KR102563982B1 - Pill sorting system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a supply device for supplying a plurality of tablets drawn into the first hopper by dropping them while transferring them from the lower side to the upper side, and provided adjacent to the supply device and drops and supplies the tablets individually and uniformly through the supply device. an aligning device for arranging at intervals, a tablet discriminating device provided adjacent to the aligning device, photographing tablets supplied at regular intervals by the aligning device, and discriminating the tablets based on the photographed tablet image; A sorting device provided adjacent to the tablet discriminating device, receiving the tablets discriminated by the tablet discriminating device and classifying the tablets into a corresponding classification compartment among a plurality of classification compartments based on information on the tablets; and a photograph taken from the tablet discriminating device. A database that transmits tablet information corresponding to the corresponding tablet based on the obtained tablet image, and the supply device, the sorting device, the tablet discriminating device, the sorting device, and the database are electrically connected and communicable, and the supply device, the sorting device, Including a control unit that controls the driving of the supply device, sorting device, tablet discrimination device, and sorting device with the detection signal detected by the tablet detection sensor provided in the tablet discrimination device and the sorting device, respectively, and the tablet information transmitted from the database. The classification of tablets (pills), which depended on manual work, is performed by photographing the upper and lower surfaces of the tablets, obtaining tablet information through communication with the database with the photographed tablet images, and automating the classification of tablets based on the obtained tablet information. A tablet classification system that improves accuracy and reliability by quickly classifying tablets regardless of the ingredients, colors, and types of tablets, and improves inventory management while reducing work intensity by breaking away from simple classification work of pharmacists provides

Description

Pill sorting system {Pill sorting system}

The present invention relates to a tablet sorting system, and more particularly, to classify tablets (pills), which was mainly dependent on manual work, by photographing the upper and lower surfaces of the tablets, and obtaining tablet information by communicating with a database with the photographed tablet images. And, based on the obtained tablet information, it relates to a tablet classification system in which classification of tablets is automated.

Typically, in various large hospitals, while patients are hospitalized in hospitals, the drugs they are taking are prescribed and taken for various reasons. However, if the prescription of the drug being taken is changed, the remaining drug is collected and collected at the pharmacy.

At this time, the pharmacist accurately reclassifies the recovered medicine and puts it in the original medicine bottle. In this process, drug classification eventually depends on the manual work of pharmacists, and due to its nature, it is necessary to accurately classify drugs to prevent misuse and abuse, requiring considerable concentration in the work.

For this reason, a method of reducing the workload of pharmacists by processing the sorting of purified drugs by mechanical means is being sought.

As prior art documents that can be referred to in this regard, Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0717384 (Prior Document 1), Korean Patent Publication No. 2010-0128916 (Prior Document 2), and the like are known.

Prior Document 1 includes a drug name input unit that receives a drug name from a predetermined user through a user terminal; a drug information unit that searches for drug information corresponding to the drug name input from the drug name input unit by a predetermined program; a drug classification unit that classifies the drug information searched in the drug information unit into each step according to a classification system; a color assigning unit for generating color drug information by assigning a color to the drug information classified in each step in the drug classification unit; a color medicine information storage unit for storing the color medicine information generated by the color application unit; and a transmitter for transmitting the color medicine information stored in the color medicine information storage unit to the user terminal through a wired/wireless connection network. Accordingly, since drugs are separated by each color, anyone can easily recognize the ingredients and efficacy of drugs, and even many drugs can be easily distinguished only by color, so it is expected that the effect of preventing accidents such as misuse and abuse of drugs in advance is expected. do.

Prior Document 2 is an automatic drug sorting device, a transfer unit that loops the drugs loaded in the input unit through the inside of the main body, and a shade recognition installed inside the main body to recognize the outline of the drug passing through the transfer unit and generate contour information. A robot arm that grips and transports medicines based on contour information, a barcode recognition unit that recognizes the barcodes of the medicines being gripped and transported to obtain drug information, and an outlet and transfer unit through which the medicines obtained with the drug information are discharged. and a controller that controls the operation of the robot arm by contour information and stores drug information. Accordingly, in recognizing a large amount of medicine, even if the recognition fails, the effect of continuously automatically classifying the next medicine without stopping is expected.

However, according to the above prior literature, only a small part of the series of tasks performed by pharmacists can be expected to save lives. According to Prior Document 2 of the latter, since the main point is to recognize and classify a large amount of medicine, it does not contain any configuration for handling a large amount of purified medicine, so the technical presentation thereof is insufficient.

In the present invention, the classification of tablets (pills), which was mainly dependent on manual work, is performed by photographing the upper and lower surfaces of the tablets, obtaining tablet information by communicating with the database with the photographed tablet images, and based on the obtained tablet information, By enabling classification to be automated, it is quickly classified regardless of the ingredient, color, and type of the tablet to increase accuracy and reliability, and to break away from the pharmacist's simple classification work to reduce work intensity, improve work environment, and improve inventory management. Its purpose is to provide a tablet sorting system.

