JP2022179598A - Weighing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a safe weighing apparatus capable of preventing mixture of different kinds of medicines (cross contamination).

SOLUTION: A weighing apparatus 1 comprises: a dispensing unit 2 that has a plurality of powdered drug containers 21 each of which can accommodate powdered drugs and has a dispensing opening; a plurality of supporters 22 that detachably supports the plurality of powdered drug containers; a transfer mechanism 23 for transferring the plurality of powdered drug containers supported by the supporters; and a dispensing mechanism for making the powdered drug containers which have been transferred to a prescribed dispensing position on a transfer path of the plurality of powdered drug containers dispense a powdered drug; and a weighing unit 3 that is located below the dispensing position and weighs the powdered drug dispensed by the powdered drug container into a tray T. A dispensing position P1 is a position different from an attaching/detaching position P2 in a horizontal direction, but near the attaching/detaching position, while the attaching/detaching position is one to three supporters away from the dispensing position. The powdered drug containers cannot be attached to or detached from the supporters in any position other than the attaching/detaching position.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

COPYRIGHT: (C)2023,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a weighing device for weighing powders.

Conventionally, when dispensing powdered medicine (also called "powder medicine") at a dispensing pharmacy or the like, a pharmacist or the like places a powdered medicine bottle containing the powdered medicine on the dispensing table and puts the powdered medicine on a tray that receives the powdered medicine placed on the electronic balance. The powder was supplied from the factory and weighed. This tray is called a weighing pan. There used to be a packaging device that divided and packaged powdered medicine into individual doses, but the work of weighing the total amount of powdered medicine required for packaging was done manually before putting it into the device, so improvements were made. There was room for

In addition, there is a "powder medicine supply device" described in Patent Document 1. This device dispenses powder from an arbitrary cassette stored in the cassette storage unit for the cup supplied from the cup supply unit, weighs the cup, conveys the cup by the cup lifting unit and the cup circulation unit, and reaches the packaging unit. configured to carry.

Japanese Patent No. 4066280

However, in the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, there is room for improvement because no particular consideration is given to mixing of different types of medicines (cross contamination) with respect to the position at which the cassette is attached and detached.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a safe weighing apparatus capable of preventing mixing of different types of medicines (cross contamination).

A weighing apparatus according to the present invention includes: a plurality of powder containers each capable of containing a powder and having a dispensing port; a plurality of holders detachably holding the plurality of powder containers; A dispensing unit having a moving mechanism for moving a plurality of powder containers, a dispensing mechanism for dispensing powder from the powder containers moved to a predetermined dispensing position on a movement track of the plurality of powder containers, and the dispensing position. a weighing unit positioned below the powder container, on which a tray for receiving the powder dispensed from the powder container is placed, and for weighing the powder dispensed to the tray; A plurality of powder containers are arranged in a horizontal direction, the moving mechanism moves the plurality of powder containers in the horizontal direction, the powder containers are moved to the dispensing position by the moving mechanism, and the powder is dispensed by the dispensing mechanism. falls and is accommodated in the tray placed on the weighing unit, the plurality of holders are configured to rotate on a circulating orbit extending from the front side to the back side, and the powder container is arranged on the holder On the other hand, the detachable attachment/detachment position is located in the range on the front side of the loop track, the dispensing position is provided in the range on the front side of the loop track, and the attachment/detachment position is located in the horizontal direction. and at a position close to the attachment/detachment position, and when the attachment/detachment position is based on the dispensing position, the powder container is located on one to three neighboring holding bodies, and the powder container is provided with the It cannot be attached to and detached from the holder at a position other than the attachment/detachment position.

Further, the attachment/detachment position can be configured to be two or three neighboring holding bodies when the dispensing position is used as a reference.

Further, the powder container may have a dispensing opening at the bottom, and the weighing unit may be vertically overlapped with the powder container at the dispensing position.

Further, the circling tracks are arranged on the front side and the back side, and include a pair of straight tracks along which the holding body moves in a straight line and a pair of curved tracks along which the holding body moves while curving, The payout position and the attachment/detachment position can also be arranged within the range of the straight track on the front side.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the powder remaining in the dispensing port or holder of the powder container to be attached or detached from unexpectedly dropping into the weighing unit or the tray placed on the weighing unit. Therefore, it is possible to prevent mixing of different kinds of medicines (cross contamination), and to provide a safe weighing device.

1 is a front view showing the appearance of a weighing device according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. It is a perspective view showing the appearance of the weighing device according to the same embodiment. It is a perspective view of the main part of the weighing device according to the same embodiment. It is a front view of the main part of the weighing device according to the same embodiment. It is a plan view of the main part of the weighing device according to the same embodiment, and is a plan view in the case of automatically weighing. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the main parts of the weighing device according to the same embodiment, and is a plan view when weighing is performed manually. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the weighing device according to the same embodiment, and is a cross-sectional view for explaining a state in which the dispensing port of the powder container and the opening formed in the table are aligned at the dispensing position. It is a block diagram showing a configuration related to control of the weighing device according to the same embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the information displayed on the information display part of the weighing apparatus which concerns on the same embodiment. It is a schematic plan view showing a tray stacking unit of a weighing device according to another embodiment.

A weighing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The indication of directions in the following description corresponds to the directions shown in FIG. Note that the "width direction" is also referred to as the "left-right direction". Also, the tray T (see FIG. 9) used in this embodiment moves through the tray waiting section 4, the weighing section 3, and the tray stacking section 6 in this order. Therefore, the positional relationship of each component may be described using an expression such as "upstream" by comparing the moving direction of the tray T to a flow.

[Overview]
The weighing device 1 of the present embodiment can mechanically weigh powders, which has conventionally been done manually by workers such as pharmacists when dispensing powders. It is a device that can also be performed at work. The weighing device 1 can mechanically or manually supply the powder to the tray T placed on the weighing unit 3 to weigh the powder. One type of powder is supplied to each tray T of the present embodiment, and the operator mixes different types of powder as necessary in a post-process (such as when feeding into a packaging device). However, it is also possible to supply a plurality of types of powders to each tray T in some cases.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the weighing device 1 of the present embodiment mainly includes a dispensing section 2, a weighing section 3, a tray waiting section 4, a tray transfer section 5, a tray stacking section 6, an information writing section 7, A device-side display unit 8 , a control unit 9 , and a housing 10 are provided. The main configuration of each part will be described below.

[Dispensing Department]
The dispensing unit 2 includes a powder container 21 capable of containing powder, a holder 22 detachably holding the powder container 21, a moving mechanism 23 for moving the powder container 21 held by the holder 22, and the powder container 21. A dispensing mechanism 24 for dispensing powder from an empty container is provided, and a table 25 for supporting the powder container 21, the holder 22, the moving mechanism 23, and the dispensing mechanism 24 is provided. 3 to 6 show a state in which the powder container 21 is not attached to some of the holders 22. FIG.

(powder container)
A plurality of powder containers 21 are provided in the horizontal direction. The powder container 21 is moved by the moving mechanism 23 to the dispensing position P1 for dispensing the powder. The powder dispensed by the dispensing mechanism 24 drops from the powder container 21 and is accommodated in the tray T placed on the weighing unit 3 located below. In this embodiment, 14 powder containers 21 are provided. However, the number of powder containers 21 is not limited to this. Each of the powder containers 21 of the present embodiment usually contains powder by type. That is, one powder container 21 contains one type of powder. However, one type of powder can be accommodated in two or more powder containers 21, for example, for powders that are used in large amounts.

As shown in FIG. 7, the powder container 21 includes a cylindrical body portion 211, a bottom portion 212 provided at one end (lower end) of the body portion 211, and a bottom portion 212 provided at the other end (upper end) of the body portion 211. and a lid portion 213 . The powder container 21 defines a space for containing the powder M by a body portion 211 and a bottom portion 212 , and stores the contained powder M in the powder container 21 by closing the other end of the body portion 211 with a lid portion 213 . . A predetermined amount of the powder M is dispensed from the dispensing mechanism 24 to the tray T based on the measured value detected by the weighing unit 3 . Hereinafter, the axial direction of the trunk portion 211 is defined as the vertical direction. The powder container 21 of the present embodiment is arranged so that the axial direction substantially coincides with the vertical direction and the powder container 21 stands upright on a horizontal plane. The powder container 21 is attached to and detached from the holder 22 with the bottom portion 212 positioned downward.

