KR102158746B1 - Tablet (Pill) Counting Multi-sided Optical Sensor Module for Pharmaceutical Automation - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for the application of automated preparation equipment, wherein a sensor module is installed between a moving passage of a tablet drug counting device having an inlet formed at the top and a recovery part, and the sensor module is the inlet port It is possible to count a number of tablets moving to the recovery unit through.
The multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets according to the present invention can be attached and detached for detecting and counting a large number of pills falling at high speed using an optical sensor, as well as increasing the efficiency of pill preparation and dispensing and improving corporate profits. There is an effect that can be created.

Description

Multi-sided optical sensor module for tablet drug counting for application of automatic dispensing equipment {Tablet (Pill) Counting Multi-sided Optical Sensor Module for Pharmaceutical Automation}

The present invention relates to a multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for application of automated dispensing equipment, and more particularly, directly applicable to domestic and overseas dispensing-related device manufacturers or pharmacies and hospitals where automatic tablet classification and packaging systems are required. It relates to a multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for the application of automated dispensing equipment to provide a modular sensor system.

Drug detection and counting technology in the business field related to tablets is an essential technology for automating the preparation and distribution of drugs, and for this purpose, devices (hardware) and algorithms (software) that detect and count a large number of pills at high speed have been steadily developed.

Regarding the high-speed counting device for pill packaging, in the case of conventional patents KR101462673B1, US5463839, etc., for high-speed counting of pill, several tracks (guides) are installed on the pill's movement path after pill injection, so that a number of pills are different paths. It is designed in such a way that it moves through and gathers in the final packaging machine (medicine container).

This is a method for moving a large number of tablets at high speed in a short time, and corresponds to a method of simply increasing the efficiency of the pill counting device. The counting speed performance of the device depends on the number of tracks in the moving path, and even movement of the pills in the track. There is a disadvantage in that the volume of the device is also increased by including a vibration unit for

In addition, in relation to the distribution and counting of pills, in the case of conventional patents US6237804, US6377648, US6370215, US6497339, etc., a stopper is installed in the device or a perforated disk is rotated, and the discharged pills are counted through the hole. It proposes a device-based solution, and also proposes ways to discharge the pills without jamming by vibrating by inserting a cassette in which the pills are stored.

However, as in the above cases, this also corresponds to a simple device-based solution and focuses on accuracy rather than counting speed, and counting speed also depends on the drive speed of the device.

In addition, these methods are specialized for each device and have a disadvantage that they cannot be extended to other existing devices.

Next, with regard to tablet drug counting and medication management, conventional patents US8271128 and US8855811 use both a tablet cassette counter and an optical counter. When a cassette containing pills is mounted on the device, the internal structure of the cassette rotates and the pills Will be discharged one by one.

At this time, tablets are counted at the bottom of the cassette counter, and the discharged tablets fall along the funnel of the device and pass through the optical counter at the bottom of the device to count again.

This is not only possible to count the tablets more accurately through the double counting, but also the information of the pills to be counted and the number of pills to be counted through data obtained from the barcode attached to the cassette. It is one that can manage the overall dispensing work from places where tablets are prepared according to prescriptions and automation is required, such as a pharmacy, such as verifying whether this is correct and comparing whether the number of actual counted pills matches the number of preset pills. It was proposed as an automated system for managing the formulation of

At this time, in the case of the used optical counter, the part where the pill falls is configured in a square structure, and the light emitted from the two light sources (light-emitting part) is reflected by the mirror, passes through the lens, and is illuminated by the sensor array (light-receiving part) in the square When the pill passes through the inside of the square, the light entering the light-receiving unit is blocked and its value changes. Through this, the pill can be detected and counted.

In addition, as a counting method related to this, in the case of the known technology patent US5768327, each signal is divided into 1 and 0 (On/Off) according to whether or not the light is covered by the signal detected in each light receiving unit, and then arranged in two dimensions, This is a method of counting tablets by separating the part grouped with zeros from the composed image.

However, in the case of the above optical counter, it is also a counter designed for a specific device and can be used only in the device of this patent. In order to secure the radiation angle and radiation distance of the light source and eliminate the blind spot in the counter, the structure of the device is complicated and sized. There is a drawback of getting bigger.

US Patent Publication No. 8271128 US Patent Publication No. 8855811

The present invention has been proposed in view of the above circumstances, and provides a multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for application of automated preparation equipment capable of detecting and counting a large number of pills falling at high speed using a sensor module. There is a purpose.

The multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for the application of automated preparation equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention has an inlet at the top, a recovery unit at the bottom, and a moving path between the inlet and the recovery unit Counting device; And a sensor module mounted in the moving passage of the tablet medicine counting device and counting a plurality of pills moving to the collection unit through the inlet.

And the sensor module includes a light emitting unit formed of a light emitting diode; A light receiving unit formed of a photodiode; And a module case mounted on the moving passage and fixing the light emitting part and the light receiving part.

In addition, the module case may be arranged in any one of a square shape, a hexagonal shape, and an octagonal shape inside the moving passage.

Further, the module case may be installed to be spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction.

In addition, in the module case, the diode mounting grooves may be formed to be spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction, and the light emitting part and the light receiving part may be installed to be spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction in the diode mounting groove of the module case.

Here, the diode mounting groove is formed in a spherical shape, and a diode coupling hole in which the diode constituting the light emitting unit or the light receiving unit is mounted is formed in a spherical shape, so that the irradiation position of the diode can be adjusted.

In addition, the module case may be formed in a module shape so that the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit can be easily detached and operated independently.

In addition, the sensor module may detect a pill by using a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit configured as an optical sensor and a voltage level.

In addition, the sensor module can detect the size of a pill of 3mm ~ 25mm.

The multi-faceted optical sensor module for tablet drug counting according to the present invention not only can detect and count a number of pills falling at high speed using the sensor module, but also is configured in a modular type, so that it is easy to attach and detach, thereby improving the efficiency of pill preparation and distribution. There is an effect that can increase and create corporate profits.

1 is a conceptual diagram showing a multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for the application of automated preparation equipment according to the present invention.
2 and 3 are diagrams showing an embodiment of a module case constituting a multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for application of the automated preparation equipment according to the present invention.
Figure 4 is a view of the sensor module of the two-sided structure of Figure 1 according to the present invention.
5 to 7 are views showing an embodiment of the sensor module of the two-sided structure of FIG. 2 according to the present invention.
Figure 8 is a view of the sensor module of the three-sided structure of Figure 1 according to the present invention.
9 is a view showing an embodiment of the sensor module of the three-sided structure of FIG. 8 according to the present invention.
10 is an embodiment showing the result data of actual data analysis according to the present invention.
11 is a diagram showing an example of a template applied to actual data analysis according to the present invention.
12 is a view showing a pill counting method through actual data analysis according to the present invention.
13 and 14 are views showing actual pill drop data through actual data analysis according to the present invention.
15 is a view showing the problem of the actual drop data through the actual data analysis according to the present invention.

Advantages and features of the present invention, and a method of achieving them will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but will be implemented in various forms different from each other, and only these embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and common knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains. It is provided to completely inform the scope of the invention to the possessor, and the invention is defined by the description of the claims. Meanwhile, terms used in the present specification are for explaining embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. In this specification, the singular form also includes the plural form unless specifically stated in the phrase. As used herein, "comprises" or "comprising" refers to the presence of one or more other components, steps, actions and/or elements other than the recited elements, steps, actions and/or elements, or Does not rule out addition.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for application of the automated preparation equipment according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are A diagram showing an embodiment of a module case constituting a multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for the application of the automated preparation equipment according to the invention.

The multi-faceted optical sensor module 100 for counting tablets for the application of the automated preparation equipment of the present invention is roughly divided into a tablet drug counting device 200 and a sensor module 300.

As shown in FIG. 1, the tablet chemical counting device 200 has an inlet 210 formed in the upper part, a recovery part 220 formed in the lower part, and between the inlet port 210 and the recovery part 220 A moving passage 230 is formed.

That is, when the tablet medicine counting device 200 enters the tablet into the inlet 210, the tablet is stored in the collection unit 220 through the moving passage 230.

Here, the structure and shape of the tablet drug counting device 200 may be variously changed according to the environment and purpose.

In addition, a module support part 240 may be selectively formed around the inner surface of the moving passage 230 in order to guide the position and smoothly fix the sensor module 300.

The sensor module 300 is mounted in the moving passage 230 of the tablet drug counting device 200.

That is, the sensor module 300 is mounted on the moving passage 230 of the tablet drug counting device 200 to quickly and accurately count the number of pills falling from the input unit 210 to the collection unit 220. .

Here, in the case of the software of the sensor module 300, even if different sizes and various types of pills pass through the module, it is sensed and the number is quickly and accurately counted.