A tablet sorting system including a tablet discriminating device according to the present invention includes a supply device for supplying a plurality of tablets drawn into the first hopper while transferring them from the lower side to the upper side, and provided adjacent to the supply device, and the supply device An aligning device that aligns the tablets that are dropped and supplied at regular intervals individually, provided adjacent to the aligning device, and photographs the tablets supplied at regular intervals by the aligning device, and captures the photographed tablet image. A tablet discriminating device that discriminates tablets based on the tablet discriminating device, provided adjacent to the tablet discriminating device and supplied with tablets discriminated by the tablet discriminating device, and classifying the tablets into the corresponding classification compartment among a plurality of classification compartments based on the information of the tablet. a sorting device, a database for transmitting tablet information corresponding to the photographed tablet image based on the tablet image taken by the tablet discrimination device, and the supply device, sorting device, tablet discrimination device, sorting device, and database The supply device, the sorting device, and the tablet discriminating device are electrically connected and communicable, and the supply device, the sorting device, the tablet discriminating device, and the sorting device are provided with a detection signal detected by a tablet detection sensor provided respectively in the sorting device and the tablet information transmitted from the database. It includes a controller that controls the driving of the device and the classification device.

At this time, the supply device according to the present invention has a first hopper for taking in a plurality of tablets supplied from the outside and discharging them in a certain number, and one side disposed close to the lower part of the first hopper, and discharged from the first hopper It includes a transfer screw for transferring tablets from a lower side to an upper side, and a transfer screw housing provided to surround the outer side of the transfer screw and preventing the tablets transported by the transfer screw from escaping to the outside.

Here, it is preferable to prevent tablets from being caught in the space between the transfer screw housing and the transfer screw by forming an incision upward from a position connected to the lower portion of the first hopper in the transfer screw housing according to the present invention.

In addition, the sorting device according to the present invention is provided with a conveyor for selectively driving the tablets dropped from the feeding device from the rear to the front, and on the rear side of the upper surface of the conveyor, and is provided on the rear side by the conveyor. A first alignment arm for aligning the tablets to be transported to one side, and a second alignment arm provided on the front side of the first alignment arm among the upper surfaces of the conveyor and aligning the tablets that have departed from the first alignment arm to the center of the conveyor. It is provided on an alignment arm and the front side of the second alignment arm among the upper surfaces of the conveyor, and among the tablets that have departed from the second alignment arm, the selected transfer tablets and the tablets that do not form a corresponding designated distance are pushed in the lateral direction of the conveyor. A ejection punch for ejection, a tablet collection unit provided on the side of the conveyor facing the ejection punch, and receiving and collecting tablets ejected by the ejection punch, provided on the front side of the upper surface of the conveyor, It includes a push means for pushing the tablet located at the corresponding designated position among the front side forward and releasing it.

At this time, the ejection punch according to the present invention preferably includes a first tablet detection sensor for recognizing the tablets transported by the conveyor and sending a detection signal to the control unit.

In addition, it is preferable to include a second tablet detection sensor for recognizing a tablet at a corresponding position and sending a detection signal to the control unit at a point where the push means is disposed among the conveyors according to the present invention.

In addition, in the tablet discriminating device according to the present invention, a second hopper into which tablets supplied from the sorting device are put, and a lower side and one side of the second hopper are connected, and a guide guides the tablets introduced through one side to the other side. And, a transfer arm located at the lower part of the guide, receiving tablets that have fallen from the other side of the guide and selectively transferring them in the left or right direction, provided in a horizontal line at the lower part of the transfer arm, and falling into the transfer arm a discriminating plate supporting one tablet and forming a first sorting hole, a photographing hole, and a second sorting hole, and a first camera provided above the photographing hole of the discriminating plate and selectively photographing the upper surface of the tablet; A second camera provided under the photographing hole of the discrimination plate and selectively photographing the lower surface of the tablet, electrically communicatively connected to the database, and providing information about the tablet image photographed by the first camera and the second camera. and a communication unit transmitting data to the database.

At this time, one side of the guide according to the present invention preferably includes a third tablet detection sensor for detecting the entry of tablets and sending a detection signal to the control unit.

Further, the inner circumferential surface of the accommodating hole of the transfer arm according to the present invention includes a first light control unit for selectively irradiating light onto the upper surface of the tablet accommodated in the accommodating hole, and the photographing hole of the discrimination plate supports the tablet positioned in the photographing hole. It is preferable to include a transparent support cover and a second dimming unit provided on the inner circumferential surface of the photographing hole and selectively irradiating light to the lower surface of the tablet positioned in the photographing hole.

