JP2006290355A - Vial container feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vial container feeder capable of preventing excessive charge of vial containers by an operator. <P>SOLUTION: The vial container feeder 3 is equipped with a storing container 12 to store the vial containers 2, a discharging unit to discharge the vial containers 2 in the storing container 12, and a throw-in port 12b to supply the vial containers 2, and further comprises a door 14 to open/close the throw-in port 12b, a regulating plate 15 to be movable to the regulation position at which the regulating plate is advanced into the storing container 12 to separate the inside of the storing container 12 into a supply limiting space B on the discharging unit side and a supplying space A on the throw-in port 12b side and the evacuation position at which the regulating plate is evacuated from the storing container 12, and first link mechanisms 17, 18 and 22 to move the regulating plate 15 to the regulation position connected with the opening operation of the door 14 and to move the regulating plate 15 to the evacuation position connected with the closing operation of the door 14. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vial supply device that is provided in a tablet filling device, stores a large number of vials, takes out the vials one by one, and is used for filling tablets.

A filling device that fills a vial with a tablet includes a vial supply device that stores vials input by an operator, discharges them one by one, and supplies them to a filling unit in the device. In the conventional vial supply device described in Patent Document 1, a box-shaped hopper with an inclined bottom plate is provided with a take-out device for scraping the vial vertically upward from the lower end of the bottom plate. The conventional vial supply device is provided with a synergistic prevention member that scrapes off an excessive vial when the takeout device is about to scrape a plurality of vials. If the vials are thrown in, too many vials will be scraped up by the take-out device, the synergistic prevention member will not function well, and there will be a problem that the vials cannot be supplied or clogged in the device. It was.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-70901

  Then, in view of the said problem, this invention makes it a subject to provide the vial supply apparatus which can prevent the excessive injection | throwing-in of the vial by an operator.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the first means is:
In a vial supply apparatus comprising a storage container for storing a vial, a discharge unit for discharging the vial in the storage container, and an input port for replenishing the vial,
A door capable of opening and closing the insertion port;
A restriction that moves into a storage position that enters the storage container and separates the storage container into a replenishment restriction space on the discharge side and a refillable space on the input port side, and a retreat position that retreats from the storage container. The board,
A first link mechanism is provided that moves the restricting plate to a restricting position in conjunction with the opening operation of the door and moves the restricting plate to a retracted position in conjunction with the closing operation of the door.

  In the first means, when the door is opened, the restriction plate enters the storage container by the link mechanism, and the storage container is separated into a replenishment restriction space on the discharge side and a refillable space on the input port side. When a vial bottle is replenished to the refillable space from the charging port, the vial bottle is restricted from entering the replenishment restriction space by the restriction plate, so that overfilling of the vial bottle can be prevented.

  In the second means, the horizontal plate provided at the upper end of the restricting plate is rotatably attached to the upper portion of the storage container, and is vertical at the restricting position and horizontal at the retracted position.

  In the third means, the door includes a front plate rotatably attached to the storage container so that the upper end is separated from the storage container with the lower end as a substantial center, and the front plate and the side portion of the storage container. And a side plate that closes the gap.

  In the fourth means, the first link mechanism includes a lever extending in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal axis of the restriction plate, and a cam portion provided on the side plate of the door and contacting the lever.

In the fourth means, at the bottom of the refillable space, a downward movement position close to and parallel to the bottom wall of the storage container, and an upward movement position inclined further downward toward the discharge portion than the movable position. A movable movable base plate,
There is further provided a second link mechanism that moves the movable bottom plate to a downward movement position in conjunction with the opening operation of the door, and moves the movable bottom plate to an upward movement position in conjunction with the closing operation of the door.

  According to the first aspect of the invention, since the vial bottle introduced into the refillable space from the insertion port is restricted from entering the replenishment restriction space by the restriction plate, it is possible to prevent overfilling of the vial bottles, There is no clogging at the discharge section or insufficient supply.

