FR3074041A1 - DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PREPARING A PILULAR - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for preparing a pill box comprising a frame (11), a table (16) having a passage passage of a pill, an ejection pusher (22) adapted to push a housing of a pill plate resting on the table, a chute extending under the passageway, a receiving frame of a pillbox to be filled mounted horizontally movable under the lower end of the chute, a motorized device, said frame actuator, positioning and moving the receiving frame, a control unit connected to the pusher actuator and the frame actuator to control its operation. The invention also extends to a method implemented with such a device.

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PREPARING A PILL

The invention relates to a device for preparing a pill container comprising a plurality of receptacles for receiving at least one medicament, called pill, in a divided solid non-pulverulent dosage form (that is to say in the solid state and divided into particles of sufficient size to allow both their handling individually and their administration by enteral route individually, for example chosen from the group formed by tablets, cachets, capsules, capsules, pills, lozenges, dragees ; as opposed to a solid mass, compact or powdery state such as pasta, ointments, blocks, powders ...), in which at least one pill is placed in at least one pillbox housing according to filling data of a medical prescription for a therapeutic treatment of a patient. The invention also relates to a method for preparing a pill container.

Within the framework of a therapeutic treatment of a patient, medicines, known as pills, in a divided solid non-powdered galenic form can be distributed by nursing staff to the patient according to a medical prescription. This medical prescription notably indicates the dosage, the frequency of taking medication as well as the duration of treatment.

In order to facilitate their distribution to each patient, the pills to be dispensed are generally prepared upstream of the distribution by being collected in a package, called a pill box, comprising a plurality of compartments for receiving pills. This preparation step is generally carried out manually by nursing staff.

During this preparation step, at least one pill is placed in at least one pillbox compartment according to a medical prescription from a single patient. More particularly, the pill box can be a daily pill box or a weekly pill box for example.

More particularly, in some pill dispensers, all the pills placed in the same compartment are identical, that is to say that they have the same dosage form, the same dosage, the same active substance, the same size ...

The preparation step is meticulous and requires concentration and gestural precision of the nursing staff when manually placing the pills in the pillbox compartments.

In particular, the preparation step is all the more meticulous when the compartments of a pill box are small and close to one another, as is the case of a pill box with detachable multi-compartmentalized cells as described for example by FR 2913333.

When the conditions of concentration and gestural precision of the nursing staff are not met, it is possible that pills are not placed in the right accommodation. Indeed, it is possible that in case of fatigue and / or inattention of the nursing staff, the latter may inadvertently place a pill in the wrong place or be mistaken about the pill to be placed. In addition, it is possible that a pill rebounds, when placed, on a wall of a housing or on another pill, in a bad housing. However, incorrect placement of the pills in the pill box can lead to errors in administration, which should absolutely be avoided.

There are also known devices making it possible to facilitate the manual filling of the pill dispensers by the nursing staff from bulk pills (cf. for example FR2942132).

However, it often happens that the pills to be placed in a pill box are not presented in bulk in containers, but on the contrary previously packaged in blister packs of identical pills in the form of blisters by the drug manufacturers. In this case, the nursing staff must first of all extract the pills from these blister packs before placing them in a pill box to be filled. However, this first step is long and tedious, source of errors, and must be carried out by respecting the rules of hygiene which are essential in this context.

Various automatic machines for filling pill boxes from blister packs have already been proposed.

US 8915051 describes a device for preparing a pill container comprising a press making it possible to collectively push back all the housings of a pack of pills of the same format as the pill box, each housing of the pack being connected by an inclined chute to a compartment of the pill box . With such a device, the nursing staff must prepare the pack of pills beforehand so that only the housings of the pack corresponding to a compartment to be filled contain a pill. Such a device therefore does not correctly solve the aforementioned technical problem and cannot be used with blisters having a format different from the pill box to be filled.

US 7637079 describes a pillbox filling installation in which the pillboxes to be filled are moved longitudinally in a first direction, and strips of blister wound in a reel are unwound transversely above the pillboxes, a series of pistons emptying the housings of these strips selectively in the different compartments of the pill organizers. This device also cannot be used with pill packs. It is also particularly complex and expensive.

In this context, the invention aims to overcome all of these drawbacks by proposing a device and a method for preparing a pill box which are simple, inexpensive, effectively facilitate the filling of a pill box by the nursing staff from of identical pill packs in blister form, and are compatible with all formats, all types, all mechanical properties and all forms of such pill packs.

The invention also aims to propose such a device and such a preparation process which are compatible with the economic constraints of practical operation in the context of pharmacies associated with healthcare establishments (medico-social establishments such as retirement homes, homes for disabled people, health establishments (for example thalassotherapy), sanatorium, hospitals, clinics ...).

The invention therefore relates to a device for preparing a pill container comprising a plurality of compartments for receiving at least one medicament, known as a pill, in a divided solid non-pulverulent dosage form, from at least one pack of pills under form of a blister, this device comprising:

- a frame,

a reception table for a pack of identical pills in the form of a blister having a plurality of housings each containing a pill, said table being fixed relative to the frame and having a passage for passing a pill,

- an ejection pusher guided relative to the frame so as to be able to be placed in a raised position in which it allows the passage of a plate on the table under the pusher and in a lowered position in which it pushes a housing of a pack of pills resting on the table, this housing being placed above and facing said passage lumen, whereby this housing opens towards said passage lumen, the pill is extracted therefrom and falls through said passage lumen ,

- a motorized actuation device, said pusher actuator, capable of driving the ejection pusher alternately in movement between said raised and lowered positions,

- a chute:

o fixed relative to the frame, o extending under the passage lumen, o having a lower end having transverse dimensions less than or equal to those of a compartment of a pill organizer to be filled, o adapted to allow the movement of a pill in the chute between said passage lumen and said lower end,

a receiving frame for a pill box to be filled, this receiving frame being mounted to move horizontally relative to the frame under said lower end of the chute so that each compartment of a pill box received in this frame can be placed opposite from this lower end to be able to receive a pill delivered by the chute,

a motorized device, called a frame actuator, for positioning and moving the receiving frame,

- a control unit connected to the pusher actuator and to the frame actuator to control its operation.

A device according to the invention comprises a single ejection pusher driven alternately with respect to the frame, and which is used by an operator to facilitate the extraction of the pills from the housings of each wafer, and their distribution in the different compartments of the pill box. In a device according to the invention, only the pillbox receiving frame is movable horizontally relative to the frame, and the ejection pusher is movable only between its raised position and its lowered position opposite the passage light, the latter being fixed relative to the frame, and vice versa. Neither the ejection pusher nor the passage lumen are moved relative to the frame to extract a pill from a housing of a wafer or to come opposite a pill box compartment. The pill pack is placed on the reception table, moved to the reception table and held in place during the extraction of a pill, manually by the operator. Thus, the device according to the invention is not fully automatic. On the other hand, it considerably simplifies the filling operations of the pill organizers by pharmacists from the blister packs of identical pills. It also ensures perfect traceability of these operations and strict compliance with hygienic conditions.

Furthermore, a device according to the invention can, in certain embodiments, be characterized by all or part of the following characteristics:

- The chute is adapted to allow movement of a pill at least by gravity in the chute between said passage lumen and said lower end; as a variant, the device according to the invention comprises means accelerating the movement of the pill in the chute and / or making it possible to release a pill possibly blocked in the lower end of the chute, for example in the form of at least one nozzle d 'injection of pressurized air into the chute towards its lower end and / or a vibrating motorized device capable of imparting vibrations to the lower end of the chute;

- It includes a device for projecting a visual cue above the passage light;

- It comprises at least one pill counting device passing through the chute, this counting device being adapted to deliver a counting signal to the control unit; in particular, it includes a pill counting device delivered by said passage lumen and / or a pill counting device opening out from the lower end of the chute;

- the control unit is suitable for controlling the stopping of the pusher actuator (and therefore for interrupting the movements of the ejection pusher) when the number of pills passed through the chute, as counted by at least one device counting, is equal to a predetermined number of pills to be dispensed into the pill box from the same pack,

- at least one counting device is an optical counting device;

- It includes an imaging device suitable for producing an image of each compartment of a pill box placed under the lower end of the chute; this imaging device can be adapted to produce an image before and / or after each dispensing of a pill in the compartment;

- The ejection pusher is formed of a removable attached lining at a free end of a rod of a jack; such a removable lining makes it possible to adapt the shape, the dimensions, the nature, the mechanical characteristics of the pusher as a function of those of the wafer and / or of each housing of the wafer and / or of each pill;

- The ejection pusher is at a free end of a rod of a jack driven in vertical translations relative to a jack body rigidly fixed to the frame;

