JP7846427B2 - Chemical dispensing device, chemical dispensing program - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a drug dispensing device that automatically dispenses drugs from multiple drug cassettes.

Generally, chemical dispensing devices are known that have multiple chemical cassettes containing predetermined types of chemicals, and that automatically dispense the chemicals contained in each cassette. Furthermore, chemical dispensing devices are also known that have a variable cassette capable of dispensing any type of chemical by changing the driving conditions according to the shape of the chemical (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Patent No. 5812228

Incidentally, in a drug dispensing device equipped with variable cassettes capable of dispensing any type of drug, the user may perform an operation to select the variable cassette to which the drug to be dispensed will be assigned from among multiple variable cassettes. The user then fills the selected variable cassette with the drug to be dispensed.

The object of this invention is to provide a drug dispensing device and a drug dispensing program that can assist in the use of variable cassettes.

The present invention relates to a drug dispensing device comprising a plurality of drug cassettes capable of dispensing any type of drug, and includes: a display processing unit that displays a selection screen in which a plurality of selection areas for selecting each of the drug cassettes are displayed in the same arrangement as the arrangement of each of the drug cassettes in the drug dispensing device; a reception processing unit that receives selection operations for the selection areas on the selection screen; an assignment processing unit that assigns drug information to be dispensed to the drug cassette corresponding to the selection area received by the reception processing unit; and a drive processing unit that drives the drug cassette according to pre-set drive conditions corresponding to the drug information assigned by the assignment processing unit, and brings the drug cassette into a state where the drug corresponding to the drug information can be dispensed.

The drug dispensing program according to the present invention is a drug dispensing program that causes a processor controlling a drug dispensing device equipped with a plurality of drug cassettes capable of dispensing any type of drug to execute the following steps: a display step of displaying a selection screen in which a plurality of selection areas for selecting each of the drug cassettes are displayed in the same arrangement as the arrangement of each of the drug cassettes in the drug dispensing device; a reception step of receiving a selection operation for the selection areas on the selection screen; an assignment step of assigning drug information to be dispensed to the drug cassette corresponding to the selection area received in the reception step; and a drive step of driving the drug cassette according to pre-set drive conditions corresponding to the drug information assigned in the assignment step, thereby bringing the drug cassette into a state where the drug corresponding to the drug information can be dispensed.

According to the present invention, since each of the selection areas is displayed on the selection screen in the same arrangement as each of the chemical cassettes in the chemical dispensing device, the user can intuitively select the desired variable cassette from among the multiple variable cassettes on the selection screen. Furthermore, even after the chemical information has been assigned to the variable cassette, the user can intuitively identify the variable cassette positioned at the selected location on the selection screen and perform the task of filling it with the chemical corresponding to the chemical information. Therefore, the chemical dispensing device and the chemical dispensing program can support the use of the variable cassettes, resulting in effects such as improved work efficiency and reduced human error.

According to the present invention, a drug dispensing device and a drug dispensing program capable of assisting the use of a variable cassette are provided.

Figure 1 is an external view of a chemical dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of a chemical dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of a fixed cassette in a drug dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of a variable cassette in a chemical dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of a variable cassette in a drug dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of a variable cassette in a drug dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of the mounting section of the variable cassette of the drug dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 shows an example of the tablet packaging results in a drug dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 shows an example of allocation information used in a drug dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 shows an example of drive-corresponding information used in a chemical dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the procedures for drug dispensing and packaging control processes performed by a drug dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 is an external view showing another example of a chemical dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 13 shows an example of a selection screen displayed in a chemical dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 is an external view showing another example of a chemical dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 15 is a schematic diagram showing the main components of a variable cassette of a chemical dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of a recovery unit of a chemical dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of a recovery unit of a chemical dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 18 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the procedures for drug dispensing and packaging control processes performed by a drug dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of a recovery unit of a chemical dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 20 is a schematic diagram of a recovery unit of a chemical dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings to facilitate understanding of the invention. Note that the following embodiments are merely examples of the present invention and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the invention.

[First Embodiment]
First, with reference to Figures 1 and 2, the general configuration of the chemical dispensing device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the drug dispensing device 100 includes a prescription control unit 1, a tablet supply unit 2, a powder supply unit 3, a manual dispensing unit 4, a packaging unit 5, a packaging control unit 6, and a barcode reader 7, among others.

The prescription control unit 1, the tablet supply unit 2, the powder supply unit 3, the manual dispensing unit 4, the packaging unit 5, and the packaging control unit 6 are connected by an internal bus N1. Furthermore, the prescription control unit 1 and the barcode reader 7 are wirelessly connected according to communication standards such as wireless LAN or Bluetooth®. The drug dispensing device 100 is controlled by the prescription control unit 1 and the packaging control unit 6, and dispenses drugs such as tablets and powders supplied from the tablet supply unit 2, the powder supply unit 3, and the manual dispensing unit 4 in individual dose units based on administration timing, etc., using the packaging unit 5.

[Tablet supply unit 2]
The tablet supply unit 2 is
The system includes multiple fixed cassettes 21 capable of dispensing one tablet (unit quantity) of a predetermined specific type of tablet, and multiple variable cassettes 22 (an example of a drug cassette) capable of dispensing one tablet (unit quantity) of any type of tablet by changing the driving conditions.

Specifically, in the example shown in Figure 1, a total of 54 fixed cassettes 21 are provided in a 6x9 grid, and below them, a total of 4 variable cassettes 22 are provided in a 1x4 grid. The tablets that can be dispensed by the fixed cassettes 21 and variable cassettes 22 include solid medicines in various forms, such as disc-shaped, spherical, or capsule-shaped.

Furthermore, in another embodiment, the tablet supply unit 2 may not have the fixed cassette 21, but only have a plurality of variable cassettes 22. Specifically, it is conceivable that the variable cassettes 22 are provided in place of the fixed cassette 21. Also, as shown in Figure 12, it is conceivable that a plurality of shelves 20 for placing the drugs to be filled into the variable cassettes 22 are formed above the variable cassettes 22. In this case, the control unit 11 of the formulation control unit 1, described later, may be capable of registering the types of drugs to be placed on the shelves 20, and the monitor 13 may be capable of displaying the types of drugs corresponding to each of the shelves 20 in the same area as their placement location.

Each of the fixed cassettes 21 is configured to be detachably attached to each mounting section 211 provided on the tablet supply unit 2. Each of the mounting sections 211 is equipped with a first drive unit 23 that individually drives the fixed cassettes 21. Each of the first drive units 23 is equipped with a drive motor 231 and an RFID reader/writer 232. The drive motor 231 supplies driving force to the drive mechanism of the fixed cassette 21. The RFID reader/writer 232 is an information reading means that reads and writes information to an RFID tag (not shown) provided on the fixed cassette 21 using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) wireless communication technology.

Furthermore, the installation locations of the RFID tag (not shown) and the RFID reader/writer 232 should be determined relatively within a range that allows the RFID reader/writer 232 to read and write information from the RFID tag (not shown) when the fixed cassette 21 is mounted on the mounting section 211.

The RFID tag (not shown) is a non-volatile recording medium on which cassette identification information for identifying each of the fixed cassettes 21 is stored. The cassette identification information is written by the prescription control unit 1 during the initial setup of the drug dispensing device 100.

Each of the variable cassettes 22 is configured to be detachably attached to each of the mounting sections 221 provided on the tablet supply unit 2. In another embodiment, each of the variable cassettes 22 can be extended from the mounting section 221. Each of the mounting sections 221 is equipped with a second drive unit 24 for individually driving the variable cassettes 22.

Each of the second drive units 24 comprises drive motors 241-244 and an RFID reader/writer 245. The drive motors 241-244 supply driving force to the drive mechanism of the variable cassette 22. The RFID reader/writer 245 is an information reading means that reads and writes information to the RFID tag 26 (see Figure 6) provided on the variable cassette 22 using RFID wireless communication technology.

Furthermore, the installation locations of the RFID tag 26 and the RFID reader/writer 245 should be determined relatively within a range that allows the RFID reader/writer 245 to read and write information from the RFID tag 26 when the variable cassette 22 is mounted on the mounting section 221. Specifically, it is conceivable that the RFID reader/writer 245 and the RFID tag 26 are arranged in such a positional relationship that each RFID reader/writer 245 on each mounting section 221 can communicate only with the RFID tag 26 of the variable cassette 22 mounted on that mounting section 221. In other words, the RFID reader/writer 245 and the RFID tag 26 are arranged in such a positional relationship that the RFID reader/writer 245 on the mounting section 221 cannot communicate with the RFID 26 of the variable cassette 22 mounted on other mounting sections 221 adjacent to that mounting section 221. Furthermore, electromagnetic wave shielding members may be provided between each of the mounting portions 221 to shield against electromagnetic waves.

The RFID tag 26 is a non-volatile recording medium on which cassette identification information for identifying each of the variable cassettes 22, and chemical information assigned to the variable cassette 22 in the chemical dispensing process described later (see Figure 11), are recorded.

The aforementioned drug information is information that can identify the type of tablet (drug), and includes, for example, the drug name, drug ID, drug code, JAN code, RSS code, and QR code (registered trademark). The JAN code and RSS code are numerical or character information represented by a one-dimensional code (barcode, GS1 code), while the QR code (registered trademark) is numerical or character information represented by a two-dimensional code.

Incidentally, the number of variable cassettes 22 and the number of mounting sections 221 do not necessarily have to match. For example, it is conceivable that a user can select any variable cassette 22 from a number of variable cassettes 22 greater than the number of mounting sections 221 and mount it in the mounting section 221. In particular, a configuration is conceivable in which multiple variable cassettes 22 can be mounted corresponding to each mounting section 221. This point also applies to the fixed cassette 21 and the mounting section 211.

[Fixed Cassette 21]
Here, an example of the fixed cassette 21 will be described with reference to Figure 3. Note that the structure of the fixed cassette 21 described here is merely an example, and other structures with similar functions may be used. Figure 3 is a diagram in which the cover member covering the top of the fixed cassette 21 is omitted.

Since the type of tablets to be contained in each of the fixed cassettes 21 is predetermined, for example, the front surface of each fixed cassette 21 is pre-printed with information about the drugs contained in the tablets.

As shown in Figure 3, the fixed cassette 21 includes a tablet storage section 212 for holding a large number of tablets, and a tablet discharge section 213 for individually discharging the tablets stored in the tablet storage section 212. The tablet discharge section 213 is located in a recess formed approximately in the center of the tablet storage section 212, and the tablets in the tablet storage section 212 descend sequentially toward the tablet discharge section 213.

The tablet dispensing section 213 includes a rotor 214 rotatably supported by the housing of the fixed cassette 21, and an inner wall 214A covering the outer circumference of the rotor 214. The rotor 214 is connected to the drive motor 231 of the first drive unit 23 via a drive transmission system (not shown) such as various gears when the fixed cassette 21 is mounted on the mounting section 211. In addition, the outer circumference of the rotor 214 has ribs 21 at predetermined intervals.
Ribs 215 and 216 are formed. As a result, a gap 217 is intermittently formed on the outer circumference of the rotor 214, surrounded by the ribs 215, 216, and the inner wall 214A. The width of the gap 217 is determined according to the type of tablet predetermined to be stored in the fixed cassette 21, and corresponds to the width of one tablet.

Furthermore, a gap 218 is formed between the ribs 215 and 216, extending across the entire outer surface of the rotor 214. Here, the height of the upper end of each of the ribs 215 and 216 is determined according to the type of tablet predetermined to be contained in the fixed cassette 21. Specifically, the height of the upper end of the rib 215 shown in Figure 3 corresponds to the height of three tablets, and three tablets are inserted into each of the gaps 217 of the rotor 213. The height of the upper end of the rib 216 corresponds to the height of one tablet.

On the other hand, the inner wall 214A has an outlet 219 for discharging tablets from the rotor 214, and the outlet 219 is provided with a partition plate 220 that is inserted into the gap 218. As a result, at the outlet 219, of the three tablets inserted in the gap 217, the upper two tablets are prevented from falling by the partition plate 220, and only the lower tablet is discharged. Therefore, in the fixed cassette 21, the rotor 214 is driven by the drive motor 231, and the tablets stored in the tablet storage section 212 are dispensed one tablet at a time.

[Variable Cassette 22]
Next, an example of the variable cassette 22 will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 7. Note that the structure of the variable cassette 22 described here is merely an example; other structures are also acceptable as long as they enable the dispensing of tablets one at a time. For example, other examples of the variable cassette 22 are disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-535683 or Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-115493.

As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the variable cassette 22 comprises a tablet storage section 222 for holding a large number of tablets, and a first rotating body 223 and a second rotating body 224 for dispensing tablets from the tablet storage section 222. Note that Figures 4 to 6 omit the cover member covering the upper part of the variable cassette 22. Furthermore, the variable cassette 22 only needs to be capable of dispensing tablets in predetermined unit quantities; for example, it may be configured to dispense tablets in batches of multiple tablets rather than one tablet at a time.

The first rotating body 223 is a disc-shaped member that forms the bottom surface of the tablet storage section 222. The rotation axis of the first rotating body 223 is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the vertical direction, and the upper surface of the first rotating body 223 is inclined at the same predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal plane. Furthermore, radial ribs 223A are formed on the upper surface of the first rotating body 223 at predetermined intervals. The first rotating body 223 is rotatably supported by the housing of the variable cassette 22 and is connected to the drive gear 223B shown in Figures 5 and 6.

The second rotating body 224 is a hollow, annular member positioned around the first rotating body 223 in a plan view, and is an example of a conveying member that transports tablets from the tablet storage section 222 to the dispensing port 225 and dispenses them from the dispensing port 225. The upper end of the first rotating body 223 is located on the same horizontal plane as the second rotating body 224. The second rotating body 224 is rotatably supported by the housing of the variable cassette 22, and the drive gear 224A shown in Figure 6 is formed on its outer circumferential surface.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 7, the mounting section 221 includes a drive gear 221A that is connected to the drive gear 223B of the first rotating body 223 when the variable cassette 22 is mounted, and a drive gear 221B that is connected to the drive gear 224A of the second rotating body 224. The drive gear 221A is connected to the drive motor 241 of the second drive unit 24, and the drive gear 221B is connected to the drive motor 242 of the second drive unit 24.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the variable cassette 22 includes a height-regulating member 226 and a width-regulating member 227 positioned on the dispensing path of the tablets, which are transported to the dispensing outlet 225 by the second rotating body 224.

The height restricting member 226 restricts the height of the tablets that can be transported to the dispensing port 225 by the second rotating body 224, and the width restricting member 227 restricts the width of the tablets that can be transported to the dispensing port 225 by the second rotating body 224. As a result, in the variable cassette 22, only tablets that fit within the height h1 restricted by the height restricting member 226 and the width w1 restricted by the width restricting member 227 are dispensed from the dispensing port 225. Therefore, in the variable cassette 22, if the height h1 and width w1 are greater than or equal to the height and width of one tablet and less than the height and width of at least two tablets stored in the tablet storage section 222, it is possible to dispense tablets one at a time. More specifically, in the variable cassette 22, if the center of gravity of a tablet is located on the second rotating body 224, there is a possibility that the tablet may remain on the second rotating body 224. Therefore, it is conceivable that the width w1 restricted by the width restricting member 227 is set to be greater than or equal to the width of one tablet, but less than the width of 1.5 tablets.

Furthermore, the variable cassette 22 includes a height adjustment section 226A for changing the height h1 restricted by the height restricting member 226, and a width adjustment section 227A for changing the width w1 restricted by the width restricting member 227. A pinion gear is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the width adjustment section 227A, which meshes with a rack (gear) formed on the inner circumferential surface of an elongated hole 227B formed in the width restricting member 227.

The height adjustment unit 226A is rotatably supported by the housing of the variable cassette 22 and is connected to the drive gear 226B shown in Figure 6. The height adjustment unit 226A, when rotated, moves the position of the lower end of the height regulating member 226 up and down, thereby changing the height h1 regulated by the height regulating member 226.

The width adjustment section 227A is rotatably supported by the housing of the variable cassette 22 and is connected to the drive gear 227C shown in Figure 6. The width adjustment section 227A changes the amount of protrusion of the width restricting member 227 toward the tablet storage section 222 when the drive gear 227C is rotated, thereby changing the width w1 restricted by the width restricting member 227. Specifically, the amount of protrusion of the width restricting member 227 toward the tablet storage section 222 is changed by the relative movement of the width adjustment section 227A and the elongated hole 227B in the direction of arrow R3 (see Figure 4) due to the rotation of the drive gear 227C.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 7, the mounting section 221 includes a drive gear 221C that is connected to the drive gear 226B when the variable cassette 22 is mounted, and a drive gear 221D that is connected to the drive gear 227C. The drive gear 221C is connected to the drive motor 243 of the second drive unit 24, and the drive gear 221D is connected to the drive motor 244 of the second drive unit 24.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the variable cassette 22 and the mounting section 221 are equipped with drive gears 228A and 228B, which are connected when the variable cassette 22 is mounted on the mounting section 221. The drive gear 228A is connected to a lifting mechanism (not shown) that raises and lowers the first rotating body 223 in the vertical direction, and the drive gear 228B is connected to a drive motor (not shown). As a result, when the drive motor is driven, driving force is transmitted from the drive gear 228B to the drive gear 228A, and the lifting mechanism allows the first rotating body 223 to be raised and lowered. Therefore, in the drug dispensing device 100, the volume in the tablet storage section 222 can be changed by raising and lowering the first rotating body 223, and the number of tablets that can be stored in the tablet storage section 222 can be adjusted arbitrarily. For this reason, the variable cassette 22 can be used in both applications where a small number of tablets are to be stored and applications where a large number of tablets are to be stored.

Furthermore, in the variable cassette 22, when the first rotating body 223 rotates in rotational direction R1 (see Figures 4 and 5), the tablets in the tablet storage section 222 are discharged from the first rotating body 223 to the second rotating body 224. Also, in the variable cassette 22, when the second rotating body 224 rotates in rotational direction R2 (see Figures 4 and 5), the tablets on the second rotating body 224 are conveyed toward the discharge port 225.

However, among the tablets transported by the second rotating body 224, those stacked in the height direction come into contact with the height-regulating member 226 and are returned to the tablet storage section 222. Also, among the tablets transported by the second rotating body 224, those transported side-by-side in the width direction come into contact with the width-regulating member 227 and are returned to the tablet storage section 222.

As a result, in the variable cassette 22, tablets of sizes corresponding to the height h1 restricted by the height restricting section 226 and the width w1 restricted by the width restricting member 227 are transported to the dispensing outlet 225 in a circumferential arrangement of one tablet at a time on the second rotating body 224. Therefore, the variable cassette 22 can dispense tablets stored in the tablet storage section 222 one tablet at a time, and the amount of tablets dispensed can be controlled.

Thus, by using the variable cassette 22, the height h1 restricted by the height restricting member 226 and the width w1 restricted by the width restricting member 227 can be changed, making it possible to dispense any type of tablet one at a time.

Furthermore, each of the variable cassettes 22 is provided with a display unit 25 whose display content can be changed, as shown in Figures 1 and 4. Here, the display unit 25 is an electronic paper display that, once the display content is written by power supply, maintains the display of that content even when power is not supplied.

Specifically, the variable cassette 22 and the mounting section 221 are each provided with a contact-type connector (not shown) to which the variable cassette 22 is connected when it is mounted on the mounting section 221. Here, the display unit 25 is connected to the connector on the variable cassette 22 side, and the formulation control unit 1 is connected to the connector on the mounting section 221 side. When the variable cassette 22 is mounted on the mounting section 221, the display unit 25 and the formulation control unit 1 are electrically connected by the connectors. This allows the formulation control unit 1 to change the display on each of the display units 25. Note that the display unit 25 is not limited to electronic paper; it may also be other display means such as a liquid crystal display. Furthermore, the display unit 25 may be provided on the mounting section 221 where each variable cassette 22 is mounted, corresponding to each of the variable cassettes 22.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, each of the variable cassettes 22 has a built-in RFID tag 26 for storing various types of information. The RFID tag 26 is a non-volatile recording medium whose stored information can be rewritten by the RFID reader/writer 245, and as described above, it is used to store cassette identification information for each of the variable cassettes 22, and the drug information assigned to each of the variable cassettes 22. The RFID tag 26 is mounted on a control board provided on each of the variable cassettes 22, and the control board also has the function of changing the display on the display unit 25 of the variable cassette 22 according to a control signal from the formulation control unit 1. The control board is equipped with an electrical circuit that is driven by power supplied via the connector, power supplied from a power storage unit such as a battery mounted on the control board, or power supplied when writing information to the RFID tag 26. Furthermore, in another embodiment, each of the variable cassettes 22 may have a recording medium such as an EEPROM, which the prescription control unit 1 can read and write information to via the connector, instead of the RFID tag 26.

[Powder supply unit 3]
As shown in Figure 1, the powder supply unit 3 is equipped with two input sections 31 and 32, and the powder placed in each of the input sections 31 and 32 is supplied to the packaging unit 5 in pre-set dose units such as the timing of administration by the prescription control unit 1.

Specifically, the powder supply unit 3 comprises two sets of dispensing units: one dispensing unit that evenly spreads the powdered medicine introduced into the input unit 31 onto a disc and scrapes it out at predetermined angles corresponding to the individual packaging units; and another dispensing unit that evenly spreads the powdered medicine introduced into the input unit 32 onto a disc and scrapes it out at predetermined angles corresponding to the individual packaging units. The powdered medicine introduced into the powder supply unit 3 is pre-weighed using a weighing device as the total amount of prescription medication to be prescribed to the patient.

[Hand-sowing unit 4]
The hand-dispensing unit 4 comprises a hand-dispensing storage section with multiple compartments into which tablets are placed in pre-set dosage units, such as a set administration time, and a hand-dispensing dispensing section that dispenses the tablets contained in each compartment to the packaging unit 5. In the hand-dispensing storage section, the multiple compartments are arranged in a matrix. The hand-dispensing dispensing section can be configured such that tablets contained in the compartments can be dispensed by individually opening and closing the bottom surfaces of the compartments in the hand-dispensing storage section. In the drug dispensing device 100, the hand-dispensing unit 4 is used to dispense tablets smaller than one tablet, such as half tablets, and is a well-known example, so no further explanation is provided here. Conventionally, the hand-dispensing unit 4 has also been used to dispense any tablets not pre-stored in the fixed cassette 21, but in the drug dispensing device 100, any tablets can be dispensed using the variable cassette 22. Of course, the hand-dispensing unit 4 can also be used to dispense any tablets not stored in the fixed cassette 21.

[Dispensing Unit 5]
The packaging unit 5 collects the medicines supplied from the tablet supply unit 2, the powder supply unit 3, and the manual dispensing unit 4 into individual packaging sheets in units corresponding to the timing of administration. For example, the packaging unit 5 packages the medicines in the individual packaging units using a transparent or translucent roll-shaped medicine packaging sheet and seals it by welding or the like. As a result, the medicine packaging sheet containing the medicines in the individual packaging units is discharged from the packaging unit 5.

Here, Figure 8 shows an example of a drug packaging sheet 51 discharged from the packaging unit 5. As shown in Figure 8, the drug packaging sheet 51 has multiple packaging papers 52 in which multiple tablets are packaged in the packaging unit, and perforations 52A are formed between each packaging paper 52 to allow for easy separation. If the prescription data includes powdered medication, the packaging unit 5 can also package the powdered medication supplied from the powder supply unit 3 into the packaging papers 52. Furthermore, the packaging unit 5 is provided with a printing unit (not shown) for printing information on each of the packaging papers 52, and prescription information such as the patient's name, timing of administration, prescribed medication, or prescribed amount can be printed on the surface of each packaging paper 52 by the printing unit (not shown).

[Packaging control unit 6]
As shown in Figure 2, the packaging control unit 6 comprises a control unit 61 and a storage unit 62, and controls the tablet supply unit 2, the powder supply unit 3, the manual dispensing unit 4, and the packaging unit 5, etc., to cause the drug dispensing device 100 to perform the packaging operation. The packaging control unit 6 is built into the drug dispensing device 100.

The control unit 61 is a control means having a CPU, RAM, ROM, and EEPROM. The control unit 61 executes various processes according to various programs pre-stored in the ROM, EEPROM, or storage means such as the storage unit 62, using the CPU. The RAM and EEPROM are used as temporary storage memory (work area) for the various processes executed by the CPU. The control unit 61 may also be an integrated circuit such as an ASIC or DSP.

The storage unit 62 is a storage means such as a hard disk drive or SSD (Solid State Drive) for storing various types of data. Specifically, the storage unit 62 pre-stores a first drug dispensing program for causing the computer, such as the control unit 61, to execute the dispensing control process described later (see the right side of Figure 11). The first drug dispensing program is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, such as a CD, DVD, or semiconductor memory, and is read from the recording medium by a reading device such as a disk drive (not shown) and installed in the storage unit 12. The present invention can be considered as an invention of the computer-readable recording medium on which the first drug dispensing program is recorded.

[Barcode reader 7]
The barcode reader 7 reads a code that identifies a drug, and is a portable terminal such as a PDA that reads a JAN code, RSS code, or QR code (registered trademark) written on a tablet container (box, bottle, etc.) or PTP sheet installed on a drug shelf in a pharmacy. The barcode reader 7 may also be a conventional picking assistance device used by pharmacists or others for picking drugs. The picking assistance device is used when pharmacists or others take drugs from the drug shelf according to a prescription and dispense them manually, and for example, it reads the drug from the JAN code written on the container and compares the read drug with the prescription data.

