JP7368786B2 - Pill cassette unlocking system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a tablet cassette unlocking system that accommodates a large number of tablets and discharges the tablets according to a prescription.

Tablet cassettes of tablet storage and dispensing devices installed in dispensing pharmacies and hospitals are provided with a lid that opens and closes the upper opening of the cassette body when storing and replenishing tablets. Patent Document 1 describes a tablet cassette in which a container upper part is mounted on a container lower part and a lid is provided on the container upper part in order to expand the tablet storage space of the tablet cassette. In such a tablet cassette that can be raised, a lid can of course be attached to the lower part of the container before being raised, and a lid can be attached to the upper part of the container after being raised.

However, since the lid of a conventional tablet cassette can be freely opened, closed, and removed, the lid may come off when the tablet cassette is attached, detached, or moved, and the tablets inside may be scattered. Furthermore, there is a problem that as a result of incorrectly storing or replenishing the wrong tablet, a tablet different from the prescription may be taken out and provided to the patient.

JP 2017-127532 Publication

The present invention was made in view of these conventional problems, and the lid is normally locked so that it does not come off unnecessarily , and can be unlocked only when the correct tablet is to be stored or refilled. An object of the present invention is to provide a tablet cassette unlocking system.

In order to solve the above problems, the tablet cassette of the present invention has the following features:
a cassette body having an internal space for accommodating tablets;
In the tablet cassette, the tablet cassette includes a lid body that is provided to open and close the upper end opening of the cassette body,
an operating member that can be operated from the outside;
a locking member that locks the lid body to the cassette body with the upper end opening closed;
The locking member has an engaging portion that engages with an engaged portion of the cassette body or the lid, and the engaging portion and the cassette body or the lid are engaged by operation of the operating member. It is configured so that the engagement with the part is released.

In the present invention, the engaging portion of the lock member engages with the engaged portion of the cassette body or the lid, and the lid cannot be removed. When the operating member is operated from the outside, the locking member is activated and the engaging portion of the locking member is disengaged from the cassette body or the engaged portion of the lid, allowing the lid to be opened. Can be replenished.

The cassette body includes a tablet container and a raised frame attached to an upper end of the tablet container to increase the capacity of the internal space of the cassette body,
The operating member is
an operating rod provided on the tablet container and operable from the outside;
a relay rod provided on the raised frame and operable by the operating rod;
By operating the relay rod via the operating rod, the engaging portion is disengaged from the engaged portion of the cassette body or the lid.
Here, the lid body is provided to be able to open and close the upper end opening of the raised frame body,
It is preferable that the locking member is provided such that the engaging portion engages with the engaged portion provided on the raised frame.

In the present invention, when the raised frame is attached to the tablet container and the lid is attached to the raised body in order to increase the capacity of the internal space of the cassette body, the locking member is engaged in the same manner as when the raised frame is not attached. The mating part engages with the engaged part of the raised body, making it impossible to remove the lid. In addition, when the relay rod is operated via the operating rod, the locking member is activated and the engaging portion of the locking member is disengaged from the engaged portion of the raised frame, allowing the lid to be opened, allowing tablets to be stored. or replenish.

The lid body is provided to be openable and closable by a hinge, and the engaging portion of the locking member is provided on the opposite side of the hinge.
Thereby, the engaging portion of the locking member engages with the engaged portion at the position farthest from the hinge, so the lid can be opened and closed reliably.

The operating member or the locking member has an inclined cam surface so that the locking member moves when the operating member is operated from the outside.
Thereby, the locking member can be easily operated simply by sliding the operating member and the locking member via the inclined cam surface.

The tablet cassette unlocking system of the present invention includes:
When the tablet cassette is installed on a predetermined dispensing table, an operating section provided on the dispensing table operates the operating member of the tablet cassette, thereby opening the lid. There is.
Accordingly, when the tablet cassette is placed on a predetermined dispensing table, the operating member is operated, so that the lock can be released and the lid can be opened only when storing or replenishing tablets.

The tablet identifier of the medicine bottle containing the tablets to be stored in the tablet cassette is read, and when the read tablet identifier matches the tablet identifier of the tablet to be stored in the tablet cassette, an operation provided at the dispensing stand is executed. The operating member is configured to be operated by driving the operating member.
As a result, the operating member is operated only when the pill identifier of the pill bottle matches the identifier of the pill to be stored in the pill cassette, so the lock can be locked only when storing or replenishing the correct tablet to be stored in the pill cassette. can be released and the lid can be opened.

The dispensing machine is provided with a lock release button that can be operated by a user, and when the lock release button is turned on, an operation section provided on the dispensing table is driven to operate the operation member.
As a result, even if the pill bottle does not have a pill identifier, or if the pill cassette is filled with a drug that is not contained in the pill bottle, the user can turn on the lock release button to open the pill cassette lid. The lock can be released to store or refill tablets in the tablet cassette.

