JP7265972B2 - Brush unit and drug case - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a brush unit provided in a medicine case that stores and discharges medicine such as tablets, and a medicine case provided with the brush unit.

Conventionally, drug delivery devices are used that include one or more drug cases. In such a medicine supply device, medicines such as tablets and capsules are sorted by type and stored in a medicine case. In order to discharge a desired amount of medicine from the medicine case, that is, a desired number of medicines, it is necessary to discharge the medicines one by one. Also, the size and shape of the drug varies from drug to drug.

Patent Literature 1 discloses a medicine case in which a cylindrical body constituting a medicine discharge part can be replaced according to the size and shape of the medicine in order to discharge medicines one by one.

JP-A-08-164904

Depending on the shape, direction, etc. of the medicine, the medicine may get caught in the passage from the medicine inlet to the medicine discharge part of the cylinder and may not be able to reach the medicine discharge part. In such a case, it becomes difficult to discharge a desired amount of medicine, and thus improvement is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a brush unit provided in a medicine case in order to prevent a situation in which a desired amount of medicine cannot be discharged.

One aspect of the brush unit according to the present invention includes a case main body containing a drug and having a drug discharge port provided at the bottom, and a rotating member arranged inside the case main body and rotating around a rotation axis. and a drug path formed along the upper surface of the rotating member and extending in the circumferential direction of the rotating member.
One aspect of the brush unit according to the present invention is
A brush unit that collides with the medicine clogged at the entrance of the medicine path from the circumferential direction and rakes up the medicine,
a fixing member fixed to the inner surface of the case body;
a brush flocked to the fixed member and extending downward from the fixed member;
In use, the brush collides with the medicament while in contact with the bottom surface of the medicament path and in a bent state.

A drug case according to the present invention includes a case body containing a drug and having a discharge port for the drug provided at the bottom, and a rotating member arranged inside the case body and rotating around a rotation axis. and a brush unit including a fixed member fixed to the inner surface of the case main body, and a brush planted on the fixed member, for scraping up the medicine on the rotating member.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent a situation in which a desired amount of medicine cannot be discharged.

1 is a perspective view of a drug case according to one embodiment; FIG. The top view of a case main body. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the case main body; The perspective view of a brush unit. The figure which showed the state which the rotation member rotated, and the brush contacted the rotation member, and bent.

Hereinafter, a drug case according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drug case 1 according to this embodiment. The drug case 1 has an appearance composed of a case main body 11, a lid 12, a lateral lid 13, and the like. A rotating member 20 is arranged inside the drug case 1 . The rotating member 20 will be described later in detail.

The case body 11 accommodates several hundred tablets of medicine. The upper part of the case body 11 is provided with an upper opening (11O) serving as an inlet for medicine. A lid 12 is attached to the upper portion of the case body 11 via a hinge or the like, and the lid 12 opens and closes an upper opening 11O of the case body 11 .

A side opening (not shown) is provided in the side of the case main body 11, and a lateral lid 13 is attached so as to cover the side opening.

The upper portion of the case body 11 has a substantially square cross section perpendicular to the central axis of the case body 11 . On the other hand, the lower part of the case body 11 has a circular cross section perpendicular to the central axis of the case body 11 . In other words, the lower portion of case body 11 has a cylindrical shape. The rotating member 20 is arranged inside the lower portion of the case body 11 .

A brush unit 50 is attached near the upper opening 11O of the case body 11. As shown in FIG. The brush unit 50 will be described later in detail.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the case body 11. FIG. FIG. 2 shows a top view of the case body 11 with the lid 12 shown in FIG. 1 opened. In FIG. 2, illustration of the rotating member 20 disposed inside the case body 11 is omitted. Therefore, in FIG. 2, the bottom portion 11a of the case main body 11 can be seen through the upper opening 11O. The bottom portion 11a is formed in a substantially circular shape.

The bottom portion 11a of the case main body 11 is provided with a discharge port 11b through which medicine is discharged and a drive shaft insertion port 11c. The drive shaft insertion opening 11 c is an opening into which a drive shaft (not shown) for rotating the rotating member 20 is inserted while the rotating member 20 is arranged in the case body 11 . The rotation axis of the rotating member 20 and the rotation center of this drive shaft are aligned. The drive shaft is a member provided in the medicine supply device to which the medicine case 1 is attached, and is rotationally driven by a motor provided in the medicine supply device.

3 is a cross-sectional side view of the case body 11. FIG. FIG. 3 shows a side view of the rotary member 20 disposed on the bottom portion 11a inside the case body 11. As shown in FIG. 3 shows a cross section of the case main body 11. As shown in FIG.