  According to the invention of the second means, the replenishable space and the replenishment restriction space can be formed by a simple operation in which the restriction plate moves from the horizontal retracted position to the vertical restriction position. Further, when the restricting plate moves from the vertical restricting position to the horizontal retracted position, the vial whose movement is restricted by the restricting plate in the refillable space can be easily moved to the replenishment restricting space.

  According to the invention of the third means, the door is composed of a front plate that is rotatably attached so that the upper end is separated from the storage container, and a side plate that closes a gap between the front plate and the side of the storage container. When the door is opened, it forms an upward opening. For this reason, it is possible to insert vials not only in the storable space but also inside the door, and it becomes easy for the operator to insert vials, and many vials can be inserted.

  According to the fourth aspect of the invention, since the first link mechanism is composed of the lever and the cam portion that comes into contact with the lever, the regulating plate is suspended in the storage container by its own weight in conjunction with the opening operation of the door. For this reason, even if the door is opened when many vials remain in the storage container, the regulation plate hits the remaining vial and does not hang down in the storage container. Therefore, neither the vial bottle is damaged by the rotation of the restricting plate nor excessive supply pressure is applied to the discharge section.

  According to the invention of the fifth means, the movable bottom plate moves to the downward movement position in conjunction with the opening operation of the door, so that the volume of the replenishable space can be increased and a sufficient amount of vial can be filled. In addition, since the movable bottom plate moves to the upward movement position in conjunction with the closing operation of the door, the vial filled in the refillable space can be pushed into the discharge portion side by the door and the movable bottom plate.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 and 2 show a tablet filling device 1 provided with a vial supply device of the present invention. The tablet filling device 1 fills the vial 2 with tablets based on the prescription data, and includes three vial supply devices 3, a first transport device 4, a vial support device 5, a labeling device 5A, A second transport device 6, a third transport device 7, a number of regularly arranged tablet cassettes 8, a fourth transport device 9, a capping device 10, and an outlet 11 arranged in three stages are provided. ing.

  As will be described in detail later, the vial supply device 3 of the present invention can accommodate a large number of vials 2 at random, and supplies the vials 2 to the first transport device 4 as required by the discharge conveyor 13. The first transport device 4 supplies the vial bottles 2 discharged from the respective vial vial supply devices 3 to the vial support device 5. The labeling device 5A attaches a label to the periphery of the vial 2 supported by the vial support device 5 while rotating the vial 2. The second transport device 6 receives the vial 2 with the label attached thereto from the vial support device 5, lifts it vertically, and delivers it to the third transport device 7. The third transport device 7 moves the vial 2 to the designated tablet cassette 8 and receives the designated number of tablets discharged from the tablet cassette 8 by the vial 2. The fourth transport device 9 receives the vial 2 containing the tablet from the third transport device 7 and moves it to the capping device 10. The capping device 10 is sealed by screwing a cap onto the vial 2. Further, the fourth transport device places the vial 2 with the cap fastened on any of the outlets 11 so that the patient or the operator can take out the vial 2 filled with tablets.

  FIG. 3 shows the vial supply device 3, the first transport device 4, and the vial support device 5 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The vial supply device 3 includes a storage container 12 that stores the vials 2 and a discharge conveyor 13 that takes out the vials 2 in the storage container 12 one by one and discharges them to the first transport device 4. The portion provided with is a discharge portion for discharging the vial 2.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the storage container 12 has a rectangular box shape as a whole and is open at the top. An input port 12 b is formed in the upper half of the front wall 12 a in front of the storage container 12. The bottom wall 12c of the storage container 12 is inclined downward toward the discharge conveyor 13 from the input port 12b side. As shown in FIG. 5, the bottom wall 12 c is provided with a disk 12 d that can be rotationally driven to stir the vial 2 accommodated therein.

  A restriction plate 15 is provided on the upper portion of the storage container 12. The regulating plate 15 is fixed at one end to a horizontal shaft 16 that extends horizontally on the side walls 12e on both sides of the storage container 12 and at a right angle to the direction connecting the door 14 and the discharge portion. It is pivotable about the center. A lever 17 extending vertically from the horizontal shaft 16 is provided at the end of the horizontal shaft 16 penetrating the side wall 12e of the storage container 12, and the restriction plate 15 can be rotated by the lever 17. Yes. Furthermore, the cam follower 18 is provided in the edge part so that the lever 17 may be rotated by the cam part 22 mentioned later.