When the lock release button is turned on, the tablet identifier of the tablet to be stored in the tablet cassette, the date and time of unlocking, and the user ID of the user who released the lock are recorded.
This allows the user to manually unlock the tablet cassette, store the tablets in the tablet cassette, and record the history of refilling, making it possible to investigate the history in the event of a medical accident, and dispensing drugs. Mistakes can be prevented in advance.

According to the tablet cassette unlocking system of the present invention, the lid is normally locked and cannot be removed, so when the tablet cassette is attached/detached or moved, the lid may come off and the tablets inside may be scattered. There is no risk of the lid being removed unnecessarily.
Moreover, since the lid can be opened when the dispensing table is installed and the lock release button is turned on , tablets can be stored or replenished.

According to the tablet cassette unlocking system of the present invention, when the user manually unlocks the tablet cassette and refills the tablet, the history of the unlocked tablet cassette, the date and time of unlocking, and the user ID can be recorded. This makes it possible to investigate the history of medical accidents and prevent dispensing errors in advance.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the tablet cassette of the present invention with a raised frame attached. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the inside of the tablet cassette with the rotor removed. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tablet cassette seen from below. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rotor body as seen from the front side. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tablet ejection port of the tablet cassette as seen from the outside. The perspective view seen from the inside of the tablet ejection port of a tablet cassette. The perspective view seen from the top side of a rotor main body. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the state before and after removing the rotor head of the tablet cassette. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rotor cap and the rotor cover seen from above. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rotor cap and the rotor cover seen from below. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing how the rotor cover is removed. A horizontal sectional view (a) of the raised frame body and a sectional view (b) of the rod through hole portion. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the tablet container, the raised frame body, and the lid body. The left-right direction sectional view of a tablet container, a raised frame, and a lid. A perspective view seen from the inside of the lid body. FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway side view of the tablet cassette showing an operating rod, a relay rod, and a locking member. FIG. 3 is a diagram seen from the inner surface of the lid showing the operation of the locking member. The figure which shows the system which unlocks the tablet cassette installed in the dispensing stand. FIG. 7 is a view from inside the lid of a tablet cassette showing another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway side view of a tablet cassette showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a tablet cassette 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The tablet cassette 1 includes a tablet container 2, a rotor 3, a raised frame 4, and a lid 5. The raised frame 4 may or may not be present, but when the raised frame 4 is present, the tablet container 2 and the raised frame 4 constitute the cassette main body 1a, and when the raised frame 4 is not present, the tablet container 2 constitutes the cassette main body 1a.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tablet container 2 includes a tablet accommodating section 6 that can accommodate a large number of tablets, and a rotor accommodating section 7 that is provided below the tablet accommodating section 6 and that accommodates the rotor 3. There is. The rotor housing portion 7 has an inverted conical upper inclined inner surface 7a, a cylindrical lower vertical inner surface 7b, and a bottom surface 7c. A tablet ejection port 8 is formed from the lower part of the upper inclined inner surface 7a to the bottom surface 7c. A partition member 9 is attached to the outside of the tablet container 2, and the tip of the partition member 9 is inserted into the rotor accommodating portion 7 from the outside. A rotor drive section 10 that engages with and drives the rotor 3 is provided at the center of the bottom surface 7c. A base frame 11 is attached to the lower part of the tablet container 2 to be attached to a motor base (not shown). When the tablet cassette 1 is mounted on the motor base, the rotor drive unit 10 is driven by the motor provided on the motor base, and the rotor 3 is rotated.

As shown in FIG. 2, the corners of the tablet outlet side of the tablet container 2 (hereinafter, the tablet outlet side is referred to as the "rear" side, the opposite side is referred to as the "front" side, and both sides thereof are referred to as the "left and right" sides). A rod upper mounting hole 13 through which the operating rod 12 passes is formed inside. The operating rod 12 constitutes an operating member of the present invention. The upper end of the operating rod 12 protrudes from the rod upper mounting hole 13. The lower end of the operating rod 12 is located inside a rod lower mounting hole 14 formed at the bottom of the base frame 11 of the tablet container 2, as shown in FIG. Therefore, although the lower end of the operating rod 12 cannot be operated with bare hands, it can be pushed up from the outside by pushing it up with a rod-shaped tool or the like. Further referring to FIG. 16, the operating rod 12 has stepped portions 12a and 12b formed by reducing the diameter of the upper and lower ends. The operating rod 12 remains stationary because the lower stepped portion 12b abuts against the edge of the lower rod mounting hole 14 due to its own weight. The operating rod 12 is prevented from coming off by the upper step 12a abutting the lower end edge of the rod upper mounting hole 13 and the lower step 12b contacting the upper end edge of the rod lower mounting hole 14. The lower end can be moved by a predetermined amount by being pushed up from the outside.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, a groove 15 is formed on the rear side of the upper end of the tablet container 2, into which the mounting protrusion 47 of the raised frame 4 or the mounting protrusion 64 of the lid 5 is inserted. An engaging pawl 16 is formed on the side surface of the groove portion 15, with which the engaging pawl 48 of the raised frame 4 or the engaging pawl 65 of the lid 5 engages. Engagement pieces 17a, 17b and an engagement recess 18 are formed on the left and right sides of the upper end of the tablet container 2, and an engagement piece 19 continuous to the engagement piece 17b is formed on the front side. Engagement grooves 20 are formed on the outer surfaces of the left and right engagement pieces 17b and the front engagement piece 19. Further, a lock recess 21 is formed on the inner surface of the front engaging piece 19.

