JP7779577B2 - Powder dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a powder dispensing device that dispenses powdered medicine.

Traditionally, when dispensing powdered medicines (also called "powdered medication") at pharmacies, pharmacists would bring a powder bottle containing the powder to the dispensing counter and then weigh the powder by feeding it from the bottle onto a tray placed on an electronic balance. This tray is called a weighing dish. While there were packaging devices that divided and packaged powders into single doses, the total amount of powder needed for packaging before feeding it into the device was weighed manually, leaving room for improvement.

Patent Document 1 also describes a "powdered medicine supply device." This device dispenses and weighs powdered medicine from any cassette stored in a cassette storage unit into a cup supplied by a cup supply unit, and then transports the cup using a cup lifting unit and a cup return unit to a packaging unit.

Patent No. 4066280

However, the device described in Patent Document 1 was unable to dispense powdered medicines that were not contained in a cassette, for example, and so there was room for improvement in terms of flexible response to supply instructions.

The present invention aims to provide a powder dispensing device that can efficiently prepare powder in accordance with supply instructions.

The powder dispensing device of the present invention has a powder container capable of holding powder, and comprises a dispensing unit that dispenses the powder from the powder container, and a platform located below the dispensing unit on which a tray that receives the powder dispensed from the powder container is placed. The platform is configured to be movable horizontally, and is positioned away from the dispensing unit when powder is manually added to the tray without being dispensed from the powder container by the dispensing unit.

The device may also be configured to include a housing with a door installed on the housing, and by opening the door and pulling out the table, the table can be positioned away from the dispensing unit.

The door may also be provided with a locking unit that locks the door so that it cannot be opened.

As described above, the present invention provides a powder dispensing device that can efficiently prepare powder in accordance with a supply instruction.

1 is a front view showing the appearance of a weighing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the weighing device according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of the weighing device according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view of the main part of the weighing device according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main part of the weighing device according to the embodiment, showing a case where weighing is performed automatically. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main part of the weighing device according to the embodiment, showing a case where weighing is performed manually. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the weighing device according to the embodiment, illustrating the state in which the dispensing outlet of the powder container is aligned with the opening formed in the table at the dispensing position. FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration related to control of the weighing device according to the embodiment. 4A and 4B are diagrams for explaining information displayed on an information display unit of the weighing device according to the embodiment. FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view showing a tray stacking unit of a weighing device according to another embodiment.

A weighing device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Directions indicated in the following description correspond to the directions shown in Figure 3. Note that the "width direction" is also referred to as the "left-right direction." The tray T (see Figure 9) used in this embodiment moves through the tray standby section 4, the weighing section 3, and the tray accumulation section 6 in that order. Therefore, in relation to the positional relationship of each component, the direction of movement of the tray T is sometimes described using expressions such as "upstream," likening it to a flow.

[overview]
The weighing device 1 of this embodiment is a device that can mechanically perform the weighing of powders, which has traditionally been performed manually by pharmacists and other workers when dispensing powders, and can also be performed manually by a worker if necessary. This weighing device 1 can mechanically or manually supply and weigh powders to trays T placed on the weighing unit 3. In this embodiment, each tray T is supplied with one type of powder, and a worker mixes different types of powders as needed in a subsequent process (such as when feeding into a packaging device). However, in some cases, it is also possible to supply multiple types of powders to each tray T.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the weighing device 1 of this embodiment mainly comprises a dispensing unit 2, a weighing unit 3, a tray standby unit 4, a tray transport unit 5, a tray accumulation unit 6, an information writing unit 7, a device-side display unit 8, a control unit 9, and a housing 10. The main components of each unit are described below.

[Payment section]
Dispensing unit 2 includes a powder container 21 capable of accommodating a powder, a holder 22 that detachably holds powder container 21, a moving mechanism 23 that moves powder container 21 held by holder 22, and a dispensing mechanism 24 that dispenses the powder from powder container 21, and further includes a table 25 that supports powder container 21, holder 22, moving mechanism 23, and dispensing mechanism 24. Note that Figures 3 to 6 show a state in which powder containers 21 are not attached to some holders 22.

(Powder container)
A plurality of powder containers 21 are provided horizontally. The powder containers 21 are moved by a moving mechanism 23 to a dispensing position P1 for dispensing the powder. The powder dispensed by the dispensing mechanism 24 falls from the powder container 21 and is stored in a tray T placed on the weighing unit 3 located below. In this embodiment, 14 powder containers 21 are provided. However, the number of powder containers 21 is not limited to this. Each powder container 21 in this embodiment typically contains powder by type. That is, one type of powder is contained in one powder container 21. However, for example, for powders that are used in large quantities, one type of powder can be contained in two or more powder containers 21.

As shown in FIG. 7 , the powder container 21 has a cylindrical body 211, a bottom 212 provided at one end (lower end) of the body 211, and a lid 213 provided at the other end (upper end) of the body 211. The body 211 and bottom 212 define a space for containing powder M, and the lid 213 closes the other end of the body 211, storing the contained powder M within the powder container 21. A fixed amount of powder M is dispensed from the dispensing mechanism 24 to the tray T based on the weighing detection value in the weighing unit 3. Hereinafter, the axial direction of the body 211 is referred to as the up-down direction. In this embodiment, the powder container 21 is arranged so that the axial direction is approximately aligned with the vertical direction and stands upright on a horizontal plane. The powder container 21 is attached to and detached from the holder 22 with the bottom 212 positioned downward.

The body 211 is formed in a cylindrical shape. In this embodiment, the body 211 is formed, for example, from a transparent material. Therefore, the powder M contained in the body 211 can be seen from the outside of the body 211. This makes it possible to know the amount of powder M in the powder container 21 from the outside. The transparent material may cover the entire body 211, or may cover only a portion that serves as a viewing window.

A dispensing opening 212a for dispensing powder M is formed in the bottom 212, and powder M is dispensed from the dispensing opening 212a.

The lid portion 213 is a portion that closes one end of the body portion 211. The lid portion 213 is attached to the body portion 211 so as to be rotatable around an axis that is parallel to the radial direction of the body portion 211.

(Holding body)
The holder 22 is a part that detachably holds the powder container 21. The holder 22 includes a holder main body 221 that holds the powder container 21 and a fixed portion 223 that is fixed to the moving mechanism 23. The holder 22 in this embodiment is configured to hold one powder container 21. Therefore, the number of holders 22 provided corresponds to the number of powder containers 21. In this embodiment, 14 holders 22 are provided. However, the holder 22 may be configured to hold a plurality of powder containers 21 together.

A communication opening 221a is formed in the holding body 221 at a position corresponding to the dispensing outlet 212a of the powder container 21. As shown in Figure 7, the powder M dispensed from the powder container 21 passes through the communication opening 221a and falls.

The fixed portion 223 is screwed to the movement mechanism 23 (described below), thereby fixing the holder 22 to the movement mechanism 23.

(Moving mechanism)
The moving mechanism 23 is a mechanism for moving the powder container 21 held by the holder 22. Specifically, the moving mechanism 23 moves the powder container 21 by moving the holder 22. The moving mechanism 23 moves multiple powder containers 21 in the horizontal direction. In this embodiment, the moving mechanism 23 moves the holder 22 in a circular motion within a horizontal plane. FIG. 5 shows a movement trajectory Q of the powder container 21. The moving mechanism 23 in this embodiment includes a moving body 231 that moves the holder 22 and a movement drive unit 232 that drives the moving body 231. In addition, to detect the powder container 21 at the dispensing position P1 and the attachment/detachment position P2 described below, an RFID reader/writer 233 that can read and write information from an RFID tag 214 (see FIG. 7) provided on the powder container 21 is provided at a position corresponding to the RFID tag 214 of the powder container 21 at the dispensing position P1 and the attachment/detachment position P2.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a dispensing position P1 is set on the moving path Q for dispensing powder from the powder container 21. Also, a detachment position P2 is set on the moving path Q for attaching and detaching the powder container 21 to and from the holder 22. The detachment position P2 can be achieved, for example, by ensuring space above the powder container 21 only at the detachment position P2, and by having the powder container 21 hooked onto the ceiling of the housing 10 in other areas, making it impossible to attach and detach.

