Drug dispensing device and control method for drug dispensing device

Abstract

To provide a drug discharge device capable of reducing complexity when distributing drugs into a manual distribution device.SOLUTION: A drug discharge device includes: a manual distribution member 15 that includes a plurality of recessed portions 20 into which solid drugs are distributed; discharge means that discharges the drugs distributed into the recessed portions 20 to a downstream side directly or via another member; and a control device that controls the discharge means. The discharge means is capable of individually discharging drugs corresponding to any of the recessed portions 20. The control device assigns the same drug to the recessed portions 20 in adjacent regions based on prescription information including information on drugs to be provided to a plurality of patients or one patient. The discharge means discharges the drugs in predetermined order.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a chemical discharging device called a manual scattering device, which discharges solid chemicals to a downstream packaging device or the like. The present invention also relates to a method for controlling the chemical discharging device.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a chemical packaging device that packages solid chemicals such as tablets and capsules one by one (Patent Document 1). Generally, a chemical packaging device includes a chemical storage unit having a plurality of chemical feeders and a chemical packaging unit that packages chemicals. A chemical cassette filled with tablets or the like is attached to the chemical feeder. In the above-described chemical packaging device, the tablets stored in the chemical cassette are taken out one by one by the chemical feeder, the tablets are sent to the chemical packaging unit, and are packaged one dose at a time with wrapping paper or the like.

[0003] Some chemical packaging devices have a function called "manual scattering" among those skilled in the art, as disclosed in Patent Document 2 below. Here, "manual scattering" means that a predetermined number of tablets or the like are put in one dose at a time by fingers, a robot, or the like without passing through the chemical feeder, and are sent to the chemical packaging unit for packaging.

[0004] FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a manual scattering device employed in the chemical packaging device disclosed in Patent Document 2. The manual scattering device 100 disclosed in Patent Document 2 includes a manual scattering member 102 and a dividing frame unit 103. In the chemical packaging device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the dividing frame unit 103 is arranged in a main body not shown. The manual scattering member 102 is attached so as to be manually slidable with respect to the main body not shown. The manual scattering member 102 is a plate-like body provided with concave portions in a vertical and horizontal matrix. The dividing frame unit 103 is provided with frame portions in a vertical and horizontal matrix. The arrangement of the frame portions of the dividing frame unit 103 corresponds to the arrangement of the concave portions of the manual scattering member 102. The hand-dispensing component 102 is detachably attached to the drawer frame 101. In the drug packaging device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the hand-dispensing member 102 is pulled out from the main body together with the pull-out frame 101. Then, the tablets are placed into the recess of the hand-dispensing member 102 using the fingers. Subsequently, the hand-dispensing component 102 is inserted into the main body (not shown) of the drug packaging device.

[0005] When the hand-dispensing member 102 is inserted into the main body, it is located at the top of the divided box unit 103. The bottom of each recess in the hand-dispensing member 102 opens, and the tablets in each recess are placed into the boxes of the divided box unit 103. Subsequently, the bottoms of the divided compartment units 103 are opened sequentially, and tablets are sent one packet at a time to the drug packaging section 105 located at the bottom, where they are packaged. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-269621 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-335002 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] In conventional hand-spreading devices, the order in which the compartments of the divided compartment unit 103 are opened is predetermined, and the compartments of the divided compartment unit 103 are opened one by one from the end.

[0008] For example, if a patient (e.g., patient a) is prescribed to take drug A in the morning, drug B at noon, and drug C at night, the pharmacist would place drug A for the morning into the first recess of the first row of the hand-dispensing component 102, drug B for the noon into the recess of the second recess of the first row, drug C for the night into the recess of the first row, and repeat this process thereafter. The medication is dispensed from the manual dispensing device into the downstream packaging section in the order it was introduced, and each dose is packaged sequentially. As a result, the medication packaging for patient A is dispensed from the medication dispensing device in order of administration time, such as morning, noon, and evening. As described above, the conventional manual dispensing device 100 required the pharmacist to carefully place the medication into the recesses of the manual dispensing component 102 in the correct order for packaging, which was a delicate process. Consequently, it placed a significant mental burden on the pharmacist.

[0009] In recent years, when pharmacies provide medications to nursing homes and other care facilities, there have been requests from these facilities for pharmacies to sort medication packages for multiple patients according to their administration schedule. For example, if there are three patients, patient A, patient B, and patient C, the medications they take in the morning are bundled together to create a morning set, the medications they take at noon are bundled together to create a midday set, and the medications they take at night are bundled together to create a nighttime set, and these are then transported to the care facility. For example, as shown in Figure 29, continuous individual packaging for medications to be taken by patients A, B, and C in the morning, continuous individual packaging for medications to be taken by patients A, B, and C at noon, and continuous individual packaging for medications to be taken by patients A, B, and C at night are prepared and delivered to the nursing facility. Alternatively, medications are placed on a sheet called a medication calendar and delivered to the nursing home.

[0010] Therefore, there is a demand to package medications for multiple patients at once. For example, medications prescribed to patient A, patient B, and patient C can be placed into a single dispensing unit 102 and then dispensed individually. In this case, the pharmacist was forced to perform a complicated task, such as placing medication A for patient a in the first row, first column recess of the hand-dispensing member 102, medication B for patient b in the second row recess, medication C for patient c in the third row recess, and medication D for patient a in the fourth row recess, placing it in the fourth column recess. This placed an extremely heavy burden on the pharmacist. This invention (Related inventions)This invention addresses the aforementioned problems of conventional technology and aims to provide a chemical dispensing device that can reduce the complexity of dispensing chemicals into a manual dispensing device. The object of this invention is to provide a desirable inspection device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] An embodiment for solving the above-mentioned problems is a drug dispensing device comprising a hand-dispensing member having a plurality of recesses for dispensing solid drugs, a dispensing means for dispensing the drugs scattered in the recesses directly or through another member to the downstream side, and a control device for controlling the dispensing means, wherein the dispensing means is capable of individually dispensing drugs corresponding to any of the recesses, the control device assigns the same drugs to recesses in adjacent areas based on prescription information including information on drugs to be provided to multiple people or one patient, and the dispensing means dispensing the drugs in a predetermined order.

[0012] Based on experience, when an individual takes medication multiple times a day, such as in the morning, at noon, in the evening, and before bed, there may be overlaps in the medications being taken. Furthermore, medications prescribed to multiple patients often include the same drugs. For example, patients residing in elderly care facilities are often prescribed medications to stabilize blood pressure and medications to lower triglycerides, and these medications are often the same. The present invention takes this fact into consideration and assigns the same drug to recesses in adjacent areas based on prescription information that includes information on drugs to be provided to multiple people or a single patient. According to this embodiment, the same drug can be concentrated and spread in a concentrated area of ​​the hand-spreading member, making the work easier and reducing the burden on the pharmacist. Also, according to this aspect, the discharging means can individually discharge the drugs corresponding to any recess, and can discharge the drugs in a predetermined order to create a desired drug set. For example, a morning set in which the drugs taken by three patients in the morning are grouped together, a noon set in which the drugs taken by three patients at noon are grouped together, and a night set in which the drugs taken by three patients at night are grouped together can be created.

[0013] In the above-described aspect, in the recess, the amount for one dose, which contains one or more drugs, is put in. It is desirable that the drugs for one dose are of one type or multiple types, and those with the same drug type and number are assigned to the recesses in adjacent areas.

[0014] According to this aspect, drugs with the same number and type can be intensively scattered in a concentrated area of the hand-scattering member, so the operation is simple and the burden on the pharmacist is reduced.

[0015] In the above-described aspect, a display means is provided, and the display means can display a simulated chart that mimics the arrangement of the recesses. It is desirable that information related to the drugs to be put in is displayed on the simulated chart and / or on the same screen as the simulated chart.

[0016] An operator such as a pharmacist can put drugs into a predetermined recess while referring to the display device.

[0017] In the above-described aspect, it is desirable that a unified mark is displayed on the recesses for putting in the same drug in the simulated chart.

[0018] For the mark, for example, coloring or a figure can be considered. For example, a configuration in which color separation is performed for each area where the same drug is put in can be considered.

[0019] In each of the above-described aspects, it is desirable that the hand-scattering member has an indicating means for indicating the recesses into which the drugs should be put.

[0020] According to this embodiment, the recesses where the medication should be placed are indicated, thus reducing the likelihood of incorrect placement.