As shown in FIG. 4, the rotor 3 includes a rotor main body 22, a rotor cover 23, and a rotor cap 24. The rotor 3 has a conical top surface, an inverted conical side surface, and a flat bottom surface. A tablet pocket 25 is provided in the upper side surface of the rotor 3 in the circumferential direction, and a plurality of tablet guide paths 26 extending downward from the tablet pocket 25 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

The tablet pocket 25 is formed by an outer circumferential side surface formed by the outer circumferential surface of the rotor body 22, a first horizontal protrusion 27a of a first movable member (not shown), and a second horizontal protrusion 27b of a second movable member (not shown). It consists of a bottom surface arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

The tablet guide path 26 has a bottom surface formed by the inclined outer surface of the downward protrusion 28 of the rotor main body 22, a right side surface formed by the first vertical protrusion piece 29a of the first movable member (not shown), and a second movable part (not shown). It is composed of a left side surface formed by the second vertical projecting piece 29b of the member, and a lower end surface formed by the inclined upper surface of the tablet support base 30. The tablet guide path 26 extends from the adjacent tablet pocket 25 toward the bottom surface of the rotor 3 .

The tablet T accommodated in the tablet accommodating portion 6 of the tablet container 2 enters the tablet pocket 25 while being agitated by the rotation of the rotor 3, enters the tablet guide path 26 from the tablet pocket 25, and the tablet guide path 26 enters the tablet ejection path. When approaching the exit 8, the partition member 9 enters between the lowest tablet T in the tablet guide path 26 and the tablets T above it. The tablets T above the partition member 9 are prevented from falling downward by the partition member 9. The lowest tablet T below the partition member 9 is on the tablet support stand 30, but since the tablet support stand 30 is inclined, it falls down on the tablet support stand 30 toward the tablet ejection port 8, and the tablet T is ejected. The tablets are discharged from the outlet 8 and dispensed from a tablet dispensing port of a motor base (not shown) to which the tablet container 2 is attached. Thereby, each time the tablet guide path 26 comes around to the tablet ejection port 8, one tablet T is ejected. By adjusting the rotation angle of the rotor 3, it is possible to dispense the number of tablets T according to the prescription.

As shown in FIG. 5, the tablet outlet 8 of the tablet container 2 is located on the downstream side in the rotational direction of the rotor 3 (in FIG. It may get caught on the edge of the left side). Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, a chamfer 31 is formed at the corner of the tablet outlet 8 of the tablet container 2 on the upstream side in the rotational direction of the rotor 3 when viewed from the tablet outlet 8. As a result, the tablet T in the tablet guide path 26 can take a falling position within the space of the tablet guide path 26 widened by the chamfer 31 before reaching the tablet ejection port 8, as shown in FIG. 6(a). When the tablet reaches the tablet ejection port 8 as shown in FIG. 6(b), it is reliably ejected from the tablet ejection port 8.

The tablet guide path 26 uses a rotor elevating mechanism, a tablet support platform elevating mechanism, and a movable member moving mechanism to create a partition at a depth D corresponding to the thickness of the tablet T and a partition position corresponding to the height of the tablet T shown in FIG. H and the width W corresponding to the width of the tablet T can be adjusted. The rotor elevating mechanism, tablet support platform elevating mechanism, and movable member moving mechanism are known structures as described in Japanese Patent No. 6222414, and are not directly related to the present invention, so their explanations will be omitted. . As shown in FIG. 7, a depth adjustment member 32, a width adjustment member 33, and a height adjustment member 34 are provided on the upper surface of the rotor main body 22. Further, the rotor body 22 is provided with a pair of gripping pieces 22a protruding from the rotor body 22 for gripping the rotor body 22.

