JP2021058339A - Tablet processing device and tablet processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

To reduce discomfort felt by a consumer when seeing a plurality of tablets sealed in a PTP package.SOLUTION: A tablet processing device 1 comprises a tablet conveyance mechanism 30, a sheet conveyance mechanism 70, a tablet transfer mechanism 80, and a first printing part 41. The tablet conveyance mechanism 30 has a circulation belt shape and conveys a tablet 9 under a state where a second surface 9B is held by an external surface. The sheet conveyance mechanism 70 conveys an accommodation sheet 330 below the tablet conveyance mechanism 30 under a state where an opening of a concave part is directed upward. The tablet transfer mechanism 80 transfers, to the accommodation sheet 330, the tablet 9 from the tablet conveyance mechanism 30 at a timing at which a first surface 9A is directed toward a bottom side of the concave part, thereby accommodating the tablet 9 in the concave part. The first printing part 41 performs printing on the first surface 9A of the tablet 9 during conveyance of the tablet 9 at the tablet conveyance mechanism 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a tablet processing apparatus and a tablet processing method.

Conventionally, there are known tablet processing devices and tablet processing methods in which the surface of tablets such as pharmaceuticals and health foods is printed and then sealed in PTP packaging. This type of tablet processing apparatus is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1.

The PTP sheet manufacturing apparatus (tablet processing apparatus) described in Patent Document 1 puts tablets (5) in the pocket portion (2) along the transfer path of the container film (3) in which the pocket portion (2) is formed. It has a filling device (16) that fills automatically. The filling device (16) drops the tablet (5) by opening the shutter at predetermined time intervals, and the tablet (5) is put into each pocket portion (2) in accordance with this shutter opening operation. ..

JP-A-2007-69950

However, in the PTP sheet manufacturing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the tablet contained in the pocket portion has a printed surface (the surface on which product information or the like is printed) facing the front side of the pocket and the back side of the pocket. It will be in a state where the suitable ones are mixed. Then, since the appearance of the plurality of tablets contained in the PTP sheet is inconsistent, there is a risk that the consumer may feel a sense of discomfort when seeing this.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to reduce discomfort when a consumer sees a plurality of tablets enclosed in a PTP package.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is as described above, and next, the means for solving this problem will be described.

From the first aspect of the present application, there is provided a tablet processing apparatus for enclosing a tablet having a first surface and a second surface having a front and back relationship with the first surface in a PTP package. The PTP packaging includes an accommodating sheet and a covering sheet. The storage sheet is transparent or translucent, and a plurality of recesses are arranged. The covering sheet is attached to the accommodating sheet to cover the plurality of recesses. The tablet processing device includes a tablet transport mechanism, a sheet transport mechanism, a tablet delivery mechanism, and a first printing unit. The tablet transport mechanism has a circulation band shape, and transports the tablets while holding the second surface on the outer surface. The sheet transport mechanism transports the storage sheet below the tablet transport mechanism with the opening of the recess facing upward. The tablet delivery mechanism delivers the tablet from the tablet transport mechanism to the storage sheet and stores the tablet in the recess at the timing when the first surface faces the bottom side of the recess. The first printing unit prints on the first surface of the tablet while the tablet is being transported by the tablet transport mechanism.

From the second aspect of the present application, in the tablet processing apparatus according to the first aspect, the first printing unit prints on the first surface of the tablet by a non-contact method.

According to the third aspect of the present application, the tablet processing apparatus according to the first aspect or the second aspect includes a first camera and a control unit. The first camera images the first surface of the tablet at a position upstream of the first printing unit in the transport direction. When a score line is detected in the imaging result of the first camera, the control unit causes the first printing unit to print on the first surface of the tablet according to the direction of the score line.

From the fourth aspect of the present application, the tablet processing apparatus according to any one of the first to the third aspects further includes a second printing unit. The second printing unit prints on the second side of the tablet while the storage sheet containing the tablet is being transported by the sheet transport mechanism.

From the fifth aspect of the present application, in the tablet processing apparatus according to the fourth aspect, the second printing unit prints on the second surface of the tablet by a non-contact method.

From the sixth aspect of the present application, the tablet processing apparatus according to the fourth or fifth aspect includes a second camera and the control unit. The second camera images the second surface of the tablet in the recess of the storage sheet at a position upstream of the second printing unit in the transport direction. When a score line is detected in the imaging result of the second camera, the control unit causes the second printing unit to print on the second surface of the tablet according to the direction of the score line.

From the seventh aspect of the present application, in the tablet processing apparatus according to the sixth aspect, the control unit adjusts the ink ejection position in the second printing unit based on the image pickup result of the second camera.

From the eighth aspect of the present application, in the tablet processing apparatus according to any one of the fourth aspect to the seventh aspect, the first printing unit obtains at least one of the drug name and the drug code. Print on one side. The second printing unit prints at least one of the expiration date and the manufacturing date on the second side.

From the ninth aspect of the present application, in the tablet processing apparatus according to any one of the fourth aspect to the seventh aspect, the first printing unit prints information on the dosing timing on the first surface. .. The second printing unit prints at least one of a chemical name, a chemical code, an expiration date, and a manufacturing date on the second side.