[0021] In each of the embodiments described above, a divider is provided at the bottom of the hand-dispensing member, the divider having a temporary storage member and a bottom component, the temporary storage member having a box portion, the box portion corresponding to the recess of the hand-dispensing member and having an opening at the bottom, the bottom component being able to open and close a specific part to form a drop opening, the temporary storage member and the bottom component being able to move relative to each other, and it is desirable that at least one of the temporary storage member and the bottom component be moved to move a specific box portion to a position where the drop opening of the bottom component is formed.

[0022] In this embodiment, the drug dispensing device has a divider positioned below the hand-spreading member, and the temporary storage section of the divider has a compartment corresponding to the recess of the hand-spreading member. In this embodiment of the drug dispensing device, the drug that has been sprinkled into the hand-sprinkling member is first transferred to the lower divider, and then the compartments of the divider are opened one by one to discharge the drug. In this embodiment, as a method for discharging the chemical from the compartment, the divider is configured to include a temporary storage member that constitutes the compartment and a bottom component. In the drug discharge device of this embodiment, the bottom of each compartment is open, but the bottom of each compartment is sealed by a bottom component. Furthermore, the bottom component can be opened and closed at specific points to create a drop-off opening. In the drug discharge device of this embodiment, the temporary storage section and the bottom component are movable relative to each other, and by moving either the temporary storage section or the bottom component, a specific compartment can be moved to a position where the drop opening of the bottom component can be formed, the bottom of the specific compartment can be opened, and the drug can be discharged from the specific compartment.

[0023] Alternatively, the recess of the hand-dispensing member may have an opening at the bottom, a bottom component may be located below the hand-dispensing member, the bottom component may be opened and closed at a specific part to form a drop opening, the hand-dispensing member and the bottom component may be moved relative to each other, and at least one of the hand-dispensing member and the bottom component may be moved to move a specific recess to a position where the drop opening of the bottom component is formed.

[0024] In each of the embodiments described above, the bottom component has a fully closed region and an openable region, the openable region is composed of movable floor members having a narrow plane arranged in a row, the movable floor members are individually movable in parallel, and it is desirable that the movable floor members are moved in parallel to form the drop opening between the fully closed region and the movable floor members.

[0025] The divider employing this embodiment has a simple structure and a small overall size.

[0026] Another embodiment for solving a similar problem is a drug dispensing device having a hand-dispensing member with a plurality of recesses for dispensing solid drugs, and a dispensing means for dispensing the drugs scattered in the recesses directly or via another member to the downstream side, wherein the drug dispensing device has a recess determination means for determining which recess to dispensing based on the type of drug, and a guide means for guiding the determined recess, wherein one or more drugs for a single dose are scattered in the recesses.

[0027] Here, the "guidance means" includes a simulated diagram that mimics the arrangement of recesses displayed on the display means, and an indicator means provided on the hand-spreading member that indicates which recesses should be filled with the chemical. In the drug dispensing device of this embodiment, the recess determination means determines which recess should be filled with the drug. Pharmacists and other workers can place the medication into the designated recess while referring to the guidance system.

[0028] Another embodiment for solving a similar problem is a drug dispensing device comprising a plurality of drug feeders, a hand-sprinkling member having a plurality of recesses for sprinkling solid drugs, and a discharge means for directly or through another member discharging the drugs sprinkled in the recesses to the downstream side, wherein the drug feeders are fitted with drug cassettes that can be filled with a plurality of drugs, and the drug feeders discharge drugs from the drug cassettes, wherein the recesses are sprinkled with one or more drugs for a single dose, and the drug dispensing device comprises a recess determination means for distinguishing between drugs that can be discharged from the drug feeder and drugs that cannot be discharged, and for determining which recess to sprinkle the drugs into based on the type of drug when discharging the drugs that cannot be discharged via the hand-sprinkling member.

[0029] The chemical dispensing device of this embodiment has a plurality of chemical feeders and a manual dispensing member, and the chemical is mainly discharged using the chemical feeders. In the chemical dispensing device of this embodiment, chemicals that cannot be discharged from the chemical feeders are discharged via the manual dispensing member, and at that time, the recess into which the chemical should be dispensed is determined based on the type of chemical.

[0030] A drug packaging device is comprised of one of the drug dispensing devices described above and a packaging device that packages the drug dispensed from the drug dispensing device.

[0031] One aspect of the method is a control method for a drug dispensing device having a hand-dispensing member equipped with a plurality of recesses for dispensing solid drugs, and a dispensing means for dispensing the drugs scattered in the recesses directly or through another member to the downstream side, wherein the control method for the drug dispensing device corresponds to prescriptions for multiple patients, and when there are identical drugs among the drugs supplied to multiple patients, the identical drugs are placed in the recesses in adjacent areas, and the drugs are discharged in the order of administration time.

[0032] According to the control method for the drug dispensing device of this embodiment, the same drug can be concentrated and dispensed over a consolidated area, thereby reducing the mental burden on the pharmacist. An embodiment for solving the above-mentioned problems is one which has a camera and multiple patient drug packaging Continuous bandagesAn inspection device that photographs, identifies or infers a drug from the photographed image, refers to prescription information, and determines whether the drug packaged in the drug packaging is to be administered to the patient, It has a function to rearrange the images of the drug packaging that make up the captured dispensing band, and it is possible to display the drug packaging in the order in which it was discharged from the drug packaging device, and further This inspection device is characterized by its ability to select a patient and display only the medications that the patient is taking. In each of the above embodiments, when displaying only the medications taken by the selected patient, it is desirable that the date and timing of administration be clearly indicated. In each of the above embodiments, a specific drug packaging is designated for a specific patient, and the drug packaging is... Immediately before and immediately after It is desirable to be able to display the drug packaging as photographed. In each of the above embodiments, if the inspection determines that there is a defect in the drug in the drug packaging, the drug packaging will be automatically... Immediately before and immediately after It is desirable that the drug packaging shown in the photograph be displayed. In each of the above embodiments, if there are drugs that are similar in shape or size, a warning label and / or teeth Emits sound do It is desirable to be able to do so. The bandage may be any of the following: (a) A continuous packing of medications for multiple patients to take in the morning. (b) A continuous bandage containing medication packages for multiple patients to take at lunchtime. (c) A continuous bandage containing medication packages for multiple patients to take at night. (d) A continuous bandage containing medication packages for multiple patients to take before going to bed. (e) A continuous dispensing bandage containing medication packages for one patient to take over a specified number of days and medication packages for another patient to take over a specified number of days. The embodiment of the drug packaging device is a drug packaging device that can dispense the necessary drug based on prescription information, package it in single-dose portions, and dispense it, and is characterized in that it has one of the above-mentioned inspection devices built in. An embodiment for solving the above-mentioned problems is an inspection device having a camera, which photographs medications for multiple patients, identifies or infers the medications from the photographed images, refers to prescription information, and determines whether or not the medications should be administered to the patient, characterized in that it is possible to play back the photographed images, display them in the order they were taken, and select a patient to display only the medications that the patient is taking. [Effects of the Invention]

