JP5294939B2 - Half-tablet cutting device and half-tablet cutting method for tablet cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device and a method for cutting a tablet in half which can reduce whole amount of a tablet cassetter sharply by attaining wide use of the tablet cassetter. <P>SOLUTION: The tablet cassetter 10 includes a cutter 7 which takes a first attitude crossing a tablet holding passage 24 being between a partition plate 6 and a tablet discharging passage 4 when a tablet, which is held in the tablet holding passage 24 and is conveyed by rotation of a tablet holding rotor 2, is cut in half and which takes a second attitude evacuating from the tablet holding passage 24 when the tablet is not cut in half. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a half-tablet cutting device and half-tablet cutting method for a tablet cassette, and is particularly installed in a pharmacy such as a hospital and mounted on a drug selection and supply device for appropriately selecting and taking out drugs such as tablets according to a prescription for each patient The present invention relates to a half-tablet cutting apparatus and a half-tablet cutting method that can cut a tablet into half-tablets in a tablet cassette.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the conventional tablet cassette includes a tablet holding rotor 2a in which tablet holding paths 24, 24,... For holding tablets are formed. A plurality of drum-shaped support platforms provided on the upper stage are mounted on each stage (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  In such a tablet cassette, the rotation of the motor of the drug selection and supply device is transmitted to the tablet holding rotor 2a via a gear, whereby the tablet holding rotor 2a rotates. Then, in accordance with input data such as a prescription, the tablet held in the tablet holding path 24 covered with a partition plate (not shown) is moved from the tablet discharge path opened directly below the tablet holding path 24 to the lower stage of the drug selection / supply device. To discharge. In the lower part of the medicine selection and supply device, a packaging operation for packaging the discharged tablets one by one with a packaging device (not shown) is performed.

  By the way, when a child is a patient, when a drug is given to the patient, since one tablet is excessive as a single dose, the tablet may be cut into half tablets to make an appropriate amount. Conventionally, in such a case, the tablet was manually cut into half tablets and then filled into a dedicated tablet cassette. However, a normal tablet cassette was mistakenly filled with a half-tablet tablet. There was a risk of it.

  In general, the required quantity of tablets cut into half tablets is less than the required quantity of tablets not cut into half tablets, but for those equipped with left and right support bases on the drug selection and supply device, While setting a tablet cassette filled with ordinary tablets on one support table and setting the dedicated tablet cassette on the other support table, mixing of both tablet cassettes was avoided. Therefore, in spite of the difference in the required quantity, since the same number of both tablet cassettes are prepared, it is necessary to prepare the tablet cassettes roughly, which leads to an increase in the size of the entire apparatus.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides a half-tablet cutting device and a half-tablet cutting method capable of greatly reducing the total number of tablet cassettes by generalizing the tablet cassette. The purpose is to do.

  The present invention (apparatus) is a tablet holding section in which a tablet is placed, and a tablet holding path is provided in the tablet holding section so as to be rotatable about the vertical axis and in which a tablet holding path for individually holding the tablet is formed. A rotor, a regulating member disposed immediately above the tablet holding rotor and covering a part of the tablet holding path, and a position corresponding to the regulating member immediately below the tablet holding rotor, and rotation of the tablet holding rotor A tablet cassette half-tablet cutting device comprising a tablet discharge passage for sequentially discharging tablets carried in a state of being held in the tablet holding passage by the rotation of the tablet holding rotor. When cutting a tablet carried in a state of being held in a half tablet, take a first posture across the tablet holding path between the regulating member and the tablet discharge path, and turn the tablet into a half tablet. Cut The Itoki, is characterized in that it comprises a structure with a cutter member to assume a second position retracted from said tablet holding path.

