WO2024147583A1

WO2024147583A1 - Tablet sorting device

Info

Publication number: WO2024147583A1
Application number: PCT/KR2024/000007
Authority: WO
Inventors: 황선일
Original assignee: 주식회사 메디노드
Priority date: 2023-01-03
Filing date: 2024-01-02
Publication date: 2024-07-11
Also published as: KR102549019B1

Abstract

The present invention provides a tablet sorting device comprising: a stage on which a tablet to be imaged is placed; a top surface photographing unit disposed above the stage so as to capture an image of the top surface of the tablet placed on the stage; a bottom surface photographing unit disposed below the stage so as to capture an image of the bottom surface of the tablet placed on the stage; and a control unit which receives the images of the top and bottom surfaces of the tablet captured by the top surface photographing unit and the bottom surface photographing unit and recognizes characters engraved on the tablet from the images, wherein: a shield may be provided on the front end side of each of the upper and lower cameras, which respectively capture images of the top and bottom surfaces of the tablet, to limit the field of view to a corresponding range, so that when photographing the surface of the tablet, the opposite-side camera is not recognized as a subject, thereby enabling acquisition of clear images of the top and bottom surfaces of the tablet; and when the characters engraved on the tablet cannot be recognized from the captured images of the top and bottom surfaces of the tablet, air may be blown onto the tablet located in the photographing area to correct the posture of the tablet, and then the top and bottom surfaces of the tablet may be photographed again, thereby resolving the inability to recognize the characters engraved on the tablet.

Description

tablet sorting device

The present invention relates to a tablet sorting device. More specifically, the classification of tablets (pills), which was mainly dependent on manual work, is performed by photographing the top and bottom of the tablet, and classifying the tablets based on the photographed top and bottom images of the tablet. It relates to a tablet sorting device that makes this possible.

Generally, in various large hospitals, patients are admitted to the hospital and take the medications they are taking as prescribed for various reasons. However, if the prescription for the medicine you are taking changes, the remaining medicine will be recalled and collected at the pharmacy.

At this time, the pharmacist accurately reclassifies the recalled medicine and puts it into the original medicine bottle. In this process, the classification of drugs ultimately relies on the pharmacist's manual work, and due to its nature, accurate classification is necessary to prevent misuse of drugs, so the work requires considerable concentration.

For this reason, measures are being taken to reduce the pharmacist's workload by handling the classification of tablets by mechanical means.

As prior art documents that can be referred to in this regard, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-0717384 (Priority Document 1), Korean Patent Publication No. 2010-0128916 (Priority Document 2), etc. 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 drug information corresponding to the drug name entered in the drug name input section using a predetermined program; A drug classification department that classifies the drug information found in the drug information department into each stage according to a classification system; A color assignment unit that generates color drug information by assigning colors to each drug information classified at each level in the drug classification section; A color drug information storage unit where color drug information generated in the color assignment unit is stored; and a transmission unit that transmits the color drug information stored in the color drug information storage unit to the user terminal through a wired or wireless connection network. Accordingly, by separating medicines into individual colors, anyone can easily recognize the ingredients and efficacy of medicines. Even many medicines can be easily distinguished by color alone, which is expected to have the effect of preventing accidents such as misuse of medicines. do.

Previous literature 2 states that the automatic drug sorting device includes a transfer unit that moves the drugs loaded in the input unit through the inside of the main body in a loop, and a shadow recognition system installed inside the main body that recognizes the outline of the drug passing through the transfer unit and generates contour information. A robot arm that grasps and transports drugs based on contour information, a barcode recognition unit that recognizes the barcode of the drug being held and transferred to obtain drug information, and the operation of the outlet and transfer section through which the drugs for which drug information has been obtained are discharged. It consists of a control unit that controls the operation of the robot arm based on the and contour information and stores drug information. Accordingly, the effect of automatically classifying the following drugs continuously without stopping is expected even when recognition fails when recognizing a large amount of drugs.

However, conventionally, in order to photograph the top and bottom of a tablet, cameras are placed on both the top and bottom of the tablet based on the position where the tablet is placed, so when photographing the top and bottom of the tablet, the camera on the opposite side is recognized as the subject, so the tablet is used as a reference point. There were difficulties in focusing properly, and when photographing tablets, high-quality images could not be obtained as the lighting between the upper and lower sides interfered with each other.

In addition, if the tablet placed in the imaging area was not positioned in the upright position, there was a problem in that the characters engraved on the top and bottom of the tablet could not be properly recognized.

The present invention is provided with a blocking plate to limit the angle of view to the corresponding range at the front end of the upper and lower cameras that photograph the upper and lower sides of the tablet, respectively, so that when photographing the surface of the tablet, the camera on the other side is not recognized as the subject, thereby providing a clear image of the tablet. You can obtain top and bottom images, and if you cannot recognize the characters engraved on the tablet with the top and bottom images of the photographed tablet, correct the tablet's posture by blowing on the tablet located in the shooting area, and then try again. The purpose is to provide a tablet sorting device that can eliminate the inability to recognize characters engraved on tablets by photographing the top and bottom sides.

The tablet sorting device according to the present invention includes a stage on which tablets to be photographed are placed; A top surface photographing unit provided at the top of the stage and photographing the top surface of the tablet placed on the stage; a bottom photographing unit provided at the bottom of the stage and photographing the bottom of the tablet placed on the stage; A control unit that receives top and bottom images of the tablet photographed by the top and bottom photographing units and recognizes the type of tablet; and a transfer arm provided adjacent to the stage, receiving externally supplied tablets and transferring the tablets to one side and the other side of the stage under the control of the control unit, wherein the transfer arm is electrically connected to the control unit. If the control unit does not recognize the letters engraved on the tablet in the top and bottom images of the tablet captured by the upper and lower surface photographing units, air is blown on the tablet placed on the stage under the control of the control unit. A blower is provided to correct the posture of the tablet.

And the stage according to the present invention forms an arc shape in the form of a plate, and on one side forms an imaging area where the upper and lower surfaces of the tablets transported by the transfer arm are photographed, and on the other side opposite to the tablets transferred by the transfer arm. It forms a discharge hole through which the tablets are discharged.

Here, a transparency hole penetrating upward and downward is formed in the imaging area of the stage according to the present invention, a support plate made of transparent material is provided in the transparency hole and supports the tablet transferred to the imaging area, and a lower side of the imaging area of the stage. It is provided and includes a lower illumination means that selectively irradiates light to the lower surface of the tablet placed on the support plate.

At this time, the support plate according to the present invention is provided with a UV filter that blocks ultraviolet rays.

In addition, the transfer arm according to the present invention rotates along the surface of the stage forming an arc shape, forming a receiving hole for receiving tablets introduced from the outside, and the inner peripheral surface of the receiving hole is the upper surface of the tablet received in the receiving hole. It is equipped with an upper lighting means that selectively irradiates light.

And the upper surface photographing unit according to the present invention is disposed at the upper center of the photographing area of the stage, and includes an upper camera for photographing the upper surface of the tablet placed in the photographing area of the stage, and a lower side of the upper camera, corresponding to the angle of view. It includes an upper blocking plate that forms a first photographing hole having a diameter that allows the tablet to be photographed at a corresponding angle of view.

In addition, the lower surface photographing unit according to the present invention is disposed at the center of the lower side of the photographing area of the stage, and includes a lower camera for photographing the lower surface of the tablet placed in the photographing region of the stage, and is provided above the lower camera, and has a corresponding viewing angle. It includes a lower blocking plate that forms a second photographing hole with a corresponding diameter so that the tablet can be photographed at a corresponding angle of view.

The effects exhibited by the tablet sorting device according to the present invention are as follows.

The front end of the upper and lower cameras, which take pictures of the top and bottom of the tablet, respectively, is equipped with a blocking plate that limits the angle of view to the corresponding range, so when taking pictures of the surface of the tablet, the camera on the other side is not recognized as the subject, so the top and bottom of the tablet are clearly visible. You can get an image.