[0033] This invention (Related inventions) According to this pesticide discharge device, the same pesticide can be concentrated and sprayed over a designated area, which reduces the complexity of spraying pesticide into a manual spraying device. Also (Related inventions) According to the pesticide dispensing device, the recesses for dispensing the pesticide are clearly visible, which helps reduce errors. This invention is a desirable inspection device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0034] [Figure 1] This is a front view of a drug packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the main body insertion opening and the hand-dispensing member of the drug packaging device, viewed from an oblique front angle. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram of the control device that controls the manual dispensing device (chemical discharge device). [Figure 4] Figure 1 shows an example of the display screen of the drug packaging device, illustrating the allocation of drug packages for multiple patients, where one solid tablet of medication is taken at each administration time. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of a patient's prescription. [Figure 6] This is a plan view of the hand-spreading component, where (a) shows the preparation stage, (b) is a plan view of the hand-spreading component when applying chemical A, (c) is a plan view of the hand-spreading component when applying chemical B, and (d) is an enlarged view of the recess. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of a manual dispensing device (chemical discharge device). [Figure 8] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the hand-spreading device, showing the hand-spreading member and the divider separately. [Figure 9] (a) is an exploded perspective view of the divider in Figure 7, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the temporary storage member. [Figure 10](a) is a plan view of the hand-spreading device with the hand-spreading component omitted, and (b) is a cross-sectional view AA thereof. [Figure 11] This shows one stage of the process of discharging the chemical from the container section of temporary storage member number 1. (a) is a plan view of the hand-dispensing device in which the hand-dispensing member is omitted, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of AA thereof. [Figure 12] The following steps are shown in Figure 11, illustrating the operation for discharging the chemical from the container section of temporary storage member number 1. (a) is a plan view of the hand-dispensing device with the hand-dispensing member omitted, and (b) is a cross-sectional view AA thereof. [Figure 13] This shows one stage of the operation when discharging the chemical from the compartment of temporary storage member number 33. (a) is a plan view of the hand-dispensing device in which the hand-dispensing member is omitted, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the same AA. [Figure 14] The following steps are shown in Figure 13, illustrating the operation for discharging the chemical from the compartment of temporary storage member number 33, where (a) is a plan view of the hand-dispensing device with the hand-dispensing member omitted, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of AA thereof. [Figure 15] Figure 1 shows an example of the display screen of the drug packaging device, illustrating the allocation of drug packaging for a single patient, where one solid tablet of medication is taken at each administration time. [Figure 16] Figure 1 shows an example of the display screen of the drug packaging device, illustrating the allocation situation when drug packaging for a single patient is sorted by administration time, and multiple solid medications are taken at each administration time. [Figure 17] Figure 1 shows an example of the display screen of the drug packaging device, illustrating the allocation situation when drug packaging for multiple patients is sorted according to the timing of administration, and multiple solid medications are taken at each administration time. [Figure 18]Figure 1 shows an example of the display screen of the drug packaging device, illustrating the allocation situation when drug packaging for one or more patients is sorted by administration time, and multiple types of medication are taken at each administration time. [Figure 19] The display screen of the inspection device shows, (a) the normal display, (b) a patient-specific display sorted by patient, and (c) a confirmation display showing the period before and after a specific location. [Figure 20] The diagram shows a divider for a hand-spreading member used in another embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a plan view of the opening / closing mechanism, (b) is a perspective view of the opening / closing mechanism showing the clutch in the disengaged state, and (c) is a perspective view of the opening / closing mechanism showing the clutch in the engaged state. [Figure 21] Figure 20 shows the relationship between the compartment section of the temporary storage member of the divider and the opening / closing mechanism, where (a) shows the state in which the bottom of the compartment section is closed, and (b) shows the state in which the bottom of the compartment section is open. [Figure 22] The diagram shows a divider for a hand-spreading member used in yet another embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a perspective view of the opening and closing mechanism, and (b), (c), and (d) are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of the opening and closing mechanism. [Figure 23] The diagram shows a divider for a hand-spreading member used in yet another embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is an exploded perspective view thereof, and (b) and (c) are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of the opening and closing mechanism. [Figure 24] A temporary storage member for a hand-spreading member divider used in yet another embodiment of the present invention, wherein (a) shows the state before inserting the closing plate into the main body, and (b) shows the state after inserting the closing plate into the main body. [Figure 25] This is a front view showing the vicinity of the drug packaging discharge port of the drug dispensing device. (a) shows the sorter in the standby position, and (b), (c), and (d) show the sorter in operation. [Figure 26] This is a diagram illustrating the mechanism of the packaging section of the drug dispensing device. [Figure 27](a) is an enlarged view of the medication calendar and drug storage compartment; (b) is a perspective view of the cleaning tool and drug storage compartment, showing the state before inserting the cleaning tool into the drug storage compartment; and (c) is a perspective view of the cleaning tool and drug storage compartment, showing the state when the cleaning tool is inserted into the drug storage compartment for cleaning. [Figure 28] This is a perspective view of a manual dispensing device used in conventional drug packaging equipment. [Figure 29] This is a front view of a continuous packing of medications, arranged according to the timing of administration. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0035] Further embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The drug packaging device 1 of this embodiment has the external shape shown in Figure 1. The drug packaging device 1 is broadly divided into a tablet supply unit 2, a manual dispensing unit 3, a powder supply unit 5, and a drug packaging unit 6. A manual dispensing device (drug dispensing device) 10 is built into the manual dispensing unit 3.

[0036] Here, the tablet supply unit 2 occupies the upper half of the drug packaging device 1. The tablet supply unit 2 consists of a drug shelf unit 8 that stores a large quantity of various types of solid drugs such as capsules and tablets (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as tablets), and a tablet transport path unit 9. The drug shelf section 8 has numerous drug feeders (not shown) built inside. Each drug feeder is fitted with a drug cassette (not shown).

[0037] The drug cassette contains numerous tablets, and tablets are dispensed one by one from the drug cassette. The dispensed tablets are sent to the drug packaging unit 6, where they are packaged into small pouches for single doses.

[0038] The powder supply unit 5 and the drug packaging unit 6 occupy the lower half of the drug packaging device 1, and both are built into this section. The powdered medicine dispensed from the powder supply unit 5 is also packaged in the same way as tablets and the like.

[0039] The drug packaging device 1 is equipped with a display device 11. The display device (guidance means) 11 is a known touch panel or the like, and has a display screen 12.

[0040] Next, we will describe the outline of the hand-spreading device 10, which is a characteristic feature of this embodiment. As shown in Figure 7, the hand-spreading device 10 is composed of a hand-spreading member 15 and a divider 16. The hand-dispensing member 15 is a plate-shaped member with recesses 20 arranged in a row. Each recess 20 has a bottom (not shown). The bottom is openable and closable, and as described later, the bottom can be opened to transfer the chemical in the recess 20 to the lower dispenser 16. Each recess 20 of the hand-spreading member 15 is provided with an indicator light (indicator means / guide means) 22, as shown in Figure 6(d), which allows a specific recess 20 to be illuminated and made more noticeable.

[0041] The divider 16 is a component provided with numerous compartments 30, similar to the recesses 20 of the hand-spreading member 15 described above. The layout of the compartments 30 provided in the divider 16, i.e., the number and arrangement, is the same as the layout of the recesses 20 of the hand-spreading member 15 described above, and the compartments 30 of the divider 16 correspond one-to-one with the recesses 20 of the hand-spreading member 15. The divider 16 can open the compartments 30 at any position in any order. The divider 16 is a discharge means and can individually discharge the chemicals corresponding to any of the aforementioned recesses.

[0042] As shown in Figure 7, a collection hopper 28 is provided at the bottom of the divider (discharge means) 16. The end of the collection hopper 28 is connected to the passage leading to the aforementioned drug packaging section 6. The divider 16 of the manual dispensing device (drug dispensing device) 10 is housed in the main body of the drug packaging device 1. In contrast, the manual dispensing member 15 has a drawer-like structure and moves in and out of the main body of the drug packaging device 1. When the hand-dispensing member 15 is housed inside the main body of the drug packaging device 1, as shown in Figure 7, the hand-dispensing member 15 reaches a position directly above the divider 16, opening the bottom of the recess 20 completely and transferring the drug inside the recess 20 to the compartment 30 of the divider 16.

[0043] Next, the control device 40 will be described. As shown in Figure 3, the control device 40 performs control to assign the same drug to adjacent recesses based on prescription information, which includes information on the drugs to be provided to multiple people or a single patient. The control device 40 functions as a recess determination means that determines the recesses 20 into which the drug should be sprayed based on the type of drug. The control device 40 also has a function to distinguish between drugs that can be discharged from the drug feeder and drugs that cannot be discharged. These functions are implemented by the sorting program.

[0044] The control device 40 has a known CPU and memory, and a sorting program is built into the memory. The control device 40 also has a prescription information input unit. An external server is connected to the control device 40. In this embodiment, prescription information is input from the server. The prescription information includes information about the type and quantity of medication requested. In addition, the prescription information also includes other information such as quantity and timing of administration. The output side of the control device is connected to the display device 11, the divider 16, and the indicator light 22 of the hand-spreading member 15.

[0045] The sorting program references prescription information from multiple patients and, if there are common medications, groups them together into a single set. The prescription information here includes the type of medication, the dosage, the timing of administration, and the method of administration. The sorting program identifies medications that require manual administration from the prescription information and references the information of those medications. Specifically, it references the type of medication, dosage, and timing of administration for medications that require manual administration. In other words, the medications included in prescription information include solid medications, powders, topical medications, etc. Furthermore, solid medications include those currently stored in the tablet supply unit 2 and that can be dispensed from the medication feeder, and those not stored in the tablet supply unit 2. The concept of prescription information also includes what is called dispensing information, which has been processed for dispensing purposes. The sorting program, at the very least, refers to information on solid medications that are not currently stored in the tablet supply unit 2 and should be dispensed using the manual dispensing device 10, and if there are common medications, it is a program that groups them together into a single set.

