Abstract:
A medication dispensing apparatus of the present invention contains a plurality of different kinds of medication separately, dispenses the medicament to pack them into package belt, and discharges the package belt. The medication dispensing apparatus comprises a cutting device for cutting the package belt into short package belt including at least one medication package for specified period in accordance with prescription data, a stacking device for stacking the short package belts and a bundling device for bundling the stacked short package belts. According to the medication dispensing apparatus, it is possible to cut off medication packages and empty packages from the package belt automatically and rapidly, reducing medication distributing job in a hospital. The medication dispensing apparatus is applicable to a medicament collecting system comprising a tray feed station, a medication dispensing station and a tray recovering station.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/205,861 filed Dec. 4, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,230. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a medication dispensing apparatus which contains a plurality of different kinds of medication (in this application the terms medication and medicament are used interchangeably) separately, dispenses the medicament to pack them into a package belt, and discharges the package belt, as well as a medication collecting system in which a medication dispensing station comprising the medication dispensing apparatus is disposed along a conveyor line and by which medication discharged from the medication dispensing station is placed onto a tray conveyed along the conveyor line and then collected. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an idea disseminated in the 1960s in Japan that medication may be packaged in dosages and delivered to patients. This idea has been put into practical use mainly as packaging machines for powdered medicines. Tablet machines were developed in 1970s, and ampoule dispensing machines were developed in 1990s. These machines have been used in different ways according to their respective proper applications. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,692 discloses an apparatus in which a plurality of preparation stations classified according to the type of medication are arranged along a conveyor line and in which medicaments prepared at the individual preparation stations are collected to a checking station by the conveyor line. This apparatus prepares medicaments for the time period described in the prescription and delivers the medicaments to the patient. 
     In recent years, there has been developed an idea that medicaments prescribed to one patient are all collected regardless of the type of medicament and provided to the patient. This idea has been put into U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/021,864, the assignee of which is the same as one of the assignees of the present application. 
     In America, medicaments for one-day doses to be administered to inpatients are placed in a packaged box in the dispensary, and the box is stored in a movable medication storage cabinet, for example, MEDSTATION marketed by Pyxis Co. With the medication storage cabinet provided in the nurse station, when the medicament administration time comes, medicaments are taken out from the medication storage cabinet and administered to patients. Upon completion of the medicament administration for one-day doses, the medication storage cabinet is returned to the dispensary. The medication storage cabinet in which medicaments for the next day have been stored is then moved to the nurse station. By adopting such a system, clear histories of the administration to the patients can be obtained, allowing accounting, medicament inventory management and the like to be carried out collectively. 
     However, medicaments, particularly tablets, for one-day doses are packaged in the form of a continuous package belt. The package belt comprises a medication package portion in which one dose of tablet is packed, a print portion in which patient information, medicament information, dosage information and the like are printed, and an empty package portion which is inserted between different patients. This package belt arrangement necessitates troublesome work such as separating off medication packages for each patient or for each dose, or cutting off empty packages. In particular, in the case of, for example, medicaments to be ordered in operation rooms, CPUs, or emergency departments, it is desired that such work as the separation of medication packages and the cutoff of empty packages be achieved promptly for subsequent delivery of the medicaments. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention having been accomplished in view of these and other problems, an object of the invention is to provide a medication collecting system which is capable of automatically and promptly achieving the separation of medication packages in the medication package belt and the cutoff of empty packages. 
     In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a medication dispensing apparatus which contains a plurality of different kinds of medication separately, dispenses the medicament to pack them into package belt, and discharges the package belt, comprising: 
     cutting means for cutting the package belt into shortened package belts including at least one medication package for a specified period in accordance with prescription data; 
     stacking means for stacking the short package belts; and 
     bundling means for bundling the stacked short package belts. 
