WO2015068973A1

WO2015068973A1 - Tablet canister including variable division block

Info

Publication number: WO2015068973A1
Application number: PCT/KR2014/009980
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jun Ho Kim
Original assignee: JVM Co Ltd
Current assignee: JVM Co Ltd
Priority date: 2013-11-08
Filing date: 2014-10-22
Publication date: 2015-05-14
Anticipated expiration: 2016-05-08
Also published as: KR101652152B1; KR20150053331A

Abstract

There is provided a tablet canister having a variable division block The tablet canister includes a storage part in which a tablet is stored and a division block rotating about a central axis, and including a plurality of partition members spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other around an outer circumferential surface thereof. A tablet accommodation part defined by an interval between the partition members accommodates the tablet dropped from the storage part. The tablet canister also includes a housing including a discharge hole defined therein through which the tablet accommodated in the tablet accommodation part is discharged to the outside. Each of the partition members is detachable from the outer circumferential surface of the division block.

Description

TABLET CANISTER INCLUDING VARIABLE DIVISION BLOCK

The present invention relates to a tablet canister including a variable division block, and more particularly, to a tablet canister including a division block that is variable according to the size of a tablet.

An automatic drug packing machine refers to a device in which tablets or drugs dispensed from automatic drug dispensing devices each having different kinds of the tablets or drugs are classified/gathered and successively packed in one dose bag. A tablet canister is a kind of the automatic drug dispensing devices and dispenses a required amount of tablets stored therein according to a control signal when requested.

As an example of the tablet canister, there is Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2005-0117425, which is entitled "a tablet cassette for an automatic tablet packing machine"(hereinafter, referred to as a "related art") and has been filed on June 10, 2004 by the applicant of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 15, the tablet canister (cassette) according to the related art includes a cassette 5 in which capsules are accommodated, a division block 1 rotatably disposed in the cassette 5, and a motor 10 rotating the division block 1. Also, the division block 1 includes a plurality of divided protrusions 3 spaced apart from each other on an outer circumferential surface thereof to define drop paths 2. In this tablet cassette, the capsules accommodated in the cassette 5 are introduced into the drop paths 2 of the division block 1 rotated by the motor 10 and then discharged to the outside one by one.

Meanwhile, in order to discharge the tablet having a predetermined size to the outside, the drop path 2 that is defined by an interval between the divided protrusions 3 adjacent to each other needs to have a size greater than the predetermined size of the tablet. Thus, in the tablet canister according to the relate art, if the tablet is changed in size, it is necessary to prepare a separate division block manufactured to fit the size of the corresponding tablet and to replace the division block.

The present invention provides a tablet canister including a division block capable of dispensing the other kind of the tablet by simple manipulation even without replacing a division block having a different size although a tablet to be dispensed is changed in size.

Also, the present invention provides a division block that is variable according to the size of a tablet to be dispensed.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a tablet canister having a variable division block, the tablet canister including: a storage part in which a tablet is stored; a division block rotating about a central axis, and including a plurality of partition members spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other around an outer circumferential surface thereof, wherein a tablet accommodation part defined by an interval between the partition members accommodates the tablet dropped from the storage part; and a housing including a block accommodation part in which the division block is rotatably accommodated, the housing including a discharge hole which is defined in a lower end of any one spot of an orbit around which the tablet accommodation part travels and through which the tablet accommodated in the tablet accommodation part is discharged to the outside, wherein each of the partition members is detachable from the outer circumferential surface of the division block.

A width of the tablet accommodation part may be determined in inverse proportion to the number of partition members attached to the outer circumferential surface of the division block.

A width of the tablet accommodation part may be determined in inverse proportion to a width of the partition member attached to the outer circumferential surface of the division block.

The division block may have a fitting groove cut from a lower end thereof at a position into which the partition member is inserted, and the partition member may include: a partition member body exposed to the outside of the outer circumferential surface of the division block to form the tablet accommodation part; an extension part extending from the partition member body and inserted into the fitting groove; and a hook part transversally extending from the extension part and hooked to a rear surface of the fitting groove to prevent the partition member body from being separated from the fitting groove.

The tablet canister may further include a blocking member for blocking the tablet from being introduced from the storage part into the tablet accommodation part disposed above the discharge hole.

The blocking member may include a brush aligned in a horizontal direction.

The blocking member may be adjustable in height and disposed in the housing.