- the pill box comprising a plurality of adjacent bowls molded hollow in a sheet of polymeric material, the receiving frame comprises a rigid honeycombed bottom plate having cells adapted to each receive at least one bowl of a pill box superimposed on the bottom plate; the bottom plate also has a shape and dimensions (that is to say a format) corresponding to those of the pill box;

the receiving frame comprises a plate mounted movable horizontally relative to the frame, this plate having a shape and dimensions corresponding to those of said lower plate so that the plate can receive the lower plate, this plate being adapted to be able to move horizontally and precisely positioning the lower plate horizontally with respect to the frame, the lower plate being able to be dissociated from the plate; in particular, in certain advantageous embodiments the plate presents at its periphery flanks arranged to come into contact with the edges of the plate inserted between these flanks, so that the lower plate is adjusted in position horizontally precisely with respect to the plate ; at least one fixing flange can be provided to fix the lower plate to the plate; nothing prevents, as a variant, said plate and said bottom plate being formed from a single plate;

the receiving frame comprises a rigid upper plate having through-holes, each light having a shape and dimensions adapted to be able to come above and facing at least one compartment of a pill organizer placed in the receiving frame under the top plate; on the one hand, such an upper plate makes it possible to keep the pillbox perfectly and precisely in position both horizontally and vertically with respect to the frame, including when the receiving frame moves; preferably, each lumen of the upper plate has a shape and dimensions corresponding exactly to that of a pillbox compartment; there may be provided means for holding the upper plate horizontally relative to the lower plate and / or means for vertically holding the upper plate relative to the lower plate and / or at least one fixing flange for the upper plate to the bottom plate and / or to the plate;

- The receiving frame is arranged relative to the chute so that the upper plate has a flat horizontal upper face extending immediately below the lower end of the chute;

- the upper face of the upper plate extends at a distance between 0.1 mm and 2 mm below the lower end of the chute;

- The control unit is adapted to control the pusher actuator so as to drive the ejection pusher in alternative translations at a predetermined frequency; said predetermined frequency is preferably adjustable;

- The control unit is adapted to control the frame actuator in horizontal movement while the pusher actuator moves the ejection pusher to the raised position.

The control unit of a device according to the invention can be associated with a computer system (for example as described by FR2942132) comprising software assisting the operator in the use of the device, and notably comprising a screen and a database comprising recorded data representative of the identification of a patient corresponding to the pill box to be filled and / or of prescriptions for a plurality of patients and / or of identification of each packet of pills used. The device according to the invention may advantageously include a reader of optical codes carried by each pill box and / or by each wafer and / or by the human operator using the device.

The invention also extends to a method implemented with a device according to the invention. It therefore also relates to a method for preparing a pill container comprising a plurality of compartments for receiving at least one medicament, called pill, in a non-pulverulent divided solid dosage form, method in which:

- a pill box to be filled is placed as part of receiving a preparation device according to the invention;

- we choose a pack of identical pills in the form of a blister having a plurality of housings each containing a pill,

- this plate is placed on the reception table of the preparation device while the ejection pusher is in the raised position, a housing for the plate being placed above and facing the passage light,

- the wafer is kept in place on the reception table while the ejection pusher is moved to the lowered position,

- when the ejection pusher is again moved to the raised position, the plate is moved so that it can present another housing for this plate above and facing the passage light, or place another plate on the reception table.

Advantageously, in a method according to the invention, all of the above-mentioned steps are carried out manually by a human operator.

The invention also relates to a device and a method for preparing a pill container characterized, in combination or not, by all or some of the characteristics mentioned above or below. Whatever the formal presentation given, unless expressly indicated otherwise, the different characteristics mentioned above or below should not be considered as closely or inextricably linked, the invention possibly relating to only one of these structural or functional characteristics, or only part of these structural or functional characteristics, or only part of one of these structural or functional characteristics, or any grouping, combination or juxtaposition of all or part of these structural or functional characteristics .

Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description given without limitation of some of its possible embodiments and which refers to the appended figures in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic external perspective view of a device according to the invention,

- Figure 2 is a schematic view of the device of Figure 1 shown with the cover open for loading / unloading a pill container,

FIG. 3 is a partial schematic perspective view of a device according to the invention, the covering and most of the frame having been omitted for the purposes of illustration,

FIG. 4 is a partial schematic side view of the device in FIG. 3,

- Figure 5 is a partial schematic view in vertical section of the distribution column of a device according to the invention.

