JPH11245902A - Tablet subdividing apparatus and continuously subdividing method using its apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tablet subdividing apparatus and a subdividing method, capable of performing continuous subdivision by replenishing tablets without stopping the operation of the apparatus. SOLUTION: Preliminary tablet feeders 30 and preliminary discharge passages 31, through which tablets are dropped from the tablet feeders 30 into a hopper 6 in a tablet subdividing apparatus 1, are provided on a side face of the apparatus 1 provided in a case 8 thereof with a drawable body having many tablet feeders mounted thereto. The tablets necessary for replenishment are put into the preliminary tablet feeders 30 and, when the tablets in the tablet feeders 30 are decreased to the predetermined number, the preliminary tablet feeders 30 are actuated to discharge the tablets thereinto, whereby the discharge of the tablets is designed so as not to be discontinued to perform continuous subdivision.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tablet packing apparatus for continuously packing tablets automatically based on a prescription, and a continuous packing method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an automatic packaging apparatus for automatically packaging tablets based on a prescription, there is, for example, a tablet packaging apparatus 1 'shown in FIGS.

[0003] In these tablet packing apparatuses 1 ', a plurality of tablet feeders 3 are arranged along a discharge path 2 extending in the vertical direction, and a control device operates each of the feeders 3 based on prescription information. Tablets 5 discharged from the discharge path 2
The packaging based on the prescription is performed by collecting with a hopper 6 provided below and packaging with a packaging device 7.

That is, in the tablet packaging apparatus 1 'shown in FIG. 14, a plurality of drawers 9 are assembled in a box-shaped case 8 on the left and right, and the drawers 9 assembled on the left and right are attached to the front and rear and up and down directions. Many tablet feeders 3 are arranged.

Each of the drawers 9 is slidably supported by an upper guide device 10 and a lower guide device 11 and can be pulled out from an opening 13 opened by a door 12.

The upper guide device 10 has a configuration in which a long rail in the front-rear direction is attached to the upper portion of the drawer body 9 and a plurality of rollers disposed on both sides of the rail are attached to the lower surface of the top plate of the case 8. The lower guide device 11 has a configuration in which a rail mounting base is provided below the drawer body 9, the rail mounting base is fixed inside the case 8, and slide rails are mounted on opposing surfaces of the two rail mounting bases.

[0007] As shown in FIG.
A motor base 14 and a cartridge container 15 detachably attached to the motor base 14, a rotor 16 is incorporated in the cartridge container 15, and the rotor 16 is rotated by a motor supported by the motor base 14 to rotate the cartridge container 15. The tablet 5 stored in the cartridge 15 is inserted into a pocket 17 provided on the outer periphery of the rotor 16,
The tablets 5 in the pockets 17 are discharged one by one from the discharge port 18 formed in the cartridge container 15 and the support table to the discharge path 2.

The discharge path 2 of each drawer 9 is
A packing device 7 is provided between the left and right tablet feeders 3 in a vertical direction, and a packaging device 7 is provided below the discharge path 2 via a hopper 6.

For this reason, when a control device (not shown) operates the tablet feeder 3 from the large number of tablet feeders 3 based on the prescription information and discharges the tablets 5 from the discharge port 18, the discharged tablets 5 are discharged. 2, falls into the hopper 6 via the hopper 6, and is packaged by a packaging device 7 provided below the hopper 6.

On the other hand, the one shown in FIG.
9 and an inner drum 20 incorporated inside,
The inner drum 20 and the outer drum 19 are formed by combining a plurality of rectangular cylinders 21 into a cylindrical shape, and the inside of each of the rectangular cylinders 21 is a discharge path 2.
The outer drum 19 is provided with an axial separating portion 22 at a part thereof so that the inner drum 20 faces the outer drum 19.

As shown in FIG. 17, an annular plate 23 is attached to the upper and lower sides of the outer drum 19, and each annular plate 23 is supported by a support plate 25 via a roller 24, whereby the outer drum 19 is rotated. It is movably supported.

