Medicament dispensing machine and medicament dispensing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9056705-B2
Application number	US-201113806137-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2011
Priority date	Jun 30, 2010
Publication date	Jun 16, 2015
Grant date	Jun 16, 2015

Abstract

A medicine dispensing device for accommodating large quantity of blister packages is described. The medicine dispensing device allows for a fast and proper dispensing of blister packages, even when dispensing fractions. The device includes a storage container having an outlet and an opening/closing door provided with a holding part, which moves to a holding position for holding the blister package being discharged from the outlet and a releasing position to release the blister package. The opening/closing door further includes a biasing part for biasing the holding part to the holding position and a reference surface for carrying out the positioning of the blister package when the holding part is moved to the releasing position. A gripping member is provided for gripping the blister package and transporting it toward a cutting member and for returning the remainder, after the blister package being cut, into the holding part of the opening/closing door.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A medicine dispensing device comprising:
a device body;
a storage container that accommodates in a stacked state a plurality of blister packages in which medicines are separately packed, the storage container being attached to the device body such that a direction in which the blister packages are stacked is horizontal or approximately horizontal direction;
a dispensing member movably provided at the device body, the dispensing member moving up to the storage container and dispensing the accommodated blister package;
a gripping member that grips and transports the blister package dispensed by the dispensing member; and
a cutting member that cuts a fraction out of the blister package that is gripped and transported by the gripping member,
wherein the storage container includes:
an outlet formed in a bottom surface at one end side for taking out the blister package;
a biasing member that biases the accommodated blister package towards the outlet side; and
an opening/closing door that is disposed at an outer end surface at the outlet side,
wherein the opening/closing door includes:
a guide reception part that guides the blister package that is dispensed from the outlet of the storage container;
a holding part that is capable of moving between a holding position for holding the blister package with the guide reception part and a releasing position for releasing the blister package; and
a biasing part that biases the holding part towards the holding position,

wherein the guide reception part has a reference surface with which a lower edge part of the blister package can come into contact so as to position the blister package when the holding part is moved to the releasing position, and
wherein the gripping member has an action part that can move the holding part from the holding position to the releasing position against a biasing force of the biasing part.

2. The medicine dispensing device according to claim 1 , wherein the gripping member includes a pair of holding pieces that is openable and closable, and a sensor that is capable of detecting the blister package.

3. The medicine dispensing device according to claim 1 , wherein the opening/closing door can be positioned at a normal dispensing position and at a fraction dispensing position, the normal dispensing position allowing a dispensing operation of the blister package by the dispensing member, and the fraction dispensing position allowing a dispensing operation of the blister package by the dispensing member and enabling the holding part to hold the dispensed blister package, and
wherein the gripping member can grip at the fraction dispensing position the blister package that is held by the holding part of the opening/closing door and transport the blister package to the cutting member, and the remaining blister package after the fraction is cut by the cutting member is transported and held by the holding part of the opening/closing door.

4. The medicine dispensing device according to claim 1 further comprises a control member for positioning the lower edge part of the blister package by the weight of the blister package with respect to the reference surface by driving and controlling the gripping member and rotating the holding part once to the releasing position by the action part when holding the blister package at the opening/closing door.

5. The medicine dispensing device according to claim 1 , wherein the holding part of the opening/closing door includes a magnetic material, and
wherein the action part of the gripping member includes a magnet that can attract the holding part.

6. The medicine dispensing device according to claim 5 , wherein the gripping member includes a magnet at one holding piece, and when the holding piece is positioned at the releasing position, the holding part of the opening/closing door is attracted and a holding state of the blister package is released.

Assignees

• Yuyama Shoji
• Kasuya Masahiko
• Yuyama Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yuyama Shoji
• Kasuya Masahiko

Classifications

• G07F11/42 Primary

  the articles being delivered by motor-driven means · CPC title

• G07F17/0092

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

• B65D2583/00

  Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents · CPC title

• B65D83/00 Primary

  Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents (dispensing means incorporated in closures B65D47/00) · CPC title

• B65B11/50

  Enclosing articles, or quantities of material, by disposing contents between two sheets, e.g. pocketed sheets, and securing their opposed free margins (apparatus or devices for forming pockets in or from sheets, blanks or webs B65B47/00) · CPC title