Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TABLET PACKING APPARATUS
The present application is a division of Canadian
patent application 2,343~610 filed on April 10, 2001.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a tablet
packing apparatus and more particularly to a tablet packing
apparatus which is suited to feed tablets to a tablet
vessel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, there has been known a tablet
packing apparatus which is provided with a tablet feed
section cbmprising a plurality of feeder vessels containing
the tablets and a plurality of mounting bases on which
respective feeder vessels are mounted. The tablet packing
'apparatus is also provided with a tablet reserving member
disposed below the mounting base, whereby when the tablets
are discharged into the tablet reserving member, the
shutter is opened to feed the tablets in the tablet
reserving member into a tablet vessel.
However, in the conventional tablet packing
apparatus, there has been a disadvantage that next tablets
may be discharged into the tablet reserving member before
the tablets in the tablet reserving member are fed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It.is an object of the present invention to
provide a tablet packing apparatus in which there is a
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reduced risk that next tablets are mixed into tablets
previously discharged.
In order to solve the above-described problems,
the present invention provides a tablet packing apparatus,
the apparatus comprising: a plurality of feeder vessels
containing the tablets; a plurality of mounting bases on
which respective feeder vessels are mounted; a. tablet
reserving member disposed below the mounting base, the
tablet reserving member reserving the tablets fed from the
feeder vessels; and a shutter which is movable to open and
close the lower opening of the tablet reserving member,
whereby when setting the tablet vessel beneath the tablet
reserving member and moving the shutter to open the lower
opening of the tablet reserving member, the tablets
contained in the tablet reserving member are fed into the
tablet vessel, the apparatus further comprising: a LED
which is turned on when the tablets are fed to the tablet
reserving member: and a sensor for detecting opening or
closing operation of the shutter: whereby when the sensor
detects the opening operation of the shutter, the LED is
turned off.
The present invention also provides a tablet
packing apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of
feeder vessels containing the tablets; a plurality of
mounting bases on which respective feeder vessels are
mounted; a tablet reserving member disposed below the
mounting base, the tablet reserving member reserving the
tablets fed from the feeder vessels; and a shutter which is
movable to open and close the lower opening of the tablet
reserving member, whereby when setting the tablet vessel
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beneath the tablet reserving member and moving the shutter
to open the lower opening of the tablet reserving member,
the tablets contained in the tablet reserving member are
fed into the tablet vessel, wherein after the tablets are
discharged in the tablet reserving member, the tablets
cannot be fed from the mounting base unless the opened
condition and subsequent closed condition of the shutter is
detected by the sensor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other objects and features of the present.
invention will become clear from the following detail
description with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective overall view illustrating
a tablet packing apparatus in accordance with the
inventions
Fig. 2A is a perspective view illustrating a
container chamber in storage shelves in Fig. l;
Fig. 2B is a fragmentary perspective view in
Fig. 2A;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an arm
member in Fig. 1~ -
Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a tablet
container section in Fig. l;
Fig. 5A is an exploded perspective view
illustrating a motor base and a feeder vessel in Fig. 4~
Fig. 5B is a bottom view illustrating the feeder
vessel in Fig. 5A;
Fig. 6A is a sectional view illustrating the
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motor base and the feeder vessel in Fig. 4;
Fig. 6B is a fragmentary view illustrating a
dividing fin in Fig. 6A;
Fig. 7A is a front view illustrating a rotor
provided in a feeder vessel in Fig. 4;
Fig. 7B is a bottom view illustrating the rotor
in Fig. 7A;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a stock
container in Fig. 1;
Fig. 9 is a sectioval view of Fig. 8;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a
vessel taking out portion in Fig. 8;
Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view
illustrating the vicinity of a tablet packing section in
Fig. 1;
Fig. 12 is a plane view illustrating a vessel
support portion and a label fitting apparatus in Fig. 11;
Fig. 13 is a partly enlarged perspective view of
Fig. 12;
Fig. 14 is a front view illustrating a vessel
support portion and a filling hopper in Fig. 11;
Figs. 15A and 15B are front views illustrating
the operation of a tablet weighing section in fig. 11;
Figs. 16A, 16B and 16C are front views
illustrating the operation of the tablet weighing section
in Fig. 11;
Fig. 17 is a block diagram on the tablet packing
apparatus in accordance with the invention;
Fig. 18 is a main flaw chart illustrating the
tablet packing control;
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Fig. 19 is a flow chart illustrating an empty
vessel feeding process in Fig. 18;
Fig. 20 is a flow chart illustrating a tablet
feeding process in Fig. 18;
5 Fig. 21 is a flow chart continued from Fig. 20;
Fig. 22 is a flow chart illustrating a vessel
delivering process in Fig. 18;
Fig. 23 is a flow chart illustrating a recovery
process;
Fig. 24 is a flow chart illustrating the tablet
recovering process in Fig, 23;
Figs. 25A and 25B are views illustrating main
menu displayed on a touch panel;
Figs. 26A and 26B are front views illustrating
contents displayed on the touch panel in the case of power-
off;
Fig. 27 is a perspective view illustrating a
tablet feed section provided with a particular dispensing
apparatus; and
Fig. 28 is a plane view illustrating a tablet
feed section provided with a particular dispensing
apparatus according to another embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Fig. 1 shows a tablet packing apparatus in
accordance with the invention. The apparatus generally
comprises storage shelves 1 provided on one side of the
apparatus, a tablet feeding section 2 provided in the upper
part of the apparatus, tablet vessel feeding sections 3
provided under the tablet feeding section 2, a tablet
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packing section 4 provided between the storage shelves 1
and the tablet vessel feeding sections 3, and a controlling
section 5 (see Fig. 17).