A device according to the invention as shown in the figures comprises a frame 11 comprising in particular a work surface 12 forming a base resting on the ground, a box 13 carried by the work surface 12 and having a horizontal upper wall 14 surmounted by a press 15 of the swan neck type. The press 15 comprises a lower table 16 fixed relative to the frame 11 and having a lumen 17 for passage of a pill. The press 15 also comprises a bracket 18 secured to the frame 11 and carrying, above the table 16, a jack 19 having a body 20 rigidly fixed to the bracket 18 and an actuating rod 21 extending vertically above light 17 passing from the lower table 16.

The rod 21 of the jack 19 carries, at its lower free end, a lining forming an ejection pusher 22 and is movable relative to the body 20 in vertical translations downwards and upwards so that the pusher 22 can be placed in a raised position in which it allows the passage of a plate 23 of pills on the table 16 under the pusher 22; and in a lowered position in which the pusher 22 pushes a housing of a plate 23 of pills resting on the table 16, this housing being placed above and opposite said passage lumen, whereby this housing opens towards said passage lumen 17, the pill is extracted therefrom and falls through said passage lumen 17.

The jack 19 is positioned relative to the table 16 by means of the bracket 18 so that the ejection pusher 22 comes in the lowered position opposite the passage light 17, in the center of the latter. Thus, the table 16, the passage light 17, and the lowered position of the ejection pusher 22 are fixed relative to the frame 11.

The jack 19 can be of any kind: it can be a hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, electromagnetic jack, etc. The ejection pusher 22 can be formed in one piece from synthetic polymeric material, for example rubber. , of shapes, dimensions, mechanical characteristics suitable for allowing effective extraction of a pill from the housing of a wafer by pushing towards the lumen 17 of passage the upper flexible wall of the wafer delimiting the housing containing the pill, up to to cause the rupture of the lower flexible wall of the wafer delimiting the housing, the opening of the latter and the extraction of the pill from the housing.

Advantageously, the lining forming this ejection pusher 22 is removable relative to the rod 21, so that it can be dismantled and replaced by another lining forming a pusher having different characteristics, the operator being able to adapt the pusher 22 ejection depending in particular on the shape and / / the dimensions and / or the nature and / or the mechanical characteristics of the wafer and / or of the pills and / or of the housings of the wafer. To do this, for example, the lining forming the ejection pusher 22 is a part incorporating a tapping conjugate with a thread formed at the end of the rod 21 of the jack 19. It may be for example a finger or rubber screwed to the end of the rod 21. Any other removable mechanical assembly device can be envisaged as a variant or in combination.

The upper wall 14 of the box 13 has an anterior part 24 articulated by hinges 25 so as to be able to be lifted to give access to the interior of the box 13 for loading into the device according to the invention a pill box 28 to filling or unloading a full pill container out of the device according to the invention. The box 13 contains for this purpose a frame 26 for receiving a pill box to be filled, and a motorized mechanism 27 controlling the horizontal position and the horizontal movements of the frame 26 relative to the frame 11.

A distribution column 29 is rigidly fixed to the frame 11 under the table 16. This column 29 comprises a chute 30 extending under the lumen 17 of the table 16 down to a lower end 31 of the chute 30 having transverse dimensions less than or equal to those of a compartment 40 of a pill box in which a pill is to be dispensed. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, this chute 30 is in two parts: an upper part 30a extending under the table 16 and the passage lumen 17, and a conical lower part 30b extending the upper part 30a downwards until 'at its lower end 31 located immediately above a lumen 57 formed in a lower plate 44 of the distribution column 29.

The distribution column 29 has in particular a horizontal lower plane face 32 of the lower plate 44. The lumen 57 formed in this lower plate 44, and from which each pill is delivered into the pill box 28, also has transverse dimensions less than or equal to those of a compartment 40 of a pill box in which a pill is to be dispensed. Thus, a pill falling by gravity into the chute 30 and arriving at the lower end 31 of the chute 30 necessarily in the lumen 57 of the lower plate 44, and, consequently, in the compartment 40 underlying the pill organizer.

The receiving frame 26 comprises a plate 33 whose horizontal position and movements are controlled by the mechanism 27. This plate 33 has a shape and dimensions corresponding to those of a pill box 28 to be filled, in particular rectangular in the example represented. The plate 33 has a horizontal rectangular bottom 34 and four lateral flanks 35 extending vertically upwards at the corners of the bottom 34.

The receiving frame 26 also advantageously comprises a rigid lower plate 36 and a rigid upper plate 37 between which the pill box 28 is trapped and held.

