Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6367232
-
Patent Number
6,367,232
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, April 10, 200123 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, April 9, 200222 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Rada; Rinaldi I.
- Truong; Thanh K.
Agents
- Park; John K.
- Park & Sutton LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 053 507
- 053 77
- 053 155
- 053 167
- 053 168
- 053 237
- 053 238
- 053 247
- 053 52
- 053 493
- 070 382
- 070 387
- 070 432
- 070 437
- 221 197
- 221 265
- 206 528
- 206 533
- 222 562
- 222 572
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A tablet cassette installation-error preventing system comprises cassette supports each having a front side, a rear side, a top side, and a rotor drive therein, wherein the rear side is fixedly attached on the outer periphery of a tablet dropping unit. Pin holes are formed in the top side of each cassette support and the cassettes are detachably mounted on the cassette supports. An installation-error detector having a base with an upper surface attached to the bottom of the cassette. Locking pins downwardly extend from the base lower surface so that the locking pins respectively fit in the pin holes when each tablet cassette is mounted on the cassette support.
Description
CLAIMING FOREIGN PRIORITY
The applicant claims and requests a foreign priority, through the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industry Property, based on a patent application filed in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) with the filing date of Apr. 24, 2000, with the application number 20-2000-0011568, by the applicant. (See the Attached Declaration)
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an automatic tablet supplying and packaging system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tablet cassette installation-error preventing system for an automatic tablet supplying and packaging apparatus that detachably installs therein a plurality of tablet cassettes.
As is well known, an automatic tablet supplying and packaging apparatus realizes an pharmacy automation by enabling different types of prescription pills to be automatically packaged into a plurality of paper bags. To separately contain prescription tablets, the automatic system requires a plurality of tablets cassettes each containing a different type of tablets. The tablet cassettes are detachably mounted on the outer periphery of the system. In this construction, when a doctor's prescription information is input, the system allows required tablet cassettes to release tablets and the released tablets are packaged by packaging paper into tablet bags each of which can be taken by a patient one bag per dosage.
For the system operation, a pharmacist operating the tablet system needs to dismount tablet cassettes for refill when required. The refilled tablet cassettes are mounted back in the tablet system. When refilling the tablet cassettes, the concern of the operation pharmacist is to make sure each tablet cassette is installed where it was; otherwise the consequences could risk their patients. Although the racks receiving tablet cassettes in the system are numbered thereon and the tablet cassettes are also numbered thereon, because the tablet cassettes are same in size, there exists a possibility that a tablet cassette can be erroneously installed on a wrong rack which does not match in labeled number, which could lead to fatal results.
Accordingly, there has been a strong demand on the market for double-checking the tablet cassette installation and disabling a wrong installation of tablets cassettes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the invention is to double-check a tablet cassette installation, thereby improving product reliability. Anther object of the invention is to prevent a tablet cassette installation error by disabling a wrong installation of tablet cassettes at the first stage by providing an error detector between tablet cassettes and cassette supports.
To achieve the above-described objects, a tablet cassette installation-error preventing system for an automatic tablet supplying and packaging apparatus including a tablet dropping unit and a tablet packaging unit below the tablet dropping unit, wherein a plurality of tablet cassettes are detachably mounted on an outer periphery of the tablet dropping unit to drop tablets therefrom to the tablet packaging unit, comprises: a plurality of cassette supports each having a front side, a rear side, a top side, and a rotor drive therein, wherein the rear side is fixedly attached on the outer periphery of the tablet dropping unit, wherein a plurality of pin holes are formed in the top side of said each cassette support, wherein the pin holes are respectively identical to each other in size and shape; the plurality of tablet cassettes detachably mounted on the plurality of cassette supports in correspondence thereto, wherein said each tablet cassette has a bottom side and a rotor therein operably engaged to the rotor drive; an installation-error detector having a base with an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the upper surface of the detector base is attached to the bottom side of said each tablet cassette, wherein a plurality of locking pins corresponding to the plurality of pin holes downwardly extend from the lower surface of the detector base so that said locking pins can respectively fit in said pin holes of said each cassette support when said each tablet cassette is mounted on said cassette support.
In a preferred version, the tablet cassette installation-error preventing system further comprises one or more hole inserts to selectively block the pin holes, wherein the plurality of locking pins of said each tablet cassette are less in numeric quantity than the plurality of pin holes of said each cassette support so as to allow only one of said tablet cassettes to fit on said each cassette support.
Each hole insert has a hook protruded along a lower rim thereof and an elastic slot formed upwardly from a lower surface thereof, whereby said each insert is elastically inserted into a selected one of the pin holes. A flange is formed along an upper rim of said each hole insert, whereby said each hole insert is tightly maintained in the selected one of the pin holes. The pin holes are aligned in two or three rows such that each adjacent pair of the pin holes are equally distanced.