From the tenth aspect of the present application, a tablet processing method in which a tablet having a first surface and a second surface having a front and back relationship with the first surface is enclosed in a PTP package having a storage sheet and a coating sheet. Is provided. The storage sheet is transparent or translucent, and a plurality of recesses are arranged. The coating sheet is attached to the storage sheet to cover the plurality of recesses. In the tablet processing method, a) the tablet is conveyed while the second surface is held on the outer surface of the circulation band-shaped conveyor, and b) the tablet is conveyed during the transfer by the conveyor. Printing is performed on one surface, and c) the tablet from the conveyor is delivered to a storage sheet located below the conveyor at a timing when the first surface faces the bottom side of the recess. It is housed in a recess.

From the eleventh aspect of the present application, in the tablet processing method according to the tenth aspect, d) printing is performed on the second surface of the tablet while the containing sheet containing the tablet is being conveyed.

According to the first to eleventh viewpoints of the present application, it is possible to reduce the discomfort when the consumer sees the plurality of tablets enclosed in the PTP package.

In particular, according to the first or tenth aspect of the present application, all of the tablets enclosed in the PTP packaging have the first side printed by the first printing section on the side of the transparent or translucent storage sheet. It is in a state facing (bottom side of the recess). Therefore, since the appearance of the plurality of tablets enclosed in the PTP package is unified, it is possible to reduce the discomfort when the consumer sees the tablets.

For example, when printing is performed by bringing a transfer roller into contact with the surface of a tablet, the surface of the tablet may become brittle due to abrasion. On the other hand, according to the second aspect of the present application, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the surface (first surface) of the tablet becomes brittle due to printing, and it is possible to improve the yield of the tablet.

In particular, according to the third aspect of the present application, printing can be performed on the first surface so as not to overlap the score line, and the visibility of the printed content is improved.

In particular, according to the fourth or eleventh viewpoint of the present application, all the tablets enclosed in the PTP packaging are in a state where the second side printed by the second printing unit is directed toward the covering sheet side. Become. Therefore, by printing the information that the consumer does not need to pay much attention to on the second surface, it is possible to prevent the consumer who sees the PTP package from getting confused with more information than necessary.

In particular, according to the fifth aspect of the present application, the possibility that the second surface of the tablet becomes brittle can be reduced, and the yield of the tablet can be improved.

Here, since the tablets contained in the recesses are not fixed, their positions change due to the influence of vibration or the like during transportation. In this regard, according to the seventh aspect of the present application, since the ink ejection position for each tablet is adjusted based on the result of imaging the second surface with the second camera, printing can be performed accurately for each tablet. It can be carried out.

In particular, according to the eighth viewpoint of the present application, information such as the expiration date and the date of manufacture, which is sufficient to be confirmed only by a specific person concerned, is printed in a position invisible to the consumer who picks up the PTP package. Can be done. As a result, it is possible to prevent the consumer who sees the PTP package from getting confused with more information than necessary.

In particular, according to the ninth aspect of the present application, a consumer who picks up a PTP package can obtain information such as a detailed drug name, a drug code, an expiration date, and a manufacturing date that only a specific person concerned needs to confirm. It can be printed in a position that cannot be seen from. As a result, it is possible to prevent the consumer who sees the PTP package from getting confused with more information than necessary. On the other hand, by printing the dosing timing at a position that is easily visible to the consumer, it is possible for the consumer to easily notice that he / she has forgotten to take the tablet.

It is a perspective view which shows the PTP packaging in the state which enclosed a plurality of tablets. It is a figure which showed the schematic structure of the tablet processing apparatus. It is a block diagram which showed the connection between a control part and each part in a control device. It is a perspective view which includes a part of an inclined feeder, a transfer drum, and a part of a transfer conveyor. It is a perspective view which includes a part of a transport conveyor and a part of a storage sheet transported by a sheet transfer mechanism. It is a figure for demonstrating the 1st printing part. It is a figure for demonstrating the 2nd printing part. It is a top view which shows the appearance of the 1st surface of a tablet in an embodiment. It is a top view which shows the appearance of the 2nd surface of a tablet in an embodiment. It is a top view which shows the state of the 1st surface of a tablet in a modification. It is a top view which shows the appearance of the 2nd surface of a tablet in a modification. It is a top view of the PTP packaging in which a plurality of tablets are enclosed in a modified example.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the direction in which a plurality of tablets are transported is referred to as a "transport direction", and the direction perpendicular to and horizontal to the transport direction is referred to as a "width direction". Further, the direction in which the accommodating sheet is conveyed is referred to as a "sheet conveying direction".

In the tablet processing apparatus 1 and the tablet processing method according to the present embodiment, the tablet 9 is enclosed in the PTP package 300 while printing an image on the surface of the tablet 9 having the first surface 9A and the second surface 9B. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a PTP package 300 in a state in which a plurality of tablets 9 are enclosed.

<1. Outline composition of tablets>
The first surface 9A and the second surface 9B are in a front-to-back relationship with the tablet 9. The first surface 9A and the second surface 9B of the tablet 9 may be circular in a plan view, may be elliptical, or the like. Further, the tablet 9 may be an uncoated tablet (naked tablet) or a coated tablet such as a film-coated tablet (FC tablet). Further, the tablet 9 may be a pharmaceutical product, a health food, or a tablet confectionery such as ramune.