The information read by the barcode reader 7 is then input to the prescription control unit 1 via wireless communication. Using wireless communication in this way allows the barcode reader 7 to be freely moved to the drug dispensing device 100 or the drug shelf, enabling the loading of tablets into the variable cassette 22 to be performed at any desired location. Of course, it is also conceivable that the barcode reader 7 be wired to the prescription control unit 1. Furthermore, if multiple drug dispensing devices 100 are installed in the pharmacy, each drug dispensing device 100 will be individually equipped with a barcode reader 7 pre-associated with it.

[Prescription Control Unit 1]
The prescription control unit 1 is a computer that comprehensively controls the drug dispensing device 100. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the prescription control unit 1 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a monitor 13, an operation unit 14, and a communication interface 15, etc.

The control unit 11 is a control means having a CPU, RAM, ROM, and EEPROM. The control unit 11 executes various processes according to various programs pre-stored in the ROM, EEPROM, or storage means such as the storage unit 12, using the CPU. The CPU is a processor that executes various processes, and the RAM and EEPROM are used as temporary storage memory (work area) for the various processes executed by the CPU. The control unit 11 may also be an integrated circuit such as an ASIC or DSP.

The storage unit 12 is a storage means such as a hard disk drive or SSD (Solid State Drive) for storing various types of data. Specifically, the storage unit 12 has a second drug dispensing program pre-stored in it for causing the computer, such as the control unit 11, to execute the drug dispensing process described later (see left side of Figure 11).

Specifically, the control unit 11 includes a display processing unit 111, a reception processing unit 112, and an allocation processing unit 113. The control unit 11 functions as the display processing unit 111, the reception processing unit 112, and the allocation processing unit 113 by executing various processes according to the second drug dispensing program.

As will be explained in the drug dispensing process described later (see Figure 11), the display processing unit 111 can display a selection screen in which multiple selection areas for selecting each of the variable cassettes 22 are displayed in the same arrangement as the arrangement of each of the variable cassettes 22 in the drug dispensing device 100. The reception processing unit 112 can receive selection operations for the selection areas on the selection screen. The reception processing unit 112 can also receive input operations for drug information to be dispensed. The assignment processing unit 113 can assign the drug information to be dispensed to the variable cassette 22 corresponding to the selection area received by the reception processing unit 112.

The second drug dispensing program is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD, DVD, or semiconductor memory, and is read from the recording medium by a reading device such as a disk drive (not shown) and installed in the storage unit 12. The present invention can be considered as an invention of the computer-readable recording medium on which the second drug dispensing program is recorded. In this embodiment, the first drug dispensing program and the second drug dispensing program are examples of drug dispensing programs that cause the drug dispensing device 100 to perform various processes.

Furthermore, it is conceivable that the drug dispensing device 100 does not have the packaging control unit 6, and that the prescription control unit 1 functions as the packaging control unit 6. Specifically, it is conceivable that the storage unit 12 stores a drug dispensing program integrating the first drug dispensing program and the second drug dispensing program, and that the control unit 11 executes the drug dispensing process and packaging control process described later according to the drug dispensing program. The present invention can also be considered as an invention of a computer-readable recording medium that stores the drug dispensing program.

Furthermore, the storage unit 12 also stores various databases, such as a drug master, patient master, cassette master, and pharmacy master. The control unit 11 can update these databases stored in the storage unit 12 based on data read from a recording medium, such as a CD, DVD, or semiconductor memory, by a reading device such as a disk drive (not shown). The control unit 11 can also change the contents of these databases in response to user operations on the operation unit 14.

The aforementioned drug master contains information about each drug, including drug ID, drug code, drug name, JAN code (or RSS code), drug bottle code, classification (dosage form: powder, tablet, liquid, topical drug, etc.), tablet size (height and width), specific gravity, drug type (common drug, poison, narcotic, potent drug, antipsychotic, therapeutic drug, etc.), compatibility, excipients, and precautions. The aforementioned patient master contains information about the patient, including patient ID, name, gender, age, medical history, prescription history, family information, medical department, ward, and room number. The aforementioned pharmacy master contains information about the pharmacy, including pharmacy name, pharmacist's name, and pharmacist's ID. Furthermore, the cassette master is information showing the correspondence between the cassette identification information of each fixed cassette 21 and the drug information assigned to each fixed cassette 21. The cassette master is registered by the control unit 11, for example, in response to user operations on the operation unit 14 during the initial setup of the drug dispensing device 100.

Furthermore, the storage unit 12 stores assignment information 121 indicating the assignment status between the variable cassette 22 and the chemical information, and drive correspondence information 122 indicating the correspondence between the chemical information and the drive conditions of the variable cassette 22. The assignment information 121 and the drive correspondence information 122 are used in the chemical dispensing process, described later, which is executed by the control unit 11.

Here, Figure 9 shows an example of the assignment information 121, and Figure 10 shows an example of the drive correspondence information 122.

As shown in Figure 9, the assignment information 121 stores a drug ID as drug information, indicating the type of tablet currently assigned to each of the variable cassettes 22. Of course, drug information such as the tablet name, drug code, JAN code (or RSS code) may be stored instead of the drug ID. In this case, it is assumed that the cassette numbers "C1" to "C4" are pre-set as cassette identification information for the four variable cassettes 22 arranged in order from left to right in the tablet supply unit 2. The cassette identification information is also stored in the RFID tag 26 of each of the variable cassettes 22. In addition, the assignment information 121 stores that the variable cassette 22 to which no drug information is currently assigned is marked as unassigned. Specifically, the assignment information 121 shown in Figure 9 indicates that drug information for drug ID "M1" is assigned to cassette number "C1" of the variable cassette 22, drug information for drug ID "M2" is assigned to cassette number "C3", and drug information has not yet been assigned to cassette numbers "C2" and "C4". Note that the data structure of the assignment information 121 shown in Figure 9 is merely an example; the assignment information 121 may also be stored in the storage unit 12 as, for example, one of the items in the drug master. In this case, the cassette identification information of the variable cassette 22 assigned to each drug included in the drug master is stored in association with that drug.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, the drive-corresponding information 122 stores pre-set drive conditions corresponding to each drug information. These drive conditions include three types of conditions: pre-drive conditions related to the adjustment of the variable cassette 22 before starting the dispensing of tablets from the variable cassette 22; in-drive conditions related to drive control during the dispensing of tablets from the variable cassette 22; and drive stop conditions related to drive control when stopping the dispensing of tablets from the variable cassette 22.

Specifically, in the example of the drive-corresponding information 122 shown in Figure 10, the drive conditions corresponding to each tablet with drug IDs "M1," "M2," "M3," and "M4" are stored, including information on the height of the dispensing path, the width of the dispensing path, the dispensing speed, the first slowdown, the second slowdown, and the reverse rotation operation. Note that the drive conditions are merely examples; for example, if the variable cassette 22 dispenses tablets one by one by vibration, the vibration frequency or amplitude of that vibration may be defined as the drive conditions.

The height and width of the dispensing path are examples of the pre-drive conditions, and are the values of the height h1 and width w1 (see Figure 5) that are preset to allow the second rotating body 224 of the variable cassette 22 to dispense one tablet at a time from the dispensing port 225.

The aforementioned dispensing speed is an example of the driving conditions, and is a rotational speed suitable for each drug information as the rotational speed of the second rotating body 224 when dispensing tablets from the variable cassette 22. For example, if the tablet size is small, and the rotational speed of the drive motor 242 is fast, the tablets are likely to be dispensed in excess before the drive motor 242 stops. On the other hand, if the tablet size is large, even if the rotational speed of the drive motor 242 is fast, the tablets will not be dispensed in excess before the drive motor 242 stops. Therefore, it is conceivable that the tablet dispensing speed set as the driving condition, i.e., the tablet transport speed by the second rotating body 224, will differ depending on the size of the tablet. Specifically, it is conceivable that the dispensing speed when the tablet size is large is set to a faster value than the dispensing speed when the tablet size is small. Furthermore, the dispensing speed is not limited to the format [locks/min] shown in Figure 10; it may also be stored in the format of the rotational speed of the second rotating body 224, or the rotational speed of the drive motor 242, etc. Moreover, it is conceivable that the rotational speed of the first rotating body 223, in addition to the rotational speed of the second rotating body 224, may also be set as a drive condition.

The first slowdown and the second slowdown are examples of the drive stop conditions and relate to the timing of executing a slowdown that gradually reduces the rotational speed of the second rotating body 224 when stopping the dispensing of tablets from the variable cassette 22. The first slowdown specifies the timing for reducing the rotational speed of the second rotating body 224 to a predetermined first rotational speed. The second slowdown specifies the timing for reducing the rotational speed of the second rotating body 224 from the first rotational speed to a second rotational speed that is even slower. For example, if the shape of the tablets contained in the variable cassette 22 is rounded and easily rolls, there is a risk that the tablets will roll out after the drive of the second rotating body 224 is stopped. Therefore, for tablets with easily rolling shapes, such as spheres, the start timings of the first slowdown and the second slowdown are set earlier. In this embodiment, the start timings of the first slowdown and the second slowdown are set by the number of tablets remaining to be dispensed from the variable cassette 22. This prevents extra tablets from being dispensed when the dispensing of tablets from the variable cassette 22 stops. On the other hand, for tablets with a shape that is less likely to roll when the drive of the second rotating body 224 stops, the start timing of the first and second slowdowns is set later, thereby suppressing unnecessary delays in dispensing time due to the slowdowns.

In this embodiment, the description focuses on the case where the start timings of the first and second slowdowns are set as the drive stop conditions. However, it is also conceivable that the deceleration of the rotational speed of the second rotating body 224 may be set as the drive stop condition. For example, with tablets that are easily rolled, such as spherical tablets, suddenly stopping the second rotating body 224 may cause them to roll afterward and be dispensed in excess. Therefore, for tablets with easily rolled shapes, it is conceivable to set the deceleration to be smaller.

Furthermore, the reverse rotation operation item is an example of the drive stop condition, and relates to whether or not a reverse rotation operation is performed to reverse the direction of tablet transport by the second rotating body 224 when the dispensing of tablets from the variable cassette 22 is stopped. For example, for tablets with easily rolling shapes, such as spherical tablets, where simply stopping the drive of the second rotating body 224 might cause tablets remaining on the second rotating body 224 to roll and be dispensed in excess, the reverse rotation operation is set to "Yes". This prevents tablets from being dispensed in excess when the dispensing of tablets from the variable cassette 22. Note that for tablets with shapes that are less likely to roll when the drive of the second rotating body 224 is stopped, the reverse rotation operation is set to "No", and the unnecessary reverse rotation operation is not performed.

Note that the data structure of the drive-compatible information 122 shown in Figure 10 is merely an example, and the drive conditions defined in the drive-compatible information 122 may be stored in the storage unit 12 as, for example, one of the items in the drug master.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the case in which the drive-corresponding information 122 includes the following items as drive conditions (see Figure 10) corresponding to each piece of drug information: height of the dispensing path, width of the dispensing path, dispensing speed, first slowdown, second slowdown, and reverse rotation operation, will be explained as an example. On the other hand, in another embodiment, it is conceivable that the drug dispensing device 100 uses one or more of the following items as drive conditions: height of the dispensing path, width of the dispensing path, dispensing speed, first slowdown, second slowdown, and reverse rotation operation. That is, in the drug dispensing device 100, it is conceivable that one or more of the following are pre-set as drive conditions corresponding to each piece of drug information: pre-drive conditions, driving conditions, and drive stop conditions. Furthermore, multiple conditions such as pre-drive conditions, in-drive conditions, and drive stop conditions are pre-set as corresponding drive conditions for each piece of chemical information. The chemical dispensing device 100 can also be configured to allow the user to select one or more of these conditions as the drive conditions to be used.

The monitor 13 is a display means, such as a liquid crystal monitor, that displays various information and operation screens according to control instructions from the control unit 11. For example, the monitor 13 displays various information such as a prescription data input screen, a prescription data selection screen, and a variable cassette 22 selection screen.

The operation unit 14 is an operating means such as a keyboard, mouse, and touch panel that accepts user input and inputs operation signals corresponding to user input to the control unit 11. The operation unit 14 is a touch panel that accepts various operation inputs, such as inputting prescription data on the input screen displayed on the monitor 13, selecting prescription data on the selection screen, selecting the variable cassette 22 on the selection screen, and issuing prescription data to request the start of dispensing the prescription data.

The communication interface 15 is a communication interface for connecting the drug dispensing device 100 to a communication network N3 such as a LAN, and performs data communication with a higher-level system such as a prescription input terminal 200 connected via the communication network N3. The prescription input terminal 200 is, for example, an electronic medical record system installed in a hospital or nursing home, or a dispensing management system installed in a pharmacy inside or outside the hospital. The communication interface 15 also includes a wireless communication interface, such as a wireless communication card, for wireless data communication with various wireless communication devices such as the barcode reader 7.

