Drug dispensing device

Abstract

To provide a medicine dispensing / packaging apparatus capable of improving efficiency of dispensing / packaging work while suppressing generation of residual medicine in a powder medicine container.SOLUTION: A medicine dispensing / packaging apparatus comprises a powder medicine container for storing a powder medicine, a vibratory device for vibrating the powder medicine container to supply the powder medicine from the powder medicine container to a distribution tray, the circular distribution tray for storing the powder medicine supplied from the powder medicine container thereon while rotating, a packaging part for packaging the powder medicine scraped out from the distribution tray, and a control unit. The vibration intensity applied to the powder medicine container by the vibratory device can be changed. The control unit executes the supply control for performing control so that the vibratory device vibrates the powder medicine container to supply the entire amount of the powder medicine in the powder medicine container to the distribution tray, and the cleaning control for performing control so that the vibratory device vibrates the powder medicine container to discharge the residual medicine in the powder medicine container from the powder medicine container to the distribution tray after it is determined that the supply of the entire amount of the powder medicine in the powder medicine container has been completed. Further, the control unit controls the vibratory device so as to vibrate the powder medicine container with stronger vibration intensity in the cleaning control than in the supply control.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drug packaging device capable of packaging powders in packets.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a drug packaging device, a powder packaging device described in Patent Document 1 is known. The drug packaging device includes a powder container that stores powder, a vibrating table that vibrates the powder container and causes a part of the powder stored in the powder container to fall from the powder container, a distribution plate that receives the powder that has fallen from the powder container while rotating at a predetermined speed, and a scraping device that scrapes the powder from the distribution plate into a packaging device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in a drug packaging device, all the powder in the powder container is discharged, and another type of powder is re-stored in the emptied powder container for use. In such a drug packaging device, if the dispensed drug remains in the powder container, there is a risk that the remaining drug will be mixed into another type of powder stored in the powder container. On the other hand, when removing the remaining drug by wiping or the like every time another powder is stored in the powder container, it takes time and effort, and the efficiency of the packaging operation may deteriorate.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a drug packaging device that can improve the efficiency of the packaging operation while suppressing the generation of remaining drug in the powder container.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The drug packaging device of the present invention is a drug packaging device that performs packaging of powder, comprising: a powder container for containing powder; a vibrating device for vibrating the powder container to supply powder from the powder container; a circular dispensing tray for containing the powder supplied from the powder container while rotating; a scraping unit for scraping out the powder contained in the dispensing tray; a packaging unit for packaging the powder scraped out from the dispensing tray; and a control unit, wherein the strength of the vibration of the powder container can be changed, and the control unit is The vibration device performs a supply control that vibrates the powder container to supply the entire amount of powder in the powder container to the dispensing tray, and a cleaning control that, after determining that the entire amount of powder in the powder container has been supplied, vibrates the powder container to discharge any remaining powder from the powder container to the dispensing tray, wherein the cleaning control is configured to control the vibration device to vibrate the powder container more strongly than the vibration strength in the supply control.

[0007] With this configuration, the cleaning control vibrates the powder container more strongly than the vibration strength in the supply control, so that any remaining powder inside the container can be discharged by the vibration of the vibrating device. Therefore, the generation of residual powder inside the container can be suppressed while the packaging process can be made more efficient.

[0008] Furthermore, the vibration device may have a supply vibration level, which is a predetermined range of vibration intensity for vibrating the powder container in the supply control, and a cleaning vibration level, which is a vibration intensity for vibrating the powder container in the cleaning control, wherein the cleaning vibration level may be configured to have a vibration intensity stronger than the strongest vibration intensity in the supply vibration level.

[0009] With this configuration, the intensity of the vibration used to vibrate the powder container in the cleaning control is set to be stronger than the intensity of any stage in the supply vibration level, thereby ensuring that any remaining powder in the container is reliably discharged.

[0010] Furthermore, the control unit may be configured such that, in the cleaning control, the dispensing tray rotates, the powder discharged from the powder container in the cleaning control is supplied to the dispensing tray, and the dispensing tray is packaged together with the powder supplied to the dispensing tray in the supply control.

[0011] With this configuration, the dispensing tray rotates even during cleaning control, which prevents residual medication discharged from the powder container from accumulating unevenly on the dispensing tray. Therefore, it is possible to dispense the required amount of powder while suppressing a decrease in dispensing accuracy due to the discharge of residual medication.

[0012] Furthermore, the control unit may be configured to control the cleaning control such that the vibration device includes an intermittent vibration operation in which it repeatedly performs an operation to vibrate the powder container and an operation to stop the vibration of the powder container.

[0013] With this configuration, during cleaning control, the powder container repeatedly vibrates and stops, so a strong impact can be applied to the powder container when switching between vibration and stopping, thus ensuring that any remaining powder adhering to the container is reliably discharged.

[0014] Furthermore, the control unit may be configured to determine whether there is any remaining powder in the powder container after determining that the entire amount of powder has been supplied from the powder container. If it determines that there is remaining powder, it will execute the cleaning control, and if it determines that there is no remaining powder, it will not execute the cleaning control.

[0015] With this configuration, cleaning control is executed when it is determined that there is residual medication, and not executed when it is determined that there is no residual medication. Therefore, if there is residual medication, it can be removed by cleaning control, and if there is no residual medication, the time required for cleaning can be reduced. Thus, it is possible to suppress the generation of residual medication in the powder container while streamlining the packaging process.

[0016] Further, the powder container can be configured to be able to directly receive the powder supplied from a powder supply device that can accommodate a plurality of types of powders and supply the powder to be accommodated.

[0017] According to such a configuration, since the powder container can directly receive the powder supplied from the powder supply device, for example, compared with the case where the powder supplied from the powder supply device is received in another container once and then supplied from the other container to the powder container, the packaging efficiency is increased. Further, since the remaining medicine in the powder container is automatically cleaned, there is no need to manually clean the remaining medicine in the powder container when repeatedly supplying the powder from the powder supply device to the powder container, and continuous packaging can be performed.

Advantages of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a medicine packaging device that can suppress the generation of remaining medicine in the powder container and improve the efficiency of the packaging operation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of a medicine packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing the powder container of the medicine packaging device. [Figure 3] It is a plan view showing the powder container. [Figure 4] It is a plan view showing the configuration of the vibration device and the distribution plate of the medicine packaging device. [Figure 5] It is a sectional view taken along the line V-V shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing a setting screen regarding the automatic adjustment control of the medicine packaging device. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing a setting screen regarding the setting for each type of powder of the medicine packaging device. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart showing the control regarding the packaging of the medicine packaging device. [Figure 9] It is a flowchart showing the process in the supply control. <0,000094> [Figure 10]It is a flowchart showing the processes in the automatic adjustment supply process. [Figure 11] It is a flowchart showing the processes in the adjustment value adjustment process. [Figure 12] It is a flowchart showing the processes in the adjusted supply process. [Figure 13] (a) It is a diagram showing the relationship between the passage of time and the supply amount of the powder. (b) It is a diagram showing the relationship between the passage of time and the detection state of the powder detection means. [Figure 14] It is a diagram showing a display screen indicating the sub-packaging status. [Figure 15] It is a flowchart showing the processes in the cleaning control. [Figure 16] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of a medicine sub-packaging device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] The medicine sub-packaging device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 15. For convenience of explanation, the vertical direction will be described based on the vertical direction in the state where the medicine sub-packaging device 1 is used.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the medicine sub-packaging device 1 of the present invention includes a powder container 2 for storing powder, a powder supply device 3 capable of supplying a plurality of types of powder to the powder container 2 for each type, a vibration device 4 for vibrating the powder container 2, a substantially circular distribution dish 5 for storing the powder supplied from the powder container 2, a powder detection means 6 for detecting the powder supplied from the powder container 2 to the distribution dish 5, a scraping portion 7 for scraping out the powder stored in the distribution dish 5, a packaging portion 8 for packaging the powder scraped out from the distribution dish 5, and a control portion 9. Further, the medicine sub-packaging device 1 of the present embodiment includes a storage portion 10 for storing information, an operation portion 11 for receiving operations from outside the device, and a display portion 12 for displaying the state etc. of the medicine sub-packaging device 1. Such a medicine sub-packaging device 1 individually packages and discharges the powder for each single dose.