Each pill box 28 comprises a plurality of adjacent cups 41 hollowed out in a sheet of polymeric material, in particular thermoplastic. In particular, each bowl 41 can correspond to a compartment 40 of the pill box 28. In other embodiments, each bowl 41 corresponds to several compartments 28, a partition being provided in the bowl to separate the various compartments from one another in that same bowl.

The lower plate 36 has a plurality of cells 39 of shapes and dimensions combined with those of the bowls 41 of a pill box 28. More particularly, each cell 39 can be adapted to receive at least one bowl 41 of a pill box. Preferably, each cell 39 of the lower plate 36 is adapted to receive a single bowl 41 of each pill box 28. However, as a variant, on the one hand, there is nothing to prevent being able to use several different forms and models of pill box 28, on the other hand part of grouping different bowls 41 of the pill box 28 in the same cell 39, if the pill box 28 is itself rigid enough to ensure appropriate movement and precise positioning of each compartment 40 under the lower end 31 of the chute 30. Each cell 39 of the lower plate 36 must be high enough to accommodate the bowls 41 of each pill box 28. Preferably, the cells 39 are formed of lights passing through the thickness of the lower plate 36. Different models of bottom plates 36 can be provided to receive different models of pill organizers.

The upper plate 37 also has lights 42 passing through its thickness, each light 42 corresponding to the dimensions and the shapes of a compartment 40 of a pill box 28. Different models of upper plates 37 can also be provided to correspond to different models of pill boxes . In practice, the upper plate 37 can be identical to the lower plate 36.

These plates 36, 37 have dimensions and a shape corresponding to those of the plate 33, so that they can be placed on the horizontal bottom 34, inserted between the lateral flanks 35. In doing so, they are perfectly integral with the plate 33 during its displacements horizontally, and the upper plate 37 has an upper horizontal face 38 whose vertical position is precisely determined and invariable. The plates 36, 37 are for example made of rigid synthetic material, for example chosen from metal alloys and rigid polymeric materials, for example from polycarbonate, PMMA, styrenic polymers such as SAN.

The upper face 38 of the upper plate 37 extends immediately under, but at a distance from the lower face 32 of the distribution column 29 with a small vertical clearance formed between these two faces 38, 32. This vertical clearance is in particular lower to the smallest dimension of the pills that can be used with a device according to the invention. In practice, this play is for example between 0.1 mm and 2 mm.

In this way, a pill delivered by the lower end 31 of the chute 30 passes into the lumen 42 of the upper plate 37 to necessarily fall into the compartment 40 underlying the pill organizer 28.

The mechanism 27 can be formed of any robotic mechanism making it possible to control the position and the movements of the receiving frame 26 in the horizontal plane under the column 29 so as to allow precise positioning of each compartment of the pill organizer 28 under the lower end 31 of the chute 30 to allow the supply of this compartment by a pill discharged by the press 15 in the chute 30.

In the example shown, this mechanism 27 comprises a cross member 45 forming a guide rail of a carriage 46 carrying the plate 33 of the receiving frame 26, this carriage 46 being able to be moved along the cross member 45 by means of a motor and to a toothed belt. The cross-member 45 is itself guided in translation in a horizontal direction orthogonal to its main direction by two lower rails 47 guiding the carriages 48 of the cross-member 45, these carriages 48 being able to be moved synchronously along the rails 47 by means of motors 49 and toothed belts.

The device according to the invention also comprises a control unit adapted in particular for controlling the various motorized actuators of the device according to the invention: the jack 19 actuating the pusher 22, the mechanism 27 controlling the movement of the receiving frame 26 and the pill organizer 28 This control unit is formed of a computer system at least partly incorporated in the distribution column 29, and comprises a man / machine interface such as a screen and a keyboard. In the example shown, the control unit comprises an electronic power and signal acquisition card incorporated in the distribution column 29, connected to a computer 56 located outside the box 13, and on which is executed a computer program for configuring and controlling the device according to the invention. In particular, the computer 56 is advantageously adapted to be able to display the number of pills dispensed in the pill box and / or the number of pills remaining to be dispensed to supply this pill box.

