Patent Publication Number: US-6212855-B1

Title: Drug bag strip winding and bundling machine

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a winding machine for winding a strip of series-connected drug bags formed by a drug packaging machine, and a bundling machine for bundling the thus wound strip. 
     In a conventional bundling machine of this type, a web of serially connected drug bags formed by a drug packaging machine is automatically cut into a plurality of strips each for a particular patient and distributed to the respective patients. 
     As shown in FIG. 11, this conventional bundling machine comprises a cutter  2  for cutting a web of series-connected drug bags formed by a drug packaging machine W into a plurality of strips S each consisting of three bags F containing drugs to be taken in the morning, afternoon, and evening of one day, U-shaped gutters  18  for stacking the strips for each patient, and a bundling unit  6  for putting a band B around the stack of strips S in each gutter. 
     As shown in FIG. 11, the gutters  18  are movable laterally one by one to the position opposite an opening  16  of the bundling unit  6 . With a gutter  18  opposite the opening  16 , the stack of strips S in the gutter is pushed out into the opening  16  of the bundling unit  6  where a band B is put on, and the thus bundled strips are dropped into a box  19 . 
     Since strips of drug bags are bundled for each patient, it is easy for hospital personnel to distribute each bundle of strips to the corresponding patient. Since each strip includes three bags containing drugs to be taken in the morning, afternoon and evening of each day, patients can take their drugs easily simply by opening the bags one at a time. 
     But since each bundle consists of a plurality of separate bags each for one day, a more or less senile patient might mistake drugs to be taken in the evening for drugs to be taken in the morning, or take only drugs to be taken in the morning. 
     Also, when the band is removed, strips tend to become scattered, so that handling is difficult even for sane patients. 
     An object of this invention is to provide a device which can wind a strip of serially connected drug bags in such a way that patients can take their drugs in the right order with high reliability, and a device for efficiently bundling the thus wound strip. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to this invention, there is provided a winding machine for winding a web of serially connected drug bags which is being fed along a feed path, the winding machine comprising a pair of engaging members rotatably provided along the feed path for winding the web therearound with one end of the web engaged between the engaging members. 
     With the drug bag winding machine according to this invention, when the rotary member is rotated with the leading end of the web of drug bags engaged between one pair of the engaging protrusions, the web abuts another pair of protrusions and the first pair of protrusions repeatedly and alternately. The web is thus wound around two pairs of protrusions. 
     According to this invention, there is also provided a winding/bundling machine comprising a winding device for winding a web of serially connected drug bags which is being fed in a predetermined direction, a cutter for cutting the thus wound web into strips of a predetermined length, a conveyor for feeding the thus wound and cut strips of drug bags, and a bundling unit for putting a band around each of the wound, cut and fed strips of drug bags. 
     With the drug bag strip bundling machine according to this invention, while wound by the winding machine, the web is cut into strips each for one patient or one prescription. Each strip is fed by the conveyor and a band is put around the strip. The drug bags of each strip never separate from each other because they are integrally connected together. 
     In the arrangement in which the protrusions are retractable into the rotary member, strips can be more easily fed to the bundling station by removing them from the rotary member. 
    
    
     Other features and objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a bundling machine embodying this invention; 
     FIGS. 2 to  6  are perspective views showing how the strip is wound by the winding device of this invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the wound strip and a conveyor arm; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a wound strip of drug bags being fed into a bundling device; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a wound strip being bundled; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a bundled strip of drug bags; and 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a conventional bundling machine. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A winding device and a bundling device embodying this invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     The bundling device  1  shown in FIG. 1 comprises a cutter  2  for cutting a web S of drug bags being fed in an inclined state into a plurality of strips, a feeder  3  for feeding the web fed from the cutter in an inclined state, a winder unit  4  for winding the web fed by the feeder  3 , an arm  5  for gripping the strip wound by the winder unit  4  from both sides and feeding it in this state, and a bundling unit  6  for bundling the wound strip by putting bands B therearound. The device  1  is supported on a table  7 . 
     Every time a portion of the web S for one patient has passed, the cutter  2  rotates to cut a strip for one patient. 
     The feeder  3  comprises a rail support  8  which receives the web from the cutter  2  in an inclined state, and a belt conveyor  9  for feeding the strip on the rail support  8 . 
     The winder unit  4  comprises a disk-shaped rotary member  10  provided along the feed path of the web S and having its top surface flush with the top of the table  7 . The rotary member  10  carries near its circumference a pair of vertical protrusions  11  and another pair of vertical protrusions  12  diametrically opposite and downstream of the protrusions  11  along the feed path. 
     FIGS. 2 to  5  show the operation of the winder unit  4 . As shown, when the leading end of the web S inserted between a pair of guide protrusions  13  on the table  7  passes between the protrusions  11  on the rotary member  10  and protrudes therefrom a predetermined amount, the rotary member  10  is rotated by a drive means (not shown) provided inside the table  7  to catch the leading end of the web S on one of the protrusions  11 . When the rotary member  10  further rotates from this state, the web S will get into contact with the other protrusions  12  and be wound around the protrusions  11  and  12 . 
     When the web S is wound by a predetermined length, it is cut by the cutter  2 . A portion or strip of the web S is thus wound as shown in FIG. 6 to form an elongated coil. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the arm  5  includes a pair of fingers  15  moved toward and away from each other by a driving means in a driving box  14 . With the arm  5  moved to a position over the rotary member  10  by an arm driving unit (not shown), the wound strip S is gripped by the fingers  15  from both sides as shown in FIG.  7 . At this time, the protrusions  11  and  12  are retracted into the rotary member  10  so that wound strip S can be easily transported by the arm  5 . 
     The bundling unit  6  has an opening  16  (FIG. 8) through which the wound strip S can pass. With the strip S inserted in the opening  16 , bands B are put therearound as shown in FIG.  9 . 
     As shown in FIG. 10, the bundling unit  6  puts two bands around the single strip S at two separate positions thereof. 
     The strip S thus wound by the winder unit  4  and bundled by the bundling unit  6  includes a plurality of drug bags arranged in the order in which the respective drugs therein are to be taken by a particular patient. Thus, by opening the bags F one at a time from the leading end of the strip, a patient cannot mistake the order in which the drugs are to be taken. Since the drug bags for each patient are connected together in the form of a single integral strip, they will never get scattered even when the bands B are removed. Handling is thus easy. 
     In the embodiment, the web S is fed in a laterally inclined state with the rotary member  10  rotated about a vertical axis. But instead, the web may be fed while being laid flat on the table with the rotary member  10  arranged to be rotatable about a horizontal axis. 
     Although in the preferred embodiment two pairs of protrusions are used as engaging members for catching and engaging one end of the web of drug bags, they may be replaced with any other type of engaging members, e.g. a pair of flat plates between which a leading end of the web of drug bags is inserted. But such engaging members have to be rotatably mounted to wind a web of drug bags around themselves. 
     Also, although in the embodiment a rotary table is used to carry two pairs of protrusions, it may be omitted if desired and circumstances permit. 
     The device of this invention enables patients to reliably take drugs in the right order. Since the drug bags for each patient are connected together as a single integral strip, they never become scattered when the bands are removed. Handling is thus easy.