The storage shelves 1 have a generally
semi-cylindrical shape and include a plurality of container
chambers 6. As shown in Fig. 2A, each container chamber 6
has a rectangular frame body in which at least the surfaces
opposed in the direction shown by an arrow in Fig. 2A have
openings. The openings are closed with doors 6a biased,
far example by means of springs, etc. The doors 6a can be
opened toward the front surface side, preventing one's hand
from being inserted into a packed vessel conveyor l3 that
will be explained hereinafter. The doors 6a can be pivoted
within a range that does not interfere with a tablet vessel
11 held by a vessel holder-8 that will be explained
hereinafter. A display 7 is pravided on the upper part of
the front side of the container chamber 6. In the present
embodiment, a feeder vessel number and tablet count number
are displayed on the display 7. The container chamber 6 is
also provided with a vessel holder 8. In the vessel holder
8, a pair of holding plates 9 are opposed to each other in
a horizontal direction. The holding plates 9 are biased by
a spring 9a in the direction in which the holding plates 9
come close to each other. At the lower ends of the holding
plates 9 are holding lugs 10 which extend in the direction
in which the holding plates 9 are opposed (i.e. in the
direction of the spring 9a).
As shown in Fig. 2B, on opposed edges of the
holding lugs 10 are recesses 10a which have a generally
elliptic shape so as to hold a tablet vessel 11. Cutouts
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10b, which spread towards the recesses 10a, are formed at
the back side corners of the holding lugs 10. The cutouts
10b are provided to facilitate the insertion of the tablet
vessel 11 into the recesses 10a. A vessel sensor 8a is
capable of detecting whether or not the tablet vessel 11 is
held by the vessel holder 8 in the container chamber 6.
As shown in Fig. 1, a touch panel 12 is located
in the center part of the outer circumference of the
storage shelves 1. The touch panel 12 is provided to allow
instruction data on the prescription to be directly input.
Inside the storage shelves 1 is a conveyor 13 for
packed vessels. In the conveyor 13, as shown-in Fig. 3, an
arm member 15 is pivotally mounted to a rectangular frame
14 which is capable of traveling vertically.
A bearing recess 16 is provided at each of the
upper and lower ends of both outside surfaces of the
rectangular frame 14. The bearing recesses 16 are in
sliding contact with guide shafts 17 standing at a given
interval behind the storage shelves 1. The conveyor 13 can
be moved vertically via a belt (not shown) being driven by
a motor (not shown). A first driving gear 18 is fixed to
the center of the lower horizontal plate 14a of the
rectangular frame 14. Instead of the bearing recess 16, a -
roller or a bearing that comes into sliding contact with
the guide shaft 17 can be used.
The arm member 15 comprises an arm body 19
mounted rotatably on the center shaft of the first driving
gear 18. A first driving motor 20 is provided on one end
portion of the arm body 19. Position detection plates 21
and a second driving gear (not shown) are fixed to the
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rotating shaft of the first driving motor 20 which
protrudes from the bottom surface of the arm body 19. The
position detection plates 21 and a second driving gear are
engaged with the first driving gear 18. A rotational
position of the second driving gear can be determined by
the detection of the position detection plates 21 by a
sensor (not shown). With this arrangement, the arm member
is rotated in forward or reverse direction in the range
of 180° by the first driving motor 20. On the top surface
10 of the arm body 19, a sliding member 22 driven by a built-
in, second driving motor (not shown) reciprocates in the
longitudinal direction. On one end of the sliding member
22 (on the side opposite to the first driving motor 20) is
a gripping member 23. The gripping member 23 comprises a
15 pair of gripping pieces 25 which are driven to open and
close through a gear (not shown) by a third driving motor
24 provided on the sliding member 22.
The third driving motor 24 is driven and stopped
based on an electric current value that fluctuates due to a
difference of load applied on the gripping pieces 25. When
the load of the third driving motor 24 increases at the
time of gripping and releasing the tablet vessel 11 and the
electric current value exceeds a threshold value (obtained
by adding a margin electric current to an electric current
value at the normal operation), the third driving motor 24
stops. The increase of the load at the time of releasing
the tablet vessel 11 is caused by allowing the gripping
pieces 25 to come into contact with a stopper (not shown)
at a predetermined open position. The gripping pieces 25
are urged toward the open position by a spring (not shown)
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or the like in order to absorb backlash of the gear.
The tablet feeding section 2 comprises a tablet
container section 26 and a tablet conveyor section 27.
In the tablet container section 26, as partly
shown in Fig. 4, grooves 29 extending vertically are
provided on both sides of a vertical wall 28. Each groove
29 is covered with a shelf member 30 provided pivotably
about a pivot 30a so that common guide paths 31 are formed.
A plurality of openings 30b for discharging tablets are
provided in a vertical line on each shelf member 30. A
plurality of motor bases 32 corresponding to the openings
30b for discharging tablets are mounted to the outer
surface of each shelf member 30.
As shown in Figs. 5A and 6A, each motor base 32
has a built-in driving motor 32a. A driving gear 33, to
which the power from the driving motor 32a, is transferred
is exposed on the top surface of the motor base 32. A fall
guide path 34 is formed on one side of the motor base 32.
A tablet detecting sensor 35 is provided on the inner wall
of the fall guide path 34 so that the tablets discharged
through the fall guide path 34 can be detected (counted).
A feeder vessel 36 is detachably mounted to the
motor base 32. The feeder vessel 36 is generally in the
shape of a rectangle which opens upward and which can be
covered with a cover 37. Tablets are stored in the feeder
vessel 36. At the bottom of the feeder vessel 36 is a
rotor 39 having a gear 38 at the lower end thereof.
As shown in Figs. 7A and 7B, the rotor 39 has
conical surfaces on its upper and lower parts. The
attachment of the feeder vessel 36 to the motor base 32
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engages the gear 38 with the gear 33 on the motor base 32.
On the lower conical surface of the rotor 39 are tablet
guiding grooves 40 extending spirally toward the center of
the surface. Dividing grooves 41 dividing each tablet
5 guiding groove 40 into two parts in the middle thereof are
also formed on the lower conical surface of the rotor 39,
The spiral direction of the tablet guiding grooves 40
toward the center of rotation of the rotor 39 is opposite
to the direction of rotation of the rotor 39 (opposite to
10 the direction shown in the arrow in Fig. 7B). A dividing
fin 42 is provided in the dividing grooves 41. With the
rotation of the rotor 39 as shown in Fig. 6B, the dividing
fin 42 divides the line of tablets that pass through the
tablet guiding grooves 40.