[0046] Then, the compartments 30 into which the combined chemicals are to be contained are grouped together and allocated to a single area. As mentioned above, the compartments 30 of the divider 16 correspond one-to-one with the recesses 20 of the hand-spreading member 15, so when the chemicals are allocated to the compartments 30 of the divider 16, each recess 20 (hand-spreading member 15) into which the chemicals are effectively spread is allocated. In other words, the sorting program is a program that determines which recesses 20 should be filled based on the type of drug.

[0047] Then, as shown in Figure 4, a simulated diagram (guide means) 18 that mimics the hand-spreading member 15 is displayed on the display screen 12 of the display device 11, and the assigned result is shown. For example, as shown in Figure 4, the drugs are color-coded according to their type, and the drugs that should be sprayed in the area are indicated as, for example, A, B, and C. Additionally, the indicator light (guiding means) 22 of the hand-spreading member 15 is illuminated to indicate the recess 20 into which a specific chemical should be sprinkled.

[0048] The drug packaging device 1 of this embodiment can dispense the necessary drugs based on prescription information input from an external source, package them in single-dose portions, and then dispense them. In this embodiment, the drug packaging device 1 has the following three patterns for packaging individual doses. (1) Only the medication dispensed from the tablet supply unit 2 is packaged in single-dose portions. (2) Only the medication dispensed by the manual dispensing device 10 is packaged in single-dose portions. (3) The tablets dispensed from the tablet supply unit 2 and the manual dispensing device 10 are combined and packaged into single-dose portions. In addition, there are other patterns in which the drug discharged from the powder supply unit 5 is packaged alone or together with tablets, etc., but since the handling of the drug discharged from the powder supply unit 5 is the same as that of the drug discharged from the tablet supply unit 2, the explanation will be omitted.

[0049] In this embodiment, if the prescription information includes a drug that is not stored in the tablet supply unit 2, it is sent from the manual dispensing device 10 to the drug packaging unit 6 and packaged. In this embodiment, the drug packaging device 1 distinguishes between drugs that can be discharged from the drug feeder and drugs that cannot be discharged. Drugs that are not stored in the tablet supply unit 2 and cannot be discharged from the drug feeder are discharged from the manual dispensing device 10.

[0050] Pharmacists and other workers refer to the simulated diagram 18 displayed on the display device 11 and the indicator light 22 on the hand-dispensing member 15, and place a specific drug into the recess 20 belonging to a predetermined area of ​​the hand-dispensing member 15. Then, when it is time to discharge the specific drug, one of the compartments 30 belonging to the area where the drug is collected is opened, and the drug is discharged from the opened compartment 30.

[0051] The following explanation will use the example of creating drug packaging for patients a through j, as shown in the table in Figure 5. For the sake of explanation, as shown in Figure 4, the recesses 20 of the hand-dispensing member 15 are numbered from one end to the other. According to the example, patients a through j are each provided with medication four times a day: in the morning, at noon, in the evening, and before bedtime. Here, the blank spaces indicate when medication that can be supplied from the tablet supply unit 2 is taken, and the medication corresponding to the blank space is automatically supplied from the tablet supply unit 2. In addition, it is common to receive the drug from both the tablet supply unit 2 and the hand-dispensing member 15 and package them together in a single drug package. For example, if patient a takes medication not shown in the table in Figure 5 in the morning, in addition to medication A, and that medication is stored in the tablet supply unit 2, then medication is supplied from both the tablet supply unit 2 and the manual dispensing member 15, and both medications are sent to the medication packaging unit 6 simultaneously for packaging.

[0052] According to the example, drug A is prescribed to patients a, c, f, g, and i. Drug B is prescribed to patients b, d, g, and i. Drug C is prescribed to patients e and h. Drug D is prescribed to patient j.

[0053] For example, if you were to prepare a 5-day supply of medication, you would need 25 packets of medication A, 20 packets of medication B, 10 packets of medication C, and 5 packets of medication D. For example, if the same number of medications A to be placed in the recess 20 are allocated to each patient and each time of administration, and assuming that each patient and each time of administration is prescribed one tablet of medication A, then one tablet of medication A is allocated to each of the numbered areas 1 through 25 of the recess 20. The same allocation is made for the other medications B through D. Specifically, if each patient and each time of administration is prescribed one tablet of medications B through D, then one tablet of medication B is allocated to each of the numbered areas 26 through 45 of the recess 20, one tablet of medication C is allocated to each of the numbered areas 46 through 55 of the recess 20, and one tablet of medication D is allocated to each of the numbered areas 56 through 60 of the recess 20.

[0054] When prescription information as described above is input to the control device 40, the areas numbered 1 to 25 in the recess 20 are designated as the area for drug A. Similarly, the areas numbered 26 to 45 in the recess 20 are designated as the area for drug B. Likewise, the areas numbered 46 to 55 in the recess 20 are designated as the area for drug C, and the areas numbered 56 to 60 in the recess 20 are designated as the area for drug D.

[0055] Then, as shown in Figure 4, the simulated chart 18 is displayed on the display screen 12 of the display device 11, showing the assigned results. The simulated chart 18 is color-coded according to the area where the drug is to be placed. The type of drug is also displayed in the frame corresponding to the recess 20. In this way, a unified mark is displayed in the frame of the recess 20 in the simulated chart 18 where the same drug should be placed.

[0056] As described above, pharmacists and other workers refer to the simulated chart 18 displayed on the display device 11 and the indicator light 22 on the hand-dispensing member 15, and place a specific drug into the recess 20 belonging to a predetermined area of ​​the hand-dispensing member 15.

[0057] If the number of drugs to be placed in the recesses 20 is not the same for each patient or for each administration period, drugs of the same number are grouped together, or drugs are grouped in order of the patients, and assigned to drug A in recesses 20 numbered 1 to 25. Drugs B to D are assigned in the same manner.

[0058] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6(b), the indicator light 22 for the area of ​​drug A on the hand-spreading member 15 lights up first. When the application of drug A to the area of ​​drug A is complete, press the end switch (not shown). As a result, the illuminated area of ​​the hand-spreading member 15 changes, and as shown in Figure 6(c), the indicator light for the area of ​​agent B on the hand-spreading member 15 lights up. The illuminated area of ​​the hand-spreading member 15 continues to change in a similar manner thereafter. Instead of an end switch, a camera, sensor, or weight may be used to automatically detect the end of the sowing process and change the illuminated area accordingly.

[0059] When the application of the drug to the hand-spreading member 15 is complete, a predetermined termination switch is pressed. As a result, the hand-spreading member 15 is housed inside the main body of the drug packaging device 1, and the hand-spreading member 15 reaches a position directly above the divider 16, opening the bottom of the recess 20 completely and transferring the drug inside the recess 20 to the compartment 30 of the divider 16. Alternatively, a structure may be adopted in which the hand-spreading member 15 is manually pushed into the main body for storage.

[0060] When the manual application process is complete and it is time to discharge the chemical from the manual application device (chemical discharge device) 10, one of the compartments 30 of the divider 16 corresponding to the area where the chemical is concentrated is opened, and the chemical is discharged. For example, when it's time to package patient a's morning medication, open the compartment 30 corresponding to one of the medication A areas numbered 1 to 25 in the recess 20 and discharge medication A. For example, when it's time to package patient h's midday medication, open the compartment 30 corresponding to one of the medication C areas numbered 46 to 55 in the recess 20 and discharge medication C.

[0061] According to the manual dispensing device of this embodiment, the drugs can be dispensed in any order, and sorting suitable for delivery to the aforementioned nursing care facilities can be performed. Specifically, medications taken by each patient in the morning can be grouped together to create a morning medication set, medications taken at noon can be grouped together to create a midday medication set, medications taken at night can be grouped together to create an evening medication set, and medications taken before bed can be grouped together to create a bedtime medication set, which can then be delivered to nursing homes and other care facilities. Additionally, medication packaging can be set into medication calendars as needed before being delivered to nursing homes and other care facilities.

[0062] For example, if you want to create a morning medication set by grouping together all the medications each patient takes in the morning, you can do so as follows. According to the table in Figure 5, the medication taken in the morning is as follows: Patient a takes medication A, Patients b and c take medication dispensed from tablet dispenser 2, Patient d takes medication B, Patient e takes medication C, Patient f takes medication A, Patient g takes medication B, Patient h takes medication dispensed from tablet dispenser 2, Patient i takes medication A, and Patient j takes medication dispensed from tablet dispenser 2.