The communication IF 15 then acquires prescription data from the prescription input terminal 200 and inputs the prescription data to the control unit 11. For example, the communication IF 15 monitors whether prescription data has been stored in a predetermined storage area of the storage means provided in the prescription input terminal 200, and reads the prescription data from the predetermined storage area if it has been stored there. Of course, the communication IF 15 may also receive the prescription data transmitted from the prescription input terminal 200.

[Medication dispensing and packaging control processing]
Hereinafter, with reference to Figure 11, an example of the procedures for the drug dispensing process performed by the control unit 11 of the prescription control unit 1 and the packaging control process performed by the control unit 61 of the packaging control unit 6 in the drug dispensing device 100 will be described. Here, the processing procedures (steps) performed by the control unit 11 will be referred to as steps S1, S2, ..., and the processing procedures (steps) performed by the control unit 61 will be referred to as steps S21, S22, .... It is also conceivable that either the control unit 11 or the control unit 61 may perform a series of processes that yield the same processing results as the drug dispensing process and the packaging control process.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S1)
First, in step S1, the control unit 11 determines whether or not a request for prescription data issuance has been made. Specifically, the control unit 11 determines that a request for prescription data issuance has been made when an issuance operation for issuing pre-registered prescription data is performed on the operation unit 14. The prescription data is obtained from a higher-level system such as the prescription input terminal 200.

Here, if there is no request to issue the prescription data (No side of S1), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S11. On the other hand, if the control unit 11 determines that there is a request to issue the prescription data (Yes side of S1), it proceeds to step S2. In another embodiment, the control unit 11 may also determine that there is a request to issue the prescription data without requiring the issuance operation and proceed to step S2 when it receives the prescription data from a higher-level system such as the prescription input terminal 200.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S2)
Next, in step S2, the control unit 11 determines whether there are fixed cassettes 21 corresponding to all the drug information entered as drug information indicating the tablets to be dispensed based on the prescription data. Specifically, the control unit 11 determines, based on the cassette master stored in the storage unit 12, whether there are any tablets that are not in each of the fixed cassettes 21 that are included in the prescription data as prescription drugs. The cassette master is updated by the control unit 11 based on drug information read from RFID tags (not shown) provided on each of the fixed cassettes 21 by a reading device such as the RFID reader/writer 232 provided on each of the mounting units 211. The control unit 11 can also display an editing screen for editing the cassette master on the monitor 13 and update the cassette master according to user operations on the operation unit 14 on the editing screen.

If it is determined that the fixed cassette 21 corresponding to the drug information to be dispensed does not exist (the No side of S2), that is, if the prescription data includes a type of tablet not contained in the fixed cassette 21, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S3.

On the other hand, if the control unit 11 determines that there are fixed cassettes 21 corresponding to all the drug information to be dispensed (Yes side of S2), that is, if all types of tablets included as prescribed drugs in the prescription data are contained in the fixed cassettes 21, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S7. In this case, in step S7, a request to start the conventional dispensing operation is sent to the control unit 61 using each of the fixed cassettes 21, and the control unit 61 executes the processing necessary to carry out the dispensing operation.

Furthermore, in configurations where the drug dispensing device 100 does not include the fixed cassette 21, the processing in step S2 can be omitted, and the control unit 11 can proceed to step S3 if it determines in step S1 that a request for the issuance of the prescription data has been received.

Furthermore, it is conceivable that the storage unit 12 stores pre-set drug exclusion information, which is drug information that will not be assigned to the variable cassette 22. The control unit 11 may then display on the monitor 13 a message indicating that the manual dispensing unit 4 should be used without assigning the drug to the variable cassette 22 if there is no fixed cassette 21 corresponding to the drug information to be dispensed, and the drug information to be dispensed falls under the exclusion drug information. For example, if tablets that are highly likely to have colored powder adhering to them are set as the exclusion drug information, it is possible to prevent the colored powder from adhering to tablets that are next placed in the variable cassette 22. It is also conceivable that the monitor 13 may display a message indicating that the manual dispensing unit 4 should be used for drugs with shapes that are not suitable for dispensing from the variable cassette 22. In another embodiment, the control unit 11 may determine whether the drug information to be dispensed falls under the exclusion drug information without determining whether there is a fixed cassette 21 corresponding to the drug information to be dispensed. In this case, another possible embodiment is that the control unit 11 displays on the monitor 13 a message indicating that the manual dispensing unit 4 should be used without assigning the drug to the variable cassette 22 if the drug information to be dispensed corresponds to the drug information excluded from allocation.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S3)
In step S3, the control unit 11 assigns drug information to be dispensed, which is entered in the prescription data and for which there is no corresponding fixed cassette 21, to the unassigned variable cassette 22. If the prescription data contains multiple drug information for which there is no corresponding fixed cassette 21, the control unit 11 performs the assignment of the variable cassette 22 for each of those drug information items.

Specifically, the control unit 11 performs a process to identify which of the variable cassettes 22 is currently able to communicate (controllable). For example, the control unit 11 determines that a variable cassette 22 that has successfully read information from the RFID tag 26 using the RFID reader/writer 245 is in a state where it can communicate.

The control unit 11 then determines, based on the assignment information 121 (see Figure 9), whether or not the current drug information is assigned to each of the variable cassettes 22 that are currently able to communicate, and assigns the drug information to be dispensed to the unassigned variable cassette 22. At this time, once the control unit 11 has determined which variable cassette 22 to assign the drug information to, it updates the contents of the assignment information 121 according to the assignment result. The variable cassette 22 assigned to the drug information in this way can communicate with the control unit 11, and the control unit 11 can write information to the electronic paper 25. Note that the control unit 11 may designate each of the variable cassettes 22 as a candidate for assignment without determining whether or not each of the variable cassettes 22 is able to communicate.

Here, it is conceivable that there are multiple candidates for the variable cassette 22 to which the drug information will be assigned. In this case, the control unit 11 may, for example, determine whether or not the drug information has been assigned to each of the variable cassettes 22 based on a pre-set priority order, and assign the drug information to the variable cassette 22 that is initially determined to be unassigned.
Furthermore, the control unit 11 may determine whether the drug information has been assigned to the variable cassettes 22 in order from those with the lowest usage counts, so that the usage counts of each variable cassette 22 are equal, and assign the drug information to the variable cassette 22 that is determined to be unassigned first. In addition, the control unit 11 may select the variable cassette 22 in which the drug information that was previously assigned is the same as or has a similar tablet size to the drug information to be assigned this time. If there are no unassigned variable cassettes 22, the control unit 11 will notify the user by displaying this information on the monitor 13.

Furthermore, in step S3, the control unit 11 controls the RFID reader/writer 245 to record the drug information assigned to each of the variable cassettes 22 on the RFID tag 26 of each variable cassette 22 to which the drug information has been assigned. At this time, the control unit 11 may also record various other information, such as the amount of tablets dispensed, patient name, assignment date and time, pharmacist name, and prescription identification information, based on the prescription data, along with the drug information.

On the other hand, another embodiment is conceivable in which the drug information is not recorded on the RFID tag 26 of the variable cassette 22. Specifically, it is conceivable that the cassette identification information is pre-recorded on the RFID tag 26, and the RFID reader/writer 245 is an RFID reader capable only of reading information. Even in this case, the control unit 11 can recognize the drug information assigned to the variable cassette 22 based on the cassette identification information and assignment information (see Figure 9) read from the RFID tag 26.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S11)
On the other hand, if no request for the issuance of prescription data has been made, in the following step S11, the control unit 11 determines whether or not a request operation to start manual input of prescription data using the operation unit 14 has been performed. For example, the control unit 11 determines that the request operation has been performed when the prescription input start key displayed on the display screen of the monitor 13 is operated. If it is determined that the request operation has been performed (S11: Yes), the process moves to step S12, and if it is determined that the request operation has not been performed (S11: No), the process returns to step S1.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S12)
In step S12, the control unit 11 displays an input screen for entering the prescription data on the monitor 13 and accepts the input of the prescription data in response to user operations on the operation unit 14. This acceptance process is performed by the acceptance processing unit 112 of the control unit 11.

The prescription data entered here includes information on a single drug to be dispensed, as well as its dosage and usage. That is, in steps S12 to S15, processing is performed individually for each drug information item. Note that the drug information may be read from the tablet container or PTP sheet by the barcode reader 7. Once the prescription data is entered, the process proceeds to step S13.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S13)
In step S13, the control unit 11 causes the monitor 13 to display a selection screen P1 for selecting the cassette to be used to dispense the drug to be dispensed corresponding to the drug information from the plurality of fixed cassettes 21 and variable cassettes 22. This display process is performed by the display processing unit 111. Figure 13 shows an example of the selection screen P1.

In the selection screen P1 shown in Figure 13, the specific areas A1 corresponding to each fixed cassette 21 and the selection areas A2 corresponding to each variable cassette 22 are displayed in the same arrangement as the fixed cassette 21 and variable cassette 22 when viewed from the front of the chemical dispensing device 100. Specifically, 54 specific areas A1 corresponding to the fixed cassette 21 are displayed in a 6x9 grid, and below them, 4 selection areas A2 corresponding to the variable cassette 22 are displayed in a 1x4 grid. Note that the selection areas A2 are larger in size than the specific areas A1. Furthermore, chemical information, such as the chemical name of the chemical to be stored in the corresponding fixed cassette 21, is displayed in each specific area A1. The control unit 11 may also display information on the selection screen P1 to identify the currently assigned chemical, such as the chemical name of the chemical corresponding to the chemical information entered in step S12.

By the way, the number of specific areas A1 and selection areas A2 displayed on the selection screen P1 in Figure 13 is the maximum number of displays. For example, the display of specific areas A1 and selection areas A2 corresponding to the mounting sections 211 and 221 where the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22 is not installed may be omitted. Also, even when the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22 is not installed, it is conceivable that a specific pattern such as a display frame may be displayed instead of specific area A1 or selection area A2. That is, specific areas A1 and selection areas A2 may be displayed in the same arrangement as the mounting sections 211 and 221, respectively. In this case, the control unit 11 may not display the drug information or accept selection operations for specific areas A1 or selection areas A2 corresponding to the mounting sections 211 or 221 where the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22 is not installed.

Furthermore, the control unit 11 displays a surrounding line L1 around the selection area A2 corresponding to the variable cassette 22 on the selection screen P1, thereby distinguishing between the selection area A2 corresponding to the variable cassette 22 and the specific area A1 corresponding to the fixed cassette 21. Note that the method of distinguishing between the variable cassette 22 (selection area A2) and the fixed cassette 21 (specific area A1) is not limited to the surrounding line L1; for example, they may be distinguished by differences in background color or size. Also, information for identifying whether it is the variable cassette 22 or the fixed cassette 21 may be displayed in association with the selection area A2 and the specific area A1. Furthermore, information indicating whether the cassette type is the variable cassette 22 or the fixed cassette 21 may be displayed in the individual display areas corresponding to the variable cassette 22 and the fixed cassette 21, respectively, on the selection screen P1.

Incidentally, in the selection screen P1, the specific area A1 corresponding to the fixed cassette 21 may not be displayed, and only the selection area A2 corresponding to the variable cassette 22 may be displayed. That is, if the prescription data is manually entered, the variable cassette 22 may always be selected. Furthermore, the control unit 11 may be able to switch between a first display state in which both the selection area A2 and the specific area A1 are displayed on the selection screen P1, and a second display state in which only the selection area A2 is displayed, according to user operation. Moreover, the control unit 11 may display both the selection area A2 and the specific area A1 if there is a fixed cassette 21 from which the drug information entered in step S12 can be dispensed, and display only the selection area A2 if there is no fixed cassette 21 from which the drug information entered in step S12 can be dispensed. Furthermore, if a fixed cassette 21 capable of dispensing the drug information entered in step S12 exists, the control unit 11 may omit steps S13 to S15. That is, if a fixed cassette 21 capable of dispensing the drug corresponding to the drug information entered in step S12 exists, that fixed cassette 21 may be automatically selected as the cassette used for dispensing that drug. In this case, the control unit 11 may also accept a user's selection of any variable cassette 22 and assign the drug information to the selected variable cassette 22.

Furthermore, if the control unit 11 has a fixed cassette 21 or variable cassette 22 from which the drug information entered in step S12 can be dispensed, it may highlight the specific area A1 or selection area A2 corresponding to that fixed cassette 21 or variable cassette 22 on the selection screen P1. For example, the text color or background color of the specific area A1 or selection area A2 corresponding to the fixed cassette 21 or variable cassette 22 may be changed to a predetermined color such as red. This allows the user to easily understand whether or not a fixed cassette 21 or variable cassette 22 capable of dispensing the drug corresponding to the drug information exists. The manner of highlighting is not limited to differences in display color, as long as it is a manner that can distinguish it from other fixed cassettes 21 or variable cassettes 22.