[0022] The powder supply device 3 has multiple storage containers for storing powders and is configured to discharge each powder from the storage containers to the outside. Specifically, the powder supply device 3 comprises multiple storage containers, each having an opening in part, and an opening / closing means for opening and closing the openings. When the opening / closing means opens the opening, the powder contained inside is discharged to the outside of the storage container. Each storage container contains one type of powder. The powder supply device 3 of this embodiment is configured to discharge a specified weight of powder and supply it to the powder container 2. Specifically, it has a weighing means for weighing the powder supplied to the powder container 2. When the opening / closing means opens the opening and starts supplying the powder, and the weighing means determines that the specified weight of powder has been discharged into the powder container 2, the supply of powder is stopped and the opening / closing means closes. Note that multiple storage containers in the powder supply device 3 may contain the same type of powder (for example, powders that are frequently used).

[0023] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the powder container 2 comprises a container bottom 21 having a bottom surface, and a container side wall 22 extending upward from the outer edge of the upper surface of the container bottom 21. It is an open-top container capable of containing powder in a storage space 2a defined by the container bottom 21 and the container side wall 22. The powder container 2 is also a container with an opening 2b formed at its tip, which allows the powder to be discharged from the storage space 2a to the outside. The opening 2b is an opening provided to connect the storage space 2a to the outside, and specifically consists of a notch formed in a part of the outer edge of the container bottom and a notch formed in the container side wall 22 that communicates with the notch in the container bottom. The shape of the powder container 2 is not limited to the shape described above, and various shapes can be adopted; for example, it can be configured as a container with a closed top.

[0024] Furthermore, the powder container 2 includes a temporary storage section 23 that contains and temporarily stores the powder supplied from the powder supply device 3, a discharge tip section 24 connected to the front end of the temporary storage section 23 and having an opening that allows the powder to move to the outside, and a partition member 25 that separates the temporary storage section 23 and the discharge tip section 24 and restricts the movement of the powder. The temporary storage section 23 is provided with a wide section 26 at its base end, and is configured to reliably receive the powder supplied to the powder container 2 from the outside. This wide section 26 is configured to be wider by having a lower side wall section 221, which will be described later, that is longer than the other parts.

[0025] The container bottom 21 is a plate-like body with a substantially flat upper and lower surface, extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. Furthermore, the upper surface of the container bottom 21 is configured such that the portion forming the bottom of the temporary storage section 23 is located above the portion forming the bottom of the discharge tip section 24, and a stepped portion 21a is formed between the portion forming the bottom of the temporary storage section 23 and the portion forming the bottom of the discharge tip section 24 (see Figure 5).

[0026] The container side wall portion 22 is a wall body extending upward from the container bottom portion 21. Specifically, the container side wall portion 22 comprises a lower side wall portion 221 connected to the upper surface of the container bottom portion 21 and constituting the lower part of the container side wall portion 22, and an upper side wall portion 222 extending upward from the upper end of the lower side wall portion 221. The lower side wall portion 221 is a wall body whose lower end is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the container bottom portion 21, and whose upper end is provided to extend outward from the outer edge of the container bottom portion 21 (outward with respect to the storage space 2a), and in this embodiment, its inner surface is a curved surface. The upper side wall portion 222 is a straight-shaped wall body connected to the upper end of the lower side wall portion 221, and its inner surface extends along the vertical direction.

[0027] The partition member 25 is a plate-shaped body provided to partition the temporary storage section 23 and the discharge tip section 24, and can be switched between a closed state and an open state between the temporary storage section 23 and the discharge tip section 24. Specifically, the partition member 25 comprises a plate-shaped partition plate section 251 that partitions the temporary storage section 23 and the discharge tip section 24, a shaft section 252 that connects the partition plate section 251 and the container side wall section 22, and a lever section 253 that switches the partition plate section 251 between a closed state and an open state between the temporary storage section 23 and the discharge tip section 24. When the partition plate section 251 is in the closed state, its lower end is configured to abut against the container bottom section 21, specifically against the stepped section 21a. Furthermore, the partition plate portion 251 rotates around the shaft portion 252 as its axis, and its lower end moves away from the stepped portion 21a, thereby switching to a state where the space between the temporary storage portion 23 and the discharge tip portion 24 is opened.

[0028] The shaft portion 252 is a shaft provided so as to extend outward from the upper side wall portion 222 with respect to the accommodation space 2a, and connects the partition plate portion 251 to the upper side wall portion 222 in a state in which it can rotate to open and close. Specifically, the shaft portion 252 comprises a shaft body 254 that connects the upper side wall portion 222 and the partition plate portion 251, and a biasing means 255 provided on the shaft body 254 that biases the partition plate portion 251 to rotate in the closing direction. The shaft body 254 is a columnar portion that extends outward from the upper side wall portion 222 to the accommodation space 2a, and in this embodiment it is substantially cylindrical.

[0029] The lever portion 253 is a plate-shaped member that extends vertically, and its upper end is connected to the partition plate portion 251. When it receives an external force, it rotates around the shaft portion 252, causing the partition plate portion 251 to rotate away from the stepped portion 21a. When the lever portion 253 is no longer subjected to an external force, the biasing means 255 of the shaft portion 252 causes it to rotate in the opposite direction to the opening of the partition plate portion 251, causing the connected partition plate portion 251 to rotate towards the stepped portion 21a.

[0030] As shown in Figure 4, the vibration device 4 is a device that can hold the powder container 2 and vibrate the held powder container 2. Furthermore, the vibration device 4 is configured to allow the intensity of the vibration that vibrates the powder container 2 to be changed to multiple levels of intensity. Specifically, the vibration device 4 comprises a container holding part 41 on which the powder container 2 is placed and which holds the placed powder container 2, a vibration generating part 42 (see Figure 5) that generates vibration, and a plate operating part (not shown) that applies an external force to a lever part 253 to open a partition plate part 251. The plate operating part is configured to apply an external force to the lever part 253 of the placed powder container 2 before the vibration generating part 42 generates vibration, opening the partition plate part 251, and to maintain the partition plate part 251 in an open state until the vibration of the vibration device 4 ends. In this embodiment, two vibration devices 4 are provided for one dispensing tray 5.

[0031] The container holding section 41 includes a flat mounting surface 41a on which the powder container 2 is placed. The mounting surface 41a is a flat surface provided on the upper part of the vibration generating section 42, and is configured so that the bottom surface of the placed powder container 2 extends substantially horizontally. The container holding section 41 is also configured to transmit vibrations generated by the vibration generating section 42 to the placed powder container 2, and to fix the powder container 2 so that it does not fall off the mounting surface 41a due to the vibrations transmitted to the powder container 2. In the container holding section 41 of this embodiment, the bottom surface of the powder container 2 and the mounting surface 41a engage to fix the powder container 2.

[0032] The vibration generating unit 42 is composed of an electromagnet, a spring, and the like, and is configured to generate vibrations. The vibration generating unit 42 is controlled by the control unit 9, which will be described later, and can generate vibrations of a strength corresponding to the instructions of the control unit 9. The vibration generating unit 42 is also configured to allow the strength of the vibrations it generates to be changed, and specifically, it is configured to allow switching between multiple levels of vibration strength. The vibration generating unit 42 of this embodiment has a supply vibration level, which is the strength of vibration that vibrates the powder container 2 in supply control S1, which mainly supplies the powder contained in the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5, and a cleaning vibration level, which is the strength of vibration that vibrates the powder container 2 in cleaning control S2, which mainly discharges the residual medicine, which is the powder remaining in the powder container 2.

[0033] The supply vibration level is the intensity of vibration within a predetermined range, primarily used in the supply control S1. In this embodiment, it is the intensity of vibration in multiple stages used in the supply control S1. The supply vibration level has, for example, 12 stages from level 1 to level 12, and is configured such that the vibration intensity increases as the level increases.

[0034] The cleaning vibration level is the vibration intensity used only in cleaning control S2, and is stronger than the strongest vibration of the supply vibration level (e.g., level 12). In this embodiment, the cleaning vibration level is set to the strongest vibration that can be generated in the environment in which the vibration generating unit 42 is installed, but the configuration is not limited to this.

[0035] The dispensing tray 5 is an annular portion in plan view configured to receive the powder supplied from the powder container 2 while rotating. Specifically, the dispensing tray 5 is an annular tray body 51 with a groove formed on its upper surface that is recessed downwards, a rotating means 52 that rotates the tray body 51 around an axis in the vertical direction, and a cleaning brush 54 that can clean the tray body 51. The rotating means 52 is controlled by the control unit 9 and rotates based on the instructions of the control unit 9, and is configured to rotate the tray body 51 by transmitting the rotational force to the tray body 51 via a belt 53 or the like. In addition, the dispensing tray 5 of this embodiment is provided so that the tray body 51 is located directly below the opening 2b of the powder container 2 which is placed on the vibration generating unit 42, and is configured to receive the powder that falls from the powder container 2 and store it in the groove of the tray body 51 (see Figure 5). The cleaning brush 54 is a brush that can sweep away powder and other substances adhering to the upper surface of the tray body 51.