[0063] When creating a morning medication set by combining all the medications each patient takes in the morning, the medications should be dispensed in the order described above. Specifically, first, the compartment 30 corresponding to recess 20 number 1, which belongs to the area for drug A, is opened to discharge drug A for patient a. Next, the drug for patient b and the drug for patient c are discharged sequentially from the tablet supply unit 2. Next, the compartment 30 corresponding to recess 20 number 26, which belongs to the area for drug B, is opened to discharge drug B for patient d. Next, the compartment 30 corresponding to recess 20 number 46, which belongs to the area for drug C, is opened to discharge drug C for patient e. Next, the compartment 30 corresponding to recess 20 number 2, which belongs to the area for drug A, is opened to discharge drug A for patient f. Next, the compartment 30 corresponding to recess 20 number 27, which belongs to the area for drug B, is opened to discharge drug B for patient g. Next, the drug for patient h is discharged from the tablet supply unit 2. Next, the compartment 30 corresponding to recess 20 number 3, which belongs to the area for drug A, is opened to discharge drug A for patient i. Next, the medication for patient j is dispensed from the tablet supply unit 2. In this way, the medications that each patient takes in the morning can be sequentially removed to create a morning medication set.

[0064] Next, we will describe the recommended structure of the divider 16. As shown in Figure 7, the hand-spreading device 10 of this embodiment includes a hand-spreading member 15 and a divider 16. Furthermore, the divider 16 has a temporary storage member 50 and a bottom component member 51, as shown in Figures 8 and 9(a). The temporary storage member 50 has a plurality of compartments 30, and the arrangement of these compartments 30 corresponds one-to-one with that of the recesses 20 of the hand-spreading member 15. As shown in Figure 9(b), the compartment 30 of the temporary storage member 50 has no bottom, and the compartment 30 itself is always open. However, there is a bottom component 51 on the bottom side of the temporary storage member 50, and the bottom side of the compartment 30 is closed by the bottom component 51.

[0065] The bottom component 51 is composed of a fully closed area 55 and an openable area 56. The completely closed region 55 is made up of a single plate and has virtually no openings. In contrast, the openable area 56 is constructed by arranging six movable floor members 58 in a planar manner. Each movable floor member 58 has a narrow, flat, strip-shaped member 60. The movable floor members 58 can be individually moved in parallel by one square at a time by a drive source 57, such as a solenoid. As a result, a drop opening 61 is formed at the boundary between the fully closed area 55 and the openable area 56. The aforementioned fully enclosed area 55 has enough area to cover the entire bottom of the temporary storage member 50. Similarly, the openable area 56 has enough area to cover the entire bottom of the temporary storage member 50 when the six strip-shaped members 60 are combined into a rectangle.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the divider 16 can be moved in parallel by a drive source (not shown) and stopped at any desired position. In the hand-dispensing device 10 of this embodiment, when the hand-dispensing member 15 is housed in the main body of the drug packaging device 1, the hand-dispensing member 15 reaches a position directly above the divider 16, opening the bottom of the recess 20 completely, and the drug in the recess 20 is transferred to the compartment 30 of the temporary storage member 50.

[0067] The hand-spreading device (chemical discharge device) 10 of this embodiment has a discharge means for temporarily opening the bottom of a compartment 30 at any position and discharging the chemical from the compartment 30. The discharge means is composed of the temporary storage member 50 and the bottom component member 51. The following describes the discharge procedure. For example, to open the compartment 30 corresponding to recess 20 number 1, the temporary storage member 50 is moved by one compartment, as shown in Figure 11. Next, as shown in Figure 12, the first row of movable floor members 58 is moved by one compartment to form a drop opening 61 of one compartment between the fully closed area 55 and the openable area 56. As a result, the bottom of compartment 30 corresponding to recess number 1 is opened, and the drug 62 is released from recess number 1.

[0068] Next, we will explain the case where the box section 30 corresponding to the recess 20 with the number 28 in the center is released. The box section 30 corresponding to number 28 is located in the 5th row from the right and the 4th column from the bottom. To release the compartment 30 corresponding to compartment number 28, the temporary storage member 50 is moved by 5 compartments, as shown in Figure 13. At this time, the temporary storage member 50 protrudes significantly from the fully closed area 55, but the openable area 56 has enough area to cover the entire bottom of the temporary storage member 50, so the bottom of each compartment 30 remains closed. Next, as shown in Figure 14, the fourth row of movable floor members 58 from the bottom is moved by one square, forming a drop opening 61 of one square in the fourth row portion between the fully closed area 55 and the openable area 56. As a result, the bottom of the square portion 30 corresponding to the recess 20 numbered 28 is opened, and the drug 62 is released from the recess 20 numbered 28.

[0069] The embodiment described above creates only one drop opening 61 by providing multiple movable floor members 58 and moving each movable floor member 58 independently. However, an opening / closing member may be provided at a specific position, and the opening / closing member may be opened and closed by a motor or solenoid. For example, six openings may be formed in a row at the boundary between the fully closed region 55 and the openable region 56, and each opening may be provided with an opening / closing member such as a hinge, which can be opened and closed by a motor or solenoid.

[0070] The number of chemicals to be placed in each recess 20 of the hand-spreading member 15 is arbitrary; it can be one or multiple. If a patient needs to take multiple doses of the same medication at the same time, the medication may be placed one dose at a time into the recessed area 20 and the medication may be discharged from the compartment 30 multiple times to supply multiple doses to the medication packaging section 6. The drugs may be transferred from the recess 20 containing different drugs to multiple compartments 30, and then supplied from these multiple compartments 30 to a single drug package. Furthermore, this does not preclude the practice of dividing a single dose of medication into multiple individual medication packages.

[0071] The manual dispensing device (chemical discharge device) 10 of the embodiment described above discharges the chemical that has been sprinkled into the recess 20 of the manual dispensing member 15 via the divider 16. However, the chemical may also be discharged directly from the manual dispensing member 15 by individually opening and closing the recess 20 of the manual dispensing member 15.

[0072] For example, the recess 20 of the hand-spreading member 15 has a structure that has no bottom and an open bottom. Then, a bottom component 51 as described above is placed below the hand-spreading member 15, and relative movement of the hand-spreading member 15 and the bottom component 51 is made possible. By moving at least one of the hand-spreading member 15 or the bottom component 51, a specific recess 20 is moved to a position where the drop opening 61 of the bottom component 51 is formed.

[0073] The embodiments described above illustrate the operation of sorting drug packages for multiple patients according to their administration time using the manual dispensing device 10. The above-described usage is an example where one tablet of drug is to be placed in each recess 20 of the manual dispensing member 15. According to the usage method described above, it is possible to create a continuous bandage of medications to be taken at the same time, as shown in Figure 19. Other uses include the following examples. In any case, each recess 20 is filled with the drug to be supplied from the manual dispensing device (drug dispensing device) 10, which is to be taken in one dose. In all cases, the same type and quantity of drug are assigned to recesses in adjacent areas. (1) When drug packaging for a single patient is sorted according to the timing of administration, and one solid tablet of medication is taken at each administration time. (2) When drug packaging for a single patient is sorted according to the timing of administration, and the patient may take multiple solid medications at each administration time. (3) When drug packaging for multiple patients is sorted according to the timing of administration, and multiple solid medications are taken at each administration time. (4) When drug packaging for one or more patients is sorted according to the timing of administration, and multiple types of drugs are taken at each administration time. The following explains further.

[0074] (1) When drug packaging for a single patient is sorted according to the timing of administration, and one solid tablet of medication is taken at each administration time. For example, suppose patient A takes drug A in the morning and evening, and drug B at noon. For example, if you are preparing a 4-day supply of medication, you will need 8 packets of medication A and 4 packets of medication B. In this case, as shown in Figure 15, one tablet of drug A is assigned to each of the recesses numbered 1 through 8. Then, one tablet of drug B is assigned to each of the subsequent recesses numbered 9 through 12.

[0075] (2) When drug packaging for a single patient is sorted according to the timing of administration, and the patient may take multiple solid medications at each administration time. For example, suppose patient A takes one tablet of drug A in the morning, one tablet of drug B at noon, and two tablets of drug A at night. For example, to prepare a 4-day supply of medication, you would need 4 packages containing 1 tablet of medication A, 4 packages containing 2 tablets of medication A, and 4 packages containing 1 tablet of medication B. In this case, as shown in Figure 16, recesses 1 through 4 of the recess 20 are allocated as areas for one tablet of drug A each. Recesses 5 through 8 of the next recess 20 are allocated as areas for two tablets of drug A each. Recesses 9 through 12 of the next recess 20 are allocated as areas for one tablet of drug B each.

