U.S. patent application number 09/835775 was filed with the patent office on 2002-07-18 for tablet supplying and packaging apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to JV MEDI CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Kim, Jin S..
Application Number | 20020092275 09/835775 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25270424 |
Filed Date | 2002-07-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020092275 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim, Jin S. |
July 18, 2002 |
Tablet supplying and packaging apparatus
Abstract
A tablet supplying and packaging apparatus comprises a
controller, a cassette unit having a cassette rack and a plurality
of tablet cassettes detachably mounted on the cassette rack in
columns and rows, a turntable having a plurality of tablet
containers, and a packaging unit disposed below the cassette unit
and the turntable for packaging the tablets selectively released
from said tablet cassettes and said tablet containers into a
plurality of tablet paper bags by the controller.
Inventors: |
Kim, Jin S.; (Taegu,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JOHN K. PARK
PARK & SUTTON LLP
SUITE 1110
3255 WILSHIRE BLVD.
LOS ANGELES
CA
90010
US
|
Assignee: |
JV MEDI CO., LTD.
|
Family ID: |
25270424 |
Appl. No.: |
09/835775 |
Filed: |
January 16, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/493 ;
53/253 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 61/025 20130101;
B65B 5/103 20130101; B65B 35/56 20130101; B65B 61/007 20130101;
B65B 9/093 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/493 ;
53/253 |
International
Class: |
B65B 005/06; B65B
057/10 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A tablet supplying and packaging apparatus, comprising: a) a
controller controlling an operation of the apparatus; b) a cassette
unit defined by a width and a height, wherein the cassette unit has
a cassette rack and a plurality of tablet cassettes detachably
mounted on the cassette rack in columns and rows, wherein said
tablet cassettes each release a predetermined amount of tablets
therefrom in accordance with the controller; c) a turntable having
a center and a plurality of tablet containers disposed around the
center, wherein said each tablet container is defined by side
walls, a top opening and a bottom opening, wherein the turntable is
disposed lower in level than a lowermost row of the tablet
cassettes and in front of the cassette unit, wherein one or more
tablets manually distributed in at least one of said tablet
containers are downwardly released in accordance with the
controller; and d) a packaging unit disposed below the cassette
unit and the turntable for packaging the tablets selectively
released from said tablet cassettes and said tablet containers into
a plurality of tablet paper bags in accordance with the
controller.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a hopper disposed
between the packaging unit and both of the turntable and the
lowermost cassette row of the tablet cassettes to guide the tablets
from the turntable and the tablet cassettes to the packaging
unit.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is
wireless-accessed to enable a remote controlling.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller comprises: a) a
monitor screen to input a prescription information and display the
operation of the apparatus a prescription processing; b) a
processor to administer a tablet release of the tablet cassettes
and the turntable, and a tablet packaging and external discharge of
the packaging unit, in accordance with the prescription information
input through the monitor screen.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the controller is
wireless-accessed to enable a remote controlling.
6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the prescription information is
input to the monitor screen through internet.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the packaging unit comprises:
a) a printer to print the prescription information on a packaging
paper; and b) a heating perforator to heatingly seal the packaging
paper into the tablet paper bags containing the tablets released
from the turntable and the tablet cassettes, and sequentially
perforate the tablet-containing paper bags easy detachment of the
tablet paper bags.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the controller is
wireless-accessed to enable a remote controlling.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the prescription information is
input to the monitor screen through the internet.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a pharmaceutical automation system
for sorting and packaging tablets. More particularly, the present
invention relates to a tablet supplying and packaging apparatus
that optimally combines a cassette-based tablet supply system and a
turntable-based tablet supply system to substantially improve
pharmaceutical efficiency.
[0002] A doctor's prescription generally requires one or more kinds
of tablets for a type of disease. So the more types of illnesses
included in a prescription, the more kinds of different tablets a
patient should take for each dosage. The dosage may vary from once
per day to three or more times per day depending on seriousness and
types of disease, or how many different types of illnesses a
patient suffers.
[0003] The cassette-based tablet supply system has difficulty in
automation favoring extra pills such as half-split pills and
quarter-split pills. That is, such split pills have
disadvantageously stayed away from pharmaceutical automation. The
alternative was a turntable-based tablet supply system that adopts
manual tablet sorting and automatic tablet packaging mechanism.
However, the turntable-based system has limitations due to
relatively small capacity.
[0004] Accordingly, there has been a strong demand for an optimal
combination of the cassette-based tablet supply system and the
turntable-based system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Therefore, an object of the invention is to optimally
combine a cassette-based tablet supply system and a turntable-based
tablet supply system.
[0006] Another object of the invention is to substantially improve
pharmaceutical efficiency.
[0007] To achieve the above-described objects, a tablet supplying
and packaging apparatus according to the present invention
comprises a controller, a cassette unit, a turntable, and a
packaging unit. The controller controls an operation of the
apparatus. The cassette unit is defined by a width and a height and
has a cassette rack and a plurality of tablet cassettes detachably
mounted on the cassette rack in columns and rows. The tablet
cassettes each release a predetermined amount of tablets therefrom
in accordance with the controller.
