Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US8041102?dq=5787449
Timestamp: 2014-08-22 06:20:57
Document Index: 626421000

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 100', 'art 200', 'art 300', 'art 400', 'art 500', 'art 600', 'art 700', 'art 100', 'art 200', 'art 100', 'art 300', 'art 400', 'art 500', 'art 100', 'art 600', 'art 500', 'art 700', 'art 100', 'art 100', 'art 100', 'art 200', 'art 200', 'art 300', 'art 300', 'art 600', 'art 700', 'art\n6', 'art 400', 'art 400', 'art 400']

Patent US8041102 - Tablet storage and take-out apparatus - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsA tablet storing/retrieving device which stores a plurality of kinds of medicines, and delivers as many tablets of such descriptions as designated by prescription data into a vial (3) and retrieves it. An imaging device (400) is provided for photographing the interior of the vial before a cap is applied...http://www.google.com/patents/US8041102?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US8041102 - Tablet storage and take-out apparatusAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS8041102 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/587,353Publication dateOct 18, 2011Filing dateJan 17, 2005Priority dateJan 30, 2004Also published asUS20070169838, WO2005072677A1Publication number10587353, 587353, US 8041102 B2, US 8041102B2, US-B2-8041102, US8041102 B2, US8041102B2InventorsShoji Yuyama, Yoshinori KumanoOriginal AssigneeYuyama Mfg. Co., Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (38), Referenced by (2), Classifications (30), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetTablet storage and take-out apparatusUS 8041102 B2Abstract A tablet storing/retrieving device which stores a plurality of kinds of medicines, and delivers as many tablets of such descriptions as designated by prescription data into a vial (3) and retrieves it. An imaging device (400) is provided for photographing the interior of the vial before a cap is applied to the vial (3) after tablets are dispensed into the vial (3). Accordingly, a quick and easy auditing process is possible without removing the cap of a retrieved vial.
8. The tablet storage and take-out apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a supporting member for supporting the photographing unit on the body of the tablet storage and take-out apparatus, the supporting unit being movable horizontally in front and rear directions and left and right directions, wherein the supporting unit is also movable vertically. Description
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the problem described above, the present invention has been made, and it is an object of the invention to provide a tablet storage and take-out apparatus capable of quickly and easily performing the auditing work without opening the cap of the removed vial.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a tablet storage and take-out apparatus 1 according to the invention. FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the interior of the tablet storage and take-out apparatus 1. FIG. 3 is a cross section taken on line of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on line IV-IV of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a cross section taken on line V-V of FIG. 2.
Inside the tablet storage and take-out apparatus 1, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5, there are provided: a vial supply part 100, a labeling part 200, a tablet supply part 300, a photographing part 400, a cap supply part 500, a capping part 600, and a storage part 700. The vial supply part 100 is provided on the right side of the main body 10 as viewed from the front, as shown in FIG. 2, and stores a large number of vials 3 by size and supplies, one-by-one, vials 3 of a size suitable for receiving a prescribed number of tablets in accordance with prescription data. The labeling part 200 is provided at the lower center of the main body 10 as viewed from the front, and puts a label with printed prescription information on a vial 3 supplied from the vial supply part 100. The tablet supply part 300 is provided on the left side of the main body 10, and stores a large number of tablets (non-pyrazolone) by type and supplies tablets in accordance with prescription data. The photographing part 400 is provided, as shown in FIG. 4, on the center back side of the main body 10, and photographs a vial 3 from above for audit of tablets filled into the vial 3. The cap supply part 500 is provided, as shown in FIG. 3, on the right side of the main body 10 and behind the vial supply part 100, and stores caps 2 for plugging the vials 3, and supplies the caps one-by-one. The capping part 600 is provided on the center back side of the main body 10, and