MODULE FOR REGULATING QUANTITY OF VARIOUS-SHAPED TABLETS IN AUTOMATIC TABLET DISPENSER, AND TABLET DISPENSING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20110313566A1
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cretem Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Cretem Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Ho-yeon
• Granted Patent: US 8,386,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/231
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/14 by agitators or vibrators
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/30 Arranging and feeding articles in groups
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 39/002 Pivoting plates
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 39/003 Rotating means
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/14 and operating to control, or stop, the feed of articles or material to be packaged
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/20 Applications of counting devices for controlling the feed of articles other applications B65B65/08
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

Disclosed are a quantity regulating module of an automatic tablet dispenser, and a tablet dispensing method thereof, which are capable of automatically packing various-shaped tablets, and accurately, rapidly and cleanly controlling supplying of tablets without missing any. The quantity regulating module includes: a module body including an inlet through which a tablet is put, a hopper-side supply part supplying the tablet put through the inlet to a hopper of a medicine packing machine, and a recollecting part returning the tablet put through the inlet to a location from which the tablet starts to be transferred; a detecting sensor counting the number of tablets put through the inlet; and a controller comparing the number of tablets counted by the detecting sensor to a predetermined quantity, transferring the tablets to the hopper-side supply part if the counted number of tablets is equal to the predetermined quantity, and transferring the tablets to the recollecting part if the counted number of tablets exceeds the predetermined quantity.

Claims

1. A quantity regulating module of an automatic tablet dispenser, comprising:

a module body including an inlet through which a tablet is put, a hopper-side supply part supplying the tablet put through the inlet to a hopper of a medicine packing machine, and a recollecting part returning the tablet put through the inlet to a location from which the tablet starts to be transferred;

a detecting sensor counting the number of tablets put through the inlet; and

a controller comparing the number of tablets counted by the detecting sensor to a predetermined quantity, transferring the tablets to the hopper-side supply part if the counted number of tablets is equal to the predetermined quantity, and transferring the tablets to the recollecting part if the counted number of tablets exceeds the predetermined quantity.

2. The quantity regulating module of claim 1, wherein the detecting sensor comprises at least one light-emitting part for emitting light, and at least one light-receiving part for receiving the light emitted from the at least one light-emitting part and determining whether a tablet passes therethrough.

3. The quantity regulating module of claim 1, wherein the at least one light-emitting part is positioned in correspondence to the at least one light-receiving part.

4. The quantity regulating module of claim 1, wherein the module body further comprises a stopper for dropping a tablet rapidly into the inlet or preventing another tablet fallowing the tablet from being successively dropped, when the detecting sensor senses the tablet.

5. The quantity regulating module of claim 1, wherein the module body comprises:

a rotating member disposed below the inlet, including a plurality of wings positioned in a radial direction to receive the tablet falling down from the inlet between the plurality of wings, and discharging the tablet selectively to the hopper-side supply part or to the recollecting part according to a rotating direction of the rotating member; and

a motor rotating the rotating member forward or backward to selectively open the hopper-side supply part or the recollecting part under the control of the controller.

6. The quantity regulating module of claim 5, wherein the plurality of wings are positioned at angles of 120°

.

7. The quantity regulating module of claim 1 or 5, wherein the module body further comprises a discharge unit for discharging the tablet transferred to the recollecting part to the outside.

8. The quantity regulating module of claim 7, wherein the discharge unit further comprises a door for discharging the tablet to the outside, and a solenoid for driving the door.

9. A quantity regulating module of an automatic tablet dispenser, comprising:

a supply unit supplying a tablet to a hopper of a medicine packing machine;

a transfer passage guiding the tablet supplied from the supply unit to be transferred to the hopper;

a first door being opened if the number of tablets supplied from the supply unit is equal to a predetermined quantity;

a first door opening or closing the transfer passage between the first door and the hopper; and

a controller causing the supply unit to supply another tablet when the second door is opened, and maintaining the first door closed if a tablet exists between the first door and the second door.

10. The quantity regulating module of claim 9, further comprising a recollecting passage returning tablets supplied from the supply unit to the supply unit if the number of the tablets exceeds the predetermined quantity.

11. The quantity regulating module of claim 9, wherein the second door includes a plurality of door plates opening or closing the transfer passage and positioned in a radial direction, and is rotated by a motor.

12. The quantity regulating module of claim 9, wherein a plurality of concave curved parts are formed respectively at intersections of the plurality of door plates, to prevent a tablet from being caught by the plurality of door plates.

13. A tablet dispensing method of an automatic tablet dispenser, comprising:

supplying a tablet from a supply unit to a transfer passage;

determining whether the number of tablets supplied from the supply unit is equal to a predetermined quantity;

determining whether a tablet exists between a first door and a second door positioned on the transfer passage;

closing the first door to keep a tablet transferred to the transfer passage from the supply unit if a tablet exists between the first door and the second door, and opening the first door and transferring to the second door the tablet transferred to the transfer passage from the supply unit if no tablet exists between the first door and the second door; and

opening the second door in response to a signal of the controller and discharging the tablet to the hopper.

14. The tablet dispensing method of claim 13, further comprising supplying another tablet from the supply unit to the first door, after the first door is opened and the tablet is discharged to the second door.

15. The tablet dispensing method of claim 13, further comprising recollecting tablets if the number of the tablets exceeds the predetermined quantity.