[0076] (3) When drug packaging for multiple patients is sorted according to the timing of administration, and multiple solid medications are taken at each administration time. For example, patient A takes one tablet of drug A in the morning, one tablet of drug B at noon, and two tablets of drug A at night. For example, patient B takes one tablet of drug A in the morning, one tablet of drug B at noon, and two tablets of drug A at night. For example, if you are preparing a 4-day supply of medication, you will need 8 packages containing 1 tablet of medication A, 8 packages containing 2 tablets of medication A, and 8 packages containing 1 tablet of medication B. In this case, as shown in Figure 17, recesses 1 through 8 of the recess 20 are allocated as areas for one tablet of drug A each. Recesses 9 through 16 of the recess 20 are allocated as areas for two tablets of drug A each. Recesses 17 through 24 of the recess 20 are allocated as areas for one tablet of drug B each.

[0077] (4) When drug packaging for one or more patients is sorted according to the timing of administration, and multiple types of drugs are taken at each administration time. For example, patient A takes one tablet of drug A and one tablet of drug B in the morning, one tablet of drug B at noon, and two tablets of drug A at night. For example, patient B takes two tablets of drug A in the morning, one tablet of drug B at noon, and one tablet of drug A and one tablet of drug B at night. For example, to prepare a 4-day supply of medication, you would need 8 packets containing 1 tablet of medication A and 1 tablet of medication B, 8 packets containing 2 tablets of medication A, and 8 packets containing 1 tablet of medication B. In this case, as shown in Figure 18, recesses 1 through 8 of the recess 20 are allocated as areas for one tablet of drug A and one tablet of drug B. Recesses 9 through 16 of the recess 20 are allocated as areas for two tablets of drug A each. Recesses 17 through 24 of the recess 20 are allocated as areas for one tablet of drug B each.

[0078] In the embodiments described above, as shown in Figures 4, 15 to 18, the same drug was assigned to recesses in adjacent areas, with the drawings aligned to the right and along vertical columns. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, they could be arranged left-aligned, or they could be grouped together in a horizontal row.

[0079] In the embodiment described above, the hand-spreading member 15 has recesses 20 arranged in 10 rows and 6 columns as shown in Figure 4, but the number of rows and columns of the hand-spreading member 15 is arbitrary. The recommended number of columns is seven. For example, if you use columns 1 to 7 for patient A's days 1 to 7, and rows 1 to 4 for the timing of administration (morning, noon, evening, and before bed), it will be easier to distribute. Furthermore, if you leave row 5 blank and continue with rows 6 to 9 for patient B's administration (morning, noon, evening, and before bed), it will be easier to distribute while avoiding errors when manually distributing between patients.

[0080] The drug packaging device 1 of the embodiment described above has a tablet supply unit 2, a manual dispensing unit 3, a powder supply unit 5, and a drug packaging unit 6, and a characteristic manual dispensing device (drug dispensing device) 10 is employed in the manual dispensing unit 3. While it is preferable for the drug packaging device to be equipped with a tablet supply unit 2 and a powder supply unit 5 as in the above-described embodiment, the manual dispensing device (drug dispensing device) 10 of the present invention may also be used in a drug packaging device that does not have a tablet supply unit 2, etc. In other words, the present invention can also be applied to a device that discharges all the drugs contained in prescription information (including dispensing information processed for dispensing) input into a drug packaging device from a drug dispensing device (manual dispensing component).

[0081] Next, a desirable inspection device will be described. This inspection device may be built into the drug packaging device 1, or it may be a separate, independent device. As described above, the drug packaging device 1 of the above embodiment can produce a continuous bandage containing drug packages for multiple patients to take in the morning, a continuous bandage containing drug packages for multiple patients to take at noon, a continuous bandage containing drug packages for multiple patients to take at night, and a continuous bandage containing drug packages for multiple patients to take before going to bed. The drug packaging devices 1 discharge the drug packaging for patients a, b, c, ..., i, and j in a connected sequence, followed by the drug packaging for these patients to take at noon. The inspection device of this embodiment has a camera and photographs the drug packaging discharged from the drug packaging device 1 in the order in which it is discharged, and identifies the drug inside the packaging based on the drug's markings, shape, etc. The captured images are processed to search for drugs that are similar in shape, size, color, etc. Then, the drug inside the drug packaging is inferred to be the drug that was found. Then, by referring to the prescription information, it is determined whether the medication packaged in the drug packaging is the one that should be administered to the patient.

[0082] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 19(a), the pharmacist plays back the recorded video on a monitor or similar device and performs a visual inspection. In this embodiment, the inspection device has a sorting function for rearranging images, and as shown in Figure 19(b), it can display drug packaging for each patient. For example, as shown in Figure 19(b), when patient a is selected, only the medications taken by patient a are displayed, showing the day and time of administration (morning, noon, or evening). If the prescription is for a two-week supply, the packaging for that two-week supply will be displayed.

[0083] Furthermore, by performing a predetermined operation, the display can be returned to the order in which the images were taken, as shown in Figure 19(a). In other words, the drug packaging can be displayed in the order in which it was discharged from the drug packaging device 1. Furthermore, it is possible to specify a particular drug package for a particular patient and check the contents of the drug package before and after it has been dispensed.

[0084] For example, according to the prescription information, patient A is scheduled to take 3 tablets of medication at noon on October 7th, but the actual packaging only contains 2 tablets, meaning 1 tablet is missing. One possible cause is that the medication intended for patient A may have been mistakenly placed in someone else's medication packaging. As shown in Figure 19(c), the inspection device of this embodiment can display the drug packaging that was dispensed before and after the drug packaging containing the medication that patient A was scheduled to take on October 7th. Therefore, it is possible to investigate the reason why the medication was not packaged correctly. Furthermore, if the inspection device detects any discrepancies, such as incorrect medications or discrepancies in the quantity of medications in the packaging, the screen may automatically switch to the state shown in Figure 19(c).

[0085] Furthermore, if there are drugs that are similar in shape or size among the drugs discharged from the drug packaging device 1 at the same time, a warning will appear on the monitor or similar device. An audible warning may also be issued. Drugs that are similar in shape and size may be difficult to distinguish using image processing, so pharmacists should perform a more careful visual inspection. Therefore, it is desirable that a warning message be displayed on one of the screens shown in Figure 19, for example.

[0086] (Modified example of a divider 1) Next, a modified example of the divider will be described with reference to Figures 20 and 21. The divider 63 described below has a temporary storage member 64, as shown in Figure 21. The temporary storage member 64 has square sections 30 arranged in a matrix, similar to the divider 16 described above. The square sections 30 correspond one-to-one with those of the recesses 20 of the hand-spreading member 15. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 21, an opening / closing member 65 is provided at the bottom of each compartment 30. The opening / closing member 65 is plate-shaped, and its middle portion is pivotally supported on a part of the compartment 30. The opening / closing member 65 is plate-shaped and swings about the pivot support portion 66. One side of the opening / closing member 65 functions as a lid member 67, and the other side functions as a point of force application portion 68, with the pivot support portion 66 as the boundary. The lid member 67 of the opening / closing member 65 is located below the opening at the bottom of the box section 30. The point of force application 68 of the opening / closing member 65 is located away from the box section 30. The opening / closing member 65 is biased by the biasing means 70 in a direction that seals the bottom of the box portion 30, with the lid member 67 being biased in that direction.

[0087] The divider 63 of this embodiment includes a drive mechanism 71, an operating member 72, and a clutch mechanism 73. The operating member 72 biases the opening / closing member 65, causing the opening / closing member 65 to swing. The drive mechanism 71 drives the operating member 72. The clutch mechanism 73 is located between the drive mechanism 71 and the operating member 72 and connects and disconnects them.

[0088] The drive mechanism 71 consists of racks 77a to 77f, which extend horizontally in the drawing, arranged in six columns vertically. Each rack 77a to 77f is engaged with a pinion 79 driven by a motor 76, and by driving the motor 76, the racks 77a to 77f move in a straight line.

[0089] The operating member 72 is a cam. Gear teeth 74 are formed on a part of the operating member 72. The clutch mechanism 73 includes connecting rods 73a to 73j and a solenoid 75. In this embodiment, six working members 72 are connected by connecting rods 73a to j. The working members 72 are rotatable with respect to the connecting rods 73a to j. On the other hand, the working members 72 are integral with respect to the connecting rods 73a to j in the axial direction. Each connecting rod 73a to j is fitted with a solenoid 75, and by driving the solenoid 75, each connecting rod 73a to j moves linearly individually. In this embodiment, the connecting rods 73a to j extend in the vertical direction of the drawing and are arranged in 10 rows horizontally. Normally, each working member 72 is located beside the racks 77a to f, as shown in Figure 20(b), and the gear teeth 74 of each working member 72 are not engaged with the racks 77a to f. When the solenoid 75, located on the far right of the drawing in Figure 20(a), is energized and the connecting rod 73a is moved, the teeth 74 of the gears of all the working members 72 attached to the connecting rod 73a engage with the racks 77a to 77f, as shown in Figure 20(c).

