Patent Publication Number: US-2019197817-A1

Title: Medicine supply apparatus

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a medicine supply apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Japanese Patent Laying-open No. 9-201399 (PTL 1) describes an apparatus for storing and dispensing medicines. As an example of the apparatus, PTL 1 describes a configuration in which feeder columns are annularly arranged on an inner annular plate and an outer annular plate, both of which are pivotally supported. Each feeder column is constituted by a plurality of medicine feeders stacked vertically, and each medicine feeder is configured to accommodate therein a medicine. A medicine guide passage is provided in each feeder column. A hopper is provided below the annular plate, and a packaging device is provided below the hopper. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     PTL 1: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 9-201399 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     In a medicine supply apparatus, a plurality of medicine cassettes for storing medicines to be supplied are collectively arranged to have a cylindrical shape and are pivotally supported, and such structure is called as a “drum”. When a user attempts to clean a desired part of the drum, the part may not face to the front. If the part is not facing to the front, the user needs to rotate the drum and wait until the part is rotated to the front. In the conventional medicine supply apparatus, the rotation angle and the direction of rotation of the drum are restricted, and thus, rotating the desired part to the front for cleaning may not be performed efficiently, which makes the waiting time longer. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a medicine supply apparatus capable of minimizing the waiting time for rotating a drum for cleaning. 
     Solution to Problem 
     To attain the object mentioned above, the medicine supply apparatus according to the present invention includes a housing, first to nth (n is an integer of 2 or more) segments which are arranged in order in the housing along the circumferential direction so as to surround a center line extending in the vertical direction, a drive unit configured to rotate an aggregate of the first to nth segments about the center line, an input unit configured to receive an instruction, and a control unit configured to control the drive unit. The housing is provided with a cleaning position that allows at least one of the first to nth segments to be cleaned. Each of the first to nth segments includes a plurality of medicine accommodation units configured to accommodate therein a medicine. The input unit is configured to receive an instruction for selecting one of the first to nth segments. The control unit is configured to cause the drive unit to operate so as to locate the selected segment at the cleaning position on the basis of the instruction for selecting one of the first to nth segments. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     According to the present invention, it is possible to minimize the waiting time for rotating the drum for cleaning. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a medicine supply apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating the medicine supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention when one door is opened; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating the medicine supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention when the doors, the side plates and the like are removed; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective view illustrating a drum provided in the medicine supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a first perspective view illustrating a segment provided in the medicine supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a second perspective view illustrating a segment provided in the medicine supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating the medicine supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention when one door is opened and one segment is drawn out; 
         FIG. 8  is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the medicine supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention when one door is opened and one segment is drawn out; 
         FIG. 9  is a partially enlarged perspective view illustrating a portion in the vicinity of a bottom of the drum in the medicine supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic view illustrating the medicine supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic view illustrating a first state to be taken by the drum of the medicine supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic view illustrating a second state to be taken by the drum of the medicine supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic view illustrating a third state to be taken by the drum of the medicine supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic view illustrating a fourth state to be taken by the drum of the medicine supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 15  is a front view illustrating a first state of an input unit of the medicine supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 16  is a front view illustrating a second state of the input unit of the medicine supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     First Embodiment 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 16 , a medicine supply apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. 