  An inner door 14 is provided at the insertion port 12b of the storage container 12, and an outer door 14a is provided in front of the inner door 14, thereby forming a double-structure door. As shown in FIG. 5, the outer door 14 a is attached to the front of the front wall 12 a of the storage container 12 so as to be rotatable about a support shaft 14 b provided at the lower end. A handle 14c is attached to the outer surface of the outer door 14a, and a protruding piece 14e having a vertical slit 14d is attached in the vicinity of both side ends of the inner surface.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the inner door 14 includes a rectangular front plate 20 that closes the inlet 12 b of the storage container 12 and forms a part of the front wall 12 a, and a side wall of the storage container 12 at right angles from both ends of the front plate 20. It consists of two side plates 21 extending parallel to 12e. The inner door 14 is rotatably attached to the side wall 12e of the storage container 12 around a support shaft 19 provided at the lower end of the side plate 21. The upper end of the front plate 20 is inclined toward the storage container 12. At the upper end of the side plate 21, a roller 21a that fits into the slit 14d of the outer door 14a is attached. In the center of the side plate 21, an arc-shaped slit 21b centering on the support shaft 19 is formed, and a roller 19a provided on the side wall 12e of the storage container 12 is fitted into the slit 21b. It is designed not to be opened beyond a certain opening. A protruding piece 21 c extends below the support shaft 19 of the side plate 21. Both side plates 21 have a fan shape that requires a support shaft 19, and the edges thereof are cam portions 22 that are engaged with the cam follower 18 and turn the lever 17 from the front obliquely downward to the rear obliquely downward. It has become.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the cam portion 22 includes an arc portion 22 a that is a part of a fan-shaped arc and a protruding portion 22 b that protrudes from the fan-shaped oblique side and smoothly connects to the arc portion 22 a. The cam portion 22 and the lever 17 of the restriction plate 15 constitute a first link mechanism that moves the restriction plate 15 to a substantially horizontal retracted position and a vertical restriction position in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the inner door 14. Yes.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a movable bottom plate 26 is provided on the bottom wall 12c of the storage container 12 between the disk 12d and the front wall 12a. The movable bottom plate 26 is pivotally attached to the side wall 12e of the storage container 12 by supporting shafts 26a provided on both side ends of the lower end in the inclined direction, so that the movable bottom plate 26 can move from the downward movement position close to the bottom wall 12c and the bottom wall 12c. It can be rotated between distant upper movement positions. An operation shaft 26b is provided at the center of both side ends of the movable bottom plate 26, and the operation shaft 26b protrudes outward through an arc-shaped slit 27 formed in both side walls 12e. The operation shaft 26b is rotatably attached to one end of a link lever 29 that is provided on the outer surface of the side walls 12e so as to be rotatable about a support shaft 28. The other end of the link lever 29 is rotatably attached to one end of the link bar 31 via a pin 30, and the other end of the link bar 31 is connected to the protruding piece 21 c of the inner door 14 via a pin 32. The link lever 29 and the link bar 31 constitute a second link mechanism that moves the movable bottom plate 26 to the upward movement position and the downward movement position in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the inner door 14.

  The discharge conveyor 13 is provided on the rear wall of the storage container 12 and has a fixed mounting member 24 that can mount only one vial 2 on the endless belt 23 whose portion facing the storage container 12 advances vertically upward. It is a belt conveyor attached at intervals. Further, on the side wall of the storage container 12, a synergistic prevention rod 25 is spanned from the endless belt 23 of the discharge conveyor 13 so as to have a gap slightly larger than the diameter of the vial 2.

  The vial supply device 3 is incorporated in the tablet filling device 1 so that only the surface on which the front plate 20 is provided is exposed to the outside.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the first transport device 4 receives and transports the vials 2 supplied from the vial supply devices 3, and the vials 2 transported from the small belt conveyors 4a. It consists of a large belt conveyor 4b that receives and conveys it to the vial support device 5.