  According to the present invention, when a tablet carried in a state of being held in the tablet holding path by the rotation of the tablet holding rotor is cut into half tablets, the tablet located between the regulating member and the tablet discharge path is Since it has a cutter member configured to take a first posture across the tablet holding path and take the second posture retracted from the tablet holding path when the tablet is not cut into half tablets, the inside of the same tablet cassette Thus, the tablet cassette can be generalized by cutting the tablet into half tablets or not cutting the tablet. Therefore, unlike the conventional case, there is no possibility that a normal tablet cassette is mistakenly filled with a half-cut tablet. In addition, a single type of tablet cassette need only be prepared regardless of the difference in the required quantities of tablets cut into half tablets and tablets not cut into half tablets. Thereby, the whole apparatus can be made compact.

  In addition, since the tablet can be cut into half tablets inside the tablet cassette, there is no need to manually cut the tablet into half tablets as before, and the tablet cut into half tablets is used as the tablet cassette. The tablets are not lost when filling. Moreover, since the tablet can be cut almost correctly into a half tablet, the tablet is not crushed and cannot be used. Moreover, since the tablet can be cut immediately before dosing to reduce moisture absorption from the cut surface, it is advantageous in the case of a tablet that dislikes moisture absorption due to its properties.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to include a first drive mechanism that enables selection of either the first or the second posture by moving the cutter member in parallel. As the first drive mechanism, for example, a link mechanism or a rack and pinion mechanism connected to a drive source such as a motor or a solenoid is used.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the first drive mechanism that enables the selection of either the first or second posture by moving the cutter member in parallel is provided, the configuration is simple.

  Alternatively, as in a third aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to include a second drive mechanism that can select either the first or the second posture by rotating the cutter member around the vertical axis. . For example, a gear train connected to a drive source such as a motor or a rotary solenoid is used as the second drive mechanism.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the cutter member is rotationally driven about the vertical axis, the second drive mechanism that enables selection of either the first or the second posture is provided. It becomes the composition.

  The invention (method) according to claim 4 is provided with a tablet storage portion for storing a tablet, and a tablet holding path provided in the tablet storage portion so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis and for holding the tablet individually around the tablet storage portion. A tablet holding rotor, a regulating member arranged directly above the tablet holding rotor, covering a part of the tablet holding path, and arranged at a position corresponding to the regulating member directly below the tablet holding rotor. A tablet cassette half-tablet cutting method comprising: a tablet discharge path for sequentially discharging tablets carried in a state held in the tablet holding path by rotation of a holding rotor, wherein the tablet holding rotor rotates. When a tablet carried in a state of being held in the tablet holding path is cut into half tablets, the cutter member takes a first posture across the tablet holding path between the regulating member and the tablet discharge path. Yo Controls to, when not cutting the tablet half tablets are those in which the cutter member, characterized in that the control to assume the second posture retracted from the tablet holding path.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the tablet carried in the state of being held in the tablet holding path by the rotation of the tablet holding rotor is cut into half tablets, the cutter member is connected to the regulating member and the tablet discharge. Control to take a first position across the tablet holding path between the tablet and the tablet member to take a second position retracted from the tablet holding path when the tablet is not cut into half tablets. Therefore, the same effect as the present invention (apparatus) can be obtained.

  According to the present invention, when a tablet carried in a state of being held in the tablet holding path by the rotation of the tablet holding rotor is cut into half tablets, the tablet located between the regulating member and the tablet discharge path is A cutter member configured to take a first posture across the tablet holding path along the rotation direction of the tablet holding rotor and to take a second posture retracted from the tablet holding path when the tablet is not cut into half tablets. Since it is provided, the tablet cassette can be generalized by cutting the tablet into half tablets inside the same tablet cassette or not cutting the tablet. Therefore, unlike the conventional case, there is no possibility that a normal tablet cassette is mistakenly filled with a half-cut tablet. In addition, a single type of tablet cassette need only be prepared regardless of the difference in the required quantities of tablets cut into half tablets and tablets not cut into half tablets. Thereby, the whole apparatus can be made compact.