<2. Outline structure of PTP packaging>
As shown in FIG. 1, the PTP package 300 includes an accommodating sheet 330 and a covering sheet 340. The containment sheet 330 is transparent or translucent. That is, the accommodating sheet 330 has light transmission. A plurality of recesses 331 for accommodating the tablet 9 are two-dimensionally arranged in the accommodating sheet 330. The coating sheet 340 is a film obtained by coating a metal foil such as aluminum with a resin. The covering sheet 340 is attached to the accommodating sheet 330 and covers the openings of the plurality of recesses 331.

<3. Overall configuration of tablet processing equipment>
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a tablet processing device 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the tablet processing device 1 of the present embodiment includes a control unit 10, a tablet supply mechanism 20, a tablet transfer mechanism 30, a sheet forming mechanism 60, a sheet transfer mechanism 70, a tablet delivery mechanism 80, and a tablet printing mechanism 40. The tablet inspection mechanism 50 and the laminating mechanism 90 are mainly provided.

The control unit 10 is a means for controlling the operation of each unit in the tablet processing device 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the connection between the control unit 10 and each unit in the tablet processing device 1. As conceptually shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 10 is composed of a computer having an arithmetic processing unit 11 such as a CPU, a memory 12 such as a RAM, and a storage unit 13 such as a hard disk drive. A computer program P and data D for executing printing processing and packaging processing are installed in the storage unit 13.

As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 10 includes a straight-ahead feeder 22, a rotary feeder 23, a transfer drum 31, a transfer conveyor 32, a roller of a sheet transfer mechanism 70, a positive pressure generator of a tablet delivery mechanism 80, and first printing, which will be described later. The unit 41, the second printing unit 42, the first visual inspection camera (first camera) 51, the print inspection camera 52, the second visual inspection camera (second camera) 53, and the laminating mechanism 90 are communicably connected to each other. ing.

The control unit 10 temporarily reads the computer program P and the data D stored in the storage unit 13 into the memory 12, and the arithmetic processing unit 11 performs arithmetic processing based on the computer program P to perform arithmetic processing. To control the operation. As a result, the printing process and the packaging process for the plurality of tablets 9 proceed.

The tablet feeding mechanism 20 includes a hopper 21, a straight feeder 22, a rotary feeder 23, and an inclined feeder 24. The tablet supply mechanism 20 is a mechanism for delivering the tablets 9 loaded into the device from the hopper 21 to the tablet transport mechanism 30.

The straight-ahead feeder 22, the rotary feeder 23, and the inclined feeder 24 are mechanisms for transporting a plurality of tablets 9 charged into the hopper 21 to the tablet transport mechanism 30. The straight feeder 22 has a flat plate-shaped vibrating trough 221. The plurality of tablets 9 supplied from the hopper 21 to the linear feeder 22 are conveyed to the rotary feeder 23 side by the vibration of the vibration trough 221.

The rotary feeder 23 has a disc-shaped turntable 231. The plurality of tablets 9 that have fallen from the vibration trough 221 onto the upper surface of the turntable 231 gather near the outer peripheral portion of the turntable 231 due to the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the turntable 231.

The inclined feeder 24 has a plate-shaped slope 241 extending diagonally downward from the outer peripheral portion of the turntable 231 to the transport drum 31 described later of the tablet transport mechanism 30. FIG. 4 is a perspective view including a part of the inclined feeder 24, a part of the transfer drum 31 and a part of the transfer conveyor 32. As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of (8 in the example of FIG. 4) transport grooves 242 are provided on the upper surface of the slope 241. The plurality of tablets 9 transported to the outer peripheral portion of the turntable 231 are each supplied to any one of the plurality of transport grooves 242, and flow down diagonally downward along the transport grooves 242. In this way, the plurality of tablets 9 are arranged in a plurality of transport rows by being distributed and supplied to the plurality of transport grooves 242. Then, the plurality of tablets 9 in each transport row are supplied to the transport drum 31 in order from the first one.

The tablet transfer mechanism 30 has a transfer drum 31 and a transfer conveyor 32. The transfer drum 31 delivers a plurality of tablets 9 from the inclined feeder 24 to the transfer conveyor 32. The transport drum 31 has a substantially cylindrical outer peripheral surface. The transport drum 31 is rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIGS. 2 and 4 about a rotation axis extending in the width direction by a power obtained from a motor (not shown). As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of suction portions 310 arranged at substantially equal intervals in the transport direction and the width direction are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the transport drum 31. The plurality of suction portions 310 are arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the transport drum 31 at the width direction positions corresponding to each of the transport grooves 242 of the inclined feeder 24.

Each of the suction portions 310 is a through hole provided on the outer surface of the transport drum 31. A suction mechanism (not shown) is provided inside the transport drum 31. When the suction mechanism is operated, a negative pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure is generated in each of the plurality of suction portions 310. The suction unit 310 sucks and holds the tablets 9 supplied from the inclined feeder 24 one by one by the negative pressure.