[0036] The scraping section 7 is the part that scrapes out the powder contained in the dish body 51 of the distribution dish 5 and supplies it to the packaging section 8. Specifically, the scraping section 7 comprises a damming section 71 that contacts the upper surface (groove) of the dish body 51 to block the powder contained in the dish body 51, and a scraping plate 72 that scrapes out the powder blocked by the damming section 71 to the outside of the dish body 51. The scraping section 7 is controlled by the control unit 9 and operates based on instructions from the control unit 9.

[0037] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the powder detection means 6 is a means for detecting the powder supplied from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5. In this embodiment, it is a means capable of detecting the powder falling from the opening of the powder container 2 into the dispensing tray 5. Specifically, the powder detection means 6 is a sensor (e.g., an optical sensor) capable of detecting powder, and is capable of detecting powder falling from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5 in the vertical direction. That is, the powder detection means in this embodiment is an optical sensor whose detection direction is the direction intersecting the direction in which the powder falls. Furthermore, while detecting powder, the powder detection means 6 emits a signal indicating that it is detecting powder (the ON state in Figure 13(b)). In addition, in this embodiment, multiple powder detection means 6 are provided, and are positioned in locations corresponding to the powder containers 2 located in each vibration device 4.

[0038] As partially shown in Figure 4, the packaging section 8 is the part that receives the powder dispensed from the dispensing tray 5 and packages it in single-dose portions. Specifically, the packaging section 8 is located below the position in the dispensing tray 5 corresponding to the position where the scraping section 7 scrapes out the powder, and includes a hopper section 81 that receives the scraped-out powder, and a packaging body section (not shown) that packages the powder received by the hopper section 81 with packaging material (e.g., dispensing paper). In this embodiment, the packaging body section packages the powder, which is placed in a space formed by folding a sheet of dispensing paper, by heat-sealing the outer edge. However, it is not limited to this configuration, and the powder can also be placed in a rigid container (e.g., a hard plastic bottle or dish-shaped container) and packaged therein.

[0039] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the operation unit 11 is a part for inputting operations from the outside, and specifically, it is a controller. The operation unit 11 can input setting information related to various settings of the drug packaging device 1, and packaging information related to instructions for packaging. The packaging information includes type information (in this embodiment, the name of the powder) related to the type of powder supplied from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5, weight information related to the weight of the powder supplied from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5, and package number information related to how many times the powder supplied to the dispensing tray 5 should be divided and packaged. Note that the operation unit 11 is not limited to a controller provided in the drug packaging device 1, but can also be configured as a computer or the like that is connected from the outside by wired or wireless connection.

[0040] The display unit 12 is the part that displays the settings and dispensing status of the drug dispensing device 1, and is specifically a touch panel on the controller. Various information entered by the operation unit 11 is stored in the storage unit 10 and displayed on the display unit 12.

[0041] In this embodiment, the operation unit 11 and the display unit 12 are configured as a single unit. Specifically, the operation unit 11 and the display unit 12 are controllers having a touch panel. In this embodiment, the operation unit 11 can input information to the drug packaging device 1 from an external source based on the displayed screen. Specifically, the touch panel of the operation unit 11 displays, as shown in Figure 6, a mode switching button 111 for switching between an adjustment mode that performs automatic adjustment control and a non-adjustment mode that does not perform automatic adjustment control, a reference time input unit 112 for setting a reference time, and a reset button 113 for returning the set reference time to its initial value. In addition, as shown in Figure 7, for settings for each type of powder, there is a powder information display unit 114 that displays information on the type of powder to be set, an individual switching button 115 that allows setting an adjustment mode that performs automatic adjustment control and a non-adjustment mode that does not perform automatic adjustment control for each powder, and a vibration level setting unit 116 that allows setting the vibration intensity for each type of powder in the adjustment mode. In this embodiment, each button is a virtual button displayed on the touch panel.

[0042] As shown in Figure 6, the mode switching button 111 is a button that switches whether or not to perform automatic adjustment control. When the mode switching button 111 is switched to non-adjustment mode, automatic adjustment control is not performed for all powder dispensing, and dispensing is performed using a preset vibration strength (vibration strength in non-adjustment mode) instead of using the vibration strength adjusted by automatic adjustment control (adjusted vibration value displayed in the vibration level setting unit 116). The reference time input unit 112 allows setting a reference time that serves as the time required to supply the powder from the powder container 2. In this embodiment, the reference time input unit 112 allows setting a reference time corresponding to weight information (specifically, information regarding the range of powder weights) regarding the weight of the powder supplied from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5 for each powder category (granule category, general (non-granule) category). The reference time is set considering the time required to supply the powder from the powder container 2 in order to achieve uniform accumulation of the powder on the dispensing tray 5. The ease with which the powder moves due to vibration varies depending on the properties and weight of the powder supplied from the powder container 2. Therefore, it is desirable to be able to set a reference time according to the properties and weight of the powder. The powders are categorized according to their properties such as fluidity and specific gravity, and a reference time corresponding to the weight information of the powder can be set for each category. Specifically, the reference time can be set by changing the reference time set as the initial value. The reason for categorizing the powder into granules and non-granules is that granules move more easily due to vibration than other powders. The reset button 113 is used to change the set reference time back to the initial value, and when the reset button 113 is pressed, the reference time is changed back to the initial value. Furthermore, by uniformly accumulating the powder on the dispensing tray 5, it is possible to suppress variations in the weight of each package packaged in a single dispensing (for example, variations where the coefficient of variation is 6.1% or more).

[0043] As shown in Figure 7, the powder information display unit 114 is a part that displays information for identifying the type of powder. In this embodiment, it displays the name of the powder and the drug code, which is an identifier for identifying the name of the powder. The individual switching button 115 is a button that switches between adjustment mode and non-adjustment mode for the powder indicated by the powder type information displayed on the powder information display unit 114. When the individual switching button 115 switches the powder from adjustment mode to non-adjustment mode, automatic adjustment control is not performed when supplying the powder set to non-adjustment mode from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5, and the adjustment vibration value that was previously adjusted by automatic adjustment control is used. The adjustment vibration value can also be set by operating the vibration level setting unit 116. In this embodiment, it is possible to set the adjustment vibration value for each type of powder, and it is also possible to set the adjustment vibration value corresponding to each weight information (specifically, information regarding the weight range of the powder).

[0044] The memory unit 10 stores various information and transmits the stored information to the control unit 9. The memory unit 10 stores the reference time and the adjustment vibration value, and if the reference time or adjustment vibration value is changed, it stores the changed reference time or adjustment vibration value. The memory unit 10 also stores the initial values ​​of the reference time and the adjustment vibration value in advance. If the adjustment vibration value has not been changed by automatic adjustment control or manually in the past, the initial value becomes the adjustment vibration value. In this embodiment, the memory unit 10 stores the reference time corresponding to the weight information for each category of powder and the adjustment vibration value corresponding to the weight information for each type of powder, and if this reference time or adjustment vibration value is changed, it stores the changed reference time or the changed adjustment vibration value. Specifically, for each category of powder, the system stores a reference time corresponding to the weight range of the powder supplied from the powder container 2: less than 3.0g, 3.0g or more but less than 10.0g, 10.0g or more but less than 30.0g, 30.0g or more but less than 60.0g, 60.0g or more but less than 100.0g, and 100.0g or more. In addition, for each type of powder, the system stores an adjusted vibration value corresponding to the weight range of the powder supplied from the powder container 2: less than 3.0g, 3.0g or more but less than 10.0g, 10.0g or more but less than 30.0g, 30.0g or more but less than 60.0g, 60.0g or more but less than 100.0g, and 100.0g or more. The storage unit 10 stores the initial value of the reference time for each category of powder and the initial value of the adjusted vibration value corresponding to the weight information for each type of powder. The initial value of the adjustment vibration for each type of powder is set to the same strength for each powder; specifically, vibration level 3 is set as the initial value from the vibration levels 1 to 12 mentioned above. In addition, the memory unit 10 stores the vibration strength in non-adjustment mode for each type of powder, separately from the adjustment vibration value.

[0045] The control unit 9 performs control for packaging the powder contained in the powder container 2. In this embodiment, it performs control for packaging the powder contained in the powder container 2 based on packaging information input by the operation unit 11. Specifically, the control unit 9 sequentially performs supply control S1, which supplies the powder contained in the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5 based on the packaging information input to the operation unit 11; cleaning control S2, which cleans any remaining powder adhering to the powder container 2; and packaging control S3, which individually packages the powder supplied to the dispensing tray 5. In addition, the control unit 9 in this embodiment controls the powder supply device 3 based on the packaging information to supply a predetermined amount of powder to the powder container 2 according to the type of powder. In this embodiment, the entire amount to be supplied to the dispensing tray 5 is supplied from the powder supply device 3 to the temporary storage section 23 of the powder container 2. Furthermore, the control unit 9 in this embodiment controls the movement of the powder container 2 to the vibration device 4 after supplying a predetermined amount of powder to the powder container 2. Specifically, the powder container 2, which has received the powder supplied from the powder supply device 3 by a powder container transfer means (not shown) provided in the drug packaging device 1, is moved to the mounting surface 41a of the vibration device 4. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the control unit 9 can also be configured to notify the user or the like to transfer the powder container 2, so that the user or the like transfers the powder container 2 to the mounting surface 41a. In addition, if the powder to be packaged is not contained in the storage container of the powder supply device 3, the user or the like can put a predetermined amount of powder from a medicine bottle or the like into the powder container 2 and place the powder container 2 containing the powder on the mounting surface 41a. Alternatively, the powder supply device 3 or the user or the like can put a predetermined amount of powder into the powder container 2 while it is placed on the mounting surface 41a.

[0046] As shown in Figure 9, the supply control S1 is a control for supplying powder from the powder container 2, and in this embodiment, it executes multiple controls based on the settings for automatic adjustment control set in the operation unit 11. Specifically, the supply control S1 executes a mode determination step S11 which determines whether it is in adjustment mode or non-adjustment mode, and an individual mode determination step S12 which determines whether the mode set for the type of powder to be supplied from the powder container 2 is adjustment mode or non-adjustment mode. If it is determined in the mode determination step S11 that it is not in adjustment mode (adjustment mode is OFF) (YES in mode determination step S11), the supply step S4 is executed which supplies powder based on the vibration intensity in non-adjustment mode. Furthermore, if the mode determination step S11 determines that the adjustment mode is ON (NO in mode determination step S11), the process proceeds to the individual mode determination step S12. If the individual mode determination step S12 determines that the type of powder supplied from the powder container 2 is in adjustment mode (individual adjustment mode is ON) (YES in individual mode determination step S12), the process proceeds to the automatic adjustment supply step S5a shown in Figures 10 and 11. If the type of powder supplied from the powder container 2 is determined to be in non-adjustment mode (individual adjustment mode is OFF) (NO in individual mode determination step S12), the process proceeds to the supply step S5b shown in Figure 12. In addition, while the automatic adjustment supply step S5a is being executed, changes to the adjustment vibration values ​​stored in the memory unit 10 via the operation unit 11 are prohibited. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent manually changed adjustment vibration values ​​from being overwritten by the automatic adjustment control, thus preventing manual setting changes from becoming useless. Furthermore, if the adjustment vibration value is stored in the memory unit 10 for each type of powder, the system may be configured such that changes to the adjustment vibration value of the same type of powder supplied from the powder container 2 are prohibited via the operation unit 11, while changes to the adjustment vibration value of other types of powders are permitted via the operation unit 11.Furthermore, if vibration adjustment values ​​corresponding to the weight information for each type of powder are stored in the storage unit 10, the system may be configured such that changes via the operation unit 11 are prohibited for adjustment vibration values ​​of the same type and weight range as the powder supplied from the powder container 2, while changes via the operation unit 11 are permitted for adjustment vibration values ​​of different types and weight ranges than the supplied powder. In other words, if changes to adjustment vibration values ​​of the same type and weight range as the powder related to the ongoing automatic adjustment control are prohibited, the system may be configured to either prohibit or permit changes to adjustment vibration values ​​for other powders or weight ranges.

[0047] As shown in Figure 9, the supply process S4 is a process in which the vibration device 4 vibrates the powder container 2 with the vibration strength in non-adjustment mode to supply powder from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5. In this embodiment, the supply process S4 includes a vibration value acquisition process S41 to acquire a vibration value as the vibration strength in non-adjustment mode corresponding to the powder to be supplied from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5, a vibration value display process S42 to display the acquired vibration value on the display unit 12, a vibration process S43 to start the vibration of the powder container 2 with the vibration strength corresponding to the acquired vibration value, a supply start confirmation process S44 to confirm that the supply of powder from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5 has started, a supply end confirmation process S45 to confirm that the supply of powder from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5 has finished, and a vibration stop process S46 to stop the vibration of the vibration device 4 and stop the vibration of the powder container 2.

[0048] The vibration value acquisition step S41 is a step in which the vibration value, as the intensity of vibration in the non-adjusted mode, is acquired from the memory unit 10. Specifically, in the vibration value acquisition step S41, the type information and weight information of the powder supplied from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5 are grasped based on the dispensing information input to the operation unit 11, and the vibration value, as the intensity of vibration in the non-adjusted mode, that matches the type information and corresponds to the weight information is acquired from the memory unit 10. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and if the vibration value is set to a uniform intensity of vibration regardless of the weight information of the powder, it can be configured to acquire the vibration value that matches the type information, or if vibration values ​​are set for each category of powder, it can be configured to acquire the vibration value for each category of powder supplied.

[0049] The vibration value display step S42 is a step in which the vibration value acquired in the vibration value acquisition step S41 is displayed on the display unit 12. In the vibration value display step S42 of this embodiment, the vibration value is displayed on the display unit 12 on a screen showing the status of the packaging, as shown in Figure 14. Specifically, the screen showing the status of the packaging is provided with a status display unit 121 that displays the current settings for the packaging and a vibration information display unit 122 that displays the status of each vibration device 4. The status display unit 121 displays information based on the packaging information, specifically information about the number of powder packets, the timing of administration of the powder to be packaged, and information about the patient to whom the powder to be packaged is prescribed. Furthermore, the vibration information display unit 122 is provided with a vibration value display unit 123 that shows information about the vibration value at the start of vibration before the vibration device 4 starts vibrating, and information about the current vibration value of the vibration device 4 after the vibration device 4 starts vibrating, a vibration value change operation unit 125 for changing the vibration strength of the vibration device 4, and a mounted powder information display unit 124 that displays information about the powder contained in the powder container 2 placed on the vibration device 4. In the vibration value display process S42, the vibration value is displayed on the vibration value display unit 123. The vibration value display unit 123 also displays the changed value when the vibration strength is changed by each control described later.

[0050] Vibration process S43 is a process of vibrating the powder container 2 with a vibration intensity based on the acquired vibration value. Specifically, the vibration generating unit 42 of the vibration device 4 is controlled to generate vibrations corresponding to the vibration value, and the generated vibrations are transmitted to the powder container 2 placed on the mounting surface 41a, thereby vibrating the powder container 2 with a vibration intensity based on the vibration value. In addition, in vibration process S43, the distribution plate 5 is controlled to rotate at a predetermined speed simultaneously with or prior to the vibration generation of the vibration generating unit 42. Specifically, the rotation means 52 is rotated at a predetermined speed, and the rotational force is transmitted to the plate body 51, thereby rotating the plate body 51 at a predetermined speed. Furthermore, in vibration process S43, the plate operating unit is controlled to open the partition member 25 simultaneously with or prior to the vibration generation of the vibration generating unit 42.

[0051] As shown in Figure 5, when the powder container 2 vibrates, the powder contained in the temporary storage section 23 moves toward the tip and moves to the discharge tip section 24 and the opening 2b. The powder that has moved to the opening 2b falls from the powder container 2 and is supplied to the dispensing tray 5. As shown in Figure 13, in this embodiment, there is a distance between the partition member 25 and the opening 2b of the powder container 2, so the powder reaches the opening 2b around the time the movement time t1 has elapsed after the powder container 2 begins to vibrate and begins to be supplied to the dispensing tray 5 (see Figure 13).

[0052] The supply start confirmation step S44 is a step to confirm that the powder has started to be supplied from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5, and specifically, it is a step to confirm that the powder detection means 6 is ON (in a state that detects powder). In the supply start confirmation step S44, if the powder detection means 6 remains ON for a predetermined time or longer (for example, 1 second or more), it is determined that the powder has started to be supplied from the moment it turned ON (the supply time t2 shown in Figure 13 has started). With this configuration, it is possible to suppress the determination that the supply of powder has started even though the supply of powder (continuous supply) has not started, such as in the case of false detection or when a small amount of powder suddenly falls.