The advantages of the present invention are numerous. First, the installation-error detector enables a double checkup of the tablet cassettes installation by thoroughly preventing a possible installation error which may result in fatal consequences to patients. That is, the installation-error detector prevents a wrong placement of the tablet cassettes at the first stage, thereby improving product reliability.
Second, that the installation-error detector enables a pharmacist to feel safe installation of the tablet cassette while matching a tablet cassette to its corresponding cassette support, thereby exempting even a slight possibility of an erroneous installation of the tablet cassettes in addition to the double checkup through the labeling or numbering on the tablet cassettes and the cassette supports.
Third, the tablet cassette installation-error preventing system according to the present invention is easily applicable to a variety of automatic tablet supplying systems which need to completely satisfy strict regulations in each country due to its structural simplicity, for example, without regard to power supply.
Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the fuller understanding of the invention can be obtained by the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1
is a cross-sectional view showing an automatic tablet supplying and packaging apparatus applicable to a tablet cassette installation-error preventing system according to the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along II—II in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is an exploded view showing a tablet cassette applicable to the system according to the present invention;
FIG. 4
is a cross-sectional view of the tablet cassette in
FIG. 3
;
FIG. 5
is an enlargement view of the tablet cassette installation-error preventing system according to the present invention; and
FIG. 6
is an exemplary view showing locking pin alignments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, an automatic tablet supplying and packaging apparatus
10
includes a tablet dropping unit
12
and a tablet packaging unit
14
. A plurality of tablet cassettes
16
are detachably stacked along an outer periphery of the tablet dropping unit
12
. The tablet cassettes
16
selectively release tablets therefrom into the tablet packaging unit
14
which sequentially packages the dropped tablets into paper bags
18
in order for a patient to easily take a prescription dosage collected in each paper bag
18
.
Referring to
FIG. 3
, each tablet cassette
16
is mounted on a cassette support
22
that is fixed to the outer periphery of the tablet dropping unit
12
. In this construction, the tablet cassette
16
is detachably installed on the cassette support
22
. Between the tablet cassette
16
and the cassette support
22
is provided an installation-error preventing system
24
according to the present invention.
Further referring to
FIGS. 4 and 5
, the tablet cassette installation-error preventing system
24
according to the present invention comprises a plurality of cassette supports
22
each having a front side
26
, a rear side
28
, a top side
30
, and a rotor drive
32
therein, wherein the rear side
28
is fixedly attached on the outer periphery of the tablet dropping unit
12
. A plurality of pin holes
34
are formed in the top side
30
of each cassette support
22
. For a better performance, the pin holes
34
are respectively formed identical to each other in size and shape. Preferably, each of the pin holes
34
is about 0.1 inch to 1.0 inch deep.
The installation-error preventing system
24
further comprises a plurality of tablet cassettes
16
and an installation-error detector
36
. The plurality of tablet cassettes
16
are detachably mounted on the plurality of cassette supports
22
in correspondence thereto. Each tablet cassette
16
has a bottom side
17
and a rotor
38
therein that is operably engaged to the rotor drive
32
. The rotor drive
32
can be a motor. The installation-error detector
36
has a base
40
with an upper surface
42
and a lower surface
44
. The upper surface
42
of the detector base
40
is attached to the bottom side
17
of each tablet cassette
16
.
Meanwhile, a plurality of locking pins
46
are formed to downwardly extend from the lower surface
44
of the detector base
40
corresponding to the plurality of pin holes
34
so that the locking pins
46
can respectively fit in the pin holes
34
of each cassette support
22
when each tablet cassette
16
is mounted on the cassette support
22
.
In an embodiment, the tablet cassette installation-error preventing system
24
further comprises one or more hole inserts
48
to selectively block the pin holes
34
, wherein the plurality of locking pins
46
of each installation-error detector
36
are less in numeric quantity than the plurality of pin holes
34
of each cassette support
22
so as to allow only one of the tablet cassettes
16
to fit on each cassette support
22
.
FIG. 6
shows an exemplary alignment of the inserts
48
in the pin holes
34
. As shown therein, the alignment variations enables the installation of the tablet cassettes
16
on the cassette supports
22
without limitation by adjusting the number of pin holes
34
, the locking pins
46
and the inserts
48
.
As shown back in
FIG. 5
, each of the hole inserts
48
is inserted into a corresponding one of the pin holes
34
and has a hook
50
protruded along a lower rim
52
thereof and an elastic slot
54
formed upwardly from a lower surface
56
thereof. As a result, each of the hole inserts
48
is elastically inserted into a selected one of the pin holes
46
. Also, a flange
58
is formed along an upper rim
60
of each hole insert
48
so that each hole insert
48
can be tightly maintained in the selected one of the pin holes
34
. Here, the pin holes
34
may be aligned in two or three rows such that each adjacent pair of the pin holes
34
are equally distanced.
