TABLET DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS FOR AUXILIARY TRAYS AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20090188937A1
• Filed: 03/10/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JVM Company Limited
• Original Assignee: JVM Company Limited
• Inventors: KIM, Jun-Ho
• Granted Patent: US 7,587,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/312.B
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0069 Trays for holding or distributing medicines display trays A47F3/14; serving trays A47G23/06
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

The tablet distribution apparatus includes an apparatus body having a pass-through channel through which an auxiliary tray is inserted into the pass-through channel, a distribution board mounted at the top of the apparatus body such that the distribution board vertically communicates with the pass-through channel, the distribution board having distribution through-holes of the same size and number as tablet receiving grooves of the auxiliary tray, each distribution through-hole being provided at the inside thereof with a lamp mounted therein, a display window mounted at the top of the apparatus body, and a control unit mounted at the apparatus body for selectively lighting the lamps depending upon the number of medicine packs to be prepared by patients according to the information of preparation inputted to a server computer.

Claims

1. A tablet distribution apparatus for auxiliary trays comprising:

an apparatus body having a pass-through channel formed through the apparatus body from the front to the rear of the apparatus body such that an auxiliary tray, in which tablets will be arranged, is inserted into the pass-through channel;

a distribution board mounted at the top of the apparatus body such that the distribution board vertically communicates with the pass-through channel, the distribution board having distribution through-holes of the same size and number as tablet receiving grooves of the auxiliary tray, each distribution through-hole being provided at the inside thereof with a lamp mounted therein in such a manner that the lamps in the respective distribution through-holes can be selectively lit;

a display window mounted at the top of the apparatus body; and

a control unit mounted at the apparatus body for selectively lighting the lamps depending upon the number of medicine packs to be prepared by patients according to the information of preparation inputted to a server computer and displaying the information of medicines to be prepared by patients and the number of medicine packs on the display window.

2. The tablet distribution apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a tablet throw-in detection unit mounted inside the pass-through channel below the distribution board for detecting whether tablets have been thrown into the auxiliary tray through the distribution through-holes and inputting the result of the detection to the control unit.

3. The tablet distribution apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the tablet throw-in detection unit includes

a light emitting part mounted at the bottom of one side of the distribution board, and

a light receiving part mounted at the bottom of the other side of the distribution board such that light receiving part corresponds to the light emitting part.

4. The tablet distribution apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a tray transfer unit mounted inside the pass-through channel for automatically transferring the auxiliary tray, inserted into the pass-through channel from the front of the apparatus body, along the pass-through channel, under the control of the control unit.

5. The tablet distribution apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the tray transfer unit includes

drive rollers mounted in the apparatus body at positions corresponding to opposite ends of the pass-through channel below the pass-through channel, and

a conveyor belt configured to run over the drive rollers as an endless track.

6. The tablet distribution apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the tray transfer unit further includes

a tray position sensor mounted at the other side of the distribution board for detecting the position of the auxiliary tray to stop the auxiliary tray, transferred by the conveyor belt, at a position corresponding to the distribution board.

7. The tablet distribution apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the tray transfer unit further includes

an insertion detecting sensor mounted at the front end of the pass-through channel for detecting the insertion of the auxiliary tray, and

a discharge detecting sensor mounted at the rear end of the pass-through channel for detecting the discharge of the auxiliary tray.

8. The tablet distribution apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a tray information recognition unit mounted at one side of the apparatus body, such that the tray information recognition unit is connected to the control unit, for recognizing information recorded on an information storage medium of the auxiliary tray and inputting the recognized information to the control unit.

9. The tablet distribution apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an auxiliary distribution board having distribution grooves of the same size and number as the distribution through-holes of the distribution board, wherein

the auxiliary distribution board is disposed at the top of the distribution board and is made of a transparent material that can transmit light emitted from the lamps.

10. A driving method of a tablet distribution apparatus, comprising:

when the insertion of an auxiliary tray into an apparatus body from the front of the apparatus body is detected, locating the auxiliary tray inside the apparatus body such that the auxiliary tray is placed below the distribution board;

when the auxiliary tray is correctly placed below the distribution board, displaying the information of medicines by patients and the number of medicine packs on a display window according to the information of preparation inputted into a server computer;

selectively lighting lamps in distribution through-holes of the distribution board depending upon the number of the medicine packs displayed on the display window;

detecting how many times tablets have been thrown into the auxiliary tray through the distribution through-holes and, when it is confirmed that the distribution of the tablets depending upon the number of the medicine packs displayed on the display window is completed, putting out the lit lamps in the distribution through-holes;

successively performing the step of displaying the number of the medicine packs on the display window and the step of lighting and putting out the lamps in the distribution through-holes by patients; and

discharging the auxiliary tray out of the apparatus body from the rear of the apparatus body after the tablets are completely distributed in the auxiliary tray.

11. The driving method according to claim 10, further comprising:

when the auxiliary tray is correctly located under the distribution board, reading the information recorded on an information storage medium of the auxiliary tray,

the step of reading the information recorded on the information storage medium of the auxiliary tray being carried out after the step of locating the auxiliary tray inside the apparatus body such that the auxiliary tray is placed below the distribution board.