The rotor cover 23 covers the depth adjustment member 32, width adjustment member 33, and height adjustment member 34 provided on the upper surface of the rotor main body 22, and supports and stirs a large number of tablets accommodated in the tablet storage section 6. It is something. In order to adjust the depth adjustment member 32, width adjustment member 33, and height adjustment member 34 provided on the upper surface of the rotor main body 22, it is necessary to remove the rotor cover 23. However, as shown in FIG. 8A, when the rotor 3 is housed in the tablet container 2, there is no knob or the like on the rotor cover 23 and the rotor cap 24 for removing the rotor cover 23. It is possible to remove the rotor cap 24 by protruding the top of the rotor cap 24 at the center of the rotor cover 23, but in this case, the tablet gets caught in the protruding part of the rotor cap 24, making it difficult to take out the tablet smoothly. . In this way, the rotor cover 23 and the rotor cap 24 cannot be fitted with unnecessary protrusions that would impede their ability to support and stir the tablets. Therefore, this embodiment has a mechanism that allows the rotor cover 23 to be removed together with the rotor cap 24 simply by pushing the rotor cap 24.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the rotor cover 23 has a conical shape, and a cap attachment hole 35 to which the rotor cap 24 is attached is formed in the center. Attachment pieces 36 that protrude inward toward the rotor body 22 are provided on the edge of the cap attachment hole 35 at equally spaced positions on the circumference. An engaging portion 36a is formed at the tip of the attachment piece 36 to engage with an engaged portion 38 formed on the outer surface of the cylindrical shaft portion 37 of the rotor main body 22 shown in FIG. An inclined surface 36b is formed on the inner surface of the attachment piece 36 and is inclined radially inward toward the tip of the attachment piece 36 so that the edge of the rotor cap 24 engages with the inner surface. Steps 39 for stirring the tablets are radially formed on the outer surface of the rotor cover 23.

The rotor cap 24 includes a cylindrical portion 40 and a conical portion 41, which are accommodated in the cap attachment hole 35 of the rotor cover 23. Slanted surfaces 40 a that come into contact with the inclined surfaces 36 b of the attachment piece 36 of the rotor cover 23 are formed at three equidistant positions on the outer edge of the cylindrical portion 40 of the rotor cap 24 . Furthermore, stoppers 42 are formed at three equidistant positions on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 40 of the rotor cap 24 to engage with the edge of the cap attachment hole 35 of the rotor cover 23 to prevent it from coming off. Furthermore, the stopper 42 is an arcuate shape formed around the shaft part 37 of the rotor main body 22 shown in FIG. A pressing piece 44 facing the elastic piece 43 is formed. The elastic piece 43 is formed by providing a U-shaped notch in the upper surface of the rotor main body 22.

As shown in FIG. 11(a), the rotor cap 24 is inserted into the cap mounting hole 35 of the rotor cover 23 from the inside, and the engaging portion 36a of the mounting piece 36 of the rotor cover 23 is connected to the shaft portion 37 of the rotor body 22. In the state in which the rotor cover 23 and the rotor cap 24 are engaged with the joint portion 38, the rotor cover 23 and the rotor cap 24 cannot be removed from the rotor body 22. As shown in FIG. 11(b), when the rotor cap 24 is pressed from above, the inclined surface 40a of the cylindrical portion 40 of the rotor cap 24 presses the inclined surface 36b of the mounting piece 36 of the rotor cover 23, and the mounting piece 36 Since it is curved outward, the engaging portion 36a of the attachment piece 36 is disengaged from the engaged portion 38 of the shaft portion 37 of the rotor body 22. As shown in FIG. 11(c), when the rotor cap 24 is further pressed, the tip of the pressing piece 44 of the rotor cap 24 presses the elastic piece 43 of the rotor body 22, causing the elastic piece 43 to generate a repulsive force. When the pressing force on the rotor cap 24 is relaxed, the rotor cover 23 can be removed from the rotor body 22 together with the rotor cap 24 due to the repulsive force of the elastic piece 43 of the rotor body 22, as shown in FIG. 11(d). As a result, the upper surface of the rotor body 22 is exposed, so that the rotor body 22 can be removed from the tablet container 2 by appropriately grasping the gripping piece 22a with a tool or the like.

Returning to FIG. 1, the raised frame 4 is attached to the upper end of the tablet container 2 when increasing the capacity of the tablet accommodating portion 6 of the tablet container 2, and if necessary, the raised frame 4 is further raised on the raised body 4. The bodies 4 can be stacked to increase capacity.

As shown in FIG. 12(a), a rod through hole 46 through which a relay rod 45 passes is formed inside the rear corner of the raised frame 4. As shown in FIG. 12(b), the relay rod 45 is provided with a pair of locking pawls 45a at the top, and a stopper 45b is provided on the outer peripheral surface below the locking pawls 45a. The portion of the relay rod 45 provided with the locking pawl 45a is given elasticity by the slit 45c. The relay rod 45 remains stationary because the locking claw 45a locks into a protrusion 46 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the rod through hole 46 due to its own weight. The relay rod 45 is prevented from coming off by the locking claw 45a locking the protrusion 46a from above and the stopper 45b locking the protrusion 46 from below, and the lower end can be pushed up from the outside. can be moved by a predetermined amount. The upper end of the relay rod 45 protrudes from the rod through hole 46. The lower end of the relay rod 45 is located inside the rod through hole 46 and is in contact with the upper end of the operating rod 12 of the tablet container 2 . The relay rod 45 constitutes the operating member of the present invention together with the operating rod 12.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, a mounting protrusion 47 that is inserted into the groove 15 of the tablet container 2 is formed on the rear side of the lower end of the raised frame 4. An engagement claw 48 that engages with the engagement claw 16 of the groove 15 of the tablet container 2 is formed on the mounting protrusion 47 . Engagement recesses 49a, 49b and an engagement piece 50 that engage with the engagement pieces 17a, 17b and the engagement recess 18 of the tablet container 2 are formed on the left and right sides of the lower end of the raised frame 4, and an engagement piece 50 is formed on the front side. An engagement recess 51 continuous to the engagement recess 49b is formed to engage with the engagement piece 19 of the tablet container 2. Engagement protrusions 52 that engage with the engagement grooves 20 of the tablet container 2 are formed on the inner surfaces of the left and right engagement recesses 49b and the front engagement recess 51.