     The medicine supply apparatus  101  according to the present embodiment is configured to supply medicines based on a prescription. The prescription is handed by a doctor to a patient. The prescription is written with prescription information. The prescription information contains medicine information. The medicine information includes the name, quantity, usage and dosage of a medicine. The medicine supply apparatus  101  supplies a solid medicine as the medicine. As examples of a solid medicine, a tablet, a pill, a capsule and the like may be given. The medicine supply apparatus  101  may be included in a medicine packing apparatus configured to pack medicines according to a prescription. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an outer appearance of the medicine supply apparatus  101  according to the present embodiment. The medicine supply apparatus  101  includes a housing  2 . The housing  2  includes a front plate  4 , a side plate  8 , and a top plate  5 . On the front face of the housing  2 , a door  6   a , the front plate  4  and a door  6   b  are arranged in this order. The front plate  4  is disposed at the center of the front face of the housing  2  so as to extend in the vertical direction, and the doors  6   a  and  6   b  are symmetrically provided at the both sides of the front plate  4 . The door  6   a  is provided with a handle  16   a , and the door  6   b  is provided with a handle  6   b . Thereby, the user may use the handles  16   a ,  16   b  to open and close the doors  6   a ,  6   b . The medicine supply apparatus  101  includes an input unit  51  provided on the front face. The input unit  51  is disposed on the front plate  4  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , for example. The side plate  8  is arranged on both side faces of the housing  2 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a state in which the door  6   a  of the medicine supply apparatus  101  is opened. When the door  6   a  is opened, a drum  20  is visible through an opening  3 .  FIG. 3  illustrates a state in which the doors  6   a  and  6   b , the front plate  4  and the side plate  8  of the housing  2  are removed. The top plate  5  is supported by a plurality of pillars  11  extending in the vertical direction. At least four of the plurality of pillars  11  are arranged to support the top plate  5  at four corners thereof. Two drums  20  are arranged below the top plate  5 . Each drum  20  is individually and pivotally installed. In the present embodiment, the medicine supply apparatus  101  illustrated as an example is provided with two drums  20 , but the number of drums provided in the medicine supply apparatus is not limited to two. The number of drums provided in the medicine supply apparatus may be one or three or more. 
     The structure of the drum  20  is schematically illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The drum  20  is constituted by four segments  30  and has a cylindrical shape. The drum  20  is pivotally supported around a center line  81  extending in the vertical direction. In the present embodiment, the drum  20  is constituted by a total of four segments divided by 90° but not limited thereto, the drum may be constituted by n segments, wherein n is an integer of 2 or more. The center angle per segment may change in accordance with the value of n. The center angle per segment is equal to the angle obtained by equally dividing 360° by n, for example. The drum may include n segments and may further include a mechanism configured to join these segments together or a mechanism configured to hold these segments. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates one segment  30  drawn out from the drum. The segment  30  includes an upper portion  34 , a lower portion  35 , and a plurality of medicine accommodation units  31  arranged between the upper portion  34  and the lower portion  35 . Each medicine accommodation unit  31  is supported by a support member  32 . Each of the plurality of medicine accommodation units  31  is accommodated with a plurality of medicines. In other words, when the medicine is a tablet medicine, for example, plural tablets are accommodated in one medicine accommodation unit  31 . In general, the plurality of medicine accommodation units  31  are configured in such a manner that the same type of medicine is accommodated in one medicine accommodation unit  31 , and different types of medicines are accommodated in different medicine accommodation units  31 , respectively. However, for those medicines that are frequently used, the same type of medicine may be accommodated in more than one medicine accommodation unit  31 . Each of the plurality of medicine accommodation units  31  may supply the medicine accommodated therein. The medicine accommodation unit  31  may be a cassette capable of accommodating therein a medicine. Each medicine accommodation unit  31  may be provided with a handle to be held by the user to attach or detach the medicine accommodation unit.  FIG. 6  illustrates the segment  30  when viewed from the opposite side. The segment  30  has an inner peripheral surface  39 . The inner peripheral surface  39  may be a curved surface. The inner peripheral surface  39  is provided with a radial passage  37  that opens toward each of the medicine accommodation units  31 . The radial passage  37  extends with a component in the radial direction R. The inner surface of each radial passage  37  is provided with an inclined surface  38  that inclines relative to the axial direction Z. The segment  30  has two side faces  40  and  43 . The segment  30  is provided with two shaft supports  42  at one edge of the side face  40 . The two shaft supports  42  are aligned in the vertical direction along a common axis A. 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate the medicine supply apparatus  101  when the door  6   a  is opened and one segment  30  is drawn out from the opening  3 . In  FIG. 8 , the door  6   a  is not illustrated. The segment  30  is pivotally supported about the axis A by the shaft support  42 . Thereby, the segment  30  may be rotated to the outside of the drum  20 . When a user performs cleaning, repair, inspection or the like on the drum  20 , the segment  30  may be drawn out.  FIG. 7  illustrates a state when one segment  30  is drawn out, an axial passage  25  provided inside the drum  20  is visible. The axial passage  25  is configured as a passage through which the medicine discharged from the radial passage  37  (see  FIG. 6 ) drops. As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , a plurality of axial passages  25  are annularly arranged at the inner side of the drum  20 . Each axial passage  25  extends in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of  FIG. 8 . 
