Medication cassette

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9365308-B2
Application number	US-201314377791-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2013
Priority date	Feb 10, 2012
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

The invention addresses the problem of providing a medication cassette, which in addition to being capable of smooth automated dispensing despite being capable of storing large amounts of medication, allows accurate ascertainment of whether the medication has run out or is jammed. This medication cassette is provided with: a cylindrical body in which the medication is stored; a first rotating body capable of reciprocating movement inside the cylindrical body in the direction of the shaft center thereof; a second rotating body disposed on the outer circumference of the cylindrical body; a conveyed medication-detecting element for detecting medication that has been conveyed by the second rotating body; and a control element for moving the first rotating body upward when a medication detection signal is not output from the conveyed medication-detecting element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A medication cassette comprising:
a cylindrical body in which a plurality of medications are stored;
a first rotating body which can be reciprocated in the cylindrical body in a direction of a shaft center thereof;
a second rotating body arranged on an outer circumference of the cylindrical body;
conveyed medication detecting means detecting the medications conveyed by the second rotating body; and
controlling means moving up the first rotating body when a medication detection signal is not outputted from the conveyed medication detecting means.

2. The medication cassette according to claim 1 , further comprising discharged medication detecting means detecting the medications discharged to an outside of the second rotating body by the rotation thereof,
wherein when a time during which the medication detection signal is not outputted from the discharged medication detecting means exceeds a predetermined time, when the medications are not detected by the conveyed medication detecting means, the controlling means determines that medication running-out occurs.

3. The medication cassette according to claim 2 ,
wherein when the time during which the medication detection signal is not outputted from the discharged medication detecting means exceeds the predetermined time, when the medications are detected by the conveyed medication detecting means, the controlling means determines that an error occurs.

4. The medication cassette according to claim 1 ,
wherein the cylindrical body can reciprocate the first rotating body in the direction of the shaft center thereof, and guides the first rotating body in the circumferential direction,
wherein the cylindrical body further has a rotation driving mechanism which rotates the cylindrical body.

5. The medication cassette according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a raising/lowering mechanism reciprocating the first rotating body in the direction of the shaft center of the cylindrical body; and
a clutch which can block power transmitted to the raising/lowering mechanism.

6. The medication cassette according to claim 5 , further comprising the raising/lowering mechanism reciprocating the first rotating body in the direction of the shaft center of the cylindrical body,
wherein the raising/lowering mechanism has a bearing member disposed between the first rotating body and a dimension variable member which can change the dimension in the shaft direction of the cylindrical body,
wherein the bearing member has a bearing rotatably supporting the first rotating body.

7. The medication cassette according to claim 1 , further comprising a regulation piece limiting the height of the medications conveyed in the circumferential direction by the second rotating body,
wherein the regulation piece has an auxiliary piece which can be raised and lowered and is projected into a space formed on the upper side at the time of lowering.

8. The medication cassette according to claim 1 , wherein the direction of the shaft center of the cylindrical body is tilted with respect to a vertical direction.

9. The medication cassette according to claim 1 , wherein the direction of the shaft center of the cylindrical body coincides with the direction of the rotation shaft center of the first rotating body.

Assignees

• Yuyama Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Koike Naoki

Classifications

• G07F9/026

  for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty · CPC title

• G07F17/0092 Primary

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

• A61J7/0076 Primary

  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

• B65B37/12 Primary

  of centrifugal type · CPC title

• B65B57/00

  Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices (registering wrapping or container-forming material fed from rolls B65B41/18) · CPC title