  In addition, since the tablet can be cut into half tablets inside the tablet cassette, there is no need to manually cut the tablet into half tablets as before, and the tablet cut into half tablets is used as the tablet cassette. The tablets are not lost when filling. Moreover, since the tablet can be cut almost correctly into a half tablet, the tablet is not crushed and cannot be used. Moreover, since the tablet can be cut immediately before dosing to reduce moisture absorption from the cut surface, it is advantageous in the case of a tablet that dislikes moisture absorption due to its properties.

It is the external appearance perspective view which looked at the tablet cassette concerning one embodiment of the present invention from the upper part. It is a top view which shows the detailed structure of a tablet cassette. It is a rear view which shows the detailed structure of a tablet cassette. It is a perspective view which shows the structure around a tablet holding | maintenance rotor (when the cutter has taken the 1st attitude | position). It is a perspective view which shows the structure around a tablet holding | maintenance rotor (when the cutter has taken the 2nd attitude | position). It is a control block diagram of a tablet cassette. It is a top view which shows the operation | movement process 1 around a tablet holding | maintenance rotor. It is a top view which shows the operation | movement process 2 around a tablet holding | maintenance rotor. It is a top view which shows the operation | movement process 3 around a tablet holding | maintenance rotor. It is a perspective view which shows the operation | movement process 4 around a tablet holding | maintenance rotor. It is a perspective view which shows the operation | movement process 5 around a tablet holding | maintenance rotor. It is a perspective view which shows the operation | movement process 6 around a tablet holding | maintenance rotor. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the modification of a structure around a tablet holding | maintenance rotor. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the conventional tablet holding | maintenance rotor.

  FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a tablet cassette 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from above (with a lid removed), FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a detailed configuration of the tablet cassette 10, and FIG. 3 is a rear view showing a detailed configuration diagram of the cassette 10. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration around the tablet holding rotor 2 (when the cutter 7 is in the first position), and FIG. 5 is a configuration around the tablet holding rotor 2 (when the cutter 7 is in the second position). FIG. Hereinafter, the outer peripheral side of the tablet cassette 10 in a state where it is set on the upper drum-shaped support base (not shown) is referred to as a front side and the inner peripheral side is referred to as a rear side. In addition, the rotation direction of the tablet holding rotor 2 in each figure is counterclockwise as viewed from above, but the rotation direction of the tablet holding rotor 2 can be changed by changing the arrangement of the partition plate 6 and the cutter 7 or the like. It can also be reversed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the tablet cassette 10 is provided with a tablet storage portion 1 for storing tablets, and is rotatably provided in the tablet storage portion 1 around the vertical axis. A tablet holding rotor 2 in which tablet holding paths 24, 24, ... for holding are formed, and a tablet agitator 3 that is above the tablet holding rotor 2 and can be rotated at a higher speed than the tablet holding rotor 2. And a tablet discharge path 4 for discharging the tablets from the tablet holding paths 24, 24,... And a part of the tablet holding paths 24, 24,. A covering plate (corresponding to a regulating member) 6 and a cutter (corresponding to a cutter member) which is laid horizontally between the partition plate 6 and the tablet discharge passage 4 and cuts the tablet into half tablets. 7).

  The tablet storage unit 1 includes a main body upper part 11 and a main body lower part 12. Of these, the main body upper portion 11 is made of, for example, a transparent resin and has a substantially fan shape in plan view, and the front, rear, left and right side walls are each formed of a vertical surface or a downward slope. A lid 13 is attached to the upper part of the main body upper part 11 so as to be openable and closable. A vertical surface 14 is formed at the lower part of the main body upper part 11 so as to surround the tablet holding rotor 2 in particular.