The trunk portion 211 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The trunk portion 211 of the present embodiment is made of, for example, a transparent material. Therefore, the powder M contained in the barrel portion 211 can be visually recognized from the outside of the barrel portion 211 . Thereby, the amount of the powder M in the powder container 21 can be grasped from the outside. The transparent material may occupy the entire body portion 211, or may occupy only a portion thereof serving as a viewing window.

A dispensing port 212a for dispensing the powder M is formed in the bottom portion 212, and the powder M is dispensed from the dispensing port 212a.

The lid portion 213 is a portion that closes one end of the body portion 211 . The lid portion 213 is rotatably attached to the body portion 211 about an axis parallel to the radial direction of the body portion 211 .

(Holding body)
The holder 22 is a part that detachably holds the powder container 21 . The holding body 22 includes a holding body 221 that holds the powder container 21 and a fixed portion 223 that is fixed to the moving mechanism 23 . The holder 22 of this embodiment is configured to hold one powder container 21 . Therefore, the number of holders 22 corresponding to the number of powder containers 21 is provided. Fourteen holders 22 are provided in this embodiment. However, the holder 22 may be configured to collectively hold a plurality of powder containers 21 .

A communicating port 221 a is formed in the holding body 221 at a position corresponding to the dispensing port 212 a of the powder container 21 . As shown in FIG. 7, the powder M dispensed from the powder container 21 passes through the communication port 221a and falls.

The fixed portion 223 is screwed to the moving mechanism 23 to be described later, thereby fixing the holder 22 to the moving mechanism 23 .

(moving mechanism)
The moving mechanism 23 is a mechanism for moving the powder container 21 held by the holder 22 . Specifically, the moving mechanism 23 moves the powder container 21 by moving the holder 22 . The moving mechanism 23 horizontally moves the plurality of powder containers 21 . The moving mechanism 23 of this embodiment circulates the holder 22 in a horizontal plane. FIG. 5 shows the movement trajectory Q of the powder container 21 . The moving mechanism 23 of this embodiment has a moving body 231 that moves the holding body 22 and a moving drive section 232 that drives the moving body 231 . Then, in order to detect the powder container 21 at the dispensing position P1 and the attachment/detachment position P2, which will be described later, an RFID reader/writer 233 capable of reading and writing information with respect to the RFID tag 214 (see FIG. 7) provided on the powder container 21 detects the dispensing position. It is provided at a position corresponding to the RFID tag 214 of the powder container 21 at the position P1 and the attachment/detachment position P2.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a dispensing position P1 for dispensing powder from the powder container 21 is set on the movement track Q. As shown in FIGS. An attachment/detachment position P<b>2 for attaching/detaching the powder container 21 to/from the holder 22 is set on the movement track Q. As shown in FIG. The attachment/detachment position P2 is detachable by, for example, securing a space above the powder container 21 only at the attachment/detachment position P2.
The other part can be realized by making the powder container 21 hooked on the ceiling part inside the housing 10 so that it cannot be attached or detached.

The attachment/detachment position P2 is provided at a position different in the horizontal direction from the payout position P1. In this embodiment, the attachment/detachment position P2 is a position near the dispensing position P1 when the dispensing position P1 is used as a reference, and is a position where one to three neighboring powder containers 21 are held. The reason why the attachment/detachment position P2 is not set at the same position as the dispensing position P1 is that the tray T is positioned below the dispensing position P1, so that the powder adhering to the detachable powder container 21 may drop, or vibration may occur during detachment. This is because there is a possibility that the powder may be unintentionally mixed into the tray T by dropping from the holder 22 . Due to this positional relationship, the powder container 21, which has run out of powder, can be moved to the attachment/detachment position P2, and the powder container 21 can be removed from the holder 22 to quickly replenish the powder. Furthermore, the powder container 21 after refilling the powder can be quickly moved to the outlet 212a. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the time from when the powder has run out to when the dispensing is resumed. In addition, when the powder container 21 is attached or detached at the attachment/detachment position P2, the operator's hand or the powder container 21 to be attached or detached hits the powder container 21 at the dispensing position P1, which causes an unintended drop of the powder. Because of the possibility, it is preferable to have two or more neighbors.

In the present embodiment, the moving mechanism 23 circulates the holder 22, so that the movement trajectory Q of the powder container 21 is a circling trajectory. The moving mechanism 23 can rotate the powder container 21 in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions as necessary (for example, so that the movement distance to the dispensing position P1 is small). The movement trajectory Q of this embodiment is oval. Therefore, the movement track Q, which is the loop track of the present embodiment, is composed of a pair of straight tracks Q1 along which the holder 22 moves linearly and a pair of curved tracks Q2 along which the holding body 22 moves while curving. The movement trajectory Q, which is a circular trajectory, is not limited to an elliptical shape, and may be circular, elliptical, rectangular, or the like. Further, the moving mechanism 23 is not limited to one that circularly moves the holder 22, and may be one that reciprocates linearly or curvedly within a predetermined range.

The weighing unit 3, the tray standby unit 4, the tray transfer unit 5, and the tray stacking unit 6 in this embodiment are positioned below the front side range (front half range) of the movement track Q, respectively.

Hereinafter, one side of the pair of straight tracks Q1 is defined as the front side, the other side is defined as the back side (depth side), and the direction in which the pair of straight tracks Q1 face each other is defined as the depth direction (sometimes referred to as the front-rear direction). . Also, the direction in which the pair of curved tracks Q2 face each other is defined as the width direction (sometimes referred to as the left-right direction). The payout position P1 is set in the range on the front side of the moving trajectory Q. As shown in FIG. The attachment/detachment position P2 is also set in the range on the front side of the movement trajectory Q. As shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the size of the housing 10 is determined according to the length (size) of the moving track Q of the powder container 21 . That is, the length of the housing 10 in the depth direction is determined based on the facing distance of the pair of straight tracks Q1 in the movement track Q of the powder container 21, and the width of the housing 10 is determined based on the facing distance of the pair of curved tracks Q2. A direction length is defined.

The moving body 231 of the present embodiment is configured in a belt type with a surface arranged along the vertical direction. The fixed portion 223 of the holder 22 is fixed to this belt. The moving body 231 is formed in an annular shape. The center of the annular belt is the rotation center around which the holder 22 rotates. The moving body 231 is formed in an oval shape. A moving track Q of the powder container 21 is formed along the circumferential direction of the moving body 231 , and the holder 22 and the powder container 21 go around the outer periphery of the moving body 231 . The moving body 231 is provided with fixing portions 231a for fixing the fixed portions 223 of the holding body 22 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

The movement drive unit 232 circulates the movement body 231 . The movement drive section 232 drives or stops the movement main body 231 based on a command from the control section 9 .

(Payout mechanism)
The dispensing mechanism 24 is a mechanism for dispensing powder from the powder container 21 that has moved to a predetermined dispensing position P<b>1 on the moving track Q of the powder container 21 . The dispensing mechanism 24 is configured to dispense a predetermined amount of powder to the dispensing port 212a.

The payout drive unit 241 is provided at the payout position P1 in the payout unit 2, and generates driving force in the payout mechanism 24 when performing payout. The payout drive unit 241 drives or stops the drive of the payout mechanism 24 in the connected state based on a command from the control unit 9 .

(table)
The table 25 mounts the powder container 21, the holder 22, the moving mechanism 23, and the dispensing mechanism 24 thereon. The table 25 is formed in a plate shape. The table 25 is formed in a rectangular shape having long sides and short sides corresponding to the movement track Q of the powder container 21 . A movement track Q is set substantially at the center of the table 25 . A moving body 231 is installed on the table 25 so that the longitudinal direction and the extending direction of the moving body 231 match. The moving body 231 is installed in the central portion of the table 25 . The table 25 is installed horizontally, and the powder container 21 and the holder 22 are horizontally arranged.

An opening 251 is formed in the table 25 at a position corresponding to the dispensing position P1 on the movement (orbit) track of the powder container 21 . That is, when the holding member 22 and the powder container 21 are positioned at the dispensing position P1, the dispensing port 212a of the powder container 21, the communication port 221a of the holding member 22, and the opening 251 of the table 25 overlap vertically. As a result, the powder in the powder container 21 is dispensed.

The table 25 is provided on the lower surface of the table 25 and has a shutter that opens and closes the opening 251 of the table 25 . The shutter of this embodiment is formed in a plate shape. The shutter may be arranged on the lower side of the holding body 221, for example. It should be noted that the shutter on the table 25 is not essential in the payout section 2 and can be omitted.