The housing may include: a brush guide hole having a groove shape having a predetermined length in a vertical direction, the brush guide hole having an unevenness part on at least one side surface thereof, and the blocking member may include: a brush disposed in the housing; an extension part extending from the brush and vertically moving along the brush guide hole, the extension part including an elastic unevenness member that is in contact with the unevenness part on one side thereof; and a blocking member body extending from the extension part and exposed to the outside of the housing.

An inclined part that is inclined downward from the center of the division block to the outside may be formed on an upper end of the division block.

A protruding curved surface protruding upward may be formed on the inclined part.

The tablet canister may further include a stopper in which the discharge hole is defined, the stopper being separable from the housing, wherein when the tablet is changed in size, the stopper may be replaced with another stopper in which a discharge hole having a size corresponding to the changed size of the tablet is defined.

The division block may include a block body having a hollow cylindrical shape in a lower portion thereof, and the partition member may include: a partition member body exposed to the outside of the outer circumferential surface of the division block to form the tablet accommodation part; and a clip part extending from the partition member body to fix a lower end of the block body inserted between the clip part and the partition member body.

A guide groove may be defined in an inner circumferential surface of the block body in a circumferential direction, and the clip may include a protrusion-to-be-guided accommodated in the guide groove.

A second fitting groove having a groove shape may be recessed in a spot where the partition member is disposed of an inner circumferential surface of the block body, and the clip part may include a protrusion inserted into the second fitting groove.

According to the present invention, the partition members spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other on the outer circumferential surface of the division block may be changed in number and width, and thus the tablet accommodation part defined by the interval between the partition members for accommodating the tablet may be easily changed in size.

That is, since the tablet accommodation part is easily changed in size, the user may simply perform the tablet automatic packaging work without changing all the division blocks even though the kind or size of the tablet to be dispensed is changed.

Also, according to the present invention, since the partition member for partitioning the tablet accommodation part is separated from the outer circumferential surface of the division block, the corresponding division block may be easily cleaned.

The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a tablet canister according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of a division block according to an embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a coupling structure of a brush and a housing according to an embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating the coupling structure of the brush and the housing according to an embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view illustrating a coupling structure of a stopper and the housing according to an embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating a state in which the division block is inserted into the housing according to an embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating a state in which the division block is inserted into the housing according to an embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating a position relation between a discharge hole and the brush according to an embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view illustrating a first method for adjusting a width of a tablet accommodation part according to an embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating a second method for adjusting the width of the tablet accommodation part according to an embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of a division block according to another embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a housing including a blocking member according to another embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a longitudinal sectional view of the housing in FIG. 13; and

FIG. 15 is a longitudinal sectional view of a tablet canister according to a related art.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Unless a specific definition or reference is provided, the term that represents a direction used herein is based on a state illustrated in the drawings. Also, like reference numerals indicate like members or elements throughout. Also, in the drawings, the dimensions of layers and regions are exaggerated for clarity of illustration. In practice, it is not intended to mean that the components should have such dimensions or a scale therebetween.

An overall configuration of a tablet canister according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a tablet canister according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a tablet canister according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 100, a division block 200, and a cover 300. The housing 100 may have a block accommodation part 110 therein to accommodate the division block 200, and the cover 300 may cover an opened upper end portion of the housing 100.

The division block 200 includes a partition member 230. The partition member 230 may be provided in plurality on an outer circumferential surface of the division block 200. The division block 200 of the current embodiment may include a separable partition member 230, i.e., the partition member 230 that is detachable.

Tablets may be accommodated in a storage part SP1 in an upper portion of the housing 100. The tablets accommodated in the storage part SP1 may be successively discharged to a lower portion of the housing 100 by the division block 200.

Hereinafter, each of components of the tablet canister will be described in detail.

The division block according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of a division block according to an embodiment.

The division block 200 includes a block body 210, inclined parts 211, the partition member 230, and a central axis 250. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the block body 210 may have a cylindrical shape and include a plurality of fitting grooves 221 cut from a lower end of block body 210 along an outer circumferential surface thereof. The plurality of fitting grooves 221 are spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other, and the partition members 230 are inserted therein.