Similarly, the inner drum 20 is moved up and down by a disk 26.
And the upper disk 26 of the disks 26 is supported by rollers 24 attached to the upper annular plate 23 of the outer drum 19, and the lower disk 26 is fixed to the lower annular plate 23 of the outer drum 19. By supporting with the attached roller 24,
The inner drum 20 is rotatably supported.

The same tablet feeder 3 as shown in FIG. 15 is disposed in the circumferential direction and the vertical direction on the outer circumference of each of the drums 19 and 20. The tablets 5 discharged to the
Is dropped into the discharge path 2 from a window 27 formed on the outer wall of the discharge passage 2. The lower end of the discharge path 2 communicates with a drop hole 28 formed in the lower circular plate 26 or the annular plate 23, and collects the tablets 5 falling by the hopper 6 provided below.

Therefore, as in the case of FIG. 14, when the control device operates the tablet feeder 3 based on the prescription information, the tablets 5 discharged from the tablet feeder 3 fall from the discharge path 2 to the hopper 6 and are collected. Then, the packaging process is performed by a packaging device 7 provided below the hopper 6.

By the way, in the case of the drawer type shown in FIG. 14, the door 12 of the case 8 is opened and the opened case 8 is opened. The drawer 9 is pulled out of the case 8 from the opening 13, the cartridge container 15 of the tablet feeder 3 is removed from the drawn-out body 9, and the tablets 5 are stored or refilled. After the tablets 5 are stored or replenished in this manner, the cartridge container 15 is mounted on the motor base 14 and the drawn-out body 9 is returned to the case 8.

In the drum type shown in FIG. 16, the outer drum 19 and the inner drum 20 are slightly different in the method of storing or refilling the tablets 5 in the tablet feeder 3. In the case of the outer drum 19, the outer drum 19 is different from the outer drum 19. After rotating the tablet feeder 3 to a predetermined position where the tablet feeder 3 can be replenished, the cartridge container 15 is removed, and the tablets 5 are stored or replenished. On the other hand, in the case of the inner drum 20, the inner drum 20 is rotated, and the tablet feeder 3 which needs to be stored or replenished is separated from the outer drum 19 by the separation unit 2.
After stopping at the position facing 2, the cartridge container 15 of the tablet feeder 3 is removed to accommodate or refill the tablets 5.

[0017]

However, in the above-mentioned tablet packaging apparatus, the number of tablets accommodated in the tablet feeder itself is limited, and the number of arranged tablet feeders is also limited. Therefore, there are the following problems. .

Since the number of tablets accommodated in the tablet feeder is limited, the tablet often breaks, and at that time, it is necessary to stop the apparatus and perform refilling, and there is a problem that packing efficiency is poor.

That is, in the drawer type of FIG. 14, when the drawer 9 is pulled out for replenishment, the position of the discharge path 2 of the drawer 9 and the hopper 6 are shifted and the tablet 5 is dropped onto the hopper 6. Therefore, there is a problem that the tablet packaging apparatus 1 'must be stopped.

On the other hand, in the drum type shown in FIG. 16, when the tablet feeder 3 is taken out, the drums 19 and 20 are rotated, so that the discharge path 2 rotates around the hopper 6, so that replenishment is performed. Therefore, even if the drums 19 and 20 are moved, the tablet 5 can always be discharged from the tablet feeder 3, but if a discharge signal is output to the tablet feeder 3 during replenishment, the tablet 5 cannot be discharged. Therefore, there is a problem that the tablet packaging apparatus 1 'must be stopped.

Since the number of the tablet feeders 3 to be arranged is limited, and new drugs have been introduced, all kinds of tablets 5 to be used for prescription must be accommodated in the tablet feeders 3 in the limited tablet packing apparatus 1 ′. There is a problem that can not be.