[Weighing part]
The weighing unit 3 mounts a tray T containing the powder dispensed from the powder container 21 and weighs the powder supplied to the tray T. As shown in FIG. Further, the powder supplied to the tray T without being discharged from the powder container 21 by the dispensing mechanism 24 is weighed. The weighing unit 3 is positioned below the dispensing unit 2 so as to overlap the dispensing unit 2 in the vertical direction. Specifically, the weighing unit 3 is arranged under the table 25 . The weighing unit 3 of this embodiment is an electronic balance. A weighing detection value in the weighing unit 3 is sent to the control unit 9 . A display unit of the weighing unit (electronic balance) 3 displays the detected weight value. is visually recognized by the operator.

The weighing unit 3 of this embodiment is configured to be movable in the depth direction. The weighing unit 3 is positioned at a first position S1 on the back side (the side farther from the operator) in the depth direction in an automatic weighing mode (first mode) described later, and in a manual weighing mode (second mode) described later. Then, it can be positioned at the second position S2 on the front side (the side closer to the operator) in the depth direction. The weighing unit 3 is mounted on a mount 101 that is movable in the depth direction, and the weighing unit 3 moves as the mount 101 moves. The gantry 101 is pulled out by gripping the handle 102 by the operator. However, it is also possible to provide a pull-out drive unit so that the gantry 101 is automatically pulled out when the mode is switched to the manual weighing mode.

A door 10b provided on the front side of the weighing section 3 in the housing 10 is provided with a lock section 3a. In the automatic weighing mode, the lock portion 3a locks the door 10b so that the door 10b cannot be opened, thereby immovably holding the weighing portion 3 at the first position S1 and preventing it from being moved to the second position S2. In addition, it is also possible to configure the locking part 3a to be provided on the pedestal 101 so that the locking part 3a locks the weighing part 3 so that it cannot be moved in the automatic weighing mode.

As shown in FIG. 5, the first position S1 is a position where the weighing unit 3 at least partially overlaps the dispensing unit 2 (table 25) in the vertical direction. The first position S1 is set below the payout position P1. Therefore, the first position S1 is a position suitable for automatic weighing. The second position S2 is a position where the weighing unit 3 is on the front side with respect to the dispensing unit 2 (table 25). At the second position S2, the space above the weighing unit 3 is open as a work space, and a space for performing manual weighing work in the manual weighing mode (second mode) is secured as described later. Therefore, the second position S2 is a position suitable for manual weighing. In this way, it is sufficient that the first position S1 corresponds to the position during automatic weighing and the second position S2 corresponds to the position during manual weighing. Various positional relationships are possible without being limited to the positional relationship in the depth direction as in the embodiment.

[Tray waiting area]
The tray standby section 4 is a section that holds the tray T before being moved to the weighing section 3 . The tray standby section 4 holds a plurality of trays T (nine in this embodiment, but not limited to this). The tray standby section 4 is configured to place the tray T thereon and transport the tray T so that the tray transfer section 5 can grip the tray T. As shown in FIG. At least a portion of the tray waiting section 4 (a portion on the back side in this embodiment) is positioned below the dispensing section 2 so as to overlap the dispensing section 2 in the vertical direction. The tray standby section 4 has a standby tray transport section 41 for placing and transporting the tray T, and a standby drive section 42 for driving the standby tray transport section 41 .

The standby tray transfer section 41 is composed of a belt conveyor extending in a predetermined direction. The standby tray transfer section 41 of this embodiment extends in the depth direction. A plurality of trays T are arranged and stacked in the direction (depth direction) in which the standby tray transfer section 41 extends. As an example, FIG. 3 shows a state in which three trays T are arranged in the depth direction, and a tray T is stacked on each tray T, and a total of three trays T are stacked (nine trays T). The standby tray transfer section 41 of this embodiment is installed under the table 25 in the dispensing section 2 . The waiting tray transfer section 41 is arranged so that more than half of it in the depth direction overlaps the table 25 in the vertical direction. The standby tray transfer section 41 moves from the front side to the back side, and moves the placed tray T to the back side (rear side) in the depth direction to below the transfer section main body 51 of the tray transfer section 5 .

The standby driving section 42 drives the standby tray transfer section 41 . The standby driving section 42 drives or stops the standby tray transfer section 41 based on the command from the control section 9 .

[Tray transfer section]
The tray transport section 5 is a part that transports the tray T. As shown in FIG. The tray transfer section 5 is configured to at least remove the tray T from the weighing section 3 after weighing. Specifically, the tray transfer section 5 is configured to move the tray T from the tray waiting section 4 to the weighing section 3 before dispensing the powder, and remove the tray T from the weighing section 3 after dispensing the powder. Further, the tray transfer section 5 of the present embodiment places the tray T on the tray stacking section 6 after removing the tray T from the weighing section 3 . Thus, the tray transfer section 5 is a section that transfers a series of trays T from the tray waiting section 4 to the tray stacking section 6 via the weighing section 3 . The tray transfer section 5 is positioned below the dispensing section 2 so as to overlap the dispensing section 2 in the vertical direction.

The tray transfer section 5 has a transfer section main body 51 for transferring the tray T and a transfer driving section 52 for driving the transfer section main body 51 .

The transfer section main body 51 moves in the horizontal direction (X direction) and the vertical direction (Y direction). The transfer section main body 51 is configured to hold the tray T. As shown in FIG. The transfer section main body 51 of this embodiment has a pair of arms 51a. The transfer section main body 51 transfers the tray T by gripping the tray T with the pair of arms 51a. The pair of arms 51a are spaced apart in the left-right direction, and configured to move toward and away from each other.

The transfer unit main body 51 is positioned above the tray standby unit 4 in a standby state in which the tray T is not transferred. Let the position in the standby state be the standard position of the transfer section main body 51 . The transfer section main body 51 is configured to be movable vertically and horizontally with reference to the standard position. Although the transfer section main body 51 of this embodiment does not move in the depth direction, it can also be configured to be movable. When transferring the tray T placed on the tray waiting section 4 to the weighing section 3, the transfer section main body 51 moves downward (lowers) from the standard position to grip the tray T, and lifts the tray T. Move upward (rise) while grasping. The transfer section main body 51 moves rightward in the horizontal direction (right side in FIG. 3) via the standard position and stops above the weighing section 3 . Subsequently, the transfer section main body 51 moves downward to place the tray T on the weighing section 3, releases the tray T after placement, and waits at the position where the tray T is released.

After the powder is dispensed onto the tray T, the transfer section main body 51 grips the tray T containing the powder. Then, while holding the tray T, it rises and moves to the right as it is. The transfer section main body 51 moves above the tray stacking section 6 and descends at a predetermined position to place the tray T on the tray stacking section 6 . The transfer unit main body 51 releases the tray T after being placed and moves upward. Then, the transfer section main body 51 moves to the left (left side in FIG. 3) and returns to the standard position.

[Tray accumulation part]
The tray stacking section 6 is a post-weighing tray storage place where the trays T containing the weighed powder are placed. The trays T placed on the tray stacking unit 6 are taken out by the operator and sent to a post-process (packaging device). The empty tray T after being sent to the post-process is cleaned by a suction device or the like to remove residual powder, and then returned to the tray standby section 4 by the operator.

The tray stacking section 6 is positioned under the dispensing section 2 (table 25). The tray stacking unit 6 is configured so that a plurality of trays T (three in the present embodiment, but not limited to this) can be placed. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the right two of the three trays T arranged in the horizontal direction are exposed to the front side, and the operator weighs these two trays T. It can be taken out of the device 1 . The tray stacking section 6 is configured to place and transport the trays T thereon. The tray stacking section 6 has a stacking tray transfer section 61 for placing and transporting the trays T, and a stacking drive section 62 for driving the stacking tray transfer section 61 .

The stacking tray transfer section 61 is composed of a belt conveyor extending in a predetermined direction. The stacking tray transfer section 61 of this embodiment extends in the left-right direction. A plurality of trays T are arranged in the direction in which the stacking tray transfer section 61 extends (horizontal direction). FIG. 3 shows, as an example, a state in which three trays T are arranged in the horizontal direction (three trays T). The stacking tray transfer section 61 of this embodiment is installed under the table 25 in the dispensing section 2 . The stacking tray transfer section 61 is arranged so that substantially the entire area overlaps the table 25 in the vertical direction. When the transfer section main body 51 places the tray T on the stacking tray transfer section 61 and returns to the standard position, the stacking tray transfer section 61 moves from the left side to the right side in the horizontal direction to move the placed tray T to the left side. to the right. As a result, the tray T moves to a position where it can be taken out of the weighing device 1 .

The stacking driving section 62 drives the stacking tray transfer section 61 . The stacking driving section 62 drives or stops the stacking tray transfer section 61 based on the command from the control section 9 .

