiched between blades 27 belonging to the other two systems (e.g., blades 27b and 27c). Furthermore, each of the blades 27a, 27b, and 27c in each system is provided with missing sections 28 at regular intervals. The length of the portion where the blade 27 is provided is the same as the length of the bottom surface of the container body 8. Comparing the distance between the leading and trailing blades 27 with respect to the direction in which the powder is dispensed, the distance between the trailing blades 27 is wider than that between the leading blades 27. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the blade 27 is the same at all points.

[0068] The tip of the rotating shaft 26 protrudes from the tip of the helical member 12. An engaging portion 30 is provided at the rear end of the helical member 12. As will be described later, the engaging portion 30 engages with the support shaft 31a of the passive member 13 and has a recessed hole (not shown) that matches the cross-sectional shape of the support shaft 31a.

[0069] The spiral member 12 is inserted into the semi-cylindrical portion 16 of the container body 8. The engaging portion 30 protrudes from the container body 8 through a shaft insertion hole 23 provided in the vertical wall 17 on the rear side of the container body 8. At the tip of the spiral member 12, the tip of the rotating shaft 26 is supported by a recess (not shown) provided on the inner surface of the outlet forming member 11. Therefore, the front end of the spiral member 12 is supported by the inner surface of the outlet forming member 11, and the rear end of the spiral member 12 is supported by the through hole 23 provided in the back wall 14, and it is rotatable within the semi-cylindrical portion 16.

[0070] The passive member 13 is a cylindrical magnet, with support shafts 31a and 31b protruding from both ends of the main body 40. The passive member 13, when combined with the drive-side member 63 (described later), constitutes a single power transmission member, and can receive power transmission from the drive-side member 63 without contact. The passive member 13 is rotatably attached by the support member 32 to the missing portion 21 on the outside of the container body 8, which is surrounded by the inclined surface 18, the horizontal wall 19, and the vertical wall 17. Specifically, the support member 32 is made by bending a metal plate into a "U" shape and has a front wall 35, a top wall 36, and a rear wall 37. Through holes 38a and 38b are provided in the front wall 35 and the rear wall 37.

[0071] The passive member 13 has its main body 40 inserted into the space enclosed by the front wall 35 and rear wall 37 of the support member 32, and the support shafts 31a and 31b of the passive member 13 are inserted through the through holes 38a and 38b. In this state, the top wall 36 of the support member 32 is fixed to the container body 8 by a member (not shown), and the passive member 13 is rotatably attached to the missing portion 21. The support shaft 31a of the passive member 13 engages with the engaging portion 30 of the spiral member 12, which protrudes from the back wall 14 of the semi-cylindrical portion 16 of the container body 8. Therefore, the passive member 13 rotates integrally with the helical member 12, and when the passive member 13 rotates outside the container body 8, the helical member 12 located inside the container body 8 rotates.

[0072] As shown in Figure 7, the lower cover 6 is a component that covers the entire lower surface 45, part of the side surface 46, and the missing portion 21 of the container body 8. As shown in Figure 7, the lower cover 6 is a component that has a bottom wall 47, inclined side walls 48a,b, and a back wall 50. Here, the parts of the inclined side walls 48a and 48b excluding their rear ends and the bottom wall 47 have a shape that generally matches the outer wall of the container body 8. In contrast, the rear wall 50 of the lower cover 6 is in a nearly vertical position and does not match the external shape of the container body 8. Also, the rear ends of the inclined side walls 48a and 48b have a height that extends to the entire height of the container body 8 and have a surface that surrounds the missing portion 21 of the container body 8. An opening 51 is also provided in the bottom wall 47 of the lower cover 6.

[0073] The lower cover 6 is attached to the lower surface 45 of the container body 8 by screws (not shown). When the lower cover 6 is attached to the container body 8, a passive member housing space 22 is formed between the back wall 50 of the lower cover 6 and the outer wall of the container body 8. That is, the lower cover 6 has a surface that completely surrounds the missing portion 21 of the container body 8, and the missing portion 21 of the container body 8 becomes a passive member housing space 22 that is shielded from the outside. As described above, the passive member 13 is located in the missing portion 21 of the container body 8, so the area around the passive member 13 is surrounded by the lower cover 6, and the passive member 13 is shielded. Furthermore, when the lower cover 6 is attached to the container body 8, as shown in Figures 3 and 7, the magnetic plate 25 provided on the lower surface 45 of the container body 8 is exposed through the opening 51 of the lower cover 6.