The attachment/detachment position P2 is located at a different horizontal position from the dispensing position P1. In this embodiment, the attachment/detachment position P2 is the position closest to the dispensing position P1, where the powder containers 21 one to three away are held. The reason that the attachment/detachment position P2 is not located at the same position as the dispensing position P1 is that, because the tray T is located below the dispensing position P1, powder adhering to the powder container 21 being attached or detached may fall, or the powder may fall from the holder 22 due to vibration during attachment or detachment, resulting in unintended contamination of the powder container 21 with the tray T. This positional relationship allows a powder container 21 that has run out of powder to be moved to the attachment/detachment position P2, removed from the holder 22, and quickly replenished with powder. Furthermore, after refilling, the powder container 21 can be quickly moved to the dispensing outlet 212a. This shortens the time it takes for dispensing to resume after the powder container 21 has run out. However, if they are one position away from each other, when attaching or detaching the powder container 21 at attachment/detachment position P2, the worker's hand or the powder container 21 being attached or detached may hit the powder container 21 at dispensing position P1, which could result in the powder container 21 unintentionally falling, so it is preferable that they are two positions away from each other or more.

In this embodiment, the moving mechanism 23 moves the holder 22 in a circular motion, so the movement path Q of the powder container 21 is a circular orbit. The moving mechanism 23 can move the powder container 21 in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions as needed (for example, so that the movement distance to the dispensing position P1 is shorter). The movement path Q in this embodiment is elliptical. Therefore, the movement path Q, which is a circular orbit in this embodiment, is composed of a pair of straight orbits Q1 along which the holder 22 moves in a straight line and a pair of curved orbits Q2 along which the holder 22 moves in a curved motion. The movement path Q, which is a circular orbit, is not limited to an elliptical shape and may be circular, elliptical, rectangular, etc. Furthermore, the movement mechanism 23 is not limited to one that moves the holder 22 in a circular motion, but may also move the holder 22 back and forth in a linear or curved manner within a predetermined range.

In this embodiment, the weighing unit 3, tray standby unit 4, tray transfer unit 5, and tray accumulation unit 6 are each located below the front range (front half range) of the movement track Q.

Hereinafter, one side of the pair of straight trajectories Q1 will be referred to as the front side, and the other side as the back side (depth side), and the direction in which the pair of straight trajectories Q1 face each other will be referred to as the depth direction (sometimes referred to as the front-to-back direction). Furthermore, the direction in which the pair of curved trajectories Q2 face each other will be referred to as the width direction (sometimes referred to as the left-to-right direction). The dispensing position P1 is set within the range on the front side of the moving trajectory Q. Furthermore, the attachment/detachment position P2 is also set within the range on the front side of the moving trajectory Q. In this embodiment, the size of the casing 10 is determined in accordance with the length (size) of the moving trajectory Q of the powder container 21. That is, the depth direction length of the casing 10 is determined based on the opposing distance between the pair of straight trajectories Q1 on the moving trajectory Q of the powder container 21, and the width direction length of the casing 10 is determined based on the opposing distance between the pair of curved trajectories Q2.

In this embodiment, the movable body 231 is configured as a belt whose surface is arranged in the vertical direction. The fixed portion 223 of the holder 22 is fixed to this belt. The movable body 231 is formed in an annular shape. The center of the annular belt is the center of rotation about which the holder 22 moves. The movable body 231 is formed in an elliptical shape. A movement path Q of the powder container 21 is formed along the circumferential direction of the movable body 231, and the holder 22 and powder container 21 move around the outer periphery of the movable body 231. The movable body 231 is provided with fixing portions 231a at equal intervals in the circumferential direction for fixing the fixed portion 223 of the holder 22.

The movement drive unit 232 moves the moving body 231 in a circular motion. The movement drive unit 232 drives or stops the moving body 231 based on commands from the control unit 9.

(Dispensing mechanism)
Dispensing mechanism 24 is a mechanism for dispensing the powder from powder container 21 that has moved to a predetermined dispensing position P1 on movement trajectory Q of powder container 21. Dispensing mechanism 24 is configured to dispense a predetermined amount of powder to dispensing opening 212a.

The dispensing drive unit 241 is located at dispensing position P1 in the dispensing unit 2, and generates a driving force in the dispensing mechanism 24 when dispensing. The dispensing drive unit 241 drives or stops the driving of the dispensing mechanism 24 in a connected state based on commands from the control unit 9.

(table)
The table 25 carries the powder container 21, the holder 22, the moving mechanism 23, and the dispensing mechanism 24. The table 25 is formed in a plate shape. The table 25 is formed in a rectangular shape having long and short sides corresponding to the moving path Q of the powder container 21. The moving path Q is set at approximately the center of the table 25. The moving body 231 is installed on the table 25 so that the longitudinal direction coincides with the direction in which the moving body 231 extends. The moving body 231 is installed in the center of the table 25. The table 25 is installed horizontally, and the powder container 21 and the holder 22 are arranged horizontally.

An opening 251 is formed in the table 25 at a position corresponding to the dispensing position P1 on the movement (circulation) trajectory of the powder container 21. That is, when the holder 22 and powder container 21 are positioned at the dispensing position P1, the dispensing outlet 212a of the powder container 21, the communication port 221a of the holder 22, and the opening 251 of the table 25 are aligned vertically. This allows the powder in the powder container 21 to be dispensed.

The table 25 is provided with a shutter that is provided on the underside of the table 25 and opens and closes the opening 251 of the table 25. In this embodiment, the shutter is formed in a plate shape. The shutter may be located, for example, below the holding body 221. Note that the shutter on the table 25 is not essential to the dispensing unit 2 and may not be provided.

[Weighing section]
The weighing unit 3 places a tray T that contains powder dispensed from the powder container 21 on it and weighs the powder supplied to the tray T. The weighing unit 3 also weighs powder supplied to the tray T by the dispensing mechanism 24 without dispensing it from the powder container 21. The weighing unit 3 is located below the dispensing unit 2 and overlaps the dispensing unit 2 in the vertical direction. Specifically, the weighing unit 3 is disposed below the table 25. The weighing unit 3 in this embodiment is an electronic balance. The weighing detection value in the weighing unit 3 is sent to the control unit 9. The weighing detection value is displayed on a display unit included in the weighing unit (electronic balance) 3, and this display is visually confirmed by an operator when manually or otherwise supplying powder to the tray T without dispensing it from the powder container 21 by the dispensing mechanism 24.

The weighing unit 3 in this embodiment is configured to be movable in the depth direction. In the automatic weighing mode (first mode) described below, the weighing unit 3 is located at a first position S1 on the rear side in the depth direction (farther from the operator), and in the manual weighing mode (second mode) described below, it can be located at a second position S2 on the front side in the depth direction (closer to the operator). The weighing unit 3 is placed on a stand 101 that is movable in the depth direction, and the weighing unit 3 moves as the stand 101 moves. The stand 101 is pulled out by the operator grasping the handle 102. However, a pull-out drive unit can also be provided so that the stand 101 is pulled out automatically when the mode is switched to manual weighing mode.

Here, a locking unit 3a is provided on the door 10b installed on the front side of the weighing unit 3 in the housing 10. In the automatic weighing mode, the locking unit 3a locks the door 10b so that it cannot be opened, thereby holding the weighing unit 3 in the first position S1 and preventing it from being moved to the second position S2. It is also possible to provide the locking unit 3a on the stand 101, and configure it so that in the automatic weighing mode, the locking unit 3a locks the weighing unit 3 so that it cannot be moved.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the first position S1 is a position where the weighing unit 3 at least partially overlaps the dispensing unit 2 (table 25) in the vertical direction. The first position S1 is set below the dispensing position P1. Therefore, the first position S1 is a position suitable for automatic weighing. The second position S2 is a position where the weighing unit 3 is forward of the dispensing unit 2 (table 25). At the second position S2, the space above the weighing unit 3 is open as a work space, and as will be described later, a space for performing manual weighing operations in the manual weighing mode (second mode) is secured. Therefore, the second position S2 is a position suitable for manual weighing. As described above, as long as the first position S1 corresponds to the position during automatic weighing and the second position S2 corresponds to the position during manual weighing, the first position S1 and the second position S2 are not limited to the positional relationship in the depth direction as in this embodiment, and various positional relationships can be adopted.