In addition, the sorting device according to the present invention is rotatably connected to a third hopper for taking in the tablets supplied from the tablet discriminating device, and the lower side and one side of the third hopper are rotatably connected to an axis on a vertical line, and the introduced through one side A guide nozzle for guiding the tablet to the other side, a guide driving unit connected to the lower side of the guide nozzle and selectively rotating the guide nozzle in a forward or reverse direction about an axis on a vertical line, and the rotation axis of the guide nozzle as the center It forms an annular shape to correspond to the movable range of the guide nozzle, and includes a classification tray partitioned into a plurality of classification compartments along the length.

Effects exhibited by the tablet classification system according to the present invention are as follows.

The upper and lower sides of the tablet are photographed for the classification of tablets (pills), which was mainly dependent on manual work, and the information of the tablet is obtained by communicating with the database with the photographed tablet image, and the classification of the tablet is automated based on the obtained tablet information. It is made of, so that it is classified quickly regardless of the composition, color, type of tablet, etc. to increase accuracy and reliability, and to break away from the simple classification work of pharmacists, reduce work intensity, improve work environment, and improve inventory management. have

1 is a schematic block diagram of a tablet sorting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is an exemplary view illustrating a view of a feeding device and an arranging device of a tablet sorting system according to an embodiment of the present invention viewed from the front side.
3 is an exemplary view illustrating a view of a feeding device and an arranging device in a tablet sorting system according to an embodiment of the present invention viewed from the rear side.
4 is an exemplary view illustrating a view from above of a feeding device and an arranging device in a tablet sorting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a tablet discriminating device in a tablet sorting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a main part of a tablet discriminating device in a tablet sorting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is an exemplary view showing a classification device in a tablet classification system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, the terms or words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to the usual or dictionary meaning, and the inventor appropriately uses the concept of the term in order to explain his/her invention in the best way. Based on the principle that it can be defined, it should be interpreted as meaning and concept consistent with the technical spirit of the present invention.

Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention, so at the time of the present application, they are equivalent alternatives that can be replaced. It should be understood that variations may exist.

In the present invention, the classification of tablets (pills), which was mainly dependent on manual work, is performed by photographing the upper and lower surfaces of the tablets, obtaining tablet information by communicating with the database with the photographed tablet images, and based on the obtained tablet information, By enabling classification to be automated, it is quickly classified regardless of the ingredient, color, and type of the tablet to increase accuracy and reliability, and to break away from the pharmacist's simple classification work to reduce work intensity, improve work environment, and improve inventory management. It relates to a tablet classification system for making, and is as follows with reference to the drawings.

The tablet sorting system according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7 includes a supply device 100, an alignment device 200, a tablet discriminating device 300, a sorting device 400, a database 500, and It includes a control unit 600. First, the supply device 100 supplies the tablets by dropping them while transporting a plurality of tablets (pills) drawn through the first hopper 110 from the lower side to the upper side. Looking at (100) in more detail, it is as follows.

The supply device 100 includes a first hopper 110, a transfer screw 120, and a screw housing 130, and the first hopper 110 has open upper and lower holes like a conventional hopper. It is preferable that the upper hole has a larger cross-sectional area than the lower hole in the form of a communicating pyramidal cylinder.

At this time, since the cross-sectional area of the upper hole of the first hopper 110 gradually narrows in the downward direction, a plurality of tablets can be simultaneously passed through the upper hole of the first hopper 110. ), the drawn-in tablets are aligned in a row while moving to the center of the lower hole having a narrower cross-sectional area than the upper hole while descending downward.

In addition, the transfer screw 120 is disposed close to one side of the lower portion of the first hopper 110 and transfers the tablets discharged from the first hopper 110 from the lower side to the upper side.

At this time, the transfer screw 120 forms a helical surface along the circumference of the rotation shaft based on the rotation shaft like a normal transfer screw, and when the rotation shaft rotates, the transfer chain pushes the tablet from the lower side to the upper side and transfers it.

The transfer screw 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention is preferably disposed obliquely toward the tablet discharge direction, and the lower portion of the first hopper 110 is the middle portion of the inclined transfer screw 120. , the first hopper 110 and the transfer screw 120 form a 'y' shape.

Therefore, the tablets discharged from the lower part of the first hopper 110 are transferred from the lower side to the upper side by the rotation of the transfer screw 120 in the middle of the transfer screw 120, and are discharged from the uppermost point and fall to the outside.

Here, a transfer screw housing 130 is provided to surround the outside of the transfer screw 120, and the transfer screw housing 130 prevents the tablets transported by the transfer screw 120 from escaping in the lateral direction. .

At this time, the transfer screw housing 130 is cut from a position connected to the lower portion of the first hopper 110 to an upper side to form a cutout 131, which is formed by the transfer screw housing 130 and It prevents tablets from being caught in the space between the transfer screws 120.

In addition, on the upper side of the transfer screw housing 130, a drop portion 132 cut into a corresponding shape is formed so that the tablet transferred from the lower side to the upper side by the transfer screw 120 is discharged and falls on the corresponding position.

Therefore, when the tablets transported from the lower side to the upper side by the transfer screw 120 reach the drop portion 132 of the transfer screw housing 130, the tablets transferred through the drop portion 132 are discharged to the next device. is supplied by dropping into

Here, the dropped tablets are supplied to the aligning device 200, and the lower part of the transfer screw housing 130 is mechanically connected to the rotation shaft of the transfer screw 120 to selectively rotate the transfer screw 120. It is desirable to provide a driving means.

The alignment device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention aligns the tablets that are dropped and supplied from the supply device 100 so that they can be individually supplied at regular intervals.

Looking at the aligning device 200 in more detail, the aligning device 200 includes a conveyor 210, a first alignment arm 220, a second alignment arm 230, a discharge punch 240, It includes a tablet collection unit 250 and a pushing means 260.

First, the conveyor 210 is one in which driven shafts spaced apart from the drive shaft are connected with a belt, like a conventional belt type conveyor, and transfers tablets, a transport chain placed on the belt, from one side to the other.

In addition, a first alignment arm 220 is provided on the rear side of the upper surface of the conveyor 210, and the first alignment arm 220 transfers tablets transferred from the rear to the front by the conveyor 210 on the conveyor ( 210) to be aligned with one side of the upper surface.

For example, the first alignment arm 220 aligns and guides tablets moving from rear to front on the upper surface of the conveyor 210 to one side of the conveyor 210, and guides the upper surface of the conveyor 210. The first alignment arm 220 includes a guide bar arranged obliquely from , and a fixed bar extending from the other side of the guide bar to the outside of the conveyor 210 and fixed to the outside of the conveyor 210. The overall shape forms a 'ㅅ' shape.

Therefore, the first alignment arm 220 is fixed to the outside of the conveyor 210 through a fixing bar, and as the guide bar is obliquely positioned on the upper surface of the conveyor 210, it is transferred from the rear to the front of the conveyor 210. The tablets are guided to one side of the upper surface of the conveyor 210 by the guide bar of the first alignment arm 220 .

In addition, a second alignment arm 230 is provided on the front side of the first alignment arm 220 on the upper surface of the conveyor 210, and the second alignment arm 230 is separated from the first alignment arm 220. It guides the tablets to be aligned to the center of the conveyor 210.

Here, the second alignment arm 230 also aligns and guides the tablets moving from the rear to the front on the upper surface of the conveyor 210 toward the center of the conveyor 210. While being arranged obliquely, one side extends to the outside of the conveyor 210 and is fixed to the outside of the conveyor 210 .

Therefore, the second alignment arm 230 has one side fixed to the outer side of the conveyor 210 and provided obliquely on the upper surface of the conveyor 210, so that the first alignment arm ( The tablets separated from 220) are guided to the center of the conveyor 210 by the guidance of the second alignment arm 230.

In addition, a discharge punch 240 is provided on the front side of the second alignment arm 230 on the upper surface of the conveyor 210, and the discharge punch 240 selects and transports tablets that have deviated from the second alignment arm 230. Tablets and tablets that do not form a corresponding designated interval are pushed and released to the side of the conveyor 210, which is the outside.

At this time, the ejection punch 240 is a linear reciprocating motion crossing the lateral direction on the upper surface of the conveyor 210, and a connecting rod 241 is connected to one side of the ejection punch 240 by a joint, and the connecting rod 241 is articulated with a drive arm 242 that rotates reciprocally within a corresponding angular range, and rotation of the drive arm 242 causes the connecting rod 241 to linearly move in the lateral direction of the conveyor 210. In conjunction with this, the ejection punch 240 is transported in the lateral direction of the conveyor 210, and the ejection punch 240 pushes the tablet in the lateral direction of the conveyor 210, The ejection of the tablets is made in the direction.

In addition, after pushing and ejecting the tablets, the ejection paper 240 moves linearly in the lateral direction of the conveyor 210, which is the original position, by the rotation of the driving arm 242, It will return to its original position.

Here, the ejection punch 240 is guided by a punch guide 243 to maintain a moving trajectory, and the punch guide 243 preferably has a length in a direction crossing the conveyor 210 in a lateral direction. , While forming a long hole along the length of the punch guide 243, the discharge punch 240 is connected to the long hole by a roller.

Therefore, the ejection punch 240 maintains a moving trajectory traversing the lateral direction of the conveyor 210 by guiding the long hole of the punch guide 243 .