Furthermore, the control unit 11 displays the assignment status of each of the selection areas A2, indicating the assignment status of drug information to each selection area A2. Specifically, "Unassigned" is displayed for the selection area A2 corresponding to the variable cassette 22 to which no drug information has been assigned. Alternatively, a blank selection area A2 may indicate that no drug information has been assigned. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the status of the selection area A2 could be displayed using color, such as blue for assigned areas and red for unassigned areas. Also, for the selection area A2 corresponding to the variable cassette 22 to which drug information has been assigned, the drug name corresponding to that assigned drug information is displayed, indicating that drug information has already been assigned and the type of drug assigned. Of course, "Assigned" may be displayed for the selection area A2 corresponding to the assigned variable cassette 22.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S14)
In step S14, the control unit 11 accepts a selection operation for either the selection area A2 or the specific area A1 on the selection screen P1. This acceptance process is performed by the acceptance processing unit 112. Specifically, if the operation unit 14 is a touch panel provided on the monitor 13, the control unit 11 accepts a touch operation on the selection area A2 or the specific area A1 on the monitor 13 as a selection operation for the selection area A2. If the operation unit 14 is a mouse, the control unit 11 accepts the movement of the mouse pointer to the selection area A2 or the specific area A1 on the monitor 13 and click operations as a selection operation for the selection area A2 or the specific area A1. On the other hand, in another embodiment, it is possible to select not only the variable cassette 22 to which drug information has not yet been assigned, but also the variable cassette 22 to which drug information has already been assigned.

Furthermore, in the drug dispensing device 100, the control unit 11 can also assign drug information for the same drug as that corresponding to one of the multiple fixed cassettes 21 to the variable cassette 22 and set them as parent-child cassettes. In this case, drugs will be dispensed preferentially from either the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22, as predetermined. The control unit 11 can also assign the same drug information to multiple variable cassettes 22 in response to user operation and set these multiple variable cassettes 22 as parent-child cassettes. It is also conceivable that the drug dispensing device 100 may have multiple fixed cassettes 21 capable of dispensing the same drug arranged as parent-child cassettes. In this case, drugs will be dispensed preferentially from one of the multiple fixed cassettes 21, as predetermined, or the fixed cassettes 21 may be switched sequentially on a prescription basis to dispense drugs.

In this embodiment, the case where the input operation for the drug information to be dispensed is received in step S12 before the selection of the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22 is received in step S14 is described. However, in other embodiments, it is also conceivable that the input operation for the drug information to be dispensed is received after the selection of the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22 has been received.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S15)
In step S15, if the variable cassette 22 was selected in step S14, the control unit 11 assigns the drug information entered in step S12 to the variable cassette 22 selected in step S14, and proceeds to step S16. Here, the assignment process is performed by the assignment processing unit 113. Specifically, the control unit 11 updates the contents of the assignment information 121 and associates the drug information with the variable cassette 22. For example, if other drug information is already assigned to the variable cassette 22, the drug information entered in step S12 is assigned in its place. If the fixed cassette 21 is selected in step S14, step S15 is omitted.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S16)
In step S16, the control unit 11 determines whether a request operation to terminate the manual input of the prescription data has been performed. For example, the control unit 11 determines that the request operation has been performed when the prescription input termination key displayed on the display screen of the monitor 13 is operated. If it is determined that the request operation has been performed (S16: Yes), the process proceeds to step S4. On the other hand, if the request operation is not performed, and for example the prescription input continuation key displayed on the display screen of the monitor 13 is operated (S16: No), the process returns to step S12 and the same process is repeatedly executed. This makes it possible to input the prescription data for multiple drug information items and to assign the variable cassette 22.

Furthermore, although this embodiment has described the case in which the processing of steps S12 to S16 is repeatedly executed according to the number of drug information items, it is also conceivable in other embodiments that prescription data for multiple drug information items is input in step S12. In this case, on the selection screen P1, the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22 corresponding to each drug information item will be selected. Specifically, it is conceivable that the control unit 11 displays a list of multiple drug information items together with the selection screen P1, and alternately accepts the selection of the drug information item to be assigned and the selection of the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22 to which it will be assigned. In particular, it is conceivable that the control unit 11 displays the list of multiple drug information items in a manner that distinguishes between drug information for which there is a fixed cassette 21 capable of dispensing the corresponding drug information and drug information for which there is no fixed cassette 21 and it is necessary to assign the variable cassette 22. For example, it is conceivable that the display color or background color of the drug information in the list of drug information items may be changed depending on whether or not the variable cassette 22 needs to be assigned. Furthermore, for multiple drug information entries, the drug information to be assigned may be displayed sequentially on the selection screen P1, and the user may select either the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22 to which the drug information is assigned.

Furthermore, the control unit 11 may assign the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22 to other drug information that was not entered in step S12 on the selection screen P1. For example, the control unit 11 displays a drug addition button on the selection screen P1, and when the drug addition button is selected by the user, it displays an additional drug information input field for entering drug information, dosage, and usage. Then, with this information entered, when a specific area A1 or selection area A2 for selecting the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22 is selected by the user, the control unit 11 assigns the drug information entered in the additional drug information input field to the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22 corresponding to the specific area A1 or selection area A2 selected on the selection screen P1. Subsequently, the drug corresponding to the drug information entered in the additional drug information input field is packaged according to the dosage and usage entered in the additional drug information input field. This allows the user to continuously input multiple drug information items and select either the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22 while the selection screen P1 is displayed. Furthermore, considering the possibility of incorrect drug information being entered in step S12, the control unit 11 can also correct the entered drug information while the selection screen P1 is displayed.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S4)
In step S4, the control unit 11 identifies the drive conditions corresponding to the drug information to be dispensed based on the drive-corresponding information 122 (see Figure 10), and transmits the drive conditions and the cassette identification information of the variable cassette 22 to which the drug information is assigned to the control unit 61. As a result, the control unit 61 drives the variable cassette 22 according to the drive conditions. The control unit 11 when driving the variable cassette 22 according to the drive conditions by executing the process in step S4 can be considered as a drive processing unit.

Furthermore, in another embodiment, the control unit 11 may display the cassette identification information of each of the variable cassettes 22 and the settings of the drive conditions corresponding to each of the variable cassettes 22 on the monitor 13, and change the settings of the drive conditions in response to user operation on the operation unit 14. The changes to the drive conditions are notified from the control unit 11 to the control unit 61. This makes it possible to change the drive conditions of the variable cassettes 22 when dispensing tablets from the variable cassettes 22 through arbitrary user input. The user can also check the settings of the drive conditions corresponding to the drug information to be dispensed by referring to the monitor 13.

Furthermore, in step S4, if the drive condition corresponding to the drug information is not stored in the drive-compatible information 122, the control unit 11 may perform a process to set the drive condition in response to user operation, and then proceed to step S5. This makes it possible to dispense tablets corresponding to drug information not stored in the drive-compatible information 122 using the variable cassette 22.

Incidentally, in the drug dispensing device 100, it is conceivable that each of the mounting sections 221 is provided with a cassette lock section capable of locking the removal of each of the variable cassettes 22. For example, the cassette lock section includes, for example, a drive section such as a solenoid or a motor, and a restricting section driven by the drive section to restrict the removal of the variable cassette 22. Here, an example of the attachment and detachment control of the variable cassette 22 when the cassette lock section is provided on the mounting section 221 will be described. The control unit 61 can individually control whether each of the variable cassettes 22 is locked or not by controlling the drive section of the cassette lock section of each of the mounting sections 221 based on a control instruction from the control unit 11. Specifically, when drug information is assigned to the variable cassette 22 in step S3 or step S15, the control unit 11 transmits a lock instruction for the variable cassette 22 to the control unit 61. As a result, the control unit 61 drives the cassette lock portion of the mounting unit 221 to which the variable cassette 22 to which the drug information has been assigned is mounted, thereby restricting the removal of the variable cassette 22. Note that the transmission of the drive condition in step S4 may also serve as the lock instruction. Subsequently, when a selection operation is performed to identify the variable cassette 22 to be refilled with drug, the control unit 11 transmits an instruction to unlock the variable cassette 22 to the control unit 61. As a result, the control unit 61 drives the cassette lock portion of the mounting unit 221 to which the variable cassette 22 to which the input drug information has been assigned is mounted, thereby releasing the restriction on the removal of the variable cassette 22. That is, when the variable cassette 22 to be refilled with drug is selected, the variable cassette 22 becomes removable, and the drug becomes refillable into the variable cassette 22. With this configuration, the incorrect drug is refilled into the variable cassette 22 to which the drug information has been assigned, and the variable cassette 22 to which the drug information has not been assigned can be freely attached and detached. The specific operation described above involves the barcode reader 7 reading drug information that corresponds to the drug information assigned to the variable cassette 22, or the drug information being input using the operation unit 14. Furthermore, each of the mounting units 221 is provided with a predetermined operation unit, such as an operation button. When an operation such as a long press is performed on this predetermined operation unit, the control unit 61 may release the lock on the variable cassette 22 in that mounting unit 221.

(Dispensing control unit 6 side: Step S21)
Meanwhile, in the dispensing control unit 6, the control unit 61 determines in step S21 whether or not it has received the drive condition from the control unit 11. Here, if the drive condition is received (Yes side of S21), the control unit 61 moves the process to step S22, and if the drive condition is not received (No side of S21), it moves the process to step S23. The control unit 61 stores the drive condition received from the control unit 11 in the storage unit 62 in association with the cassette identification information of the variable cassette 22 to which the drug information is assigned.

(Dispensing control unit 6 side: Step S22)
In step S22, the control unit 61 drives the variable cassette 22 to which the drug information has been assigned according to the drive conditions, and makes it possible to dispense the drug corresponding to the drug information from the variable cassette 22. Specifically, the control unit 61 drives the variable cassette 22 corresponding to the cassette identification information received along with the drive conditions according to the pre-drive conditions among the drive conditions, and changes the height and width of the dispensing path. Thus, in the drug dispensing device 100, if the pre-drive conditions are included in the drive conditions, the control unit 61 drives the variable cassette 22 according to the pre-drive conditions (height and width of the dispensing path), and then dispenses tablets from the variable cassette 22 (S24).

Specifically, the control unit 61 controls the height adjustment unit 226A and the width adjustment unit 227A according to the drive conditions, thereby changing the type of tablet that can be dispensed one tablet at a time from the variable cassette 22 to the tablet indicated by the drug information assigned in step S3 or S15. First, the control unit 61 drives the drive motors 233 and 234 to return the positions of the height restricting member 226 and the width restricting member 227 to their initial state. Then, the control unit 61 drives the height adjustment unit 226A with the drive motor 233 to change the height h1 of the variable cassette 22 restricted by the height restricting member 226 to the height of the dispensing path determined by the drive conditions. Furthermore, the control unit 61 drives the width adjustment unit 227A with the drive motor 234 to change the width w1 of the variable cassette 22 restricted by the width restricting member 227 to the width of the dispensing path determined by the drive conditions. Of course, if the current state of the height regulating member 226 and the width regulating member 227 can be detected, the control unit 61 can drive the drive motors 233 and 234 based on the detection results.

When the height h1 and width w1 of the dispensing path are changed according to the aforementioned driving conditions, the variable cassette 22 becomes capable of dispensing tablets one at a time, as indicated by the drug information assigned in step S3 or S15, and the amount of tablets dispensed becomes controllable. Here, the control unit 61 that performs the processing in step S22 (the driving control step) is an example of a driving processing unit.

Furthermore, it is possible that the variable cassette 22 is not mounted on the mounting unit 221 when the aforementioned drug information is assigned to the variable cassette 22. In this case, the variable cassette 22 cannot be driven according to the pre-drive conditions in step S22. Therefore, the control unit 61 stores flag information in the storage unit 62 indicating whether or not the drive conditions received from the control unit 11 have been reflected in the variable cassette 22, and updates it as needed. Then, at the start of the dispensing operation in step S24 described later, the control unit 61 refers to the flag information, and if the drive conditions have not been reflected for the variable cassette 22 used in that dispensing operation, it drives the variable cassette 22 according to the pre-drive conditions before executing the dispensing operation, changing the height h1 and width w1 of the dispensing path.

Furthermore, another embodiment is conceivable in which the pre-drive conditions are not included in the drive conditions, and the height h1 and width w1 of the dispensing path can be arbitrarily adjusted by manually operating the height adjustment section 226A and the width adjustment section 227A of the variable cassette 22. In this case, the user adjusts the height h1 and width w1 of the dispensing path of the variable cassette 22, and then mounts the variable cassette 22 to the mounting section 221 of the tablet supply unit 2. It is conceivable that the height adjustment section 226A and the width adjustment section 227A can be operated by rotation using a tool such as a screwdriver.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S5)
Next, in step S5, the control unit 11 causes the display unit 25 of the variable cassette 22 to display the drug information assigned to the variable cassette 22 in step S3 or S15. That is, the control unit 11 displays the status of drug information assignment to each of the variable cassettes 22.