Therefore, the tablets 5 with a low prescription frequency cannot always be accommodated in the tablet feeder 3 in the apparatus 1 '. For example, the tablets 5 with a low prescription frequency are not used for the prescription every time the prescription is performed. The tablets 5 are replaced with the tablets 5 of the feeder 3 to perform packing or, for example, the tablets 5 are manually set by the number of packages in the detachable tablet feeding machine 29 shown in FIG. At the time of packing, the tablet packing apparatus 1 'must be stopped at that time, so that there is a problem that continuous packing cannot be performed and packing efficiency is poor.

That is, as shown in the above example, in the tablet packing apparatus 1 ′ using a plurality of tablet feeders 3, in order to replenish the tablets 5 and pack the tablets 5 having a low prescription frequency, the tablet Since the packaging device 1 'must be stopped,
There is a problem that packing efficiency is low.

Therefore, in the present invention, the first technical problem is to improve the efficiency of the packaging process, and the second technical problem is to continuously package tablets having a low prescription frequency.

[0025]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of tablet feeders are arranged along a vertically extending discharge path.
The control device operates the respective feeders based on the prescription information, and the tablets discharged at that time are dropped into a hopper provided below the discharge path and packed by the packaging device. A tablet discharger and a preliminary discharge path for dropping the tablets discharged from the preliminary tablet feeder to the hopper are provided, and the control device operates the preliminary tablet feeder when the tablet feeder has no or reduced tablets. A configuration is adopted in which tablets are discharged in place of the tablet feeder.

Similarly, in order to solve the first and second problems, in the invention according to claim 2, a plurality of tablet feeders are arranged above the hopper, and each of the feeders is operated by the control device based on the upper part of the prescription. Then, at this time, in a tablet packaging device that performs packaging by a packaging device provided below the hopper, the tablets discharged to the opening of the hopper, or a part of the tablet feeder as a spare tablet feeder, or The tablet feeder is provided with a preliminary discharge path for dropping the tablets discharged from the preliminary tablet feeder to the hopper, and the preliminary tablet feeder is operated when the control device is absent or the number of tablets is reduced, and the tablets are operated. The structure of discharging was adopted.

At this time, in order to solve the first problem, in the invention according to claim 3, tablets having a high prescription frequency are stored in the spare tablet feeder, and discharge of the tablets from the spare tablet feeder is performed by the tablet feeder. This was done when there were no or reduced tablets.

Further, in order to solve the second problem, the invention according to claim 4 employs a method in which tablets having a low prescription frequency are replaced and stored in the spare tablet feeder according to the prescription, and packaging is performed. It was done.

[0029]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a spare tablet feeder is provided by adding a tablet feeder or virtually setting a part of the tablet feeder in the tablet packing apparatus as a spare tablet feeder. Storing the tablets in the spare tablet feeder, and discharging the tablets from the spare tablet feeder when the tablets contained in the spare tablet feeder have no or reduced tablets in the tablet feeder of the tablet packaging apparatus. By doing so, it is possible to continuously perform the packaging prescription without interruption.

At this time, the spare tablet feeder is arranged at a place where the tablets can be replenished without pulling out the drawer, such as the outer wall of a case for housing the drawer, and the tablets are replenished without interruption to the spare tablet feeder. By doing so, the packaging process can be continued.

Further, in the drawer type tablet feeder,
For example, if the number of spare tablet feeders is the same as the number of tablet feeders attached to the drawer, the spare tablet feeder is the same as that stored in the tablet feeder of the drawer attached with the refilling tablet feeder. If tablets are accommodated in a corresponding manner and a spare tablet feeder accommodated in the corresponding manner is operated instead of the tablet feeder of the drawer, a tablet feeder that needs replenishment is arranged in the meantime. The drawer can be pulled out to replenish the tablet feeder. After the replenishment, the drawer may be returned to its original position, and the tablet feeder of the drawer may be operated instead of the spare tablet feeder.