A groove 53 is formed on the rear side of the upper end of the raised frame 4, into which a mounting protrusion 64 of the lid 5 is inserted. An engaging pawl 54 with which an engaging pawl 65 of the lid body 5 engages is formed on the side surface of the groove portion 53 . Engagement pieces 55a, 55b and an engagement recess 56 are formed on the left and right sides of the upper end of the raised frame 4, and an engagement piece 57 continuous to the engagement piece 55b is formed on the front side. Engagement grooves 58 are formed on the outer surfaces of the left and right engagement pieces 55b and the front engagement piece 57. Further, a lock recess 59 is formed on the inner surface of the front engaging piece 57. At the upper end of the raised frame 4, one or more raised bodies 4 can be stacked. The left and right engaging pieces 55a, 55b, the engaging recess 56, and the engaging piece 57 are arranged so that when the raising frame 4 is placed further above the raising frame 4, the engaging recess 49a of the upper raising frame 4, 49b, the engagement piece 50, and the engagement recess 51 are engaged. The engagement groove 58 engages with the engagement protrusion 66 of the lid, and when the raising frame 4 is placed further above the raising frame 4, the engaging groove 58 engages with the engaging protrusion 52 of the upper raising frame 4. engage with.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lid 5 covers the tablet container 2 or the raised frame 4 in an openable and closable manner, and includes an outer lid 60, a locking member 61, and an inner lid 62.

As shown in FIG. 13, the outer lid 60 has an outer peripheral edge 63, and a mounting protrusion 64 inserted into the groove 15 of the tablet container 2 or the groove 53 of the raised frame 4 is provided at the rear end of the outer peripheral edge 63. It is formed. The mounting protrusion 64 is formed with an engaging claw 65 that engages with the engaging claw 16 of the groove 15 of the tablet container 2 or the engaging claw 54 of the groove 53 of the raised frame 4. The mounting protrusion 64 is connected to the outer peripheral edge 63 on the rear side of the outer cover 60 by a hinge 64a and also by an elastic piece 64b. Therefore, when the mounting protrusion 64 is inserted into the groove 15 of the tablet container 2 or the groove 53 of the raised frame 4, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. On the other hand, the hinge can be opened and closed in two stages: a half-open position 5' and a fully open position 5''. On the inner surface of the outer lid 60, as shown in FIG. 67 is formed.

As shown in FIG. 15, the locking member 61 includes an elongated main body 68 extending in the front-back direction, a cam portion 69 provided at the rear end of the main body 68, a locking portion 70 provided at the front end of the main body, and a main body 68. It consists of a pair of elastic pieces 71 provided in the middle. The main body 68 of the locking member 61 is attached movably in the front-back direction by two pairs of clamping pieces 72 provided on the inner surface of the outer cover 60. The cam portion 69 is formed with an inclined cam surface 69a that can slide into contact with the upper end of the operating rod 12 of the tablet container 2 or the upper end of the relay rod 45 of the raising frame 4. The lock portion 70 is supported from below by a U-shaped guide 73 provided on the inner surface of the outer lid 60. A lock pawl 70 a that engages with the lock recess 21 of the tablet container 2 or the lock recess 59 of the raised frame 4 is formed at the front end of the lock portion 70 . The pair of elastic pieces 71 extend toward the lock portion 70 so as to spread out from each other. The outer surfaces of the pair of elastic pieces 71 are supported by a pair of support pieces 74 provided on the inner surface of the outer lid 60. As a result, the pair of elastic pieces 71 are biased in the opening direction. A stopper 71 a that engages with the pair of support pieces 74 is formed near the tips of the outer surfaces of the pair of elastic pieces 71 . The locking member 61 is biased toward the front end side by the pair of elastic pieces 71.

As shown in FIG. 1, the inner lid 62 is removably attached to the inner surface of the outer lid 60 and covers the locking member 61 and the desiccant storage section 67. The inclined cam surface 69a of the cam portion 69 at the rear end of the lock member 61 and the lock pawl 70a of the lock portion 70 at the front end are exposed from the inner lid 62.