[0053] In this embodiment, after it is determined in the supply start confirmation step S44 that the powder has started to be supplied from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5, a control is executed to increase the vibration strength of the powder container 2 at predetermined intervals. Specifically, every predetermined interval (e.g., 20 seconds) from the start of powder supply, a control is executed to increase the vibration strength by one level. However, if the vibration strength is at the upper limit of the supply vibration level, the control to increase the vibration strength is not performed. In addition, the vibration strength can be changed manually by inputting a change in vibration strength via the vibration value change operation unit 125 of the operation unit 11. When an input to change the vibration strength is received, the control unit 9 controls the vibration device 4 so that the vibration strength becomes the changed vibration strength.

[0054] The supply completion confirmation step S45 is a step to confirm that the supply of powder from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5 has been completed. In this embodiment, it is a step to confirm that the entire amount of powder contained in the powder container 2 has been supplied to the dispensing tray 5. Specifically, the supply completion confirmation step S45 is a step to confirm that no powder has fallen from the powder container 2 into the dispensing tray 5. In this embodiment, it is a step to confirm that the powder detection means 6 is OFF (not detecting powder). In the supply completion confirmation step S45, if the powder detection means 6 remains OFF for a preset end time t3 or longer (for example, 3 seconds or more), it is determined that the supply of powder has ended when it turns OFF, and that the supply time t2 has ended when it turns OFF. With this configuration, even if the powder detection means 6 is turned OFF while the powder is continuously being supplied from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5 (for example, if the amount of powder in the powder container decreases due to the supply, resulting in intermittent supply), if the powder is detected during the end time t3, the powder detection means 6 will be turned ON again, preventing the system from mistakenly determining that the supply of powder has ended. This ensures that the entire amount of powder contained in the powder container 2 is reliably supplied to the dispensing tray 5.

[0055] The vibration stopping process S46 is a process to stop the vibration of the powder container 2. In this embodiment, the supply completion confirmation process S45 stops the vibration of the powder container 2 after it is determined that the supply of the powder has ended. Once the vibration stopping process S46 is completed, the supply process S4 is completed and the supply control S1 is completed.

[0056] As shown in Figure 10, the automatic adjustment supply process S5a is a process that executes automatic adjustment control, which is a control that automatically changes the adjustment vibration value stored in the memory unit 10. Specifically, the automatic adjustment supply process S5a executes a vibration value acquisition process S51 to acquire the adjustment vibration value stored in the memory unit 10 as the vibration strength corresponding to the powder to be supplied, a vibration value display process S52 to display the acquired adjustment vibration value, a vibration process S53 to vibrate the powder container 2 with a vibration strength corresponding to the acquired adjustment vibration value, a supply start confirmation process S54, a measurement start process S55 to start measuring the supply time t2, a supply end confirmation process S56, a measurement end process S57 to end the measurement of the supply time t2, a vibration stop process S58, and an adjustment process S59 to adjust the adjustment vibration value based on the supply time t2. In this embodiment, automatic adjustment control is executed, which is a control that automatically changes the adjustment vibration value corresponding to the weight information for each type of powder stored in the memory unit 10. The following describes two cases in the automatic adjustment and supply process S5a, as shown in Figures 6 and 7: Example 1, where powder A of general category is supplied from the powder container 2 to the dispensing dish 5 in a weight of less than 3.0 g; and Example 2, where powder A of general category is supplied from the powder container 2 to the dispensing dish 5 in a weight of 30.0 g or more but less than 60.0 g.

[0057] The vibration value acquisition step S51 is a step of acquiring the adjusted vibration value stored in the memory unit 10. In the vibration value acquisition step S51, the adjusted vibration value is acquired from the memory unit 10. In this embodiment, in the vibration value acquisition step S51, based on the packaging information input by the operation unit 11, the type information and weight information of the powder supplied from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5 are grasped, and the adjusted vibration value corresponding to the type information and weight information is acquired from the memory unit 10. Specifically, as shown in Figure 7(a), in both Example 1 and Example 2, vibration level 3 is acquired as the adjusted vibration value.

[0058] The vibration value display step S52 is a step in which the adjusted vibration value acquired in the vibration value acquisition step S51 is displayed on the display unit 12. In the vibration value display step S52 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 14, the acquired adjusted vibration value is displayed on the vibration value display unit 123 (in Figure 14, "3" is displayed in the "feeder" frame).

[0059] Vibration process S53 is a process of vibrating the powder container 2 with a vibration intensity based on the acquired adjustment vibration value. Specifically, the vibration generating unit 42 of the vibration device 4 is controlled to generate vibrations corresponding to the adjustment vibration value, and the generated vibrations are transmitted to the powder container 2 placed on the mounting surface 41a, thereby vibrating the powder container 2 with a vibration intensity based on the adjustment vibration value. In addition, in vibration process S53, the distribution plate 5 is controlled to rotate at a predetermined speed simultaneously with or prior to the vibration generation of the vibration generating unit 42. Specifically, the rotation means 52 is rotated at a predetermined speed, and the rotational force is transmitted to the plate body 51, thereby rotating the plate body 51 at a predetermined speed. Furthermore, in vibration process S53, the plate operating unit is controlled to open the partition member 25 simultaneously with or prior to the vibration generation of the vibration generating unit 42. Specifically, in both Example 1 and Example 2, the powder container 2 is vibrated with a vibration intensity corresponding to vibration level 3.

[0060] In the vibration process S53, if the adjusted vibration value corresponds to a stronger vibration than the initial adjusted vibration value (vibration level 3), the powder container 2 is vibrated with a vibration intensity corresponding to the initial adjusted vibration value at the time the vibration is started. When it is determined in the supply start confirmation process S54 that the powder has started to be supplied from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5, the vibration is controlled to a vibration intensity corresponding to the acquired adjusted vibration value. With this configuration, by not applying strong vibration to the powder container 2 from the beginning, it is possible to suppress the supply of a large amount of powder to the dispensing tray 5 at once. In addition, in the vibration process S53, it is also possible to control the vibration to a vibration intensity corresponding to the acquired adjusted vibration value at the time the vibration is started. With this configuration, the travel time t1 until the powder reaches the opening 2b and begins to be supplied can be shortened.

[0061] The supply start confirmation step S54 is the same as the supply start confirmation step S44 in the supply step S4. That is, if the powder detection means 6 remains ON (in a state of detecting powder) for a predetermined time or longer, it is determined that the supply of powder from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5 has started from the time the powder detection means 6 turned ON.

[0062] In this embodiment, in the supply start confirmation step S54, it is determined that the powder has started to be supplied from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5. After vibrating the powder container 2 at a vibration intensity corresponding to the acquired adjustment vibration value, control is executed to increase the vibration intensity of the powder container 2 at predetermined intervals. Specifically, control is executed to increase the vibration intensity by one level at predetermined intervals (e.g., 20 seconds) from the start of powder supply. However, if the vibration intensity is at the upper limit of the supply vibration level, control to increase the vibration intensity is not performed. Furthermore, after starting vibration at a vibration intensity corresponding to the adjustment vibration value, it is also possible to control the vibration intensity to be kept constant.

[0063] The measurement start step S55 is the step of starting the measurement of the supply time t2. In the measurement start step S55, the measurement starts from the point in time when it is determined in the supply start confirmation step S54 that the supply of powder from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5 has started. In this embodiment, if the powder detection means 6 remains ON for a predetermined time or longer, the supply time t2 is measured as if the supply had started from a predetermined time earlier.

[0064] The supply termination confirmation step S56 is the same as the supply termination confirmation step S45 in the supply step S4. That is, in the supply termination confirmation step S56, if the powder detection means 6 remains OFF for a preset termination time t3 or longer (for example, 3 seconds or more), it is determined that the supply of the powder has ended when it turns OFF, and that the supply time t2 has ended when it turns OFF.

[0065] The measurement termination step S57 is the step of ending the measurement of the supply time t2. In the measurement termination step S57, the measurement is terminated when it is determined in the supply termination confirmation step S56 that the supply of powder from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5 has ended. In this embodiment, if the powder detection means 6 remains OFF for a predetermined period of time or longer, the supply time t2 is measured by assuming that the supply ended 3 minutes prior to the termination time.

[0066] As shown in Figure 13, the supply time t2 is the time elapsed from the moment the powder detection means 6 is turned ON until it is turned OFF. In other words, the supply time t2 is the time it takes for the entire amount of powder contained in the powder container 2 to be supplied to the dispensing tray 5.

[0067] The vibration stopping process S58 is the same as the vibration stopping process S46 in the supply process S4. After it is determined in the supply completion confirmation process S56 that the supply of powder from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5 has been completed, the vibration generating unit 42 is stopped to stop the vibration of the powder container 2.

[0068] After each of the above steps, the supply of powder from the powder container 2 to the distribution dish 5 is completed, and then adjustment step S59 is performed to adjust the adjustment vibration value based on the supply result.