The rotary member 20 is a member that rotates around its own rotary shaft by a drive shaft (not shown) connected through the drive shaft insertion port 11c.

The rotating member 20 has a first side wall member 21 , a second side wall member 22 and a third side wall member 23 . The rotary member 20 also has an inclined plate 24 and an upper member 25 arranged above the first side wall member 21 , the second side wall member 22 and the third side wall member 23 .

The rotating member 20 has a vertically extending rotating shaft and has a shape rotationally symmetrical about the rotating shaft. Specifically, the rotating member 20 includes an upper member 25 formed in a gabled roof shape (inverted V shape) having two symmetrical slopes with respect to a vertical plane including the rotation axis. The slope changes in height along the circumferential direction of the rotary member 20 . Two notches are provided in the upper member 25 at positions separated by 180 degrees around the rotation axis.

The inclined plate 24 is provided on the slope of the upper member 25 . The inclined plate 24 has a fan-shaped surface provided so that the circular arc faces the inner surface of the case body 11 . A passage P1 is formed by the fan-shaped surface of the inclined plate 24, the inclined surface of the upper member 25, and the inner surface of the lower portion of the case body 11 having a cylindrical shape. Therefore, the passage P1 has a substantially sector shape around the rotation axis of the rotating member 20 when the rotating member 20 is viewed from above. The passage P1 is a part of the passage P that guides the medicines M contained in the case body 11 one by one from the upper opening 11O to the discharge port 11b. Pathway P1 is an example of a drug pathway of the present invention.

The distance between the fan-shaped surface of the inclined plate 24 and the inner surface of the case body 11 (the width of the passage P1) is a constant distance corresponding to the thickness of the medicine M when the medicine M faces a desired direction. . The desired direction is, for example, a direction in which the thickness direction (minor axis direction) of the medicine M coincides with the radial direction of the rotating member 20 when the cross-sectional shape of the medicine M is flat (for example, elliptical). In other words, the distance between the fan-shaped surface of the inclined plate 24 and the inner surface of the case body 11 is shorter than the length of the medicine M in the width direction (major axis direction). This prevents the medicine M from being aligned with the radial direction of the rotating member 20 .

Although detailed description is omitted, the distance between the fan-shaped surface of the inclined plate 24 and the inner surface of the case body 11 (the width of the passage P1) can be changed according to the size or shape of the medicine M. good.

With such a configuration, the medicine M entering the passage P1 from the notch of the upper member 25 has its thickness direction (minor axis direction) aligned with the radial direction of the rotating member 20, so that the medicine M can flow along the slope of the upper member 25. preferably one by one down the path P1.

The medicine M that has reached the lower end of the passage P1 is passed through the case main body 11 through the passage P2 formed by the first side wall member 21, the second side wall member 22, the third side wall member 23, and the inner surface of the case main body 11. is guided to the bottom portion 11a of the . The passage P2 is a region inside the case body 11 through which the medicine M is passed from top to bottom. The upper end of passage P2 is connected to the lower end of passage P1.

In order to guide the drug M to the bottom portion 11a in a desired direction, the distance between the first side wall member 21 and the second side wall member 22 that constitute the passage P2 (the width of the passage P2) direction). Further, the distance between the third side wall member 23 forming the passage P2 and the inner surface of the case body 11 (the depth of the passage P2) is substantially the same as the length of the medicine M in the thickness direction (minor axis direction). . Although detailed description is omitted, the distance between the first side wall member 21 and the second side wall member 22 and the distance between the third side wall member 23 and the inner surface of the case main body 11 are determined by the size of the medicine M or It may be configured to be changeable according to the shape.

The rotary member 20 has members other than the upper member 25, for example, two first side wall members 21. As shown in FIG. These members are arranged at symmetrical positions across the rotation axis. Therefore, the same member is positioned at the same position each time the rotating member 20 rotates 180 degrees around its own rotation axis. Therefore, every time the rotating member 20 rotates 180 degrees, the passage P2 is positioned above the discharge port 11b (see FIG. 2). Therefore, the medicine guided to the bottom portion 11a through the passage P2 is discharged from the discharge port 11b to the outside of the case main body 11 when the rotary member 20 rotates and the passage P2 comes above the discharge port 11b.

In the medicine case 1 having the structure described above, when the contained medicine enters the passage P1 from the notch of the upper member 25, if the medicine is not oriented in the desired direction, the medicine will enter the passage P1. clogging in such a way as to block the The medicine case 1 has a brush unit 50 in order to eliminate clogging of the passage P1 by such medicine. The brush unit 50 will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG.

4 is a perspective view of the brush unit 50. FIG. The brush unit 50 has a fixed member 51 formed in a U shape in plan view, and a brush 52 . 4 shows a state in which the brush unit 50 is removed from the case main body 11. As shown in FIG.

The fixing member 51 is a member that fixes the brush unit 50 to the case body 11 by being pressed along the inner surface of the case body 11 near the upper opening 11O of the case body 11 . That is, the brush unit 50 is detachably fixed to the inner surface of the case body 11 by the fixing member 51 . In FIG. 1, the brush unit 50 fixed to the case body 11 by the fixing member 51 is indicated by solid and dotted lines.

The fixing member 51 is composed of a body portion 53 and a pair of pressing portions 54, 54 facing each other. The body portion 53 and the pair of pressing portions 54 are plate-like members. A fixing member 51 is configured by connecting a pair of pressing portions 54 , 54 to both ends of the body portion 53 in the longitudinal direction. A brush 52 is provided near the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the body portion 53 .

When the brush unit 50 is removed from the case main body 11, the pair of pressing portions 54, 54 are connected to the fixing member 51 so that the tip portions thereof are separated from each other. As a result, the pair of pressing portions 54, 54 form a non-parallel shape in plan view of the brush unit 50;

The distance between the tips of the pair of pressing parts 54 , 54 is greater than the distance between the facing inner surfaces of the case body 11 when the brush unit 50 is removed from the case body 11 . At least a part of the fixing member 51, which is in the vicinity of the connecting portion between the body portion 53 and the pair of pressing portions 54, 54, is made of an elastic material (resin or the like). The fixing member 51 as a whole may be made of an elastic material.

When the brush unit 50 is attached to the case main body 11, the fixing member 51 is inserted through the upper opening 11O of the case main body 11 in a state in which the tip portions of the pair of pressing portions 54, 54 are pressed so that the distance between the tip portions thereof approaches each other. is inserted in its entirety. By releasing the force pressing the pressing portion 54 in this state, the pair of pressing portions 54, 54 are pressed against the inner surface of the case main body 11 by elastic force, and come into close contact with each other. Therefore, the fixing member 51 is firmly fixed to the case body 11 as shown in FIG.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a rib 11R is provided on the inner surface of the case body 11 and below the upper opening 11O by the width of the pressing portion 54 substantially in the lateral direction. The rib 11R is an example of the protrusion of the present invention. The fixing member 51 is supported by the rib 11R coming into contact with the pressing portion 54. As shown in FIG. This prevents the brush unit 50 from slipping down the case body 11 . Although FIG. 1 shows only the ribs 11R provided on the inner surface of the case main body 11 on the near side of the paper, similar ribs may be provided on the inner surface of the case main body 11 on the far side of the paper.

The brush 52 is attached to a portion of the fixing member 51 so as to extend downward while the brush unit 50 is attached to the case body 11 . More specifically, the brush 52 is attached substantially in the center of the body portion 53 in the longitudinal direction.

The brush 52 has a large number of bristles planted in the body portion 53 . In addition, in the present embodiment, a large number of bristles are shown together, and the illustration of each of the large number of bristles is omitted. A large number of bristles of the brush 52 are made of an elastic material such as a synthetic resin (such as polypropylene).

The mounting position of the brush 52 to the body portion 53 is the side opposite to the discharge port 11b across the drive shaft insertion port 11c in plan view of the case body 11 with the brush unit 50 attached to the case body 11. (See FIG. 2). As described above, the rotating member 20 rotates around the drive shaft inserted through the drive shaft insertion opening 11c. Therefore, in other words, the brush 52 is arranged on the opposite side of the rotating shaft of the rotating member 20 from the outlet 11b.

The brush 52 is for scraping up medicine on the upper member 25 of the rotating member 20 (in particular, medicine clogging the entrance of the passage P1) when the rotating member 20 rotates. The brush 52 is attached to the main body 53 so that the tip (lower end) of the brush 52 is in contact with part of the passage P1 on the upper member 25 when the brush unit 50 is attached to the case main body 11 . installed. When the brush unit 50 is attached to the case main body 11, the brush 52 extends to the lower end of the passage P1, that is, to the vicinity of the connection between the passage P1 and the passage P2. It is formed to a length of