On the other hand, in a drum-type tablet feeder, for example, tablets are stored in a spare tablet feeder, and when the number of tablets in the tablet feeder decreases, the tablets are discharged while the tablets are discharged from the spare tablet feeder. If replenishment or replacement is performed, the packaging process can be performed continuously without interruption.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, similarly to the first aspect of the present invention, when there are no or reduced tablets in the tablet feeder, the tablets are discharged from the spare tablet feeder so that the prescription is not interrupted. Can be performed continuously.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, by storing a tablet having a high prescription frequency and a large number of refills in the spare tablet feeder, the spare tablet feeder can discharge the tablet feeder with a high degree of tablet reduction. So
Packaging can be performed efficiently by reducing the number of times the apparatus is stopped.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a prescription is rarely stored in a spare tablet feeder during packaging, and a prescription period long before the next prescription is stored, and a low prescription frequency tablet is stored. Can be replaced according to the prescription (replacement does not affect the prescription because the prescription period is long), so that continuous packaging can be performed without affecting the prescription.

[0036]

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

At this time, the members described in the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 shows a drawer-type tablet packaging apparatus 1 as a first embodiment.

In this packaging apparatus 1, a spare tablet feeder 30 and a preliminary discharge path 31 are provided in the drawer type tablet packaging apparatus 1 'described in the conventional example. In this case, the spare tablet feeders 30 are configured such that the motor base 14 is attached to the side of the case 8 and the cartridge container 15 can be attached and detached without pulling out the drawer 9 in the case 8. Tablets 5 discharged from
Are discharged into the hopper 6 from a preliminary discharge passage 31 provided through the case 8.

The spare tablet feeder 30 serves as a means for the control device to identify the type of the stored tablet 5 as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2A, a reading means in which a plurality of optical sensors 32 are arranged in a line is provided on the motor base 14 side, and a tablet name is marked on the cartridge container 15 as shown in the bottom view of FIG. By providing a display means on which a sign 33 which is binary-coded by a space is attached and attaching the cartridge container 15 to the motor base 14, the sign 33 and the optical sensor 32 face each other, so that the data of the sign 33 can be read. It has become. The optical sensor 32 of the reading means is connected to the control device 4 via an interface as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 3, and the read data is input to the control device 4.

The control device 4 includes an input means 34 such as a keyboard for inputting prescription data, an arithmetic processing unit 35 for executing a packaging program based on the prescription information input by the input means 34, and each of the tablet feeders 3 and 30. Tablets 5
And a display 36 for displaying the remaining amount and the state of packing.

The arithmetic processing unit 35 is provided for each of the tablet feeders 3, 3
It has a register for a remaining amount counter that counts the remaining amount of tablets 5 for each 0, and each of the remaining amount counters is decremented when the detecting means provided at the outlet 18 of each tablet feeder 3 detects the ejection of the tablets 5. It has become so.

The number of tablets 5 stored in each tablet feeder 3 in each of the remaining amount counters is set because the weight per tablet 5 is determined for each type. Since the arithmetic processing unit 35 has a data table of the weight per tablet, when the cartridge container 15 is mounted on the motor base 14 of the tablet feeder 3, when the weight is measured and input from the input means 34, the input is performed. The weight is divided by the weight data per tablet read out from the data table by the arithmetic processing unit 35 to automatically calculate the weight. At this time, the weight data per tablet 5 for the calculation is automatically read from the data table using the tablet name read by the recognition means.

In this manner, the control device 4 controls each tablet feeder 3
The number of stored tablets 5 is monitored, and when the number of stored tablets decreases to a preset number, the control is transferred from the packaging processing program for prescribing using the tablet feeder 3 to the spare tablet feeder 30 as described later. The interrupt processing program is executed, and the tablets 5 are discharged from the spare tablet feeder 30 in place of the reduced tablet feeder 3 to perform packing.

Although the embodiment uses the optical sensor 32 and the marker 33 as identification means, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the presence or absence of a Hall element and a magnet, the presence or absence of a reed relay and a magnet, A magnetic head such as a magnetic head and a magnetic tape, a bar code, a transmitter and a transponder, and a combination of a contact switch and a projection for operating the switch can be used.

This embodiment is configured as described above. Next, the operation of the embodiment will be described to explain the continuous packaging method.