     The present invention also provides a medication collecting system, comprising: 
     a tray feed station for accumulating a plurality of empty trays and feeding the trays to a conveyor line; 
     a medication dispensing station for containing a plurality of different kinds of medication separately, dispensing the medicament to pack them into package belt, and discharging the package belt into the tray fed to the conveyor line from the tray feed station; and 
     a tray recovering station for recovering the tray containing the package belt discharged from the medication dispensing station and for sorting the trays; 
     wherein the medication dispensing station comprises; 
     cutting means for cutting the package belt into shortened package belts including at least one medication package for a specified period in accordance with prescription data; 
     stacking means for stacking the short package belts; and 
     bundling means for bundling the stacked short package belts. 
     With the medication dispensing apparatus and the medication collecting system having the above constitutions, the separation of medication packages in the medication package belt and the cutoff of empty packages can be achieved automatically and promptly so that medication delivery work in the hospital-can be reduced. 
     Preferably, the cutting means cuts the package belt into short package belts including medication packages taken at a day or at a time. Also, preferably, the short package belt cut by the cutting means includes at least one printed empty package and at least one medication package. Further, preferably, the cutting means cuts the empty package included in the package belt and the stacking means stacks the short package belts excluding the empty package. 
     Preferably, the medication dispensing station further includes: separating means for separating empty packages from the bundled short package belts; and means for putting the bundled short package separated by the separating means into the tray fed to the conveyor line. 
     The medication collecting system may further comprise a liquid medication dispensing station for containing a plurality of different kinds of liquid medication or ampoules separately, dispensing the liquid medicament, and discharging the liquid medicament into the tray fed to the conveyor line from the tray feed station. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The following description of an embodiment of the present invention is carried out with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a medication collecting system according to the embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2A is a front view of an initial state showing the tray discharging structure of the tray feed station, and FIG. 2B is a front view showing a state in which the lowermost tray is discharged; 
     FIG. 3 is a partly broken perspective view showing the tablet dispensing station of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a front view showing the cutter part of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the direction changing part of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 6 is a front sectional view showing the conveyor of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the package-belt bundling section of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the distributing member of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is a partly broken perspective view showing the array ampoule dispensing station of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 11A is a front sectional view showing the ampoule cassette of FIG. 10, FIG. 11B is a partial sectional view showing an ampoule discharging state including a stop provided in a lowermost portion of the ampoule cassette, and FIG. 11C is a partial sectional view showing an ampoule-holding state including the stop; 
     FIG. 12 is a partly broken perspective view showing the random ampoule dispensing station; 
     FIG. 13A is a front sectional view showing the ampoule container of FIG. 12, and FIG. 13B is a top sectional view showing the ampoule container of FIG. 12; 
     FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing the lifter part of FIG. 12; 
     FIG. 15A is a sectional view showing the lifter container of the lifter part of FIG. 14 with its bottom plates released from the closed state, and FIG. 15B is a sectional view showing a state in which the lifter container has been elevated from the position shown in FIG. 15A; 
     FIG. 16 is a schematic perspective view showing the label issuing station of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 17 is a sectional view showing the tray recovering station of FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 18A and 18B are front views showing examples of the package belt in which medicaments are packed; 
     FIGS. 19A and 19B are flow charts showing the tablet replenishing work in the tablet dispensing station; 
     FIGS. 20A and 20B are flow charts showing the ampoule replenishing work in the array ampoule dispensing station or random ampoule dispensing station; and 
     FIG. 21 is a schematic sectional view of an automatic packing station that can be provided instead of the tray recovering station of FIG.  17 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 shows a medication collecting system according to the present embodiment. 
     In this medication collecting system, a tablet dispensing station  4 , an array ampoule dispensing station  5 , a random ampoule dispensing station  6  and a label issuing station  7  are disposed one after another along a conveyor line  3  that connects a tray feed station  1  and a tray recovering station  2  to each other. 
     &lt;Tray Feed Station&gt; 
     The tray feed station  1 , in which a plurality of trays  9  are stored in a stacked state within a cylindrical housing  8  having a rectangular cross section as shown in FIG. 2A, is enabled to feed out the trays  9  one by one. The housing  8  has, on its opposite sides, support feed claws  10  which are pivoted by an unshown motor or the like, respectively. The support feed claws  10  support peripheries of the lowermost tray  9  by their lower claw portions  10   a  and, by pivoting, place the lowermost tray  9  onto a feed-out plate  11  located below the lowermost tray  9 . During this process, the support feed claws  10  support peripheries of the next tray  9  by their upper claw portions  10   b  as shown in FIG. 2B, thereby making it possible to take out only the lowermost tray  9 . In addition, the support feed claws  10 , after taking out the lowermost tray  9 , return to the original position and support the next tray  9  by their lower claw portions  10   a . The feed-out plate  11 , which is guided by a lower opposite face of the housing  8 , can be moved up and down by a motor or the like. This feed-out plate  11  has a plurality of rotation-drivable rollers  12  provided in parallel. In the lower operating position, the feed-out plate  11  is enabled to transversely convey the tray  9  placed through a lower opening of the housing  8  and feed out the tray  9  to the conveyor line  3 . 
     &lt;Tablet Dispensing Station&gt; 
     The tablet dispensing station  4 , which is provided to pack tablets  23  into a strip-shaped package belt  13  in doses, comprises a tablet feed section  14 , a printing and packaging section  15  and a package-belt bundling section  16  (FIG. 1) as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     The tablet feed section  14  comprises a cylindrical drum  18  equipped with tablet guide parts  17  being doubled inside and outside and extending up and down, a plurality of motor bases  19  disposed vertically and circumferentially on outer periphery of each tablet guide part  17 , and a plurality of tablet cassettes  20  removably attached to the motor bases, respectively. Each tablet guide part  17  is divided circumferentially for each column of the vertically arrayed motor bases  19  and tablet cassettes  20 , by which a tablet guide passage  21  extending vertically is formed. Below the cylindrical drum  18 , are disposed hoppers  22   a ,  22   b , which make it possible to collect tablets  23  dropping via the tablet guide passages  21  to one place. 
     In the tablet cassettes  20 , different types of tablets  23  are stored, respectively, and tablets  23  amounting to one-day doses are discharged in units of one dose based on prescription information. The discharged tablets  23  are counted by sensors (not shown) provided on the motor bases  19 , and fed to the printing and packaging section  15  via the hoppers  22  through the tablet guide passages  21 . The number of tablets left in a tablet cassette  20  can be counted based on the number of initial storage number and the count number by the sensor, allowing a decision as to whether or not the tablets are lacking. 
     The printing and packaging section  15  comprises a roll  24  on which the package belt is wound, a printing part  25  for printing specified information on the surface of the package belt  13 , a sealing part  26  for sealing the package belt  13  in doses, and a cutter part  27  for cutting the package belt  13  into specified lengths. 
     The cutter part  27 , as shown in FIG. 4, comprises a circular cutter  29  provided so as to be movable up and down along a guide shaft  28 , and a pivotable cutter guide  30  which has a guide recess for guiding the peripheral cutting edge of the cutter  29  and which is pivotable about a pivot  30   a  provided at an upper end. A rod  32  of a solenoid  31  is coupled to a lower end portion of the cutter guide  30  so that the cutter guide  30  can be put into adjacency to the package belt  13 , facilitating the cutting by the cutter  29 . 
     The package-belt bundling section  16  is provided to bundle and bind the package belt  13  cut by the cutter  29 . To this package-belt bundling section  16 , the package belt  13  is fed via a direction changing part  33  and a conveyor  34 . 
     The direction changing part  33 , as shown in FIG. 5, is provided to turn the cut package belt  13  approximately 90 degrees (from generally vertical to generally horizontal) while conveying the package belt  13  in the direction of arrow. This direction changing part  33  comprises a guide member  35  for guiding the package belt  13 , a guide plate  36  for guiding the lower edge of the package belt  13  to the guide member  35 , and a wire  37  for gradually engaging the upper edge of the package belt  13  to turn the package belt  13  sideways. 
     The conveyor  34 , as shown in FIG. 6, is enabled to convey the package belt  13  obliquely upward by a horizontal conveyor belt  38  and a sloped conveyor belt  39 . A tension sheet  40  is disposed above part of the horizontal conveyor belt  38  and the sloped conveyor belt  39 . This tension sheet  40  is formed of a flexible material having small frictional resistance. A sponge roller  41  is disposed up-and-down swingably on the entrance side of an insertion passage defined by the belt  38  and the tension sheet  40 . The belt  38  being set to a conveyance speed higher than that in the direction changing part  33 . If an unreasonable tensile force should act upon the swinging movement of the package belt  13 , an unshown limit switch is turned off by the sponge roller  41  so that the driving of the belt  38  is stopped. Meanwhile, on the exit side of the insertion passage, a presser member  42  biased by a spring is provided, biasing the tension sheet  40  toward the belt  39 . As a result, the package belt  13  is pressed against the belt  38  with the frictional resistance increased, so that the package belt  13  can be prevented from clogging on the exit side. In addition, reference numeral  43  denotes a delivery belt for delivering the package belt  13  to the package-belt bundling section  16 . 
     The package-belt bundling section  16 , as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, comprises an inverting member  44 , a lifter  45 , a feed-in member  46 , a bundling machine  47  and a distributing member  48 . 
     The inverting member  44  is supported so as to be reciprocatively pivotable over a range of approximately 180 degrees about a support shaft  44   a . This inverting member  44  comprises a pull-in conveyor  49  for pulling in the package belt  13  from the delivery belt  43 . A stopper  50  for positioning the conveyed-in package belt  13  is protrusively provided at an end portion of the pull-in conveyor  49 . A sensor (not shown) is provided in proximity to the stopper  50  so that the presence or absence of the package belt  13  can be detected. 
     The lifter  45  is plate-shaped and has a side wall  45   a  extending along both side edge portions, and a recess  45   b  extending longitudinally in a central portion. The lifter  45  is reciprocatively moved between a lower position where the package belt  13  inverted by the inverting member  44  can be loaded, and an upper position where the package belt  13  can be conveyed to the bundling machine  47  by the feed-in member  46 . 
     The feed-in member  46  has a brush  52  provided at an end of a feed-in arm  51  that reciprocatively moves along the side portion  45   a  of the lifter  45  located in the upper position. 
     The bundling machine  47  comprises a looped rectangular frame body  53 , and a roller  55  on which bundling tape  54  is wound, where central part of the stacked package belt  13  can be bundled with the tape  54  unwound from the roller  55 . A chute  56  is provided in proximity to the bundling machine  47 . This chute  56  has a tip end directed obliquely upward, and a presser  46   a  of the feed-in member  46  presses a lever  56   a , by which the chute  56  is pivoted and directed obliquely downward. 
     The distributing member  48 , as shown in FIG. 8, has an opening  58  formed in a sloped plate  57  directed obliquely downward, and this opening  58  is opened and closed by a distributing plate  59 . A lower end edge of the sloped plate  57  extends to the conveyor line  3 , allowing the bundled package belt  13  to be accommodated in the tray  9 . Also, a first link  60  is pivotably coupled at its one end portion to the distributing plate  59  as shown in FIG. 9. A second link  62  provided on the rotating shaft of a motor  61  is pivotably coupled to the other end portion of the first link  60 . The motor  61  is so designed as to stop every 180 degree rotation. As a result of this, the distributing plate  59  is pivotable between one position where the distributing plate  59  is aligned with the sloped plate  57  with the lower edge slightly out of alignment with the top surface, and another position where the distributing plate  59  is positioned generally vertical. Also, a dust box  63  is disposed below the opening  58  of the sloped plate  57 , so as to collect unnecessary portions (empty packages) of the package belt  13 . 
     &lt;Array Ampoule Dispensing Station&gt; 
     The array ampoule dispensing station  5 , as shown in FIG. 10, comprises an ampoule storage section  64 , an ampoule conveying section  65  and an ampoule dispensing section  66 , and is used mainly to dispense ampoules  67  each having a large capacity as much as 10 to 30 ml (for more details, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication HEI 7-267370). 