Then, a positive pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure is applied to the suction portion 310 that has moved to a position facing the transfer conveyor 32 on the transfer drum 31 to release the adsorption of the tablet 9. In this way, the transfer drum 31 rotates while adsorbing and holding the plurality of tablets 9 supplied from the inclined feeder 24, and delivers the tablets 9 to the transfer conveyor 32. When the tablet 9 is delivered from the transfer drum 31 to the transfer conveyor 32, the surface of the tablet 9 adsorbed and held by the transfer drum 31 and the surface of the tablet 9 adsorbed and held by the transfer conveyor 32 are in a front-to-back relationship with each other.

In the following, the surface of the tablet 9 that is adsorbed and held by the transport drum 31 is referred to as “first surface 9A”. Then, the surface of the tablet 9 adsorbed and held by the conveyor 32 becomes the “second surface 9B”.

The conveyor 32 transports the tablets 9 received from the transport drum 31. The conveyor 32 has a pair of pulleys 321 and a conveyor belt 322, and a suction mechanism (not shown). The transport belt 322 is looped between the pair of pulleys 321. A part of the transport belt 322 is arranged so as to be close to and face the outer peripheral surface of the transport drum 31. One of the pair of pulleys 321 is rotated by the power obtained from the motor (not shown). As a result, the transport belt 322 rotates in the direction of the arrow in FIGS. 2 and 4. At this time, the other of the pair of pulleys 321 is driven to rotate with the rotation of the transport belt 322.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the transport belt 322 is provided with a plurality of suction portions 320. The plurality of suction portions 320 are through holes provided on the surface of the transport belt 322, similarly to the suction portions 310 of the transport drum 31. The plurality of suction portions 320 are arranged in the transport direction at positions in the width direction corresponding to each of the plurality of transport rows. The distance between the plurality of suction portions 320 in the transport belt 322 in the transport direction and the width direction is equal to the distance between the plurality of suction portions 320 in the transport drum 31 in the transport direction and the width direction.

The conveyor 32 has a suction mechanism (not shown) like the conveyor drum 31. The suction mechanism creates a negative pressure in the space inside the pulley 321 and the transport belt 322. When the suction mechanism is operated, a negative pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure is generated in each of the plurality of suction portions 320. The suction unit 320 sucks and holds the tablets 9 delivered from the transport drum 31 one by one on the second surface 9B side by the negative pressure. As a result, the transport conveyor 32 transports the plurality of tablets 9 while adsorbing and holding them in a state of being aligned in the transport direction and the width direction.

The sheet forming mechanism 60 shown in FIG. 2 has a heating means (not shown) and a pocket forming means (not shown). The sheet forming mechanism 60 forms the accommodating sheet 330 which is a part of the PTP packaging 300. The sheet forming mechanism 60 is located on the upstream side in the sheet transporting direction, which is the transporting direction of the accommodating sheet 330. A transparent or translucent film is arranged in a rolled state on the most upstream side in the sheet transport direction. This film is made of a thermoplastic resin material that is relatively hard and has a predetermined rigidity, such as polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride. The film is light transmissive.

The film unwound from the roll on the most upstream side in the sheet transport direction is supplied to the sheet forming mechanism 60. Then, in a state where the film is partially heated by the heating means and the film becomes relatively flexible, a plurality of recesses 331 are formed in the film by the pocket forming means to form the accommodating sheet 330. The accommodating sheet 330 is conveyed to the downstream side (direction of the arrow in FIG. 1) in the sheet conveying direction by the sheet conveying mechanism 70 described later.

The sheet transport mechanism 70 transports the accommodating sheet 330 formed by the sheet forming mechanism 60 to the downstream side in the sheet transport direction. The sheet transport mechanism 70 is located below the tablet transport mechanism 30. The sheet transport mechanism 70 includes, for example, a plurality of rollers (not shown). Each of the plurality of rollers can rotate about a rotation axis extending in the width direction. By rotating the plurality of rollers, the accommodating sheet 330 formed by the sheet forming mechanism 60 is sent to the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view including a part of the conveyor 32 and a part of the accommodating sheet 330 conveyed by the sheet transfer mechanism 70. The tablet delivery mechanism 80 delivers the tablets 9 from the transport belt 322 to the sheet transport mechanism 70. The tablet delivery mechanism 80 includes a positive pressure generator (not shown). The positive pressure generator applies a positive pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure to the tablet 9 at the timing when the first surface 9A of the tablet 9 being conveyed by the conveyor 32 faces the bottom side (downward) of the recess 331 of the storage sheet 330. It is allowed to act to release the adsorption of the tablet 9. As a result, the tablet 9 falls into the recess 331 of the storage sheet 330 with the first surface 9A facing the bottom side of the recess 331, and is stored in the recess 331.

The tablet printing mechanism 40 has a first printing unit 41 and a second printing unit 42. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the first printing unit 41. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the second printing unit 42.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first printing unit 41 is arranged above the outer surface of the transport belt 322 spanned by the pair of pulleys 321. The first printing unit 41 prints an image on the first surface 9A of the tablet 9 which is adsorbed and held by the adsorption unit 320.

As shown in FIG. 6, the head 411 has four heads 411 and two ionizers 412. In FIG. 6, the transport belt 322 and the plurality of tablets 9 held by the transport belt 322 are shown by an alternate long and short dash line.

