Vial supply device

A vial supply device 11 having a receiving section with a large capacity and capable of reliably discharging the vials includes: a receiving section 101 for receiving many empty vials 4; a conveyance unit 105 having a horizontal endless member 104 located at a bottom wall of the receiving section 101 and being configured to be driven in a horizontal direction, the conveyance unit being further configured to convey the vials 4 in a horizontal direction by using the horizontal endless member 104; and a discharge unit 111 having a vertical endless member 109 located at a wall of the receiving section 101 and being configured to be driven in a vertical direction, the discharge unit being further configured to lift the vials 4 upward and discharge the same while allowing the vials 4 to be horizontally supported at support members 110 located at the vertical endless member 109 at predetermined intervals.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a 35 U.S.C. §371 U.S. National Stage filing of International Application No. PCT/JP2007/059068, filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty on Apr. 26, 2007, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-132491, filed May 11, 2006, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a vial supply device for filling tablets in a vial as prescribed.

BACKGROUND ART

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. (Hei) 11-070901 discloses a vial supply device. In such a device, the bottom of a receiving section, which is adapted to receive many empty vials, is tilted so as to move and lift a vial upward for discharge to the outside (seeFIG. 8).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As mentioned above, the bottom of a receiving section of a conventional vial supply device is formed to be tilted. As such, the capacity of the receiving section is relatively small.

Thus, the object of the present invention is to provide a vial supply device having a receiving section with a large capacity and being capable of reliably discharging the empty vials.

In this respect, the present invention is directed to a vial supply device for receiving many empty vials and supplying them to a tablet filling section one at a time. The vial supply device of the present invention comprises the following elements: a receiving section for receiving many empty vials; a conveyance unit having a horizontal endless member located at a bottom wall of the receiving section and being configured to be driven in a horizontal direction, the conveyance unit being further configured to convey the vials in a horizontal direction by using the horizontal endless member; and a discharge unit having a vertical endless member located at a wall of the receiving section and being configured to be driven in a vertical direction, the discharge unit being further configured to lift the vials upward and discharge the same while allowing the vials to be horizontally supported at support members located at the vertical endless member at predetermined intervals. A conveyance end section of the conveyance unit and a conveyance start section of the discharge unit are positioned to be close to each other.

When the conveyance unit and the discharge unit are driven, the vials received by the receiving section are horizontally conveyed toward the discharge unit by using the conveyance unit. The vials are then guided to the discharge unit in the conveyance end section and lifted upward by the support member of the discharge unit, thereby being discharged. Since the horizontal conveyance unit is provided at the bottom of the receiving unit, the capacity of the receiving unit is quite significant.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably discharge the vials by using the conveyance unit and the discharge unit. Further, since the horizontal conveyance unit is provided at the bottom of the receiving section, the bottom of the receiving unit is not tilted. Thus, compared to the conventional vial supply device, the capacity of the receiving unit is quite significant.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1shows an exterior of a tablet filling device1according to an embodiment of the present invention. Nine extracting shelves5are placed in a center door2, which is provided at a front center of the tablet filling device1. Vials4filled with tablets and closed by a cap3are stacked from an inner side in the extracting shelves5. The extracting shelves5are protruded forward and bent so as to easily extract the vials4. An operation display screen6for displaying the required information by operating the tablet filling device1is provided at an upper direction of the extracting shelves5. Cap inlets7aand7bfor inputting big and small caps3aand3bare formed at a left side of the extracting shelf5. Right and left doors8aand8b, which are opened and closed when attaching and detaching a tablet cassette21(not visible inFIG. 1), are provided at both sides of the center door2. A door9afor checking an inner device is provided at a lower direction of the left side door8a. A closet9bfor checking the inner device is provided at a lower direction of the center door2. Two doors10aand10bfor inputting the big and small vials4aand4bare provided at a lower direction of the right side door8b.

FIG. 2is a front view illustrating the removal of the door5of the tablet filling device.FIG. 3is a rear view illustrating the removal of an exterior plate (not illustrated) of the tablet filling device.FIG. 4is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV ofFIG. 2.FIG. 5is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V ofFIG. 2. As shown in the above figures, the tablet filling device1comprises two vial supply units11, a vial conveyance belt12, a vial conveyance arm unit13, a labeling unit14, a vial lift unit15, two tablet supply units16, a first vial delivery arm unit17, a second vial delivery arm unit18, a cap supply unit19and a capping unit20.

Two vial supply units11are provided at a right lower portion (when viewed from the front). The vial supply units11store the big and small vials4, and extract and supply the vials4required for receiving the tablets according to prescription.

The vial conveyance belt12is provided at a rear of the vial supply unit11and horizontally extended toward the center, thereby conveying the vials4supplied from the vial supply unit11to the vial conveyance arm unit13.

The vial conveyance arm unit13is positioned at an end section of the vial conveyance belt12and changes a direction of the vials4conveyed from the vial conveyance belt12so as to be opened upward. Thereafter, it conveys the vials4to the labeling unit14and the vial lift unit15.