  The main body lower portion 12 is made of, for example, a translucent resin, and has a substantially fan shape in plan view like the main body upper portion 11, and front, rear, left and right side walls thereof are formed with substantially vertical surfaces. A top plate 5a is provided on the upper portion of the lower body portion 12, and the top end of the tablet discharge path 4 is opened in the top plate 5a. A bottom plate 5 is provided at a lower portion of the main body lower portion 12, and the tablet discharge path 4 is opened in the bottom plate 5, and rotary shafts 15 and 17, which will be described later, protrude coaxially through the bottom plate 5. .

  The tablet holding rotor 2 includes a disk-shaped rotor main body 22 that is slightly reduced in diameter on both the upper and lower sides in a state of being attached in the tablet storage unit 1, and a protruding portion 21 that protrudes above the rotor main body 22. A round hole 26 is formed in the center of the protruding portion 21. On the peripheral surface 23 of the rotor main body 22, tablet holding paths 24, 24,... Arranged by dividing the peripheral surface 23 into, for example, 10 parts are recessed toward the center. The tablets that fall between the tablet holding paths 24, 24,... And the vertical surface 14 rotate while being held individually on the top plate 5a.

  The depth and width of each tablet holding path 24, 24,... Are set according to the size of one tablet that can be held here. Tablets include discs, ellipsoids, and other irregular shapes, and various types of tablets are used. Various types of rotor body 22 are also available depending on the type of tablet. Will be. In the center of the rotor body 22 in the width direction, a groove portion 25 slightly deeper than the depth of each tablet holding path 24, 24,. The width of the groove 25 is set slightly wider than the blade thickness of the cutter 7.

  The tablet holding rotor 2 is fixed to a hollow rotary shaft 15 that penetrates through the position in the front-rear direction and slightly rearward of the upper part 11 and the lower part 12 of the main body 11 of the tablet storage unit 1. A large-diameter gear 16 is fixed to the lower end of the hollow rotary shaft 15. The large-diameter gear 16 is meshed with an upper small-diameter gear among upper and lower gears connected to a motor of a drug selection / supply device (not shown). Therefore, the rotation of the motor is decelerated and transmitted to the tablet holding rotor 2.

  The tablet agitator 3 is in the upper part of the rotor main body 22 of the tablet holding rotor 2 and is loosely fitted to the protruding portion 21 and has a truncated cone shape having an inclined surface that is higher at one peripheral end and lower at the other peripheral end. However, the diameter of the tablet holding paths 24, 24,...

  The tablet agitator 3 is fixed to the upper end of the solid rotary shaft 17 that passes through the hollow rotary shaft 15 and protrudes from the round hole 26 of the protruding portion 21. The solid rotary shaft 17 extends to the lower side of the hollow rotary shaft 15, and a small-diameter gear 18 is fixed to the lower end thereof. The small-diameter gear 18 is meshed with the lower large-diameter gear of the upper and lower double gears. Therefore, the rotation of the motor is increased and transmitted to the tablet agitator 3. As a result, the tablet agitator 3 rotates at a higher speed than the tablet holding rotor 2 and agitates the tablets filled in the tablet storage unit 1, and causes so-called bridging (naturally occurring drug agglomeration). Instead, the tablets that fall along the inclined surface are held one by one in the tablet holding paths 24, 24,.

  The upper part of the tablet discharge path 4 is one of the tablet holding paths 24, 24,... Of the tablet holding rotor 2 (here, from the most rear side, one front side in the rotation direction of the tablet holding rotor 2). The bottom plate 5 is opened at the bottom plate 5 through an inclined passage.

  The partition plate 6 is formed of a thin plate made of stainless steel, for example, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the base portion thereof is cantilevered from an appropriate position of the lower body portion 12 of the tablet storage unit 1. . The distal end extends to the upper diameter-reduced portion of the rotor body 22 so as to block the one tablet holding path 24. The partition plate 6 can be moved and adjusted in the vertical direction.