The two ionizers 412 are located upstream of the four heads 411, respectively. The ionizer 412 generates ions by electric discharge. When the ionizer 412 is driven during the printing process, the ionizer 412 supplies ions to the suspended powder floating around the tablet 9 held on the transport belt 322 of the tablet transport mechanism 30. As a result, the ionizer 412 eliminates the airborne powder.

Further, the floating powder floating around the tablet 9 is charged with static electricity. If charged suspended powder is suspended around the head 411, the suspended powder may adhere to the vicinity of the nozzle 411A of the head 411. If the suspended powder adheres to the vicinity of the nozzle 411A, it may cause clogging of the nozzle 411A or affect the trajectory of ink droplets ejected from the nozzle 411A, which may cause printing defects. Further, if the charged floating powder is suspended between the nozzle 411A and the tablet 9, the ink droplets ejected from the nozzle 411A toward the tablet 9 may change the trajectory due to static electricity and cause printing defects. is there. Therefore, by arranging the ionizer 412 on the upstream side of the head 411 and removing the airborne powder in front of the head 411, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of such printing defects.

Each of the four heads 411 is an inkjet head that prints by ejecting ink droplets toward the surface of the tablet 9 transported by the tablet transport mechanism 30. That is, the head 411 prints on the first surface of the tablet 9 in a non-contact manner. The four heads 411 eject ink droplets of different colors (eg, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). A multicolor image is recorded on the surface of the tablet 9 by superimposing the monochromatic images formed by each of these colors. As the ink discharged from each head 411, edible ink produced from raw materials approved by the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, the Food Sanitation Law, etc. is used.

As shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of nozzles 411A capable of ejecting ink droplets are provided on the lower surface of the head 411. In the present embodiment, the plurality of nozzles 411A are two-dimensionally arranged on the lower surface of the head 411 in the transport direction and the width direction. By arranging the plurality of nozzles 411A two-dimensionally, the positions of the nozzles 411A in the width direction can be brought close to each other.

As a method for ejecting ink droplets from the nozzle 411A, for example, a so-called piezo method is used in which the ink in the nozzle 411A is pressurized and ejected by applying a voltage to the piezo element to deform it. The ink droplet ejection method may be a so-called thermal system in which the heater is energized and the ink in the nozzle 411A is heated and expanded to eject the ink droplets.

The second printing unit 42 prints an image on the second side 9B of the tablet 9 housed in the recess 331 of the storage sheet 330. The second printing unit 42 is arranged above the accommodating sheet 330 transported by the sheet transport mechanism 70 and on the downstream side in the sheet transport direction with respect to the transport conveyor 32.

The second printing unit 42 has four heads 421 and an ionizer 422. Similar to the ionizer 412 of the first printing unit 41, the ionizer 422 supplies ions to the floating powder floating around the tablet 9 to eliminate static electricity. Further, the ionizer 422 suppresses printing defects by eliminating static powder on the upstream side of the head 421. Although only one ionizer 422 is displayed in FIGS. 2 and 7, the second printing unit 42 has two ionizers 422 arranged side by side in the width direction, similarly to the first printing unit 41.

Each of the four heads 421 has the same configuration as the four heads 411 of the first printing unit 41, and a plurality of nozzles capable of ejecting ink droplets are provided on the lower surface thereof. Each of the four heads 421 is an inkjet head that ejects ink droplets toward the second surface 9B of the tablet 9 housed in the recess 331 of the storage sheet 330 to perform printing processing. That is, the head 421 prints on the second surface of the tablet 9 in a non-contact manner.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tablet inspection mechanism 50 includes a first visual inspection camera 51, a print inspection camera 52, and a second visual inspection camera 53.

The first visual inspection camera 51 is a camera that photographs the first surface 9A of the tablet 9 conveyed by the conveyor 32 on the upstream side of the first printing unit 41. The first visual inspection camera 51 detects the presence / absence of the tablet 9 in each suction portion 320, the presence / absence of the shape defect of each tablet 9, the direction of the score line of each tablet 9, and the like.

The first printing unit 41 adjusts the printing orientation with respect to each first surface 9A according to the orientation of the score line of the tablet 9 detected by the first visual inspection camera 51. Specifically, when the score line is detected in the imaging result of the first visual inspection camera 51, the first printing unit 41 adjusts the image to be printed so as not to overlap the score line, and the first surface 9A Print on.

The print inspection camera 52 is a camera that photographs the first surface 9A of the tablet 9 conveyed by the transfer conveyor 32 on the downstream side of the first printing unit 41. The print inspection camera 52 detects the presence or absence of defects in the printing process by the first printing unit 41.

The second visual inspection camera 53 is located on the upstream side of the second printing unit 42, such as the position of the tablet 9 housed in the recess 331 of the storage sheet 330, the presence or absence of a shape defect of each tablet 9, the orientation of the score line of each tablet 9, and the like. Is detected.

The second printing unit 42 adjusts the ink ejection position to the tablet 9 according to the position of the tablet 9 detected by the second visual inspection camera 53. The tablet 9 contained in the recess 331 of the storage sheet 330 is not fixed. Therefore, the position of the tablet 9 is displaced due to vibration during transportation or the like. That is, the positions of the tablets 9 contained in the plurality of recesses 331 are not fixed. In this state, if the second printing unit 42 ejects ink to all the tablets 9 at the same position, the printing position may vary and printing defects may occur. Therefore, the control unit 10 adjusts the ink ejection position based on the detection result of the second visual inspection camera 53. As a result, printing can be appropriately performed on each tablet 9.

