Solid drug filling apparatus

• US 6,208,911 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1997
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Healthcare Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tobe, Ryuzo, Takahashi, Hideyuki, Yamaoka, Kazushi, Haraguchi, Manabu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Butler, Michael E.
• Application Number:
  US08/997,595
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 221/7, 221/121, 221/122, 221/132, 221/2, 221/200, 221/297, 221/298, 221/299, 141/104, 453/13, 453/20, 700/236, 700/240, 700/242, 700/216, 700/244
• US Class Current: 700/242
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

Apparatus for filling a solid drug, such as tablets, into a predetermined vial includes a rotary plate with a plurality of receiving sections formed on the upper surface of this rotary plate. The receiving sections are disposed under a plurality of tablet cases for receiving the solid drugs discharged from the tablet cases. Discharge orifices are formed through the bottom portions of the respective receiving sections and a chute guides the solid drugs from an orifice to a predetermined vial. A shutter opens or closes this orifice or the chute. When the solid drug is discharged from the tablet case, the rotary plate is rotated by a control device to adjust the position of the receiving section as the solid drug falling from the tablet case is dropped in the predetermined receiving section. When filing the solid drug into the vial, the rotary plate is rotated by the control device so that the discharge orifice of the receiving section coincides with the chute, and the shutter is then opened to discharge the drug through the chute into the vial.

Claims

1. A solid drug filling apparatus which comprises:

a plurality of tablet cases each for holding solid drugs,

a plate rotatably disposed under said tablet cases to receive solid drugs falling out of said cases, said plate having a plurality of partition members spaced apart on its upper surface to form a plurality of receiving sections, each receiving section arranged to capture solid drugs falling from said tablet cases, and a discharge orifice through said plate for each of said sections,

a guide portion having an inlet for receiving solid drugs passing through a receiving section discharge orifice and an outlet to dispense the solid drugs into a vial,

a shutter for opening or closing one of said guide portion inlet and discharge orifice, and

a control device, responsive to data concerning discharge of solid drugs from said tablet cases for controlling the rotation of said plate to

adjust the position of said plate to receive the solid drugs falling from the tablet cases into a predetermined receiving section,

position the discharge orifice of said predetermined receiving section discharge orifice to coincide with said guide portion, and

controll the opening of said shutter to discharge the solid drug into said guide portion.

2. The solid drug filling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said partitions are disposed extending radially from the rotational center of said rotary plate.

3. The solid drug filling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said shutter opens or closes the inlet of said guide portion.

4. The solid drug filling apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said shutter opens or closes the inlet of said guide portion.

5. The solid drug filling apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an openable lid disposed at the outlet of said guide portion.

6. The solid drug filling apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising an openable lid disposed at the outlet of said guide portion.

7. The solid drug filling apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising an openable lid disposed at the outlet of said guide portion.

8. The solid drug filling apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising an openable lid disposed at the outlet of said guide portion.

9. A solid drug filling apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said guide portion comprises a base plate under said rotary plate and said inlet of said guide portion is a hole in said base plate, said shutter being located to open and close said opening in said base plate.

10. A solid drug filling apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising an outlet chute having an inlet below said base plate opening to receive the solid drugs dispensed into said base plate opening when said shutter opens said base plate opening.

12. A solid drug filling apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a mechanism to move said shutter across said plate opening in a linear, reciprocating manner.

11. A solid drug filling apparatus which comprises:

a plurality of tablet cases each for holding solid drugs,

a rotary plate rotatably disposed under said tablet cases, said plate having a plurality of partition members spaced apart on its upper surface to form a plurality of receiving sections, each receiving section arranged to capture solid drugs dispensed from said tablet cases, and a discharge orifice through said plate of reach of said sections,

a guide portion having an inlet for receiving solid drugs passing through a receiving section discharge orifice and an outlet to dispense the solid drugs into a vial,

a shutter for opening or closing one of said guide portion inlet and discharge orifice, and

a control device, responsive to data concerning discharge of solid drugs from said tablet cases, for controlling the rotation of said plate to

adjust the position of said plate to receive the solid drugs dispensed from the tablet cases into a predetermined receiving section,

position the discharge orifice of said predetermined receiving section discharge orifice to coincide with said guide portion; and

controll the opening of said shutter to discharge the solid drug into said guide portion,

wherein said guide portion comprises a base plate under said rotary plate and said inlet of said guide portion is a hole in said base plate, said shutter being located to open and close said opening in said base plate, and

wherein said shutter is moved parallel to said base plate.