[0069] If an attempt is made to change the vibration intensity via the vibration value change operation unit 125 of the operation unit 11 during the automatic adjustment supply process S5a, the information regarding the vibration value displayed on the vibration value display unit 123 is changed, and the vibration intensity of the vibration device 4 at the start of vibration or the current vibration is changed. Then, the automatic adjustment control is terminated without executing the adjustment process S59. Alternatively, if an attempt is made to change the vibration intensity via the vibration value change operation unit 125 of the operation unit 11 during the automatic adjustment supply process S5a, the user may be asked whether or not to cancel the automatic adjustment control, and if an input to cancel the automatic adjustment control is received, the change in vibration intensity via the operation unit 11 may be permitted. Alternatively, during the automatic adjustment supply process S5a, the change in vibration intensity via the vibration value change operation unit 125 of the operation unit 11 may be prohibited. If the vibration intensity is changed during the automatic adjustment supply process S5a, it may not be possible to bring the time required to supply the powder close to the standard time even after performing the automatic adjustment supply process S5a. This can prevent adverse effects such as reduced accuracy or longer supply times during subsequent supply.

[0070] The adjustment step S59 modifies the vibration intensity of the powder container 2 when supplying powder of the same type as the supplied powder, so that the time required to supply the powder from the powder container 2 approaches the standard time. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 11, the adjustment step S59 is a step of modifying the vibration intensity of the powder container 2 when supplying powder of the same type as the supplied powder, in an amount within the same weight range as the supplied powder, so that it approaches the standard time. Specifically, the adjustment step S59 performs a deviation determination step S591 to determine whether the supply time t2 deviates from the standard time, and an exceedance determination step S592 to determine whether the supply time t2 exceeds the standard time, and changes or maintains the adjusted vibration value based on the determination result. In the adjustment step S59 of this embodiment, based on the determination result, the vibration intensity of the powder container 2 is changed when supplying powder of the same type as the supplied powder from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5 begins. The change in vibration intensity is performed by changing the adjusted vibration value stored in the memory unit 10. In the following explanation, we will use the cases where the supply time t2 in Example 1 is 15 seconds and the supply time t2 in Example 2 is 55 seconds as examples.

[0071] The deviation determination step S591 is a step in which the measured supply time t2 deviates from the reference time. In this embodiment, the deviation determination step S591 obtains the reference time corresponding to the category and weight information of the supplied powder stored in the memory unit 10, and compares the obtained reference time with the supply time t2 to determine whether the supply time t2 deviates from the reference time. For example, as shown in Figure 6, the reference time set for supplying powder A of general category in a weight range of less than 3.0g from the powder container 2 to the dispensing dish 5 is 20 to 40 seconds, and in Example 1 the supply time t2 is 15 seconds, so in Example 1 it is determined that the reference time has been deviated. Also, the reference time set for supplying powder A of general category in a weight range of 30.00g or more and less than 60.0g from the powder container 2 to the dispensing dish 5 is 30 to 50 seconds, and in Example 2 the supply time t2 is 55 seconds, so in Example 2 it is also determined that the reference time has been deviated. If it is determined that the supply time t2 deviates from the standard time (YES in deviation determination step S591), the process proceeds to the exceedance determination step S592. If it is determined in deviation determination step S591 that the supply time t2 does not deviate from the standard time (NO in deviation determination step S591), the adjustment value maintenance step S593 is executed without changing the adjustment vibration value, and the adjustment step S59 is completed.

[0072] The overshoot determination step S592 is a step in which the measured supply time t2 is determined to be above or below the reference time. Specifically, it is determined whether the supply time t2 is above or below the reference time obtained in the deviation determination step S591 by comparing the supply time with the reference time. For example, in Example 1, the reference time is between 20 and 40 seconds, and the supply time t2 is 15 seconds, so it is determined that it is below the reference time (NO in the overshoot determination step S592). In Example 2, the reference time is between 30 and 50 seconds, and the supply time t2 is 55 seconds, so it is determined that it is above the reference time (YES in the overshoot determination step S592). In the over-determination step S592, if it is determined that the supply time t2 exceeds the reference time (YES in the over-determination step S592), the adjustment vibration value addition step S594 is executed to increase the adjustment vibration value. If it is determined that the supply time t2 does not exceed (falls below) the reference time (NO in the over-determination step S592), the adjustment vibration value subtraction step S595 is executed to decrease the adjustment vibration value. In the adjustment vibration value addition step S594 of this embodiment, the adjustment vibration value is increased by one step regardless of the degree of deviation of the supply time t2 from the reference time (see Figure 7(a)→(b)). By increasing the value by only one step in this way, even when supplying the same type of powder as the one supplied the next time or in subsequent times, the powder is uniformly deposited in the dispensing tray 5, thereby suppressing a decrease in packaging accuracy. In addition, in the adjustment value subtraction step S595, the adjustment vibration value is subtracted by one step regardless of the degree of deviation of the supply time t2 from the reference time (see Figure 7(a)→(c)). With this configuration, it is possible to suppress the excessive time required to supply the powder to the dispensing dish 5 when supplying the same type of powder as the one supplied, either next time or in subsequent times. However, the configuration is not limited to this one; it is also possible to configure the system so that the amount added or subtracted from the adjustment vibration value in the adjustment vibration value addition process S594 or adjustment vibration value subtraction process S595 is changed depending on the degree of deviation of the supply time t2 from the reference time. Once the adjustment vibration value addition process S594 or adjustment vibration value subtraction process S595 is executed, the adjustment process S59 is completed.

[0073] In this way, by changing or maintaining the adjusted vibration value, when supplying powder from the powder container 2 to the dispensing dish 5 under the same conditions (type and weight of powder) in subsequent orders, it is possible to suppress a decrease in packaging accuracy while also suppressing an increase in the time required to supply the powder. In this embodiment, packaging based on packaging information received after the adjustment process S59 is completed is treated as packaging for subsequent orders, and the adjusted vibration value is applied when supplying powder from the powder container 2. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the adjusted vibration value can also be applied when supplying powder from the powder container 2 to packaging based on already received packaging information.

[0074] By executing this automatic adjustment supply process S5a, the intensity of vibration that causes the powder container 2 to vibrate when supplying powder of the same type as the supplied powder is changed. This makes it possible to bring the time required to supply the powder from the powder container 2 closer to the standard time. Specifically, if the supply time t2 exceeds the standard time, the supply time t2 can be shortened by increasing the vibration and thus bringing the supply time t2 closer to the standard time. Also, if the supply time t2 falls below the standard time, the supply time t2 can be extended by decreasing the vibration and thus bringing the supply time t2 closer to the standard time. In this way, since it is only necessary to set the adjustment vibration value and the standard time, it is possible to eliminate the need for numerous settings such as the flow coefficient in the conventional technology. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7(d), the intensity of vibration corresponding to the weight information of each type of powder to be supplied from the powder container 2 to the dispensing dish 5 at the standard time can be obtained. Furthermore, by repeatedly executing the automatic adjustment supply process S5a, the time required to supply powder from the powder container 2 for the same type of powder supplied can be matched to the reference time, thereby deriving the optimal vibration intensity. When the optimal adjustment vibration value is set for that type of powder, the individual adjustment mode can be turned OFF by operating the individual switch button 115, thereby prohibiting further changes to the adjustment vibration value for that type of powder and preventing further alteration of the optimized vibration intensity.

[0075] The supply process S5b is a process in which powder is supplied from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5 based on the adjusted vibration value, while automatic adjustment control is not performed. For example, it is performed when supplying a type of powder in which the vibration strength has been optimized by repeatedly executing the automatic adjustment supply process S5a described above. As shown in Figure 12, the supply process S5b executes the vibration value acquisition process S51, the vibration value display process S52, the vibration process S53, the supply start confirmation process S54, the supply end confirmation process S56, and the vibration stop process S58. On the other hand, the supply process S5b differs from the automatic adjustment supply process S5a in that it does not execute the measurement start process S55, the measurement end process S57, and the adjustment process S59. Furthermore, it differs from the automatic adjustment supply process S5a in that the adjusted vibration value stored in the memory unit 10 can be manually changed via the operation unit 11 while the supply process S5b is being executed, and the vibration strength of the powder container 2 can be changed via the operation unit 11. The vibration value acquisition process S51, vibration value display process S52, vibration process S53, supply start confirmation process S54, supply end confirmation process S56, and vibration stop process S58 are the same as the processes in the automatic adjustment supply process S5a, so their explanations are omitted.