  The cutter 7 is formed of, for example, a thin plate made of stainless steel, like the partition plate 6, and its base portion is located at a proper position of the lower body portion 12 of the tablet storage unit 1 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Cantilevered. As shown in FIG. 4, the cutter blade 71, which is the tip, extends to the groove 25 of the rotor body 22 so as to cross the one tablet holding path 24, and FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 4, it is possible to select any one of the second posture on the outer side of the peripheral surface 23 of the rotor body 22 so that the cutter blade 71 as the tip portion is retracted from the tablet holding path 24. ing. As with the partition plate 6, the cutter 7 can be moved and adjusted in the vertical direction.

  FIG. 6 is a control block diagram of the tablet cassette 10. As shown in FIG. 6, the control device 500 of the tablet cassette 10 is disposed close to the medicine selection / supply device for setting the tablet cassette 10 and is electrically connected to the input unit 501, the output unit 502, and the sensor 503. The computer includes a ROM 504, a RAM 505, and a CPU 506 as hardware. The ROM 504 stores a control program for the tablet cassette 10, various preset data, and the like, and the RAM 505 temporarily stores data. The sensor 503 is made of a photo interrupter or the like, and detects a tablet p or a half tablet p1 (or p2) that falls into the tablet discharge path 4 of the tablet cassette 10. The output unit 502 includes an LCD or the like, and displays various messages to the user. The input unit 501 is for inputting various instructions and prescription data of the user.

  The CPU 506 controls the overall operation of the tablet cassette 10 in accordance with a control program stored in advance in the ROM 504. From the main functions, the CPU 506 controls the calculation unit 506a, the rotor control unit 506b, and the cutter control. Part 506c.

  The calculation unit 506a calculates the timing 1 of rotation of the tablet holding rotor 2 and the timing 2 of parallel movement of the cutter 7 based on the prescription data input from the input unit 501 and the detection signal from the sensor 503, respectively. Is. This timing 2 is a feature of the present invention. When the tablet carried in the state of being held in the tablet holding paths 24, 24,... By the rotation of the tablet holding rotor 2 is cut into half tablets, When the cutter 7 takes a first posture across the tablet holding path 24 between the partition plate 6 and the tablet discharge path 4 and the tablet is not cut into half tablets, the cutter 7 is retracted from the tablet holding path 24. This is for taking two postures.

  The rotor control unit 506b controls the rotation of the tablet holding rotor 2 in accordance with the timing 1 calculated by the calculation unit 506a. Specifically, in a state where the large and small gears 16 and 18 arranged on the bottom plate 5 side of the tablet cassette 10 are engaged with the two gears 508 and 509 of the motor 507 of the medicine selection and supply device, respectively. The tablet is driven to rotate in pitch units corresponding to the intervals between the tablet holding paths 24, 24,.

  The cutter control unit 506c controls the parallel movement of the cutter 7 according to the timing 2 calculated by the calculation unit 506a. Specifically, by rotating and driving a motor 510 provided individually in the tablet cassette 10, the cutter 7 connected to the motor 510 via a link 511 is translated, so that the first posture of the cutter 7 is changed. Alternatively, one of the second postures can be selectively taken. These motor 510 and link 511 correspond to the first drive mechanism. A solenoid or the like can be used instead of the motor 510, and a rack and pinion can be used instead of the link 511. However, since the configuration is simple anyway, the detailed configuration is not shown. did.

  Hereinafter, the operation around the tablet holding rotor 2 of the tablet cassette 10 will be described. 7 is a plan view showing an operation step 1 around the tablet holding rotor 2, FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an operation step 2 around the tablet holding rotor 2, and FIG. 9 is an operation step 3 around the tablet holding rotor 2. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an operation process 4 around the tablet holding rotor 2, FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an operation process 5 around the tablet holding rotor 2, and FIG. 12 is an operation process 6 around the tablet holding rotor 2. FIG.