For example, the control unit 11 extracts information for pre-set display items from the prescription data and displays it on the display unit 25. Specifically, the display unit 25 displays the drug name (drug ID), dispensing amount, and JAN code (barcode) of the tablets assigned to the variable cassette 22. Various other information, such as the patient's name, assignment date and time, or assigning officer, may also be displayed on the display unit 25.

Here, since the display unit 25 is electronic paper, even if the variable cassette 22 is removed from the mounting unit 221 after the drug information is displayed in step S5, the display state of the display unit 25 is maintained. Therefore, even if the user moves the variable cassette 22 to a drug shelf or the like, they can confirm the drug information to be placed in the variable cassette 22 by the display on the display unit 25. Thus, human error by the user when placing tablets into the variable cassette 22 can be suppressed. It is also conceivable that the control unit 11 may prevent the removal of the variable cassette 22 by a locking mechanism provided on the mounting unit 221 until the drug information is displayed on the display unit 25 of the variable cassette 22. It is also conceivable that the control unit 11 may execute step 5 on the condition that the adjustment of the height and width of the dispensing path in the variable cassette 22 has been completed according to the pre-drive conditions in the variable cassette 22.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S6)
Subsequently, in step S6, the control unit 11 determines whether a filling completion operation indicating that the tablets have been filled into the variable cassette 22 has been performed on the operation unit 14. Specifically, when the drug information is assigned to the variable cassette 22 in step S3 or S15 and the drug information is displayed on the display unit 25 of the variable cassette 22, the user removes the variable cassette 22 from the tablet supply unit 2. The user then puts the required number of tablets into the variable cassette 22, referring to the prescription corresponding to the prescription data or the drug information displayed on the display unit 25. After that, the user attaches the variable cassette 22 to the tablet supply unit 2 and performs the filling completion operation on the operation unit 14. For example, the filling completion operation may be pressing the filling completion operation button provided on the drug dispensing device 100, or attaching the variable cassette 22 to the mounting unit 221. Furthermore, if multiple drug information sets are assigned to multiple variable cassettes 22 in step S3 or S15, step S6 determines whether the operation to fill all of the variable cassettes 22 corresponding to each of the drug information sets has been completed.

Here, while the filling completion operation is being performed (No side of S6), the control unit 11 keeps the process in a waiting state at step S6. On the other hand, when it determines that the filling completion operation has been performed (Yes side of S6), the control unit 11 proceeds to step S7.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S7)
In step S7, the control unit 11 transmits a request to start the packaging operation based on the prescription data to the control unit 61. In step S7, if the user performs a request to start the packaging operation, the request to start the packaging operation may also be transmitted to the control unit 61. The request to start the packaging operation is an example of a request to start dispensing.

In particular, regarding the dispensing operation of tablets that are not present in the fixed cassette 21 among the tablets indicated by the drug information included as dispensable items in the prescription data, the control unit 11 sends a start request, for example, in the following procedure.

First, the control unit 11 reads the cassette identification information of the variable cassette 22 from the RFID tag 26 of the variable cassette 22 attached to each of the mounting units 221, and identifies the variable cassette 22 currently attached to each of the mounting units 221. This allows the control unit 11 to identify the variable cassette 22 attached to each of the mounting units 221, enabling the user to attach each variable cassette 22 to any of the mounting units 221. For example, even if multiple drug information is assigned to multiple variable cassettes 22 in step S3 or S15, and each variable cassette 22 is removed and then reattached in a different mounting location, the control unit 11 can still determine which mounting unit 221 each variable cassette 22 is attached to.

The control unit 11 then identifies each of the variable cassettes 22 containing the tablets indicated by each of the drug information based on the prescription data, using the assignment information 121. Subsequently, the control unit 11 transmits to the control unit 61, for each of the drug information indicated in the prescription data, the cassette identification information of the variable cassette 22 to which the drug information is assigned, the identification information of the mounting unit 221 to which the variable cassette 22 is mounted, and information necessary for the dispensing operation, such as the tablet dispensing amount.

(Dispensing control unit 6 side: Step S23)
Meanwhile, in the packaging control unit 6, the control unit 61 determines in step S23 whether or not there is a request from the control unit 11 to start the packaging operation. Here, if the control unit 61 receives a request to start the packaging operation (Yes side of S23), it moves the process to step S24, and as long as no request to start the packaging operation has been received (No side of S23), it moves the process to step S24.

(Dispensing control unit 6 side: Step S24)
In step S24, the control unit 61, in accordance with the request to start the dispensing operation, dispenses the necessary medicine from the tablet supply unit 2, the powder supply unit 3, and the manual dispensing unit 4, and executes a dispensing operation in which the dispensing unit 5 dispenses the medicine into dispensing units based on the timing of administration. Here, the control unit 61 when executing this process is an example of a dispensing execution unit. Note that the control of the powder supply unit 3, the manual dispensing unit 4, and the dispensing unit 5 is the same as in the conventional method, so its explanation is omitted here, and only the dispensing operation of tablets by the tablet supply unit 2 will be described.

The control unit 61 changes the rotational speed of the drive motor 242 of the second drive unit 24, which is driven when dispensing tablets from the variable cassette 22, according to the drive conditions corresponding to the drug information assigned in step S3 or S15 for the tablet supply unit 2. That is, the rotational speed of the second rotating body 224 is changed when dispensing the tablets from the variable cassette 22, and the dispensing speed of the tablets from the variable cassette 22 is changed according to the type of tablet.

Specifically, the control unit 61 drives the drive motors 241 and 242 corresponding to the variable cassette 22 to which the drug information to be dispensed is assigned, thereby rotating the first rotating body 223 and the second rotating body 224 to dispense the tablets. At this time, the control unit 61 drives the drive motor 242 according to the dispensing speed defined as the drive condition corresponding to the drug information in the drive correspondence information 122. As a result, the dispensing speed of the tablets by the second rotating body 224 in the variable cassette 22 is changed to a speed suitable for the tablets. Thus, in the drug dispensing device 100, when the drive condition includes the driving condition, the control unit 61 drives the variable cassette 22 according to the driving condition (dispensing speed), thereby dispensing tablets from the variable cassette 22.

Furthermore, if the variable cassette 22 does not include the height regulating member 226 and the width regulating member 227, it is conceivable to change only the dispensing speed of the tablets from the variable cassette 22. Also, the drive speed of the drive motor 241 may be constant or changed depending on the type of tablet. In the dispensing operation, the number of tablets dispensed from the variable cassette 22 is counted by a counter with an optical sensor (not shown) provided at the dispensing port 225 of the variable cassette 22, and input as the number of tablets dispensed to the control unit 61. Based on the number of tablets dispensed input from the counter, the control unit 61 controls the drive of the variable cassette 22, dispensing only the preset dispensing amount (prescription amount) from the variable cassette 22.

Furthermore, the control unit 61 executes control to stop the dispensing of tablets from the variable cassette 22 according to the first slowdown and second slowdown setting values defined as the drive conditions corresponding to the drug information in the drive-corresponding information 122. Here, the control unit 11 when executing this process is an example of a drive processing unit. Thus, in the drug dispensing device 100, if the drive conditions include the drive stop conditions, the control unit 61 stops the drive of the variable cassette 22 according to the first slowdown and second slowdown conditions, which are the drive stop conditions, when the dispensing of the prescribed amount defined in the prescription data is completed.

Specifically, consider the case where the first slowdown is set to "6 tablets" and the second slowdown is set to "1 tablet" in the drive response information 122. In this case, when the control unit 61 determines that the remaining number of tablets in the dispensing amount has reached "6 tablets" based on the number of tablets counted by the counter using the optical sensor (not shown) provided in the dispensing outlet 225, it reduces the rotation speed of the drive motor 242 to the first rotation speed. Subsequently, when the control unit 61 determines that the remaining number of tablets in the dispensing amount has reached "1 tablet" based on the number of tablets counted by the counter using the optical sensor (not shown) provided in the dispensing outlet 225, it further reduces the rotation speed of the drive motor 242 to the second rotation speed. This prevents extra tablets from being dispensed from the dispensing outlet 225 if tablets that are prone to rolling are placed on the second rotating body 224.

Furthermore, the control unit 61 performs control to stop the dispensing of tablets from the variable cassette 22 according to the presence or absence of the reverse rotation operation, which is defined as the drive condition corresponding to the drug information in the drive-corresponding information 122. Here, the control unit 11 when executing this process is an example of a drive processing unit. Thus, in the drug dispensing device 100, if the drive condition includes the drive stop condition, the control unit 61 drives the variable cassette 22 according to the presence or absence of the reverse rotation operation, which is the drive stop condition, when the dispensing of the prescribed amount defined in the prescription data is completed, and then stops the drive of the variable cassette 22.

Specifically, if the reverse rotation operation is set to "Yes" in the drive response information 122, the control unit 61 executes a reverse rotation operation to switch the direction of transport of the tablets by the second rotating body 224 in the reverse direction when stopping the dispensing of tablets from the variable cassette 22. For example, when the number of tablets counted by the counter using the optical sensor (not shown) provided in the dispensing opening 225 reaches the dispensing amount, the control unit 61 reverses the drive motor 242 for a predetermined time. This prevents tablets that are prone to rolling from being dispensed in excess from the dispensing opening 225 if they are placed on the second rotating body 224. Alternatively, the dispensing opening 225 may be provided with an opening/closing shutter, which may close when the number of tablets counted by the counter reaches the dispensing amount.

On the other hand, if the reverse rotation operation is set to "none" in the drive response information 122, the control unit 61 will not perform the unnecessary reverse rotation operation when stopping the dispensing of tablets from the variable cassette 22. Furthermore, the timing for starting the reverse rotation operation may be when the number of tablets counted by the counter reaches a predetermined number less than the dispensing amount. If the reverse rotation operation is started at such a timing, the drive response information 122 should pre-store the predetermined number corresponding to each drug information. This allows, for example, the reverse rotation operation to be started before the number of tablets counted by the counter reaches the dispensing amount, preventing the dispensing of excess tablets from the dispensing port 225. Furthermore, after the number of tablets counted by the counter reaches a predetermined number less than the dispensing amount, the reverse rotation operation can be started each time a tablet is dispensed.

In this embodiment, the example described was one in which the height h1 of the height restricting member 226 and the width w1 of the width restricting member 227 in the variable cassette 22 are changed according to the driving conditions in step S4. However, in another embodiment, the control unit 61 may perform the operation to change the height h1 of the height restricting member 226 and the width w1 of the width restricting member 227 immediately before the start of the packaging operation in step S7. That is, the reflection of the pre-driving conditions to the variable cassette 22 can be performed at any timing before the start of the packaging operation.

(Dispensing control unit 6 side: Step S25)
Subsequently, when the packaging operation in step S24 is completed, the control unit 61 sends a notification to the control unit 11 in the following step S25 that the packaging operation has been completed.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S8)
In response to this, in the prescription control unit 1, the control unit 11 awaits a notification from the control unit 61 that the packaging operation has been completed (No side of S8). Upon receiving the notification that the packaging operation has been completed (Yes side of S8), the control unit 11 moves the process to step S9.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S9)
In the subsequent step S9, the control unit 11 displays an indication on the display unit 25 of the variable cassette 22 that dispensing has been completed, indicating that dispensing is complete. For example, in step S9, the words "Dispensing Complete" may be displayed on the display unit 25, or the display of the drug information on the display unit 25 may be erased.

As explained above, with the drug dispensing device 100, the user can automatically dispense tablets simply by placing any tablets not pre-stored in each of the fixed cassettes 21 into the variable cassette 22. Therefore, compared to the conventional method of placing tablets into each of the compartments of the manual dispensing unit 4, the user's workload is reduced, and user errors are prevented.

Furthermore, since the drug dispensing device 100 is equipped with multiple variable cassettes 22, it is possible to assign different drug information to each of the variable cassettes 22. Therefore, even if the prescription data includes multiple tablets not present in the fixed cassette 21, the drug dispensing device 100 can perform the dispensing operation based on the prescription data using multiple variable cassettes 22. Additionally, the drug dispensing device 100 can continuously perform dispensing operations based on multiple prescription data using multiple variable cassettes 22.

[Second Embodiment]
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In this embodiment, components similar to those in the chemical dispensing device 100 according to the first embodiment will be described using the same reference numerals.

After the drug dispensing device 100 has completed dispensing the required tablets using the variable cassette 22, some tablets may remain in the variable cassette 22. A pharmacist or other user may then collect these tablets and return them to a drug container such as a medicine bottle. This embodiment describes a drug dispensing device 100A that allows for easy collection of tablets from the variable cassette 22.

