WO2019066465A1

WO2019066465A1 - Device for alerting of shortage of drug granules

Info

Publication number: WO2019066465A1
Application number: PCT/KR2018/011381
Authority: WO
Inventors: 김호연
Original assignee: (주)크레템
Priority date: 2017-09-26
Filing date: 2018-09-27
Publication date: 2019-04-04
Also published as: KR20190035164A

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for alerting of a shortage of drug granules, which gives an alert when the quantity of drug granules filled in the inner space of a drug tank is reduced to less than a predetermined minimum allowed level. The disclosed device for alerting of a shortage of drug granules comprises: a piezo-electric diaphragm installed within a drug tank while being exposed to drug granules; an alarm unit for issuing stimulation which can draw an operator's attention; and a controller which inputs a pulse-type voltage as an input signal to the piezo-electric diaphragm, receives, from the piezo-electric diaphragm, a pulse-type voltage as an output signal in response to the input signal, and activates the alarm unit when the strength of the output signal is greater than a predetermined reference value.

Description

Small particle drug depletion notification device

The present invention relates to a small particle drug exhaustion notification device that informs an operator when the amount of small particle drug becomes smaller than the minimum allowable amount in a drug tank in which the small particle drug is contained.

The drug packaging device is a device that automatically discharges medicines prescribed according to the patient's illness and automatically packs the medicines in a single dose. It is used in large hospitals and pharmacies. A typical pharmaceutical packaging device is configured to automatically pack tablet medicine in a single serving dose according to a prescription. On the other hand, Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1591989 discloses a small particle medicine discharge cartridge for use in a medicine packing apparatus for automatically wrapping a medicine in the form of small particles such as powder or granules.

The small particle medicament discharge cartridge has an agent tank filled with small particle medicament. At least one dose of the small particle drug should be filled in the drug tank. Otherwise, less than or less than the appropriate amount of small particle drug listed in the prescription will be included in the drug package of the self-contained single dose.

Therefore, a small particle drug depletion notification device is required to indicate that the inside of the medicine tank is empty. However, when a photosensor is used as a sensor for detecting that the inside of the chemical tank is empty, a small particle medicine is scattered inside the chemical tank and laminated on the surface of the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion of the photosensor, Which is difficult to apply.

The present invention provides a small particle drug depletion notification device that indicates that the inside of a chemical tank in which a small particle drug such as a powder medicine is contained is empty, so that a small particle drug should be replenished.

The present invention provides a small particle drug exhaustion notification device using a piezo-electric diaphragm as a means for detecting whether a small particle drug is filled in a chemical tank.

The present invention relates to a device for indicating when the amount of small particle drug filled in the inner space of a medicine tank becomes smaller than a predetermined minimum allowable amount, and a piezo- an alarm mechanism for generating a stimulus that concentrates the attention of the operator and a pulse type voltage is input to the piezoelectric plate as an input signal, And a controller for operating the alarm mechanism when the magnitude of the output signal is greater than a predetermined reference value.

The alarm mechanism may include at least one of a speaker for generating a warning sound to stimulate the auditory sense of the operator and a display panel for displaying a warning message to stimulate the operator's vision have.

Wherein the piezoelectric plate includes a diaphragm, a first metal plate stacked on the diaphragm plate and made of metal, and a second metal plate spaced apart from the first metal plate and stacked on the diaphragm, the second metal plate being made of metal, An input signal may be input, and the output signal may be output from the second metal plate.

The size of the output signal when the space inside the medicine tank is completely empty is larger than the size of the output signal when the space inside the medicine tank is full and smaller than the size of the input signal, May be smaller than the output signal size and greater than the output signal size when filled.

The piezoelectric plate may be installed on an inner side surface defining the inner space of the chemical tank, and the height at which the piezoelectric plate is installed may be between an upper limit height and a middle height of the lower limit height of the chemical tank inner space.