At this time, the sensor module 300 must be able to detect pills within the size range of general pills (minimum 3mm to maximum 24mm), and when a plurality of pills pass through the module at once, some abnormalities such as overlapping or obstruction Even when a case occurs, the tablets are separated and detected to determine the number.

However, when entering the pill, the size information of the pill to be counted must be entered in advance, and the pill must be lightly poured in to prevent indiscriminate pouring of multiple pills through the inlet.

(Generally, when dispensing a pill, a pill count is required according to the patient's individual prescription, but only one type of pill is packaged in the large-capacity pill container used for this, and detailed information about each pill (name, ingredient, purpose, Effect, size, etc.) can be identified in advance.

In addition, the sensor module 300 is mounted on the light emitting portion 310 formed of a light emitting diode, the light receiving portion 320 formed of a photodiode, and the moving passage 230, and includes the light emitting portion 310 and the light receiving portion 320 It consists of a module case 330 to be fixed.

That is, the sensor module 300 includes a light-emitting unit 310 that emits light using a light-emitting diode, a light-receiving unit 320 that senses light arriving from the light-emitting unit 310 using a photodiode, and the light-emitting unit 310. ) And the module case 330 for fixing the light receiving unit 320. At this time, the photodiode of the light receiving unit 320 converts light into an electric signal.

In addition, the sensor module 300 can detect and count a plurality of pills.

Specifically, in the case of detecting a pill through obscuring light, if another pill is placed behind one pill, the pill cannot be counted.

Accordingly, the existing pill counting devices are designed to count and count only the number of changes in the light receiving unit signal by limiting the width of the movement path so that only one pill always passes through the sensor. There was a problem with various problems such as limitation of performance.

On the other hand, since the sensor module 300 of the present invention detects a voltage signal that changes when an object falls and the light is covered, since the magnitude of the voltage is proportional to the intensity of light, the sensor module 300 of the present invention can detect and count the tablet.

Next, the module case 330 of the sensor module 300 is disposed in any one of a square shape, a hexagonal shape, and an octagonal shape inside the moving passage 230.

That is, the module case 330 is formed in any one of a square, a hexagon, and an octagon so that the light emitting unit 310 and the light receiving unit 320 may have two or more sides to increase the accuracy of the counting and simultaneously detect several pills. The speed was also increased by making it possible to count.

At this time, the module case 330 is formed in a module shape so that the light emitting unit 310 and the light receiving unit 320 can be easily detached and operated independently.

In addition, the module case 330 has diode mounting grooves 332 spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction, and the light emitting part 310 and the light receiving part 320 are diode mounting grooves 332 of the module case 330. It can be installed to be spaced apart in a vertical direction.

That is, the module case 330 in which the light-emitting unit 310 and the light-receiving unit 320 are mounted are mounted at intervals in the vertical direction, so that the accuracy of the count can be increased through measurement several times.

In addition, the module case 330 has diode mounting grooves 332 spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction, and the light emitting part 310 and the light receiving part 320 are diode mounting grooves 332 of the module case 300. ) Can be installed at intervals in the vertical direction.

That is, the diode mounting groove 332 is formed at an interval in the vertical direction of the module case 330, and the light emitting unit 310 and the light receiving unit 320 are mounted in the diode mounting groove 332 to measure several times. This is to improve the accuracy of the coefficient through

In addition, the diode mounting groove 332 is formed in a spherical shape, the diode mounting groove 322 has a diode coupling hole 340 in which a diode constituting the light emitting unit 310 or the light receiving unit 320 is mounted It is formed as, it is possible to adjust the irradiation position of the diode.

That is, the diode mounting groove 332 is formed in a spherical shape, and a spherical diode coupling hole 340 is mounted in the diode mounting groove 332, so that the position of the light emitting unit 310 and the light receiving unit 320 Can be adjusted.

Next, an embodiment of a multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for application of the automated preparation equipment configured as described above will be described in detail.

First, an inlet 210 is formed in the upper part, a recovery part 220 is formed in the lower part, and a moving passage 230 is formed between the inlet 210 and the recovery part 220. 200).

In addition, the light emitting portion 310 formed of a light emitting diode and a light receiving portion 320 formed of a photodiode and the light receiving portion 320 formed of a photodiode are mounted in the moving passage 230, and the light emitting portion 310 and the light receiving portion 320 are connected to each other. A sensor module 300 made of a fixed module case 330 is mounted.