It is also possible for the tray transfer section 5 to remove the tray T from the weighing section 3 and then stack the tray T in the tray stacking section 6 for each supply instruction corresponding to the prescription information. In order to cope with this, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, parallel tray stacking units 6X and 6Y are formed by belt conveyors in which a plurality of stacking tray transfer units 61 are arranged in parallel. , 6Y may be arranged so that the trays T are separately placed. In this case, the tray transfer section 5 is configured to be able to move the tray T above the belt conveyors corresponding to the tray stacking sections 6X and 6Y. In other words, the tray transfer section 5 functions as an allocating means for allocating a plurality of trays T for each supply instruction corresponding to the prescription information.

[Information writing unit]
The information writing unit 7 writes information for identifying the powders contained in the tray T, such as prescription information of the powders contained in the tray T, to the information display unit T1 provided on the tray T. As shown in FIG. Writing is performed by contactless (wireless) power supply. Writing is performed both in the automatic weighing mode described later and in the manual weighing mode. Prescription information of the contained powder is displayed in the information display section T1. The information display portion T1 of the tray T will be described later. The information writing section 7 is configured to be able to write an optically readable identifier to the information display section T1. The information writing unit 7 is installed on the upstream side of the weighing unit 3 and writes prescription information to the information display unit T1 before the tray T is placed on the weighing unit 3 .

In this embodiment, the information writing section 7 is arranged, for example, on the front side of the transfer section main body 51 positioned at the standard position (the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3). The information writing unit 7 writes the prescription information to the information display unit T1 on the path along which the tray T moves from the tray standby unit 4 to the weighing unit 3 . That is, the information writing section 7 writes the prescription information in the information display section T1 before the powder is supplied to the tray T. As shown in FIG. For example, the information writing section 7 may write the prescription information on the tray T lifted from the tray standby section 4 by the transfer section main body 51 and stopped at the standard position. Note that the information writing section 7 may write the prescription information to the information display section T<b>1 before the tray T is placed on the tray stacking section 6 . By doing so, it is possible to prevent the operator from making a mistake when taking out the tray T from the tray stacking unit 6 . However, assuming that the manual weighing mode is to be executed, the information writing unit 7 needs to write the prescription information to the information display unit T1 before placing the tray T on the weighing unit 3 . As a result, it is possible to prevent the wrong powder from being supplied when the powder is manually supplied to the tray T without being discharged from the powder container 21 by the dispensing mechanism 24 .

Further, the information writing section 7 can also write prescription information in the information display section T1 after the weighing in the weighing section 3 is carried out. In this case, the information to be written can include not only the prescription information but also information about the actual supply (for example, the weighed value (actual value) and the fact that the powder dispensed from the powder container has not reached the target amount). As a result, if there is a shortage of the powder dispensed to the tray T, the operator can be alerted, and it is possible to prevent the powder from being erroneously sent to the post-process (packaging, etc.) without making up for the shortage of the powder. can be suppressed.

[Device side display]
The device-side display section 8 is a section that displays predetermined information regarding the supply of the powder. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the device-side display section 8 is provided on the front side of the housing 10 . The device-side display section 8 of this embodiment is a monitor. Note that the device-side display section 8 may also serve as an operation section (operation panel) on which the operator performs predetermined operations.

[Control section]
The control unit 9 is a part that controls the operation of the weighing device 1 as a whole. FIG. 8 shows main parts connected to the control unit 9 . The control unit 9 dispenses the powder from the powder container 21 by the dispensing mechanism 24 while weighing the weighing unit 3 according to the target value of the powder amount related to the supply instruction input via the connected instruction input unit 9a. and a manual weighing mode as a second mode in which the weighing unit 3 weighs the powder put into the tray T without dispensing the powder from the powder container 21 by the dispensing mechanism 24. and switch. The supply instruction includes, for example, the type of powder to be dispensed by the dispensing mechanism 24, the supply amount of each powder, the target value for supply, and the like. Examples of the instruction input unit 9a include an input unit that receives prescription information from a host system installed in a dispensing pharmacy or the like, a bar code reader, an RFID reader, a keyboard, and a touch panel, and can take various forms.

In the automatic weighing mode, the control unit 9 drives the dispensing drive unit 241 to dispense the powder from the powder container 21 . The control unit 9 controls driving of the dispensing driving unit 241 according to the weighing detection value input from the weighing unit 3, and dispenses the powder amount according to the supply instruction. As the control of the control unit 9 in this embodiment, the following multiple patterns can be exemplified.

The control unit 9 can set the automatic weighing mode when the powder related to the supply instruction is contained in the powder container 21, and can set the manual weighing mode when it is not. Specifically, when the powdered drug to be dispensed is the A drug, the powdered drug related to the supply instruction is input to the control unit 9 as the A drug along with the target value of the powdered drug amount to be supplied. When the A medicine is stored in the powder container 21, the control unit 9 causes the dispensing mechanism 24 to dispense the A medicine (automatic weighing mode). On the other hand, when medicine A is not contained in the powder container 21, the control unit 9 does not instruct the dispensing mechanism 24 to dispense, and executes the manual weighing mode. In this embodiment, in the automatic weighing mode, the powder is automatically weighed according to the target value of the amount of powder according to the supply instruction. In the manual weighing mode, dispensing by the dispensing mechanism 24 is not performed. Therefore, for example, the operator moves the A medicine from a powder bottle containing the A medicine to the tray T and weighs it in the weighing unit 3 .

In addition, when the powder to be dispensed in the automatic weighing mode runs short, the control unit 9 allows the operator to select whether to replenish the powder container 21 with powder and continue dispensing in the automatic weighing mode or to switch to the manual weighing mode. can be configured to That is, when the powder container 21 is empty, or when it is predicted that the amount of powder in the powder container 21 will fall short of the target value by the time the dispensing is completed, the operator will need to fill the powder container 21 with It is possible to select whether to replenish the powder and continue automatic weighing (automatic weighing mode) or manually weigh the amount of powder that is insufficient for the target value (manual weighing mode). For example, the operator can make the selection on the operation panel (apparatus-side display unit 8 or the like).

Here, the fact that the powder container 21 is empty can be detected by the absence of change (specifically, increase) in the measured weight detection value in the weighing unit 3 for a certain period of time. Insufficient amount of powder in the powder container 21 can be predicted by comparing the target value of the amount of powder according to the supply instruction and the remaining amount of powder grasped before the start of dispensing.

Further, when the powder to be dispensed in the automatic weighing mode runs short, the control unit 9 can terminate the operation related to the automatic weighing mode and shift to the manual weighing mode. That is, the control unit 9 may automatically shift from the automatic weighing mode to the manual weighing mode without depending on the operator's judgment. In this case, the operator may be able to set in advance whether or not to cause the control section 9 to perform the control. The control unit 9 can display the amount of powder required to be supplied to the tray T in the manual weighing mode on the device-side display unit 8 . Specifically, the control unit 9 determines the amount of powder to be supplied to the tray T from the detection value of the powder contained in the tray T and the target value of the amount of powder to be supplied to the tray T after the automatic weighing mode is terminated due to insufficient powder. The required amount of powder is calculated, and the deficient amount of powder is displayed on the device side display section 8 . As a result, the operator only needs to supply the displayed amount of powder to the tray T in the state of being switched to the second mode, which facilitates manual weighing work. Alternatively, the device-side display section 8 may display the weighed value of the powder contained in the tray T and the target value of the powder amount to be supplied to the tray T, instead of displaying the insufficient amount of powder. Any display that allows the operator to grasp the insufficient amount of powder may be used.

Further, when there are powders contained in any of the plurality of powder containers 21 and powders not contained in any of the plurality of powder containers 21 among the plurality of types of powders related to the supply instruction, the control unit 9 first switches to the automatic weighing mode and then to the manual weighing mode. Alternatively, the manual weighing mode first and then the automatic weighing mode can be selected by the operator. Alternatively, the control unit 9 can first switch to the automatic weighing mode and then switch to the manual weighing mode without making the above selection. Further, the control unit 9 can set the manual weighing mode prior to the automatic weighing mode without making the above selection, and set the automatic weighing mode after the manual weighing mode ends.

Further, when the controller 9 is instructed to execute the manual weighing mode during the execution of the automatic weighing mode when dispensing a plurality of types of powders, the control unit 9 switches to the automatic weighing mode when the dispensing of the powders being executed is completed. It can be interrupted and switched to manual weighing mode.