The dispensing column 29 also comprises at least one device for counting the pills passing through the chute 30. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the dispensing column 29 comprises a first device 51, 52 for counting the pills delivered in a pill box , this counting device 51, 52 being formed by a light source 51 emitting a horizontal light ray under the lower end 31 of the chute 30, and a photoelectric cell 52 arranged to capture this light ray. When a pill emerges from the lower end 31 of the chute 30, it interrupts the light beam, the photocell 52 delivering a counting signal to the control unit. The distribution column 29 also comprises a second device 58, 59 for counting the pills emerging from the lumen 17 passing through the table 16 of the press. This counting device 58, 59 comprises a light source 58 emitting a horizontal light ray under the light 17 passing through the table 16, and a photoelectric cell 59 arranged to capture this light ray. When a pill emerges from the light 17 passing through the table 16, it cuts off the light beam, the photoelectric cell 59 delivering a counting signal to the control unit. In this way, the device according to the invention counts both the pills which are delivered by the press 15 in the chute 30, and the pills which are delivered by the chute 30 in a pill box.

Furthermore, a camera 53, connected to the control unit, is also advantageously incorporated in the distribution column 29 to produce images of each compartment 40 of a pill box placed under the lower end 31 of the chute 30, before and / or after receiving a pill, on order from the control unit. The camera 53 is placed in the upper opening is based from the lower part 30b of the chute 30 above the lower end 31 of the lower part 30b of the chute 30 and has its lens oriented downwards. lower end 31 of the chute 30, so as to allow the viewing of the underlying compartment 40. Each image produced by this camera 53 is recorded by the control unit.

Preferably, the chute 30 is inclined so as to guide the fall of the pills under the effect of gravity from the lumen 17 passing from the table 16 to the lower end 31. In the embodiment shown, a nozzle 55 for injecting pressurized air is also provided inside the lower part 30b for blowing a jet of pressurized air into the chute towards the lower end 31 allowing d 'Accelerate the descent of the pills and / or prevent the blocking of pills in this lower end 31 and / or to unblock any pills which would be blocked in this lower end 31. Such a nozzle 55 is connected to a source of compressed air (not shown) which can be formed from a compressed air network or from a simple compressed air cylinder. Preferably, this nozzle 55 is supplied with compressed air intermittently, periodically, according to a predetermined fixed period, or on the contrary on command of the control unit as a function of the signal delivered by the photoelectric cell 52 (if the latter detects the presence of a pill in the lower end 31 for a predetermined period) and / or as a function of the images produced by the camera 53 showing the presence of a pill blocked in the lower end 31. As a variant or in combination, the nozzle 55 can also be activated on manual control of the operator.

Alternatively or in combination, it is also possible to provide a vibrating motorized device suitable for imparting horizontal and / or vertical vibrations - in particular mainly horizontal - to the chute 30 - in particular at its conical lower part 30b - at least at its end. 31 lower, so as to prevent any blockage of a pill in this lower end 31, or to unblock a pill which would eventually become blocked therein.

A light source 43 is fixed to the frame 11 above the table 16 so as to project a luminous visual cue, for example a cross, towards and above the light 17 passing through the table 16. Such a visual cue facilitates precise manual positioning by the operator of the pack of 23 pills on the table 16.

In addition, this visual cue can be adapted to facilitate direct manual feeding of drugs by the operator into the passageway 17, in particular when the pill box must contain fractions of breakable pills. To do this, the light source 43 can be adapted to project a visual cue that can take several colors, for example green in color to indicate to the operator that he can manually deposit a medicament in the passage light 17, the pusher 22 ejection being kept fixed in the raised position; and red in color to indicate the operator must wait before manually depositing a medication in the passage light 17, the device controlling and counting the dispensing of the previous medication. In these embodiments, the light source 43 is connected to the control unit and controlled by the latter. Nothing prevents, as a variant, from providing for the control of the manual feeding a light source distinct from that 43 projecting a visual reference making it possible to position the wafer 23 of pills on the table 16. These may for example be colored LEDs placed under the passage light 17.

The device according to the invention also advantageously comprises a reader 54 for optical codes (in particular bar codes) connected to the control unit.

The preparation process implemented with such a device according to the invention can be subject to various variants.

In one possible variant, the control unit drives the ejection pusher 22 into alternative translations according to a predetermined fixed frequency, for example between 0.5 Hz and 5 Hz, in particular of the order of 1 Hz. In this variant , the operator starts the device, for example using the computer 56, which triggers the actuation of the ejection pusher 22. The control unit then controls the positioning and movement of the receiving frame 26 and the pill organizer 28 which it contains so as to fill the various compartments 40 of this pill organizer 28 with pills. To this end, the operator takes a new pack 23 of pills, and enters with the reader 54 the bar code of this pack, the characteristics of which are recorded in the control unit, or in any event, accessible by the latter, for example via the Internet.