[0076] Through the above steps, the powder contained in the powder container 2 is supplied to the dispensing tray 5, and supply control S1 is completed. Once supply control S1 is completed, the process moves to cleaning control S2. In this embodiment, once supply control S1 is completed, cleaning control S2 is executed regardless of whether there is any remaining drug. With this configuration, the generation of remaining drug can be reliably suppressed. However, the system is not limited to this configuration; it is also possible to configure the system to check for the presence or absence of remaining drug using a remaining drug detection means, and to execute cleaning control S2 only if it is determined that there is remaining drug. With this configuration, cleaning control S2 is executed when it is determined that there is remaining drug, and cleaning control S2 is not executed when it is determined that there is no remaining drug. Therefore, if there is remaining drug, it can be discharged by cleaning control S2, and if there is no remaining drug, the time required for cleaning can be shortened. Thus, the generation of remaining drug in the powder container 2 can be suppressed while the packaging process can be made more efficient. As the remaining drug detection means, a camera capable of imaging the powder container 2 in its state on the mounting surface 41a can be used. In this configuration, remaining drug adhering to the surface of the powder container 2 can be reliably detected based on the captured image.

[0077] As shown in Figure 15, cleaning control S2 is a control that, after supply control S1 determines that the entire amount of powder contained in the powder container 2 has been discharged (after the powder detection means 6 remains in the OFF state for a period of t3 or longer), vibrates the powder container 2 with the vibrator 4 to discharge any remaining powder adhering to the powder container 2. Specifically, cleaning control S2 performs an intermittent vibration operation step S21 in which the vibrator 4 intermittently vibrates the powder container 2, and a discharge vibration operation step S22 for discharging the remaining powder. In addition, in this embodiment, while cleaning control S2 is being executed, the control unit 9 controls the distribution tray 5 to rotate, specifically, to rotate at a speed equivalent to the rotation speed of the distribution tray 5 when supply control S1 is being executed.

[0078] In the intermittent vibration operation process S21, the vibration device 4 repeatedly performs the actions of vibrating the powder container 2 and stopping the vibration of the powder container 2. In the intermittent vibration operation process S21 of this embodiment, the vibration device 4 intermittently vibrates the powder container 2 at a cleaning vibration level, and when stopping the powder container 2, it abruptly stops the vibration. In addition, in the intermittent vibration operation process S21, the time for vibrating the powder container 2 is longer than the time for stopping, specifically more than twice the time for stopping, and in this embodiment it is about 10 times. Through this intermittent vibration operation process S21, the powder adhering to the powder container 2, especially the powder adhering to the container side wall 22 and partition plate 251, can be dropped to the bottom of the container 21 by the impact applied by the intermittent vibration.

[0079] The discharge vibration operation process S22 is a process that applies vibration to discharge the powder that was dropped in the intermittent vibration operation process S21. Specifically, it is a process that discharges the remaining powder that has fallen to the bottom 21 of the container by vibrating the powder container 2 with the strongest vibration intensity among the supply vibration levels. The discharged remaining powder is discharged to the outside of the powder container 2 (containment space 2a) from the opening 2b and is supplied to the distribution tray 5 by falling into the distribution tray 5. Here, since the distribution tray 5 rotates while the cleaning control S2 is being executed, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of the remaining powder discharged by the cleaning control S2 in a concentrated area of ​​the distribution tray 5.

[0080] After the above steps have been completed and the remaining medication in the powder container 2 has been discharged, the rotation speed of the dispensing tray 5 is reduced and the rotation of the dispensing tray 5 is temporarily stopped. In this embodiment, the powder container 2 after the cleaning control has been performed is transferred to the powder supply device 3 by manual means or by a powder container transfer means (not shown), and directly receives and stores the next dose of powder supplied from the powder supply device 3. With this configuration, the powder supplied from the drug supply device is received in the powder container 2 in a cleaned state, so the mixing of remaining medication can be prevented while improving the packaging efficiency.

[0081] The dispensing control S3 is a control that uses the scraping unit 7 to scrape out the powder that has been discharged from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray 5 by the supply control S1 and cleaning control S2, and then packages it in the packaging unit 8. Specifically, by rotating the dispensing tray 5 and bringing the damming unit 71 into contact with the upper surface of the tray body 51, the powder at a predetermined angle in the dispensing tray 5 is dammed, and the dammed powder is scraped out by the scraping plate 72, thereby supplying a predetermined amount (one dose) of powder to the packaging unit 8 and packaging it. In this way, since the dispensing control S3 is performed after the powder has been discharged from the powder container 2 to the dispensing tray by the cleaning control S2, the powder supplied by the supply control S1 and the remaining medicine discharged by the cleaning control S2 can be packaged together, and it is possible to prevent the amount of powder packaged from being less than the amount supplied from the powder container 2 by the amount of remaining medicine.

[0082] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to one example, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0083] For example, in the above embodiment, either the supply control S1 or the cleaning control S2 can be configured differently from the above embodiment.

[0084] Furthermore, although the case in which the entire amount of powder contained in the powder container 2 is supplied to the dispensing tray 5 has been described, the configuration is not limited to this. For example, the storage container can be transported to the mounting surface 41a of the vibrating device 4 by the storage container transport means, and a portion of the powder contained in the storage container can be supplied to the dispensing tray 5. In this case, if the time required to supply the powder contained in the powder container (storage container) deviates from a preset reference time, the control unit 9 performs automatic adjustment control to change the strength of the vibration that the vibrating device 4 uses to vibrate the powder container (storage container) when supplying powder of the same type as the supplied powder, so that the time required to supply the powder contained in the powder container (storage container) approaches the reference time. When adopting such a configuration, for example, a weighing scale is provided to measure the weight of the storage container transported to the vibrating device 4, and the change in the weight of the storage container is used to detect that a predetermined amount of powder has been supplied from the storage container to the dispensing tray 5. Then, the time required to supply a predetermined amount of powder from the storage container is measured according to the measurement result of the weighing scale, and automatic adjustment control is performed in the same way as when supplying powder from powder container 2. Although the description has been given as a case where the powder detection means 6 is a sensor that detects the dropping of powder, the configuration is not limited to this. For example, a weighing scale that measures the weight of the powder container (storage container) can also be configured to serve as the powder detection means 6. Furthermore, even when the powder detection means 6 is configured as a sensor, various types of sensors can be used, not limited to optical sensors.

[0085] Furthermore, although we have described a case where the vibration device 4 can switch between multiple levels of vibration intensity for vibrating the powder container 2, the configuration is not limited to this, and the vibration device 4 can also be configured to allow for stepless adjustment of the vibration intensity for vibrating the powder container 2.

[0086] Furthermore, while we have described a case where the intensity of vibration (adjustment vibration value) when supplying powder is changed when the supply time deviates from the standard time in automatic adjustment control, the configuration is not limited to this. For example, when the vibration is gradually increased from the start of powder supply, the supply time can be adjusted to match the standard time by changing the time until the vibration is increased.

[0087] Furthermore, while we have described the case where the supply time t2 is used as the time required to supply the powder contained in the powder container 2, the configuration is not limited to this, and for example, the time from the start to the stop of vibration of the powder container 2 (total of movement time t1, supply time t2, and end time t3) or the time from the start to the completion of powder supply of the powder container 2 (total of movement time t1 and supply time t2) can also be used. When adopting such a configuration, it is preferable to set the reference time to match the time adopted as the time required to supply the powder contained in the powder container 2.

[0088] Furthermore, while we have described the case where the adjustment vibration value is set in accordance with the weight information for each type of powder, the configuration is not limited to this, and the adjustment vibration value can also be configured to be set for each type of powder regardless of the weight information. Furthermore, the adjustment vibration value can also be configured to be set in accordance with the weight information regardless of the type of powder. Furthermore, the adjustment vibration value can also be configured to be set regardless of both the type and weight information of the powder. Furthermore, while we have described the case where the reference time is set in accordance with the weight information for each category of powder, the reference time can also be configured to be set for each category of powder regardless of the weight information. Furthermore, the reference time can also be configured to be set in accordance with the weight information regardless of the category of powder. Furthermore, the reference time can also be configured to be set regardless of both the category and weight information of the powder. In addition, the type information of the powder can be used instead of the category of the powder.

[0089] Furthermore, while we have described a case where the type information for powders is the name of the powder, the configuration is not limited to this. For example, granular powders can be classified as the same type information, and classification by the specific name of the powder can be avoided. Alternatively, powders with similar fluidity and specific gravity can be classified as the same type information.

[0090] Furthermore, while we have described the case where the over-temperature determination process S592 is performed in the automatic adjustment control, the configuration is not limited to this, and it is also possible to configure it to perform a process that determines whether or not the supply time falls below a reference value.