Wherein the medicine tank includes a shutter that opens and closes to discharge small particle medicines from the inside of the medicine tank to the outside, and the controller allows the opening of the shutter when the magnitude of the output signal is larger than a predetermined reference value .

The small particle drug depletion notification device of the present invention automatically informs the operator that a small particle drug should be replenished by a warning sound or a message when the internal space of the medicine tank containing the small particle drug such as powder medicine is emptied. Therefore, the operator can appropriately replenish the small particle medicine to the medicine tank, and the malfunction in the automatic medicine packaging using the medicine packing apparatus can be prevented.

In the present invention, a piezo-electric diaphragm is used as a means for detecting whether a small particle drug is filled in a chemical tank. Therefore, the accuracy and the cost are reduced as compared with the case of using the photo sensor or the ultrasonic sensor.

1 is a perspective view showing a small particle medicine discharge cartridge provided with a small particle drug exhaustion notification device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is an exploded perspective view of the small particle drug discharge cartridge of FIG.

3 is a perspective view showing the first shutter of FIG. 2 and a structure for opening and closing the first shutter.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the small particle medicine discharge cartridge of Fig. 1 and its associated medicine bottle. Fig.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a piezoelectric plate provided in the small particle drug exhaustion notification device of FIG. 1;

6 is a graph showing an example of an input voltage inputted to the piezoelectric plate of Fig. 5 and an output voltage outputted by the piezoelectric plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a small particle drug exhaustion notification device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The terminology used herein is a term used to properly express the preferred embodiment of the present invention, which may vary depending on the intention of the user or operator or the custom in the field to which the present invention belongs. Therefore, the definitions of these terms should be based on the contents throughout this specification.

1 is a perspective view showing a small particle medicine discharge cartridge provided with a small particle drug exhaustion notification device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the small particle drug discharge cartridge of FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the first shutter of FIG. 2 and a structure for opening and closing the first shutter. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the small particle medicine discharge cartridge of Fig. 1 and its associated medicine bottle. Fig. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a small particle drug exhaustion notification device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a small particle drug purification device that automatically identifies a small particle drug according to a prescription, (Not shown).

In addition, the small particle pharmaceutical packaging apparatus comprises a plurality of small particle pharmaceutical cartridges 10 for selectively discharging different types of small particle pharmaceuticals according to a prescription. Each of the small particle medicine discharge cartridges 10 has a first medicine tank 11 in which the small particle medicine 2 is accommodated and a small particle medicine remaining in the inner space 12 of the first medicine tank 11 (2) becomes smaller than the preset minimum allowable amount, the small particle drug exhaustion notifying device (100) informs the operator of this.

The medicine discharge cartridge 10 includes a first medicine tank 11, a lower frame 17, a lift frame 25, a screw 35, a screw cover 31, A first shutter 60, and a second shutter 45, as shown in Fig.

The first medicine tank 11 is a member that extends upward and downward in a generally vertical direction and is opened upward and downward. The first medicament tank 11 is provided with a first medicament space 12 as an internal space in which the small particle medicament 2 is contained. A projection wall 15 protruding in a direction parallel to the X axis is formed at a lower end of the first medicine tank 11, and a separation wall 14 is formed inside the lower end. The separation wall 14 divides the space inside the first chemical tank 11 into a space defined by the first chemical space 12 and the projection wall 15 and the separation wall 14 .

The first shutter 60 is a sliding shutter which can reciprocate linearly in a direction parallel to the X axis, and is disposed under the first chemical tank 11. The first shutter 60 opens the first medicament space so that the small particle medicament 2 is discharged downward from the first medicament space 12 and the small particle medicament 2 is discharged from the first medicament space 12 So that the first medicine space can be closed.

When the first shutter 60 moves in parallel with the positive direction of the X axis, the lower side of the first medicine tank 11 is opened and the first medicine space 12 is opened downward. In other words, the small particle medicament 2 contained in the first medicament space 12 is then dropped down and discharged out of the first medicament space 12. On the contrary, when the first shutter 60 moves in parallel to the direction of negative X-axis and becomes the state shown in FIG. 4, the lower side of the first medicine tank 1 is closed. On the other hand, a unit for opening and closing the first shutter 60 will be described later.

The lower frame 17 is located below the first shutter 60 and includes a channel 18 extending in the up and down direction and an upper end of the channel 18. The lower frame 17 is connected to the first shutter 60, And a first shutter support plate (21) for supporting the unit for opening and closing. The channel 18 is open at its one side parallel to the ZX plane and has a cross-section in alphabetical 'U' or Hangul 'c' shape, open at the top and bottom. A guide slot 19 is formed at a pair of corners of the open side.

The screw cover 31 is fixedly supported on a wall opposite to the protruding wall 15 of the first medicine tank 11. The screw 35 is formed with a male screw pattern on its outer circumferential surface and extends in the vertical direction. The upper and lower ends of the screw are rotatably supported by the screw cover (31). The unit for rotationally driving the screw 35 includes a screw driving motor 36 for providing power for rotating the screw 35 and a screw driving motor 36 for rotating the screw 35 in the same direction as the shaft 37 of the screw driving motor 36 And a screw gear 38 meshing with the motor shaft gear and coaxially rotating with the screw 35 from the upper side of the screw 35. The screw drive motor 36 prevents the screw gear 38 from being exposed. The screw driving motor is supported by a screw gear cover (33) fixed to the upper end of the screw cover (31).

The lift frame 25 includes a screw fastening block 26, a lift wall 27 and a second shutter bracket 29. The screw fastening block 26 is screwed to the outer circumferential surface of the screw 35 and moves up and down according to the rotating direction of the screw 35. The lifting wall 27 is slidably and movably coupled to the one end of the channel 18. A second shutter bracket 29 supports a unit for opening and closing the second shutter 45 and the second shutter 45.

The screw coupling block 26 is connected to the upper end of the lift wall 27 and the second shutter bracket 29 is connected to the lower end of the lift wall 27. Both side edges 28 of the lift wall 27 are slidably fitted in a pair of lift guide slots 29 of the channel 18. With this configuration, the lifting frame 25 is lifted or lowered in accordance with the rotation direction of the shaft 37 of the screw driving motor 36, and the lifting or lowering distance is determined according to the rotation angle. That is, the lift wall 27 and the second shutter 45 are linked to move up and down by the same distance in the same direction.

The second medicament tank (48) receives the small particle medicament (2) discharged downward from the first medicament space (12). The second chemical tank 48 has the channel 18 and the lift wall 27.

The second shutter 45 is supported by the second shutter bracket 29 of the lifting frame 25 so as to be able to move up and down below the first shutter 60. The second shutter 45 opens and closes so that the small particle drug 2 falls out of the second medicine space 49 and is discharged out of the small particle medicine discharging cartridge 10.

As the second shutter 45 moves up and down, the volume of the second medicament space 49 is changed. The ascending / descending wall 27 and the second shutter 45 descend and the volume of the second medicament space 49 gradually increases as the descending of the ascending and descending frame 25 at the highest possible height. On the other hand, as the lifting frame 25 is lifted at the lowest possible descent, the lifting wall 27 and the second shutter 45 rise, and the volume of the second medicament space 49 gradually decreases.

A unit for opening and closing the first shutter 60 is disposed in the space defined by the protruding wall 15 and the separating wall 14 inside the first medicine tank 11.

The unit for opening and closing the first shutter 60 includes a first shutter drive motor 51 and a sliding member 58. The first shutter drive motor 51 provides power for opening and closing the first shutter 60. [ The sliding member 58 fixedly supports the first shutter 60 and is movable in a direction parallel to the X axis on the first shutter support plate 21 of the lower frame 17. [

The first shutter drive motor 51 is supported by a motor bracket 53 supported by a sliding member 58. A pinion gear shaft (56) is rotatably supported on the motor bracket (53). First and second pinion gears 55a and 55b are fastened to both ends of the pinion gear shaft 56. A motor shaft gear 54 coaxial with the shaft of the first shutter drive motor 51 is engaged with the first pinion gear 55a. The first and second pinion gears 55a and 55b are coupled to first and second rack gears 57a and 57b extended in a direction parallel to the X axis on the upper side of the sliding member 58 Respectively.