In the automatic weighing mode, the control unit 9 of the present embodiment operates the lock unit 3a so that the door 10b located on the front side of the weighing unit 3 cannot be opened. Further, the control section 9 releases the operation of the lock section 3a in the manual weighing mode.

The controller 9 moves the powder container 21 to the dispensing position P<b>1 , and then the tray transfer section 5 moves the tray T from the tray standby section 4 to the weighing section 3 . That is, the control section 9 controls the powder container 21 so that it does not pass the dispensing position P1 while the tray T is placed on the weighing section 3 .

When the table 25 has a shutter, the control unit 9 closes the shutter of the table 25 while the plurality of powder containers 21 are being moved by the moving mechanism 23, and the tray transfer unit 5 moves the tray T to the weighing unit 3. Then open the shutter. Further, the control unit 9 opens the shutter before dispensing the powder from the powder container 21 . Specifically, the control unit 9 opens the shutter after the tray T is placed on the weighing unit 3 and after zero adjustment (taring) of the weighing unit 3 .

[Chassis]
The housing 10 is configured to surround the dispensing section 2, the weighing section 3, the tray waiting section 4, the tray transfer section 5, the tray stacking section 6, the information writing section 7, the device side display section 8, and the control section 9. be. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 10 is formed with an attachment/detachment window 10a for attachment/detachment of the powder container 21 at a position corresponding to the attachment/detachment position P2 of the powder container 21. As shown in FIGS. A door 10b is installed in the housing 10 on the front side of the weighing unit 3 (FIGS. 1 and 2 show the open state of the door 10b).
. In the manual weighing mode, the operator opens the door 10b and pulls out the weighing unit 3 to the second position S2 to perform manual weighing. In addition to the above-described parts, the housing 10 includes a journal printer for printing prescription information of the supplied powder and information on the supply result on paper, a bar code reader for managing the powder container 21, and other equipment for supplying the powder. Various mechanisms can be provided to assist with the tasks involved.

[tray]
The tray T used in the weighing device 1 of the present embodiment is for containing the supplied powder. The tray T is placed on the weighing unit 3 so that the supplied powder can be weighed and can be transferred by the tray transfer unit 5. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. Secondly, it is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape which is flat and open at the upper end. It is preferable that the tray T has a shape in which a plurality of trays can be stacked upward as shown in FIG. Moreover, this tray T has lateral protrusions T2 that engage with the pair of arms 51a of the tray transfer section 5 or that can be hooked by the operator's fingers.

As shown in FIG. 9, the tray T includes an information display portion T1 that displays prescription information of powders contained therein. The information display section T1 is provided on one of the four sides. The information display section T1 of this embodiment is configured to be attached to the main body of the tray T by inserting it as shown in the drawing, but it can also be attached to the side surface of the tray T, for example. In this embodiment, a display unit including electronic paper is used as the information display section T1. Since electronic paper can hold display contents without requiring power, it can contribute to energy saving compared to, for example, a liquid crystal display. Further, the information displayed on the information display section T1 can be rewritten by the information writing section 7. FIG. Further, the information display section T1 of the present embodiment is configured such that the display written by the information writing section 7 is held until the information writing section 7 writes the next time. The identifier displayed on the information display section T1 can be read by a post-process device (packaging device, etc.), and the display of the information display section T1 including the identifier can be erased.

Various information can be displayed on the information display section T1. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, as prescription information, reception number J1, reception date and time J2, patient name J3, age J4, drug name J5, drug type symbol display J6, weighing value J7, bar code J8, RP number J9, etc. can be displayed. Prescription information includes patient information (patient name, patient ID, patient's date of birth, patient's age), drug information (drug name, drug code, dosage), usage information (usage, usage code), dosing information (internal use, external use, etc.), type of examination (outpatient, inpatient, etc.), prescription issuance date and time, and other information are included. The receipt number J1 is a number assigned to each prescription information when a host system installed in a dispensing pharmacy or the like receives prescription information from a host computer such as a prescription ordering system. The reception date and time J2 is the date and time when the host system received the prescription information. In the host system, in order to assign dispensing instructions to each dispensing device based on the prescription information received from the host computer, the prescription information is grouped according to specific conditions such as drug type, usage, and time of administration, and each grouped data are assigned RP numbers (RP1, RP2, . . . ). In addition, the prescription information received from the host system is information necessary to operate each dispensing device (patient name, patient ID, patient's date of birth, patient's age, drug name, drug code, dosage, usage, usage code, etc.) are extracted. Then, in the host system, the reception number and reception date and time, the RP number of each grouped data, and the excerpted prescription information corresponding to each data are linked and stored. Dispensing information is generated. The control unit 9 acquires the dispensing information and issues a supply instruction based on the acquired dispensing information.

The display corresponding to the barcode J8 may be an optically readable identifier such as a two-dimensional code in addition to the illustrated barcode (one-dimensional code). The identifier stores information unique to each dispensing information generated by the host system. Since information on the identifier can be easily read by reading means such as a bar code reader, there is an advantage that mechanical processing in the post-process is easy. For this reason, for example, by reading the identifier with a reading means, the dispensing information stored in the host system is called up, and a system is constructed in which the dispensing information can be automatically input from the host system to the packaging device. be able to. Further, the information display section T1 may be provided with an electrically readable identifier such as an RFID tag instead of or together with the optically readable identifier.

[Description of usage]
An outline of how to use the weighing device 1 according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described. In addition, the following usage method is only an example, and is not limited to this. Prior to use, an operator stores powder in each of the plurality of powder containers 21 . At this time, each powder container 21 can contain different types of powder, or two or more powder containers 21 can contain the same type of powder. Next, the operator attaches the powder container 21 containing the powder to the holder 22 at the attachment/detachment position P2.

Next, the prescription information is input to the weighing device 1 via the instruction input section 9a. Then, the control section 9 controls the tray transfer section 5 to move the tray T in the tray waiting section 4 to the weighing section 3, and operates the moving mechanism 23 to move the holder 22 in a circular motion. The control unit 9 operates the information writing unit 7 to write the prescription information on the information display unit T1 provided on the tray T while the tray T is being moved. When the powder container 21 containing the powder to be dispensed reaches the dispensing position P1, the controller 9 stops the moving mechanism 23 . When the powder container 21 containing the powder to be dispensed is positioned at the dispensing position P<b>1 , the tray T is moved to the weighing section 3 .

Next, the control unit 9 operates the dispensing mechanism 24 to start dispensing powder. The control unit 9 controls the dispensing mechanism 24 based on the detected weight value sent from the weighing unit 3, and stops driving the dispensing mechanism 24 when the amount of powder corresponding to the prescription information is supplied to the tray T. .

Next, the control section 9 controls the tray transfer section 5 to move the tray T supplied with the powder from the weighing section 3 to the tray stacking section 6 . The operator holds the tray T moved to the tray stacking unit 6 by hand and throws it into a packaging device or the like.

The above description is for use in autoweigh mode. In the manual weighing mode, as in the automatic weighing mode, the tray T in the tray waiting section 4 is moved to the weighing section, and the information writing section 7 is operated during the movement to display the information display section T1 provided on the tray T. to fill in the prescribing information. When the tray T is moved to the weighing section, the control section 9 unlocks the lock section 3a. Thereby, the door 10b can be opened. The operator opens the door 10b, grasps the handle 102, and pulls out the weighing unit 3 together with the base 101 to the second position S2. The operator may place the tray T on the weighing unit 3 without moving the tray T to the weighing unit 3 by the tray transfer unit 5 . In this case, when the operator operates the device-side display section 8, the control section 9 unlocks the lock section 3a. Then, after the weighing unit is pulled out to the second position S2, the powder is supplied to the tray T from the powder bottle. The operator adjusts the supply amount so as to correspond to the prescription information while viewing the detected weight value displayed on the display unit of the weighing unit 3 . The operator removes the tray T supplied with the powder from the weighing unit 3 and puts it into a packaging device or the like. After the powder is supplied to the tray T, the weighing unit is returned to the first position S1, and the control unit 9 controls the tray transfer unit 5 to weigh the tray T supplied with the powder, as in the automatic weighing mode. It may be moved from the section 3 to the tray stacking section 6 .

[Summary of embodiment]
Hereinafter, the combination of configurations in the weighing device 1 according to the above-described embodiment and the effects that can be expected from the combination of configurations will be described separately for the first to fifth embodiments.

(First embodiment)
The weighing device 1 of the first embodiment has a powder container 21 capable of containing powder, a dispensing unit 2 for dispensing the powder from the powder container 21, and a powder discharged from the powder container 21. A weighing unit 3 for placing a tray T and weighing the powder dispensed onto the tray T, a tray transfer unit 5 for removing the tray T from the weighing unit 3 after weighing, and containing the weighed powder. and a tray stacking unit 6 on which the plurality of trays T are placed.