[Tray standby section]
The tray standby section 4 is a section that holds trays T before they are moved to the weighing section 3. The tray standby section 4 holds a plurality of trays T (nine in this embodiment, but not limited to this). The tray standby section 4 is configured to place a tray T on it and transport it so that the tray transport section 5 can grasp the tray T. At least a portion of the tray standby section 4 (a portion on the rear side in this embodiment) is located below the dispensing section 2 and overlaps with the dispensing section 2 in the vertical direction. The tray standby section 4 has a standby tray transport section 41 on which a tray T is placed and transported, and a standby drive section 42 for driving the standby tray transport section 41.

The waiting tray transfer section 41 is composed of a belt conveyor that extends in a predetermined direction. In this embodiment, the waiting tray transfer section 41 extends in the depth direction. Multiple trays T are lined up and stacked in the direction in which the waiting tray transfer section 41 extends (depth direction). Figure 3 shows, as an example, three trays T lined up in the depth direction, with another tray T stacked on top of each other, for a total of three layers of trays T (nine trays T). In this embodiment, the waiting tray transfer section 41 is installed below the table 25 in the dispensing section 2. The waiting tray transfer section 41 is positioned so that more than half of its depth overlaps the table 25 in the vertical direction. The waiting tray transfer section 41 moves from the front side to the rear side, moving the placed tray T to the rear (rear) side in the depth direction, to below the transfer section main body 51 of the tray transfer section 5.

The standby drive unit 42 drives the standby tray transport unit 41. The standby drive unit 42 drives or stops the standby tray transport unit 41 based on commands from the control unit 9.

[Tray transfer section]
The tray transfer unit 5 is a unit that transfers the tray T. The tray transfer unit 5 is configured to at least remove the tray T from the weighing unit 3 after weighing. Specifically, the tray transfer unit 5 is configured to move the tray T from the tray standby unit 4 to the weighing unit 3 prior to dispensing the powder, and to remove the tray T from the weighing unit 3 after dispensing the powder. Furthermore, the tray transfer unit 5 of this embodiment places the tray T on the tray accumulation unit 6 after removing it from the weighing unit 3. In this way, the tray transfer unit 5 is a unit that transfers the tray T in a series of steps from the tray standby unit 4 via the weighing unit 3 to the tray accumulation unit 6. The tray transfer unit 5 is located below the dispensing unit 2 and overlaps with the dispensing unit 2 in the vertical direction.

The tray transfer unit 5 has a transfer unit main body 51 for transferring trays T and a transfer drive unit 52 for driving the transfer unit main body 51.

The transfer unit main body 51 moves in the left-right direction (X direction) and the up-down direction (Y direction). The transfer unit main body 51 is configured to grip a tray T. In this embodiment, the transfer unit main body 51 has a pair of arms 51a. The transfer unit main body 51 grips the tray T with the pair of arms 51a and transports the tray T. The pair of arms 51a are spaced apart in the left-right direction and are configured to move toward and away from each other.

When the transfer unit main body 51 is in a standby state where it is not transferring trays T, it is located above the tray standby unit 4. The position in the standby state is the standard position of the transfer unit main body 51. The transfer unit main body 51 is configured to be movable in the vertical and horizontal directions based on this standard position. In this embodiment, the transfer unit main body 51 does not move in the depth direction, but it can also be configured to be movable. When transferring a tray T placed in the tray standby unit 4 to the weighing unit 3, the transfer unit main body 51 moves downward (descends) from the standard position to grip the tray T, and then moves upward (rises) while still gripping the tray T. The transfer unit main body 51 moves to the right in the horizontal direction (the right side in Figure 3) via the standard position and stops above the weighing unit 3. The transfer unit main body 51 then moves downward to place the tray T on the weighing unit 3, releases the tray T after placement, and waits in the position where it released the tray T.

After the powder medicine is dispensed onto the tray T, the transfer unit main body 51 grips the tray T containing the powder medicine. It then rises while still gripping the tray T and moves to the right. The transfer unit main body 51 moves to above the tray accumulation unit 6, then descends at a predetermined position and places the tray T on the tray accumulation unit 6. After placing the tray T, the transfer unit main body 51 releases the tray T and moves upward. The transfer unit main body 51 then moves to the left (the left side in Figure 3) and returns to its standard position.

[Tray accumulation section]
The tray accumulation section 6 is a post-weighing tray storage area where trays T containing weighed powders are placed. The trays T placed in the tray accumulation section 6 are removed by an operator and sent to a subsequent process (a packaging device). The empty trays T after being sent to the subsequent process are cleaned by a suction device or the like to remove any remaining powders, and then returned to the tray standby section 4 by the operator.

The tray stacking unit 6 is positioned below and overlaps the dispensing unit 2 (table 25). The tray stacking unit 6 is configured to be able to hold multiple trays T (three in this embodiment, but not limited to this). In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, three trays T are lined up in the left-right direction, with the two right-hand trays T exposed to the front, allowing an operator to remove these two trays T from the weighing device 1. The tray stacking unit 6 is configured to hold and transport trays T. The tray stacking unit 6 has an accumulation tray transfer unit 61 for placing and transporting trays T, and an accumulation drive unit 62 for driving the accumulation tray transfer unit 61.

The accumulation tray transfer section 61 is composed of a belt conveyor that extends in a predetermined direction. In this embodiment, the accumulation tray transfer section 61 extends in the left-right direction. Multiple trays T are lined up in the direction in which the accumulation tray transfer section 61 extends (left-right direction). Figure 3 shows an example of three trays T lined up in the left-right direction (three trays T). In this embodiment, the accumulation tray transfer section 61 is installed below the table 25 in the dispensing section 2. The accumulation tray transfer section 61 is positioned so that almost the entire area overlaps with the table 25 in the vertical direction. When the transfer section main body 51 places a tray T on the accumulation tray transfer section 61 and returns to the standard position, the accumulation tray transfer section 61 moves from left to right in the left-right direction, moving the placed tray T from left to right. This moves the tray T to a position where it can be removed from the weighing device 1.

The accumulation drive unit 62 drives the accumulation tray transfer unit 61. The accumulation drive unit 62 drives or stops the accumulation tray transfer unit 61 based on commands from the control unit 9.

The tray transfer unit 5 can also remove the tray T from the weighing unit 3 and then accumulate the tray T in the tray accumulation unit 6 for each supply instruction corresponding to the prescription information. To accommodate this, as shown in FIG. 10, for example, the accumulation tray transfer unit 61 can be configured to form parallel tray accumulation units 6X, 6Y consisting of multiple parallel belt conveyors, and the trays T can be sorted and placed on each tray accumulation unit 6X, 6Y in accordance with the supply instructions. In this case, the tray transfer unit 5 is configured to be able to move the tray T above the belt conveyor corresponding to the tray accumulation unit 6X, 6Y. In other words, the tray transfer unit 5 functions as an allocation means that allocates multiple trays T for each supply instruction corresponding to the prescription information.

[Information writing section]
The information writing unit 7 writes information for identifying the powder, such as prescription information for the powder stored in the tray T, to the information display unit T1 provided on the tray T. Writing is performed by a non-contact (wireless) power supply. Writing is performed in both the automatic weighing mode and the manual weighing mode, which will be described later. The prescription information for the stored powder is displayed on the information display unit T1. The information display unit T1 of the tray T will be described later. The information writing unit 7 is configured to be able to write an optically readable identifier to the information display unit T1. The information writing unit 7 is installed upstream of the weighing unit 3, and writes prescription information to the information display unit T1 before the tray T is placed on the weighing unit 3.

In this embodiment, the information writing unit 7 is disposed, for example, on the front side of the transport unit main body 51 positioned in the standard position (the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in Figure 3). The information writing unit 7 writes prescription information to the information display unit T1 along the path along which the tray T moves from the tray standby unit 4 to the weighing unit 3. That is, the information writing unit 7 writes prescription information to the information display unit T1 before powder is supplied to the tray T. For example, the information writing unit 7 may write prescription information for a tray T that has been lifted from the tray standby unit 4 by the transport unit main body 51 and stopped at the standard position. However, this is not limited to this. The information writing unit 7 may write prescription information to the information display unit T1 before placing the tray T on the tray stacking unit 6. This prevents mistakes when an operator removes a tray T from the tray stacking unit 6. However, if the manual weighing mode is to be executed, the information writing unit 7 must write prescription information to the information display unit T1 before placing the tray T on the weighing unit 3. This prevents the wrong powder from being dispensed when manually supplying powder to the tray T without using the dispensing mechanism 24 to dispense it from the powder container 21.