The tablet packing apparatus 1 accommodates and mounts the tablets 5 required for prescription in the cartridge containers 15 of the respective tablet feeders 3. At this time, a marker 33 indicating the tablet name is attached to the cartridge container 15. At this time, the weight of the cartridge container 15 is measured, and the weight is input from the input means 34 together with the name of the tablets stored in each tablet feeder 3 and registered. This registration is for display 3
For example, if an operation procedure and an operation menu are displayed in FIG. 6 as shown in FIG. 4 and a code corresponding to each tablet feeder 3 is displayed so that input can be performed in accordance with the display, the registration work is facilitated. Can be.

When the operation of storing the tablets 5 in the tablet feeder 3 is completed, the prescription information is input from the input means 34 according to the prescription, and the tablet packing apparatus 1 starts packing. Then, the control device 4 activates a packaging processing program as shown in FIG. 5 to operate each tablet feeder 3 in accordance with the prescription information, and share the tablets 5 discharged from the discharge port 18 of the tablet feeder 3 from the discharge path 2. Is dropped into the hopper 6 and the packaging is started by the packaging device 7 provided below the hopper 6.

At this time, the controller 4 controls each tablet feeder 3
The number of tablets 5 in the tablet feeder 3 is monitored, and when the number of tablets 5 in the tablet feeder 3 decreases to a preset storage number, the sign of the reduced tablet feeder 3 is displayed on the display 36.
And the tablet name.

For this reason, when the label 33 of the tablet name is attached to the cartridge container 15 containing the displayed tablet 5 and mounted on the motor base 14 of the spare tablet feeder 30, the control device 4 recognizes by the recognition means. The fact that the cartridge container 15 is mounted and the tablet name are read, and an interrupt processing program is executed to execute the spare tablet feeder 30.
Is operated to discharge the tablets 5, the tablet packaging device 1
Can be carried out without stopping.

By the way, if the number of tablets 5 in the spare tablet feeder 30 decreases during packaging using the spare tablet feeder 30 in this way, if another spare tablet feeder 30 is vacant, the spare Tablets 5 in the tablet feeder 30
It is sufficient to mount the cartridge container 5 in which the tablets 5 are placed, but if the tablets 5 are not empty, the packaging can be continued by directly charging the tablets 5 into the cartridge container 15.

As described above, in the device 1, the tablets 5 can be replenished without pulling out the drawer 9, so that the packaging of the tablets 5 can be continued. For this reason, by increasing the number of spare tablet feeders 30 arranged, it is possible to extend the time during which packaging can be continuously performed.

At this time, since the tablet feeder 3 containing the tablets with high prescription frequency is emptied first, the cartridge container 15 containing the tablets with high prescription frequency in advance is placed in the spare tablet feeder 30. By mounting it, the replenishment operation can be performed efficiently as described below.

That is, the tablets 5 with a high prescription frequency in the tablet packaging apparatus 1 are accommodated in the spare tablet feeder 30, and the tablets 5 with a high prescription frequency are supplied from the spare tablet feeder 30 from the beginning. , The empty tablet feeder 3
Can be redirected to the prescription of another tablet 5, so that the number of types of tablets 5 that can be prescribed can be increased or the tablet feeder 3 can be removed from the case 8 to reduce the size of the tablet packaging device 1. it can.

On the other hand, the spare tablet feeder 30 accommodates the tablets 5 with a low prescription frequency which are not accommodated in the tablet feeder 3, so that the following usage method can be used.

That is, in this case, a cartridge container 15 containing a tablet 5 with a low prescription frequency to which a marker 33 indicating a tablet name is attached is prepared.
5 is mounted on the motor base 14 of the spare tablet feeder 30 according to the prescription, the control device 4 reads the tablet name,
If it is not registered that the tablets 5 are stored in the tablet feeder 3 in the tablet packaging apparatus 1, the interrupt processing program is started and the control is transferred to the spare tablet feeder 30 to discharge the tablets 5. , The packaging can be performed continuously.