According to the above configuration, the trays T are temporarily held in the tray stacking unit 6 by placing the plurality of trays T containing powdered medicine on the tray stacking unit 6 . Therefore, the powder can be supplied to the next tray while the tray T is placed on the tray stacking unit 6, and the tray T containing the powder must be removed from the weighing device 1 each time the powder is supplied. There is no In addition, since the next powder to be packaged can be weighed even if the packaging is not completed, the operating rate of the weighing device is not lowered. Compared to a configuration in which post-processing such as packaging is performed immediately after weighing, a worker can be accommodated in an arbitrary tray T among a plurality of trays T using another dispensing device such as a packaging device. Since it is possible to dispense a powder, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in post-processing after weighing. In addition, it is possible to weigh a plurality of types of powders in advance and distribute and package the respective powders in parallel using a plurality of packing devices.

The weighing device 1 also includes an information writing section 7 for writing information for identifying the powder contained in the tray T in the information display section T1 provided on the tray T. As shown in FIG.

According to the above configuration, information for identifying the powder contained in the tray is displayed on the information display section provided on the tray T, so that it is possible to prevent the operator from picking up the wrong tray T. In addition, it is possible to prevent the operator from supplying the wrong powder to the packaging device or the like in the post-process. In addition, it is possible to prevent the wrong powder from being supplied to the tray T by manual operation or the like without dispensing the powder from the powder container 21 by the dispensing unit 2 .

Further, the information writing section 7 writes an optically readable identifier to the information display section T1.

According to the above configuration, the information writing section 7 writes an optically readable identifier to the information display section T1. Therefore, by equipping the dispensing device with a device for reading the identifier, the powder stored in the tray T can be identified by the dispensing device.

Further, electronic paper is used as the information display section T1.

According to the above configuration, the content displayed on the information display section T1 can be held without requiring power. Further, the information displayed on the information display section T1 can be rewritten by the information writing section 7. FIG.

The tray transfer section 5 removes the tray T from the weighing section 3, and thereafter stacks the tray T in the tray stacking section 6 for each supply instruction corresponding to the prescription information.

According to the above configuration, the trays are gathered and stacked in the tray stacking unit for each supply instruction corresponding to the prescription information, so that the operator is less likely to confuse which supply instruction the tray T corresponds to.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, it is not necessary to remove the tray T containing the powder from the weighing device 1 each time the powder is supplied, and the next packaging can be performed even if the packaging is not completed. Since the powder can be weighed, the operating rate of the weighing device 1 is not lowered. In addition, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom of post-processing after weighing. Also, a plurality of types of powders can be packaged in parallel using, for example, a plurality of packaging apparatuses. Therefore, it is possible to provide the weighing device 1 that can efficiently weigh the powder and is easy to use.

(Second embodiment)
The weighing device 1 of the second embodiment includes a plurality of powder containers 21 each capable of containing powder and having a dispensing port 212a, a moving mechanism 23 for moving the plurality of powder containers 21, and the plurality of powder containers 21. and a tray for receiving the powder dispensed from the powder container 21. A weighing unit 3 for placing T and weighing the powder dispensed onto the tray T, a tray standby unit 4 for holding a plurality of the trays T before being moved to the weighing unit 3, and the tray T A tray transfer section 5 that moves the tray T from the tray standby section 4 to the weighing section 3 and removes the tray T from the weighing section 3 after dispensing; A tray place 6 is provided, and the plurality of powder containers 21 are arranged in the horizontal direction in the dispensing part 2, and the tray standby part 4, the tray transfer part 5, the weighing part 3, and the tray place after weighing are provided. 6 are positioned under the dispensing portion 2 so as to overlap each other.

According to the above configuration, a plurality of powder containers 21 are arranged in the dispensing section 2 in the horizontal direction, and the tray standby section 4, the tray transfer section 5, the weighing section 3, and the post-weighing tray storage area 6 are located below the dispensing section 2, respectively. are located on top of each other. Therefore, the space on the lower side of the dispensing section 2 can be effectively used. Therefore, since the components in the device can be arranged three-dimensionally, the device can be configured to be small in the width direction and the depth direction, and can be arranged in a narrow space.

A plurality of trays T are arranged in the depth direction in the tray standby section 4 .

According to the above configuration, since the trays T on the tray standby section 4 are arranged in the depth direction, the number of trays that can be held in the tray standby section 4 can be increased without increasing the width dimension of the apparatus.

The post-weighing tray place 6 is a tray stacking unit 6 on which a plurality of the trays T containing the weighed powder are placed. positioned.

According to the above configuration, the tray stacking section 6 on which a plurality of trays T are placed is positioned under the dispensing section 2 so that the plurality of trays T after being weighed are placed in the space below the dispensing section 2 . can be placed. Therefore, even when a plurality of trays T are placed on the weighed tray place 6, the plurality of trays T can be stacked while keeping the device compact without enlarging the device in the width direction and the depth direction.

Further, the dispensing part 2 has a plurality of holders 22 detachably holding the plurality of powder containers 21, and the plurality of holders 22 circulates on a circulating orbit Q extending from the front side to the back side. is configured as follows.

According to the above configuration, since the holding body 22 is configured to revolve on the orbit Q extending from the front side to the back side, the movement orbit Q can be overlapped between the front side and the back side in a front view. Therefore, the weighing device 1 can be configured to be small in the width direction.

In addition, the tray waiting section 4, the tray transfer section 5, the weighing section 3, and the post-weighing tray storage area 6 are positioned below the range on the front side of the loop track Q, respectively.

According to the above configuration, the tray standby section 4, the tray transfer section 5, the weighing section 3, and the tray storage area 6 after weighing are positioned below the range on the front side of the loop track Q. It is easy to access each part from the side, and it is easy to pay out manually or take out the tray T after weighing.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, since the components in the device can be arranged three-dimensionally, the device can be configured to be small in the width direction and the depth direction, and can be arranged in a narrow space. can. Therefore, it is possible to provide the weighing device 1 that can be used even in narrow installation locations.

(Third embodiment)
The weighing device 1 of the third embodiment includes a plurality of powder containers 21 each capable of containing powder and having a dispensing port 212a, a plurality of holders 22 detachably holding the plurality of powder containers 21, and the A moving mechanism 23 for moving the plurality of powder containers 21 held by the holder 22 dispenses the powder from the powder containers 21 moved to a predetermined dispensing position P1 on the movement track Q of the plurality of powder containers 21. and a tray T positioned below the dispensing position P1 for receiving the powder dispensed from the powder container 21. The plurality of powder containers 21 are arranged in the horizontal direction in the dispensing unit 2, and the moving mechanism 23 moves the plurality of powder containers 21 in the horizontal direction. The powder container 21 is moved to the dispensing position P1 by the moving mechanism 23, and the powder dispensed by the dispensing mechanism 24 falls and is accommodated in the tray T placed on the weighing unit 3, and An attachment/detachment position P2 at which the powder container 21 can be attached to and detached from the holder 22 is provided at a position different in the horizontal direction from the dispensing position P1.

According to the above configuration, the position at which the powder is dispensed from the powder container 21 and the position at which the powder container 21 is attached to and detached from the holder 22 are set at different positions in the horizontal direction. The tray T is not positioned on the lower side of the powder container 21 to be attached/detached. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the powder adhering to the outlet 212a of the powder container 21 to be attached and detached and the holding member 22 from unexpectedly dropping into the weighing unit 3 or the tray T placed on the weighing unit 3.

Further, the plurality of holders 22 are configured to circulate on a circular orbit Q extending from the front side to the rear side, and the attachment/detachment position P2 is located in the range of the circular orbit Q on the front side.

According to the above configuration, since the attachment/detachment position P2 is located on the front side of the loop Q, the powder container 21 can be easily accessed from the front side where the operator is working, and attachment/detachment workability is good.

Further, when the attachment/detachment position P2 is based on the dispensing position P1, the holder 22 may be one to three adjacent ones.

According to the above configuration, the attachment/detachment position P2 is set at a position where one to three neighboring holding bodies 22 are positioned when the dispensing position P1 is used as a reference. Since the powder container 21 can be quickly moved to the attachment/detachment position P2, and further, after the powder container 21 is attached at the attachment/detachment position P2, the powder container 21 can be quickly moved to the dispensing position P1, the time required for attachment/detachment of the powder container 21 can be shortened. can do.