Further, the second printing unit 42 adjusts the printing orientation with respect to each second surface 9B according to the orientation of the score line of the tablet 9 detected by the second visual inspection camera 53. Specifically, when the score line is detected in the imaging result of the second visual inspection camera 53, the second printing unit 42 adjusts the image to be printed so as not to overlap the score line, and the second surface 9B Print on.

The laminating mechanism 90 shown in FIG. 2 is located on the downstream side in the sheet transport direction with respect to the second printing unit 42. In the laminating mechanism 90, a covering sheet 340 on which a chemical name, a bar code, or the like is printed on the surface in advance at a factory or the like is arranged in a rolled state. The coating sheet 340 is made of, for example, a film in which an aluminum foil is coated with a resin. The coating sheet 340 does not have light transmission.

The storage sheet 330 in which the tablet 9 is stored in the recess 331 is transported along the sheet transport direction and supplied to the laminating mechanism 90. Then, in the laminating mechanism 90, the covering sheet 340 is supplied onto the accommodating sheet 330. Then, by performing the heat treatment, the surface of the accommodating sheet 3310 on the opening side of the recess 331 and the covering sheet 340 are bonded to each other. The covering sheet 340 covers the openings of the plurality of recesses 331. After that, the joint body of the accommodating sheet 330 and the covering sheet 340 is cut by a cutting machine in the subsequent stage to form the PTP package 300.

As described above, according to the tablet processing apparatus 1 and the tablet processing method according to the present embodiment, the tablets 9 printed on the first surface 9A and the second surface 9B can be enclosed in the PTP package 300. it can.

<4. Information printed on the first and second sides>
In the following, the information printed on each of the first surface 9A and the second surface 9B of the tablet 9 will be specifically described.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the first surface 9A of the tablet 9 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the second surface 9B of the tablet 9 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, in the present embodiment, the drug name and the content of the drug are printed on the first surface 9A. Further, in the present embodiment, date information such as the expiration date or the manufacturing date of the tablet 9 is printed on the second side 9B. When the tablet 9 is enclosed in the PTP package 300, the first surface 9A of all the tablets 9 faces the side of the storage sheet 330 (the bottom side of the recess 331). Further, when the tablet 9 is enclosed in the PTP package 300, the second surface 9B of all the tablets 9 is in a state of facing the side of the covering sheet 340. That is, the second surface 9B of all tablets 9 is arranged so as to face the covering sheet 340. Therefore, the consumer who sees the PTP package 300 can see only the side of the first surface 9A of the front and back of the tablet 9. Therefore, when the consumer sees the plurality of tablets 9 contained in the PTP package 300, there is little possibility that the consumer mistakenly thinks that the plurality of types of tablets are mixed.

<5. Modification example: Information printed on the first and second sides>
Hereinafter, a modified example of the information printed on each of the first surface 9A and the second surface 9B of the tablet 9 will be specifically described.

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the first surface 9A of the tablet 9 according to the modified example. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the second surface 9B of the tablet 9 according to the modified example. FIG. 12 is a plan view of the PTP package 300 containing a plurality of tablets 9 according to a modified example. As shown in FIG. 10, in the present embodiment, information regarding the timing of taking the tablet 9 is printed on the first surface 9A. As shown in FIG. 12, the plurality of tablets 9 contained in the common PTP package 300 have "after breakfast on the first day", "after lunch on the first day", "after dinner on the first day", and "2", respectively. "After breakfast on the day" ... etc. are printed. That is, in the present embodiment, the control unit 10 instructs the first printing unit 41 to print a different image for each tablet 9. The first printing unit 41 prints an image on each tablet 9 according to the position of the recess 331 of the PTP package 300 in which the tablet 9 is housed.

Further, in the present embodiment, the drug name of the tablet 9 and the content of the drug are printed on the second side 9B. When the tablet 9 is enclosed in the PTP package 300, the first surface 9A of all the tablets 9 faces the side of the storage sheet 330 (the bottom side of the recess 331). Further, when the tablet 9 is enclosed in the PTP package 300, the second surface 9B of all the tablets 9 is in a state of facing the side of the covering sheet 340. Therefore, the consumer who sees the PTP package can see only the side of the first side 9A of the front and back of the tablet 9. As a result, the consumer who sees the PTP package 300 can grasp the dosing schedule of the tablet 9 at a glance. In addition, by printing information such as detailed drug names and contents that only a specific person concerned such as a pharmacist can confirm, on the PTP package 300 at a position that consumers cannot see at first glance, PTP. The appearance of the package 300 is simple. This makes it easier for consumers to handle the tablet 9 enclosed in the PTP package 300, and makes it more user-friendly.