[0074] As described above, the lid member 10 closes the portion of the container body 8 that corresponds to the main storage area 7, and is detachable from the container body 8. In this embodiment, the lid member 10 of the container body 8 is removed to open the drug inlet 15a of the main storage section 7, and the powdered drug is stored inside the container body 8. The inside of the container body 8 is connected to the main storage section 7 and the semi-cylindrical section 16, and the two together constitute a single drug storage section 52.

[0075] Next, I will explain the main unit device 3. As shown in Figure 9, the main unit device 3 is composed of a mounting platform 60, a weight measuring means 61, and a base member 64 from top to bottom. The following will explain the process step by step. The mounting platform 60 is a platform on which the drug container 2 is placed, and its surface is shaped to match the shape of the lower cover 6 of the drug container 2. Specifically, the surface of the mounting platform 60 has a mounting top surface 70 that abuts against the bottom of the lower cover 6, and mounting inclined sides 71a and 71b that match the inclined side walls 48a and 71b of the lower cover 6. It also has an upright surface 72 that abuts against the back wall 50 of the lower cover 6.

[0076] An electromagnet 62 and a drive-side member 63 are provided inside the mounting base 60. A motor 65 is also attached to the mounting base 60. The motor 65 functions as a drive source. Specifically, the mounting surface 70 of the mounting base 60 is provided with magnet mounting holes 66, and an electromagnet 62 is built into these magnet mounting holes 66.

[0077] Furthermore, a drive member housing section 75 is provided in a position adjacent to the magnet mounting hole 66, and the drive-side member 63 is housed within this drive member housing section 75. The drive member housing section 75 is a cavity located beneath the mounting top surface 70, and since the drive-side member 63 is housed within the drive member housing section 75, it is not exposed to the mounting top surface 70. The reason for not exposing the drive-side member 63 is to prevent powders present in the atmosphere from adhering to or becoming trapped in the drive-side member 63. This is a recommended configuration, however, if effective measures can be taken to prevent powder adhesion, the drive-side member 63 may be exposed from the mounting top surface 70. The drive-side member 63 is a cylindrical magnet. The motor 65 is a standard small DC motor, and as shown in Figure 4, its output shaft 76 is directly connected to the drive-side member 63. It is mounted under the mounting base 60, and a portion of the motor 65 is exposed from the mounting base 60 as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3. When the motor 65 is rotated, the drive-side member 63 rotates within the drive member housing 75.

[0078] The weight measuring means 61 is a known load cell, having an upper mounting surface 78 and a lower mounting surface 80, which are located in offset positions.

[0079] The base member 64 is a base having a U-shaped portion 81 and flange portions 82a and 82b. The base member 64 is merely a jig for attaching the main body side device 3 of the drug feeder 1 to other members, and the shape of the embodiment does not have any particular significance.

[0080] In this embodiment, the main unit device 3 has a weight measuring means 61 positioned below the mounting base 60, and a base member 64 positioned further below that. The weight measuring means 61 has an upper mounting surface 78 connected to the lower surface of the mounting base 60, and the lower mounting surface 80 of the weight measuring means 61 is attached to the base member 64. As described above, since the upper mounting surface 78 and the lower mounting surface 80 are in offset positions, the middle portion of the weight measuring means 61 is cantilevered to the base member 64, and the mounting platform 60 is supported at its free end. In this embodiment, there are no members other than the weight measuring means 61 described above that connect the mounting platform 60 and the base member 64. Therefore, the mounting platform 60 has a structure in which it is supported in mid-air from the base member 64 by the weight measuring means 61.

[0081] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the drug container 2 is placed on the mounting platform 60, the weight of the drug container 2 is measured indirectly. That is, the weight of the mounting platform 60 and the drug container 2 are detected by the weight measuring means 61, and the weight of the drug container 2 is measured by subtracting the known weight of the mounting platform 60.