As shown in Fig. 5B, a gear stopper 43 is capable
of engaging with the gear 38 in the feeder vessel 36 when
the feeder vessel 36 is detached front the motor base 32
and disengaged to the gear 38 when the feeder vessel 36 is
mounted. The gear stopper 43 is biased against the gear 38
by a stopper spring 44. Even though the feeder vessel 36
is detached from the motor base 32, the above arrangement
allows the gear stopper 43 to engage with the gear 38 and
prevents the rotor 39 from rotating, so that tablets cannot
fall out of the feeder vessel 36.
In the tablet feeding section 2, when the driving
motor 32a in the motor base 32 is driven with the feeder
vessel 36 attached to the motor_ base 32, the rotor 39 is
rotated through the medium of the gear 33 and of the
driving gear 38; thus tablets move in a line toward the
center of rotation forming a line for each tablet guiding
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groove 40. As mentioned above, the tablet guiding grooves
40 are formed so as to extend~spirally toward the center of
rotation of the rotor 39 in the direction opposite to the
direction of rotation of the rotor 39. Tablets are
therefore forced to move toward the center of rotat~_on
regardless of the centrifugal forces exerted on the tablets
by the rotation of the rotor 39. The line of tablets is
divided by the dividing fin 42 before each tablet guiding
groove 40 communicates with the fall guide path 34, and
then fall one by one into the common guide path 31 through
the fall guide path 34.
As shown in Fig. 4, a shutter 43 for temporarily
retaining the tablets which have fallen from the fall guide
path 34 is provided at the lower ends of the common guide
paths 31. The shutter 43 comprises a single plate which
can slide horizontally across the common guide paths 31.
At both end portions of the shutter 43, openings 43a, 43b
are formed. When the shutter 43 slides toward the left
side, the right common guide path 31 is opened by the right
opening 43a. When the shutter 43 slides toward the right
side, the left common guide path 31 is opened by the left
opening 43b. When the shutter 43 stops at the middle point
of the slide stroke, both of the common guide paths 31 are
closed.
Beneath the shutter 43, a hopper 44 is slidably
and detachably disposed. Along with the slide operation of
the shutter 43, the hopper 44 can slide to a position where
the hopper 44 can receive the tablets. Thus, the tablets
received through the common guide paths 31 can be fed to
respective conveyor vessels 46 in the tablet conveyor
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section 27 disposed beneath the hopper 44.
The tablet conveyor section 27, as shown in
Fig. 11, comprises two lines of conveyor belts 48 and
conveyor vess 46. The conveyor belts 48 are looped between
a pair of pulleys 47. The conveyor vessels 46 are
supported on the conveyor belts 48 by a support frame 46a
so as to be reciprocated. Rectangular apertures 46c are
provided in a line on a bottom plate 46b of the support
frame 46a (see Figs. 11 and 15). The conveyor belt 48 has
continual guide projections 48a that engage with the
rectangular apertures 46c to allow the conveyor vessel 46
to be moved. The bottom of the conveyor vessel 46
comprises a shutter 49 that can be opened and closed. The
shutter 49 is biased, as shown in Fig. 15, by a spring 50
provided at one end of the shutter 49 so as to shut the
bottom of the conveyor vessel 46. A protrusion 49a is
formed at one end on the downside surface of the shutter
49.
As shown in Figs. 8 and 9,~each tablet vessel
feeding section 3 comprises a stock container 51 for
storing empty tablet vessels 11, a vessel takeout section
52 for taking out tablet vessels 11 one by one from the
stock container 51, and an empty vessel conveyor 53 for
conveying the tablet vessel 11 taken out from the stock
container 51 by the vessel takeout section 52. The tablet
vessel feeding sections 3 are disposed in a line as shown
in Fig. 1. The sizes (outside diameters or lengths) of
empty tablet vessels 11 stored in the stock containers 51
are different for each stock container 51.
The bottom wall 54 of the stock container 51 is
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inclined downwardly toward the vessel takeout section 52
and is provided with a rotation plate 55 in the vicinity of
the vessel takeout section 52. The rotation plate 55
slightly protrudes from the bottom wall 54. The rotation
plate 55 is, periodically rotated both forward and backward
by a motor 56 so that the inclined direction of the tablet
vessels 11 can be changed with respect to the vessel
takeout section 52. On the upper surface of the rotation
plate 55, a semi-spherical shape protrusion 55a is formed.
The .protrusion 55a allows the tablet vessel 11 to change
its lateral position and assists in taking out the tablet
vessel 11 by the vessel takeout section 52. Transmission
types photo sensors 54a are provided above the inc lined
bottom wall 54. Indication lamps (not shown) provided on
the stock container 51 indicate the remaining quantity of
the tablet vessels 11 based on the detected signal of the
photo sensors 54a. Namely, "F'° lamp is ON when light
between the photo sensors 54a is intercepted, while "L"
lamp is ON when light between the photo sensors 54a is not
intercepted. Moreover, "E" lamp is ON when a sensor
provided on a conveyor 61 or a delivery table 62 which will
be described hereinafter does not detect the tablet vessel
11 for a predetermined time. .Alternatively; the remaining
quantity of the tablet vessels ~11 may be indicated on the
touch panel 12 as shown in Fig. 12.
The vessel takeout section 52, as shown in
Fig. 10, comprises rollers 57 juxtaposed vertically and a
belt 58 running between the rollers 57. On the belt 58,
lateral vessel holding portions 59 are provided at a
predetermined distance along the running direction.
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Between the lateral vessel holding portions 59, two
vertical vessel eliminating portions 60 are provided. Each
lateral vessel holding portion 59 comprises a plurality of
holding fingers 59a protruding with a predetermined
distance. Each vertical vessel eliminating portion 60
comprises a plurality of projections 60a protruding with a
predetermined distance. The distance between the lateral
vessel holding portions 59 is smaller than the height of
the tablet vessel 11 and larger than the outside diameter
of the tablet vessel 11. The distance between the holding
fingers 59a is larger than the outside diameter of the
tablet vessel 11. Thus, the lateral vessel holding
portions 59 can surely hold the tablet vessel 11 laterally
without engaging the open edge of the tablet vessel 11 with
the holding fingers 59a.