<6. Summary>
As shown above, the tablet processing device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a tablet transport mechanism 30, a sheet transport mechanism 70, a tablet delivery mechanism 80, and a first printing unit 41. The tablet transport mechanism 30 has a circulation band shape and transports the tablet 9 while holding the second surface 9B on the outer surface. The sheet transport mechanism 70 transports the storage sheet 330 below the tablet transport mechanism 30 with the opening of the recess 331 facing upward. The tablet delivery mechanism 80 delivers the tablet 9 from the tablet transport mechanism 30 to the storage sheet 330 at the timing when the first surface 9A faces the bottom side of the recess 331 and stores the tablet 9 in the recess 331. The first printing unit 41 prints on the first surface 9A of the tablet 9 while the tablet 9 is being transported by the tablet transport mechanism 30. As a result, all of the tablets 9 enclosed in the PTP package 300 have the first surface 9A printed by the first printing unit 41 facing the transparent or translucent storage sheet 330 side (bottom side of the recess 331). It will be in a state of Therefore, since the appearance of the plurality of tablets 9 housed in the PTP package 300 is unified, it is possible to reduce the discomfort when the consumer sees the tablets 9.

Further, in the tablet processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the first printing unit 41 prints on the first surface 9A of the tablet 9 by a non-contact method. Here, for example, when printing is performed by bringing the transfer roller into contact with the surface of the tablet, the surface of the tablet may become brittle due to abrasion. Then, if the tablet having a fragile surface is dropped toward the concave portion of the storage sheet, the surface of the tablet may be deteriorated due to the impact of the drop. On the other hand, according to the tablet processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the possibility that the first surface 9A of the tablet 9 becomes brittle due to printing can be reduced, and the yield of the tablet 9 can be improved.

Further, the tablet processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a first visual inspection camera (first camera) 51 and a control unit 10. When the score line is detected in the imaging result of the first visual inspection camera 51, the control unit 10 causes the first printing unit 41 to print on the first surface 9A of the tablet 9 according to the direction of the score line. .. As a result, printing can be performed on the first surface 9A so as not to overlap the score line, and the visibility of the printed content is improved.

Further, the tablet processing device 1 of the present embodiment prints on the second surface 9B of the tablet 9 while the storage sheet 330 containing the tablet 9 is being transported by the sheet transport mechanism 70. As a result, all of the tablets 9 enclosed in the PTP package 300 are in a state in which the second side 9B printed by the second printing unit 42 faces the side of the covering sheet 340. Therefore, by printing the information that the consumer does not need to pay much attention to on the second side, it is possible to prevent the consumer who sees the PTP package 300 from getting confused with more information than necessary. ..

Further, in the tablet processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the second printing unit 42 prints on the second surface 9B of the tablet 9 by a non-contact method. As a result, the possibility that the second surface 9B of the tablet 9 becomes brittle can be reduced, and the yield of the tablet 9 can be improved.

Further, the tablet processing device 1 of the present embodiment includes a second visual inspection camera (second camera) 53 and a control unit 10. When the score line is detected in the imaging result of the second visual inspection camera 53, the control unit 10 causes the second printing unit 42 to print on the second surface 9B of the tablet 9 according to the direction of the score line. ..

Further, in the tablet processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the control unit 10 adjusts the ink ejection position in the second printing unit 42 based on the image pickup result of the second visual inspection camera 53. Here, since the tablet 9 housed in the recess 331 is not fixed, its position changes due to the influence of vibration or the like during transportation. In this regard, according to the present embodiment, the ink ejection position for each tablet 9 is adjusted based on the result of imaging the second surface 9B with the second visual inspection camera 53, so that the accuracy for each tablet 9 is high. You can print well.

Further, in the tablet processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the first printing unit 41 prints the chemical name on the first side 9A, and the second printing unit 42 prints either the expiration date or the manufacturing date on the second side 9B. Print. As a result, information such as the expiration date and the date of manufacture, which only a specific person concerned needs to be able to confirm, can be printed in a position invisible to the consumer who picks up the PTP package 300. As a result, it is possible to avoid confusion due to unnecessary information entering the eyes of the consumer who sees the PTP package 300.

Further, in the tablet processing apparatus 1 according to the modified example, the first printing unit 41 prints information on the dosing timing on the first side 9A, and the second printing unit 42 prints the drug name on the second side 9B. As a result, information such as a detailed drug name, which only a specific person concerned needs to confirm, can be printed in a position invisible to the consumer who picks up the PTP package 300. As a result, it is possible to avoid confusion due to unnecessary information entering the eyes of the consumer who sees the PTP package 300. On the other hand, by printing the dosing timing at a position that is easily visible to the consumer, it is possible for the consumer to easily notice that the tablet 9 is forgotten to be taken.

<7. About other modifications>
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made to the above-described ones as long as the gist of the present invention is not deviated. It is possible.

In the above embodiment, printing is applied to both the first surface 9A and the second surface 9B of the tablet 9, but this is not always the case. Instead of the above, printing may be performed on only one of the first side and the second side of the tablet, for example. Even in that case, according to the present invention, the appearance of the plurality of tablets contained in the PTP package is unified.

In the above embodiment, the drug name and its content are printed on the first side 9A of the tablet 9, but in addition to or instead, the drug code is printed on the first side 9A. May be good. Further, in FIG. 9, one of the date information such as the expiration date or the manufacturing date of the tablet 9 was printed on the second surface 9B of the tablet 9. However, instead of this, a plurality of date information such as the expiration date and the date of manufacture of the tablet may be printed on the second side.