[0082] As described above, the drug feeder 1 of this embodiment is composed of a drug container 2 and a main unit device 3. Normally, these are separate components, and when dispensing powdered medicine, they are combined to form the drug feeder 1. In other words, the main body device 3 of the drug feeder 1 is fixed near the distribution tray 112 of the drug dispensing device 100, as shown in Figures 11 and 12. In contrast, the drug container 2 is stored on a drug container storage shelf 101 as shown in Figure 10. That is, the drug container 2 is filled with the prescribed powder and is placed on the drug container storage shelf 101 in a horizontal position, for example, as shown in Figure 10.

[0083] Next, we will describe the peripheral equipment for drug feeder 1. The drug feeder 1 in this embodiment constitutes part of a drug dispensing device 100 that has a powder dispensing function. The overall structure of the drug dispensing device 100 is as shown in Figure 10, for example. Functionally, the drug dispensing device 100 is divided vertically into a drug shelf area 103, a drug division area 105, and a drug packaging area 106. The uppermost drug shelf area 103 has drug container storage shelves 101 arranged around it, and a drug container transfer device 102 is installed inside.

[0084] The drug container transfer device 102 is a robot and has a vertical lifting axis 107, a horizontal moving arm 108, and a hand part 110 for holding the drug container 2.

[0085] A powder dispensing device 111 is provided in the drug division area 105. In this embodiment, the powder dispensing device 111 has two dispensing trays 112. Multiple drug feeders 1 of this embodiment are installed in the powder dispensing device 111. In this embodiment, three drug feeders 1 are installed in each dispensing tray 112. Furthermore, a drug packaging device 120 is built into the drug packaging area 106. The drug dispensing device 100 also includes a prescription reading means 121 for reading prescriptions and a control device 122 for controlling the operation of each device. The control device 122 stores data that manages the type and quantity of drugs stored in the drug dispensing device 100. In other words, the drug dispensing device 100 has data for all drug containers 2 that indicates what kind of drug is contained in which drug container 2 and in what quantity. This data is constantly updated, so that the type and quantity of drugs currently contained in each container is always managed. The drug dispensing device 100 is also equipped with a display device 123. The display device 123 will show a predetermined message if there is a shortage of necessary medication or if there is a malfunction in the device.

[0086] Next, the function of the drug feeder 1 in this embodiment will be described. Since the drug feeder 1 is part of the drug dispensing device 100, the operation of the drug feeder 1 will be described including the operation of the entire powder dispensing device. In this embodiment, all operations begin when the contents of the prescription are read by the prescription reading means 121 of the drug dispensing device 100. In other words, as soon as the contents of the prescription are entered, the process of dispensing the drug container 2 begins. More specifically, the drug container transfer device 102 is driven to select a drug container 2 containing the drug that matches the prescription from among the many drug containers 2 arranged in the drug shelf area 103, and place it in the main unit device 3 of the drug feeder 1. In this embodiment, as described above, the drug container 2 and the main unit device 3 are separate, and when dispensing powdered medicine, the two are combined to form the drug feeder 1. In other words, in this embodiment, the drug container 2 is stored in a horizontal position, and the powdered medicine is stored in the drug container storage shelf 101. In this embodiment, the drug container transfer device 102 grasps the drug container 2, moves the drug container 2, and places it on the mounting platform 60 of the main unit device 3 as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0087] Then, the electromagnet 62 built into the mounting base 60 is energized. As a result, a magnetic force is generated in the electromagnet 62, and the magnetic plate 25 of the drug container 2 is attracted to the suction surface on the mounting base 60 side. In this embodiment, an opening 51 is provided in the lower cover 6 of the drug container 2, and the magnetic plate 25 is exposed through this opening 51. Therefore, the electromagnet 62 can directly contact and magnetize the magnetic plate 25, and the drug container 2 can be strongly fixed to the mounting base 60. In this state, the passive member 13 of the drug container 2 is located directly above the drive member housing section 75 of the mounting base 60. However, the bottom wall 47 of the lower cover 6 acts as a partition between the drive member 63 and the passive member 13, so the drive member 63 and the passive member 13 do not come into direct contact.