As described above, the upper member 25 of the rotating member 20 has two gable-shaped slopes, and the passage P1 is formed on these slopes. The slope changes in height along the circumferential direction of the rotating member 20 . Therefore, when the rotating member 20 rotates with the lower end of the brush 52 positioned near the lower end of the passage P1, the position where the lower end of the brush 52 contacts the slope of the upper member 25 gradually increases. . As described above, since the brush 52 is made of an elastic material, when the rotating member 20 rotates while the lower end of the brush 52 is in contact with the slope of the upper member 25, the rotation shown in FIG. Thus, the brush 52 continues to contact the passage P1 while flexing in the opposite direction from the side contacting the slope. As a result, even if the medicine M is caught somewhere in the passage P1, the medicine M is picked up by the brush 52 and clogging is eliminated. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which the rotating member 20 rotates and the brush 52 contacts the rotating member 20 and bends. Similar to FIG. 3, FIG. 5 shows a side view of the rotating member 20 arranged on the bottom portion 11a inside the case body 11. As shown in FIG.

As described above, in a plan view of the case main body 11, the brush 52 is arranged on the opposite side of the discharge port 11b across the rotating shaft of the rotating member 20. As shown in FIG. Therefore, after the clogging of the passage P1 is cleared by the brush 52 until the passage P2 is positioned above the discharge port 11b, there is a grace period for the rotary member 20 to make half a turn. If no medicament has been placed in path P2, new medicament can be placed in path P2 through path P1 during this grace period. Therefore, even when the passage P1 is cleared by the brush 52, it is possible to prevent the medicine from being discharged when the passage P2 is positioned above the discharge port 11b.

The drug case 1 configured as described above is used as follows.

When the width and depth of the passage P (P1 and P2) are changeable, the width and depth of the passage P1 and P2 are set according to the size and shape of the drug M contained inside the case body 11. .

Next, a partition member (not shown) is attached inside the passage P2.

The partition member has a plurality of partition member insertion openings provided in the lateral lid 13 so that the distance from the upper surface of the bottom portion 11a to the lower surface of the partition member is slightly larger than the height of the medicine M passing through the passage P. inserted into one.

When a plurality of drugs M are arranged vertically in a line inside the passage P2, this partition member enters between the drug M at the bottom and the drug M above it. Therefore, when the passage P2 is positioned above the discharge port 11b, only the lowest medicine M drops from the discharge port 11b. That is, by attaching the partition member at an appropriate position corresponding to the height of the medicine M, the medicines M are reliably discharged one by one from the discharge port 11b.

After the width and depth of the passage P are set as described above and the partition member is attached, a large number of medicines M are stored in the case main body 11 . Subsequently, the drug case 1 is attached to the drug supply device so that the drive shaft is connected to the rotating member 20 .

When the motor provided in the medicine supply device rotates, the rotating member 20 rotates via the drive shaft, and the medicine M is guided into the passage P1 by the inclined plate 24 and the upper member 25 .

Even if the drug M that has entered the passage P1 is caught in a part of the passage P1 and clogged before it is guided to the passage P2, the brush 52 moves the passage P1 along with the rotation of the rotating member 20. Clogging is cleared by scraping. As a result, the medicine M is guided into the passage P2 in a desired direction through the passage P1.

When the rotary member 20 rotates in this state and the passage P2 comes near the discharge port 11b, a partition member is formed between the lowest medicine M and the medicine M above it among the medicines M in the passage P2. enter in. At this time, the lowest drug M is placed on the bottom portion 11a, and the other drugs M are placed directly or indirectly on the partition member. When the rotary member 20 rotates further and the passage P comes above the discharge port 11b, only the medicine M at the bottom falls through the discharge port 11b to below the bottom portion 11a.

Therefore, by rotating the rotating member 20 provided in the medicine case 1, the medicine supply device can supply the medicines M one by one to a desired position, for example, a medicine packaging section.

<Action, effect>
The brush unit 50 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a case main body 11 that contains a drug and has a drug discharge port 11b provided in the bottom portion 11a; A brush unit 50 attached to a medicine case 1 provided with a rotating member 20 that rotates at an angle to scoop up the medicine on the rotating member 20, wherein the fixed member 51 is fixed to the inner surface of the case main body 11, and bristles are planted on the fixed member. and a brush 52 .

With such a configuration, even if the medicine is caught on the rotary member 20 and clogged, the clogging is cleared by the brush 52. - 特許庁

In the embodiment of the present invention, the fixing member 51 is detachably fixed to the inner surface of the case body 11 .

With such a configuration, the brush unit 50 can be easily replaced even when the brush 52 deteriorates due to aging or the like.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the fixing member 51 has a pair of pressing portions 54, 54 that are pressed against the inner surface of the case body 11 so as to separate from each other.