An advantage of the present invention is that the installation-error detector enables a double checkup of the tablet cassettes installation by thoroughly preventing a possible installation error which may result in fatal consequences to patients. That is, the installation-error detector prevents a wrong placement of the tablet cassettes at the first stage, thereby improving product reliability.
Another advantage is that the installation-error detector enables a pharmacist to feel safe installation of the tablet cassette while matching a tablet cassette to its corresponding cassette support, thereby exempting even a slight possibility of an erroneous installation of the tablet cassettes in addition to the double checkup through the labeling or numbering on the tablet cassettes and the cassette supports.
Further, the tablet cassette installation-error preventing system according to the present invention is easily applicable to a variety of automatic tablet supplying systems which need to completely satisfy strict regulations in each country due to its structural simplicity, for example, without regard to power supply.
Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, other versions are possible by converting the aforementioned construction. Therefore, the scope of the invention shall not be limited by the specification specified above and the appended claims.
Claims
- 1. A tablet cassette installation-error preventing system for an automatic tablet supplying and packaging apparatus including a tablet dropping unit and a tablet packaging unit below the tablet dropping unit, wherein a plurality of tablet cassettes are detachably mounted on an outer periphery of the tablet dropping unit to drop tablets therefrom to the tablet packaging unit, comprising:a) a plurality of cassette supports each having a front side, a rear side, a top side, and a rotor drive therein, wherein the rear side is fixedly attached on the outer periphery of the tablet dropping unit, wherein a plurality of pin holes are formed in the top side of said each cassette support, wherein the pin holes are respectively identical to each other in size and shape; b) the plurality of tablet cassettes detachably mounted on the plurality of cassette supports in correspondence thereto, wherein said each tablet cassette has a bottom side and a rotor therein operably engaged to the rotor drive; c) an installation-error detector having a base with an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the upper surface of the detector base is attached to the bottom side of said each tablet cassette, wherein a plurality of locking pins corresponding to the plurality of pin holes downwardly extend from the lower surface of the detector base so that said locking pins can respectively fit in said pin holes of said each cassette support when said each tablet cassette is mounted on said cassette support.
- 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the pin holes are aligned in two rows.
- 3. The system of claim 2 wherein each adjacent pair of the pin holes are equally distanced.
- 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the pin holes are aligned in three rows.
- 5. The system of claim 4 wherein each adjacent pair of the pin holes are equally distanced.
- 6. A tablet cassette installation-error preventing system for an automatic tablet supplying and packaging apparatus including a tablet dropping unit and a tablet packaging unit below the tablet dropping unit, wherein a plurality of tablet cassettes are detachably mounted on an outer periphery of the tablet dropping unit to drop tablets therefrom to the tablet packaging unit, comprising:a) a plurality of cassette supports each having a front side, a rear side, a top side, and a rotor drive therein, wherein the rear side is fixedly attached on the outer periphery of the tablet dropping unit, wherein a plurality of pin holes are formed in the top side of said each cassette support, wherein the pin holes are respectively identical to each other in size and shape; b) one or more hole inserts to selectively block the pin holes; c) the plurality of tablet cassettes detachably mounted on the plurality of cassette supports in correspondence thereto, wherein said each tablet cassette has a bottom side and a rotor therein operably engaged to the rotor drive; d) an installation-error detector having a base with an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the upper surface of the detector base is attached to the bottom side of said each tablet cassette, wherein a plurality of locking pins downwardly extend from the lower surface of the detector base, wherein the plurality of locking pins of said each tablet cassette are less in numeric quantity than the plurality of pin holes of said each cassette support so as to allow only one of said tablet cassettes to fit on said each cassette support.
- 7. The system of claim 6 wherein said each hole insert has a hook protruded along a lower rim thereof and an elastic slot formed upwardly from a lower surface thereof, whereby said each insert is elastically inserted into a selected one of the pin holes.
- 8. The system of claim 7 wherein a flange is formed along an upper rim of said each hole insert, whereby said each hole insert is tightly maintained in the selected one of the pin holes.
- 9. The system of claim 6 wherein the pin holes are aligned in two rows.
- 10. The system of claim 9 wherein each adjacent pair of the pin holes are equally distanced.
- 11. The system of claim 6 wherein the pin holes are aligned in three rows.
- 12. The system of claim 11 wherein each adjacent pair of the pin holes are equally distanced.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
00-11568 |
Apr 2000 |
KR |
|
US Referenced Citations (8)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2020000011568 |
Apr 2000 |
KR |