In addition, the information writing unit 7 can also write prescription information to the information display unit T1 after weighing has been performed by the weighing unit 3. In this case, the information written can include information about the actual supply (for example, the weighed value (actual measured value) or the fact that the amount of powder dispensed from the powder container does not reach the target amount) in addition to the prescription information. This makes it possible to alert the operator if there is a shortage of powder dispensed onto the tray T, preventing the powder from being mistakenly sent to a subsequent process (such as packaging) without making up for the shortage.

[Device side display section]
The device display unit 8 is a section that displays predetermined information related to the supply of powder. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the device display unit 8 is provided on the front side of the housing 10. In this embodiment, the device display unit 8 is a monitor. The device display unit 8 may also serve as an operation unit (operation panel) on which the operator performs predetermined operations.

[Control unit]
The control unit 9 controls the overall operation of the weighing device 1. Figure 8 shows the main components connected to the control unit 9. The control unit 9 switches between an automatic weighing mode, which is a first mode in which the dispensing mechanism 24 dispenses the powder from the powder container 21 while weighing it with the weighing unit 3, and a manual weighing mode, which is a second mode in which the weighing unit 3 weighs the powder placed in the tray T without dispensing the powder from the powder container 21 with the dispensing mechanism 24, depending on a target value of the powder amount related to a supply instruction input via the connected instruction input unit 9a. The supply instruction includes, for example, the type of powder to be dispensed by the dispensing mechanism 24, the supply amount and target supply value of each powder, etc. The instruction input unit 9a can take various forms, including, for example, an input unit that receives prescription information from a host system installed in a dispensing pharmacy, a barcode reader, an RFID reader, a keyboard, or a touch panel.

In the automatic weighing mode, the control unit 9 drives the dispensing drive unit 241 to dispense powder from the powder container 21. The control unit 9 controls the drive of the dispensing drive unit 241 in accordance with the weighing detection value input from the weighing unit 3, and dispenses the amount of powder specified in the supply command. The control unit 9 in this embodiment can be exemplified by the following multiple patterns:

The control unit 9 can select automatic weighing mode if the powder medicine related to the supply instruction is contained in the powder container 21, and manual weighing mode if the powder medicine is not contained in the powder container 21. Specifically, when the powder medicine to be dispensed is drug A, the control unit 9 receives input of the powder medicine related to the supply instruction as drug A along with the target amount of powder to be supplied. If drug A is contained in the powder container 21, the control unit 9 controls the dispensing mechanism 24 to dispense drug A (automatic weighing mode). On the other hand, if drug A is not contained in the powder container 21, the control unit 9 does not issue a dispensing instruction to the dispensing mechanism 24 and executes manual weighing mode. In this embodiment, in automatic weighing mode, the powder medicine is automatically weighed according to the target amount of powder medicine related to the supply instruction. In manual weighing mode, dispensing by the dispensing mechanism 24 is not performed. Therefore, for example, an operator transfers drug A from a powder bottle containing drug A to tray T and weighs it using the weighing unit 3.

Furthermore, the control unit 9 can be configured to allow the operator to select whether to refill the powder container 21 with powder and continue dispensing in the automatic weighing mode, or to switch to the manual weighing mode, when there is a shortage of powder to be dispensed in the automatic weighing mode. That is, when the powder container 21 is empty, or when it is predicted that the amount of powder in the powder container 21 will fall short of the target value by the time dispensing is completed, the operator can select whether to refill the powder container 21 with powder and continue automatic weighing (automatic weighing mode), or to manually weigh the amount of powder that falls short of the target value (manual weighing mode). The operator can make this selection, for example, on an operation panel (such as the device's display unit 8).

Here, the emptying of the powder container 21 can be detected by the absence of a change (specifically, an increase) in the weighing detection value in the weighing unit 3 for a certain period of time. Furthermore, the shortage of the amount of powder in the powder container 21 can be predicted by comparing the target value for the amount of powder related to the supply instruction with the remaining amount of powder known before dispensing begins.

Furthermore, if there is insufficient powder to be dispensed in the automatic weighing mode, the control unit 9 can terminate operation related to the automatic weighing mode and transition to the manual weighing mode. That is, the control unit 9 may automatically transition from the automatic weighing mode to the manual weighing mode without the operator's discretion. In this case, the operator may be able to set in advance whether or not to have the control unit 9 perform the above control. The control unit 9 can display on the device-side display unit 8 the amount of powder that needs to be supplied to the tray T in the manual weighing mode. Specifically, the control unit 9 calculates the amount of powder that is insufficient based on the detected weighing value of the powder contained in the tray T after the automatic weighing mode is terminated due to a shortage of powder and the target value for the amount of powder to be supplied to the tray T, and displays the amount of powder that is insufficient on the device-side display unit 8. This allows the operator to simply supply the displayed amount of powder to the tray T when the second mode is switched to. This facilitates manual weighing operations. Additionally, the device display unit 8 may not display the amount of powder that is lacking, but may instead display the weighed value of the powder contained in the tray T and the target amount of powder that should be supplied to the tray T. Any display that allows the operator to grasp the amount of powder that is lacking may be used.

Furthermore, when the multiple types of powders related to the supply instruction include some powders that are contained in one of the multiple powder containers 21 and some that are not, the control unit 9 can be configured to allow the operator to select whether to first switch to automatic weighing mode and then manual weighing mode, or to first switch to manual weighing mode and then automatic weighing mode. The control unit 9 can also first switch to automatic weighing mode and then manual weighing mode without making the above selection. Furthermore, the control unit 9 can also switch to manual weighing mode before automatic weighing mode and then switch to automatic weighing mode after manual weighing mode has ended without making the above selection.

Furthermore, when the control unit 9 is instructed to execute the manual weighing mode while executing the automatic weighing mode when dispensing multiple types of powders, it can interrupt the automatic weighing mode and switch to the manual weighing mode once the dispensing of the powders currently being executed is completed.

In this embodiment, the control unit 9 activates the lock unit 3a in automatic weighing mode, preventing the door 10b located in front of the weighing unit 3 from being opened. The control unit 9 also deactivates the lock unit 3a in manual weighing mode.

The control unit 9 moves the powder container 21 to the dispensing position P1, and then the tray transfer unit 5 moves the tray T from the tray waiting unit 4 to the weighing unit 3. In other words, the control unit 9 controls the powder container 21 so that it does not pass through the dispensing position P1 while the tray T is placed on the weighing unit 3.

If the table 25 is equipped with a shutter, the control unit 9 closes the shutter of the table 25 while the moving mechanism 23 is moving the multiple powder containers 21, and opens the shutter after the tray transfer unit 5 moves the tray T to the weighing unit 3. The control unit 9 also opens the shutter before dispensing the powder from the powder container 21. Specifically, the control unit 9 opens the shutter after the tray T is placed on the weighing unit 3 and after zero adjustment (tare) of the weighing unit 3.

[Case]
The housing 10 is configured to enclose the dispensing unit 2, the weighing unit 3, the tray standby unit 4, the tray transport unit 5, the tray accumulation unit 6, the information writing unit 7, the device-side display unit 8, and the control unit 9. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the housing 10 has an attachment/detachment window 10a for attaching and detaching the powder container 21 at a position corresponding to the attachment/detachment position P2 of the powder container 21. The housing 10 also has a door 10b in front of the weighing unit 3 ( FIGS. 1 and 2 show the door 10b in an open state). In the manual weighing mode, the operator opens the door 10b and pulls the weighing unit 3 out to the second position S2 to perform manual weighing. In addition to the above-mentioned components, the housing 10 may be provided with various mechanisms to support tasks required for supplying powder, such as a journal printer for printing prescription information for the supplied powder and information regarding the supply results, and a barcode reader for managing the powder container 21.

[Tray]
The tray T used in the weighing device 1 of this embodiment is for containing the supplied powder. This tray T is shaped so that it can be placed on the weighing unit 3 to weigh the supplied powder and can be transported by the tray transport unit 5. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, it is formed in a flat, approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open top. It is preferable that multiple trays T be shaped so that they can be stacked one on top of the other, as shown in FIG. 3. In addition, this tray T has side projections T2 that can engage with a pair of arms 51a of the tray transport unit 5 or on which an operator can place their fingers.