With such a configuration, when the shaft of the first shutter drive motor 51 rotates, the first shutter 60 moves in parallel with the positive X-axis direction or moves in the opposite direction in accordance with the rotation direction, The lower end of the first medicament space 12 is opened or closed.

Reference numerals

22a and 22b in FIG. 3 are provided on the first shutter support plate 21 as guide projections for guiding the sliding member 58 to move in parallel with the X axis. The first shutter 60 may be elastically biased in the closing direction. Although not shown in the drawing, the small particle medicine discharging cartridge 10 of the present invention includes the first shutter 60 It may further comprise a spring which is elastically pressed in a direction in which it is closed.

The unit for opening and closing the second shutter 45 includes a second shutter drive motor 41, a shaft gear 42, a hinge shaft 44, and a hinge shaft gear 43 do.

The second shutter driving motor 41 is supported by the second shutter bracket 29 and provides power for opening and closing the second shutter 45. The shaft gear 42 rotates coaxially with the shaft of the second shutter drive motor 41. [ The hinge shaft 44 is rotatably supported by the second shutter bracket 29 and extends in the Y-axis direction. The hinge shaft gear 43 coaxially rotates with the hinge shaft 44 and meshes with the shaft gear 42. A hinge 46 on one side of the second shutter 45 is fixedly coupled to the hinge shaft 44.

With this configuration, when the shaft of the second shutter drive motor 41 rotates, the second shutter 45 rotates in the counterclockwise or clockwise direction with reference to FIG. 3 in accordance with the rotation direction thereof, ) Is opened or closed. In the embodiment of the present invention shown in the drawings, the second shutter 45 rotates about the hinge shaft 44. However, like the first shutter 51, 'May be the shutter of. The second shutter 45 may be elastically biased in the closing direction. Although not shown in the drawing, the small particle medicine discharging cartridge 10 of the present invention may include a second shutter 45, And a spring for elastically pressing in a direction in which it is closed.

The small particle medicine discharge cartridge 10 includes a maximum height detection sensor 66, a minimum height detection sensor 68, a height measurement sensor 63, a first shutter opening / closing detection sensor 71 and a second shutter opening / 73). The maximum height detection sensor 66 senses when the lifting frame 25 reaches the maximum height at which the lifting frame 25 can be lifted up and the minimum height detection sensor 68 detects when the lifting frame 25 reaches the minimum lifting height And the height measuring sensor 63 measures the height of the lifting frame 25. As shown in Fig. Since the lifting frame 25 includes the lifting wall 27 and supports the second shutter 45, the highest height detection sensor 66 and the lowest height detection sensor 68 can be moved between the lifting wall 27 and the second The height measurement sensor 63 detects whether the shutter 45 has reached the maximum height or the minimum height and measures the current height of the lifting wall 27 and the second shutter 45. [

The highest height detection sensor 66 and the lowest height detection sensor 68 are mounted on the upper and lower ends of the screw cover 31 as contact sensors. When the screw 35 is rotated in one direction so that the screw fastening block 26 contacts the probe 67 of the highest height detection sensor 66, the highest height detection sensor 66 detects this, The current supplied to the screw driving motor 36 is interrupted and the rise of the screw lift frame 25 is stopped. When the screw 35 is rotated in the opposite direction and the screw fastening block 26 contacts the probe 69 of the lowest height detecting sensor 68, the current supplied to the screw driving motor 36 is cut off, 25 are stopped.