The vessel takeout section 52 further. comprises a
conveyor 61 and a delivery table 62 far conveying the
tablet vessels 11 taken out by the vessel takeout section
52 to the empty vessel conveyor 53. The conveyor 61
comprises a pair of rollers 68 and four conveyor ropes 69
running between the rollers 68. The roller 68 is driven to
rotate both forward and backward by a motor (not shown).
The distahce between the conveyor ropes a9 is smaller than
the outside diameter of the tablet vessel 11. The delivery
table 62 has a substantially L-shaped section and is
pivotable between positions as shown in the solid line and
the two dots-chain line, respectively in Fig. 9, to deliver
the tablet vessels 11 conveyed by the conveyor 61 to the
empty vessel conveyor 53. The vessel takeout section 52 is
operated when no tablet vessel 11 is detected on the
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conveyor 61 or delivery table 62 by a sensor (not shown)
for a predetermined time. The empty vessel conveyor 53 is
operated in a reverse conveying direction for a
predetermined time at the time of initial power_ ON and
5 after an emergency stop. If the empty tablet vessel 11 is
present on the way of the empty vessel conveyor 53, the
empty tablet vessel 11 is recovered into a recovery box
(not shown) disposed on one end of the empty vessel
conveyor 53, namely on the end opposite to the tablet
10 packing section 4.
The empty vessel conveyor 53 is provided below
the delivery table 62 along the stock containers 51
arranged in line. In the same manner as the conveyor 66,
the empty vessel conveyor 53 comprises a pair of pulleys 71
15 and a pair of conveyor ropes 72 looped between the pair of
pulleys 71.
As shown in Fig. 11, the tablet packing section 4
comprises a fork-like vessel holder section 76 and a tablet
weighing section 77.
The vessel holder section 76 has a plurality of
support pieces 78 between which the tablet vessel 11 can be
supported. The distance between the support pieces 78
corresponds to the size of the tablet vessels 11. In the .
present embodiment, the vessel holder section 76 can hold
S, M and L sizes of the tablet vessels 11. The vessel
holder section 76 can reciprocate between a vessel
receiving position and a tablet receiving position by means
of a drive unit (not shown).
First, second and third guide plates 79, 80 and
81 are disposed in the vicinity of the vessel receiving
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position. The first guide plate 79 has a substantially V-
shape so that the tablet vessel 11 conveyed by the empty
vessel conveyor 53 can be delivered to the second guide
plate 80. The second guide plate 80 is inclined so that
the tablet vessel can roll on the second guide plate 80
toward the vessel holder section 76. The third guide plate
81 can pivot above the second guide plate 80 for allowing
or disallowing the tablet vessel 11 to be passed to the
vessel holder section 76. The third guide plate 81 may be
provided with a delivery guide plate which allows the
tablet vessel 11 to surely roll.
Under the vessel holder section 76, a vessel
aligning plate 82 is disposed. The vessel aligning plate
82 allows the tablet vessels 21 held by the support pieces
78 to align when the vessel holder section 76 is
horizontally moved. Thus, it is possible to reduce push
quantity by push rollers 92 which will be described
hereinafter, resulting in effective operation.
A labeler 83 and a lifter 84 are provided in the
vicinity of the tablet receiving position.
The labeler 83 is arranged to print a medicine
name or so on labels 85 and fix the labels 85 to the tablet
vessels 11. The labels 85 are stuck to a sheet 87 wound on
one roller 86a in advance and are released from the sheet
87 when the sheet 87 is turned at a guide tip 88. The
sheet 87 with the labels 85 released is rewound on the
other roller 86b. Printing to the labels 85 is carried out
before releasing the labels 85 from the sheet 87 in such a
manner that printing information is heat transferred
through a ribbon 90 by means of printing head 89 as the
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sheet 87 is supported with a backing roller 86c. The
ribbon 90 is fed from one roller 91a and rewound on the
other roller 91b.
Under the vessel holder section 76, a pair of
push rollers 92 and a guide roller 93 are disposed. A size
detecting sensor (not shown) for detecting the size of the
tablet vessels 11 is provided between the push rollers 92.
The push rollers 92 are arranged to push the tablet vessel
77 aligned by the vessel aligning plate 82 in a protruding
direction of the support pieces 78, whereby holding the
tablet vessel 11 together with the guide roller 93
positioned on the other side. Beneath the tablet vessel 1l
held by the push rollers 92 and the guide roller 93, a
rotation bearing table 110 is disposed. The rotation
bearing table 110 can be raised up to a height
corresponding to the size of the tablet vessel 11 detected
by the size detecting sensor. The guide roller 93 is urged
toward the push roller 92 and rotates the tablet vessel 77
due to drive of a motor 93a.
The lifter 84 can lift the tablet vessel 11 up to
a rotation position where a flange portion of t:he tablet
vessel 11 is positioned slightly above the support pieces
78 and a tablet receiving position where the tablet vessel
11 receives the tablets from a packing hopper 97 which will
be described hereinafter.
The tablet weighing section 77 comprises an input
hopper 94, a weighing section 95, a measuring hopper 96, a
packing hopper 97, and a discharging hopper 98.
As shown in Fig. 15, the approach of the conveyor
vessel 46 to the input hopper 94 brings the protrusion 49a
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of the shutter 49 into contact with an edge of the input
hopper 94, causing the shutter 49 to open against the bias
exerted by the spring 50. This operation allows the
tablets accommodated in the conveyor vessel 46 to fall into
the input hopper 94.
As shown in Figs. 11 and 15, the weighing section
95 comprises a weighing vessel 99 for accommodating tablets
which have fallen from the input hopper 94, a weighing
device 100 for weighing the weighing vessel 99 along with
the accommodated tablets, and a pair of arms 101 for
supporting the weighing vessel 99. Two projections 99a,
99b, as shown in Fig. 16A, are formed on each outside
surface on both sides of the weighing vessel 99. At the
distal end of each arm 101 is formed an engaging recess
101a which engages with the projection 99a at one end. The
engaging recess 101a is so shaped that the projections 99a
on the weighing vessel 99 are prevented from falling out
when tablets in the weighing vessel 99 are fed into the
packing hopper 97 with the pivotal motion of the arms 101.