From the characteristics of the pills in the blister 23, and from recorded digital data corresponding to a prescription for a patient for whom the pill dispenser 28 is intended, stored in the control unit or accessible by it, for example on the Internet, the unit control place a first compartment 40 to receive at least one pill from this wafer 23 under the lower end 31 of the chute 30. The operator then positions a housing of the wafer 23 opposite the visual reference on the table 16 when the ejection pusher 22 is in the raised position. When the ejection pusher 22 is moved to the lowered position, it extracts the pill from this housing, the pill falls into the chute 30, is counted by the photoelectric cell 52 and is delivered to the compartment 40. When the pusher 22 rises vertically in the raised position, the operator moves the plate 23 horizontally on the table 16 so as to present another housing of the plate 23 opposite the visual reference. If compartment 40 is to receive several pills, the pill box is not moved. After the compartment 40 has received the correct number of pills corresponding to the prescription for the patient, the mechanism 27 is controlled by the control unit to be moved, when the pusher 22 goes up vertically, so as to move the frame 26 from reception and the pill organizer 28 for positioning another compartment 40 to receive identical pills under the lower end 31 of the chute 30.

When all the pills in the pack 23 have been unloaded, or when all the compartments 40 of the pill box 28 to receive pills corresponding to such a pack 23 have been fed, the operator must continue the process with another pack 23 of pills. Advantageously, the control unit is adapted to control the stop of the actuator 19 for actuating the pusher 22 when the number of pills passed through the chute 30, as determined by the counting device 51, 52 is equal to a number predetermined number of pills to be delivered to the pill box from this same pack 23. In this way, the operator is warned that it is necessary to change the pack 23 or that the pill box 28 is full. This predetermined number corresponds to the number of pills in the blister 23 if this number is less than the number of such pills remaining to be delivered in the pill box 28, or corresponds to the number of pills remaining to be delivered in the pill box 28 if the latter is less than the number total number of pills in the pack 23.

Preferably, after each delivery of a pill in a compartment 40 of the pill organizer 28, an image is produced by the camera 53 and stored in the computer 56. In this way, the traceability of the correct implementation of the method is ensured. .

In other variants, the control unit can be adapted to control the movements of the ejection pusher 22 and the receiving frame 26 in an optimized manner as a function of the signals delivered by the counting device 51, 52. Thus, for example, the control unit can be adapted to trigger the downward and upward movements of the pusher 22 according to a first default frequency value; to detect the passage of a pill in the chute 30; for, upon detection of the passage of a pill from the chute 30, trigger an upward movement of the pusher 22 and, if necessary, a displacement of the receiving frame 26, this triggering being able to be carried out after the expiration of a delay time predetermined.

When the pill box 28 is completely filled with pills, the receiving frame 26 is placed in the loading / unloading position in the box 13, the operator being able to lift the cover 24 to extract the plates 36, 37 from the plate 33, and continue the pill manufacturing steps: filling control by imagery and / or visual inspection; printing and pasting of upper labels on each compartment (preferably collectively by printing and pasting of a sheet of labels covering the entire pill box) ...

The operator then replaces a new pill organizer between the plates 36, 37 and in the receiving frame 26 for its preparation.

The invention can be the subject of numerous variants and applications other than those described above. In particular, it goes without saying that, unless otherwise indicated, the different structural and functional characteristics of each of the embodiments described above should not be considered as combined and / or closely and / or inextricably linked to each other, but to the otherwise like simple juxtapositions. In addition, the structural and / or functional characteristics of the various embodiments described above may be the subject in whole or in part of any different juxtaposition or of any different combination.

Claims (17)