The height measurement sensor 63 may include an encoder for measuring the rotation angle of the screw 35. [ When the screw 35 rotates and the height of the lifting frame 25 is changed in a state where the lifting frame 25 and the second shutter 45 are at the default height, the encoder rotates the screw 35 The heights of the lifting frame 25 and the second shutter 45 are calculated by measuring the angle. The volume of the second medicament space 49 is calculated through the height of the second shutter 45 thus calculated. The default height of the lifting frame 25 and the second shutter 45 may be the highest height at which the lifting frame 25 and the second shutter 45 can rise, or the lowest height at which the lifting frame 25 and the second shutter 45 can be lifted.

The first shutter opening / closing detection sensor 71 senses opening / closing of the first shutter 60 and is a contact sensor provided on the first shutter supporting plate 21. [ The second shutter opening / closing detection sensor 73 senses the opening and closing of the second shutter 45 and is a contact sensor provided on the second shutter bracket 29. When the first shutter 60 is closed, the sliding member 58 contacts the probe 72 of the first shutter opening / closing detection sensor 71, and when the first shutter 60 is opened, The first shutter opening / closing detection sensor 71 detects this change because it is spaced apart from the probe 72. When the second shutter 45 is closed, the second shutter 45 contacts the probe 74 of the second shutter opening / closing detection sensor 73, and when the second shutter 45 is opened, Is separated from the probe 74, the second shutter opening / closing detection sensor 73 detects the change.

The first shutter opening / closing detection sensor 71 and the second shutter opening / closing detection sensor 73 detect the malfunction of the first shutter 60 and the second shutter 45. If a malfunction occurs, The operation is stopped. The maximum height detection sensor 66, the minimum height detection sensor 68, the first shutter opening and closing detection sensor 71 and the second shutter opening and closing detection sensor 73 may include a limit switch . 1, reference numeral 78 denotes a motor for supplying a suitable current to the

motors

36, 41 and 51 and the

sensors

63, 66, 68, 71 and 73 provided in the small particle medicine discharging cartridge 10 Circuit printed circuit board (PCB).

The upper end portion 16 of the first medicine tank 11 is connected to the medicine bottle 90 in which the small particle medicine 2 is stored in large quantities. The small particle medicine discharge cartridge 10 further includes a hopper 80 for firmly fixing the medicine bottle 90 to the first medicine tank upper end portion 16. The lower end of the hopper 80 protrudes downward and is fixedly coupled to the upper end of the first medicine tank 16. A through hole 82 is formed in the lower end of the hopper 80 in a vertical direction.

The hopper 90 includes a container 91 in which the small particle drug 2 is accommodated and a cap which is detachably coupled to the hopper 80 to open and close the upper opening of the container 91. [ (95). When the cap 95 of the medicine bottle 90 is coupled with the hopper 80 by reversing the medicine bottle 90 in which the small particle medicine 2 is stored while the first shutter 60 is closed, 2 is dropped from the inside of the container 91 into the first medicine tank 11 through the cap 95 and the through hole 82 and is loaded in the first medicine space 12, (2) is poured out of the first chemical tank (11) or the dust of the small particle drug (2) is not scattered into the air. Therefore, until the container 91 of the medicine bottle 90 is emptied and the remaining amount of the small particle medicine 2 remaining in the first medicine space 12 remains smaller than the preset minimum allowable amount, (Not shown) can be continuously performed.

Hereinafter, the operation of discharging the small particle medicament 2 using the small particle medicament discharging cartridge 10 will be described. First, when the barrel 90 in which the specific kind of small particle medicament 2 is stored is coupled to the hopper 80 with the first shutter 60 closed and the second shutter 45 closed, The small particle medicament 2 falls through the through holes 82 of the first medicament space 80 and is filled in the first medicament space 12. The height of the lift frame 25 and the second shutter 45 is raised or lowered from the above-mentioned default height so as to adjust the volume of the second medicine space 49 Can be adjusted to a single dose of a particular type of small particle drug (2).