[0091] Furthermore, while the cleaning control S2 describes the case where the powder container 2 is subjected to intermittent vibration, the configuration is not limited to this, and it is also possible to configure it to apply vibrations stronger than those used in the supply control S1.

[0092] Furthermore, while we have described a case where the remaining medication discharged in cleaning control S2 is packaged together with the powder supplied in supply control S1, the configuration is not limited to this, and it is also possible to configure it so that the remaining medication is discarded.

[0093] Furthermore, while we have described a case where cleaning control ends when the discharge vibration operation process S22 is completed, the configuration is not limited to this. For example, if powder falls after the discharge vibration operation process S22 is completed, it can be determined that not all of the remaining medication has been discharged, and the discharge vibration operation process S22 can be executed again, or the user can be notified that there is remaining medication.

[0094] Furthermore, while the case in supply control S1 in which the control unit 9 performs deviation judgment step S591 and over-judgment judgment step S592 has been described, the configuration is not limited to this. The drug packaging system S can also be configured such that the control unit 9 transmits the measured supply time t2 to an external processing unit 13 located outside the drug packaging device 1, the external processing unit 13 performs deviation judgment step S591 and over-judgment judgment step S592 to derive an adjusted vibration value, which is the vibration intensity of the powder container 2 such that the supply time t2 approaches the reference time, and transmits it to the control unit 9, and the control unit 9 acquires the adjusted vibration value transmitted from the external processing unit 13. In addition, in such a drug packaging system S, when the external processing unit 13 performs deviation judgment step S591, for example, it can be configured not to perform the over-judgment judgment step S592, but instead to refer to adjusted vibration values ​​for multiple other drug packaging devices 1 that it has previously derived, and transmit to the control unit 9 the vibration intensity of the powder container 2 such that the supply time t2 matches the reference time. With such a configuration, the processing load on the control unit 9 in automatic adjustment control can be reduced. Furthermore, in the drug packaging system S, the control unit 9 of the drug packaging device 1 is configured to perform a deviation detection step S591 and an overload detection step S592, and the control unit 9 of one drug packaging device 1 has an external processing unit 13 receive the result of the automatic adjustment control and transmit it to the control unit 9 of the other drug packaging device 1, and the control unit 9 of the other drug packaging device 1 changes the strength of the vibration of the powder container 2 based on the information received from the external processing unit 13.

[0095] A drug packaging system S comprising a drug packaging device 1 and an external processing unit 13 can also be configured as follows: The drug packaging device 1 and the external processing unit 13 are configured to communicate with each other. The external processing unit 13 includes a storage means for storing adjustment vibration values, which are values ​​set for each type of powder, representing the intensity of vibration caused by the vibration device 4 of the drug packaging device 1 to vibrate the powder container 2. The drug packaging device 1 can set the intensity of vibration caused by the vibration device 4 to vibrate the powder container 2 based on the adjustment vibration values ​​stored in the storage means of the external processing unit 13. If the time required to supply the powder from the powder container 2 deviates from a preset reference time, the control unit 9 of the drug packaging device 1 determines the adjustment vibration value for supplying the same type of powder as the supplied powder, so that the time required to supply the powder from the powder container 2 approaches the reference time, and transmits the determined adjustment vibration value to the external processing unit 13. The external processing unit 13 then changes the adjustment vibration value stored in the storage means to the adjustment vibration value determined by the control unit 9 of the drug packaging device 1. Furthermore, if the time required to supply the powder from the powder container 2 deviates from a preset reference time, the control means of the external processing unit 13 can be configured to determine the adjustment vibration value when supplying powder of the same type as the supplied powder, so that the time required to supply the powder from the powder container 2 approaches the reference time. With these configurations, the adjustment vibration value can be stored in the storage means of the external processing unit 13 and managed centrally. When multiple drug packaging devices 1 are configured to communicate with the external processing unit 13, each drug packaging device 1 can set the intensity of the vibration that the vibration device 4 causes to vibrate the powder container 2 based on the adjustment vibration value stored in the storage means of the external processing unit 13. Therefore, in each drug packaging device 1, it is possible to suppress a decrease in packaging accuracy while suppressing an increase in the time required to supply the powder, and the adjustment vibration value, which is a value set for each type of powder that determines the strength of the vibration that vibrates the powder container, can be stored in the storage means of the external processing unit and managed centrally. However, the configuration is not limited to the control unit 9 of the drug packaging device 1 or the control unit of the external processing unit 13 determining the adjustment vibration value so that the time required to supply the powder from the powder container 2 approaches the standard time, but the control unit 9 of the drug packaging device 1 and the external processing unit 13 may be configured to cooperate in determining the adjustment vibration value. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0096] 1... Drug packaging device, 2... Powder container, 2a... Storage space, 2b... Opening, 21... Container bottom, 22... Container side wall, 23... Temporary storage section, 24... Discharge tip, 25... Partition member, 251... Partition plate section, 252... Shaft section, 253... Lever section, 254... Shaft body, 255... Biasing means, 26... Wide section, 3... Powder supply device, 4... Vibration device, 41... Container holding section, 41a... Mounting surface, 42... Vibration generating section, 5... Dispensing tray, 51... Tray body, 52... Rotating means, 53... Belt, 54... Cleaning brush, 6... Powder detection means, 7... Scratch Dispensing section, 71... Damming section, 72... Scraping plate, 8... Packaging section, 81... Hopper section, 9... Control unit, 10... Memory unit, 11... Operation unit, 111... Mode switching button, 112... Reference time input unit, 113... Reset button, 114... Powder information display unit, 115... Individual switching button, 116... Vibration level setting unit, 12... Display unit, 121... Status display unit, 122... Vibration information display unit, 123... Vibration value display unit, 124... Placed powder information display unit, 125... Vibration value change operation unit, 13... External processing unit, S... Drug packaging system

Claims

1. A drug packaging device that performs at least the dispensing of powdered drugs, The device comprises a powder container for holding powder, a vibrating device for vibrating the powder container to supply powder from the powder container, a circular dispensing tray for holding the powder supplied from the powder container while rotating, a powder detection means for detecting the powder supplied from the powder container to the dispensing tray, a scraping unit for scraping out the powder contained in the dispensing tray, a packaging unit for packaging the powder scraped out from the dispensing tray, and a control unit. The vibration device is capable of changing the intensity with which it vibrates the powder container. The control unit performs supply control, which controls the vibrating device to vibrate the powder container to supply the entire amount of powder in the powder container to the dispensing tray, and cleaning control, which, after determining that the supply of the entire amount of powder in the powder container has been completed based on the detection result of the powder detection means, controls the vibrating device to vibrate the powder container to discharge any remaining powder from the powder container into the dispensing tray. In the cleaning control, the drug packaging device controls the vibration device to vibrate the powder container more strongly than the vibration strength in the supply control.

2. The vibration device has a supply vibration level, which is a predetermined range of vibration intensity used to vibrate the powder container in the supply control, and a cleaning vibration level, which is a vibration intensity used to vibrate the powder container in the cleaning control. The drug packaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning vibration level is stronger than the strongest vibration intensity in the supply vibration level.

3. The control unit controls the distribution tray to rotate in the cleaning control, The drug packaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the powder discharged from the powder container in the cleaning control is supplied to the dispensing tray, and the powder supplied to the dispensing tray is packaged together with the powder in the supply control.

4. The drug packaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the vibration device to include an intermittent vibration operation in the cleaning control, which repeatedly performs an operation to vibrate the powder container and an operation to stop the vibration of the powder container.

5. The remaining drug detection means for detecting whether or not there is any remaining drug in the powder container, The drug packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines, based on the detection result of the powder detection means, that the entire amount of powder in the powder container has been supplied, then determines, based on the detection result of the remaining drug detection means, whether or not there is any remaining drug in the powder container, and if it determines that there is some remaining drug, it executes the cleaning control, and if it determines that there is no remaining drug, it does not execute the cleaning control.

6. The drug packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the powder container is configured to be able to directly receive and store powder supplied from a powder supply device capable of accommodating multiple types of powders and supplying the powders to be contained.

7. The drug packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit confirms that the supply of powder from the powder container to the dispensing tray has started based on the powder detection means continuing to detect powder for a predetermined period of time or longer.

8. The drug packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit confirms in the supply control that the entire amount of powder contained in the powder container has been supplied to the dispensing tray based on the fact that the powder detection means has not detected any powder for a predetermined period of time or longer.

9. The drug packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the vibration device to gradually increase the intensity of vibrations that vibrate the powder container each time a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the start of powder supply.

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