In addition, the discharge punch 240 is provided with a first tablet detection sensor 244 for recognizing the tablets transported by the conveyor 210. The first tablet detection sensor 244 is transported by the conveyor 210. A distance between the tablets that have departed from the second alignment arm 230 is sensed and a detection signal is sent to the control unit 600.

Therefore, the ejection punch 240 is driven by a control signal applied from the control unit 600 based on the detection signal detected by the first tablet detection sensor 244, and the first tablet detection sensor 244 is driven by the conveyor 210. ) and detects a tablet that does not form a predetermined distance from the selected transfer tablet among the tablets that are transferred by the second alignment arm 230, the control unit 600 sends a corresponding control signal to the ejection punch 240 The drive arm 242 is applied, and the drive arm 242 is driven by the applied signal so that the ejection punch 240 pushes the selected transfer tablet and the tablet that does not form a corresponding designated interval to the outside, and then returns to the original position. will return to

In addition, the control unit 600 controls the driving of the conveyor 210 based on the detection signal detected by the first tablet detection sensor 244, and selects and transfers tablets located on the ejection punch 240 and the corresponding designation. Ensure that non-spaced tablets do not leave their positions.

In addition, a tablet collection unit 250 is provided on the other side of the conveyor 210, which is the opposite side of the conveyor 210 where the discharge punch 240 is disposed. ) to receive and collect the tablets that escape to the outside.

In addition, a push means 260 is provided on the front side of the upper surface of the conveyor 210, and the push means 260 is located on the front side of the upper surface of the conveyor 210, and pushes the tablet located at the designated position to the front. push it out

At this time, the push means 260 is a 'b' shaped bar, the upper end of which is connected to the rotational shaft of the driving motor, and the upper surface of the conveyor 210 as the pushing means 260 rotates around the rotational shaft of the driving motor. The tablet located on the front side of the tablet is pushed forward by the pushing means 260 and departs.

Here, a second tablet detection sensor 261 for recognizing tablets is provided at a point of the conveyor 210 where the push means 260 is disposed, and the second tablet detection sensor 261 is also on the conveyor 210. Detects tablets transported on the front side of the conveyor 210 by the control unit 600, and sends a detection signal to the control unit 600.

At this time, the control unit 600 controls driving of the conveyor 210 based on the detection signal detected by the second tablet detection sensor 261 .

Therefore, when the tablet moves along the upper surface of the conveyor 210 by driving the conveyor 210 and reaches the front side of the conveyor 210, the second tablet detection sensor 261 detects the tablet, and accordingly When a detection signal is transmitted to the control unit 600, the control unit 600 stops the driving of the conveyor 210, and when the driving of the conveyor 210 stops, the control unit 600 controls the push means ( When a driving control signal is applied to 260, the pushing means 260 is driven to push the tablets located on the front side of the conveyor 210 and leave them to the front side of the conveyor 210.

Here, the tablets detached to the front side of the conveyor 210 are supplied to the tablet discriminating device 300 .

The tablet discriminating device 300 photographs the tablets brought in by the aligning device 200 at regular intervals, and discriminates the tablets based on the photographed tablet images.

Looking at the tablet discriminating device 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 in more detail, the tablet discriminating device 300 includes a second hopper 310, a guide 320, and a transfer arm. 330, a discrimination plate 340, a first camera 350, a second camera 360, and a communication unit 370,

First, in the second hopper 310, tablets falling away from the conveyor 210 of the sorting device 200 are put, and the second hopper 310 is also an open phase like a common hopper, It is preferable that the lower hole communicates with each other in the form of a pyramidal cylinder, and the upper hole has a larger cross-sectional area than the lower hole.

At this time, since the cross-sectional area of the upper hole of the second hopper 310 gradually narrows in the downward direction, a plurality of tablets can be simultaneously passed through the upper hole of the second hopper 310. ), the drawn-in tablets are aligned in a row while moving to the center of the lower hole having a narrower cross-sectional area than the upper hole while descending downward.

A guide 320 is connected to the lower hole of the second hopper 310, and the guide 320 has a length in the horizontal direction and is inclined downward at a corresponding inclination angle, One side is connected, and the tablet introduced through one side is slid and guided to the other side.

At this time, one side of the guide 320 is provided with a third tablet detection sensor 321 for detecting the entry of tablets. The third tablet detection sensor 321 detects the entry of tablets on one side of the guide 320. Thus, a detection signal is transmitted to the control unit 600.

Here, the control unit 600 transmits a control signal to the transfer arm 330 based on the detection signal of the third tablet detection sensor 321 .

The transfer arm 330 according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided rotatably in a horizontal direction at the bottom of the guide 320, and receives the tablets that have fallen from the other side of the guide 320, and selectively left or right. transport in the direction

At this time, looking at the transfer arm 330 in more detail, one side of the transfer arm 330 is connected to a drive motor, and the other side opposite to the transfer arm 330 receives and accommodates tablets falling from the other side of the guide 320. Form a ball 331.