As shown in FIG. 9 , the tray T includes an information display unit T1 that displays prescription information for the powder medication stored therein. The information display unit T1 is provided on one of the four sides. In this embodiment, the information display unit T1 is configured to be attached by inserting it into the main body of the tray T as shown, but it can also be attached to the side of the tray T, for example. In this embodiment, a display unit equipped with electronic paper is used as the information display unit T1. Electronic paper can retain displayed content without requiring power, which contributes to energy conservation compared to, for example, LCD displays. Furthermore, the information displayed on the information display unit T1 can be rewritten by the information writing unit 7. Furthermore, the information display unit T1 in this embodiment is configured so that the display written by the information writing unit 7 is retained until the next time the information writing unit 7 writes. Note that the identifier displayed on the information display unit T1 can also be read by a downstream device (such as a packaging device) and the display on the information display unit T1, including the identifier, can be erased.

The information display unit T1 can display a variety of information. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, prescription information can include reception number J1, reception date and time J2, patient name J3, age J4, drug name J5, drug type symbol J6, weighed value J7, barcode J8, and RP number J9. The prescription information also includes patient information (patient name, patient ID, patient's date of birth, patient's age), drug information (drug name, drug code, dosage), dosage information (dosage, dosage code), medication information (oral, topical, etc.), consultation type (outpatient, hospitalized, etc.), and prescription issuance date and time. The reception number J1 is a number assigned to each prescription when a host system installed in a dispensing pharmacy receives the prescription information from a higher-level computer such as a prescription ordering system. The reception date and time J2 is the date and time the prescription information was received by the host system. To assign dispensing instructions to each dispensing device based on the prescription information received from the host computer, the host system classifies the prescription information according to specific conditions such as drug type, dosage, and time of administration, and assigns an RP number (RP1, RP2, etc.) to each grouped piece of data. Furthermore, information necessary for operating each dispensing device (patient name, patient ID, patient date of birth, patient age, drug name, drug code, dosage, dosage, dosage code, etc.) is extracted from the prescription information received from the host system. The host system then associates and stores the reception number and reception date/time with the RP number of each grouped piece of data and the extracted prescription information corresponding to each piece of data, generating dispensing information for operating each dispensing device. The control unit 9 acquires the dispensing information and issues supply instructions based on the acquired dispensing information.

The display corresponding to barcode J8 may be an optically readable identifier such as a two-dimensional code, in addition to the barcode (one-dimensional code) shown in the figure. The identifier stores information specific to each dispensing information generated by the host system. The identifier has the advantage of facilitating mechanical processing in subsequent processes, as the information can be easily read using a reading device such as a barcode reader. Therefore, for example, by reading the identifier with a reading device, dispensing information stored in the host system can be retrieved, making it possible to build a system in which the dispensing information can be automatically input from the host system to the packaging device. Furthermore, an electrically readable identifier such as an RFID tag can be provided on the information display unit T1 instead of, or in addition to, the optically readable identifier.

[Instructions for use]
A method for using the weighing device 1 according to this embodiment configured as described above will now be described. Note that the following method of use is merely an example and is not limited to this. Prior to use, an operator places powder in each of the multiple powder containers 21. At this time, different types of powder can be placed in each powder container 21, or the same type of powder can be placed in two or more powder containers 21. Next, the operator attaches the powder container 21 containing the powder to the holder 22 at the attachment/detachment position P2.

Next, prescription information is input to the weighing device 1 via the instruction input unit 9a. The control unit 9 then controls the tray transport unit 5 to move the tray T from the tray standby unit 4 to the weighing unit 3, and operates the movement mechanism 23 to move the holder 22 in a circular motion. The control unit 9 operates the information writing unit 7 for the tray T during the movement, causing the prescription information to be written to the information display unit T1 provided on the tray T. When the powder container 21 containing the powder to be dispensed reaches the dispensing position P1, the control unit 9 stops the movement mechanism 23. When the powder container 21 containing the powder to be dispensed is positioned at the dispensing position P1, the tray T is moved to the weighing unit 3.

The control unit 9 then activates the dispensing mechanism 24 to begin dispensing the powder. The control unit 9 controls the dispensing mechanism 24 based on the weighing detection value sent from the weighing unit 3, and stops driving the dispensing mechanism 24 when the amount of powder corresponding to the prescription information has been supplied to the tray T.

Next, the control unit 9 controls the tray transfer unit 5 to move the tray T with the powder supplied from the weighing unit 3 to the tray accumulation unit 6. The worker then holds the tray T that has been moved to the tray accumulation unit 6 and inserts it into a packaging device, etc.

The above description describes the method of use in the automatic weighing mode. In the manual weighing mode, as in the automatic weighing mode, the tray T in the tray waiting section 4 is moved to the weighing section, and during the movement, the information writing section 7 is activated to write prescription information to the information display section T1 provided on the tray T. Once the tray T is moved to the weighing section, the control section 9 unlocks the lock section 3a, allowing the door 10b to be opened. The operator opens the door 10b, grasps the handle 102, and pulls out the weighing section 3 along with the stand 101 to the second position S2. The operator may place the tray T on the weighing section 3 without having the tray transport section 5 move the tray T to the weighing section 3. In this case, the operator operates the device-side display section 8, for example, to cause the control section 9 to unlock the lock section 3a. After the weighing section is pulled out to the second position S2, powder is supplied to the tray T from the powder bottle. The operator visually checks the weighing detection value displayed on the display unit of the weighing unit 3 and adjusts the supply amount to correspond to the prescription information. The operator then removes the tray T supplied with powder from the weighing unit 3 and places it in a packaging device or the like. After supplying the powder to the tray T, the weighing unit may be returned to the first position S1, and the control unit 9 may control the tray transfer unit 5 to move the tray T supplied with powder from the weighing unit 3 to the tray accumulation unit 6, as in the automatic weighing mode.

[Summary of the embodiment]
Combinations of the configurations in the weighing device 1 according to the above-described embodiment and the effects that can be expected from the combinations of the configurations will be described below in the first to fifth embodiments.

(First embodiment)
The weighing device 1 of the first embodiment has a powder container 21 that can hold powder, and is equipped with a dispensing unit 2 that dispenses the powder from the powder container 21, a weighing unit 3 that places a tray T that receives the powder dispensed from the powder container 21 and weighs the powder dispensed onto the tray T, a tray transfer unit 5 that removes the tray T from the weighing unit 3 after weighing, and a tray accumulation unit 6 on which a plurality of trays T containing weighed powder are placed.

With this configuration, multiple trays T containing powder are placed on the tray stacking unit 6, and the trays T are temporarily stored in the tray stacking unit 6. Therefore, while a tray T is placed on the tray stacking unit 6, powder can be supplied to the next tray, eliminating the need to remove the tray T containing powder from the weighing device 1 each time powder is supplied. Furthermore, because the next powder to be packaged can be weighed even before packaging is completed, the operating rate of the weighing device is not reduced. Compared to a configuration in which subsequent processing, such as packaging, is performed immediately after weighing, an operator can use another dispensing device, such as a packaging device, to dispense powder contained in any of the multiple trays T, thereby increasing the flexibility of subsequent processing after weighing. Furthermore, multiple types of powder can be weighed in advance, and each powder can be packaged in parallel using multiple packaging devices.

The weighing device 1 also includes an information writing unit 7 that writes information to identify the powder medicine contained in the tray T onto the information display unit T1 provided on the tray T.

With this configuration, the information display unit provided on the tray T displays information for identifying the powder contained in the tray, preventing workers from picking up the wrong tray T. This also prevents workers from supplying the wrong powder to a packaging device or other device in a subsequent process. It also prevents workers from supplying the wrong powder to the tray T manually, for example, without dispensing it from the powder container 21 using the dispensing unit 2.

In addition, the information writing unit 7 writes an optically readable identifier to the information display unit T1.

With this configuration, the information writing unit 7 writes an optically readable identifier to the information display unit T1. Therefore, by equipping the dispensing device with a device that reads this identifier, the powder medicine contained in the tray T can be identified within the dispensing device.