     However, the medicine supply apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8  is merely an example, and the rotation of the segment  30  is not limited to the described manner. The segment may not be rotated in the described manner, it may be operated with respect to the drum  20  by hand or a tool inserted through the opening  3 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an enlarged portion of the medicine supply apparatus  101 . In  FIG. 9 , a bottom of the drum  20  and the structural components in the vicinity of the bottom are illustrated. A space for accommodating the drum  20  is provided in the upper half of the internal space of the housing  2 , and a plate  7  is provided as the floor of the space. The plate  7  is provided with an opening  7   a . A drive unit  52  is disposed to sandwich the plate  7  via the opening  7   a . The drive unit  52  includes a motor  52   a  and a gear  52   b . The bottom of the drum  20  is supported by a substantially circular bottom plate  24  from the lower side. The lower surface of the bottom plate  24  is provided with an annular member  22 . The outer periphery of the annular member  22  is formed with a gear. The annular member  22  and the bottom plate  24  are connected to each other by a plurality of connection members  23 . The motor  52   a  disposed on the lower surface of the plate  7  is configured to rotate the gear  52   b  disposed on the upper surface of the plate  7 . The gear  52   b  meshes with the gear formed on the outer periphery of the annular member  22 , whereby the annular member  22  rotates as a slave of the gear  52   b . Thus, the drum  20  is rotated about the center line  81  as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the medicine supply apparatus  101  includes a control unit  53 . The control unit  53  is configured to control the operation of the drive unit  52  based on an instruction received by the input unit  51 . For convenience of explanation, only one drum  20  is illustrated in  FIG. 10 , but the number of drums  20  may be two or more. In the case where a plurality of drums  20  are present, the drive unit  52  may be provided for each drum  20  separately. In the case where a plurality of drive units are provided, the plurality of drive units may be controlled collectively by one control unit  53  or may be controlled separately by a plurality of control units. 
     When the four segments  30  included in one drum  20  are denoted by A, B, C and D, the drum  20  may assume four positions illustrated respectively in  FIGS. 11 to 14 . In the present embodiment, the description will be carried out on the left drum  20  of the two drums  20  housed in the housing  2 . A cleaning position  21  is provided close to the opening  3  of the housing  2 . Each of the four segments  30  may be located at the cleaning position  21  by rotating the drum  20 . The cleaning operation or the like may be performed through the opening  3  of the housing  2 . In order to perform the cleaning operation or the like on a particular segment  30 , it is required to locate the segment  30  at the cleaning position  21 . Even when the segment  30  is configured to be drawn out by rotating the drum about the axis A as described above, it is required to temporarily locate the segment  30  at the cleaning position  21 . 
     The input unit  51  may be provided with a display  51   a  having a touch panel. The input unit  51  may display buttons on the display  51   a . When the user presses a button displayed on the display  51   a , the input unit  51  receives an instruction from the user via the touch panel. The input unit is not limited to the exemplified touch panel system, it may be a device including an operation panel provided with physical buttons. For example, the input unit may a device that includes a screen and an input element such as a keyboard, a mouse or the like. The input unit may be a personal computer, a tablet terminal or the like. The input unit may be removable from the housing  2 . The input unit is not limited to receiving instructions from a human user, it may be configured to receive instructions from any device. The input unit may also be configured to receive external instructions via electrical signals, radio waves, light signals or the like. 
