Solid preparation filling apparatus

• US 6,481,180 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2000
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PHC Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Hideyuki, Haraguchi, Manabu, Ota, Toshihiko, Ishiwatari, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sipos, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, LOUIS K
• Application Number:
  US09/571,551
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 531/54, 532/37, 532/47, 534/93, 532/38, 221/130, 221/133
• US Class Current: 53/237
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 37/08 by rotary feeders
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/103 for packaging pills or tablets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

A solid preparation filling apparatus for filling solid preparations such as tablets into a container and avoiding mixture with any other preparation. Each type of solid preparation is to be ejected from its respective tablet case, and the upper end inlet of a holding cell is associated with the discharge port of a hopper that receives the ejected solid preparation from the tablet case by rotating and moving the holding cells to adjust their positions so that the solid preparation falling from a tablet case is accommodated in a predetermined holding cell. When filling the solid preparation in a container, the holding cell is rotated and moved so that its outlet is matched with a chute and the holding cell shutter is opened. The holding cell and the shutter constitute a holding unit, and a plurality of holding units are mounted on the rotating plate which rotates under the hopper.

Claims

1. A solid preparation dispensing and filling apparatus comprising:

a plurality of tablet cases each for holding therein a respective type of solid preparation to be dispensed;

a plurality of hoppers each having an inlet and a discharge port, the inlet of each of said hoppers located below a respective group of said tablet cases to receive the preparations dispensed therefrom;

a rotatable plate having a plurality of holding cells mounted thereon, each said holding cell having

an inlet to be positioned below the discharge of each of said plurality of hoppers as said plate is rotated,

an outlet, and

a shutter normally closing said holding cell outlet;

a guide portion having an inlet positioned below said rotating plate and an outlet from which the preparation is dispensed from the apparatus for falling into a container; and

means for opening said shutter of a said holding cell holding a preparation therein when said holding cell has its outlet positioned above said guide portion inlet.

2. A solid preparation dispensing and filling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising control means for:

ejecting a solid preparation from a selected tablet case into the inlet of the hopper located below the discharge port of said selected tablet case with the solid preparation being dispensed from the discharge port of said hopper into the inlet of a respective holding cell, and

rotating said plate to bring said holding cell holding the solid preparation to have its outlet aligned with said inlet of said guide portion.

3. A solid preparation dispensing and filling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a said holding cell and its shutter comprises a holding unit, a plurality of said holding units arranged in a circle on said rotable plate.

4. A solid preparation dispensing and filling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of tablet cases are arranged in a rectangular grid and the inlet of each of said hoppers is under the outlets of the tablet cases of a section of said grid that comprises a portion of said plurality of said tablet cases.

5. A solid preparation dispensing and filling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for detecting the opening/closing of a said shutter of a holding cell.

6. A solid preparation dispensing and filling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a cover for opening/closing said outlet of said guide portion.

7. A solid preparation dispensing and filling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inlet of each of said plurality of holding cells can be rotated to and selectively portioned under the discharge port of each of said plurality of hoppers.