plugs a vial 3, which is filled with tablets, with a cap 2 supplied from the cap supply part 500. The storage part 700, as shown in FIG. 5, stores vials 3 filled with tablets and plugged with a cap 2 so that they can be taken out by an operator through take-out ports 30 a, 30 b, and 30 c. The tablet storage and take-out apparatus 1 is further provided, as shown in FIG. 2, with a first transfer robot 150, a second transfer robot 250, a third transfer robot 350, and a fourth transfer robot 450. The first transfer robot 150 is provided below the vial supply part 100, and can hold a vial 3 supplied from the vial supply part 100, transfer it leftward from the vial supply part 100 to the labeling part 200 in the horizontal direction of the main body, and transfer it upward from the labeling part 200 to the second transfer robot 250 or the third transfer robot 350. The second transfer robot 250 is provided inside the tablet supply part 300, and can hold a vial 3 delivered from the first transfer robot 150, transfer it to supply ports of the tablet supply part 300, and transfer it from the supply ports to the third transfer robot 350. The third transfer robot 350 is provided above the first transfer robot 150 in the main body 10, and can deliver, between the capping part 600 and the fourth transfer robot 450, a vial 3 delivered from the first transfer robot 150 or the second transfer robot 250. The fourth transfer robot 450 is provided above the third transfer robot 350, and can transfer a vial 3 delivered from the third transfer robot 350 upward to the storage part 700.
To the upper end of the movable half drum 301 b, a half top panel 302 b is provided which has a substantially fan-like shape as shown in FIG. 9, and to the lower end thereof, a half ring 308 b is fixed as shown in FIG. 10. Spindles 314 provided at the top and bottom ends of one circumferential end portion of the movable half drum 301 b are, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, rotatably fitted to ends of links 316 whose other ends are rotatably fitted with spindles 315 in between to the upper ring 304 and the lower ring 309, respectively. This permits the movable half drum 301 b to be rotatable between a working position, where the movable half drum 301 b faces the fixed half drum 301 a so as to be formed together into a cylinder, and an open position as shown in FIG. 9, where the movable half drum 301 b separates from the fixed half drum 301 a thereby opening the inside of the drum 301. The other circumferential end of the movable half drum 301 b is disengageably coupled to a circumferential end portion of the fixed half drum 301 a. The link 316 moves when the fixed half drum 301 a is opened from the working position to the open position, thus permitting this opening operation at a wide angle while preventing the tablet feeders 340 of the movable half drum 301 b from interfering with the tablet feeders 340 of the fixed half drum 301 a. 2.2 Drum Driving Part
6. Third Transfer Robot 350 The third transfer robot 350 has, as shown in FIGS. 34 and 35, a rotation shaft 353 that is rotatably and vertically supported by a base 352 of a fitting base 351 fitted to the main body 10. To the ends of the arm base 354, guide bars 355 are fitted in pairs at the upper and the lower positions, respectively, with a ball screw 356 stretched in between. One pair of arms 357 have base ends thereof slidably joined to the guide bars 355 and also screwed with the ball screw 356. One end of the ball screw 356 is coupled with a gear 359 in between to an arm driving motor 358 fitted to the arm base 354. This permits the distance between the arms 357 to become wider or narrower when the arm driving motor 358 is driven, thereby permitting holding and releasing of the vial 3. To the ends of the arms 357, pads 360 are fitted which press against the vial 3. The lower end of the rotation shaft 353 is coupled with a gear 362 in between to a rotation driving motor 361 fitted to the fitting base 351. This permits the arm base 354 to be rotatable about the rotation shaft 353.
7. Photographing Part 400 The photographing part 400 is, as shown in FIG. 5, built by fitting a digital camera 402 to the end of a support member 401 fitted to the main body 10 such that the lens of the digital camera 402 faces downward. The digital camera 402 is so configured as to be capable of photographing the interior of the vial 3 already filled with tablets and delivered by the third transfer robot 350 from above the vial 3. The support member 401 is movable horizontally in the anteroposterior direction and the left-right direction and also is liftable vertically with respect to the main body 10, by a driving motor (not shown), which is driven and controlled by the device controller 802.