In addition, electronic paper is used as the information display unit T1.

With this configuration, the content displayed on the information display unit T1 can be maintained without requiring power. Furthermore, the information writing unit 7 can rewrite the information displayed on the information display unit T1.

The tray transfer unit 5 also removes the tray T from the weighing unit 3, and then stacks the tray T in the tray stacking unit 6 according to the supply instructions corresponding to the prescription information.

With this configuration, trays are collected in the tray collection section according to the supply instruction corresponding to the prescription information, making it less likely that an operator will get confused about which tray T corresponds to which supply instruction.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, there is no need to remove the tray T containing the powder from the weighing device 1 each time the powder is supplied, and the next powder to be packaged can be weighed even if packaging is not complete, so the operating rate of the weighing device 1 is not reduced. This also increases the flexibility of post-processing after weighing. Furthermore, multiple types of powder can be packaged in parallel, for example, using multiple packaging devices. Therefore, it is possible to provide a weighing device 1 that is easy to use and can efficiently weigh powder.

Second Embodiment
The weighing device 1 of the second embodiment includes a dispensing unit 2 having a plurality of powder containers 21 each capable of containing a powder and having a dispensing outlet 212a, a moving mechanism 23 for moving the plurality of powder containers 21, and a dispensing mechanism 24 for dispensing powder from the powder containers 21 that have moved to a predetermined dispensing position P1 on a movement path Q of the plurality of powder containers 21; a weighing unit 3 on which a tray T for receiving powder dispensed from the powder containers 21 is placed and which weighs the powder dispensed onto the tray T; The dispensing unit 2 is provided with a tray waiting unit 4 that holds a number of the trays T, a tray transfer unit 5 that moves the trays T from the tray waiting unit 4 to the weighing unit 3 and removes the trays T from the weighing unit 3 after dispensing, and a post-weighing tray storage area 6 on which the trays T containing weighed powder are placed, and the plurality of powder containers 21 are arranged horizontally in the dispensing unit 2, and the tray waiting unit 4, tray transfer unit 5, weighing unit 3, and post-weighing tray storage area 6 are each positioned overlapping below the dispensing unit 2.

With this configuration, multiple powder containers 21 are arranged horizontally in the dispensing unit 2, and the tray waiting unit 4, tray transfer unit 5, weighing unit 3, and post-weighing tray storage area 6 are each positioned below the dispensing unit 2, overlapping each other. This allows for effective use of the space below the dispensing unit 2. This allows the components within the device to be arranged three-dimensionally, allowing the device to be made small in both width and depth, enabling it to be placed in a narrow space.

In addition, multiple trays T are arranged in the depth direction in the tray standby section 4.

With this configuration, the trays T on the tray standby section 4 are arranged in the depth direction, so the number of trays that can be held in the tray standby section 4 can be increased without increasing the width dimension of the device.

The post-weighing tray storage area 6 is a tray accumulation section 6 on which multiple trays T containing weighed powder medicine are placed, and the tray accumulation section 6 is positioned below and overlaps the dispensing section 2.

With this configuration, the tray stacking section 6, on which multiple trays T are placed, is positioned below the dispensing section 2, so multiple weighed trays T can be placed in the space below the dispensing section 2. Therefore, even when multiple trays T are placed in the weighed tray storage area 6, multiple trays T can be stacked while the device remains compact, without expanding the device in the width or depth directions.

The dispensing unit 2 also has a plurality of holders 22 that detachably hold the plurality of powder containers 21, and the plurality of holders 22 are configured to revolve on a circular track Q that extends from the front side to the rear side.

With this configuration, the holder 22 is configured to revolve on a circular path Q that extends from the front side to the rear side, so the movement path Q can overlap on the front side and the rear side when viewed from the front. This allows the weighing device 1 to be made smaller in the width direction.

Furthermore, the tray waiting section 4, the tray transfer section 5, the weighing section 3, and the post-weighing tray storage area 6 are each located below the front side range of the circular track Q.

With this configuration, the tray waiting section 4, tray transfer section 5, weighing section 3, and post-weighing tray storage area 6 are located below the front side of the circular track Q, making it easy for workers to access each section from the front side where they work, facilitating manual dispensing or removal of weighed trays T.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, the components within the device can be arranged three-dimensionally, allowing the device to be made smaller in both width and depth directions and to be placed in narrow spaces. This makes it possible to provide a weighing device 1 that can be installed in narrow spaces.

(Third embodiment)
The weighing device 1 of the third embodiment includes a dispensing unit 2 having a plurality of powder containers 21 each capable of containing a powder and having a dispensing outlet 212a, a plurality of holders 22 for detachably holding the plurality of powder containers 21, a moving mechanism 23 for moving the plurality of powder containers 21 held by the holders 22, and a dispensing mechanism 24 for dispensing powder from the powder containers 21 that have moved to a predetermined dispensing position P1 on a movement path Q of the plurality of powder containers 21, and a tray T for receiving the powder dispensed from the powder containers 21, which is located below the dispensing position P1. and a weighing unit 3 that places the powder container 21 on the tray T and weighs the powder dispensed onto the tray T, the plurality of powder containers 21 are arranged horizontally in the dispensing unit 2, the moving mechanism 23 moves the plurality of powder containers 21 horizontally, the powder containers 21 are moved to the dispensing position P1 by the moving mechanism 23, the powder dispensed by the dispensing mechanism 24 falls and is contained in the tray T placed on the weighing unit 3, and an attachment/detachment position P2 at which the powder container 21 can be attached to and detached from the holder 22 is provided at a position horizontally different from the dispensing position P1.

With this configuration, the position where powder is dispensed from the powder container 21 and the position where the powder container 21 is attached to or detached from the holder 22 are set at different horizontal positions, so when the powder container 21 is attached or detached, the tray T is not positioned below the powder container 21 involved in the attachment or detachment. This prevents powder adhering to the dispensing outlet 212a of the powder container 21 or the holder 22 from accidentally falling onto the weighing unit 3 or the tray T placed on the weighing unit 3.

The multiple holders 22 are configured to revolve on a circular orbit Q extending from the front side to the back side, and the attachment/detachment position P2 is located in the front side of the circular orbit Q.

With this configuration, the attachment/detachment position P2 is located on the front side of the orbit Q, making it easy for the operator to access the powder container 21 from the front side where the operator works, improving attachment/detachment workability.

Furthermore, the attachment/detachment position P2 may be located on the holder 22 one to three positions away from the dispensing position P1.

With this configuration, the attachment/detachment position P2 is set at the location where the holder 22 is located one to three positions away from the dispensing position P1. This allows the powder container 21 to be quickly moved from the dispensing position P1 to the attachment/detachment position P2. Furthermore, after the powder container 21 is attached at the attachment/detachment position P2, it can be quickly moved to the dispensing position P1, thereby shortening the time required to attach and detach the powder container 21.

As described above, the third embodiment prevents powder remaining in the dispensing outlet 212a or holder 22 of the powder container 21 being removed from accidentally falling onto the weighing unit 3 or onto the tray T placed on the weighing unit 3. This prevents different types of powder from mixing together (cross-contamination), providing a safe weighing device 1.

(Fourth embodiment)
The weighing device 1 of the fourth embodiment has a powder container 21 that can hold powder, and is equipped with a dispensing unit 2 that dispenses the powder from the powder container 21, a weighing unit 3 that places a tray T that receives the powder dispensed from the powder container 21 and weighs the powder dispensed onto the tray T, and a control unit 9 that controls the operation of the entire device, and the control unit 9 can switch between an automatic weighing mode (first mode) in which the weighing unit 3 weighs the powder when dispensing the powder from the powder container 21, and the weighing unit 3 dispenses the powder from the powder container 21, depending on the target value of the powder amount related to the input supply instruction, and a manual weighing mode (second mode) in which the weighing unit 3 weighs the powder put into the tray T without dispensing the powder from the powder container 21.

This configuration allows switching between automatic weighing mode (first mode) and manual weighing mode (second mode). Therefore, when supplying powder that is not contained in the powder container 21 and cannot be dispensed in automatic weighing mode (first mode) (including cases where it cannot be dispensed due to insufficient remaining amount), the device can be switched to manual weighing mode (second mode) to weigh the desired powder.

