Medicine Dispensing Cell Indicators With Switchable Color Modes
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manual medicine distributing apparatuses lack sufficient usability for operators to easily identify the timing and combination of medicines to be placed in each cell, despite having LEDs for timing indication.
Innovation Solution
A manual medicine distributing apparatus with a receiving body containing color-coded indicators and a controller part that switches between modes for indicating medicine placement based on timing or prescription information, allowing operators to input external data for precise medicine placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If LEDs are disposed adjacent to each cell to emit light in different colors for timing indication, then the timing identification is improved, but the usability for identifying medicine combination is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a switchable indication mode system that dynamically changes the LED indication behavior based on user selection. The controller can switch between first mode (timing-based color coding) and second mode (medicine combination-based color coding), allowing the system to adapt its information presentation dynamically rather than being fixed in one indication method
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the indication parameters by allowing users to switch between different color-coding schemes. In the first mode, LEDs display colors corresponding to timing information, while in the second mode, LEDs display colors corresponding to medicine combination information. This parameter change enables the same hardware to serve multiple identification purposes
2Manufacturing precision
If the system provides detailed prescription information for each receiving part, then the medicine placement accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing LED indication system universal by enabling it to serve multiple functions through different indication modes. The same LEDs and controller infrastructure are used for both timing-based indication and medicine combination-based indication, avoiding the need for separate complex systems for each function
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the input part to receive prescription information and automatically processes this information to generate appropriate color-coded indications. The controller automatically matches the input prescription data with the corresponding receiving parts and displays the appropriate color codes, reducing manual configuration complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances usability by providing clear color-coded indications for medicine placement timing and combination, facilitating accurate and efficient manual distribution of medicines.
Implementation Method 1
a light emitter body configured to emit light in different colors
Data Source
AI summary
A manual medicine distributing apparatus includes: a plurality of indicators disposed to correspond respectively to the plurality of receiving parts for color-coded indication of those receiving parts into which the medicine should be placed; a controller part configured to control the plurality of indicators. The controller part is configured to control indicators of some or all of those receiving parts into which the medicine should be placed out of the plurality of receiving parts to be indicated in any one of a first mode in which the indicators are color-coded for indication according to each timing of taking each medicine and a second mode in which the indicators are color-coded for indication according to at least one of information items for identifying a combination of the medicine to be placed into the receiving parts, based on prescription information on a prescription, and configured to switch between the first mode and the second mode.