Each of the inclined parts 211 may be disposed on an upper end of the block body 210. The inclined part 211 may be gradually inclined downward from the center of the block body 210 toward the outside. The inclined part 211 may push the tablets that are in contact with the inclined part 211 to the outside along an inclined surface thereof. Each of protruding curved surfaces 213 may be formed on a portion of each of the inclined part 211. Protruding curved surfaces 213 according to the current embodiment may be formed at every predetermined angle and formed to protrude upward. Each of the protruding curved surfaces 213 may mix the tablet to prevent the tablet from being stuck to an upper portion of the canister. When the inclined part 211 is only provided without providing the protruding curved surface 213, the tablets disposed in the upper portion of the canister may not move in the held state.

The partition members 230 may include a partition member body 231, an extension part 233, and a hook part 235. The extension part 233 may extend from the partition member body 231 of the partition member 230 and may have a predetermine width and length so that the extension part 233 is inserted into each of the above-described fitting grooves 221. The hook part 235 may extend from the extension part 233 in a transversal direction. When the extension part 233 is inserted into the fitting groove 221, the hook part 235 may contact an inner side surface of the block body 210 to fix the partition member 230 so that the partition member 230 is not separated from the division block 200 to the outside.

The partition member body 231 may be exposed to the outside of the block body 210. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the partition member bodies 231 of the partition members 230 may be spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other on an outer circumferential surface of the block body 210. Here, a space between the partition member bodies 231 adjacent to each other may be defined as a tablet accommodation part 237. The tablet accommodation part 237 may be a space part in which the tablet disposed in the upper portion of the division block 200 moves along the inclined part 211 to the outside of the division block 200 and then drop to be accommodated therein.

The housing and components of the housing will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a coupling structure of a brush and a housing according to an embodiment, FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating the coupling structure of the brush and the housing according to an embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view illustrating a coupling structure of a stopper and the housing according to an embodiment.

The housing 100 includes the block accommodation part 110 and the storage part SP1 therein. The block accommodation part 110 may be a space defined in a lower portion of the housing 100. The above-described division block 200 may be accommodated into the block accommodation part 110 in a rotatable state. The storage part SP1 may be a space defined in the upper portion of the housing 100 to temporarily store the tablets to be dispensed.

A brush accommodation hole 133 through which the block accommodation part 110 passes to communicate with the outside may be defined in the housing 100. As illustrated in FIG. 5, a brush 1351 of a blocking member 135 may be inserted into the brush accommodation hole 133 from the outside and then be exposed to the inside of the block accommodation part 110. Here, the blocking member 135 may include a blocking member body 1353 and the brush 1351. The brush 1351 may be disposed above a stopper 117.

The stopper 117 may be disposed on a bottom surface of the block accommodation part 110. As illustrated in FIG. 6, a discharge hole 1175 may be defined in the stopper 117. The discharge hole 1175 may act as a passage through which the tablet passing through the block accommodation part 110 is discharged to the outside. A stopper accommodation hole 134 through which the block accommodation part 110 communicates with the outside may be defined in a bottom surface of the housing 100. The above-described stopper 117 may be inserted and fixed to the stopper accommodation hole 134. The block accommodation part 110 may communicate with the outside through the discharge hole 1175 of the stopper 117.

The stopper 117 may have various sizes according to the size of the discharge hole 1175. When the tablet is changed in size, another stopper having a discharge hole 1175 having a size corresponding to the changed size of the tablet may replace the existing stopper and then inserted into the stopper accommodation hole 134.

An axis accommodation hole 150 may be defined in a central portion of the bottom surface of the housing 100 so as to accommodate the central axis 250 (see FIG. 3) of the above-described division block or a rotation shaft (not shown) of a motor to be connected to the central axis. The rotation shaft of the motor may be connected to the central axis of the division block through the axis accommodation hole 150 to rotate the central axis of the division block.

A coupling structure including the housing and the division block will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9. FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating a state in which the division block is inserted into the housing according to an embodiment, FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating a state in which the division block is inserted into the housing according to an embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating a position relation between a discharge hole and the brush according to an embodiment.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the division block 200 may be accommodated in the block accommodation part 110. Here, the central axis 250 may be exposed to the outside through the axis accommodation hole 150. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the brush 1351 may be disposed over an orbit along which the partition member 230 rotates, and as illustrated in FIG. 7, the stopper accommodation hole 133 may be defined under the brush 1351. The brush 1351 may prevent the tablet 5 disposed in the storage part SP1 or the block accommodation part 110 from being directly discharged to the outside through the stopper accommodation hole 134 or the discharge hole 1175 (see FIG. 6).