In addition, a first light control unit 332 that selectively shines light on the upper surface of the tablet accommodated in the accommodation hole 331 is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the accommodation hole 331 of the transfer arm 330 .

A discriminating plate 340 is provided in a horizontal line at the lower part of the transfer arm 330. The discriminating plate 340 supports the tablet that has fallen into the receiving hole 331 of the transfer arm 330, and thus transfers the tablet. The tablet accommodated in the receiving hole 331 of the arm 330 is supported so that it does not escape to the outside.

In addition, a first classification hole 341, a shooting hole 342, and a second classification hole 343 are formed along the length of the discrimination plate 340, and the first classification hole 341 and the shooting hole 342 and the second sorting hole 343 are preferably arranged arc-shaped with respect to the axis of the transfer arm 330.

At this time, the first sorting hole 341 is a ball for discharging tablets for which tablet information has been acquired, and the second sorting hole 343 is a ball for discharging tablets for which tablet information has not been obtained. is a position at which a tablet is photographed to acquire information on the tablet accommodated in the receiving hole 331 of the transfer arm 330.

Therefore, based on the shooting hole 342, the first classification hole 341 is located on the left side of the shooting hole 342, and the second classification hole 343 is located on the right side of the shooting hole 342. Among the tablets photographed by the photographing hole 342, tablets for which tablet information has been obtained are transported to the first sorting hole 341 by the transfer arm 330 and pass through the first sorting hole 341 to the next Tablets discharged to the sorting device 400, which is a device, and tablets for which tablet information has not been obtained are transferred to the second sorting hole 343 by the transfer arm 330 and passed through the second sorting hole 343 to the tablet collection unit. It is discharged to, and later classified by manual work, or put into the second hopper 310 of the tablet discriminating device 300 again, and re-photographing is performed.

In addition, the photographing hole 342 of the discrimination plate 340 is provided with a transparent support cover 344 for supporting the tablet located in the photographing hole 342, and selectively photographing is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the photographing hole 342. A second light control unit 345 is provided to illuminate the lower surface of the tablet located in the ball.

In addition, a first camera 350 is provided above the photographing hole 342 of the discrimination plate 340, and the first camera 350 selectively photographs the upper surface of the tablet, and the discrimination plate 340 A second camera 360 is provided at the lower part of the photographing hole 342, and the second camera 360 selectively photographs the lower surface of the tablet.

The transfer arm 330 of the first camera 350 and the second camera 360 is rotated toward the photographing hole 342 of the discrimination plate 340 by a control signal from the control unit 600, and the transfer When the tablet accommodated in the receiving hole 331 of the arm 330 is located in the photographing hole 342, when the receiving hole 331 of the transfer arm 330 is located in the photographing hole 342, the first The camera 350 and the second camera 360 take images of the upper and lower surfaces of the tablet accommodated in the receiving hole 331 of the transfer arm 330, respectively.

Here, the tablet discriminating device 300 includes a communication unit 370, which is electrically connected to the database 500 and photographed by the first camera 350 and the second camera 360. The refined image is converted into data and communicated with the database 500.

Therefore, the tablet discriminating device 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention receives the tablets supplied from the conveyor 210 of the sorting device 200 through the second hopper 310, and the second hopper ( The tablets supplied to 310) are guided by the guide 320 provided in the lower part of the second hopper 310, fall down into the receiving hole 331 of the transfer arm 330, and are accommodated in the transfer arm 330. When the tablet is accommodated in the receiving hole 331 of the 330, the transfer arm 330 rotates by the control signal of the control unit 600 to deposit the tablet onto the photographing hole 342 of the discrimination plate 340. transfer

And when the tablet is transferred onto the photographing hole 342 of the discrimination plate 340, the first camera 350 provided on the upper and lower portions of the photographing hole 342, respectively, by a control signal from the control unit 600. ) and the second camera 360 take pictures of the upper and lower surfaces of the tablet accommodated in the receiving hole 331 of the transfer arm 330, respectively.

At this time, the first light control unit 332 and the second light control unit 345 are also driven in conjunction with the first camera 350 and the second camera 360 to illuminate the tablet when the tablet is photographed.

Here, the tablet discriminating device 300 includes a communication unit 370, which is electrically connected to the database 500 and the control unit 600 to be communicatively connected, and is converted into data by the control unit 600. The tablet images photographed by the first camera 350 and the second camera 360 are transmitted to the database 500, and tablet information applied from the database 500 is received and applied to the control unit 600. do.

Therefore, the control unit 600 controls the rotation of the transfer arm 330 toward the first sorting hole 341 or rotates it toward the second sorting hole 343 based on the purification information received from the communication unit 370. control the rotation.

