Cassette device for automatic medicine packaging apparatus

• US 7,669,733 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2006
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jun H.O. Kim
• Original Assignee: Jun H.O. Kim
• Inventors: Kim, Jun Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waggoner; Timothy R
• Application Number:
  US11/594,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20080099499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 221/265
• 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

A cassette device for an automatic medicine packaging apparatus includes a cassette main body that contains medicine, a dispensing block that aligns medicine for dispensing according to a prescription and a partitioning member that blocks medicine from discharging from the cassette main body and allows medicine to be discharged only when the partitioning member is controlled to discharge medicine according to the prescription. The partitioning member includes a non-deforming portion and a deforming portion that is connected to the non-deforming portion. The non-deforming portion contacts medicine aligned in the dispensing block. The deforming portion deforms when as external force is applied whereby the non-deforming portion can be displaced.

Claims

1. A cassette device for an automatic medicine packaging apparatus comprising:

a) a cassette main body that is adapted to contain medicine;

b) a dispensing block that is adapted to align medicine for dispensing according to a prescription; and

c) a partitioning member that is adapted to block medicine from discharging from the cassette main body and to allow medicine to be discharged only when the partitioning member is controlled to discharge medicine according to the prescription;

wherein the partitioning member comprises a non-deforming portion and a deforming portion that is connected to the non-deforming portion, wherein the non-deforming portion is adapted to contact medicine aligned in the dispensing block, wherein the deforming portion deforms when as external force is applied whereby the non-deforming portion can be displaced;

wherein the deforming portion comprises a flexing portion that comprises one or more arc-shaped portions;

wherein non-deforming portion comprises a fixing bracket that is fixed to the cassette main body, a movable portion, and a support portion that protrudes from the movable portion, wherein the flexing portion connects between the fixing bracket and the movable portion;

wherein the support portion is substantially orthogonal with the movable portion, wherein the support portion is adapted to partition medicine aligned in the dispensing block; and

wherein the arc-shaped portions of the flexing portion are convex opposite to the direction in which the support portion protrudes from the movable portion.

2. The cassette device of claim 1, wherein the fixing bracket comprises one or more through holes.

3. The cassette device of claim 1, wherein the dispensing block comprises a block body, a plurality of dividing projections that are formed on the outer periphery of the block body, a plurality of feeding grooves that are formed between the dividing projections, and a dividing groove that is formed traverse to the dividing projections, wherein the support portion of the partitioning member is positioned in the dividing groove.

4. The cassette device of claim 1, wherein the dispensing block comprises a block body, a plurality of dividing projections that are formed on the outer periphery of the block body, and a plurality of feeding grooves that are formed between the dividing projections, wherein the support portion of the partitioning member is positioned at the upper end of the feeding groove.

5. A cassette device for an automatic medicine packaging apparatus comprising:

a) a cassette main body that is adapted to contain medicine;

b) a dispensing block that is adapted to align medicine for dispensing according to a prescription; and

c) a partitioning member that is adapted to block medicine from discharging from the cassette main body and to allow medicine to be discharged only when the partitioning member is controlled to discharge medicine according to the prescription;

wherein the partitioning member comprises a non-deforming portion and a deforming portion that is connected to the non-deforming portion, wherein the non-deforming portion is adapted to contact medicine aligned in the dispensing block, wherein the deforming portion deforms when as external force is applied whereby the non-deforming portion can be displaced;

wherein the deforming portion comprises a flexing portion that comprises one or more arc-shaped portions;

wherein non-deforming portion comprises a fixing bracket that is fixed to the cassette main body, a movable portion, and a support portion that protrudes from the movable portion, wherein the flexing portion connects between the fixing bracket and the movable portion;

wherein the support portion is substantially orthogonal with the movable portion, wherein the support portion is adapted to partition medicine aligned in the dispensing block; and

wherein the arc-shaped portions of the flexing portion are convex in the same direction in which the support portion protrudes from the movable portion.

6. The cassette device of claim 5, wherein the fixing bracket comprises one or more through holes.

7. The cassette device of claim 5, wherein the dispensing block comprises a block body, a plurality of dividing projections that are formed on the outer periphery of the block body, a plurality of feeding grooves that are formed between the dividing projections, and a dividing groove that is formed traverse to the dividing projections, wherein the support portion of the partitioning member is positioned in the dividing groove.

8. The cassette device of claim 5, wherein the dispensing block comprises a block body, a plurality of dividing projections that are formed on the outer periphery of the block body, and a plurality of feeding grooves that are formed between the dividing projections, wherein the support portion of the partitioning member is positioned at the upper end of the feeding groove.

9. A cassette device for an automatic medicine packaging apparatus comprising:

a) a cassette main body that is adapted to contain medicine;

b) a dispensing block that is adapted to align medicine for dispensing according to a prescription; and

c) a partitioning member that is adapted to block medicine from discharging from the cassette main body and to allow medicine to be discharged only when the partitioning member is controlled to discharge medicine according to the prescription;

wherein the partitioning member comprises a non-deforming portion and a deforming portion that is connected to the non-deforming portion, wherein the non-deforming portion is adapted to contact medicine aligned in the dispensing block, wherein the deforming portion deforms when as external force is applied whereby the non-deforming portion can be displaced;

wherein the deforming portion comprises a flexing portion that comprises one or more arc-shaped portions;

wherein non-deforming portion comprises a fixing bracket that is fixed to the cassette main body, a movable portion, and a support portion that protrudes from the movable portion, wherein the flexing portion connects between the fixing bracket and the movable portion;

wherein the support portion is substantially orthogonal with the movable portion, wherein the support portion is adapted to partition medicine aligned in the dispensing block; and

wherein the support portion has a shape of a substantially thin plate,

wherein the support portion comprises two side edges that are formed as blades, and an edge that faced toward the dispensing block, wherein the edge is concave arc-shaped.

10. The cassette device of claim 9, wherein the fixing bracket comprises one or more through holes.