In addition, the single dose of the specific kind of small particle drug 2 is generally known in grams (g), and the volume of the space inside the container 91 of the medicine bottle 90 is also known. Therefore, the specific gravity of the small particle drug (2) can be determined by filling the small particle drug (2) inside the container (91) and measuring the weight of the small particle drug (2) , Which allows the volume of a single dose to be determined. As described above, the height of the lifting frame 25 and the second shutter 45 is changed so that the volume of the second medicament space 49 is adjusted to be equal to the volume of the single dose of the small particle medicament 2 do.

Next, the first shutter 60 is opened, and the small particle medicament 2 descends in the first medicament space 12 to fill the second medicament space 49. The small particle medicament 2 falls down from the medicine bottle 90 by an amount discharged from the first medicine space 12 and is filled in the first medicine space 12 so that before the medicine bottle 90 is emptied, The space 12 is always full.

Next, the first shutter 60 is closed again, and the second medicament space 49 filled with the small particle medicament 2 is separated from the first medicament space 12. Next, the second shutter 45 is opened and the small particle medicament 2 contained in the second medicament space 49 is discharged downward. The small particle medicament 2 discharged downward in the second medicament space 49 is injected into the medicament, and the medicament into which the small particle medicament 2 is injected is sealed. After the small particle medicament 2 is discharged in the second medicament space 49, the second shutter 45 returns to the position where it closes the second medicament space 49 which is empty.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a piezoelectric plate provided in the small particle chemical exhausting device of FIG. 1, FIG. 6 is a graph showing an example of an input voltage input to the piezoelectric plate of FIG. 5 and an output voltage output by the piezoelectric plate Graph. 1 and 5, the small particle drug exhaustion notification device 100 includes a piezo-electric diaphragm 101,

alarm devices

120 and 122, and a controller 125. [ Respectively.

The piezoelectric plate 101 is a thin plate-like element exhibiting a piezoelectric effect and is installed so as to be exposed to the small particle medicament 2 inside the first medicine tank. Specifically, the piezoelectric plate 101 has a circular diaphragm 102 and a first metal plate 103 and a second metal plate 107 which are laminated on the diaphragm 102 and made of metal. The diaphragm 102 may be made of, for example, silicon (Si). The first metal plate 103 and the second metal plate 107 may be made of, for example, copper (Cu) or a copper alloy. The first metal plate 103 and the second metal plate 107 are arranged such that the plane area of the first metal plate 103 is larger than the plane area of the second metal plate 107 and the first metal plate 103 and the second metal plate 107 are spaced apart from each other.

A first terminal 111 is connected to the first metal plate 103 so as to be energizable and a second terminal 112 is energized to the second metal plate 107. The diaphragm 102, A ground terminal 113 is energized. An input signal is input to the first metal plate 103 through the first terminal 111 and an output signal is output from the second metal plate 107 through the second terminal 112. [ For example, the piezoelectric plate 101 may be a product of 'CUI Inc.' whose part number is 'CEB-20FD64'. Reference numeral 13 in Figs. 1 and 4 is a piezoelectric plate cover that protects the piezoelectric plate 101 from being exposed to the outside.

The alarm mechanism generates a stimulus that concentrates the attention of the operator of the operator who manages the automatic pharmaceutical packaging apparatus. The alarm mechanism includes a speaker 120 for generating a warning sound to stimulate the hearing of the operator and a display panel 122 for displaying a warning message for stimulating the operator's time At least one is included.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4 to 6 together, the controller 125 inputs a voltage in the form of a pulse to the piezoelectric plate 101 as an input signal, and outputs the voltage as a signal to the piezoelectric plate 101 In the form of a pulse. If the magnitude of the output signal is greater than a predetermined reference value CR, the

alarm mechanisms

120 and 122 are operated. The input signal is a potential difference between the first terminal 111 and the ground terminal 113 and the output signal is a potential difference between the second terminal 112 and the ground terminal 113. The input signal of the controller 125 is transmitted to the piezoelectric plate 101 through the cartridge PCB 78 and the output signal of the piezoelectric plate 101 can be received by the controller 125 via the cartridge PCB 78. [

For example, when an input signal in the form of a pulse voltage having a constant magnitude (IP) such as 5 V is input to the piezoelectric plate 101 through the first terminal 111, vibration occurs in the piezoelectric plate 101 due to the secondary piezoelectric effect . An output signal in the form of a pulse voltage is transmitted through the second terminal 112 by the first piezoelectric effect by the vibration. The magnitudes OP1 and OP2 of the output signal are smaller than the magnitude IP of the input signal. If the first medicament space 12 of the first medicament tank 11 is filled with the small particle medicament 2, the interference due to the small particle medicament 2 becomes large so that the amplitude of the vibration of the piezoelectric plate 101 becomes Lt; / RTI > As a result, the magnitude OP1 of the output signal is very small, for example, 0.2V.

On the other hand, if the first medicament space 12 is completely empty, the interference due to the small particle medicament 2 becomes small, the amplitude of the vibration of the piezoelectric plate 101 becomes relatively large, and the magnitude OP2 of the output signal becomes 3V, which is larger than the output signal size OP1 when the first medicament space 12 is full and smaller than the input signal size IP.

The reference value CR is a voltage value corresponding to the magnitude of the output signal from the piezoelectric plate 101 when the small chemical agent 2 is filled in the first chemical agent space 12 by the smallest allowable amount. The reference value CR is smaller than the output signal magnitude OP2 when the first medicament space 12 is completely empty and larger than the output signal magnitude OP1 when the first medicament space 12 is full. The minimum allowable dose may be set to a single dose of the small particle drug (2) contained in the first drug space (12). Alternatively, when the minimum allowable dose is set to a smaller dose than the single dose, the operator can notify the self-packaged medicine dispenser through the notification mechanism (120, 122) Small amounts of small particle drug (2) may be included in smaller doses.

The operation of the medicine packing apparatus (not shown) is started, and the pulse type input signal is continuously input to the piezoelectric plate 101, and the output signal is continuously received by the controller 125. During the operation of the pharmaceutical packaging apparatus, the size of the output signal is gradually increased, and a time point at which the output signal becomes smaller than the reference value (CR) becomes larger than the reference value (CR) occurs. At this time, the speaker 120 generates a warning sound or a voice message that can stimulate the auditory sense of the operator to call attention. When the medicine packing apparatus has a plurality of small particle medicine discharging cartridges 10, the voice message is transmitted to the first medicine tank 10 of a specific one of the plurality of small particle medicine discharging cartridges 10 (11) is empty.

When the magnitude of the output signal is greater than the reference value CR, the display panel 122 displays a warning message that stimulates an operator's time and can call attention. When the medicinal packaging apparatus includes a plurality of small particle medicament discharge cartridges 10, the warning message is transmitted to the first medicament tank 10 of a particular small particle medicament discharge cartridge 10 of a plurality of small particle medicament discharge cartridges 10 And character information indicating that the portable terminal 11 is empty.

When the operator recognizes that the first medicine tank 11 of the specific small particle medicine discharging cartridge 10 is empty through the

alarm mechanisms

120 and 122, the operator stops the operation of the medicine packing apparatus (not shown) The medicine bottle 90 is separated from the small particle medicine discharging cartridge 10 and the small particle medicine container 2 is filled into the container 91 and the medicine bottle 90 is inserted into the small particle medicine discharging cartridge 10 And the medicine packing apparatus can be restarted again.

On the other hand, the controller 125 may be designed so as not to allow the opening of the first shutter 60 and stop the operation of the pharmaceutical packaging apparatus if the magnitude of the output signal is larger than the reference value CR. In this case, when the small particle medicament is exhausted into the first medicine tank 11 of the specific small particle medicine discharging cartridge 10, the first shutter 60 is not automatically opened and the operation of the medicine packing apparatus is also stopped , The operator does not have to be burdened with the work of urgently stopping the medicine packing apparatus.