Also, if the letters engraved on the tablet cannot be recognized in the captured image of the top and bottom of the tablet, correct the posture of the tablet by blowing on it in the shooting area and then photograph the top and bottom of the tablet again. The inability to recognize characters engraved on tablets can be resolved.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a tablet sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an exemplary diagram showing the rotation of the transfer arm on the stage of the tablet sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is an exemplary diagram showing a state in which the posture of a tablet is corrected by blowing from a tablet sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is an image of the top and bottom of a tablet taken by a tablet sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is an exemplary diagram showing a tablet sorting system equipped with a tablet sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a photograph showing images of tablets taken on a support plate equipped with regular glass, PP material, and a UV filter.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, the terms or words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, and the inventor should appropriately define the concept of terms in order to explain his or her invention in the best way. Based on the principle of definability, it must be interpreted with meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea 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 the entire technical idea of the present invention, so at the time of filing this application, they can be replaced by equivalent equivalents. 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 accomplished by photographing the top and bottom of the tablet, obtaining tablet information through communication with a database using the photographed top and bottom images of the tablet, and storing the obtained tablet information. This relates to a tablet sorting device that automatically sorts tablets based on the tablet sorting device, which is as follows with reference to the drawings.

The tablet sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6 includes a stage 100, a transfer arm 200, an upper surface imaging unit 300, a lower surface imaging unit 400, and a control unit 500. do. First, the stage 100 is placed so that tablets supplied from outside can be photographed at the corresponding location. Looking at the stage 100 in more detail, the stage 100 forms a semicircular arc in the form of a plate, On one side, a shooting area 110 is formed where the upper and lower sides of the tablets transferred by the transfer arm 200 are photographed, and at the opposite end, a discharge area 110 is formed where the tablets transferred by the transfer arm 200 are discharged. Form a ball (120).

At this time, a transparent hole 111 penetrating upward and downward is formed in the imaging area 110 of the stage 100, and a support plate 112 made of a transparent material is provided in the transparent hole 111, so that the support plate 112 While supporting the tablet transferred to the imaging area 110, the lower surface of the tablet is projected downward so that the lower surface of the tablet is photographed.

Here, the support plate 112 is formed of an HMC UV filter (97% light transmittance) with a high transmittance of visible light, so that when photographing the upper surface of the tablet, unnecessary ultraviolet rays reflected by lighting are blocked to obtain a clear image of quality. .

Additionally, the UV filter may be coated on the surface of the support plate 112, or may be provided as a separate member overlaid on the surface of the support plate 112.

Figure 6 shows an image of a tablet taken on a support plate made of regular glass, an image of a tablet taken on a support plate made of pp material, and an image of a tablet taken on a support plate equipped with the UV filter. While the illumination light is reflected from a support plate made of general glass or pp material and includes optical noise, the image taken from the support plate equipped with the UV filter does not include optical noise, so a clear image can be obtained.

In addition, a lower lighting means 130 is provided below the imaging area 110 of the stage 100, and the lower lighting means 130 selectively radiates light to the lower surface of the tablet placed on the support plate 112. .

At this time, the lower lighting means 130 is provided with a diffusion plate 131 to evenly distribute the light emitted from the lower lighting means 130 to obtain a high-quality image without shadows on the tablet. The lower lighting means 130 is linked with the lower camera 410 of the lower surface photographing unit 400, and the lower camera 410 of the lower surface photographing unit 400 is positioned in the photographing area 110 of the stage 100. When photographing the bottom of a tablet placed in a tablet, light is irradiated to the bottom of the tablet so that the photograph is taken.

And the transfer arm 200 referring to FIG. 2 rotates along the surface of the stage 100 forming an arc shape. One end of the transfer arm 200 is connected to the rotation axis of the driving means provided on the center point of the stage 100 forming an arc shape, and one end of the transfer arm 200 is linked to the rotation of the rotation axis of the driving means. It rotates to one side or the other side of the stage 100 about the axis.

At this time, the driving means is electrically connected to the control unit 500 through an electric motor. The driving means controls the rotation direction of the rotation shaft by a control signal from the controller, so that the transfer arm 200 can rotate to one side or the other side of the stage 100.

Additionally, a receiving hole 201 is formed in the transfer arm 200 to accommodate tablets supplied from the outside.

Here, an upper lighting means 210 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the receiving hole 201, and the upper lighting means 210 selectively radiates light to the upper surface of the tablet accommodated in the receiving hole 201.