Next, the operation of the locking member 61 of the tablet cassette 1 having the above configuration will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 16, the tablet cassette 1 stores a large number of tablets of the same type in the tablet accommodating portion 6 of the tablet container 2, closes the lid body 5, and is mounted on the motor base of a tablet storage and extraction device (not shown). Ru. When mounted on the motor base, the lower end of the operating rod 12 is located above the mounting surface of the motor base, so it is not pressed upward. Therefore, the operating rod 12 and the relay rod 45 are stopped at their respective stop positions. Further, as shown in FIG. 17(a), the locking member 61 of the lid body 5 is urged forward by the elastic piece 71, and the locking claw 70a engages with the locking recess 59 of the raising frame 4. The lid body 5 is maintained in a closed state. Therefore, the lid 5 cannot be opened. Furthermore, even if the tablet cassette 1 is removed from the motor base, the lid 5 cannot be opened unless the lower end of the operating rod 12 is pushed up.

Therefore, as long as the tablet cassette 1 is attached to the motor base, the lid 5 will not be removed unnecessarily. Further, when the tablet cassette 1 is attached/detached or moved, the lid 5 will not come off and the tablets inside will not be scattered.

When the lower end of the operating rod 12 is pushed up with the tablet cassette 1 removed from the motor base, the upper end of the operating rod 12 pushes up the relay rod 45, and as a result, the upper end of the relay rod 45 pushes up the slope of the cam portion 69 of the locking member 61. Press the cam surface 69a. As a result, the locking member 61 moves toward the rear end against the biasing force of the pair of elastic pieces 71, and the locking claw 70a of the locking portion 70 of the locking member 61 is removed from the lock recess 59 of the raising frame 4. As a result, the lid body 5 can be opened around the hinge 64a, and the interior can be inspected, new tablets can be stored, or tablets can be replenished. To close the lid 5, the front end of the lid 5 is pressed against the raised frame 4. As a result, the lock pawl 70a of the lock member 61 engages with the lock recess 59 of the raised frame 4, and the lid 5 is closed.

FIG. 18 shows an unlocking system for preventing the wrong tablet from being inserted when the tablet cassette 1 is newly filled or refilled with tablets.

The dispensing table 75 on which the tablet cassette 1 is placed has an operating section 76 such as a solenoid that pushes up the lower end of the operating rod 12 of the tablet cassette 1, a drive section 77 that drives the operating section 76, and a medicine bottle 78. A barcode reader 79 that reads a tablet identifier such as a barcode, a control device 80 that sends a drive signal to the drive unit 77 based on an input signal of the tablet identifier read by the barcode reader 79, and an IC chip built into the tablet cassette 1. It is equipped with an IC reader 81 that reads the tablet identifier of the tablet to be stored in the tablet cassette 1 stored in the tablet cassette 1 and sends it to the control device 80.

In this system, when the tablet cassette 1 removed from the motor base of the tablet storage/ejection device is installed at a predetermined position on a dispensing table 75 integrated with the tablet storage/ejection device or dispensing table 75 provided adjacent to the tablet storage/ejection device, , the operating section 76 is in a state facing the lower end of the operating rod 12, the IC reader 81 reads the tablet identifier of the IC chip 1a of the tablet cassette 1, and the recognition signal is transmitted to the control device 80. When the barcode reader 79 scans the label of the medicine bottle 78 containing the tablet to be stored in the tablet cassette 1, the tablet identifier of the medicine bottle 78 is read and input to the control device 80. When the tablet identifier read by the barcode reader 79 matches the tablet identifier of the tablet to be stored in the tablet cassette 1 read by the IC reader 81, the control device 80 transmits a drive signal to the drive unit 77, The operating section 76 is driven via the driving section 77 to push up the lower end of the operating rod 12. As a result, as already explained, the locking member 61 moves toward the rear end, and the locking pawl 70a at the front end of the locking member 61 comes out of the locking recess 59 of the raising frame 4. As a result, the lid 5 is in the half-open state 5', so the dispenser can open the lid 5 to the fully open state 5'' to store or refill the pill bottle 78 with tablets. If the read tablet identifier does not match the tablet identifier of the tablet to be stored in the tablet cassette 1, no drive signal is sent to the drive unit 77. Therefore, the wrong tablet may be stored by mistake or the tablet may be replenished. This prevents dispensing errors and prevents tablets that differ from the prescription from being taken out and provided to the patient.

When the tablet cassette 1 has been filled or replenished with tablets, the lid 5 is closed, and the tablet cassette 1 is lifted from the dispensing stand 75, the IC reader 81 is no longer able to read the tablet identifier on the IC chip 1a of the tablet cassette. , stops sending the recognition signal to the control device 80. As a result, when the control device 80 stops receiving the recognition signal from the IC reader 81 or after a predetermined period of time (for example, 1 second) has passed since the recognition signal is no longer received, the control device 80 controls the operation unit via the drive unit 77. Move 76 back. As a result, the operating rod 12 and the relay rod 45 descend under their own weight, and the upper end of the relay rod 45 retreats from the lock member 61. Thereby, the locking member 61 of the lid 5 locks the lid 5.