When there are a plurality of types of tablets 5 having a low prescription frequency, prescriptions are rare, and control is shifted to the tablet feeder 3 while the prescriptions are being performed. In the meantime, if the tablets 5 of the spare tablet feeder 30 are replaced with other tablets 5 so that the tablets 5 are packed, the packing can be performed continuously.

Therefore, the number of types of tablets 5 that can be prescribed can be increased without increasing the number of spare tablet feeders 30, so that the tablet packaging device 1 can be downsized.

At this time, if a plurality of cartridge containers 15 containing tablets 5 are prepared and replaced according to the type of tablets 5 to be prescribed, the packaging process can be performed more easily.

In the above embodiment, the control device 4 operates the spare tablet feeder 30 and discharges the tablets 5 when the control device 4 detects a decrease in the number of tablets 5 in the tablet feeder 3 in the tablet packaging device 1. However, besides this method, for example, in addition to the data such as the tablet name on the indicator 33 of the display means of the spare tablet feeder 30, the ejection of the spare tablet feeder 30 from the tablet feeder 3 in the tablet packaging device 1 is performed. If priority (priority) data giving priority is given, when the spare cartridge container 15 to which the data is attached is attached, the tablets 5 are discharged from the attached spare cartridge container 15 and the spare Since the operation of the tablet feeder 3 in the tablet packaging device 1 discharging the tablets 5 discharged from the cartridge container 15 can be stopped, It is possible to replenish the tablets to the tablet feeder 3 has stopped. For this reason, by using this priority data, it is possible for the operator to refill the tablet 5 into the favorite tablet feeder 3 at any time.

FIGS. 6 to 9 show other aspects of the above embodiment as second to fifth embodiments.

In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a spare tablet feeder 30 and a
1 is provided. In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 7, an opening 13 is provided on the side
3 is provided with a door 12, and the tablet feeder 3 of the drawer 9 in the inside is provided.
And a part of the tablet feeder 3 of the drawer body 9 that can be viewed from the outside is a spare tablet feeder 30.

FIG. 8 shows a fourth embodiment in which one of the four drawers is used as a spare tablet feeder. Here, in the fourth embodiment, unlike the second and third embodiments, all the one drawer 9 is used as the spare tablet feeder 30, so that the method of using the same will be described.

At this time, since the spare tablet feeder 1 and the control device 4 are the same as those in the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted.

In the tablet packing apparatus 1, for example, when the tablet feeder 3 with a reduced number of tablets is displayed on the display 36 during packing, the drawer 9 with the spare tablet feeder 30 attached is pulled out. Next, tablets 5 of the same type as the tablet feeder 3 of the drawer 9 to which the tablet feeder 3 attached to the tablet feeder 3 displayed on the display 36 are stored in the respective spare tablet feeders 30 of the drawn drawer 9 and the case 8 Put back inside. Then, the control device 4 causes the spare tablet feeder 30 to discharge the tablets 5, and during that time, pulls out the drawer 9 to which the tablet feeder 3 to perform the reduced refilling of the tablets 5 is attached, and refills the tablets 5. Perform When the replenishment is completed, the refilled drawer 9 is returned to the case 8 again.
The weight data of the refilled tablet 5 is input, and the input device uses the refilled drawer 9 to replace the drawer 9 with the spare tablet feeder 30 with the tablet 5.
Is discharged. By repeating this operation, packaging is continuously performed.

In the tablet packing apparatus 1 as well, as in the first embodiment, the spare tablet feeder 30 is also used for packing tablets 5 which are not contained in the tablet feeder 3 and have a low prescription frequency. can do. Also in this case, a cartridge container 15 containing a tablet 5 with a low prescription frequency to which a label 33 indicating a tablet name is attached is prepared, and the cartridge container 15 is prepared according to the prescription.
If the prescription tablet 5 is not registered in the tablet feeder 3 in the case 8 if the control device 4 is mounted on the motor base 14 of No. 0, the interrupt program is started to control the spare tablet feeder 30. Since the tablets 5 are transferred and discharged, the packaging can be performed continuously. Also, at this time, since the prescription is rare, if the control is transferred to the tablet feeder and replaced with another tablet 5 so that the tablets 5 are packaged, it is possible to continuously carry out various kinds of tablets 5. And can be packaged.

