Solid preparation subdividing apparatus and solid preparation selling method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11046465-B2
Application number	US-201916716377-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2019
Priority date	Jul 20, 2017
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A solid preparation subdividing device includes: one or more dispensing devices, a solid preparation information input unit to input information on solid preparations, an administration information input unit, and a packaging unit. The dispensing device includes: an accommodating portion with a charging port to receive solid preparations, and a pickup unit to discharge a desired number of solid preparations from the accommodating portion. The administration information input unit is for directly inputting an administration timing for each solid preparation and a dosage for each administration timing in association with the solid preparations charged into the accommodating portion. The subdividing device executes operations for discharging, based on information input to the administration information input unit, the solid preparations from the dispensing device on a dose-by-dose basis to the packaging unit and packaging one or more kinds of solid preparations to be taken at a time collectively by the packaging unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A solid preparation subdividing device configured to subdivide a plurality of solid preparations on a dose-by-dose basis, the solid preparation subdividing device comprising:
a plurality of solid preparation dispensing devices;
a solid preparation information input unit;
a plurality of administration information input units, each administration information input unit corresponding to one of the plurality of solid preparation dispensing devices; and
a packaging unit, wherein
each solid preparation dispensing device includes:
a solid preparation accommodating portion comprising a charging port into which the plurality of solid preparations is to be charged; and
a solid preparation pickup unit configured to discharge a predetermined number of solid preparations from the solid preparation accommodating portion,

the solid preparation information input unit is configured to receive first information for identifying the plurality of solid preparations charged into the solid preparation accommodating portion of each solid preparation dispensing device,
each administration information input unit is configured to receive second information including an administration timing for each of the plurality of solid preparations and a dosage for each administration timing in association with the plurality of solid preparations charged into the solid preparation accommodating portion of the corresponding solid preparation dispensing device, and
the solid preparation subdividing device is configured to execute a series of individual packaging operations for discharging, based on the second information input to each administration information input unit, the plurality of solid preparations from the corresponding solid preparation dispensing device on a dose-by-dose basis to send out the plurality of solid preparations to the packaging unit for packaging by the packaging unit.

2. The solid preparation subdividing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a printing unit, configured to perform a predetermined printing on a package corresponding to a dose.

3. The solid preparation subdividing device according to claim 1 , wherein
each solid preparation dispensing device further includes a form changing unit configured to change a form so as to discharge each of the plurality of solid preparations depending on a respective shape of said each of the plurality of solid preparations.

4. The solid preparation subdividing device according to claim 3 , wherein
the form changing unit is configured to change the form based on the first information input into the corresponding solid preparation information input unit.

5. The solid preparation subdividing device according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a dispensing passage configured to allow the plurality of solid preparations to pass therethrough,
wherein
the form changing unit is configured to restrict a shape of a solid preparation allowed to pass through the dispensing passage by changing a state of the dispensing passage, and
the solid preparation subdividing device is configured to change the state of the dispensing passage based on the first information input into each solid preparation information input unit, to thereby enable the plurality of solid preparations accommodated in the solid preparation accommodating portion of the corresponding solid preparation dispensing device to be discharged.

6. The solid preparation subdividing device according to claim 1 , wherein
each administration information input unit comprises at least one input device, and
the solid preparation subdividing device is further configured to:
identify each of the plurality of solid preparations when input is performed from the input device of any of the plurality of administration information input units, and
cause the administration timing for each of the plurality of solid preparations and the dosage for each administration timing to be directly input in association with each other using the input device of the corresponding administration information input unit.

7. The solid preparation subdividing device according to claim 1 , wherein
each administration information input unit is mounted to the corresponding solid preparation dispensing device.

8. The solid preparation subdividing device according to claim 1 , wherein
each administration information input unit comprises a display screen on which a solid preparation display field for identifying each of the plurality of solid preparations, and a timing field for displaying the administration timing for each of the plurality of solid preparations are displayed in association with each other with a number input field corresponding to the administration timing to receive a number to be input to the number input field.

9. The solid preparation subdividing device according to claim 1 , wherein
each solid preparation information input unit comprises a reading unit.

10. The solid preparation subdividing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a storage unit configured to store third information for identifying a recipient and the second information input to each administration information input unit in association with the first information input to the corresponding solid preparation information input unit,
wherein the solid preparation subdividing device is configured to execute the series of individual packaging operations based on information stored in the storage unit when solid preparations are charged from the charging port into each solid preparation accommodating portion after the series of individual packaging operations is executed and the corresponding solid preparation information input unit receives information for identifying the solid preparations again charged from the charging port into the corresponding solid preparation accommodating portion.

11. The solid preparation subdividing device according to claim 1 , wherein
when different solid preparations having the same administration timing are charged into the plurality of solid preparation dispensing devices, at least one of the plurality of solid preparation dispensing devices is configured to enclose the different solid preparations having the same administration timing in the same package.

12. The solid preparation subdividing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the solid preparation subdividing device is further configured to execute a series of individual packaging operations for packaging a plurality of kinds of solid preparations taken at a time collectively by the packaging unit.

13. The solid preparation subdividing device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of solid preparations is a plurality of supplements.

14. A method comprising:
receiving a selection of at least one of a plurality of solid preparations from among a plurality of kinds of packages containing solid preparations;
opening a selected packaging material containing the selected solid preparations and retrieving the solid preparations contained therein;
automatically subdividing the retrieved solid preparations based on administration timing and then re-packaging the subdivided solid preparations;
calculating a total price of the selected solid preparations; and
using the solid preparation subdividing device of claim 1 to charge the selected and removed solid preparations into the solid preparation subdividing device and then subdividing the solid drugs for each administration timing.

15. A method comprising:
receiving a selection of a plurality of packages, each package containing a plurality of solid preparations from a

Assignees

• Yuyama Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yuyama Hiroyuki

Classifications

• G07F17/0092

  for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles (medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00) · CPC title

• B65B2220/14

  Adding more than one type of material or article to the same package · CPC title

• G07F13/10

  with associated dispensing of containers, e.g. cups or other articles · CPC title

• A61J7/04

  Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers · CPC title

• B65B9/06

  Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it · CPC title