     In the ampoule storage section  64 , a plurality of drawer cradles  68  are provided in array. In each drawer cradle  68 , a plurality of ampoule cassettes  69  are provided in array. Each ampoule cassette  69 , as shown in FIG. 11A, is shaped into a box having an openable/closable door  70  provided on one side face, and in its interior, the ampoules  67  are stored in a laterally-postured and arrayed state. Also, as shown in FIGS. 11B and 11C, the lower face of the ampoule cassette  69  is opened, where a stop  71  is provided at the opening so as to prevent the ampoules  67  from falling off. When the ampoule cassette  69  is set up, only the lowermost-positioned ampoule  67  can be discharged out downward by withdrawing of stop  71 . Further, handles  72  each protruding in a generally L shape are formed above and below on one side face of the ampoule cassette  69  perpendicular to the door  70 . Detent actuator portion  72   a  is formed in the lower handle  72 , so that an engaging detent  72   b  provided at the lower end surface of the ampoule cassette  69  can be operated to extend and retract. By this engaging detent, the ampoule cassette  69  can be attached to the drawer cradle  68 . The drawer cradle  68  is equipped with discharge rotors  73 , and the ampoules  67  within the ampoule cassette  69  can be discharged one by one by the discharge rotor  73  pivoting between the states of FIGS. 11B and 11C. In addition, an insertion hole (not shown) intended for a sensor is bored in the lower-end side surface of the ampoule cassette  69 , making it possible to detect that the remaining quantity of stock of the ampoules  67  has decreased or is lacking. 
     The ampoule conveying section  65  comprises a first conveyor belt  74  disposed below the drawer cradle  68 , a stock storage  75  provided at the conveyance end of the first conveyor belt  74 , and a second conveyor belt  76  disposed below the stock storage  75  generally perpendicular to the first conveyor belt  74 . 
     The ampoule dispensing section  66  comprises a stock container  77  for storing conveyed ampoules  67 , and an up-down member  78  for discharging the ampoules  67  stored in container  67  to the tray  9  on the conveyor line  3  while suppressing any impact force acting on the ampoules  67 . 
     Random Ampoule Dispensing Station 
     The random ampoule dispensing station  6 , as shown in FIG. 12, comprises a drum-shaped rotary storage rack  79 , and a lifter part  80  which goes up and down in the center of the rotary storage rack  79 , and is used to dispense mainly small-capacity ampoules  81  (FIG. 13) with a capacity less than  10  ml (for more details, see Japanese Patent Applications HEI 10-149489, HEI 10-99001, HEI 9-142473, HEI 9-212102, etc.). 
     In the rotary storage rack  79 , a plurality of ampoule containers  82  are disposed vertically and circumferentially in so that an up-and-down space for the lifter part  80  can be obtained on the central side. Each ampoule container  82 , as shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, comprises an ampoule storage chamber  83  and an ampoule array-and-conveyance section  84 . 
     A bottom wall  85  of the ampoule storage chamber  83  is pivotable about a pivot  85   a , and will be inclined by rotation of a rotating arm  86  so that the ampoules  81  can be moved to the ampoule array-and-conveyance section  84 . Also, in the ampoule array-and-conveyance section  84 , a belt  88  is stretched between pulleys  87  so that the ampoules  81  placed on the belt  88  can be conveyed by one pulley  87  being rotated by the drive of a motor  87   a . The ampoule array-and-conveyance section  84  can be moved up and down by the drive of a motor, between a lower position where the ampoules  81  within the ampoule storage chamber  83  can be loaded on, and an upper position where the ampoules  81  can be discharged to the lifter part  80  via a chute  83   a . In addition, the ampoule storage chamber  83  and the ampoule array-and-conveyance section  84  are partitioned from each other by a shutter  83   b  which is and opened and closed with a pinion  83   c  and a rack  83   d.    
     In the lifter part  80 , as shown in FIGS. 12 and 14, a lifter container  90  is moved up and down along three rails  89  provided vertically in a center-side space of the rotary storage rack  79  (for more details, see Japanese Patent Application HEI 9-71530) The lifter container  90  is funnel-shaped and has spiral guide blades  91  formed therein. The lifter container  90  is rotated by an unshown motor and leads a fed ampoule  67  to a central opening  92  under the guide of the guide blades  91 . The opening  92  is opened and closed by an opening/closing valve  94  that is moved up and down with an opening/closing arm  93 . 