[0088] Then, the motor 65 attached to the mounting base 60 is rotated. Here, the output shaft 76 of the motor 65 is directly connected to the drive-side member 63, so when the motor 65 is started, the drive-side member 63 in the drive-side member housing 75 rotates. Here, the driving member 63 is a cylindrical magnet, and the passive member 13 of the drug container 2 is located near the driving member 63. The passive member 13 is also a cylindrical magnet. Therefore, the passive member 13 is attracted to the driving member 63 by its magnetic force and rotates together with the driving member 63. In other words, the passive member 13 is located within the passive member housing space 22 surrounded by the lower cover 6 and is not in contact with the drive-side member 63. Furthermore, the bottom wall 47 of the lower cover 6 is between the passive member 13 and the drive-side member 63. Thus, although the passive member 13 is not in contact with the drive-side member 63 and the bottom wall 47 is between them, the magnetic field lines of the drive-side member 63 penetrate the bottom wall 47 and act as a magnetic force on the passive member 13, causing it to rotate.

[0089] As a result, the helical member 12 connected to the passive member 13 rotates within the semi-cylindrical portion 16 inside the container body 8. Here, the helical member 12 is a screw, with blades 27a, 27b, and 27c arranged around the rotating shaft 26. Furthermore, there is no partition between the main storage section 7 and the semi-cylindrical section 16; the two are in communication and constitute a single drug storage section 52.

[0090] Therefore, the powdered medicine in the medicine storage section 52 enters the semi-cylindrical section 16. Here, the semi-cylindrical section 16 is located at the bottom of the medicine storage section 52, and the cross-sectional shape of the container body 8 is roughly pentagonal, as shown in Figure 5, and is inclined so that it narrows towards the bottom. Furthermore, the back surface 14 of the container body 8 is an inclined surface 18. As a result, the inside of the container body 8 is generally shaped to converge towards the semi-cylindrical section 16, creating a structure that makes it easy for the powdered medicine in the medicine storage section 52 to gather and collect in the semi-cylindrical section 16. Therefore, the powder in the drug containment section 52 collects in the semi-cylindrical section 16 and is pushed by the blades 27a, 27b, and 27c by the rotation of the spiral member 12, moving toward the drug discharge section 24. The powder is then finally discharged to the outside from the drug discharge section 24 of the discharge port forming member 11.

[0091] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the blade 27 of the spiral member 12 extends along the entire length of the bottom of the drug storage section 52, and the area in which the blade 27 is provided is longer than that disclosed in Patent Document 2. Therefore, the distance the pesticide is pushed and moved is long. Consequently, even as it moves being pushed by the blades 27, new pesticide particles enter the gaps between the blades 27, and as it moves towards the discharge port forming member 11, the pesticide particles become densely packed between the blades 27. Furthermore, since the spacing between the blades 27 at the front end is narrower than at the rear end, the pesticide particles become densely packed between the blades 27 as it moves towards the discharge port forming member 11. Therefore, in this embodiment, the amount discharged from the discharge port forming member 11 is stable.

[0092] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since there are three blades 27, a certain amount of powder is discharged from the discharge port forming member 11 per unit time. In other words, the powdered drug is discharged when it reaches the end of the blade 27, but the amount discharged from the end of the blade 27 differs depending on the rotational position of the end of the blade 27. In this embodiment, multiple blades 27 are provided, and the end of each blade is at the tip of the spiral member 12. Therefore, the fluctuations in discharge amount due to differences in the rotational position of the ends are canceled out, and the amount of drug discharged from the discharge port forming member 11 is stabilized.

[0093] Furthermore, in this embodiment, each of the blades 27a, 27b, and 27c in each system is provided with missing sections 28 at regular intervals. Therefore, even if clumps form in the powder while the spiral member 12 is rotating, these clumps are broken up by the missing sections 28. As a result, the powder is discharged from the discharge port forming member 11 in a free-flowing state.

[0094] Also, the dispensing tray 112 of the powder dispensing device 111 is rotated around the time the motor 65 is started. The weight of the drug container 2 is measured around the time the motor 65 is started. The weight of the drug container 2 is the weight detected by the weight measuring means 61 minus a certain value. More specifically, the weight of the drug container 2 is the weight detected by the weight measuring means 61 minus the weight of the components of the main unit device 3 above the weight measuring means 61. In other words, the weight measuring means 61 measures the weight of all members that are above the weight measuring means 61. Therefore, when the drug container 2 is placed on the mounting platform 60, the weight of the drug container 2 is added to the weight of the mounting platform 60, etc., and this value is detected by the weight measuring means 61. Since the weight of the mounting platform 60 and other components is known, the weight of the drug container 2 can be indirectly determined by subtracting the weight of the mounting platform 60 and other components from the weight detected by the weight measuring means 61. The weight of the drug container 2 immediately after being placed on the mounting platform 60 is stored as the original weight G. The weight of the drug container 2 is also constantly monitored; that is, the current weight of the drug container 2 is monitored as the current weight g.