The labeling unit14is positioned at a left lower portion (when viewed from the front) and attaches a label to the vials4conveyed from the vial conveyance arm unit13.

The vial lift unit15is positioned between the labeling unit14and the vial conveyance arm unit13. The vial lift unit15lifts the vials4labeled by the labeling unit14to thereby guide them to the first vial delivery arm unit17.

The tablet supply units16are positioned at right and left sides (when viewed from the front). Each tablet supply unit16has a plurality of tablet feeders500provided around a rotatable drum501and discharges the tablets according to prescriptions from the tablet feeder, thereby supplying the tablets to the vials4held in the first vial delivery arm unit.

The first vial delivery arm unit17is positioned at a rear side and between the two tablet supply units16. The first vial delivery arm unit17receives the vials4from the vial lift unit15and moves to any tablet feeder500of one of the tablet supply units16. It then guides the vials4to the second vial delivery arm unit18when the tablets according to the prescriptions are filled.

The second vial delivery arm unit18is positioned at a front side and between the two tablet supply units16. The second vial delivery arm unit18guides the vials4received from the first vial delivery arm unit17to the capping unit19, thereby capping the vials4and then stacking the capped vials4in the extracting shelf5.

The cap supply unit19is positioned at a left side (when viewed from the front) of the second vial delivery arm unit18. The cap supply unit19receives two types of caps3, i.e., big and small caps3used for closing the vials4, and supplies any one of the caps3one by one.

The capping unit20is positioned at a lower direction of the cap supply unit19provided with the caps3supplied from the cap supply unit19to the vials4received from the second vial delivery arm unit18.

Hereinafter, the vial supply unit11, the vial conveyance belt12, the vial conveyance arm unit13, the labeling unit14and the vial lift unit15(i.e., the vial supply device of the present invention) will be explained in detail.

FIG. 6shows an inner structure of the vial supply unit11. As shown inFIG. 2, two vial supply units11are provided for the big-sized vials4aand the small-sized vials4b. However, since these vial supply units have the same structure, only one of them will be explained.

The vial supply unit11has a receiving section101in a rectangular box shape wherein an upper direction is opened. A door102is provided at a front side of the receiving section101. The vials4can be randomly inputted into the inside by opening the door102. A conveyance unit105is provided around a bottom wall of the receiving section101. The conveyance unit105has a horizontal endless belt104extended between two rollers103. The horizontal endless belt104of the conveyance unit105is set so as to be movable in a horizontal direction from the front side to the rear side by driving the roller103at a start end side by a motor106via a gear107. A discharge unit111is provided around a wall at the rear side of the receiving section101. The discharge unit111has a vertical endless belt109extended between two rollers108provided with support members110at predetermined intervals. The support members110are provided so as to be vertically protruded from a surface of the vertical endless belt109and set to be tilted downward to a conveyance direction when a load equal to or greater than a predetermined value is exerted. A conveyance start section of the discharge unit111is close to a conveyance end section of the conveyance unit105. The vertical endless belt109of the discharge unit111is set to be movable in a vertical direction from a lower direction to an upper direction by connecting the roller108at the start section side with the roller103at the end section side of the conveyance unit105by a belt112.

A tilt plate113is located at a rear side of the discharge unit111, i.e., a side where the vertical endless belt109is lowered. A gap formed between an upper portion of the tilt plate113and the vertical endless belt109is smaller than a protrusion size of the support member110and identical to an outer diameter of the vial4. A gap formed between a lower portion of the tilt plate113and the vertical endless belt109is greater than the gap formed between the upper portion of the tilt plate113and the vertical endless belt109so as to be approximately identical to the protrusion size of the support member110.

In the vial supply unit11mentioned above, the vials4received in the receiving section101are conveyed in a horizontal direction by the vertical endless belt104of the conveyance unit105toward the discharge unit111. By doing so, they can be horizontally supported at the support member110of the vertical endless belt109of the discharge unit111. Thereafter, the vials4are lifted upward so as to be discharged from the upper portion of the receiving section101to the outside. Since the gap formed between the upper portion of the tilt plate113and the vertical endless belt109is narrower than the vials4, the vials4are not dropped. Further, the support member110discharging the vials4contacts the tilt plate113and moves downward while being tilted. Thus, the support member110returns to an original state when the support member110is disposed away from the tilt plate113. Since the bottom of the receiving section101is provided with the vertical endless belt104, the capacity of the receiving section101is quite large compared to the conventional vial supply device with the tilted bottom. Thus, it is possible to receive a large number of vials4. Further, although few vials4may remain, since the vials4are horizontally conveyed by the horizontal endless belt104toward the discharge unit111, the vials4are horizontally supported at the support member110of the discharge unit111. As such, it is possible to reliably discharge and supply the vials4.