When tablets are fed from the input hopper 94 into the
weighing vessel 99, the arms 101 suspend the weighing
vessel 99 above the weighing device 100 so that the
impulsive force caused by the feeding cannot act directly
on the weighing device 100. After the feeding, the arms
101 pivot to load the weighing vessel 99 on the weighing
device 100. With this arrangement, the measuring time by
the weighing device 100 is shortened.
The bottom surface of the measuring hopper 96
comprises a shutter 96a as shown in Fig. 11. Packing
amount detecting sensors 102 are provided on the side
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surfaces of the measuring hopper 96 facing each other so
that the amount of the tablets stocked in the measuring
hopper 96 can be determined.
The upper openings of the packing hopper 97 and
of the discharging hopper 98 are closed and opened by a
closing/opening door 103 provided pivotably. The lower end
of the packing hopper 97, as shown in Fig. 14, extends so
as to gradually reduce its diameter and connects to a lower
cylindrical portion 110 to form a step like shape. In the
lower cylindrical portion 110, an internal cylinder 111 is
disposed so as to move vertically. A hood 112 is fixed on
the upper end of the internal cylinder 111 so that the food
112 can open and close the internal opening 110a of the
lower cylindrical portion 110. Thus, when the tablet
vessel 11 is raised by the lifter 84 to push up the
internal cylinder 111, tablets sustained by the hood 112
are discharged into the tablet vessel 11.
As shown in Fig. 17, the controlling section 5
receives an input of prescription data from a host computer
105 (or only an input signal from the touch panel 12). The
controlling section 5 also receives a signal from or
actuates and controls the storage shelves 1 (e.g., the
vessel sensors Bar the touch panel 12, motors 14a, the
first driving motor 20, and the third driving motor 24),
the tablet feeding section 2 (e. g., the driving motors 32a,
and the tablet detecting sensors 35), the tablet vessel
feeding sections 3, and the tablet packing section 4 (e. g.,
the weighing device 100, the packing amount detecting
sensors 102) and an emergency stop switch 106 and so on.
The operation of the tablet packing apparatus as
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arranged above will be described below.
As shown in the flow chart of Fig. 18, first,
prescription specifying data based on prescription data is
received from the host computer 105 (step S1). An empty
5 tablet vessel feeding process (step S2) and a tablet
feeding process (step S3) are then performed simultaneously
in parallel on the basis of the prescription specifying
data. Subsequently, a tablet packing process (step S4) is
performed, and a vessel delivering process (step S5) is
10 then performed for delivering the tablet vessel 11 to the
container chamber 6 in the storage shelves 1. Multiple
prescription specifying data may be received according to
the processing capacity.
In the empty vessel feeding process, as shown in
15 the flow charts of Fig. 19, in accordance with the above
prescription data, the vessel takeout section 52 in the
stock container 51 in which the tablet vessels 11
corresponding to the prescription data are contained is
operated (step S11). In the vessel takeout section 52, the
20. tablet vessels 11 are conveyed upward in laterally held
condition by the lateral vessel holding portions 59. At
this time, the vertical vessel eliminating portions 60
prevent the tablet vessels 11 from being held by the
lateral vessel holding portions 59 in a vertical condition
or in a laterally overlaid condition. Feeding of the next
tablet vessel 11 is carried out by operating the vessel
takeout section 52 in the stock container 5l when use of
the tablet vessel 11 held on the vessel holder section 76
is decided, i.e., wren the next prescription data is input.
When the tablet vessel 11 is conveyed upward by
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the vessel takeout section 52, operation of the conveyor 61
is commenced to move the tablet vessel 11 to the delivery
table 62 (step S12). Then, activation of the solenoid (not
shown) causes the delivery table 62 to pivot, whereby the
tablet vessel 11 is delivered to the empty vessel conveyor
53 (step S13).
In the empty vessel conveyor 53, after the tablet
vessel 11 is delivered from the stock container_ 51, the
motor (not shown) is driven to convey the tablet vessel 11
to the tablet packing section 4 by the conveyor ropes 72
(step S14).
In the tablet packing section 4, the tablet
vessel 11 is delivered to the second guide plate 80 through
the first guide plate 79 and then guided by the third guide
plate 81 (step S15). The vessel holder section 76 is moved
horizontally to position the pair of the support pieces 78
corresponding to the size of the tablet vessel 11 to be
conveyed at the lower end edge portion of the second guide
plate 80 (step S16). Then, the third guide plate 82 is
pivoted so that the tablet vessel 1l is supported by the
support pieces 78 of the vessel holder section 76 (step
S17). As a result, the flange portion of the tablet vessel
11 is supported, whereby the tablet vessel 11 necessarily
comes to be in an upwardly opened condition.
The support positions of the tablet vessels 11 on
the support pieces 78 are different in accordance with the
sizes and the delivery directions of the tablet vessels 11.
Therefore, the vessel holder section 76 is moved
horizontally, whereby the tablet vessels 11 are aligned by
the vessel aligning plate 82 (step S18). If the tablet
CA 02444847 2003-10-24
22
vessel 11 reaches the tablet receiving position (step S19),
then the movement of the vessel holder section 76 is
stopped (step 520). Consequently, the lifter 84 is driven
to slightly lift the tablet vessel 11 from the vessel
holder section 76 (step S21). In this condition, the push
rollers 92 are moved forward (step S22), thereby the tablet
vessel 11 is held by the push rollers 92 and the guide
roller 93. Then, the motor 93a is driven to rotate the
guide roller 93 so that the label 85 on which predetermined
information is printed is fixed on the outer surface of the
tablet vessel 11 (step S23).
In the tablet feeding process, aS shown in the
flow chart of Figs. 20 and 21, a relevant tablet container
section 26 is actuated and controlled on the basis of the
prescription specifying data. That is, the built-in motor
in the relevant motor base 32 is driven to rotate the rotor
39 to discharge a given number of the tablets stared in the
feeder vessel 36 (step S41). The number of the discharged
tablets is counted by the tablet detecting sensor 35
provided in the fall guide path 34 (step S42). After the
given number of tablets are discharged from the feeder
vessel 36 through the fall guide path 34 into a common
guide path 31 (step S43), the rotation of the rotor 39 is -
halted to suspend the discharge of tablets (step S44).