  First, the positions of the partition plate 6 and the cutter 7 of the tablet cassette 10 are adjusted in accordance with the size (particularly the vertical dimension) of the tablet p to be filled. As a result, even if the size of the tablet to be handled changes, it can be cut into half tablets almost correctly. In particular, in the case of a vertically symmetrical tablet such as a circle or an ellipse, the tablet can be correctly cut into half tablets. The cutter 7 assumes the second posture as shown in FIG. 7 in the initial state.

  Thereafter, the lid 13 of the tablet storage unit 1 is opened, and a predetermined quantity of tablets p is filled in the main body upper portion 11 and then the lid 13 is closed. The tablet cassette 10 filled with the tablets p is set at a predetermined position on an upper drum-shaped support table (not shown). Then, the large and small gears 16 and 18 arranged on the bottom plate 5 side of the tablet cassette 10 mesh with the two gears 508 and 509 of the motor 507 of the medicine selection and supply device, respectively. In this state, it is assumed that prescription data including a half-tablet tablet p1 (or p2) is input from the input unit 501 to the control device 500. Based on the input prescription data and the detection signal from the sensor 503, the calculation unit 506a of the control device 500 determines the rotation timing 1 of the tablet holding rotor 2 and the parallel movement timing 2 of the cutter 7 respectively. It calculates and issues those timing signals to the rotor control unit 506b and the cutter control unit 506c, respectively.

  At this time, since the filled tablet p is on the tablet stirring body 3, the rotor control unit 506b is stirred by the tablet stirring body 3 when the motor 507 is rotated in response to the timing signal. The motor 507 is driven to rotate in pitch units corresponding to the intervals between the tablet holding paths 24, 24,.

  When the motor 507 is driven to rotate in the pitch unit, the tablet agitator 3 rotates at a high speed in the counterclockwise direction, and the tablet holding rotor 2 rotates at a low speed in the counterclockwise direction. , ... will fall individually. At that time, since the tablet p does not enter the tablet holding path 24 closed by the partition plate 6, the tablet p does not fall into the tablet discharge path 4 immediately below the tablet p.

  Subsequently, the cutter control unit 506c receives the timing signal, drives the motor 510, and translates the cutter 7 via the link 511, thereby cutting the cutter blade 71, which is the tip thereof, as shown in FIG. Is controlled to take the first posture of being inserted into the groove 25 of the tablet holding rotor 2. The tablet p that is dropped and held in a certain tablet holding path 24 rotates the motor 507 by one pitch in response to a command from the rotor control unit 506b, and as shown in FIG. It comes into contact with the blade 71.

  At this time, since the interval between the cutter blade 71 and the rotor body 22 of the tablet holding rotor 2 is gradually reduced, the cutter blade 71 gradually bites into the tablet p held in the tablet holding path 24. In fact, it is cut into upper and lower half tablets p1, p2. Further, since the groove portion 25 of the rotor body 22 is set deeper than the tablet holding path 24, the tablet p is in contact with the center of the tablet holding path 24 with the groove portion 25 sandwiched between the upper and lower portions. The cutter blade 71 is pushed out. These make it easy to cut even if the type of tablets to be handled is a hard tablet such as a coated tablet or a sugar-coated tablet.

  Of the cut half tablets p1 and p2, the lower half tablet p2 falls into the tablet discharge path 4 opened immediately below, as shown in FIG. The half tablet p2 dropped into the tablet discharge path 4 is discharged to the lower stage through the tablet discharge path in the drug selection / supply device. Therefore, it is packaged into one package by a packaging device. This package is collected and reused.

  On the other hand, of the cut half tablets p1 and p2, the upper half tablet p1 remains on the cutter blade 71. The cutter controller 506c receives the timing signal, further drives the motor 510, and moves the cutter blade 71 in parallel via the link 511, thereby controlling the cutter 7 to take the second posture again. . Then, the cutter blade 71 passes through a groove (not shown) formed in the vertical surface 14 of the main body upper portion 11, but the upper half tablet p <b> 1 is held in the tablet holding path 24 by the vertical surface 14. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 11, it removes from the cutter blade 71, and falls in the tablet discharge path 4 opened just under it. The half tablet p1 dropped into the tablet discharge path 4 is discharged to the lower stage through the tablet discharge path in the medicine selective supply device. The half tablet p1 is detected by the sensor 503 in the middle of dropping into the tablet discharge path 4.