Referring to FIG. 7 , the classification device 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention receives the tablets (tablets for which tablet information has been obtained) determined by the tablet discriminating device 300 and classifies a number of items based on the information of the tablets. Sort the tablets into the corresponding classification cell among the cells.

At this time, the classification device 400 includes a third hopper 410, a guide nozzle 420, a guide driving unit 430, and a classification tray 440, the third hopper 410

Tablets falling from the first sorting hole 341 of the sorting discriminator 300 are put in, and the third hopper 410 is also a pyramidal column in which open upper and lower holes communicate with each other like a conventional hopper. It is preferable that the upper hole has a larger cross-sectional area than the lower hole in the form of a molded cylinder.

At this time, since the cross-sectional area of the upper hole of the third hopper 410 gradually narrows in the downward direction, a plurality of tablets are simultaneously passed through the upper hole of the third hopper 410. ), the drawn-in tablets are aligned in a row while moving to the center of the lower hole having a narrower cross-sectional area than the upper hole while descending downward.

A guide nozzle 420 is connected to the lower hole of the third hopper 410. The guide 420 has a length in the horizontal direction and is inclined downward at a corresponding inclination angle, and the lower side of the third hopper 410 And one side is connected to guide the tablet introduced through one side to the other side.

Here, the lower side of the guide nozzle 420 is connected to the guide driving unit 430, and the guide driving unit 430 selectively rotates the guide nozzle 420 forward or backward with a vertical axis as an axis.

An annular sorting tray 440 is disposed around the axis of rotation of the guide nozzle 420, and the sorting tray 440 forms an annular shape with a circumference corresponding to the movable range of the guide nozzle 420, It is partitioned into a number of classification cells along the .

Therefore, when purification information is obtained from the database 500, the control signal of the control unit 600 directs the tip of the guide nozzle 420 toward the corresponding classification compartment 431 of the classification tray 430. The drive unit 430 rotates the guide nozzle 420 toward the corresponding sorting compartment 431 around the center of the sorting tray 440 as an axis, and when the rotation is completed, the tablet discriminating device 300 The tablets discharged through the first sorting hole 341 are guided to the corresponding sorting compartment 431 and classified.

The tablet classification system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a database 500, wherein the database 500 collects and stores tablet information based on tablet images, and the communication unit 370 of the tablet discrimination device 300 ) and the control unit 600 so as to be communicatively electrically connected, and based on the received tablet image, tablet information corresponding to the corresponding tablet image is transmitted to the control unit 600.

The controller 600 is communicatively electrically connected to the supply device 100, the sorting device 200, the tablet discriminating device 300, the sorting device 400, and the database 500, and the supply device 100 ), the detection signal detected by the tablet detection sensors 244, 261, and 321 provided in the sorting device 200, the tablet discriminating device 300, and the sorting device 400, respectively, and the tablet information transmitted from the database 500. The driving of the supply device 100, the sorting device 200, the tablet discriminating device 300, and the sorting device 400 is controlled.

Therefore, in the tablet classification system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the classification of tablets (pills), which was mainly dependent on manual work, is performed by photographing the upper and lower surfaces of the tablets, and obtaining tablet information by communicating with the database with the photographed tablet images. , Based on the obtained tablet information, the classification of tablets is automated so that tablets are quickly classified to increase accuracy and reliability, and to break away from the pharmacist's simple classification work to reduce work intensity and improve work environment while managing inventory improve

Here, the database 500 or the control unit 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention may apply artificial intelligence (AI) that continuously and repeatedly learns the process of the above example.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, this is only exemplary, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true technical scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

100: supply device 110: first hopper 120: transfer screw
130: screw housing 131: incision 132: drop
200: alignment device 210: conveyor 220: first alignment arm
230: second alignment arm 240: discharge punch 241: connecting rod
242: drive arm 243: punch guide 244: first tablet detection sensor
250: tablet collection unit 260: push means 261: second tablet detection sensor
300: tablet discrimination device 310: second hopper 320: guide
321: third tablet detection sensor 330: transfer arm 331: receiving hole
332: first light control unit 340: discrimination plate 341: first sorting hole
342: shooting hole 343: second sorting hole 344: support cover
345: second light control unit 350: first camera 360: second camera
370: communication unit 400: classification device 410: third hopper
420: guide nozzle 430: guide drive unit 440: sorting tray
500: database 600: control unit

Claims (11)

A supply device for supplying a plurality of tablets drawn into the first hopper by dropping them while transporting them from the lower side to the upper side;
an aligning device provided adjacent to the feeding device and arranging the tablets supplied by falling through the feeding device at regular intervals;
a tablet discriminating device provided adjacent to the aligning device, photographing the tablets supplied by the aligning device at regular intervals, and discriminating the tablets based on the photographed tablet images;
a sorting device provided adjacent to the tablet discriminating device, receiving the tablets discriminated by the tablet discriminating device and classifying the tablets into corresponding sorting compartments among a plurality of sorting compartments based on information on the tablets;
a database for transmitting tablet information corresponding to the photographed tablet image, based on the tablet image photographed by the tablet discrimination device; and
The supply device, the sorting device, the tablet discriminating device, the sorting device, and the database are electrically connected and communicable, and the detection signals detected by the tablet detection sensors provided respectively in the feeding device, the sorting device, the tablet discriminating device, and the sorting device, and A control unit for controlling driving of the supply device, the sorting device, the tablet discriminating device, and the sorting device with the tablet information sent from the database;
The sorting device
A conveyor that is selectively driven to transport the tablets dropped from the supply device from the rear to the front;
a first alignment arm provided on the rear side of the upper surface of the conveyor and aligning the tablets transported from the rear to the front by the conveyor to one side;
a second alignment arm provided on the front side of the first alignment arm on the upper surface of the conveyor and aligning tablets that have departed from the first alignment arm to the center of the conveyor;
A discharge punch provided on the front side of the second alignment arm on the upper surface of the conveyor and pushing the selected transfer tablets among the tablets that have escaped from the second alignment arm and the tablets that do not form a corresponding designated distance or more in the lateral direction of the conveyor. and;
a tablet collection unit provided on a side of the conveyor facing the ejection punch and receiving and collecting tablets released by the ejection punch;
A tablet sorting system comprising a; push means provided on the front side of the upper surface of the conveyor and pushing the tablets located at the corresponding designated position on the front side of the conveyor forward to separate them.
The method of claim 1,
The supply device
A first hopper for taking in a plurality of tablets supplied from the outside and discharging them in a certain number;
a transfer screw, one side of which is disposed adjacent to the lower portion of the first hopper, and transfers the tablets discharged from the first hopper from the lower side to the upper side;
and a transfer screw housing provided to surround the outside of the transfer screw and preventing the tablets transported by the transfer screw from escaping to the outside.
The method of claim 2,
A tablet sorting system that prevents tablets from being caught in the space between the transfer screw housing and the transfer screw by forming an incision upward from a position connected to the lower portion of the first hopper in the transfer screw housing.
delete The method of claim 1,
The ejection punch
A tablet sorting system comprising a first tablet detection sensor that recognizes tablets transported by the conveyor and transmits a detection signal to the control unit.
The method of claim 1,
A tablet sorting system comprising a second tablet detection sensor for recognizing a tablet at a corresponding position and sending a detection signal to the control unit at a point where the push means is disposed in the conveyor.
The method of claim 1,
The tablet discriminating device
a second hopper into which the tablets supplied from the aligning device are put;
a guide connected to one side of the lower side of the second hopper and guiding the tablets introduced through one side to the other side;
a transfer arm positioned below the guide and selectively transferring the tablets left or right by receiving the tablets that have fallen from the other side of the guide;
a discriminating plate provided in a horizontal line below the transfer arm, supporting tablets that have fallen into the transfer arm, and forming a first sorting hole, a photographing hole, and a second sorting hole;
a first camera provided above the photographing hole of the discrimination plate and selectively photographing the upper surface of the tablet;
a second camera provided under the photographing hole of the discrimination plate and selectively photographing the lower surface of the tablet;
A tablet classification system comprising a; communication unit electrically communicably connected to the database and transmitting data on tablet images captured by the first camera and the second camera to the database.
The method of claim 7,
On one side of the guide
A tablet sorting system comprising a third tablet detection sensor for detecting the entry of tablets and sending a detection signal to the control unit.
The method of claim 7,
On the inner circumferential surface of the receiving hole of the transfer arm,
A tablet sorting system comprising a first light control unit for selectively irradiating light to an upper surface of a tablet accommodated in a receiving hole.
The method of claim 7,
A transparent support cover for supporting the tablet located in the photographing hole of the discrimination plate;
A tablet sorting system comprising a second light control unit provided on an inner circumferential surface of the photographing hole and selectively irradiating light to a lower surface of the tablet positioned in the photographing hole.
The method of claim 1,
The classification device
A third hopper for taking in the tablets supplied from the tablet discriminating device;
A guide nozzle rotatably connected to the lower side and one side of the third hopper about an axis on a vertical line and guiding the tablets introduced through one side to the other side;
A guide drive unit connected to the lower side of the guide nozzle and selectively rotating the guide nozzle forward or backward about a vertical axis;
A tablet sorting system comprising a sorting tray formed an annular shape around a rotational axis of the guide nozzle to correspond to a movable range of the guide nozzle and partitioned into a plurality of sorting compartments along the length.

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