     In the present embodiment, the description will be carried out by assuming that the input unit  51  is provided with the display  51   a  having a touch panel. An example of the input unit  51  is illustrated in  FIG. 15 . In the present embodiment, since the medicine supply apparatus  101  includes two drums  20 , there are two buttons  65  and  66  illustrated in the drawing. The button  65  labeled with a letter “L” corresponds to the drum  20  on the left side, and the button  66  labeled with a letter “R” corresponds to the drum  20  on the right side. T user may press one of the buttons  65  and  66  so as to rotate the corresponding drum  20  at a predetermined angle in a predetermined direction. The “predetermined angle” may be an angle corresponding to, for example, one medicine accommodation unit  31 . The “predetermined angle” may be an angle corresponding to, for example, a number of m (m is an integer of 2 or more) medicine accommodation units  31 . Further, a button  67  is displayed at the lower part of  FIG. 15 . The button  67  is configured to switch the medicine supply apparatus to a cleaning mode. The cleaning mode may be referred to as the “maintenance mode”, for example. In the present embodiment, the cleaning mode is called as a “first mode”. When the user presses the button  67 , the medicine supply apparatus is switched to the first mode, and the input unit  51  is as that illustrated in  FIG. 16 . 
     In the present embodiment, the medicine supply apparatus  101  includes two drums  20  and each drum  20  is composed of four segments  30 , and thus, a total of eight buttons labeled as L 1  to L 4  and R 1  to R 4  are displayed on the display  51   a  in  FIG. 16 . L 1  to L 4  correspond to the four segments  30  included in the drum  20  on the left side, and R 1  to R 4  correspond to the four segments  30  included in the drum  20  on the right side. Hereinafter, the description will be carried out by taking the drum  20  on the left side as an example. The buttons  61  to  64  corresponding to L 1  to L 4  are provided on the display  51   a , and when either one of them is pushed by the user, the drive unit  52  is driven so as to locate the selected segment  30  at the cleaning position  21 . If the selected segment  30  is not at the cleaning position  21 , the drum  20  is rotated by a required angle. The user may press any one of the buttons  61  to  64  to rotate the drum  20  illustrated in any one of  FIGS. 11 to 14  so as to locate a desired segment  30  at the cleaning position. 
     Hereinafter, the basic configuration of the medicine supply apparatus according to the present embodiment will be summarized by using the medicine supply apparatus  101  as an example. The medicine supply apparatus  101  includes a housing  2 , first to nth segments  30  arranged in the housing  2  along the circumferential direction so as to surround the center line  81  extending in the vertical direction, a drive unit  52  configured to rotate an aggregate of the first to nth segments  30  about the center line  81 , an input unit  51  configured to receive an instruction, and a control unit  53  configured to control the drive unit  52 . The housing  2  is provided with a cleaning position  21  that allows at least one of the first to nth segments  30  to be cleaned, and each of the first to nth segments  30  includes a plurality of medicine accommodation units  31  configured to accommodate therein a medicine. The input unit  51  is configured to receive an instruction for selecting one of the first to nth segments  30 . The control unit  53  is configured to cause the drive unit  52  to locate the selected segment  30  at the cleaning position  21  on the basis of the instruction for selecting one of the first to nth segments  30 . 
     In the present embodiment, by inputting an instruction for selecting one of the first to nth segments  30  to be cleaned from the input unit  51 , the selected segment  30  will be automatically rotated to the cleaning position  21 , which makes it possible to minimize the waiting time for rotating the drum  20  for cleaning. There is no need for the user to worry about the current orientation of the drum  20 , it is only necessary to select and input a segment  30  to be cleaned. 
     Second Embodiment 
     A medicine supply apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The configuration of the medicine supply apparatus according to the present embodiment is more preferable than the basic configuration described in the first embodiment. The medicine supply apparatus according to the present embodiment further includes a preferable configuration to be described later in addition to the basic configuration described in the first embodiment. Similar to the first embodiment, the present embodiment will be described by using the medicine supply apparatus  101  as an example. 