The tablet conveyor section 27 is then actuated
and controlled; that is, the pulleys 47 are driven and
rotated so that the conveyor vessel 46 is moved by the
conveyor belt 48 and positioned under the common guide path
31 (step S45). The hopper 44 is then rotated to direct the
opening thereof to the conveyor vessel 46 (step S46), and
CA 02444847 2003-10-24
23
the shutter 49 is opened to allow the tablets to be stored
into the conveyor vessel 46 (step S47).
After the given number of the relevant tablets
are stored in the conveyor vessel 46, the conveyor vessel
46 is moved to the input hopper 94 by the actuation and
control of the tablet conveyor section 27 (step S48). At
this time, the .protrusion 49a of the shutter 49 comes into
contact with an edge of the input hopper 94, and the
movement of the conveyor vessel 46 thereby causes the
shutter 49 to open gradually, so that the stored tablets
are input into the weighing vessel 99 through the input
hopper 94. The weighing vessel 99 is then suspended
slightly above the weighing device 100 by the pivotal
motion of the arms 101, so that the impulsive force caused
by the input of the tablets cannot act directly on the
weighing device 100. Subsequently, the weighing vessel 99
is loaded on the weighing device 100 by the pivotal motion
of the arms 101 and the weight of the weighing vessel 99 is
measured (step S49).
It is then judged whether the weight is as large
as a given weight or not (step S50). The tablets are then
fed into the measuring hopper 96 by the pivotal mots.on of
the arms. 101 (step S51). whether the amount of the tablets
is within the capacity of the tablet vessel 11 or not is
then judged on the basis of detection signals from the
packing amount detecting sensors 102 in the measuring
hopper 96 (step S52).
In the case that the weight is as large as the
given value and that the amount of the fed tablets is not
more than the given amount, it is judged that the relevant
CA 02444847 2003-10-24
24
tablets could be packed by the given amount. Then, the
tablet vessel 11 is further lifted by the lifter 84 so that
the internal cylinder 111 of the packing hopper 97 is
raised (step S53). As a result, the internal opening 110a
is opened by the hood 112, whereby the tablets are packed
in the tablet vessel.
In the case that the weight is larger or smaller
than the given value or that the amount of the fed tablets
is larger than the given amount, it is judged that the
tablets are irrelevant or that the amount of the tablets
exceeds the capacity of the tablet vessel 11. The opening
of the packing hopper 97 is then closed (step S54), and the
shutter 96a is opened (step S55). The tablets are thus
discharged through the discharging hopper 98. In this
case, returning to step 541, the tablet feeding process is
performed afresh.
After the tablets are packed. into the tablet
vessel 11, the process for delivering the vessel to the
storage shelves 1 is performed. At this time, a using
condition of the container chamber 6 is confirmed by
referring to a storage shelves data table and a vacant
container chambers 6 are specified. The storage shelves
data table is established based on detected signal of the
vessel sensor 8a provided in each container chamber 6 of
the storage shelves 1. Among the vacant container chambers
6, the order of the container chambers 6 in which the
tablet vessel 11 is to be delivered is decided. In the
present embodiment, the order of positions of the containe r
chambers 6 that an operator can easily take out the tablet
vessel 11 is decided.
CA 02444847 2003-10-24
After the container chamber 6 to which the tablet
vessel 11 is to be delivered is decided, as shown in
Fig. 22, the arm member 15 is caused to pivot (step S61),
the sliding member 22 is moved forward relative to the arm
5 body 19 (step S62), and the tablet vessel 11 is gripped by
the gripping pieces 25 (step 563). The sliding member 22
is then retracted (step S64), and the arm member 15 is
caused to pivot and elevate (step S65). The position where
the arm member 15 is to reach with the pivotal motion and
10 elevation is such a position as determined as described
above, i.e., the container chamber 6 from which the
operator can easily take out the tablet vessel 11.
Once the arm member 15 reaches the determined
position to reach with the pivotal motion and elevation
15 (step S66), a using condition of the container chamber 6 is
confirmed again based on the detected signal of the vessel
sensor 8a provided in the corresponding container chamber
6. If the tablet vessel 11 is not contained, the sliding
member 22 is moved forward to open the door 6a and deliver
20 the gripped tablet vessel 11 to the container chamber 6 in
the storage shelves 1 (step S67): The tablet vessel 11
then travels to the recesses 10a while pushing aside the
holding plates 9 in the container chamber 6 through the
medium of the cutouts 10b formed in the holding lugs 10,
25 and is held with the bias exerted by the spring 9a. The
gripping pieces 25 are then released (step S68); the
sliding member 22 is retracted (step S69); and the arm
member 15 is subsequently lowered (step S70) for the
delivery of the next tablet vessel 11. Just before the
tablet vessel 11 is contained in the container chamber 6,
CA 02444847 2003-10-24
26
if a tablet vessel 11 is detected in the container chamber
6, another container chamber o in which the tablet vessel
11 can be contained is retrieved and then the tablet vessel
11 is contained in the retrieved container chamber 6.
In the selection of the aimed container chamber
6, the container chambers 6 may be numbered so that the
number increases with increase in the period of time
required for the delivery of a tablet vessel 11 to the
container chamber 6 by the arm member 15, and the vacant
container chamber 6 that has the smallest number may be
selected as the aimed chamber.
Once the tablet vessel 11 packed with the given
amount of the specified tablets is thus delivered to the
container chamber 6 in the storage shelves 1, the numbers
assigned to the feeder vessels and the counts of the
tablets are displayed on the display 7 of the relevant
container chamber 6 in response to a detection signal from
the vessel sensor 8a (step S71}.