[0095] When the motor 65 starts rotating, the spiral member 12 rotates inside the container body 8, and the powder in the drug storage section 52 is pushed by the spiral member 12 and slowly moves towards the discharge port forming member 11, where it is discharged little by little. When the amount of powder that falls H reaches the desired weight, the motor 65 stops rotating.

[0096] After that, similar to conventional powder dispensing devices, the rotation of the dispensing tray 112 is stopped, and the dispensing tray 112 is rotated by an angle corresponding to the number of units to be dispensed. The dispensing device then scrapes the powder out of the dispensing tray 112 and sends it to the downstream drug packaging device for individual packaging.

[0097] Furthermore, the drug dispensing device 100 of this embodiment has a function that, once the contents of a prescription are entered, checks the inventory of drugs stored in the drug dispensing device 100 to confirm whether there is enough inventory to dispense the medication. If there is not enough inventory to dispense the medication, the display device 123 displays a message to that effect.

[0098] Once the series of discharge and packaging processes are complete, the electromagnet is de-energized, and the drug container transfer device 102 is activated to return the drug container 2 to its original position.

[0099] In this embodiment, the drug feeder 1 rotates the spiral member 12 when discharging the drug, but most of the spiral member 12 is located inside the container body 8. That is, the blades 27a, 27b, and 27c of the spiral member 12 are all located inside the drug storage section 52, in a substantially sealed space. Therefore, the drug does not escape from the parts of the blades 27a, 27b, and 27c. Furthermore, the rear end of the spiral member 12 protrudes from the container body 8. However, the rear end of the spiral member 12 is located in the passive member housing space 22. Here, the passive member housing space 22 is a space covered by the lower cover 6 and is a substantially sealed space. Therefore, even if the powder leaks out from the through hole 23 that supports the rotation axis of the spiral member 12, it will not escape outside the passive member housing space 22. In other words, in this embodiment, the container body 8 and the lower cover 6 provide a double layer of protection against powder leakage, and the powder will not scatter to the outside.

[0100] Similarly, since the passive member 13, which is a rotating member, is located within the passive member housing space 22, dust and debris generated by the passive member 13 do not scatter to the outside. Furthermore, since the passive member 13 does not directly come into contact with the drive-side member 63, the amount of dust and debris generated by the passive member 13 is inherently small. Therefore, there is no contamination of the chemical with foreign matter.

[0101] When cleaning the drug feeder 1 of the above embodiment, the outlet forming member 11 attached to the drug outlet 15b is removed. That is, the outlet forming member 11 is attached to the container body 8 by an engaging part (not shown) and is detachable from the container body 8. When the outlet forming member 11 is removed, the support on the tip side of the spiral member 12 is released, and the tip side of the spiral member 12 is exposed.

[0102] Furthermore, the rear end of the spiral member 12 is supported by a through hole 23 provided in the back wall 14 of the container body 8. The rear end of the spiral member 12 has an engaging portion 30, which is exposed from the container body 8 and engages with the support shaft 31a of the passive member 13. Therefore, in the drug feeder 1 of this embodiment, when the outlet forming member 11 is removed to expose the tip of the spiral member 12, and the tip of the spiral member 12 is grasped with needle-nose pliers or the like and pulled, the engaging portion 30 at the rear end detaches from the support shaft 31a of the passive member 13, and the spiral member 12 comes out of the semi-cylindrical portion 16 of the container body 8. Therefore, in the drug feeder 1 of this embodiment, the spiral member 12 can be removed and cleaned. In this embodiment, the lower cover 6 can also be removed using screws (not shown), allowing for cleaning of the passive member housing space 22.

[0103] In the embodiments described above, both the passive member 13 and the driving member 63 were magnets, but one of them may be a coil. For example, even if the passive member 13 is a coil, the power of the driving member 63 can be transmitted by magnetic force.