A method of changing the size of a tablet accommodation part of the division block according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. FIG. 10 is a schematic view illustrating a first method for adjusting a width of a tablet accommodation part according to an embodiment, and FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating a second method for adjusting the width of the tablet accommodation part according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 10, an interval W4 OF the tablet accommodation part 237 may be adjusted according to the total number of the partition members 230 which are inserted into the fitting grooves 221. That is, the interval W4 becomes greater in the case where the partition members 230 are inserted into every other fitting groove 221 than in the case where the partition members 230 are inserted into all of the fitting grooves 221. That is, as the number of the partition members 230 inserted into the fitting grooves 221 decreases, the tablet passing through the tablet accommodation part 237 may gradually increase in size.

A width W1 of the partition member 230 may be adjusted by adjusting a width W2 of the tablet accommodation part 237. As illustrated in FIG. 11, when the partition member 230 has a width W1 greater than that W3 of the partition member 230 of FIG. 10, the width W2 of the tablet accommodation part 237 is reduced, and thus the tablet accommodated into the tablet accommodation part 237 may be reduced in size.

A division block according to another embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 12. FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of a division block according to another embodiment.

A partition member 230a according to the current embodiment may have a clip shape. That is, a clip part 235a extending from a partition member body 231 may be formed on the partition member 230a. The clip part 235a may be formed in a bent state so that a lower end of a block body 210 is inserted and fitted into a space between the clip part 235a and the partition member body 231. A protrusion-to-be-guided 236 may be formed from the clip part 235a toward the partition member body 231. Also, a protrusion 239 may further protrude from the protrusion-to-be-guided 236 toward the partition member body 231.

A guide groove 240 may be defined in an inner circumferential surface of the block body 210 in a circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface of the block body 210, and a plurality of second fitting grooves 245 may be arranged along the guide groove 240 at regular intervals. The above-described protrusion-to-be-guided 236 may move in a state where the protrusion-to-be-guided 236 is accommodated in the guide groove 240 to guide the partition member 230a to move in the circumferential direction along the block body 210. The protrusion 239 may be accommodated into the second fitting groove 245 to fix the partition member 230a to one spot.

A blocking member according to another embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a housing including a blocking member according to another embodiment, and FIG. 14 is a longitudinal sectional view of the housing in FIG. 13.

The blocking member 135a according to the current embodiment may be different from the blocking member according to the above-described embodiment in that the blocking member 135a is a variable type instead of a fixed type.

In detail, the blocking member 135a includes a blocking member body 1353a, a brush 1351a, and a blocking member extension part 1355a. The blocking member extension part 1355a may vertically move in a state where the blocking member extension part 1355a is inserted into a brush guide hole 133a. An elastic unevenness member 1356a may be disposed on a side surface of the blocking member extension part 1355a as illustrated in FIG. 13(a). The elastic unevenness member 1356a may be pushed toward the blocking member extension part 1355a by the external force.

The blocking member body 1353a may extend from the blocking member extension part 1355a to the outside of the housing 100a. Since the blocking member body 1353a may have a width greater than that of the brush guide hole 133a, the blocking member body 1353a may prevent the blocking member 135a from being separated into the housing 100a. The brush 1351a may extend from the blocking member extension part 1355a to the inside of the housing 100a.

The brush guide hole 133a may be defined in the housing 100a to allow the block accommodation part 110 to communicate with the outside therethrough. The brush guide hole 133a may guide the blocking member extension part 1355a so that the blocking member extension part 1355a vertically moves in a state where the blocking member extension part 1355a is inserted into the brush guide hole 133a. An unevenness 1331a may be formed on one side surface of the brush guide hole 133a, as illustrated in FIG. 13 (b). The unevenness 1331a may be formed adjacent to the elastic unevenness member 1356a of the blocking member 135a. Only when a predetermine force is applied to the blocking member 135a, the blocking member 135a may vertically move along the brush guide hole 133a.

If the tablet to be dispensed from the housing 100a is changed in size after stored, the size of the partition member 230, the interval between the partition members 230 adjacent to each other, and the height of the division block 200 need to be changed to smoothly discharge the tablet to the outside. When the partition member 230 is changed in size, or the division block 200 is changed in height, the blocking member 135a needs to be changed in height corresponding thereto.