[0090] In this implementation, the divider 63 can also open the compartments 30 at any position in any order. The divider 63 can also individually discharge the drug corresponding to any of the recesses 20. Specifically, the connecting rods 73a to j in the column to which the box section 30 to be opened belongs are driven by the solenoid 75, and all the working members 72 in the column to which the box section 30 to be opened belongs are engaged with the racks 77a to f. Then, only the racks 77a to 77f in the row to which the box section 30 to be opened belongs are driven. As a result, only a specific operating member 72 rotates, and the operating member 72 pushes up the point of force 68 of the opening / closing member 65, causing the opening / closing member 65 to rotate, lowering the lid member 67 and opening the bottom of the box section 30.

[0091] In the divider 63 described above, racks 77a to 77f were driven by motors, and connecting rods 73a to 73j were driven by solenoids. The drive source for driving racks 77a to 77f and connecting rods 73a to 73j is not limited; racks 77a to 77f may be driven by solenoids, or connecting rods 73a to 73j may be driven by motors.

[0092] (Modified example of the divider 2) In the embodiment described above, the connecting rods 73a to j are driven by multiple power sources, but the number of power sources can be reduced by using a one-way clutch or the like. In the divider 80 shown in Figure 22, all connecting rods 73a to j are driven by a single stepping motor 89. The divider 80 has a pivot shaft 81, and drive-side members 82 are attached to the pivot shaft 81 in a number corresponding to the connecting rods 73a to j. The pivot shaft 81 is rotated by a stepping motor 89. The drive-side member 82 is a disc with a stepped engagement portion 84 provided on a part of it. One side of the stepped engagement portion 84 is at an acute angle to the circumference, while the other side is smoothly continuous with respect to the circumference. The drive-side member 82 is fixed to the pivot shaft 81 with the position of the stepped engagement portion 84 slightly shifted.

[0093] A driven member 83 is attached to each connecting rod 73a to j. The driven member 83 is a member provided with an engaging portion 85 at its tip. The engaging portion 85 has a sharply angled hook shape. The engaging portion 85 of the driven member 83 is in contact with the driving member 82. As shown in Figure 22(b), when the drive-side member 82 is rotated in the direction of the dashed arrow, the stepped engagement portion 84 of the drive-side member 82 does not engage with the engagement portion 85. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 22(c), when the drive-side member 82 is rotated in the direction of the solid arrow, as shown in Figure 22(d), the stepped engagement portion 84 of the drive-side member 82 engages with the engagement portion 85, and the connecting rods 73a to j are pulled and moved. Here, since the drive-side member 82 is fixed to the pivot shaft 81 with the position of the stepped engagement portion 84 slightly shifted, the stepped engagement portions 84 of multiple drive-side members 82 do not engage with the driven-side member 83 at the same time.

[0094] In this embodiment, the driven member 83 of the column to which the box section 30 to be opened belongs is engaged with the drive member 82, and by moving specific connecting rods 73a to j, all the operating members 72 of the column to which the box section 30 to be opened belongs are engaged with the racks 77a to f. Specifically, as shown in Figure 22(b), the drive-side member 82 is rotated in the direction of the dashed arrow and stopped at a position where the engaging portion 85 connected to a specific connecting rod 73a to j fits into the corresponding stepped engaging portion 84 of the drive-side member 82. Here, since the drive-side member 82 is fixed to the pivot shaft 81 with the position of the stepped engaging portion 84 slightly shifted, the engaging portion 85 that fits into the stepped engaging portion 84 of the drive-side member 82 is limited to those connected to specific connecting rods 73a to j.

[0095] Next, as shown in Figures 22(c) and (d), when the drive-side member 82 is rotated in the direction of the solid arrow, the stepped engagement portion 84 of the drive-side member 82 engages with the engagement portion 85, and the connecting rods 73a to j are pulled and moved. As a result, only the specific connecting rods 73a to j move, and the teeth 74 of the gears of all the working members 72 attached to those connecting rods 73a to j engage with the racks 77a to f. Other operations are the same as those of the divider 63.

[0096] (Modified example of the divider 3) The divider 87 shown in Figure 23 is composed of a temporary storage member 50 and an opening forming device 90. The temporary storage member 50 has the same structure as that of the first embodiment, the box section 30 has no bottom, and the box section 30 itself is always open. The opening forming apparatus 90 has an opening identification section 91, an opening / closing section 92, and an opening / closing mechanism section 94. The opening identification section 91 has six each of the pull-out side members 93, the wind-up side members 95, and the belt 96. The drawer-side member 93 consists of multiple drawer pulleys 121 arranged in series on a support shaft (not shown). Each drawer pulley 121 has a built-in motor. The winding side member 95 consists of multiple winding pulleys 122 arranged in series on a support shaft (not shown). Each winding pulley 122 has a built-in spring and is constantly biased to rotate in the winding direction. A belt 96 is wound around the winding pulley 122, and one end of the belt 96 is connected to the pull-out pulley 121. Therefore, when the pull-out pulley 121 is rotated, the belt 96 that is wrapped around the wind-up pulley 122 is unwound. Each belt 96 has an opening 97 at one location. Therefore, the position of the opening 97 changes according to the rotation speed of the pulley 121.

[0097] The opening / closing section 92 has 11 swing doors 98 corresponding to the vertical rows of compartments 30 of the temporary storage member 50. An operating piece 110 protrudes from each swing door 98.

[0098] The opening and closing mechanism 94 includes a guide member 111 and a lifting member 112 that is restricted by the guide member 111 to move only in the vertical direction. The lifting member 112 has an elongated hole 113, and the operating piece 110 of the swinging door 98 engages with the elongated hole 113. The device also has a rotating plate 115 that is rotated by a motor (not shown), and an engaging piece 116 provided on the rotating plate 115 engages with the elongated hole 113 of the lifting member 112. The rotating plate 115 is always stopped with the engaging piece 116 in the upper position. As a result, the lifting member 112 is in the upper position, and all opening and closing parts 92 are in a position to seal the bottom of the box section 30. By rotating the rotating plate 115 and moving the engaging piece 116 to the lower side, the lifting member 112 moves to the lower side, and all opening and closing parts 92 are released.

[0099] In the divider 87 of this embodiment, one of the pull-out pulleys 121 is driven to move the opening 97 of the belt 96 to the lower part of the compartment 30 that is to be opened. Subsequently, as shown in Figure 23(c), the rotating plate 115 is rotated to open all the openings 92. As a result, only the compartment 30 where the opening 97 of the belt 96 has moved to the bottom becomes effectively open, and the chemical inside the compartment 30 falls out.

[0100] (Modified example of the divider 4) The structure of the divider is arbitrary, and a known temporary storage member 117 shown in Figure 24 may be used, which has an opening / closing door 123 at the bottom of each compartment 30. The temporary storage member 117 of this structure is periodically removed from the drug packaging device for cleaning and then reattached to the drug packaging device. Here, the temporary storage member 117, which has an opening / closing door 123 at the bottom of each compartment 30, must be held down to prevent the opening / closing door 123 from opening when it is attached to the drug packaging device, and therefore requires skill to attach.

[0101] The temporary storage member 117 in this embodiment solves this problem. In this embodiment, the temporary storage member 117 has a closing plate insertion guide 118 on the bottom surface of the main body, and a closing plate 120 is attached to the bottom surface of the main body. The closing plate 120 is inserted along the closing plate insertion guide 118 and can hold down the opening / closing door 123 at the bottom of each compartment 30, thereby closing it. In this embodiment, the temporary storage member 117 is attached to the drug packaging device with the closing plate 120 attached. After the chemical agent is dispensed from the hand-spreading member 102 into each compartment 30, the temporary storage member 117 moves to the collection hopper side. Here, there is a member in the movement path of the temporary storage member 117 that prevents the movement of the closing plate 120, so that only the main body of the temporary storage member 117 moves towards the collection hopper, while the closing plate 120 remains in place.