FIG. 7shows the vial conveyance belt12. The vial conveyance belt12includes a short belt121provided at a rear upper portion of the receiving section101of the vial supply unit11and a long belt122provided at a lower direction of the short belt121. The short belt121is horizontally extended between two rollers123and can be driven by a motor124shown inFIG. 6. The long belt122is also horizontally extended between two rollers125and can be driven by a motor126shown inFIG. 6.

The vials4discharged from the receiving section101of each vial supply unit11by the vial conveyance belt12are dropped on the short belt121. Thereafter, they are conveyed and continuously dropped on the long belt122so as to be conveyed toward a center of the device.

FIGS. 8,9and10are front, side and plan views of the vial conveyance arm unit13and the vial lift unit15, respectively. The vial conveyance arm unit13includes a direction changing section131, a rest132and an arm133.

The direction changing section131includes a trough134and a hopper135. The trough134is rotatably supported at a central side surface around a shaft134a. The trough134is set to be rotated among a tilted general position such that the trough134can receive the vials4conveyed by the vial conveyance belt12by driving a motor136, a first operation position where the trough134is rotated along a clockwise direction inFIG. 8(so that a front end in a direction of receiving the vials4faces downward), and a second operation position where the trough134is rotated along a counterclockwise direction inFIG. 8(so that a rear end in a direction of receiving the vials4faces downward). The hopper135has a pyramid shape with upper and lower ends opened. Further, the trough134is provided at an opening portion of the upper end. A sensor137for detecting a direction of the vials4is provided at an inner surface of the hopper135opposite to the front end of the trough134. The sensor137is preferably a touch type such as a limit switch which is switched on when the vials4are conveyed having the lower portion at front and switched off when the vials4are conveyed having the opening portion at front. However, it should be noted herein that the sensor137may be a non-touch type such as a photo sensor. The vials4conveyed to the trough134in the general position by the vial conveyance belt12are received in the direction changing section131and bumped with an inner wall of the hopper135to thereby be stopped. When the vials4are conveyed having the lower portion at front as indicated with a solid line inFIG. 8, the sensor137is switched on and the trough134is thus rotated in a clockwise direction to the first operation position based on a signal of the sensor137. As such, the vials4form the lower portion to be downward. Further, when the vials4are conveyed having the opening portion at front as indicated with a two-dot chain line inFIG. 8, the sensor137is switched off and the trough134is thus rotated in a counterclockwise direction to the second operation position based on the signal of the sensor137. By doing so, the vials4form the lower portion to be downward. Accordingly, the direction of the vials4is changed such that the lower portion is always downward regardless of the direction of the vials4being conveyed.

The rest132is positioned at a lower direction of the hopper135of the direction changing section131and receives the vials4passed through the hopper135. The rest132can be lifted by a motor138via a rack and pinion mechanism139. That is, when the vials4are received in the trough134of the direction changing section131, the rest132is lifted to the opening portion of the lower end of the hopper135and receives the vials4, the direction of which is changed by the direction changing section131. The rest132is then lowered and stopped such that the opening portion forms the same position regardless of the length of the vials4.

The arm133serves to hold the vials4received in the rest132from both sides. The arm133can be swung, advanced and retreated in a horizontal direction around a shaft140. That is, as shown inFIG. 10, the arm133holds the vials4at a first position in a downward direction of the direction changing section131and moves to a second position swung by 90° in a counterclockwise direction. Then, the arm133is advanced to oppose the vials4to the labeling device14. When a label is attached to the vials4, the arm133is retreated to release the vials4and guide them to the vial lift unit15. Then, the arm133returns to the first position through being swung by 90° in a counterclockwise direction.

The labeling unit14serves to print the predetermined information on a label and attach the label to the vials14. Since the labeling unit14is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. (Hei) 2005-212878, an explanation thereof will be omitted herein.

The vial lift unit15includes a base152which may be lifted along a vertically provided guide shaft151. A rest154in a thin cup shape is provided at a bracket153extended in a horizontal direction from the base152. The base152is fixed on a belt156extended between two upper and lower rollers155. It is set to be lifted between a downward direction and an upward direction through driving the lower roller155by a motor157. A sensor (not shown) for detecting the stacking of the vials4is provided at the rest154. Further, a pair of grabbing pieces158is provided at a periphery of the rest154in order to grab the stacked vials4. The rest154is generally positioned at a lower direction. Also, when the rest154receives the vials4attached with the label from the vial conveyance arm unit13at this position, the grabbing pieces158are closed to thereby grab the vials4. Next, when the rest154is lifted to an upper position, the grabbing pieces158are opened to release the vials4and guide them to the first vial delivery unit17. Thereafter, the rest154is returned to the lower position.

As such, the vials4are conveyed to the tablet feeder21of the tablet supply unit16by the first vial delivery arm unit17and filled with the tablets. Then, the vials4are guided to the capping unit20by the second vial delivery unit18and closed by the cap3supplied by the cap supply unit19. Thereafter, the vials4are stacked on the extracting shelf by the second vial delivery arm unit18.

Although various embodiments of the present invention are described above, it will be evident to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention. It is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.