In the aforementioned tablet packing apparatus,
when an emergency stop button which is provided in both the
lower middle portion of the storage shelves 1 and the
middle potion of the tablet vessel feeding sections 3 is
pressed down, or power supply is cut off due to power
failure or the like during the operation, the apparatus is
shut down. In this case, the power supply to the motor
base 32 which operates the tablet container section 26 is
stopped, preventing misfeeding of the tablets. Whereas, the
power supply to the controlling section 5 is not stopped
and it is communicated to the controlling section 3 that it
is an emergency stop condition. At the normal stop of the
CA 02444847 2003-10-24
27
power supply, without simultaneously stopping the power
supply to both the motor base 32 and the controlling
section 5, the power supply to the motor base 32 is stopped
first and then the power supply to the controlling section
5 is stopped. The controlling section 5 possibly receives
power~from a secondary power source (not shown) so that the
operating condition is maintained. However, there may
arise a case that information on the tablet vessel 11 and
the tablet which had been under conveyance cannot be
perfectly controlled. Thus, a restoring process executes
in which the tablet vessel 11 and the tablet which had been
under conveyance is recovered to reset the information.
In the restoring process which will be explained
in detail hereinafter, the tablet vessel 11 and the tablet
which had been under conveyance is recovered into the
container chambers 5 of the storage shelves 1. Therefore,
in the case that there is no room or little room for the
container chambers 6, the tablet vessels 11 should be
removed from the container chambers 6 so that the restoring
process can be executed. Moreover, in the conveyance path
of the tablet vessels 11 (the empty vessel conveyor 53, the
vessel holder section 76 and so on), the empty vessel
conveyor 53 is reversed for a predetermined time to remove
the tablet vessel 11 on the empty vessel conveyor 53. In
the vessel holder section 76, the size data of the tablet
vessel 11 is memorized again by means of the size detecting
sensor for detecting the size of the tablet vessel 11
provided between the push rollers 92.
It is preferable to make an indication on the
touch panel 12 that the tablet is removed. Since an error
CA 02444847 2003-10-24
28
that either the feeder vessels 36 or the stock vessel 51 is
empty does not show abnormality, the restoring process is
not executed in such case.
The restoring process will be explained in
accordance with the flow chart as shown in Fig. 23.
The controlling section 5 is once powered off
(step S81). This is because of the deletion of the
processing data temporally stored in the memory of the
controlling section 5. When an area displayed on the touch
panel 12 by "CLOSE" as shown in Fig. 25A is touched, the
indications of °'D0 YOU WANT TO POWER OFF?", °'YES" and "NO"
are displayed as shown in Fig. 26A. If the "YES°' as
selected, the indication that "IT'S SAFETY EVEN IF POWER IS
POWERED OFF" is displayed as shown in Fig. 26B to power
off.
If the emergency stop button is pressed down
(step S82), then the emergency stop button is reset (step
S83) and the controlling section 5 is powered on again
(step S84). Thus, the menu .is displayed on the touch panel
12 as shown in Fig. 25A.
Among the items as shown in Fig. 25A, if the
"RECALL" is touched (step S85), then the recovering process
of the tablet which had been under conveyance is commenced
(step S86). At this time, the indi.eation that "RECALL
UNDER PROCESS..." is displayed on the touch panel 12 as
shown in Fig. 25B to indicate that re storing process is
going on (step S87).
In the tablet recovering process, the tablets
remaining in the conveyor vessels 46 and the hoppers 44 are
recovered as shown in flow chart of Fig. 24. At first, the
CA 02444847 2003-10-24
29
vessel holder section 76 is moved to position the tablet
vessel 11 having the largest capacity at the packing
position, i.e., beneath the packing hopper 97 (step S91).
Normally, since the tablet vessel 11 having the largest
capacity is ready on the vessel holder section 76, such
tablet vessel 11 is used. If such tablet vessel is not
ready, it is replenished from the stock vessel 51. On the
other hand, the tablets are recovered from any one of the
common guide paths by means of the conveyor vessel 46 (step
S92). Then, the tablets are packed into the largest tablet
vessel 11 through the input hopper 94 and the packing
hopper and so on (step S93). Consequently, the tablet
vessel 11 packed with the tablets is transferred to the
container chamber 6 of the storage shelves 1 by the arm
member 15. At the same time, a tablet vessel 11 having the
same size as the tablet vessel transferred to the storage
shelves 1 is replenished to the vessel holder section 76
(step S95). In addition, the indication of "P000" is
displayed on the display 7 (step S96) to enable an operator
to distinguish at a glance that the recovered tablets are
packed in the tablet vessel 11 transferred to the container
chamber 6.
In the same manner as explained above, a tablet
vessel 11 having the largest capacity is replenished to the
vessel holder section 76 from the stock vessel 51 to
recover the tablets remaining in the another common guide
paths 31. Although there may be no tablet in the common
guide paths 31, the recovery process of tablets should be
executed from all of the common guide paths 31 in order to
perfectly grasp which tablets had been under conveyance.
CA 02444847 2003-10-24
If the tablets remaining in all common paths 31
(step S97) is recovered, then other size of the tablet
vessels 11 held on the vessel holder section 76 are
recovered to the storage shelves l (step S98}. In this
5 case, the tablet vessels 11 having the same size as that of
the tablet vessels 11 which are recovered and transferred
to the container chamber 6 of the storage shelves 1 are
replenished to the vessel holder section 76 from the
corresponding stock vessel 51 (step S99).
10 If the recovery of the tablet vessels is finished
(step 5100), then main menu is displayed on the touch panel
12. The touch with "AUTO" enables the restoration to the
normal operation, i.e., the tablet vessel feeding process
(step S2), the tablet feeding process (step S3) and the
15 tablet packing process (step S4} in the same manner as
described before.
In the above explained restoring process, in the
case that the tablet packing apparatus stops due to the
abnormality, the controlling section 5 is always powered
20 off to clear the processing data stored in the memory.
However, it may be also possible to have the operator
select whether such processing data is utilized or not.
For example, when the indication of "RECALL" displayed on
the touch panel 12, the processing data which are stored
25 before the apparatus is stopped may be utilized to continue
the process. In this case, the tablet vessels 11 remaining
in the empty vessel conveyor 53, the vessel holder section
76 and so on, or the tablets remaining in the common guide
paths 31 and the like need not be recovered.