As described above, according to the third embodiment, the powder remaining in the outlet 212a of the powder container 21 to be attached or detached or the holding member 22 is unexpectedly placed on the weighing unit 3 or the weighing unit 3. It is possible to prevent the tray T from dropping. Therefore, mixing of different types of powders (cross contamination) can be prevented, and a safe weighing device 1 can be provided.

(Fourth embodiment)
The weighing device 1 of the fourth embodiment has a powder container 21 capable of accommodating powder, a dispensing unit 2 for dispensing powder from the powder container 21, and a powder dispensed from the powder container 21. It comprises a weighing unit 3 on which a tray T is placed and weighs the powder dispensed onto the tray T, and a control unit 9 for controlling the operation of the entire device. An automatic weighing mode (first mode) in which powder is dispensed from the powder container 21 by the dispensing unit 2 while being weighed by the weighing unit 3 according to the target value of the powder amount related to It is possible to switch between a manual weighing mode (second mode) in which the weighing unit 3 weighs the powder put into the tray T without dispensing the powder from the powder container 21 .

According to the above configuration, it is possible to switch between the automatic weighing mode (first mode) and the manual weighing mode (second mode). Mode) can be switched to the manual weighing mode (second mode) when supplying powder that cannot be dispensed (including the case where it cannot be dispensed due to insufficient remaining amount), and the desired powder can be weighed.

In addition, the control unit 9 sets the automatic weighing mode (first mode) when the powder related to the supply instruction is the powder stored in the powder container 21, and the manual weighing mode when it is not. (second mode).

According to the above configuration, even if the powder container 21 does not contain the powder according to the supply instruction, by performing the operation in the manual weighing mode (second mode), the dispensing unit 2 is not prepared. Powders can also be weighed.

Further, when the amount of powder to be dispensed in the automatic weighing mode (first mode) is insufficient, the control unit 9 replenishes the powder container 21 with powder and causes dispensing by the automatic weighing mode (first mode). The operator can select whether to continue or switch to the manual weighing mode (second mode).

According to the above configuration, it is possible to replenish the powder container 21 with powder and continue the dispensing in the middle of dispensing. In addition, manual weighing can be performed without refilling the powder container 21 . In this way, it is left to the operator's judgment whether to perform dispensing in the automatic weighing mode (first mode) or in the manual weighing mode (second mode), thereby increasing the degree of freedom of work. can.

Further, when the powder dispensed in the automatic weighing mode (first mode) runs short, the control unit 9 terminates the operation related to the automatic weighing mode (first mode), and the manual weighing mode (first mode) is terminated. 2 mode).

According to the above configuration, when the powder dispensed in the automatic weighing mode (first mode) runs short, the operation is automatically switched to the manual weighing mode (second mode), thereby simplifying the work. .

The weighing device 1 further includes a device-side display unit 8, and the control unit 9 displays on the device-side display unit the amount of powder required to be put into the tray in the manual weighing mode (second mode). 8 is displayed.

According to the above configuration, the amount of powder required to be put into the tray T in the manual weighing mode (second mode) can be displayed on the device side display section 8, so that the amount of powder to be supplied to the tray T is insufficient. The operator can grasp the amount of powder contained in the powder, and the burden of manual weighing work can be reduced.

In addition, the dispensing unit has a plurality of powder containers 21, and each of the powder containers 21 contains powder according to type. When there are powders stored in any of the containers 21 and powders that are not, the controller 9 first switches to the automatic weighing mode (first mode) and then to the manual weighing mode (second mode). Alternatively, first the manual weighing mode (second mode) and then the automatic weighing mode (first mode) can be selected.

According to the above configuration, by selecting the manual weighing mode (second mode) after the automatic weighing mode (first mode), the operator can A manual weighing mode (second mode) can be prepared. Alternatively, the manual weighing mode (second mode) can be manually finished first by selecting the automatic weighing mode (first mode) after the manual weighing mode (second mode). Therefore, during subsequent execution of the automatic weighing mode (first mode), there is no need for the operator to wait until the automatic weighing mode (first mode) ends.

In addition, the dispensing unit has a plurality of powder containers 21, and each of the powder containers 21 contains powder according to type. When there are powders stored in any of the containers 21 and powders that are not, the controller 9 first switches to the automatic weighing mode (first mode) and then to the manual weighing mode (second mode). and

According to the above configuration, the time during which the automatic weighing mode (first mode) is being performed (during automatic dispensing) is used to prepare for the manual work required in the manual weighing mode (second mode), for example. can be advanced, the manual weighing mode (second mode) can be entered immediately after the automatic weighing mode (first mode) ends, and weighing can be carried out efficiently.

In addition, the control unit 9 was instructed to execute the manual weighing mode (second mode) during the execution of the automatic weighing mode (first mode) when dispensing a plurality of types of powders. In this case, the automatic weighing mode (first mode) is interrupted and the manual weighing mode (second mode) is entered when the dispensing of the powder that is being executed is completed.

According to the above configuration, for example, when it is desired to quickly manually supply a powder that needs to be dispensed urgently, the automatic weighing mode (first mode) can be interrupted and the powder can be supplied manually. In addition, when the operator is free during the automatic supply in the automatic weighing mode (first mode), the powder can be supplied manually. In this way, even when the automatic weighing mode (first mode) is being executed, it can be switched to the manual weighing mode (second mode) at a desired timing. be able to.

In addition, the dispensing unit 2 has a plurality of powder containers 21, and each of the plurality of powder containers 21 contains powder according to type. When there are powders contained in any one of the plurality of powder containers 21 and powders not contained therein, the control unit 9 selects the manual weighing mode (second mode) prior to the automatic weighing mode (first mode). mode), and after the manual weighing mode (second mode) ends, the automatic weighing mode (first mode) is set.

According to the above configuration, since the manual weighing mode (second mode) can be manually finished first, during the subsequent execution of the automatic weighing mode (first mode), the automatic weighing mode (second mode) There is no need for the operator to wait until mode 1) is completed.

In addition, the weighing device 1 writes an information display section T1, which is provided on the tray T and displays the prescription information of the contained powder, before the weighing section 3 starts weighing. An inserting portion 7 is provided.

According to the above configuration, the information display section T1 is displayed before the weighing section 3 starts weighing. can be sent to the post-process.

Further, the display of the information display section T1 is held until the information writing section 7 writes next time.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to grasp the amount of powder contained in the tray T at the time of the previous supply, so that it can be used as an index for cleaning the tray T.

Further, the weighing unit 3 is configured to be movable, and has a lock unit 3a that makes the weighing unit 3 immovable in the automatic weighing mode (first mode). The lock portion 3a is released in the mode (second mode).

According to the above configuration, even if the operator erroneously tries to use the weighing unit 3 during the execution of automatic supply in the automatic weighing mode (first mode), the lock unit 3a prevents the weighing unit 3 from moving. Interruption of the weighing mode (first mode) can be prevented. Also, in the manual weighing mode (second mode), the weighing unit 3 can be moved to the working position.

The weighing unit 3 is movable, and the control unit 9 moves the weighing unit 3 to a position where the powder is dispensed from the powder container 21 in the automatic weighing mode (first mode). Positioned below the dispensing position P1, the weighing unit 3 is moved to a position where a work space for manually charging the powder can be secured in the manual weighing mode (second mode).

According to the above configuration, during the automatic weighing mode (first mode), the weighing unit 3 cannot be moved from a location below the dispensing position P1, which is difficult for the operator to reach. In mode 1), it is possible to prevent the operator from moving the weighing unit 3 by mistake, and in the manual weighing mode (second mode), the weighing unit 3 is moved to a position where a work space can be secured. This makes it easier for workers to work.

As described above, according to the fourth embodiment, the powder that is not contained in the powder container 21 and cannot be dispensed in the automatic weighing mode (first mode) (including cases where the remaining amount is insufficient) is dispensed. The desired powder can be weighed by switching to the manual weighing mode (second mode) at any time. Therefore, it is possible to provide a weighing device capable of efficiently preparing powders according to supply instructions.