  In response to the timing signal, the rotor control unit 506b repeatedly rotates the motor 507 by several pitches. Then, as shown in FIG. 12, the tablets p sequentially fall into the tablet discharge path 4. The tablet p dropped into the tablet discharge path 4 is discharged to the lower stage through the tablet discharge path in the drug selection / supply device. This tablet p is also detected by the sensor 503 in the middle of dropping into the tablet discharge path 4, and when it reaches a predetermined quantity, it is packaged together with the upper half tablet p1 in the next package by the packaging device.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the tablet p carried while being held in the tablet holding path 24 by the rotation of the tablet holding rotor 2 is cut into half tablets p1, p2, the partition plate 6 is used. And take the first position across the tablet holding path 24 between the tablet discharge path 4 and take the second position retracted from the tablet holding path 24 when the tablet p is not cut into half tablets p1, p2. Since the cutter 7 is provided, the tablet cassette 10 can be generalized by cutting the tablet p into half tablets p1 and p2 within the same tablet cassette 10 or by not cutting the tablet p. Therefore, unlike the conventional case, there is no possibility that a normal tablet cassette is mistakenly filled with a half-cut tablet. In addition, the number of tablets p1 and p2 cut into half tablets and the difference between the required quantities of tablets p not cut into half tablets need only be prepared for a single type of tablet cassette 10, so the total number is small. As a result, the overall apparatus can be made compact.

  In addition, since the tablet can be cut into half tablets inside the tablet cassette, there is no need to manually cut the tablet into half tablets as before, and the tablet cut into half tablets is used as the tablet cassette. The tablets are not lost when filling. Moreover, since the tablet can be cut almost correctly into a half tablet, the tablet is not crushed and cannot be used. Moreover, since the tablet can be cut immediately before dosing to reduce moisture absorption from the cut surface, it is advantageous in the case of a tablet that dislikes moisture absorption due to its properties.

  In the above embodiment, the half tablet p2 is first dropped and packaged and removed in one package, and then the half tablet p2 and the necessary number of tablets p are dropped and packaged in the next package. It is also possible to drop the required amount of tablets p first and then drop half tablets p2 and package them in one package. In that case, after that, the half tablet p1 is dropped, wrapped in one package, and removed. Furthermore, half tablets p2 or p1 may be held separately, and several half tablets p2 or p1 may be packaged together in one package. For this purpose, it is necessary to provide a pocket portion for temporarily storing the half tablets p2 in the tablet discharge passage 4.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the cutter 7 is translated using the link 511, the cutter blade 71 which is the front-end | tip part of the cutter 7 is rotated around the rotating shaft 72 with the motor 510, as shown in FIG. You may do it. These motor 510 and a gear train (not shown) correspond to a second drive mechanism. A rotary solenoid or the like can be used in place of the motor 510, or an appropriate speed reducer can be used in place of the gear train. Omitted.