The blocking member 135a according to the current embodiment may be meaningful since the blocking member 135a may be variable in height in accordance with the height of the block accommodation part 110.

Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described, the technical spirit of the present invention is not limited to the above-described exemplary embodiments, and thus various dispensing boxes for the drug-containing ampoule and the dispensing apparatus including the same can be realized as a tablet canister including various variable division blocks without departing form the spirit or scope of the invention.

Claims

A tablet canister having a variable division block, the tablet canister comprising:

a storage part in which a tablet is stored;

a division block rotating about a central axis, and including a plurality of partition members spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other around an outer circumferential surface thereof, wherein a tablet accommodation part defined by an interval between the partition members accommodates the tablet dropped from the storage part; and

a housing including a block accommodation part in which the division block is rotatably accommodated, the housing including a discharge hole which is defined in a lower end of any one spot of an orbit around which the tablet accommodation part travels and through which the tablet accommodated in the tablet accommodation part is discharged to the outside,

wherein each of the partition members is detachable from the outer circumferential surface of the division block.
The tablet canister of claim 1, wherein a width of the tablet accommodation part is determined in inverse proportion to the number of partition members attached to the outer circumferential surface of the division block.
The tablet canister of claim 1, wherein a width of the tablet accommodation part is determined in inverse proportion to a width of the partition member attached to the outer circumferential surface of the division block.
The tablet canister of claim 1, wherein the division block has a fitting groove cut from a lower end thereof at a position into which the partition member is inserted, and

the partition member comprises:

a partition member body exposed to the outside of the outer circumferential surface of the division block to form the tablet accommodation part;

an extension part extending from the partition member body and inserted into the fitting groove; and

a hook part transversally extending from the extension part and hooked to a rear surface of the fitting groove to prevent the partition member body from being separated from the fitting groove.
The tablet canister of claim 1, further comprising a blocking member for blocking the tablet from being introduced from the storage part into the tablet accommodation part disposed above the discharge hole.
The tablet canister of claim 5, wherein the blocking member comprises a brush aligned in a horizontal direction.
The tablet canister of claim 5, wherein the blocking member is adjustable in height and disposed in the housing.
The tablet canister of claim 7, wherein the housing comprises:

a brush guide hole having a groove shape having a predetermined length in a vertical direction, the brush guide hole having an unevenness part on at least one side surface thereof, and

the blocking member comprises:

a brush disposed in the housing;

an extension part extending from the brush and vertically moving along the brush guide hole, the extension part including an elastic unevenness member that is in contact with the unevenness part on one side thereof; and

a blocking member body extending from the extension part and exposed to the outside of the housing.
The tablet canister of claim 1, wherein an inclined part that is inclined downward from the center of the division block to the outside is formed on an upper end of the division block; and

a protruding curved surface protruding upward is formed on the inclined part.
The tablet canister of claim 1, further comprising a stopper in which the discharge hole is defined, the stopper being separable from the housing,

wherein when the tablet is changed in size, the stopper is replaced with another stopper in which a discharge hole having a size corresponding to the changed size of the tablet is defined.
The tablet canister of claim 1, wherein the division block comprises a block body having a hollow cylindrical shape in a lower portion thereof, and

the partition member comprises:

a partition member body exposed to the outside of the outer circumferential surface of the division block to form the tablet accommodation part; and

a clip part extending from the partition member body to fix a lower end of the block body inserted between the clip part and the partition member body.
The tablet canister of claim 11, wherein a guide groove is defined in an inner circumferential surface of the block body in a circumferential direction, and

the clip comprises a protrusion-to-be-guided accommodated in the guide groove.
The tablet canister of claim 11, wherein a second fitting groove having a groove shape is recessed in a spot where the partition member is disposed of an inner circumferential surface of the block body, and

the clip part comprises a protrusion inserted into the second fitting groove.
The tablet canister of claim 1, wherein the division block comprises a fitting groove cut from a lower end thereof at a position into which the partition member is inserted, and

the number of the fitting grooves is greater than that of the division blocks.
The tablet canister of claim 1, wherein the division block has a plurality of fitting grooves cut from a lower end thereof at a position into which the partition member is inserted, and

a width of the partition member is greater than an interval between the fitting grooves.