Pharmaceutical Pouch Winding Mechanism for Accurate Coil Sequencing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic dispensing machines struggle to efficiently produce coiled strips of pharmaceutical pouches that adhere to patient prescription sequences, as patients may find it difficult to follow the sequence of medicament administration due to conventional containers lacking clear grouping and sequencing.
Innovation Solution
A cutting and rolling device with a winding mechanism that includes vertical walls, a spindle, a rotary drive unit, and a linear actuator to form coiled segments of pharmaceutical pouches, ensuring accurate cutting and rolling based on patient-specific dosages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional containers (vials and bottles) are used to store medicaments, then storage capacity is improved, but patient compliance with prescription sequences deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the medication strip into individual pouches, each containing a specific medicament dosage. The strip is divided into multiple discrete units that can be sequentially accessed, transforming a single large container into multiple smaller, organized compartments that maintain storage capacity while improving patient compliance through clear sequencing.
Solution Approach 2:
The pharmacy prepares the medication strip in advance by grouping and sequencing medicaments according to the patient's prescription regimen before dispensing. This preliminary organization of medications in the correct sequence eliminates the need for patients to自行 sort and remember administration orders, directly improving compliance.
2Ease of operation
If pouches are arranged in a linear strip format, then medication sequencing is improved, but device complexity for cutting and rolling deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The winding mechanism is segmented into distinct functional modules: a cutting mechanism that separates individual pouches from the strip, and a rolling mechanism that forms coils. This segmentation of the device into specialized sub-components manages complexity by assigning specific functions to separate units rather than requiring a single complex mechanism to perform all operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing step where the linear strip is first cut into individual pouches and then rolled into coils. This intermediary cutting step simplifies the overall process by breaking down the complex task of creating patient-ready medication packages into manageable sequential operations, reducing the complexity of any single device component.
3Ease of operation
If a coiled strip format is used for pouch packaging, then patient accessibility is improved, but manufacturing precision for rolling deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The strip is pre-cut into individual pouches before the rolling operation. This preliminary action ensures that each pouch is a discrete unit with defined dimensions, making the subsequent rolling process more predictable and precise. The pre-prepared uniform pouches can be more accurately rolled into consistent coils compared to attempting to roll an uncut strip.
Data Source
AI summary
A winding mechanism for a machine for cutting and rolling a strip includes: first and second spaced apart vertical walls; a member fixed to and spanning the first and second vertical walls to form a frame; a spindle rotatably mounted in the first vertical wall; a cylindrical body rotatably mounted in the second vertical wall and coupled to the spindle; a hub slidably and rotatably mounted on the spindle with first and second pins that are slidable relative to the cylindrical body; a rotary drive unit mounted to the first vertical wall and coupled to the spindle; a linear actuator; and a carriage mounted on the linear actuator for linear movement and slidably mounted on the spindle, the carriage engaging the hub and permitting rotation of the hub. The carriage moves along the linear actuator between a retracted position, wherein the first and second pins are retracted into the cylindrical body, and an extended position, in which ends of the first and second pins extend beyond the cylindrical body.