     In the medicine supply apparatus  101 , n is an integer of 3 or more, when rotating the first segment  30  located at the cleaning position  21  so as to locate the nth segment  30  at the cleaning position  21  or rotating the nth segment  30  located at the cleaning position  21  so as to locate the first segment  30  at the cleaning position  21 , the second segment  30  is firstly rotated to pass the cleaning position, and the control unit  53 , when activated, causes the drive unit  52  to operate so as to locate the first segment or the nth segment  30  at the cleaning position  21 . In the exemple illustrated in FIGS.  11  to  14 , n=4. The segments  30  labeled with A, B, C and D correspond to the first to fourth segments  30  in order. 
     In the state illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the first segment  30  is located at the cleaning position  21 . By rotating the drum  20  in this state counterclockwise by about 90°, it is possible to shift the drum from the state of  FIG. 11  to the state of  FIG. 12 . In  FIG. 12 , the segment  30  labeled with B, i.e., the second segment  30  is located at the cleaning position  21 . 
     By further rotating the drum  20  illustrated in  FIG. 12  counterclockwise by about 90°, it is possible to shift the drum to the state of  FIG. 13 . In  FIG. 13 , the segment  30  labeled with C, i.e., the third segment  30  is located at the cleaning position  21 . 
     By further rotating the drum  20  illustrated in  FIG. 13  counterclockwise by about 90°, it is possible to shift the drum to the state of  FIG. 14 . In  FIG. 14 , the segment  30  labeled with D, i.e., the fourth segment  30  is located at the cleaning position  21 . Since in the present embodiment n=4, the segment  30  labeled with D corresponds to the nth segment. 
     It seems that the state of  FIG. 14  may be shifted to the state of  FIG. 11  by further rotating the drum counterclockwise by about 90°, but the drum  20  is not allowed to be rotated counterclockwise any more. In order to shift the state where the fourth segment  30  is located at the cleaning position  21  as illustrated in  FIG. 14  to the state where the first segment  30  is located at the cleaning position  21  as illustrated in  FIG. 11 , instead of rotating the drum  20  counterclockwise by about 90°, the drum  20  has to be rotated by about 270° clockwise. In other words, the state of  FIG. 14  has to be shifted to the state of  FIG. 11  through the intermediary of the state of  FIG. 13  and the state of  FIG. 12 . 
     Since the drum  20  is connected by, for example, various wires, if the drum  20  is rotated by a very large angle in one direction, the wires will be twisted, which causes excessive load to the wires or any components surrounding the wires. Therefore, in order to avoid such a situation, the angle by which the drum  20  may rotate is limited. The reason for limiting the rotatable angle may be another reason other than the twisting of wires. Here, the example has been described when n=4, it should be noted that n may be any integer of 3 or more. 
     In the medicine supply apparatus according to the present embodiment, the rotation angle of the drum  20  is limited as described above. In the medicine supply apparatus according to the present embodiment, the control unit  53 , when activated, causes the drive unit  52  to operate so as to locate the first segment or the nth segment  30  at the cleaning position  21 . 
     In the present embodiment, after the control unit  53  is activated, the first segment or the nth segment  30  is automatically located at the cleaning position  21 , which makes the subsequent cleaning operation to be performed smoothly. Since either the first segment or the nth segment  30  is located at the cleaning position  21 , by rotating the segments  30  one by one sequentially in a predetermined direction, it is possible to locate all the segments sequentially at the cleaning position  21 . Thereby, the cleaning operation may be performed on one segment  30  located at the cleaning position  21 . When the cleaning operation is completed, the drum  20  is rotated by a predetermined angle so as to locate the next segment  30  at the cleaning position  21  for cleaning. Thereby, by rotating the drum repeatedly, it is possible to clean all the segments  30 , and meanwhile, it is possible to minimize the waiting time for rotating the drum  20  for cleaning. 