With such a configuration, the pair of pressing portions 54, 54 are pressed against the inner surface of the case main body 11 by elastic force and are in close contact with each other. Therefore, the fixing member 51 can be firmly fixed to the case body 11 by the frictional force acting between the pressing portion 54 and the inner surface of the case body 11 .

In the embodiment of the present invention, the fixing member 51 is arranged on the rib 11</b>R (projection) on the inner surface of the case body 11 .

Such a configuration suitably prevents the brush unit 50 attached to the inner surface of the case body 11 from slipping down.

In an embodiment of the present invention, brush 52 is made of synthetic resin. With such a configuration, the brush 52 has elasticity and can suitably scrape up the medicine without destroying the medicine.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the brush 52 is arranged on the opposite side of the discharge port 11b across the rotating shaft.

With such a configuration, there is a grace period of half rotation of the rotating member 20 from when the clogging of the medicine is cleared by the brush 52 until new medicine reaches the discharge port 11b. Therefore, when the clogging of the passage P1 is cleared by the brush 52, it is possible to prevent the medicine from being discharged.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the case main body 11 and the rotating member 20 form a passage P1 (medicine path) through which the medicine can pass when it assumes a predetermined posture. It is fixed to the inner surface of the main body 11 and has a length that allows it to come into contact with the drug and the bottom surface of the passage P1 while being flexed when the rotating member 20 rotates.

With such a configuration, the brush 52 can suitably clear the clogging of the medicine in the passage P1 as the rotating member 20 rotates.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the bottom surface of the passage P1 is a slope whose height changes along the circumferential direction of the rotary member 20. As shown in FIG.

With such a configuration, the brush 52 comes into contact with the passage P1 while being bent as the rotating member 20 rotates. As a result, clogging of the medicine in the passageway P1 can be preferably eliminated.

Although the medicine case 1 according to one embodiment and the medicine supply device including the same have been described above, it goes without saying that the medicine case 1 according to the present invention is not limited to those described above.

In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the rotating member 20 includes the upper member 25 having two gable roof-shaped slopes has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The upper member of the rotating member may be formed, for example, on a flat surface (a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation). In such cases, it is desirable that the length of the brush is such that it always contacts the flat surface of the upper member.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be suitably applied to a medicine case that discharges medicines such as tablets and capsules one by one, and a medicine supply device provided with such a medicine case.

1 drug case 11 case main body 11a bottom 11b discharge port 11c drive shaft insertion port 12 lid 13 side lid 20 rotating member 21 first side wall member 22 second side wall member 23 third side wall member 24 inclined plate 25 upper member 50 brush Unit 51 Fixed member 52 Brush 53 Main body 54 Pressing part P Passage M Medicine

Claims (7)

A case body containing a drug and having a discharge port for the drug provided at the bottom, a rotating member disposed inside the case body and rotating around a rotation axis , and a rotating member along the upper surface of the rotating member and a medicine path extending in the circumferential direction of the rotating member, and is attached to the medicine case, and the brush collides with the medicine clogged at the entrance of the medicine path from the circumferential direction to rake up the medicine. being a unit
a fixing member fixed to the inner surface of the case body;
a brush planted on the fixed member and extending downward from the fixed member ;
In the state of use, the brush collides with the drug in a bent state in contact with the bottom surface of the drug path.
brush unit. The fixing member has a pair of pressing parts that are pressed against the inner surface of the case body so as to be separated from each other, and is detachably fixed to the inner surface of the case body by the pair of pressing parts.
The brush unit according to claim 1. The brush is made of synthetic resin,
The brush unit according to claim 1 . a case body containing a drug and having a discharge port for the drug provided at the bottom;
a rotating member arranged inside the case body and rotating around a rotation axis;
a medicine path formed along the upper surface of the rotating member and extending in the circumferential direction of the rotating member;
a brush unit attached to the case body and colliding with the drug clogged in the drug path from the circumferential direction to rake up the drug;
The brush unit is
a fixing member fixed to the inner surface of the case body;
a brush planted on the fixed member and extending downward from the fixed member;
The brush collides with the drug in a bent state in contact with the bottom surface of the drug path.
drug case. The fixing member is arranged on a protrusion on the inner surface of the case body,
The drug case according to claim 4. The brush is arranged on the opposite side of the discharge port with the rotation shaft interposed therebetween.
The drug case according to claim 4. the bottom surface of the drug path is a slope whose height changes along the circumferential direction of the rotating member;
The drug case according to claim 4.

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