[0104] In the embodiment described above, the spiral member 12 has a blade 27, and the region where the blade 27 is provided extends over the entire length of the bottom of the drug storage section 52. That is, in the embodiment described above, the spiral member 12, which is the drug transport member, is located on the bottom side of the drug container, and the length of the region where the blade 27 (spiral structure) is provided is 100 percent of the length of the bottom surface of the drug storage section 52. The length of the blade 27 is preferably 80 percent or more of the total length of the bottom of the drug storage section 52. The blade 27 may also be longer than the drug storage section 52. The blade 27 is preferably 80 percent to 120 percent of the length of the bottom surface of the drug storage section 52.

[0105] Next, other embodiments of the present invention will be described. The drug feeder 130 of the second embodiment is also composed of a container body 131 and a body-side member 128. In the previously described embodiment, the drug feeder 1 had the spiral member 12 located at the bottom of the container body 8, whereas in the drug feeder 130 of this embodiment, the spiral member 132 is located at the center of the container body 131. Furthermore, while the drug feeder 1 of the above-described embodiment discharged the drug with the container body 8 in a horizontal position, the drug feeder 130 of this embodiment discharges the drug while being held in an inclined position with the drug discharge section facing downwards.

[0106] The drug feeder 130 of this embodiment will be described below. As described above, the drug container 133 of the drug feeder 130 has a spiral member 132 at the center of the container body 131. The container body 131 used in this embodiment has a shape like a normal bottle and is composed of a cylindrical body part 135 and a neck part 136 provided at the tip of the body part 135. The body part 135 and the neck part 136 are arranged concentrically. Also, the neck part 136 has a clearly smaller diameter than the body part 135. In the drug feeder 130, the inside of the container body 131 is hollow. The inside of the main body section 135 is the main storage section 160.

[0107] The mouthpiece member 140 is then attached to the neck portion 136. As shown in the figure, the nozzle member 140 is composed of a mounting portion 141, a rotating ring 142, and a tip support portion 145. The mounting portion 141 is the part that connects to the tip of the drug container 133. In addition, as a configuration unique to this embodiment, the mounting portion 141 is provided with an L-shaped mounting bracket 146. The mounting bracket 146 is made of a magnetic material and consists of a horizontal bar 147 and an inclined bar 148 integrated into one unit.

[0108] The rotating ring 142 is a ring that allows relative rotation with respect to other components. Gears 143a and 143b are engraved on the outside of the rotating ring 142. The tip support section 145 is a part that is made with a narrow outer diameter. A through hole 150 is provided inside the nozzle member 140, and the tip of the through hole 150 opens to the tip of the nozzle member 140, forming a drug discharge section 150a.

[0109] As shown in Figure 14, a spiral member 132 is provided inside the nozzle member 140. The spiral member 132 is formed by elongated members 137 constituting a spiral. The elongated members 137 are ribbon-shaped, thin, and elongated. The outer diameter of the helical member 132 gradually decreases towards the tip. A rotation axis 138 is present at the tip of the helical member 132, but the helix is ​​formed solely by the elongated member 137 from the middle to the rear end.

[0110] The spiral member 132 is held by the nozzle member 140. More specifically, the aforementioned rotating ring 142 is located in the middle of the nozzle member 140, and the spiral member 132 is attached to the rotating ring 142. Furthermore, a drug discharge section 150a opens at the tip of the nozzle member 140, and the tip of the spiral member 132 reaches the drug discharge section 150a. Furthermore, the rear end of the spiral member 132 is located inside the container body 131. In other words, in this embodiment, the spiral member 132 is positioned to straddle the area from the main storage section 160 to the vicinity of the drug discharge section 150a, and the diameter of the spiral member 132 on the drug discharge side is smaller than the diameter of the spiral structure on the main storage section 160 side.

[0111] Next, the main unit device 128 will be described. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the main unit device 128 is composed of a mounting base 152, a weight measuring means 151, and a base member 164 from top to bottom. A base case 165 is integrated with the mounting base 152, and a motor 170 and a gear set 171 are mounted on the mounting base 152.

[0112] The mounting base 152 is a platform on which the drug container 133 is placed, similar to the previous embodiment, and its surface is shaped to match the shape of the horizontal bar 147 of the mounting bracket 146 for the drug container 133. The mounting base 152 is equipped with an electromagnet 166, similar to the previous embodiment, and its magnetic attachment surface (not shown) is exposed on the surface of the mounting base 152.