[0102] (Bandage sorting device) In conventional technology where drug packaging is discharged from a drug packaging device in a continuous strip, the drug packaging for each patient, or the drug packaging to be transported to each facility, is discharged in a continuous strip. For example, the medication that patient A will take over 21 days is discharged in a continuous strip, followed by the medication that patient B will take over 21 days, also in a continuous strip. In most cases, a basket is placed below the discharge section of the drug packaging device, and the individual packaging strips are dropped into this basket. In conventional drug packaging devices, a dispensing bandage for patient A is discharged first, followed by a dispensing bandage for patient B, and then the other two are discharged from the discharge section. In reality, more dispensing bandages for more people are discharged, and a large number of bandages end up mixed together in the same basket. Therefore, workers need to organize the bandages. However, organizing the bandages is a cumbersome task, and improvement was desired.

[0103] To address this problem, it is recommended to install a sorter device 130, as shown in Figure 25. The sorter device 130 has multiple guide sections 132 and 133. In this embodiment, there are two guide sections 132 and 133, but the number of guide sections 132 and 133 is arbitrary. Each guide section 132 and 133 is also provided with a package holding means (not shown). The package holding means holds a part of the package by clamping it.

[0104] As shown in Figure 25, the sorter device 130 is installed near the drug packaging discharge port 131 of the drug packaging device and moves up and down by a lifting mechanism (not shown).

[0105] When sorting the packaging bands using the sorter device 130, the lower first guide section 132 is moved to the position of the drug packaging outlet 131, as shown in Figure 25(b). For example, when the drug packaging for patient A is discharged from the drug packaging outlet 131, the packaging band 138 for patient A hangs down in contact with the first guide section 132. Once all the medication for patient A is packaged, the packaging band 138 is cut within the drug packaging device, and the end of the packaging band 138 is held in the first guide section 132 by the packaging body holding means.

[0106] Next, as shown in Figure 25(c), the sorter device 130 is lowered, and the upper second guide portion 133 is moved to the position of the drug packaging discharge port 131. When the drug packaging for patient b is discharged from the drug packaging discharge port 131, the packaging band 139 for patient b hangs down in contact with the second guide portion 133, as described above, the packaging band 139 is cut, and the end of the packaging band 139 is held by the second guide portion 133 by the packaging holding means.

[0107] In this embodiment, since there are two guide sections 132 and 133, the subsequent packaging band for patient c will be discharged directly from the drug packaging outlet 131.

[0108] (Measures to reduce packaging waste) For example, when using a drug packaging section 6 with a layout like that shown in Figure 26, when the packaging band is switched, a portion of the packaging paper 143 may need to be discarded. The drug packaging section 6 shown in Figure 26 has a printer 136 upstream of the hopper 135 and a heater roller 137 downstream of the hopper 135. In the drug packaging section 6, the printer 136 prints the necessary information onto the packaging paper 143, and then the drug is supplied to the packaging paper 143 from the hopper 135. In this state, the packaging paper 143 moves downstream and is formed into individual bags by the heater roller 137.

[0109] For example, if we assume that the medication for patient A to take over 21 days is dispensed continuously, followed by the medication for patient B to take over 21 days, then the last medication for patient A will be supplied from the hopper 135 to the packaging paper 143, followed by the first medication for patient B to the packaging paper 143. As a result, medication is continuously supplied to the packaging paper 143, and no waste of packaging paper 143 occurs.

[0110] In contrast, if, for example, the medication that patient A takes over 21 days is continuously dispensed, and then the supply of medication from the hopper 135 is interrupted, then the packaging paper 143 will be wasted. In other words, when the medication for patient A is supplied to the packaging paper 143, the packaging paper 143 is moved to the position of the heater roller 137 and formed into a bag shape. However, when the packaging paper 143 is moved to the position of the heater roller 137, subsequent packaging papers 143 are pulled and moved to the lower part of the hopper 135 or to the position of the printer 136. However, no chemicals are supplied to the packaging paper 143 that reaches the hopper 135. Also, nothing is printed on the packaging paper 143 that reaches the printer 136. As a result, the packaging paper 143 in the area from the printer 136 to the heater roller 137 is wasted.

[0111] To address this issue, if a series of drug packaging is completed and no information for the next drug packaging has been entered, the last or nearby drug packaging is stopped, and the machine waits for a certain period of time for the next prescription to be sent to the drug packaging device. If the next prescription to be processed arrives within a certain time, drug packaging will be resumed. For example, if a prescription for patient B needs to be processed immediately after a prescription for patient A, drug packaging for patient A will be resumed, followed by drug packaging for patient B. If the next prescription to be processed is not received within a certain time, the remaining drug packaging for patient A will be resumed and the drug packaging for patient A will be completed.

[0112] The aforementioned medication calendar is equipped with a drug storage section 141 for storing medications. A typical medication calendar 140, as shown in Figure 27(a), has four drug storage compartments 141 arranged below each date. Each of the four drug storage compartments 141 corresponds to a different timing (dosage) for administration, and is labeled, for example, "morning," "noon," "evening," and "before bed." Then, the medication corresponding to the timing of administration is stored in the medication storage section 141 of the medication calendar (medication calendar) 140. When it is time to administer the medication, the medication is taken from the corresponding medication storage section 141 and taken.

[0113] Generally, the drug storage section 141 is pocket-shaped. As a result, debris 145 can accumulate at the bottom of the drug storage section 141. In addition, the bottom of the drug storage section 141 is often angular, making it difficult to remove debris from the corners. To address this issue, it is recommended to use a cleaning tool 150 as shown in Figure 27(b). The cleaning tool 150 is an attachment that is fitted to the tip of a vacuum cleaner. The cleaning tool 150 has a rectangular prism shape. The front and back walls of the cleaning tool 150 are wide, while the side walls are narrow. The cleaning tool 150 is hollow inside, with an opening 152 at the corner near the tip. Furthermore, brushes 151 are attached to the front wall, back wall, and bottom wall of the cleaning tool 150. The brushes 151 are flat and thin, and are attached to the main body of the cleaning tool 150 by adhesive means (not shown).

[0114] The cleaning tool 150 is attached to a vacuum cleaner (not shown). Then, as shown in Figure 27(c), the cleaning tool 150 is inserted into the drug storage section 141 of the medication calendar 140, and the cleaning tool 150 is moved in and out within the drug storage section 141. As a result, the inner surface of the chemical container 141 is rubbed by the brush 151, removing any dirt or dust adhering to the inner surface of the chemical container 141. The removed dirt and dust are then sucked up through the opening 152. In particular, in this embodiment, since the opening 152 is located at the corner of the tip of the cleaning tool 150, even the corners of the chemical container 141 where dirt tends to accumulate can be thoroughly cleaned. It is desirable that the brush 151 be replaceable. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0115] 1: Drug packaging device, 6: Drug packaging section, 10: Manual dispensing device (drug discharge device), 11: Display device, 12: Display screen, 15: Manual dispensing member, 16: Divider (discharge means), 18: Simulated diagram (guidance means), 20: Recess, 22: Indicator light (indicator means, guidance means), 30: Box section, 40: Control device, 50: Temporary storage member, 51: Bottom component, 55: Fully closed area, 56: Openable area, 58: Movable floor member, 61: Fall opening, 62: Medications

Claims

1. Equipped with a camera, it photographs a continuous bandage containing medication packaging for multiple patients, and identifies or infers the medication from the captured image. A verification device that refers to prescription information and determines whether the drug packaged in the drug packaging is to be administered to the patient in question, It has a function to rearrange the images of the drug packaging that make up the aforementioned dispensing bandage, An inspection device characterized by its ability to display the drug packaging in the order in which it was discharged from the drug packaging device, and further, to select a patient and display only the drugs that that patient is taking.

2. The inspection device according to claim 1, characterized in that when displaying only the medications taken by the selected patient, the date and timing of administration are clearly indicated.

3. The inspection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it can specify a particular drug packaging for a particular patient and display images of the drug packaging taken immediately before and after the drug packaging.

4. An inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, if an inspection determination reveals a defect in the drug packaging, the inspection device automatically displays images of the drug packaging taken immediately before and after the drug packaging in question.

5. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it can display a warning and / or emit a sound when there are drugs that are similar in shape or size.

6. The inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the dispensing bandage is any of the following: (a) A continuous packing of medications for multiple patients to take in the morning. (b) A continuous bandage containing medication packages for multiple patients to take at lunchtime. (c) A continuous bandage containing medication packages for multiple patients to take at night. (d) A continuous bandage containing individual medication packages for multiple patients to take before going to bed. (e) A continuous dispensing bandage containing medication packaging for one patient to take over a specified number of days and medication packaging for another patient to take over a specified number of days.

7. A drug packaging device capable of dispensing necessary drugs based on prescription information, packaging them in single-dose portions, and dispensing them, characterized in that it incorporates an inspection device as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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