Here, Figure 14 is an external view showing an example of the drug dispensing device 100A according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 14, the drug dispensing device 100A according to this embodiment differs from the drug dispensing device 100 according to the first embodiment in that it includes a recovery unit 8 located below the tablet supply unit 2.

The recovery unit 8 comprises a plurality of recovery ports 71 corresponding to each of the mounting sections 221, and a mounting base 72 for supporting a drug storage section 73 that contains the tablets dispensed from the recovery ports 71. The drug dispensing device 100A can dispense tablets contained in the variable cassettes 22 mounted on each of the mounting sections 221 through the recovery ports 71. The drug storage section 73 is a container such as a medicine bottle, medicine box, or medicine bag in which the tablets are stored.

More specifically, as shown in Figure 14, each of the collection ports 71 is positioned directly below the corresponding mounting portion 221. This arrangement, with the collection ports 71 and the mounting portion 221 aligned vertically, allows the user to easily understand the correspondence between the collection ports 71 and the mounting portion 221.

Figures 15 to 17 are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of the structure of the recovery unit 8. Figure 15 is a schematic diagram showing the main components of the connection between the outlet 225 of the variable cassette 22 and the recovery unit 8. Figure 16 is a schematic diagram showing a side cross-section of the recovery unit 8. Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of the recovery unit 8 as seen in Figure 16, in the direction of XVII-XVII. Note that in Figure 17, the wall portion 710 (see Figure 16) provided on the rear side of the mounting portion 221 in the tablet supply unit 2 is omitted.

As shown in Figures 15 to 17, the recovery unit 8 comprises a first path 711, a second path 712, and a path switching unit 713. The first path 711 and the second path 712 are connected to the discharge outlet 225 of the variable cassette 22 when the variable cassette 22 is mounted on the mounting unit 221. A relay path may be provided between the first path 711 and the second path 712 and the discharge outlet 225 to connect them.

The first path 711 is a path that guides the tablets dispensed from the dispensing port 225 of the variable cassette 22 toward the packaging unit 5. The second path 712 is a path that guides the tablets dispensed from the dispensing port 225 of the variable cassette 22 toward the collection port 71. The path switching unit 713 can switch the destination of the tablets dispensed from the dispensing port 225 of the variable cassette 22 between the first path 711 and the second path 712. For example, the path switching unit 713 is a plate member driven by a drive source such as a solenoid or motor, and the driving of the path switching unit 713 is controlled by the control unit 61.

Specifically, the control unit 61 executes the retrieval process when it receives a request from the control unit 11 to dispense the tablets contained in each of the variable cassettes 22 from the retrieval port 71 in response to user operation on the operation unit 14. Figure 18 is a flowchart showing another example of the drug dispensing process and the packaging control process performed in the drug dispensing device 100A. Note that processes similar to those described in the first embodiment will not be explained.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S31)
After step S9 is executed, in the following step S31, the control unit 11 receives an input indicating whether or not a recovery process is necessary to recover the tablets from the variable cassette 22 used in the dispensing operation. Specifically, the input indicating whether or not the recovery process is necessary is made for each variable cassette 22 used this time, or for multiple variable cassettes 22 used this time collectively. If an operation is made indicating that the recovery process is necessary (S31: Yes), the process proceeds to step S32, and if an operation is made indicating that the recovery process is not necessary (S31: No), the drug dispensing process is terminated.

Furthermore, the control unit 11 may transmit a request to the control unit 61 to execute the recovery process for each of the variable cassettes 22 at an arbitrary timing different from the execution of the drug dispensing process, in response to user operation on the operation unit 14. Also, the control unit 11 may omit steps S31 to S32 if the variable cassettes 22 are not used in the packaging operation. Moreover, if the variable cassettes 22 are used in the packaging operation, the control unit 11 may execute the next step S32 without accepting the user input regarding the necessity of the recovery process in step S31.

(Prescription control unit 1 side: Step S32)
In step S32, the control unit 11 transmits a request to the control unit 61 to execute the recovery process. As a result, the control unit 61 executes the recovery process. That is, in the drug dispensing process, the control unit 61 can execute the recovery process after the dispensing of tablets from the variable cassette 22 is completed in conjunction with the tablet dispensing operation by the dispensing unit 5.

(Dispensing control unit 6 side: Step S26)
In step S26, the control unit 61 determines whether or not there is a request to execute the retrieval process. If it receives a request to execute the retrieval process from the control unit 11 (Yes side of S26), it proceeds to step S27. On the other hand, if it has not received a request to execute the retrieval process from the control unit 11 (No side of S26), it returns to step S21.

(Dispensing control unit 6 side: Step S27)
In step S27, the control unit 61 performs a recovery process to recover tablets from the variable cassette 22. Specifically, the control unit 61 controls the path switching unit 713 to switch the discharge destination of the tablets dispensed from the variable cassette 22 from the packaging unit 5 to the recovery port 71, and drives the first rotating body 223 and the second rotating body 224 of the variable cassette 22 for a predetermined time set in advance to dispense the tablets from the variable cassette 22. Here, the control unit 61 when performing the recovery process is an example of a recovery processing unit.

Incidentally, when the recovery port 71 is open, the drug storage unit 73 must be set below the recovery port 71 before the tablets are dispensed from the recovery port 71, thus limiting the work procedure. In contrast, it is conceivable that the recovery unit 8 be equipped with a discharge switching unit 720 that can switch between a state in which the drug dispensed from the variable cassette 22 to the recovery port 71 is stored and a state in which it is discharged from the recovery port 71.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 19, the discharge switching unit 720 includes an opening/closing unit 714 that can open and close the recovery port 71, and a biasing unit 715, such as a spring, that biases the opening/closing unit 714 in the closing direction. As a result, when tablets are dispensed from the variable cassette 22 while the recovery port 71 is closed by the opening/closing unit 714, the tablets are stored in the recovery port 71. Subsequently, when the drug storage unit 73 is positioned below the recovery port 71 and the opening/closing unit 714 is opened, the recovery port 71 is opened, and the tablets become dischargeable, falling from the recovery port 71 into the drug storage unit 73 and being stored. Note that, as shown in Figures 19 and 20, the opening/closing unit 714 may also be opened when a part of the opening edge of the drug storage unit 73 comes into contact with the opening/closing unit 714 due to the sliding movement of the drug storage unit 73. Furthermore, another possible embodiment is one in which the opening/closing section 714 can be opened and closed by a drive unit such as a solenoid or motor, and the control unit 11 can open and close the opening/closing section 714 in response to user operation. It should also be noted that the discharge switching section 720 may not include the biasing section 715, and the opening/closing section 714 may be opened and closed manually.

As mentioned above, the variable cassette 22 is equipped with a display unit 25, such as an electronic paper display, and the display unit 25 displays the drug name of the tablet as drug information assigned to the variable cassette 22. Furthermore, the variable cassette 22 and the corresponding collection port 71 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. Therefore, users such as pharmacists can easily confirm that the drugs match by looking at the display unit 25 of the variable cassette 22 and the drug storage unit 73 set below the variable cassette 22, thereby preventing the incorrect collection of tablets into the drug storage unit 73. In addition, it is conceivable that the drug dispensing device 100A is equipped with an image forming device such as a printer or label printing device, or that such an image forming device is connected in a communication manner. In this case, the control unit 11 may use the image forming device to print information such as the number of tablets, drug information, and the date and time of the collection operation on paper or a sheet such as a label as information for recording the collection of tablets using the collection port 71. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the drug storage unit 73 is equipped with a storage medium such as an RFID chip, and the recovery unit 8 is equipped with an RFID reader/writer capable of reading and writing information to the storage medium in the drug storage unit 73. In this case, the control unit 11 may also store the recovery record information in the storage medium of the drug storage unit 73.

Furthermore, the display unit 25 may display information based on the drug information assigned to the variable cassette 22, indicating if the drug contained in the variable cassette 22 is a highly toxic or poisonous drug. This would allow for more reliable identification of whether a tablet is a highly toxic or poisonous drug when retrieving it from the variable cassette 22, thereby reducing the risk of retrieval work being performed without knowing the drug's nature.

As described in this embodiment, in the drug dispensing device 100A, each of the mounting sections 221 is individually provided with a recovery port 71, making it possible to individually recover tablets from each of the variable cassettes 22, thus eliminating the need to sort the tablets dispensed from the recovery port 71. Alternatively, it is conceivable that one recovery port 71 is provided corresponding to at least two or more of the mounting sections 221 of the variable cassettes 22. That is, a configuration in which tablets supplied from multiple mounting sections 221 are dispensed from a common recovery port 71 via a common second path 712 is also conceivable. In this case, tablets can be dispensed simultaneously from multiple variable cassettes 22 through a single recovery port 71, but multiple types of tablets may be unintentionally mixed. Therefore, it is conceivable that the control unit 11 can select whether to dispense tablets individually from each of the variable cassettes 22 or to dispense tablets simultaneously from multiple variable cassettes 22, depending on the selection operation of the variable cassettes 22. This allows the user to collect tablets from each variable cassette 22, and also to collect tablets from multiple variable cassettes 22 at once, improving convenience. Furthermore, since the drug dispensing device 100A allows switching between the first path 711 and the second path 712 for each variable cassette 22, it is possible to perform the dispensing operation using variable cassettes 22 that are not subject to the test dispensing process, while simultaneously performing a test dispensing process to test whether tablets can be discharged from the variable cassette 22 by dispensing tablets from the variable cassette 22 to the collection port 71.

[Other functions]
The following describes the various functions provided by the chemical dispensing device 100 or the chemical dispensing device 100A. The functions described here are any functions provided by the chemical dispensing device 100 or the chemical dispensing device 100A, and may be functions implemented by the control unit 61 instead of the control unit 11, or functions implemented through the cooperation of the control unit 11 and the control unit 61.

[Automatic medication remaining detection function]
Step S31 described a case in which the necessity of the recovery process is determined according to user operation. On the other hand, it is conceivable that the control unit 11 has an automatic remaining drug determination function that determines whether or not there is any remaining drug in the variable cassette 22.

For example, a light sensor for detecting chemicals within the variable cassette 22 may be provided in the variable cassette 22, and the control unit 11 may determine the presence or absence of chemicals in the variable cassette 22 based on the detection result from the light sensor.

Furthermore, if the variable cassette 22 is inverted (turned upside down) after the dispensing operation of the medication from the variable cassette 22 is completed, it is possible to determine that the remaining medication in the variable cassette 22 has been removed by the user. Therefore, it is conceivable that the variable cassette 22 is equipped with an acceleration sensor capable of detecting the operation of the variable cassette 22, a control unit that controls the acceleration sensor, and a power supply circuit including a secondary battery or the like for driving the acceleration sensor and the control unit. Note that some or all of the configuration of the control unit and the power supply circuit may be common to the control board on which the RFID tag 26 provided on the variable cassette 22 is mounted.

The control unit then determines, based on the detection result from the acceleration sensor, whether or not the variable cassette 22 has been inverted after the drug dispensing operation has been performed on the variable cassette 22, and records a remaining drug flag in a non-volatile storage unit such as an EEPROM (registered trademark) within the control unit. This allows the drug dispensing device 100A to determine whether or not there is remaining drug in the variable cassette 22 by reading the remaining drug flag stored in the storage unit of the variable cassette 22 from the control unit 11. It is also conceivable that the remaining drug flag may be stored in the RFID tag 26.

Thus, if the control unit 11 is equipped with the automatic remaining medication detection function, it is conceivable that the control unit 11 can display whether or not there is remaining medication in each of the variable cassettes 22. For example, the presence or absence of remaining medication could be displayed on the display unit 25 of the variable cassette 22. This would allow the user to easily understand the presence or absence of remaining medication in each of the variable cassettes 22 and determine whether or not the recovery process is necessary.

Furthermore, the control unit 11 may be configured to accept an input indicating whether the retrieval process is necessary if residual medication exists in the variable cassette 22 during step S31, and not accept such input if no residual medication exists in the variable cassette 22. For example, the control unit 11 may display a message on the monitor 13 in step S31 to inquire about the necessity of the retrieval process if residual medication exists in the variable cassette 22. In this case as well, the user can easily determine whether or not the retrieval process is necessary for each variable cassette 22 by checking for residual medication.

[Tablet Correctness/Incorrectness Detection Function]
It is conceivable that the drug dispensing device 100A may be equipped with a camera capable of photographing the tablets dispensed from the variable cassette 22. Specifically, the camera is positioned to photograph the tablets stored in the tablet storage section 222 of the variable cassette 22, or to photograph each tablet individually along the dispensing path as it is transported to the dispensing outlet 225 by the second rotating body 224 of the variable cassette 22.