At this time, the sensor module 300 is arranged in the moving passage 230 in a rectangular shape so that the number of the pair of optical sensors is composed of two or more sides so that the number can be separated and counted even when the pills are overlapped or covered.

That is, when the sensor module 300 is viewed in a plan view, the light emitting unit 310 and the light receiving unit 320 are two pairs in a horizontal/vertical square shape, and as described above, the minimum size of the pill is 3 mm, so the module The spacing between each diode is formed to be 1.5mm so that there is no blind spot that cannot detect the pill at any point within.

In this case, the number and spacing of the light-emitting units 310 and the light-receiving units 320 of the sensor module 300 may vary depending on the environment and purpose.

Next, the counting method of the sensor module 300 detects a change in a signal due to the failure of light to reach the light receiving unit 320 by a pill, and counts the pill according to the number of change sections in each axis.

At this time, at the time the pill is detected, it is a method of increasing the number of the pill by comparing the number of pill counted horizontally and vertically and taking the counting result of more axes. It is possible to effectively calculate the separation factor.

In addition, the sensor module 300 is detected as one when the right pill is covered by the left pill in the light receiving unit 320 of the vertical axis as shown in FIG. 5, but when viewed from the light receiving unit 320 of the horizontal axis, it can be detected and counted as two.

At this time, the two results detected on the horizontal axis are counted by adding 2 to the final pill counting result by using the two detected results as the pill counting result at that time point.

In addition, when the pills are overlapped and pass through the module as shown in FIG. 6, light is not detected in the section between the pills of the horizontal light receiving unit 320, so that the number of changes in the signal on the horizontal axis is counted as one. I can.

At this time, if the range of the signal change section is compared with the size of the previously identified pill, and if it is larger than the range of the area that can be covered by the size of the pill, it is determined as a case where two pills are attached and passed, and the number is separated and counted as two. can do. (On the contrary, you can judge the size of one pill based on the extent of the obscured section.)

However, as shown in FIG. 7, when an additional pill passes through the sensor module at the same time in the case of FIG. 6, the horizontal and vertical axes are counted as two, and the final result can also be counted as two.

In this case, the sensor module 300 may have two or more pairs of the light-emitting unit 310 and the light-receiving unit 320 as shown in FIG. 8.

That is, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the sensor module 300 is a schematic diagram of a case in which the pair of sensors is three-sided. According to the section that crosses the path through which light is transmitted between each sensor, a hexagonal shape indicated in green as shown in FIG. 8 As described above, the active area in which the pill is detected may be slightly different without a blind spot, and accordingly, there may be a difference in the overall module standard.

In addition, even when the sensor module 300 is formed on three sides at all times, the number of pills is counted based on the number of signal changes on each side and the range of the section in the same way as the two sided structure, and counting on each side. By taking the largest value among the results, you can determine the number of pills at that point.

In addition, the counting result is unclear in the two-sided sensor module of FIG. 7 shown as shown in FIG. 9. In the three-sided sensor module, the range of the signal change and the number of sections in the lower left and right light receiving units Based on the counting result, it is possible to find out that there are three pills.

In addition, the more each sensor pair is increased by forming the light emitting unit 310 and the light receiving unit 320 constituting the sensor module 300 into 4 sides (8 angles), 5 sides (10 angles), etc. It becomes possible to observe the passage of.

In this way, more complex and extreme situations, such as a case where all three (or more) pills are stuck together, and a case where the pills are completely overlapped and passed, can be considered as additional examples, but as already presented, a number of pills are indiscriminately In order to prevent spilling situations, such cases can be reduced by simple behavioral restrictions such as gently shaking off the pill when injecting the pill.

In addition, by using the sensor module 300, the reliability of the sensor module can be improved by experimentally reproducing the cases in which counting is not possible due to a low possibility but a complex situation, determining them as errors, classifying them as exceptions, and excluding them. It is expected that it will be able to perform even additional testing functions.

Next, the counting method of the sensor module 300 may be performed through actual data analysis in addition to the sensor module structure and counting using the same.

10 is shown based on two planes based on the data acquired through the sensor module 300 of the present invention.

That is, as data composed of 0 and 1, when the light is covered by the drug, it is displayed as 1, and the shape of the pills falling in a clustered form of 1 can be confirmed.

At this time, two pills were sensed on both the horizontal and vertical surfaces, and the number of each row can be viewed as a time axis, and an axis directed below the number of light-receiving diodes.

In addition, in order to prevent noise that may occur in some sections and to efficiently separate and count tablets falling while being stuck, a template to be identified as an actual pill section (Fig. 11 shown) is used.

Referring to FIG. 10, when a template of 2 X 2 (all 1, based on 1 in the lower right) is used, the section determined as the actual pill area is indicated in yellow, and the starting point of the actual pill area is blue. It is displayed in color.

Supplementary explanation, the size and shape of the pill of the template used as in the illustrated example of FIG. 11 may be applied by variously setting the shape and reference point in a square shape. In this case, as the size of the template increases, the number of rows in which data on the time axis should be accumulated increases, and thus memory and processing speed also increase. .

Specifically, the actual real-time pill counting method is as illustrated in FIG. 12.

By scanning each row one row, the number of points where the actual pill area starts is counted to determine the number of each side (H: Horizontal, V: Vertical), and the maximum value (M: Max) of the two sides is counted for that row. It counts by value, and only when the count value increases, the final count value (T: Total) is increased by the difference between the C value and the number of final tablets is counted.

As in the case of FIG. 13 shown as an example, the tablets are attached and dropped on the V-axis, but not only can be counted as two in the H-axis, but also the separation coefficient is possible by the template in the V-axis.

As in the case of FIG. 14 shown in another embodiment, even if the tablets are adjacent to each other on both axes (V-axis and H-axis), the separation coefficient is possible by the template.

However, as in the case of FIG. 15 shown, two are detected separately on one V-axis, and the actual count value may appear as 2, but as in the H-axis, even if a template is applied, the separation coefficient cannot be detected When the data appears on both axes, the separation factor is not possible, and by looking at the data alone, it is impossible to check whether there is one large pill or two pills are actually stuck together.

At this time, as described in advance of the present invention, the size of the pill must be input in advance, and the number of actual pill must be counted through the total fall section and time of the actual pill.

And this module can be used not only for counting tablets, but also for counting small objects such as other factory-made parts.

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present invention, and those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention.

Therefore, the embodiments expressed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present invention, but to explain, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas that are equivalent to or within the scope should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

100: Multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for application of automated preparation equipment
200: tablet chemical counting device 210: inlet
220: recovery unit 230: moving passage
240: module support 300: sensor module
310: light emitting unit 320: light receiving unit
330: module case 340: diode coupler

Claims (9)

A module case in which a plurality of optical sensor pairs consisting of a plurality of light emitting units and a light receiving unit face at least two or more surfaces to form a first axial optical sensor pair and a second axial optical sensor pair; By detecting a signal change section due to the failure of light to reach the light receiving units of the first axis optical sensor pair and the second axis optical sensor pair by falling pills, the first axis optical sensor pair and the second axis optical sensor Including a sensor module including means for counting the pills according to the number of the signal change section in each of the pair,
The pill counting means of the sensor module
Comparing the number of pills counted by the first axis optical sensor pair and the second axis optical sensor pair, a larger number is taken as a counting result,
Comparing the range of the signal change section with the size of the pill, and when the range of the signal change section is larger than the range of the area that can be covered by the size of the pill, the number of the pill is counted as two Multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for application.
A module case in which a plurality of optical sensor pairs consisting of a plurality of light emitting units and a light receiving unit face at least two or more surfaces to form a first axial optical sensor pair and a second axial optical sensor pair; The shape of a pill represented by data when light does not reach the light receiving part of the first axis optical sensor pair and the second axis optical sensor pair by falling pills, and data when the light reaches the pill because it is not covered by the pill Including a sensor module comprising a means for counting the pills using the data,
The shape data of the pill is displayed in a space having the number of the first axis optical sensor pair and the second axis optical sensor pair as the horizontal axis, and the time axis according to the falling of the pill as the vertical axis. Multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting refined chemicals.
The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The module case is a multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for application of automated preparation equipment that is arranged in any one of a square shape, a hexagon shape, and an octagon shape.
The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The module case is a multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for application of automated preparation equipment that is installed at intervals in a vertical direction.
The method of claim 2, wherein the means for counting pills of the sensor module
A multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for application of automated preparation equipment, further configured to apply a template for determining the actual pill section from the shape data of the pill.
delete The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The module case is a multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for application of automated preparation equipment that is formed in a module shape so that the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit can be easily detached and operated independently.
delete The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The sensor module is a multi-faceted optical sensor module for counting tablets for the application of automated preparation equipment that detects the size of pills of 3mm to 25mm.

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