30 Moreover, in the above explained restoring
CA 02444847 2003-10-24
31
process, the indication of "P000" indicating recovery is
displayed on the display 7 of the container chamber 6.
Instead of this, it is also possible to indicate which
feeder vessel 36 the tablets were discharged from. In this
case, the common guide path from which the tablets were
recovered is memorized based on the position of the
conveyor vessel 46. Thus, according to both the memorized
common guide path and the processing data, it is possible
to specify the feeder vessel 36 from which the tablets were
discharged.
The tablets to be contained in the tablet feeding
section 2 include specially administrative tablets (for
example, pyrine medicines and histamine tablets which cause
allergy). Therefore, if a packing operation is carried out
through a common passage, there would be risks that the
specially administrative tablets are mixed into the other
tablets due to the troubles and so on of the apparatus.
Therefore, it is preferable to provide a particular
dispensing apparatus in the tablet feeding section 2
containing the specially administrative tablets.
The particular dispensing apparatus comprises a
tablet reserving member 200 for temporarily reserving the
tablets fed from the motor base 32. An LED 201 is provided
on the front surface of the motor base 32. The LED 201 is
ON when the tablets are reserved in the tablet reserving
member 200 from the motor base 32. The lower opening of
the tablet reserving member 200 can be closed by a shutter
203 which is rotatably supported around a support shaft
203a on a support member 202. The shutter 203 is formed
with an arc-like cutout 204 on its front edge and also
CA 02444847 2003-10-24
32
provided with a detection piece 205 on its side edge. The
cutout 204 is arranged to engage the flange of the tablet
vessel with the internal edge of the cutout 204 in order to
position the tablet vessel 11 so as to push the shutter
203. The detection piece 205 is detected by a sensor 206
provided on the support member 202 when the lower opening
of the tablet reserving member 200 is closed by the shutter
203. The shutter 203 is urged by urging means such as
spring (not shown) so that the lower opening of the tablet
reserving member 200 can be closed.
In the tablet feeding section 2 with the
particular dispensing apparatus having above construction,
when the motor base 32 is driven and the specially
administrative tablets are reserved in the tablet reserving
member 200, the LED 201 is ON. Thus, an operator can
recognize at a glance from which tablet feeding section 2
are discharged the specially administrative tablets to be
packaged. Then, the operator set the tablet vessel 1l on
the particular dispensing apparatus of the tablet feeding
section 2 in which the LED 201 is ON. Consequently,.with
the tablet vessel 11 engaged with the cutout 204, the
operator push the shutter 203. As a result, the shutter
203 is pivoted around the support shaft 203a against the
urged force of the urging means. Thusr the upper opening
of the tablet vessel 11 can communicate with the lower
opening of the tablet reserving member 200, whereby the
specially administrative tablets in the tablet reserving
member 200 are packed in the tablet vessel 11. At this
time, as the sensor 206 does not detect.the detection piece
205 of the shutter 203, the ZED 201 is OFF.
CA 02444847 2003-10-24
33
Instead of the tablet reserving member 200, a
tablet reserving member having such a construction as shown
in Fig. 28 with a shutter 300 and sensors 301a, 301b can be
adopted.
The shutter 300 has a fan-shape. On the front
edge thereof the shutter 300 is formed with a guide portion
302 comprising an arc-like cutout, while on the rear edge
thereof the shutter 300 is formed with a protrusion 303
which is detected by sensors 301a, 301b. The shutter 300
is urged in a counterclockwise direction in Fig. 28 around
a support shaft 301a by a spring 304 provided around the
support shaft 301a. Therefore, if no load is applied, the
shutter 300 closes the lower opening 305 of the tablet
reserving member. The guide portion 302 is directed toward
the front side, allowing the upper opening of the tablet
vessel 11 to position easily in place. The protrusion 303
is detected by the sensor 301a, i.e., the closed condition
of the shutter 300 is detected by the sensor 301x, whereby
the tablets can be fed from the motor base 32. However,
after the tablets are discharged in the tablet reserving
member, the tablets cannot be fed from the motor base 32
unless the opened condition of the shutter 300 is detected.
Thus, the feed of the tablets are controlled based on the
signals from the sensors 301a, 301b and the motor base 32,
whereby the feed of the tablets can be constantly properly
conducted.
In the aforementioned embodiment, to the tablet
feeding section 2 with the specially administrative tablets
contained, the tablet reserving member 200 of the
particular dispensing apparatus is directly fixed.
CA 02444847 2003-10-24
34
However, the tablet reserving member 200 may be connected
to the tablet feeding section 2 via a tube or the like.
Thus, it is possible that the tablet reserving member 200
have a mounting and dismounting construction and is
disposed at a proper position to dispense the specially
administrative tablets.
According to the present invention, turning on of
the LED allows an operator to recognize at a glance from
which tablet feeding section are discharged the tablets.
When setting the tablet vessel beneath the tablet reserving
member to open the shutter, the tablets in the tablet
reserving member are fed into the tablet vessel. and the LED
is turned off. Thus, it can be confirmed that the tablets
are fed into the tablet vessel from the tablet reserving
member and also it is possible to discharge next tablets
into the tablet reserving member.
It is preferable that after the tablets are
discharged in the tablet reserving member and the LED is
turned on, the tablets cannot be fed from the mounting base
unless the opened condition and subsequent closed condition
of the shutter is detected by the sensor. Thus, there is
no risk that next tablets are mixed into tablets previously
discharged, whereby the feed of the tablets can be
constantly properly conducted.
It is preferable that the shutter is urged so as
to close the lower opening of the tablet reserving member,
whereby when engaging the tablet vessel with the shutter to
push the shutter against an urged force, the lower opening
of the tablet reserving member is opened. Thus, the
shutter can be easily opened.
CA 02444847 2003-10-24
It is preferable that the shutter is formed with
an arc-like cutout portion with which the tablet vessel
engages. Thus, the tablet vessel can be engaged with the
shutter to easily push the shutter.
5 Although the present invention has been fully
described by way of the examples with reference to the
accompanying drawings, it is to be noted here that various
changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled
in the art. Therefore, unless such changes and
10 modifications otherwise depart from the spirit and scope of
the present invention, they should be construed as being
included therein.