FIG. 9 shows another aspect of the fourth embodiment as the fifth embodiment.

In this embodiment, the same number of spare tablet feeders 30 as the tablet feeders 3 of the drawer 9 are provided on the side surface of the case 8, and all the drawers 9 in the case 8 are used for prescription of the tablets 5. Therefore, the types of tablets 5 that can be prescribed can be increased. For other configurations,
The description is omitted because it is the same as the embodiment.

FIG. 10 shows a drum type tablet packing apparatus 1 as a sixth embodiment.

In this case, since the cylindrical drums 19 and 20 to which the tablet feeder 3 is attached are arranged along the circumference of the hopper 6, the cartridge container 15 of the tablet feeder 3 which is not operating during the discharging operation can be used. A part of the tablet feeder 3 is used as a spare feeder 30 so that even if it is detached and attached, it does not hinder the packaging.

In this apparatus, when the display 36 indicates that the number of tablets 5 in the tablet feeder 3 has decreased, the cartridge container 15 containing the tablets 5 having the same name as the displayed tablet name is placed in the motor of the spare tablet feeder 30. The tablet 5 is mounted on the base 14, and the spare tablet feeder 30 is operated, during which the tablet 5 is replenished to the tablet feeder 3 in which the number of tablets 5 has decreased. At that time, the tablet feeder 3 and the control device 4
The same as that of the embodiment, if the one in which the label 33 of the tablet name is attached to the cartridge container 15 is used, the control device 4 automatically executes the interrupt processing program and the spare tablet feeder 30 Can be discharged. The refilled cartridge container 15
Is attached to the tablet feeder 3, the weight data is input from the input means 34, and the tablets are discharged from the tablet feeder 3 instead of the spare tablet feeder 30.

On the other hand, in the tablet packing apparatus 1, as in the case of the first embodiment, the spare tablet feeder 3 is used.
0 can also be used for packaging tablets 5 with a low prescription frequency that are not stored in the tablet feeder 3 in the tablet packaging apparatus 1.

In this case, too, a cartridge container 15 containing a tablet 5 with a low prescription frequency to which a mark 33 indicating a tablet name is attached is prepared, and the cartridge container 15 is adjusted to the prescription and the motor of the spare tablet feeder 30 is prepared. If the prescription tablets 5 are not registered in the tablet feeder 3 in the device 1 if the control device 4 is mounted on the base 14, the interrupt program is started to transfer the control to the spare tablet feeder 30 and Since 5 is discharged, packaging can be performed continuously.

At this time, since the prescription is rare, if the control is transferred to the tablet feeder 3 and replaced by another tablet 5 to divide the tablets 5, a large number of different tablets can be obtained. 5 sachets can be performed.

FIG. 11 shows another mode of the sixth embodiment as the seventh embodiment.

In this embodiment, a spare tablet feeder 30
And a preliminary discharge path 31 are provided separately from the drums 19 and 20. Other configurations and operations are the same as those in the sixth embodiment, and therefore, description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 12 shows a tablet packing apparatus 1 according to an eighth embodiment.

In the tablet packing apparatus 1, as shown in FIG. 12, a feeder storage section 50 divided by a partition plate is provided in a case 8, and a spare tablet feeder 30 is placed above the hopper 6 by the storage section 50. A plurality of tablet feeders 3 and 30 are arranged. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG.

Each of the tablet feeders 3 and 30 comprises a motor base 14 and a cartridge container 15 as described in the first embodiment.
30 is formed in a slender and slim shape so that a large number of the feeders 3 and 30 can be arranged on the hopper 6 so that various kinds of tablets 5 can be packaged.
Further, the tablet feeders 3, 30 arranged in this manner are:
The tablet device is connected to a control device (not shown) in the case 8, and operates the tablet feeders 3 and 30 based on the prescription information, similarly to the first embodiment.