In the standby state, the operation display panel 20 opens the Main Menu screen 0.0 shown in FIG. 43. If the �AUTOMATIC� button, the �CURRENT DRUG TABLET� button, the �CASSETTE CONTROL� button, the �DISCONNECT COMMUNICATION� button, and the �TIMER SETTING/PROGRAM VERSION� button are respectively pressed and OK is pressed, the Automatic Dispensing screen 1.0 of FIG. 44, the Drug Table List screen 2.0 of FIG. 67, the Tablet Cassette Control screen 3.0 of FIG. 69, the Host Disconnection screen 4.0 of FIG. 70, and the Update Time Setting screen 5.0 of FIG. 71 open, respectively.
On the Automatic dispensing screen shown 1.0 of FIG. 44, clicking the �COMPLETED� tab, the �FILL CASSETTE� tab, the �TRANSACTION� tab, the �HISTORY� tab, the �TO BE FILLED� tab, the �PHOTO� tab, and the �MANUAL� tab open the In-process prescription list screen 1.1 of FIG. 45, the Drug filling cassette designation screen 1.2 of FIG. 48, the Processed prescription list screen 1.3 of FIG. 58, the Filling history drug selection screen 1.4 of FIG. 59, the Dispensing machine not-yet transmitted prescription list screen 1.5 of FIG. 61, the Dispensed vial photo list screen 1.6 of FIG. 62, and the Manual dispensing cassette designation screen 1.7 of FIG. 64, respectively.
On the Drug filling cassette specification screen 1.2 of FIG. 48, the tablet cassette for filling drug is specified. When the tablet cassette number is inputted and OK is pressed, the New drug registration screen 1.2.1 a of FIG. 49 opens if the tablet has not yet been registered for the tablet cassette concerned, or the NDC code check screen 1.2.1 b of FIG. 52 opens if the tablets have been already registered. Pressing the �LIST� opens the Cassette list screen 1.2.2 of FIG. 55. Pressing the �STOCKS� button opens the Cassette-by-cassette tablet inventory list screen 1.2.3 of FIG. 56.
On the New drug registration screen 1.2.1 a of FIG. 49, the tablets to be registered for the specified tablet cassette and master-slave cassette information are set. Tablets that are frequently dispensed in a large amount are filled using not one tablet cassette but a plurality of tablet cassettes. Here, it is defined that a tablet cassette serving as a main cassette is a master cassette while a tablet cassette serving as a subordinate cassette is a slave cassette. Pressing the �ENTER� button registers the tablets for the specified tablet cassette and opens the NDC code check screen 1.2.1 b of FIG. 52. Pressing the �DATA BASE� button opens the Drug list display screen 1.2.1 a.1 of FIG. 50 whereby a list of the contents of NDC masters is displayed. Selecting the drug to be deleted and pressing the �DELETE� button on this Drug list display screen 1.2.1 a.1 opens the NDC master drug delete screen 1.2.1 a.1.1 of FIG. 51, confirming if the drug selected on the list may be deleted from the NDC masters. Thus, the selected drug is deleted if it is accepted.
On the NDC code check screen 1.2.1 b of FIG. 52, it can be checked, by reading the inputted tablet cassettes information and the bar code information printed on the drug to be filled, if the drug to be filled is appropriate. Manually inputting the NDC code and pressing the �ENTER� button can achieve the same operation as is achieved when the bar code is used. If the check result is OK, pressing OK opens the Tablet filling screen 1.2.1 b.1 of FIG. 53. On this screen, inputting the tablet filling information and then pressing OK opens the Filling confirmation screen 1.2.1 b.1.1 of FIG. 54, where it is checked if the inputted filling information is correct. If the check result is OK, the �RESTART� button is to be pressed.
