Individual packaging device for tablets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11325728-B2
Application number	US-202017009363-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2020
Priority date	Mar 9, 2018
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A tablet packaging device capable of shortening operation time required for packaging tablets for one tray. The tablet packaging device includes a packaging portion configured to accommodate tablets dispensed from a dispensing port into a tray. The packaging portion includes: a tray loading unit to which the tray is mountable; a tray unloading unit to which the tray accommodating the tablets is mountable; a tray driving unit, which is configured to removably support the tray, move the supported tray among positions of the dispensing port, the tray loading unit, and the tray unloading unit, and move the desired accommodation recess portion to the dispensing port for tablets; a tray attaching unit configured to attach the tray from the tray loading unit to the tray driving unit; and a tray detaching unit configured to detach the tray from the tray driving unit and place the tray on the tray unloading unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tablet packaging device, comprising:
a tablet accommodating portion configured to store a plurality of kinds of tablets and dispense a tablet based on prescription information; and
a packaging portion configured to dispense the tablets, which are dispensed from the tablet accommodating portion, through a dispensing port and distribute and accommodate the tablets to a tray having a plurality of accommodation recess portions that are arranged in a plurality of rows and columns,
wherein the packaging portion includes:
a tray loading unit to which the tray is mountable;
a tray unloading unit, which is arranged adjacent to the tray loading unit, and to which the tray accommodating the tablets is mountable;
a tray driving unit configured to removably support the tray and move the supported tray in a width direction and a front-and-rear direction of the tablet packaging device between positions of the tray loading unit and the tray unloading unit, the tray driving unit being further configured to move the desired accommodation recess portion of the tray to the dispensing port for tablets so that the tablets, which are dispensed from the tablet accommodating portion, fall into the accommodation recess portions of the tray directly from the dispensing port;
a tray attaching unit configured to attach the tray from the tray loading unit to the tray driving unit; and
a tray detaching unit configured to detach the tray accommodating the tablets from the tray driving unit and place the tray on the tray unloading unit, the tablet packaging device further comprising:

a manual-distribution unit configured to add tablets to the accommodation recess portions of the tray, wherein the manual-distribution unit includes:
a manual-distribution container including:
a manual-distribution member having division chambers, which are opened on upper and lower sides and are arranged at positions matching with the accommodation recess portions of the tray; and
a shutter, which is slidably provided to a bottom surface of the manual-distribution member and is configured to open and close the division chambers; and

a drawer portion, which is provided so as to allow the manual-distribution container to be pushed in and drawn out, and is set so as to allow the manual-distribution container to be located at a tablet distribution position outside the packaging portion when the drawer portion is drawn out and allow the manual-distribution container to be located at a discharging position at which the accommodation recess portions of the tray having the tablets discharged thereto and accommodated therein and the division chambers correspond to each other when the drawer portion is pushed in.

2. The tablet packaging device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the tray driving unit is configured to support the tray at positions above the tray loading unit and the tray unloading unit,
wherein the tray driving unit is configured to move the tray in a horizontal plane,
wherein the tray attaching unit is configured to lift up the tray from the tray loading unit and attach the tray to the tray driving unit,
wherein the tray detaching unit is configured to detach the tray accommodating the tablets from the tray driving unit, lower the tray, and place the tray on the tray unloading unit.

3. The tablet packaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the tray driving unit includes an XY robot configured to move the supported tray in the width direction and the front-and-rear direction of the device in a horizontal plane.

4. The tablet packaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the tray driving unit includes:
a conveyance stage, which is capable of being positioned above the tray loading unit and the tray unloading unit, and includes division chambers, which are arranged at positions matching the accommodation recess portions of the tray and are opened in the up-and-down direction; and
a tray fixing member configured to attach the tray to a lower side of the conveyance stage under a state in which positions of the division chambers and positions of the accommodation recess portions of the tray match each other.

5. The tablet packaging device according to claim 4 ,
wherein, the tray is mounted to the tray loading unit under a state in which the tray is placed on an adapter, which is opened on an upper side and is capable of accommodating the tray from the upper side,
wherein the adapter includes stage engagement ratchets which are attachable to and detachable from tray fixing members of the conveyance stage,
wherein the tray fixing members extend downward from side edges of the conveyance stage and have engagement holes which are engageable with the stage engagement ratchets,
wherein the tray is attached to the tray driving unit in a state of being sandwiched between a lower surface of the conveyance stage and an upper surface of the adapter, and the conveyance stage is driven so that one of the division chambers is located at a position corresponding to the dispensing port to receive the tablets dispensed from the dispensing port, and
wherein the tray having the tablets discharged thereto and accommodated therein is mounted to the tray unloading unit in a state of being placed on the adapter.

6. The tablet packaging device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the tray loading unit is formed of a drawer provided so as to be freely placed in and out with respect to the packaging portion and includes a first placement table configured to place the tray inside the drawer,
wherein the first placement table is set so as to be located at a tray handling position outside the packaging portion when the drawer is drawn out, and the first placement table is set so as to be located at a waiting position inside the packaging portion when the drawer is pushed in, and
wherein the tray attaching unit includes a first raising/lowering device, which is provided below the waiting position of the tray loading unit and is configured to attach the tray to a lower surface of the conveyance stage located above the waiting position by lifting up the tray located at the waiting position from the lower side.

7. The tablet packaging device according to claim 6 , wherein the first placement table of the tray loading unit includes a set of first support members configured to support both ends of the adapter in the width direction, and a region between the first support members is a first raising/lowering device passage region for allowing the first raising/lowering device to pass therethrough.

8. The tablet packaging device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the tray unloading unit is formed of a drawer provided so as to be freely placed in and out with respect to the packaging portion and includes a second placement table configured to place the tray inside the drawer,
wherein the second placement table is set so as to be located at a tray handling position outside the packaging portion when the drawer is drawn out, and the second placement table is set so as to be located at a waiting position inside the packaging portion when the drawer is pushed in, and
wherein the tray detaching unit includes a second raising/lowering device, which is provided below the waiting position of the tray unloading unit and is configured to support, from below, the tray detached from the lower surface of the conveyance stage located above the waiting position and mount the tray to the second placement table of the tray unloading unit.

9. The tablet packaging device according to claim 8 , wherein the second placement table of the tray unloading unit includes a set of second support members configured to support both ends of the adapter in the width direction, and a region between the

Assignees

• Yuyama Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Takada Yasuyuki
• Iwatani Takashi

Classifications

• A61J7/0084

  for multiple medicaments · CPC title

• B65B5/103 Primary

  for packaging pills or tablets · CPC title

• A61J7/0076

  Medicament distribution means (with pill counting devices A61J7/02; with time indication A61J7/04; containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00) · CPC title

• A61J7/04

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

• B65B43/54

  Means for supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation · CPC title