     Below the lifter container  90 , is provided a delivery stock storage device  95 . In this delivery stock storage device  95 , as shown in FIG. 15A, bottom plates  96  are provided into two divisions, right and left, each of which is pivotable about a pivot  96   a  to open a bottom-face opening  97 . The bottom plates  96 , as shown in FIG. 14, receive the ampoules  67  from the lifter container  90 , and keep the bottom-face opening  97  closed by links  98  until the bottom plates  96  are located above and near the tray  9 . Then, when the bottom plates  96  are located above and near the tray  9 , the bottom plates  96  are released from the closed state by the links  98 , as shown in FIG.  15 A. As a result, when the lifter container  90  is moved up relative to the tray  9 , the bottom plates  96  pivot while keeping their free end portions in contact with the top face of the tray  9 , gradually opening the bottom-face opening  97  as shown in FIG.  15 B. Accordingly, the ampoules  67  discharged from the lifter container  90  are smoothly moved into the tray  9  without undergoing any impact force. 
     &lt;Label Issuing Station&gt; 
     The label issuing station  7  has a plurality of printers  99   a ,  99   b  arranged vertically as shown in FIG. 16, and the uppermost three printers  99   a  are fed with prescription paper  101  from stock storages  100 , respectively. This prescription paper  101  is used for a pharmacist to later verify whether or not the dispensed medication is correct. Also, the printers  99   b  (shown juxtaposed below printers  99   a ) are each fed with a label  103  wound around a roll  102 . This label  103  is affixed to the ampoules  67 , storage containers or the like, and is used to indicate their contents. 
     &lt;Tray Recovering Station&gt; 
     In the tray recovering station  2 , as shown in FIG. 17, a support base  106  is provided on rails  105  placed above and below in a support main frame  104  so that the support base  106  is reciprocatively movable along an X-axis direction parallel to the conveyor line  3 . The support base  106  is equipped with guide rails  107  extending vertically. Base  108   a  is movable up and down along rails  107  by a belt chain  108  along a vertical Y-axis direction. Base  108   a  is equipped with a cylinder  109 . Also, a rod  109   a  of the cylinder  109  is equipped with a gripping arm  110 , which goes back and forth along a Z-axis direction perpendicular to the conveyor line  3 . The gripping arm  110  has at its front end a claw portion  110   a  formed for gripping a peripheral portion of the tray  9  (see also Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication HEI 9-51922 etc.). 
     &lt;System Operation&gt; 
     Next, operation of the medication collecting system constructed as described above is explained. 
     When patient prescription information is read, a tray  9  is fed out from the tray feed station  1  to the conveyor line  3 . The tray  9  fed out to the conveyor line  3  is first conveyed to the tablet dispensing station  4 . If information indicating that tablets  23  are not contained in the prescription information, then the tray  9  passes through the tablet dispensing station  4  without stopping. If such information is contained, the tray  9  is stopped below the sloped plate  57  of the distributing member  48 . 
     For the prescription of the tablets  23 , at the tablet dispensing station  4 , one-day dose of medicaments are fed from the relevant tablet cassette  20  in steps of one dose one after another according to the dosage time, and then are packed into medication packages formed in the package belt  13 . 
     As for the form of package, if the one-day dosage includes a plurality of times, for example, morning, noon and evening, then medication packages  13   a  of the tablets  23  are continuously packaged as shown in FIG.  18 A. Alternatively, empty packages are formed between the medication packages  13   a  of the tablets  23  and the contents of the tablets  23  dosage information and the like are printed on these empty packages to make printed portions  13   b  as shown in FIG.  18 B. In the former case, as shown in FIG. 18A, the package belt is cut off by the cutter  29  with one-day doses taken as a unit. Thus, the need for bundling by the bundling machine  47  is eliminated. In the latter case, as shown in FIG. 18B, the package belt is cut off by the cutter  29  with one dose taken as a unit. In addition, with a different patient, two empty packages  13   c  are additionally formed between a printed portion  13   b  for patient A and a medication package portion  13   a  for the next patient B, thus enabling a continuous processing. Further, the empty packages  13   c  are separated from the other portions by the cutter  29 . 