The control unit 11 then determines whether the tablet dispensed from the variable cassette 22 is appropriate based on the captured image (still image or video) taken by the camera and the registered images for each type of tablet that are pre-registered in the drug master. The comparison between the captured image and the registered image is performed based on the shape, color, size, engraved characters, or printed characters of the tablet. For example, if the shape, color, and size of the tablet match, it is determined to be appropriate, and if the engraved characters or printed characters of the tablet match, it is determined to be appropriate. If the tablet dispensed from the variable cassette 22 is incorrect, the control unit 11 stops the dispensing operation from the variable cassette 22 and performs notification processing such as a predetermined error message. It should be noted that it may not be possible to accurately grasp the information of a tablet by photographing a tablet stored in the tablet storage unit 222 or a tablet being transported by the second rotating body 224. Therefore, the control unit 11 may determine that a tablet is acceptable even if the engraved or printed characters do not match, provided that the shape, color, and size of the tablet match. Similarly, it may determine that a tablet is acceptable even if the shape, color, and size of the tablet do not match, provided that the engraved or printed characters match.

Furthermore, as a configuration that allows for determining the authenticity of a tablet after it has been dispensed, it is conceivable to photograph the tablet after it has been ejected from the dispensing port 225 and perform a comparison. In contrast, with the tablet authenticity determination function, the tablet is photographed and compared at the point it reaches the dispensing port 225, making it possible to confirm the authenticity of the tablet before it is dispensed.

[Parallel dispensing function]
The control unit 11 may be equipped with a parallel dispensing function that assigns information of one type of drug to multiple variable cassettes 22 and dispenses one type of tablet in parallel using each of the variable cassettes 22 simultaneously. This makes it possible to dispense tablets in parallel from the variable cassettes 22, resulting in efficient dispensing of the tablets and a reduction in drug dispensing time.

Specifically, in step S3 or S15, when the control unit 11 assigns the drug information included in the prescription data to the variable cassette 22, it assigns the drug information to multiple variable cassettes 22 if the total number of tablets dispensed corresponding to the drug information exceeds a predetermined number of tablets. It is also conceivable that the control unit 11 assigns the drug information to multiple variable cassettes 22 if the product of the volume per tablet of the tablets registered in the drug master, etc., corresponding to the drug information, and the total number of tablets dispensed based on the prescription data exceeds a predetermined specific value.

The control unit 11 then instructs the control unit 61 of the dispensing control unit 6 to perform a process for dispensing tablets in parallel using the multiple variable cassettes 22. This makes it possible to shorten the time required for dispensing tablets when there are many tablets. Furthermore, when there are few tablets, the assignment of drug information to the multiple variable cassettes 22 is prevented, thus preventing the unnecessary work of replenishing tablets in the multiple variable cassettes 22. However, since users may request this even when there are few tablets, the control unit 11 may be able to assign the drug information to the multiple variable cassettes 22 in response to user operation.

Furthermore, the control unit 11 may also assign drug information corresponding to tablets stored in the fixed cassette 21 to the variable cassette 22 if the total number of tablets to be dispensed exceeds a predetermined number based on the prescription data. The control unit 11 then causes the control unit 61 of the dispensing control unit 6 to perform a process for dispensing tablets in parallel using multiple cassettes, including the fixed cassette 21 and the variable cassette 22. This makes it possible to shorten the dispensing time of tablets stored in the fixed cassette 21 by using the variable cassette 22 when the number of tablets to be dispensed is large.

[Tablet counting function]
The control unit 11 may be equipped with a tablet counting function that counts the number of tablets contained in the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22. Specifically, when the user requests the execution of a tablet counting process by specifying the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22, the control unit 11 causes the control unit 61 to execute the counting process of the tablets contained in the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22.

The control unit 61 then performs a dispensing operation to count the number of tablets in the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22. In this dispensing operation, the tablets contained in the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22 are placed into one or more of the dispensing papers 52 in predetermined allowable quantities. The allowable quantity is a predetermined number of tablets that can be contained in the dispensing paper 52, and may be set for each type of tablet.

As a result, the control unit 61 can count the number of tablets dispensed from the variable cassette 22 during the dispensing operation using a counter with an optical sensor (not shown) provided at the dispensing outlet 225 of the variable cassette 22. The number of tablets counted by the control unit 61 is, for example, notified to the control unit 11 and displayed on the monitor 13 by the control unit 11. Alternatively, the control unit 61 may display the number of tablets contained in the variable cassette 22 on the display unit 25 of the variable cassette 22.

Thus, the tablet counting function makes it possible to count the number of tablets contained in the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22, and for example, it is possible to count the number of tablets without the user touching them. If the tablets contained in the packaging paper 52 are to be used as is, the user, such as a pharmacist, will return the tablets from the packaging paper 52 to the fixed cassette 21 or the variable cassette 22.

[Distributed usage function]
The control unit 11 may be equipped with a distributed usage function that can evenly adjust the frequency or cumulative number of times drug information is assigned to each of the variable cassettes 22. Specifically, when drug information is assigned to each of the variable cassettes 22, the control unit 11 stores history information such as the date and time of assignment, the type of tablet, and the number of tablets dispensed in the storage unit 12. Then, in step S3, the control unit 11 preferentially selects the variable cassettes 22 that have been used less frequently during a predetermined period and assigns drug information to them, based on the history information stored in the storage unit 12. Alternatively, in step S3, the control unit 11 may preferentially select the variable cassettes 22 that have been assigned drug information less cumulatively and assign drug information to them. Furthermore, in step S3, the control unit 11 may, based on the history information stored in the storage unit 12, preferentially select a variable cassette 22 from among the variable cassettes 22 that has a low frequency of use during a predetermined period and has a small cumulative number of times to which drug information has been assigned, and assign drug information to it.

[Abnormal Fitting Notification Function]
The control unit 11 may be equipped with an abnormal mounting determination function capable of determining whether the correspondence between the variable cassette 22 and the mounting unit 221 is appropriate.

As described in the first embodiment, in step S15, the target to which the drug information is assigned is limited to the variable cassette 22 mounted on the mounting unit 221. Here, the control unit 11 may store in the storage unit 12 correspondence information that associates the identification information of the variable cassette 22 to which the drug information is assigned with the identification information of the mounting unit 221 to which the variable cassette 22 is mounted.

Subsequently, the control unit 11 determines an abnormality in the correspondence between the drug cassette and the mounting unit based on the correspondence information. Specifically, the control unit 11 determines an abnormality if a variable cassette 22 different from the variable cassette 22 associated with the mounting unit 221 is mounted on the mounting unit 221. If the control unit 11 detects the abnormality, it then, for example, executes an error notification process or prohibits the dispensing operation using the variable cassette 22.

Furthermore, when the packaging operation using the variable cassette 22 is completed, the control unit 11 erases the correspondence information for the variable cassette 22 and releases the correspondence with the mounting unit 221. Also, for mounting units 221 that do not have a defined correspondence with the variable cassette 22, any variable cassette 22 may be mounted.

This ensures that only the variable cassette 22 to which the drug information has been assigned can be mounted to each of the mounting sections 221. Therefore, it is prevented that a variable cassette 22 mounted on one mounting section 221, after being removed and filled with tablets, will be mounted on another mounting section 221. Furthermore, for example, by mounting a variable cassette 22 intended for use in a later dispensing operation onto the mounting section 221 in advance, it is possible to prevent a situation where the variable cassette 22 to be used in the upcoming dispensing operation cannot be mounted.

[Note 1]
A chemical dispensing device comprising multiple chemical cassettes capable of dispensing any type of chemical,
A display processing unit that displays a selection screen in which multiple selection areas for selecting each of the aforementioned chemical cassettes are displayed in the same arrangement as the arrangement of each of the chemical cassettes in the chemical dispensing device,
A reception processing unit that receives the selection operation for the selection area on the selection screen,
An assignment processing unit assigns the drug information to be dispensed to the drug cassette corresponding to the selected area received by the reception processing unit,
A drive processing unit drives the chemical cassette according to pre-set drive conditions corresponding to the chemical information assigned by the assignment processing unit, and puts the chemical cassette into a state where the chemical corresponding to the chemical information can be dispensed.
A chemical dispensing device equipped with the following features.

[Note 2]
The display processing unit displays the assignment status of each of the chemical cassettes on the selection screen or the chemical cassette.
The chemical dispensing device described in Appendix 1.

[Note 3]
Equipped with multiple drug-specific cassettes capable of dispensing predetermined types of drugs,
The display processing unit displays, on the selection screen, the selection area corresponding to each of the chemical cassettes and the specific area corresponding to each of the specific chemical cassettes in the same arrangement as the chemical cassettes and specific chemical cassettes in the chemical dispensing device.
A drug dispensing device as described in Appendix 1 or 2.

[Note 4]
The display processing unit can switch between a first display state in which both the selected area and the specific area are displayed on the selection screen and a second display state in which only the selected area is displayed, according to user operation.
The chemical dispensing device described in Appendix 3.

[Note 5]
The display processing unit displays the selected area and the specific area in a manner that allows for identification.
A drug dispensing device as described in Appendix 3 or 4.

[Note 6]
The drug dispensing device according to any one of the appendices 1 to 5, wherein the reception processing unit accepts an input operation for drug information to be dispensed after the selection operation has been accepted.

[Note 7]
The drug dispensing device according to any one of the appendices 1 to 5, wherein the receiving processing unit receives an input operation for drug information to be dispensed before the selection operation is received.

[Note 8]
Equipped with multiple drug-specific cassettes capable of dispensing predetermined types of drugs,
The display processing unit, when it finds a drug-specific cassette from which a drug corresponding to the drug information to be dispensed can be dispensed, highlights and displays the drug-specific cassette on the selection screen.
The chemical dispensing device described in Appendix 7.

[Note 9]
The system includes a dispensing execution unit that, in response to a dispensing start request that includes the drug information assigned to the drug cassette as the dispensing target, dispenses the drug corresponding to the drug information using the drug cassette corresponding to the drug information.
A drug dispensing device as described in any of the appendices 1 to 8.

[Note 10]
A dispensing unit for dispensing the chemicals from the aforementioned chemical cassette into individual packets,
A collection port for discharging the chemicals dispensed from the aforementioned chemical cassette to the outside,
A route switching unit that switches the supply destination of the chemical dispensed from the chemical cassette to a first route following the packaging unit and a second route following the collection port,
A chemical dispensing device as described in any of the appendices 1 to 9, comprising the above.

[Note 11]
The aforementioned collection port is located directly below the mounting section where the chemical cassette is attached.
The chemical dispensing device described in Appendix 10.

[Note 12]
The system includes a recovery processing unit that switches the supply destination of the chemical to the second route using the route switching unit and performs a recovery process that drives the chemical cassette.
A drug dispensing device as described in Appendix 10 or 11.

[Note 13]
The recovery processing unit can perform the recovery process after the dispensing of the drug from the drug cassette by the dispensing unit is completed.
The chemical dispensing device described in Appendix 12.

[Note 14]
The system includes a discharge switching unit that can switch between a state in which the chemical dispensed from the chemical cassette to the collection port is stored and a state in which it can be discharged from the collection port.
A drug dispensing device as described in any of Appendix 10 to 13.

[Note 15]
The aforementioned allocation processing unit,
The method assigns the drug information to a drug cassette that is mounted in one of a plurality of mounting sections to which the drug cassette is mounted, stores correspondence information that associates the identification information of the drug cassette to which the drug information is assigned with the identification information of the mounting section to which the drug cassette is mounted, and determines whether the correspondence between the drug cassette and the mounting section is appropriate based on the correspondence information.
A drug dispensing device as described in any of the appendices 1 to 14.

[Note 16]
A processor that controls a chemical dispensing device equipped with multiple chemical cassettes capable of dispensing any type of chemical,
A display step of displaying a selection screen in which multiple selection areas for selecting each of the aforementioned chemical cassettes are displayed in the same arrangement as the arrangement of each of the chemical cassettes in the chemical dispensing device,
A reception step that accepts the selection operation for the selection area on the selection screen,
An assignment step to assign information of a drug to be dispensed to the drug cassette corresponding to the selected area received in the reception step,
A drive step that drives the chemical cassette according to pre-set drive conditions corresponding to the chemical information assigned in the assignment step, and puts the chemical cassette into a state where the chemical corresponding to the chemical information can be dispensed.
A drug dispensing program to execute the drug.

Claims (2)

A drug dispensing device comprising a tablet supply unit that dispenses tablets from a tablet cassette containing tablets, and a control unit that controls the tablet supply unit,
The tablet supply unit comprises only a variable cassette capable of dispensing tablets of any size as the tablet cassette.
The control unit assigns drug information for the same type of tablet to a plurality of variable cassettes, and dispenses the tablets from one of the plurality of variable cassettes to which the drug information for the same type of tablet has been assigned, with priority given to one of the predetermined ones.
A shelf for placing chemicals is provided above the aforementioned variable cassette.
Chemical dispensing device. The type of chemical placed on the aforementioned shelf can be registered, and the control unit is capable of displaying the type of chemical corresponding to each of the aforementioned shelves in the same area as the placement location of the chemical.
The drug dispensing device according to claim 1 .