[0008] The turntable has a center and a plurality of tablet
containers disposed around the center. Each tablet container is
defined by side walls, a top opening and a bottom opening.
Preferably, the turntable is disposed lower in level than a
lowermost row of the tablet cassettes and in front of the cassette
unit so that one or more tablets manually distributed in at least
one of said tablet containers are downwardly released in accordance
with the controller.
[0009] The packaging unit is disposed below the cassette unit and
the turntable for packaging the tablets selectively released from
the tablet cassettes and tablet containers into a plurality of
tablet paper bags in accordance with the controller.
[0010] For a better performance, the apparatus further comprises a
hopper disposed between the packaging unit and both of the
turntable and the lowermost cassette row of the tablet cassettes to
guide the tablets from the turntable and the tablet cassettes to
the packaging unit.
[0011] The controller comprises a monitor screen to input a
prescription information and display the operation of the apparatus
a prescription processing, and a processor to administer a tablet
release of the tablet cassettes and the turntable, and a tablet
packaging and external discharge of the packaging unit, in
accordance with the prescription information input through the
monitor screen. In a preferred version, the controller is
wireless-accessed to enable a remote controlling. Here, the
prescription information may be input to the monitor screen through
internet.
[0012] The packaging unit comprises a printer to print the
prescription information on a packaging paper, and a heating
perforator to heatingly seal the packaging paper into the tablet
paper bags containing the tablets released from the turntable and
the tablet cassettes, and sequentially perforate the
tablet-containing paper bags for easy detachment of the tablet
paper bags.
[0013] The advantages of the present invention are: (1) the tablet
supplying and packaging apparatus according to the present
invention realizes both a massive tablet supply into each tablet
cassette and a piece-by-piece tablet supply in the turntable within
the apparatus, thereby enabling each discharged tablet bag to
safely contain either whole tablets or, for example, half-split
pills, thus allowing a patient to conveniently intake the
paper-bagged dosage at a single batch; (2) the apparatus enables an
optimal combination of the turntable mechanism for half-split or
rarely demanded tablets and the cassette-based mechanism for whole
or frequently demanded tablets, thereby significantly improving
pharmaceutical efficiency and tablet management security and thusly
customer reliability; and (3) the streamlined hybrid apparatus of
the turntable-based system and the cassette-based system enables a
drugstore to optimally utilize limited pharmaceutical space, thus
improving cost efficiency and store productivity.
[0014] Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the
full understanding of the invention can be obtained by the
following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.
BRIEF DESCIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the
present invention will become better understood with reference to
the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a tablet supply and
packaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of FIG. 2;
[0019] FIG. 4 is an exploded view detailing a turntable in FIG.
1;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a structural view detailing a mechanism in which
tablets are being dropped from turntable containers;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a partially cross-sectioned view of a tablet
cassette in FIG. 1 to show a mechanism in which tablets are being
dropped from the tablet cassette;
[0022] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the operation of the tablet
supplying and packaging apparatus according to the present
invention; and
[0023] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation mechanism of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the tablet supplying and packaging
apparatus 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention comprises a cassette unit 12, a turntable 14, and a
controller 16 controlling the operation of the apparatus 10. As
further shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus 10 further includes a
packaging unit 18.
[0025] The cassette unit 12 is defined by a width and a height and
has a cassette rack 20 and a plurality of tablet cassettes 22
detachably mounted on the cassette rack 20 in columns and rows. The
tablet cassettes 22 each release a predetermined amount of tablets
therefrom through a release hole 24 as shown in FIG. 3, in
accordance with the controller 16. The release hole 24 serves to
guide tablets 26 from the tablet cassette 22 down through a hopper
28 to the packaging unit 18. In a preferred version, the tablet
cassettes 22 are mounted on the cassette rack 20 in about 5 to 15
columns and about 5 6 1328. 09 to 10 rows. The most preferred
alignment for the tablet cassettes 22 is twelve columns and seven
rows.
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the turntable 14 has a center
and a plurality of tablet containers 32 disposed around the center
30. Each tablet container 32 is defined by side walls 34, a top
opening 36 and a bottom opening 38. Preferably, the turntable 14 is
disposed lower in level than a lowermost row 40 of the tablet
cassettes 22 and in front of the cassette unit 12 so that one or
more tablets 27 manually distributed in at least one of the tablet
containers 32 are downwardly released in accordance with the
controller 16.
[0027] The apparatus 10 also includes a platform 42 receiving the
turntable 14 therein. The turntable 14 has a plurality of plates 44
flexibly connected thereto. Each plate 44 is swingably connected by
a hinge 48 to the tablet container 32. A support rail 46 provided
in the platform 42 flexibly supports the turntable 14 while being
selectively covered by the plates 44 which correspond to the
plurality of tablet containers 32 in number. Each plate 44 is
hingedly engaged to a tablet container portion 49 adjacent to the
bottom opening 38 of each tablet container 32 to releasably close
the bottom opening 38 of each tablet container 32. In this
construction, one or more tablets 27 are either maintained in each
tablet container 32 when the bottom opening 38 is closed by the
plate 44 or downwardly discharged when the plate 44 is
released.