     It is acceptable that the control unit  53 , when activated, causes the drive unit  52  to perform an initial operation, and the initial operation is ended when the first segment or the nth segment  30  is located at the cleaning position  21 . Thus, the initial operation is performed immediately after the activation, and after the initial operation, the first segment or the nth segment  30  is automatically located at the cleaning position  21 , allowing the user to perform the cleaning operation. Thus, if the user wishes to perform the cleaning operation immediately after the activation, he/she may start the cleaning operation smoothly. 
     As described with reference to  FIGS. 15 and 16  in the first embodiment, it is preferable that the input unit  51  is configured to receive an instruction for selecting a first mode, and when the instruction for selecting the first mode is received by the input unit  51 , the control unit  53  causes the drive unit  52  to operate so as to locate the first segment or the nth segment  30  at the cleaning position  21 . By adopting this configuration, the user may select the first mode at a desired timing not only immediately after the control unit  53  is activated but also when the medicine supply apparatus is in use. After the first mode is selected, the first segment or the nth segment  30  is located at the cleaning position  21  by the control unit  53 , allowing the user to start the cleaning operation smoothly. 
     Third Embodiment 
     A medicine supply apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The medicine supply apparatus according to the present embodiment further includes a preferable configuration in addition to the basic configuration described in the first embodiment. In the present embodiment, the description will be carried out by using the medicine supply apparatus  101  as an example. 
     In the medicine supply apparatus  101 , n is an integer of 3 or more, when rotating the first segment  30  located at the cleaning position  21  so as to locate the nth segment  30  at the cleaning position  21  or rotating the nth segment  30  located at the cleaning position  21  so as to locate the first segment  30  at the cleaning position  21 , the second segment  30  is firstly rotated to pass the cleaning position  21 , the input unit  51  is configured to receive an instruction for selecting a first mode, and when the instruction for selecting the first mode is received by the input unit  51 , the control unit  53  causes the drive unit  52  to operate so as to locate the first segment or the nth segment  30  at the cleaning position  21 . 
     It is not necessary for the present embodiment to perform those operations immediately after the activation as described in the second embodiment, in other words, it is not necessary for the medicine supply apparatus of the present embodiment to include the configuration described in the second embodiment. 
     In the present embodiment, the user may select the first mode at a desired timing, and after the first mode is selected, the first segment or the nth segment  30  is located at the cleaning position  21  by the control unit  53 , allowing the user to start the cleaning operation smoothly. Thus, it is possible to minimize the waiting time for rotating the drum  20  for cleaning. 
     It is preferable that in any of the first to third embodiments, the control unit  53  is configured to cause the drive unit  52  to operate so as to locate the segments  30  at the cleaning position  21  one by one sequentially. It is preferable that the medicine supply apparatus  101  is provided with the buttons  65  and  66  in the input unit  51 , and the user may press one of the buttons  65  and  66  to rotate the selected drum  20  by a predetermined angle. Although the description has been carried out by assuming that the medicine supply apparatus is provided with two drums  20 , the same applies to a medicine supply apparatus provided with only one drum  20  or a medicine supply apparatus provided with three or more drums. 
     Note that the embodiments described above may be combined appropriately where necessary. 
     It should be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein have been presented for the purpose of illustration and description but not limited in all aspects. It is intended that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the description above but defined by the scope of the claims and encompasses all modifications equivalent in meaning and scope to the claims. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       2 : housing;  3 : opening;  4 : front plate;  5 : top plate;  6   a ,  6   b : door;  7 : plate;  7   a : opening;  8 : side plate;  11 : pillar;  16   a ,  16   b : handle;  20 : drum;  21 : cleaning position;  22 : annular member;  23 : connection member;  24 : bottom plate;  25 : axial passage;  30 : segment;  31 : medicine accommodation unit;  32 : support member;  34 : upper portion;  35 : lower portion;  37 : radial passage;  38 : inclined surface;  39 : inner peripheral surface;  40 ,  43 : side face;  42 : shaft support;  51 : input unit;  51   a : display;  52 : drive unit;  52   a : motor;  52   b : gear;  53 : control unit;  61 ,  62 ,  63 ,  64 ,  65 ,  66 ,  67 : button;  81 : center line;  101 : medicine supply apparatus