At this time, a diffusion plate 211 is provided on the upper lighting means 210 to evenly distribute the light emitted from the upper lighting means 210 to obtain a high-quality image without shadows on the tablet. The upper lighting means 210 is linked with the upper camera 310 of the upper photographing unit 300, and the upper camera 310 of the upper photographing unit 300 is positioned in the photographing area 110 of the stage 100. When photographing the upper surface of a tablet placed on a tablet, it is preferable that the photographing is performed by irradiating light to the upper surface of the tablet.

The transfer arm 200 with reference to FIG. 3 is provided with a blower 220. The blower 220 is electrically connected to the control unit 500. The blow 220 is operated when the control unit 500 does not recognize the characters engraved on the tablet with the top and bottom images of the tablet taken by the top and

bottom photographing units

300 and 400, the control unit ( Under the control of 500, wind is blown on the tablet placed in the imaging area 110 of the stage 100 to correct the posture of the tablet.

Therefore, the tablet sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention corrects the posture of the tablet by blowing air on the tablet located in the photographing area 110, and then photographs the top and bottom of the tablet again, so that the imprint on the tablet is Character recognition errors can be resolved.

Additionally, the top surface imaging unit 300 is provided at the top of the stage 100. The upper surface photographing unit 300 photographs the upper surface of the tablet placed on the stage 100 and includes an upper camera 310 and an upper blocking plate 320.

The upper camera 310 is disposed at the upper center of the imaging area 110 of the stage 100 and photographs the upper surface of the tablet placed in the imaging area 110 of the stage 100.

And, an upper blocking plate 320 is provided on the lower side of the upper camera 310, and the upper blocking plate 320 forms a first shooting hole 321 with a diameter corresponding to the angle of view, thereby refining the angle of view. Ensure that filming takes place.

Additionally, the lower surface photographing unit 400 is provided at the lower part of the stage 100. The lower surface photographing unit 400 photographs the lower surface of the tablet placed on the stage 100 and includes a lower camera 410 and a lower cover plate 420.

The lower camera 410 is disposed at the lower center of the imaging area 110 of the stage 100 and photographs the lower surface of the tablet placed in the imaging area 110 of the stage 100.

And a lower blocking plate 420 is provided on the upper side of the lower camera 410. The lower blocking plate 420 forms a second photographing hole 421 with a diameter corresponding to the angle of view so that the tablet can be photographed at the angle of view.

Here, when the tablet sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention photographs the top and bottom of the tablet, it is preferable to sequentially photograph the top and bottom of the tablet. The upper blocking plate 320 and the lower blocking plate 420 provided at the front end of the upper camera 310 and the lower camera 410, respectively, prevent the camera on the opposite side from being recognized as the background, improving tablet discrimination performance. do.

Figure 5 shows a tablet sorting system equipped with a tablet sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, including a supply device 10, a tablet sorting and transfer device 20, a tablet discrimination device 30, and a sorting device 40. , a database 50, and a main control unit 60, and the tablet sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention is included in the tablet discrimination device.

The supply device 10 drops a plurality of tablets and supplies them to the tablet sorting transfer device 20.

In addition, the tablet alignment and transfer device 20 is provided adjacent to the supply device 10, and transfers the tablets supplied through the supply device 10 from one side to the other while aligning them in a line.

And the tablet discrimination device 30 is provided on one side of the tablet sorting and transport device 20. The tablet discrimination device 30 individually photographs tablets arranged in a row at regular intervals by the tablet alignment and transfer device 20, and determines the tablets based on the photographed tablet images.

At this time, the tablet discrimination device 30 includes a stage 100 on which the tablet to be photographed is placed, a top photographing unit 300 provided on the upper part of the stage 100 and photographing the upper surface of the tablet placed on the stage 100, A bottom photographing unit 400 is provided at the bottom of the stage 100 and photographs the lower surface of the tablet placed on the stage 100, and the images of the tablet photographed by the upper surface photographing unit 300 and the lower surface photographing unit 400. , a control unit 500 that receives an image from the bottom and recognizes characters engraved on the tablet using the image, is provided adjacent to the stage 100, receives tablets supplied from outside, and controls the tablets under the control of the control unit 500. It is provided with a tablet sorting device including a transfer arm 200 that transfers tablets to one side and the other side of the stage 100.