  The vial support device 5 is composed of a fork-shaped movable frame 5a that supports the neck portion of the vial 2 of different sizes. The movable frame 5a is attached to a belt 5c driven by a drive motor 5b, and a receiving position for receiving the vial 2 conveyed from the first conveying device 4, and a labeling device 5A for labeling the received vial 2 (see FIG. 2). And a delivery position for delivering the labeled vial 2 to the second transport device 6 (see FIG. 2). Below the movable frame 5a, there is provided a guide plate 5d for moving the vial 2 to the tip of the fork when the movable frame 5a moves from the receiving position to the labeling position.

Next, the operation of the vial supply device 3 having the above configuration will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, when the outer door 14a is opened, the outer door 14a rotates about the support shaft 14b. While the roller 21a moves from the upper end to the lower end of the slit 14d, the inner door 14 is opened so that the roller 21a rotates about the lower support shaft 19 and pulls the upper portion forward, and protrudes from the storage container 12. Configure the opening facing upward. As a result of the opening operation of the inner door 14, the cam follower 18 of the lever 17 of the restricting plate 15 rolls from the arc portion 22a of the cam 22 to the protruding portion 22b. As a result, the restricting plate 15 moves to a vertically downward restricting position by its own weight. In this state, the restriction plate 15 divides the upper space of the storage container 12 into a replenishable space A on the inlet 12b side and a replenishment restriction space B on the discharge side, and a path from the door 14 to the discharge conveyor 13 is formed. The narrow gap between the bottom surface of the storage container 12 and the lower end of the regulating plate 15 is limited. The lever 17 connected to the horizontal shaft 16 is inclined slightly forward rather than vertically downward when the restriction plate 15 is suspended. Further, as the link lever 29 is rotated via the link bar 31 by the opening operation of the inner door 14, the movable bottom plate 26 moves to the downward movement position.

  As shown in FIG. 4, with the door 14 opened, the operator inserts the vial 2 through the opening created by the door 14. At this time, since the movable bottom plate 26 is in the downward movement position, the volume of the replenishable space A is increased, so that more vials 2 can be replenished. The vial 2 put in the replenishable space A slides on the movable bottom plate 26, passes through the lower end of the regulation plate 15, and slides down to the replenishment restriction space B. In the refillable space A, when the vial 2 is filled up to the lower end of the restriction plate 15, the weight of the vial 2 cannot push the restriction plate 15 backward unless the operator is forced to push it. . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, even if the operator inserts the vial 2 into the full refillable space A before the restriction plate 15, the vial is only behind the restriction plate 15 to the lower end of the restriction plate 15. 2 is not supplied, and a replenishment restriction space B (dead space) in which the vial 2 is not supplied remains on the back side of the regulation plate 15. Thereby, the vial 2 is not excessively supplied to the discharge conveyor 13. A situation where the two or more vials 2 are mounted on the mounting member 24 over the synergistic prevention rod 25 can be prevented. Further, there is no possibility that the vial 2 is supplied to the discharge conveyor 13 with an excessive pressure and the discharge conveyor 13 is overloaded or the vial 2 is damaged.

  When the outer door 14a is closed from the state of FIG. 5 in which the vial bottle 2 is inserted, the outer door 14a rotates about the support shaft 14b. The inner door 14 rotates around the lower support shaft 19 while the roller 21a moves from the lower end of the slit 14d toward the upper end, thereby closing the charging port 12b of the storage container 12. Due to the closing operation of the inner door 14, the protruding portion 22 b of the cam portion 22 of the side plate 21 pushes the cam follower 18 of the lever 17 backward to rotate the lever 17 and retract the regulating plate 15. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, when the door 14 is completely closed, the restriction plate 15 moves to the retracted position so as to be substantially horizontal behind the horizontal shaft 16. Further, the closing operation of the inner door 14 causes the link lever 29 to rotate via the link bar 31. As a result, the movable bottom plate 26 moves to the downward movement position.