     Subsequently, the cut package belt  13  is conveyed to the inverting member  44  via the direction changing part  33  and the conveyor  34 , so as to be transferred to the lifter  45 . For the package belt  13  or the empty packages  13   c  in the unit of one-day doses, the lifter  45  goes up without waiting for stacking by the transfer from the inverting member  44 ; for the package belt  13  in the unit of one dose, the lifter  45  will not go up until one-day doses has been completely stacked by the transfer from the inverting member  44 . Then, the cut package belt  13  is moved sideways by the feed-in member  46 , where in the case of the package belt  13  or empty packages  13   c  in the unit of one-day doses, the cut package belt  13  is passed through as it is without being bundled by the bundling machine  47 ; in the case of the stacked package belt  13 , the cut package belt  13  is once stopped at the bundling machine  47 , where the cut package belt  13  is bundled and then fed to the tray  9  via the distributing member  48 . In addition, in the distributing member  48 , for processing&#39;s sake, when empty packages  13   c  are conveyed up, the empty packages  13   c  are discarded to the dust box  63  via the opening  58  by rotating the distributing plate  59 . 
     Subsequently, the tray  9  is conveyed to the array ampoule dispensing station  5 , and further to the random ampoule dispensing station  6 . In this case also, based on the prescription information, the tray  9  is passed through as it is, or when ampoules  67 ,  81  are fed, the tray  9  is stopped at a relevant unit. 
     After that, the tray  9  is conveyed to the label issuing station  7 . In the label issuing station  7 , the prescription paper  101  on which prescription information as to all the medicaments within the conveyed-up tray  9  has been printed, as well as a label  103  to be affixed to the surface to show the contents of the stored ampoules  67  are fed into the tray  9 . 
     Now that desired medicaments have been fed to the tray  9  in this way, this tray  9  is conveyed to the tray recovering station  2 , where the medicaments are transferred onto shelves of a sorting cart (e.g., medication storage cabinet marketed by Pyxis Co.) C by the arm  110 . In addition, this sorting cart C is movably set in the nurse station, and put into use for distribution to the patients in hospital when administration time has come. 
     &lt;Medication Replenishment Operation&gt; 
     Whereas the dispensing of medication is carried out as described above, the medication collecting system is enabled to detect the absence of the tablets  23 , the ampoules  67 ,  81 , and to perform appropriate replenishment by checking these medicaments. 
     For this purpose, the tablet dispensing station  4  and the ampoule dispensing stations  5 ,  6  are equipped, although not shown, with a touch panel to be controlled by a controller, a wireless barcode reader with a recharging cradle therefor, and a scale. 
     In the tablet dispensing station  4 , the tablet cassettes  20  are exchanged according to the flow charts of FIGS. 19A and 19B. That is, when specified tablets  23  have come out of stock so that an empty tablet cassette  20  is detected (step S 1 ), the cylindrical drum  18  is rotated so that the empty tablet cassette  20  is moved to an interchangeable position, where its cassette number is notified, followed by a standby state (step S 2 ). Also, a relevant medication profile is loaded from the database, and the current inventory count and expiration dates/lot numbers are displayed on the touch panel (step S 3 ). Then, the operator obtains a wireless barcode scanner (step S 4 ), reads the barcode of this tablet cassette  20 , verifying tablets  23  to be replenished (step S 5 ) In this process, if the selected tablet cassette  20  is other than one containing the correct tablets  23 , the operator is informed of an error by the touch panel. 
     Subsequently, the operator places the empty tablet cassette  20  on the scale, where if the operator presses the “Tare” button on the touch panel (step S 6 ), then the scale is initialized, prompting the operator to operate the bulk bottle for verification (step S 7 ). If the verified bulk bottle is erroneous, the result is displayed on the touch panel, by which the operator is reported of it. If the verification result is correct, then the operator is prompted to pour in a desired quantity of medication into the scale. Then, if the operator has poured oral medication into the tablet cassette  20  on the scale (step S 8 ), the scale counts the total medications poured into the tablet cassette  20  (step S 9 ) In this case, if too much medication is poured in, a warning is presented on the touch panel. 