In this system, if the tablet cassette 1 is placed on the dispensing table 75, the operating rod 12 and the relay rod 45 are pushed up by the operating section 76, so even if the lid 5 is closed unexpectedly, the lid 5 will not be locked. First, the lid 5 can be opened without reading the tablet identifier of the medicine bottle 78.

It is preferable to firmly fix the tablet cassette 1 to the dispensing table 75 so that the entire tablet cassette 1 will not be lifted and unlocked when the operating section 76 pushes up the operating rod 12. For this purpose, an iron plate 82 is provided on the bottom surface of the tablet cassette 1, and a magnet 83 facing the iron plate 82 is provided on the dispensing table 75, so that when the tablet cassette 1 is placed on the dispensing table 75, the iron plate of the tablet cassette 1 82 is attracted to the magnet 83 of the dispensing table 75, so that the tablet cassette 1 is fixed to the dispensing table 75. Furthermore, a recess 75a may be provided in the dispensing table 75 to prevent the tablet cassette 1 from moving in the horizontal direction.

If the medicine bottle 78 does not have a barcode, or if the medicine in a package dispensed for an inpatient in the ward is returned to the pharmacy without being taken due to a change in the inpatient's condition, the barcode reader 79 verification is not possible. Therefore, a lock release button 85 is displayed on a touch panel 84 such as a tablet storage/retrieval device integrated with the dispensing table 75, and when the lock release button 85 is turned on, an on signal is sent to the control device 80, and the control device 80 transmits a drive signal to the drive unit 77. Thereby, as described above, the driving section 77 drives the operating section 76 to push up the lower end of the operating rod 12, so that the lid 5 is unlocked. In this way, the tablet cassette 1 can be filled with tablets even if the medicine is in a medicine bottle 78 without a barcode or in a dispensed packet.

When the lock release button 85 is turned on, if the IC reader 81 recognizes the tablet identifier of the IC chip 1a of the tablet cassette 1 installed on the dispensing table 75, the control device 80 determines which tablet cassette 1 is manually selected. It is preferable to record whether the lock has been released together with the date and time of unlock and the user ID of the user who has released the lock. For this purpose, a login screen 86 is provided on the touch panel 84, and the unlock button 85 is not enabled unless the user inputs the user ID on the login screen 86, and the user ID input on the login screen 86 is acquired. so that it can be recorded. By recording that the user manually unlocked the lock, in the event of a medical accident such as the wrong pill being mixed in, it is possible to identify the person who unlocked the lock and investigate the history of dispensing, as well as to prevent dispensing errors in advance. can be prevented. Furthermore, by displaying the unlock button 85 only when it is determined that the user is qualified to perform dispensing based on the user ID entered on the login screen 86, dispensing by a user who is not qualified can be prevented. can be prevented. The unlock button 85 may be enabled only when the IC reader 81 recognizes the tablet identifier of the IC chip 1a of the tablet cassette 1.

Since some tablet cassettes 1 have a lid locking function and others do not have a lid locking function, the IC chip 1a of each tablet cassette 1 stores a tablet identifier and the presence or absence of a lid locking function. It is preferable. Even if the tablet cassette 1 in which the lid lock function is stored is placed on the dispensing table 75 and the tablet identifier stored in the IC chip 2a matches the tablet identifier in the barcode of the medicine bottle 78, the two match. By simply displaying this information and preventing the operation unit 76 from rising, unnecessary operations can be eliminated.

The unlocking device including the dispensing table 75, the operating section 76, the driving section 77, the barcode reader 79, and the IC reader 81 may be portable. The control device 80 may not be included in this device, but instead may be installed in something that can communicate with this device.

In the embodiment, when the raised frame 4 is placed on the tablet container 2, the outer surface of one member of the tablet container 2 and the raised frame 4 engage with the inner surface of the other member. That is, the outer surfaces of the engaging pieces 17a, 17b, the engaging recess 18, and the engaging piece 19 of the tablet container 2, and the engaging recesses 49a, 49b, the engaging piece 50, and the engaging recess 51 of the raised frame 4. The respective inner surfaces engage with each other. Furthermore, the tablet container 2 and the raised frame 4 engage with each other at four locations: the left side, the right side, the front surface, and the rear surface. That is, the engagement groove 20 and the engagement protrusion 52 on the left side, the engagement groove 20 and the engagement protrusion 52 on the right side, the engagement groove 20 and the engagement protrusion 52 on the front surface, and the engagement claw 16 on the rear surface. The engaging claws 48 engage with each other. For this reason, if the left and right sides of the raising frame 4 are held and narrowed by hand, for example, the front and rear surfaces will widen and the engagement will come off, but the engagement between the left and right sides will become strong, so the raising frame 4 can be tightened. The frame 4 cannot be removed from the tablet container 2. Similarly, if engagement convex portions are provided on both the left and right sides of the outer peripheral edge 63 of the lid 5, the lid 5 will engage with the tablet container 2 or the raised frame 4 on four sides: the left and right sides and the front and rear surfaces. Therefore, the lid 5 cannot be removed even if the tablet container 2 or the raised frame 4 is held by hand. When the lid 5 is locked, it cannot be opened or removed, so it is possible to prevent the wrong tablet from being intentionally inserted. If you use a special tool to pry up the lower end of the mounting protrusion 47 on the rear surface of the raised frame 4 or the mounting protrusion 64 on the rear surface of the lid 5 to disengage it, the raised frame 4 or the lid 5 can be removed. It can be removed from the tablet container 2 or the raised frame 4.