Furthermore, the control unit 9 selects the automatic weighing mode (first mode) if the powder related to the supply instruction is contained in the powder container 21, and selects the manual weighing mode (second mode) if the powder is not contained in the powder container 21.

With this configuration, even if the powder container 21 does not contain the powder specified in the supply command, by operating in manual weighing mode (second mode), powder that is not prepared in the dispensing unit 2 can also be weighed.

In addition, when there is a shortage of powder to be dispensed in the automatic weighing mode (first mode), the control unit 9 allows the operator to select whether to refill the powder container 21 with powder and continue dispensing in the automatic weighing mode (first mode), or to switch to the manual weighing mode (second mode).

With this configuration, the powder container 21 can be refilled with powder during dispensing and dispensing can be continued. Furthermore, the powder can be weighed manually without refilling the powder container 21. In this way, it is up to the operator to decide whether to dispense in automatic weighing mode (first mode) or manual weighing mode (second mode), increasing the degree of freedom in the work.

Furthermore, if there is a shortage of powder medicine to be dispensed in the automatic weighing mode (first mode), the control unit 9 terminates the operation related to the automatic weighing mode (first mode) and transitions to the manual weighing mode (second mode).

With this configuration, if there is a shortage of powder medicine to be dispensed in the automatic weighing mode (first mode), the mode automatically switches to the manual weighing mode (second mode), thereby simplifying the operation.

The weighing device 1 also includes a device-side display unit 8, and the control unit 9 causes the device-side display unit 8 to display the amount of powder that needs to be added to the tray in the manual weighing mode (second mode).

With this configuration, the amount of powder that needs to be added to the tray T in manual weighing mode (second mode) can be displayed on the device display unit 8, allowing the operator to determine the amount of powder that is missing from the tray T and reducing the burden of manual weighing work.

Furthermore, the dispensing unit has a plurality of powder containers 21, each containing powder by type, and if the plurality of types of powder related to the supply instruction includes powder that is contained in one of the plurality of powder containers 21 and powder that is not, the control unit 9 can select whether to first switch to the automatic weighing mode (first mode) and then to the manual weighing mode (second mode), or to first switch to the manual weighing mode (second mode) and then to the automatic weighing mode (first mode).

With this configuration, by selecting the manual weighing mode (second mode) after the automatic weighing mode (first mode), the operator can proceed with preparations for the manual weighing mode (second mode) while the automatic weighing mode (first mode) is being executed. Alternatively, by selecting the automatic weighing mode (first mode) after the manual weighing mode (second mode), the manual weighing mode (second mode) can be manually completed first, and therefore the operator does not need to wait until the automatic weighing mode (first mode) is completed while the automatic weighing mode (first mode) is being executed.

The dispensing unit has a plurality of powder containers 21, each containing powders of a different type. If the supply instruction specifies that some types of powders are contained in one of the plurality of powder containers 21 and others are not, the control unit 9 first switches to the automatic weighing mode (first mode) and then to the manual weighing mode (second mode).

With this configuration, the time while the automatic weighing mode (first mode) is being performed (during automatic dispensing) can be used to prepare for the manual work required in the manual weighing mode (second mode), for example. Therefore, after the automatic weighing mode (first mode) ends, the mode can be immediately switched to the manual weighing mode (second mode), allowing for efficient weighing.

Furthermore, when the control unit 9 is instructed to execute the manual weighing mode (second mode) while executing the automatic weighing mode (first mode) when dispensing multiple types of powders, it interrupts the automatic weighing mode (first mode) and transitions to the manual weighing mode (second mode) once the dispensing of the powders currently being executed is completed.

With this configuration, for example, when it is necessary to manually supply powder that urgently needs to be dispensed, the automatic weighing mode (first mode) can be interrupted and the powder can be supplied manually. Furthermore, if an operator has free time while automatic supply is being performed in the automatic weighing mode (first mode), the powder can be supplied manually. In this way, even while the automatic weighing mode (first mode) is running, the mode can be switched to the manual weighing mode (second mode) at the desired timing, allowing for flexible response to the operator's work situation.

Furthermore, the dispensing unit 2 has a plurality of powder containers 21, each containing powders sorted by type, and if the plurality of types of powders related to the supply instruction include some powders contained in one of the plurality of powder containers 21 and others that are not, the control unit 9 switches to the manual weighing mode (second mode) prior to the automatic weighing mode (first mode), and switches to the automatic weighing mode (first mode) after the manual weighing mode (second mode) has ended.

With this configuration, the manual weighing mode (second mode) can be manually completed first, so while the subsequent automatic weighing mode (first mode) is running, the operator does not need to wait until the automatic weighing mode (first mode) is completed.

The weighing device 1 also includes an information writing unit 7 that is provided on the tray T and writes prescription information for the powder medicine contained therein to the information display unit T1 before weighing begins in the weighing unit 3.

With this configuration, the information display unit T1 is displayed before weighing begins in the weighing unit 3, so there is no risk of manually supplying the wrong powder, and the tray T can then be sent to the next process immediately and without error.

In addition, the display on the information display unit T1 will be maintained until the next time the information is written by the information writing unit 7.

This configuration makes it possible to determine the amount of powder contained in the tray T at the time of the previous supply, which can be used as an indicator for cleaning the tray T.

The weighing unit 3 is configured to be movable and includes a locking unit 3a that prevents the weighing unit 3 from moving in the automatic weighing mode (first mode), and the control unit 9 releases the locking unit 3a in the manual weighing mode (second mode).

With this configuration, even if an operator accidentally attempts to use the weighing unit 3 while automatic supply is being performed in the automatic weighing mode (first mode), the locking unit 3a prevents the weighing unit 3 from moving, preventing the automatic weighing mode (first mode) from being interrupted. Furthermore, in the manual weighing mode (second mode), the weighing unit 3 can be moved to the operating position.

The weighing unit 3 is also configured to be movable, and the control unit 9 positions the weighing unit 3 below the dispensing position P1, where the powder is dispensed from the powder container 21, during the automatic weighing mode (first mode), and moves the weighing unit 3 to a position where a working space can be secured for manually adding the powder during the manual weighing mode (second mode).

With this configuration, during the automatic weighing mode (first mode), the weighing unit 3 cannot be moved from a location below the dispensing position P1 that is difficult for the operator to reach. This prevents the operator from accidentally moving the weighing unit 3 during the automatic weighing mode (first mode). Furthermore, during the manual weighing mode (second mode), the weighing unit 3 can be moved to a position where a working space can be secured, making it easier for the operator to work.

As described above, according to the fourth embodiment, when dispensing powder that is not contained in the powder container 21 and cannot be dispensed in the automatic weighing mode (first mode) (including when there is insufficient remaining powder), the mode can be switched to the manual weighing mode (second mode) to weigh the desired powder. Therefore, it is possible to provide a weighing device that can efficiently prepare powder in accordance with a supply instruction.

Fifth Embodiment
The weighing device 1 of the fifth embodiment includes a dispensing unit 2 having a plurality of powder containers 21 each capable of containing a powder and having a dispensing outlet 212a, a moving mechanism 23 for moving the plurality of powder containers 21, and a dispensing mechanism 24 for dispensing powder from the powder containers 21 that have moved to a predetermined dispensing position P1 on a movement path Q of the plurality of powder containers 21; a weighing unit 3 located below the dispensing position P1, on which a tray T for receiving powder dispensed from the powder containers 21 is placed and which weighs the powder dispensed onto the tray T; and a weighing unit 3 for holding the plurality of trays T before being moved to the weighing unit 3. The apparatus is equipped with a tray waiting section 4 for holding a tray T, a tray transport section 5 for moving the tray T from the tray waiting section 4 to the weighing section 3 and removing the tray T from the weighing section 3 after dispensing, and a control section 9 for controlling the operation of the entire apparatus, wherein the powder container 21 is moved to the dispensing position P1 by the moving mechanism 23, the powder dispensed by the dispensing mechanism 24 falls and is contained in a tray T placed on the weighing section 3, the control section 9 moves the powder container 21 to the dispensing position P1, and then the tray transport section 5 moves the tray T from the tray waiting section 4 to the weighing section 3.

