Tablet conveying apparatus and tablet cutting apparatus

• US 6,938,530 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2000
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Healthcare Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakurai, Tetsuo, Fujimoto, Norioki, Ono, Koji, Kosano, Motohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Dexter, Clark F.
• Application Number:
  US09/667,836
• Time in Patent Office: 1,811 Days
• Field of Search: 198/457.07, 198/626.4, 198/626.6, 832/68, 833/02, 834/01, 834/07, 834/18, 834/20, 834/21, 834/24, 834/25, 834/31, 834/351.5, 834/351.6, 834/351.7, 834/351.8, 834/351.9, 834/372, 834/373, 834/374, 834/375, 834/376, 834/377, 834/39, 834/46, 838/65, 839/153
• US Class Current: 83/420
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0007 Pill breaking or crushing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 3/30 Halving devices, e.g. for halving buns
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/0608 by pushers B26D7/0616, B26D7/0625 and B26D7/0641 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6572 With additional mans to engage work and orient it relative to tool station
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6576 By opposed lateral guide means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6577 With means to adjust additional means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6584 Cut made parallel to direction of and during work movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/66 With means to press work to tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6606 Tool between laterally spaced work-conveying means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6648 Continuous conveying during, cutting; e.g., straw cutting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/738 Curved or deflecting guide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/739 Positively confines or otherwise determines path of work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/741 With movable or yieldable guide element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/745 Opposed

Abstract

A tablet conveying and cutting apparatus capable of adjusting the position of a tablet is a structure suitable for downsizing. A tablet conveying and cutting apparatus has an arranging device for arranging a long side of the tablet to be perpendicular to the tablet'"'"'s moving direction by moving the tablet for a predetermined distance; and an oblique plate for making the tablet fall a predetermined distance.

Claims

1. A tablet cutting apparatus for cutting a tablet at a predetermined location, comprising:

a blade for cutting the tablet;

an arranging device for arranging a long side of the tablet to be perpendicular to the tablet'"'"'s moving direction by moving the tablet for a predetermined distance, so that a center position of the tablet is able to substantially match a position of the blade;

an oblique plate, with a first end coupled to the arranging device for receiving the tablet and then making the tablet arranged by the arranging device move along the oblique plate angled downwardly in the tablet'"'"'s moving direction, and a second end that is located in the vicinity of the blade;

a shutter, located at the second end of the oblique plate, for stopping the tablet fallen from the oblique plate;

a retaining device, located above the oblique plate for retaining the tablet from the long side of the tablet stopped by the shutter, the retaining device comprising a pair of retainers symmetrically arranged with the blade, wherein the pair of retainers is capable of sandwiching the tablet in a manner that the center position of the tablet matches the location of the blade; and

a conveying device located above the blade, for conveying the tablet adjusted by the retaining device to a cutting location, so that the tablet is cut in half from its center.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the arranging device comprises a pushing plate for pushing the tablet to move forwards.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the arranging device comprises a pushing plate for pushing the tablet to move along an arc path.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the arranging device comprises a pushing plate for pushing the tablet to move along an arc path;

and a baffle plate for radially applying a force on the front end of the tablet while the baffle plate is in contact with the front end of the tablet.

5. A tablet cutting device, comprising:

a blade for cutting the tablet;

an arranging device for arranging a long side of the tablet to be perpendicular to the tablet'"'"'s moving direction by moving the tablet for a predetermined distance, so that a center position of the tablet is able to substantially match a position of the blade;

an oblique plate, with a first end coupled to the arranging device for receiving the tablet and then making the tablet arranged by the arranging device move downwardly along the oblique plate, and a second end that is located in the vicinity of the blade;

a shutter, located at the second end of the oblique plate, for stopping the tablet fallen from the oblique plate and further rearranging the position of the tablet;

a retaining device, coupled to the oblique plate, for retaining the tablet from the long side of the tablet stopped by the shutter such that the position of the tablet is coincident with a location corresponding to the rotary blade; and

a conveying device located above the blade, for conveying the tablet adjusted by the retaining device to a cutting location, so that the tablet is cut in half from its center,

wherein the retaining device comprises a pair of retainers, and the pair of retainers is separated by a gap for guiding the tablet before the conveying device is driven.