The piezoelectric plate 101 is installed on the inner space of the first medicine tank 11, that is, on the inner surface defining the first medicine space 12. The height DH at which the piezoelectric plate 101 is installed is a height between the upper limit height TH of the first medicine chamber 12 and the middle height MH of the lower limit height BH. If the installation height DH of the piezoelectric plate 101 is the height between the middle height MH and the lower limit height BH then the small particle medicament 2 having an amount smaller than the minimum allowable amount is applied to the first medicament space 12, The difference between the size of the output signal in the case where the particulate agent 2 remains in the second chemical space 12 and the size of the output signal in the case where the small amount of the particulate agent 2 remains in the second chemical space 12 in an amount larger than the minimum allowable amount is not clearly revealed, The operator may not be aware that the medicament space 12 is empty. This is because the interference due to the small particle medicament 2 scattered in the first medicament space 12 is increased in the piezoelectric plate 101.

The small particle drug exhaustion notification device 100 automatically informs the operator of a small particle medicine (e.g., water) when the internal space 12 of the medicine tank 11 containing the small particle medicine 2, 2) should be supplemented. Therefore, the operator can appropriately replenish the small particle medicine (2) to the medicine tank (11), and work defects are prevented in the automatic medicine packing using the medicine packing apparatus. The small particle drug exhaustion notification device 100 uses the piezoelectric plate 101 as a means for detecting whether or not the small particle medicine 2 is filled in the medicine tank 11. Therefore, the accuracy and the cost are reduced as compared with the case of using the photo sensor or the ultrasonic sensor.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the small particle drug discharging cartridge 10 and the small particle drug discharging notifying device 100 provided in the same, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the small particle drug depletion notification device of the present invention may be configured to include a piezoelectric plate provided in a drug tank independent of the small particle drug discharge cartridge.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the true scope of protection of the present invention should be defined only by the appended claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used in industries that automatically discharge small particle drugs such as pharmacies, hospitals, convenience stores, public health centers, silver towns, homes, and the like.

Claims

An apparatus for informing a user when the amount of small particle drug filled in the inner space of a chemical tank becomes smaller than a predetermined minimum allowable amount,

A piezo-electric diaphragm installed inside the chemical tank so as to be exposed to the small particle medicament;

An alarm mechanism for generating a stimulus that concentrates the attention of the operator; And

Wherein the piezoelectric plate receives a pulse-like voltage as an input signal and a pulse-shaped voltage from the piezoelectric plate as an output signal to the input signal, and when the magnitude of the output signal is greater than a predetermined reference value, And a controller for operating the alarm mechanism.
The method according to claim 1,

The alarm mechanism may include at least one of a speaker for generating a warning sound to stimulate the auditory sense of the operator and a display panel for displaying a warning message for stimulating the operator's vision Features a small particle drug depletion notification device.
The method according to claim 1,

The piezoelectric plate includes a diaphragm, a first metal plate stacked on the diaphragm and made of metal, and a second metal plate spaced apart from the first metal plate and stacked on the diaphragm,

Wherein the input signal is input to the first metal plate and the output signal is output from the second metal plate.
The method according to claim 1,

The size of the output signal when the space inside the medicine tank is completely empty is larger than the size of the output signal when the space inside the medicine tank is full and smaller than the size of the input signal,

Wherein the reference value is smaller than the size of the output signal when completely empty and greater than the size of the output signal when the filter is full.
The method according to claim 1,

Wherein the piezoelectric plate is provided on an inner side surface defining a space inside the chemical tank,

Wherein the height at which the piezoelectric plate is installed is between the upper limit height of the space inside the medicine tank and the middle height of the lower limit height to the upper limit height.
The method according to claim 1,

The medicine tank has a shutter which is opened and closed to discharge small particle medicament from the inside of the medicine tank to the outside,

Wherein the controller does not allow the shutter to open if the magnitude of the output signal is greater than a predetermined reference value.