Here, the posture of the tablet is corrected by blowing air on the tablet located in the recording area 110 of the stage 100, and then the top and bottom of the tablet are photographed again, thereby resolving the character recognition error imprinted on the tablet. there is.

In addition, the sorting device 40 classifies tablets into the corresponding sorting box among a plurality of sorting boxes based on the tablet information determined by the tablet discriminating device 30.

In addition, the database 50 transmits tablet information corresponding to the tablet based on the tablet image captured by the tablet discrimination device 30. The main control unit 60 is electrically connected to the supply device 10, the tablet sorting and transfer device 20, the tablet discrimination device 30, the sorting device 40, and the database 50 to enable communication. The tablet information transmitted from the database 50 and the detection signal detected by the tablet detection sensor provided in each of the supply device 10, tablet sorting and transfer device 20, tablet discrimination device 30, and sorting device 40. The operation of the supply device 10, tablet sorting and transport device 20, tablet discrimination device 30, and sorting device 40 is controlled.

The present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but these are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true scope of technical protection of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the attached patent claims.

The form for carrying out the invention is substantially the same as the previous best form for carrying out the invention.

Since the present invention can be used in technology for purifying pills based on images, it has industrial applicability.

Claims

A stage where the tablet to be photographed is placed;

A top surface photographing unit provided at the top of the stage and photographing the top surface of the tablet placed on the stage;

a bottom photographing unit provided at the bottom of the stage and photographing the bottom of the tablet placed on the stage; and

A tablet sorting device comprising the upper surface photographing unit and a control unit that receives the top and bottom images of the tablet photographed by the lower surface photographing unit and recognizes the type of tablet.
In claim 1,

A tablet sorting device further comprising a transfer arm provided adjacent to the stage, receiving externally supplied tablets and transferring the tablets to one side and the other side of the stage under the control of the control unit.
In claim 2,

The stage is

It forms an arc shape on a plate, and on one side forms a shooting area where the top and bottom sides of the tablets transported by the transfer arm are photographed, and at the opposite end, there is a discharge hole through which the tablets transported by the transfer arm are discharged. Formed tablet sorting device.
In claim 3,

In the filming area of the stage,

Forms a transparent hole that penetrates up and down,

A support plate made of a transparent material provided in the viewing hole and supporting the tablets transferred to the imaging area;

A tablet sorting device comprising a lower lighting means provided below the imaging area of the stage and selectively irradiating light to the lower surface of the tablet placed on the support plate.
In claim 4,

The support plate is

A tablet sorting device equipped with a UV filter that blocks ultraviolet rays.
In claim 3,

The transfer arm rotates along the surface of the arc-shaped stage,

Forming a receiving hole to accommodate the externally introduced tablet,

A tablet sorting device comprising an upper lighting means on the inner peripheral surface of the receiving hole for selectively irradiating light to the upper surface of the tablets accommodated in the receiving hole.
In claim 6,

In the transfer arm,

It is electrically connected to the control unit, and the control unit includes the top image capture unit,

If the text engraved on the tablet is not recognized in the top and bottom images of the tablet photographed by the bottom photographing unit, blow air is used to correct the posture of the tablet by blowing air to the tablet placed in the photographing area of the stage under the control of the control unit. A tablet sorting device equipped with a.
In claim 1,

The upper surface imaging unit

It is placed in the upper center of the shooting area of the stage, and is located in the shooting area of the stage.

an upper camera that photographs the upper surface of the tablet placed on the

A tablet sorting device comprising an upper blocking plate provided below the upper camera and forming a first photographing hole with a diameter corresponding to the angle of view so that tablets can be photographed at the angle of view.
In claim 1,

The bottom recording unit

a lower camera disposed at the lower center of the imaging area of the stage and photographing the lower surface of the tablet placed in the imaging area of the stage;

A tablet sorting device comprising a lower blocking plate provided above the lower camera and forming a second photographing hole with a diameter corresponding to the angle of view so that tablets can be photographed at the angle of view.