On the Cassette list screen 1.2.2 of FIG. 55, a list is displayed indicating tablet cassettes and corresponding drugs registered for these tablet cassettes. Selecting the tablet cassette and then pressing OK permits transfer of this information to the new Drug registration screen 1.2.1 a. On the Cassette-by-cassette tablet inventory list screen 1.2.3 of FIG. 56, a list is displayed indicating inventories of tablets registered for their corresponding tablet cassettes. To change the inventory, selecting the corresponding tablet cassette and pressing the �UPDATE� button opens the Tablet inventory change screen 1.2.3.1 of FIG. 57, permitting the new number of tablets to be set.
On the processed prescription list screen 1.3 of FIG. 58, a list of processed prescriptions is displayed. Selecting a prescription suffering from a filling failure or contamination and pressing �REFILL VIAL� permits providing a designation for dispensing the selected prescription again.
On the Filling history drug selection screen 1.4 of FIG. 59, a list of tablets filled into the tablet cassettes is displayed. Selecting the tablets and pressing the �SELECT� button opens the Filling history display screen 1.4.1 of FIG. 60, displaying a list of filling history of the selected tablets. Pressing the �SAVE� button causes the filling history data to be written into the floppy disk, and pressing the �PRINT� button causes the filling history to be printed out.
On the Dispensing machine not-yet-transmitted prescription list screen 1.5 of FIG. 61, a list is displayed indicating data of prescriptions which were received from the host computer or manually inputted but have not yet been transmitted to the device controller. On this screen, selecting the prescription and then pressing the �DELETE� button permits deletion of this prescription.
On the Dispensed vial photo list screen 1.6 of FIG. 62, a list is displayed indicating prescriptions whose tablets in the vial have been photographed by the photographing part 400. Selecting the prescription and pressing the �SHOW� button opens the Photo display screen 1.6.1 of FIG. 63, displaying the photo of the interior of the vial corresponding to the selected prescription. By reading the bar code on the label of a vial taken out through the take-out port, the photo of the interior of this vial can be displayed on the Photo display screen 1.6.1 of FIG. 63. Viewing these photos permits auditing of whether the tablets have been filled in accordance with the prescription and also whether any contamination is present therein.
On the Manually dispensing cassette designation screen 1.7 of FIG. 64, if no prescription data is received from the host computer, prescription data can be manually inputted to dispense tablets. Inputting the cassette number and pressing OK on this Manual dispensing cassette designation screen 1.7 opens the Manual dispensed tablet quantity specification screen 1.7.1 of FIG. 65, permitting specification of the quantity of tablets to be dispensed, the type of vial, and the presence or absence of a cap and then permitting transmission of this data. If the cassette number is unknown, pressing the �LIST� button on the Manual dispensing cassette designation screen 1.7 of FIG. 64 opens the cassette list screen 1.7.2 of FIG. 66, displaying a list of tablet cassettes and their corresponding registered drugs. Selecting the tablet cassette and pressing OK on this screen causes delivery of this information to the Manual dispensing cassette designation screen 1.7.
On the Drug table list screen 2.0 of FIG. 67, a list of drug masters currently registered can be displayed. Selecting the drug and pressing the �DELETE� button opens the Delete drug confirmation screen 2.1 of FIG. 68, where it is confirmed if the selected tablets may be deleted from the drug masters, and the selected tablets are deleted if it is accepted.
On the Tablet cassette control screen 3.0 of FIG. 69, a tablet cassette can be moved to the regular position for tablet filling or for maintenance of the motor base. Inputting the cassette number and pressing the �CENTER� button and then the �SEARCH� button permits rotation of the drum to thereby automatically move the specified tablet cassette from the current position to the regular position located on the front of the main body. Pressing the button �<<� or �>>� permits the drum to be moved to the left or to the right by one pitch.
On the Date update time setting screen 5.0 of FIG. 71, the time for executing date updating on backup data can be inputted and OK can be pressed to make this setting. Pressing the �PROGRAM VESION� button opens the Program version information display screen 5.1 of FIG. 72, permitting display of the program version.
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