  In the present embodiment, the tablet p is not cut while moving the cutter 7, but only by the rotational driving force on the side of the tablet holding rotor 2 that is originally rotationally driven in a stationary state after the cutter 7 is moved. Since the tablet p is cut into half tablets p1 and p2, there is an advantage that the cutting sound is low.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the tablet cassette 10 illustrated the thing of substantially fan shape in planar view, this is equipped with the drum-shaped support stand in the upper stage of the said chemical | medical agent selection supply apparatus, and is set to this support stand. It is because it was made to correspond to what to do. Therefore, if the support base is in the shape of a shelf extending left and right, the shape of the tablet cassette 10 may be rectangular correspondingly.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the tablet holding | maintenance rotor 2 of the tablet cassette 10 is rotationally driven by the motor 507 of the said chemical | medical agent selection supply apparatus, using the motor built in the tablet cassette 10 separately from the motor 507, The tablet holding rotor 2 may be driven to rotate. However, in order to increase the number of sets by downsizing the tablet cassette 10, it is preferable to use an external motor as described above. On the contrary, if the rotation driving of the tablet holding rotor 2 and the parallel movement of the cutter 7 are not performed at the same time, the tablet holding rotor 2 and the cutter 7 are connected via an appropriate clutch device. Thus, the motor 510 of the cutter 7 can be also used as the motor 507 of the medicine selection and supply device.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the tablet holding path 24, 24, ... is each recessedly provided in the surrounding surface 23 of the rotor main body 22 toward the center, and each tablet holding path 24, 24, ... The depth and width of the tablet are set according to the vertical dimension of one tablet that can be held here, but the tablet holding paths 24, 24,... A plurality of round holes may also be used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Tablet cassette 1 Tablet storage part 2 Tablet holding rotor 22 Rotor main body 23 Peripheral surface 24 Tablet holding path 25 Groove part 3 Tablet stirring body 4 Tablet discharge path 6 Partition plate (equivalent to a regulating member)
7 Cutter (corresponds to the cutter member)
71 Cutter blade 72 Rotating shaft 500 Control device 503 Sensor 506a Calculation unit 506b Rotor control unit 506c Cutter control unit 507, 510 Motor (corresponding to first and second drive mechanisms)
511 link (corresponds to the first drive mechanism)
p Tablet p1, p2 Half tablet

Japanese Patent No. 3370461 Japanese Patent No. 3886178

Claims (4)

A tablet storage portion for storing tablets, a tablet holding rotor provided in the tablet storage portion so as to be rotatable about the vertical axis, and having a tablet holding path for individually holding the tablets around the tablet storage portion, and the tablet holding rotor A restricting member that is disposed immediately above the tablet holding path and that is disposed at a position corresponding to the restricting member immediately below the tablet holding rotor, and held in the tablet holding path by rotation of the tablet holding rotor. A tablet cassette half-tablet cutting device comprising a tablet discharge passage for sequentially discharging tablets carried in a state of being carried out,
When a tablet carried in a state of being held in the tablet holding path by the rotation of the tablet holding rotor is cut into half tablets, the tablet holding path between the regulating member and the tablet discharge path is placed in the tablet Take the first position across the rotation direction of the holding rotor,
A tablet cassette half tablet cutting device comprising a cutter member configured to take a second posture retracted from the tablet holding path when the tablet is not cut into half tablets.   The half-tablet cutting device for a tablet cassette according to claim 1, further comprising a first drive mechanism that enables the cutter member to select either the first or the second posture by moving the cutter member in parallel.   The tablet cassette half according to claim 1, further comprising a second drive mechanism that allows the cutter member to be rotated about a vertical axis to select either the first or the second posture. Lock cutting device. A tablet storage portion for storing tablets, a tablet holding rotor provided in the tablet storage portion so as to be rotatable about the vertical axis, and having a tablet holding path for individually holding the tablets around the tablet storage portion, and the tablet holding rotor A restricting member that is disposed immediately above the tablet holding path and that is disposed at a position corresponding to the restricting member immediately below the tablet holding rotor, and held in the tablet holding path by rotation of the tablet holding rotor. A tablet cassette half-tablet cutting method comprising a tablet discharge path for sequentially discharging tablets carried in a state of being carried out,
When the tablet carried in the state held in the tablet holding path by the rotation of the tablet holding rotor is cut into half tablets, the tablet holding path in which the cutter member is between the regulating member and the tablet discharge path Control to take the first posture across
A tablet cassette half tablet cutting method, wherein when the tablet is not cut into half tablets, the cutter member is controlled to take a second posture retracted from the tablet holding path.

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