1 / - Device for preparing a pill organizer (28) comprising a plurality of compartments (40) for receiving at least one medicament, known as a pill, in a non-pulverulent divided solid dosage form, from at least one wafer pills in the form of a blister, this device comprising: - a frame (11), - A table (16) for receiving a plate (23) of identical pills in the form of a blister having a plurality of housings each containing a pill, said table being fixed relative to the frame and having a light (17) of passing a pill, - A push button (22) guided ejection relative to the frame (11) so as to be able to be placed in a raised position in which it allows the passage of a plate on the table under the pusher and in a lowered position in which it pushes a housing of a pill pack resting on the table, this housing being placed above and facing said light (17) passage, whereby this housing opens towards said passage light, the pill is extracted and falls through said passage light, - a motorized actuation device, said actuator (19) of the pusher, capable of driving the ejector (22) alternately in displacement between said raised and lowered positions, - a chute (30): o fixed relative to the frame (11), o extending under the passage light (17), o having a lower end (31) having transverse dimensions less than or equal to those of a compartment (40) of a pill box to be filled, o adapted to allow the movement of a pill in the chute between said passage lumen (17) and said lower end (31), - A frame (26) for receiving a pill box to be filled, this receiving frame (26) being mounted horizontally movable relative to the frame (11) under said lower end (31) of the chute (30) so that each compartment of a pill organizer received in this context can be placed opposite this lower end (31) in order to be able to receive a pill delivered by the chute, a motorized device, called actuator (27) for the frame, for positioning and moving the frame (26) for receiving, - a control unit connected to the pusher actuator (19) and to the frame actuator (27) to control its operation. 2 / - Device according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises a device (43) for projecting a visual cue above the passage light. 3 / - Device according to any one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that it comprises at least one device (51, 52, 58, 59) for counting the pills passing through the chute (30), this counting device being adapted to deliver a count signal to the control unit. 4 / - Device according to claim 3 characterized in that the control unit is adapted to control the stopping of the actuator (19) of the pusher when the number of pills passed through the chute (30) as counted by at at least one counting device (51, 52, 58, 59) is equal to a predetermined number of pills to be delivered to the pill box from the same pack (23). 5 / - Device according to any one of claims 3 or 4 characterized in that at least one counting device (51, 52, 58, 59) is an optical counting device. 6 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that it comprises an imaging device (53) adapted to produce an image of each compartment (40) of a pill organizer placed under the end (31 ) lower of the chute (30). 7 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that the pusher (22) for ejection is formed of a removable insert at a free end of a rod (21) of a jack. 8 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that the pusher (22) ejection is at a free end of a rod (21) of a cylinder driven in vertical translations relative to a body (20) cylinder rigidly fixed to the frame (11). 9 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 8 characterized in that the pill container comprising a plurality of adjacent bowls molded hollow in a sheet of polymeric material, the receiving frame (26) comprises a rigid lower plate (36) alveolate having alveoli adapted to each receive at least one bowl of a pill organizer superimposed on the lower plate. 10 / - Device according to claim 9 characterized in that the frame (26) for receiving comprises a plate (33) mounted horizontally movable relative to the frame (11), this plate (33) having a shape and dimensions corresponding to those of said lower plate (36) so that the plate (33) can receive the lower plate (36), this plate (33) being adapted to be able to move horizontally and precisely position the lower plate (36) horizontally relative to the frame ( 11), the lower plate (36) being able to be dissociated from the plate. 11 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 10 characterized in that the receiving frame comprises a rigid upper plate (37) having through lights, each light having a shape and dimensions adapted to be able to come above and opposite at least one compartment (40) of a pill box placed in the receiving frame under the upper plate (37). 12 / - Device according to claim 11 characterized in that the frame (26) for receiving is arranged relative to the chute (30) so that the upper plate (37) has a face (38) horizontal upper plane s' extending immediately below the lower end (31) of the chute. 13 / - Device according to any one of claims 11 or 12 characterized in that the upper face (38) of the upper plate (37) extends at a distance between 0.1 mm and 2 mm below the end (31) lower of the chute. 14 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 13 characterized in that the control unit is adapted to control the actuator (19) of pusher so as to drive the pusher (22) for ejection in alternative translations according to a predetermined frequency. 15 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 14 characterized in that the control unit is adapted to control the actuator (27) of the frame in horizontal movement while the actuator (19) of the pusher moves the pusher (22) ejection to the raised position. 16 / - Device according to one of claims 1 to 15 characterized in that it comprises at least one nozzle (55) for injecting pressurized air into the chute in the direction of its lower end (31). 17 / - Process for the preparation of a pill box (23) comprising a plurality of compartments (40) for receiving at least one medicament, known as a pill, in a divided solid non-pulverulent dosage form, process in which: - a pill box (28) to be filled is placed in the frame (26) for receiving a preparation device according to one of claims 1 to 16, - we choose a pack (23) of identical pills in the form of a blister having a plurality of housings each containing a pill, - this plate (23) is placed on the table (16) for receiving the preparation device while the ejection pusher (22) is in the raised position, a housing for the plate being placed above and facing the passage light (17), - the plate (23) is kept in place on the receiving table (16) while the ejection pusher (22) is moved in the lowered position, - when the ejection pusher (22) is again moved to the raised position, the plate (23) is moved in order to be able to present another housing for this plate above and facing the light (17) passing through, or place another plate on the receiving table.