With this configuration, the control unit 9 moves the powder container 21 to the dispensing position P1, and then the tray transfer unit 5 moves the tray T from the tray waiting unit 4 to the weighing unit 3. Therefore, when a powder container 21 containing powder not to be dispensed passes above the tray T, even if powder adhering to the dispensing outlet 212a of the powder container 21 and its surrounding area falls, the tray T is not placed below the dispensing outlet 212a, preventing the fallen powder from entering the tray T. In this way, with this configuration, cross-contamination caused by powder not to be dispensed being stored in the tray T can be prevented.

The system further includes a shutter located between the dispensing unit 2 and the weighing unit 3 to prevent powder from falling from the powder container 21 moving above the weighing unit 3 onto the weighing unit 3. The control unit 9 closes the shutter while the moving mechanism 23 is moving the multiple powder containers 21, and opens the shutter after the tray transfer unit 5 has moved the tray T to the weighing unit 3.

With this configuration, the control unit 9 closes the shutter while the moving mechanism 23 is moving multiple powder containers 21, and opens the shutter after the tray transfer unit 5 moves the tray T to the weighing unit 3. This allows the shutter to remain closed until the tray T is placed on the weighing unit 3, preventing powder not to be dispensed from falling onto the weighing unit 3 or the tray T.

Furthermore, after the tray T is placed on the weighing unit 3 and after zero adjustment of the weighing unit 3, the control unit 9 opens the shutter and dispenses the powder from the powder container.

With this configuration, the shutter is opened after the weighing unit 3 has been zero-adjusted, allowing the powder to be weighed accurately.

As described above, the fifth embodiment can prevent cross-contamination caused by powder medicines that are not to be dispensed being stored in the tray T. This prevents different types of powder medicines from mixing together (cross-contamination), providing a safe weighing device.

[Possible Modifications of the Embodiment]
It should be noted that the weighing device 1 of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In other words, even configurations not explicitly stated in the above-described embodiment can be modified within the scope of the present invention as long as they have the same effect as the explicitly stated configurations, and the fact that such configurations are not explicitly stated does not mean that they are intentionally excluded.

For example, the tray stacking unit 6 can be provided with a display corresponding to each section where a tray T is placed. In this case, the display can be configured so that when packaging information is called up by a packaging device in a subsequent process, the corresponding display will be displayed. An LED lamp, for example, can be used as the display. This configuration has the advantage that the section on the tray stacking unit 6 that corresponds to the packaging information can be recognized, allowing the worker to easily identify the tray T required for packaging.

Furthermore, the weighing unit 3 can be provided with two units: a first weighing unit that weighs the powder dispensed from the powder container 21 onto the tray T, and a second weighing unit that weighs the powder manually placed onto the tray. In this case, the tray transfer unit 5 can be configured to distribute the tray T to either the first or second weighing unit depending on whether the mode is automatic or manual.

Furthermore, with regard to the control unit 9, when multiple supply instructions are input to the weighing device 1 and the multiple supply instructions include an instruction to dispense the same type of powder, the control unit 9 can also set the order so that the same powder is dispensed consecutively. This reduces the overall dispensing time corresponding to multiple supply instructions.

The control unit 9 can also determine whether to use automatic weighing mode or manual weighing mode depending on the information on the type of powder included in the supply instruction. For example, with regard to controlled drugs (poisons, powerful drugs, narcotics, psychotropic drugs, etc.), if cross-contamination occurs, serious adverse effects can occur. Therefore, if information on controlled drugs is included in the supply instruction, the controlled drugs can be dispensed manually.

The control unit 9 can also be configured to include a camera capable of photographing the display unit of the weighing unit (electronic balance) 3, and to confirm whether the display information of the weighing detection value in the weighing unit 3 obtained by the camera matches the weighing value J7 displayed on the information display unit T1 of the tray T.

Furthermore, with regard to the tray T, the above embodiment describes a case where electronic paper is used as the information display unit T1, but this is not limited to this. For example, various display means such as an LCD screen can be used. Furthermore, although it will be less convenient, a printable sheet such as paper may be used as the information display unit T1 and a printer may be used as the information writing unit 7.

Furthermore, with regard to the trays T, unique identification information can be assigned to each tray. In this case, the control unit 9 can store the correspondence between a specific tray T and the powder contained in that tray T, and fix the powder contained in that tray T. This prevents cross-contamination from occurring in the unlikely event that a different type of powder remains on the tray T.

Furthermore, multiple trays T with different capacities can be used. In this case, the control unit 9 can store the correspondence between trays T with specific capacities and the powder stored in those trays T. This allows trays T with larger capacities to be used for powders with larger dispensing amounts, and trays T with smaller capacities to be used for powders with smaller dispensing amounts. This makes it easier to remove the powders when sending them to subsequent processes.

The following is a summary of this embodiment.

The combined weighing device and packaging device of this embodiment includes a weighing device on which a tray containing powder is placed and which has a weighing unit that weighs the powder contained in the tray, and a packaging device that packages the powder contained in the tray removed from the weighing device by an operator. The weighing device includes an information writing unit that writes at least information regarding the actual supply of powder to an information display unit provided on the tray, and the information display unit is capable of displaying the information regarding the actual supply of powder written in the information writing unit. The packaging device includes a reading means that reads an identifier provided on the tray to identify the powder contained in the tray, and the packaging device identifies the powder contained in the tray by the reading means reading the identifier.

The information writing unit can also be configured to write prescription information for the powder medication contained in the tray.

The information writing unit can also be configured to write the prescription information before the powder is supplied to the tray.

The weighing device can also be configured to include a tray waiting section where the tray, once emptied after the powder contained therein has been fed into the packaging device, can be returned by an operator.

The device may also include a dispensing unit that has a powder container capable of holding powder and dispenses the powder from the powder container, and a weighing unit that is located below the dispensing unit and that places a tray that receives the powder dispensed from the powder container. The weighing unit is configured to be movable horizontally, and may be configured to be located at a distance from the dispensing unit when the weighing unit weighs powder that has been manually added to the tray, without the dispensing unit dispensing the powder from the powder container.

The device may also be configured to include a housing enclosing at least the dispensing unit and the weighing unit, with a door installed on the housing, so that by opening the door and pulling out the weighing unit, the weighing unit can be positioned at a distance from the dispensing unit.

The door may also be provided with a locking unit that can be configured to lock the door so that it cannot be opened.

1...weighing device, 2...dispensing unit, 21...powder container, 211...body, 212...bottom, 212a...dispensing outlet, 213...lid, 214...RFID tag, 22...holding body, 221...holding main body, 221a...communicating port, 223...fixed portion, 23...moving mechanism, 231...moving main body, 231a...fixed portion, 232...moving drive unit, 24...dispensing mechanism, 241...dispensing drive unit, 25...table, 251...opening, 3...weighing unit, 3a...locking unit, 4...tray standby unit, 41...standby tray transport unit, 42...standby drive unit, 5...tray transport unit, 5 1...Transfer unit main body, 51a...Arm, 52...Transfer drive unit, 6...Tray stacking unit (post-weighing tray storage area), 6X, 6Y...Parallel tray stacking unit, 61...Stacking tray transfer unit, 62...Stacking drive unit, 7...Information writing unit, 8...Device display unit, 9...Control unit, 9a...Instruction input unit, 10...Housing, 10a...Attachment/detachment window, 101...Stand, M...Powder, P1...Dispensing position, P2...Attachment/detachment position, Q...Travel path (circular path), Q1...Straight path, Q2...Curved path, S1...First position, S2...Second position, T...Tray, T1...Information display unit

Claims (3)

a dispensing unit having a powder container capable of storing powder and dispensing the powder from the powder container;
a table on which a tray for receiving the powder dispensed from the powder container is placed,
The platform is configured to be movable in a horizontal direction,
When the dispensing unit dispenses the powder from the powder container and deposits the powder onto the tray, the platform is located below the dispensing unit,
A powder dispensing device in which, when the powder is manually added to the tray without being dispensed from the powder container by the dispensing unit, the platform is positioned at a distance from the dispensing unit. Equipped with a housing,
A door is provided in the housing,
The powder medicine dispensing device according to claim 1 , wherein the platform is positioned at a distance from the dispensing unit by opening the door and pulling out the platform. The door is provided with a locking portion,
The powder medicine dispensing device according to claim 2 , wherein the locking unit locks the door so that it cannot be opened.