On the other hand, below the hopper 6, a packaging device 7
Is provided, and in the packaging device 7, the tablet feeders 3, 30
In this embodiment, a conveyor 51 is provided at a discharge port of the hopper 6 formed in a rectangular shape, and the tablets 5 are packed in a central packing device 7. To be transported.

For this reason, in this embodiment, when the control device controls the spare tablet feeder 30 in the same manner as described in the first embodiment, the continuous packaging method can be performed. Therefore, the description is omitted.

As another mode of the tablet packing apparatus 1, a spare tablet feeder 30 is provided on the side of the case 8 as shown by a chain line in FIG. This shows a case where a preliminary discharge path 31 is provided in which the tablets 5 discharged from 30 pass through the case 8 and fall into the hopper 6.

The other configuration and operation and effect are the same as those of the eighth embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0084]

The present invention is configured as described above, and by providing a spare tablet feeder and a spare discharge path, when the number of tablets in the tablet feeder decreases, the tablet can be refilled without stopping the device during packaging. To carry out continuous packaging of tablets.

For this reason, the packaging efficiency can be improved.

In addition, since tablets with a low prescription frequency can be packaged without using a detachable tablet feeding machine, prescription can be performed efficiently.

Particularly, in a drawer-type tablet packaging device, if a tablet having a high prescription frequency is supplied by using a spare tablet feeder, the tablet feeder in the device can be directed to prescription of another tablet, and a prescription can be obtained. The number of types of tablets that can be made can be increased, and the tablet feeder can be detached from the device to reduce the size of the device.

Further, since the number of types of tablets that can be prescribed without increasing the number of spare tablet feeders can be increased, a wide variety of tablets can be packaged without installing a tablet feeder for each tablet. The size can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a tablet feeder.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control device.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an operation of a display screen of a display device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a packaging processing program.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of a seventh embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an eighth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining the internal structure of the eighth embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a front view of a conventional drawer-type tablet packaging apparatus.

FIG. 15 is a longitudinal sectional view of a tablet feeder.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a conventional drum-type tablet packing apparatus.

FIG. 17 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional drum type tablet packaging apparatus.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a detachable tablet dispenser.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 tablet packaging device 2 discharge path 3 tablet feeder 4 control device 5 tablets 6 hopper 7 packaging device 14 motor base 15 cartridge container 30 preliminary tablet feeder 31 preliminary discharge path 32 reading means 33 display means

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of tablet feeders are arranged along a discharge path extending in a vertical direction, and a control device operates each of the feeders based on prescription information, and tablets discharged at that time are provided below the discharge path. In a tablet packaging apparatus for dropping into a hopper and packaging by a packaging apparatus, a preliminary tablet feeder and a preliminary discharge path for dropping tablets discharged from the preliminary tablet feeder to the hopper are provided, and the control device A tablet dispensing apparatus characterized in that when a tablet is not present in a tablet feeder or when the number of tablets has decreased, a spare tablet feeder is operated to discharge tablets in place of the tablet feeder. 2. A plurality of tablet feeders are arranged above a hopper, and each of the feeders is operated by a control device based on prescription information. In this case, tablets discharged to an opening of the hopper are provided below the hopper. In a tablet packing apparatus that performs packing by a packing apparatus, a part of the tablet feeder is used as a spare tablet feeder, or a spare tablet feeder separately from the tablet feeder and tablets discharged from the spare tablet feeder. Providing a preliminary discharge path for dropping the tablets into the hopper, and operating the control device to discharge the tablets when the control device has no or reduced tablets in the tablet feeder. apparatus. 3. The spare tablet feeder stores tablets having a high prescription frequency, and discharges the tablets from the spare tablet feeder when there are no or few tablets in the tablet feeder. Item 4. The continuous packaging method of the tablet packaging device according to Item 1 or 2. 4. The continuous packaging of a tablet packaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein tablets having a low prescription frequency are replaced in the spare tablet feeder according to the prescription, accommodated, and packaged. Method.