[0113] The base case 165 holds the mounting base 152. Inside the base case 165 are the motor 170 and the gear set 171. The motor 170 is mounted in a slightly inclined vertical position, and a bevel gear A is provided at its tip. The gear set 171 transmits the rotational power of the bevel gear A to the gears 143a and 143b of the rotating ring 142, and consists of two bevel gears Ba and Bb, and spur gears Ca and Cb that rotate integrally with each of the bevel gears Ba and Bb. When motor 170 rotates, the rotational force causes the spur gears Ca and Cb to rotate.

[0114] The weight measuring means 151 is the same as in the previous embodiment, is a known load cell, and has an upper mounting surface 78 and a lower mounting surface 80, which are located in offset positions. In this embodiment, the mounting base 152, motor 170, and gear set 171 are all fixed to the base case 165, which is fixed to the upper mounting surface 78 of the weight measuring means 151. Therefore, the total weight of the mounting base 152, motor 170, gear set 171, and base case 165 is applied to the weight measuring means 151.

[0115] In this embodiment as well, the drug container 133 and the main unit device 128 are separate, and when dispensing powdered medicine, the two are combined to form the drug feeder 130. In the drug feeder 130 of this embodiment, the drug container 133 is fixed to the main body device 128 by the force of the electromagnet 166. In this state, the spur gears Ca and Cb of the gear set 171 engage with the gears 143a and b of the rotating ring 142. When the motor 170 rotates, the helical member 132 rotates inside the container body 131, scraping out the powdered drug inside.

[0116] In the embodiments described above, the drug transfer members all had a spiral structure and included thin members such as blades or ribbons. Alternatively, a round bar with a groove formed to create a spiral may be used as the drug transfer member. That is, in the embodiments described above, the spiral groove formed by the blade or ribbon was wider than the width of the blade or ribbon, but conversely, the groove width may be narrower.

[0117] Furthermore, the drug transfer member is not limited to having a spiral structure, but may have other structures. For example, the drug transfer member may have a rotating member with a rotation axis that intersects the direction of drug movement, similar to a waterwheel, and this rotational force may move the drug in the drug storage section towards the drug discharge section.

[0118] The drug transfer member may also have a vibrating member that vibrates the drug in the drug storage section to move it towards the drug discharge section.

[0119] The drug transfer member may have a member that moves in the front-rear direction and apply force to the drug in the drug storage section to move it toward the drug discharge section.

[0120] The drug transfer member may have a member that performs a wave-like motion, and move the drug in the drug storage section to the drug discharge section by riding on the waves.

[0121] The drug transfer member may have a blowing member that moves the drug in the drug storage section towards the drug discharge section by blowing air.

[0122] As shown in Figure 14, by installing a vibrating feeder 180 downstream of the drug feeder 1, the amount of drug ultimately fed into the distribution tray 112 (amount fed per unit time) becomes stable. In other words, the amount of drug discharged per unit time becomes uniform.

[0123] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 15, the drug dispensing device 182 can be used to directly dispense the drug into the drug packaging area 106 without passing through the dispensing tray 112, and then individually package each dose using the drug packaging device 120 located in the drug packaging area 106. In other words, the drug dispensing device 182 shown in Figure 15 does not have a distribution tray, and the input hopper 183 of the drug packaging device 120 is located directly below the drug feeder 1. The drug packaging device 120 has the same structure as known devices and is a device that puts one dose of drug into the input hopper 183 and packages each dose individually.

[0124] In the drug dispensing device 182 shown in Figure 15, the drug feeder 1 is operated intermittently to dispense one dose of drug at a time. This is then directly fed into the input hopper 183 of the drug packaging device 120 and individually packaged. In other words, in the drug dispensing device 182, the drug feeder 1 is programmed to repeatedly start and stop, dispensing one dose of drug at a time from the drug feeder 1. The drug packaging device 120 then operates in conjunction with the dispensing of the drug, dispensing one dose of drug at a time. The drug feeder 1 is started and stopped a predetermined number of times according to the prescription, dispensing the drug in the prescribed number of doses, and then packaged by the drug packaging device 120.

