Drug dispensing apparatus
First Claim
1. A drug dispensing apparatus having a drug dispensing cartridges storing unit, a drug doses packing unit and a control means for dispensing and packing an individual drug dose or doses in compliance with input information, and a plurality of drug dispensing cartridges accommodated in said storing unit, each of said drug dispensing cartridges comprising:
- a driving motor;
a driven pulley, rotating while being driven by the driving motor;
a drug storing portion;
a rotary plate mounted on the same shaft as the driven pulley while facing the drug storing portion at one side thereof;
a guide wall having a plurality of notches at regular intervals formed on a circumference of the rotary plate at the other side thereof;
a plurality of claw pieces each mounted on the rotary plate so as to be reciprocable in a radial direction from a central shaft of the rotary plate corresponding to one of said notches;
a plurality of ribs arranged at regular intervals on a circumference of the rotary plate at a side facing the drug storing portion;
a plurality of engaging members mounted on the rotary plate, each having a receiving portion for each drug dose and corresponding to an opening between adjacent ribs so as to be capable of holding and pushing out each drug dose upon reciprocation thereof in a radial direction;
a parting strip arranged between the rotary plate and the drug storing portion, and having a circular opening so that the drug doses can be easily led to inside of each rib;
a stationary wall provided on said parting strip, along just inside of which the ribs rotate while facing the parting strip;
a drug outlet formed on said stationary wall at a position for taking out the drug doses;
a detecting means for detecting each drug dose discharged from the drug outlet; and
a control means for controlling the reciprocating movement of the engaging member inwardly pressed toward the central shaft of the rotary plate thereby, said reciprocating movement of the engaging member following the rotation of the rotary plate so that the engaging member which has come to a position for taking out the drug dose through the rotation of the rotary plate can protrude toward the drug outlet through the opening between adjacent ribs.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A drug dispensing apparatus includes a drug dispensing unit and a control unit. The apparatus dispenses an individual drug dose or doses to a common collection area from one or more drug dispensing cartridges for packaging. The drug dispensing unit of the apparatus is internally provided with a plurality of shelves, each arranged one upon another. A plurality of drug dispensing cartridges are removably disposed side by side on each of the shelves. Each drug dispensing cartridge accommodates a plurality of individual identical drug doses. Each dosage is discharged from the cartridge, one at a time, through rotation of rotary members in compliance with input information from the control unit.
279 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A drug dispensing apparatus having a drug dispensing cartridges storing unit, a drug doses packing unit and a control means for dispensing and packing an individual drug dose or doses in compliance with input information, and a plurality of drug dispensing cartridges accommodated in said storing unit, each of said drug dispensing cartridges comprising:
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a driving motor; a driven pulley, rotating while being driven by the driving motor; a drug storing portion; a rotary plate mounted on the same shaft as the driven pulley while facing the drug storing portion at one side thereof; a guide wall having a plurality of notches at regular intervals formed on a circumference of the rotary plate at the other side thereof; a plurality of claw pieces each mounted on the rotary plate so as to be reciprocable in a radial direction from a central shaft of the rotary plate corresponding to one of said notches; a plurality of ribs arranged at regular intervals on a circumference of the rotary plate at a side facing the drug storing portion; a plurality of engaging members mounted on the rotary plate, each having a receiving portion for each drug dose and corresponding to an opening between adjacent ribs so as to be capable of holding and pushing out each drug dose upon reciprocation thereof in a radial direction; a parting strip arranged between the rotary plate and the drug storing portion, and having a circular opening so that the drug doses can be easily led to inside of each rib; a stationary wall provided on said parting strip, along just inside of which the ribs rotate while facing the parting strip; a drug outlet formed on said stationary wall at a position for taking out the drug doses; a detecting means for detecting each drug dose discharged from the drug outlet; and a control means for controlling the reciprocating movement of the engaging member inwardly pressed toward the central shaft of the rotary plate thereby, said reciprocating movement of the engaging member following the rotation of the rotary plate so that the engaging member which has come to a position for taking out the drug dose through the rotation of the rotary plate can protrude toward the drug outlet through the opening between adjacent ribs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A drug dispensing apparatus internally accommodating a plurality of drug dispensing cartridges for dispensing and packing an individual drug dose or doses discharged thereform in compliance with input information, said drug dispensing apparatus comprising:
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front and rear drug dispensing units forming front and rear sides of said apparatus; a plurality of drug dispensing cartridges each having drug dispensing outlets; a plurality of shelves each having a front face and an upper face, said shelves being vertically arranged within each of said front and rear dispensing units for placing said plurality of drug dispensing cartridges side by side on each of said shelves; a set of back plates disposed on said front and rear drug dispensing units on respective sides thereof facing each other, with a drug doses falling passage being defined between said back plates; a plurality of first connectors disposed on said front faces of said shelves; a lower casing disposed on each drug dispensing cartridge at a part of its bottom portion so as to protrude downwardly therefrom and to be held out of contact with said upper face of any one of said shelves but in contact with said front face thereof when said drug dispensing cartridge is set thereon from the front face side thereof; and a second connector disposed on said lower casing of each drug dispensing cartridge for being electrically connected with any one of said first connectors when said drug dispensing cartridge is set on said upper face of one of said shelves, wherein a plurality of openings is defined on each of said back plates so that said drug outlets defined on respective drug dispensing cartridges face said drug dose falling passage, when said drug dispensing cartridges are set on said upper faces of said shelves. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification