Patent ID: 7918068
Filing Date: 2011-04-05
Classification: G07F

Abstract:
1. A tablet filling instrument comprising: a vial supply unit; a tablet supply unit; a conveyor unit; a discharging unit comprising a plurality of outlets including at least one designated priority outlet and a plurality of designated normal outlets; and a controlling unit, the controlling unit responsive to input commands based upon prescription data to cause coordinated operation of the vial supply, tablet supply, conveying and discharge units such that tablets from the tablet supply unit are delivered to vials from the vial supply unit and conveyed by the conveying unit to the discharging unit through which the vials are discharged to one of the outlets for dispensing, the controlling unit causing a prioritized vial with tablets that are designated to be dispensed at one of the outlets, at a time-point within a predetermined time length from a preset time-point, to be discharged by the discharging unit initially to the at least one designated priority outlet and not one of the designated normal outlets in the event that the at least one designated priority outlet is determined to be vacant.