     Next, the operator operates a button on the touch panel, where if an end of the counting process is confirmed (step S 10 ), then the final quantity is stored in the database (step S 11 ). Subsequently, the operator is prompted to enter the manufacturer&#39;s lot number and expiration date according to the indication on the bulk bottle (step S 12 ). Also, an alphanumeric keypad is displayed on the touch panel for the operator to key in values (step S 13 ). If the operator has keyed in the manufacturer&#39;s lot number and expiration date and confirmed by touching an appropriate button on the touch panel (step S 14 ), then the database is updated so that the lot number and expiration date are rewritten to the new ones (step S 15 ). 
     After that, in order to verify a correct return place for the replaced tablet cassette  20 , the operator is prompted to scan the barcode of cassette location (step S 16 ), and this is displayed on the touch panel. The operator sets a new tablet cassette  20  according to this instruction, where the operator scans the barcode of the cassette location provided just above the motor base  19  with no tablet cassette  20  set. If a barcode of a wrong position is scanned, this fact is displayed on the touch panel so that the operator is notified of it (step S  17 ). With these steps of work completed, the operator sets the tablet cassette  20  to the motor base  19  in the corresponding position, and returns the wireless scanner to the original position (step S 18 ). 
     It is noted that, also for the ampoule cassettes  69  and the ampoule containers  82 , the processes described above are carried out similarly according to the flow charts shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B. 
     &lt;Consumables Management Operation&gt; 
     Also, in this medication collecting system, even consumption state of consumable articles (printing ink, package belt and the like) in the units can be detected. 
     For example, the remaining quantity of the package belt  13  which is used in the tablet dispensing station  4  is calculated based on an initial length and a length required per package. Similarly, the remaining quantity of the band set to the bundling machine  47  which is used in the tablet dispensing station  4  is calculated based on an initial length and a band feed quantity. Further, remaining quantity of the prescription paper  101  which is used in the label issuing station  7  is calculated by subtracting the number of printed sheets from the initial setting number of sheets each time a printing process is performed. The remaining quantity of thermal transfer ink ribbon which is used in the label issuing station  7  is calculated based on an initial length and a consumption length (the consumption length for six-line printing is 3.5 mm). 
     Each time the consumption state of each consumable article is detected in this way, consumable article data is updated, where it is decided whether or not the article needs to be replaced. If it is decided that the article needs to be replaced, then an instruction that, for example, “Package paper will soon be out. Do you want to replenish?”, and “YES/NO” keys are displayed on the display as a replenishment operating screen. If the “YES” key is chosen, then replacement procedure for the relevant consumable article is displayed. Then, the article is replaced according to this procedure, and if the replacement is completed, a question, “Has replacement been completed?”, and “YES/NO” keys are automatically displayed. If the “YES” key is chosen, the replenishment operating screen is ended and consumable article data is updated, followed by a return to the normal screen. 
     &lt;Automatic Bagging Station&gt; 
     Whereas the tray recovering station  2  is provided in the above-described embodiment, an automatic bagging station shown in FIG. 21 may be adopted instead (for more details, see Japanese Patent Applications HEI 10-203749, HEI 10-75813, etc.). 
     In this automatic bagging station, a sheet  112  wound around a roll  111  is formed into a bag shape by a sealing part  113  and cut into bags by a cutter  114 , and the bags are printed on the surfaces by a printer  115  and then conveyed to a medication feed part  116 . In the medication feed part  116 , with the bags opened, medicaments within the tray  9  are all put into the bags, and after sealing, the bags are accommodated in a large-size tray  117  provided below the medication feed part  116 . The large-size tray  117  is conveyed sideways by a conveyor  118 . 
     Although an embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, modifications and changes apparent for those skilled in the art may be made in various ways. It is needless to say that these modifications and changes should be construed as being included in the present invention unless they depart from the spirit or scope of the invention.