(Fifth embodiment)
The weighing device 1 of the fifth embodiment includes a plurality of powder containers 21 each capable of containing powder and having a dispensing port 212a, a moving mechanism 23 for moving the plurality of powder containers 21, and the plurality of powder containers 21. and a dispensing mechanism 24 that dispenses powder from the powder container 21 moved to a predetermined dispensing position P1 on the movement track Q of , and positioned below the dispensing position P1. A weighing unit 3 for placing a tray T for receiving powder dispensed from a powder container 21, weighing the powder dispensed onto the tray T, and a plurality of trays T before being moved to the weighing unit 3. Tray waiting section 4 to hold, tray transfer section 5 for moving the tray T from the tray waiting section 4 to the weighing section 3 and removing the tray T from the weighing section 3 after dispensing, and the operation of the entire apparatus are controlled. The powder container 21 is moved to the dispensing position P1 by the moving mechanism 23, and the powder dispensed by the dispensing mechanism 24 falls and is placed on the weighing unit 3 on the tray T. The control unit 9 moves the powder container 21 to the dispensing position P1, and then the tray transfer unit 5 moves the tray T from the tray waiting unit 4 to the weighing unit 3.

According to the above configuration, the controller 9 moves the powder container 21 to the dispensing position P<b>1 , and then the tray transfer section 5 moves the tray T from the tray standby section 4 to the weighing section 3 . Therefore, when the powder container 21 containing powder not to be dispensed passes above the tray T, even if the powder adhering to the dispensing port 212a of the powder container 21 and its surroundings falls, the tray T does not remain below the dispensing port 212a. Since it is not placed, the fallen powder can be prevented from entering the tray T. Thus, according to the above configuration, it is possible to prevent cross-contamination due to the tray T containing powders that are not to be dispensed.

Further, a shutter is provided between the dispensing section 2 and the weighing section 3 to prevent the powder from falling into the weighing section 3 from the powder container 21 moving above the weighing section 3 . The control unit 9 closes the shutter while the plurality of powder containers 21 are being moved by the moving mechanism 23 , and opens the shutter after the tray transfer unit 5 moves the tray T to the weighing unit 3 . do.

According to the above configuration, the control unit 9 closes the shutter while the plurality of powder containers 21 are being moved by the moving mechanism 23, and opens the shutter after the tray transfer unit 5 moves the tray T to the weighing unit 3. . Therefore, the shutter can be closed until the tray T is placed on the weighing unit 3, and the powder that is not to be dispensed can be prevented from falling onto the weighing unit 3 or the tray T.

Further, after the tray T is placed on the weighing unit 3 and after zero adjustment of the weighing unit 3, the control unit 9 opens the shutter to dispense the powder from the powder container.

According to the above configuration, the shutter is opened after the weighing unit 3 is zero-adjusted, so the powder can be accurately weighed.

As described above, according to the fifth embodiment, it is possible to prevent cross-contamination due to the tray T containing powders that are not to be dispensed. Therefore, mixing of different types of powders (cross contamination) can be prevented, and a safe weighing device can be provided.

[Possibility of changing the embodiment]
The weighing device 1 of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can of course be modified in various ways without departing from the gist of the present invention. In other words, even with respect to configurations not explicitly stated in the above embodiment, it is possible to make changes within the scope of the present invention with respect to configurations that have the same effect as the configurations explicitly described, and it is intentional that the configurations are not explicitly described. It is not excluded from

For example, regarding the tray stacking section 6, it is possible to provide a display corresponding to each section in which each tray T is placed. In this case, for example, when the packaging information is called by the packaging device related to the post-process, the corresponding display can be configured to display. An LED lamp, for example, can be used as the indicator. This configuration is advantageous in that the section on the tray stacking unit 6 corresponding to the packaging information can be recognized, and the operator can easily recognize the tray T required for packaging.

Further, with respect to the weighing unit 3, it is also possible to provide two weighing units: a first weighing unit for weighing the powder dispensed from the powder container 21 onto the tray T, and a second weighing unit for manually weighing the powder put into the tray. . In this case, the tray transfer section 5 can be configured to distribute the trays T to the first weighing section or the second weighing section according to the automatic weighing mode or the manual weighing mode.

Further, regarding the control unit 9, when a plurality of supply instructions are input to the weighing device 1 and the instructions to dispense the same powder are included in the plurality of supply instructions, the control unit 9 You can also set the order so that the payouts are made consecutively. As a result, it is possible to shorten the entire dispensing time corresponding to a plurality of supply instructions.

Further, regarding the control unit 9, it is possible to determine whether the control unit 9 should be in the automatic weighing mode or the manual weighing mode according to the information of the powder type included in the supply instruction. For example, with regard to controlled drugs (poisons, powerful drugs, narcotics, psychotropics, etc.), if cross-contamination occurs, serious adverse effects may occur. Dispensing of medicines can be done manually.

Further, regarding the control unit 9, a camera capable of photographing the display unit of the weighing unit (electronic balance) 3 is provided. It can also be configured to confirm whether or not the weighing value J7 displayed on the display section T1 matches.

In addition, regarding the tray T, in the above-described embodiment, the case where electronic paper is used as the information display section T1 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, various display means such as a liquid crystal screen can be used. Furthermore, a printable sheet such as paper may be used as the information display portion T1 and a printer may be used as the information writing portion 7, although convenience is reduced.

In addition, regarding the tray T, each tray can be provided with unique identification information. In this case, the control unit 9 may memorize the correspondence between a specific tray T and the powder contained in the tray T so that the powder contained in the tray T can be fixed. As a result, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of cross contamination due to the presence of different types of powder in the tray T.

Moreover, regarding the tray T, it is also possible to use a plurality of trays T having different capacities. In this case, the controller 9 can also store the corresponding relationship between the tray T of a specific capacity and the powder contained in the tray T. FIG. As a result, a large-capacity tray T can be used for powders with a large dispensing amount, and a small-capacity tray T can be used for powders with a small dispensing amount. Therefore, the powder can be easily taken out when passing to the post-process.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Weighing device, 2... Dispensing part, 21... Powder container, 211... Body part, 212... Bottom part, 212a... Dispensing port, 213... Lid part, 214... RFID tag, 22... Holding body, 221... Holding main body, 221a Communicating port 223 Fixed part 23 Moving mechanism 231 Moving body 231a Fixed part 232 Moving driving part 24 Dispensing mechanism 241 Dispensing driving part 25 Table 251 Opening 3 Weighing unit 3a Lock unit 4 Tray standby unit 41 Standby tray transfer unit 42 Standby drive unit 5 Tray transfer unit 51 Transfer unit body 51a Arm 52 Transfer drive unit , 6... Tray stacking unit (place for placing trays after weighing), 6X, 6Y... Parallel tray stacking unit, 61... Stacking tray transfer unit, 62... Stacking drive unit, 7... Information writing unit, 8... Apparatus side display unit, 9 Control unit 9a Instruction input unit 10 Housing 10a Attachment/detachment window 101 Base M Powder powder P1 Dispensing position P2 Attachment/detachment position Q Moving trajectory (circumferential trajectory) Q1 Straight track Q2 Curved track S1 First position S2 Second position T Tray T1 Information display unit

Claims (4)

a plurality of powder containers each capable of containing a powder and having a dispensing port, a plurality of holders detachably holding the plurality of powder containers, and a movement for moving the plurality of powder containers held by the holder a dispensing unit having a mechanism and a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the powder from the powder container that has moved to a predetermined dispensing position on the movement track of the plurality of powder containers;
a weighing unit positioned below the dispensing position, on which a tray for receiving the powder dispensed from the powder container is placed, and for weighing the powder dispensed to the tray;
The plurality of powder containers are horizontally arranged in the dispensing unit,
The moving mechanism horizontally moves the plurality of powder containers,
The powder container is moved to the dispensing position by the moving mechanism, and the powder dispensed by the dispensing mechanism falls and is accommodated in the tray placed on the weighing unit,
The plurality of holders are configured to revolve on a circular orbit extending from the front side to the back side,
an attachment/detachment position at which the powder container is attachable/detachable to/from the holding body is located in the range on the front side of the orbital orbit,
The dispensing position is provided in the range on the front side of the orbit, is provided at a position horizontally different from the attachment/detachment position, and is provided at a position close to the attachment/detachment position,
When the attachment/detachment position is based on the dispensing position, it is one to three neighboring holding bodies,
The weighing device, wherein the powder container is not attachable/detachable with respect to the holder at a position other than the attachable/detachable position. 2. The weighing device according to claim 1, wherein said attachment/detachment position is on said holding body two to three adjacent to said dispensing position. The powder container has a dispensing port at the bottom,
3. The weighing device according to claim 1, wherein the weighing unit is positioned below the powder container at the dispensing position so as to overlap vertically. The circling tracks are arranged on the front side and the back side, and comprise a pair of straight tracks along which the holding body moves in a straight line and a pair of curved tracks along which the holding body moves while curving,
The weighing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the dispensing position and the attaching/detaching position are arranged within the range of the straight track on the front side.

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