  When the door 14 is closed in this way, the restriction plate 15 is retracted upward and the movable bottom plate 26 is moved to the upward movement position, so that the flow path is narrowed by the restriction plate 15 and the vial 2 is likely to block. It will be resolved. Further, the vial 2 put into the refillable space A is closed from the state shown in FIG. 5 in the closing direction of the door 14 in the x direction, the upward movement of the movable bottom plate 26 in the y direction, and the z direction of the regulating plate 15. By the retreating operation, the restriction plate 15 is pushed into the replenishment restriction space B side, that is, the discharge portion side, which has become a dead space. Naturally, the space behind the regulating plate 15 is designed to be sufficiently larger than the refillable space A created on the door 14, and the vial 2 is inserted into the space above the door 14. Then, even if the door 14 is closed, the vial bottle 2 is not supplied to the discharge conveyor 13 beyond the synergistic prevention rod 25.

  Since the cam follower 18 is only pressed against the cam portion 22 of the side plate 21 due to the weight of the regulation plate 15, even if the door 14 is opened with a large amount of the vial 2 remaining in the storage container 12, When the regulation plate 15 comes into contact with the vial 2, it cannot be rotated any further, and the vial 2 is not damaged.

The perspective view of a tablet filling apparatus provided with the vial supply apparatus of this invention. The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the tablet filling apparatus of FIG. The perspective view of a vial supply apparatus, a 1st conveying apparatus, and a vial support apparatus. The perspective view of the state which opened the door of the vial supply apparatus. Sectional drawing of the vial supply apparatus of FIG. The perspective view of the state which obstruct | occluded the door of the vial supply apparatus. Sectional drawing of the vial supply apparatus of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tablet filling apparatus 2 Vial bottle 3 Vial bottle supply apparatus 4 1st conveying apparatus 5 Vial bottle support apparatus 12 Storage container 12a Front wall 12b Input port 12c Bottom wall 12d Disk 12e Side wall 12f Roller 13 Discharge conveyor 14 Inner door 14a Outer door 15 Restriction plate 16 Horizontal shaft 17 Lever (first link mechanism)
18 Cam follower (first link mechanism)
20 Front plate 21 Side plate 22 Cam part (first link mechanism)
26 Movable bottom plate 27 Slit 29 Link lever (second link mechanism)
31 Link rod (second link mechanism)

Claims (5)

In a vial supply apparatus comprising a storage container for storing a vial, a discharge unit for discharging the vial in the storage container, and an input port for replenishing the vial,
A door capable of opening and closing the inlet;
A restriction that moves into a storage position that enters the storage container and separates the storage container into a replenishment restriction space on the discharge side and a refillable space on the input port side, and a retreat position that retreats from the storage container. The board,
A first link mechanism is provided that moves the restricting plate to a restricting position in conjunction with the opening operation of the door and moves the restricting plate to a retracted position in conjunction with the closing operation of the door. Vial supply device.   2. The vial according to claim 1, wherein a horizontal shaft provided at an upper end of the restricting plate is rotatably attached to an upper portion of the storage container, and is vertical at a restricting position and horizontal at a retracted position. Bottle feeder.   The door includes a front plate rotatably attached to the storage container so that the upper end is separated from the storage container with the lower end as a center, and a side plate that closes a gap between the front plate and the side of the storage container. The vial supply device according to claim 2, comprising:   The first link mechanism includes a lever extending in a direction perpendicular to the axis from a horizontal axis of the restriction plate, and a cam portion provided on a side plate of the door and in contact with the lever. The vial supply device according to the description. A movable bottom plate that is movable at the bottom of the refillable space to a downward movement position that is close to and parallel to the bottom wall of the storage container and an upward movement position that is inclined further downward toward the discharge portion than the movable position; ,
A second link mechanism for moving the movable bottom plate to a downward movement position in conjunction with the opening operation of the door, and to move the movable bottom plate to an upward movement position in conjunction with the closing operation of the door; The vial supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein

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