[0028] The support rail 46 is disposed beneath the bottom openings
38 of the tablet containers 32 in circular formation to uphold the
plates 44. The support rail 46 has a release opening 50 formed
either by a partial displacement or by a partial removal of the
support rail 46. So when one selected from the tablet containers 32
reaches over the release opening 50 in accordance with an angular
rotation of the turntable 14, the plate 44 corresponding to the
selected tablet container 32 is lowered through the release opening
50 so that the tablets 27 in the selected tablet container 32 are
downwardly released through the release opening 50.
[0029] The apparatus 10 also includes a vertical shaft 52 fixed to
the center 30 of the turntable 14 to center the turntable 14. The
vertical shaft 52 allows the turntable 14 to spin therearound to
make the angular rotation of the turntable 14 in accordance with
the controller 16. Here, the angular rotation of the turntable 14
may be either clockwise or counter-clockwise. When the angular
rotation is set clockwise, each plate 44 is hinged to the left
thereof. In a similar manner, when the angular rotation is set
counter-clockwise, each plate 44 is hinged to the right
thereof.
[0030] In an embodiment, the turntable 14 further comprises a disk
54 provided radially from the containers 32. A shaft cap 56 allows
the turntable 14 including the disk 54 to stabilize on the shaft
52. The disk 54 may include a numbering system 58 so that the
controller 16 can dictate the angular rotation of the turntable 14
based on the numbering system 58.
[0031] The packaging unit 18 is disposed below the cassette unit 12
and the turntable 14 for packaging the tablets 26, 27 selectively
released from the tablet cassettes 22 and tablet containers 32 into
a plurality of tablet paper bags 60 in accordance with the
controller 16.
[0032] As shown back in FIG. 3, the hopper 28 disposed between the
packaging unit 12 and both of the turntable 14 and the lowermost
cassette row 40 of the tablet cassettes 22 to guide the tablets 26,
27 from the turntable 14 and the tablet cassettes 22 to the
packaging unit 18. FIG. 6 shows the release mechanism of the
tablets 26 from the tablet cassette 22 wherein the tablets 26 are
released from the cassette 22 into the through hole 24 by rotation
of a rotor 70 powered by a motor 72 that is controlled by the
controller 16.
[0033] The controller 16 comprises a monitor screen 62 to input a
prescription information and display operation of the apparatus 10,
and a processor CPU to administer a tablet release of the tablet
cassettes 22 and the turntable 14. As shown in FIG. 7, the
processor CPU administers the release and packaging of the tablets
26, 27. The tablet-packaged paper bags 60 are externally discharged
from the packaging unit 18, in accordance with the prescription
information input through the monitor screen 62. In a preferred
version, the controller 16 may be wireless-accessed to enable a
remote controlling. For example, the prescription information may
be input to the monitor screen 62 through internet.
[0034] The packaging unit 18 comprises a printer 64 to print the
prescription information on a packaging paper, and a heating
perforator 66 to heatingly seal the packaging paper 68 into the
tablet paper bags 60 containing the tablets 26, 27 released from
the turntable 14 and the tablet cassettes 22, and sequentially
perforate the tablet-containing paper bags 60 for easy detachment
of the tablet paper bags 60.
[0035] FIGS. 7 and 8 each illustrate the operational mechanism of
the tablet supplying and packaging apparatus 10 according to the
present invention. As shown therein, the prescription information
may be input through either the monitor screen 62 or internet. Then
the controller CPU administers the tablet cassettes 22 and the
turntable 14 for tablet releasing and packaging.
[0036] Further referring to FIG. 8, the pharmacist checks the
filling of tablet cassettes 22 and fills a required amount of
tablets in the turntable containers 32 depending on the
prescription information (S1). If tablets 26 in cassettes are
required then input cassette numbers (S2, S5). If the tablets 27 in
the turntable containers 32 are required then input the first and
last container numbers (S3, S6). If both are required then input
require cassette numbers, and the first and last number of the
turntable containers 32 (S3, S5). The tablet packaging and external
release thereof are automatically completed by the packaging unit
18 (S7).
[0037] An advantage of the present invention is that the tablet
supplying and packaging apparatus 10 realizes both a massive tablet
supply into each tablet cassette and a piece-by-piece tablet supply
in the turntable within the apparatus, thereby enabling each
discharged tablet bag to safely contain either whole tablets or,
for example, half-split pills, thus allowing a patient to
conveniently intake the paper-bagged dosage at a single batch.
[0038] Another advantage is that the apparatus 10 enables an
optimal combination of the turntable mechanism for half-split or
rarely demanded tablets and the cassette-based mechanism for whole
or frequently demanded tablets, thereby significantly improving
pharmaceutical efficiency and tablet management security and thusly
customer reliability.
[0039] Further, the streamlined hybrid apparatus 10 of the
turntable-based system and the cassette-based system enables a
drugstore to optimally utilize limited pharmaceutical space, thus
improving cost efficiency and store productivity.
[0040] Although the invention has been described in considerable
detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other
versions are possible by converting the aforementioned
construction. Therefore, the scope of the invention shall not be
limited by the specification specified above and the appended
claims.
* * * * *