[0125] Furthermore, the drug dispensing device 185 shown in Figure 16 is a further development of this, with a vibrating feeder 180 positioned downstream of the drug feeder 1. The drug dispensing device 185 shown in Figure 16 also does not have a distribution tray, and the input hopper 183 of the drug packaging device 120 is located directly below the vibrating feeder 180. In the drug dispensing device 185 shown in Figure 16, a weight measuring means 186 is also provided for the vibrating feeder 180.

[0126] In the drug dispensing device 185 shown in Figure 16, the final discharge amount is calculated from both the weight detected by the weight measuring means 61 provided on the drug feeder 1 and the weight measuring means 186 provided on the vibrating feeder 180. Specifically, the weight G of the drug fed from the drug feeder 1 to the vibrating feeder 180 is detected by the weight measuring means 61 provided on the drug feeder 1. The weight G is the decrease in the value detected by the weight measuring means 61.

[0127] In the drug dispensing device 185, the vibrating feeder 180 receives the drug from the drug feeder 1 and feeds the drug to the downstream drug packaging device 120. Therefore, the final discharge value is obtained by subtracting the change in the detected value ga (which can be positive or negative) from the weight GA of the drug fed from the drug feeder 1 to the vibrating feeder 180 by the weight measuring means 186 on the vibrating feeder 180 side.

[0128] In all the embodiments described above, the container body 8, 131 is provided with only one spiral member 12. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and multiple spiral members 12 may be provided. In the drug feeder 187 shown in Figure 17, two spiral members 190 and 191 are provided on the container body 189 of the drug container. The two helical members 190 and 191 are individually driven by passive members (not shown) and separate driving members (not shown). In this embodiment, a predetermined amount of drug can be discharged with each rotation of the helical member 190. In contrast, the other helical member 191 has a smaller diameter than the helical member 190, and therefore discharges a smaller amount of drug with each rotation.

[0129] In the drug feeder 187 shown in Figure 17, when the amount of drug per dose is small, the thinner spiral member 191 is rotated to discharge the drug. Conversely, when the amount of drug per dose is large, the thicker spiral member 190 is rotated to discharge the drug. Furthermore, when the amount of drug per dose is even larger, both spiral members 190 and 191 are rotated to discharge the drug. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0130] 1 drug feeder 2 drug containers 3. Main unit device 5 container assembly 6. Lower cover 7 Main Accommodation Unit 8 container body 10 Lid Member 11 Outlet forming member 12 spiral members 13 Passive Member 15a Drug input port 15b Drug outlet 16 semi-cylindrical section 21 Defect 22 Passive component storage space 24 Drug discharge section 25 magnetic plate 26 rotational axes 27a, 27b, 27c blades 28 Missing parts 52 Drug storage section 60 mounting platforms 61 Weight measurement means 62 electromagnets 63 Drive side member 64 Foundation Members 65 motor 100 drug dispensing devices 103 Drug shelf area 105 drug dispensing areas 106 Pharmaceutical Packaging Area 111 Powder dispensing equipment 128 Main body side component 130 drug feeders 131 Container Body 132 spiral member 140 base component 142 rotation rings 152 mounting platform 150a Chemical discharge section 151 Weight measurement means 160 Main Accommodation Unit 170 motor 165 units per case 171 Gear Set 182 Drug dispensing device 185 Drug dispensing device 186 Weight measurement means

Claims

1. A drug container having a container body containing powdered medicine inside, The container body has a main body and an attachment member provided at the tip of the main body. The mounting member has a spiral member located in the center of the container body. The container body has a drug discharge section that opens at the tip of the spiral member. The tip of the spiral member reaches the open drug discharge section. A drug container in which a spiral member rotates inside the container body, scraping out the powdered drug inside the container body, and discharging the powdered drug to the outside of the drug container through a drug discharge section.

2. The drug container according to claim 1, wherein the main body and the mounting member are cylindrical and arranged concentrically.

3. The drug container according to claim 2, wherein the diameter of the mounting member is smaller than the diameter of the main body.

4. The drug container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the main body is hollow inside and serves as the main container for powdered medicine.

5. The drug container according to claim 4, wherein the diameter of the spiral member on the drug discharge side is smaller than the diameter of the spiral member on the main storage side.

6. The drug container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the spiral member has a rotation axis.

7. The mounting member is a nozzle member, which is a drug container as described in any of 1 to 6.

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