In the embodiments described above, one raised frame 4 is attached to the tablet container 2, but even if two or more raised frames 4 are attached, the tablet container can still be used without attaching the raised frame 4. Even when the lid 5 is attached directly to the lid 2, the lid 5 can be similarly locked.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes can be made within the scope of the invention described in the claims.
For example, the operation of the operating rod 12 is not limited to a push-up operation as long as it can be operated from the outside. The operating rod 12 may be moved upward by a rotational operation. Further, in the embodiment described above, the cam portion 69 is provided as a connecting portion of the lock member 61, but the cam portion 69 is not limited to the cam portion 69, and a known mechanism such as a link or a gear may be employed. Although the inclined cam surface 69a is provided on the cam portion 69 of the lock member 61, the upper end of the operating rod 12 or the relay rod 45 may be formed as an inclined cam surface.

In the embodiment described above, the operating member 12 and the locking recess 59 are provided in the cassette body 1a, and the locking member 61 is provided in the lid 5, but conversely, the operating member is provided in the lid, and the locking member is provided in the cassette main body. may be provided. If the locking member 61 is provided on the cassette main body 1a or the raised frame 4, the volume of the tablet accommodating portion 6 will be reduced by the amount of the locking member 61, or the shape of the tablet accommodating portion 6 will be distorted, making it easier for tablets to become clogged. Sometimes. On the other hand, since the lid body 5 is provided with the desiccant storage section 67, there is a dead space between the side surface of the outer lid 61 and the desiccant storage section 67. By providing the locking member 61 in this dead space, there is no need to reduce the capacity or change the shape of the cassette main body 1a or the raised frame 4.

Further, as shown in FIG. 19, both the operating member 12 and the locking member 61 may be provided on the lid body 5, or as shown in FIG. 20, the operating member 12 and the locking member 90 may be provided on the cassette body 1a. good. In FIG. 20, the operating member 12 has an operating gear 90 at its upper end, and its lower end can be rotated. Further, the lock member 91 includes a lock rod 92 provided on the tablet container 2 and a relay rod 93 provided on the raised frame 4 and engaged with the lock rod 92. The lower end of the lock rod 92 has a linking gear 94 that meshes with the drive gear 90 as a linking part, and the upper end has a linking gear 94 that engages with a locking recess 95 of the raised frame 4 or a locking recess 97 of the lid 5 as an engaging part. It has a lock lever 96. Further, the lower end of the relay rod 93 engages with the lock rod 92 so as to be able to rotate together with the lock rod 92, and the upper end has a lock lever 98 as an engaging portion that engages with the lock recess 97 of the lid body 5. The lock rod 92 and the relay rod 93 are urged by a spring (not shown) in a rotational direction in which the lock levers 96 and 98 engage with the lock recesses 95 and 97. As a result, when the lower end of the operating member 12 is rotated, the lock rod 92 and the relay rod 93 are rotated via the drive gear 90 and the connecting gear 94, and the lock levers 96 and 98 are disengaged from the lock recesses 95 and 97, and the lid The body 5 can be opened.

1 Tablet cassette 1a Cassette body 2 Tablet container 3 Rotor 4 Raising frame 5 Lid 12 Operation rod (operation member)
21 Lock recess (engaged part)
45 Relay rod (operating member)
59 Lock recess (engaged part)
61 Lock member 64a Hinge 69 Cam part (connecting part)
69a Inclined cam surface (connection part)
70 Lock part 70a Lock claw (engaging part)
75 Dispensing table 76 Operation part 77 Drive part 78 Medicine bottle 79 Barcode reader 80 Control device 81 IC reader 85 Lock release button 91 Lock member 92 Lock rod 93 Relay rod 94 Linking gear (linking part)
95 Lock recess (engaged part)
96 Lock lever (engaging part)
97 Lock recess (engaged part)
98 Lock lever (engaging part)

Claims (2)

In a pill cassette unlocking system configured to unlock a lid of a pill cassette installed in a dispensing table when a user turns on an unlock button,
comprising an input means for a user to input a user ID,
When the unlock button is turned on, the tablet cassette is configured to record the unlocked tablet cassette, the date and time of unlocking, and the user ID of the user who unlocked the device input by the input means. A tablet cassette unlocking system. 2. The tablet cassette unlocking system according to claim 1, wherein the unlocking button is not enabled unless the user inputs a user ID into the input means.

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