In the above modified example, the first surface 9A of the tablet 9 has "after breakfast on the first day", "after lunch on the first day", "after dinner on the first day", "after breakfast on the second day" ... Etc., but the dosing timing is printed, but the expression mode of the dosing timing is not limited to this. For example, the first surface of the tablet may be printed with "Don't care", "Before going to bed", or the like.

In the above modification, it is assumed that the drug name of the tablet 9 and the content of the drug are printed on the second surface 9B of the tablet 9, but in addition to or in place of this, the drug code, the expiration date, and the expiration date, and At least one of the dates of manufacture may be printed on the second side.

In the above embodiment, the first printing unit 41 and the second printing unit 42 have four heads, but the number of heads may be one to three or five or more.

The sheet forming mechanism and the laminating mechanism may be outside the tablet processing apparatus. Alternatively, the tablet processing apparatus and the tablet processing method may include a step of cutting the containing sheet and the covering sheet after lamination and dividing them into each PTP package.

Further, the detailed configuration of the tablet processing apparatus 1 and the tablet processing method may be different from those shown in the embodiments of the present application and each figure. Further, the elements appearing in the above-described embodiments and modifications may be appropriately combined as long as there is no contradiction.

1 Tablet processing device 9 Tablets 9A 1st surface 9B 2nd surface 10 Control unit 20 Tablet supply mechanism 30 Tablet transfer mechanism 31 Transfer drum 32 Transfer conveyor 40 Tablet printing mechanism 41 1st printing unit 42 2nd printing unit 50 Tablet inspection mechanism 51 1st appearance inspection camera 52 Printing inspection camera 53 2nd appearance inspection camera 60 Sheet forming mechanism 70 Sheet transfer mechanism 80 Tablet delivery mechanism 90 Laminating mechanism 300 PTP packaging 310 Adsorption part 320 Adsorption part 330 Containment sheet 331 Recessed 340 Covered sheet

Claims (11)

A tablet processing apparatus for encapsulating a tablet having a first surface and a second surface having a front and back relationship with the first surface in a PTP package.
The PTP packaging is
A storage sheet that is transparent or translucent and has multiple recesses arranged in it,
A covering sheet that is attached to the storage sheet and covers the plurality of recesses,
With
A circulation band-shaped tablet transport mechanism for transporting the tablet while holding the second surface on the outer surface,
Below the tablet transport mechanism, a sheet transport mechanism that transports the storage sheet with the opening of the recess facing upward, and a sheet transport mechanism.
A tablet delivery mechanism that delivers the tablet from the tablet transport mechanism to the storage sheet and stores the tablet in the recess at the timing when the first surface faces the bottom side of the recess.
A first printing unit that prints on the first surface of the tablet while the tablet is being transported by the tablet transport mechanism.
A tablet processing device comprising. The tablet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first printing unit prints on the first surface of the tablet by a non-contact method. The tablet processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.
A first camera that captures the first surface of the tablet at a position upstream of the first printing unit in the transport direction.
Control unit and
With
When a score line is detected in the imaging result of the first camera, the control unit causes the first printing unit to print on the first surface of the tablet according to the direction of the score line. Tablet processing equipment. The tablet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
A tablet processing apparatus further comprising a second printing unit that prints on the second surface of the tablet while the containing sheet containing the tablet is being conveyed by the sheet transport mechanism. The tablet processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second printing unit prints on the second surface of the tablet by a non-contact method. The tablet processing apparatus according to claim 4 or 5.
A second camera that captures the second surface of the tablet in the recess of the storage sheet at a position upstream of the second printing unit in the transport direction.
With the control unit
With
When a score line is detected in the imaging result of the second camera, the control unit causes the second printing unit to print on the second surface of the tablet according to the direction of the score line. Tablet processing equipment. The tablet processing apparatus according to claim 6.
The control unit is a tablet processing device that adjusts the ink ejection position in the second printing unit based on the image pickup result of the second camera. The tablet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 7.
The first printing unit prints at least one of the drug name and the drug code on the first surface.
The second printing unit is a tablet processing apparatus that prints at least one of an expiration date and a manufacturing date on the second side. The tablet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 7.
The first printing unit prints information on the timing of administration on the first surface.
The second printing unit is a tablet processing apparatus that prints at least one of a drug name, a drug code, an expiration date, and a manufacturing date on the second surface. A tablet having a first surface and a second surface having a front and back relationship with the first surface.
A storage sheet that is transparent or translucent and has multiple recesses arranged in it,
A covering sheet that is attached to the storage sheet and covers the plurality of recesses,
It is a tablet processing method to enclose in a PTP package having
a) The tablet is conveyed while the second surface is held on the outer surface of the circulation band-shaped transfer conveyor.
b) During the transfer by the transfer conveyor, printing is performed on the first surface of the tablet.
c) The tablet from the conveyor is delivered to a storage sheet located below the conveyor and stored in the recess at the timing when the first surface faces the bottom side of the recess.
Tablet processing method. The tablet processing method according to claim 10, further d) printing is performed on the second surface of the tablet while the storage sheet containing the tablet is being transported.
Tablet processing method.

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